Content
Lithuania
Lithuanian higher education in brief
| 1) Organization Higher education comprises university-level courses offered by universities, and academies. They are provided at three academic levels (undergraduate (Bachelor’s) studies, graduate (Master’s) and post-graduate (doctoral) studies). The sector of non-university higher education was established in 2000 following the passing of the Law on Higher Education. The first non-university higher education institutions with the name of Kolegija (4 public and 3 non-state) were established on the basis of the former Aukštesniosios mokyklos (vocational colleges). Over the period of 2001 and 2002, established were 11 public and 6 non-state non-university higher education institutions. At the beginning of 2002/03, there were 15 public and 9 non-state non-university higher education institutions. 2) Access The upper secondary leaving certificate (brandos atestatas) is required by all higher education establishments. Admission to studies takes place on a competitive basis. The usual admission criterion is a competition rating determined by the grades of some subjects, the number of which is usually no more than four, the results of school leaving examinations as well as marks of entrance examinations held by higher education institutions. At non-university level education admission is based on selection on the basis of the results of upper secondary school leaving examinations. Kolegijos may lay down specific institutional admission requirements 3) Qualifications At the end of university courses, students are awarded the bachelor (Bakalauro laipsnis) and/or the professional qualifying diploma (as a teacher, engineer, artist, etc.). Graduates can go on to follow specialised professional higher education courses, or courses leading to a Master's degree (Magistro laipsnis) lasting one-and-a-half to two years. Students who have a Master's degree can pursue the third level studies – by enrolling in the doctoral courses or post-graduate art studies. Upon completion of the doctoral programme, a Doctor’s degree (PhD) is awarded, upon completion of the post-graduate art programme, awarded is the qualification of an artist. Integrated courses (those that integrate first and second level university education) include basic as well as specialised higher education courses. If this kind of programme is not completed, higher education is not recognised. Integrated studies include medicine, veterinary medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, law (in Vilnius University only), and agriculture studies.
|
