Corporate Social Responsibility

Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU) is a socially responsible higher education institution that cares about the well-being of its students and employees. For a detailed list of all support measures and benefits available to staff and students see below.

Benefits and wellbeing at RSU

For employees

Remuneration is set according to the A+B+C+D principle:

Salary

Performance-based compensation

One-off, results-based payments

Benefits, insurance policies, cash prizes, additional leave

Health

Health insurance after 6 months of employment,
RSU is constantly developing and improving the work environment to ensure the most healthy, ergonomic, and sustainable working conditions possible,
Partial reimbursement for the purchase of medical optical aids for vision correction (like glasses or contact lenses),
Counselling at the RSU Clinic of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy and the RSU Career Centre in cooperation with the Psychology Laboratory.

Social support

Free use of the RSU crèche Namiņš (16 Dzirciema iela),
Bereavement allowance:
- for loss of a relative,
- for staff member’s relatives in case of death,
Leave allowance after ten years of employment (up to 25% of salary),
20% discount on tuition fees for children of RSU employees,
Free parking in parking lots near RSU buildings,
Flexible working hours and remote work opportunities.

Training and development

Systematic plans for employee growth and development based on the quality, quantity, and competence of work performance,
Training outside the RSU structural unit within the budget,
English language courses,
Classes offered by the RSU Centre for Educational Growth, the Department of Information Technology, the Medical Education Technology Centre, the Career Centre and the Human Resources Department,
20% discount on tuition fees for courses at the Open University,
Up to 100% discount for professional development at the Open University (if the skills are relevant for the employee’s work),
Use of materials available in the RSU Library’s collection and other library services free of charge,
Opportunity to participate in Erasmus+ exchange programmes to gain academic or administrative experience,
Opportunity for academic staff to participate in 6-month-long IT Excellence Programme for developing digital skills for at the University at Buffalo (USA),
RSU grants the status of Emeritus Professor and Emeritus Scientist and remuneration in recognition of those employees who have devoted their lives to advancing studies and research at RSU.

Community, culture, and sports

Regular academic and team-building events:
- annual Academic Ball, Academic Meeting,
- Christmas, Midsummer, Proclamation Day of the Republic of Latvia,
- annual autumn excursion, live and online concerts, photo competitions etc.
Use of the RSU Sports Club, participation in the University’s marathon team, Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry games, and student sports are free of charge,
The RSU Recreation and Sports Centre "Taurene" is available for team-building activities,
Group excursions at the RSU Anatomy Museum free of charge,
Team-building events for RSU structural units,
Free parking on RSU territory.

Holidays

Leave, supplementary leave, and paid holidays are granted in accordance with the National Labour Law and other external regulatory enactments,
RSU grants paid supplementary leave for seniority, paid holidays on employees' birthdays, and an extra paid holiday in case of loss of a relative in addition to the two paid holidays in the Labour Law,
RSU grants paid study leave if the studies are relevant to the employee’s work duties,
The work day prior to a holiday is reduced by 2 hours.

For students

Tuition fee discounts

RSU takes care of its students by offering the following tuition fee discounts:

For academic excellence,
For RSU graduates,
For sports excellence,
For family members,
As social support.

Scholarships

10 monthly scholarships for members of RSU’s performing arts groups (the mixed choir Rīga and the folk-dance group Ačkups),
The Boris and Inara Teterev Foundation scholarship,
Several scholarships are offered in cooperation with patrons’ foundations:
- The Vītols Fund Scholarship,
- The Egils Gulbis Medical Social Scholarship,
- The Euroaptieka Pharmacy Scholarship,
- The Rochus and Beatrice Mummert Foundation Scholarship,
The opportunity to participate in Erasmus + exchange programmes,
One-time scholarships (once a semester) for health expenses that meet certain criteria.

Counselling and health care

The following services are provided by the RSU Career Centre, the Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, as well as the Department of Psychiatry and Narcology:

The RSU Health Centre is available to students (vaccinations, GP services, etc.),
Students can apply for a private consultations about their studies through Student Services,
Counselling and therapy for individuals or groups.

Career support

Opportunity to use all RSU Career Centre services free of charge:

Individual career consultations in Latvian or English,
Coaching sessions,
Group career consultation / classes,
Counselling / therapy sessions for individuals or groups,
Access to the Career Centre library,
Career development, and team-building exercises,
Services provided by Health Psychology and Supervision master’s students (as part of their study placements),
Use of the Introduction to Studies course materials on starting to study at RSU and the use of other internal resources,
Opportunity to participate in seminars, career support events,
Opportunity to use Career Centre materials on goals, study habits, self-education, self-development, etc.,
Opportunity to use the karjera.rsu.lv career platform to access information about placements and job opportunities available to RSU students.

Accessibility

The university is adapted to be accessible for staff and students with various physical disabilities (e.g. the study environment, including individual classrooms).

Digital opportunities

Convenient and modernised digital services for submitting documents,
The latest software for learning free of charge,
WiFi in all RSU buildings.

Sports and recreation

In recent years, RSU has invested increasingly more resources to support student sports. In the coming years, resources for sports activities will account to over 1% of RSU's operating expenses. In 2022, this amount will exceed 700 thousand EUR.

RSU has always supported a healthy and active lifestyle. There are currently about 117 athletes who play in national teams at the RSU Sports Club. These athletes can apply for dual career opportunities and use of sports facilities. Broader support for sports is the logical step forward.
Events organised by the RSU Student Union and the RSU International Student Association (Christmas balls, Halloween balls, Valentine's day balls, etc.),
Use of the RSU Sports Club free of charge,
Access to the RSU Recreation and Sports Centre "Taurene" that organises various events for students at the beginning and at the end of the academic year.

Additional benefits

Students have access to the RSU crèche, Namiņš (at 16 Dzirciema iela),
Free parking on RSU territory,
Free visits to the RSU Anatomy Museum.

Policy for sustainable and socially responsible investment

RSU is committed to making investment decisions that preserve our historic heritage and uphold the principles of social responsibility, sustainability, and good governance.

Accessibility and universal designRSU ensures that all construction projects meet the necessary prerequisites for environmental accessibility and universal design as specified in the Construction Law of Latvia, during both the planning and implementation phases of building and area development
Sustainable procurement RSU applies sustainable procurement principles to all infrastructure-related acquisitions
Energy efficiency standardsRSU mandates that all construction or renovation projects include comprehensive ventilation and cooling systems. To minimise energy consumption, the control of microclimate equipment will be automated and centrally managed. In addition, all new buildings are required to meet Class A energy efficiency standards and incorporate advanced heat retention solutions, such as air exchange recovery and wastewater heat recovery systems. Energy use is continuously monitored to ensure efficiency and optimal resource management
Renewable energyRSU is actively transitioning to renewable energy by equipping university buildings with solar panels. As part of this policy:
- In 2023, the first solar panel station was installed with a total capacity of 17 kW;
- In 2024, a solar panel station with a total capacity of 70 kW was installed at 21 Konsula iela;
- In 2025, the technical design for a 130 kW solar panel station at the Taurene Sports Centre was completed, and the station is scheduled to be installed by the end of the year.
- By 2030, RSU aims to expand the installation of solar panel stations across its buildings, based on assessments of technical requirements.
CO₂ reduction in fleet management RSU maintains a fleet of 21 vehicles and is committed to transitioning to energy-efficient alternatives to reduce CO₂ emissions and fuel consumption. Since 2014, 15 vehicles have been replaced with more sustainable options, such that the fleet now includes 8 low-emission cars and 7 electric vehicles
Recycling All RSU buildings must be equipped with waste sorting facilities to reduce environmental pollution.
Preservation of architectural heritageRSU supports the preservation of Latvia's architectural heritage for future generations. This includes initiatives such as the reinforcement of the 1971 ceramic relief on the façade of the RSU Institute of Stomatology at 20 Dzirciema iela that has been recognised as a monument of regional significance.
Renovation of architecturally significant buildingsRSU invests in the renovation and modernisation of architecturally valuable buildings, such as the historical Anatomical Theatre complex, which now houses the RSU Anatomy Museum and is one of the most modern museums in Northern Europe