Education Ministry to take over recruitment of foreign students, phasing out "Study in Latvia"

Latvia's Ministry of Education and Science (IZM) intends to close down the national initiative "Study in Latvia" as early as next year. The initiative has so far been the main body responsible for promoting Latvia's higher education opportunities abroad and coordinating the admission of foreign students to Latvian universities.

Under the ministry's plan, most of these functions will be transferred to the ministry itself, marking a shift away from the previous model in which a dedicated initiative, rather than the ministry directly, handled outreach and coordination for international students.

Unclear reasoning

The move raises questions about why the ministry decided on this change, and whether it is in any way connected to calls from some politicians within the ruling coalition to restrict migration. No detailed public explanation of the reasoning behind the reorganization has been widely presented so far, but the timing, coinciding with broader debates on limiting migration, has prompted speculation about a possible link to that political agenda.

Universities hope practice will continue

Latvian universities that have relied on "Study in Latvia" services to attract international students say they hope the successful practices built up around recruiting and coordinating the admission of foreign students will be preserved even after the initiative is dissolved. International students are an important source of revenue and reputation for universities, so any changes to the support system are being watched closely.

It remains unclear exactly how the ministry plans to organize the transfer of functions, or whether the change will affect the number of foreign students or the speed and quality of the admission process in the coming academic year.