Latvia Riga (BAT Turiba ) Imants Bergs and Valeria Malavska

The School of Business Administration Turiba Date of foundation : 1993 Fifth largest institution of higher education in Latvia Study Year 2009 / 2010 - 6400 students 9408 graduates Major study fields: Business Administration International Tourism Law Public Relations

National Policy Description (LATVIA) Three levels of administration of education - national, municipal and institutional; The Parliament , the Cabinet of Ministers and the Ministry of Education and Science - the main decision-making bodies (national level); No system of credit points transfer from VE to HE, but there exists one from college to HE and from one HE institution to another; College or HE institution compare previously acquired subjects and their volume with a program of a relevant college or HE institution - to reveal which subjects can be tested and which should be covered additionally; Subjects are accredited if the amount of credit points coincides in both programs or if the amount of previously acquired credit points is bigger.

Legislation at the National Level: Education Law (adopted by the Saeima on 29 October 1998) Law on HE Establishments (adopted by the Saeima on 2 November 1995) Vocational education law (adopted by the Saeima on 10 June 1999) The Guidelines for the Development of Education for the Period of 2007-2013 The Guidelines for Lifelong Learning Policy 2007 – 2013 Legislation at the International Level: Basic principles of ALE (Adult Learning and Education); “Memorandum in Lifelong Learning”, (Brussels on 30 October, 2000); Communication of the Commission of European Communities “Making a European Area of Lifelong Learning a Reality” (Brussels, on 21 November, 2001); Communication of the Commission of the European Communities “Adult learning: It is never too late to learn” (Brussels, on 23 October, 2006); Communication of the Commission of the European Communities “Adult learning: It is always a good time to learn” (Brussels, on 27 September,2007)

Aims The main objectives of the system of Credit Points transfer from HE to HE -to ensure possibility of students to continue studies in HE; -Entering HE institution from college or changing HE institution to another one there is a transfer of credit points that coincide with the amount of credit points of the program of the relevant HE institution. The main objectives of ALE (Adult Learning and Education) - availability; - quality; - cooperation and shared responsibility - better access to education for all, irrespective of previous educational level; the awareness that ALE is a continuous and ongoing process. The main objectives of The Guidelines for the Development of Education for the Period of 2007-2013 - to provide additional support for those with low levels of education and training; - to prepare a structural model for higher education programs with additional available places; to increase the role of social partners in VET.

Benefits for target groups College graduates, students of HE Benefits for target groups  (Benefits from credit point transfer from one HE to another HE) Possibility to continue studies in another higher educational institution; Future employment; Mobility; Acquisition of professional higher education for the unemployed with the coupon system Practical functioning Through students’ applications, documents Advantages Possibility to save time and to study other additional subjects Disadvantages Lack of autonomy  in HE institution to make decisions about recognition of previously received credit points; Difference of number of credit points given to subjects in different HE institutions in Latvia which lead to impossibility to transfer all of them; Spread of information to target groups; Bureaucracy at the level of legislation

Future National Developmental Needs/Plans ECVET Application of RPL moving from VET to HE Projects Future International Developmental Needs/Plans Fit with the European Qualifications Framework Obstacles on National Level Variety of national systems; No information available on standards and procedures; Limited mutual trust; Variety of national practices towards RPL; Different certificates issued; No overall national recognition; No overall quality standards

International recognition (EU) Differences between individual countries -training methods and final examinations for regulated professions; The EU has introduced a uniform system for the recognition of qualifications. Regulated professions - those which require specific diplomas, certificates or special qualifications. Anyone wishing to work abroad as a teacher, lawyer, engineer or psychologist must apply to the responsible authorities of the relevant country for recognition of his/her professional qualification. The authorities have four months to verify the application.

If the content and duration of the training differs: the authorities can demand to see a certificate of professional experience or the candidate is required to attend an adaptation course or takes an aptitude test. The "Diploma Supplement" created by European Commission, the European Council and UNESCO - complements the school leaving certificates of universities and colleges. The "Diploma Supplement" is issued by the higher education institutions - mandatory from the year 2004. It covers: Skills and competences acquired; Range of occupations accessible; Awarding and accreditation bodies; Level of the certificate; Different ways of acquiring the certificate; Entry requirements and access opportunities to next level education.

National Credit Systems (Systems of Learning Outcome Recognition) The credit point system applied in Latvia is compatible with ECTS; A study workload of a full-time study year -at least 40 credit points; One "study week" = one credit point; The study workload of 1 year of full time studies = 40 credit points. The relations between national and international systems / Differences in credit (learning outcome) recognition ECTS =Credit points in Latvia X 1,5 Learners take centralized examination

(National) Local Documentation Law on “Regulated professions and recognition of professional qualifications”; Law on Higher Education Establishments (adopted by the Saeima on 2 November 1995) Vocational Education Law (adopted by the Saeima on 10 June 1999) Academic Information Centre (AIC) -the body that evaluates the foreign credentials in Latvian, serves as Latvian ENIC/NARIC (Law on Education (as amended on May 11, 2000))

1. A person who has education document obtained abroad and wants to study or to work in non-regulated profession in Latvia should submit to AIC originals or certified copies of educational document and diploma supplement (transcript of records). 2. ECTS (European Course Credit Transfer System) developed as a European system provides a method of measuring and comparing learning achievements and transferring them from one institution to another. 3. In the framework of the ESF National Program for the Development of a Unified Methodology for the Quality Improvement of Vocational Education and Involvement and Education of Social Partners. At present (2009), a new Vocational Education Law is under preparation; this Law is expected to introduce the system for validating skills and competences acquired through informal/non-formal education.

Regional models VET – assessment of professional competences acquired outside vocational education institution occurs through accredited educational institution or accredited examination center. HE -The final decision on recognition of different education certificates issued abroad is done by: The higher education institution – in order to continue studies at higher education level; An employer – in order to work in the non-regulated professions. Inner regulations of an individual higher educational institution on credit point transfer for students who change a higher educational institution and those who studied abroad. Previously received credit points are transferred: Changing one HE to another - previously received credit points are transferred according to the regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers; If a student studied some semester / s abroad - credit points are transferred according to inner regulations of high school on receiving higher education abroad;

The following procedures are required: Submission of an application; Diploma or any other document proving the fact of receiving credit points abroad to SIC; Credit points are transferred gradually on the basis of curriculum of each study year; Initially are transferred credit points for subjects that are supposed to be studied at the current year of studies and those which are for previous years of studies; Other credit points are transferred after a student has finished the current year of studies and made payment for the next year.

International Models Difficulties State Models The National Vocational Secondary Education Standard and the Occupational Standards determine the curriculum/ content of vocational secondary education programs. Students are allowed to choose between several programmes offered by schools, having emphasis on different groups of subjects. International Models Estonian sample of system of acceptance and transfer of previously received credit points from VE to HE Difficulties Lack of system of credit point transfer from VE to HE Credit system differences with EU, evaluation differences, content measures, information distribution, international information distribution.

Contracts / Agreements HE -  double degree diploma, when a student receives education in Latvian HE institution and in a partner school abroad credit point transfer takes place according to an agreement between the institutions. Higher educational institutions can autonomously decide on how to transfer previously acquired credit points. For the recognition of regulated professional qualification acquired abroad the person has to submit an application, 2. copy of passport, 3. documents approving education and professional rights in profession, certificate from competent home institutions on rights to exercise profession, certificate on work experience in home state (for EU doctors, nurses, dentists, midwives, pharmacists, architects, veterinary surgeons). Documents which are not in Latvian, English or Russian should be translated into Latvian. AIC checks the documents and sends them to the competent body. Competent body takes a decision on recognition, partly recognition or deny of recognition and sends its decision to AIC. AIC forwards the decision to the applicant. AIC evaluates a level of qualification compared to Latvian educational system and issues its statement. This statement together with educational document should be submitted to the educational institution or employer.

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