RTU Council has taken a strategic decision to merge Riga Business School study programmes with RTU’s management and economics programmes, creating a single, stronger business and management education centre with a clear ambition to serve the entire Baltic region, not only Latvia. This decision marks an important step toward a more powerful, internationally competitive, and future-oriented business education offer.
As outlined by RTU, the future business education framework will bring together RBS study programmes and economics and management programmes of Faculty of Engineering Economics and Management, while the engineering study block will be integrated into other RTU faculties. The combined business programmes are expected to have a particularly strong link with RTU’s engineering and high-tech disciplines, offering students a modern business education with a clear focus on technology, data, and artificial intelligence, reflecting the realities of today’s job market.
RTU Rector Tālis Juhna highlights the strategic importance of this step for the university and beyond:
“By bringing together RBS and RTU management programmes, we significantly strengthen RTU’s academic capacity in economics and management. This will allow us to develop strong study programmes for future leaders and increase our ability to compete internationally. High-quality studies and research are essential as RTU moves toward its ambition of entering the global Top 500 university rankings.”
Looking ahead, this merger opens new opportunities for interdisciplinary projects, stronger research capacity, international partnerships, and greater impact across the Baltic region.
RBS Director Inese Muzikante emphasizes:
“As a business school, we teach our students that business environment is constantly evolving and change is inevitable, so is the need to adapt. When approached thoughtfully, change creates opportunities to strengthen what already works well. Our main goal is to carefully supervise this merger so that nothing is lost from what has been built over many years: the quality of our study programmes, their strong outcomes valued by the labour market, and the people connected to RBS – our students, faculty, staff, and alumni. They are at the heart of everything we do, and they will remain central throughout this process.”
While the final branding model after the merger has not yet been confirmed, RTU has clearly stated that it highly values the study programmes, quality, and educational standards developed and delivered by RBS. These strengths will serve as a key foundation for shaping the future business and management education offer.
The transition will be gradual and the year 2026 will be a preparation phase, during which a steering group involving RBS and FEEM representatives will work at a tactical level on strategy, structure, and implementation planning. Admissions and the study process in 2026 will take place as usual and will not be affected. Structural and programmatic changes are planned to take effect starting from January 2027.
RBS will also continue its path toward AACSB accreditation, reinforcing its commitment to internationally recognized quality standards in business education.
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