Engineering Research institute “VIRAC”

Engineering Research institute “VIRAC”

Engineering Research institute “VIRAC” (Engineering Research Center at the Ventspils University College) was founded on 1st September 2005. It was established in the framework of EU Phare funded project “Latvian electronics and electrical engineering sector development project”, which is implemented by Ventspils City Council. The center is founded as scientific institute of Ventspils University College’s IT faculty.

The main aim of the Engineering Research institute “VIRAC” is to provide high level services in applied sciences to the companies and to promote electronics and electrical engineering sector scientific technological potential development in the region.

There are 4 applied research departments in the center:

1 – CAD/CAM designing department;
2 – Applied electronics and Bluetooth department;
3 – Telecommunication products development department;
4 – Mathematic modelling department.

The operations of Engineering Research institute “VIRAC” are close related with educational and scientific work of Ventspils University College.

The tasks of the center are:

* to develop new products in the four directions for Latvian and foreign companies involved in electronics, electrical engineering and other fields;

* to promote elaboration of improvements for new or existing products, and to bring them into production;

* to perform applied research in mathematic modelling, electronics and electrical engineering, as well as in connected sectors;

* to perform research in applied information technologies and prepare masters and doctors degree specialists;

* to participate in the realisation of bachelors, masters and doctors degree studying programmes in physics, mathematics and IT fields.

One of the main advantages of Engineering Research institute “VIRAC” is the integration of business and applied sciences – first of all by using and testing the knowledge acquired in university (the employees of the center will be supplemented by students and graduates of Ventspils University College), as well as by carrying out fundamental research in modelling of economic, finance and business processes.