RSU researchers develop unique handbook on security and resilience for academic institutions

The handbook will be presented during a roundtable discussion on Thursday, 28 November at 15.00 in the RSU Senate Hall.

Karina Palkova, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences at RSU, explains:

‘Increasing geopolitical tensions, technological dependencies, and hybrid threats make Latvian universities and scientific institutions potential targets for foreign influence. This raises the question of whether Latvian universities are prepared for such challenges,

how to mitigate the impact of foreign pressure on academic freedom and research, and what lessons can be learned from Ukraine's experience—a country that has maintained its academic and scientific potential even during wartime. These issues are not only highly relevant but also strategically important for Latvia's future security. The handbook offers concrete solutions that would be valuable not only for academia but also for society as a whole.’

The unique handbook will cover topics such as risk management—how to identify and mitigate threats to the academic environment; the protection of staff, students, and infrastructure—focusing on how to stay safe in both physical and digital environments. It will also include lessons learned from war zones, featuring a real-life example from Ukraine that demonstrates how resilience in academia can strengthen national security.

The handbook has been developed within the Latvia-Ukraine cooperation project Best Practice University: Transformation and Adaptation Process in Challenging Environments (No LV_UA /2024/1).