The Erasmus Mundus Master's program "Service Design Strategies and Innovations" (SDSI) for the 2024 academic year received 630 applications from candidates in 80 countries around the world. Since only 35 spots are available for the studies, the competition was fierce, and compared to previous years, there was an increase in the number of well-prepared applications.

The student selection process for the SDSI program is quite complex and organized in several stages. It includes both the preparation of video business cards and the completion of homework with a written essay and a video presentation. After the first round, the top 50 candidates are invited to the second round - individual interviews, competing for 20 Erasmus Mundus scholarship spots. This year, the program has also admitted 15 fee-paying students.

"The high response and the high level of applicants indicate the international recognition and demand for the SDSI program," said Ilze Kundziņa, the director of the SDSI program. "We are eagerly awaiting the meeting with the new student cohort this September, continuing our dynamic study process."

SDSI is an internationally recognized program jointly implemented by the Art Academy of Latvia, Liepaja University, the Estonian Academy of Arts, and the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga. In 2022, SDSI was awarded the prestigious Erasmus Mundus status, and the implementation of the program is co-funded by the European Union. SDSI offers a dynamic learning environment that combines theoretical knowledge with a practical approach. The study process includes international mobility in Northern Europe - the first year of study takes place in Latvia, while in the second year, students spend a semester in Finland and Estonia.

Admissions for the 2025 course will be announced in the fall of 2024.