Baltic International Academy

The modern era of digital transformation and information overload (Industry 4.0 and Industry 5.0) creates unprecedented challenges for banking sector professionals. The exponential growth of information volumes, spread of misinformation (manipulation), increasing complexity of financial instruments, and high level of market regulation demand that banking professionals develop strong critical and logical thinking skills. This study analyses key risks in the modern educational process for banking, including information overload, declining ability for deep analysis, and vulnerability to manipulative techniques. The systematic development of critical and logical thinking skills is essentially a strategic imperative for financial organizations and the government institutions that regulate them. A possible response (though not a panacea) could be implementing a comprehensive methodology for developing critical thinking, including practical tools for information verification, logical analysis techniques, and protection against cognitive biases. Special attention should be paid to specific risks in the banking sector related to making financial decisions under conditions of uncertainty and information asymmetry.

This article discusses the development of a course maturity model, aimed at improving and aligning academic courses with labor market demands. The model, named Ten Tools for Improving Course (TTIC), is a continuous, cyclic, multi-component structure designed to assess and enhance course quality and effectiveness. Maturity models for the university environment are typically based on very specific, isolated domains, ignoring other key areas of university organizations. Moreover, existing university maturity models generally do not provide directions for activities and practices that enable assessment of the achieved level with the aim of fostering continuous improvement. The present study addresses these limitations by focusing on the “Algorithmization and Programming of Solutions” course at Riga Technical University, utilizing statistical data to predict student performance and reduce dropout rates. By using TTIC, the authors aim to enhance educational quality and develop professional competencies. The model evaluates various factors influencing student success, including content alignment, teaching methods, feedback, and adaptability. The paper highlights the use of statistical analysis to predict student performance and offers strategies for course enhancement.

Guided by the "trinity" prospecting prediction theory, this paper provides a comprehensive summary of the three core elements of the Jawurah deposit. The findings of the study indicate that the Jawurah deposit represents a typical terrestrial medium-low-temperature magmatic hydrothermal silver-palladium-zinc deposit. The mineralized geological bodies are predominantly composed of Cretaceous diorite porphyry and granitic porphyry, while the principal mineralizing structures are northwest-trending tensional faults. The mineralizing fluids exhibit characteristics of a mixture of magmatic water and atmospheric precipitation. Based on an integrated analysis, a three-dimensional prospecting model of "rock body controlling mineralization, structure guiding mineralization, and alteration indicating mineralization" has been proposed. This model offers robust theoretical support for regional prospecting breakthroughs.

ABSTRACT This paper examines how changes in the minimum wage influence an economy with a substantial informal sector. To achieve this, we simulate the recent minimum wage increase in Latvia, providing a comprehensive assessment of its macroeconomic, sectoral, and distributional effects. This panoptic assessment was made possible by the linked system of the CGE model and the EUROMOD tax-benefit microsimulation model. Notably, the framework incorporates unreported wage payments into both the CGE and EUROMOD components to account for Latvia's significant labour tax non-compliance. Our findings reveal that the minimum wage increase leads to a reduction in unreported payments and an increase in reported gross wages. The model further indicates positive spillover effects on private consumption but identifies adverse outcomes for employment and GDP. In the fiscal sector, budget revenues rise, primarily driven by increased personal income tax revenues linked to higher reported wages. While the analysis suggests a decline in income inequality when considering only officially reported income, this effect is mitigated when the formalization of unreported payments is considered.

Abstract Communication between neurons and glial cells are crucial to establish and maintain brain function. Some of these interactions are activity-dependent, yet it remains unexplored how acute changes in neuronal activity affect neuron-to-glial dynamics. Here, we use excitatory and inhibitory designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADD) based chemogenetic methods to study the effects of acute manipulations of a subpopulation of layer 5 cortical projection and dentate gyrus neurons in adult (Rbp4Cre) mouse brain after 90 minutes. We show that acute chemogenetic neuronal activation leads to microglia hyperactivation, reactive astrogliosis, increased parvalbumin expression in interneurons and lower synaptic marker expression. Whereas acute chemogenetic ‘silencing’ of the same neurons reduce microglia activity, inhibit astrocytic reactivity, increase synaptic density, but has no effect on parvalbumin expression. Acute changes in neuronal activity elicit rapid effects on the interactions between glial cells, glutamatergic and GABAergic neuronal networks.

The article is concerned with the issues of development and preservation of ethnic identity of Russian-speaking school children in Latvia studying the Russian language (mother tongue) under the conditions of diaspora. The authors, relying on the results of research activities, are convinced that one of the most important sources of preservation and development of Russian-speaking ethnic identity with the schoolchildren is the inclusion in the content of the school course “Russian language and literature” intracultural and intercultural dialogues.

Climate change is one of the greatest environmental, social and economic challenges of our days and warming of the climate system is unequivocal. Greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions caused by human activities are the most significant driver of the observed climate changes since the mid- 20th century. Managed nutrient rich organic soils are one of the largest key sources of GHG emissions in Boreal and Temperate cool and Moist (TCM) climate regions in Europe. In these regions managed organic soils usually are drained forests and fens or mires that when efficiently drained can increase GHG emissions. The total area of managed organic soils in EU is 34.5 mill. ha (7% of the EU area). Organic soils can have high GHG emission as well as carbon storage potential depending on chosen management strategies. Based on the research and results obtained within the framework of the LIFE program project “Demonstration of climate change mitigation potential of nutrient rich organic soils in Baltic States and Finland” (LIFE OrgBalt), the authors have developed a functional land management model – a tool for sustainable and climate friendly management of nutrient rich organic soils. The model is designed to allow the user to assess the performance of organic soils depending on the planned land use type (scenario), based on the land use performance criteria: financial return, economic return, financial deficit and the optimal amount of public funding, reduction of GHG emissions and ecosystem services assessment. Based on the findings and using the developed model, it is possible to implement deliberative management decisions of managed nutrient rich organic soils, to evaluate potential management costs, plan the expected financial return, assess the benefits of climate mitigation and take into account nature values.

Topicality and issue of a subject-matter Collision of norms in criminal law is incompleteness of legal provisions concerning collision of norms in Criminal law, despite the fact that such legal provisions have been developed in legal doctrine and recognized in case law. Goal of an article is to summarize and show these legal provisions in order to help readers and law enforcers to discern between multiplicity and aggregation of criminal offences, and collision of norms of the Criminal law.In essence – collision of norms of Special part of Criminal law differs from multiplicity (especially a conceptual aggregation) of criminal offences with a count of criminal offences and bodies of the crime (corpus delicti) corresponding to such offences. In a case of multiplicity two or more separate (unitary) criminal offences correspond to two or more bodies of the crime (corpus delicti) which are set out in Criminal law. Collision of norms of Special part of Criminal law occurs where two or more bodies of the crime (corpus delicti) corresponds to one, separate (unitary) criminal offence.In collision between general and special norm of a Special part of Criminal law, special norm (provision) must be applied.In collision between partial (narrower) and complete (broader) norm of Special part of Criminal law, broader norm (provision) must be applied. If such partial (narrower) norm sets out more severe punishment than a complete (broader) norm, both norms must be applied in accordance with rules of conceptual aggregation.In collision between aggravating and mitigating norms (provisions) mitigating norm must be applied, that is – a norm with a lesser punishment.In collision between mitigating norms (provisions), more mitigating norm must be applied.In collision between aggravating norms, more aggravating norm must be applied, that is – a norm wish sets out more severe punishment.Collision of norms (provisions) in administrative violations law is also decided in accordance the same rules of legal norm collision resolution, despite the fact that Latvian Administrative violations code does not contain relevant legal provisions.

The goal of the paper is to investigate connection of academic achievement motivation with aspects of self-esteem and anxiety. Hypothesis: Academic achievement motivation is connected with selfesteem and also with anxiety of students. Participants: 107 international students aged 19-55. Results: Academic achievement motivation was connected with global, state, performance, social and appearance SE. Academic achievement motivation was also connected with general, trait and state anxiety. Conclusion: Self-esteem and anxiety are significant elements in formation of academic achievement motivation.