Baltic russian institute

* To be chosen in compliance with the proficient discipline studies.

The practical implementation of the study course volume secure 1) practicums, which volume is at least 20 CP, 2) practises, which volume is at least 4 CP, 3) active practises, which volume is 22 CP, individual projects- compulsory reports and course papers- volume 5 CP.

5.3. Correspondence of the programme to the standards of profession and results of employers’ questionnaires

To ensure correspondence of study programme to practical professional activities, the leadership of the programme tries to maintain regular contacts with the employers. At present these are structures where the students are performing their practices.

The employers have an opportunity to express their attitude to the professional readiness of the students with filling specially drafted questionnaire (sample of questioner in Appendix Nr. 10.), as well as in individual feadback on practice. The employers can assess the professional level of the students according to the following criteria:

• 
  necessary knowledge is acquired;
  
• 
  the students understand their professional functions and responsibilities;
  
• 
  there is a proficiency of working independently, the students are able to make necessary decisions;
  
• 
  skills in organising work;
  
• 
  able to work in team;
  
• 
  loyal to the work (project);
  
• 
  assessment of employee’s personality characteristics.
  

The results of employers questioners are used to improve the study programme make adjustments in the content of several study courses, professional training and practice conducting.

The results of the employers’ questionnaire of 2005 shows that the employers regard the graduates and students of programme “Cultural administration” as qualified specialists, with high opinion of their business, professional and personal characteristics. The initiative in work, ability to solve professional tasks and will of elevating their qualification is noted in particular.

The Education and Science Ministry issued a ruling Nr. 649 which in December 29, 2003, approved the professional standard of a Project Manager. (Profession standard in the attachment Nr.1)

On the basis on the analysis and comparison of the study programme “Cultural administration” with the profession standard (see Table 3) it may be concluded that the professional bachelor programme “Cultural administration” corresponds to the requirements of a profession standard in the area of the preparation of a project manager.

Comparison of the programme “Cultural administration”

with the due profession standard
Table 3

Duties	Tasks	Study subjects
1. to draft a project	1.1. To clarify the pre-project situation and the problem to be solved.	Theory of Culture and Philosophy Cultural sociology Methods of cultural investigation Special courses of the block B (Problems in the 20^th century culture, Trends of art in the 20th century, etc.)
	1.2. To set the project goals.	Technology of drafting projects Entrepreneur’s work in the sphere of culture Relevant courses of the block B (Basics of exhibitions and galleries functioning, Practice of organising festivities and mass events, Principles of organization of tourism, Entertainment industry basics)
	1.3. To clarify and describe the goals achievement alternatives	Technology of drafting projects Entrepreneur’s work in the sphere of culture Relevant courses of the block B (Basics of exhibitions and galleries functioning, Practice of organising festivities and mass events, Principles of organization of tourism, Entertainment industry basics)
	1.4. To set time and terms necessary for the project	Technology of drafting projects Entrepreneur’s work in the sphere of culture, organization, management, and planning Methods of cultural investigation
	1.5. To calculate expences caused by the project management and means necessary for investments	Financing and management of cultural projects Finance: basics of the book-keeping. Finances and credit. Taxes
	1.6..To conduct the finansial analysis of the project, predict possible gainings or losses. To provide with the alternative assesment of the project.	Financing and management of cultural projects Finance: basics of the book-keeping. Finances and credit. Taxes.
	1.7. To set the project time, expenses, and the quality of the product to be received	Financing and management of cultural projects Finance: basics of the book-keeping. Finances and credit. Taxes Entrepreneur’s work in the sphere of culture Relevant courses of the block B (Basics of exhibitions and galleries functioning, Practice of organising festivities and mass events, Principles of organization of tourism, Entertainment industry basics)
	1.8. To conduct the analysis of the project risk	Risk management (within the course „Financing and management of cultural projects”)
	1.9. To plan the project implementation way	Technology of drafting projects Entrepreneur’s work in the sphere of culture, organization, management, and planning
	1.10.To conclude the project offer	Technology of drafting projects Cultural sociology Methods of cultural investigation Special courses of the block B (Problems in the 20^th century culture, Trends of art in the 20th century, etc.)
2. To conclude the organizational structure of the project	2.1. To set the project institutions and describe their role in the project (duties, responsibility, rights)	Cultural institutions and administration Technology of drafting projects Cultural sociology
	2.2.To choose personalias and integrate them into the project institutions	Methods and technics of administrating projects Entrepreneur’s work in the sphere of culture, organization and planning: Personnel administration
	2.3. To choose the project’s organization form and conclude the project’s organigramme	Methods and technics of administrating projects
	2.4. To divide the tasks in the team, work out the matrix of duties and responsibilitites.	Methods and technics of administrating projects Theory and practice of social communications Psychology of intercultural communication: Psychology of contiguity and management Entrepreneur’s work in the sphere of culture, management and planning
	2.5 To set the communication structure	Theory and practice of social communications and information: Methods and technics of administrating projects .
	2.6. To set the IT level of the information and documents use (identification, e-mail organization, etc)	Methods and technics of administrating projects Book-keeping basics. Internal documentation of a project
3. To analize and administrate the project environment	3.1 To identify the project environment elements and conduct their detailed analysis and evaluation	Methods of cultural investigation Cultural sociology Semantics and semiotics of culture Discourses of modern culture Relevant courses of the block B (Basics of exhibitions and galleries functioning, Practice of organising festivities and mass events, Principles of organization of tourism, Entertainment industry basics)
	3.2.To identify the way and intensity of the influence of the project elements on the project and to come up with the counter-actions.	Methods of cultural investigation Cultural sociology Semantics and semiotics of culture Discourses of modern culture Relevant courses of the block B (Basics of exhibitions and galleries functioning, Practice of organising festivities and mass events, Principles of organization of tourism, Entertainment industry basics)
	3.3.To follow the changes in the project environment during the project time and sistematically work out marketing plans	Marketing of culture (within the course “Entrepreneur’s work in the sphere of culture, management and planning”) Methods of cultural investigation Methods and technics of administrating projects Guidelines of the EU cultural projects management
	3.4.To work out the marketing events in the project plans	Marketing of culture (within the course “Entrepreneur’s work in the sphere of culture, management and planning”) Guidelines of the EU cultural projects management
4. To complete the project’s basic plans	4.1. To complete the structural plan of the project work implementation 4.2.To complete the project development plan and terms 4.3. To complete the project personnel resourses and material resourses plan	Technology of drafting projects Entrepreneur’s work in the sphere of culture organization, management, and planning Financing and management of cultural projects
	4.4.To optimize resourses necessary for the project	Financing and management of cultural projects Relevant courses of the block B (Basics of exhibitions and galleries functioning, Introduction into a producer’s business, Entertainment industry basics, Practice of organising festivities and mass events, Principles of organization of tourism) Guidelines of the EU cultural projects management
	4.5. To complete the project expenses plan 4.6. To complete the project finanse plan 4.7. The complete the project quality plan	Financing and management of cultural projects Finance: basics of the book-keeping. Finances and credit. Taxes Rights of the entrepreneur activity
5.To plan and administrate the project risks	5.1.To identify and classify the project risks 5.2.To evaluate the project risks 5.3.To administrate the project risks	Risk management in the field of culture (within the course “Financing and management of cultural projects”)
6. To guarantee the project supervision and regulation	6.1. To guarantee the project plan implementation supervision 6.2.To notice the digression from the plan in due time 6.3.To work out and implement events for the digression evaluation 6.4.To conduct the project integrated control	Methods and technics of administrating projects Psychology of intercultural communication Financing and management of cultural projects Management of culture (within the course “Entrepreneur’s work in the sphere of culture”)
7. To administrate the crisis situations in the project	7.1. To reveal the possible crisis situation in due time 7.2. To plan and administrate the crisis overcome	Psychology of contiguity and management, conflictology (within the course “Psychology of intercultural communication”)
8.To administrate supplies and implementation of the concluded agreements	8.1. To plan the supplies and agreements in the project 8.2.To prepare and conclude agreements 8.3.To administrate the implementation of the concluded agreements	Rights of the entrepreneur’s activity Legal basis in culture and copyright basics Financing and management of cultural projects

6. Advertising and informative publications on possibilities of studying the programme “Cultural administration”
Information about the studying possibilities and studies of the programme “Cultural administration” is to be found on the home page of the Baltic Russian Institute http://www.bki.lv.
The programme “Cultural administration” along with the other BRI programmes organises advertising and informative campaign according to the previously developed plan. Its target audience is:

• 
  Secondary school graduates;
  
• 
  Their parents;
  
• 
  Persons with secondary and secondary special education;
  
• 
  teachers;
  
• 
  all who are interested in culture and arts.
  

During the advertising campaign the LR and LR regions mass media means are used: TV, radio, press.

Faculty of cultural administration takes part in informative days organised by BRI. From February to May the representatives of the faculty have meetings with pupils of senior classes at their schools. During those meetings pupils can acquire precise information on studies’ programme, gained profession, course of studies process, conditions of entrance. Dean of the faculty, Chief of study programme, associates and students also take part on these days. University readers and students regularly take part at the annual exhibition “Skola” held in Riga, as well as at the exhibitions in Daugavpils, Liepaja, Rezekne, Valmiera, as well as exhibitions of the same character in Vilnius, Tallinn, St. Petersburg, Moscow, Kiev, Kaliningrad.

With the students participation brochures, BRI Web pages, exibition stands are formed and issued; advertisement campaigns are held.

For announcements and advertising in 2004-2005 the following was used:

• 
  radio PIK, Mix FM 102,7, radio SWH;
  
• 
  LTV 5, regional TV in Livani, Daugavpils, Dagda, Smiltene, Ogre, Dobele, Talsi, Malpils, Liepaja, Cesis;
  
• 
  press: collections “Augstskolas Latvijā”, “Izglītība ārzemēs”;
  
• 
  newspapers “O & K”, “Lauku avīze”, „Neatkarīgā rīta avīze”, “Diena”, “Latvijas santīms”, “Mērķis”, “Вести сегодня”, “Телеграф”, “Даугавпилс”;
  
• 
  advertisements in catalogue “Izglītības ceļvedis”.
  

7 . Assessment of the study programme
7.1. Objectives and tasks of the study programme
The study programme is completed taking into account new cultural situation in Latvia, when the Republic of Latvia implements the liberal economy politics, when rapid and hard to prognoze global economic changes take place.

The sphere of culture needs specialists who have a profound understanding of the culturally- political specific tasks, are able to analyze the real situation, evaluate creative projects and pieces of art taking into consideration modern tendencies of the development of culture. These participants must clearly acknowledge their tasks and responsibilities, be flexible and responsive, care for the guarantees’ of continuity, openness, and heterogeneity both in Riga and the Republic regions. What’s more, the specialists who manage regional cultures Latvia develops dinamic relations with are required.

The labour market advances special requirements for the specialists in the sphere of cultural administration:

1. High level of professional training

2. Abilities to understand the cultural policy of Latvia

3. Knowledge about Latvian history and culturally social process’s peculiarities

4. Understand the cultural policy of Latvia with regard to the EU and Nothern countries cultural strategy

5. To manage reguarities of the cultural development

6. To know cultural traditions and history of culture

6. 
   To be able to use methods of scientific research creatively to evaluate ideas and pieces of art
   
7. 
   Ability to work out and realize particular projects in the sphere of culture
   
8. 
   Ability to use modern information technologies in obe’s work effectively
   
9. 
   Ability to understand, analize, and evaluate external and internal situation of the business environment
   
10. 
    Ability to combain creative ideas and pragmatic decisions
    
11. 
    Knowledge of languages (Latvian, English, Russian, etc.) on a professional level.
    

Offered bachelor programme of the higher professional education provides with the balanced mastery of the materials in both spheres of fundamental theoretical humanitarian sciences and business disciplines in management sciences and project work, which guarantees the absolvents an opportunity to become competitor specialists not only in modern Latvia, but also after its integration into Europe.

Objective.

The main goal of the professional bachelor’s programme – to ensure qualitative preparation of professional specialists, who will be able to perform leading and organisational work in the sphere of culture, securing preservation and development of the cultural and intellectual potential of Latvia, to support the processes of society integration, to draft and realise creative projects, develop connections with other countries, whio will be able to work in different countries, administrative and private organisations, creative groups and institutions.

Therefore the tasks of the programme for the students to be mastered are:

• 
  Theoretical knowledge in different management sciences, humanitarian sciences, and methods of cultural research;
  
• 
  To profile theoretical courses of culture by stressing the aspect of culture, art and history of literature of the European society, particularities of modern situation in culture;
  
• 
  Other social sciences (economics, international relations, etc) in connection to the integration of Latvia in the EU;
  
• 
  Knowledge and skills in the projects’ drafting and implementation, skills to make optimal decisions and work in team;
  
• 
  Good skills in professional Latvian and foreign languages; skills in computer work and other modern communication technologies, especially internet and e-mail;
  
• 
  To give assistance to new specialists in practice: research projects, in developing and implementing creative strategy of cultural life, in full-bodied expression on creative work.
  
• 
  To provide mutual connection between theoretical knowledge and practice; understanding the impact of professional ethics and direction in society and environment.
  
• 
  To develop creative abilities of the students with the help of modern teaching methods.
  
• 
  To develop research skills, stimulate connection between students’ business and scientific researches with the study work and solutions to the problems urgent in Latvian cultural environment;
  
• 
  To develop motivation for further education and systematical improvement of professional qualification;
  
• 
  To develop cooperation with other universities of Latvia, EU and other countries (exchange with students, guest-lecturers, organising seminars and conferences).
  

7.2. Structural principles of the study programme
The programme “Cultural administration” for obtaining professional bachelor’s degree is developed and implemented by the Faculty of Culturology of BRI, the organisation leadership with the departments of BRI is ensured by the Methodological Council of Study Programme, Study Department, dean and vice-rector in study and academic work. In the development and completing the study programme professional practical workers take part, who a strong connection is established with (among them Janis Spalvinsh, member of the executive committee of ESMA, Inta Shtamgute, the publishing house “Pūce” editor in chief, Nataliya Bastina, Russian Drama Theatre deputy director, etc.).

The study programme is developed according to the Law of higher Educational Institutions of the Republic of Latvia and decisions, regulations and other normative deeds of the Senate of BRI.

The duration of the study programme 4 years (full-time) or 4,5 years (part-time) (8/ 9 semesters), 160 CP.

The objective of offered programme is to solve one of the most topical problems in the sphere of culture – to prepare an erudite specialist with humanitarian education, who will be able to work in market conditions, as well as be ready to develop and carry out the projects in the sphere of culture by using modern technologies and communication systems.

To accomplish the education task, the content of the study programme contains:

• 
  general theoretic humanitarian disciplines, which help the students to understand the methodology of the analysis of culture situation and make theoretical base for the idea about social and cultural processes.
  
• 
  Business humanitarian disciplines, which make the knowledge of cultural object sphere.
  
• 
  Disciplines, which make professional skills on the base of economical functional knowledge.
  
• 
  Workshops (practice), where the analitical, organisational and designing skills in the field of professional culture (art) and entertainment industry are developed.
  

The programme was developed considering the students’ future professions’ peculiarities. The study plan comprises both humanitarian science disciplines which secure the specialists’ professional orientation in the topical problems of culture and cultural tendencies, and management disciplines which pay special attention to the specialists-to-be practice in the field of project drafting and realization.

Study plan divide studies in following groups:

A part (compulsory)- general education and theoretical courses of the branch

B part- subjects corresponding to the speciality

C part- optional courses
A part of compulsory study plan (79 CP including the final test) should be acquired by the student of all courses regardless of chosen speciality, from B discipline block the specialisation subjects are chosen, to obtain the necessary number of points (no less than 17 CP, all in all there are 46 CP in B part). Depending on chosen B block disciplines of the study plan, the student could master the following directions of specialisation:

• 
  Project drafting, management, and organisation in professional art;
  
• 
  Project draft, management, and organization of popular and recreation culture;
  
• 
  Management and implementation of intercultural projects.
  

C part: optional choice part, not less than 6 CP.

Within the study programme wide system of practices with total scope of 26 CP are planned (including active practice – 18 CP and passive practice – not less than 4 CP). The objective of practices are to advance the test of analytic and critical theories in practice, to make more precise idea about the work’s specific in the sphere of culture, to stimulate students to start work in the projects. The Study programme contains also the system of special practicum courses (“B”part), which promote the development of practical activities skills of future specialists.

At the end of study programme the student passes the qualification examination and defends the bachelor paper (12 CP). To stimulate the practical preparation of the students the project drafting has become a compulsory provision for the awarding the qualification. The project application is the bachelor paper’s compulsory part. For the project concept defense the post-diploma practice defense procedure is meant. The qualification shall be awarded only in case the post-diploma practice was successfully completed, positive expert references were given for the offered project, and the practice is successfully defended.

As a result of final tests the student receives professional bachelor’s degree in culture management and qualification "Manager of Culture Projects” (2414 in classificator of professions of LR).

Study plan is designed to realise the principle – continuous return to mastered courses – from introductory courses through basic courses to deepened courses in other, higher level of tutoring. Characteristic example in this sense is disciplines of research methods and theory of culture.

Second principle – requirement for continuous modernisation of the study plan, by implementing new disciplines and renewal of the content of traditional subjects. This fact is proved by the variety of the group of B and C disciplines.

Third principal – opportunity for students to chose freely subjects, particularly – in the group of special disciplines, within which students can realise their individual interests and inclinations and which provide with the opportunity to prepare specialists at the specific professional branch order.

Fourth principle – implementing special practices to offer future specialist wide professional orientation, as well as to provide the students with the opportunity of trying themselves in developing and implementing particular projects, which make possible to draw in professionals and employers and help to assess the students professional skills when starting the first course.