The development of economy in the region is highly dependent on the effective management of higher education institutions (HEIs). The effective incorporation of networking in the strategies of HEIs is one of the core issues in the development of current HEIs. This incorporation raises two major issues: the lack of tools to monitor the progress of networking and the lack of ability to generate needed and networkrelated insights for strategy. The aim of this article is to suggest a networking assessment tool and to apply it empirically. This tool consists of multi-criteria evaluation and evaluation with network pictures. It adapts simple additive weighting (SAW)data normalisation and Social Network Analysis methods (SNA). The empirical application of the tool showed the possibility to assess and monitor the institution's networking performance and support strategising in the fields of research and studies.

Newly evolving threats to public safety and security, related to attacks in public spaces, are catching the attention of both law enforcement and the general public. Such threats range from the emotional misbehaviour of sports fans in sports venues to well-planned terrorist attacks. Moreover, tools are needed to assist in the search for wanted persons. Static solutions, such as closed circuit television (CCTV), exist, but there is a need for a highly-portable, on-demand solution. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have evolved drastically over the past decade. Developments are observed not only with regards to flight mechanisms and extended flight times but also in the imaging and image stabilization capabilities. Although different methods for facial recognition have existed for some time, dealing with imaging from a moving source to detect the faces in the crowd and compare them to an existing face database is a scientific problem that requires a complex solution. This paper deals with real-time face recognition in the crowd using unmanned aerial vehicles. Face recognition was performed using OpenCV and Dlib libraries.

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Problems of increasing the service life of compressor blades of aircraft gas turbine engines using detonation spraying technology are considered. The simulation of the parameters of the velocity and temperature of the particles of the sprayed material in the barrel of the detonation unit and in the flooded space to the substrate was carried out, followed by the choice of the optimal technological parameters of the spraying process. The control system of the detonation unit has been modernized. An experiment was carried out on the deposition of the Al2O3 coatings on the samples of a substrate made of titanium alloy VT3-1. Based on the results of the experiment, technological recommendations were developed concerning both the parameters of the spraying process and the parameters of the preparation of the substrate surface before spraying. The equipment for brazing the blades of the guide vanes is described and a device for spraying coatings on the end surfaces of the compressor blades is proposed. Thus, a complex technology has been developed for restoring the end surfaces of titanium alloy compressor blades by deposition of Al2O3 coatings.

Based on the experimental data on the roughness parameter Ra, which stands for the mean arithmetic deviation of the profile, as obtained in the process of turning test specimens from different materials with constant elements of the cutting mode (depth a and velocity v) and structural-geometric parameters of the cutting tool, but with different feed rates f, the probability-statistical method for estimating the influence of feed rate f on the resulting surface roughness by the parameter Ra is proposed using the theory of a small sample.

Abstract. Changes in the global economic environment have a huge impact on the transport and logistics sector. Experts in the sector emphasize the role of collaboration in order to reach common goals. In theory such phenomena is analyzed through the networking viewpoint. Among the major groups of players in the sector, two types of networks are dominant: inter-firm networking and intra-firm networking. Empirical pilot research is done by comparing two types of networking in global and local companies. Following the results of the pilot research the conclusion was made that inter-firm networking and intrafirm networking in the companies complement each other and require further research.

E-learning is rapidly gaining its application. While actively adapting student-oriented learning with the competency evaluation model, the standard of competency support in existing e-learning systems is not implemented and varies. This complicated integration of different e-learning systems or transfer from one system to another might be challenging if the student had his or her competency portfolio in list form, while another system supports tree-based competency portfolios. Therefore, in this paper, we propose a transformation model dedicated to converting the competency list to a competency tree. This solution incorporates text processing and analysis, competency ranking based on Bloom’s taxonomy, and competency topic area clustering. The case analysis illustrates the model’s capability to generate a qualitative tree from the competency list, where the average accuracy of competency assignment to appropriate parent competency is 72%, but, in some cases, it reaches just 50%.

This paper presents the results of the empirical research of the networking of Technical Higher Education Institutions (HEI‘S) of the Baltic Sea region. The research was conducted in order to understand how the Social Network Analysis (SNA) and network mapping methods could help to strengthen institution’s strategic perspective through networking. The author analyse the interaction phenomena in the Higher education sector; its’ impact for networking of institutions and for the network itself; the role of the position in the networks; abilities to strengthen the node’s perception of the network for the strategizing purposes. The research was based on the SNA of the Erasmus programme student mobility data. The results of the research cover the implications of aspects of the network centrality, clustering and ego networks let to identify the node’s position in the network, and to understand surrounding network. The research disclosed that the SNA could be applied in supporting the strategizing process by: increasing of understanding of embedded networks, having more realistic network picture, also could be used as supplement evaluation and development planning method for the relationships portfolio management for HEI’s.