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Croatian Case: In the midst of reform,

seven years after the beginning

Aleksa Bjeliš, rector

University of Zagreb,

Croatia

Tempus Training Seminar “Promoting European Higher Education Reform: Contributions of the Bologna Process: Principles and Instruments“,

Brussels, 14 April 2008

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Reform of Croatian higher education system; main stages

- gradual introduction of ECTS; from 1997 on - introduction of binary system; 1997 - joining Bologna Declaration: 2001 - new legislation: 2003 – 2004 - implementation of Bologna study scheme: 2005 - development of corresponding national quality assurance

system: from 2005 on - development of national qualification framework: from 2007 on - entering into the European mobility network: 2008 (expected)

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Motivations for Bologna Process

Entering into EHEA Leaving the war and postwar period (hibernation

and stagnation) Confonting with worrying indicators:

- massification of HE

- large drop-out (~ 2/3)

- large ratios between the average real and nominal duration of studies (≥ 3/2)

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Facts

Pre-Bologna HE system Bologna HE system

Undergraduate 4 (or 5 years) Bachelor 3 (or 4)

Graduate – Master 2 years Master 2 (or 1)

Doctoral 4 and more Doctoral 3 to 4

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Pre-Bologna Bologna (expectations)

Undergradute Bachelor Master Doctoral

Average study time: 6 - 8 years 1 1/2 1/20

Completition of the

study: < 40 % 90% 90% 90%

Master (and doctoral)

- no statistics

- poor completition (< 30 %)

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BP should facilitate

better employability “convertability” within European HE Area (and

ERA) increase of number of individuals holding

university degree improvement of quality of education

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Changes in the national legislations (2003 – 2004)

Unity of research and higher education (particularly at universities)

University autonomy, integration within universities Bologna study scheme Binary HE system National QA system Lump sum funding of univerities

Still unresolved issues

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- functional integration – still fragmentation to units (32 faculties and art academies)

- ECTS full implementation - still not based on actual working load

- new study system (2005) - parallelisms, no-intra university mobility

- legal integration - stagnation

Integration of the University

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General obstacles

• Equipment, space • Teaching staff (unequal distribution at the

university level)• Funding

But also• Readiness for change• Recognition of degree/competencies changes

outside academia

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Inclusion of Croatian institutions into

European Higher Education Area

- Diversification within the national HE system

- Research vs teaching universities - Doctoral studies, link to research and

innovations- Regional role

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Development of the Quality Assurance system

Introducing of objective evaluation procedures before accreditation decisions

Introducing of institution evaluations Link with public and business sector Introducing of quality culture Bodies: strategic vs professional QA

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Mobility of students and lecturers

Internationalization of the University Reorganization of curricula Programmes in foreign languages Further development of ECTS

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Reform of postgraduate studies

- Doctoral studies – part of the research framework (permanent work in research and final stage of HE)

- Specialist studies – postgraduate or life long learning- Joint study programmes (national and international)

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HE as public good

- Students’ participation in study costs

- Efficiency of study process

- Social and economic aspects of studies

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Thank you!

Web site (together withTempus projects, strategic documents, etc)

http://www.unizg.hr/