MORE ABOUT PROVIDUS
Established in 2002, PROVIDUS is one of the leading think-tanks in Latvia. Its mission is to promote evidence-based policy and support the development of open society values. PROVIDUS main areas of work are good governance, anti-corruption and migration, with citizen participation and EU dimension as a horizontal component throughout all activities.
PROVIDUS has a vast experience in working with issues of migration and integration for the last 15 years. Currently PROVIDUS is involved in several international and local integration projects, including NIEM – evaluating and improving integration policies for beneficiaries of international protection, as well as Visualizing Migration – adapting educational videos about migration for high-school social science curriculum.
Furthermore, experts from PROVIDUS have been involved in consultations during the development of migration and social integration policies, as well as have participated in various working groups and discussions on the implementation of policies, for example, on the implementation of the Action Plan for Movement and Admission in Latvia of Persons who Need International Protection. PROVIDUS is also involved in promoting cooperation between various stakeholders in integration activities by organizing public discussions and coalition partner meetings that include representatives of state institutions, municipalities, local NGOs and experts.
KEY TEAM MEMBERS
Agnese Lāce
Agnese is policy analyst for PROVIDUS in the areas of migration and integration, working on various local and international projects. She holds a master’s degree in political science from the University of Latvia, a joint European masters in sociology with specialization in international migration and social cohesion from the Universities of Amsterdam, Deusto and Osnabrueck. Currently Agnese is a PhD Candidate at the Department of Political Science and International Relations at Koc University in Istanbul.
Agnese’s previous professional experience includes positions at several governmental and municipal institutions, research assistantship at the Office of OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, position of a Marie Curie Early Stage Researcher at Migration Research Institute at Koc University, and position of a migration and diversity expert at Society Integration Foundation.
Rasmuss Filips Geks
Rasmuss is a policy analyst for PROVIDUS in the fields of migration and integration, currently working on several international research projects with an aim to improve integration of asylum seekers and combat discrimination targeted at newcomers in Latvia. Rasmuss also has experience in economics and policy making – he is a graduate of the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga and has worked in research as an expert at the Competition Council of Latvia. Additionally Rasmuss is working towards improving debating culture in Latvia as a board member at Quo tu domā, where he leads workshops on argumentation and critical thinking, as well as participates in the implementation of various education projects.
