After three years of discussions, the Lithuanian Parliament has approved a new Law on Science and Studies. The new law will come into force on 1 January 2017.

There are several major changes in the new legislation that will greatly affect the quality of studies in Lithuania. Firstly, the new law ensures that minimal enrolment criteria shall apply to both those who apply for state-funded study places and those who choose to self-finance their studies. Secondly, the new law makes it possible for public higher education institutions to sign contracts with the Ministry of Education. The contracts can be signed for a period of 3 years and will define the key activity areas of higher education institutions and their respective enrolment criteria. In cases where the performance of a higher education institution meets the provisions of the signed contract, the institution may be entitled to an increase in state funding of up to 5% more than initially assigned by the state budget.

Another important change in the new law is the shift from external evaluation and accreditation of study programmes to the evaluation and accreditation of study fields, including the obligatory assessment of the needs of the state. The law furthermore provides for a renewed system of study funding and rotation, and establishes three levels of competences for the students to achieve: excellent, typical and threshold. The study funding system is connected to these three competence levels; therefore, only students who fit the set criteria for 'typical' and 'excellent' (and, therefore, do not risk losing a state-funded place) will be allowed to hold state-funded study places.

Source: Lithuanian Eurydice Unit