Academic Staff Competence Model (COMPAC)

The project’s thematic objective is to promote the transition to the New Academic Career Framework and its establishment in higher education institutions and research institutions.

The scientific group will develop a competence model for academic staff based on theory and international practice research. The competence model will support the transition to the New Academic Career Framework in Latvian higher education institutions and research institutions. It will incorporate components aligned with university typology and stages of the academic career: competence assessment, identification of learning needs and professional development planning. It will be used for the development of institutional personnel policies, internal and external quality assurance and improvement.

The following activities will be carried out, during the implementation stages of the project:

• Conducting an analysis of scientific literature, documents, and international practices;
• Defining and describing competencies in accordance with the four levels specified in the New Academic Career Framework;
• Creating descriptions of performance levels and an assessment system that correspond to career stages and job competencies;
• Developing a tool prototype for assessing academic staff competencies and identifying learning needs;
• Developing descriptions and examples for the curriculum design of continuous professional development micro-modules aimed at enhancing academic staff competence;
• Developing guidelines and recommendations for the implementation of the competence model in higher education institutions and research institutes, planning higher education and research policies, as well as for the development of educational policy and legislative acts.

The Competence Model will provide support for:

• Representatives for academic staff in assessing their competence and identifying learning needs;
• Higher education institutions and research institutions in planning and refining systemic personnel policies – regular competence assessment and the organization of the professional development process;
• Educational designers of professional development training;
• Education policymakers in higher education and science policy planning in the development and implementation of laws and regulations;
• Implementers of internal and external quality assessment and assurance processes.  

The direct beneficiaries will be students of all levels, alumni, their employers, and society, as the project's contributions will directly enhance quality monitoring and improvement. 

Outcomes to be achieved

• Five original scientific articles in journals or conference proceedings included in the WoS/SCOPUS databases;
• One anonymously peer-reviewed scientific article in an international journal and collection, excluding conference materials;
• One publication of research results in a popular science journal and resources;
• Two conference materials - abstracts up to 1 page;
• One data set (newly acquired research data deposited in an open research data repository, promoting data reuse in accordance with "FAIR" principles -findability, accessibility, interoperability, reusability);
• Two practically applicable solutions at the level of educational institutions, founders of educational institutions and/or municipalities, as well as at the national level;
• One set of guidelines and one set of recommendations (including the necessary resources, including financial, impact) for changes in sectoral policies;
• Defense of 1 master's thesis in an established order, respecting the objectives and tasks of the programme;
• Defense of 1 doctoral thesis in an established order, respecting the objectives and tasks of the programme.

Project-related activities

Conferences and Seminars

• 20th International Technology, Education and Development Conference (INTED2026), Valencia, Spain (2–4 March 2026)

Examination of academic staff competence and professional development needs associated with integrating civic engagement into higher education. The presentation Faculty Competencies for Integrating Civic Engagement in Higher Education: Evaluation and Development Needs highlighted the importance of competence assessment and development in expanding the understanding of academic professional roles and universities’ engagement with society.

• Final Report Launch, Academic Career Reform in Latvia: Taking Stock and Looking Forward, Riga, Latvia (20 February 2026)

Presentation of the academic staff competence assessment model developed within COMPAC in the context of implementing Latvia’s new academic career framework. Matīss Sīlis presented the project’s progress and the role of the model in structuring academic staff professional performance and career development. The presentation situated COMPAC outcomes within the broader transition towards the new career framework across Latvian higher education and research institutions.

• European University Association STAFFDEV Project Advisory Board, Utrecht University, the Netherlands (8–10 October 2025)

Discussion of COMPAC interim findings within the context of European approaches to academic staff professional development. The Advisory Board discussions, involving COMPAC project leader Associate Professor Nora Jansone, provided an international forum for examining competence development and institutional support practices. The Latvian competence assessment model approach was considered in relation to wider European higher education developments.

• European Conference on Ethics and Integrity in Academia 2025, Uppsala University, Sweden (17 June 2025)

Examination of the relationship between inclusive higher education practices and academic integrity, drawing on student and academic staff perspectives. Inguna Blese and Nora Jansone presented the poster Navigating Inclusive Assessment and Academic Integrity: Student and Faculty Perspectives, addressing challenges related to individual academic accommodations, assessment fairness and academic integrity. Based on focus group discussions with students and faculty at Riga Stradiņš University, the study highlights the need for systematic development of academic staff pedagogical competence to support inclusive and academically rigorous learning environments.

• OECD International Workshop, The Future of Academic Careers in Latvia, Riga, Latvia (4 June 2025)

Presentation and discussion of COMPAC interim findings in the context of reforms to Latvia’s academic career system. Matīss Sīlis and Nora Jansone addressed the development of the academic staff competence assessment model and its relationship with academic career structures, professional performance expectations and institutional development priorities.

• OECD and European Commission Expert Visit to Turība University, Riga, Latvia (3 June 2025)

Examination of the institutional needs of the private higher education sector in the context of implementing Latvia’s new academic career framework. Within the project Support for Institutionalising the New Academic Careers Framework in Latvia, discussions addressed academic staff professional development, digital pedagogy, interdisciplinary research and institutional support for academic career progression. These perspectives contributed to a broader understanding of institutional diversity relevant to the applicability of a national competence assessment model.

• European University Association Learning & Teaching Forum, University College Cork, Ireland (28 February 2025)

Examination of academic career development and academic staff competence development approaches in European higher education. A workshop led by COMPAC project leader Associate Professor Nora Jansone addressed systemic approaches to academic staff professional development, the diversity of European practices and Latvia’s experience in developing a national competence assessment model through COMPAC. The international expert discussion provided an opportunity to consider the project’s conceptual approach from the perspective of different European higher education systems.

• OECD and Sector Experts Working Group on the New Academic Career Framework (13 February 2025)

Discussion of COMPAC interim findings in the context of developing and refining the conceptual report on Latvia’s new academic career framework. Matīss Sīlis and Nora Jansone presented interim findings, highlighting the role of the academic staff competence assessment model in establishing coherent and transparent principles for academic career development.

• OECD Expert Visit to Riga Stradiņš University, Riga, Latvia (21 November 2024)

Presentation and discussion of the COMPAC project’s research approach, objectives and interim findings with OECD experts. Matīss Sīlis and Nora Jansone presented the project’s progress and the conceptual foundations of the academic staff competence assessment model, addressing its relevance to the development of Latvia’s academic career system.

• OECD Conference, Community of Practice Addressing Academic Career Issues in Latvia, Riga, Latvia (29 April 2024)

Discussion of COMPAC interim findings within OECD expert working groups addressing Latvia’s academic career system. Project representatives Matīss Sīlis and Nora Jansone presented the project’s research directions and interim findings, highlighting the relevance of developing an academic staff competence assessment model to support the new academic career framework.

• European University Association STAFFDEV Project Advisory Board, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany (February 2024)

COMPAC project leader Associate Professor Nora Jansone serves as a member of the European University Association (EUA) Advisory Board for the project Academic Staff Development for Learning and Teaching in European Universities (STAFFDEV), contributing to discussions on academic staff professional development approaches and priorities across European higher education. The Advisory Board addressed Latvian academic career development initiatives and their alignment with European higher education policy developments and institutional practices. This engagement connects the COMPAC project’s research perspectives with international expertise in academic staff competence development.

Scientific Publications

• International comparative foundations for an academic staff competence assessment model (2026)

Spridzāne, K., Strods, R., Jansone, N., Kļave, E., & Rubene, Z. (2026). A comparative analysis of international academic staff competence models as a foundation for developing a national model. Journal of Education Culture and Society, 17(2), 375–398. https://doi.org/10.15503/jecs2026.2.375.398

The publication examines 35 international academic staff competence models, identifying their conceptual and structural approaches. The comparative findings provide a research foundation for developing a Latvian national competence assessment model, connecting national higher education priorities with international experience.

• Education, social innovation and cross-sectoral collaboration (2026)

Oļesika, A., Rubene, Z., Lāma, G., & Jansone, N. (2026). Rethinking educationalization in Latvia: Social innovation and the quintuple helix in expert focus group discussions. Frontiers in Education, 11, 1792654. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2026.1792654

The publication explores the role of education in social innovation through the conceptual framework of the quintuple helix and an analysis of expert focus group discussions. The study contributes to understanding the interaction between education, research and other societal sectors, with particular attention to knowledge transfer and societal development.

Media Coverage

• How Smart Must a Scientist Be to Educate Society and Politicians? Latvian Radio programme "Zināmais nezināmajā" (21 September 2026)

Discussion of researchers’ competence and knowledge transfer, focusing on scientific communication, public engagement and the contribution of research to evidence-informed decision-making. (In Latvian.)

• Artificial Intelligence Is a Very Good Thing, But…, TVNET (25 June 2025)

Discussion of the opportunities and challenges associated with artificial intelligence in education, with an emphasis on its meaningful integration into learning and professional practice. (In Latvian.)

• Motivation as a Muscle: 12 Recommendations for Better Relationships with Learning in Adulthood, LSM (27 May 2025)

Discussion of adult learning motivation and professional development, focusing on learning habits and the conditions supporting continuous competence development. (In Latvian.)