PROJECT

VUAS and ViA doctoral grants

Project title: VUAS and ViA doctoral grants


Project No: 1.1.1.8/1/24/I/001


Project partner: Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences


Funded by: Central Finance and Contracting Agency (European Regional Development Fund (85%) and State Budget financing (15%))


Project's duration: February 2, 2025 – October 31, 2029


Project's total budget: Total 305323.99 EUR, ERDF funding: 259525.39 EUR, State budget funding: 45798.6 EUR


Project's summary:

The project aims to strengthen the research and development human capital capacity of Ventspils University of Applied Sciences (VUAS) and Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences (ViA) in smart specialization and university specialization. This will be achieved by enhancing and reinforcing the research component in doctoral-level studies, improving doctoral students' competitiveness, and ensuring the renewal of scientific personnel. The project’s objective is to intensify the involvement of doctoral grant recipients in the academic and scientific community by employing them in work primarily related to their scientific research and dissertation topics. This will foster the piloting and adaptation of innovations in practice. Supporting doctoral research through collaboration with university-industry partners and experts from other universities will enable doctoral students to integrate the latest industry or fundamental/applied research innovations into their dissertations. This, in turn, will ensure that their research remains relevant and significant, thereby facilitating their career development.


Project goal:

The project's objective is to enhance Ventspils University of Applied Sciences (VUAS) and Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences (ViA) 's research and development capacity in smart specialization and strategic university priorities by developing doctoral-level study programs, strengthening the renewal of scientific personnel, and ensuring the availability of a competitive human capital pool. This workforce will contribute to Latvia’s economic transformation and knowledge transfer.


Results:

The project will provide ERDF support for doctoral students’ employment at universities by covering salaries and necessary research funding for eight doctoral grant recipients: four at VUAS and four at ViA. By December 31, 2029, at least 1.25 full-time equivalent (FTE) research positions will be established for the participating doctoral students. These newly created research positions will be maintained for at least one year after the support period ends.


Contacts:

Project manager - Ieva Kozlova, ieva.kozlova@venta.lv

Project content manager VUAS - Lilita Sproģe, lilita.sproge@venta.lv

Project content manager ViA - Zane Kudure, zane.kudure@va.lv


PROJECT NEWS

Ventspils University of Applied Sciences Represented at International Conferences in the Field of Behavioural Economics

By Rota Rulle • July 4, 2025
In June of this year, Līga Pūce, a doctoral student in the "Economics and Business" doctoral program at Ventspils University of Applied Sciences (VUAS), participated in two high-level scientific conferences in the field of behavioral economics: At the Society for the Advancement of Behavioral Economics (SABE) conference in Trento, Italy, June 4–7, presenting a paper on the effectiveness of nudging methods in behavioral economics ("Exploring Nudging: Effectiveness and Beyond"); At the International Association for Research in Economic Psychology (IAREP) conference "Behavioural Insights in Research and Policymaking" in Tartu, Estonia, June 17–20, I will be presenting a paper on the use of nudging methods in behavioural economics to improve public health ("Nudging Public Health: An Overview of Reviews"). The organizers of these conferences – SABE and IAREP – are internationally respected academic organizations bringing together leading researchers in behavioural economics and economic psychology. They aim to promote understanding of human economic behaviour through evidence-based research approaches, including experimental design studies. The doctoral student emphasized her appreciation for the high level of scientific discussion at these conferences and the opportunity to exchange ideas with top researchers from around the world – both academics and practitioners from behavioral research teams advising policymakers. Participation in the conferences was supported by project No. 1.1.1.8/1/24/I/001 "VUAS and ViA Doctoral Grants."