Satversme(the Constitution) of Latvia declares
the right to education for every resident of Latvia. International
agreements and the Law on Higher Education Institutions determine
persons who have the right to study in a higher education institution.
The Law on Higher Education Institutions sets the
relations between state and higher education institutions as well as
regulations for opening, closing and reorganization of institution,
institutional governance and staff selection. The Law establishes
academic freedom, rights and duties of academic personnel and students,
determines the procedure of obtaining academic degrees and professional
qualifications, the basic requirements for the study programmes,
financing of studies, assessment and accreditation of study programmes
and institutions. Other regulatory enactments apply to
costs of one person in higher education per year, grants and loans
offered to students and system of loan clearance.
The Constitution (
Satversme) of a higher education institution (developed and approved by S
atversmes sapulce-
representatives of academic staff, students and other groups of
employees) is the main legal act regulating its activities. The Satversmeestablishes the name of the
institution, address, legal status, the name of the founder and its
address, objectives and spheres of activities, procedure of acceptance
of the S atversmeand its amendments, rights,
duties and tasks of representative, management and decision maker
institutions, composition and establishment, return or appointment of
these institutions, term of office, displacement procedure,
establishment, reorganization, closing of institutions’ subdivisions,
branches and enterprises. The procedure of acceptance of internal
rules, reorganization and liquidation procedure of the higher education
institution should be also determined in the S atversmeof each institution.
In general, the
Saeimaapproves constitutions
of
state-founded higher education institutions, while the Cabinet of
Ministers approves those of other institutions as well as bylaws of
colleges.