This year, for the tenth year, Ventspils University of Applied Sciences (VUAS) students had the opportunity to apply for the Professor Andris Klauss Scholarship. The scholarship was established and funded by VUAS alumnus and successful entrepreneur Mārtiņš Lauva. To celebrate the anniversary, Kristaps Klauss, the Chairman of the VUAS Council and son of Professor Andris Klauss, joined Mārtiņš Lauva’s initiative and became the second patron and increased the total scholarship fund to €3,000.

This year, a record-breaking 51 applications were received for the scholarship. Applications were submitted by both bachelor's and master's level students from all three VUAS faculties. After reviewing all applications, eight candidates were selected for in-person interviews: Krista Lange, Alise Plotova, Selīna Glaudāne, Dāvis Cinītis, Ilze Jaunzeme, Anastasija Gremčuka, Anna Ģērmane, and Andrejs Štrāls.

On the morning of April 10, the interviews took place, providing candidates with the opportunity to introduce themselves, elaborate on their applications, explain how the scholarship would support their academic, research, and community activities, and outline how they would use the scholarship if awarded.

All eight finalists are active VeA students with impressive experience in various projects, continuously enhancing their skills and knowledge both in Latvia and abroad. They are all highly motivated. The applications were evaluated by a six-member committee, which included both scholarship patrons, Mārtiņš Lauva and Kristaps Klauss. Based on the committee’s decision, the scholarship fund was divided among four students.



This year’s scholarship recipients are:

€1,500 awarded to Ilze Jaunzeme, a 2nd-year student in the Professional Bachelor’s Program in “Translation and Language Technologies” at the Faculty of Translation Studies;

€500 awarded to Alise Plotova, a 2nd-year student in the Professional Bachelor’s Program in “Startup Management” at the Faculty of Economics and Management;

€500 awarded to Dāvis Cinītis, a 3rd-year student in the Professional Bachelor’s Program in “Startup Management” at the Faculty of Economics and Management;

€500 awarded to Anna Ģērmane, a 4th-year student in the Professional Bachelor’s Program in “Intercultural Communication” at the Faculty of Translation Studies.

The scholarship aims to promote VUAS students’ engagement in various fields, including academic work, research, and community activities. Applications for the scholarship and the awarding process are organized once a year, inviting all VUAS students—across all faculties and study levels—to apply. Starting this year, the scholarship fund amounts to €3,000. In addition to the primary scholarships, the evaluation committee has the authority to award additional scholarships as incentive prizes.