Universities in Latvia will be allowed to teach classes in other EU languages
The Saeima, the Latvian Parliament, passed an amendment to the Law on Higher Education Institutions on languages that the classes can be taught.
The amendment says that studies should be carried out in Latvian, but if the university meets certain quality criteria, it will have the right to hold study programs in another language which is an official language of one of the European Union’s Member States.
The change has been made because previously the law required even private institutions to provide programs in Latvian but the addition allows both higher education institutions, private and state-funded, to implement courses in other EU language.
As previously, study programs will continue to be read in other languages if defined in the framework of transnational cooperation agreements, or it is necessary to achieve the objectives of the study program, such as language and cultural studies, as well as language programs.
This amendment is important in order to continue attracting students from abroad.
The HE institutions in Latvia have been providing the studies remotely as well as the international students who started their studies for the first time in January 2021.
The later announcement by the Latvian government on 21 January 2021 allowed international students to travel to Latvia if they meet all the travel restrictions set by the government such as proof of a negative Covid-19 taken not earlier than 72 hours before entering the country. The students then need to follow the self-isolation rules.
As the epidemiological situation has been improving in the last months, international students are allowed now in the country which means a step towards post-pandemic recovery.
