Reform of Higher Education in Lithuania: Step Forward or Backward?

1. Reform of Higher Education in Lithuania: Step Forward or Backward? Rimantas Vaitkus, Vilnius University Lithuania

2. Regulation by the Constitution • 40 article. • Schools of higher education shall be granted autonomy. • 41 article. • Higher education shall be accessible to everyone according to his individual abilities. • Citizens who are good at their studies shall be guaranteed education at State schools of higher education free of charge. • 42 article. • Culture, science and research, and teaching shall be free.

3. Profile of HE in Lithuania • Undergraduate(bachelor degree, professional diploma), duration at least 3 years (120 credits) (for colleges, professional qualification) or at least 3,5 year (140 credits) for Bachelor degree or (and) professional qualification; 1 credit – 40 hours of work load. • Graduate (master degree, professional diploma – only at universities) (at least 1,5 year, 60 credits). Some undergraduate and graduate programmes might be combined (total duration at least 5 years or 200 credits); • Doctoral studies (3-4 years) or aspirancy for arts (2 years). Doctoral degree might be awarded only after defendingof thesis.

4. HEI in Lithuania • State universities (15) • Private universities (7) • State (16) and private (11) colleges • State research institutes (17) • University research institutes (18) • Other research establishments • Private business entities

5. Distribution of HEI in Lithuania

6. Number of students in HEI, 2007

7. Leaving education 18-24 y.o., %

8. Number of graduates of HE in Lithuania

9. PhD graduates

10. Current situation

11. Expenditure for R&D in EU,percent of GDP (2004)

12. Expenditure for R&D

13. Growth in number of publications2000-2006

14. Why we do need reform? (from the presentation by the Ministry) • Students, academic community & other stake-holders are concerned in qualityof HE • Network of HEI in Lithuania is spread • Financing per student is 2,5-3 times less than in developed countries • Weak interaction of science and business, lack of innovations • Rigid and not effective governance of HEI • Real autonomy of HEI is notimplemented • Demographic situation - declining number of school graduates • International competition • “Brain drain”

15. Main challenges • Accessibility; • Quality of studies; • Effectiveness of management of resources

16. Political agreement of parties 2008 • Finances per student consist from fixed fee part and state compensation. Experiment with “student basket” per some study programs; • Effective loan system; • Autonomy for HEI: rights for study programs, property right. Agreements between state and HEI; • Autonomy and accountability, external evaluation. Finances for achievements. Councils; • Ombudsmen for HE; • Quality assessment and assurance. Implementation of Bergen Communique (2005). • Increase in financing of R&D. Goal: to achieve the average of EU by 2012. Financing Councils: Humanities and Sciences; • Better cooperation of HEI and business.

17. Directions of HE reform in the new law • New legal status of HE. • Council – the main governing board. It will be external: 5 (HEI, from which – 3 by Senate, 1- student, 1- administration) + 5 (by the Minister) +1 (together). • Rector – appointed. • New financing: “student basket”, private schools financing. • Ombudsmen for HE. • Legal implementation of ECTS. • Requirements for quality assurance and assessment.

18. Legal status of HEI • Public institutions; • Right to purchase and to sell property; • State property – right to use it by agreement (for 20 years); • Right for the state to invest into the HEI; • Right to get credit; • Right to establish companies (such as joint stock co); • Property and territory inviolable (except if decision is made by Seimas).

19. Governance of universities (until now) • University Council • External body, strategic planning, supervision and concern/care (only advise) • Senate • Supreeme governing body: setting rules and requirements • Rector • Elected by Senate, daily management, Head of the University • Staff meeting of the Faculty • Election of members of Senate and Faculty Council • Council of the Faculty • Decision making at the Faculty level • Dean • Daily management of the Faculty • Department • Primary unit for studies and research

20. Law on Higher Education(not valid from 12 May 2009)Article 22.The Senate 5. The senate shall exercise the following functions: 1) adopt and submit a statute and amendments thereof to the Seimas for approval; 3) elect and dismiss the rector; 4) on the advice of the rector, approve the vice rectors, deans of faculties, heads of departments, directors of institutes, heads of other branches provided for in the statute who are elected or appointed to the office in a manner prescribed by the statute; 5) establish the procedure for performance evaluation of the academic staff and research workers and for the organisation of competitions to hold the post; 7 ) control the quality of studies and training of scientists; 8) consider and approve study programmes, programmes concerning research and the development thereof, as well as structural changes necessary for the implementation of such programmes, taking into consideration proposals of the university council; 13) approve rules of the internal order of the university and documents regulating the administration of academic affairs; 14) in accordance with the procedure established by the statute, convene meetings of university academic community to discuss important university activity issues;

21. Governance by the council • Approves the Statute; • Makes decision on the mission statement & strategy; • Makes decision on the structure; • Approves annual budget plan; • Elects the Rector and Vice-Rectors; • Sets the rules for acceptance of the faculty members.

22. Functions of the Senate • Control the quality of studies and training of scientists, set the system of internal quality control; • Consider and approve study programmes, programmes concerning research and the development; • Approve the regulations for studies; • Make advise for the structure and draft statute; • Give the honorable and other names.

23. Expenditure for tertiary education, % of GDP, source: Eurostat, 2007

24. Financing of HEI • “Student basket”; • Basic (including funds according to results of research); • State programs and projects; • Fees and services; • State and international funds; • Grants and gifts.

25. Admission to HEI (comparison), in thousands

26. Financing by the model of “student basket” • Particular HEI which admits student will receive money. Student is free to choose HEI and the program; • Price groups per branches of study; • “Student basket” – per branches of studies (out of 6 fields and 63 branches, these may be grouped); • Private HEI can receive “basket”; • Basket will be given for best school graduates; • It is possibility to loose “basket” after 2 years.

27. Structure of the “student basket” • Salary for faculty members and other staff; • Funds for materials and goods; • Scholarships

28. Value of the “student basket” for bachelors

29. Distribution of “baskets” for universities, 2009 (out of 11000)

30. Quality assurance and assessment system • In 1995, the Lithuanian Centre for Quality Assessment in Higher Education was established • In 1996, the Register of Study and Teaching Programmes established, all study programmes of higher education institutions were registered • In 1997, evaluation of newly introduced study programmes was started on a regular basis (prior registration) • In 1999, expert external assessment of study programmes was started; • In 2001, benchmarking of study branches (63) has started; • In 2005, Rules for Master programmes were adopted • In 2005, Diploma Supplement was implemented

31. System of quality assessment and assurance • Centre of HE quality assessment and assurance is independent (governed by the Council), financed by the MoES; • Accreditation of study programs each 6 years (includes evaluators from other countries); • Accreditation of the institution (rules will be set by the act of the Government). New HEI should be accredited in 2 y. after the establishement; • Internal quality assurance system approved by the Senate, based on European trends; • Admission of lectures and researches will be organized by special commission of which 1/3 will be external members. For professors – 1 from abroad; • International cooperation is encouraged (but no program for financial support). Admission of master students are partially based on student exchange and other international cooperation.

32. Expectations (by the Ministry) • More possibilities for student, academic community, state • Competitiveness • High quality of studies • Adequate financing • Modern governance of HEI • Real autonomy and accountability • Engagement of business • Open dialog with the community

33. Is this reform of higher education step forward or backward? We will see… We love our government! Somebody is joking: The main slogan of the reform is: All power for councils! sounds like Всявластьсоветам! Vsia vlastj sovietam – rus. Soviet - council