RSU Students’ Voluntary Work Will Be Equated to Study Placement and Supported With Scholarship

In order to help reduce the spread of COVID-19, Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU) students and residents are currently actively volunteering at various healthcare institutions. RSU will equate the students’ volunteer work to study placements and support them with a scholarship. It is important to mention that all RSU students who volunteer at medical institutions have been vaccinated against or have recovered from COVID-19.

‘RSU is proud of its students because we are a socially responsible university!

We are pleased that our students are being responsible at at time when the country is facing a serious challenge. RSU students showed their willingness to get involved already before the critical situation last year and this spring,’

emphasises RSU Rector, Aigars Pētersons, pointing out that this is why the university has decided to support and reward the students' selfless contribution as much as possible.

In order to support the students’ initiative, RSU has decided that the skills and competences that students acquire in the work environment will be equated to a part of the study course or placement, or students’ merits will be highly appreciated in some other way. The decision will be made by each faculty individually, for example, a faculty may decide to raise a student’s assessment for their final examination of the relevant clinical cycle by one mark.

Taking the lack of staff in the healthcare system into account, RSU has decided to support students financially as well. The university has established a scholarship fund for medical and healthcare students who have volunteered at healthcare institutions in order to combat COVID-19. RSU redirected 140,000 EUR to the scholarship fund from its own funds.

The scholarship will be open to students who volunteered in hospitals during the emergency situation and whose work has been recognised as equivalent to a part of their study placement or has been otherwise assessed as awardable. The decision is made by the dean of the relevant faculty or the commission created by the dean. The decision on paying scholarships will be approved by a specially established RSU commission, which will also include student representatives.

RSU lecturers, students and residents are socially responsible and regularly volunteer to solve problems that are important to society.