Study location	Latvia, Riga (online)
Type	Short duration course, distance learning
Nominal duration	4 weeks (1.5 ECTS)
Study language	English
Awards	Certificate

Entry qualification	Undergraduate diploma (or higher) The entry qualification documents are accepted in the following languages: English. Often you can get a suitable transcript from your school. If this is not the case, you will need official translations along with verified copies of the original.

Territory requirements	Applications are accepted from the following territories (based on citizenship): Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan. Eligible candidates are professionals from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Candidates from other countries are not eligible for this call.

Language requirements	English As a substitute to a test, other proof of language proficiency may be provided (e.g. confirmation by current employer).

Other requirements	At least 1 reference(s) should be provided. The reference should be sought from a current employer. At least 2 years of professional experience in the public sector, non-governmental organisation or academia; Description of present job function (to be filled in the system); Copies of university diplomas; A short video (up to 1 minute) where the candidate states the reasons for applying.

More information	rgsl.edu.lv/..s/specialised-online-courses

Overview

The course will present the economic development options of small and medium states/
economies in the modern trade and financial environment. From the international political economy perspective, the course will address the fundamentals of open market economies, the role of the financial sector and institutional, and the political framework that the European Union and the Eurozone provide for economic activity in the global trade relations, as well as the role and place of the international financial system in national economies. This course is interactive with ample opportunity for classroom discussion.

Course is taught by Dr. Karlis Bukovskis, the Deputy Director at the Latvian Institute of International Affairs (LIIA). Bukovskis is also an Assistant Professor at Riga Stradins University, where he focuses on the global political economy, the international financial system and the European Union. In 2021 Dr. Bukovskis was a Fulbright Fellow at the Foreign Policy Institute of Johns Hopkins SAIS. He acquired master’s degrees from the University of Latvia and the University of Helsinki, and a doctoral degree (Dr. sc. pol) in International Politics from Riga Stradins University.

He is the author of numerous articles and the scientific editor of several popular books on the European Union issues. Bukovskis has dealt with European Union institutional, political and economic developments while serving at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, at the Secretariat of the Latvian Presidency of the Council of the European Union (where he developed the Presidency’s six-month work program), and at the Ministry of Finance of Latvia. Dr. Bukovskis also produces and co-hosts a program on Latvian Radio 1 in which he analyses the political economy of various world countries.

Programme structure

Each month has its own designated specialisation such as European Union Law, Good Governance or European Political Economy, etc. The students may only complete one course.

Each course has 32 teaching hours consisting of lectures and seminars. Within each course, the selected participants will undergo intensive studies and earn 1.5 ECTS credit points upon passing the exam.

Course sessions will take place on specified days via the Zoom platform. In total, the participants will meet about three times a week. All course participants will also have access to the RGSL study portal, where course materials will be available.

Participants are expected to fulfil the assignments as well as pass an exam upon completion of the course.