This report is part of a series of country projects within the OECD programme of work, Building Effective National Skills Strategies.
The OECD is grateful to the Latvian National Project Team for its invaluable guidance and input throughout the project, and its help in convening and organising stakeholder workshops. We are particularly grateful to the National Project Leader, Gunta Arāja, National Project Co‑ordinator, Ilze Saleniece, and National Project Team member, Jeļena Muhina, all from the Latvian Ministry of Education and Science, for their strong leadership and co‑ordination of the National Project Team. National Project support from the Latvian Ministry of Education and Science included: Dace Jansone, Inta Jaunzeme, Sigita Busule, Austra Irbe, Diāna Laipniece, Inese Lūsēna-Ezera, Inta Cinīte, Ieva Grava, Jānis Paiders, Uldis Berķis, Lana Frančeska Dreimane Rūta Gintaute-Marihina, Baiba Bašķere, Inga Zeide, Laura Vikšere, Anita Zaļaiskalne, Laura Iveta Strode, Ilze Buligina, Līga Vilde-Jurisone, Līga Buceniece, Ilze Seipule, Lelde Zemberga, Alise Trokša, Modra Jansone, Olita Arkle, Santa Šmīdlere, Santa Feifere, Ilze Sīle, Ulrika Naumova, Kristīne Grundmane, Aija Rudmane, Dace Deinate, Viktors Kravčenko, Inta Šusta, Anžela Jurāne-Brēmane, Inese Baltiņa and Aivis Majors.
The OECD team wishes to thank current Minister of Education and Science, Ilga Šuplinska, for her commitment to this project. We are grateful to State Secretary Liga Lejiņa from the Ministry of Education and Science for her strategic guidance in this project. We also thank Ivita Burmistre, former Ambassador of the Latvian Government to the OECD, for her continuous support during the project, and Laura Treimane, Counsellor for Education and Science at the Permanent Representation of the Latvian Government to the OECD, for her insightful advice.
Our warm thanks go to the many representatives of ministries, government agencies, education and training institutions, businesses and business associations, unions and community associations, think tanks and other organisations, and adult learners who generously shared their insights during focus groups and bilateral interviews with the OECD team in Riga, and for their written input. During missions, the OECD team met around 200 stakeholders representing different sectors and institutions, including practitioners and experts from all levels of education, policy makers, employers, trade unions, local authorities, and education and labour market researchers. We would also like to take the opportunity to thank the staff of the Ministry of Education and Science for their excellent organisation of the stakeholder workshops and for their hospitality in hosting these events. We also thank the experts that supported the national project team and the moderators and notetakers in the workshop, whose names are featured in Annex A.
We are grateful to the Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion and the Directorate-General for Education and Culture of the European Commission for contributing both financial support and expertise throughout the project. We are especially grateful to Alison Crabb and Michael Horgan as well as Muriel Guin, Julie Fionda, Iveta Gravite-Massone and Jelena Stupaka from the Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion. We also want to thank Denis Crowley from the Directorate-General for Education and Culture as well as Agnese Dagile and Mārtiņš Zemītis from the European Commission Representation in Latvia.
While the report draws upon data and analysis from the OECD, Latvian authorities and other published sources, any errors or misinterpretations remain the responsibility of the OECD team.
Samuel Kim was the OECD project leader responsible for co‑ordinating this OECD National Skills Strategy project in Latvia. The main authors of this report were Samuel Kim and Michele Cimino. Input on relevant education indicators for Chapter 3 and during the Strategy Development Workshop was provided by Corinne Heckmann and Camila de Moraes from the OECD Indicators of Education Systems team. Julia Staudt and Joshua Polchar from the OECD Foresight team co‑ordinated the Foresight Workshop. Rita Kasa (local Latvian consultant) provided input and feedback.
As Acting Head of the OECD Centre for Skills and Head of the OECD National Skills Strategy projects, Andrew Bell provided analytical guidance, comments on chapters and supervision. Stefano Scarpetta (OECD Director for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs) and Mark Pearson (OECD Deputy Director for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs) provided strategic oversight for the project as well as comments.
Véronique Quénehen and Jennifer Cannon (OECD Centre for Skills) provided invaluable support for mission organisation, report layout and design and publication planning, while Elizabeth Zachary provided proofreading and editorial support.
This document was produced with the financial assistance of the European Union. The views expressed herein can in no way be taken to reflect the official opinion of the European Union.