Search results for "Latvia."
showing 10 items of 1313 documents
Between a ‘student abroad’ and ‘being from Latvia’: inequalities of access, prestige, and foreign-earned cultural capital
2017
This paper visualises tertiary-level students who study abroad as simultaneously both international students and members of an emerging diaspora. Coming from a country (Latvia) which is peripheral and relatively poor by European standards, students go abroad for multiple reasons not necessarily directly connected with study (e.g. family reasons, labour migration); yet their evolving diasporic status is instrumentalised by the Latvian government which wants them to return and contribute to the country’s development. Based on 27 in-depth interviews with Latvian students and graduates who have studied abroad, our analysis focuses on three interlinked dimensions of inequality: access to educati…
THE GEOGRAPHY OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS IN LATVIA’S HIGHER EDUCATION: PREROGATIVE OR ‘SECOND CHANCE’
2020
This paper links geographies of in-flow international students to the higher education system in Latvia and destination country choice rationales. Latvia welcomes international students from diverse geographies. Besides specific sourcing countries like Germany and India, there are also considerably constant and stable flows from former Soviet countries. International students are both an essential source of revenue for higher education institutions and to some extent, replacement of decrease of local students. This study adopts a mixed-method approach and based on the analysis of official statistical data and survey data. The survey reveals views on decision-making process and motives of cu…
THE INTEGRATION OF THIRD-COUNTRY NATIONALS IN THE LATVIAN EDUCATION ENVIRONMENT: THE CURRENT SITUATION AND KEY ISSUES
2018
Due to the European migrant crisis, the issue concerning the integration of refugees, third-country nationals, into Latvia’s society has become increasingly topical in the last years. Since a lot of refugees are under 18, schools also must be ready to accept learners of other nationalities and cultures and help them integrate into the community of the host country. According to studies conducted in Latvia, the system of education needs to change the attitude towards the integration of immigrants in the school environment. Therefore, the incorporation of inter-cultural experience in the curricula of teacher-training institutions is a significant factor that could enable pre-service teachers …
Work places with stipend programme and its impact on poverty risk decrease: Case of Latvia
2012
The aim of the paper is to analyze theoretical concepts of poverty risk and to estimate the impact of the Workplaces with Stipend Programme (hereinafter WWS) on poverty risk decrease in Latvia. In order to assess the effects of the WWS three different surveys were carried out: of households with WWS participants, of experts in Latvian labour market issues, and of municipality representatives. The results were analyzed, together with analysis of statistical data. The paper concludes that in general the WWS has a very positive impact on WWS participants? household budgets (more than 95% of the WWS participants in all Latvian regions noted a significant impact of the WWS on their household bud…
After the fall of the soviet union: the changing status of local governments in the republic of latvia
1999
When the Republic of Latvia gained its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, one of Latvia's first priorities was to rebuild its system of local government. This article describes many of the problems local governments in Latvia faced after 50 years of communist rule. The article also discusses the new Latvian laws which changed the structure of local government in that country. Also discussed are Latvian central government institutions which impacted on local governments in general and local government finances in particular. The unique status of the Capitol City of Riga, Latvia's largest municipality is also reviewed in detail.
Rurality as a Created Field: Towards an Integrated Rural Development in Latvia?
1999
The article looks at the post-socialist countryside as a created field constructed through the discourses and practices of different actors. Despite the fact that small-scale holdings are the major outcome of agricultural reform, and subsistence oriented farmers constitute the bulk of the rural population, there are a variety of other actors in the new Latvian countryside. Their interests are reflected in three competing approaches to rural development: the small farmer approach, the liberal economic approach and the integrated development approach. Although it is not yet clear which strategy will take the lead, the article argues for policies in favour of varied rural actors, the strengthe…
Rapid Reform and Unfinished Business: the development of education in independent Latvia 1991-2007
2008
Education in Latvia has changed a great deal in the last 15 years. The development of an independent and democratic state system has creatively combined elements of foreign experience and influence with the enrichment and further development of features of the earlier Latvian system. This article outlines the main steps in this process of change and then goes on to argue that there is still much to be done: firstly, to consolidate and secure the developments to date, and secondly, to enable a successful functioning within the EU in a rapidly changing wider context.
Potential Emigration of Latvian Labour Force After Joining the EU and its Impact on Latvian Labour Market
2003
This paper uses empirical evidence from several sources to shed light on patterns of mobility of Latvian labour force during the transition period as well as in the years to come. Updated inter-regional migration rates show that Latvian population is relatively mobile compared to some other European nations. Other things equal, during the transition period people were more likely to leave districts with low wage levels and to enter the ones where earnings are higher, despite many countervailing factors; outflow rates tended to be larger from high unemployment regions. Analysis of individual migration decisions made in 1989-1999 and migration plans for 1999-2002 confirms significance of econ…
The Post-Enlargement Migration Experience in the Baltic Labor Markets
2009
In this chapter, we use Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian LFS data (2002-2007) complemented with several other surveys to compare the profile of Baltic temporary workers abroad before and after EU accession with that of stayers and return migrants. Determinants of migration and return, as well as selection issues are discussed. Post-enlargement migrants from all three countries were significantly less educated than stayers. Other things equal, medium-educated workers were most likely to move after accession, and human capital became increasingly less pro-migration over time. Return migrants differ from all movers in many ways and, in particular, are more educated. Although brain drain was no…
The Integration of Young Third-country Nationals into Educational Setting of Latvia
2015
<p>The integration of children of Third-country nationals into the society and labour market is one of the hot issues in Latvian education, therefore it is important to summarize and spread the professional experience of teachers working with these children.<br />The education is the main tool to turn them into creative and successful members of Latvian society. In other words, migration can be useful to both migrants and the host country.<br />There is an extremely high demand for specialists capable of working with migrants' children of different ethnicities, mother tongues, cultural backgrounds as well as knowledge levels that may be challenging because of a mismatch of…