Guidance on the path to growth. RSU cares about student daily life and wellbeing

Students who are beginning or continuing their academic journey often face various challenges in their daily lives, professional choices, and personal wellbeing. In such moments, everyday support and assistance become invaluable, not only helping to overcome difficulties, but also inspiring personal growth, strengthening self-confidence, and fostering a sense of belonging to their university. 

The Career Guidance and Wellbeing Centre’s contribution to students’ stability and growth 

The RSU Career Guidance and Wellbeing Centre (CGWC) has been operating for 12 years. Since it was established, the range of services offered has expanded significantly.

Focused initially only on career guidance, the centre now also provides psychological and social support to students.

Every student has access to individual career counselling, where they can receive guidance on future opportunities, as well as support in writing their CVs and motivation letters.

In addition, a variety of career events are organised, including employer presentations and the Career Day, giving students the opportunity to connect directly with potential employers and broaden their horizons.

CGWC also offers coaching sessions, where through targeted questions and appropriate methods, a coach helps students arrive at genuine, value-based answers. These sessions provide a clearer direction, structured next steps, as well as the inner strength and motivation to continue on their chosen path. 

Students are also offered psycho-emotional support and individual sessions with a psychologist, providing a safe environment to discuss emotional challenges.

Psychological support has been available for five years, and more than 1,200 students have used the service since its introduction. From 2025, students have access not only to regular psychological consultations, but also the option to request an urgent consultation – a one-time session for crisis situations.

Since 2025, social support has also been available to students at the Career Guidance and Wellbeing Centre. Although social support has only been offered for a year, it has become a significant source of support for students, providing meetings both in person and remotely.

Social support staff provide assistance in various situations that students may come across during their studies, such as feelings of isolation or discomfort in a new environment, difficulties with time management, or homesickness.

They also offer guidance on life in Riga, particularly for international students, explaining matters related to healthcare services, insurance, job searching, housing options, leisure activities, places to study, mobile services, and transportation.

CGWC also organises preventive activities and social events that strengthen the sense of community and support students in balancing their studies and work. Special attention is given to first-year students through the initiative Students' First Stop (Studentu pirmā pietura), which, for the sixth year now, helps new students get to know the university environment and successfully integrate into the study process.

The demand for CGWC services is increasing every year, especially at the end of the semester and during the examination period. This year, we continue our collaboration by providing placements at our centre for 38 master’s students -prospective psychologists.

Lelde Kozilāne, Manager of the Career Guidance and Wellbeing Centre 

Mentorship programme

To strengthen collaboration among students and foster a culture of support, RSU offers a mentorship programme.

It involves both volunteer mentors and academic faculty mentors. This programme allows students receive practical advice from lecturers and senior fellow students. The C part study course - Civic Engagement and Extracurricular Activities - offered by the Faculty of Social Sciences has been supplemented with mentorship programme activities, thereby making support an integral part of the study process.

RSU demonstrates that support is not merely an addition to studies, but an essential part of them. Through a comprehensive and well-coordinated system that includes professional, emotional, and administrative support, the university creates an environment where students can feel safe.