RSU hosts CNRS/EHESS Centre for Russian, Caucasian, East European and Central Asian Studies

On 14 October, Social Sciences Research Centre at Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU)  welcomed a research delegation from the Centre for Russian, Caucasian, East European and Central Asian Studies (CERCEC) of the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS). CERCEC also collaborates with the School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences (EHESS) in France. The purpose of the meeting was to identify shared research interests and opportunities for research collaboration.

CERCEC was represented by a broad team of researchers and doctoral candidates whose work spans a wide range of fields, including war studies, history, sociology, digital issues, security, journalism, demography and others. Several of the researchers have already conducted, or are planning to undertake, research activities in Latvia, including fieldwork and archival research.

During the visit, the researchers discussed current research issues concerning Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia. The meeting provided an excellent opportunity to exchange ideas, identify common research interests, and explore possibilities for future collaboration and joint projects.

CERCEC was represented by an interdisciplinary team from a variety of academic fields, with particularly strong representation from historians, sociologists and social anthropologists. Their research topics are largely related to the war in Ukraine, journalism in wartime conditions, refugees and wartime volunteers, among many others. Several themes with strong potential for future collaboration and joint project development were identified during the discussions. Looking ahead, RSU plans to explore CERCEC’s expertise in health and environmental issues, which closely align with the research priorities of the RSU Faculty of Social Sciences. The meeting also resulted in an agreement to exchange experience and good practices in the areas of open science and data analysis between RSU and CERCEC.

“It was a pleasure to welcome colleagues from CERCEC to RSU and explore the research interests we share. Our meeting confirmed that researchers in Latvia and France have many common interests and promising opportunities for future cooperation. We look forward to developing joint initiatives, exchanging knowledge and experience, and building long-term partnerships that contribute to addressing important societal challenges through research and knowledge exchange,” said Dr Agnese Cimdiņa, Head of the RSU Social Sciences Research Centre.

At the conclusion of the visit, Dr Agnese Cimdiņa, Head of the RSU Social Sciences Research Centre, together with Ingmārs Kreišmanis, an Expert in Research Project Development, attended a reception at the Embassy of France in Latvia. The event highlighted the importance of Latvian-French academic cooperation and further strengthened ties between the Latvian and French research communities. The reception also facilitated closer engagement with representatives of the Embassy and the leadership of the French Institute in Latvia. An agreement was reached to further strengthen academic cooperation between RSU and French academic institutions by making use of available funding and support mechanisms.