Dzīves un darba gājums

2.3. Study organization

Studies in DU are realized in compliance with the DU Study Regulations.

The distribution of study content, load and work forms per semester are regulated by:

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  study programme worked out by the chair staff, groups of academic staff or professors; upon designing a study programme a special description of the study programme content and its realization is being worked out; the study programme is confirmed by the DU Senate; before it is confirmed by the Senate, the programme is discussed at the chair meeting, faculty Council, Board of Studies; simultaneously with the confirmation of the programme the Senate confirms the director of the programme, who will be responsible for the implementation of the programme, and determines the funding sources; the external expertise of the programme is its licensing and accreditation;
  

• 
  study plan which determines the distribution of the study courses and examinations per semester (study plans are available in self-evaluation reports of study programmes);
  
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  study schedule, which is annually worked out by the Study department and confirmed by the Board of Studies.
  

In compliance with the study schedule and study plan, the deans of faculties make up time-tables for lectures and examinations for each programme and each semester.

2.4. Study quality assurance

DU has successfully carried out the study reform. As a result, a modern study system compatible with that of other Latvian and European higher education institutions has been shaped (bachelor, master and doctor degrees, credit point system and accreditation). It provides good basis for a qualitative higher education and the mobility of students and lecturers. The indication of quality assessment for DU is 82.4% accredited study programmes and 17.6% licensed study programmes.

The internal quality assurance system of DU is based on the analysis of annual programme self-assessment reports, which include:

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  assessment of the strong and weak points of the study programmes;
  
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  proposals, which, on the one hand, would enable to “transfer” the positive experience of the study programme to other study programmes and, on the other hand, would eliminate shortcomings of the study programmes;
  
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  implementation of the submitted proposals by ensuring the necessary control, appointing officials responsible for it and providing the required resources.
  

Since academic year 2002, the study quality assurance system in DU has been coordinated by the Study Quality Assurance Centre (SQAC). Programme self-assessment reports for 2001/2002 and 2002/2003 academic years were placed in DU web site (SQAC). A students’ opinion poll was carried out and the problems the solution of which would improve study quality in DU were brought out. Owing to the programme assessment reports a positive solution was found for such issues as:

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  connecting the students’ hotel to Internet;
  
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  reorganization of the lecturers’ workload registration system – according to the new system working out of teaching aids is included in the lecturers’ workload; in this way the problem of students’ discontent about the lack of teaching aids in Latvian, as shown by the opinion poll, was to a certain extent solved;
  
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  the DU library book purchasing policy will also contribute to settling the above mentioned issue;
  
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  development of electronic teaching aids (DU centre of distance education) etc.
  

Problems like the realization procedure of proposals put forward during the self-assessment process, comparatively weak contacts with graduates, their employers and the respective study programmes abroad are yet to be tackled.

2.5. Students

Students in DU are enrolled in compliance with the Admission regulations (http://www.dau.lv, Study possibilities), worked out by the Study department and adopted by the DU Senate.

The enrolment is organized by the Entrance examination commission confirmed by the rector. The enrolment to DU includes applying for the studies, entrance examinations and matriculation. In recent years the number of entrance examinations is being gradually reduced and a competition of diplomas arranged instead because LR Ministry of Education and Science foresees that beginning with 2004 the students will be admitted on the basis of the results of centralized examinations (http://www.izm.lv).

2.5.1. Table 2.5.1.mirrors the dynamics of the number of matriculated students during the last three academic years.
Table 2.5.1.Number of DU matriculated students

academic year	basic studies		master studies		doctoral studies
	total	budget funded	total	budget funded	total	budget funded
2001/02	1213	445	131	-	11	5
2002/03	1418	501	320	102	13	10
2003/04	1351	435	463	80	32	13

Because of the redistribution of the number of study places among different thematic groups and fields of education, and because of the requirement to reduce the number of those students in higher education establishments who in previous years have been admitted in addition to the state-allotted budget study places, the number of students in state-funded places has considerably diminished during the last two years. However, it is important to say that the number of matriculated students in master programmes and doctoral programmes has increased to a considerable extent (fig.2.5.1.).

In Latvia there is a tendency for students from a certain area to choose higher education institutions which are nearer to their home. Therefore in those institutions about 80-85% of students are people of that area. In 2003/2004 academic year those matriculated for basic studies in DU constitute 61.1%. The number of admitted students in DU and their structure in 2003/2004 academic year as well as a competition coefficient are indicated in Appendix 4.

2.5.2. The number of full-time and part time students and their distribution according to different thematic groups and spheres of education during the last four years is shown in table 2.5.2.

Fig.2.5.1. Dynamics of the number of matriculated students in DU in three-level study programmes
Table 2.5.2.Dynamics of the number of full-time and part time students

	teacher education and educational science	humanitarian sciences	social sciences	natural sciences
2000	2679	290	817	180
2001	2820	551	903	375
2002	3149	656	1043	557
2003	3597	943	1272	687

In 2000 DPU changed its strategy concerning priorities in education. The number of students in teacher training programmes was considerably diminished while the number of students in academic and professional (non-teacher training) programmes was increased (fig.2.5.2).


Fig.2.5.3. Dynamics of the number of full-time students in thematic groups of education

To meet the requirements of the area, DU is extending study possibilities in different thematic spheres of studies: social sciences (law, sociology and economics), health and social care (physiotherapy), natural sciences (environment science, computer science) and humanities and art (computer design).