On June 5, representatives from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the European Commission visited Ventspils University of Applied Sciences (VUAS) to discuss issues related to the development of academic careers in higher education in Latvia. The purpose of the visit was to gain an understanding of the role, challenges, and opportunities of regional universities, including VUAS, in the implementation of new academic career models. During the meeting, experts met with the university’s management and academic staff to discuss topics such as attracting and retaining academic personnel, career development opportunities, support for professional advancement, and potential collaboration with other institutions in Latvia. The international expert group included Gillian Golden, Project Leader in the OECD Higher Education Policy Team; Thomas Weko, an international higher education expert and researcher at the George Washington Institute of Public Policy (USA); and Kristiāna Egle, a policy analyst in the OECD Higher Education Policy Team. The experts greatly appreciated the opportunity to hear a report from the Executive Director of the Ventspils City Council on the university's role within the city’s ecosystem, the university’s experience and staff perspectives, as well as the opportunity to learn about the university’s development strategies in a regional context. The discussions covered both the challenges and potential solutions that could help improve the development of academic careers in Latvia.

Ventspils University of Applied Sciences recently hosted the forum “Artificial Intelligence – The Fourth Industrial Revolution”, which took place at the concert hall “Latvija”. The forum brought together industry experts, policymakers, university representatives, and others, gathering around 250 participants in total. The next day, a workshop titled “How to Collaborate Across Generations in the Era of AI” was held at the “Saieta nams” in the Pasiekste Windmill, open to all interested participants. During the same week, Ventspils welcomed partners from all COLOURS project countries. Over the course of several days, they worked together to advance the goals of Work Package 3 (WP3). The partners were also introduced to Ventspils University, Latvian culture and traditions, visited the Ventspils International Radio Astronomy Centre in Irbene, and participated in the CoLab. Kristiāna Balode, WP3 coordinator from Ventspils University of Applied Sciences, shared: “It was a true pleasure to welcome the COLOURS partners to Ventspils and to share both our professional experience and Latvia’s rich culture and hospitality. I am especially proud that we had the opportunity to present our university and highlight Ventspils’ potential in the field of innovation. This meeting not only strengthened collaboration within WP3, but also sparked new ideas for the future development of science and higher education.”

From May 25 to 30, an international summer school took place in Ferrara, Italy, with the aim to identify and understand the principles of ecological, social, and economic transitions. The Summer school analysed human activity and the impact of climate change on the environment, and developed innovative solutions for sustainable regional development and effective communication. During the summer school, we got to know the city of Ferrara, participated in workshops and discussions, visited the Po Delta region and worked with experts to generate new ideas and solutions for a sustainable future. The Po Delta region, shaped by river sedimentation processes and human intervention, has proven to be not only an ecologically and economically important place but also a deeply symbolic space, a living landscape of memory, adaptation, and survival, where the past flows seamlessly into the present. From the first settlement of Spina in the 6th century BC to the environmental and social transitions of today, the region tells a story of constant change and the human capacity to adapt. Every bend in the canal, fisherman's hut or line of salt-stained trees speaks of resilience, creativity and the ability of the local people to live with their changing environment. We took part in a fascinating series of lectures on the history, environmental and social transitions of the Po region. We heard different perspectives on how the region's unique landscape and historical processes have shaped community identity and everyday life. In addition to the lectures, we actively engaged in discussions, shared our impressions and developed our presentations, reflecting on what we had observed and offering our visions for future possibilities in such transition areas. Our experience in Italy, especially in the Po Delta region, made us realise that this area is not just in transition - it is in transition itself. It is a threshold between past and future, a space continuously shaped by water, politics, climate and human activity. We learned that such landscapes need to be taken holistically, with respect for their environmental, cultural and emotional dimensions. And we also learned something very important: vulnerability is not weakness. On the contrary, the environmental, demographic and climatic vulnerabilities of a region highlight its complexity, value and potential. Tackling these challenges is not enough technological innovation, it also requires trust, historical understanding and political courage. During the week, we not only learnt and went on educational excursions but also made many new friends and valuable contacts from different European countries. The lively work and conversations outside formal activities created a bond that will be hard to forget. This experience demonstrated the importance of transnational and interdisciplinary cooperation. We learned to listen, to collaborate and to translate different knowledge into a common vision while pursuing one of the strongest values of the European Union: unity in diversity. To sum up the week in one message, it would be this: caring for such places is not just a technical task or a moral obligation, it is a form of belonging. We belong to the stories we inherit, the futures we help shape and the places we choose to care for. When we return to our universities, cities and languages, we bring with us both the memory of the region and a commitment to think and act differently - with respect, responsibility and commitment. Press release about the Summer School on the University of Ferrara website: https://www.unife.it/en/unife-world/colours/news-colours/colours-international-summer-school-wrap-up Prepared by: 2nd-year student of FoTS Master's study programme "Translation and Terminology" Ailenda Bulindža-Leitiete; 2nd-year student of FoTS Bachelor's study programme "Intercultural Communication" Karīna Ganiņa; 2nd-year student of FoTS Bachelor's study programme "Translation and Language Technology" Solveiga Lavrane International Summer School was organised within the European Commision project “COLlaborative innOvative sUstainable Regional univerSities” (project No.101124491).

On June 6th, students of the “Translation and Language Technology” program defended their bachelor's theses. The State Examination Commission, led by LU habilitated professor Andrejs Veisbergs, listened to students' reports on various research topics related to translation, translation studies, and linguistics. Several theses explored literary translation and audiovisual translation from different perspectives, as well as machine translation and translations generated by AI tools. One thesis examined easy-to-read language in intralingual translation, while another focused on transediting methods. Several studies were dedicated to special lexis and terminology, covering fields such as sound engineering, cynology, and opera art. The State Examination Commission recognized Darina Kokļina's research on idioms with the lexeme “white” in Russian literature and their equivalents in Latvian and English as excellent. The Commission also highly recognized the papers by Samanta Stumbre for her research on the difficulties and solutions in finding equivalents for sound engineering terms and Anastasija Gremčuka for her work on audiovisual translation methods for beauty product advertising. Fifteen students earned professional bachelor's degrees, and the most daring graduates, following the tradition of Ventspils University of Applied Sciences, jumped into the fountain after their defenses.

On May 21, students and staff members gathered at Ventspils University of Applied Sciences (VUAS) to celebrate the culture day with the topic “Cultural Iceberg”". The event offered an exciting opportunity to engage with representatives from different countries on campus, allowing participants to glimpse different facets of culture, both the visible surface and the deeper layers. Ventspils University of Applied Sciences lecturer Rūta Maltisova opened the event with an introductory speech in which she invited all students present to enjoy this event and get acquainted with the culture. International students and lecturers from 7 different countries presented their cultural backgrounds on the specificities of Latvian, French, Chinese, Turkish, Indian, Spanish and Italian cultures. During the event, students and lecturers presented their country's culture, traditions and stereotypes, entertained the audience and gave the opportunity to taste traditional food and drinks. At the end of the Cultural Day, the participants gathered in an informal atmosphere to share their impressions and enjoy a meal together. The organizers of the event, 1st and 2nd year students of the study program “Intercultural Communication”, Līva and Karīna admit that the event was a great success, as it was widely attended. Both participants and visitors provided good feedback, insights and emphasized that the event allowed them to better discover the hidden layers of each culture that they often do not even think about. The event once again confirmed the active role of Ventspils University College in the cultural life of the city and the creative potential of students. The involvement of students and teaching staff in the annually organized event encourages and develops the multicultural environment at Ventspils University of Applied Sciences, allowing everyone to express themselves and be included. More pictures from the event are available here: https://failiem.lv/u/ts2jrykn7t (In the situation of publishing these photos, please give credit to the author of photos – Endijs Eihlers.) Photos: Endijs Eihlers Author: 2nd year student of the bachelor's study program "Intercultural Communication" Karīna Ganiņa