Do you aspire to become Europe’s young researcher?

Professor Tālis Tisenkopfs, the project manager representing the University of Latvia (UL) Faculty of Social Sciences, spoke about the opportunity to participate in the young scholars’ research and training network in the field of urban and regional food dynamics, and the possibility to integrate into the young European researchers’ environment. In your opinion, who is the target audience of the European Commission 7th framework programme Marie Curie grant PUREFOOD? Who ought to apply for this grant? This is Marie Curie training network of for young researchers. Marie Curie programme is part of the European framework programme for science directly aimed at strengthening the community of young researchers in Europe. To achieve this, researcher exchange programme and research mobility are placed in the foreground. Researchers are free people and should be encouraged to actively cooperate within the united European research area. In fact, this programme is designed for all young European scholars and researchers, who have recently received MA degree in Social Sciences. They must be prepared to travel, work at several universities, team up with practitioners, and develop a doctoral dissertation within an international project framework. The programme requirements stipulate that the successful candidates for the vacant positions should not be the nationals of the state in which they intend to carry out their research. If the potential candidate is a national of the particular country, then, to promote mobility, he or she should have studied abroad in the recent years. In this case, American, French, Italian, Indian, Turkish, Spanish, as well as Latvian candidates, who have for some period studied in other countries, may show interest in the currently vacant positions at the University of Latvia. I really expect that the UL graduates with MA degree in Social Sciences will also show interest in this opportunity. What is the practical aspect of the participating in the project? The two exchange researchers who will work at the UL will be contracted for three years. The University will provide a base for conducting their research. The theme and the research object will be Latvia, but we would like the young researchers to carry out an international comparison within their themes. This means that they could study individual cases and examples also in the Programme Partner Countries. This would give a comparative perspective to the dissertations. Time after time, the young researchers will have to go on training seminars, which will take place at Wageningen University in the Netherlands, Cardiff University in the UK and, possibly, at the University of Pisa in Italy. These will be specific doctoral-level training courses. As time draws near for the young researchers to complete doctoral thesis and plan future work, they will receive additional funding for career survey visits here in Latvia, as well as in the neighbouring countries or elsewhere in Europe, to find out where they want and will be able to work. This means that the young researchers will be able to attract the interest of potential employers. I secretly hope that after three years the young researchers employed at the UL will not only be able to defend their dissertations, but also themselves create new jobs here in Latvia. What are the research directions set in the programme? The University of Latvia has two vacant job positions. One is connected to the media and communications role in shaping new food chains. The other is related to the food autonomy of particular area, territory and region, as well as self-supply and sustainability. These themes may not seem very common for the Latvian Social Sciences; however, food products, in fact, have been declared as one of the seven priorities in the Latvian Science. Do you mean research in particular? Yes, because the utilization of agricultural resources and food production is defined as a research direction of state importance; therefore, a new competence centre is being established. This concerns significant resources that are available in Latvia. It is also a theme of a global importance, because very soon we will need food for nine billion people, cities must be supplied with a healthy and quality food, school children have to be ensured healthy lunch. Maybe, the topic is not so common for our Social Science researchers, but it is of social significance. This project will draw attention not so much to food organoleptics and taste-bud function, but to the social and political processes that create successful food chains, marketing, branding, consumer awareness, sustainable production and consumption. The scope is really exciting. Is the research topic of the potential candidate’s MA paper important? Is it enough that the student has received a degree in Social Sciences? Motivation is the most important factor, as well as a degree that allows continuing studies at doctoral level. For instance, Master’s degree is not even required in the UK, as where the candidates with Bachelor’s degree can apply to this programme. However, in Latvia, it is necessary that the applicant has already obtained a Master’s degree. Students of Economic Sciences and MA students of Communication Sciences, as well as graduates from other study programmes have shown interest in this opportunity. We will mostly consider cover letters as well as CVs. Applicants will be assessed by the Selection Committee consisting of the representatives of three Partner Universities. Further on, a short list will be prepared, announcing the applicants to be invited for an interview. Are there any specific language requirements for the applicants? Yes, the thesis is to be drafted in English. What would an eventual program participant from a country “X” do if he or she does not know Latvian? My experience with the Dutch students who wrote their MA papers here was that in case of necessity they covered the translation services provided by our students from their grants. We live in a unified Europe and the language barrier will be overcome in any case. Young people who speak English, French, German or Spanish have expressed interest in the project, noting that for the time being they don’t know the Latvian language. But this shows their motivation to learn a foreign language. It is possible to do it. The project participants will have sufficient grants to pay for the Latvian lessons as well. Do the participants have to be concerned with daily matters? Everything is provided in the programme, such as the accommodation support included in the total grant amount, which on average is 36 thousand euro per year in Europe. Students with families are also eligible for the so-called partner allowance, so that they could live together with their spouses. Everything is stipulated in the programme’s requirements. In your opinion, what is the added value that the young researcher obtains when choosing to write a PhD paper within this programme? Firstly, participants will receive an international doctoral degree, as the defence of dissertations is set in Wageningen, the Netherlands. It is the PhD degree of a prominent European university. Secondly, the experience gained, working together with twelve other young researchers at the Partner Universities and participating in training seminars and courses. The researchers will also have the opportunity to consult the Professors of the UL, and communicate with our doctorates. Also, the programme offers a possibility to integrate in a wider environment of young European researchers, because the project participants will become Marie Curie “citizens”. It is an honour to be a grant holder of this programme, and it also raises one’s self-esteem and merit. It will be very interesting for me to work with these young people because I see their great motivation and interest. They can promote the Latvian science and economy, and I will encourage them to search and create their next job positions here in Latvia. If they are young researchers from foreign countries, I will motivate them to learn the Latvian language and pursue their further careers in Latvia. For instance, they could join our new food sector competence centre with their expertise, create new projects, and cooperate with the industry, regions and local governments. There are many options. I can see that this is an academic, as well as pioneering work that requires active advancement. I regard this project as the chance to return or attract bright minds to Latvia, and it offers great opportunities for the young researchers participating in it.


Translated by students of the professional study programme Translator of the University of Latvia.