Strategic planning and research

Undertaking competitiveness review, institutional analysis, and HEIs benchmarking.

Providing long-term planning for strategic development, incl. vision and strategic development maps for HEIs.

Developing short-term action plans for HEIs.

Gaining practical experience in HEIs academic work and governance.

Financial and strategic partnerships

Representing interests of financial partners and coordinating the promotion of higher education excellence initiatives.

Developing full documentation for a grant programme in higher education as per financial partner’s request.

Establishing international partnerships between HEIs in EU and third countries for reputation and knowledge transfer purposes.

Studying and gathering information about industry needs and expectations.

Matching industry needs with the HEIs potential and defining any required refinements.

Constructing short and long term models to excel cross-industry partnerships.

Stockholm University, Sweden

Stockholm University is one of the world’s top 100 higher education institutes. There more than 60,000 students and 5,000 staff are active within science, the humanities and the social sciences. Researchers of Stockholm University contribute to the development of public policy and political decision making, and participate in Nobel Prize Committees and international expert bodies.

University of Turku, Finland

The University of Turku is an internationally competitive university, the operation of which is based on high-quality multidisciplinary research. The University promotes free research and academic education and provides higher education based on research. The University is part of the international academic community and works in collaboration with society. With its seven faculties, 11 independent units and 20,000 students is the second largest university in Finland as measured by student enrollment.

Vilnius University, Lithuania

Vilnius University, one of the oldest and most prominent higher schools in the Central and East Europe has 23 core academic and other equivalent divisions – 12 Faculties, 2 Institutes with faculty rights, 5 research institutes, and 4 inter-faculty Study and research centres. There are about 20 000 students studying at the University and there are 1668 academic degree holders working at the University.

Vilnius University is distinguished for its outstanding achievements in science and carries out fundamental and applied research in all areas of science. In 2008-2013 researchers of the University were authors/co-authors of more than 40 patents. In 2013 Vilnius University has established 4 registered open access centres (IT, lasers, physical sciences, life sciences). Vilnius University has 6 start up companies from biotech and physics sectors. Also the University is licensing its inventions to national and international companies.

University of Stavanger, Norway

The University of Stavanger in Norway has about 9200 students and 1300 faculty, administration and service staff.

Academic life at the University of Stavanger is organized into three faculties, comprising a total of 14 departments/schools and two National Research Centers, as well as the Museum of Archaeology.

Besides University of Stavanger has a tool for commercialization of research ideas – Prekubator Technology Transfer Office and a tool for running incubator activities and helping new enterprises start up – The Stavanger Innovation Park.

The Employers’ Confederation of Latvia, Latvia

The Employers’ Confederation of Latvia (LDDK) is the largest organization representing interests of employers in Latvia. LDDK acts as a partner in socioeconomic negotiations with the Parliament, the Cabinet of Ministers and the Free Trade Union Confederation of Latvia as well as member of Europe Business Confederation “BUSINESSEUROPE”. LDDK unites 68 sectorial and regional employer associations that take a significant place in Latvian economics, as well as enterprises that employ over 50 people. The members of LDDK employ 37% of employees in Latvia.
The mission of LDDK is to enhance effectiveness of entrepreneurship and employment development by taking into account the interests of society at large and to support development of Latvian employers and their organizations.
One of priorities of LDDK is to ensure human resource development according to the needs of economy which involves intensive work on education development, especially VET.  LDDK coordinates involvement of employers in 12 tripartite sectorial councils which were created in 2010 to ensure employer participation in ongoing VET reform, as well as to enhance cooperation between education institutions and the employers.

Helena Bruzelius, Communications Strategist at Stockholm University

Helena works with brand management at Stockholm University. She has more than 20 years of experience from work with strategic communication, brand development, business development, marketing and sales, project- and process management within the private and the public sector – i e Nielsen Marketing Research, Kraft General Foods, Civil Aviation Authority – Stockholm-Arlanda Airport, Blomquist Annonsbyrå (advertising agency).

Petteri Sinervo, Head of development at the Business and Innovation Development Center of the University of Turku
During the past 15 years Petteri has been leading dozens of business development, venture creation and start-up projects. He is also a lecturer in the fields of IPR utilization, SME finance and growth management. Prior joining the university he held executive positions in software business. Petteri has a master degree both in business economics and law.

Elisabeth Faret, Manager of UiS EVU at University of Stavanger.

UiS EVU is the Continuing Education and Lifelong Learning unit of the University of Stavanger.

Elisabeth’s recent managerial positions include heading up the business division of Fokus Bank (Stavanger), the market development activities of Greater Stavanger (regional OBC seup), and being Regional Manager of KLM Royal Dutch Airline/Air France. Elisabeth is an expert catalyst, and has active positions in a number of associations and organizations, primarily regional. Elisabeth has her MBA from the Norwegian Business School in Oslo, and she has studied at the University of Tromsø, the University of Bergen and the University of Stavanger. She is also a board member of The Norwegian Ice Hockey Association.

Anita is also a member of the Advisory Committees on Vocational Education and Training and on Free Movement of Workers of the European Commission and Alternate member of the EUROFOUND Governing Board. Before her work at LDDK, Anita had been a vice-chairperson of the European Students’ Union (ESU), being responsible for organization’s management. She had been working also for the Ministry of Education and Science. Anita has higher education in Mathematics and Education Science from the University of Latvia.

Monika Kavaliauske, Head of Intellectual Property Management and Commercialization Department at Vilnius University

Monika has worked in a high tech business, including such sectors as IT, pharmaceuticals and biotech. Moreover she has experience in international and national research and development projects, acting as projects manager.

Inga Sina, coordinator of „Establishing industry sector qualification system and improving effectiveness and quality of professional education”, LDDK

Inga has a PhD in economics. Her professional experience includes employment in LDDK, National coordinator of EU projects, Project of European Social Fund „Establishing industry sector qualification system and improving effectiveness and quality of professional education”, JSC Rietumu Bank,  Head of the Board of daughter company, University College of Economics and Culture. She is also a member of Latvian association of Economists.