Marine Le Cordroch from France. Erasmus+ story

September 3, 2024

Tell us a little about yourself! 

My name is Marine Le Cordroch, I am from France from Brittany, in the west part of it. I am in my third year of  Business studies and foreign languages in the university of south britanny in Lorient. I love watching movies and series and listening to music, I love going to festivals and concerts. And overall, I am a traveller who love exploring new countries and cultures. In university, I have done an internship from the 2nd of April to the 24th of May, and I have asssisted Helena Koha, the Erasmus+ coordinator, in the international office.


How did you decide to do your internship in Latvia, at Ventspils University of Applied Sciences ?

A few reasons led to this choice. But I would say that the main one is my experience I had during my Erasmus semester in autumn. I came from the end of august until mid of january and everything happened so good. Erasmus was on my top things to do and that was the best decision I have ever made and I am very happy having chose Latvia as country because I did not want to go to a famous one but really experience something new. I discovered so many things during this semester. I met amazing friends. I lived alone for the first time abroad and I realized that I really liked it and did not really miss my relatives as some can. And just the fact to be away of what we know is a really great experience and I learnt a lot about myself. And my skills in english are better. So for the internship I knew it would not be hard because I knew how it would be being here and I wanted to discover the other part of Erasmus. Then, I saw Ventspils during winter, I had to see it in spring ! And the last thing is I know that having as experience a study period and an internship abroad is an advantage for the job market, espacially with the job I would like to do.


Tell us a little about the internship here, what you liked, what you didn't like, what were the tasks of the internship, any interesting projects you participated in, what skills or knowledge have you gained, etc. 

I was in the international office with Helena. My main tasks wer to create visuals for communication, I really liked doing that because I like using design platforms and use my creativity. I also helped in the organization of some events. For me, I really liked to participate in the Culture days in which I represented France. I could share my culture and show it to the students, it was fun and the process to get here was interesting.


What are some similarities or differences between your internship/studies in France and Latvia? Are there any teaching methods or academic practices at VUAS that are different from those in France?

I would say that they are more differences than similarities. For having studied here, I can say that the lecture rhythm is not the same. I would say that it is more difficult in France, we can have a big day like start lecture at 8am and finish it at 6pm several times in a week, the same for the exam period, I was surprised that here there is a whole month to pass the exams, in france, we pass all in a week even if we have to do 2 exams in a day. But one difference is that here everyone speaks english very well and that is not the case in france. Most of people only know the basics and struggle to have a conversation with a non french-speaker.


Did you have any expectations about Latvia before coming here?

I did not really have expectations, I just came here without any cliches in order to be able to make my own thoughts about Latvia. Just maybe about the english thing but as I said, I was surprised to see that most of people I met are almost bilingual and I did not expect that, and that is a good surprise.


After staying here for several months, are there any things you very much liked about Latvia?

I loved a lot of things here in Latvia. Concerning the food, I discovered the “Biezpiena sierini Karums” and that is very good, I also got through the latvian culture with the balsam, the currant one and I have to say that now I love it. I have tasted quite a lot of typical latvian food and I almost liked everything. About songs, I have two that remind me a lot about some great moments I had here and it is “Lidmašīnas” and “Meitene”.


Being here in Latvia, what culture shock moments (cultural differences) did you experience?

I do not really have a big culture shock but indeed some stuff surprised me. The first one I would say that it is the way of greeting people, here you do not really great eachother or something, maybe it is because in France we do the kisses on the cheeks but I found that really weird for me to not do anything to greet. The second one is about alcohol, like you can not pop up in the street with alcoholic drinks or drink in it, it is forbideen so you have to hide yourselves. In France it is not forbidden, you can drink in the street or have alcoholic drinks in the street. And the last thing is th fact of how clean the streets are, there is no rubbish in the street and it is so nice to see people actually respect nature. That is not the case in France, it is common to see waste on the street.

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Summer School in Italy

By Rota Rulle • June 10, 2025
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).

Translation Students have Defended Their Bachelor's Theses

By Rota Rulle • June 9, 2025
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.

Annual intercultural event “Cultural Days” celebrated at the VUAS

By Rota Rulle • June 5, 2025
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

Initiative for Space Weather Investigations 2025

By Rota Rulle • May 22, 2025
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A delegation from the Norwegian space industry visited VUAS

By Rota Rulle • May 22, 2025
Last week, a delegation from the Norwegian space industry visited Ventspils University of Applied Sciences (and the Ventspils International Radio Astronomy Centre. The delegation included representatives from nine Norwegian companies and organizations. The visit was organized by Austris Keišs, Director of Export Promotion in Norway at the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA). Among the visitors was Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, Norway’s largest defense manufacturing company, which produces advanced defense, aviation, and space systems, including combat management solutions and remote weapon stations, as well as developing air defense systems and missile technologies for various military applications. The company also offers maritime systems such as autonomous and remote-controlled solutions for naval forces. Also visiting Ventspils was Space Norway, one of Norway's leading satellite and space infrastructure companies; PaleBlue, a company that offers spaceflight simulations; Spectrum Blue, which uses quantum technologies to develop and produce next-generation materials used in healthcare and sustainability sectors, as well as digital decision-support systems for building management. Other visitors included Inventas, a leading Norwegian design and innovation company; Rocket Grace Group, which organizes Spaceport Norway, one of the largest space conferences in the Nordic countries; and startup Nava Space, which plans to manufacture next-generation space suits designed for extreme environmental conditions by combining artificial intelligence solutions with smart materials. The visit also included representatives from the University of Oslo, the engineering research foundation Norwegian Geotechnical Institute, and the Norwegian Industrial Forum for Space Activities (NIFRO). During the visit, the delegation toured the VIRAC and VUAS electronics laboratories. VUAS Rector Andris Vaivads gave a presentation introducing the activities of both VUAS and VIRAC. According to Austris Keišs, Head of the LIAA representative office in Norway, the goal of the visit was “to promote cooperation in the space industry between Latvia and Norway and to integrate Latvian companies into international projects and supply chains, positioning Latvia as an attractive investment destination for Norwegian companies.” VSRC Director Mārcis Donerblics assessed the visit as productive: “We were pleased that the Norwegian Ambassador to Latvia, Ine Måreng, who is a strong supporter of the space sector, also joined the visit. The visit was doubly effective because both the political and industrial sectors were represented,” said Donerblics. “Of course, we took the opportunity to exchange contacts with representatives from various institutions, and with several, we agreed to continue the dialogue in one-on-one meetings. It’s too early to mention specific examples, but we are interested in topics like telecommunications, satellite communication antenna systems, and student exchange opportunities.” Donerblics also reminded that VIRAC already has a strategic partnership with the Swedish Space Corporation and that there is a solid basis to hope for broader partnerships among the Nordic and Baltic countries.

Guest lecture by the Head of the Culture and Press Section of the German Embassy

By Rota Rulle • May 20, 2025
On 15th of May, students of the Faculty of Translation Studies had the opportunity to attend a guest lecture about German-Latvian cooperation, embassy work and diplomatic protocol. The guest lecture was given by Christopher Grounau, Head of the Cultural and Press Section of the German Embassy, and Nataļja Buinicka, graduate of VUAS’ bachelor and master study programme in translation. At the beginning of the day, the visitors were welcomed by the 3rd year students of the translation bachelor study programme; the students gave them a short tour of the University and told them about the daily life of students and about the VUAS in general. During the guest lecture, the Embassy representatives told the students of the Faculty of Translation Studies about the work of the Embassy, its structure and responsibilties of specific units, shared some aspects of their daily duties, and answered questions asked by students. Matīss Jansons and Elēna Šatrovska, 3rd year students of the bachelor study programme Translation, Interpreting and Language Technology shared their impressions of the tour and the guest lecture: Matīss said: "Until now, I had no idea how close and diverse the cooperation between Latvia and Germany actually is. It was interesting to hear how much attention and support they give to cultural projects that really bring our countries closer together. I used to think that diplomacy was all about fine suits, empty speeches and champagne at events, but today I realised that there is much more to it. It's a lively, dynamic environment where every day is different, and behind it all, there's people who do exciting and important work.” Elena also shared: “It was a wonderful opportunity not only to learn how the Embassy works from the point of view of insiders, how diplomatic meetings are organised, where so many details need attention, but also to meet the people who make the Embassy run smoothly. Moreover, meeting them in person allowed me to see the human perspective of their work making it more understandable, not as something idealised, complicated and unachievable.” Event organized by the lecturer of the VUAS Egita Proveja. Information prepared by the students of the bachelor study programme Translation, Interpreting and Language Technology.
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