Research activities of the Faculty of Economics and Social Development

The Faculty of Economics and Social Development (ESAF) of Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies takes the leading role in Zemgale region as the knowledge centre of regional significance in economics. The ESAF employs 24 leading researchers and 10 researchers, which are competent in such spheres as agrarian economics, regional economics, macroeconomics, microeconomics, theory of economics, marketing, national economy of Latvia, finance and credit, accounting and theory of bookkeeping, business management, public management, social psychology, applied sociology, sociology of organisation and public management, social policy, and organisation of social work. The academic staff of the Faculty expands its scientific-research activities in four main research directions:

• sustainable development of the national economy;
• entrepreneurship and innovation;
• local community, its various social aspects;
• development of research capacity.

Main directions of the research activities:

The abovementioned research directions encompass fundamental and applied research being financed from different sources – Latvian Council of Science, ministries of the Republic of Latvia, the European Union, and the World Bank as well as companies and local governments.

Upcoming challenges

The Faculty of Economics and Social Development aims to maintain and develop a comprehensive cooperation with other national and international research institutions and companies building the Faculty as a significant knowledge platform. The ESAF is open to cooperation and our upcoming challenges include:

• participation in Horizon 2020 as leading project partners and/or executors of individual work packages;
• participation in international research programmes as leading project partners and/or executors of individual work packages;
• participation in the State Research Programmes of national significance as leading project partners and/or executors of individual work packages;
• participation in applied research studies – partners in branch studies, cooperation projects of regional institutions and scientific developments.