By Russian President
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 2. On Tuesday, July 1,
Latvia鈥檚 Minister of Education and Science, Dace Melb膩rde, met with
German Ambassador to Latvia, H.E. Gudrun Masloch, to discuss
strengthening bilateral cooperation in the fields of education,
science, and research, Trend reports.
Minister Melb膩rde emphasized Germany鈥檚 important role in
supporting German language education in Latvian schools, fostering
academic collaboration between universities, and advancing joint
research efforts.
She particularly highlighted Germany鈥檚 contribution to Latvia鈥檚
education reform, which aims to phase out Russian as a second
foreign language by 2030 in favor of the official languages of the
EU or EEA. 鈥淲e greatly appreciate the support of the German Embassy
and the Goethe-Institut in providing teacher training and
educational materials for German language instruction,鈥 said
The sides also underlined the value of their cooperation in
vocational education. With Latvia focusing its vocational and adult
education strategy on aligning curricula with labor market needs,
Germany was identified as a key partner in strengthening knowledge
and skills transfer.
Special mention was given to the newly established
Interdisciplinary Center for German Language Studies at the
University of Latvia. The center will serve as a platform for
international initiatives in the Baltic region and the
German-speaking world, as well as support teacher training
Minister Melb膩rde reiterated Latvia鈥檚 strategic goal of becoming
a full member of CERN by 2027 and expressed strong interest in
expanding cooperation with Germany in the field of artificial
intelligence. 鈥淎I development is essential both for the EU鈥檚 global
competitiveness and for the growth of Latvia鈥檚 science and
economy,鈥 she noted.
The meeting also touched on higher education, including the
increasing interest of German students in Latvian universities. In
2025, German nationals accounted for 6.5% of all international
students in Latvia, with Riga Stradi艈拧 University standing out as a
popular destination.
In closing, Minister Melb膩rde expressed gratitude for Germany鈥檚
continued support and optimism about future collaboration: 鈥淥ur
joint initiatives are a model of how education, science, and
innovation can form the foundation of a more secure and united