Annual report on monitoring indicators for study fields for 2021-2023 has been prepared
SKVC has prepared an annual report on the monitoring indicators of study fields for the period 2021-2023. It is an external quality assurance and publicity tool provided for by the order of the Minister of Education, Science and Sports.
The aim of the annual analysis of the monitoring indicators of study fields is to publish the data of the monitoring indicators of each higher education institution (by cycle) and to analyse the reasons for significant deviations. The report is based on the following six indicators:
1) Number of students studying;
2) Minimum entrance competition score;
3) The number and share of students who have dropped out of their studies;
4) The number and share of graduates who completed their studies on time;
5) The proportion of students who left under the exchange programme;
6) The share of graduates who have been employed within 12 months of graduation.
A decreasing number of study fields and programmes
The data of the annual report on the monitoring indicators of study fields showed that the number of study fields decreased from 110 (2017–2019) to 108 (2021–2023). And when examining the studies carried out by each higher education institution according to study cycles, a decrease in study programmes is noticeable. Thus, when analysing the 6-year annual monitoring period of study fields (2018–2023), a decrease in study cycles in study fields is observed. The number of first-cycle studies decreased from 617 (in 2018) to 468 (in 2023), which represents 24.2 percent. Second-cycle studies decreased from 322 (in 2018) to 248 (in 2023) respectively, representing 23 percent. The number of integrated studies remained practically unchanged, while the number of vocational studies decreased slightly from 9 (2018) to 6 (2023), – by 33.4 percent. Of course, the tendency of decreasing the number of study programmes by study cycles is also associated with the decrease in the number of higher education institutions in Lithuania.
Significant change in monitoring indicators in 10 Lithuanian higher education institutions
Significant – 30 percent or more change in three or more monitoring indicators (positive or negative) in the period 2021-2023, 10 higher education institutions (6 universities and 4 colleges) had been found in a total of 14 fields of study.
If a significant change in at least three indicators in a higher education institution (30 percent or more) has been established in the last 3 years and after examining the explanations of higher education institutions regarding changes in indicators, SKVC may submit a proposal to the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports regarding the initiation of an extraordinary external assessment of the field of study and postgraduate studies of that higher education institution. Information about studies in the field is analysed in the context of all indicators of the annual monitoring of study fields, therefore both negative and positive changes that exceed the 30 per cent threshold are analysed.
To sum up, after analysing the annual monitoring indicators for 2021–2023 and the explanations provided by higher education institutions regarding deviations, SKVC did not find that the identified significant changes in the monitoring indicators may have a decisive negative impact on the quality of the studies being conducted and justifies the proposal to initiate an extraordinary external expert evaluation of the study field and the study cycle.
The report on the monitoring indicators of study fields can be found here (in Lithuanian).
Last updated: 24-07-2025
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