On 20 October 2026, Dace Kārkle, the institute’s former Acting Director and a long-standing member of the management team at the Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis (LIOS), was appointed Director of the National Institute of Research and Innovation (NIRI). She will take up the position with immediate effect for a five-year term. The decision was made at a meeting of NIRI’s Scientific Council, at which two candidates were considered for the position.
Kārkle has more than 20 years of experience working in education and science organisations. She joined the Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis in 2004 and served as Deputy Director for Finance, Administration and Legal Affairs until 2023. Upon becoming the institute’s Director in 2023, she took responsibility for a team of more than 300 employees and oversaw the organisation’s strategy, finances and strategic communications.
On 31 May 2026, the National Institute of Research and Innovation was established through the merger of the Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis and the Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre (BMC), creating a leading Latvian centre for science and innovation. Kārkle became Acting Director of the newly established institute and played a significant role in the merger process.
“I am grateful to NIRI’s Scientific Council for the trust it has placed in me by appointing me Director. I see NIRI as a unified and internationally competitive institute where outstanding researchers have the necessary freedom to make choices, access to scientific infrastructure and management support to translate scientific discoveries into practical solutions for public health,” Kārkle said upon taking office.
At the meeting of NIRI’s Scientific Council, Kārkle presented her vision for implementing the institute’s strategy over the next five years. She identified the following key priorities: ensuring the institute’s financial independence, supporting researchers in developing new projects, strengthening its international visibility, and expanding its research capacity.
“Our financial sustainability must be based on a diversified portfolio of services, comprising competitive European and national grants, contract research and partnership projects with industry, revenue from technology transfer projects, as well as funding for the public functions entrusted to the institute.
“To achieve this financial independence and ensure the sustainability of the sector, NIRI must work closely with leading European industry associations, companies and academic institutions in Latvia and around the world,” Kārkle added.
Kārkle holds a master’s degree in law from the Riga Graduate School of Law (RGSL), a professional Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) qualification, and a bachelor’s degree in economics and business administration from the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga (SSE Riga). Since 2026, she has been a member of the Council of the University of Latvia and a member of the International Advisory Board of the Institute of Electronics and Computer Science (EDI).
Kārkle also has several years of experience in international advocacy and representation. She chairs the Finance and Governance Committee of the European Association of Research Managers and Administrators (EARMA) and previously led the Knowledge and Technology Transfer Working Group of the Alliance4Life project.
In 2026, she received a certificate of recognition from the Latvian Academy of Sciences. In 2023, she was awarded a Certificate of Recognition by the Cabinet of Ministers of Latvia for outstanding service to the state.
At the same meeting of NIRI’s Scientific Council, decisions were also made on appointments to other senior positions within the institute. Dr Osvalds Pugovičs was appointed Director of the Teika Scientific Centre, having previously served as its Acting Director. Professor Jānis Kloviņš, who had also been serving in an acting capacity, was appointed Head of the Kleisti Scientific Centre. Līga Vonda was appointed Director of Finance and Administrative Affairs.
