Section 1.1.: Schematic Description of the Higher Education System

Section 1.2: Description of Higher Education System

Lithuanian higher education has a cycle structure comprising of the short cycle, the first, the second, and the third cycle:

• The short cycle: higher education diploma awarding a professional qualification
• 1st cycle: profesinis bakalauras (Professional Bachelor) and bakalauras (Bachelor);
• 2nd cycle: magistras (Master);
• 3rd cycle: mokslo daktaras (Doctor of Sciences) and meno daktaras (Doctor of Arts).

Study programmes are offered by two types of higher education institutions:

• Colleges of higher education (kolegija), which focus on the provision of the short cycle and the first cycle;
• Universities, which offer the first, the second, and the third cycle programmes.

The short cycle

The short cycle programmes are aimed at preparation for the labour market and are offered in selected fields (such as IT, engineering, tourism and leisure). After successful completion of a short cycle programme, a qualification attested by a diploma is awarded.

The qualification is placed on the level 5 of the Lithuanian Qualifications Framework (LTQF), which is referenced to level 5 of the EQF. It provides access to the labour market and further study at the first cycle programmes with a possibility of credit transfer.

The workload of the study programmes ranges from 90 to 120 ECTS.

1st cycle

Professional Bachelor degree is awarded after completion of the first cycle college level study programmes, which are aimed towards preparation for professional activity and are based on applied research.

Bachelor degree is awarded after completion of the first cycle university level study programmes, which are aimed at providing integration of theoretical knowledge, professional and analytical skills based on applied and scientific research.

The degrees are placed on the level 6 of the Lithuanian Qualifications Framework (LTQF), which is referenced to level 6 of the EQF. They provide access to the labour market and further study at Master degree programmes.

Their workload of study ranges from 180 to 240 ECTS.

2nd cycle

Master degree is awarded after completion of programmes designed for preparation for independent research or other activity, which requires scientific knowledge and analytical competence.

There are also Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Master of Laws (LL.M.) degrees, which are professionally oriented degrees.

The workload of study ranges from 90 to 120 ECTS. MBA and LL.M. degrees require at least 60 ECTS.

Master degree may also be awarded after completion of integrated long-cycle university studies, which combine the requirements for 1st and 2nd cycle of university studies. These studies are offered in several fields of medicine, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, law, architecture and religious studies. The workload is 300-360 ECTS.

The degree is placed on the level 7 of the LTQF, which is referenced to level 7 of the EQF. It provides access to the labour market and further study at Doctoral (PhD) degree programmes.

3rd cycle

The purpose of studies for the Doctor of Sciences is to prepare scientists who would be able to independently conduct research and experimental (social, cultural) development work, and to solve scientific problems.

The purpose of studies for the Doctor of Arts is to prepare artists researchers who would be able to create, interpret and develop research based on art practice.

Nominal length of study for Doctor of Sciences is up to 4 years and Doctor of Arts is usually 4 years, 240 ECTS.

The degrees are placed on level 8 of the LTQF, which is referenced to level 8 of the EQF.

Professional studies

Lithuania also has professional study programmes, which fall outside of the cycle structure. The aim of the programmes is to prepare students for independent professional practice or to upgrade a professional qualification. Admission to these programmes requires a higher education qualification.

There are two types of professional study programmes:

• residency programmes in medicine, odontology, and veterinary medicine (2 to 6 years);
• teacher training programmes (30 to 120 ECTS).

Section 1.3: Number of Higher Education Institutions

Higher education in Lithuania is offered by 2 types of institutions:

• universities (titled universitetas (university), akademija (academy), or seminarija (seminary)) and
• colleges (titled kolegija (college) or aukštoji mokykla (higher education institution).

Universities offer bakalauras (Bachelor), magistras (Master), and daktaras (Doctoral) degrees. Colleges award profesinis bakalauras (Professional Bachelor) and short cycle qualifications.

The list of accredited higher education institutions and study programme is available at: www.aikos.smm.lt

Section 1.4 Number of Students in Higher Education

Number of students in higher education by type of institution

Number of foreign students by type of institution

Number of Domestic Students on Exchange Programmes

Source of information: https://osp.stat.gov.lt

Section 1.5: Structure of Academic Year

The academic year consists of two semesters: autumn (usually September-January) and spring (usually February-June). Usually the last month of the semester is dedicated to taking the final examinations.

Section 1.6: National Qualifications Framework (or Similar)

The Lithuanian National Qualifications Framework has the same 8 levels as the European Qualifications Framework for Lifelong Learning. It was adopted in 2010 as a comprehensive framework, which encompasses all sectors of formal education. The national qualifications framework has been formally referenced to the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) in 2012.

Levels of the Lithuanian Qualifications Framework:

Section 1.7: Learning Outcomes in Higher Education

All higher education qualifications in Lithuania are based on learning outcomes. There is a national framework for learning outcomes, which serves as the basis for programme design:

• Generic level descriptors of learning outcomes provided in the NQF: http://www.kpmpc.lt/kpmpc/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/LTQF_official_translation.pdf
• Cycle and degree descriptors: https://www.skvc.lt/uploads/lawacts/docs/407_3e9671f1766d96a93fba538615353266.pdf
• Some of the study fields also have study field descriptors, approved by the Ministry of Education and Science, which are available at: http://www.skvc.lt/default/en/quality-assurance/study-program-descriptions .

Section 1.8: Admission Requirements to Higher Education

• Admission to the short cycle programme requires brandos atestatas (maturity certificate) with at least 2 examinations and a level 4 VET diploma
• Admission to the first cycle programmes requires brandos atestatas (maturity certificate) with at least 3 examinations
• Admission to the second cycle programmes requires profesinis bakalauras (Professional Bachelor) or bakalauras (Bachelor) degree
• Admission to the third cycle programmes requires Magistras (Master) degree.

The minimum admission requirements in term of level of education required are set in the Law on Higher Education and Science. However, higher education institutions can set their own specific admission requirements.

Recognition of foreign qualifications is carried out by the Centre for Quality Assessment in Higher Education and/or higher education institutions. Additional information on the system of recognition in Lithuania is available at: http://www.skvc.lt/default/en/60/recognition_lithuania .

There is a common admissions system aimed at distributing state funded study places, which most higher education institutions are a part of. Additional information on the system, specific admission requirements, and dates is available at: https://lamabpo.lt/en/study-in-lithuania/  .

Information on studying in Lithuania is also available at: https://studyin.lt/

Section 1.9: Grading System

Since 1993 a ten-point grading scale with 5 as the minimum pass grade and with 10 as the maximum pass grade was in use.

Alongside the ten-point grading the institution can use the pass/fail system of evaluation. Examinations and work defence evaluations, as a rule, are graded. For the courses that do not end with examinations the pass/fail system is used to test if a student has earned the credits allocated to it. A student passes when he/she proves that he/she assimilated not less than 50 %of the required knowledge scope

Since 2016 higher education institutions can chose to use their own grading scale, but all the grades should be referenced to a common framework of achievement levels, which are excellent, typical, and threshold. Typically all higher education institutions still use the aforementioned ten point grading scale.

Section 1.10: Tuition Fee System for International Students

Students from the European Economic Area can receive a state funded place and study for free under the same conditions as students from Lithuania. The state funded places are allocated based on the grades of previous study. The state funding is allocated through the common admissions system. Information on how to apply, eligibility for funding, the admission dates and requirements is available at: https://lamabpo.lt/en/study-in-lithuania/ Those who do not receive state funding or are citizens of third countries usually have to pay a tuition fee, which is set by individual higher education institutions. Information on study programmes and turion fees can be found at: https://studyin.lt/  .

Section 1.11: Graduation Requirements and/or Qualification Awarding Requirements

Short cycle qualification

• Total of at least 90 ECTS (depending on the programme)
• Passing grades in all subjects (5 or above)
• Internship amounting to at least 30 ECTS
• Successful completion of other programme requirements

Profesinis bakalauras (Professional Bachelor)

• Total of at least 180 ECTS (depending on the programme)
• Passing grades in all subjects (5 or above)
• Practice and/or internship at least 30 ECTS
• Final thesis and/or project (can encompass final examinations) of at least 9 ECTS
• Successful completion of other programme requirements

Bakalauras (Bachelor)

• Total of at least 180 ECTS (depending on the programme)
• Passing grades in all subjects (5 or above)
• Practice and/or internship at least 15 ECTS
• Final thesis (can encompass final examinations) of at least 15 ECTS
• Successful completion of other programme requirements

Magistras (Master)

Graduation requirements include successful completion of all of the programme requirements amounting to at least 90 ECTS, which encompass a master thesis or a master thesis and final examination(s) of at least 15 ECTS.

Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Master of Laws (LL.M.) degrees require at least 60 ECTS and do not require a final thesis for graduation.

Mokslo daktaras (Doctor of Sciences) and meno daktaras (Doctor of Arts)

Graduation requirements include doctoral dissertation and exams (in the case of Doctor of Sciences) or an arts project (in the case of Doctor of Arts). The artistic research project consists of two parts: an artistic work and scientific research.

Section 1.12: Relevant Current and Prospective Reforms in Higher Education

Section 2.1: Quality Assurance Body in Higher Education

In Lithuania the primary responsibility for quality of education rests with the higher education providers, which are autonomous. In addition, Lithuania also has an external quality assurance system.

External quality evaluation and/or accreditation in Lithuanian higher education is carried out by the Centre for Quality Assessment in Higher Education (SKVC) which is an independent body, established by the Ministry of Education and Research in 1995. SKVC is a sole national quality assurance agency, registered on EQAR and full member of ENQA, CEENQA and INQAAHE. Additional information on SKVC is available at: www.skvc.lt

Evaluations of study programmes can also be carried out by any other agency listed in the EQAR (European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education), but the final accreditation decision is always taken by SKVC. Quality of catholic priest education is assured by AVEPRO under a bilateral treaty between Lithuania and the Holy See. Institutional reviews of HEIs are exclusively performed by SKVC.

Quality assurance in doctoral studies and research is carried out by the Lithuanian Research Council. (https://lmt.lrv.lt/lt/ ).

Section 2.2: Quality Assurance System

Study field and programme accreditation

Study field accreditation, which is applicable to the short, first, and second cycle programmes, was introduced in 2020. This external quality assurance procedure performs an evaluation of a cluster of programmes offered by a higher education institution in the same field.

The accreditation decision is based on the result of an evaluation by external panel of experts. The evaluation can be carried out by SKVC or any other agency listed in the EQAR, but the accreditation decision is always taken by SKVC. The accreditation decision lists a specific field of study and the applicable cycle (first, second cycle, or both). The study field can be accredited for 7 years, 3 years, or receive a non-accreditation decision.

If the study field is accredited for 7 years, a higher education institution can develop programmes within this field without additional external accreditation for individual programmes.

If the study field is accredited for 3 years, any new programmes developed in this field by the higher education intuition will have to undergo an evaluation and will be subject to ex ante programme accreditation.

Institutional accreditation

Regular mandatory institutional review and accreditation was launched in 2011. It is aimed at enhancing the culture of quality and improvement of the provision of higher education, as well as establishing compliance with the requirements of Lithuanian legislation and the principles of the European Higher Education Area. Higher education institutions can be accredited for 7 or 3 years depending on the results of the institutional review. In case of a negative review outcome, a repeated evaluation within a period of two years is carried out. In case of a negative repeated review outcome, the license to operate as a higher education provider is revoked.

The system of your national quality assurance:

Section 2.3: Link Programme Authorisation with Quality Assurance

All study programmes are listed in the official register overseen by the Ministry of Education, Science, and Sports. Only programmes covered by study field accreditation or study programme accreditation can be offered by Lithuanian higher education institutions and lead to a formally recognised official award.

The list of recognised and accredited higher education institutions and their study programmes is available at: www.aikos.smm.lt/

Section 3.1: Description of Credit System

Section 3.2: Credit Transfer System(s)

• AUN – ACTS: the AUN ASEAN Credit Transfer System
• UMAP – UCTS: the University Mobility in Asia and the Pacific Credit Transfer Scheme
• SEAMEO RIHED ACTFA: the SEAMEO – RIHED Academic Credit Transfer Framework for Asia

• ECTS – European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System
• Other, please specify: …..

Section 3.3: Application of Credit System in Higher Education Institutions Obligatory?

Yes.

Section 3.4: Number of Credits per Academic Year/Semester

Section 3.5: Number of Credits per Higher Education Cycle

• The workload of study for the short cycle programmes ranges from 90 to 120 ECTS
• The workload of study for the first cycle programmes (Profesinis bakalauras (Professional Bachelor) and Bakalauras (Bachelor)) ranges from 180 to 240 ECTS.
• The workload of study for the second cycle programmes (Magistras (Master) degree) ranges from 60 to 120 ECTS.
• The workload of study for integrated long-cycle programmes (Magistras (Master) degree is awarded) is 300-360 ECTS.
• The duration and/or workload of study for the third cycle programmes is 4 years for mokslo daktaras (Doctor of Sciences) and 240 ECTS for meno daktaras (Doctor of Arts).

Section 3.6: Description of Credit Unit

Section 3.7: Link between Learning Outcomes and Credits

All higher education courses and programmes are based on learning outcomes. Credits are awarded once a student demonstrates that s/he has successfully achieved the intended learning outcomes through assessment.

Credit transfer and recognition is based on comparability of learning outcomes.