Croatia: Marina Crncic Sokol, Section for Higher Education

PRACTICE-ORIENTED AND
THEORETICAL LEARNING IN
CROATIAN HIGHER EDUCATION
Marina Crnčić Sokol
Head of Section for Development of Higher Education
Ministry of Science, Education and Sports, Croatia
European expert workshop "Dual learning: Combining practice-orientated and theoretical learning in Higher Education",
Brussels, 20 April 2015
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HE IN CROATIA
• Binary system: academic and professional studies;
• 3 study cycles: undergraduate, graduate, postgraduate;
• Higher education institutions (public and private):
– Universities,
– Polytechnic,
– Colleges, schools of professional higher education;
• 50 higher education institutions: 10 universities and 40
polytechnics, colleges and schools of professional higher
education;
• 77,9 % students study at universities, 22,1% at
polytechnics, colleges and schools of professional higher
education.
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TYPE OF STUDIES
• Professional studies:
– Offer an adequate level of professional competences to qualify
for employment;
– Mainly delivered by polytechnic, colleges and schools of
professional higher education;
– Very rare at universities.
• Academic studies:
– Prepare for scientific work and develop competences for
implementation of scientific achievements;
– Exclusively offered by universities.
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PRACTICAL ELEMENTS IN STUDY
PROGRAMS
• More then 2/3 of study programs in Croatia include
practical elements such as:
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Work placements;
Fieldwork;
Practicum;
Laboratory exercises;
Projects;
Volunteering;
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PRACTICAL ELEMENTS IN STUDY
PROGRAMS
• By law, since 2003. higher education institutions in
Croatia autonomously determine entrance quotas and
develop study programs;
• Different approach to practical learning;
• Practical elements are more common in professional
study programs and at undergraduate level;
• In most cases practical learning is a separate course:
– 1 to 35 ECTS,
– mandatory for students;
• On average more then 200 hours of practical learning
within a study program.
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PRACTICAL ELEMENTS IN STUDY
PROGRAMS
• When organized as work placement:
– The employer nominates a mentor;
– HEI’s sign contracts with employers (but not in all cases);
– Competences are evaluated through learning diary, reports,
certificates from employer or exams;
– In most cases students status is not regulated;
– Students rarely receive financial compensation.
• When organized at higher institution:
– Course coordinator is mentoring the work;
– In most cases competences are evaluated through exams.
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NEED FOR FURTHER
DEVELPMENTS
• Practical learning incorporated in theoretical courses
should be improved and widened;
• Student in work placement should have clear status
within the working organisation;
• Learning outcomes in practical learning are not
always/sufficiently defined;
• Evaluation methods needed to be improved/developed;
• Cooperation with employers should be deepened.
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FUTURE ACTIVITES
• Mapping of practical elements in study programs (started
in March 2015):
• Graduate tracking project:
– Development of national graduate tracking system and
enhancement of professional study programs (binary system);
– Data collected from 39 polytechnics and schools of professional
higher education and for 23052 graduates;
– Partners: HEI’s, Ministry of Science, Education and sports,
Croatian Employment Service, Croatian Service for Pension
System.
• ESF funded projects:
– Starting from 2016 grants to HEI for improvement of work based
learning and increase of practical elements in study programs.
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http://www.mzos.hr
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phone:
+385 (1) 4569 043; 4594 444
fax:
+385 (1) 4594 301
Donje Svetice 38, 10000 Zagreb
Email: [email protected]
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