Croatia: introducing AI in VET

Pioneering AI curriculum piloted in Croatian schools

In June 2025, Croatia completed the pilot of its first curriculum introducing artificial intelligence (AI) in primary and upper-secondary schools, including VET. Throughout the 2024/2025 school year, the elective subject, "Artificial Intelligence: From Concept to Application," was offered to upper-secondary students. 68 teachers and 1018 students from 53 VET schools participated in piloting the curriculum. The curriculum aimed to provide practical training in AI and to foster critical thinking about the social and ethical implications of emerging technologies. Students learned to use AI tools responsibly, create digital content, and identify safety threats, cyber-bullying, abuse, plagiarism, authorship crediting, and the negative effects on emotional well-being.

Strong interest fuels continued implementation

A teacher survey conducted after the pilot showed  high or exceptional student interest in AI, according to three quarters of teachers. Over 90% of participating teachers indicated they would continue implementing the curriculum in the 2025/2026 school year, using project-based learning, discussions, and AI tools. Although teacher training was provided during the pilot, educators expressed a need for further support, including more training opportunities and access to best practice examples.

Focus on practical skills and ethics

Developed in 2023/2024 by experts and practicing teachers, the curriculum was grounded in current research on AI in education, emphasising experiential and practical learning. It was designed to be flexible, allowing integration with other subjects and adaptation to different teaching styles.

A survey of 135 students from 16 VET schools in April 2025 highlighted the most appreciated elements: hands-on AI skills, a fun and relaxed learning environment, teacher engagement, ethical discussions, multimedia content, and collaborative learning. Most students considered the subject valuable for their future professions, general digital literacy, and creativity. However, some reported difficulty in seeing its relevance to their field or voiced concerns about AI replacing human jobs. The curriculum will be revised in 2025/26 to address the suggestions from the pilot evaluation.

ESF+ funded innovation in education

The pilot was part of the BrAIn project (Application of digital technologies based on artificial intelligence in education), funded by the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+). Launched in 2023, the project is led by the Croatian Academic and Research Network (CARNET), with collaboration from the Agency for VET and Adult Education, the Croatian Catholic University, and the Croatian Association for Artificial Intelligence (CroAI).

In 2025/2026, the curriculum will be revised based on pilot feedback and supported by updated materials, additional teacher training, and a community of practice. Project activities will continue until 2029 and include research on the impact of digital technologies on student well-being and a smart recommendation system, based on Large Language Model and AI technologies, offering better insight into learning achievement for teachers, students, and parents, including early warnings and personalised virtual learning assistants.

National exchange of practice

As part of the project’s broader outreach, over 800 teachers, principals, researchers, and education experts gathered at the annual CARNET users’ conference in April 2025 to share experiences and discuss the transformative role of AI in education. The central themes of the conference included the application of AI in the classroom, balanced exposure to digital and real-world learning experiences, and new approaches to inclusive and sustainable education. The conference provided an opportunity for teachers to exchange experiences and best practices that fostered critical thinking, creativity, inclusion and environmental awareness among learners.

Read more:

• BrAIn project website
• Artificial Intelligence: From concept to application (curriculum – in Croatian language)