Lithuania
Recent developments:
New law passed in July 2016 addressing organizational and financial aspects, including:
- Selection of external members in governing bodies by universities themselves
- Dismissal of rector no longer subject to ministry approval
- Removal of ceiling on tuition fees
- Less restrictions on borrowing and option to sell buildings under specific conditions
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.
Organisational weighted 87% unweighted 82%
100% Selection procedure for the executive head
The selection of the executive head is not validated by an external authority
75% Selection criteria for the executive head
The law states that the executive head must hold a doctoral degree
This applies to one other country: Finland
100% Dismissal of the executive head
Other restrictions
0% Term of office of the executive head
The exact length is stated in the law
100% External members in university governing bodies
Universities cannot decide as they must include external members
This applies to 23 other countries: Austria, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Flanders, France, Wallonia, Hesse, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
Universities can freely decide on external members
100% Capacity to decide on academic structures
Universities can decide on their academic structures without constraints
This applies to 19 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, Wallonia, Hesse, Hungary, Latvia, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
100% Capacity to create legal entities
Universities can create legal entities without constraints
This applies to 18 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Croatia, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, France, Wallonia, Hesse, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Serbia, Spain, United Kingdom
Financial weighted 61% unweighted 73%
60% Length of public funding cycle
One year
60% Type of public funding
Block grant is split into broad categories and there are no or limited possibilities to move funds between these
80% Ability to borrow money
Universities can borrow money with other types of restrictions
This applies to 3 other countries: Iceland, Poland, United Kingdom
0% Ability to keep surplus
0% Ability to own buildings
Universities are not allowed to own their buildings
This applies to 6 other countries: Brandenburg, Hesse, Hungary, North Rhine-Westphalia, Serbia, Sweden
100% Tuition fees for national/EU students at Bachelor level
Universities are free to set the level of tuition fees
This applies to 3 other countries: Latvia, Luxembourg, Serbia
100% Tuition fees for national/EU students at Master's level
Universities are free to set the level of tuition fees
This applies to 6 other countries: Ireland, Latvia, Luxembourg, Portugal, Serbia, United Kingdom
100% Tuition fees for national/EU students at doctoral level
Universities are free to set the level of tuition fees
This applies to 8 other countries: Croatia, Ireland, Latvia, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal, Serbia, United Kingdom
100% Tuition fees for non-EU students at Bachelor level
Universities are free to set the level of tuition fees
This applies to 13 other countries: Croatia, Estonia, Flanders, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Sweden, United Kingdom
100% Tuition fees for non-EU students at Master's level
Universities are free to set the level of tuition fees
This applies to 13 other countries: Croatia, Estonia, Flanders, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Sweden, United Kingdom
100% Tuition fees for non-EU students at doctoral level
Universities are free to set the level of tuition fees
This applies to 11 other countries: Croatia, Estonia, Flanders, Ireland, Latvia, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, United Kingdom
Staffing weighted 83% unweighted 83%
75% Recruitment procedures for senior academic staff
Recruitments are carried out freely by universities
This applies to 17 other countries: Austria, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, Hesse, Iceland, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Other restrictions
100% Recruitment procedures for senior administrative staff
Recruitments are carried out freely by universities
This applies to 20 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, Wallonia, Hesse, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
75% Salaries for senior academic staff
Salary bands are prescribed by an external authority for all staff
100% Salaries for senior administrative staff
Universities can freely decide on staff salaries
This applies to 5 other countries: Estonia, Luxembourg, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
100% Dismissal of senior academic staff
There are no sector-specific regulations concerning dismissals (national labour regulations apply)
This applies to 8 other countries: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Luxembourg, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
100% Dismissal of senior administrative staff
There are no sector-specific regulations concerning dismissals (national labour regulations apply)
This applies to 11 other countries: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Wallonia, Latvia, Luxembourg, Poland, Serbia, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
57% Promotion procedures for senior academic staff
Promotions are only possible if there is a post at a higher level
This applies to 7 other countries: Brandenburg, Croatia, Wallonia, Latvia, Luxembourg, Portugal, Serbia
57% Promotion procedures for senior administrative staff
Promotions are only possible if there is a post at a higher level
This applies to 4 other countries: Brandenburg, Wallonia, Portugal, Serbia
Academic weighted 42% unweighted 44%
60% Overall student numbers
Universities decide on the number of fee-paying students while an external authority sets the number of state-funded study places
0% Admissions procedures at Bachelor level
Admissions are entirely regulated by an external authority
100% Admissions procedures at Master's level
Admission criteria are set by the university
This applies to 18 other countries: Brandenburg, Estonia, Finland, France, Hesse, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, United Kingdom
0% Introduction of programmes at Bachelor level
All new degree programmes/courses must be submitted to prior accreditation to be introduced
0% Introduction of programmes at Master's level
All new degree programmes/courses must be submitted to prior accreditation to be introduced
40% Introduction of programmes at doctoral level
Only some universities/academic units can open new degree programmes
This does not apply to any other country.
100% Termination of degree programmes
Universities can terminate degree programmes independently
This applies to 25 other countries: Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Flanders, France, Wallonia, Hesse, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
83% Language of instruction at Bachelor level
Universities can choose the language of instruction for certain programmes
This applies to one other country: Iceland
83% Language of instruction at Master's level
Universities can choose the language of instruction for certain programmes
This applies to one other country: France