The Freeport of Riga announces a new student paper competition

“Educational competitions for young people have become a tradition at the Freeport of Riga,” proudly admits Mr.Eriks Skapars, the competition patron and the FPR Board Deputy Chairman. “Both the previous students' contests, and the competition for schoolchildren, that has just been held, showed that those events are necessary both for the port, that acquires a new, unconventional vision, and for the young people, who want to acquire new knowledge and expand their horizon. I should admit, that the quality of the works submitted for the competition improves every time, as well as more and more interesting and challenging ideas are being manifested, "says Mr. Skapars.

“The port is a great place to see the merge of different branches of science," says Mr. Modris Ozolins, Riga Technical University Deputy Rector. “Students have to learn how to explore various occupational areas for further cooperation. For example, a car is no longer just an outcome of engineers‘ creativity, like it was in Henry Ford's times. Today a car is so packed with electronics that it can be called a computer on wheels. The same refers to the port. And that is our challenge - teaching staff together with students and representatives of the port should be able to find new solutions, that are based on cooperation between various sectors, “says Mr.Ozolins.

“In my opinion, the port's role for the society and the economy is underestimated", says Mr. Janis Berzins, Latvian Maritime Academy Rector. “So I welcome every opportunity that might promote port operation development. Besides, we should not forget that port and related areas’ specialists are well paid in the whole world. For example, the marine officers can be referred to as the middle class; their salary is 4.5 times higher than the average salary of Latvian employee. By the way, currently there is a shortage of 40 000 officers worldwide, “says Mr. Berzins.

“I am pleased that the port has decided to reach the students’ audience,” says Mr. Maris Purgailis, Latvian University Economics and Management Faculty Dean, who, as the representative of the Jury evaluated the performance of the participants of the previous FPR competitions. “Those competitions for students in the framework of educational process are necessary to ensure the link between theoretical knowledge and real business environment. The port is essentially a rather specific area, but the port’s role in the economy will inevitably grow, so the comprehension of the port’s operation is a great value, "says Mr. Purgailis.

Competition works may be submitted in regards of four areas: the role of the FPR in national and / or urban economic process, the role of the FPR in national and / or urban social processes, the role of the FPR in cultural processes, the role of the FPR in historical process. The competition is open to all Latvian students, and every Latvian citizen, who is currently studying abroad. The competition dossier is available at www.ostapilsetai.lv