IST DEVELOPMENTIN LATVIA

Professor Janis Grundspenkis

Riga Technical UniversityFaculty of Computer Science and

Information TechnologyDepartment of Systems Theory

and Design

WORK FORCE IN THE INFORMATION AGE Information age requires

abilities to use information technology abilities to process information abilities to learn new knowledge and to

get skills (new type of intelligent work – knowledge work)

The most important production factor of information age economics is knowledge based high quality work force

STRUCTURAL FEATURES OF INFORMATION SOCIETY Information society is based on

knowledge generation information technologies used for

information processing Information society is organized in network

structures The main activities of information society on

the global level are integrated into a network that due to the communication and transport infrastructure is operating as a united organism

CHARACTERISTICSOF INFORMATION SOCIETY MODELS (1)

TECHNOLOGY Infrastructure Production Knowledge

ECONOMICS National

economy Business Innovation

WELFARE Education Care of public

health Welfare of

inhabitants VALUES OF

SOCIETY

CHARACTERISTICSOF INFORMATION SOCIETY MODELS (2)

TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE

• Number of Internet sites (per 100 inhabitants)• Number of mobile cell phones (per 1000 inhabitants)

PRODUCTION• Export of high tech production (% from total export)• E-commerce (number of servers per 100 000

inhabitants) KNOWLEDGE

• Internet users (%)• Number of university students which study

mathematics and engineering, and are involved in research

CHARACTERISTICSOF INFORMATION SOCIETY MODELS (3)

WELFARE EDUCATION

•Enrollment at schools, secondary schools, institutions of higher education and universities

•Functional reading and writing skills

INFRASTRUCTURE

Penetration of ICT 2002 2005PCs/100 19 33Internet/100 6 25Mobile Cell Phone/100 34,2 59Enterprises which haveat least one computer 51 75Enterprises withInternet connections 36 >50

PRODUCTIONTHE STRUCTURE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

BRANCH IN LATVIA

Software marketing

4%

Internet and E-commerce services

4%

Hardware manufacturing

9,7%

Hardware marketing

10,5%

Hardware maintenance and repair

15,3%

Software development

24,2%

Tele-communications

13,8%

Consulting 3,2%

IS maintenance 15,3%

DISTRIBUTION OF QUALIFICATION LEVELS IN IT SECTORS

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

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first level of qualification

second level of qualification

third level of qualification

fourth level of qualification

fifth level of qualification

STATE FINANCINGOF RESEARCH

Philosophy, sociology, psychology, pedagogy

6,27%

History3,10% Linguistics, history of

literature, study of folklore4,02%

Agriculture11,14%

Medicine10,60%

Molecular biology, microbiology,

biotechnology, virusology

7,15%

Biology, environment and land

9,95%

Technology (material, chemical, pharmacy)

4,76%

Chemistry10,42%

Physics,mathematics,

astronomy11,44%

Informatics5,71%

Mechanics,mechanical

engineering, energetics

7,61%

Forestry1,85%Economics, law

5,98%

RESEARCH AREAS(PROJECTS FINANCED BY THE LATVIAN COUNCIL OF SCIENCE, YEAR 2005)

No Research area Number of projects

Financing, %

1. Applications of CS and IT 11 30,44

2. Electronics 8 20,76

3. Signal processing and communications

8 15,08

4. Artificial intelligence and knowledge-based systems

8 13,49

5. System modelling and simulation

5 10,79

6. Software engineering and information systems

5 9,44

Total 45

NUMBER OF STUDENTSIN STUDY YEAR 2004/2005

Total number – 130693Computer science and IT

students 10%Number of graduates 1000Number of PhD thesis in

mathematics and IT – 22

DISTRIBUTION OF STUDENTS ACCORDING TO STUDY PROGRAMMES 2003/2004

Services3%

Teacher training and education sciences

15%

Natural sciences and

art5%

Humanities and arts

7% Engineering and

technologies11%

Agriculture2%

Health and health care

3%Social sciences

54%

EDUCATION

Total number of enrolled 2000 – 2079 (800) 2001 – 2467 (1043) 2002 – 2421 (1229) 2003 – 2516 (904) 2004 – 2283 (732)

Total number of graduates 2000 – 731 2001 – 757 2002 – 882 2003 – 951 2004 – 1148

12 institutions of higher education have study programs in IT

EDUCATION IN IT SECTOR 2004 (1)

University Number of enrolled

Number of graduates

1. Riga Technical University

1A. Computer Science and Information Technology

1B. Electronics and Telecommunications

961 / 40

586 / 36

375 / 4

737

472

265

2. University of Latvia 220 / 38 202

3. Institute of Transport and Communications

0 / 455 105

4. Other Institutions of Higher Education 366 / 192 104

Total 1547 / 725 1148

EDUCATION IN IT SECTOR 2004 (2)

Study program Number of enrolled

Number of graduates

1. 1st level professional studies 168 / 76 85

2. Bachelor studies 824 / 396 578

3. 2nd level professional studies 189 / 113 95

4. Master studies 341 / 140 379

5. Doctoral studies 25 / 0 11

Total 1547 / 725 1148

PROBLEMS IN RESEARCHAND EDUCATION (1)

EXPERIENCED RESEARCHERS AND TEACHERS Funding practically only from the

state budget and it is too small for establishing strong research groups

Overload Age Weak motivation and lack of time to

submit proposals for EU funding

PROBLEMS IN RESEARCHAND EDUCATION (2)

YOUNG RESEARCHERS AND TEACHERS Doctoral students, as a rule, try to work

and write their PhD thesis concurrently Overload High rate of drop out from doctoral

studies Rather weak motivation (salaries,

prestige of teaching)

STRENGTH OF LATVIAN RESEARCH AND EDUCATION IN IT SECTOR

Number of applicants for studies in IT is high

Number of doctoral students are growing High standards of education Literacy of languages Number of qualified specialists Relatively low labor and service costs Relatively high quality of communications