The University of Latvia, founded in 1919, is the largest university of Latvia offering more than 130 accredited study programmes in a variety of natural and social sciences as well as humanities.
The University is comprised of 13 faculties and 32 research institutes and centres. The Faculty of Social Sciences houses the Department of Communication Science with more than 30 academic staff members.
The Advanced Social and Political Research Institute (ASPRI) is the research arm of the Faculty of Social Sciences aimed at implementing large, multidisciplinary research projects. More than 40 researchers work at ASPRI.
The Institute is part of the National Research Centre for Excellence in Economics and Public Administration supported by the European Regional Development Fund. The Institute inter alia produces the internationally acclaimed Latvia’s Human Development Report on a bi-annual basis.
Since 2015 the Faculty of Social Sciences is also the place in Latvia where UNESCO Media and information literacy Chair is based. Its activities are focused primarily on establishing a knowledge-based platform to provide solid base for further digital media literacy development in Latvia.