RSU Alumni Association reflects on 2025 – a diverse, productive, and community-driven year
Photo: Courtesy of RSU and the RSU Alumni Association
For the RSU Alumni Association, 2025 was a rich and particularly significant year by strengthening the alumni community, fostering meaningful discussions, honouring outstanding professionals, and taking a significant step toward the future through launching a new Alumni platform.
Our alumni, our driving force
During the winter graduation ceremonies, 359 graduates received their diplomas, while at the summer graduation, another 1,456 bachelor’s and master’s graduates from five faculties, the RSU Liepāja Branch, and the RSU Latvian Academy of Sport Education (RSU LASE) obtained their degrees. Approximately one-seventh of the graduates were international students, confirming the university’s international dimension.
Graduates at the summer graduation ceremony
Following the 2025 graduation season, the RSU Alumni Association community has exceeded 2,000 members. Numbers are important, however, the sense of belonging, mutual support, and connection that form a strong and inspiring alumni network are even more significant.
Intelligence Club – discussions with outstanding personalities
Three Intelligence Club meetings were held in 2025, which brought together opinion leaders and offered in-depth, meaningful discussions for our members.
Guests in 2025
- Māra Lāce, art historian and Director of the Latvian National Museum of Art, shared her reflections on artworks as cultural and social values, as well as on the role of museums in the context of today’s challenges.
- Aleksejs Naumovs, painter, art teacher and former rector of the Art Academy of Latvia, invited participants to look at the art as a dialogue between time, society and the art viewer.
- Aivars Krjukovs, Brigadier General and Commander of the National Guard, raised a valuable discussion about security, leadership, and society resilience in today’s world.
Māra Lāce
Aleksejs Naumovs
Aivars Krjukovs
Ideas that connect
The discussion series Vieduma tīkls (Intelligence Network) continued throughout the year, addressing cultural, psychological, and existential issues:
- In February, the Director of the National Film Centre and RSU Asst. Prof. Dita Rietuma spoke about the role of cinema in society and the phenomenon of the film Flow.
- In May, Artūrs Miksons led a discussion on the psychological significance of habits, inviting participants to reflect on how “bad” habits can serve as a way of resolving inner conflicts.
- In November, a particularly intriguing meeting took place at the RSU Anatomical Theatre, where Prof. Māra Pilmane, researcher and Director of the Institute of Anatomy and Anthropology, explored the topic of death as a continuation of life, bringing together science, philosophy, and cultural symbolism. This event was made special by an exclusive guided tour of the Anatomical Theatre.
Artūrs Miksons speaking at an Intelligence Network seminar
We can reveal that this form of visiting our alumni may continue also in future.
New formats and shared experiences
In June, a new event – Rīga tuvplānā (Riga Close Up) – was introduced, offering alumni an evening programme focused on the city: a boat trip along the Daugava, an introduction to Art Nouveau architecture in Riga’s quiet centre, and informal discussions in a café, creating opportunities for networking and connection.
Careers, recognition, and inspiration
RSU alumni actively participated in the Career Inspiration Week discussion Neveiksme vai izdošanās (Failure or Success), where Rebeka Ozolniece, Artūrs Kurbatovs, Rinalds Seržants, and Lelde Ģiga shared their experiences.
Participants of the discussion
In 2025, Olpha scholarships were awarded to three students of the RSU Faculty of Pharmacy – Daniela Paula Prudņikova, Alīna Jaroslava Frolova, and Kristofers Rudzītis – emphasising the importance of academic excellence and dedication.
Recipients of the Olpha scholarship
The Alumnus of the Year 2025 annual award was presented to Asst. Prof. Ieva Lībiete, Head of the RSU Anatomy Museum. The award was presented on 2 October 2025 at the RSU Academic Meeting by Prof. Haralds Plaudis, Member of the Board of the RSU Alumni Association.
New board and new alumni platform
At the beginning of 2025, a new board of the RSU Alumni Association began its work, outlining a new five-year strategy. Egita Pole, Chair of the Board of the RSU Alumni Association, highlights the main goals of the strategy: to strengthen the sense of belonging to the RSU community, promote professional growth, and develop active cooperation between alumni, students, and the university.
The strategy is based on three interrelated directions:
The new board of the RSU Alumni Association
- Strengthening engagement: Initiatives and events will be developed to encourage alumni participation in the university’s community life, highlighting their professional achievements, experience, and significance in society.
- Supporting education and professional growth: The association plans to offer seminars, experience-sharing events, and mentoring programmes, fostering knowledge exchange and mutual learning among specialists of different generations.
- Expanding collaboration: The strategy aims to strengthen RSU connections not only locally but also internationally, by creating a broad and diverse alumni network that brings together professionals from different fields and countries.
One of the year’s most significant achievements was the launch of the new RSU Alumni platform, which offers mentoring, career opportunities, continuing education, and up-to-date information on RSU events.
The year 2025 confirms that the RSU Alumni Association is a vibrant, intellectual, and growing community whose strength lies in its people, ideas, and mutual support.
