Framework for the Organisation of University

1. Framework for the Organisation of University(TEMPUS “QUASYS” - Dubrovnik, October 11 – 12, 2003)Aleksa Bjeliš, National Council for Higher Education Law – three integrations 1Croatian HE → EHEA through Bologna process 2Croatian research institutions & Croatian HE institutions within EHEA & ERA; Law – already title, etc Berlin Communiqué –new step 3Internal integration of Croatian universities prerequisite for 1 and 2

2. Autonomy in organising university Berlin (Higher education institutions and students) Aware of the contribution strong institutions can make to economic and societal development, Ministers accept that institutions need to be empowered to take decisions on their internal organisation and administration. Law (4.5) Autonomy of university at all university high schools in the Republic of Croatia, in agreement with this law, includes: - determination of internal organisation - establishment of educational, scientific, artistic and professional programs - financial autonomy in agreement with this law - making decisions on approval of projects and on international cooperation

3. Internal organization: • freedom (and responsibility) given by law; Increased responsibility: • of universities towards society (and government) • of university bodies towards their universities University of Zagreb: • functional integration through research and study programs → structural grouping along scientific (and artistic) areas

4. University bodies - distribution of: • academic decisions (quality assessment in the widest sense) • governance(strategy, planning,…) • management (“practical life”) • relations with environment (stakeholders, etc) Mostly (and roughly): Senate: a, b University council (with its smaller executive body): c, b Senate & University council (together): b University Board: d, b Rector: present in all parts

5. Universityvssociety Berlin (EHEA and ERA – two pillars of the knowledge based society) Ministers will make the necessary effort to make European Higher Education Institutions an even more attractive and efficient partner. Therefore Ministers ask Higher Education Institutions to increase the role and relevance of research to technological, social and cultural evolution and to the needs of society. Law (2.3) Higher education is based on: - academic freedoms, academic self-management and university autonomy; - openness of high schools towards public, citizens and local communities; - European humanistic tradition and adjustment with European system of higher education; Law (3.1) … University accomplishes its mission in accordance with the needs of the community in which it acts.

6. Functional integration Berlin (Higher education institutions and students) Ministers further call upon institutions to ensure that the reforms become fully integrated into core institutional functions and processes. Law (53.2) University integrates the functions of its constitutive parts (further: functional integration) and ensures, through its bodies, their unified and coordinated activities, …

7. U of Z: functional integration: - study programmes at university level (multidisciplinarity) - concentration of (today dispersed) disciplines into new units (departments, centres,…) - mobility of staff within university - budget financing through block sum - university funds (contributions from additional incomes) – for the development and new initiatives Practical (and open) problems: Organisation of administrative etc services – without centralisation, but through coherent linkage of existing units AIM:strong constitutive units (faculties, departments, institutes)integrated into a strong university

8. EHEA vs ERA Berlin (European Higher Education Area and European Research Area – two pillars of the knowledge based society)Conscious of the need to promote closer links between the EHEA and the ERA in a Europe of Knowledge, and of the importance of research as an integral part of higher education across Europe, Ministers consider it necessary to go beyond the present focus on two main cycles of higher education to include the doctoral level as the third cycle in the Bologna Process. They emphasise the importance of research and research training and the promotion of interdisciplinarity in maintaining and improving the quality of higher education and in enhancing the competitiveness of European higher education more generally. Ministers call for increased mobility at the doctoral and postdoctoral levels and encourage the institutions concerned to increase their cooperation in doctoral studies and the training of young researchers. Law (2.1)Scientific activities and higher education represent the activity of exceptional interest for Republic of Croatia and are constitutive part of international, particularly European, scientific, artistic and educational space.

9. institutes & universities Berlin (Preamble)Ministers agree that efforts shall be undertaken in order to secure closer links overall between the higher education and research systems in their respective countries. Theemerging European Higher Education Area will benefitfrom synergies with theEuropean Research Area, thus strengthening the basis of the Europe of Knowledge. eLaw (27) Scientific institutes collaborate with high schools in the scientific work and in the performance of study programmes in accordance with scientific programmes of institutes and with scientific and study programmes of high schools. Steps: - joint research facilities – open public institutes - joint study programmes (particularly doctoral and specialistic)

10. Integrated programmes, joint degrees Berlin (Promotion of the European dimension in higher education) They (Ministers)note that initiatives have been taken by Higher Education Institutions in various European countries to pool their academic resources and cultural traditions in order to promote the development of integrated study programmes and joint degrees at first, second and third level. Law (76.1) University or professional high school can organize a study program together with domestic or external organization with a juridical status. Accreditation for such study is issued in the same way as for other study programs along the procedure regulated by this Law (art.51)

11. Summary (expectations) • functional integration of universities (particularly through implementing Bologna scheme, generating multidisciplinary and polyvalent study and research programs, etc) • improvement of the study standards and efficiency of studying (particularly through the national quality assessment network, better incorporation of students into university governance, etc) • opening of universities towards societal environment (particularly through National council for Higher Education, University Boards, joint planning of study programs with interested stakeholders, etc) increase of cooperation with domestic and international institutions (universities, institutes, public sector in general) in generating and realizing of study programs (master and doctoral in particular); • achieving active position of Croatian universities in the international competition for students, research programs, joint study programs, etc;