The project is in direct response to the 2003-2004 priorities for Croatia as listed under University Management. Its main focus is on the implementation of the Bologna Declaration and on reinforcement of the skills and capacities of senior management and administrators at the University international relations offices. This project follows on from an earlier TEMPUS-JEP that successfully established the International Relations Offices in Croatian universities.
In July 2003 the Croatian Parliament passed the new Act on Scientific Activity and Higher Education to which a number of amendments were added in July and November 2004. The new Act promotes the European standards and is compatible with the Bologna Declaration. It guarantees university autonomy and introduces a new funding system for higher education which will be introduced as of 1 January 2006 and which will enable the universities to start functioning as integrated institutions. By the end of 2007 faculties will loose their status of legal entity which they have at present and which will be passed on to the universities. The Act will be followed by sub-legislation aimed at facilitating the implementation of the Bologna Process in institutions of higher education in Croatia.
This project aims to facilitate the exchange of information and sharing of best practice throughout the Consortium in relation to the implementation of the Bologna Process, including ECTS and the Diploma Supplement at all Croatian universities. In addition, given the changes in national legislation, this project should help enhance faculty - university relationship at a crucial moment for Croatian universities.
All six EU universities are at varying stages of this process and sharing experiences should therefore be very worthwhile and valuable to the staff of the Croatian universities and the EU partners alike.
Consortium members will help staff in the International Relations Offices, academic staff in departments/faculties with responsibility for the implementation of all aspects of the Bologna Process, and students, to further familiarise themselves with key issues such as modularisation, ECTS Charters, and Diploma Supplement. This should enable them to become instrumental in communicating all aspects of the Bologna Process to the wider academic community at their own institutions. The Consortium will also help train and further develop the skills of these staff, by providing them with the skills and competences to deal with the forthcoming changes in the higher education sector in Croatia.

The main features of the project are:

The development of Institutional Action Plans for the implementation of the Bologna Declaration and management of the Process throughout the Croatian institutions

A comprehensive skills development programme for the administrative staff in the International Relations Offices

A large-scale programme of dissemination of information, through the production of information material, leaflets, development of a website, wide-spread information meetings to be organised at all participating Croatian universities, establishment of a network of academic staff in each faculty and department to facilitate the exchange of information and best practice.