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Friday, 29.03.2024, 06:37
Number of students dropped by 35% over the decade in Latvia
In this academic year,
27.1 thousand students entered in higher education institutions of Latvia,
which is 5% less than a year ago.
As usual, majority of the new
entrants (43%) chose social sciences and humanities. In the same time, the
number of engineering and life sciences programme entrants fell by 8.2%. Out of
the total number of entrants, females accounted for 15.2 thousand or 55.9%.
Studies of more than a half of the entrants (55.4%) were non-subsidised, and
studies of 44.6% of students were state-subsidised.
The number of higher education
institutions constitutes 54 – 29 universities and 25 colleges, which
is 4 institutions fewer than a year before. Social sciences and humanities
still are the most popular education fields and were chosen by 42.1% of the
students, however, 24.9% of students chose engineering and life sciences. In
this academic year, enrolment in health and welfare programmes grew by 3.2%.
The number of graduates keeps
declining sharply – since 2010 it has reduced almost twice. In 2017, higher
education was acquired (completed) by 14.6 thousand students, which is 7.7%
less than in 2016. Females accounted for 9.3 thousand or 63.5% of the
number.
Meanwhile, the number of
mobile students (those who acquired previous education abroad) rose
significantly over the year. Currently there are 7.6 thousand mobile
students, which is 23.4% more than a year ago. Unlike among Latvian students,
majority of them (63.7%) are males.
In the school year 2017/2018,
28.5 thousand students are studying in vocational education institutions –
1.5% less than prior. Vocational education is provided by 46 vocational
schools (five schools less than a year ago) and 11 colleges. Engineering
and services are the most popular fields of education – chosen by 35.4% and
25.4% of the vocational students, respectively.
After the significant increase
in 2016, at the beginning of this school year the number of vocational school
entrants declined notably. Studies were entered by 11.6 thousand students,
which is 7% less than before. The sharpest drop – of 14.3% – was observed in
social sciences, followed by 9.5% in services and 8% in engineering,
manufacturing and construction.
Just like the year before,
also in 2017 vocational education was acquired (completed) by 7.8 thousand
students. Out of the number, 35.2% graduated from engineering, manufacturing
and construction programmes, and 26.4% from services programmes.
Key indicators of higher and
vocational education
|
2000/01 |
2005/06 |
2010/11 |
2015/16 |
2016/17 |
2017/18 |
Higher education institutions and colleges |
|
|
|
|
|
|
enrolment |
101 270 |
131 125 |
103 856 |
84 282 |
82 914 |
81 602 |
entrants |
32 950 |
43 826 |
31 012 |
29 083 |
28 588 |
27 140 |
graduates |
15 009 |
26 124 |
26,545 |
17 021 |
15 796 |
14 587 |
Vocational
education institutions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
enrolment |
48 625 |
42 737 |
35 767 |
27 938 |
28,950 |
28 528 |
entrants |
18 440 |
14 521 |
11 914 |
11 048 |
12 485 |
11 625 |
graduates |
12 827 |
9 963 |
9 124 |
8 201 |
7 805 |
7 780 |
More information on latest
higher and vocational education indicators will be available on 5 March in
the CSB database section Education.