Different assessment systems: features of education in the Baltics. Study, Baltics: school education in post-Soviet countries Higher education in Estonia

Higher education in the Baltics it's inexpensive, high-quality European education available in Russian and English, modern teaching methods, a European diploma and recognition throughout the world.

Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia miraculously combine high standards of education and very reasonable prices. Also, the distinctive quality of these countries is a large number of various grants and discounts for Ukrainians and the opportunity to study in Europe for free or under the Erasmus+ exchange program, which has recently been gaining popularity among citizens of Ukraine.

I am pleased with the prospect of receiving a scholarship; an agreement was recently signed under which the quota for foreign students will be extended to Ukrainian applicants, including the share of our fellow citizens among international students at partner universities will now be 10%. Also, full-time students have the opportunity, if they wish, to officially work in the Baltics up to 20 hours a week during their studies and up to 40 hours during vacations.

Many universities in this region have close relationships with world-rated universities and schools; students undergoing training in various fields can submit an application and, if they pass the competition (academic performance above 80%), go to study at one of the partner universities in the USA, Canada, Holland, France, Germany, the Czech Republic or even Sweden for a whole semester or, for example, after studying 1 year in Latvia, continue studying in a double degree program in Sweden and upon completion receive two advanced diplomas at once

Higher education in Latvia

All holders of a document confirming the completion of 11 classes of a Ukrainian school (certificate) have the right to become a student of a higher educational institution in Latvia, however, the conditions for enrollment in different universities differ and depend on the chosen specialty, direction, language in which the student will study and level of preparation. Educational institutions in Latvia check their future students according to the following criteria:

Entrance exams in general and major subjects, usually from 1 to 4 subjects

Interview with the host committee

Competitive selection based on the average score of the certificate

Education in Latvia differs in its systematic approach from the Ukrainian one we are accustomed to; educational institutions imply a clear division into academic and professional training and education programs.

Professional training programs last at least 2 years, upon completion the student receives a diploma of the first level of higher professional education, there is also a second level of training with a duration of study of at least 4 years

Academic training programs are aimed largely at the study of applied and fundamental sciences and lead to obtaining a Bachelor's degree after 3 or 4 years and a Master's degree after another 1 or 2 years (depending on the area studied).

Assessing achievements during the learning process at higher educational institutions occurs on a 10-point rating scale.

Higher education in Lithuania

In Lithuania, education is more than accessible for applicants from Ukraine, but the education system has its own rules and specific requirements.

As in neighboring Latvia, education is divided into Higher and Professional.

Vocational education is training in junior specialist training programs similar to our technical schools and colleges; upon completion, the student receives an incomplete higher education and the opportunity to work in their specialty and continue their education at a university in the future.

The duration of study will be 1-2 years and will depend on the chosen specialty.

Higher education is, as in our usual understanding, training lasting 3-4 years to obtain a Bachelor’s degree and another 1-2 years to obtain a Master’s degree; the opportunity to study for a degree is available in academies, higher schools, universities, seminaries and colleges.

You can get acquainted with Latvian universities and choose the most suitable program.

List of qualification levels:

• high school student
• professional school student
• Bachelor (BA)
• Master (MA), licensee, certified specialist
• graduate student and doctoral student (std. doct.)

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Higher education in Estonia

The Estonian education system is similar to the Lithuanian and Latvian ones and is no less accessible to students from Ukraine. In the Baltic country, Estonia, they fully adhere to and take advantage of the achievements of the Bologna process when assessing knowledge.

The development of modern computer and Internet technologies in the country has contributed to the fact that all legal, economic and other operations can be done online while sitting at home and this leaves a certain imprint on the education system, everything is innovative, integrated into online systems, students have access to all lectures and presentations on the general server and can ask questions of interest to them after lectures in a chat in a special program or leave a comment on a special university forum.

Bottom line. Educational institutions in Estonia interact as much as possible and use modern technologies in conjunction with high-speed Internet.

Students who graduate from an Estonian university receive a uniform European specialist certificate, which gives them the opportunity to find employment in their specialty throughout Europe.

The beginning of the new academic year traditionally coincides with the start of the autumn sessions in the parliaments of the Baltic republics, where issues of development of the education system are one of the hot topics and pain points for the population. Thus, deputies of the Estonian Riigikogu have already raised the issue of transferring schools for national minorities to the state language of instruction. At the same time, representatives of the Baltic countries in Brussels got a clear “failure” for its language policy from the Committee on Education and Culture of the European Parliament. While legislators in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are thinking about how to rehabilitate themselves before the EU, the analytical portal site drew attention to the structure of school education in other post-Soviet countries.

Kazakhstan: course on trilingualism

In one of the largest republics of the former USSR - Kazakhstan - over the years of independence, a unique model of school education has been formed, which has largely changed the role of the Russian language. Less than ten years ago, a third of schoolchildren used it as their primary language of instruction. Moreover, more than 90% of the country’s population understood Russian speech without any problems.

However, since 2010, gradual but inevitable changes have been taking place in Kazakhstan. They most strongly affected existing Russian-language schools. At first, teaching the history of the country began to take place everywhere only in Kazakh, then some academic disciplines were translated into English. The latter, by the way, is a compulsory subject from the first grade, and there are many specialized English schools in the country.

As for Russian, its use in educational institutions is steadily declining. However, the Ministry of Education assures that, at least, courses in general history, Russian language and literature will continue to remain Russian-language. As an ideal balance, the Kazakh Ministry of Education declares a triune system, allowing each student to equally master all three languages ​​by the time of graduation.

The explanation for this desire is quite simple: national schools located in the outback provide their graduates with insufficient preparation for admission to prestigious universities, where English is increasingly used.

Russian schools are much more successful in this regard - even official authorities are reluctant to admit. The level of teaching there is much higher, but graduates usually have poor command of the Kazakh language. Therefore, it was decided to mix all the languages ​​in the curriculum and see what happens.

We will see some results of the experiment by the end of next year, but the changes will be fully assessed no earlier than 2023, when the planned reform is completed. The press release from the Minister of Education contains the following lines: “All children should be able to communicate fluently in three languages, understand each other and have access to advanced world knowledge. This is not a one-year task, but work on this must begin today.”

At the same time, at the highest state level they have repeatedly clarified that “no one in the country should be discriminated against based on the principle of belonging to a particular language.” President Nursultan Nazarbayev called speaking Russian “a historical advantage of the Kazakh nation,” which provided it with access to world culture and science. In turn, the head of state sees knowledge of English as a means that can “open up new limitless opportunities in life for every Kazakhstani.”

Uzbekistan: Babylonian pandemonium

Despite the fact that Russian has not been the official language in Uzbekistan for a long time, its importance here is only growing. True, the popularity of Russian also remains more unofficial, as a “language of interethnic communication.” At the state level, until recently, exactly the same de-Russification was carried out as in many other republics of the former USSR.

In Soviet times, the quality of education in Russian schools was much higher than in Uzbek ones, and therefore they were popular among the local population, regardless of ethnic origin. Today, knowledge of Russian is useful, first of all, to those citizens who subsequently go to work in Russia. Among locals, it is used less and less as a colloquial language, mainly in large cities.

The most interesting thing is that the place previously occupied by the Russian language remains practically empty. It cannot be said that it was filled by the state Uzbek language: mainly its dialects are used, which differ quite noticeably from each other. This circumstance creates problems for teachers at universities in the capital, who have to work with a “variegated” audience.

If previously Russian was the unifying factor for the different ethnic communities of Uzbekistan, now the country is gradually turning into a Babylonian pandemonium.

The popularity of the official language is also not helped by the transition to another alphabetic system: now generations educated in the Cyrillic and Latin alphabet experience difficulties in communicating with each other in writing, and the country is losing literacy rates. In order to somehow rectify the situation, teaching enthusiasts even organize amateur Russian language courses at higher educational institutions. And, apparently, in the wake of similar processes, in recent years the situation has begun to gradually change.

For example, from 2015 to 2017, the number of Russian classes in so-called mixed schools increased by almost a hundred, and now they make up about 10% of all schools with Uzbek as the language of instruction. Actually, there are much fewer full-fledged Russian schools - not even one and a half percent. However, their popularity is growing. Since 2015, Russian has become a compulsory second language in Uzbek schools. And here it appears in a slightly different status than the foreign language of choice, which is usually English and German. True, very little time is allocated for studying it - only two lessons a week. But this is exactly the same as the share of Uzbek in Russian schools.

As for universities, here, on the contrary, the number of hours allocated to Russian is catastrophically reduced, which only aggravates the communication problems described above. Apparently, education officials do not think it is necessary to provide knowledge to Russian-speaking students - in their opinion, the school level is quite enough.

Belarus: Russian dominance in conditions of formal bilingualism

The situation in Belarus is noticeably different from what is happening in both Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, since this republic has two official languages: Belarusian and Russian. Accordingly, there is at least nominal equality in the school system. In Russian schools, the Belarusian language and literature are taught in the Belarusian language, and in the “history of the state” course, parents are given the right to choose the language. In Belarusian schools, everything is the other way around: Russian language and literature are studied in Russian, while other disciplines are taught in Belarusian.

But the fact is that this equality exists only on paper. In fact, most parents choose Russian, and completely Belarusian schools exist only in rural areas. As for cities, here Belarusian speech can often be heard only in the form of announcements of public transport stops.

The country's capital remains the leader in the concentration of Russian schools, and ongoing attempts to create here, if not schools, then Belarusian-language classes, fail over and over again.

There are only a few specialized Belarusian gymnasiums in Minsk, where all subjects are taught exclusively in this language. And even where these schools and classes exist, not all teachers agree to teach subjects in Belarusian. This is especially true for teachers of exact disciplines, citing the fact that they themselves received their education in Russian and are simply not capable of teaching children, for example, physics any other way.

This is not surprising, because according to statistics from the latest census, more than 80% of citizens use Russian as their main language. Moreover, sometimes even those who consider Belarusian their native language, for the most part, do not use it at all in everyday life. With schools, we see approximately the same picture: for almost a million Russian-speaking students, there are a hundred and a quarter thousand schoolchildren who have chosen the Belarusian language of instruction. This is despite the fact that the total number of educational institutions of both types does not differ that much: Belarusian schools account for almost 47% of the total number.

Here, however, we should remember the distribution of these percentages on the map of the country. The fact is that Belarusian is the main language of instruction, mainly in rural schools, which have never had densely staffed classes.

The country continues to urbanize, and therefore such a high percentage of Belarusian-language schools hides a very modest number of students.

In general, despite all the efforts of Belarusian nationalists, the language of communication and education was and remains Russian. It is heard on the streets, in schools and in many media, and Belarusian is the language of certain communities and, as a rule, is popular either among rural residents or among the urban intelligentsia. The Ministry of Education of the Republic is, of course, concerned about this situation, so parents and students are strongly encouraged to study it both at school and in specially created language courses. However, so far Belarus remains perhaps the only post-Soviet republic where Russians have not lost their dominant position over the entire period of independence.

Latvia is a small Baltic state in northeastern Europe with a population of about 1.9 million people. At the same time, at least 25% of local residents are ethnic Russians, and in the country as a whole, more than a third of citizens are fluent in Russian. Since 2004, Latvia has been a member of the European Union and NATO, and since 2014 it has joined the euro area. Latvian universities offer quality education, and diplomas are valued in many countries around the world.

Education at universities in Latvia is conducted mainly in Latvian and English, but there are programs in Russian. The cost of studying is quite low, and living expenses in the country are more moderate compared to other developed European countries. After graduating from an educational institution, there are good chances of finding a job in Latvia or starting your own business, including in other EU countries.

You can get a Latvian passport after 10 years of legal residence in the country. That is, first you need to obtain a residence permit, after 5 years obtain permanent resident status and after another 5 years and Latvian citizenship. By world standards, the Latvian economy has modest indicators, but in recent years it has been quite stable. The country's main problems are related to the low birth rate, the outflow of the young active population and incompletely resolved problems with corruption.

Local authorities are interested in attracting not only foreign investment and qualified personnel, but also foreign students. Next, we will consider the basics of the higher education system in Latvia, the requirements for foreigners to enter a local university, we will indicate the cost of training, living expenses and the best Latvian universities.

Studying in Latvia for Russians, Ukrainians, Belarusians and other foreigners from the CIS countries is an excellent opportunity to receive a European diploma and find work in one of the developed countries of the world. Latvian higher education is built on a credit system ( ECTS). On average, for each year of study a student gains 40 credits. Higher education institutions provide broad academic education or specialized vocational education with an emphasis on practical skills.

Universities in Latvia offer the following degrees:

• Bachelor (3–4 years)
• Master (1–2 years)
• Doctor (3–4 years)

In academic higher education, more attention is paid to consolidating the student’s theoretical knowledge, with the expectation of further scientific or research activities.

Professional higher education allows you to prepare a qualified specialist with a narrow profile, usually taking into account the needs of the modern labor market.

The academic year in Latvia is divided into two semesters:

• autumn (September-December)
• spring (February-May)

Final exams are taken in January and June.

Requirements for enrolling a foreigner in a Latvian university may vary depending on the specific educational institution. Accordingly, you need to contact the university directly, where they will provide official and complete information. Much depends on the chosen program of study, competition for places and other factors.

Basic requirements for students from abroad to enter the University of Latvia

Certificate of Secondary Education . Any diplomas and other educational certificates obtained abroad are checked for recognition in Latvia through a special Academic Information Center. There are no special additional requirements for foreigners in comparison with Latvians. Depending on the direction of study, grades in core subjects should be high.

Language . Study programs at Latvian universities are taught in Latvian, English and Russian. Sometimes courses are mixed. Based on this, individual universities may require a certificate of language proficiency, for example, IELTS or TOEFEL.

Visa and residence permit . To study in Latvia, students from most post-Soviet countries are required to obtain a visa and residence permit in advance from the Latvian Consulate in their country. The procedure may take up to 2 months, so it is better to prepare documents in advance. The main conditions are confirmation of enrollment in a university and proof of sufficient funds to live in the country. In 2019 the official amount is at least 430 euros per month, that is, at the level of the minimum wage in Latvia.

The application deadline for Latvian universities for international students requiring a visa usually ends on 1 July.

Tuition fees at Latvian higher education institutions largely depend on the program, university and degree for which the foreign student is applying. On average, prices start from 1500 euros per year and more. For example, the cost of some medical specialties reaches 15000 euros.

Other specialties, including technical ones, usually do not exceed the amount of 4000 euros. Scholarships and grants are available for students from some countries to cover the costs of studying in Latvia. Unfortunately, Russia and Ukraine are not on the list of such countries.

Compared to other EU countries, Latvia has a relatively low standard of living, which allows foreign students to save money on accommodation and food to some extent. Let's say a dorm room costs maximum 120 euros per month, apartment rent up to 250-300 euros. Food and other daily expenses will be up to 300-400 euros monthly. According to numerous surveys and estimates, it is quite possible for a student to study in Latvia 700-800 euros per month is enough.

Best Universities in Latvia

University of Latvia

One of the largest universities not only in Latvia, but also in the Baltic countries as a whole, has existed for almost a century. Founded in 1919. As at the beginning of the last century, today the University of Latvia is the main intellectual and scientific center of the country. Currently, over 14 thousand students are studying at the university, of which more than 600 are foreigners, and about 1.5 thousand teachers work.

The university structure includes 13 faculties and more than 20 research institutes. Over 500 cooperation agreements have been signed with 326 educational institutions from 31 European countries. Students have at their disposal more than 130 educational programs, including areas of medicine, law, management, philosophy, economics, humanities and social sciences.

Official website of the University of Latvia - lu.lv

Riga Technical University

The first university to train qualified technical specialists in the Baltics. The official founding date of the university is 1862. The training process uses the most modern technologies and an innovative approach, which allows us to produce real professionals who are ready to fill the gaps in the local labor market and work for the benefit of the Latvian economy.

The Riga Technical University includes 8 faculties, the priority areas of study are architecture, civil engineering, information technology, transport, mechanical engineering, electronics and some other areas. The university cooperates with more than 300 educational institutions in Europe. Foreigners have programs in English at their disposal.

Official website of Riga Technical University - rtu.lv

Latvia University of Agriculture

The history of the university begins in 1863. It is considered the most prestigious educational institution in Latvia for training future agricultural workers. The university includes 8 faculties, including engineering, forestry, information technology, veterinary medicine, food technology, economics and social development, environmental protection and civil engineering, and agriculture.

A wide range of programs are presented in English. For example, a bachelor's degree can be obtained in the field of economics, information technology, public administration, or computer engineering. The structure of the university includes advanced research institutes and laboratories.

Official website of the Latvian University of Agriculture - llu.lv

Higher education institutions in the Baltic countries are divided into two types:

• Universities
• Colleges

Universities in the Baltic countries offer three levels of education:

• first level - Bachelor
• second level - Master's degree
• third level - Doctoral studies, Residency or Postgraduate studies

Research activities are also carried out at universities.

Colleges offer professional higher education programs of the first and second levels.

First level of education is designed for two years of study and contains 90 ECTS. This level is intended to train specialists in a wide range of specialties. Upon completion, the student receives a first-level diploma of higher professional education.

Second level of education is designed for four years of study and contains 180 ECTS. Upon completion, the student will receive a second level diploma of higher education (Bachelor)

In order to obtain a Bachelor's degree, you need to study for 3-4 years (180-240 ECTS). After completing a bachelor's degree, a graduate can get a job in his specialty and take a position that requires higher education, or continue his studies at a master's degree. Bachelor's degrees are available through full-time, part-time and distance learning.

Master's studies last for 1-2.5 years. The obtained master's degree allows you to apply for higher positions and salary levels, and also allows you to continue your doctoral studies. Training is possible through full-time, part-time and distance learning.

Upon completion of the master's program, the graduate will acquire a number of advantages:

• Obtaining deeper knowledge in the scientific field of interest
• Opportunity to engage in research activities
• Gaining teaching experience

Doctoral studies last for 3 years. Upon completion, graduates receive a doctorate degree in a specific field. Doctoral studies prepare students to seek the academic degrees of Doctor of Science. Training is possible only on a full-time basis.

Forms of training

Full-time education– training is conducted away from work, in contrast to distance learning and correspondence courses. The structure of the training is built on personal contact between the student and the teacher, which helps to ensure high-quality learning of the material and gain deeper knowledge. Full-time students are required to attend lectures, seminars and practice.

Extramural studies– combines self-study and face-to-face training. Students master most subjects independently. The main difference between distance learning is its duration and the possibility of continuing work activities. Part-time students study in two periods. The first period is introductory lectures, during which teachers give a list of references, essay topics, test assignments, etc. The second period is examination sessions.

Distance learning– training takes place at a distance, through Internet technologies and other means of interactive communication. The main difference between the distance learning form is the preparation of an individual curriculum, by the student himself and agreed with the teacher. A student can get advice from his teacher on issues of interest via the Internet, telephone, etc. A diploma of completion of distance learning is no different from a regular one.

Lithuania boasts not only a well-developed educational system, but also the presence of 47 universities and 19 research institutes. What are the features of obtaining secondary and higher education in this state?

Features of getting an education in Lithuania

Lithuania is a Baltic country. Geographically, although it borders on Eastern European powers, there is a desire for Western European trends, so education in Lithuania fully complies with EU standards. Lithuania became an independent state again in 1990 and is today a member of the European Union.

This country supplies quite large amounts of financial resources to the educational system. The education system in Lithuania today is represented not only by classical universities, but also by polytechnics and specialized universities. In addition to Vilnius University, the oldest and most respected in the entire country (established in the 16th century), Lithuania has a state pedagogical university (established in 1944), Kaunas Polytechnic (founded in 1951) and other prestigious educational institutions.

Studying in Lithuania offers these benefits to applicants from all over the world:

1. Affordable cost - in other European countries, payment for a year of study to obtain a bachelor's degree can be at least 8 thousand euros per year. In Lithuania, for a year of education at a university, they pay, on average, about 4 thousand euros.
2. Lithuania is ready to offer exchange programs between its universities and educational institutions in other countries. For foreign students, there is a choice of studying in English in the fields of politics, finance, economics and many other fields.
3. The modern approach implies a chance to enter one of the small universities that specializes in a particular field.
4. Opportunity to obtain a high level of knowledge, a European diploma and internship in European countries.

Education system in Lithuania

The country’s educational structure is interesting in that it has its own format, which includes:

• formal education, which includes elements such as primary, basic, secondary, vocational and higher education,
• non-formal education - somewhat different from the traditional school and university programs and is something in between,
• self-education.

The formal training system is 7-level, its structure is comparable to ISCED (International System of Qualifications). For children under 16 years of age, education in one of the country's public or private educational institutions is compulsory.

Main levels of education:

1. First level. For the youngest students there are kindergarten schools where you can study for about 4 years. You can also take elementary school classes here. Upon reaching the age of 7, each child enters school, where teachers do not give grades until the fifth grade. At the same time, several times during the school year, teachers gather parents and talk about the successes of their children.
2. Main level. The program at this stage involves studying from grades 5 to 10 and consists of several parts - the first concerns students in grades 5 - 8, the second - students studying in grades 9 and 10. Schools here are divided into secondary, basic, and gymnasiums. There are also special educational institutions for problem children, who from the age of 12 can study in youth schools.
3. Secondary education in Lithuania is provided to 16-year-olds who attend grades 11 - 12. After acquiring the necessary knowledge in one of the profiles, students are required to pass final exams.
4. The professional education model has two types - initial and continuing studies. Those who have basic or secondary education in Lithuania can count on receiving an initial qualification. To obtain a new qualification level or improve an existing one, you can continue your studies.
5. Higher education can be obtained at one of the universities, as well as within the walls of a seminary, academy or college.

Secondary education system

In order to receive secondary education, children from 16 to 17 years old enter 11th grade. Here they can give preference to one of the educational profiles:

• technical,
• humanitarian,
• technological (provided in professional institutions),
• artistic (in an art school or art gymnasium).

Secondary education in Lithuania can be obtained in institutions such as a gymnasium or an international baccalaureate school, as well as in one of the vocational schools.

While studying in grades 11-12 in any of the areas, students master general education disciplines and additionally those subjects that are directly related to the chosen profile. Upon graduation from an educational institution, it is necessary to pass exams consisting of testing knowledge of the state language and three subjects at the discretion of the student.

The country provides for the possibility of obtaining secondary education even for adults - they have the opportunity to enroll in educational institutions designed specifically for people who have long passed school age.

Higher education system

The main educational institutions are universities and colleges. What do Lithuanian universities offer their applicants? There is an opportunity to obtain a bachelor's, master's, doctorate degree, master a program for creative professions, choose a postgraduate program related to art history, and conduct research work. Colleges differ from universities in that they offer applied studies that can help acquire the skills necessary for a future profession and engage in practical research.

As for the university, there are three stages of acquiring knowledge:

1. A basic course of study that prepares bachelors or bachelors in 4 years.
2. Master's degree or other specialized training. Having a diploma in hand indicating that you have received a bachelor's degree, you can continue to study a narrow specialty for another two years. Upon completion of the master's degree, the specialist receives an appropriate diploma indicating his profession. Special integrated educational programs involve the combination of two levels of university education. Thus, the period of study when choosing this option can be from 5 to 6 years.
3. The final stage is the level of knowledge acquisition, which includes residency, doctoral or postgraduate studies. In doctoral studies, mastering academic disciplines occurs over a period of 4 years. All those who have successfully completed the second level of university education or have mastered an integrated program have the right to study there. The result of such training will be a large number of studies completed by the student and the mandatory submission of a scientific dissertation.

It should be noted that teaching in most universities is conducted in the native language, in some - in Polish and Russian, as well as English and German. This makes it possible for applicants from other countries to choose to study in Lithuania. Studying in Lithuania has many advantages for foreign citizens. This is a relatively low cost - from 30,000 to 36,000 litas (depending on the specialization), the opportunity to rent a hostel or other housing for little money. Final year students of state universities, as well as graduate students and doctors receive scholarships. The appendix to the European diploma contains a list of academic disciplines mastered by the student, indicating the points for each of them.