Meeting Of European University Of Technology For The First Time Takes Place At RTU

In the week of the 160th anniversary of Riga Technical University (RTU), the partners of the emerging European University of Technology (EUt +) are meeting for the first time in Riga – eight universities have joined forces to create a completely new internationally competitive technical university in Europe. During the meeting, the partner universities are discussing issues related to student mobility, curriculum development, university cooperation with industry, as well as a panel discussion on ethics in innovation creation will be organised.

As the global competition between higher education institutions intensifies, European universities are forming alliances and forming common higher education institutions to offer competitive content and participate in the global education market.

EUt + is formed by RTU, Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences, Technological University Dublin, Polytechnic University of Cartagena, Cyprus University of Technology, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Technical University of Sofia and University of Technology of Troyes. The consortium has chosen the goal of creating an inclusive higher education association, not an elite one, where everyone capable of higher education in engineering. In the long run, the consortium sees itself as a federal entity with relatively close integration – the consortium is a single legal entity with common finances, common study and research processes. Work is currently underway to develop joint study programs and coordinate the scientific process.

At a working meeting in Riga, the EUt + university management is discussing the content of the new study programs and the development of a single European degree. The new degree is developed in five thematic clusters – Civil Engineering, Telecommunications, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Architecture. It is not just the creation of joint study programs, but a completely new concept – the next generation of study programs with completely new content based on transversal competencies, collaboration with industry, the creation of student mobility maps, ethics, inclusive principles, the social dimension, sustainability.

As both the new university itself and the study programs are considered to be innovations, the EUt+ partners are discussing the ethical aspects of innovation at the Riga meeting. On the 30th of June, at 13:30 there will be a panel discussion “Ethical and responsible innovation”, where ethical aspects will be discussed from the legal, economic, as well as the institutional aspects of the state.

The EUt+ meeting in Riga is the consortium’s regular monthly meeting, as the partner universities meet every month at one of the eight universities. Approximately 100 guests from EUt+ member universities arrived in Riga for the working week. On the 1st of July, guests are invited to take part in the 160th anniversary event of RTU in Mežaparks, where both the traditional RTU Grand Graduation, a festive concert and an exhibition of products and prototypes developed by RTU scientists and students are planned.

RTU As A Partner of EUt+ Promotes Empowerment Of Society And Woman Trought A New Erasmus+ Project GREENWORAL

Riga Technical University as a partner of The European University of Technology (EUt+) promotes empowerment of society and women through a new Erasmus+ project GREENWORAL – “Training and mentorship based adult rural women empowerment in the field of green entrepreneurship”.

Researchers from Cyprus, Spain, Ireland and Latvia have come together for this project with the aim to train adult women in rural areas in the field of green entrepreneurship. The project is led by the UPCT (Polytechnic University of Cartagena) and will start with a Kickoff meeting in the beautiful city of Cartagena on the 20th of June and will finish in September 2024.

The GRENWORAL project will enable rural women to have better access to education, entrepreneurship and decision-making processes and will provide new digital and green entrepreneurship skills to adult women in rural areas. The aim is to enable environmentally beneficial and financially profitable entrepreneurial and innovative activities. These initiatives will improve people’s lives and livelihoods, contribute to redressing gender imbalances in business and enable a balance between natural resource use and income maintenance in these areas, with the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in mind.

Project will develop an innovative educational package that includes several activities, such as a mentoring programme to guide women who are willing to start their own green businesses as well as a green entrepreneurship toolkit to provide strategies and resources to any woman who wants to take the first steps with her business initiative and to provide them with knowledge on success factors, especially in rural areas.

The project involves four partners from the European University of Technology: Polytechnic University of Cartagena, Cyprus University of Technology (CUT), Technological University Dublin (TUD) and Riga Technical University (RTU). Also, the Association LIDERE (LID) from Latvia has been involved in the project for the empowerment and mentorship for the project participants.

During the Kickoff meeting from 20th to 21st of June, project participants met in UPCT to finally meet each other face to face and discuss the planned activities of the Project, timeline, administrative issues as well as the dissemination about the project, its website and other means of visual and social media communication.

For more information about the GREENWORAL project, please, contact the International Project Unit of RTU, Project manager Ieva Ziemele, Ieva.Ziemele@rtu.lv.

RTU Together With Other EUt+ Members Working On A New Erasmus Strategic Partnership (KA203) Project AesTheTiCo

From March 2022 RTU together with other EUt+ members have started working on a new Erasmus Strategic Partnership (KA203) project AesTheTiCo. 

The project is coordinated by Professor Conor McGarrigle from Technological University Dublin (Ireland) who is also actively involved in the structural unit within EUt+ – the European Culture and Technology Lab (ECT Lab+). All ECT Lab+ partners are also actively involved in the AesTheTiCo project: TU Dublin, University of Technology of Troyes (France), Hochschule Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences (Germany), Riga Technical University (Latvia), Technical University of Cluj-Napoca (Romania), Technical University Sofia (Bulgaria), Cyprus University of Technology (Cyprus) and Technical University of Cartagena (Spain). 

ECT Lab+ aims to develop research in the arts, humanities and social sciences within EUt+ and focus on science and technology that includes philosophy of technology. AesTheTiCo focuses on the study of aesthetics and is already the secong ECT Lab+ project that has received funding and thus adds an additional dimension to the topics addressed by previously already approved ECT Lab+ project EthiCo. 

AesTheTiCo project aims to expand the notion of aesthetics within traditional engineering and product design curricula to include understandings from contemporary theories of aesthetics. The project is therefore promoting the integration of arts, creative arts and humanities, into Design and Engineering.  

During the Eut+ week in Dublin participants of AesTheTiCo discussed the wicked problems of our age, eg. climate crisis, data extractivism and digital colonialism, circular economies and material reuse, ecologically sustainable technological innovation, etc. New insights related to these complex problems, and a transdiciplinary cooperation, is crucial for analysis of our teaching methods and choice of future research directions.  

During the meeting in Dublin and in the following online meetings participants work on project tasks, are preparing for the first Intensive Study Programme, workshops, etc.

For more information about the project, please, contact the researcher and main contact person for the project from RTU, Ms Alisa Koroļova from the from the Faculty of Architecture: Alisa.Korolova@rtu.lv

RTU Hosts The Delegation Of Karshi Engineering Economics Institute In Uzbekistan

On June 6, delegation of Karshi Engineering Economics Institute (KEEI), Uzbekistan led by the Rector Professor Bazarov Orifjan Shadiyevich and His Excellency Ambassador of Uzbekistan in Latvia Mr Kadambay Sultanov paid a working visit to Riga Technical University (RTU). The purpose of the visit was to get to know each other better, discuss possibilities in establishing collaboration, as well as to acquire a deeper insight into the development of RTU’s infrastructure and technical supply.

Rector of RTU, Academician Leonīds Ribickis hosted an introductory meeting with our guests, in order to discuss the ideas of further possible cooperation in studies, research and innovation and sign the Memorandum of Understanding between both institutions.

KEEI delegation met with the representatives of the Institute of Energy Systems and Environment – Director Professor Dagnija Blumberga and Researcher Mr Maksims Feofilovs, Dean of the Faculty of Electronics and Telecommunications Professor Vjačeslavs Bobrovs, Head of RTU Communication Technologies Research Center Professor Sandis Spolītis, Leading researcher of Institute of Polymer Materials Professor Jānis Zicāns and the Head of Design Factory Ms Roberta Vītola.

During the visit, KEEI delegation had discussions with the Deputy Rector for International Academic Cooperation and Studies Mr Igors Tipāns and the Head of Foreign Students Foundation and Short-Term Courses Unit Mrs. Nataļja Muračova.

Delegation of Uzbekistan:

His Excellency Ambassador of Uzbekistan in Latvia Mr Kadambay Sultanov, Rector Professor Bazarov Orifjan Shadiyevich, Head of Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences Mr Ravshan Eshonkulov, Senior lecturer of Department of Technological Processes Mr Tozhiboev Sukhrobkhon and Representative of the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Political and Economic Affairs Mr Eldor Sobirjonov.