IZGLITIBAS UN ZINATNES MINISTRIJA

Their core work

Latvia's Ministry of Education and Science is the national authority responsible for R&D policy, higher education governance, and Latvia's participation in European research programs. In H2020, the Ministry operated in its capacity as a national contact point (NCP) body — the official channel through which Latvian institutions access EU research funding, receive guidance, and connect to transnational networks. They do not conduct scientific research themselves; instead, they reduce barriers for Latvian researchers and institutions to enter EU consortia, set quality standards for NCP services, and increasingly represent Latvia in strategic blue bioeconomy initiatives under ERA-NET. Their value in any consortium is primarily institutional and national-policy anchoring, not technical research delivery.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

From 2015 to roughly 2018, the Ministry was focused squarely on Horizon program access infrastructure — NCP coordination, transnational cooperation standards, and helping Latvian newcomers navigate EU research funding. That focus reflected Latvia's position as a widening-participation country trying to build capacity after EU accession. By 2018, there is a notable pivot toward blue bioeconomy through the ERA-NET Cofund BlueBio, which reflects Latvia's geographic position on the Baltic Sea and national policy interest in marine and aquatic resources. The shift from administrative coordination toward sector-specific co-funding marks a maturation from gatekeeper to active national co-investor.

The Ministry is moving from pure administrative facilitation toward sector-specific co-funding authority roles, particularly in the blue bioeconomy — making them a relevant partner for Baltic marine and aquatic resource projects that need national policy backing and co-funding legitimacy.

How they like to work

The Ministry has never led an H2020 project — both participations are as consortium member, which is typical for a national ministry acting as co-funder or policy anchor rather than research driver. Despite only two projects, they have engaged with 52 distinct partners across 27 countries, indicating they enter large, broad consortia (ERA-NETs and coordination actions naturally attract many national bodies). This wide but shallow network suggests they bring institutional legitimacy and national reach rather than deep bilateral partnerships.

The Ministry has connected with 52 unique consortium partners across 27 countries through just two projects — an unusually wide footprint for such minimal direct participation, reflecting the large multi-country structure of ERA-NET Cofunds and coordination actions. No strong bilateral focus is evident; the network is broad and EU-wide rather than regionally concentrated.

What sets them apart

As Latvia's central R&D ministry, they are the single authoritative entry point for any consortium that needs official Latvian government backing, national co-funding commitment, or NCP network access in Latvia. No other Latvian organization can replicate that institutional mandate. For blue bioeconomy projects specifically, their BlueBio participation signals an active national policy interest in marine resource development along the Baltic coast — making them a credible government partner for projects targeting Baltic or northern European aquatic value chains.

Highlights from their portfolio

• BlueBio
  As an ERA-NET Cofund, BlueBio unlocked national co-funding from Latvia for blue bioeconomy research — the Ministry's participation here means real money flows to Latvian researchers in this sector, not just advisory presence.
• NCP_WIDE.NET
  A six-year transnational coordination action explicitly designed to improve NCP quality and help underrepresented EU countries access Horizon programs — directly reflects the Ministry's core institutional mission.