The University of Latvia Rector’s visit in Canada and the United States

The aim of the visit was to meet with the UL Maecenas and friends in Canada and the U.S. and inform them about achievements and future plans of the UL. The visitors also intended to stay at several universities in North America in order to establish mutual cooperation. At the beginning of the visit, the UL delegation went to Canada where they called in on Toronto Latvian Centre, Hamilton Latvians and met with colleagues from York University. In order the new UL friends and graduates could immediately provide support for the UL, an account was opened at Toronto Latvian Credit Union. Already 2,000 Canadian dollars have been received for the 2011 /2012 academic year scholarships Ceļamaize. Afterwards, the UL delegation went to Washington (USA) and met with Andrejs Pildegovičš, the Latvian Ambassador to the United States of America, and Rūdolfs Brēmanis, the Adviser on the economic matters. The Representatives of the Embassy accompanied Prof. M. Auziņš and Director L. Kundziņa during the visit to Georgetown University and Johns Hopkins University. The colleagues from Georgetown University are willing to more actively cooperate with the UL, so that the UL students could study in the U.S. and the American students could participate in exchange programmes at the UL for at least one semester. The Latvian Ambassador was supportive of the future plans of the UL and expressed enthusiasm to cooperate, in order to promote the UL study programmes in English. The UL delegation also visited Rockville Latvian Center. The visit concluded with the participation in the establishment of Friends of the University of Latvia in Philadelphia. The organization is to ensure that more new Maecenas’ scholarships are granted, and various projects for learning environment improvement and renovation implemented. The UL Rector and the UL Fund Director also met with many existing UL Maecenas, and launched cooperation with several new Benefactors, whose assistance will soon take shape in new scholarships and projects.

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