The positive place image attracts investors, foreign and national guests, creates the local residents’ pride and distinguishes it form the competing locations. Project activities are completed/or being carried out under the funding of the European Union and the Republic of Lithuania. The research problem: do project activities form positive place image? The research object – place image formation carrying out project activities. The purpose of the article – to analyze the implemented projects by Silale district Municipality and investigate their impact on the location image formation in Silale district. Research objectives are: (1) to identify and investigate the factors impacting the formation of Silale district Image; (2) to analyze and assess the project activities performed by Silale district Municipality. For the research completion the methods of questionnaire survey and content analysis were applied. The gained research outcome has disclosed that project activities in Silale district are focused to the restoration and beautifying of environment, but not on the investors, and there are not carried out any investment attraction projects. Two segments – local residents and tourists – received the benefit from the project activities in Silale district.

This article deals with the use of the service learning method in the study courses of landscape architecture bachelor studies outcomes from a student’s perspective. This kind of research is unique with combining service learning method research and involvement of student’s perspective. The service learning method, which includes both theoretical studies and practical work in the planning of actual territories and communication with the customer, is important for the development of professional competences in the field of landscape architecture. The aim of the research was to state the benefits of students’ professional growth from using this method in the study process. The article summarises the evaluation of the experience of Latvia University of Agriculture landscape architecture studies in cooperation with 3 non-governmental organisations, 8 municipalities and governmental organisations and 4 associations from 2013 to 2016. The research was based on the students’ survey. The students had to answer close-ended questions about the knowledge they had acquired from the projects of different scales. As a result of the survey, it was concluded that the students’ main benefits of professional knowledge are mainly associated with a better understanding of specific features of particular places, which is not always possible within the framework of theoretical studies. The possibility of presenting projects to a real customer, thus improving one’s presentation skills was also positively evaluated.

The primary goal of public projects is to create social benefits for the community. The prepared public project usually has more than one option. In order to choose the most efficient option, it is necessary to take into consideration all social benefits. For this reason multi-criteria methods may be applied since they provide a possibility to assess quantitatively social benefits which are measured in many different quantitative and qualitative indicators. The problem of the research stems from a variety of social benefits indicators of public projects, the problematic establishment of their value and the need of their complex valuation. The paper presents a methodology for TOPSIS multi-criteria method adapted for the valuation of public projects in order to select investment option and the empirical research makes it possible to look at the problems of public project valuation from the practical approach. The research of the paper is aimed at revealing the advantages and limitations of TOPSIS multi-criteria method used for public projects valuation.

Land consolidations in Slovakia are regarded as an instrument for solution of ownership fragmentation in accordance to rural development. In the introduction of this paper, we describe problems in Slovakia associated with the ownership fragmentation. Country, rural areas were significantly influenced by the period of collectivization. The benefits of land consolidation project are shown in a case study area for Kanianka cadastre. We compare ownership relations before and after the land consolidation. Statistical values as number of resolved ownerships by LC, number of plots and average size of plots are shown. New infrastructure, water management and ecological elements are discussed. In conclusion, we give the reason why activities related to land consolidation in Slovakia stagnates despite positive response.

The objective of the paper research is to assess the role of the implementation of the local development strategies (LDS) elaborated by the local action groups (LAGs) in the regional development and addressing social problems in Latvia. The paper examines the role and place of LDS in territorial development planning in Latvia, carries out thematic analysis of the projects implemented under the LDS as well as tries to assess the LEADER approach impact on regional development and addressing of social issues on the local level. The authors use unpublished data on LEADER projects and apply quantitative and qualitative analysis methods. Most of LEADER projects have been implemented to facilitate the development of infrastructure related to recreation and quality leisure time as well as culture and sports. Rural inhabitants have noticed positive changes in their local territory introduced by the LEADER approach. Though, in order to enhance the role of LAGs and LDS in addressing regional development and social problems at local level, it is advisable that the potential interaction of the activities provided by all regional planning documents is observed when determining priorities at regional level (presently the place and role of the LDS has not been formally defined), while implementation of the LDS should pay more attention to long-term effects and even accomplishment of target priorities.

One of the most pressing problems of sustainable spatial development in Latvia is the existence of degraded areas. To address the issues of revitalization of degraded territories and to ensure sustainable development of the territory, Latvian municipalities could apply for support under the Specific Support Objective 5.6.2 (SSO 5.6.2) ‘Revitalization of territories through regeneration of degraded territories in accordance with integrated development program of municipalities’ during the European Union (EU) Structural Funds programming period 2014–2020. According to the Ministry of Finance (MF) data on project costs, it was found that during the implementation of the projects for revitalization of degraded territories, the local governments have not ensured an effective project management process in accordance with the implementation requirements of SSO 5.6.2, resulting in irregularities detected in the audits carried out on the projects, which have led to the decision on inappropriately performed expenses (IPE). Considering that the deadline for the implementation of projects under the 2014–2020 EU funds programming period is 31.12.2023, it is necessary to carry out an analysis of IPE to identify the reasons for the occurrence of IPE and to plan timely preventive actions to eliminate mistakes in the new programming period 2021–2027. The relevance and importance of the study lies in the analysis of the factors holding projects back - mistakes and irregularities and their prevention to ensure an efficient project management process.