PULSE-ART Project Research Presented at International Scientific Conference at Daugavpils University

22.10.2025

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On October 17–18, 2025, Daugavpils University (DU) hosted the 20^th International Scientific Conference “Social Sciences for Regional Development”, organized by the Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences (IHSS).

This milestone event brought together around 120 participants from across Europe (Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Spain, Germany, Ukraine), North America (USA), Asia (Philippines, China), and Africa (South Africa). The conference was held in a hybrid format – both in person at DU and remotely via the “Zoom” platform. Participants engaged in two plenary sessions and four working groups across five thematic areas of the social sciences: Economics – Regional Economics, Finance and Credit, Law, Sociology – Social Psychology, and Management Science.

As part of the conference, Dr. philol. Oksana Kovzele, researcher of the “Promoting Understanding and Lifelong learning Successful Education through the ARTs and culture” (PULSE-ART) project (Grant Agreement No. 101178988), chaired the session “Sociology. Social Psychology” and delivered a presentation titled “Overview of Scholarly Perspectives on Latvian National Policies for Arts Education and Promotion of Cultural Awareness and Expression (CAE) Competence.”
The presentation was co-authored by Dr. philol. Ilze Kačāne and Dr. theol. Anita Stašulāne, also researchers of the PULSE-ART project.

The study provided a comprehensive analysis of academic perspectives on Latvian national policies in arts education and the promotion of the CAE competence. It was based on an extensive review of scholarly publications – articles, monographs, book chapters, and expert commentaries – identified between April 1 and April 30, 2025, using major academic research platforms such as Google Scholar, ResearchGate, Academia.edu, EBSCOhost, and Scopus.

The findings highlighted both the strengths and challenges of Latvia’s national policies in arts education, while summarizing recommendations from researchers and educators for improving key policy documents, including laws, strategies, and action plans. The presentation prompted an active and insightful discussion among participants on the topic’s contemporary relevance.

Conference abstracts are available here.

About the PULSE-ART Project

The PULSE-ART project focuses on cultural awareness and expression competence, enabling individuals to understand themselves, their identity, and their connection to society and culture. It encourages exploration of cultural diversity and various art forms, including visual arts, music, performance, and dance, while promoting engagement in creative processes across diverse contexts.

Throughout the project, seven case studies will be conducted in six European countries and Morocco. One of the key expected outcomes is the establishment of the PULSE-ART Observatory – an open, sustainable global platform for promoting cultural awareness and expression. The project embodies values such as art, education, cultural awareness and expression, mutual learning, competency development, professional growth, and stakeholder collaboration.