Latvian Association of Universities meets with Minister of Defence at RSU to strengthen cooperation in national security

On Wednesday, 15 April, Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU) hosted a meeting organised by the Latvian Association of Universities with the Minister of Defence Andris Sprūds.

During the meeting, the role of higher education institutions in strengthening the national defence capabilities and opportunities for cooperation were discussed with the Ministry of Defence. Prof. Aigars Pētersons, Chair of the Board of the Latvian Association of Universities and the RSU Rector, emphasised the significant role of higher education institutions in strengthening societal resilience:

‘We are patriots, and we see that students also want to actively engage in strengthening national defence. Thousands of young people are motivated to contribute both through education and practical involvement.’

The Minister of Defence, in turn, emphasised the importance of universities as strategic partners in strengthening national security. Andris Sprūds acknowledged that the Ministry of Defence is ready to engage more actively in discussions with Latvia’s research universities and to support research projects in various areas of national defence.

The meeting took place at the initiative of the Latvian Association of Universities, bringing together rectors and representatives from Latvia’s largest universities - the University of Latvia, Riga Technical University, the Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, as well as RSU.

The discussion covered issues such as student involvement in the national defence service, research cooperation, and the contribution of the higher education sector to strengthening societal resilience and security.