On 11 December 2025, ChallengeEU’s Associated Partners met at LBTU’s Technology and Knowledge Transfer Centre in Jelgava to strengthen regional cooperation within the Alliance. The M.A.R.K.E.T. MEET-UP combined an inspiring keynote with practical discussions on turning shared initiatives into concrete projects.
The event brought together representatives of educational institutions, non-governmental organisations, and regional authorities. Participants included representatives of Jelgava City, Jelgava Region Municipality, the Zemgale Regional Planning Centre, the Zemgale NGO Centre, Bulduri Technical School Ltd, and Malnava College.
The meeting was opened by Ilze Beitāne, LBTU Vice-Rector for Studies, who highlighted the university’s key role in expanding international cooperation and the importance of integrating regional partners more closely into the Alliance’s activities.
The event’s special guest, Artis Ābols, Head Coach of the hockey club “Zemgale/LBTU” and the Latvian U-20 national team, delivered an inspiring talk titled “From Belief to Bronze.” He shared insights on motivating teams, fostering growth, and pursuing purposeful work to achieve strong results. His presentation sparked a broader discussion on leadership, cooperation, and overcoming challenges in the context of organisational and regional development.
Signe Neimane, ChallengeEU Lead at LBTU, presented the Alliance’s goals, offering an overview of its main initiatives and international opportunities for students, researchers, and partners. She emphasised that the Alliance is built on a shared vision of a sustainable, open, and innovative European higher education area.
Ilze Stokmane, Head of the LBTU Administrative Centre, spoke about the role of associated partners and the ChallengeEU M.A.R.K.E.T. approach, highlighting how this methodology supports the creation of targeted and mutually beneficial partnerships between the university and sector representatives.
In the concluding part of the event, participants discussed next steps to strengthen cooperation within ChallengeEU, agreeing on the need for regular communication and joint activities to turn identified initiatives into concrete projects.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to continue this work and to further develop the partnership network, contributing to the growth of both LBTU and the wider region.
