One Year in Reforming Higher Education and Research: Work Done and New Steps
2010-06-01

During the first year of the Law on Higher Education and Research in effect, major steps have been undertaken in order to modernise the system of higher education and research and implement the key objectives of the reform. They include the quality and accessibility of studies, development of modern technologies and putting an end to brain-drain. The reform is being carried out using financing from EU Structural Funds.
 
“The reform of higher education and research is moving forward and success has been achieved in implementing the most important tasks”, said Minister of Education and Science Gintaras Steponavičius while presenting various changes made. “The tasks for the second year of the reform are in-depth monitoring of the reform processes, correction of identified shortcomings, supervision of transparent use of funds and assessment of achieved results“.

The reform was launched when the Law on Higher Education and Research came into effect on May 12, 2009. The Law provided for the reform of legal status, management and funding of the state academic institutions.

Starting 2009, the state allocates all the necessary funding, which is twice the amount prior to the reform, per one student.

In 2010, the state plans to fund the studies of almost 19,000 first-year students, including 9,700 in universities and 9,200  in colleges. Around half of all the entrants will be able to study in universities and colleges for free. Direct investment into the quality of studies amounts to half a billion of the EU funds.

Ensuring accessibility of studies

Statistics have shown that a bigger percentage of state-funded places was won by entrants from provinces rather than major towns. Even at the time of a difficult economic situation social grants were not reduced and the circle of beneficiaries was widened. The created system of state-support loans makes the system more accessible for those who pay for the studies. The plan is to have the interest rate of loans, which depends on the overall economic situation of the state, to be less than 5 per cent.

Improved admission procedures

Adjustments have been made with respect to the organisation of admission to universities and colleges: applications will be sent online, admission to universities and colleges will take place at the same time and no fee will be collected for submitting an application. The number of student vouchers in business management and legal studies has been cut down taking into account the trends of previous years as well as the market needs.

Special attention will be paid to the training of future pedagogues: there will be fewer student places but more funds allocated per student voucher; motivation assessment of entrants has been introduced and additional student grants will be provided. The admission procedure to art studies has been subject to adjustment: exceptional study programmes of arts will be provided targeted funding, the formula of special capacity assessment has been improved to make a clear differentiation between the best and mediocre examination results and define assessment criteria.

Higher education establishments obtain full autonomy

The new curriculum requirements open opportunities to shape a distinct separate profile of studies both for a  school and a student.

When the legal status and management of higher education establishments will be reformed by the end of 2011, state universities and colleges will gain the right to use their real estate and their earnings. The management of state universities and colleges will involve social representatives of broader public as well as the academic community. At present, the management and legal status has been already reformed by one university and one college.

Lithuanian science is being directed towards the international market

The network of research institutions has been optimised: prior to the reform there were 45 state education establishments operating. With common research trends combined, 17 institutions have been integrated into universities and the rest were combined into 5 research centres,6 other state research institutions were set up. The share of research funding on the basis of quality results has been increased: the ratio of basic funding against competition funding: 60/40 this year and 50/50 in 2011. The plan is that, after the reform is completed, investment in 2020 will amount to 2% of GDP. Currently, it accounts for 0.8% of GDP.

Five integrated centres (valleys) of research, studies and business have laid grounds for a breakthrough in modern technologies.

Projects amounting to over LTL 1 billion will be carried out in valleys. The contracts for the projects have already been signed. A system of valley management and monitoring has been created.
During the second year of the reform the following will be performed: monitoring of transparency and efficiency in the use of funds, supervision of follow-up reform, assessment and improvement.

On the World Bank initiative, the experience of reforming higher education and research in Lithuania has been presented in international conferences and other countries have shown interest in it.

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