Knowledge Economy Next steps for LATVIA

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Knowledge Economy -Next steps for LATVIA

• Prof. Imants Freibergs, President LITTA
• Latvian Information Technologies and
  Telecommunications Association

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Agenda

• Road to Information societySocio-economic
  program e-Latvia
• Road to KBE Industrial clusters
• Professional education
• Road to Innovation
• Regional development
• Role of NGOs

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Industrial clusters for Latvia

• Objective Development of KBEExport of high
  value-added products services
• Joint marketing activities, Sharing
  HR,Collaboration with Universities, internships,
  
• Clusters
• Information systems
• Forestry/ wood products
• Engineering/ Optic fibres
• Composite materials

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Professional education

• Objective Knowledge technologists
• ITT Colleges in regions
• Professional (2 to 3 year) ITT university-college
  level programs
• Joint IT College project with Denmark
• Postgraduate professional training centre at
  Univ. of Latvia market drivenSpecialised
  knowledge upgrade courses (e.g. Windows, DB,
  Networks, Web, )

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Road to innovation

• RD specialisationEuropean Center of excellence
  for fundamental research Magneto-hydrodynamics
  (MHD) studies at the Institute of Physics,
  University of Latvia.
• Potential industrial cluster and incubator.
• M.Sc. and Ph.D. level studies and research in
  ICT, a national priority.
• National center of innovation

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Regional Development

• Long term economic development of regions based
  on ICT
• Example Baltic CyberCity in Valmiera
• Synergy between Vidzeme University College, IT
  related enterprises and Regional administration
• Development of a High-tech IT enterprise
  incubator
• Development of the regions intellectual and
  social capital
• Re-training of the working force and reducing
  unemployment.

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Growing role of NGOs

• Raising the level of public awareness of
  KBELITTA public declaration about necessary
  measures to
• Promote ICT as an important contributor to the
  National Economy
• Promote ICT education and RD activities
• Advisory role of LITTA in National policy
  development