History

Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies is a higher education and science establishment of the Republic of Latvia, where scientific research as well as academic and professional study programmes are carried out.

The main goal of the University is to create intellectual potential for providing sustainable development of Latvia and its countryside in particular while becoming and up-to date, internationally recognized and prestigious university, which actively integrates into the united European space of higher education and science.

The history of the university dates back to 1863 when the Department of Agriculture was established in the Riga Polytechnicum.

In 1919 the University of Latvia opened the Department of Agriculture the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.

In 1936 the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Latvia decided to transfer the Agriculture Faculty of the University to Latvia to Jelgava, thus founding a new higher education establishment – the Jelgava Academy of Agriculture. On 23, 1938 Kārlis Ulmanis, the president and prime minister, proclaimed “The Constitution of the Jelgava Academy of Agriculture”.

On July 3, 1939, a new academic institution with two faculties: agriculture and forestry, was opened in Jelgava.

In July 1944, after the Jelgava Palace was burnt down, the Academy ceased to exist. It was renewed in Riga as the Latvia Academy of Agriculture.

On October 19, 1957 the Council of Ministers of the Latvian Soviet Socialistic Republic accepted a decision to transfer the Academy to Jelgava. Till 1964 all the faculties of the Academy were transferred to Jelgava.

In 1991 according to the decision of the Academy’s Council, the Latvia Academy of Agriculture was renamed as the Latvia University of Agriculture.

In 1994 the Senate of the Latvia University of Agriculture approved the symbols of the University: the flag, the emblem, the attire of the administration and academic staff.

In 2001 the higher educational establishment received the state accreditation as a University.

In 2005 the Award of the Year was initiated.

In 2007 the Lifelong Education Centre was established.

In 2010 the distance and e-learning form were introduced.

In 2012 the University approved the official hymn which had been composed in 1940 by Jēkabs Mediņš as a dedication to the Latvia Academy of Agriculture.

Since 2018 6th March LLU Senate approved university name in English "Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies".