Self-evaluation report


Perspective evaluation of the Programme



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6. Perspective evaluation of the Programme




6.1. Compliance with the National Tertiary Professional Education Standard

The Programme complies with the LR MC Regulations No.481 “On the national standard of the 2nd-level professional tertiary education” of 20 November 2001 (Appendix 2) and the RTU Senate resolution of 29 April 2002 (Minutes No. 467) “On the structure of 2nd-level professional study programmes” (Appendix 3).


Table 1

Compliance of the professional bachelor programme

Business logistics” (BL)



with the National Education Standard


Requirements of the LR MC

Regulations No. 481

BL

The scope of a bachelor degree programme shall be at least 160 credit points (CP).

The scope of the professional bachelor programme is 160 CP

Total length of studies for acquiring a professional qualification shall be at least 4 years.

4 years – full-time studies

5 years – part-time studies



The scope of general education courses shall be at least 20 credit points.


Total - 20 CP, including:

  • general education courses – 14 CP

  • humanities / social and management course – 2 CP

  • languages – 4 CP

The scope of basic courses of theory of the specific branch and information technology courses shall be at least 36 credit points.

Basic courses on the theory of the branch and information technology courses – 36 CP

The scope of professional branch specialisation courses shall be at least 60 credit points.

Professional branch specialisation courses – 32 CP

Compulsory elective professional branch specialisation courses – 26 CP

Languages (special course) – 2 CP


The scope of free electives in a bachelor programme shall be at least 6 credit points.

Free electives – 6 CP

Practical placement should be valued by at least 26 CP.

Practical placement 26 CP

Specialisation placement 16 CP

Project placement 10 CP


State examination, part of which shall be the elaboration and defence of a bachelor thesis or a diploma thesis (diploma project) whose scope shall be at least 12 CP.

Diploma project – 12 CP

For students enrolling on a bachelor programme with a prior 1st-level professional tertiary education

the content and scope of the bachelor programme and the scope and content of study courses should be mutually coordinated.



Nominal scope of the Programme after the 1st level professional tertiary education – at least 80 CP. During this time students have to acquire the listed study courses (Appendix…)


Upon completion of the bachelor programme the student shall be conferred the 5th-level professional qualification and the professional bachelor degree in the respective branch (field of professional activity).

Qualification: head of logistics structural unit (PK 2419 12, PS 0290)

Degree awarded: professional bachelor

in business logistics



6.2. Compliance with the Profession Standard and requirements of the labour market
On completion of the professional bachelor programme “Business logistics” students are awarded the professional bachelor degree in business logistics and the 5th-level professional qualification “Head of logistics structural unit”.

The Professional Standard is attached in Appendix 4. The content of the Programme is tailored in compliance with the requirements of the corresponding Profession Standard.


Employers’ questionnaires
The visions of representatives of employers and Latvian major tertiary establishments concerning the programme were coordinated already in the phase of elaboration of the Profession Standard; the working group elaborating the standard included also representatives from the Latvian Employers Confederation, Logistics and Customs Brokers Association, SIA “Kesko Food”, SIA “Zepter International Baltic” etc.
The Profession Standard was elaborated on the basis of solid experience of educating students (since 1993) within the study programme “Entrepreneurship and management” in the specialisation “Business logistics and organisation of transport”.
At the same time, the Programme was developed considering the demand from employers and by analysing employers’ opinions concerning organisation of studies, quality of teaching and the level of preparation of graduates. On the whole, evaluation of these aspects by employers was positive.

7. Evaluation of the Programme




7.1. Programme goals and objectives


Goal of the Programme

The goal of the Programme is to realise a professional bachelor programme offering theoretical knowledge and practical skills to ensure acquisition of a relevant knowledge base and professional competence corresponding to the respective Professional Standard (Head of logistics structural unit – PS 0290) and the 2nd-level professional tertiary education in the specialisation of business logistics. Completion of the Programme leads to the attainment of the qualification “Head of logistics structural unit”.


Programme objectives and planned results

The Programme comprises lectures, practical classes, practical placement and study of relevant literature leading to acquisition of general education courses, and basic specific branch-focused and theoretical courses, IT technology, professional branch specialisation courses, as well as relevant humanities. Completion of these courses will allow:




  • To gain understanding of the goals of economic activity of an enterprise or an organisation and relate these goals with the goals and objectives of the corresponding logistics structural unit;

  • To practically apply the knowledge gained in the decision-making theory and collecting and analysing the data on the operation of the system;

  • To gain understanding of general principles and regularities of international trade and international economic relations;

  • To select appropriate information software for processing relevant data and for implementing decision-making techniques;

  • To organise tenders on the supply of raw materials and goods;

  • To group raw materials and goods supplied by their relevance in stock;

  • To apply theoretical models for establishing the volumes and frequency of regular purchases of raw materials and goods in practical operation of enterprise or organisation;

  • To assess the required guarantee stock level for raw materials and goods to be purchased;

  • To assess discount terms with regard to raw materials and goods to be purchased;

  • To develop general strategy of distribution of products to be supplied to buyers;

  • To establish rational location and optimum number of warehouses within the operating distribution system;

  • To manage the use of company’s or organisation’s own transportation fleet for transporting goods;

  • To organise tenders for external carriers for transporting company’s or organisation’s goods;

  • To control operation of freight carriers using different modes of transport;

  • To organise international intermodal transportation of goods, choosing routes, mode of transportation and carriers;

  • To organise tenders for freight forwarders and transportation agents to be used for international conveyances;

  • To conclude agreements with carriers, forwarders and agents on international freight transportation;

  • To assess costs of international freight transportation, required timeframes and storage of goods;

  • To practically apply theoretical knowledge in resolving problems and decision-making.



7.2. Organisation of the Programme

The system of studies at Riga Technical University has been developed pursuant to the LR law “On education”, the law “On higher educational establishments”, and the law “On professional education”, so that it could maximally ensure the attainment of the goals set forth by the particular study programme and facilitate fulfilment of its objectives. The system of studies at RTU is also governed by internal regulatory documents specifying relations between students and the University, as well as the procedures and processes of organisation and realisation of studies.

Most relevant documents specifying the relations between students and the University are enrolment documents and individual agreements stating the requirements for obtaining education, as well as regulations on internal working procedures.

Most relevant documents and governing bodies regulating, administering and determining the course, procedures and organisation of studies are:



  • RTU Charter;

  • RTU Administration and RTU Senate;

  • Administration of the Faculty and the Faculty Council;

  • Programme Administration;

  • Students Self-Government;

  • Study programme;

  • Course programmes.

Students enrolled for studies at RTU are issued an RTU student’s identity card. Upon enrolment, Programme students are entitled to all the rights enjoyed by RTU students as specified by the LR law “On education”, the law “On higher education establishments”, the Charter of Riga Technical University, and other binding documents.

Students are offered a possibility to acquire additional knowledge, to change the mode of studies and the study programme, including the right of the transfer of the grades acquired in other study programmes of tertiary education, as well as to temporarily (but not longer than for 2 years) suspend studies, retaining relations with RTU.

Normative documents regulating the activities of the University are available with the Programme Administration and may also be found in the RTU web page in the Internet.
The programme “Business logistics” valued at 160 credit points is implemented as:


  • 4-year (full-time), or

  • 5-year (part-time) 2nd-level professional tertiary education programme.


Each academic year has 2 semesters, the duration of each semester being 20 weeks – 16 study weeks and a 4-week long examination period. Appendix 6 presents information about organisation of part-time studies at RTU.
To ensure the attainment of the goals and objectives of the Programme, the first year is devoted to studies of compulsory core subjects – general education courses and subjects common for the whole branch, which form the basis for acquisition of special knowledge and practical skills relevant for undertaking further studies. Upon commencement of studies in the programme students receive short informative material containing the most essential information about organisation and practical realisation of studies, as well as have a special class “Introduction into speciality” valued at 1 CP.
The realisation of the programme “Business logistics” corresponds to the goals and objectives of the academic units involved.

7.3. Practical realisation of the Programme
Realisation of the Programme is basically coordinated and administered by the Chair of International Economic Relations and Transport Economics and Logistics, at the same time, the content and quality is ensured by respective institutes and chairs. The academic units involved in providing the studies are:


  • International Business and Customs Institute (SESMI),

  • Chair of International Economic Relations and Transport Economics and Logistics,

  • Institute of Production and Entrepreneurship,

  • Institute of National and Regional Economics,

  • Institute of Occupational Safety and Civil Defence,

  • Humanities Institute,

  • Chair of Engineering Mathematics,

  • SESMI Language Instruction Group.

The institutes, and the chairs and professors’ groups within these institutes ensure the required teaching and methodological work: they develop and update course programmes, ensure delivery of relevant courses, supervision and defence of diploma projects, as well as development of study and methodological materials.

The Programme is supported by appropriate technical and maintenance personnel.
During acquisition of each course students must pass tests specified in the programme of the particular subject – current progress tests and/or independent assignments. The completion of acquisition of a subject is assessed by a test or examination.

Examination may be taken only by students having fulfilled all programme requirements (they have passed all the tests and fulfilled independent academic assignments etc.). Otherwise, students are not allowed to take examinations. Assessment grades are recorded in each student’s individual academic record book and in the examination sheet of the particular subject.

The final test, if it is not passed within the time specified in the timetable or examination schedule, is regarded as academic debt. The requirements and procedures for settling academic debts are fixed by corresponding RTU Senate resolutions.

Students may take final examinations, provided they have passed all final tests/examinations required by the Programme for each academic course.

The student has to choose the theme of the diploma project, which is further evaluated at the meeting of the respective chair or professor’s group and is then approved by the FEE Dean’s order. The diploma project has to be student’s independent work elaborated in the final semester under supervisor’s guidance.

The studies take place both in lecture-rooms and locations of practical placement. Theoretical and practical classes are held in lecture-rooms, consolidation of theoretical knowledge and acquisition of practical skills takes place at practical placement sites.

Considerable improvements have been made with regard to provision and updating of the process of studies. Lecture-rooms are fully renovated and equipped with new furniture and required equipment (screens, overhead projectors). Students have access to computer rooms, copying machines, periodical publications and course literature; there is also access to the Internet.

Students of the professional tertiary education programme “Business logistics” acquire skills that are relevant for doing research, working with literary and Internet sources required for successful elaboration of academic assignments and diploma projects.


The academic staff are successfully integrating novel findings and approaches gained from participation in various research projects and qualification advancement events to perfect the process of studies. Students, on their part, have an opportunity to present the results of their research at annual RTU Students Scientific Conference and publish them in the Conference Proceedings.

7.4. System of assessment

The system of assessment of the achievement of Programme goals and objectives is reflected in Table 2.



Table 2

The system of assessment of achievement of Programme goals





Goals

Assessment system

1.

Graduates of professional studies must acquire knowledge about microeconomics, macroeconomics, economic forecasting, economic analysis and planning, economics of transportation services, finances, accounting, marketing, information technologies, management science, quality management, methodology of research, analysis of the factors affecting logistics processes (stocks, costs, time), they must acquire foreign language proficiency to ensure successful professional communication required in their daily work.

Students’ questionnaires, results of tests and examinations.


2.

Programme graduates must have the following practical working skills and competencies:

- how to deal with various orders and regulations issued by the LR MC and regulations and instructions issued by the Ministries of Finance and Economics and competent departmental authorities;

- how to combine the knowledge gained on general logistics theory with the real situation in the EU and Latvia;

- how to apply the knowledge gained during studies and practical placement when working on academic papers and the diploma project;

- skills to use appropriate computer software when working on projects.


Evaluation of academic assignments,

reports on placements and

the diploma project.


3.

Programme graduates must be capable of:

- understanding the goal of the process of resolving the problem, professionally participating in the elaboration and management of the implementation of projects making the required calculations;

- applying logistics principles and methods in practical work of an enterprise;

- they must constantly raise their professional competence.



Programme graduates’ and employers’ questionnaires and references.

Assessment of students’ academic performance is based on the requirements of the standard of the 2nd-level professional tertiary education (LR MC Regulations No.481 of 20 November 2001 (Clause 29 – 32)).

Students’ performance results are discussed at the meetings of the Chair of International Economic Relations, Transport Economics and Logistics; they are collected and evaluated by the Programme Administration to be used as the basis for further upgrading of the study process.
The basic principles of evaluation of the performance progress in the Programme are:


  • The principle of aggregation of positive achievements;

  • The principle of compulsory examination;

  • The principle of openness and transparency of assessment criteria;

  • The principle of diversity of forms of assessment;

  • The principle of accessibility of examination.

Basic methods of assessment of the level of acquisition of the Programme are examinations and tests to be passed at the end of each study course, the type of assessment being specified in each particular course programme.

Examinations are accepted by the academic staff conducting the specific course or by the academic staff appointed by the head of the respective academic unit.

Tests are assessed as “passed” or “not passed” and are accepted by the academic staff conducting the course.

Besides the final assessment, upon completion of the course there are also current progress tests – current tests, assessment of presentations at seminars, independent academic work assignments etc. Current progress tests are specified in particular course programmes.
Practical placement is assessed as “passed” or “not passed”.

Practical placement is evaluated by the placement supervisor and the Placement Defence Committee when hearing the defence of the placement report, as well as by taking into account the references of the companies hosting placement.



Credit points (CP) are awarded for each course and placement completed, on condition that the evaluation grade is at least 4 (almost satisfactory) or it is assessed aspassed”.
Students are notified about the terms and requirements concerning final assessment for each academic course, as well as placement programmes and the requirements for the defence of placement reports as follows:

    • conditions, requirements and the list of questions for final assessment of the courses are available with the Programme Administration and academic staff conducting the respective course;

    • conditions, requirements and questions included in the assessment are elucidated during the first class of the respective academic course.

The programme is to be completed with the state examination; part of this examination is the elaboration and defence of the diploma project being assessed according to the 10-grade scale. The evaluation criteria for assessing the defence of the diploma project are:




  • systematisation, consolidation and expansion of theoretical knowledge and practical experience;

  • independence of working with literary and other sources of reference, incl. also sources in foreign languages;

  • skills to formulate theoretical approaches and resolve the problems being investigated, which include writing specific executive summaries, making complex generalisations and coming up with novelty elements;

  • analysis of a topical business problem;

  • elaboration of feasible practical solutions;

  • development and consolidation of skills to independently tackle a business-related research and to defend the results.

The diploma of the 2nd-level professional tertiary education is awarded to a student, who has acquired the programme and has passed the state examination with a successful assessment grade (the lowest successful grade being 4 (almost satisfactory)).


This system of evaluation is effective at RTU since 2001/2002, and it has justified itself, allowing to achieve a higher level of acquisition of knowledge and competence, as well as providing transparency and better correspondence of assessment to actual students’ academic performance.
The results of students’ performance and academic progress are regularly analysed and discussed at the meetings of the Professor’s Group and by the Programme Administration, the results of the defence of the diploma projects are also analysed at the Faculty Council meetings.

7.5. Students
7.5.1. Number of students in the Programme
Currently, there are 35 students in the Programme, incl.:

  • 1st year – 20 full-time students having secondary education;

  • 2nd year – 0;

  • 3rd year – 8 full-time students having 1st-level professional tertiary education;

  • 4th year – 7 full-time students having 1st-level professional tertiary education.


7.5.2. Number of students enrolled in the 1st year
In 2005/2006, 20 students were enrolled in the 1st year of the Programme.
7.5.3. Number of graduates
The Programme will have its first graduates in 2006.

The graduates of the programme will be the students that have acquired the courses of the programme in the specialisation “Business logistics and transport economics” within the bachelor programme “Entrepreneurship and management”.

So far, specialists in business logistics were trained in the specialisation of “Business logistics and transport economics” within the programme “Entrepreneurship and management” by completing a 2-year programme after college and a 4-year economist’s programme. In the period from 2001 to 2005 this specialisation programme had 120 graduates.

7.5.4. Students’ questionnaires and analysis
A students’ poll was conducted in 2005. The questionnaire form is attached as Appendix 6. The results of the questionnaires are currently being generalised and will be used for evaluating the quality of the programme. Students and the FEE Students’ Self-Government are actively participating in the analysis of the questionnaires and results.
7.5.5. Graduate questionnaires and analysis
No questionnaires have been conducted as yet, since the Programme has not had graduates. In the future it is planned to use graduate questionnaires as practiced by the Faculty of Engineering Economics. A sample of the questionnaire form is attached in Appendix 9.

7.5.6. Participation of students in the improvement of the study process


Students may participate in perfecting the study process directly – by expressing their wishes and expectations to the academic staff delivering the course, the heads of the chairs and professors groups, Programme Director, or through the Students Self-Government, whose representatives take part in Faculty Council meetings.

Students’ questionnaires are especially important; they are conducted regularly and objectively reflect students’ about the particular course and organisation of studies.



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