A brief study on apprenticeship in higher education
Commissioned by: Ministry of Science and Education
Project duration: September 19, 2016 – October 25, 2016
Project manager: Valerija Botrić, PhD
Brief outline:
The aim of the project was to analyze the representation and quality of vocational practice and other forms of learning through work in study programs at higher education institutions in the Republic of Croatia. The study also contained recommendations for increasing attendance and improving the quality of vocational practice in study programs that were conducted at higher education institutions in the Republic of Croatia to the extent that the results of the analysis enabled it.
A short study was conducted according to the following categories:
-
Type of professional practice (what kind of professional practice existed as part of study programs at higher education institutions in the Republic of Croatia and what were their basic characteristics)
-
Representation of professional practice (what was the representation of the professional practice, in which level was the practical practice performed as a separate course, and to what extent was it included within the course that combined teaching and practical work, in what way was the importance attached to the professional practice within study programs based on the number WECTS credits gained from this overall professional practice estimated)
-
Quality of the professional practice (to what extent was the professional practice described in the learning outcomes, to what extent did employers provide mentoring for the implementation of professional practice, to what extent were mentors at the higher education institutions involved in evaluating the learning outcomes gained by the professional practice)
-
Collaboration of higher education institutions and employers (to what extent did higher education institutions provide the opportunity to conduct professional practice through systematic cooperation and contractual obligations with employers)
-
Collaboration between students and employers (how was the students' status regulated by employers, did the employers pay the students compensation for the duration of their professional practice).