RIGA, March 9 (LETA) - Saeima and the Cabinet of Ministers are doing everything in their power to do away with the University of Liepaja and Daugavpils University by introducing the criteria of 4,000 students per university, which neither Liepaja University nor Daugavpils University can meet, the University of Liepaja Professor Pavels Jurs told LETA.

The ruling coalition's higher education reform has met little opposition, said Jurs. He agreed that the changes were necessary, but the question is what changes will be implemented, and how. According to the proposed reform, the University of Liepaja and Daugavpils University would be stripped of their university status as neither has 4,000 students.

"So if the University of Liepaja and Daugavpils University each have fewer than 4,000 students, they do not deserve to be called universities. What? Why? It is really perplexing why such a criterion was even suggested. Why not 3,000 or 5,000 students?" said Jurs, adding that, to him, the idea was absurd and unjustified.

Jurs thanked several Saeima members who "see and are aware of the gravity of the situation and openly oppose taking universities away from Liepaja and Daugavpils."

"Do we need changes in Latvia's higher education system? Of course, but changes do not mean slowing down or destruction," said Jurs, adding that young people in Kurzeme and Latgale should not be denied the opportunity to study at a university.

The amendments to the Law on Higher Education, approved by Saeima in the second reading, will come into force on July 1. In the meantime, a petition has been posted on Manabalss.lv platform, claiming that the new requirement that universities must have no less than 4,000 students be removed from the amendments.