Academic Centre
Valpro (1992) is one of the largest metalworking companies in the Baltics. Its mission is to provide the highest quality metal products and services with minimum impact on the environment and clients. The founders of the company are Ģirts Rungainis (1967) and Jānis Lielcepure (1972), both – alumni of the University of Latvia occupying leading positions in large Latvian businesses. They have supervised several significant mergers and takeovers in the Baltic countries.
Ģirts Rungainis is the partner of the investment company Prudentia and the director of the investment company C&R. In 1992, Ģirts Rungainis became one of the founders and presidents of the bank AS Vācijas-Latvijas banka (now – Swedbank). For three years, Ģ. Rungainis managed AS Trasta Komercbanka. Ģ. Rungainis has studied mathematics and physics at the University of Latvia and finance and banking in a Master’s Programme at the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga.
Jānis Lielcepure is one of the founders of Prudentia. "Twenty years ago, at the beginning of my studies at the University, I spent most of the time working and earning my living, which interfered with my full dedication to the study process. By rendering support to the the UL Foundation’s scholarship holders, I wish them 100% concentration on their studies and self-improvement, enabling them to achieve their goals faster!" said J. Lielcepure.
Support
In 2003, Ģirts Rungainis donated EUR 430 for the University of Latvia popular science journal Terra.
Ģirts Rungainis and Jānis Lielcepure were the supporters of the social scholarship "Ceļamaize 2009" ("Bread for the Journey"). Ģirts Rungainis and Jānis Lielcepure, jointly with the company Valpro donated EUR 5 700 for the scholarship programme "Ceļamaize 2010".
In the 2011/2012 academic year, Valpro scholarship was established and granted to Olga Ļašuka (EUR 2 560) and Santa Sproģe (EUR 2 560).
In the 2012/2013 academic year, two Valpro research scholarships were granted to Alise Papina (EUR 2 850) and Māris Kānītis (EUR 2 850).
In the 2013/2014 academic year, Valpro granted two young researchers’ scholarships to Endija Maraka (EUR 2 850) and Antra Bērziņa (EUR 2 850).
In the 2014/2015 academic year, Valpro granted three scholarships: to Antra Bērziņa (EUR 1 500), Endija Maraka (EUR 3 000) and Vadims Jančevskis (EUR 1 500).
In 2014, Ģ. Rungainis donated EUR 700 to the Business Idea Foundation of the University of Latvia Faculty of Business, Economics and Management.
In 2018, Ģ. Rungainis donated EUR 1 100, to the forums "Formula of Latvia 2050. Development Scenarios."
We greatly appreciate the generous support to education and development!