Engagement and Outreach
Initiatives encouraging sustainability awareness and environmentally responsible lifestyles within the university community.
Student project Green
Launched in 2020 and organised annually by the RSU Student Union, project Green raises awareness of climate change and encourages the university community to adopt more sustainable lifestyles.
Sustainability training for staff
RSU collaborates with other universities to provide sustainability training for all employees, exploring the evolution of sustainable development and its economic, societal, and policy challenges. The training equips staff with practical knowledge and promotes the adoption of responsible practices at work and in daily life.
Mapping the Sustainable Development Goals on the Research Portal
Researchers are encouraged to actively consider how their work aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and to record this connection on the RSU Research Portal.
Initiatives promoting healthy lifestyles and psychological wellbeing among students and staff
Sports Club
The RSU Sports Club provides students and staff with opportunities to participate in a variety of sports activities. Since 2024, it has also organised community hikes along scenic trails across Latvia, and in 2025, saw the RSU Running Club was launched, offering regular training sessions, often led by professional sports specialists. In addition, RSU subsidises the participation of university representatives in the annual Riga Marathon.
Sports events
- Sports and active recreation festival Taurenis — an annual weekend event organised by the RSU Student Union, offering a wide range of sporting activities to encourage healthy and active lifestyles. See our recap of the 2025 festival!
- Freshers’ Sports Day — a dedicated afternoon of sports and teambuilding activities for first-year students at the beginning of the academic year.
Events for physical and mental wellbeing
- RSU Health Day – launched in 2016, this initiative offers RSU students and employees an opportunity to receive basic health checks and donate blood.
- Seniors’ Evening – an annual event for senior members of the RSU community, including retired employees.
- Wellbeing events – each December, the RSU Career Centre organises wellbeing activities, such as yoga classes and creative workshops, for students and staff to reduce end-of-year stress.
Educational initiatives and public outreach
Public health events
- "Zinošs un drošs" (Knowledgeable and Safe) – an interactive educational event for families and children that focuses on healthy lifestyle, first aid, and general safety at home and in public places. Launched in 2018, it is now held every September with active involvement of the Paediatrics student research interest group.
- Psychology Days – a multi-day event featuring seminars and panel discussions on current issues in psychology, held every October since 2014.
- Podcast “Health Express” – discussions on health and wellbeing with insights from RSU researchers.
- Participation in LAMPA festival – RSU researchers, teaching staff, and students regularly participate at the LAMPA conversation festival, leading public discussions on current issues in the health sector.
- Health awareness days – medical students reserach interest groups organise public lectures and offer free health checks to celebrate international health awareness days, such as World Kidney Day and World Swallowing Day.
Events to promote access to higher education
- Courses for secondary school students – Junior Doctors Academy (JDA), JDA Pharmacy School, Junior Nurse Academy, and preparatory courses in social sciences provide secondary school students with an opportunity to learn about careers in their field of interest and gain the basic knowledge to succeed in the relevant study programmes at university.
- Professional development of secondary school teachers – during school holidays, RSU offers lectures for secondary school teachers free of charge to strengthen the university’s connection with schools and equip teachers with the skills to better support their student in learning, wellbeing, and professional development.
- Participation in the European Researchers’ Night – an annual Europe-wide event dedicated to celebrating science and increasing young people’s interest in research careers.
- Participation in the Skola education fair – an annual event to inform prospective students about the study programmes offered at Latvian higher education institutions.
- School visits – RSU students, teaching staff, and management regularly visit local schools to inform students about the higher education opportunities available at the university.
- Shadow Day – an annual career education event in which secondary school students spend a day with professionals in fields of their choice, gaining firsthand insight into their career paths.
