Academic Information Centre is foundation, which implements the following functions:

• Latvian representative to the European Council/UNESCO diploma recognition network ENIC and the European Union diploma recognition network NARIC (since 1995)
• Information institution on recognition of professional qualifications in regulated professions, except transportation sector (since 2003);
• National Europass centre (since 2005);
• ReferNet network representative;
• National Coordination Point for referencing National Qualifications Framework to European Qualifications Framework (since 2008);
• National Contact Point for studies in Latvia (since 2010).
• Quality Agency for Higher Education (since 2015).

URL: www.aic.lv

Employers’ Confederation of Latvia represents 58 significant Latvian economic sectoral, professional and regional associations and federations, totally involving more than 5000 enterprises as well as separate companies (leaders of sector) employing more than 50 people. In total, more than 33% of Latvian employees are employed by Confederation members; therefore, it can be regarded as the largest and the most influential association of employers in Latvia.

The Confederation actively supports employers` interests and participates in the National Tripartite Council, as well as in the National Tripartite Cooperation Sub-Council of Vocational Education and Employment.

Contact point

• :

Ms. Līga Meņģelsone

• General Director

• Address: Vīlandes Street 12-1

• Rīga LV-1010

• Latvia

• Tel: +371 67225162

• Fax: +371 67224469

• E-mail:

lddk @ lddk.lv

• URL:

www.lddk.lv

The Latvian Adult Education Association (LAEA) is a non-governmental organisation founded in 1993, which unites providers of adult education in Latvia – both individuals and organizations.

The LAEA has been a member organisation of the European Adult Education Association (EAEA) since 1995, and joined to the European Prison Education Association and European Adult Education Research Association (ESREA) in 1997.

The main aim of the LAEA is to promote development of non-formal adult education system and to participate in the creation of the national lifelong learning policy, thereby promoting development of civic, democratic and open society in Latvia.

Contact point

• :

Ms. Sarmīte Pīlāte

• Director

• Address: Merķeļa Street 11

• Rīga LV-1050

• Latvia

• Tel: +371 26178703

• E-mail:

sarmite.pilate @ laea.lv

• URL:

www.laea.lv

Latvian Chamber of Crafts (LCC) is a self-governmental organization for professional craftsmen and women, which encourages the development of craft trades in Latvia. LCC was established in 1935, and its activity was re-established in 1993.

In crafts education the Chamber carries out the following tasks:

• To develop and harmonise learning programmes and qualification regulations for apprentices and journeymen;
• To organize apprentices and journeymen training at the master craftsmen’s;
• To form commission for assessing the work of journeymen and master craftsmen, as well as to arrange awarding of journeymen and master craftsmen’s diplomas;
• To support re-qualification and educational improvement, further education;
• To foster scientific research for preserving old crafts and discovering opportunities for new crafts;
• To prepare and publish study and methodological literature.

Contact point

• :

Ms. Diāna Karaša

• President

• Address: Amatu Street 5

• Riga LV-1050

• Latvia

• Tel.: +371 67213007

• Fax: +371 67358570

• E-mail:

diana @ lak.lv

• URL:

www.lak.lv

The tasks of the National Coordination Point (NCP) for referencing the national qualifications framework to the European Qualifications Framework are performed by the Academic Information Centre. The Latvian NCP operates since 2008.

The NCP has the following tasks:

• To refer existing qualification levels in national qualification system to the eight European Qualifications Framework (EQF) reference levels;
• To ensure that transparent methods are applied to link the national qualification levels to the EQF, and that decisions related to this process are published;
• To ensure access and consultations for stakeholders regarding the reference of the Latvian education qualification to the EQF;
• To foster the involvement of all the stakeholders (education establishments, social partners, sectoral representatives and experts) in solving issues concerning the comparability and use of qualifications at European level in accordance with the national laws and regulations.

Contact point

• :

Ms. Gunta Kinta

• Head of Projects Department

• Address: Vaļņu Street 2

• Riga LV-1050

• Latvia

• Tel.: +371 67210166

• Fax: +371 67221006

• E-mail:

nkp @ aic.lv

• URL:

http://nqf-latvia.lv

The functions of the Latvian National Europass Centre (NEC) are implemented by Academic Information Centre. The Latvian NEC operates since 2005. Europass is a set of common, standardized five documents (Europass CV, Europass Language Passport, Europass Mobility, Europass Diploma Supplement, and Europass Certificate Supplement) that help in reflecting, documenting or certifying previous skills and qualifications of the document holders.

The NEC has the following main tasks;

• To coordinate all the activities related to the Europass documents;
• To ensure the availability of the Europass documents;
• To provide information and consultations regarding the Europass documents and their use.

Contact point

• :

Academic Information Centre – National Europass Centre

• Address: Vaļņu Street 2

• Riga LV-1050

• Latvia

• Tel.: +371 67358235

• Fax: +371 67221006

• • E-mail:

  europass @ aic.lv 

  • • • URL:

      http://europass.lv 

      ---

National Centre for Education (NCE) is a direct state administration institution under the direction of the Ministry of Education and Science that was established in July 2009 when the Education Content and Examination Centre, State Youth Initiative Centre, Vocational Education Administration and State Special Education Centre were reorganized and united.

In vocational education the Centre carries out the following functions:

• To ensure the development of education content for vocational basic education, vocational education, vocational secondary, continuing vocational education, professional improvement and professionally orientated education in compliance with the state standards;
• To ensure the assessment of students’ achievements in state centralized examinations (in general study subjects); as well as to ensure development and implementation of a uniform content of vocational education state examinations;
• To coordinate the development of study literature complying with the vocational education standards;
• To coordinate and deliver teachers’ professional improvement.

Contact point

• :

Mr Jānis Gaigals

• Director of Department for Vocational Education Content –

• Address: Vaļņu Street 2

• Riga LV-1050

• Latvia

• Tel.: +371 64615329

• • E-mail:

  janis.gaigals @ visc.gov.lv 

  • • • URL:

      http://visc.gov.lv 

      ---

The State Education Development Agency is a state institution under the direction of the Ministry of Education and Science.

The aim of the Agency is to promote the development and implementation of education, continuing education and science policy by performing functions of intermediate institution in conduction of European Structural Funds projects and by ensuring the introduction of the European Union programmes, programmes of structural and other financial instruments and initiatives.

The Agency is responsible for variety of policy areas and action directions. Among other functions, the Agency ensures implementation of EU Lifelong Learning Programme sub-programme Leonardo da Vinci in Latvia.

Contact point

• :

Ms. Zane Gailīte

• Director of EU Education Programmes Department

• Address: Vaļņu Street 1 (2nd – 4th floor)

• Riga LV-1050

• Latvia

• Tel: +371 67830833

• Fax: +371 67814344

• • E-mail:

  zane.gailite @ viaa.gov.lv 

  • • • URL:

      www.viaa.gov.lv 

      VIAA Information and Career Guidance Department supports the development of career guidance policy, as well as provides support to institutions involved in the National Forum on guidance and counselling by performing functions of the Forum’s secretariat.

      Contact point

      • • • :

      Ms. Inta Asare

      • • • Director of Information and Career Guidance Department
        • • Address: Vaļņu Street 1 (2nd – 4th floor)
        • • Riga LV-1050
        • • Latvia
        • • Tel: +371 67785427
        • • Fax: +371 67814344
        • • E-mail:

      inta.asare @ viaa.gov.lv

      • • • URL:

      www.viaa.gov.lv

      Since 2010, the Agency represents Latvia in European education network Eurydice by implementing functions assigned to the network members. The Latvian Unit of the Eurydice network was established in 1997 as a structural part of the Ministry of Education and Science. From 2004-2009, the Unit was part of the former Academic Programmes Agency.

      Eurydice provides reliable and comparable information on European education systems and policies. Eurydice functions also as an observer of education systems informing both on differences and similarities in the systems.

      The Latvian Eurydice Unit:

      • • • develops and regularly updates Latvian education system descriptions, including the National Report;
          • prepares requested information concerning particular issues;
          • summarizes information about education in Latvia for Eurydice studies;
          • organises translation and editing of publications in Latvian;
          • disseminates network’s products to target groups, e.g. national education policy makers, municipal education experts, students and other stakeholders.

      Contact point

      • • • :

      Ms. Inga Šīna

      • • Head of Eurydice Programme
      • • Address: Vaļņu Street 1 (2nd – 4th floor)
      • • Riga LV-1050
      • • Latvia
      • • Tel: +371 67814349
      • • Fax: + 371 67814344
      • • • E-mail:

          inga.sina @ viaa.gov.lv 

          • • • URL:

              www.viaa.gov.lv 

              ---

State Education Quality Service (SEQS) is a direct state administration institution under the direction of the Ministry of Education and Science that was established in July 2009 when the State Inspectorate for Education, Vocational Education Administration and State Agency for General Education Quality Assessment were reorganized and united.

The functions of the Service in vocational education are:

• To maintain registers in the field of education (decrees on registering establishments and registration; register of teaching and academic personnel; registers of licensed education programmes, accredited education institutions and programmes; register of research institutions);
• To license education programmes (except informal, leisure and higher education), i.e. assessment of education programme conformity, granting the right to provide these programmes;
• To organise quality assessment – of education establishments (except pre-school, HEIs and colleges) and education programmes (except pre-school, professional improvement, professionally orientated education, informal and professional higher education), as well as to ensure the accreditation process of examination centres;
• To perform monitoring of the implementation of accreditation recommendations, and analysis of education establishments’ functioning;
• To ensure and coordinate validation of professional competence obtained outside formal education system by conferring the rights to an accredited education establishment or examination centre to validate professional competence obtained outside formal education.

Contact point

• :

Ms. Inita Juhņēviča

• Head

• Address: Zigfrīda Annas Meierovica Boulevard 14

• Riga LV-1050

• Latvia

• Tel.: +371 67222504

• Fax: +371 67228573

• • E-mail:

  inita.juhnevica @ ikvd.gov.lv 

  • • • URL:

      www.ikvd.gov.lv 

      ---

The State Employment Agency (SEA) is a state institution under the direction of the minister of welfare, which implements national policy for reducing unemployment and supporting the unemployed, job seekers and persons at unemployment risk. On 1st May 2004, the SEA became a member of the network of the European Employment Services (EURES). The Agency consists of head office and 28 branch offices across Latvia.

The SEA provides diverse services to promote employment for the unemployed, job seekers, employed individuals and employers:

• Career consultations;
• Measures for raising competitiveness;
• Vocational education, re-qualification and qualification promotion;
• Learning at enterprises;
• Learning on request of an employer;
• Acquisition of non-formal/informal learning programmes;
• Complex support activities;
• Measures for particular social groups (subsidized employment);
• Paid temporary public works;
• Support for starting business or self-employment;
• Registration of vacancies and selection of employees;
• Providing information on vacancies;
• Services in case of a collective dismissal;
• Licensing and monitoring recruitment service agencies;
• EURES consultations about job and education opportunities in Europe.

Trade Union of Education and Science Workers (LIZDA) is an independent and voluntary non-governmental organisation, which is the largest trade union in Latvia because the organisation unites more than 36 thousands persons working in the field of education and science, students, pensioners and self-employed for protecting their economic, social and professional rights and interests. Trade Union of Education and Science Workers was established in 1991.

The Trade Union’s action directions for 2010-2015 are:

• Legal protection and the development of sector;
• Trade Union’s requirements to the government;
• Trade Union’s internal activity and cooperation with education and science governing institutions, parliament commissions and other non-governmental organisations;
• International cooperation, e.g. with Education International and European Trade Union Committee for Education (ETUCE), with Education International (world trade union for education sector).

The trade union’s partners are the Ministry of Education and Science, Latvian Association of Local and Regional Governments, Employers’ Confederation of Latvia, Free Trade Union Confederation of Latvia.

Contact point

• :

Ms. Irina Avdejeva

• Education expert

• Address: Bruņinieku Street 29/31 (4th floor)

• Riga LV-1001

• Latvia

• Tel: +371 278 97 771

• • E-mail:

  irina.avdejeva @ lizda.lv 

  • • • URL:

      www.lizda.lv