Latvia

Since February 14, 1992, the Latvian Academy of Sciences (LAS), has functioned as an association of scientists. In 1994, all former academic institutes were transferred to the formal supervision of the Ministry of Education and Science. LAS is the highest educational authority. In addition to its weight in political decisions, about 50 percent of LAS' full members are professors of Latvia's higher educational institutions.

In 1997-1998, higher education (third level education) was offered at 33 institutions (15 of them private) with a total enrollment of 64,000 students. There are four higher education institutions called Academies, while other educational institutions are called schools and colleges. The higher education programs consist of under-graduate and graduate studies. The first stage, which normally takes 4 years, leads to a Bakalaurs (Bachelor's) diploma. The next stage leads to the Magistrs (Master's) degree that normally takes one and a half to two years. Next step leads to a Doktors (Ph.D. equivalent) degree. The last and the highest educational degree is Habilitets Doktors (Doctor of Sciences), which is required for full professorship. The latter is approximately equal to postdoctoral level in the United States with several distinctive features that differentiate it. This degree is highly honored and influential, and the government sets exceptionally high requirements on those pursuing it. In order to apply for this level degree and/or to enter doctorantura, the candidate must:

• become a distinguished researcher in the field,
• provide a very broad generalization for the field of study,
• patent and implement an important (revolutionary, breakthrough) invention, or
• discover (establish) a new field of research or new science.

Higher education institutions (as well as any other schools in Latvia) can be public, that is, state-funded, or private. The Ministry of Education and Science and other ministries that control educational institutions, including vocational institutions, establish the admission and enrollment procedures, number of attendees, and general admission regulations. Qualifications for admission may vary between different institutions and even between different divisions at the same institution. Certain trades and specialties may have a minimum age requirement and some specific health requirements.

Latvian universities and institutes are divided into divisions according to the subject they teach. Each institution of higher education is headed by a rector, vice-rector, and further administered by the division deans. Enrollment in a university is based on the results of very competitive entrance exams that take place once a year. Teaching styles and techniques may differ greatly. The University of Latvia has a total enrollment of 22,000 students in 68 study programs. The University operates on the semester basis and offers academic programs leading to a four-year Bachelor's degree. At least 50 percent of the subjects must be in the major field of study, 30 to 40 percent in the minor field of study, and the rest taken as electives.

The system of professional education and training for specialists has also declined as a result of economic difficulties and the elimination of former Soviet establishments. Financial constraints reduced the minimum number of conferences and symposia where teachers could exchange their experiences, and professional journals and magazines are often too expensive to order. This all predetermines the decline of a professional training system not only in Latvia, but also in the other Newly Independent States (NIS).

Many years of experience and publications in major scientific journals are required at the Doctor of Sciences level, which has no formal classes or exams. The dissertation (twice as large as the Ph.D. dissertation) is formally and publicly defended in the presence of the scientific council with 10 to 20 specialists at the Doctor of Sciences level. After two to three years of doktorantura, the scholar earns the Doctor of Sciences degree conferred by the Cabinet of Ministers. This Soviet system-based degree is still available in Latvia, and it is required to obtain full professorship. Moreover, with few exceptions, all top administrators (rectors of the universities and colleges, deans of schools, and heads of departments) have the Doctor of Sciences degree. Finally, in order to become a full member of the Academy of Science or the Latvian Council of Science, this degree is a must.

The University of Latvia (as well as some other institutions) invites foreign students to study in Latvia and offers classes for foreigners within the International Students Exchange Program (ISEP) in the Baltic/Latvian Studies Program, which is taught in English. This program offers Latvian literature, anthropology/cultural studies focusing on Latvia, and the history and ecology of Latvia/Baltic region. It also includes a Latvian language course.

Libraries are numerous in Latvia. The Latvian Academic Library is one of the oldest libraries in Europe, founded in 1524 as Bibliotheca Rigensis. The Law Library of the Riga Graduate School of Law is a modern, well-equipped information center of legal sciences with an electronic catalogue, databases, and legal information resources. Goethe Institute, an independent organization representing German culture and language in Latvia, has more than 8,000 items in the library of the institute. One more foreign library is the Library of the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga. It contains the latest publications in business and economics and a weekly, updated electronic catalogue. Many university libraries are equipped with modern technology and have Internet connections.

The highest authority in education in Latvia is the Ministry of Education and Science. It employs about 230 specialists working in several departments, including General Education, Education Strategy, Vocational Education, and centers like the Center of Education Curriculum and Examination, the Center for the Protection of Children's Rights, and the Teacher Education Support Center.

In 1999, 66 million lats (US$1 = 0.6 lats), or about 5.4 percent of the country's budget, was allocated to education, the fifth biggest budget in Latvia. This budget is distributed to local authorities and administrative units that supervise construction/reconstruction of school buildings, the acquisition of equipment, and the publishing of educational materials. The Latvian government regularly lowers the funding for research: from 0.275 percent of the GDP in 1995 to 0.2 percent of the GDP in 2000.

Research is viewed as an essential part of every higher education institution and professorial life. Educational research directed by Habilitets Doktors (Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences) is conducted in numerous educational and other universities by Doktors (Ph.D. in Education, Educational Doctor-Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences). Research activities are funded through the university budgets, grants from abroad, and international foundations.