Since the beginning of the autumn semester last year, a doctoral student Madara Prata has been working at Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences (ViA), thus promoting the achievement of the goal of the project “Academic Staff and Human Resources Development at Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences” –  to involve doctoral students in the academic work of the university and to promote the attraction of new academic staff in the long term.

The planned activities of the NatureBizz project are coming to an end. The initial idea of supporting small organic entrepreneurs with a business training programme has been realized. The programme has been developed and implemented in four project countries - Latvia (Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences), Estonia (University of Tartu, Pärnu College), Sweden (Sodertorn University) and Finland (Satakunta University of Applied Sciences).

Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences has conducted a study with has led to a conclusion that more than half of the employees in the tourism and hospitality sector in Latvia are currently idle or have already been laid off. This time we interviewed Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences Professor and Lead Researcher Agita Liviņa who participated in the research development process to discuss the current situation, understand the future perspectives and make sure that tourism studies have and will play a role in the national economy.

The distance learning phase not only posed new challenges, but provided new opportunities for the “Simulation Games in Strategic Communication” project. The simulation test which was supposed to take place at Vilnius University in the spring semester with master’s students from Public Relations and International Communication programs was conducted online.

Eduards Jesikens, a 4th year student of the study programme “Information Technologies” at Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences (ViA), has developed a virtual reality (VR) game while proceeding with his bachelor's thesis and plans to establish a business in relation to his research idea.

While developing his bachelor’s thesis, Uvis Ziepnieks, a 4th year student of the study programme “Information Technologies” of Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences (ViA), has developed a chemistry experiment simulator in a virtual reality (VR) environment, which can be used in chemistry classes and extracurricular activities in primary and secondary schools.