Lithuania

Organisational autonomy: high

Lithuanian universities select, appoint and dismiss their rector independently. The law includes basic selection criteria and specifies the term of office. Universities have recently acquired the capacity to select external members in governing bodies independently.

Financial autonomy: medium high

Lithuanian universities receive annual block grants with limited internal allocation possibilities. They cannot keep surpluses but may resort to borrowing more easily than in the past. The State continues to own university buildings. The externally set ceilings on tuition fees charged to self-funded students were lifted and universities can now set the level of fees for these students autonomously.

Academic autonomy: medium low

Universities can decide on the number of fee-paying students but can only select students at Master level. Programme evaluation is mandatory every six years. There are limitations on the use of foreign languages in academic programmes. Some of the content of academic programmes is determined by an external authority.

Staffing autonomy: high

Lithuanian universities recruit their senior academic staff relatively autonomously on the basis of minimum regulations and salary bands set in law. Recruitment and salaries of senior administrative staff are an internal university matter. There are no specific regulations regarding dismissals and promotions are possible in case of vacancy.