Implementing Bologna Process in Croatia – the Role of Agency for Science and Higher Education

Moscow, 11 November 2011

Overview

• The context of Higher Education in Croatia• ASHE- role and activities• Experts

The context of Higher Education in Croatia

• The main stakeholders:MSES - Ministry of Science, Education and Sports ASHE - Agency for Science and Higher Education NCHE - National Council for Higher Education NCS - National Council for Science SU - Students’ Union Rectors’ conference HEIs

• 2001 - Croatia signed Bologna declaration• 2003 - Act on the Scientific Activity and

Higher Education• 2005 - Accreditation of Study Programmes

according to Bologna process• MSES - Education Sector Development Plan

2005-2010 • 2006 - ESG were adopted in Croatia• 2006 - Establishment of QA Units at HEIs• 2009 - Quality Assurance Act• 2011 - 3 new Acts on HE and science ( in procedure)

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Croatian HE before 2004Problems – within the HE system

• Very long time required to graduate – the average of 7.5 years for pre-Bologna graduates (2005-2010 Development Plan)

• Very high drop-out rate (only 33% of enrolled students graduate)• Limited mobility• Practically no clearly defined outcomes nor programme objectives

Problems – caused by the issues within the system as well as the higher education policies

• Employers not satisfied with students’ competences (Further Bologna, 2006)

• Weak competitiveness at the European level• Weak educational structure of the population

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Education System Development Plan 2005 -2010

• Priorities in higher education:– Improve quality and efficiency of education.

• Objectives: • Establish a quality assurance system for higher education in

the Republic of Croatia by 2006

• By 2010, decrease the drop-out rate to 50% and decrease the graduation time to 6,5 years (at universities)

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Scheme of studies in Croatia

Undergraduate(univ.bacc), 3-4 years

180-240 ECTS

Graduate(mag./dr. profession, spec), 1-2 years

60-120 ECTS bodova

Postgraduate university

(dr.sc./dr.art)., 3 years

ECTS number regulated by university

Postgraduate professional

(spec), 1-2 years

Graduate professional(spec.profession), 1-2 years

60-120 ECTS

Undergraduate professional(baccalareus/baccalaurea)

3-4 years180-240 ECTS bodova

(pristup.profession)<3 god.

<180 ECTS

PROFESSIONAL STUDYUNIVERSITY STUDY YEAR

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Min

. 300

ECT

S

UNIVERSITIES UNIVERSITIES (OF APPLIED SCIENCE) & UNIVERSITY COLLEGES OF APPLIED

SCIENCES

INSTITUTION

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Croatian universities

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Croatian polytechnics

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Croatian colleges

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Bologna in numbers• 2005 - 3+2+3 – restructuring • 2005 - 828 programmes accredited –

undergraduate, graduate and professional – with the help of international reviewers and an IT system

• 2005 – first generation of Bologna students enrolled

• 2005-2009 - 102 doctoral and 175 postgraduate professional programmes accredited

• Until now – 1272 accredited Bologna study programmes

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• development of CQF• implementation of State Matura• establishment of new HEIs (around 30 new

HEIs, mostly private colleges and public polytechnics)

• development of QA system (institutional, national level)

Other achievements in the reform of HE system

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Resourcing of higher education

• Increase over 47% in HE state budget 2004-2008 (almost 12% annual increase)

• Additional €400 million secured in loans since 2004 for construction of new campuses in 6 cities (Zagreb, Rijeka, Split, Zadar, Osijek, Dubrovnik)

• Over 2566 (20%) new full-time equivalent positions opened 2004-2009

• Increased regional development of higher education system in cooperation with the Development and Employment Fund

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2009 Quality Assurance Act

• New and enhanced role of ASHE• Establishment of new higher education

institutions – completely changed – a system of “mentorship” introduced

• Quantitative accreditation criteria– Teacher/ student ratio– 1/30– Students/ space ratio – 1/1,26 m2

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Agency for Science and Higher Education

• Established in 2005 • 2009 – redefinition of its role (Quality

Assurance Act) and strengthening of its independence

• Unifies various activities related to the science and higher education system

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Organizational structure

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ASHE activities

1. QA Role2. Collecting and analysing data on the

system of science and HE3. National ENIC/NARIC Office4. Central Applications Office5. Support to work of various bodies6. International cooperation

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QA Role (2009…)

ASHE QA activities

Initial accreditation

Re-accreditation

Thematic evaluation

Audit

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ASHE QA activities

ASHE activities

Self -assessment

Peer review

Site visit

Publication of a report

Follow-up procedure

Re-accreditation

+ + + + +

Thematic evaluation

+ + Possible,not

compulsory

+ Not formaly, but a negative

outcome is followed up by re-accreditation

Audit + + + + +

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ASHE QA activities

5-year cycles All public and private HEIs + scientific organisations

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

by the Ordinance + quality assessment on the basis of established criteria

Quality assessment affects the amount of financing from the state budget

20 HEIs are currently being re-accredited

Re-accreditation

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ASHE QA activities

• Focus on a single segment of activities of a HEI or evaluation of activities of similar evaluation subjects

• Outcome: a review report with an assessment; if the assessment is negative, ASHE can launch a re-accreditation procedure

• Currently in procedure – thematic evaluation of public research institutes

Thematic evaluation

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ASHE QA activitiesAudit

• CARDS 2003 project in 2006/08 – audit pilot project• ASHE developed audit model • Seminars for HEIs• In-house seminars for ASHE staff• Develop & promote quality culture• Audit manual• Currently in procedure (from 2010) – audit of Croatian

HEIs

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Transparency tools• External quality assurance procedures in line

with the ESG, as well as European and international best practices

• Foreign reviewers in the review panels• Business representatives and students

included in the Management Board, Accreditation Council and review panels

• An NGO representative included as a member of the Accreditation Council

• Public reports

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Goals • Integration of the Croatian science and higher

education system with the European systems• Integration with the European Higher Education

Area• Improved mobility• Improved quality • Recognisability and credibility of Croatian higher

education qualifications• Access of persons with foreign higher education

qualifications to the Croatian labour market• Equitable access to higher education system

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Working with experts

• Test for credibility of QA procedures • Sharing of good practice• Leading improvements• Valuable experience in professional

development• Capacity building

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The audit team consists of:

2 representatives of HEIs (1 domestic, 1 foreign)

1 representative of a scientific institute or the business sector

1 student representative 1 representative of ASHE

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Criteria for experts selection (audit):

• good knowledge of higher education, science and quality assurance

• good knowledge of quality assurance systems• participation in seminars for audit experts organised by

ASHE (on-line seminars for foreign experts)• successful completion of seminar for audit

experts/certificate; database of audit experts• participation in additional trainings for audit experts• experience in audit

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Requirements for foreign experts – re-accreditation:

• Competences in the discipline• Good knowledge of English language• Good oral and written communication skills• Teamwork• Non-conflict of interest and confidentiality

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Education• Audit (procedure, standards, criteria, outcome)

– Basic training (Seminar+workshop→certificate →inclusion in database)

– Additional training– On-line seminars

• Re-accreditation – 1 day prior to site-visit

(procedure, standards, criteria, outcome, preparation for site-visit)

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Preparations for the site visitPanel• Reads the documents• Explores the web• Reflects on all issues• Shares initial impressions/findings (on the

meetings)• Asks for additional documents (evidences)• Puts a programme together (who to see, where to

go)• Plans for the interview sessions

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What happens during the site visit?

The review panel• Holds interviews • Checks documents• Collects evidence• Forms collective judgments • Makes QA recommendations• Holds an exit meeting/provides oral

feedback to the institution

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Expressing the conclusions• Avoid unjustified and overly prescriptive

statements• Consider the form and tone of the

conclusions• Identify both commendable practices and

areas for improvement• Provide firm evidence for conclusions• Avoid too diplomatic, indirect tone

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Exit Meeting• with the leaders of the institution• the final assessment is not delivered• brief oral report – general impressions• presented by the panel chair

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Report• within 1 month after the site-visit• written by the chair of the expert panel• all members should take notes during the

site-visit and cooperate in producing of the report

• Report style (public document)• Recommendation• Adoption of the report• Audit follow-up → Final report

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An institution’s expectations of the agency’s report

The report is• an external opinion• substantiated by

evidence• a set of recommendations• timely• well structured

The report is NOT

• just what the institution wrote• unsubstantiated

• prescriptive of the solutions• late• hard to follow

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Lessons learned

• Involvement of all stakeholders in implementing changes and carrying out activities

• Bring about changes– “bottom-up initiatives”• International good practice – but implemented in

the national context (“no recipe”)• Fair and equitable treatment of all stakeholders

(public, private, new or traditional higher education institutions)

• Continuing education of employees/stakeholders

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Thank you for your attention!

vdjurkov@azvo.hr