Riga Technical University

Riga Technical University (RTU) ( _lv. Rīgas Tehniskā universitāte) (previously known as Riga Polytechnical Institute and Riga Polytechnicum) is located in Riga, Latvia.

Riga Polytechnicum, 1862-1918

Riga Polytechnicum was first established in 1862 and was the first polytechnical institute in Imperial Russia. It offered degrees in agriculture, chemistry, engineering, mechanics, trade and architecture, with education in German language. In 1896, it was renamed Riga Polytechnical Institute and the language of instruction was changed to Russian.

When the World War I started in 1914, Riga Polytechnical Institute was evacuated to Moscow and worked there until 1918. After that, part of the faculty returned to Latvia and joined the newly established University of Latvia. Others stayed in Russia and taught at universities there.

Riga Technical University, 1958-now

Riga Polytechnical Institute was re-established in 1958 by splitting off the engineering departments from the State University of Latvia. In 1990, it was renamed to Riga Technical University. The university currently consists of 8 faculties:
* Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning
* Faculty of Building and Civil Engineering
* Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology
* Faculty of Electronics and Telecommunications
* Faculty of Engineering Economics
* Faculty of Materials Science and Applied Chemistry
* Faculty of Power and Electrical Engineering
* Faculty of Transport and Mechanical Engineering
As of 2003, it had 17,281 students.

Notable faculty and alumni

*Wilhelm Ostwald - Nobel prize winner in chemistry, faculty 1881-1887
*Paul Walden - chemist, invented ethylammonium nitrate as the first example of an ionic liquid, alumnus
*Friedrich Zander - rocketry and spaceflight pioneer, alumnus
*Ignacy Mościcki - president of Poland (1922-1939), alumnus
*Bruno Abakanowicz - Polish mathematicial and electrical engineer, alumnus
*Władysław Anders - a General in the Polish Army and a politician with the Polish government-in-exile

External links

* [http://omega.rtu.lv/en/index.html The English version of the web site of the RTU]