Quality assurance in higher Quality assurance in higher education in Croatia – education in Croatia –

standards, procedures, resultsstandards, procedures, results

Đurđica Dragojević & Emita Blagdan Đurđica Dragojević & Emita Blagdan Agency for Science and Higher EducationAgency for Science and Higher Education

Networking visit of SEE QA experts to the ARACIS and the Bologna Secretariat

19 - 20 October 2011, Bucharest

Croatian HECroatian HE

• In the academic year 2005/06 3+2+3 system was introduced the 3-cycle system fully implemented in Croatia

• Binary system• Development of the CROQF and

referencing to EQF and EHEA• New external and internal QA

procedures in HE and science• All program components linked

with ECTS credits• Centralised system for

enrolment to HEIs

HE and scientific sector in CroatiaHE and scientific sector in Croatia

Number of HEIs:• 122 (90 public / 32 private)• 10 universities (7 public / 3 private)• 13 polytechnics / 27 colleges • Number of students: 174 000• Number of scientific organizations: 103 + 46 other

legal persons registered in the Register of Scientific Organisations

Study Programme RegisterStudy Programme Register

• Cca 1250 study programmes• Undergraduate cca 450• Graduate cca 525• Postgraduate 275

Binary system• University cca 1068• Professional courses cca 215

University autonomy in CroatiaUniversity autonomy in Croatia

Since 2003 universities in Croatia have autonomously determined:

– Enrolment quotas and admission conditions and procedures

– Tuition fees and tuition fee remissions

– All lump-sum related decisions within budgetary limits

– Strategies and development priorities

– All questions related to teaching and studies (including the

implementation of Bologna reforms)

– Establishment of administrative support (additional staff positions

were provided for this)

– Internal distribution of new staff positions (but not salaries)

National governance bodies National governance bodies

• Ministry of Science, Education and Sports• Agency for Science and Higher Education• Agency for Mobility and EU Programmes• Agency for Vocational Education and Training and Adult

Education• National Councils for Science and Higher Education• National Foundation for Science• Rectors’ Conference and the Council of Polytechnics and Colleges• National Council for the Funding of Research and Higher

Education, National Ethics Council• National Centre for the Evaluation of Education

Agency for Science and HE (ASHE)Agency for Science and HE (ASHE)• Independent public institution responsible for QA in HE and

science• Started with activities in 2005 • ASHE's mission is to protect the public interest with keeping the

standards of higher-education qualifications and working on the quality improvement in science and higher education

• Main activities: initial accreditation, re-accreditation, thematic evaluation, external audit of QA systems of HEIs, collecting and processing information on system of science and HE, professional recognition of foreign HE qualifications, providing information on conditions for enrolment into HE system and collecting information on fulfilment of conditions for enrolment into HEIs, supporting work of various national bodies, international cooperation.

Legal frameworkLegal framework

• Act on Scientific Activity and Higher Education (2003 with amendments in 2004 and 2007)

• Act on Recognition of Foreign Qualifications (2003 with amendments in 2004)

• Act on QA in Science and Higher Education (2009)

ASHE organizational structureASHE organizational structure

ASHE international contextASHE international context

• Since October 2011 full ENQA member • Since 2008 CEENQA member• Since 2008 member of OECD IMHE (Organization for

Economic Cooperation and Development – Programme for Institutional Management in Higher Education).

• Since 2006 member of INQAAHE• Since 2003 part of ENIC and NARIC network

ASHE QA role (1)ASHE QA role (1)

2005-2009ASHE NCS/NCHE

carries out QA activities

issues recommendation

Since 2009ASHE AC NCS/NCHE

carries out QA activities/issues recommendation

gives its opinion strategic body in decision making

ASHE QA role (2)ASHE QA role (2)

2005 – 20092005 – 2009

Accreditation of new study programsAccreditation of new HEIs

Re-accreditation of existing scientific organizations

Accreditation of new scientific organizations

Re-accreditation of existing HEIs

ASHE QA role (3)ASHE QA role (3)

2005 – 20092005 – 2009Accreditation of new study programmes:

• part of Bologna transition (4-year programmes 3+2 years + ECTS)

• in 2005 ~800 study programmes accredited (mostly Bacc./Master)

• between 2005 and 2009 ~ 400 study programmes accredited (mostly

postgraduate)

• outcome: YES/NO/CONDITIONAL (related to staff numbers only)

• paper based, peer review – 2 reviewers appointed, one usually outside

Croatia

• specialised software developed due to huge workload (MOZVAG)

ASHE QA role (4)ASHE QA role (4)

2005 – 20092005 – 2009

Accreditation of new HEIs:• 60 requests, half of those approved• outcome: YES/NO/CONDITIONAL (related to staff

numbers only)• site visits, mostly Croatian panels of experts, no students• reports were not public

ASHE QA role (5)ASHE QA role (5)

2005 – 20092005 – 2009

Accreditation of existing scientific organizations:• 24 scientific organizations• outcome: YES/NO/LETTER OF EXPECTATION +

recommendations for improvement (elements of institutional evaluation)

• self - evaluation, site visits, international experts

Accreditation of new scientific organizations:• 40 requests, 35 approved• outcome: YES/NO decision• paper, based, reports not public

ASHE QA role (6)ASHE QA role (6)

Since 2009Since 2009

ASHE activities Self -assessment

Peer review

Site visit

Publication of a report

Follow-up procedure

Reaccreditation + + + + +

Thematic evaluation

+ + Possible,not

compu-lsory

+ Not formally, but a negative

outcome is followed up by reaccreditation

Audit + + + + +

ASHE QA role (7)ASHE QA role (7)

Since 2009Since 2009Re-accreditation:• 5 – year cycles• All public and private HEIs + scientific organizations

established and/or financed by the state• Checking fulfilment of necessary conditions prescribed by

the Statute + quality assessment on the basis of established criteria

• Quality assessment affects the amount of financing from the state budget

• First round almost finished -17 HEIs went through the process so far, 32 planned for 2011/12

ASHE QA role (8)ASHE QA role (8)

Since 2009Since 2009

Thematic evaluation:• Focus on a single segment of activities of a HEI or a

scientific organization or the whole HE/science system• Outcome: a review report with an assessment; if the

assessment is negative, ASHE can launch a reaccreditation procedure

• Currently in procedure – thematic evaluation of public research institutes

ASHE QA role (9)ASHE QA role (9)

Since 2009Since 2009Audit of QA systems of HEIs: CARDS 2003 project in 2006 Seminars for HEIs, Audit manual, education for ASHE staff Develop & promote quality culture ASHE established the audit model in line with good international practice and the ESG Audit serves to determine the degree of development and

effectiveness of a QA system of a HEI Audit outcomes are: final report with recommendations for

improvement and a certificate; re-audit within a period of no longer than 18 months or launching a re-accreditation of a HEI

ASHE QA role (10)ASHE QA role (10)

Since 2009Since 2009

Audit of QA systems of HEIs – Impact:• Enhancement of quality culture• 105 QA units at Uni/Faculties established• 42 QA units at polytechnics/ colleges established • Database of auditors

National Infromation System for Sience and HE (NISSHE):National Infromation System for Sience and HE (NISSHE):• To become a central database with all relevant and official

data and information on Croatian higher education and scientific research

• Should provide relevant information for national bodies in the context of accreditation, reaccreditation and licensing of study programmes and institutions

• Should provide Croatian higher education institutions and scientific organizations with relevant information for their own quality management

ASHE role in ASHE role in collecting and analysing data on the systems collecting and analysing data on the systems

of science and higher education (1)of science and higher education (1)

Directory of study programmes:Directory of study programmes:• The aim of the Directory is to provide information regarding

accredited study programmes and Croatian HEIs• Database enables searches according to various criteria:

1. type of study programme

2. institution providing the programme

3. name of study programme

4. study field

5. location of the institution etc.

ASHE role in ASHE role in collecting and analysing data on the systems collecting and analysing data on the systems

of science and higher education (2)of science and higher education (2)

Thank you for your attention!Thank you for your attention!

www.azvo.hrwww.azvo.hr