SchChat - School | Latvian Christian Academy

Descriptions

13.05.1993 – License of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Lithuania. At the end of 1997 – the first national and international accreditation. In 1994, a long-term participation in the archaeological research project "Emmaus-Latroun" in Israel began, where teachers and students of the Christian Academy, together with specialists from the Finnish Institute of Theology, the German and Israeli Antiquities Administration, worked in excavations in the Holy Land. Since 1995, long-term cooperation with the Israel Antiquities Authority and the Rockefeller Museum (Israel) - participation in international archaeological expeditions, research of ancient art and manuscripts in the context of the Bible and Judeo-Christian heritage. Several times visiting the Orthodox Church of St. Saint Catherine's Monastery in Sinai, LKrA began to turn to the heritage of the Church Fathers in theology. The Christian Academy supports the synthesis of quality higher education with a value orientation. The teaching staff of the Academy bases their intellectual work on the tradition of the Church, at the same time engaging in active dialogue with social and humanitarian sciences, as well as actively participating in social dialogue. The Department of Biblical Art and its academic study programs were created in cooperation with iconography specialists in Latvia, Sinai and Israel. Iconography is presented and developed in accordance with the canon of the Church. In 1998, the first graduation of Academy students took place. The mood of that time is reflected in the words of the State President, Guntas Ulmanis, written in the Letter of Appreciation to the Rector of the Academy: "The work of your university clearly demonstrates a successful synthesis of education with the Christian faith in our time, when we are all witnessing the creation of our new country". In 2003, an International Support Council was established for mutual cooperation and ensuring copyrights established in the Treaty (Israel, Sweden, Norway, USA, Germany and Belgium). In 2003, the Academy became a member of the European University Charter, which allows for extensive cooperative contacts with universities in other countries. Active participation in the ERASMUS programs of the Bologna process allows for extensive contract contacts with universities throughout Europe. LKrA cooperates with universities and research centers in Finland, Germany, USA, Romania, Hungary, Greece, Israel, Lithuania, Estonia, as well as with Catholic and Orthodox organizations and research centers of the European Commission (EC organizations EZA, EUROCS, EUROFEDOP, Semaines Sociales de France , IXE Group, IDC, CAC, etc.). In September 2006, the Academy resumed work in the completely reconstructed building in Bulduri, on the seashore. Students and teaching staff have bright, comfortable rooms and auditoriums, artists' workshops, a scientific library, and their own cafe. All this - in the middle of wonderful nature. Since 2006, the Latvian Christian Academy has been working with the blessing of Metropolitan Alexander of the Latvian Orthodox Church. Scientific and pedagogical traditions are developing in the Academy. In May 2002, the honorary doctorate of the Latvian Christian Academy was established ( Doctor Honoris Causa). It was received by: Dr. William Bell (2002, Seattle SHUV Research Institute, USA), Dr. Wolfgang Wagner (2003, Germany), LPB Metropolitan Aleksandrs (2007) – the first case in Latvia when the head of the Church is awarded the honorary title of a university, Saeima deputies Aija Barča and Baiba Rivža (2008), director of the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran College Jans Gosners and Swedish Alliance Missions ex. president Eskil Albertson (2010), pastor of Penaskitos Lutheran Church. Gerald Borghi (2011, California, USA), Dr.psych., Dr. theol., prof. Klaus Kiesling (2014, Germany), Rosvita Gottbehut (2016, EZA Secretary General, Germany), calligrapher and medieval manuscript researcher Georg van Durtanoski (2018, Germany, Macedonia), Klaipeda University Prof. Elvīra Aciene (2020). In 2012, European quality expertise was conducted at the Academy in terms of study, which ranked the university among the best in Latvia. In 2012, the rector, prof. Skaidrīte Gūtmane, prof. Jānis N. Vējš and doc. Dace Dolace received a letter of appreciation from the Ministry of Education and Culture for outstanding performance in higher education. In 2013, Latvian quality expertise was conducted in study areas and all study programs received accreditation for a maximum period of 6 years. According to experts' opinion, the study program at the university has "quality, sustainable study opportunities". Rhetor prof. Skaidrīte Gūtmane has been awarded the St. Order of Olga (2008) and with St. Order of John (Pommer) of Riga (2011). In 2014, the diploma of the Latvian Christian Academy was evaluated with the Diploma Supplement Quality Label of the European Commission's executive agency EACEA . The decision is based on the quality criteria defined by the document "ECTS DS Guidelines for Applicants". In the "Wings 2015" international project quality competition announced by VIAA in 2015, which determines the most successful and high-quality projects of the European Union Lifelong Learning Program Erasmus , Comenius , Leonardo da Vinci and Grundtvig , independent experts recognized the Christian Academy as the best in the nomination "Erasmus intensive programs". On June 4, 2016, the rector, prof. Skaidrīte Gūtmane met with Pope Francis of the Roman Catholic Church in his Apostolic Palace in the Vatican in a private audience to introduce the concept of charitable social work at the university. With 2016/17 academic year, the work of the Academy is carried out in compact, tastefully furnished premises in Bulduri, Vienības prospect 23. The new address has excellent logistics in the infrastructure of Jurmala. On March 26, 2017, LKrA was admitted to the European network organization European Christian Convention (France). Rectopre prof. Skaidrite Gutmane 2017/18 during the academic year, he led an international commission of experts evaluating the social work programs (SKVC) offered by Lithuanian universities and colleges. In response to the expansion of the university's work on an international scale, on May 20, 2022, the university changed its name to "EUROPEAN CHRISTIAN ACADEMY".