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Engineering Education - Navigation Between Objectives and Reality

Engineering Education - Navigation Between Objectives and Reality. Experience of Riga Technical University. Elmars Bekeris – vice-rector of RTU for. Latvia. LATVIA in figures. Area: 64 589 km 2 Population: 2 319 000 Biggest cities ( thousand inhabitants ): Rīga – 735,2

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Engineering Education - Navigation Between Objectives and Reality

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  1. Engineering Education - Navigation Between Objectives and Reality Experience of Riga Technical University Elmars Bekeris – vice-rector of RTU for

  2. Latvia

  3. LATVIA in figures • Area: 64 589 km2 • Population: 2 319 000 • Biggest cities (thousand inhabitants): • Rīga – 735,2 • Daugavpils – 111,2 • Liepāja – 86,5 • Ventspils – 45 • GDP by sectors(%): Agriculture – 4,3; Construction – 5,6; Industry – 17,2; Transport & Communications – 15,4; Trade – 19,4 ; Services – 38,1

  4. Volume of the export 33,5 23,6 20,5 16,6 7,1 2002. 2003. 2004. 2005. 2006. Export, mlj.Ls LEtERA in figures

  5. Riga Technical University Founded in 1862 8 faculties: 16000 students Architecture and Urban planning; Civil Engineering; Material Science & Applied Chemistry; Transport & Mechanical Engineering; Engineering Economics; Electronics & Telecommunication; Energetics & Electrical Engineering Computer Science & Information Technology

  6. OBJECTIVES Real University is the eternal continuation of cognitive power (according to R.M.Pirsig) Society expects that University will perform various and sometimes contradictory tasks: • Every enrolled student will get education ensuring his competitiveness • High level fundamental and applied research will be provided • Traditions and classical values (academic freedom) will be maintained • Fast reaction on market and environmental variations • Effective administration and good services • International visibility – ability attract oversees students and academic staff

  7. Academic Professional Dr. Study Programmes in Latviacurrent situation M.of .. and,or 5. qual B.of .. and,or 5. qual M.Sc 4.qual B.Sc. ? Secondary education

  8. Quality Assurance • Developmentofstudyprogramme. • Licensingoftheprogramme. • Accreditation: • Self-evaluation; • Applicationforaccreditation; • Externalevaluation; • DecisionoftheAccreditationCommission; • Follow-up:improvement, self-evaluation,...

  9. Massification of HE - dramatic increase of students enrolment: Emergence of numerous new HE Institutions (mainly private): 1990 - 12 HEI 2001 - 35 HEI (15 - private)

  10. Increase of student places leads to numerous problems: • diversity of the educational bacground: asks new approaches and methodologies • reduction ofresources per student: forses to look for • structural and managerial reforms, • cost sharing approaches, • new educational technologies, • cooperation with employers, • …..

  11. Age Structure of Academic Stafft0 = 2000

  12. H.E. In Latvia; Problems Massification How to break this circle ??? Decrease of Qualification Underfunding Research productivity decreases Aging staff Overlouding

  13. Research FinancingMln EUR

  14. Age Structure of Academic Staff

  15. Employers Expectations • Looking for the graduate which: • understand specifics of the enterprise; • familiar with equipment and technologies in use at respective enterprise; • has teem work, communication and presentation skills; • ...... • And expects that university should be able to start new study programme within one year It is impossible to complete by the university alone

  16. Heavy drop-out rate caused by increased diversity of bacground and abilities Unsufficient practical and project training Qualification of academic staff Raising of motivation (Carier days, contacts with industry, competitions,...) Contacts with secondary schools Development of e-learning and other technologies Feedback – monitoring, survays Preparatory courses Corrections of study programmes Joint projects with enterprises Sometimes introduction of project-led studies. Projects University research grants Problems and measures

  17. What should University manage? Set solid foundation for tens of years Provide skills and abilities to jump from this foundation to prospective direction in any free nisha University has performed well if graduates , are able adapt at any working place within 3 months and correspond to the ABET criteria.

  18. Let’s set high targets!We’ll reach them! In seting targets human’s allways are great. Not so in accomplishment. E.M.Remark

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