The University of Daugavpils (Latvian: Daugavpils Universitāte, DU) is a public university in Daugavpils, Latvia, and the largest regional university in the country.
The university was founded in 1921 as a teachers’ college. Its director between 1923 and 1940 was Valērija Seile.
Chronology of nomenclature:
1921–1923 Daugavpils Teachers' Seminary (Daugavpils skolotāju seminārs)
1923–1952 Daugavpils State Teachers' Institute (Daugavpils Valsts skolotāju institūts)
1952–1993 Daugavpils Pedagogical Institute (Daugavpils Pedagoģiskais institūts)
1993–2001 Daugavpils Pedagogical University (Daugavpils Pedagoģiskā Universitāte)
DU received its present name on 13 October 2001. It has become the largest educational institution in Eastern Latvia and is a member of the European University Association and EU²S², the European Union association of universities of small member states. Since 2004 it has benefited from EU Structural Funds for campus expansion and renovation.
On 1 March 2018 the Daugavpils Medical College (lv) was integrated into the university as an autonomous institution. The college was established in 1945.
Faculty of Music and Art on Saules iela (Solar Street).
Faculty of Music and Arts
Department of Music
Faculty of Education and Management
Department of Pedagogy and Pedagogical Psychology
Department of Sport
Institutes and centres
Centre of Lithuanistics
Centre of Russian Language and Culture
Oral History Centre
Regional German Language and Country Studies Centre for Further Education
Guntis Liberts Innovative Microscopy Centre
Institute of Ecology
Institute of Systematic Biology
Institute of Art
Daugavpils Medical College
This agency of the university offers study programs in:
Nursing
Physician assistance
Social caregiving
Social rehabilitation
Nurse assistance
Therapeutic massage
Rectors
Bust of Rainis.
The following have served as university rectors/institute directors:
Jānis Jirgens (1921–1922)
Eižens Vietnieks (1922–1923)
Valērija Seile (1923–1940)
Closed 1940–1944
Leontijs Viškarevs (1944–1946)
Vitālijs Pautovs (1946–1952)
Ivans Petrovs (1952–1953)
Krišs Grašmanis (1953–1958)
Vitālijs Bauskis (1958–1962)
Anna Kalnbērziņa (1962–1971)
Gunārs Gulbis (1971–1977)
Oļegs Roždestvenskis (1977–1992)
Bruno Jansons (1992–1998)
Jānis Pokulis (1998–2002)
Zaiga Ikere (2002–2007)
Arvīds Barševskis (lv) (2007–2018)
Irēna Kokina (2018–2023)
Arvīds Barševskis (2023–present)
Enrollment
Building on Parādes iela erected in 1989, renovated in 2020.
In 2008 more than 4200 students were enrolled in study programs. A large Russian-speaking enrollment and faculty facilitates cooperation with universities outside of the European Union in the CIS.
Students can use Erasmus+ mobility options to study for one or two semesters at European partner universities. Students are able to receive funding from the Else Marie Tschermak Foundation in Denmark to study or conduct research abroad.
Student life is organised through the Students’ Council, the campus newspaper “Lai Top!” (Let it be!), the Latgale Students’ Centre, the Association of Young Scientists of Daugavpils University “DUJZA”, the Art Teacher's Union, the Health Care Centre and Natural Research and Environmental Education Centre. Students can also acquire a foreign language, take part in the students’ dance ensemble “Laima” and utilize a Sport Complex. Interested students have the opportunity to work in the research institutions and centres.