Excursion to Latvia

In June, Prof. Dr. Dr. Erik Hahn, along with a group of 12 students from the Faculty of Social Sciences at Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences (HSZG), visited Riga Stradins University and various Latvian social welfare institutions as part of the Social Work project study program. The focus of the field trip was the implementation of the Istanbul Convention in EU member states. The trip was prepared in part through a guest lecture by a Latvian professor in Görlitz and took place on the occasion of the recent ratification of the Istanbul Convention in Latvia.

The event included a series of lectures and a visit to the Latvian Ministry of Justice. There, the students discussed the current status of the Convention’s implementation in Latvia with Minister Dr. Inese Lībiņa-Egnere and her Parliamentary State Secretary, Lauma Paeglkalna. Topics of discussion included the Convention’s compatibility with the Latvian Constitution and the responsibilities of the various implementing agencies.

Other highlights of the excursion included a meeting with the head of the Latvian Judicial Authority at the Constitutional Court to discuss the constitutionality of new language regulations in social and health care facilities, a visit to the newly established Barnahus in Riga, and a discussion event at the “State Inspectorate for Protection of Children’s Rights.” Following the formal program, the students had the opportunity to immerse themselves in Latvian culture during the Midsummer Festival.

The field trip was organized with the support of Riga Stradins University and funded by the Leonardo Office in Saxony using funds from the Erasmus program.

Prospective students can submit an application for the Bachelor’s program in Social Work until July 15, 2024.