- Funding Programme
- Year
- 2021
Assessing the digital readiness of Croatian higher education institutions
The Commission has provided support to Croatian higher education authorities, stakeholders and institutions in their efforts to improve the quality of digital higher education. Its intended long-term impact is enhanced digital capacity of Croatian higher education institutions and improved attractiveness of the higher education offer, supporting Croatia’s objective to become a digitally prepared member of the European Higher Education Area by 2025.
Context
Croatia’s higher education system has undergone profound change in recent years. A comprehensive modernisation effort is underway, supported by Croatia’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP). A key part of the modernisation agenda relates to enhancing digitalisation. The government aims to improve the adequacy of digital infrastructure and ensure widespread access to high quality digital higher education.
This project supports Croatia in progressing its policy agenda related to digitalisation in higher education. Croatian authorities requested a diagnosis of digital maturity of Croatia’s higher education institutions, technical advice to support near-term investments in digital infrastructure and high-quality digital education (through its “e-Universities” project), and institution-focused guidance to support their strategic development with respect to digital education.
Support delivered
The project was implemented together with the OECD. It provided an assessment of digital readiness and digital maturity in Croatia’s higher education system, based on desk research and a survey of higher education institutions in Croatia, jointly fielded by the OECD and the Croatian National Research and Education Network (CARNET).
The OECD team also prepared targeted technical advice for Croatia on two topics – standards, supports and practices that promote high quality higher digital education, and sound investments on digital infrastructure in higher education institutions. Advice was validated during in-country international seminars and a workshop for higher education institutions and stakeholders.
Results achieved
The project will support Croatia in achieving its national strategic objectives, in particular the aims to provide wider and more equitable access to higher education, tackle the digital divide between students in urban and rural areas, and enhance digitalisation as a means of supporting students with disabilities. In addition, it will form the basis for the investment in digitalisation as part of the Croatian plan to modernise the higher education system, in line with its future National Reform Strategy. Furthermore, the outputs of this project will support Croatia in making sound investments in digital infrastructure and technologies within its higher education system – an activity that has been highlighted as a key priority in Croatia’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan.
More about the project
You can read the final report here: