RSU becomes first university in Baltics to join More Than Our Rank initiative

Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU) has become the first university in the Baltic States to join the More Than Our Rank initiative by the International Network of Research Management Societies (INORMS). The initiative seeks to promote a more comprehensive understanding of excellence in higher education, highlighting universities’ social, economic, and regional impact – aspects that are often not fully reflected in global university rankings.

RSU is among the first 30 universities to join the initiative, demonstrating its commitment to advocating for a broader perspective on excellence in higher education. Participation in this initiative complements RSU’s involvement in international rankings, which the University uses as a tool to evaluate its development and benchmark its performance against other institutions in the region and worldwide. At the same time, RSU emphasises that several of the University’s key strengths, including its impact on healthcare quality, public education, the national economy, and the relevance of education to contemporary challenges, fall outside the scope of traditional rankings.

Medical innovation and transfer of research to clinical practice

In its More Than Our Rank declaration, the University highlights four key areas. The first is medical innovation and the transfer of research into clinical practice. As a driving force in medical innovation in Latvia, RSU ensures that research findings are implemented in clinical settings through close collaboration with leading medical institutions both in Latvia and internationally. This cooperation facilitates the application of the latest scientific advances in diagnostics and patient care.

RSU is also home to Northern Europe’s largest medical simulation centre, which uses high-precision simulations, augmented reality technologies, and 3D modelling. This evidence-based approach significantly improves the training of healthcare professionals. However, traditional indicators, such as patent citations or private sector investment, do not capture this impact.

Public education and participation

The second area highlighted in RSU’s declaration is public education and participation. RSU plays a vital role in informing the public and fostering critical thinking. University lecturers and researchers regularly provide expert commentary in the media and take part in discussions on health, politics, and social development. Their expertise also contributes to policy-making, with RSU representatives involved in working groups and sectoral councils. The social engagement of RSU students and staff involves thousands of people each year, strengthening the University’s connection with society. This multifaceted interaction is one of the reasons why RSU has been recognised as the university with the best reputation in Latvia for nine consecutive years. However, such social impact is either overlooked or reduced to simplistic, binary assessments in international rankings.

Economic impact and sustainable employment

The third area is economic impact and sustainable employment. RSU makes a significant contribution to the Latvian economy. In 2024, the University’s higher education exports accounted for approximately 0.31% of the country’s gross domestic product, with this figure expected to rise to one billion euros by 2030. RSU is also one of the largest employers in the country, with more than 2,300 staff members. For three consecutive years, the University has been recognised as the most desirable employer in the public sector, reflecting its commitment to a sustainable employment policy. This kind of stability and social responsibility represents a substantial contribution to society, yet it is only partially captured in traditional rankings.

Adapting education to present-day needs

The fourth area highlighted is RSU’s ability to adapt education to the needs of the time. The University responds to public and national security challenges by regularly updating its study content. RSU was the first university in the Baltics to incorporate military medicine into its academic programmes, in cooperation with the Ministry of Defence and the National Armed Forces. In addition, RSU has introduced an enhanced Medicine study programme that supplements classical medical training with digital competencies, the use of artificial intelligence, and foundational knowledge in entrepreneurship and law. This capacity to respond to regional needs and prepare students for future challenges is one of the University’s strategic strengths – yet it often goes unrecognised in traditional rankings.

Joining the More Than Our Rank initiative is a strategic step for RSU to strengthen international cooperation, share best practices, and advocate for a multidimensional approach to evaluating university performance.