Improvement of the management process and study content modernisation at Rīga Stradiņš University

The project's target group are Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU) and RSU Red Cross Medical College students, academic and administrative staff. In order to identify the needs of the target group, meetings with the participation of management teams, including representatives of the RSU Student Union and industry leaders, have been held. Needs identification is carried out by previewing pre-developed strategic documents, conducting student and staff surveys and implementing performance management system. The needs of the target group are grouped into five directions:

• I direction - Improvement of the content of the existing study programmes and alignment to the sectoral development needs;
• II direction – Improvement of the organizational and management structures of the higher education institution (HEI);
• III direction - Improvement of the quality management system of the higher education institution;
• IV direction - Development, improvement and implementation of e- solutions;
• V direction - Improvement of the HEI managements’ competences.

The main activities of the project

No	Project activity	Result	Nummerical result
			Amount	Unit
1.	Study programme content analysis, study programme and study course outcome mapping	Study programme mapping	60	Pcs.
2.	Analysis of study programme compliance to the average and long-term labour market and sectoral development trends	Report	1	Pcs.
3.	Assessment of the compliance of the content of RSU study programmes and the study process with RSU research strategy	Assessment report, identification of 7 priority directions in which the drafted recommendations for integrated study-research development will be implemented	1	Pcs.
4.	To strengthen support for the development of research competences of academic staff	A set of support measures	1	Pcs.
5.	Setting up a study material repository - a digital methodological support tool for the implementation of an interdisciplinary and simulation based study process	Appropriately 5.1., 5.2., 5.3., 5.4. specified
5.1.	Setting up a study material repository - a digital methodological support tool for the implementation of an interdisciplinary and simulation based study process – 1st stage	Concept	1	Pcs.
5.2.	Setting up a study material repository - a digital methodological support tool for the implementation of an interdisciplinary and simulation based study process – 2nd stage	Guidelines	1	Pcs.
5.3.	Setting up a study material repository - a digital methodological support tool for the implementation of an interdisciplinary and simulation based study process – 3rd stage	Developed cases for system’s approbation	50	Pcs.
5.4.	Setting up a study material repository - a digital methodological support tool for the implementation of an interdisciplinary and simulation based study process – 4th stage	Cases integrated in the study courses	100	Course descpriptions
6.	Skills monitoring system	Appropriately 6.1., 6.2., 6.3., 6.4. specified
6.1.	Skills monitoring system – 1st stage	Concept	1	Pcs.
6.2.	Skills monitoring system – 2nd stage	Guidelines	1	Pcs.
6.3.	Skills monitoring system – 3rd stage	Skills description catalogue for system approbation	400	Pcs.
6.4.	Skills monitoring system – 4th stage	Skills descriptions integrated into study courses	40	Study course description
7.	Setting up a “Vertically integrated project” (VIP) programme	Appropriately 7.1., 7.2., 7.3. specified
7.1.	Developing a VIP program and a course that includes innovative problem-based and team work study and practice techniques	Developed VIP programme (content and organizational procedures, VIP integrated into the study and research process)	1	Pcs.
7.2.	RSU Staff and Management Mutual Learning Activities Involved in Leading the VIP Program with Leading Universities of the World	RSU academic staff trained in the implementation of VIP projects	25	People
7.3.	Involvement of mentors and experts in the preparation of the VIP program and project and peer-review or collegial expertise	Student – researcher VIP teams working under the guidance of change agents	6	Teams
8.	Improvement of the internal funding model	Assessment report	1	Pcs.
9.	Improvement of the intellectual property management system	Updated intellectual property management policy	1	Pcs.
10.	External assessment of the salary and incentive system, including PMS principles, process and system and implementation of recommendations	Assessment report	1	Pcs.
11.	Implementation of the Lean method	Expert report	1	Pcs.
12.	Implementation of QPR software functionality funkcionalitātes ieviešana	Process descriptions	15	Pcs.
13.	The development of a support framework for academic integrity culture and compliance with its principles	Appropriately 13.1., 13.2., 13.3., 13.4. specified
13.1.	The development of a support framework for academic integrity culture and compliance with its principles – 1st step	E-study course with a self-assessment test	1	Pcs.
13.2.	The development of a support framework for academic integrity culture and compliance with its principles – 2nd step 1 sub-activity	RSU academic integrity policy;	1	Pcs.
13.3.	The development of a support framework for academic integrity culture and compliance with its principles – 2nd step 2 sub-activity	RSU academic integrity commission’s regulations	1	Pcs.
13.4.	The development of a support framework for academic integrity culture and compliance with its principles – 2nd step 3 sub-activity	RSU academic integrity process description	1	Pcs.
14.	E-solutions for increasing study efficiency and quality	Appropriately 14.1., 14.2., 14.3., 14.4. specified
14.1.	Study programme mapping system	IT system	1	Pcs.
14.2.	Skills monitoring system	IT system	1	Pcs.
14.3.	Development of a study material repository e-system	IT system	1	Pcs.
14.4.	Student portal	Integrated student portal	1	Pcs.
15.	E-solutions for administrative efficiency, quality management and financial management, including shared E-solutions with other higher education and research institutions.	Appropriately 15.1., 15.2., 15.3. specified
15.1.	Replacement of the Performance Management System (PMS)	IT system	1	Pcs.
15.2.	Improvement of the quality and process management system	Licences	2	Licences
15.3.	Shared E-solutions	e-solutions	3	Pcs.
16.	Development of the technical specification for RSU authors’ work repository	specification	1	Pcs.
17.	Improvement of competences in the areas of administrative efficiency, quality management, financial literacy and leadership	Trained RSU staff	60	People
18.	Improvement of digital literacy	Trained RSU staff	60	People
19.	Improvement of the English language proficiency	Trained RSU staff	30	People
20.	Exchange learning activities with the leading foreign higher education institutions	Appropriateley 20.1., 20.2., 20.3., 20.4. specified
20.1.	Exchange learning activities with the leading foreign higher education institutions  – 1.sub-activity	Visits of RSU managerial staff to the leading foreign HEI;	5	Visits
20.2.	Exchange learning activities with the leading foreign higher education institutions – 2.sub-activity	Visits of management abroad	16	Visits
20.3.	Exchange learning activities with the leading foreign higher education institutions – 3.sub-activity	Memoranda of understanding	3	Pcs.
20.4.	Exchange learning activities with the leading foreign higher education institutions – 4.sub-activity	Follow-up informative events (for colleagues) on the experience gained from such exchange learning activities and visits	5	Pcs.
21.	An international peer-review	Peer-review recomendations for project I, II, III and IV directions	4	International evaluation  peer-review