Study location	Latvia, Riga
Academic field	Languages (ISCED 023)
Type	Erasmus+ BIP, short-term
Nominal duration	Full program: 17 Mar - 11 Apr, 2025; In person (Riga): 7-11 Apr, 2025 (3 ECTS)
Study language	it~en

Entry qualification	Graduate, undergraduate and PhD students in Italian Linguistics and Literature. The entry qualification documents are accepted in the following languages: English / Italian. 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. No qualification documents needed

Territory requirements	Applications are accepted from the following territories (based on citizenship): Europe.

Language requirements	English Italian

Other requirements	A motivation letter must be added to your application. Participants are supposed to cover their expenses with the Erasmus+ grant provided by the home institution. Please contact the International Office of your home university to get more information on funding. Staff members need to be nominated by their home university to participate in the Blended Intensive Programme (BIP).

Overview

ABOUT

In our rapidly evolving digital era, books continue to be essential in shaping knowledge, fostering innovation, and linking diverse fields like the arts, science, and technology. Although digital advancements have transformed how we access and consume information, books remain foundational to human knowledge and creativity, critical for deep learning, critical thinking, and embedding scientific and technological insights into society.

Historically, books have been indispensable for preserving scientific knowledge and documenting history. They provide context for discoveries, capture the evolution of theories, and hold ideas over time in ways other media cannot replicate. Despite the rise of digital technology, books have sustained their influential legacy, consistently reaching both the public and scholars with their accessibility and depth.

Digital media and the internet have undeniably reshaped the world of reading and publishing, allowing scientific and technological knowledge to be shared more broadly. E-books, audiobooks, and online academic journals grant readers instant access to content from nearly anywhere. However, the shift to digital also brings challenges. Short-form content and algorithm-driven news feeds prioritize quick, easily digestible pieces, often at the expense of the deep engagement books offer. By contrast, books encourage sustained focus, fostering a level of understanding that is especially beneficial in technical fields like science and engineering, where precision is paramount.

The Blended Intensive Program (BIP) aims to explore the changing role of books in today’s world, with an emphasis on science and technology’s impact on literature. This program invites participants to consider how books will continue to shape knowledge, culture, and innovation, even as digital media and emerging technologies transform our ways of accessing and engaging with information. Tailored for students and educators, this program interweaves historical and modern perspectives, examining how books and digital media can complement each other and how literature can bridge understanding in science and technology.

The program will take place in Riga, with a preliminary series of online lessons and activities leading up to an intensive week at Riga Technical University. During this on-campus segment, students will have the chance to work in faculty labs, practicing Italian while interacting with technical and scientific subjects. The combination of digital preparation and hands-on experience in a multilingual environment provides a unique opportunity to deepen both scientific and cultural understanding, highlighting the enduring role of books alongside new digital tools in learning and innovation.

OBJECTIVES

1) Provide a platform for exploring the changing role of books in today’s world, with an emphasis on science and technology’s impact on literature;
2) Convey historical and modern perspectives, examining how books and digital media can complement each other and how literature can bridge understanding in science and technology;
3) Promote Collaboration: foster networking and collaboration among participants and academic staff.

COORDINATED BY FOUR PARTNERS

• RTU (Latvia)
• University of Warsaw (UW – Poland)
• Vilnius University (VU – Lithuania)
• Tallinn University (TLU – Estonia)
• University of Franche-Comté (UFC – France)

PROGRAMME

The programme combines an online activity and a one-week physical activity, taking place in Riga, Latvia:
1. Online lectures | March 17 – April 3, 2025 | Virtual Component
2. Lectures and practical activities on campus | April 7 – 11, 2025 | Physical Part in Riga
3. Language: fully taught in Italian
4. 3 ECTS will be awarded upon successful completion

FINANCES

• You can employ an Erasmus+ scholarship for your stay in Riga to be provided by your home University;
• Lunch and social programme is provided by RTU (travel costs need to be covered by the participants);
• No fees for the BIP will be charged.

APPLICATION – APPLY BY 10 MARCH 2025

CONTACTS

For organizational matters:
RIGA TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY: Eriks Badamsins (eriks.badamsins@rtu.lv)

For academic/course-related questions:
RIGA TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY: Giulio Lo Bello (giulio.lo-bello@rtu.lv)