University of Latvia
www.lu.lv
Project Manager: Paegle, Anda
The University of Latvia (UL) was founded in 1919 and currently with more than 14,000 students, 13 faculties, and more than 20 research institutes and independent study centres, is one of the largest comprehensive and leading research universities in the Baltics. The University offers more than 130 state-accredited academic and professional study programmes. At UL, research is conducted in over 50 research fields representing four main areas of inquiry: humanities, sciences, social sciences, and education sciences. The UL pays great attention to the development of international collaboration. At present, the UL has signed more than 525 cooperation agreements with over 278 universities in 28 European countries. The number of available courses held in English increases every year. Successful experience of academic staff exchange ensures international scope, ideas and innovations in the study environment. We are glad that the faculties are active in involving visiting professors in the study process. UL is the only Latvian higher education institution included in the QS University Rankings (Emerging Europe and Central Asia 2017/18 Top 50, ranking position 44, https://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/eeca-rankings/2018). University highly appreciate the sports role in the student’s personality development.
University Sports Service Centre (SSC) is a university department, which organizes the whole Latvian University sports life that has several bases: ELEKTRUM Olympic Centre, ANO VC4 gym, Daugava Stadium, Hansa secondary school, football field ANO LU University faculty’s gym. SSC, in cooperation with the Student Council, organizes events and competitions in various sports. The Centre offers an opportunity for students to attend trainings in different type of sports: basketball, football, volleyball, floorball, athletics, fitness, frisbee, baseball, skiing, table tennis, and kendo.
SCC, in collaboration with the soccer school Metta, has established football team FS Metta/Latvian University. Best players have a chance to play in University football premier league games and in the 1st League team. Potential players can be students starting from the middle school age if the student can assert himself on the level of an athlete, and later undertake the studies at the University. Football team is practicing in professional conditions and is equipped with all necessary equipment so that players can improve their skills and later become high-class athletes who represent the Latvian team. Similarly, SCC also develops other sports, especially basketball.
The best sports teams of the University are participating in a wide range of competitions: SELL games, Latvian championship, PU, European championship, etc. The best students of the University can get discount on tuition fee. Every year, SCC organizes various sports competitions for UL students. The most popular sports teams are basketball, volleyball, and football. SCC also organizes other activities, which help students to fill their free time: sports games, football evenings, aerobics marathon, mini-football cup, streetball, etc.
UL cooperates with the following professional sports organizations: FS Metta (Football team FS Metta/LU), VK Jelgava (women’s volleyball team Jelgava/LU), FS Master (men’s floorball team FS Master/LU), BJSS “Riga”, b/k “Diamonds” (a baseball team Diamonds/LU).
Every year, UL implements various Erasmus+ and other international projects. Latest international project is about the development of the mentoring program “Your Career Academy”, which aims to bring together professionals from various organizations and students from different faculties and to make a better understanding about the chosen profession. Programme coordinators will have personnel interviews with all participants in order to find out their true motivation and responsibility. Within the framework of the programme will be organized seminars for all participants, where coordinators will introduce each pair with methodology and rules, for instance, one meeting per month with specific tasks. In total, the mentoring programme “Your Career Academy” will last 1 academic year (9 months).