LAC and the Medical University of Gdańsk Strengthen Cooperation in Culture and Health
How can culture contribute to public health and well-being? This was one of the key questions addressed during a visit by a delegation from the Latvian Academy of Culture (LAC) to the Medical University of Gdańsk (MUG), one of LAC’s partner universities in the ACE²-EU European University Alliance. During the visit, LAC Rector Dāvis Sīmanis, Vice-Rector for International Cooperation Agnese Hermane, and Research Assistant Inga Surgunte met with colleagues from the Medical University of Gdańsk to discuss opportunities for further cooperation between the two universities in the fields of culture and health.
The visit began with a screening of Dāvis Sīmanis’ documentary film Death of Death, organised in cooperation with the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdańsk. The screening was followed by an interdisciplinary discussion exploring the issues raised by the film from the perspectives of medicine, philosophy, cinema, and cultural management. The discussion focused on ageing, mortality, and the promises of technology to extend human life, as well as the broader question of how technological developments, including artificial intelligence, may shape the future of individuals and society.
One of the key topics of the visit was the possibility of developing a joint international and interdisciplinary Master’s programme in the field of culture and health. The proposed programme would bring together the expertise of both universities and disciplines, exploring how the potential of culture can be applied in practice to promote public health and well-being.
During the visit, the LAC delegation also attended the inauguration ceremony marking the beginning of the new academic year at the Medical University of Gdańsk, where first-year medical students took the student oath.
The Medical University of Gdańsk has become an important partner for LAC within the ACE²-EU Alliance, opening up new opportunities for cooperation at the intersection of culture, arts, health, and societal well-being. The ideas discussed during the visit outline the next steps in developing cooperation between the two universities.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them. Project No. 101177596. The project is co-funded by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia.
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