The institute implements different socio-humaniratian courses for students; its core activities are to provide opportunities for all students to participate in various social projects; besides, the RTU IH implements different pedagogical courses for teachers of vocational training institutions.
The Institute of Humanities was established in February 1993. Professor Elmars Murnieks was the first Director of the Institute. The mission of the IH is to implement the basic principles of the European educational paradigm to respect the needs of the society for humanity and spirituality. In 1993, the Department of Sociology and Pedagogy, the Department of Sports, the Department of Philosophy and the Department of Political Science became the structural units of the IH. Nowadays, we are the first Institute of Humanities in Latvia to start training teachers for vocational education institutions.
Over time, the structure of the Institute of Humanities has changed. With the establishment of the RTU Faculty of E-Learning Technologies and Humanities in 2014, the Institute of Humanities was integrated into this faculty. Currently, the HI comprises the Department of Engineering Pedagogy and Psychology and the Department of Social Sciences, which offers RTU students social and humanitarian study courses as well as life-long learning courses to improve the competence of the RTU academic staff in the fields of pedagogy and IT.
Since 2002, the Institute of Humanities has been regularly publishing a collection «Humanities and Social Sciences», providing an insight into the results of research, conducted by HI and other Latvian scientific institutions and foreign scientists. In fact, IH staff has a high scientific qualification - 70% hold a Doctoral degree.
Assistant professor of the Department of Social Sciences Dr. sc. soc. Aleksejs Šņitņikovs
Teaches courses Models of Social Development, Sociology of Management”, EU and Latvia and Social Science Research Methods.
He has worked in the leading research institutions of Latvia, has taken part in fundamental and applied research projects. Research interests: historical sociology, organization theory, social theory and research methods.
Professor of the Department of Engineering Pedagogy and Psychology Dr. paed., Mg. phil. Alīda Zigmunde
Academic activity: teaches study courses Pedagogy, History of Technical Sciences (engineering) and University Didactics, conducts classes at RTU University of Children and Youth.
Manager and organizational activity: RTU Engineering History Research Center, Head of the Department of Historical Research and Scientific Publications; Head of the Department of Engineering Pedagogy, RTU Institute of Humanities; Member of the Science Council of RTU Faculty of E-study Technologies and Humanities; Member of the Council of RTU Faculty of E-study Technologies and Humanities.
Research activity and scientific interests: history of universities and educational institutions, history of sciences, development of pedagogical science in Latvia in the world context, life activities of personalities. Author of 10 books, co-author of eight books, author of more than 120 scientific articles.
Activities in professional, scientific, etc. c. in organizations:
Member of the Board of the Baltic Association for the History and Philosophy of Sciences and one of the publishers of the association's international scientific journal "Acta Baltica Historiae et Philosophiae Scientiarum"; Member of the Board of the Baltic Association of Pedagogical Historians; Member of the Senate of the Latvian Olympic Academy; Member of the Latvian Association of University Professors; Member of the Latvian Association of Medical Historians; Member of the Latvian Language and Literature Teachers' Association of Vocational Education Institutions.
Associated Professor of the Department of Social Sciences Dr. sc. soc. Gunārs Ozolzīle
Head of the Department of Social Sciences of the Institute of Humanities
Teaches study courses: General Sociology, Politology, Latvian Political System
Research interests: Political Sociology: The Problem of Stability and Efficiency of Political Systems; Possibilities of reforming the institutes of the Latvian political system, History of democratic ideas and theories of democracy.
Associated Professor of the Department of Engineering Pedagogy and Psychology Dr. psych. Airisa Šteinberga
Academic activity: teaches study courses Psychology, Family Psychology, Pedagogical Psychology, E-Pedagogy and Didactics.
Manager and organizational activity: Director of the Humanities Institute, Vice-Dean for ETHZF Studies.
Research interest: developmental and pedagogical psychology, interaction of e-learning technologies and pedagogical psychological processes, cognitive processes and the digital age.
Assistant professor of the Department of Social Sciences Mg. sc. soc. Laila Girsova
Academic activity and education: graduated from the Faculty of Philosophy of Moscow State University (1989), experience of pedagogical work in teaching various social science study courses both at RTU and other Latvian universities. Has experience in managing socio-psychological training. RTU teaches social and communication psychology, macro and microsociology, philosophy, ethics, philosophy, history of psychology.
Research interests: experimental psychology and sociology, author and co-author of several scientific publications and methodological tools.
Assistant professor of The Department of Engineering Pedagogy and Psychology Mg. psych. Sandra Gudzuka
Academic activity: teaches study courses Organizational Psychology, Social Psychology, Basics of Communication, conducts various professional development courses and supervisions. Certified counseling psychologist and psychologist supervisor.
Research interests: organizational theories, educational institution as an organization.
Lecturer of the Department of Engineering Pedagogy and Psychology, researcher Mg. psych., Mg. sc. administr. Anete Hofmane
Academic activity: teaches study courses Psychology, Cognitive and Social Psychology, Basics of Communication, Presentation skills. Study courses are taught in both Latvian and English. Obtained a master's degree in psychology, management, has a professional qualification of a psychologist and the status of a certified supervisor.
Research activity: has worked in fundamental and applied research projects as a researcher, developed methodological materials. The research has been published in both local and international collective monographs and scientific journals.
Research interests are related to interaction between cognitive processes, emotions, and personality, their transformation under the influence of relationships; psychological aspects of behavioral economics; evolutionary psychology and its explanation of health; support, kindness, psychological help, methods of psychological counseling as a mechanism of personal development.
The impact of the patterns of use of the internet on the development of cognitive styles of youths
Project No. lzp-2021/1-0357
Information about the project: The aim of the project is to conduct fundamental research about how the usage of internet and modern technologies have changed thinking, perception, memory, ability to focus attention and other essential cognitive processes amongst youth, which in turn nowadays change the way they perceive, process and applies information. All of this results in a certain cognitive style, which further affects young people’s behavior, skills, communication, etc. important aspects of life. The results of the study will be applicable to young people aged 15-18 and 19-24. The project will conclude with guidelines for sociologists to measure the impact of internet use, psychologists to improve counseling for young people, and educators who can thus adapt and personalize teaching approaches and methods. The impact of the results of this research is their theoretical scientific novelty, which affects at least three branches of science - sociology, psychology and pedagogy, which would promote the inclusion of young people in the development of a full-fledged society.
RTU planned activities in the project: Compilation and processing of the results from expert interviews and focus groups, development of Latvian youth survey methodology and survey data analysis; development of a psychological test of cognitive styles; participation in the publication and dissemination of project results.
Project implementation period: 01/03/2022. – 12/30/2024.
Project implementer: Riga Technical University, leading department Institute of Humanities
Head of the project: Sandra Rone
Cooperation partners of the project: University of Latvia, The Institute of Philosophy and Sociology
RTU scientific group: Aleksejs Šņitņikovs, Airisa Šteinberga, Jūlija Svitaja, Maija Zakriževska-Belogrudova, Anete Hofmane, master’s students Lelde Barone and Laura Kravinska
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Head of the Institute of Humanities |
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Head of the Department of Social Sciences |
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| Head of the Engineering Pedagogy and Psychology Department Prof. Dr. paed. Alīda Zigmunde |
Kronvalda Bouelvard 1–225/1, Riga | +371 67089152 | |
| Chief of Office Inese Eniņa |
Kronvalda Bouelvard 1–225, Riga | +371 67089152 |