This year on December 9 Riga Technical University Vice-Rector Igors Tipans and the Head of RTU Foundation Course Unit Natalja Muracova along with other representatives of universities in Latvia participated in the discussion with the Minister of Science and Education Karlis Sadurskis and the Minister of Economics Arvils Aseradens on the survey of CERTUS Policy Think Tank about the education export as one of the main driving forces of economics nowadays.
The survey shows that the higher education export is considered as one of the fastest growing and key national economic forces. Last study year there were approximately 5500 foreign students in Latvia. It is estimated that each foreign student during the year spends an average of around 12000 EUR. All in all, during the last academic year higher education export generated the total added value of EUR 148 million, thus the export of higher education should be considered as an important sector of the Latvian economy. During the discussion the results of survey the main conclusions, such as Pardaugava Riga Campus development for students, the increase of role of the Ministry of Economics in the further development of higher education export and international students’ recruitment activities. Riga Technical University Foreign Students Department will continue working in cooperation with both Ministries in order not only to increase effectively the number of international students, but also to develop the economy of Latvia.
