REFORMING CROATIAN LEGAL EDUCATION

TEMPUS PROJECT 2005/06

OUTLINING THE PROBLEMS

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

 there is no comprehensive strategy for HLER;  the model of division of higher education in a 2-cycle system is perceived as unacceptable and incompatible with the needs and conditions of professional education and training in law;  a part of faculty staff perceives Bologna developments as threats and directly opposes the changes and a large part of faculty staff remains passive in the process; 

 there is an information gap on a Bologna process itself and on the experiences of other European countries in adjusting their HLE to Bologna requirements;  curricula and teaching methods are partially outdated and in discord with EHEA;  curricula does not adequately follow needs of labor market and social needs especially in terms of harmonizing Croatian legal system with the acquis communitaire and mobility requirements and opportunities within EU;  a quality assurance and accreditation system are not in place, ECTS system is neither fully implemented nor understood;  education and research are not sufficiently interconnected;  the possibilities for lifelong learning are not addressed at all.

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THE OUTCOMES OF THE PROJECT

A network (Croatian Faculties of Law + foreign Faculties of Law + government bodies + Judicial Academy + legal professional organizations + NGOs + civil society);  Expert teams : created, 20 experts retrained, long-term working relationship between experts from Croatia and EU countries working on HLER established; Report    on the study of the experience of HLER in EU countries current problems and needs in restructuring and reforming Croatian legal education recomendations for a change;

 International conference on HLER" (Croatia); on "The impact of Bologna process  NS + AP for legal education reform generated and published;  Seminar material (handouts, visuals, readers, best practice);  Seminars on   NS & AP for reforming Croatian legal education best practicies related to implementation of Bologna process at law faculties in EU countries (held at all 4 Faculties of Law - 150 students, teachers and staff retrained) 

ASSUMPTION & RISKS

 the interested parties actively reform take part in legal education  there is enough interested experts to work on HLER  the trained experts really apply experience their knowledge and  analyse can be carried out in such a short period of time  interest for dissemination results  Faculties of Law and Ministries show commitment through financial participation

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THE ACTIVITIES

Kick off meeting Experts’s meeting Training seminar for experts Training visits of Croatian experts to EU participating institutions Comparative study of current trends, problems and needs in HLE Writing report on the study International conference on "The impact of BP on HLE" Writing a national strategy Writing an action plan Seminars at Faculties of Law (4X2) Analyses, report writing and final meeting

Kick-off meeting

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establish expert teams [foreign + national experts]

•

develop a detailed work plan with a timeline

Expert teams

      Academic standards – subject benchmark statements / learning outcomes Curricula Quality assurance Assessment of students Life long learning Others (?)

Expert team for academic standards

GOALS

 To produce Statement of Benchmark Standards      which will: set as a minimum certain achievements (knowledge & skills) which a student must demonstrate to be awarded a Law degree describe the nature and characteristics of programmes provide general guidance for articulating the programme (but not provide a specification of a detailed curriculum) set out requirements about the study methods Set out requirements about the (?) in a specific subject the learning outcomes way courses are structured (?) associated with

PURPOSE:

 to provide a basis for HLI to devise their own learning outcome statements   to provide support in pursuit of internal quality assurance outcomes specified for a particular programme to be reviewed and evaluated against agreed general expectations about standards by enabling the learning to provide bases for assessment of students

Expert group for creating the Bologna Curricula

GRADUATE STUDIES DOCTORAL & SPECIALIZED STUDIES

• • • • • Define: Core legal subjects Elective legal subjects Optional legal subjects Extra curricula activities ECTS

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EXPERT GROUP FOR QUALITY ASSURANCE

Comparative analyses of the internal evaluation system and quality assurance methods in similar HEI in Europe  To study causes of prolonged studying and poor student achievements  To identify legal and ethical aspects of the introduction of internal evaluation  To develop evaluation and self-evaluation procedures for quality assurance  To assess needs of teaching assistants and other staff for continuing education in contemporary teaching methods  To produce brochure on quality assurance

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EXPERT GROUP FOR THE ASSESMENT OF STUDENTS

Design the assessment strategies for programs and awards     Define types of assessment Define instruments of assessment Define clear criteria for the marking and grading of assessments Define appropriate feedback to students on assessed work which will promote learning and facilitate improvement     Define effective mechanisms to deal with breaches of assessment regulations and the resolution of appeals against assessment decisions Define effective, clear, and consistent policies in respect of the membership, procedures, powers and accountability of assessment panels and boards of examiners Propose mechanisms for the review and development of assessment regulative Propose the adequate instructions for stuff involved in the assessment of students in order to be competent to undertake their roles and responsibilities

Expert group for life long learning

• Which expert groups do we need?

• What should be their tasks?

• Assigne consortium members to particular expert groups

EXPERT TEAMS

ZLS Croa. HLI Foreign HLI Ministries

Academic standards Curricula Quality Assurance Assesment of Students Life Long Learning

TIMELINE OF THE ACTIVITIES

Month 11/25-26 12/8-9 December January February Activity Meeting and training seminar for experts Training visits of Croatian experts to EU participating institutions Study of current trends, needs problems in HLE Duration 23 days 10 days 75 days Location Croatia Austria Italy Slovenia Austria Croatia Italy Slovenia

Month February March 3/24-26 April May June July Activity Report writting preparing conference Conference “The Impact of BP on HLE” Writing a National strategy Duration 30 days 3 days 50 days Writing an Action plan 50 days Location Austria Croatia Italy Slovenia Croatia Austria Croatia Italy Slovenia Austria Croatia Italy Slovenia

Month August September 10/9-20 September October 10/28 Activity Duration Construction of seminar material and web site 40 days Seminars at Croatian Faculties of Law on NS & AP 8 days Analyses, report writing & final meeting 55 days Location Austria Croatia Italy Slovenia Croatia Austria Croatia Italy Slovenia

Training seminar for experts

 Issues that should be addressed:  Propose trainers:

What should be researched?

  Comparative analyses of the implementation of the BP in EU HLI Implementation of the BP i Cro. HLI    problems needs recommendations

Report

  Who does it prepare?

Content:    Comparative analyses Analyses of Croatian situation Recomendations  Banchmark statement  Proposal of curricula (core subjects)

Conference

 What to address?

 Whome to invite?

NP + AP

 How many people should be involved?

 Who should be involved?

Seminars

 Presentations   Comparative situation (foreign consortium members) NS + AP (Croatian consortium members)  Workshops   How to implement NS in my institution How to implement NS in my course