Higher Education Reform in Lithuania

1. Higher Education Reform in Lithuania Based on the material provided by the Ministry of education and science

2. Major Goals of the Reform To increase accessibility to HE. Favorable conditions to all who want and are able to pursue studies. Enhance the Quality.To create conditions and incentives necessary for the substantial improvement in HE quality. Inrease the competitiveness. State funding for the best students and researchers. Efficient use of resources.Impetus for the rising prosperity of the country.

3. Major principles of the reform: autonomy, initiative and responsibility • Systematic and complex change of the whole HE sector; • Competition among HEIs; • More autonomy for the HEI’s • Empowering students and HE institutions; • Modernisation of the HEI’s management; • Evaluation and accreditation system for HEIs (external institutional evaluation); • Non-discriminatory treatment of private HEI’s (when offering financial state support for studies); • State funding allocated mainly on the basis of excellence.

4. Reform of Higher education and research system New Law on Higher Education and Research 30-04-2009 see http://www.cepes.ro/services/pdf/Lithuania.pdf: Higher (Tertiary) Education • Competitive funding of HE (Students’ vouchers); • Institutional reform of universities and colleges; • External institutional evaluation; • Research, Technologies & Innovation • Programme based competitive research funding; • Institutional reform of research institutes; • IP rights protection; • Science Council reform • Agency of Research, Innovation and Technologies established.

5. State funding for The First cycle studies • State funds allocated for vouchers are divided into areas of studies, the number of vouchers for every particular area have been set according to the state economy development and labour market demand forecast • 13 (Universities) and 11 (Colleges)areas of studies: humanities, social, physical, biomedical, technology sciences, artistic and visual arts. Law, business, pedagogy and medicine, music and architectureare set as separate areas. • State funding for bachelor studies is provided in the form of student vouchers to the best entrants applying to HEI’s: • High school graduates choose freely an educational institution (whether it’s a public or a private one) and bring his or her voucher to that HEI;

6. New State funding mechanism: outcomes • State funding was given to the best university and college students. • The number of students in vocational schools have increased responding to labour market needs. • A number of the weakest study programs didn’t attract enough students and have to be renewedorclosed. • First 2 HEIs merged • Private funding from the students paying their fees is the subject of the university competition next to public funding ( i.e. high competition in recruitment of students)

7. Autonomy ISSUES • New legal status – from a budgetary entity into a public entity – more freedom for decision making • Right to own and manage property entrusted by the state • New management bodies and redistribution of functions • Council - highest governing body responsible for strategic decisions. Formed of the members of academic community and outside members appointed by minister according to proposal of National HE Council • Rector -highest administrative body responsible for the management of a HEI. Elected by HEI’s Council • Senate - highest body dealing with academic matters, approving study programs and securing maintenance of academic standards

8. Consolidation of State Research Institutions’ Network Before consolidation (2009): 17 State Research Institutes 18 University Research Institutes 10 State Research Institutions After consolidation (2010): 5 Centers of Science and 6 State Research Institutes (17 Institutes have been integrated into universities)

9. Funding of the Reform: SF Programmes2007-2013 10 % of Structural Fund support – for HE, research and innovation Higher Education: • National Higher Education Programme (221,28 mil. €) Research, Technologies & Innovation: • R&D Programme for Cooperation Between Public R&D and Business Sectors (218,06 mil. €) – Integrated Research, HE and Business Centers (Valleys); • Common National Integrated Programme (97,43 mil. €) – 12 national integrated Programmes in R&D knowledge susceptive economical sectors; • Researchers Career Programme (182,5 mil. €) – professional improvement of researchers at all stages of their career.

10. National Programme For Modernisation of the Higher Education (1) For the modernization of the system of high education is allocated 221,28 mil. € • 38 agreements with 20 HEI’s on renewal of I cycle study programmes. In total 150 study programmes of the Ist cycle will renewed – 9,4 mil. €; • 15 agreements with associations and stakeholders and 7 – with HEI’s to develop entrepreneurship and practical skills of students – 8,7 mil. €; • 9 agreements with 9 Colleges to implement the professors/academic qualification development for projects – 1,6 mil. €; • MoES supports the projects developing international internship for students – 1,45 mil. €.

11. National Programme For Modernisation of the Higher Education (2) Forthcoming funding of: Modern study infrastructure – 50,15 mil. € Integrated study programs (together with the foreign universities) – 17, 4 mil. € Building of the quality assurance systems within the universities – 10 mil. € Creating measures for accesibility of the high education for people with specific demands – 5,8 mil. € Improvement of the management of high education institutions – 15 mil. € Improvement of the skills for interpreneurship of students – 14,2 mil. €

12. Challenges for today • Further implementation of the HE and research reform • Completing the third mission of the HEIs and strengthening of interaction of education, research and business integration for growth of Lithuania’s economy • Effective use of available EU structural funds support for HE modernisation and preparation for new EU financial programming period for 2014-2020

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