Agreement reached on university merger in Latvia

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This week, the Ministry of Education and Science (IZM) agreed on the gradual integration of Daugavpils University (DU), into the University of Latvia (LU), the Ministry said. The matter was discussed in the Saeima sub-committee on Wednesday, February 15.

Representatives from the Ministry's Department of Higher Education, Science and Innovation and the University of Daugavpils (DU) rectorate agreed this week that DU will gradually integrate into LU. The DU Prorector of Sciences Arvīds Barševskis told LSM that the Ministry has had a strong position that, sooner or later, the university should merge with another higher education institution. Several options have been examined, including the Rēzekne Technology Academy and the University of Life Sciences and Technology.

There are still many questions unclear because the DU university has been assessed as an “important player at the Latvian level” and could operate separately, but the Ministry urges all regional universities to be attached to major universities.

Meanwhile, DU Rector Irēna Kokina told news agency LETA it was exhausting to convince IZM of the need to maintain DU's autonomy. Moreover, in the event of a non-merger, the university would lose funding.

LU has expressed support for the merger of the two universities, said IZM.

 

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