Dzīves un darba gājums

5.3. DU faculties and branches

DU study and research activities are carried out by 5 faculties:

• 
  Faculty of Education and Management,
  
• 
  Faculty of Humanities,
  
• 
  Faculty of Music and Art,
  
• 
  Faculty of Natural Science and Mathematics,
  
• 
  Faculty of Social Sciences.
  

The faculty self-assessment reports are available in the DU website (http://www.dau.lv). The faculty activities are supervised by a dean who is elected by the Faculty Council and approved by the Senate. The Faculty Council settles the issues pertaining to study, economic, financial and other activities of the faculty and regulates the submission of these issues to the Senate. The Faculty Council is founded in compliance with the Faculty regulations. The activities of the faculty are prescribed by the regulations adopted by the Senate.

DU has 23 chairs (Appendix DU-13) which implement the study and research work at faculties. The activities of the chair are managed by the chair staff meeting. The head of the chair, who is elected by the Faculty Council at an open competition, coordinates the work of a chair.

Branches are DU structural units which have a certain organizing independence and which are territorially separated from the university (Appendix DU-14). The objective of the branches is to implement the DU accredited and licensed study programmes which are demanded by some region in Latvia. The application requesting to open a branch can be submitted by municipalities and education institutions. Programmes in branches are implemented by means of part time studies. The branches reduce the overloading of DU infrastructures during the session, permit to increase the number of contact hours during the academic year and do not overload students during the session.

5.4. Assurance of DU management

DU organizational structure which is formed according to part 3 “Self-government and structural units of higher education establishments” of LR “Law on Higher Education Establishments” (http://www.izm.lv) ensures the implementation of DU aims and objectives.

To promote the cooperation and coordinate the activities of the DU management and structural units in different levels, a schedule for regular meetings has been worked out (Appendix DU-15). At these meetings the managers furnish information about the prospective activities and receive and analyse information about what has already been done. Deans and heads of structural units, in their turn, inform the staff about current events at their own meetings (Faculty Council meetings, chair meetings). Managers of all levels organize information exchange and ensure possibilities to put forward proposals about possible improvements and internal control.

To ensure a qualitative finance analysis, in 2003 the finance analyst was taken on the staff. The Budget Committee, established by the Senate, includes representatives from DU management and faculties, the chief accountant and the finance analyst. The committee ensures a proper use of finances and transparency.

DU is one of the first Latvia’s Higher education establishments which established the Councillors’ Convention. The Councillors’ Convention has consultative rights, it promotes the coordination of DU activities with the interests of the society, and it advises and makes proposals for the Senate and the rector about DU development strategy.

The representatives of the DU management regularly participate in meetings organized by the Rectors’ council of Latvia’s higher education establishments, in seminars held by MES Department of Higher Education and Science and in experience exchange seminars on the quality of the management of higher education.

The representatives of DU Accountancy department take part in seminars and courses organized for the accountants of the budget and self-governing institutions, in the forum of Latvia’s accountants. The representatives of the record-keeping and staff departments participate in seminars on Labour law, on state and municipality purchases, on practical staff record-keeping.

The students’ self-government includes representatives from all faculties, who, in their turn, elect the Students’ Council and student representatives to faculty councils and the DU Senate. Students’ rights are completely observed in the university.

5.5. Summary

Strong points:

• 
  the cooperation system of the management, administration and decision-making institutions has been improved;
  
• 
  the DU structure has been optimized by establishing new faculties, institutes and administrative structural units;
  
• 
  the adoption and exchange of the experience of other Latvian and foreign higher education establishments on the issues of management quality assurance have been promoted;
  
• 
  the Budget Committee is responsible for strategic issues of finances, thus assuring the transparency of the use of financial resources;
  
• 
  the students’ self-government as well as other public organizations get more frequently involved into the process of the DU management and administration.
  

Weak points:

• 
  there are certain shortcomings in the evaluation of the DU management activities;
  
• 
  the internal information exchange system which is to provide DU staff members and students with the information about the decisions adopted by the administration does not function effectively enough;
  
• 
  the decisions adopted by the administration and decision-making institutions are not sufficiently reflected in the university newspaper and DU website.
  

Solutions:

• 
  to analyse management quality assurance and information exchange systems in other Latvian and foreign higher education establishments and adopted their positive experience;
  
• 
  to improve the work of internal information exchange and the information exchange with the society.