In 1950, Riga Medical Institute was established on the basis of the Faculty of Medicine of the State University of Latvia. The initiators were professors Pauls Stradiòð (1896–1958) and Ernests Burtnieks (1950–1958) – the first Director of Riga Medical Institute, and Healthcare Minister of the Republic of Latvia Âdolfs Krauss. Initially the institute included the faculties of medicine, dentistry and pharmacy, as well as 45 departments. Rîga Stradiòð University is a state-funded university which offers various study programmes and ensures the realisation of scientific projects, providing training of experts in health care and social sciences who work in Latvia and across the world. Rîga Stradiòð University is the only university in Latvia which has traditionally been integrated into the healthcare system of the country, and therefore ensures a successful run of the university, which is a precondition for an effective existence of the health care system in Latvia.