Dzīves un darba gājums

7.3. Prospects of the Graduates in the Labour Market

Having summarized applicant opinion surveys about their motivation to study at Daugavpils University, we established that one of the factors mentioned there most frequently was wide opportunities in the labour market. Programmes like „Economics”, „Science of Law”, „Physiotherapy”, „Computer Science”, master study programme „Management of Society and Institutions” have been worked out, licensed, and started to be implemented by the proposal of the local municipality and the DU Councillors’ Convention. Part of the programmes has received municipality financial support. Owners of firms of Daugavpils industrial zone are greatly interested in the study programme „Computer Science” while regional branches of banks are interested in the study programme „Economics”. Master study programme „Management of Society and Institutions” is necessary for all state civil service institutions working in the region because it is the programme for training civil servants.

The „Teachers’ Employment Bureau” of Latvian Education and Science establishment trade union informs that graduates from DU find their jobs independently. To acquaint the employers with the DU graduates and their possibilities the study programme „Physiotherapy” does everything possible to involve students in the work of seminars organized by the Association of Latvian Physiotherapeutists and, in their turn, potential employers get involved in the study process, in supervising clinical practice and participating in final examinations. The major part of those who study in master and doctoral study programmes „Pedagogy” are themselves employers. By maintaining cooperation with employers it is possible to improve the level of professional education programmes so that they become even more competitive. The research carried out by the teachers of mathematics in South Eastern Latvia shows that in 85% of schools of Latgale and Selia mathematics is taught by DU graduates.

The fact that part of DU graduates work in municipalities of Latgale and Vidzeme, in ministries and are elected to the Saeima (Parliament) testifies to the high prestige of education acquired at DU.

DU education quality has been evaluated in an independent research „Daugavpils University as a Development Centre of Latgale Area – Promotion of the Dialogue between Higher Education and Labour Market” (http://www.politika.lv) which was carried out in 2002 and was supported by the SOROS Foundation – Latvia (project 2001 – 063 – 0, project report – 50 pages).

The research was carried out by the University of Latvia Institute of Philosophy and Sociology „PROVIDUS”. Principal conclusions and proposals of the research are published in the academic article „The Position of Daugavpils University Graduates in the Labour Market”, which is included in a survey „Changes in Latvian Education: Challenge to the Management of the System. Survey on Education in Latvia 2001/2002”.(Appendix DU-21).

The methodological basis of the research is the human capital theory approach in which education is considered from the economic efficiency point of view and the coefficients of private and social education are obtained.

The conclusion of the research is essential – economic return, both private and social, from bachelor and master education in Daugavpils University is positive. On comparing DU economic return with measurements of other countries, the researchers concluded that, first, it was rather high, and, second, in Latvia’s situation Daugavpils University education is economically efficient (bachelors’ social return value is 4.1% but that of masters’ – 8.5%; the obtained education return coefficients are higher than the average inflation level in Latvia in recent years – 3% a year).

Within an individual context the DU graduates find jobs after graduating from the university and cases when the basic job of the graduates required lower qualification than that obtained in the university, were relatively few.

Within the context of the Daugavpils city and the Daugavpils region development the economic return from the education of graduates is positive, and it promotes solving the problem of unemployment in the Daugavpils city and region.

Within the context of regional development the research showed that „the major part of graduates works in the state sector”.

The research underlines the strategic necessity to develop the quality of DU activities, towards promoting to employ human capital in entrepreneurial activities and education acquired at DU should promote raising productivity in private enterprises. The research recommends to introduce study programmes in engineering, entrepreneurship, law, agricultural specialities, and to make use of the experience of regional universities in Western countries in maintaining partner relationships with entrepreneurial structures, local employers and professional associations.

From the DU activity quality development point of view the recommendations of the research:

• 
  testify to the viability of the present DU study programmes within all the contexts singled out by the research;
  
• 
  confirm DU strategic development plans – simultaneously with academic programmes, develop new professional study programmes required by the region and the state which will thus meet the needs of a private sector for specialists of adequate qualification.
  

It is an opportunity of perspective and sustained development which, step by step, DU acquires through internal discussions and DU Convention, through gradual process of deepening partner relationships between the regional development agency and Daugavpils University and through strategic harmonizing of the development with the management of the Daugavpils city and region.

7.4. Possibilities to Continue Studies

The Cabinet of Ministers Regulations „On the Procedure of Licensing of Study Programmes Implemented in Higher Education Establishments” and „On Accreditation of Higher Educational Establishments and Study Programmes” envisage that the higher educational establishment submits documents which confirm that the submitter of the study programme will ensure possibilities for the students to continue education in another study programme or in another higher education establishment (financial substantiation or a contract with another accredited higher education establishment) in case the implementation of the study programme is interrupted.

Pursuant these regulations, on licensing and accrediting the study programmes, DU has concluded cooperation agreements with other Latvian Higher education establishments (University of Latvia, Riga Technical University, Police Academy of Latvia, Liepaja Academy of Pedagogy, Riga Stradins University) which implement identical study programmes so as to guarantee the possibility for the students to study at another education institution if the implementation of the study programme is interrupted.

After finishing the basic studies the DU graduates can continue to study in master studies (after that also in doctoral studies) and also in professional further education programmes in DU or in other higher education establishment of Latvia.