Young Researchers Engaging in Policy-Making: Insights from the TAP Portal

On April 23, 2025, the Latvian Association of Young Researchers (LJZA), in collaboration with the State Chancellery, organized a seminar titled “Involving Young Researchers in Policy Planning through the TAP Portal.” Held at the Cabinet of Ministers Library, the event aimed to enhance young scientists’ understanding and practical involvement in policy-making processes via the Legal Acts Portal (TAP).

Researchers Dr.chem. Kristīne Meile and Ph.D. Ance Pļavniece from the Biorefining Laboratory, both the Latvian Association of Young Researchers members, participated in the seminar. Zane Legzdiņa-Joja, a consultant on public participation at the State Chancellery, provided a comprehensive overview and practical demonstrations on utilizing the TAP portal for public consultations and submitting proposals on policy documents. She emphasized, “Civic participation is the very heart of democracy. Active citizens are the lifeblood of society. May we all succeed in maintaining it.”

This experience enabled Kristīne and Ance to gain deeper insights into policy-making mechanisms and actively engage in civic participation processes, contributing to the development of science policy. As the sole organization in Latvia uniting young researchers across various fields and representing their interests, the Latvian Association of Young Researchers promotes such initiatives to strengthen the connection between science and policy.

We are pleased to note that among the Latvian Association of Young Researchers members are five young researchers from the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry, who actively participate in these initiatives.

The seminar was organized with financial support from the Society Integration Foundation, funded by the Latvian state budget.