About Us

From a Research Idea to an Established Institution

The Sekmīguma Un Karjeras Zinātniski Pētnieciskais Institūts was established in Ventspils, Latvia, in response to a growing recognition that systematic, evidence-based research on career development and educational outcomes was urgently needed in the Latvian and broader Baltic context. From its founding, the Institute brought together educational researchers, labor economists, career counselors, and community practitioners committed to bridging the gap between academic inquiry and practical impact.

Over the years, the Institute has grown from a small team of dedicated researchers into a recognized institution with active programs across Latvia, established partnerships with European universities and research networks, and a robust publication record that informs policy, practice, and personal decision-making. Our independence as a nonprofit organization has always been central to our identity — ensuring that our research agenda is driven by genuine public benefit rather than commercial interest.

The Institute's governance structure — a volunteer board of directors, an advisory council comprising leading academic and practitioner voices, and a professional staff team committed to organisational values — reflects our belief that research institutions must model the good practice they advocate. We are registered as a nonprofit organisation (RE: 40008115344) under Latvian law and operate with full financial transparency, publishing annual accounts and governance reports.

How We Approach Research

We believe that rigorous, ethical, and participatory research is the foundation of meaningful social change. Our work is grounded in respect for diverse perspectives, methodological rigor, and an unwavering commitment to transparency and reproducibility. We engage the communities we study as active participants rather than passive subjects, and we are deeply committed to making our findings accessible to non-specialist audiences.

We embrace methodological pluralism — combining quantitative analysis of large datasets, qualitative inquiry into lived experience, participatory action research, and systematic reviews of existing evidence. Our researchers are trained to select and rigorously apply the methods most appropriate to each research question, and to communicate findings in ways that are useful to practitioners, policymakers, and the public alike. We do not regard academic publication as our primary output — we regard meaningful change as the measure of research quality.