AZVO Seminar on Good Practice Examples and Challenges of International Cooperation in Higher Education Held

On Friday, 8 May, a professional seminar titled “Examples of Good Practice in the Organisation and Activities of Offices for International Cooperation Operating at Higher Education Institutions in the Republic of Croatia, as well as Successful Overcoming of Current Challenges” was held in Zagreb.

The event, organised by the Agency for Science and Higher Education, gathered representatives of Croatian higher education institutions as well as experts involved in internationalisation processes and administrative support for international cooperation. The aim of the seminar was the exchange of experiences, presentation of successful models of operation of international cooperation offices, and opening of discussion on challenges and possibilities of development of internationalisation in the higher education system.

Dr phil. Branka Roščić, Secretary General of the Catholic University of Croatia, presented sustainable models of strategic positioning of offices for international cooperation in challenging academic, geopolitical and demographic circumstances.

Dr Roščić emphasised that the project and seminar organised by AZVO are exceptionally important for the development of higher education institutions in Croatia and highlighted the need for continuation of this format of professional gatherings. Regarding the European level, Dr Roščić emphasised the need to organise a greater number of seminars without participation fees aimed at strengthening the competitiveness of higher education institutions within the European Union, especially in the area of development of competences and skills of employees. She also highlighted the importance of implementing a greater number of projects financed by EU funds which would enable more active participation of Croatian institutions at international education fairs outside the European Union, such as the initiative “Study in Europe”.

At the national level, Dr Roščić proposed the re-establishment of the Working Group for the removal of obstacles in international cooperation and mobility of students and staff at the Ministry of Science, Education and Youth, with the inclusion of representatives of other relevant ministries and institutions. She considers that representatives of management of higher education institutions and administrative heads of international cooperation should participate in the work of such a group.

In the final part of the seminar, MSc Sandra Bezjak from AZVO presented the results of the second cycle of reaccreditation of higher education institutions, with a special focus on student mobility as one of the key indicators of quality in higher education.

The seminar concluded with a round table at which participants discussed current challenges of internationalisation, possibilities of strengthening cooperation among institutions, and recommendations for further development of international cooperation in Croatian higher education.