Croatia
The Croatian university sector is characterised by the historically high independency of faculties. There are two kinds of institutions in this regard; on the one hand, four out of nine universities are institutions which result from the union of independent, legally established faculties. The five more recently established universities have, on the other hand, a more central management model.
Organisational autonomy: medium high
The law includes provisions regarding the selection criteria for the executive head and the duration of their term of office, while leaving the definition of the modalities of election and dismissal to the university statutes. The law also determines the basic governance structure of universities, and the institution may select only part of the external members that compose the university board. Universities may in principle decide on their academic structures, although faculties are legally recognised organisational units. Universities may found other legal entities.
Financial autonomy: medium low
Universities receive yearly block grants for salaries, with little option for internal reallocation across categories. Universities may keep surpluses, and borrow with approval; they own their buildings but require approval to sell them. In a mixed system where half of the students are enrolled on state-funded places, and the other half pay fees, universities may only set the level of fees for doctoral candidates and international students.
Academic autonomy: medium low
Universities are able to decide on the number of fee-paying students and have limited capacity to select students by determining additional admission criteria. Programme accreditation is mandatory and must be carried out by the national agency. Study programmes delivered in languages other than Croatian do not receive financial support from the State.
Staffing autonomy: low
Universities have limited capacity to decide on staffing matters as a large majority of university staff have civil servant status. The number of posts and salary levels are controlled externally, and both promotions and dismissals are subject to specific regulations linked to civil servant status.
Organisational weighted 62% unweighted 62%
100% Selection procedure for the executive head
The selection of the executive head is not validated by an external authority
75% Selection criteria for the executive head
The law states that the executive head must hold an academic position
100% Dismissal of the executive head
The procedure for the dismissal of the executive head is not stated in the law
This applies to 10 other countries: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, Wallonia, Ireland, The Netherlands, Serbia, Switzerland, United Kingdom
0% Term of office of the executive head
The exact length is stated in the law
57% External members in university governing bodies
Universities cannot decide as they must include external members
This applies to 23 other countries: Austria, Denmark, Finland, Flanders, France, Wallonia, Hesse, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
External members are partly appointed by the university and partly by an external authority
0% Capacity to decide on academic structures
Faculties/other academic structures are listed in the law
This applies to 3 other countries: Luxembourg, Slovakia, Slovenia
100% Capacity to create legal entities
Universities can create legal entities without constraints
This applies to 18 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, France, Wallonia, Hesse, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Serbia, Spain, United Kingdom
Financial weighted 60% unweighted 65%
60% Length of public funding cycle
One year
20% Type of public funding
Block grant but internal allocation possibilities are limited by law
This does not apply to any other country.
Block grant with other restrictions
80% Ability to borrow money
Universities can borrow money with the approval of an external authority
This applies to 4 other countries: France, Luxembourg, Slovenia, Spain
100% Ability to keep surplus
Surplus can be kept without restrictions
This applies to 15 other countries: Austria, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Hesse, Italy, Latvia, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom
60% Ability to own buildings
Universities can sell their buildings with the approval of an external authority
This applies to 5 other countries: Iceland, Luxembourg, Norway, Slovenia, Switzerland
0% Tuition fees for national/EU students at Bachelor level
Only an external authority is allowed to set the level of tuition fees
0% Tuition fees for national/EU students at Master's level
Only an external authority is allowed to set the level of tuition fees
This applies to 5 other countries: Flanders, France, Wallonia, The Netherlands, Spain
100% Tuition fees for national/EU students at doctoral level
Universities are free to set the level of tuition fees
This applies to 8 other countries: Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal, Serbia, United Kingdom
100% Tuition fees for non-EU students at Bachelor level
Universities are free to set the level of tuition fees
This applies to 13 other countries: Estonia, Flanders, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Sweden, United Kingdom
100% Tuition fees for non-EU students at Master's level
Universities are free to set the level of tuition fees
This applies to 13 other countries: Estonia, Flanders, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Sweden, United Kingdom
100% Tuition fees for non-EU students at doctoral level
Universities are free to set the level of tuition fees
This applies to 11 other countries: Estonia, Flanders, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, United Kingdom
Staffing weighted 36% unweighted 35%
67% Recruitment procedures for senior academic staff
Appointments need to be confirmed by an external authority for some staff
The number of posts is regulated by an external authority for some staff
This applies to one other country: Italy
83% Recruitment procedures for senior administrative staff
The number of posts is regulated by an external authority for some staff
0% Salaries for senior academic staff
Salaries are set by an external authority/civil servant status for all staff
0% Salaries for senior administrative staff
Salaries are set by an external authority/civil servant status for all staff
0% Dismissal of senior academic staff
Dismissals are strictly regulated due to civil servant status for all staff
This applies to 9 other countries: France, Wallonia, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia, Spain
Dismissals are subject to other regulations specific to the sector
This applies to 8 other countries: Austria, Flanders, Ireland, The Netherlands, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, Switzerland
0% Dismissal of senior administrative staff
Dismissals are strictly regulated due to civil servant status for all staff
57% Promotion procedures for senior academic staff
Promotions are only possible if there is a post at a higher level
This applies to 7 other countries: Brandenburg, Wallonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Portugal, Serbia
71% Promotion procedures for senior administrative staff
The law states who has to be included in the selection committee
This applies to one other country: Spain
Academic weighted 50% unweighted 49%
60% Overall student numbers
Universities decide on the number of fee-paying students while an external authority sets the number of state-funded study places
60% Admissions procedures at Bachelor level
Admission criteria are co-regulated by an external authority and universities
This applies to 11 other countries: Brandenburg, Denmark, Hesse, Latvia, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden
60% Admissions procedures at Master's level
Admission criteria are co-regulated by an external authority and universities
40% Introduction of programmes at Bachelor level
All new degree programmes/courses must be submitted to prior accreditation to be funded
This applies to 3 other countries: France, The Netherlands, Spain
40% Introduction of programmes at Master's level
All new degree programmes/courses must be submitted to prior accreditation to be funded
This applies to 3 other countries: France, The Netherlands, Spain
0% Introduction of programmes at doctoral level
All new degree programmes/courses must be submitted to prior accreditation to be introduced
100% Termination of degree programmes
Universities can terminate degree programmes independently
This applies to 25 other countries: Denmark, Estonia, Flanders, France, Wallonia, Hesse, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
67% Language of instruction at Bachelor level
Universities can choose the language of instruction but will not receive public funding for foreign-language programmes
67% Language of instruction at Master's level
Universities can choose the language of instruction but will not receive public funding for foreign-language programmes
0% Selection of quality assurance mechanisms
Universities cannot select quality assurance mechanisms
0% Selection of quality assurance providers
Universities cannot choose the quality assurance agency
100% Capacity to design content of degree programmes
Universities can freely design the content of degree programmes and courses (other than for the regulated professions)
This applies to 25 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, France, Wallonia, Hesse, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom