On Thursday, 12 March, the Saeima approved amendments to the Law on Higher Education Institutions and the Law on Education, proposed by the Ministry of Education and Science. The changes envisage a transition from accreditation of study fields to cyclical accreditation of higher education institutions and colleges. These changes will mean that, in the future, the ability of each higher education institution to provide quality education will be assessed holistically, rather than by assessing each university and college's field of study separately.
One of the key advantages of the new system is the reduction of the administrative and financial burden on higher education institutions and colleges. Until now, each study field had to be accredited separately, requiring considerable resources to prepare documentation and organise expert visits. Under the new system, universities and colleges will be evaluated as a whole – including their governance, strategic development, resources, internal quality processes, and student support mechanisms. This means a single accreditation procedure for the entire institution rather than multiple separate evaluations for each study field. As a result, higher education institutions will be able to use their resources more efficiently to improve the quality of education rather than managing administrative procedures.
The new system will grant higher education institutions greater autonomy in ensuring quality. They will be able to develop their own internal quality assurance systems, adapting them to their specific needs and institutional type. This means that higher education institutions themselves will be responsible for ensuring the quality of education and will be able to choose the most effective ways to do so, while complying with the quality assurance standards of the European Higher Education Area. This approach is consistent with the principles of the European Higher Education Area, where institutional autonomy and responsibility are fundamental elements.
Until 31 December 2027, a pilot accreditation project will take place, involving three higher education institutions. The amendments to the law require universities and colleges to obtain an accreditation decision by 30 June 2032. The process for the next accreditation must be initiated no later than 12 months before the accreditation term expires. Institutions that meet all accreditation requirements may receive accreditation for 7 years, while those requiring improvement will receive accreditation for 3 years. If a university or college receives three-year accreditation twice in a row, the next evaluation will result in either a full seven-year accreditation or non-accreditation. This approach will encourage higher education institutions and colleges to improve the quality of education and institutional governance continuously.
The legislative amendments adopted by the Saeima on 12 March 2026 – “Amendments to the Education Law” [LV] and “Amendments to the Law on Higher Education Institutions” [LV] – are available on the website of the Saeima.
