On 7 October, President Edgars Rinkēvičs met at the Riga Castle with representatives nominated by the President to the councils of state higher education institutions. During the meeting, the parties discussed the work accomplished by the councils and exchanged views on the improvements needed in the operations of the councils.
“The first four-year term of the state higher education institutions councils will conclude in the first half of next year. During this period, the councils have laid the foundations for a new governance culture within universities. The main focus has been on organising internal processes to make them more transparent, efficient and data-driven, as well as on developing strategic plans and supporting consolidation. The first phase has shown that the quality of governance begins with the quality of cooperation – with mutual trust and constructive dialogue between the council, the rectorate, and the academic community. This is an important lesson that should allow us to move from system alignment to the strategic development of higher education institutions in the next phase. It is now time to shift from administrative consolidation to genuine academic integration – with a clear focus on the quality of study content and the study process. At the same time, higher education institutions must already begin considering how to adapt their development models to the projected decline in student numbers resulting from demographic trends.
The new institutional funding and accreditation model will grant universities greater autonomy. This is a step forward, but also a test, as greater autonomy means greater responsibility – for quality, for innovation, and for public trust. At the same time, universities must be able to respond more precisely to the needs of the state – by preparing people and developing solutions that strengthen Latvia’s economy, security, and sustainability. I therefore expect active leadership from universities: the courage to think broadly, to act strategically, to strengthen Latvia’s position within the European higher education area,” said President Rinkēvičs after the meeting.
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In accordance with the Law on Higher Education Institutions, the President of Latvia nominates one representative to serve on the council of each state higher education institution. The respective institution’s Senate and the Cabinet of Ministers each nominate between two and five council members, depending on the type of higher education institution.
