University of Zadar, Croatia. University of Zadar The University of Zadar is the youngest Croatian...

University of Zadar, CroatiaUniversity of Zadar, Croatia

University of ZadarUniversity of Zadar

The University of Zadar is the youngest The University of Zadar is the youngest Croatian university in organisational sense Croatian university in organisational sense (it was established in 2003) but it has a (it was established in 2003) but it has a long university tradition (the first long university tradition (the first University of Zadar was founded in 1396).University of Zadar was founded in 1396).

Like other Croatian universities, it is a Like other Croatian universities, it is a state-funded university under the direct state-funded university under the direct authority of the Ministry of authority of the Ministry of SSciencecience,, EEducation and ducation and SSports. ports.


It is the smallest university in Croatia It is the smallest university in Croatia and it is and it is a a departmentally organised departmentally organised institution. institution. ThereforeTherefore, in contrast to , in contrast to the complex organisational the complex organisational structurestructuress of the universities of of the universities of Zagreb and Rijeka which are Zagreb and Rijeka which are associationassociationss of strong faculties, this of strong faculties, this type of organisation should enable type of organisation should enable better integration of its functions and better integration of its functions and organisational units. organisational units.


The UThe University of Zadar consistniversity of Zadar consistss of of 16 16 departments departments which offer which offer prograprogrammmmees s oriented toward social sciences and oriented toward social sciences and humanities. humanities.

The total number of students at the The total number of students at the University of Zadar in the academic year University of Zadar in the academic year 2003/2004 was almost 2003/2004 was almost 60006000 (graduate (graduate and postgraduate students). and postgraduate students).

The University employs The University employs approximately approximately 204204 full-time teachers and full-time teachers and 8181 technical technical and administrativeand administrative staff. staff.


The University authorities consist of the The University authorities consist of the University Senate and the Rector. University Senate and the Rector. Assisting the Rector are the Vice-Rectors Assisting the Rector are the Vice-Rectors for research and finances, for teaching and for research and finances, for teaching and students’ affairs and for international co-students’ affairs and for international co-operation.operation.

The General Management Board headed The General Management Board headed by the Rector supervises the University’s by the Rector supervises the University’s technical and administrative services. technical and administrative services.


Since it Since it was was established, University of established, University of Zadar has joined the process towards the Zadar has joined the process towards the harmonisation of the European Higher harmonisation of the European Higher Education Area. Education Area.

It is It is a a member of several international member of several international associations (European University associations (European University Association, Danube Rectors' Conference, Association, Danube Rectors' Conference, UniAdrion Network, Alps-Adria Rectors' UniAdrion Network, Alps-Adria Rectors' Conference). Conference).

The University of Zadar signed the The University of Zadar signed the declaration declaration Magna Charta UniversitatumMagna Charta Universitatum in Bologna, Italy on September 18, 2004.in Bologna, Italy on September 18, 2004.


As a consequence of the Bologna DeclarationAs a consequence of the Bologna Declaration and and the law reforming the Croatian University system, the law reforming the Croatian University system, the University of Zadar is in the process of the University of Zadar is in the process of a a huge huge reform reform which which includincludeses the following activities: the following activities: - - adoption of the education system adoption of the education system based on based on twotwo main cycles (undergraduate and main cycles (undergraduate and

postgraduate studies),postgraduate studies), - - new curriculum development,new curriculum development, - - implementation of the ECTS credit system implementation of the ECTS credit system

andand of the Diploma Supplement, of the Diploma Supplement, - - internal quality assessment and internal quality assessment and - - development of transparent quality development of transparent quality

assurance system. assurance system.


IIn accordance with this, The International n accordance with this, The International Relations Office and The Quality Assurance Office Relations Office and The Quality Assurance Office were establishedwere established at the University of Zadar in at the University of Zadar in 2004. 2004. The International Relations Office coordinates The International Relations Office coordinates international academic co-operation activities at international academic co-operation activities at the University. As a result of such activities the the University. As a result of such activities the University of Zadar has signed bilateral University of Zadar has signed bilateral agreements with the following foreign agreements with the following foreign universities:universities:

University of Teramo (Italy)University of Teramo (Italy)University of Pécs (Hungary)University of Pécs (Hungary)University of Punta Arenas (Chile)University of Punta Arenas (Chile)University of Florida (USA)University of Florida (USA)University of Udine (Italy)University of Udine (Italy)University of Rzeszów (Poland).University of Rzeszów (Poland).

University of ZadarUniversity of ZadarIn additionIn addition, , tthe University of Zadar participathe University of Zadar participateses in in international projects in the framework of the TEMPUS IIIinternational projects in the framework of the TEMPUS III..

I. JOINT EUROPEAN PROJECTS:I. JOINT EUROPEAN PROJECTS:1. 1. European Studies: Languages and Cultures in European Studies: Languages and Cultures in Contact Contact 2. 2. Grundstudium für Űbersetzen/Dolmetschen in Grundstudium für Űbersetzen/Dolmetschen in Kroatien Kroatien 3. 3. Champion of Entrepreneurship Champion of Entrepreneurship 4. 4. Moving Ahead With the Bologna Process in CroatiaMoving Ahead With the Bologna Process in Croatia

II. STRUCTURAL AND COMPLEMENTARY MEASURES:II. STRUCTURAL AND COMPLEMENTARY MEASURES:1. 1. Virtual Academic Information Service: Virtual Academic Information Service: Scholarships. Info Scholarships. Info 2. 2. Strategic Management of Staff Development at Strategic Management of Staff Development at

University University


The main purpose of the quality assurance The main purpose of the quality assurance office is to ensure that university provides office is to ensure that university provides higher education, awards and higher education, awards and qualifications of both an acceptable quality qualifications of both an acceptable quality and appropriate academic standard. and appropriate academic standard.

Unfortunately, this new office at the Unfortunately, this new office at the university of Zadar does not have any university of Zadar does not have any strategic programme of how to ensure strategic programme of how to ensure this. Attempts to create an internal system this. Attempts to create an internal system of quality assesment are individual and of quality assesment are individual and sporadic rather than general and sporadic rather than general and systematic.systematic.


In this way, each department is In this way, each department is responsible for ensuring that appropriate responsible for ensuring that appropriate standards are achieved and good quality standards are achieved and good quality education is offered. However, there has education is offered. However, there has been no formal request for internal or been no formal request for internal or external assessment of this quality yet. external assessment of this quality yet.

TThe building of university quality culture he building of university quality culture across all its levels becomeacross all its levels becomess impossible impossible without a good staff development without a good staff development strategy.strategy.


For this reason, in order to fuFor this reason, in order to furtrther her extent the process of extent the process of the the reform, reform, University of Zadar has to focus its University of Zadar has to focus its efforts on the development of the efforts on the development of the coherent quality assurance system.coherent quality assurance system.

It seems that the conceptualisation It seems that the conceptualisation of staff development strategy is the of staff development strategy is the main prerequisite for these efforts.main prerequisite for these efforts.


What have we done What have we done about about the the reform so far?reform so far?

- we intensely work on the development of a we intensely work on the development of a new curriculumnew curriculum

- the system of ECTS credits should be the system of ECTS credits should be introduced by the end of 2004. introduced by the end of 2004.

- we try to provide technical support for a new we try to provide technical support for a new educational system educational system

- ssome attempts towards the modernisation of ome attempts towards the modernisation of The University Library have been doneThe University Library have been done

- wwe try to find a financial support for the e try to find a financial support for the employment of new academic and employment of new academic and administrative staffadministrative staff

- wwe try to improve students’ services e try to improve students’ services


Since a S.W.O.T. analysis is a simple Since a S.W.O.T. analysis is a simple tool for understanding our current tool for understanding our current position and making the best use of position and making the best use of the opportunities, we have made the opportunities, we have made attempt to do some kind of this attempt to do some kind of this analysis (only scanning of strenghts analysis (only scanning of strenghts and weaknesses as well as and weaknesses as well as opportunities and threats).opportunities and threats).


STRENGHTSSTRENGHTS The The University of Zadar is not organised as a University of Zadar is not organised as a

loose association of strong constituents like other loose association of strong constituents like other Croatian universities, and consequently it should Croatian universities, and consequently it should be easier to organise and ensure continuous be easier to organise and ensure continuous development of its staff.development of its staff.

It is a new university and it has more opportunity It is a new university and it has more opportunity to develop its own specific strategy of to develop its own specific strategy of development than the older universities which development than the older universities which are constrained by the traditional view on this are constrained by the traditional view on this developmentdevelopment..

The current problem of lack of academic and The current problem of lack of academic and administrative staff could be in some way an administrative staff could be in some way an advantage because in the process of selectiadvantage because in the process of selection of on of staff at all levelsstaff at all levels we can set higher standards. we can set higher standards.

University of ZadarUniversity of ZadarWEAKNESSESWEAKNESSES ttooo o global strategy of development (without global strategy of development (without

setting specific goals and priorities)setting specific goals and priorities) the management of University is primarthe management of University is primarilyily

directed towards the organisational and financial directed towards the organisational and financial problems – it seems that they are not fully aware problems – it seems that they are not fully aware of the necessity of staff development strategy as of the necessity of staff development strategy as part of a quality assurance systempart of a quality assurance system

traditional structure of administrative sectortraditional structure of administrative sector traditional view on teaching (there is no traditional view on teaching (there is no

obligation for the obligation for the academic academic staff to improve their staff to improve their teaching skills and methods) teaching skills and methods)

inappropriate infrastructure inappropriate infrastructure inappropriate employment politicsinappropriate employment politics


OOPPORTUNITIESPPORTUNITIES cooperation with other Croatian cooperation with other Croatian

universitiesuniversities learning from good practice learning from good practice facilitating studentfacilitating students’s’ and academic and academic

staff mobilitystaff mobility cooperation with labour marketcooperation with labour market (to (to

promote the employability)promote the employability)

University of ZadarUniversity of ZadarTHREATSTHREATS

no supportive regulatory frameworks (e.g. no supportive regulatory frameworks (e.g. quality is not obligatory in any way)quality is not obligatory in any way)

insufficient financial support for the insufficient financial support for the modernisation efforts of modernisation efforts of the the universityuniversity

weak availability of funding for staff and weak availability of funding for staff and student mobilitystudent mobility

too many new too many new study study prograprogrammmmes es – the – the accent is on accent is on the the quantityquantity not not qualityquality

too too short periods forshort periods for the the preparation and preparation and realization of a new higher education realization of a new higher education system in Croatia (educational reform system in Croatia (educational reform should start in theshould start in the academic yearacademic year 2005/2006)2005/2006)

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