Expanding cooperation with Italy, the RTU Latvia-Italy Cooperation Center (RTU LISC) has been established at Riga Technical University. A grand opening took place during RTU’s Italian Days, which brought together four dozen representatives from Italian higher education institutions and industries.
The new center’s projects are designed within the framework of developing cooperation between not only Latvian and Italian universities, but also specific regions of the two countries. The town of Cēsis, which was visited by Italian higher education representatives during their visit to Latvia, could become one of these cooperation regions. The delegation visited the RTU Cēsis Study and Science Center to get acquainted with the center’s technical support and even had the chance to try their hand at constructing wooden rockets.
The group also visited the unique Cēsis Skola6 co-working center and creative center to meet with municipality management and learn about the development strategy of Cēsis, while discussing the possible cooperation between RTU, Cēsis, and Italian universities.
During their stop at the Cēsis Space Knowledge Center, the Italian guests gained a deeper understanding of the activities implemented in Cēsis to encourage youth interest in the fields of natural sciences, engineering, mathematics, and space. At the end of the visit, the guests connected with the local Italian community in the Mala art gallery and visited the iconic Cēsis Castle. The guests also visited Babīte High School and Riga Culture High School, meeting with students of different ages and sharing how STEM fields are popularized for young people in the city of Trento in northern Italy. Italian representatives also visited the RTU Children and Youth Curiosity Center Futurimo Riga and discussed further possibilities for cooperation.
It was a prime opportunity for Italian delegation to visit Latvia, as their visit coincided with the RTU’s 161st anniversary celebrations including the plenary session of the 64th international scientific conference. Italian ambassador to Latvia, Alessandro Monti, and Latvian ambassador to Italy Solvita Āboltiņa both participated in the plenary session, with one of the three main reports - «The role of universities as drivers of innovation and sustainable development in European regional ecosystems» presented by University of Bergamo (UniBg) Rector Sergio Cavalieri.
Dr. Cavalieri and University of Salento (Unisalento) Rector Fabio Pollice both received RTU honorary doctorate degrees for their special contribution to the promotion of cooperation between RTU and the two Italian universities.
During Italian Days, meetings and discussions related to future cooperation in studies, science, and innovation took place between the management of RTU and Italian universities. Several focus groups were also conducted, which allowed RTU and Italian scientists to discuss possible cooperation in the sciences of nanotechnology, biomaterials, artificial intelligence, robotics, medical equipment, and other fields.
Furthermore, RTU Faculty of Architecture of RTU students had prepared their variants of the RTU LISC logo, 3rd year student Rinalds Skopāns’ proposal recognized as the most appropriate.
Representatives of the University of Bergamo, University of Trento, University of Salento, University of Padova and University of Insubria all participated in RTU Italian Days, which were held concurrently with World Italian Language Week – this year’s theme was «Italian language and sustainability».
