RSU Faculty of Social Sciences brings together early career researchers worldwide: summer school invests in the future of research

Over the course of a week, Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU) hosted the European Society for Rural Sociology (ESRS) Doctoral Summer School, bringing together 28 doctoral students, early career researchers, and experts from Europe, Asia, and Africa. Participants from Japan, the United Arab Emirates, India, South Africa, Germany, the United Kingdom, Latvia, and other countries explored how digital transformation is shaping the rural development and what role the social sciences play within these changes.

The summer school provided doctoral students with an opportunity to develop skills essential for their research and to build academic networks. It also strengthened the position of the RSU Faculty of Social Sciences within global research discussions on the future of rural areas in Europe, while fostering research collaboration and quality, and the international recognition of Latvian research.

A place for future collaborations 

The key theme of this year’s summer school - Shaping Change: Rural Futures in a Digital Age - invited participants to critically assess the social, methodological, and governance dimensions of digitalisation in rural areas. The programme brought together perspectives from sociology, geography, political science, innovation, and digital research, with a particular focus on how technology is transforming everyday practices, communities, and rural development processes.

RSU Tenured Professor Miķelis Grīviņš emphasised that summer schools are an essential part of modern research ecosystem.

‘Summer schools are events where future collaborations take shape. They not only help doctoral students advance their research but also strengthen the university’s international reputation and demonstrate its ability to be an equal partner in global research processes.’

Approximately two-thirds of the participants were international representatives, while the active involvement of Latvian doctoral students and researchers was equally significant. As Miķelis Grīviņš notes, the greatest value was not only the content of the lectures, but also the collaborative work and mutual learning.

‘Attending lectures is not the most important part. Participants help each other think through their research, ask questions, build professional connections, and begin planning joint projects. This is how a research community is formed.’

Science evolves through dialogue 

The summer school programme was designed not only to introduce participants to the latest theoretical approaches, but also to provide professional feedback on their research and develop new collaborations.

Throughout the week, the programme featured lectures by international experts, presentations on doctoral research, practical workshops, and networking activities. This approach allowed participants refine their ideas through dialogue with colleagues and experienced mentors, while developing the skills necessary for international academic environment.

One of the highlights was the final-day session, during which doctoral students met two Q1-ranked scientific journal editors. Rather than taking the form of a traditional lecture, the session became an open question-and-answer discussion, offering a unique opportunity to learn what leading international scientific journals expect from submissions and how to best prepare scientific publications. 

Digitalisation is not just about technology 

The summer school’s discussions focused on how digital technologies can help address the challenges facing rural areas. Although digitalisation is often seen as a solution to many problems, the researchers emphasised that technology alone was not enough.

‘It is not only about technology or knowledge. These days, it is increasingly important how we change our practices and apply technology in specific context. The role of science is to help us understand and navigate through these changes.’

It was precisely this critical approach that was one of the summer school’s main goals - to help early career researchers analyse not only the opportunities offered by digitalisation, but also its social consequences and impact on rural communities.

RSU strengthens its position in the international research community 

The ESRS is one of the leading international organisations in the field of rural sociology and rural development research. Hosting its summer school at Rīga Stradiņš University demonstrates the RSU ability not only to organise international academic events but also to actively contribute to shaping the future direction of research development.

According to Miķelis Grīviņš, such initiatives are a significant contribution to the university’s development.

‘We are not merely consumers of knowledge generated by others. We actively participate in international discussions, build collaborations, and help identify the issues that science will continue to explore in the future.’

In international research, alongside publications and projects, the ability to bring researchers together to exchange ideas is becoming increasingly important. It is precisely these meetings that build trust, create new research networks, and often serve as the starting point for prospective joint projects.

The work continues beyond the summer school 

The summer school has come to an end, but the collaboration will continue. Participants will have the opportunity to develop the ideas initiated at the summer school and prepare publications for the Journal of Rural Studies special issue Artificial Rural Intelligence? Rethinking Expertise, Technology, and Rural Futures, which is one of the most significant interdisciplinary journals in the field of rural studies.

This is where the long-term value of such events becomes evident. The summer school is not merely a week-long academic event – it is a platform for building new collaborations, initiating future publications and research projects, and strengthening the international reputation of RSU. Strong research emerges not only from individual work, but also from shared discussions, collaboration, and international research networks.