Higher Education Cooperation with Asian countries LATVIA Tallinn 13 June, 2013

Why ASIA - context Long standing experience in Higher education for foreign students Historical ties with Centralasia RAU—Riga Aviation University (1949.—1999. g.) Riga Technical University Riga Stradiņš University ASIA link

Why ASIA - Strategical policy Latvia 2030 (sustainable development strategy of Latvia until 2030) To develop closer cooperation with Asian states - opportunity for Latvia to increase its global competitiveness. To ensure economic presence of the state in the most important markets of Asia, Africa and Latin America. To strengthen international competitiveness of research institutions to provide internationally competitive R&D services to foreign enterprises.

Why ASIA – political context „ “Ministry of Education and Science action plan in the field of Science and Higher Education reforms”, 2012 – The National Development Plan for the period as one of the priority directions set the recruitment of students from Asia and other regions in order to encourage the cooperation. Latvian government action plan – To strengthen Latvian bilateral relations with the EU's Eastern Partnership and Central Asian region countries – promote Latvian experience transfer that includes education field.

Cooperation agreements with ASIA Uzbekistan Central Asia Azerbaijan Turkey Middle East South Korea Mongolia China 3 agreements Eastern Asia India - Memorandum of Understanding South Asia Vietnam South-East Asia

Good Practice at National Level Work at ASEM (Ministry of Education and Science and experts from University of Latvia) – Participating at the meeting of ministers (Hosting next ASEM ME conference in Riga, 2015) – ASEM LL Hub : Identifying and analysing new challenges and their possible solutions that impact the involvement (return) of adults (18-24 years) to lifelong learning; improvement of teachers’ professional qualification for work in an interdisciplinary environment, to bring studies closer to real life and increase the initiative of students.

Good practice at HEI level I Collaboration agreements among Latvian and Asian universities – University of Latvia 33 – Riga Technical University 29 Asian studies at Higher Education institutions in Latvia – University of Latvia – Latvia Academy of Culture

Good practice at HEI level II Riga Stradins University Confucius centre, 2005 University of Latvia Confucius institution, 2011 – „HAŅBAŅ” „The issue of Chinese language knowledge level certificate’’ – Chinese– Latvian language vocabulary (issued in China) University of Latvia Indian study and culture centre, 2012

Students from ASIA Country Uzbekistan Turkey Georgia Kazahstan Azerbaijan India81094 Srilanka02327 Nepal2123 South Korea81417 Pakistan81316 China11 9

2012 TOP 10 ASIA countries in recognition applications

Problems in diploma recognition with third countries Forgeries Education institutions not recognised in the country Low and very low marks Problems in verifying the authenticity- difficulties in receiving the answer, or should wait for 6 months Bachelor degrees with substantial differences

Common interests/perspectives I Strengthen the capacity of universities, so that they can enrol more students from Asian countries Encouragement of information exchange, in order to faciliate the recognition of education (Baltic ENIC/NARIC annual meetings) Development of joint study programmes with Asia higher education institutions Support for the improvements of education system of third world countries, Bologna process, QF dissemination (provide with experts, good practice experience exchange etc.)

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