Journal
Modifier 23 February 2021
by Fabio Sgaragli, UIA expert

NextGen Microcities Journal 2: get an update about Ventspils and Valmiera project

NextGen Microcities Journal 2: get an update about Ventspils and Valmiera project
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Executive summary

At the time of writing, in view of the epidemiological assessments of the growing risks of the spread of the COVID-19 virus, a national state of emergency has been declared in Latvia. The same headline goes around Europe, and many other parts of the world: the second wave of pandemic spread is hitting hard the old continent and it is bringing down to citizen’s new lockdowns, for now geographically limited to the most critical situations. It has been a dramatic year, and the situation continues to be dramatic.

The two municipalities leading the NextGen project, Ventspils and Valmiera, have been affected by COVID-19 as most European cities. Notwithstanding the impact of the pandemic, they managed to progress with project activities. In this Journal we focus on project updates on some of the most interesting activities carried out within the project scope:

  • a generational marketing strategy to pull young people towards ICT education;
  • qualified specialists’ attraction program to attract to Latvia qualified ICT talents;
  • career summer camps for young people devoted to leadership development in the digital era;
  • foreign direct investments attraction program to boost local capacity through inbound investments;
  • Ed-tech innovative solutions for tertiary education institutions.

The menu of interventions planned by the project is rich and complex, those are all activities part of a larger strategy to foster Latvia’s capacity to play in the digital global landscape.

 

This Journal focuses also on challenges, the main being of course COVID-19. Notwithstanding the threat that the pandemic crisis poses on this kind of initiative, the team has managed to charge ahead and bring to completion most of the planned targets, albeit with some delays depending on logistics interruptions and tactical choices of postponing due to the crises.

 

 

1.Project updates

2. Challenges

Specific Challenges

According to the UIA framework for challenges in the implementation of complex innovative projects in cities, there are seven dimensions that cities must take into account when planning and delivering change. In this Journal, we update the status of the project in relation to these seven dimensions.

Challenge
Observation

We will observe in due course how the challenge of sustaining momentum in change will be faced by the project team and report accordingly eventual setbacks and ways in which problems will be overcome in all dimensions of the UIA challenges framework just exposed.

3. Lessons learned

Conclusions

Other news from this project

The leadership challenge in cities' innovation

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Ventspils, Valmiera and the quest to attract foreign investments in European Microcities

In this article we look at results on the project’s line of activity concerning Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) attraction in Ventspils and Valmiera...

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Virtual cave in education

Future of work and future of education: STEM, EdTech and the case of the NextGen Microcities project

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NextGen Microcities reflects on project's results

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Ventspils University of Applied Sciences has developed several innovative products to improve the study process

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Nextgen microcities news

Valmiera Vocational Training Center keeps attracting more talents from across Latvia.

A total of 213 students have enrolled in the Valmiera Vocational Training Center (VVTC) this year. It is 34% more than the last ten years’ average. Th...

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students

Why students’ engagement in creating digital content matters – the marketing approach of Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences

In spring 2020, the marketing team of Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences accepted the challenge to test the new marketing approach and pass over t...

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Final conference - Next Generation Micro Cities of Europe

The Next Generation European micro-cities Ventspils and Valmiera will share their experience, lessons learned, and conclusions on the innovations introduced in urban development.

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Livin ventspils cover

LIVIN as a tool to attract new specialists in Ventspils city

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Makerspaces in Valmiera and Ventspils. Creating a community and new opportunities in microcities.

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The city of Valmiera, Latvia, introduces a strategy for developing industrial territories

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The LIVIN contact point for talent attraction

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Valmiera Vocational Training Center introduces the 3D Virtual Cave, the only such 3D virtual laboratory in Eastern Europe.

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The virtual cave in Valmiera

Ventspils and Valmiera pilot innovative EdTech solutions to prepare young people for the future of work

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picture of the DARE opening on 28 February 2020

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Valmiera opens DARE, the makerspace for creative ideas and new opportunities

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Ventspils successfully started retraining activities for ICT industry

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Well-considered and informed career choice is encouraged in Valmiera

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Kick-off event

Municipal leaders and experts discuss innovation in urban development

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ACORN

ACORN, a municipal financial scheme, supports six business innovation projects

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