Redefining career advancements system for VET teachers

Policy development
Regulation/Legislation
Croatia
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Timeline
  • 2019Approved/Agreed
  • 2020Implementation
  • 2021Implementation
  • 2022Implementation
  • 2023Implementation
  • 2024Implementation
ID number
28273

Background

A brief overview of the context and rationale of the policy development, explaining why it is implemented or why it is important.

The Amendments to the Act on education in primary and secondary schools from 2018 redefined the system of career advancement, specifically introducing the opportunity to reward teachers for exceptional achievement in education.

Description

What/How/Who/For whom/When of the policy development in detail, explaining its activities and annual progress, main actors and target groups.

The 2019 framework for career advancement and rewards to teachers encourages mentorship and peer collaboration, teaching innovation, CPD, production of teaching resources and open digital education content, participation in projects, as well as contribution to the education system through engagement in working groups for policy development, research or experimental programmes in education. Adopted in 2019, the Regulation on career advancement contributes to evidence-based decision-making on the professional advancement of teachers, school directors and other education professionals.

2019
Approved/Agreed

The Regulation on career advancement of teachers, education professionals, and school directors in primary and secondary schools and student dormitories was adopted in 2019. It restructures:

  1. advanced professional titles,
  2. requirements and criteria for professional advancement,
  3. nomination and evaluation procedure for professional advancement,
  4. validity of advanced professional titles and their renewal,
  5. obligations of the holders of advanced professional titles.

The assessment criteria for advancement are detailed, covering the organisation of and participation or mentorship in student competitions; mentorship to students or teacher trainees; the delivery of or participation in training (including online and international training); activities in professional associations; publications and production of teaching materials and educational content; project management or implementation; and contributions to school (a mandatory criterion) and the education system. CPD participation and school contribution are a requirement so teachers need to demonstrate relevant professional activity to qualify for advancement.
The holders of advanced professional titles are expected to:

  1. deliver professional training;
  2. participate in online public consultations on legislative and regulatory proposals;
  3. participate in projects;
  4. publish digital education content or articles;
  5. mentor students or teachers entering the profession.

The new Regulation significantly redefined the procedure for career advancement. It reduced the role of agencies in charge of education, including the Agency for VET and Adult Education, to administrative tasks in the career advancement procedure. According to the new Regulation on career advancement, the present role of the education agencies consists of an administrative check of the request for career advancement (notably, receiving requests and verifying the fulfilment of general prerequisites for advancement), as well as the adoption of decisions on career advancement, based on the recommendation of the Committee for advancement. The earlier independent professional role of education agencies in the assessment of candidates for advancement, in cooperation with school directors, has now been ceded to the Committee for Advancement, directly appointed by the ministry responsible for education.
For the first time, the Regulation on rewards stipulated the evaluation procedure and the award criteria, as well as financial bonuses for teachers who participated in experimental programmes in education.

2020
Implementation

Guidelines on the application of the Framework for national qualification standards for teachers in primary and secondary schools to teacher advancement were prepared in January 2020. The corresponding guidelines were also prepared for the advancement procedure for school directors and other education professionals. Based on the application for career advancement, class observation by expert committee and interview with the candidate, the Committee for Advancement will use the guidelines to evaluate the achievement of outcomes, as set by the regulation on career advancement and the framework for national qualification standards. In addition to the guidelines, further explanation of criteria for the assessment of professional performance of teachers was also made available.

2021
Implementation

The Regulation on career advancement of teachers, education professionals, and school directors in primary and secondary schools and student dormitories was altered in 2021. The Committee for Advancement was abolished, and all responsibilities were returned to the Agency for Vocational and Adult Education that had the legal authority, professional capacities, and expertise in professional advancement procedures in VET.

In 2021 amendments to the Regulation, the obligations of the holders of advanced professional titles were slightly altered as follows:

  1. deliver professional training or provide peer support;
  2. participate in projects;
  3. publish education content or professional articles;
  4. mentor students or teachers entering the profession.
2022
Implementation

The Regulation was operational and ran as regular practice.

2023
Implementation

In 2023, 344 VET teachers received career advancements, over one half awarded with the professional title of mentor (1st level of advancement), one third earned the title of counsellor (2nd level of advancement) and one seventh with the title of senior counsellor (3rd level of advancement, called 'excellent counsellor' in the national terminology).

2024
Implementation

In 2024, 317 VET teachers received career advancements, one third awarded with the professional title of mentor (1st level of advancement), one half earned the title of counsellor (2nd level of advancement) and one fifth with the title of senior counsellor (3rd level of advancement, called 'excellent counsellor' in the national terminology). In total, over 1 300 VET teachers were holders of professional advancement titles at different levels.

Bodies responsible

This section lists main bodies that are responsible for the implementation of the policy development or for its specific parts or activities, as indicated in the regulatory acts. The responsibilities are usually explained in its description.
  • Ministry of Science, Education and Youth (MZOM)

Target groups

Those who are positively and directly affected by the measures of the policy development; those on the list are specifically defined in the EU VET policy documents. A policy development can be addressed to one or several target groups.

Education professionals

  • Teachers
  • Trainers
  • School leaders

Thematic categories

Thematic categories capture main aspects of the decision-making and operation of national VET and LLL systems. These broad areas represent key elements that all VET and LLL systems have to different extents and in different combinations, and which come into focus depending on the EU and national priorities. Thematic categories are further divided into thematic sub-categories. Based on their description, policy developments can be assigned to one or several thematic categories.

Teachers, trainers and school leaders competences

Competent and motivated VET teachers in schools and trainers in companies are crucial to VET becoming innovative and relevant, agile, resilient, flexible, inclusive and lifelong.

This thematic category comprises policies and practices of initial training and continuing professional development approaches in a systemic and systematic manner. It also looks at measures aiming to update (entry) requirements and make teaching and training careers attractive and bring more young and talented individuals and business professionals into teaching and training. Supporting VET educators by equipping them with adequate competences, skills and tools for the green transition and digital teaching and learning are addressed in separate thematic sub-categories.

The measures in this category target teachers and school leaders, company trainers and mentors, adult educators and guidance practitioners.

Systematic approaches to and opportunities for initial and continuous professional development of school leaders, teachers and trainers

This thematic sub-category refers to all kinds of initial and continuing professional development (CPD) for VET educators who work in vocational schools and in companies providing VET. VET educators include teachers and school leaders, trainers and company managers involved in VET, as well as adult educators and guidance practitioners – those who work in school- and work-based settings. The thematic sub-category includes national strategies, training programmes or individual courses to address the learning needs of VET educators and to develop their vocational (technical) skills, and pedagogical (teaching) skills and competences. Such programmes concern state-of-the-art vocational pedagogy, innovative teaching methods, and competences needed to address evolving teaching environments, e.g. teaching in multicultural settings, working with learners at risk of early leaving, etc.

Attractiveness of the teaching and training profession/career

This thematic sub-category refers to measures aimed at engaging more professionals into teaching and training careers, including career schemes or incentives. It includes measures enabling teaching and training of staff, managing VET provider and trainer teams in companies to act as multipliers and mediators, and supporting their peers and/or local communities.

Supporting lifelong learning culture and increasing participation

Lifelong learning refers to all learning (formal, non-formal or informal) taking place at all stages in life and resulting in an improvement or update in knowledge, skills, competences and attitudes or in participation in society from a personal, civic, cultural, social or employment-related perspective (Erasmus+, Glossary of terms, https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/programme-guide/part-d/glossary-common-terms). A systemic approach to CVET is crucial to ensure adaptability to evolving demands.

This broad thematic category looks at ways of creating opportunities and ensuring access to re-skilling and upskilling pathways, allowing individuals to progress smoothly in their learning throughout their lives with better permeability between general and vocational education and training, and better integration and compatibility between initial and continuing VET and with higher education. Individuals should be supported in acquiring and updating their skills and competences and navigating easily through education and training systems. Strategies and campaigns that promote VET and LLL as an attractive and high-quality pathway, providing quality lifelong guidance and tailored support to design learning and career paths, and various incentives (financial and non-financial) to attract and support participation in VET and LLL fall into this thematic category as well.

This thematic category also includes many initiatives on making VET inclusive and ensuring equal education and training opportunities for various groups of learners, regardless of their personal and economic background and place of residence – especially those at risk of disadvantage or exclusion, such as persons with disabilities, the low-skilled and low-qualified, minorities, migrants, refugees and others.

Lifelong guidance

This thematic sub-category refers to providing high-quality lifelong learning and career guidance services, including making full use of Europass and other digital services and resources.

Subsystem

Part of the vocational education and training and lifelong learning systems the policy development applies to.
IVET

Country

Croatia

Type of development

Policy developments are divided into three types: strategy/action plan; regulation/legislation; and practical measure/initiative.
Regulation/Legislation
Cite as

Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Redefining career advancements system for VET teachers: Croatia. In Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Timeline of VET policies in Europe (2024 update) [Online tool].

https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/sk/tools/timeline-vet-policies-europe/search/28273