Academic career reform in Latvia

This report examines Latvia’s ongoing reforms to doctoral education and academic career pathways, offering advice to support effective implementation. The report was developed through technical support to the Latvian Ministry of Education and Science under the EU’s Technical Support Instrument, and implemented by the OECD with the European Commission, and it compares Latvia’s challenges to broader international trends. Key issues include strengthening support for doctoral education, addressing the prevalence of precarious academic positions, reducing reliance on short‑term research funding, and improving approaches to assessing research performance. Latvia is advancing these reforms alongside other higher education system changes, creating an environment that seeks to improve academic staff conditions and long‑term sustainability. The roadmap produced through the project identifies three priorities: improving institutional working conditions, aligning and updating national policy frameworks, and encouraging collaboration in the academic sector, including a stable Community of Practice for academic staff.