Name of the Project: Strengthen the Academic Staff of the Ventspils University of Applied Sciences in Areas of Strategic Specialisation

Project No.: 8.2.2.0/18/A/009

Project Acronym: SSJ

Programme: Operational Programme ‘Growth and employment’. Specific Support Objective of the 8.2.2 ; ‘Strengthen the Academic Staff of the Higher Education Institutions in Areas of Strategic Specialisation’ 1^st phase

Project Submitter: Ventspils University of Applied Sciences (VUAS)

Project Duration: 14/12/2018–30/06/2022 (43 months)

Total Costs of the Project: EUR 1,199,971.69; planned European Social Fund amounts to 85.00% of eligible expenditure – EUR 1,019,975.94; amount from the government funding is 15% of eligible expenditure – EUR 179,995.75.

Brief Description of the Project: 
The aim of the project is to educate academic staff of Ventspils University of Applied Sciences in order to improve the quality of the study process, to ensure the improvement and renewal of the competences of academic staff, as well as strengthen cooperation with external partners.

Project Activities:
1. Engagement of doctoral students in academic work.
2. Employment of foreign academic staff.
3. Improvement of the competences of academic staff.
3.1. Internships of the academic staff in the companies.
3.2. Professional English courses.
3.3. Specialised training to develop academic staff leadership skills, ICT competences and cooperation with the industry.
4. Project management and implementation.
5. Publicity events to inform about the implementation of the project. The activities of the project are focused on the development of versatile academic staff in four academic fields:
Information technology, hardware, electronics, telecommunications, computer management and computer science.
- Management, administration, and real estate management.
- Language and cultural studies, native tongue studies and language programmes.
- Translation.

Project Results: Project foresees the involvement of 17 representatives of foreign academic staff and 11 doctoral students and candidates for scientific degrees in the VUAS academic staff. 

According to the plan, 44 members of VUAS academic staff will work at the Latvian companies during their internships, 36 academic staff representatives will improve their English skills and at least 70 (unique) academic staff members will develop competencies in specialised training. It is outlined that after the completion of the project and in case of successful cooperation at least 10 doctoral students will continue their work as VUAS academic staff members, and cooperation will be continued with at least six foreign academic staff representatives.

Contact Information:
Project Manager (1/12/2018–31/12/2018; 19/11/2019–29/2/2020) – Maija Cēbere, maija.cebere@venta.lv, +371 63629662.
Project Manager (2/1/2019–15/03/2020) – Dina Dāvida, dina.davida@venta.lv, +371 63629662.
Project Manager (1/3/2020) – Estere Vītola, estere.vitola@venta.lv 


Information entered: 12/12/2018