Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences

Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences was founded in 1996 to promote economic, political and social development of the area.{{cite web | title =About ViA | publisher =Vidzemes Augstskola | year =2013 | url =http://www.va.lv/en/page/about | access-date =January 4, 2014 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20140104212643/http://www.va.lv/en/page/about | archive-date =January 4, 2014 | url-status =dead | df =mdy-all }} In 2001 it changed its status from a regional governmental institution to a state educational institution. Later in 2004 it introduced two master's degree study programmes. In October 2013 it received the Green Flag award, becoming the first institution of higher education in the Baltic states to hold international Eco university status.{{cite web | title =Go Green! | publisher =Vidzemes Augstskola | year =2013 | url =http://www.va.lv/en/page/go-green | access-date =January 5, 2014}} In February 2014, the Faculty of Business Administration and Economics, Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management, and Faculty of Social Sciences were merged into one faculty.{{cite web | title =Pārmaiņas, kas stiprina! (in Latvian) | publisher =Vidzemes Augstskola | year =2013 | url =http://www.va.lv/lv/lapa/parmainas-kas-stiprina | access-date =January 5, 2014}}

Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences has an elected rector, currently Gatis Krūmiņš. The university has two faculties, two research centres, The Lifelong Learning Centre and a library.

Currently this faculty is the only one at the university that offers a study programme for students who wish to obtain a Ph.D. degree. In 2011 a study programme titled 'Wooden Houses and Eco-building' was introduced to train professionals working in the construction area to follow and respect ‘green’ thinking.{{cite web | title =Wooden Houses and Eco-building (college level) | publisher =Vidzemes Augstskola | year =2013 | url =http://www.va.lv/en/page/wooden-houses-and-eco-building-college-level | access-date =January 4, 2014}} Later in September 2014 the university plans to open a modern complex of engineering studies, which will be equipped with the latest laboratory and research facilities and technologies.{{cite web | title =Modern Research and Competence Centre for Engineering Studies | publisher =Vidzemes Augstskola | year =2013 | url =http://www.va.lv/en/news/modern-research-and-competence-centre-engineering-studies | access-date =January 5, 2014}}

As this faculty was created by merging faculties of three different disciplines, it provides study programmes related to tourism, business administration and social science. The university decided to put more emphasis on innovations in public administration and tourism and to attract foreign students.{{cite web | title =Faculty of Social Sciences | publisher =Vidzemes Augstskola | year =2014 | url =http://www.va.lv/en/page/faculty-society-and-science | access-date =June 7, 2014}} For these reasons, the Political Science programme was transformed into Innovations and Governance.

The Socio-technical Systems Engineering Institute was founded in July 2006. Later the Logistics Information Systems and RFID laboratory was created for joint professional and academic research. The institute publishes international annual Proceedings of scientific articles "ICTE in Regional Development" involved in EBSCO databases.{{cite web | title = About us | publisher =Sociotechnical Systems Engineering Institute | year =2013 | url =http://socsimnet.com/index.php?del_menu1=0&id_menu1=154&menu=40100&lang=lv | access-date =January 4, 2014}}

It was founded in September, 2013. Scholars at this institute conduct research sustainable development of economics, science communication, the social security system in Latvia, development of nature and culture protected areas, regional development and cultural space and cultural identity in a place development.

A complete list of research projects may be found on the [http://www.va.lv/en/page/projects university's website]. However, some of these projects at Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences include:

• ERDF project "Innovative Business Motivation Programme", training course "Become Entrepreneur in 5 days"[http://www.va.lv/en/page/training-course-become-entrepreneur-5-days ERDF project "Innovative Business Motivation Programme"]
• Erasmus Intensive Programme: "International Summer School for Sustainable Tourism"[http://www.va.lv/en/page/international-summer-school-sustainable-tourism Erasmus Intensive Programme: "International Summer School for Sustainable Tourism"]
• Nordplus Higher Education project "Express Mobility for Tourism Students"[http://www.va.lv/en/page/express-mobility-tourism-students Nordplus Higher Education project "Express Mobility for Tourism Students"]
• European Social Fund project "Training of Unemployed and Job Seekers in Latvia - 2"[http://www.va.lv/en/page/training-unemployed-and-job-seekers-latvia-2 European Social Fund project "Training of Unemployed and Job Seekers in Latvia - 2"]
• European Social Fund project "Lifelong Learning Activities for Employees"[http://www.va.lv/en/page/lifelong-learning-activities-employees European Social Fund project "Lifelong Learning Activities for Employees"]

Currently Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences participates in two student exchange programmes: Erasmus and Nordplus.{{cite web | title =Exchange Students | publisher =Vidzemes Augstskola | year =2013 | url =http://www.va.lv/en/page/exchange-students | access-date =January 4, 2014}} Exchange and visiting students can also apply for a Latvian Government scholarship for a study or research period in Latvia. Since 1999 it also organizes a traditional summer programme called The Baltic International Summer School where foreign students get educated about issues concerning the Baltics.{{cite web | title =About | publisher =Vidzemes Augstskola | year =2013 | url =http://biss.va.lv/content/about | access-date =January 5, 2014}} Later in 2014 the university together with Klaipeda University will launch of new joint master's programme in International Tourism Events Management.{{cite web | title =Apply for Joint Master’s in International Tourism Events Management | publisher =Vidzemes Augstskola | year =2014 | url =http://www.va.lv/en/news/apply-joint-masters-international-tourism-events-management | access-date =June 7, 2014}}

Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences has cooperation agreements with more than 94 universities.{{cite web | title =ViA Partner Universities | publisher =Vidzemes Augstskola | year =2013 | url =http://www.va.lv/en/page/partner-universities | access-date =January 4, 2014}} Some of these include:

{{columns-list|colwidth=30em|

• {{flagicon|Austria}} Leopold-Franzens-Universitat Innsbruck
• {{flagicon|Belgium}} Ghent University
• {{flagicon|Denmark}} Aalborg University
• {{flagicon|Estonia}} Tallinn University
• {{flagicon|Estonia}} University of Tartu
• {{flagicon|Finland}} University of Eastern Finland
• {{flagicon|France}} University of Strasbourg
• {{flagicon|Georgia}} Ilia State University
• {{flagicon|Germany}} Humboldt-Universitat zu Berlin
• {{flagicon|Iceland}} University of Akureyri
• {{flagicon|Italy}} University of Pisa
• {{flagicon|Kazakhstan}} Kazakhstan Institute of Management, Economics and Strategic Research
• {{flagicon|Kyrgyzstan}} American University of Central Asia
• {{flagicon|Netherlands}} The Hague University of Applied Sciences
• {{flagicon|Portugal}} Universidade do Porto
• {{flagicon|Sweden}} Karlstad University
• {{flagicon|Sweden}} Linnaeus University
• {{flagicon|Turkey}} Istanbul University

}}

The first rector of Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences was Artis Pabriks, the current Minister for Defence of Latvia.

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Category:Educational institutions established in 1996

Category:Universities in Latvia

Category:1996 establishments in Latvia