By tradition, the new academic year at our Baltic International Academy began with Freshmen Days. Memorable souvenirs and an extensive programme of meetings and events awaited them at the academy. The programme began with a general meeting of the BIA freshmen, in which the heads of the study programmes and directions took part.

The first-year students were warmly congratulated on the start of the new academic year by the acting rector Svetlana Smane, the vice-rector for international relations of the BIA Inta Buka, the vice-rector for scientific work Vladislav Volkov and the head of the study direction “Economics and Finance” Boris Heimanis. They introduced new students to the possibilities and peculiarities of our academy and wished them to be creative and responsible in mastering their specialties and using all the resources of the BIA.

Zhanna Yeliseyeva, an expert in the field of education quality, presented our academy with an international certificate stating that the Baltic International Academy has been recognised as a participant in the creation of the quality management system programme “Investor in Excellence”.

Marina Likhushina, the head of the BIA Admissions Committee, conducted a virtual tour of the academy and announced the results of scholarship contest in the first semester. This honour was given to Ilgona Puja, Sintia Verza, Ulyana Zhukova, Dana Znotinaite, Veronica Iotsiene, Una Jushkane, Maria Tsurkanu, Anastasia Jurgelevicha.

Victoria Petlyak, the coordinator of the international ERASMUS+ programme at the BIA, introduced new students to the possibilities of this programme, which allows students to expand their knowledge and do internships in many European higher education institutions.

The programme of the next days included in-depth conversations with the heads of study programmes and directions, introductory testing in informatics and English and getting acquainted with the information resources of the BIA Scientific Library.

As Artyom Shebunin, first-year student, noted, his first acquaintance with the academy and the warm welcome from the heads of the programmes convinced him that he had chosen the right place to study.

In the photos: Zhanna Yeliseyeva presents the certificate “Investors in Excellence” to Inta Buka and Svetlana Smane. A festive meeting of first-year students and heads of study programmes and directions. Marina Likhushina, the head of the Admissions Committee, welcomes the winners of the scholarship contest of the BIA.

Photos by Kristina Lyakhova and Arina Sosnere.