The Agency for Science and Higher Education published its Annual Report for 2015 and Plan of activities for 2016 in April 2016. It provides an outline of activities carried out during the past year as well as the plan of future activities.
The Annual Report is published in order to inform the public about ASHE activities and to present its future plans. It is sent to approximately 800 addressees in Croatia and abroad – the Government of the Republic of Croatia, the Croatian Parliament, all stakeholders in the system of science and higher education in Croatia, to all bodies in which ASHE is member, representatives of the media and many institutions abroad.
Overview of activities in 2015
- Re-accreditation of 40 higher education institutions was carried out;
- A total of 157 expert panel members participated in the re-accreditation of higher education institutions;
- 48 scientific organisations outside the system of higher education and public scientific institutes were re-accredited;
- 22 initial accreditations were carried out for the delivery of new study programmes; based on the carried out procedures, the Minister of Science, Education and Sports received a recommendation to issue licences for 14 study programmes, one recommendation to deny a licence for the delivery of a new study programme, while other requests are still being processed;
- An initial accreditation procedure was carried out for performing a higher education activity for one higher education institution which resulted in a positive recommendation;
- Four initial accreditation procedures for carrying out a scientific activity were carried out;
- 42 positive opinions were made on the justifiability of public funding;
- Evaluation of scientific quality was carried out for the purpose of establishing scientific centres of excellence and six new centres were established;
- Three ASHE certificates were awarded to quality assurance systems at higher education institutions for a five-year period (the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture at the University of Zagreb, the Faculty of Civil Engineering at the University of Rijeka, and the Polytechnic of Zagreb);
- The National Council for Science, Higher Education and Technological Development held nine sessions;
- Scientific Area Councils held 10 sessions;
- Scientific Field Committees held 96 sessions; 980 decisions were made on appointment to scientific grades or artistic-teaching grades 74 negative decisions were made on appointment to scientific grades;
- The Council of Polytechnics and Colleges held seven sessions;
- Scientific Field Committees held a total of 26 sessions; a total of 288 positive opinions were made on meeting criteria in the procedures of appointment to teaching grades;
- The Committee for Ethics in Science and Higher Education held nine sessions;
- In the summer enrolment period, there were a total of 37,528 slots available at all Croatian higher education institutions, and out of 42,739 applicants that applied, 30,331 applicants secured their right to enrol; in the autumn enrolment period, there were a total of 8,239 slots available, and out of 8,784 applicants that applied, a total of 3,929 secured their right to enrol;
- Croatian ENIC/NARIC Office recognized 1,700 foreign higher education qualifications for the purpose of employment;
- ASHE has been involved in ten international projects.