LIEPAJA UNIVERSITY resim

Liepaja University is one of the oldest higher educational institutions in Kurzeme region (Latvia) with large experience and academic traditions. Since 2008 it has become a multi-profile state financed regional higher education institution, split over the 4 faculties: Faculty of Management and Social Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Faculty of Humanitarian sciences and Arts, Faculty of Pedagogy and Social work. Liepaja University is accredited state higher educational establishment, which implements study programmes at all three study levels: Bachelor, Master and Doctoratestudies. There are about 1600 students in Liepaja University and more than 20 thousand graduates. Every year about 30 study programmes are implemented. Basic study profiles are Humanitarian Science and Arts, Natural Sciences, Mathematics and IT Services, Social Sciences and Entrepreneurship, Social Welfare, Teacher Education and Pedagogy. Liepaja University develops innovative research in four research institutes and several research centres andlaboratories. The goals of the project are in accordance with the goals defined for the Liepaja University, Facultyof Pedagogy and Social Work – to improve the quality and the European dimension of higher education and to get to know different cultures and educational approaches; encourage creativity, intercultural dialog and entrepreneurship skills. Collaboration with schools are one of the main priorities, in order to implement theory into practice. Liepaja University have successfully cooperated with higher educational institutions and enterprises in Europe and other countriesfor already more than 14 years. We work hard to facilitate cooperation in local, national and international scale. We believe that study and research process has a very important role in developing a dynamic, open and knowledge-intensive university, and our students, lecturers and staff have actively used the program Erasmus and Erasmus+. For improvement of LiepU working quality the quality management system has been developed (University received Bureau Veritas LVS EN ISO 9001:2009). For more info please click https://www.liepu.lv/en


COORDINATOR

Dr.paed., prof. Linda Pavitola, Dean of the Faculty of Pedagogy and Social Work

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Dr.paed. Linda Pavitola - professor and the Dean of the Faculty of Pedagogy and Social work at Liepaja University. Experienced in organizing and participating in the projects on both national and international levels in different roles like project coordinator, researcher, expert, and lecturer (ERASMUS+ project “EQUAP - Enhancing quality in early childhood education and care through participation”, ESF project „Development and implementation of support programs for the youth under the risk of exclusion”, COMENIUS project “CREANET – Network on Creativity in Preschool Education”, ESF project „Competence development and skills improvement of general education teachers” etc.). Work experience includes teaching bachelor, master, and doctoral students in the study direction „Education and Pedagogy” (f.ex., Quality of Education, Cultural Heritage in Education, Music in Education, Research Seminars and Practice, etc.) and development of the study programmes on bachelor and master levels. Expert of Scientific Council of Latvia in Educational Science and a member of Liepaja University Promotion Council in Educational Sciences. Other experience: Member of Scientific Board of editors, Sakarya University (Turkey), ICLEL- International Conference on Lifelong Learning and Leadership for All, and Editorial Board Member of the International Journal of Social Sciences and Artistic Innovations (IJSSAI) - international peer-reviewed scholarly research journal which publishes research papers in the fields of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences. The areas of the research: a) development of cultural values awareness and creative self-expression in the field of music in general education, b) aspects of professional competence of teachers, including diversity competence and the use of action research considered as the starting point for improving the practice, and c) formation of pedagogical relationships and their relation to the teaching and learning that happens in the classroom and the achievement of learning outcomes.


RESEARCHERS

Dr.paed., prof. Ilze Mikelsone, Faculty of Pedagogy and Social Work

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Visiting professor at Liepaja University. The scientific, pedagogical and organizational work experience was gained while working at Liepaja University for 32 years, performing the duties of an assistant professor, associate professor and professor, and serving as a Dean of the Faculty of Pedagogy and Social Work for 11 years. In 2020, she was elected as a professor at the University of Latvia, Faculty of Pedagogy, Psychology and Arts, Department of Teacher Education. A participant and expert in the projects of Latvian Council of Science and several international education projects, incl. COMENIUS project “CREANET – Network on Creativity in Preschool Education”; NordPlus Horizontal 2017 “Reducing Teacher Drop-Out Rate” (ReTeD); EU Quality Education Support Programme I“TA to the MoES in the areas of In-Service Teacher Training, Learning Assessment and Planning, Budgeting and Monitoring’’ by a Consortium led by Hulla & Co Human Dynamics GmbH & Co KG, Wien; NordPlus Horizontal 2020 “Pre-Service Teacher Career Perspectives to Facilitate Sustainable Inclusive Education Reforms” (PreTeCap), ect. Work experience includes teaching bachelor, master, and doctoral students in the study direction „Education and Pedagogy” (teachers' professional identity, teachers’ career, creative thinking, pedagogical supervision, etc.) and development of the study courses on bachelor, master and doctoral levels. Other experience: Expert of Scientific Council of Latvia in Educational Science, Member of Scientific Board of editors, Sakarya University (Turkey), ICLEL- International Conference on Lifelong Learning and Leadership for All. A member of Liepaja University Promotion Council in Educational Sciences and the member of the Professors’ Council at Liepaja University, branch of Education.

Dr.paed., assoc. prof. Jana Grava, Faculty of Pedagogy and Social Work

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Dr.paed. Jana Grava – asoc.professor of the Faculty of Pedagogy and Social work at Liepaja University, Head of study direction „Education and Pedagogy”. Work experience – teaching in bachelor and master’s degree study programmes (f.ex., Teacher professional activities, Pedagogy of preschool, Philosophy of childhood, Research in education, Arts Education in preschool, etc.), development of the Teacher training study programmes and Lifelong learning programmes. Projects experience - participating in the projects on national and international levels like as coordinator, researcher, expert, and lecturer (Nordplus Horizontal Project Pre-Service Teacher Career Perspectives to Facilitate Sustainable Inclusive Education Reforms (PreTeCap), NordPlus Horizontal European Regional Development Fund project Reducing Teacher Drop-Out Rate (ReTeD), ERASMUS+ project “EQUAP - Enhancing quality in early childhood education and care through participation”, COMENIUS project “CREANET – Network on Creativity in Preschool Education”, ESF project “Development of digital learning and methodological tools to deliver innovative pre-school education programs”, etc.). The areas of the research - Implementation of a child-centred pedagogical approach for self-realization of children in preschool, Challenges and solutions for teachers in their educational practice.

Contact Person
Dr.paed., prof. Linda Pavitola linda.pavitola@liepu.lv