On Tuesday, April 14, the Cabinet of Ministers approved a package of amendments to the regulatory framework for academic careers, proposed by the Ministry of Education and Science. The amendments concern the Law on Higher Education Institutions, the Vocational Education Law, and the Law on Scientific Activity. They aim to introduce a new academic career framework across higher education, professional higher education, and scientific research, to attract highly qualified academic and research personnel.
The new academic career framework improves employment conditions for academic and research staff, including the possibility of concluding open-ended employment contracts and the introduction of tenure-track and tenure positions. As a result of the reform, academic and research careers will become more attractive, facilitating staff recruitment. It will also expand opportunities to involve professionals with significant practical experience in academic and scientific work, thereby strengthening the renewal of academic and research personnel.
Until now, academic and research careers have been regulated separately, with non-uniform position structures and more rigid employment conditions. They were not linked to a unified career framework, limiting career continuity and staff mobility between institutions.
The amendments aim to introduce a new academic career framework by defining career stages, corresponding positions for academic and research staff, and principles for selection, employment, and performance evaluation. The new framework will strengthen the competitiveness of higher education and research institutions and promote Latvia's participation in the international academic and research environment.
Minister of Education and Science Dace Melbārde emphasises: "The new academic career framework will enable institutions to plan human resources in the long term. This is essential for attracting and retaining highly qualified specialists. The amendments provide a stable foundation for the development of academic and research personnel and create preconditions for higher-quality higher education and scientific activity."
To ensure more effective engagement in academic and scientific work and to enable long-term strategic human resource planning, the amendments stipulate that academic staff must have their primary employment at a single higher education institution or college. In comparison, research staff should have their primary employment at one scientific institution. At the same time, it remains possible to work in other institutions as visiting academic staff or in visiting academic positions, allowing institutions to engage personnel for specific tasks temporarily.
Higher education institutions and research institutes will also be allowed to introduce a tenure model, ensuring a predictable progression from lower to higher positions and providing academic freedom in research. This approach will expand institutional capacity to structure academic and research careers in line with best international practices and will promote the attraction and retention of highly qualified personnel.
The package of amendments was developed based on the Cabinet of Ministers' conceptual report, "On the Introduction of a New Academic Career Framework in Latvia." More than 50 representatives from the higher education and research sector participated in drafting the amendments, including university representatives, students, trade unions, and employer organisations.
Most provisions are expected to come into force on December 1, 2026, including those related to the introduction of academic and research career stages, improvements to position structures, clarification of selection and appointment procedures, implementation of the tenure model, engagement of visiting academic staff, and improvements to data recording regulations.
From January 1, 2029, provisions regarding performance evaluation, related termination of employment relationships, and employment conditions, including the requirement for primary employment at a single institution, will come into force. From January 1, 2031, higher qualification requirements will apply, including a mandatory doctoral degree requirement for research positions. Related Cabinet regulations will be developed in parallel.
