In the Republic of Croatia, the responsibility for adult education and training is distributed at the national, regional and local levels, which includes a network of ministries, agencies and other public bodies. These institutions jointly ensure the development, implementation and monitoring of adult education policies and programmes.

Laws are passed by the Croatian Parliament. The Government prepares the laws and the panels of the Government and Parliament decide on the legislative proposals. The Government, through various ministries and agencies, plays a key role in adult education. Ministries are key bodies that decide on the operational regulation of adult education.
 

National level 

The Ministry of Science, Education and Youth  (MSEY) is responsible for:

• developing a national framework for adult education,

• developing and implementing strategic documents,

• regulating accreditation standards and quality assurance for adult education institutions,

• financing programmes and initiatives at the national level.

The Ministry of Labor, Pension System, Family and Social Policy also plays a significant role, especially in aligning adult education with the needs of the labour market. The Ministry 

• supports reskilling and upskilling programmes for the unemployed, 

• cooperates with the Croatian Employment Service (CES) on the financing and implementation of training programmes to reduce unemployment.

The Agency for Vocational Education and Training and Adult Education (AVETAE) is another key institution at the national level. Its main tasks include

• providing professional and technical support to adult education providers,

• developing and upgrading adult education programmes,

• conducting research and analysis to inform policy decisions,

• monitoring the quality of adult education programmes.

• adapt national adult education strategies to regional needs,

• coordinate and finance regional training initiatives, often in cooperation with local businesses and educational institutions,

• monitor the implementation of programmes aimed at addressing skills shortages in specific sectors,

• providing support for community-based adult education programmes,

• ensuring access to lifelong learning opportunities for residents,

• facilitating partnerships between local employers and education providers.

The Croatian Chamber of Trades and Crafts is responsible for preparing and conducting the Master Craftsman Exams.
 

Regional and local authorities

At the regional level, responsibility is primarily with the Counties which:

• adapt national adult education strategies to regional needs,

• coordinate and finance regional training initiatives, often in cooperation with local businesses and educational institutions,

• monitor the implementation of programmes aimed at addressing skills shortages in specific sectors.
   

Local authorities, such as municipal and city authorities, are responsible for:

• providing support for community-based adult education programmes,

• ensuring access to lifelong learning opportunities for residents,

• facilitating partnerships between local employers and education providers.
  
   

Role of NGOs and the private sector

Non-governmental organisations, private educational institutions and companies also play an important role in adult education. Non-governmental organisations often focus their activities on marginalised groups, offering tailored programmes to improve social inclusion and employability. 

Furthermore, private institutions often provide specialised training in areas such as IT, languages ​​and management, responding to specific labour market demands.

To ensure coherence between national and regional policies, cooperation between ministries, agencies and local authorities is encouraged through periodic meetings and joint initiatives. For example, The National Council for Development of Human Potential serves as a coordinating body for addressing issues related to adult education and workforce development. This approach ensures that adult education in Croatia responds to both national priorities and local needs, providing lifelong learning opportunities for all citizens.