In the last two years, the Agency for Science and Higher Education (ASHE) has carried out evaluations of almost 200 higher education institutions (HEIs) and scientific institutions in Croatia (faculties, polytechnics, colleges, public scientific institutes, private scientific organizations and other legal entities).
During the academic year 2010/2011 ASHE reaccredited 19 higher education institutions from the field of economy. The outcome of the evaluation procedures were: 10 license recommendations, decisions, 4 license extensions, 2 letters of expectation, 4 letters of expectation with denial of student enrollment to study programs, as well as 8 license denials for dislocated studies. Procedure for 9 other HEIs is still ongoing.
Evaluations have been carried out by both domestic and international experts from prestigious European universities (University of Oxford, University of Berlin).
During the academic year 2011/2012 the Agency will carry out reaccreditation of 32 high education institutions from technical field. For that purpose a cooperation agreement with the German accreditation agency “ASIIN” (Accreditation Agency Specialised in Accrediting Degree Programmes in Engineering, Informatics, the Natural Sciences and Mathematics) has been signed, and it has been agreed to exchange experts with CTI (Commission des Titres d’Ingénieur), the French agency which specializes in the field of technical sciences.
ASHE is close to ending the procedure of thematic evaluation of 25 public scientific institutes, evaluation that has no formal outcome like accreditation, and is designed to assess the current state of public scientific institutes witch have never undergone such comprehensive evaluation. Experts that carry out the evaluation come from recognised international institutions (Weizmann Institute, Universities of Graz, York, Harvard, Berkley, etc.). The procedure itself is a preparation for reaccreditation of all scientific institutes, a demanding task which awaits ASHE in the following period.
ASHE has a database of over 2000 foreign and domestic reviewers (for the needs of the National Council for Science and National Council for Higher Education), and around 500 evaluators for reaccreditation, thematic evaluation and audit needs.
ASHE administers key strategic and expert bodies in science and higher education system – National Council for Science (13 members), National Council for Higher Education (13 members), Croatian Council of Universities and University Colleges of Applied Science (42 members), Interdepartmental Working Body for Labour Market Monitoring (15 members), Scientific Field Committees, Scientific Area Councils and Arts Council (80 members), Council for Financing Scientific Activity and Higher Education (15 members), and Ethics Committee in Science and Higher Education (8 members).
From 2007, 68 sessions have been held by the National Council for Science, and 85 sessions by the National Council for Higher Education for which ASHE provides administrative and professional support.
In the same period, 37 sessions by the Council for Financing Scientific Activity and Higher Education have been held; 50 sessions by the Scientific Area Councils and Arts Council, with over 2000 cases; 402 sessions by the Scientific Field Committees with 5924 handled cases; 12 sessions by the Croatian Council of Universities and University Colleges of Applied Science, and 101 sessions by their Area Councils.
Central Applications Office (SPU), situated at the Agency, is the national centre for application to study programmes, i.e. higher education institutions in the Republic of Croatia via the National IT system for applications to higher education institutions (a task performed by the Central Applications Office). The procedure of recognition of foreign education qualifications for the purpose of accessing the labor market is carried out by the ENIC/NARIC Office, also located in ASHE. In the last 5 years, ENIC/NARIC Office has recognized close to 10000 foreign education qualifications.
Agency carries out systematic training of HEIs and scientific organizations representatives and experts in external evaluation procedures. Until now, a total of 95 seminars, 16 workshops, 3 conferences and 4 National Tempus Info Days have been held. We would like to point out our external evaluators database with 113 certified experts – 93 domestic and 20 foreign. ASHE trained 81 experts for the needs of reaccreditation procedures. MOZVAG database contains 2612 experts that have been involved in different external evaluation procedures.
One of ASHE tasks is to encourage HEIs to be responsible for quality in all their activities. Therefore, we initiated the formation of quality assurance units at higher education institutions in Croatia. So far, 142 QA units have been formed.
The process of external evaluation of higher education institutions quality assurance systems (audits), started in 2009, encompasses 21 higher education institutions. In 2010 three external evaluations were carried out and 9 external evaluations started in 2011 will be finished in 2012. According to the plan for 2012, 9 external evaluations have been started.
Central Applications Office covers 164 higher education institutions and 751 study programs.
During the year of 2010, Central Applications Office verified data for 5425 candidates (which finished their high school education outside Croatia), applying for study programs and State Matura tests in Croatia .