The Ministry of Education and Science has introduced significant amendments to the Cabinet of Ministers regulations to ensure more effective state-budget-funded financing for doctoral studies. These amendments establish clear principles for allocating funding while enhancing financial support for doctoral students.
The new amendments emphasize transparency and quality. State-funded doctoral study places will now be allocated based on the research performance of universities in specific scientific fields. Funding principles will be grounded in the latest international evaluations of scientific institutions, as well as the number of doctoral candidates prepared by higher education institutions over the past three years.
The formula for calculating doctoral program funding has been refined in line with the Higher Education Law provisions regarding doctoral student remuneration and scholarships. This ensures that some doctoral students receive remuneration while others are granted scholarships for 11 months per year.
These changes affirm Latvia's commitment to enhancing the quality and attractiveness of doctoral studies, creating favorable conditions for aspiring researchers.
To ensure sector-wide involvement, the amendments were developed and agreed upon in collaboration with a broad range of partners, including the Ministries of Finance, Justice, Culture, Health, and Agriculture, as well as the Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Latvian Confederation of Free Trade Unions, the Employers Confederation of Latvia, the Latvian Trade Union of Education and Science Employees, and the Council of Rectors.