Latvia University of Agriculture

Latvia University of Agriculture

Faculty of Rural Engineering

Water Resources

Engineering

Self-evaluation Report of the steering committee

(Doctoral Program - IKK 51529)

JELGAVA 2003

Table of Contents

Introduction 3

Description of the Program 5

1. Aim of the Program 5

2. Program Objectives 6

3. Evaluation of the Program and the Envisioned Results 6

4. The Conferred Scientific Degree 7

5. Institutions Involved in the Implementation of the Program 7

6. Content of the Program 7

7. International cooperation 9

8. Comparing with Respective Foreign Doctoral Programs 10

9. Assessment of the Program 10

10. Organization and Evaluation of Studies 11

11. Information about the Faculty 12

12. Access to Study Materials and Technical Resources 12

13. Program Quality Enhancement System 13

14. Main Research Areas 13

15. Summary 14

Appendixes 15

Latvia University of Agriculture

Water Resources Engineering

Doctoral Studies Program

Introduction

The Faculty of Rural Engineering of Latvia University of Agriculture was created in 1993 by merging and expanding the Faculty of Land Reclamation and Land Use Planning and the Faculty of Civil Engineering. The origins of the Faculty of Rural Engineering track back to the Faculty of Land Use Planning, which was established as part of the Agriculture Academy of Latvia (since 1991 – Latvia University of Agriculture) in 1947. The Faculty consists of the Department of Architecture and Building, Structural Engineering, Land Use Planning and Geodesy, Environmental Engineering and Water Management Departments, and the Research Institute of Water Management and Land with the Administrative, Hydrology, Hydro-technical and Land Departments.

At the beginning of the 2002/2003 academic years 1216 students were enrolled at the Faculty: 1110 undergraduate students (607 full-time students and 503 part-time students), 86 masters and 20 doctoral students. The faculty consisted of 56 members of the teaching personnel – six professors, two senior professors, 10 associated professors, 14 docents, 18 lecturers, and six assistants.

The Rural Engineering Faculty is a unit of the Latvia University of Agriculture, which provides state required professional and academic education as well as performs research work and scientific studies. Studies take place in technically well-equipped buildings. High quality technology and methodology is applied in academic and research work. Faculty’s work is based on an integration of research work and all academic programs, which are offered by the Faculty, as well as on an appropriate social provision for students and the teaching staff.

Rural Engineering studies are organized in four specialty areas:

·  Land Use Planning;

·  Civil Engineering

·  Environment and Water Management;

·  Landscape Architecture and Planning.

Currently there are 17 study programs under these areas.

Study Programs, Faculty of Rural Engineering, Latvia University of Agriculture

Study
Area
Program / Land Use Planning / Environment and Water Management / Civil Engineering / Landscape Architecture and Planning
Bachelors Programs / Land Use Planning / Environment and Water Management / Civil Engineering
Professional Programs* / Land Use Planning / Environment and Water Management / Civil Engineering / Landscape architecture and planning
Master’s Programs / Land Use Planning
Geodesy / Environmental Engineering / Civil Engineering
Water Resources Engineering / Landscape architecture
Doctoral Programs / Land Use Planning / Environmental Engineering / Civil Engineering
Water Resources Engineering / Landscape architecture

* All professional programs include the Bachelor’s standard, which allows the program graduates to enroll in Master’s programs

The Faculty of Rural Engineering includes study areas (Landscape Architecture and Planning, Environment and Water Management, Civil Engineering, Land Use Planning) specialized on enhancing the environmental sustainability and long-term development policies. Their aim is to prepare professionals with a broad academic education, able to make decisions and arrive at solutions through teamwork with other specialists. In order to achieve these objectives, the studies at the Faculty of Rural Engineering are organized according to the standards of academic and professional education programs.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The curriculum of the doctoral program has been developed according to Satversme of the Republic of Latvia, the Law on Higher Education, the Law on Scientific Work, and the Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers No. 134 on Promotion Process and Criteria, the June 18, 1999 decision of the Higher Education Council No. 62 on the Creation and Implementation of Doctoral Studies, the Statutes of the State Scientific Qualification Commission of the Cabinet of Ministers as well as according to the Recommendations of the Latvia Science Council and international scientific qualification standards. The doctoral program has been established as the final stage of the environmental science studies (bachelor in environment and water management, master in environmental engineering, and doctor in environmental engineering). The scope and structure of the program corresponds to the standard of doctoral programs at Latvia University of Agriculture as established by the Decision No. 4-48 of the Senate of Latvia University of Agriculture.

The doctoral program was accredited internationally for two years in 2001. The recommendations of experts of programs for doctoral studies and their accreditation have been taken into account during the preparation of the program. The program is devised for three years of full-time or four years of part-time studies. The doctoral course load should correspond to a minimum of 144 credit points.

The doctoral studies program determines the requirements as well as type and scope of doctoral work. The following sections describe the functions of departments, characterize academic and research personnel, which ensures successful implementation of the program. The conclusion describes the technical capacities, opportunities for collaboration among doctoral students and publication possibilities as well as opportunities to participate in projects financed by the Latvian Academy of Science, state level programs and in research work outsourced by the relevant government ministries.

The doctoral studies program is aimed for Building and Environment and Water Management studies program graduates.

1.  Aim of the Program

The doctoral studies program aim is to secure generation change for the teaching and scientists stuff that work in the field of water engineering science both at LAU Rural Engineering Faculty and scientific research organizations with the purpose to secure the research work level in the sub branches of hydrology, hydraulic engineering and water management which will allow join in general European Community and other international cooperation projects.

The aim of the program is to create institutional and methodological circumstances that would facilitate education of a new generation of scientists and qualified professionals meeting the relevant international standards. The program would also provide ample opportunities for doctoral students to expand their knowledge of higher level theoretical methods, research methodologies and research organization principles, to prepare a Promotion work as well as acquire an internationally recognized doctoral degree in engineering.

2.  Program Objectives

According to the study program the main objectives for doctoral students are the following.

·  Ability to formulate, examine and solve various problems in the field of water resources engineering according to the principles of scientific research work;

·  Acquire knowledge of scientific classical and new research methodologies and skills in their application;

·  Obtain a broad knowledge in a specific science area and contribute to its development;

·  Acquire pedagogical experience and be able to present the results of their research work to a national and international scientific audience;

·  Pass doctoral promotion exams;

·  Present the results of their research work to the national and international scientific community;

·  Publish research results in internationally acclaimed scientific journals;

·  Prepare, submit and defend the doctoral thesis.

3.Evaluation of the Program and the Envisioned Results

Evaluating the situation in the Water Resources Engineering, we can observe a lack of high level specialists, especially at universities in Latvia. Such branches as hydro energy, management of ports, territory protection against floods, land reclamation etc. can not exist without high qualified specialists that know local conditions. Faculty of Rural Engineering of Latvia University of Agriculture is the only high school in Latvia where such specialists can be prepared. This is due to the fact certain traditions of the research execution in the field of water resources engineering are preserved at the Latvia University of Agriculture. The branch promotion council works within the structure of the faculty of Rural Engineering.

Unfortunately, due to the aging of senior generation of scientists, the field of doctors science engineering preparation is threatened by a certain break. Therefore all possible must be done to promote doctoral students work in this field in the nearest future and to use the potential of older scientist generation at a maximum extend.

A part of water resources engineering doctorate problems is due to the fact that the last water resources engineering graduates were in 1995. It seriously threatens to the succession for water resources engineering preservation in Latvia. There was a conclusion made in the course of self-evaluation that water resources engineering doctorate students staffing from the masters in civil engineering, environment and water management specialties as well as the masters of geography and land sciences is the only way to preserve a very important water resources engineering science in Latvia.

After completing the full program a doctoral student will have accomplished the following.

·  Extended his knowledge in scientific philosophy and methodology;

·  Learned the classical and modern research methods as well as abilities to apply them in his/her research;

·  Acquired abilities to prepare scientific publications and scientific abstracts;

·  Developed presentation skills and skills to defend his/her research in scientific conferences and seminars;

·  Prepared and submitted doctoral thesis on a high scientific and technical level.

4.  The Conferred Scientific Degree

After completing the theoretical coursework and successfully defending the doctoral thesis, the candidate receives a doctoral degree in engineering science (Dr.sc.ing.).

5.Institutions Involved in the Implementation of the Program

§  Latvia University of Agriculture, Faculty of Rural Engineering, academic personnel and scientific departments;

§  Latvia University of Agriculture, Department of Foreign Languages;

§  Latvia University of Agriculture, Faculty of Information Technologies.

6.  Content of the Program

Water Resources Engineering doctoral program

Coursework / Credits / Type of Study / Type of Examination
1. Theoretical Studies / 38
1.1. Required Courses / 26
Water resources science course / 10 / Individual Studies / Promotion Exam
Specialized Course in a Specific Research Area / 8 / Individual Studies / Promotion Exam
Professional Foreign Languages / 4 / Foreign Languages Program / Promotion Exam
Research Methodology / 4 / Joint Doctoral Program / Exam
1.2. Selected Courses / 12
1.2.1. Science information / 2 / Test
1.2.2. Programming in algorithmic languages / 4 / Test
1.2.3. General course of water resources engineering / 6 / Test
2. Scientific Work / 106
2.1. Research work / 70
2.2. Publication of Research Results / 10
2.3. Presentation of Research Results / 6
2.4. Preparation of Research and Doctoral Thesis / 20
Total (1+2) / 144

6.1. Development of the Doctoral Curriculum since 2001

According to the standards of doctoral studies at Latvia University of Agriculture (15.04.2002) the structure of the program has been changed. Doctoral studies require 144 credit points today. 38 credit points are for theoretical studies, and 106 credit points for the scientific work.

1.  Theoretical coursework – 38 credit points (CP).

1.1.  Requirements – 26 CP.

1.1.2. Specialized course in Water Resources Engineering - 10 CP, Promotion exam;

1.1.3. Specialized course in a specific research area (depending on the subject of the individual scientific work; it is decided between the supervisor of the scientific work and the doctoral student) - 8 CP, Promotion exam;

1.1.4. Professional Foreign Language - 4 CP, Promotion exam;

1.1.5. Research Methodology, 4 - CP, test.

1.2.  Selected courses – 12 CP.

1.2.1. Science information - 2 CP, test.

1.2.2. Programming in algorithmic languages - 4 CP, test.

1.2.3. General course in water resources engineering - 6 CP, test.

2. Scientific work - 106 CP.

2.1. Research Work- 70 CP

· Selection, justification and study of research methodology;

· Study of specialized literature;

· Selection of experimental basis, preparation of experiments and research;

· Development of data basis;

· Data preparation.

2.2.  Publication of Research Results - 10 CP.

2.3. Presentation of Research Results - 6 CP.

2.4  Preparation of Research and Doctoral Thesis -20 Cp.

6.2.  Practical Implementation of the Study Program

To improve the study process the Faculty has accomplished the following.

·  Further development and improvement of the computer lab (the number of computers increased from ten to twelve);

·  Expanded and renewed computer availability for the faculty (increase from one to three);

·  New academic publications in Latvian ;

·  Electronic access to services of the Latvia University of Agriculture library;

·  Frequent scientific conferences for doctoral students from all Baltic countries.

7.  International cooperation

An important part of the scientific work at the Department of Environment and Water Management, Department of Architecture and Building as well Scientific Institute of Water Management and Land is connected with hydrology, hydraulic engineering construction and Water management.

An important part of the scientific work is related to creating and maintaining an agricultural run-off monitoring system in Latvia. Research has been conducted on the run-off of nutrients from the agricultural lands. Many of these research projects involve cooperation with partner organizations in other countries:

The BEAROP project on protection of the Baltic environment from agricultural run-off. Patron: Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and JTI (1994-2002). Supervisor: Prof. P.Bušmanis. Implementation: P.Bušmanis, V.Jansons, I.Dzalbe, A.Andersons, L. Skrastiņa, I.Plūme. Project was incepted after an initiative of the Swedish government as part of the Baltic Sea environment protection program coordinated by HELCOM. As part of the project an agricultural run-off monitoring station has been established on three levels (experimental fields, drainage fields and a small catchment) in collaboration with the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. The operating station fully corresponds (regarding the research methodology and technical provision) to requirements in international practice. Measures to decrease the agricultural run-off are also carried out as part of the project. Finally, agricultural machine ring as well as manure storage have been established. A special classroom has been implemented for consultations and education events, which hosts regional and local seminars.