PROJECT OBJECTIVE

In line with the supplement to the activity 2.1.1.3.3. “Institutional capacity development of research institutions” of the Cabinet of Ministers Regulations No.729 “Regulations on the Operational programme “Science and Innovations”” dd. 25 November 2014, as a result of a public procurement procedure Dynamic University was granted the right to undertake external audit of functions and tasks at Latvia State Institute of Fruit-Growing (LSIFG) and State Priekuļi Plant Breeding Institute (SPPBI). The assignment was undertaken in the period 20 October 2015 – 20 December 2015 within the framework of the European Regional Development Fund project “Consolidation of the Latvia University of Agriculture and research institutions to enhance the competitiveness” for the purpose of providing an assessment on the compliance of functions performed by research institutions with tasks stipulated in external and internal laws and regulations and identifying the potential of optimisation of functions stemming from reorganisation of these research organisations.

PROJECT SOLUTION AND RESULT

External audit of functions and tasks of LSIFG and SPPBI was undertaken in line with the developed methodology and the defined assignment, i.e. to analyse the laws and regulations by assessing the functions and tasks stipulated therein. Concurrently the assessment of functions of research institutions was undertaken by analysing:

• Organisational structure of institutions, incl. allocation of tasks performed within the framework of functions and execution of functions among structural units of research institutions, as well as number of employees and their allocation among structural units;
• professional duties of employees in relation to the execution of functions and tasks of research institutions;
• available financial and material resources and their use for the performance of functions and tasks  of research institutions;
• performance management models and current governance approaches, strategic management model, strategic priorities, defined objectives and areas of action;
• financial management and control measures;
• approach and framework for the needs of assessing the quality of work;
• represented fields of science and technology according to the classification by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development;
• implemented and planned twinning activities.

Based on the acquired analysis results an audit report and proposals regarding the improvement and optimisation of functions and tasks undertaken by research institutions were developed.