Introducing Riga Technical University
Riga Technical University (RTU) is one of the largest universities and engineering centers in the Baltics with a long history dating back to 1862. Today RTU uses advanced teaching methods and integrates new technologies for an innovative approach for higher education to offer exciting study programs ranging from Engineering, Material and Environmental Sciences to Architecture, Computer Systems and Economics to our 15 000 students in undergraduate and graduate level.
RTU’s strategy is based on two pillars: strengthening of internationalization, and increased collaboration with the industry. RTU aims to establish itself as a Centre of Excellence for application of the latest technologies and scientific achievements as well as for global exchange and implementation of innovative ideas.
RTU’s internationalization strategy aims to foster cooperation with acknowledged education and research institutions around the world, thus enhancing the quality of education and encouraging intercultural understanding. The strategy focuses on strengthening internationalization at home by developing joint curricula for local and international students and enhancing intercultural study and research opportunities for a both students and staff. RTU has established a framework for EMI approaches, locally developed more than 50 study programmes across all study levels in English language and helped partners in Africa, Latin America and Asia to also develop curriculum in English language.
Over the last decade RTU has dedicated increasingly large efforts to promote its international visibility and presence, as well as develop mechanisms that link the university with global academic, industry and NGO partners. RTU has opened study centers is Asia, hosted numerous webinars with students and academics all around the world, significantly increased the number of international students (from 400 to 4000), and also developed many ICT projects to support introduction of e-learning, automatization of the learning process, blended learning, e-services for students and more.
In terms of international projects and partnerships RTU has been mainly focused on solving technical problems. Technical expertise and experience gained from previous Erasmus+ Capacity building projects allows the RTU team to solve complex technical problems and, thus develop user-friendly technical solutions.
Despite the overall focus on engineering, RTU is well aware of the paramount importance of safe and inclusive environment and is committed to work towards creating such environment not only within RTU, but also beyond its walls. This commitment and technical expertise have been the main RTU’s contributing components to the DOMINO project. DOMINO mobile app for Android developed by the technical team from RTU will serve as supplemental tool to the online course and equip students and professionals with resources to improve their knowledge and strengthen skills related to domestic violence prevention.
RTU is focused on becoming a third generation university that not only provides high quality education, but also conducts advanced research and ensures innovation and technology transfer by practically implementing scientific discoveries, while striving to be a driving force of change both at home and abroad.