Dzīves un darba gājums

4.2. Increasing the professional efficiency of the academic staff

The university is persistent in increasing the professional efficiency of its academic staff (point 3.3.):

• 
  doctoral studies;
  
• 
  research activities and participation in Latvia’s and international scientific conferences;
  
• 
  in-service training in European and USA higher education institutions;
  
• 
  participation in courses and seminars of further education organized by Latvian higher education institutions, public and professional organizations;
  
• 
  a creative work of the academic staff (Appendix DU-11).
  

To promote the increase of the scientific and methodological activities of the academic staff, the DU Senate adopted a decision proposed by the Study Council about the distribution and registration of the academic staff workload (16.06.03.), Appendix DU-12.

4.3. Summary

Strong points:

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  the scientific qualification of the academic staff has considerably grown; 51% of DU lecturers have doctor’s degree;
  
• 
  in resent three years’ time the number of professors has increased 2.3 times and the number of associated professors – 1.3 times;
  
• 
  the academic staff is considerably younger than that in other Latvia’s higher education establishments;
  
• 
  to promote the increase of the proportion of the academic staff’s scientific and methodological activities, a new system of the workload distribution and registration has been created.
  

Weak points:

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  the number of researches and leading researchers in DU is comparatively smaller than the average indicator in other Latvia’s higher education establishments;
  
• 
  the number of lecturers and assistants in DU is relatively greater than the average indicator in other Latvia’s higher education establishments;
  
• 
  because of insufficient financing, the lecturers are not very active in having in-service training in universities abroad, and they seldom take leaves to do research.
  

Solutions:

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  every year to increase gradually the number of researchers and leading researches so that in two years’ time it should reach the average indicator in the country;
  
• 
  to optimize the DU system of study and scientific activities so that it would stimulate the academic staff to have in-service training and go on research leaves.
  

5. DU management

5.1. Management, administration and principal decision-making institutions

DU representative, management and decision-making institutions are Constitutional (Satversme) Meeting, Senate, Rector, Council of Students, Inspection committee, Court of arbitration (information: http://www.dau.lv, Management).

The Constitutional (Satversme) Meeting is both the higher DU management institution and decision-making body (Appendix 1).

The Senate is an elected collegial management and decision-making body of the DU staff which approves order and rules regulating all spheres of work at the university:

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  Senate settles issues relating to studies, research, administration and finance;
  
• 
  Senate decides on the formation, reorganization and liquidation of new DU structural units;
  
• 
  Senate organizes committees, works out proposals and opinions about draft resolutions within the frames of its competence.
  

The Rector is elected by the DU Constitutional (Satversme) Meeting from professors for a term of not more than 5 years and not more than for two consecutive terms. The rector supervises and manages the DU activities and is responsible for the implementation of requirements of the Constitution (Satversme) and resolutions adopted by the Constitutional (Satversme) Meeting and the Senate.

The Council of Students represents students’ interests in issues relating to academic, material and cultural life in DU and in other state institutions. In the Constitutional (Satversme) Meeting, Senate, Faculty Councils students have the rights to suspend a veto in issues bearing on their interests.

The Inspection Committee inspects the conformity of all DU activities with legislation and regulations, DU Constitution and resolutions adopted by the management institutions. The committee is authorized to claim and receive explanations from officials as well to see any document pertaining to DU financial and administrative activities.

The Court of Arbitration considers conflicts between the DU officials who are in the relationships of subordination and the complaints of the students and academic staff about the restrictions and violations of their academic liberties established by the Constitution (Satversme).

5.2. DU administrative management institutions

The structure of the DU administrative management includes the Councils of Studies, Science, Economy (Maintenance), pro-rector for studies, pro-rector for science, director, executive director, record-keeping department, accountancy department, staff department, which all tackle problems important for the university life.

The Council of Studies, being an institution which represents study programmes, considers, supervises and decides issues bearing on study programme implementation and coordination, evaluation and publishing of methodological aids. It also supervises the lecturer’s workloads and planning of the study process.

The pro-rector for studies coordinates and manages issues relating to study content, organization and planning. The pro-rector also controls the work of the Study Department, the Study Quality Assessment Centre, the Library, the Further Education Study Centre in correspondence with the functional responsibilities. The pro-rector is elected by the DU Senate.

The Council of Science, being an institution which represents branches and sub-branches of science, works out and adopts the strategy of research activities and coordinates the research.

The pro-rector for science coordinates and manages the research planning and controls the work of the Department of Science, the publishing house “Saule”, the Foreign Relations Department. The pro-rector for science is elected by the DU Senate.

The council of Economy (Maintenance) supervises economical activities, considers and decides issues relating to economic activities as well as organizes the work of a students’ hotel.

The director, in correspondence with functional responsibilities, coordinates and manages the maintenance work. The director is appointed by the DU Senate and proposed by the rector.

The executive director, in correspondence with functional responsibilities, coordinates the work of information systems, works out normative documents that are necessary for functioning of the information system and security of the data; he also manages the work of students’ and study crediting commission and Record-keeping department. The executive director is appointed by the DU Senate and proposed by the rector.

The Record-keeping Department administers the documentation of DU work in conformity with Latvia’s state laws, legislation and regulations. Its work is coordinated by the executive director.

The Accountancy Department ensures the financial activities of DU and regularly carries out the registration of material and financial resources pursuant to the law on “Accountancy of the Republic of Latvia”.

The Staff Department organizes the employing of the staff, keeps, processes and hands over to the archives the personnel files of the academic staff, general staff and students in compliance with the requirements for record-keeping.