The Saeima¹ has adopted and
the President has proclaimed the following law:

Law on Riga Graduate School of Law

Chapter I
General Provisions

Section 1. The Riga Graduate School of Law (hereinafter - the Graduate School) was established in accordance with the agreement entered into on 14 July 1997 by the Government of the Republic of Latvia, the Government of the Kingdom of Sweden, and the Soros Foundation Latvia.

Section 2. The Graduate School members are the University of Latvia and the foundation "DOTS Foundation for an Open Society".

Section 3. The Graduate School is a limited liability company.

Section 4. The Graduate School is an institution of higher education and science.

Section 5. (1) The Graduate School is an autonomous educational institution with the right to self-governance. The self-governance thereof shall be based on the rights and opportunities of employees to participate in the management and supervision of academic, administrative, and economic affairs in accordance with the specified procedures.

(2) The Graduate School shall act in accordance with this Law, the Law on Higher Education Institutions, other laws of the Republic of Latvia, and international norms of higher education institution activities which are not in contradiction with the legislative enactments of the Republic of Latvia and also in accordance with its articles of association and the Constitution of the Graduate School.

Chapter II
Purpose and Tasks of the Graduate School Activities

Section 6. The main purpose of the Graduate School activities is to provide students with an opportunity to acquire academic degrees and vocational degrees, and professional qualifications in the fields of social sciences and related interdisciplinary fields.

Section 7. The task of the Graduate School is to educate specialists, to offer them the opportunity to raise qualifications and continue education, to carry out fundamental and applied research, to inform the public of the results of scientific research, and to engage in the transfer of knowledge.

Chapter III
Representation and Management Bodies of the Graduate School

Section 8. The members shall be the higher management body and decision-making body of the Graduate School in strategic, financial, and economic matters, and also in matters relating to or arising from the strategic, financial, and economic matters of the Graduate School.

Section 9. The representation and management bodies and decision-making bodies of the Graduate School are as follows:

1) the Executive Board;

2) the Constitutional Assembly;

3) the Senate;

4) the Rector;

5) the Academic Arbitration Court.

Section 10. The Executive Board is a body established by the members the composition of which and the procedures for the establishment of which shall be determined by the articles of association of the Graduate School and the Commercial Law. The activities and competence of the Executive Board shall be determined by this Law, the Commercial Law, the articles of association of the Graduate School, and the Constitution of the Graduate School.

Section 11. The Executive Board is authorised to:

1) approve the operational strategy of the Graduate School;

2) approve the budget of the Graduate School;

3) organise the economic activity of the Graduate School;

4) propose the development, introduction of new study programmes or substantial modification, reorganisation, or closure of the existing study programmes of the Graduate School;

5) decide on the establishment, reorganisation, or elimination of the units of the Graduate School;

6) nominate candidates for the election of the Rector to the office and proposing the dismissal of the Rector;

7) enter into an employment contract with the Rector for the entire term of office thereof;

8) make a proposal for members to convene an emergency Constitutional Assembly;

9) determine the remuneration of the Graduate School employees which shall not be less than the rates specified by the Cabinet;

10) draw up the Constitution of the Graduate School and the draft amendments thereof.

Section 12. The Constitutional Assembly shall be the representation and management body and decision-making body of the academic and scientific activities of the Graduate School. The election of representatives of the Constitutional Assembly shall be organised by the Executive Board of the Graduate School.

Section 13. The Constitutional Assembly shall:

1) adopt and amend the Constitution of the Graduate School, coordinating this with the Executive Board;

2) elect the Rector and decide on the dismissal of the Rector in accordance with the procedures specified;

3) elect the Senate;

4) elect the Academic Arbitration Court;

5) approve the by-laws of the Constitutional Assembly, the Senate, and the Academic Arbitration Court;

6) elect the Chair, the Vice-Chair, and the Secretary of the Constitutional Assembly;

7) decide on the dismissal of arbitrators from duties on the initiative of the employer;

8) perform other duties specified in the Constitution of the Graduate School.

Section 14. The Senate is a collegial management body and a decision-making body of the Graduate School which approves the procedures for and regulations governing all areas of activity of the Graduate School (examines and approves study programmes, establishes and eliminates structural units, etc.). The activities and competence of the Senate shall be regulated by a by-law approved by the Constitutional Assembly.

Section 15. The Senate shall perform the duties specified in the Constitution of the Graduate School and other laws and regulations, taking into account the approved Graduate School budget and other decisions approved by the Executive Board of the Graduate School.

Section 16. The Rector is the highest official of the Graduate School who shall implement the general administration of the Graduate School and represent the Graduate School without special authorisation. A foreign citizen may be elected to the position of the Rector of the Graduate School.

Section 17. (1) The Rector shall be elected by the Constitutional Assembly upon a proposal of the Executive Board of the Graduate School for a period of three years, moreover not more than twice in succession.

2) The Cabinet shall approve the Rector elected into office at the Constitutional Assembly. The Rector of the Graduate School shall be able to and shall use the official language to the extent necessary for the performance of the professional duties thereof, or the Graduation School shall provide a translation into the official language.

(3) The procedures for the dismissal of the Rector shall be determined by the Law on Higher Education Institutions and this Law.

Section 18. The Rector shall perform the duties specified in laws and regulations and in the Constitution of the Graduate School.

Section 19. The Academic Arbitration Court of the Graduate School shall operate on the basis of the by-law approved at the Constitutional Assembly.

Section 20. The Academic Arbitration Court shall perform the duties specified in laws and regulations and in the Constitution of the Graduate School.

Chapter IV
Studies and Scientific Activities of the Graduate School

Section 21. The Graduate School shall implement the study programmes licensed and accredited in accordance with the procedures laid down in laws and regulations. Studies at the Graduate School shall take place in English or in another official language of the European Union.

Section 22. At the Graduate School, the theses necessary for the acquisition of a bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree may be developed and defended, and also vocational qualification examinations taken, except for the State examination in the second level higher vocational education study programmes specified in the Law on Higher Education Institutions, in one of the official languages of the European Union.

Section 23. Students who fulfil the requirements of an accredited study programme of the Graduate School shall be entitled to receive higher education diplomas recognised by the State.

Section 24. The Graduate School shall independently determine the content of study programmes and the form of learning, the rules for the admission of students, the procedures for matriculation, and also the basic directions of scientific activity.

Section 25. The requirements for the level of proficiency of the official language specified in laws and regulations shall not be applicable to the Graduate School employees. The Graduate School shall ensure the circulation of documents and communication with State institutions and individuals in the official language.

Chapter V
Property, Finances, and Economic Activity of the Graduate School

Section 26. (1) The property of the Graduate School shall be formed of the movable and immovable property belonging to the Graduate School, intellectual property, and also financial means.

(2) The property of the Graduate School shall be managed by the Executive Board of the Graduate School in accordance with the procedures specified in its articles of association and in compliance with the requirements of laws and regulations. The Rector and the Senate of the Graduate School shall operate with the property of the Graduate School within the limits and in accordance with the procedures specified by the Executive Board.

Section 27. The property of the Graduate School shall be used to ensure the studies and also scientific and economic activity of the Graduate School.

Transitional Provision

Amendments to the Constitution of the Graduate School shall be submitted to the Cabinet for approval until 31 August 2019.

The Law has been adopted by the Saeima on 1 November 2018.

President R. Vējonis

Rīga, 7 November 2018

¹ The Parliament of the Republic of Latvia

Translation © 2022 Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre)