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

Although predominantly economic in its form, the EU is a political project by its very nature. This course will address European integration from a political-economic perspective. It aims to reveal the impact of both political and economic factors in shaping the Single Market and the Single Currency, the euro. What opportunities and constraints do the interactions between political and economic logic create for different European actors? What can other states learn from the EU’s experience? This course is interactive with ample opportunity for classroom discussion.

Course is taught by PhD cand. Aldis Austers. Adis Austers was awarded a degree of engineering in administration of business foreign relations at Riga Technical University in 1995 and a degree of master of advanced international studies at the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna in 1998. During his career as a diplomat at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, from 1995 to 2002, Austers was posted at the Mission of Latvia to the EU, where he was responsible for economic cooperation affairs between Latvia and the EU, and the coordination of Latvia’s accession negotiations to the EU. From 2003 to 2011 Austers worked for the Bank of Latvia as a specialized attaché in the rank of counselor at the Permanent Representation of Latvia to the EU and was in charge of financial regulation, monetary policy, the exchange rate, and general economic policy affairs.

Currently, Austers is a researcher at Latvia’s Institute of International Affairs and at the Institute of European Policies Research of the Latvian Academy of Sciences. Austers is also a guest lecturer at the Riga Graduate School of Law and at the University of Latvia. His fields of interest include monetary economics, political economics, the migration of people, and European integration.

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.