Self - Evaluation Report of Professional Study Program

SELF - EVALUATION REPORT OF PROFESSIONAL STUDY PROGRAM

ELECTRONICS

RIGA TECHNIKAL UNIVERSITY

Faculty Electronics and Telecommunications

Riga, 2003

1. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ______3

2. CHARACTERIZATION OF THE CURRICULA ______4

3. CHARACTERIZATION OF THE PROSPECTS OF THE CURRICULA __ 8

4. PLANS FOR THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT ______9

5. FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF THE STUDY PROGRAM ______13

6. TECHNICAL RESOURCES OF THE STUDY PROGRAM ___ 14

7. QUALIFICATION OF STAFF ______15

8. RESEARCH ______16

9. COLLABORATION WITHIN THE CURRICULA ______17

10. STUDENT EVALUATION METHODS ______18

11. COMPARISON WITH SIMILAR CURRICULA IN OTHER COUNTRIES_18

12. SUMMARY ______20

SUPPLEMENT A ______22

1. Aims and Objectives

Professional studies program "Electronics" provides specialized studies in engineering – electronics.

Bachelor and master program in electronics have acreditation on full period. Additional acreditation is realized for professional study program in electronics. As the main disadvantage from experts was shown:

· professional study programs are too many and too complicated;

· there is no used student’s feedback on regular studies process evaluation;

· student’s activity is low in study process evaluation;

· amount of student’s text books is few.

In accordance with expert commission to reduce the amount of specializations it is realized unified professional program Electronics. It is stopped entrance for new students in RTU collage and special shortened program in Electronics. It is increased practice weight and duration from 8 to 26 credits, accordingly with similarity to programs in other countries, for example, Germany. Increased amount of student books in the library and created virtual university home page http://www.vu.lv for lecture material distribution.

Electronics is one of the most developing fields in the whole world for many years. In Latvia the situation in this field is more complicated. It has a very bright history starting in the twenties and thirties when radio sets produced by the factory VEF (State Electrotechnical Factory) received international recognition (Grand Prix in International World Trade Exhibition in Paris in 1937). In the fifties until seventies Riga was one of the Soviet Union's most developed centers in professional and household electronics with large enterprises like "VEF", "RRR" (radio sets and communication tools) and "Alfa" (microelectronics), different development teams and various research institutions.

However already in the seventies the level of the USSR electronics was lagging behind the world standards while in the nineties, alongside with the disintegration of the USSR, all large-scale electronics industry also collapses in Latvia. Today the transition period is not over yet, but the rebirth of electronics industry is starting: technologies are modernized, and many small and medium enterprises are coming into being, implementing, designing and producing electronic goods.

Electronics is becoming an integral part of everyone’s life starting from toys and household articles up to professional computer systems and satellite as well as cellular communication tools. Therefore there is a need of great number of specialists in different fields of electronics. Unfortunately, presently the demand for such specialists cannot be satisfied. Besides, in Latvia there is need for a new qualification system for electronic specialists, realizing life-long education. According to this situation the University has to set its aims and objectives.

The goal of the "Electronics" engineering program is to prepare highly qualified specialists in electronics with solid knowledge in mathematics, physics and electrical and electronic basic subjects and additional professional knowledge. In this way the young specialist will be prepared for self-education and regular qualification improvement.

Following are the goals of the professional program "Electronics":

· To provide the students with relevant theoretical knowledge and practical skills in electronics;

· To train the students to apply their knowledge and to work in team and creatively acquiring the latest achievements in electronics;

· To provide a possibility to acquire the necessary specialization by means of elective courses;

· To train the students to acquire engineering comprehensive skills: in measurement techniques, in design techniques and management, a.o.;

· To facilitate the students’ ability to present and explain their study results in public, in writing and with the help of up-to-date information technology tools;

· To provide the basics of economics and management in the field of electronics.

A more detailed goals and objectives of professional study program is presented in the following paragraph 2.2.

2. CHARACTERIZATION OF THE CURRICULA

The "Electronics" curricula for professional education set the contents and plan of the "Electronics" professional studies, give detailed requirements and procedures for student evaluation and the academic, material and financial resources available to the program (Supplement 1.[1]). The precise course description of curricula is given in Supplement 2.

The "Electronics" curricula have been developed in agreement with the regulations of the Senate, the Radio electronics institute of the RTU. The curricula have been approved at the Councils of the Institute of Radio Electronics and at the Senate of the RTU.

At the RTU, credit points (CP) are used to evaluate the amount of studies necessary for obtaining a degree. The number of CP in one year of study is 40. One CP is equivalent to a workweek (i.e., 40 hours) or 16 lecture contact-hours.

2.1. Engineering study program in Electronics

Objective necessity to prepare well-educated specialists in electronics is determined by very vide usage of electronics in different fields of science and technique. Besides, drastic changes are in the qualification of electronic engineers: any up-to-date electronic device consists of some computer or controller. A new technologies are appearing, based on usage of computers and processors and a quite new applications of electronics are becoming as reality, by example multimedia, digital radio and television. In Latvia till now it is not special institutions devoted to life-long education problems i.e. changing of specialization. As a result all this wide spectrum of needs for different specialization in electronics should be satisfied by RTU, as only technical university in Latvia preparing engineers in electronics.

Using present material-technical bases and methodological potential, RTU professional study program in Electronics provides students with comprehensive knowledge in professional activity, future self-education and life-long education.

Realization of professional study program in Electronics is independent on previous Secondary School education:

 graduates of any Secondary School or Special Technical Secondary School can start education in academic Bachelor's program in Electronic (3 years), following with 2 years in professional program in Electronics, obtaining qualification of engineer in electronics.

The program have 5 year length of studies for obtaining qualification of engineer in Electronics for any Secondary School education entering Bachelor's studies (3 + 2 years).

2.2 Aims and objectives of the engineering program

In accordance with the situation of electronics in Latvia and following development tendencies of electronics in the rest of world and, within the limits of RTU, more detailed aims and goals of the engineering program in Electronics are presented:

Aim - to prepare specialists, who:

· Are capable to work in the field of service and modernization of electronic equipment;

· Are skilled for maintenance and modernization of electronic systems;

· Could manage up-to-date programming tools and design methods;

· Are qualified for practical work in electronics.

Objectives:

· To provide the students with knowledge of physical processes and technical solutions of circuits used in electronics;

· To provide the students with knowledge of maintenance, production and design of electronic equipment;

· To provide the students with knowledge of computerized analysis and design of electronic equipment;

· To facilitate acquiring and developing practical work skills;

· To facilitate acquiring research work and management skills, including experimental research and analysis of literature;

· To provide the students with knowledge in life-long education.

Basing upon a common basis, the limited electives ensure in-deep studies in the following:

· to the multiform electronic equipment, accenting its origin as definite hardware who needs proper maintenance, modernization and utilization;

· to the service of electronic equipment for broadcasting and production of radio programs and TV programs as well as equipment for mobile communications;

· to the application of programming integral circuits ( microprocessors, controllers, computers) in different electronic equipment;

· to the application of up-to-date electronic and software means for household and small business and usage of telecommunications and multimedia in distance education.

2.3 Contents of the engineering study programs

The study process at RTU is organized according course (semester) principle with the appropriate study plans. In the framework of professional study program in Electronics, students are studying general technical subjects, specialized subjects, economical subjects and humanities. Overall amount of subjects (Supplement 1.) consists of two kind of technical subjects – compulsory subjects (part A) and limited electives (part B1), economics electives (part B2), humanities electives (part B3) and free electives (part C), as well as Professional Training (part D) and final examination – Diploma Project (part E).

2.4. The duration of the studies and credits for the subjects

Students, upon acquiring 122 academic credits for the Bachelor's degree have to study for additional 2 years (81 CP) in professional study program.

2.5. The relationship between course categories

The relationship between course categories in engineering study programs is regulated by the decision of the RTU Senate "Updating the structure of professional programs" from 2.04.2002. (Supplement 1.). In the accordance with this decision professional program in Electronics has following proportions between course categories, shown in Table 1.

The requirements for Professional qualification are: completed the study program and a successful presentation of the Diploma Project. The presentation is examined by The State Examination Commission, which consists of leading engineers from different organizations, companies and research institutions. The credit for the Diploma Project is 10 CP. The thematic and evaluation criteria of the Diploma Project are given in Supplement 3.

Table 1.

Parts of the program / According to Senate RTU (minimum) / Electronics Engineer
KP / % /

KP

Compulsory subjects (part A) / 20 / 32 / 26
Limited Electives (part B1) / 6 / 9 / 7
Economics Electives (part B2) / 4 / 5 / 4
Humanities Electives (part B3) / 4 / 5 / 4
Free Electives (part C) / 4 / 5 / 4
Professional Training (part D) / 26 / 32 / 26
Diploma Project (part E) / 10 / 12 / 10
Total / 80 / 100 / 81

2.7. Humanities, economic, social and natural sciences within the Engineer's curriculum

Some parts of the professional education programs are given to limited electives in non-profile subjects.

Table 2.

Subject groups

/ Engineer in Electronics after Bachelor's degree
Economics and Management / 4 CP
Humanities / Social sc. / 4 CP
Free electives / 4 CP

2.8 Advertisements and information about the curriculum

Information about the Professional programs in Electronics and future carrier after receiving a professional qualification is included in the informative materials (supplement 6.). Besides, Faculty of Electronics and Telecommunications takes part in the annual international exhibitions devoted to Electronics and Telecommunications with its own stall, thus spreading information about study programs and faculty. Very popular is annual excibition “School”.

Faculty of Electronics and Telecommunications has own Internet home page http://www.rsf.rtu.lv . Home page is regullary updated with stories from student’s life and actions.

Annually there are meetings with leading specialists from electronics and telecommunications industry supported with technical demostrations.

There is permanent increase of visitors in action “Open doors” each spring.

These popularisations of study program are very efficient. It is shown in suplement B (in Latvian). 40-45% of information about study program is acquired during action “Open doors” and from our home page.

2.9 The Curriculum Assessment by the Students and Employers

To find out students' assessment of the Professional Programs' quality and the practical execution of the Electronics Professional programs the fourth and fifth year students are asked to fill out anonymous questionnaires (results from latest years are presented in supplement 4.). Students are interested to make some changes in curricula i.e. to replace some humanities electives with foreign language electives. Mostly respondents are satisfied with the program chosen, but they are asking for improvements in program material-technical part.

Employers (computer companies MA-1, Microlink Group, SAF tehnika, State Inspection of Communications, State Radio and State Television, Tele2, LMT, Latvenergo, Latvia TV, Semidex-Latvia, MShafro&Co) as well the graduates are satisfied with the quality of knowledge and of study programs. Employers point to the wide range of vision and possibility to fit with changing technologies in electronics of the graduates of Electronics programs, but sometimes they lack a possibility to solve practical problems.

3. CHARACETRIZATION OF THE PROSPECTS OF THE CURRICULA

Electronics in one of the most rapidly developing fields in the whole world (as reflected for instance, by Moor's Law). This development is binded with the tendency of globalization i.e. there is no possibility for development in only one country or region, because achievements in one country are spreading to others. Electronics is not only the basis for computer systems and telecommunications, rapidly developing due to electronics, but also for many other fields. Therefore, specialists in electronics are essential for successful development of country.

Practically, all Technical Universities have Study Programs in Electronics but the problems for development are different. The previous period of educating students in our programs is characterized by rather high level of graduates and quite good technical basis. Our problems for further development are mainly connected with insufficient financing. One of the main reasons is very low salary of academic staff in comparison with those employed in the private sector and government institutions. Therefore, many good specialists are leaving University and there are no new comers. The second problem is the prices for electronic test and measuring equipment and CAD software that are not comparable with money allocated by the government. The Riga Technical University has necessary intellectual and technological potential for accomplishing professional education in Electronics.