Lietuvos aukštojo mokslo finansavimo problemos ir jų sprendimo kryptys

Abstract

Western European countries and Lithuania are moving towards mass higher education system. The total number o f students i n higher education i nsti­tutions i ncrea­sed 1.5 times during 2001–2007. Nevertheless, funding of one student significantly dropped during the same period. The main source for funding the higher education in Lithuania remains the state, on the politics of which the financial situation o f the higher schools depends. Regardless o f the fact that through the budget redistribution Lithuania allocates to the higher education almost the same proportion of gross domestic product as the developed countries do, the amount that falls on one student of the higher school is considerably smaller than in other Middle and Central European as well as in OECD countries. From the years 2002 through 2004, a student pursuing high or higher education was allocated on average 34 per cent of part of gross domestic product allocated to one person. As the number of students i n Lithuania i ncreased, funding o f higher education from the budget in respect of the percentage of GDP diminished: from 1.1–1.2 per cent in 1997–1999, to 1.0–0.8 per cent in 2000–2007. The need of finance for studies, setting study price as well as distribution of finances for studies to establishments of science and studies is regulated by methodology for determining the need of funding from the state budget o f the Republic o f Lithuania and their distribution to science and studies establishments, as approved by the Decree No. 1272 of 11 October 2004 of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania. However, funding for the studies from the state budget do not cover the costs of studies that were calculated using methodology approved by the government. In 2005–2006, 50.3 and 47.6 per cent of the calculated need for funding of studies was granted respectively, therefore, quality of studies suffered. [...].