Introduction of new re-accreditation requirements / standards in line with ESG 2015

In order to implement new ESG 2015 instead of ESG 2008, Croatian Agency for Science and Higher Education will use new re-accreditation process to introduce new ESG criterions. They introduced flexibility in quality assurance approach through number of activities, some of which are as follows: Firstly, Agency used ESG 2015 as blueprint for design of national re-accreditation guidelines emphasising that way all important areas provided by ESG, including new student centred learning approach which improves flexibility by design. Secondly, they proposed new national re-accreditation guidelines and criterions to wider public and Higher educational institutions (HEIs) in formal consultation process (available on Ministries web page and through workshops), promoting stakeholder involvement in policy development. Thirdly, they promoted and explained proposed new criterions and guidelines to Rector conference and Council of Universities of Applied Sciences in separate meetings in order to collect all the comments and foster latter involvement in formal public debate. Finally, they organised conference for all HEIs in order to present new ESG ideas and national guidelines and criterions and involved some of the best institutions to promote their best practices examples of ESG 2015 implementation.

Stated approach which involved numerous stakeholders and respected their legitimate inputs and interests in shaping national standards and guidelines is positive example of flexibility in policy development, perceived by HEIs. Furthermore, with strong emphases on use of national qualifications framework within stated guidelines and criterions, flexibility and responsiveness to regional learning needs is strongly promoted.