On March 9, seminar „Sustainable and Integrated Baltic Research and Innovation Area” organised by the Education, Science and Culture Committee of the Baltic Assembly took place in Ventspils with participation of the Economics, Energy and Innovations Committee. During the visit, representatives of the Baltic States’ parliaments visited also the Ventspils High Technology Park (the VHTP).

At the beginning of the visit, the VHTP Member of the Board Igors Udodovs introduced delegates of the Baltic Assembly to success of the Ventspils city especially pointing out importance of port and industrial development in city growth, but after that Chairman of the Board Ivars Eglājs explained what industry expects from parliamentarians in development of knowledge economy.

“If we want to develop production and compete to other countries of the European Union in innovation promotion and science, the most important to work on is, firstly, increasing the number of experts in technical sectors by adopting decisions on redistribution of study places for the sake of engineering regions, secondly, persuasion of various society groups, including women, for career in science and technologies, as well as attraction of foreign students. In case of Ventspils it is necessary to attract more IT and electronics students to the Ventspils University College that in future would potentially allow more Latvian and foreign enterprises to access Ventspils.”

Besides we must seriously think how to reduce delay in implementation of the EU innovation and science support programmes. Although theoretically the funding of the EU budget period 2007-2013 in Latvia could be available already since 2007, actually such support programmes reached enterprises and institutions with average 3 years delay. When thinking how really effectively use potential and infrastructure of Baltic research and science, such delay is very unwanted. All three Baltic States have an opportunity in the next EU budget period 2014-2020 work faster.”

The delegation get introduced closer also to organisations and enterprises being under the wing of the Ventspils High Technology Park, namely, Ventspils Electronics Factory, enterprise of mobile application software development „Latvisoft”, and prototyping laboratory of the „Ventspils International Radio Astronomy Center” of the Engineering Institute of the Ventspils University College.

The Baltic Assembly is a cooperation institution of the Latvian, Estonian, and Lithuanian parliaments, operation of which is based on promotion of security and welfare, and development of economy and other sectors in the Baltic States. The aim of the seminar is to facilitate cooperation of the three countries in field of research and science and find common solutions for faster growth of national economy.