The Baltic International Academy (up to 2006 it was called Baltic Russian Institute) is the largest non-government higher education establishment in the Baltic States and Eastern European countries (it was established in 1992) amounting 4,500 students, including 450 international students from 22 countries worldwide, that makes a multicultural environment in Academy, where teach 200 lecturers, of which 100 are doctors of Science and professors.
Reorganization occurs during the process of education in Baltic International Academy, which provides academic and professional higher education following the European Union requirements in Latvian economy fields. BIA acquired international expert evaluation and gained no-term accreditation.
Baltic International Academy has a filial branch in Riga and other Latvian areas (Daugavpils, Liepaja, Rezekne, Jekabpils, Ventspils, Smiltene, Jelgava). During the education process and conferences and seminars, the Academy uses a video bridge conference, which connects BIA in Riga with its regional filial branches. The Academy regularly organizes international student summer schools, art exhibitions, scientific seminars, conferences, round table discussions, where actively interact students from the Academy and other institutions of higher education, lecturers and foreign lecturers, employers, and experts.
The BIA participates in European programs and projects:
- Exchange students` program "ERASMUS," allowing the students to participate in the exchange programs with European partner universities starting from the 2nd study year.
- The program «TEMPUS» allows participating in different European projects jointly with higher educational establishments of the EU's non-members.
- European Training Foundation, ETF – the students are enabled to do an internship within the grants.
- Within the European Social Fund, the students do an internship in Latvian companies and organizations.
The BIA is a member of the organizations as follows:
- EAIE – European Association for International Education
- International Higher Education Academy of Sciences
- Employers' Confederation of Latvia
- Latvian Designers' Society
- LCCI - Latvian Chamber of Commerce
- IAU- International Association of Universities.
The Baltic International Academy takes part in the project Scholarships for International Students and Researchers of "Valsts izglītības attīstības aģentūra" (The State Education Development Agency) within three directions:
- Scholarships for studies in Latvia
- Fellowships for research work in Latvia
- Scholarships for summer schools in Latvia
