History

Short History of the University of Latvia, the Faculty of Law and Journal

On 18 November 1918, the Republic of Latvia was proclaimed. On 15 July 1919, the People’s Council of the Republic of Latvia decided to entrust the Provisional Government with establishing the institution of higher education/ university of Latvia.

On 28 September 1919, the ceremonial opening of the Latvian Higher Education Institution was held in the building of former Riga Polytechnical Institute at 19 Raiņa Boulevard in Riga. After its Constitution was drafted and adopted, it was named the University of Latvia (UL). The new higher education institution became one of the most important manifestos of the freedom and independence of the Latvian people. It provided the only opportunity in the world to acquire higher education with Latvian as the language of instruction. The University was born and evolved together with the State of Latvia but later it also improved Latvia.

On 29 September 1919, 2000 students embarked on their studies. The Faculty of Law and Economics, consisting of the Department of Law and the Department of Economics, was among the first 9 Faculties that commenced their work. After the Constitution of the University of Latvia entered into force in 1922, it was named the Faculty of Economics and Legal Science. The Faculty had two departments – the Department of Economics and the Department of Legal Science.

In June 1940, Latvia was occupied by the U.S.S.R. During the Soviet period, the Faculty of Law was reorganised several times, both by being joined to the Faculty of Economics, being separate Faculty of Law, as well as being separated from the Faculty of Economics but joined to the Faculty of Philosophy. Since 1970, the Faculty of Law is independent and has not been joined with any other Faculty.

Following de facto restoration of the independent statehood of Latvia (1990–1991), the possibilities of obtaining academic education underwent radical changes. UL, as an academic institution, continued combining in its activities both scientific research and study work. Its main mission was and remains developing and transferring the supreme spiritual values of humanity, taking into considerations the national language, culture and the particularities and needs of the national development.

Until 2010, the journal Juridiskā zinātne / Law was published as part of the united series of Latvijas Universitātes Raksti / Acta Universitatis Latviensis. In 2010, the independent journal of the Faculty of Law of the University of Latvia was established – Latvijas Universitātes Žurnāls. Juridiskā zinātne / Journal of the University of Latvia. Law.

To ensure scholarly quality, all the papers, published in its volumes, have been subject to blind peer review. International scientific editorial board is engaged in reviewing papers. Two reviewers are appointed for each paper. Since 2017, with the aim of increasing the journal’s recognisability and ensuring access to the papers, published in the journal, to the broadest circle of readers, the papers are published in English. The journal is indexed in such databases as EBSCO Publishing and ERIH PLUS.