University of Zadar, Croatia

1. University of Zadar, Croatia

2. University of Zadar • The University of Zadar is the youngest Croatian university in organisational sense (it was established in 2003) but it has a long university tradition (the first University of Zadar was founded in 1396). • Like other Croatian universities, it is a state-funded university under the direct authority of the Ministry of Science,Education and Sports.

3. University of Zadar • It is the smallest university in Croatia and it is a departmentally organised institution. Therefore, in contrast to the complex organisational structures of the universities of Zagreb and Rijeka which are associations of strong faculties, this type of organisation should enable better integration of its functions and organisational units.

4. University of Zadar • The University of Zadar consists of 16 departments which offer programmes oriented toward social sciences and humanities. • The total number of students at the University of Zadar in the academic year 2003/2004 was almost 6000 (graduate and postgraduate students). • The University employs approximately 204 full-time teachers and81 technical and administrative staff.

5. University of Zadar • The University authorities consist of the University Senate and the Rector. Assisting the Rector are the Vice-Rectors for research and finances, for teaching and students’ affairs and for international co-operation. • The General Management Board headed by the Rector supervises the University’s technical and administrative services.

6. University of Zadar • Since it was established, University of Zadar has joined the process towards the harmonisation of the European Higher Education Area. • It is a member of several international associations (European University Association, Danube Rectors' Conference, UniAdrion Network, Alps-Adria Rectors' Conference). • The University of Zadar signed the declaration Magna Charta Universitatum in Bologna, Italy on September 18, 2004.

7. University of Zadar As a consequence of the Bologna Declaration and the law reforming the Croatian University system, the University of Zadar is in the process of a huge reform which includes the following activities: - adoption of the education system based on twomain cycles (undergraduate and postgraduate studies), - new curriculum development, - implementation of the ECTS credit system andof the Diploma Supplement, - internal quality assessment and - development of transparent quality assurance system.

8. University of Zadar In accordance with this, The International Relations Office and The Quality Assurance Office were establishedat the University of Zadar in 2004. The International Relations Office coordinates international academic co-operation activities at the University. As a result of such activities the University of Zadar has signed bilateral agreements with the following foreign universities: University of Teramo (Italy) University of Pécs (Hungary) University of Punta Arenas (Chile) University of Florida (USA) University of Udine (Italy) University of Rzeszów (Poland).

9. University of Zadar In addition, the University of Zadar participates in international projects in the framework of the TEMPUS III. I. JOINT EUROPEAN PROJECTS: 1. European Studies: Languages and Cultures in Contact 2. Grundstudium für Űbersetzen/Dolmetschen in Kroatien 3. Champion of Entrepreneurship 4. Moving Ahead With the Bologna Process in Croatia II. STRUCTURAL AND COMPLEMENTARY MEASURES: 1. Virtual Academic Information Service: Scholarships. Info 2. Strategic Management of Staff Development at University

10. University of Zadar • The main purpose of the quality assurance office is to ensure that university provides higher education, awards and qualifications of both an acceptable quality and appropriate academic standard. • Unfortunately, this new office at the university of Zadar does not have any strategic programme of how to ensure this. Attempts to create an internal system of quality assesment are individual and sporadic rather than general and systematic.

11. University of Zadar • In this way, each department is responsible for ensuring that appropriate standards are achieved and good quality education is offered. However, there has been no formal request for internal or external assessment of this quality yet. • The building of university quality culture across all its levels becomes impossible without a good staff development strategy.

12. University of Zadar • For this reason, in order to further extent the process of the reform, University of Zadar has to focus its efforts on the development of the coherent quality assurance system. • It seems that the conceptualisation of staff development strategy is the main prerequisite for these efforts.

13. University of Zadar What have we done about the reform so far? • we intensely work on the development of a new curriculum • the system of ECTS credits should be introduced by the end of 2004. • we try to provide technical support for a new educational system • some attempts towards the modernisation of The University Library have been done • we try to find a financial support for the employment of new academic and administrative staff • we try to improve students’ services

14. University of Zadar Since a S.W.O.T. analysis is a simple tool for understanding our current position and making the best use of the opportunities, we have made attempt to do some kind of this analysis (only scanning of strenghts and weaknesses as well as opportunities and threats).

15. University of Zadar STRENGHTS • The University of Zadar is not organised as a loose association of strong constituents like other Croatian universities, and consequently it should be easier to organise and ensure continuous development of its staff. • It is a new university and it has more opportunity to develop its own specific strategy of development than the older universities which are constrained by the traditional view on this development. • The current problem of lack of academic and administrative staff could be in some way an advantage because in the process of selection of staff at all levels we can set higher standards.

16. University of Zadar WEAKNESSES • too global strategy of development (without setting specific goals and priorities) • the management of University is primarily directed towards the organisational and financial problems – it seems that they are not fully aware of the necessity of staff development strategy as part of a quality assurance system • traditional structure of administrative sector • traditional view on teaching (there is no obligation for the academic staff to improve their teaching skills and methods) • inappropriate infrastructure • inappropriate employment politics

17. University of Zadar OPPORTUNITIES • cooperation with other Croatian universities • learning from good practice • facilitating students’ and academic staff mobility • cooperation with labour market (to promote the employability)

18. University of Zadar THREATS • no supportive regulatory frameworks (e.g. quality is not obligatory in any way) • insufficient financial support for the modernisation efforts of the university • weak availability of funding for staff and student mobility • too many new study programmes – the accent is on the quantity not quality • too short periods for the preparation and realization of a new higher education system in Croatia (educational reform should start in theacademic year 2005/2006)