Centre for Science and Technology Studies (ZTPC)

§          Research and innovation policy

§          Evaluation of science and technology

§          Science and technology indicators

§          Inventions and inventors of Latvia

§          Intellectual property

§          Role of academic institutions

§          Science and society, science communication

§          International mobility of researchers

The Centre was founded at the Latvian Academy of Sciences in 1991 as the Scientometrics Research Group. Initially this unit focused on studies of science and technology indicators of Latvia and other Baltic countries, especially in the post-socialist period. In the later years an expansion of the research area from indicator studies to the investigation of broader aspects of R&D systems took place. In the late 1990s, the Group turned to research and innovation policy studies both in a national and an EU context ( Lisbon strategy, structural funds, European Research Area) with an additional focus of the recent years on science-society relations and mobility of highly skilled workforce. The Centre takes part in a range of international as well as national projects in the above-mentioned thematic areas.