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On October 31, 2025, the European University Association (EUA) Council meeting took place in Brussels, where Latvia was represented by Professor Arvīds Barševskis, Rector of Daugavpils University and Chair of the Latvian Rectors’ Council. The meeting brought together representatives of national rectors’ conferences from across Europe to discuss strategic development priorities for the higher education sector and the role of universities in shaping Europe’s future.
The central topic on the agenda was the development of the new EUA Strategic Plan, which will define the Association’s main priorities for the coming years. Participants discussed the role of universities in strengthening Europe’s overall competitiveness, emphasizing the need for closer cooperation in research, innovation, and lifelong learning.
The Council also addressed the future structure of EUA’s leadership in response to growing responsibilities at the international and political levels. Participants explored possible models to enhance the Association’s representation and effectiveness in a rapidly evolving European political and economic environment.
Another key part of the meeting focused on the future of EU funding, including the Erasmus+ programme, the upcoming EU Research Framework Programme (FP10), and priorities in competitiveness policy. Participants highlighted the importance of ensuring stable and predictable funding for higher education, research, and innovation.
Professor A. Barševskis stressed that in the context of developing Latvia’s higher education system, a unified European perspective on academic career sustainability, university autonomy, and international collaboration is of particular importance:
“It is essential for Latvia to take part in shaping European-level policy, as this is where the development framework is created that directly affects the sustainability of academic careers, research potential, and talent attraction. For a small country, it is especially important not only to follow the processes, but also to be an active co-creator, ensuring that the European Higher Education Area strengthens our universities as well,” emphasized Professor A. Barševskis.
The meeting also included the presentation of the EUA Leadership Development Programme pilot project, which supports the professional growth of university leaders and promotes knowledge and experience exchange at the European level.
The European University Association brings together more than 900 universities and 48 national rectors’ conferences. EUA is the leading voice in shaping European higher education policy, representing universities’ interests within the EU and globally.
Daugavpils University is the largest higher education institution in the Latgale region of Latvia, with more than 100 years of academic and scientific traditions and active international cooperation.
The Latvian Rectors’ Council, established in 1995, is a collegial advisory body uniting the rectors of all state-accredited higher education institutions. It coordinates inter-university cooperation, represents the collective position of universities in Latvia and abroad, and actively contributes to the development of higher education and research policy.
Press release prepared by:
Agnese Rusakova, Dr. sc.admin.
Expert, Council of Rectors’ of Latvia
