Governing Board of the European University of Technology Meets for the First Time

/in , /by

On 26 January 2021, the first European University of Technology (EUt+) Governing Board meeting took place, gathering student representatives and rectors of all involved universities, as well as external experts. Following the preventive measures for COVID-19, the meeting was held in a safe online environment.

In the first EUt+ Governing Board meeting RTU was represented by its Rector, Academician Leonīds Ribickis and the President of the Student Parliament, Lāsma Līga Reisa. The Head of the International Projects Unit of the International Cooperation and Foreign Students Department and the coordinator of the initiative at RTU, Kārlis Valtiņš, also participated.

During the meeting, Tine Delva, representative of the Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture of the European Commission, delivered a presentation on the “European University” initiative of the Erasmus+ program, which is employed in the development of the proposal for creating a uniform EUt+ alliance. A deeper insight into the regulations and the terms of reference assigned to the EUt+ Governing Board were also provided, emphasizing the Board’s role in achieving a common goal. Its successful implementation is based on the following activities:

  • formulating the EUt+ position within the long-term strategy of all universities involved;
  • promoting student and staff mobility among the alliance’s partners;
  • aligning the content of engineering education at the European Union level.

The rectors of the universities involved in the EUt+ development process gave presentations on their institutions, while the student representatives discussed various issues related to the representation of students’ interests within the alliance.

The eight members involved in the creation of the EUt+ are: RTU, University of Technology of Troyes (France), Technological University Dublin (Ireland), Technical University of Sofia (Bulgaria), Cyprus University of Technology (Cyprus), Hochschule Darmstadt: University of Applied Sciences (Germany), Technical University of Cluj-Napoca (Romania) and Polytechnic University of Cartagena (Spain).

6.25 million EUR have been allocated for the implementation of the project.

The right move!

/in /by

Apply now for the Erasmus+ scholarship and enjoy a study or a traineeship period in Europe.

Application deadlines for submitting an online application at OutgoingExchange.rtu.lv:

  • 25 February (for studies in autumn semester);
  • 31 March (for traineeships).

You need to submit your:

  • CV (any format) in English;
  • Transcript of records for all completed semesters at RTU, signed and stamped. Get it at Students Service Centre in Kipsala;
  • Motivation letter in English addressed to International Mobility Unit explaining your interest in going for Erasmus+ mobility and potential benefits from it;
  • Your next semester study plan at RTU (not for submission but for you to know what study subjects or topics to look for in host university course offer for incoming exchange students).

You can apply for Erasmus+ scholarship, in case you are at least 3rd semester student at Bachelor level (with at least 36 credit points) or 2nd semester student at Master level (with at least 18 credit points), your weighted average grade is at least 6.25 (in total for all semesters at RTU), you have no academic or financial debts towards RTU, you have good knowledge of English, German or another language of the EU Member States and a well-defined objective for participating in a mobility. You can see Erasmus+ partner universities for Europe here.

To get more information about Erasmus+ programme and to know tips and tricks for successful application and Erasmus mobility, check information online at rtu.lv/en/erasmusstudies and rtu.lv/en/erasmustraineeship.

When doing Erasmus+ exchange semester for studies or Erasmus+ traineeship, you will have to be present in the host country. Remote Erasmus+ activities are not permitted. In case of additional questions, contact Ms Inga Riharda via inga.riharda@rtu.lv.

RTU Continues to Implement Erasmus+ Mobilities with Higher Education Institutions Outside Europe and Secures Leading Position Among Latvian Universities

/in /by

In 2015 the Erasmus exchange program broadened its scope of activity, allowing European higher education institutions to apply for funding for cooperation with universities in partner countries, namely, universities located outside Europe.

Since the very start of the new program RTU was able the secure and maintain a leading position in Latvia in terms of the allocated budget and implemented mobilities by organizing student as well as staff teaching and training mobilities with universities from all across the world. A successful start was ensured by the previously established Erasmus Mundus cooperation network that has strengthened and become significantly wider within the last five years.

During the five-year lifespan of the program, from September 2015 to July 2020, RTU implemented 696 staff and student mobilities in cooperation with higher education institutions in 43 countries, securing a leading position among Latvian universities. The overall budget received for the implementation of the project within the five-year period: 2 730 070 EUR

RTU has managed to achieve numerous important goals within this period: a significant number of staff mobilities has been implemented, emphasizing the importance of the Erasmus initiative in relation to RTU’s strategic goals; the number of female participants has slightly exceeded the number of male participants, which is especially important in relation to providing opportunities for talented female students coming from Third World countries, where women often face challenges when establishing themselves in research and science; hundreds of students have had their first international experience; cooperation with the Latvian embassy network has been strengthened, which will facilitate organizational aspects of mobilities in the future not only for RTU, but other Latvian universities as well.

One of success stories within the framework of this program has been RTU’s cooperation with Panama. When the new Erasmus+ program commenced in 2015, RTU was the only higher education institution not only in Latvia, but the entire Europe, that had received funding for cooperation with this Central American country. In cooperation with Universidad Tecnológica de Panamá within the last five years we have not only implemented student and staff mobilities, but also strengthened cooperation within the fields of railway transport, water research and telecommunications. We are also currently involved in an Erasmus+ capacity building project with this partner and other universities from Europe and South America. This shows how the Erasmus+ program becomes a foundation for other research activities and a broader scientific cooperation.

The International Cooperation and Foreign Students Department of RTU currently continues to implement mobilities allocated within the Erasmus+ calls of 2019 and 2020, and anticipates 2022 when the European Commission will present the new Erasmus model for cooperation with partner countries. RTU will continue to strive towards strengthening its leading position in Latvia and providing our staff and students, as well as the staff and students of our partners, wider opportunities within the framework of the new program.