REFORMING CROATIAN REFORMING CROATIAN LEGAL EDUCATIONLEGAL EDUCATION

TEMPUS PROJECTTEMPUS PROJECT

2005/062005/06

OUTLINING THE PROBLEMSOUTLINING THE PROBLEMS

The following summarizes the current situation in The following summarizes the current situation in higher legal education and research in Croatia:higher legal education and research in Croatia:

there is no comprehensive strategy for HLER;there is no comprehensive strategy for HLER;

the model of division of higher education in a 2-cycle system the model of division of higher education in a 2-cycle system is perceived as unacceptable and incompatible with the needs is perceived as unacceptable and incompatible with the needs and conditions of professional education and training in law; and conditions of professional education and training in law;

a part of faculty staff perceives Bologna developments as a part of faculty staff perceives Bologna developments as threats and directly opposes the changes and a large part of threats and directly opposes the changes and a large part of faculty staff remains passive in the process;faculty staff remains passive in the process;

there is an information gap on a Bologna process itself and on on the experiences of other European countries in adjusting their the experiences of other European countries in adjusting their HLE to Bologna requirements;HLE to Bologna requirements;

curricula and teaching methods are partially outdated and in curricula and teaching methods are partially outdated and in discord with EHEA;discord with EHEA;

curricula does not adequately follow needs of labor market curricula does not adequately follow needs of labor market and social needs especially in terms of harmonizing Croatian and social needs especially in terms of harmonizing Croatian legal system with the acquis communitaire and mobility legal system with the acquis communitaire and mobility requirements and opportunities within EU;requirements and opportunities within EU;

a quality assurance and accreditation system are not in place, a quality assurance and accreditation system are not in place, ECTS system is neither fully implemented nor understood;ECTS system is neither fully implemented nor understood;

education and research are not sufficiently interconnected;education and research are not sufficiently interconnected;

the possibilities for lifelong learning are not addressed at all.the possibilities for lifelong learning are not addressed at all.

THE OUTCOMES OF THE THE OUTCOMES OF THE PROJECTPROJECT

A A networknetwork ((Croatian Faculties of LawCroatian Faculties of Law + foreign Faculties of + foreign Faculties of Law + Law + government bodiesgovernment bodies + + Judicial AcademyJudicial Academy + + legal legal professional organizationsprofessional organizations + + NGOs NGOs + + civil society civil society));;

Expert teamsExpert teams: created, 20 experts retrained, long-term : created, 20 experts retrained, long-term working relationship between experts from Croatia and EU working relationship between experts from Croatia and EU countries working on HLER established;countries working on HLER established;

ReportReport on on the study of the experience of HLER in EU countries the study of the experience of HLER in EU countries current problems and needs in restructuring and reforming current problems and needs in restructuring and reforming

Croatian legal education Croatian legal education recomendations for a change;recomendations for a change;

International International conferenceconference on "The impact of Bologna process on "The impact of Bologna process on on HLERHLER" " ((CroatiaCroatia));;

NSNS + + APAP for legal education reform generated and published;for legal education reform generated and published;

Seminar materialSeminar material (handouts, visuals, readers, best practice); (handouts, visuals, readers, best practice);

SeminarsSeminars on on NS & AP for reforming Croatian legal education NS & AP for reforming Croatian legal education best practicies related to implementation of Bologna process at law best practicies related to implementation of Bologna process at law

faculties in EU countries faculties in EU countries ((held at all 4 Faculties of Law - 150 students, teachers and staff retrainedheld at all 4 Faculties of Law - 150 students, teachers and staff retrained))

ASSUMPTION & RISKSASSUMPTION & RISKS the interested parties the interested parties activelyactively take part in legal education take part in legal education

reformreform

there is there is enoughenough interested experts to work on interested experts to work on HLERHLER

the trained experts really the trained experts really applyapply their knowledge and their knowledge and experienceexperience

analyse can be carried out in such a short period of analyse can be carried out in such a short period of timetime

interestinterest for dissemination results for dissemination results

Faculties of Law and Ministries show commitment through Faculties of Law and Ministries show commitment through financialfinancial participation participation

THE ACTIVITIESTHE ACTIVITIES • Kick off meetingKick off meeting• ExpertsExperts’s meeting ’s meeting • Training seminar for expertsTraining seminar for experts• Training visits of Croatian experts to EU participating Training visits of Croatian experts to EU participating

institutionsinstitutions• Comparative study of current trendsComparative study of current trends,, problems and needs in problems and needs in

HLEHLE• Writing report on the studyWriting report on the study• International conference on "The impact of BP on HLE" International conference on "The impact of BP on HLE" • Writing a national strategyWriting a national strategy• Writing an action planWriting an action plan• Seminars at Faculties of Law (4X2)Seminars at Faculties of Law (4X2)• Analyses, report writing and final meetingAnalyses, report writing and final meeting

Kick-off meeting Kick-off meeting

• establish expert teams establish expert teams

[foreign + national experts][foreign + national experts]

• develop a detailed work plan develop a detailed work plan with a timelinewith a timeline

Expert teamsExpert teams

Academic standards – subject Academic standards – subject benchmark statements / learning benchmark statements / learning outcomesoutcomes

CurriculaCurricula Quality assuranceQuality assurance Assessment of studentsAssessment of students Life long learningLife long learning Others (?)Others (?)

Expert team for academic Expert team for academic standards standards

GOALSGOALS

To produce To produce Statement of Benchmark StandardsStatement of Benchmark Standards which will: which will: setset as as a a minimumminimum certain certain achievements achievements (knowledge & skills) (knowledge & skills) which a which a

student must demonstrate to be awarded astudent must demonstrate to be awarded a Law Law degree degree describe the describe the nature and characteristics of programmesnature and characteristics of programmes in a specific in a specific

subjectsubject provide general guidance for articulating provide general guidance for articulating the learning outcomesthe learning outcomes

associated with the programme (but not provide a specification of a associated with the programme (but not provide a specification of a detailed curriculum)detailed curriculum)

set out requirements about the set out requirements about the study methodsstudy methods (?) (?) Set out requirements about the Set out requirements about the way courses are structuredway courses are structured (?) (?)

PURPOSE:PURPOSE: to to provide a basis for HLI to devise their provide a basis for HLI to devise their own learning outcome statementsown learning outcome statements to provide support in pursuit of to provide support in pursuit of internal quality assuranceinternal quality assurance by enabling the by enabling the

learning outcomes specified for a particular programme to be reviewed and learning outcomes specified for a particular programme to be reviewed and evaluated against agreed general expectations about standardsevaluated against agreed general expectations about standards

to provide bases for to provide bases for assessment of studentsassessment of students

Expert group for creating the Expert group for creating the Bologna CurriculaBologna Curricula

GRADUATE STUDIESGRADUATE STUDIES

Define:Define:• Core legal subjectsCore legal subjects• Elective legal subjectsElective legal subjects• Optional legal subjectsOptional legal subjects• Extra curricula Extra curricula

activitiesactivities• ECTSECTS

DOCTORAL & DOCTORAL & SPECIALIZED STUDIESSPECIALIZED STUDIES

EXPERT GROUP FOR EXPERT GROUP FOR QUALITY ASSURANCEQUALITY ASSURANCE

Comparative analyses of the internal evaluation system and Comparative analyses of the internal evaluation system and quality assurance methods in similar HEI in Europequality assurance methods in similar HEI in Europe

To study causes of prolonged studying and poor student To study causes of prolonged studying and poor student achievementsachievements

To identify legal and ethical aspects of the introduction of To identify legal and ethical aspects of the introduction of internal evaluation internal evaluation

To develop evaluation and self-evaluation procedures for To develop evaluation and self-evaluation procedures for quality assurancequality assurance

To assess needs of teaching assistants and other staff for To assess needs of teaching assistants and other staff for continuing education in contemporary teaching methodscontinuing education in contemporary teaching methods

To produce brochure on quality assuranceTo produce brochure on quality assurance

EXPERT GROUP FOR THE EXPERT GROUP FOR THE ASSESMENT OF STUDENTSASSESMENT OF STUDENTS

Design the assessment strategies for programs and awards Design the assessment strategies for programs and awards Define types of assessmentDefine types of assessment Define instruments of assessmentDefine instruments of assessment Define clear criteria for the marking and grading of Define clear criteria for the marking and grading of

assessmentsassessments Define appropriate feedback to students on assessed work Define appropriate feedback to students on assessed work

which will promote learning and facilitate improvementwhich will promote learning and facilitate improvement

Define effective mechanisms to deal with breaches of Define effective mechanisms to deal with breaches of assessment regulations and the resolution of appeals assessment regulations and the resolution of appeals against assessment decisionsagainst assessment decisions

Define effective, clear, and consistent policies in respect of Define effective, clear, and consistent policies in respect of the membership, procedures, powers and accountability of the membership, procedures, powers and accountability of assessment panels and boards of examinersassessment panels and boards of examiners

Propose mechanisms for the review and development of Propose mechanisms for the review and development of assessment regulativeassessment regulative

Propose the adequate instructions for stuff involved in the Propose the adequate instructions for stuff involved in the assessment of students in order to be competent to assessment of students in order to be competent to undertake their roles and responsibilities undertake their roles and responsibilities

Expert group for life long learningExpert group for life long learning

• Which expert groups do we need?Which expert groups do we need?

• What should be their tasks?What should be their tasks?

• Assigne consortium members to Assigne consortium members to particular expert groupsparticular expert groups

EXPERT TEAMSEXPERT TEAMSZLSZLS Croa. HLICroa. HLI Foreign Foreign

HLIHLIMinistriesMinistries

Academic standardsAcademic standards

CurriculaCurricula

Quality AssuranceQuality Assurance

Assesment of Assesment of StudentsStudents

Life Long LearningLife Long Learning

TIMELINE OF THE ACTIVITIESTIMELINE OF THE ACTIVITIES

MonthMonth ActivityActivity Duration Duration LocationLocation

1111//25-2625-26 Meeting and Meeting and training training seminar for seminar for expertsexperts

2233 days days CroatiaCroatia

12/8-912/8-9 Training Training visits of visits of Croatian Croatian experts to experts to EU EU participating participating institutionsinstitutions

1010 days days Austria Austria

ItalyItaly

SloveniaSlovenia

DecemberDecember

JanuaryJanuary

FebruaryFebruary

Study of Study of current current trendstrends, , needsneeds problemsproblems in in HLEHLE

75 days75 days AustriaAustria

CroatiaCroatia

ItalyItaly

SloveniaSlovenia

MonthMonth ActivityActivity Duration Duration LocationLocation

FebruaryFebruary

MarchMarchReport Report writtingwritting

preparing preparing conferenceconference

30 days30 days Austria Austria

CroatiaCroatia

ItalyItaly

SloveniaSlovenia

33/24-26/24-26 ConferenceConference

““The Impact The Impact of BP on of BP on HLE”HLE”

3 days3 days CroatiaCroatia

AprilApril

MayMayWriting a Writing a National National strategystrategy

50 days50 days Austria Austria

CroatiaCroatia

ItalyItaly

SloveniaSlovenia

JuneJune

JulyJulyWriting an Writing an Action planAction plan

50 days50 days Austria Austria

CroatiaCroatia

ItalyItaly

SloveniaSlovenia

MonthMonth ActivityActivity Duration Duration LocationLocation

AugustAugust

SeptemberSeptemberConstruction Construction of seminar of seminar material and material and web siteweb site

40 days40 days Austria Austria

CroatiaCroatia

ItalyItaly

SloveniaSlovenia

10/9-2010/9-20 Seminars at Seminars at Croatian Croatian Faculties of Faculties of Law on NS & Law on NS & APAP

8 days8 days CroatiaCroatia

September September

OctoberOctober

10/2810/28

Analyses, Analyses, report writing report writing & final & final meetingmeeting

55 days55 days Austria Austria

CroatiaCroatia

ItalyItaly

SloveniaSlovenia

Training seminar for expertsTraining seminar for experts

Issues that should be addressed:Issues that should be addressed:

Propose trainers:Propose trainers:

What should be researched?What should be researched?

Comparative analyses of the Comparative analyses of the implementation of the BP in EU HLIimplementation of the BP in EU HLI

Implementation of the BP i Cro. HLIImplementation of the BP i Cro. HLI problemsproblems needsneeds recommendationsrecommendations

ReportReport

Who does it prepare?Who does it prepare? Content:Content:

Comparative analysesComparative analyses Analyses of Croatian situationAnalyses of Croatian situation Recomendations Recomendations

Banchmark statementBanchmark statement Proposal of curricula (core subjects)Proposal of curricula (core subjects)

ConferenceConference

What to address?What to address?

Whome to invite?Whome to invite?

NP NP + AP+ AP

How many people should be How many people should be involved?involved?

Who should be involved?Who should be involved?

SeminarsSeminars

PresentationsPresentations Comparative situation (foreign Comparative situation (foreign

consortium members)consortium members) NS + AP (Croatian consortium members)NS + AP (Croatian consortium members)

WorkshopsWorkshops How to implement NS in my institutionHow to implement NS in my institution How to implement NS in my courseHow to implement NS in my course