CONFERENCE
This year marked the 31st edition of EUROWEEK, organised at the University of Economics in Katowice and the main theme was “Resilient Organisations in Uncertain Times: Innovation, Entrepreneurship and the Future of Work.”
EUROWEEK is an international student conference organised within the PRIME Networking university network during which students and academic staff from different European countries work together on research projects in international teams over several months and present their results to an international audience and jury.
The BA School of Business and Finance of the University of Latvia was represented in this six-month international applied research project by four students from the bachelor’s study programme “Business Process Management” — Madara Senkane, Sabīne Vītola, Paula Šķupele and Diāna Vanaga. Under the supervision of an international academic team, the students worked in two different groups together with students from universities in Germany, Portugal and Austria. The projects focused on current organisational development topics, including trust and transparency in the Finance Technology (FinTech) sector, as well as the skills and competencies needed for the future labour market.
The students’ participation in the programme was also supported by the academic staff of BA School of Business and Finance of the University of Latvia. Eduards Aksjoņenko participated in the programme as a lecturer representing both Latvia and UL BA School of Business and Finance. He was the author of the research topic and team leader for Madara Senkane and Sabīne Vītola. Their team collaborated with lecturers and students from Brandenburg University of Applied Sciences in Germany and the Polytechnic University of Coimbra in Portugal. Their project, “Corporate Identity in the Age of FinTech: Trust, Transparency and Transformation,” focused on corporate identity in the FinTech sector and how trust, transparency and transformation influence people’s perceptions of companies. As part of the project, FinTech industry representatives from three countries were interviewed, providing valuable insight into how companies build trust and transparency.
Meanwhile, Paula Šķupele and Diāna Vanaga took part in the project “Resilient Human Resources: Shaping the Future Professional Profile,” together with lecturers and students from FH Joanneum in Austria and Coimbra Business School in Portugal. The aim of the project was to explore the skills and competencies future professionals will need in the labour market. The team surveyed students and companies in three countries, analysed the collected data and presented their conclusions to an international audience. The project achieved significant recognition, as the team won 2nd place in the pitch presentation competition, highlighting the importance of international collaboration, research work and strong presentation skills. Special recognition also goes to Professor Līga Peiseniece for her support and valuable contribution to Diāna Vanaga’s and Paula Šķupele’s involvement in the research and implementation of the project.
For the BA School of Business and Finance of the University of Latvia students, participation in EUROWEEK 2026 was an intensive and multidimensional experience. During the week, they not only presented their research results but also improved their skills in project management, intercultural communication, data analysis, argumentation and public speaking. The programme gave students the opportunity to collaborate with peers from different countries, discuss different approaches and work together on solutions to complex research questions.
An important part of the programme was the intercultural experience. Student teams participated in networking activities, the international country evening, city tours and other events that encouraged new connections and international cooperation. Katowice, historically known as an industrial city, revealed itself to the students as a modern, dynamic and student-friendly environment that gave the programme a particularly vibrant atmosphere.
Overall, the participation of BA School of Business and Finance of the University of Latvia students in EUROWEEK 2026 highlights the importance of international cooperation in higher education. Lecturer Eduards Aksjoņenko, participating also as a jury member, emphasised that experiences like this allow students to test their knowledge in a real international environment, work together with representatives from different countries and develop skills essential in today’s professional world. At the same time, the high quality of the research strengthens BA School of Business and Finance of the University of Latvia’s international presence and research capacity within the PRIME Networking university network, while also demonstrating the students’ ability to represent the university professionally in an international academic environment.
