Welcome to Riga Technical University

Riga Technical University

Riga Technical University was founded in 1862 as Riga Polytechnic, later Riga Polytechnic Institute, and is the oldest technical university in the Baltic States. Following the restoration of the Republic of Latvia in March 1990, Riga Polytechnic Institute was renamed Riga Technical University (RTU). Over years RTU has become the leading centre of higher engineering education and science in Latvia, obtained a positive assessment of international experts and has been accredited by the Supreme Education Council of the Republic of Latvia. RTU values include sustainable development, quality, openness and cooperation, creativity, academic freedom, motivation to explore and discover.

RTU is the second largest university in the Republic of Latvia in terms of student number and has educated and trained more than 160,000 graduates in total. At the beginning of academic year 2021/2022, an academic and scientific staff of 1,193 people work at nine faculties of RTU, including Faculty of Materials Science and Applied Chemistry (FMSAC). FMSAC is one of the leading units at RTU in terms of advanced scientific qualification, research infrastructure, scientific achievements, including student research activity.

During the last decade, RTU has particularly focused on strengthening the field of innovation and entrepreneurship. RTU is investing efforts in creating a modern innovation ecosystem and offering hands-on experience to the students, i.e., the best global practices and models have been used to create RTU Science and Innovation Centre. RTU Science and Innovation Centre is not about teaching and bringing knowledge in a frontal way but rather learning through experience.

Student Life in Riga

Life in the campus : associations, facilities (like sport facilities, fablab…)
Life in Riga: free to focus on sport, cultural lifestyle that could attract students…
Practical living information in Riga & Latvia (accommodation, food, etc)

RTU is focused on becoming a third generation university that not only provides high quality education, but also conducts advanced research and ensures innovation and technology transfer, practically implementing scientific discoveries. (https://international.rtu.lv/)

The infrastructure of Ķīpsala Campus (https://international.rtu.lv/faculty-map/) provides students, staff and guests with all the necessary services and utilities, e.g., it is possible to park a bicycle and a car, quench one’s thirst at water drinking points. Developing the infrastructure, care is taken of all groups of people, including people with disabilities: each building has parking lots, easy access to classrooms, laboratories and other facilities, the use of Braille script to provide essential information, as well as all sanitary facilities are designed according to the requirements. The association of people with disabilities and their friends APEIRONS (https://www.apeirons.lv/; in Latvian) commends RTU for its achievements in infrastructure related issues for people with disabilities.

In RTU Ķīpsala Campus, there are currently 54 classrooms, 187 laboratories, 19 special training rooms, 10 computer classrooms, 12 workshops and several research centers of national importance. The Campus also houses a hostel with 950 beds and a special area for people with disabilities. Foreign students, visiting lecturers and university guests can use the renovated RTU student dormitory (Āzenes 22a, Riga).

Other elements of RTU infrastructure are also available for the needs of students and lecturers – canteens and cafes located in each of the RTU complexes, photocopiers, hostels, RTU sports and recreation centers, swimming pool, etc. RTU premises are equipped with drink and snack vending machines.

Wi-Fi is provided in all classrooms of the campus which allows students to access study materials placed on the RTU study portal ORTUS.

Along with intensive study and research work RTU provides students with the opportunity to get involved in an entire range of extra-curricular activities (https://www.rtu.lv/en/studies/student-life). Students can approve themselves at different artistic amateur groups, in sports activities, as well as working in student self-governments and parliament.

Practical information on living in Riga & Latvia may be found here: https://www.latvia.travel/en