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Foundation "Higher Education Quality Evaluation Centre" (HEQEC)

Official and post address: Valnu street 2, LV-1050, Riga, Latvia

Office address: Akadēmijas laukums 1, 15th floor, rooms 1502 and 1503, Riga, LV-1050
Working hours
from 10:00 till 12:00
from 14:00 till 16:00

E-mail: aiknc@aiknc.lv

Phone: +371 67213870

Fax: +371 67212558

Account: LV05PARX0000275971014, AS "Citadele banka", PARXLV22

VAT registration number: LV50003239391

Pieteikšanās IZM informatīvajam e-izdevumam

Answers to frequently asked questions

1. General questions

1.1. What are conditions to receive state recognised Diploma?
1.2. What is difference between academic and professional higher education?

2. HEQEC working methods

2.1. What are criteria for experts?
2.2. Where to apply with complains about the evaluation?

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1.1. What are conditions to receive state recognised Diploma?: Main conditions to receive state recognized Diploma are the following: 1. Study programme must be accredited. 2. Higher Education Institution must be accredited. 3. Statute of Higher Education Institution must be approved by Saeima or Cabinet of Ministers.
1.2. What is difference between academic and professional higher education?: Academic higher education study programmes are based in research. Academic Bachelor degree could be awarded after at least 3 years studies. Academic Master degree could be awarded after at least 1 year studies after receiving bachelor degree, but not less than 5 years studies altogether. Doctor degree could be awarded after at least 3 years studies after receiving Master degree. 5 or 6 years studies in medicine also give right to enter Doctor study programme. Professional higher education includes compulsory praxes. Professional Bachelor degree and 5th level professional qualification could be awarded after at least 4 years studies. Professional Master degree and 5th level professional qualification could be awarded after at least 1 year studies after receiving bachelor degree, but not less than 5 years studies altogether. Professional Master degree without 5th level professional qualification could be awarded also to holders of appropriate 5th level professional qualification (received before the Professional Master studies). Professional higher education study programmes (non university type programmes) give possibility to receive 5th level professional qualification after at least 4 years studies. Short cycle (or college) study programmes (1st level higher professional education) give 4th level professional qualification after 2 to 3 years of studies. Short cycle (or college) study programme is recognised as a part of Professional Bachelor or Professional higher education study programm

2.1. What are criteria for experts?: Latvian Higher Education Institutions are asked to suggest expert candidates for their own, or other higher education institution evaluation. Representatives of Higher Education Institutions are allowed to participate the Board Meetings of Higher Education Quality Evaluation Center, and Meeting of the Accreditation Commission when the issues of evaluation and accreditation are being discussed. The main criteria for experts are: 1. Among all experts composing the Evaluation Committee, there shall be at least one expert with previous experience in quality evaluation process organized by his/her own, or foreign state. 2. Acceptable division of duties among the members of Evaluation Committee assumes that the Leader of the Committee takes responsibility for the methodology of the evaluation process, while the experts, who are proficient in the field of study represented by programme being evaluated, take responsibility for the content of the programme. The experts proficient in the field of study for the programme are not required compulsory previous experience in quality evaluation process organized by his/her own, or foreign state. The Leader of the Committee might represent any field of study. 3. Experts, which do not possess the highest scientific degree of his/her own state, might be employed with special reasoning behind the decision. 4. Previous contacts with the Baltic States for the foreign experts of the Evaluation Committee are treated as advantage. 5. No conflict of interests is allowed. Expert must inform about all possible problems concerning possible conflict of interests.
2.2. Where to apply with complains about the evaluation?: Complains about the experts and evaluation process could be submitted to: 1. Higher Education Quality Evaluation Center. Answer must be received during 10 working days (www.aiknc.lv ). 2. Accreditation Commission (via secretary of Accreditation Commission in the Ministry of Education and Science) (www.izm.gov.lv ). 3. Higher Education Council (www.aip.lv ). 4. State Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Science (www.izm.gov.lv ). 5. Court.