News

Projects

Research

Conferences

Publications

Lifelong Learning

Info for Students

Spiritual Life

Enrollment

Contacts

About LChrA

ABOUT LChrA

VALUES AND FEATURES

LChrA administration will:

·  Training students for positions of responsibility in society,

·  Set Christian faith, quality research and educational goals,

·  Maintain high level of responsibility and professionalism, competence and accountability,

·  Student – centered approach in teaching,

·  Facilitate open policy, innovation and creativity,

·  Adhere to academic dignity and honesty,

·  Follow traditional Orthodoxy and the best international practice.

EDUCATION ORIENTED ON STUDENTS

EXCELLENCE AND COMPETITIVENESS IN EDUCATION

Foster LChrA competitiveness by offering interdisciplinary hands-on innovative higher education thus providing job market with competent certain value goal-oriented human resources.

LIFE-LONG LEARNING – FACILITATING PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL GROWTH

Facilitate and individual’s personal and professional growth by incorporating  high quality LLL available for all, thus contributing to continuity of education and development of human resources which ensure the recognition of LChrA.

EXCELLENCE AND COMPETITIVENESS IN SCIENCE AND RESEARCH

Enhance LChrA capacity of innovation, interdisciplinary and applicable research in correspondence with the priority areas of national and regional development.

REPUTATION AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Enhance LChrA reputation as an internationally recognizable Orthodox Church theology and anthropology based research and competence centre.

OUR STRATEGIC GOALS:

·        To offer quality study programmes,

·        To teach integration of Christianity in various professional applications,

·        To respect basic precondition of success: ORA ET LABORA (PRAY AND WORK),

·        To promote dialogue between Church and society,

·        To ensure that studies at the Academy go smooth and natural.

OUR STRENGTHS:

1. Investment in excellence,

2. Internationalization of the study process,

3. Employment of graduates,

4. Conservative approach to progress: "I will not hurry since I am already ahead",

5. Working out criteria for dialogue between theology and society, people, culture,

6. Interdisciplinary research,

7. Orientation to life long learning.

STRATEGIC PROGRAMMES:

1.    Higher education programmes and students,

2.    Science and research,

3.  Quality assurance,

3.    Life-long learning,

4.    International cooperation,

5.    Knowledge transfer and regional development,

6.    Financial sustainability and balanced budget,

7.    Efficient Academy management,

8.    Growth of human resources,

9.    Development of infrastructure and technologies.

Higher education and students

Goal: Provide existing and work out new innovative interdisciplinary (theology, humanities and social political sciences and economy), and professionally oriented programmes in accordance with European development trends in society, science and technology; tailor programmes to the needs of the Latvian social dialogue  and national economy.

Life-long Learning

Goal: Foster development of Life-long Learning Centre growing into modern, internationally recognizable centre thus contributing to the development of the society and the individual life-long learning process.

Quality assurance

Goal: To turn complexity into simplicity – clean, wise, intuitive; to follow European standard guidelines.

Science and research

Goals: Foster LChrA research capacity and facilitate research work into European Social Agenda and environmental priority, Church art theory and history areas using integrative methodology of integrative theology; to develop inter-culture dialogue based on sacred values of the Church.

International cooperation

Goal: Strengthen LChrA position as an international and open-for-cooperation institution.

Knowledge Transfer and Regional Development

Goal: Facilitate knowledge and technology transfer as well as implementation of innovation is social issues by Church Fathers’ developed anthropology and

theology methodology impact to positive solutions during crisis and establishment of social entrepreneurship.

Financial Sustainability and Balanced Budget

Goal: Secure stable, predictable and balanced flow of income and expenditure varying LChrA revenue sources.

Efficient University Management

Goal: Achieve high quality is study and research work management and optimal finance and human resource distribution.

Human Resources

Goal: Support high quality motivated and professional faculty, research and administration staff for LChrA development.

Infrastructure and Technology

Goal: Achieve highly modernized study and research environment by following changes in the development of infrastructure and technologies.

 Quality system at the Academy in progress:

We will do that - and may God help us!

BOLOGNA PROCESS AT LChrA

EDUCATION, REASEARCHA AND INNOVATIONS are key elements also for higher Christian education.

We invest in triangle: "Education - Research - Innovations" and we are sure that higher education based on Church Fathers’ foundation is capable to promote both spiritual and social development in knowledge-oriented society.  

Inter- and transdisciplinary skills development for students.

Orientation to quality learning outcomes.

OUR INTERNATIONAL OPENNESS

·        All study programmes offer students at least one semester abroad,

·        We accept students immigrants.

Mobility of both students and teachers as a goal of the Bologna Process is ensured by:

·        Dissemination of knowledge,

·        Exchange of students and professionals,

·        Implementation of international experience in work with every single student.

Tools for multi-dimensional transparence:

·        Research and innovations,

·        Learning and results of learning,

·        Services for society,

·        Mobility,

·        Involvement of both students and concerned side,

·        Effective system of quality evaluation.

History of Latvian Christian academy in brief

·        1993.05.13. – License issued bay the Ministry of Education and Science, Latvia.

·        In 1994 – 2006: a long-term participation in archaeological research Project „Emmaus” started in cooperation with specialists from Finnish Theological institute and Germany under supervision of Israel Antiquities Authority. Teachers and students from LChrA worked in archaeological digs in the Holy Land.

·        1997 – the first State and International accreditation.

·        Several visits to the Monastery of Saint Catherine, Sinai, introduced the theological heritage of Church Fathers to the Academy.

·        Latvian Christian Academy supports educational quality synthesis with value orientation. Teachers of the Academy base their intellectual work in the Church tradition at the same time involve themselves in active dialogue with social sciences and humanities, take part in social dialogue.

·        In cooperation with Icon painters from Latvia, Russia, Sinai and Israel the Bible art faculty has been established. Icon painting is taught according to the Church canon. This study programme is meant mainly for Orthodox believing students.

·        The first graduation ceremony at the Academy was held in 1998. The atmosphere of those days is well reflected in words written in the Letter of Appreciation of the State President Mr. Guntis Ulmanis to the Rector of LChrA: „Ministry of your University clearly testifies to successful synthesis of education and Christian faith in our time when we all take part in the rebuilding of our new State.”

·        In 2003 LChrA became a member of the ERASMUS European Universities Charter permitting wide spread mobility with universities from other countries. LChrA cooperates with universities and research centers in Finland, Germany, USA, Romania, Hungary, Greece and Israel, as well as with research and networking institutions of EC (EZA, EUROCS, CAC etc.).

·        In 2003 an International Board of Advisors was established.

·        The regular re-accreditation of all study programmes at LChrA was carried out in 2004 on duration 6 years.

·        In September 2006 the Academy renewed its work in just renovated building by the Riga bay in Bulduri. Spacious and comfortable facilities, artist’s studios, library, cafe are open for students. The Academy is located in the midst of beautiful nature – just a dozen meters from the Baltic Sea shore!

·       The Academy develops its own academic and pedagogical traditions. In May 2002 the first degree Doctor Honoris Causa was awarded to Dr William Bell from the SHUV Research institute (Seattle, WA). In 2007 the DrHC was awarded to Metropolitan of Riga and Latvia Alexander (Latvian Orthodox Church) – the first time ever in Latvian history when the degree from the University is awarded to a clergy of such high status. In 2008 the DrHC was awarded to the parliamentarian of Latvian Parliament Mrs. Aija Barča and to the parliamentarian of Latvian Parliament Mrs. Baiba Rivža.  In 2010 the DrHC were awarded Principal of Evangelical Lutheran College, Norway, and former President of the Swedish Alliance Mission Eskil Albertsson, Sweden. In 2011 the DrHC was conferred to senior pastor of the Penasquitos Lutheran Church Jerald Borgie (California, USA).

Official stand of LChrA in matters of Christian responsibility of students and teachers

Latvian Christian Academy is a community for Christian education.

Both students and teachers at the Academy take care for decisive rules of responsibility since knowledge for meaningful work and life is provided here. Good education is not only academic, it is value-oriented.

Goals of position

The atmosphere at the LChrA promotes spiritual and moral growth in order to express the dialogical witness and the liturgical ministry of Orthodoxy to the modern world. It is devoted to the cultivation of the spirit of dialogue between Orthodoxy and other Christian traditional denominations, and also between faith, science and culture. It is a place of dialogue and spiritual growth in service of God and the human person.

Latvian Christian academy offers following accredited Study programmes:

Academic Bachelor study programme „Biblical Art” (see Accreditation paper),

Academic Bachelor study programme „Theology” (see Accreditation paper),

Academic Master study programme „Theology” (see Accreditation paper),

Professional Bachelor study programme „Caritative social work” (see Accreditation paper),

Professional Bachelor study programme "Public relations" (see Accreditation paper).

The following study programmes are prepared for licensing:

·         Academic Master study programme „Bible Art”,

·         Professional Master study programme „Caritative social work”,

·         Professional Bachelor study programme „Social Entrepreneurship”,

·         Professional Master study programme „Social Entrepreneurship”.

To Top of Page

©1993-2011 Latvian Christian academy  Web master