RIGA TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY
Faculty of Engineering Economics
Professional Master Programme
“INNOVATIONS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP”
SELF-EVALUATION REPORT
Riga - 2005
CONTENTS
pp.
1. Resolution of the competent collegial governance and decision-making authority on the realisation of the Programme 3
2. Licence of the study programme 3
2. Activities should the Programme be liquidated 3
4. Description of the Programme 3
5. Advertising and informative materials about the possibilities to undertake the programme 6
6. Perspective evaluation of the programme 6
6.1. Correspondence to the National Standard for Higher Professional Education 6
6.2. Results of employers survey 7
7. Evaluation of the study programme 7
7.1. Programme goals and objectives 7
7.2. Organisation of the study programme 8
7.3. Practical realisation of the programme 9
7.4. System of assessment 10
7.5. Students 11
7.5.1. Number of students in the programme 11
7.5.2. Number of students enrolled in the 1st year of professional Master studies 11
7.5.3. Number of graduates 11
7.5.4. Students questionnaires and analysis of results 12
7.5.5. Graduate questionnaires and analysis 12
7.5.6. Participation of students in the improvement of the study process 12
7.6. Academic staff engaged in the study programme 12
7.6.1. Number of academic staff 12
7.6.2. Faculty characteristics 13
7.6.3. Policy of selection, renewal, training and professional advancement of academic staff 13
7.7. Sources of financing and provision of infrastructure 14
7.8. External relations 16
7.8.1. Relations with employers 16
7.8.2. Cooperation with similar profile programmes in Latvia and abroad 16
7.8.3. Academic staff having work experience in foreign educational establishments or conducting research abroad 17
7.8.4. Number of foreign visiting lecturers in the Programme 17
7.8.5. Students that have studied abroad within exchange programmes 17
7.8.6. Number of foreign students in the programme, length of studies 18
8. Programme development plan 18
9. Benchmarking with similar programmes offered internationally 20
Appendices 25
1. Resolution of the competent collegial governance and decision-making authority on the realisation of the Programme
The Professional master programme “Innovations and entrepreneurship” submitted for accreditation has been approved by the RTU Senate on 2 June 2003, Minutes No.478 (see Appendix A).
After receipt of the licence the programme “Innovations and entrepreneurship” was amended pursuant to the resolution of the Senate No. 490 of 25 October 2004 and the order issued by the RTU Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs No. Nr.02/35 of 3 November 2004.
2. Licence of the Programme
Licence No. 04051-18 has been issued by the LR Ministry of Education and Science based on the resolution of 28 November 2003 allowing to realise the programme until 6 November 2006 (see Appendix B).
3. Activities should the Programme be liquidated
In case the study programme is liquidated, students may continue studies in the accredited RTU study programme “Management and entrepreneurship” (accredited on 21 December 2000 for 6 years), or in the RTU study programme “Management of enterprises and organisations” (accredited on 22 May 2002 for 6 years).
The content, organisation and structure of the study programme “Innovations and entrepreneurship” provide students with the necessary flexibility, should the programme be liquidated, enabling them to be transferred to another master study programme, where necessary covering and passing the required additional subjects. The students of the programme “Innovations and entrepreneurship” are entitled all rights and guarantees eligible to RTU students.
4. Description of the Programme
The international professional master programme “Innovations and entrepreneurship” was established as a continuation of successful cooperation between the RTU Faculty of Engineering Economics and the Buskerud University College in Norway. The programme was developed based on a thorough study of academic programmes of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (USA), as well as the experience amassed by the Norwegian partners, duly adapting it to the real-time requirements posed by the employers and effective legislation governing education in the Republic of Latvia.
The programme was originally launched supported by the funding 3.6 million NOK granted by the Norwegian government, which has, for three years, allowed to actively attract highly qualified academic staff from Norway alongside with Latvian colleagues to implement and develop the programme.
General description of the Professional master programme
“Innovations and entrepreneurship”
Study level: / professional master studiesNominal duration of the programme: / 1.5 years
2.5 years (for persons having an academic bachelor degree)
Scope of studies: / 60 CP
100 CP (for persons having an academic bachelor degree)
Academic prerequisites: / Professional bachelor degree and/or 2nd level professional tertiary education and at least 2-year entrepreneurial or managerial experience;
academic bachelor degree in social sciences and at least 3-year entrepreneurial or managerial experience.
Degree conferred: / Professional master degree in management of enterprises and organisations
Qualification acquired
(for persons having an
academic bachelor degree) / Manager of enterprises and organisations
Upon completion of studies, students have to elaborate and defend a master thesis. The subjects included on the programme and their scope in credit points is given in Table 1 below.
Table 1
Programme subjects and their scope in credit points (CP)
A. / COMPULSORY SUBJECTS / 24 CP1. / Managerial Cost Accounting and Project Analysis / 6 CP
2. / Entrepreneurship and Business Planning / 4 CP
3. / Technology and New Product Marketing / 4 CP
4. / Innovation Technology / 6 CP
5. / Total Quality Management / 4 CP
B. / COMPULSORY ELECTIVES / 10 CP
1. / Specialisation subjects / 8 CP
1.1. / Information Systems Management / 4 CP
1.2. / Strategy Formulation, Change Management and Organizational Design / 4 CP
1.3. / Product Design and Development / 4 CP
1.4. / Special English language course in innovations and entrepreneurship / 4 CP
2. / Pedagogy and psychology subjects / 2 CP
2.1. / Psychology for Master degree students / 2 CP
2.2. / Pedagogy for Master degree students / 2 CP
D. / PRACTICAL PLACEMENT / 6 CP
Practical placement / 6 CP
E. / STATE EXAMINATION / 20 CP
1. / Master Thesis / 20 CP
Total: / 60 CP
The sequence of acquiring the subjects for full-time and part-time studies is presented in Appendix C and D.
The abstracts of subjects to be mastered in the programme and the corresponding course curricula are presented in Appendix E. The compulsory core subjects and compulsory specialisation electives are especially designed for this programme. Pedagogy and psychology subjects are selected from the range of subject courses offered by the RTU Humanities Institute.
In the 3rd semester, the programme envisages a study trip to Norway (8 days). The trip includes visits of enterprises and associations, as well as lectures on different relevant political and economic issues within the context of EU developments and globalisation processes, with a special focus on the experience amassed in Norway in the area of development of innovations. A sample of a study visit programme is presented in Appendix 8.
Taking into account Latvia’s integration into the European Union, as well as globalisation of business, the programme is conducted in English. As a result, students also acquire relevant international business terminology.
The studies include lectures, workshops, group work and analysis of real projects. Upon completion of the course students are to elaborate and defend a master thesis. The themes of master thesis are related with tackling real-time business problems in enterprises, by applying the knowledge acquired during the programme.
General structure of the programme is as follows:
Compulsory core subjects / 24 CP or / 40%Limited specialisation electives / 8 CP or / 13%
Pedagogy/ psychology subjects / 2 CP or / 3%
Practical placement / 6 CP or / 10%
Master thesis / 20 CP or / 34%
Total 60 CP or / 100%
Content, structure and mode of implementation of the Programme
The study programme may be realized as full-time and part-time studies, by acquiring the programme in 1.5 or 2 years (for students with a prior academic bachelor degree in 2.5 or 3 years). The part-time study programme is adapted to meet the needs of working students, by offering them an opportunity to acquire qualitative education.
The study process is split into modules, each course subject comprising up to 3 modules. The modules are designed according to the following pattern: 2 separate in-class blocks followed by individual and group work.
A sample of arrangement of acquisition of a 4 CP course is the following:
1. An in-class study block
3 evening and 1 daytime intensive session of lectures, practical classes, group work, case studies: Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evenings –18:00 - 21:00; Saturday – 09:00 - 16:00.
Intermediate period:
4-5 weeks devoted to case studies, discussions and home assignments. Basic lecturer-student, and student-student communication medium is the Electronic Blackboard Learning System – a special academic communications system in the Internet.
2. An in-class study block
3 evening and 1 daytime intensive session of lectures, practical classes, group work, case studies: Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evenings –18:00 - 21:00; Saturday – 09:00 - 16:00.
Intermediate period:
4-5 weeks devoted to case studies, discussions and home assignments. Basic lecturer-student, and student-student communication medium is the Electronic Blackboard Learning System.
Examination/assessment:
May vary depending on the course, but all courses contain a written examination.
5. Advertising and informative materials about the possibilities to undertake the Programme
Information about the programme and the possibilities to obtain the professional master degree is spread by using different advertising media.
The most relevant are printed materials, ads, advertising booklets, catalogues, and making the information available via the Internet, as well as participation in exhibitions (one of the most important events being an annually held exhibition “Skola”).
In addition, information is also disseminated in cooperation with the representatives of employers; especially good cooperation has been established with the Latvian Employers Confederation, spreading the information about the programme among its members. Essential support is being rendered by the Embassy of Norway, which has passed information about the programme to Norwegian businessmen doing business in Latvia.
The programme is also advertised through the most up-to-date means of advertising and information medium – the Internet. Information about the programme is available in its web page: www.mba-inovation.lv, as well as in the RTU web page: www.rtu.lv, and in the web page of the Faculty of Engineering Economics: www.ief.rtu.lv.
All these activities are aimed at promoting interest in innovations and entrepreneurship, ensuring substantial interest in the study programme “Innovations and entrepreneurship” offered by the RTU Faculty of Engineering Economics and drawing a considerable number of students to this programme.
6. Perspective evaluation of the Programme
6.1. Correspondence to the National Tertiary Professional Education Standard
To evaluate the compliance of the professional master programme “Innovations and entrepreneurship” with relevant LR normative acts, Table 2 presents the comparison of its correspondence to the LR MC regulations on the national standard of the 2nd level professional tertiary education (No.481, 20 November 2001).
Table 2
Correspondence of the programme “Innovations and entrepreneurship”
to LR MC regulations
Requirements of the LR MCRegulations No. 481 / Compliance of the programme
“Innovations and entrepreneurship”
The scope of master degree programmes shall be at least 40 credit points (CP) / The scope of the master programme is 60 CP
Total length of tertiary studies for acquiring a professional master degree shall be at least 5 years. / 1.5 years after completion of professional studies (at least 4 years) for acquisition of the programme, or 2.5 years after acquisition of the academic study programme (at least 3 years).
Study courses are to ensure acquisition of the latest achievements in the theory and practice of the particular industry and their scope has to be at least 7 CP. / Acquisition of the latest developments in the theory and practice is ensured by the courses, total value of which is 14 CP.
Research, creativity, design and management focused courses are to be valued at least by 5 CP. / Research, creativity, design and management related courses are valued by 26 CP.
Pedagogy and psychology courses are to be valued at least by 2 CP. / Pedagogy and psychology courses are valued by 2 CP.
Practical placement should be valued at least by 6 CP. / The value of practical placement is 6 CP
State examination, part of which shall constitute elaboration and defence of a master thesis or a diploma thesis (diploma project) and whose scope shall be at least 20 CP. / The scope of the master degree thesis is 20 CP.
Upon fulfilment of the enrolment requirements in the respective master degree programme, persons with a previously completed professional bachelor degree or an academic bachelor degree, or a professional qualification acquired after completion of at least a 4-year study programme. / Prerequisites with regard to prior education:
Professional bachelor degree and/or 2nd level professional tertiary education and at least 2-year entrepreneurial or managerial experience;
Academic bachelor degree in social sciences and at least 3-year entrepreneurial or managerial experience.
Graduates of the master programme shall be awarded the professional master degree in the particular branch, intermediary branch or profession. / Degree awarded:
Professional master’s degree in management of enterprises and organisations
Acquired qualification (for persons with an academic bachelor degree): / Manager of enterprises and organisations
The programme ensures acquisition of the knowledge and skills specified in the professional standard “Manager of enterprises and organisations”.
6.2. Results of employers survey
The Programme Advisory Board was established to ensure involvement of employers in the development of the study programme and incorporates local and international businessmen, representatives of associations, as well as representatives of academic staff. The members of the Board regularly participate in the elaboration and development of the programme. The list of the members of Advisory Board is appended as Appendix G.
The employers’ survey shows that master degree students are theoretically and practically well prepared. The survey also indicates that the level of preparation of specialists is different (dependent on the particular person). Employers outline specialists’ desire to professionally develop, as well as point out the necessity to establish closer cooperation, especially in the field of practical training. (The survey is available at the Programme administration)