CONFERENCE
The BIP took place at the Department of English Studies of the Faculty of Humanities of the University of Latvia from May 6 to May 11, 2025, in collaboration with partner institutions: Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu (Romania), Instituto Politecnico Do Porto (Portugal), and Le Mans Universite (France).
The programme featured a virtual mobility phase that was followed by physical mobility hosted by the University of Latvia Faculty of Humanities, offering a unique opportunity for face-to-face interactions and immersive learning experiences.
A specific feature of this year’s BIP was the diverse academic background of participants. For example, students from business management, psychology, mathematics and engineering disciplines took part. This diversity enriched the learning environment by bringing analytical, strategic, and technological perspectives to interdisciplinary research in the humanities.
During the virtual mobility phase, students attended online lectures and interactive seminars. They engaged in discussions guided by professors on a range of research aspects in humanities, including research ethics, planning of research, the application of research methodology and methods in humanities, literature review and academic publishing. Mobility participants also acquired skills for scientific publication search in electronic resources and databases as well as in applying digital tools and AI in their research.
The on-site mobility at the Faculty of Humanities included workshops followed by research stations that brought together students from different countries for collaborative development and presentation of their research projects on various aspects of communication: communication breakdown, coping with negative feedback, extralinguistic aspects of communication, coping with interruptions and silence and psychological aspects of communication.
Participants were introduced to the Latvian culture through museum visits and excursions, including sightseeing trips to Bauska and Rundāle as well as guided tours organised by host University students to Botanical Garden, the Torņakalns Campus of the University of Latvia, and the Old Riga.
What is said about the programme “Research skills booster” and the time spent in Latvia by a participant from France?
Cam-Linh Pham: “The BIP program in Riga was a great experience full of new discoveries. It was my first time traveling abroad and visiting Latvia, and I really enjoyed exploring the city through the organized excursions. The professors were very nice and passionate, which made the classes even more engaging. I really loved all the presentations and courses. I'm truly grateful to the organizers, all the professors, and our guide Elisabete for making this experience so memorable. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to discover a new country, meet inspiring professors, and connect with students from different countries.”
