The Adult Education Act adopted in 2021 contains provisions related to quality assurance in adult education. 

The quality assurance framework and self-evaluation process in adult education in the Republic of Croatia was developed through the project “Development of a Quality Assurance System in Adult Education“ implemented by the Agency for Vocational Education and Training and Adult Education (AVETAE) in the period 2019 – 2023.

The project Further Development of a Quality Assurance System in Adult Education and Raising Awareness on the Importance of Lifelong Learning for the period 2024 – 2029 is currently being implemented and it is funded by the Efficient Human Resources 2021 – 2027 Programme (ESF+). The aim of the project is to improve the quality assurance system by conducting external evaluation of adult education institutions and promoting various lifelong learning opportunities in Croatia, as well as strengthening the competencies of educational staff in the adult education system.

Responsible bodies

Agency for Vocational Education and Training and Adult Education 

The Agency for Vocational Education and Training and Adult Education (AVETAE) is responsible for the planning, development, organisation, implementation, monitoring and improvement of the VET and adult education system. AVETAE also performs tasks of participating in evaluation, self-evaluation and external evaluation procedures in the system of vocational education and adult education.

The status, activities and organisation of the Agency are regulated by the Act on the Agency for Vocational Education and Training and Adult Education (OG 24/10) and the Vocational Education and Training Act  (OG 30/09, 25/18, 69/22) and the Adult Education Act (OG 144/21). 
 

Ministry of Science, Education and Youth

The Ministry of Science, Education and Youth is responsible for monitoring and developing the adult education system, together with the AVETAE. 
 

Approaches and Methods for Quality Assurance

The quality assurance system in adult education includes an internal and external quality assurance system, and is regulated at the national level by the Adult Education Act. 

In accordance with the Act, quality assessment is the process of assessing the quality of the work of institutions based on the external evaluation of the institution's work and the findings of professional, administrative and inspection supervision over the work of the institution.

The institution is obliged to use the results of external evaluation for analysis and self-evaluation for the purpose of continuously improving the quality of its work.

Internal evaluation 

Pursuant to the Adult Education Act, institutions are responsible for establishing their own internal quality assurance system within which they regularly conduct a self-evaluation process to identify their own strengths and weaknesses and propose necessary improvements. 

Self-evaluation is carried out based on the guidelines, areas and tools for self-evaluation issued by the Agency for Vocational Education and Training and Adult Education. The guidelines are an integral part of the Manual for Internal Quality Assurance in Adult Education. 

The quality standards are grouped into five thematic units – quality areas. For each quality standard, which is defined at the national level, examples of evidence and indicators are also listed. 

The institution compiles a self-evaluation report. Based on the findings of the self-evaluation and the identified shortcomings, an improvement plan for the institution is developed with the aim of eliminating these shortcomings. The self-evaluation report is prepared for the period since the last external evaluation of the institution. If the institution has not previously been externally evaluated, the report is prepared for the period of the previous five years.

The effectiveness of the internal quality assurance system and the regularity of the implementation of self-evaluation are checked in the external evaluation procedure.
 

External evaluation 

External evaluation of work verifies the extent to which adult education institutions meet the established quality standards.

External evaluation of adult education institutions is carried out by the Agency for Vocational Education and Training and Adult Education (AVETAE). The external evaluation process is initiated by AVETAE based on the annual implementation plan or at the request of the institution itself, and is carried out by an independent expert committee. After completing the procedure, AVETAE issues a report that includes a proposal for a quality level assessment. The basis for external evaluation is the self-evaluation of the institution.

The method of external evaluation of adult education institutions and learning outcomes sets, as well as the method of work and appointment of the committee for complaints against the external evaluation report, are prescribed by the Ordinance on the Method of External Evaluation of Adult Education Institutions and Sets of Learning Outcomes, Work and Appointment of the Committee for Objections to the External Evaluation Report. The procedure is carried out in accordance with the Protocol for External Evaluation of Adult Education Institutions and the Guidelines for the Implementation of the External Evaluation, which contain quality standards. 

The following participate in the external evaluation process of institutions:

• The Expert Committee for the Implementation of the External Evaluation of the Institution – consists of three members, two of whom must have experience in adult education (one of whom must have experience in teaching in adult education),

• The Council for the Expert Opinion on the Conducted External Evaluation Process of the Institution – consists of three members who are external experts in the field of external evaluation in education,

• The Committee for Objections to the External Evaluation Report – consists of five members – representatives of the Ministry, three members with experience in external evaluation in education and one member with experience in education.
   

All members of the Expert Committee are required to participate in preparatory meetings and undergo training organised by AVETAE, where they are introduced to the framework for quality assurance in adult education, the elements and criteria of assessment, the quality standards according to which the external evaluation of the institution is conducted, and the regulations that apply.

The Expert Committee for the Implementation of the External Evaluation submits the minutes of the external evaluation to AVETAE and the Council. The Council issues an opinion on the conducted external evaluation procedure of the institution, based on which the AVETAE issues a report on the external evaluation of the institution, an integral part of which is a proposal for an assessment of the institution's quality level. If there are no objections to the report, AVETAE issues an Order on the assessment of the quality level of the institution.

If the institution is assessed with an unsatisfactory level of quality, AVETAE determines measures to improve the work of the institution and sets a deadline for their implementation (maximum 12 months). Upon expiry of the deadline, AVETAE determines through expert supervision whether the measures have been implemented and issues an Order on the assessment of the quality level of the institution. If the assessment is unsatisfactory twice in a row, the Ministry issues an order permanently prohibiting the institution from carrying out all approved programmes. 

Reports on external evaluation of institutions and Orders on the assessment of the quality level of institutions are public and are published on the AVETAE website. 

According to the provisions of the Regulations, adult education institutions are obliged to conduct external evaluation every five to seven years. 
 

Standards and guidelines for quality assurance 

Internal evaluation 

Standards and guidelines for quality assurance in adult education are an integral part of the Manual for Internal Quality Assurance in Adult Education. 

External evaluation 

The Protocol for External Evaluation of Adult Education Institutions – prescribes the procedure for the preparation and implementation of external evaluation of institutions for adult education.