Croatia: micro-credentials become a key feature of adult training

Rapid growth of micro‑qualifications

Since 2022, over 4 500 programmes leading to micro-qualifications have been approved, representing around 80% of all formal adult education programmes submitted by providers. A further 700 programmes leading to partial qualifications have also been approved. Together, this new education offer allows adults to obtain around 500 distinct micro-qualifications and over 60 partial qualifications.

Aligning all qualifications to the Croatian Qualifications Framework in line with the Adult Education Act, micro- and partial qualifications were introduced into formal adult education in 2022 for the first time. They are awarded for the completion of professional development programmes (EQF 4), short training programmes (EQF 2, 3, and 4), and VET specialist development programmes (EQF 5). The workload for partial qualifications is set at a minimum of 10 CSVET and up to 9 CSVET credits for micro-qualifications, adjusted to the complexity of learning outcomes.

Short training programmes dominate the formal adult education landscape, making up about 85% of all approved micro-qualification programmes. Most programmes have emerged in sectors central to Croatia’s VET system, such as mechanical engineering, shipbuilding and metallurgy, construction, geodesy and architecture, and electrical engineering and computer science.

Vouchers drive participation

The growth of micro-credentials has been strongly reinforced by a voucher scheme, which has become the country’s main publicly funded mechanism for promoting lifelong learning and workforce upskilling. By November 2025, authorities had awarded 50 145 vouchers, worth a total of EUR 49 257 281. Vouchers typically covered the full cost of training; only 4% required co-financing from learners or employers.

A total of 298 providers offered voucher-funded training, predominantly formal adult education leading to micro- or partial qualifications. Among the programmes eligible for voucher financing, short training programmes were the most common (1 244 leading to micro-qualifications, plus 285 to partial qualifications). They were followed by professional development programmes (511 for micro-qualifications, plus 20 for partial qualifications). VET specialist programmes remained limited (20 micro-qualification and 29 partial-qualification programmes), and 239 non-formal programmes were only recently introduced. Only two programmes led to full qualifications. Correspondingly, most voucher users enrolled in micro-qualification programmes (11 019), with growing share of disadvantaged groups - 3 067 long-term unemployed, inactive persons and NEETs. Programmes leading to partial qualifications attracted 5 556 users, and 3 467 participants attended non-formal courses. Only 143 learners pursued full qualifications.

Persistent barriers for disadvantaged groups

Despite strong uptake, recent research highlights barriers particularly affecting disadvantaged adults. Challenges include limited guidance for programme development, difficulties in targeting funding to low-qualified and low-skilled individuals, a mismatch between the training available and learner needs, and the digital skills needed to navigate the voucher platform. Outreach to low-skilled groups also remains weak. Additional barriers include health issues, geographic remoteness, care responsibilities and income-related constraints for welfare recipients (Butković & Matković, 2025).

Evaluation prompts adjustments

To address these challenges, the ministry of labour launched a large-scale project to enhance the voucher scheme in 2025. The evaluation focuses on the relevance of upskilling programmes and the overall impact of vouchers on participation in lifelong learning. Early findings show high satisfaction levels: over 80% of users reported satisfaction with the competences they gained. The initial assessment has already led to refinements, including reducing programmes with little or no demand and diversifying the offer to include additional non-formal programmes and longer courses leading to partial or full qualifications. With a budget of EUR 3 247 313 for 2025–29, the project includes skills mapping and forecasting activities and plans to develop a model for individual learning accounts, building on the voucher experience.

Read more:

• ReferNet Croatia, & Cedefop (2025, March 14). Croatia: vouchers for adults boost interest in lifelong learning.  National news on VET.
• Buković, N., & Matković, T. (2025). Vouchers as vehicle of change in Croatian vocational adult education: two theoretical perspectives. In E. Quintana-Murci, F. Salvà-Mut, B. E. Stalder, & C. Nägele (Eds.), Towards inclusive and egalitarian vocational education and training: Key challenges and strategies from a holistic and multi-contextual approach. Proceedings of the 6th Crossing Boundaries Conference in Vocational Education and Training, Palma, Mallorca, Spain, 21 to 23 May 2025 (pp. 95–105). VETNET.