Internationalisation of VET

Policy development
Practical measure/Initiative
Croatia
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Timeline
  • 2021Implementation
  • 2022Implementation
  • 2023Implementation
  • 2024Implementation
ID number
47819

Background

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

The National Education System Development Plan for the period up to 2027 defines measures to support the further internationalisation of VET. This aligns with the objective of the Council Recommendation of 24 November 2020 on VET for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness, and resilience, aiming for 8% of learners in VET to benefit from learning mobility abroad. Moreover, the Council Recommendation Europe on the Move - learning mobility opportunities for everyone proposes increasing the participation target for VET learners, including apprentices, to at least 12% by 2030.

Objectives

Goals and objectives of the policy development.

The National Education System Development Plan for the period up to 2027 aims to support the internationalisation of VET through calls for participation in mobility for educational staff and learners, and developing a strategy for the internationalisation of VET.

Key indicators are defined as:

  1. number of learners in VET involved in mobility activities;
  2. number of educational staff in VET involved in mobility activities.

Description

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

Internationalisation of VET involves supporting international mobility for educational staff and learners, as well as transnational cooperation among VET providers, particularly through the Erasmus+ programme. Through mobility and transnational cooperation, learners will strengthen their language, digital, and other skills while gaining the opportunity to undertake work-based learning abroad, and teachers will enhance their teaching skills. This measure will also support transnational cooperation among VET providers, contributing to the modernisation of VET, innovation, and the visibility of VET providers within the European Education Area. In 2023, 2.31% of learners in IVET participated in mobility within the Erasmus+ programme; further increases are hindered by the Erasmus+ budget, despite a recent increase in allocated funds.

2021
Implementation

In 2021, key mobility indicators were 1 230 learners in VET involved in mobility and 54 educational staff in VET.

2022
Implementation

In 2022, key mobility indicators involved:

  1. 1 960 learners in VET involved in mobility, representing a 59% increase compared to 2021;
  2. 206 educational staff in VET involved in mobility, representing a 281% increase compared to 2021;
  3. eight Key Action 2 projects supporting transnational cooperation.
2023
Implementation

In 2023, key mobility indicators involved:

  1. 2 300 learners in VET involved in mobility, representing a 9% increase compared to 2022;
  2. 230 educational staff in VET involved in mobility, representing an 11% increase compared to 2022;
  3. nine Key Action 2 projects supporting transnational cooperation.

Final indicators for 2023 are pending the completion of ongoing mobility projects.

2024
Implementation

In 2024, key mobility indicators involved:

  1. 2 600 learners in VET (expected) involved in mobility;
  2. 270 educational staff in VET (expected) involved in mobility;
  3. six Key Action 2 projects (8 expected) supporting transnational cooperation.

Indicators for 2024 are based on the expected number of participants in accordance with contracted mobility projects.

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.
  • Agency for Mobility and EU Programmes (AMPEU)
  • 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.

Learners

  • Learners in upper secondary, including apprentices
  • Learners with migrant background, including refugees
  • Learners at risk of early leaving or/and early leavers
  • Learners with disabilities
  • Learners from other groups at risk of exclusion (minorities, people with fewer opportunities due to geographical location or social-economic disadvantaged position)

Education professionals

  • Teachers
  • Trainers
  • School leaders

Entities providing VET

  • Companies
  • Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
  • VET providers (all kinds)

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.

European and international dimensions of VET

This thematic category covers both European and international cooperation in initial and continuing VET, aimed at promoting EU VET systems as a European education and training area and making it a reference for learners in neighbouring countries and across the globe.

Expanding opportunities and increasing participation of VET learners, young and adult, and staff in international mobility for learning and work, including apprenticeship and virtual and blended mobility, account for most initiatives in this thematic category.

Apart from established and financially supported EU cooperation, VET opens up to cooperation and promotion of European values and national practices beyond the EU, which is becoming a trend. This thematic category also encompasses internationalisation strategies, transnational cooperation projects and initiatives – including those where joint VET programmes, examinations and qualifications are developed – and  participation in international skills competitions that promote the image of VET. Using international qualifications – awarded by legally established international bodies or by a national body acting on behalf of an international body – in the national VET systems and recognising them towards national qualifications is also in focus.

VET internationalisation strategies

This thematic sub-category refers to developing internationalisation strategies supporting a strategic approach to international cooperation in VET and lifelong learning, including going beyond the EU.

Mobility of learners and staff

This thematic sub-category refers to providing opportunities for, implementing and increasing rates of, learning mobility of VET and adult learners and staff, including virtual mobility, apprenticeship placements, long-duration mobility and mobility to third countries, in line with national regulations, collective agreements and health and safety provisions. It also includes the provision of information about mobility, support structures and tools, strengthening the quality of mobility experiences and recognition of learning outcomes acquired abroad, including with the use of relevant EU tools, e.g. memoranda of understanding or learning agreements (ECVET elements).

European priorities in VET

EU priorities in VET and LLL are set in the Council Recommendation for VET for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience, adopted on 24 November 2020 and in the Osnabrück Declaration on VET endorsed on 30 November 2020.

VET Recommendation

  • VET as an attractive choice based on modern and digitalised provision of training and skills

Osnabrück Declaration

  • European Education and Training Area and international VET

Subsystem

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

Country

Croatia

Type of development

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

Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Internationalisation of VET: Croatia. In Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Timeline of VET policies in Europe (2024 update) [Online tool].

https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/tools/timeline-vet-policies-europe/search/47819