1. Croatian educational system From primary to tertiary level

2. 2 School education School education: The eight years of primary education are divided into two stages: classes one to four and five to eight. Secondary education comprises grammar schools, vocational schools and art schools. Grammar schools are divided into general, mathematics and IT, linguistic, classical and scientific schools. Vocational schools offer courses lasting for one, two, three or four years, including a period of practical instruction. Art schools include music, dance, visual art and design. Students must pass an entrance examination to enter university in professional fields. When the State Secondary School Leaving Examination becomes operational - in 2008/9 for grammar schools, and 2009/10 for four-year vocational schools - it is expected to replace the entrance examination in most higher education institutions.

3. 3 Higher education: The Croatian higher education system comprises six universities, with some eighty faculties, art academies,and schools of professional higher education; five polytechnics; six independent schools of professional higher education and nine private accredited schools of professional higher education. The mission of universities is scientific, artistic and developmental research, especially the implementation of scientific research programmes that are of strategic interest to Croatia; artistic endeavour and professional work, as well as the undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate education based on them. The mission of polytechnics and schools of professional higher education is professional higher education and artistic and professional activities in accordance with the needs of their local community. Schools of professional higher education are mostly teacher academies or institutions established in certain fields where the need or resources to establish a full polytechnic were lacking.

4. And more… The higher education system in the Republic of Croatia is currently undergoing a comprehensive reform in order to be part of the European Higher Education Area by 2010 and implement the Bologna Declaration, signed by Croatia in 2001. The new Act on Scientific Activity and Higher Education (2003, amended 2004) establishes a mixed system supporting on the one hand the specialist education at polytechnics, schools of professional higher education and universities, and on the other the academic education conducted solely at universities. The Act treats private and public higher education institutions equally. It also stipulates that a binary system will be established by 2010 so that professional studies will be offered only at Polytechnics and Schools of professional higher education and academic studies at universities. From January 2007, all universities will become fully integrated universities and their faculties will lose the status of legal entities. Under the new Act, academic and professional education are organised according to the system of transferable credits (ECTS). 4

5. 5 Grading system Usual grading system in secondary school Full Description: A 1-5 grading system is used. Grades (ocjena) are: 5: odličan (excellent); 4: vrlo dobar (very good); 3: dobar (good); 2: satisfactory (dovoljan); 1: nedovoljan (insatisfactory). Highest on scale: 5 Pass/fail level: 2 Lowest on scale: 1 Main grading system used by higher education institutions Full Description: A 1-5 grading scale, with 5: odličan (excellent); 4: vrlo dobar (very good); 3: dobar (good); 2: dovoljan (satisfactory); 1: nedovoljan (insatisfactory). Highest on scale: 5 Pass/fail level: 2 Lowest on scale: 1

6. 6 Some hints… Primary and secondary education is essentially free because it is mostly sponsored by the Ministry of Education of the Croatian Government. Higher education is also mostly free because the government funds all public universities and allows them to set quotas for free enrollment, based on students' prior results (usually high school grades and their result at the set of exams at enrollment).Croatian Government Secondary education: Secondary education is currently optional, although most political parties now advocate the stance that it should also become compulsory. Secondary schools in Croatia are subdivided into: gymnasiums with four available educational tracks; prirodoslovno-matematička gimnazija (specializing in math,informatics and science), jezična gimnazija (with at least three foreign languages required), klasična gimnazija (with a curriculum centered around classics, namely Latin and Ancient Greek) and opća gimnazija (which covers a general education and is not as specific)gymnasiumsclassics LatinAncient Greek vocational schools

7. Croatian universities There are eight universities in seven larger cities: University of Zagreb University of Split University of Rijeka University of Osijek (named "Josip Juraj Strossmayer")University of OsijekJosip Juraj Strossmayer University of Zadar University of Dubrovnik University of Pula (named "Juraj Dobrila")University of PulaJuraj Dobrila Dubrovnik International University 7