Higher Education and Research

Regional Network on Qualifications Frameworks for South East Europe, 29 – 30 June 2009, Ljubljana

SWOT of CROQF

Strengths

    · In the development of the NQF what are the strong points?
    · What are the things which go particularly well?
    · Why?

Weaknesses:

    · In the development of the NQF what are the weak points?
    · What are the things particularly difficult and problematic?
    · Why?

Opportunities:

    · What are the external factors which play a positive role in this development?
    · What supports the development? Why?

Threats:

    · What are the external factors which play a negative role in this development?
    · What refrains the development? Why?

STRENGTS

    · good organization, good management, very high level of expertise among leaders of the project
    · enthusiastic and dedicated team
    · development of CROQF based on the local specific needs
    · completion of big part of the work (terms-definitions, descriptors)
    · Committee for the development of CROQF- Government's body -easier way for communication with different institutions
    · Inclusion of all stakeholders in all stages of the process and relatively high visibility of the process among stakeholders, which is the result of strategic decision to focus on inclusion
    · High quality web site at www.hko.vlada.hr, which is the result of dedicated resources at the level of the government and CROQF leadership

Weaknesses

    · fast development which can no more be covered by individuals who works par-time on CROQF development – need for organized (institutional) support – question of financial means
    · The current stage of CROQF development requires a high level of expertise, which may be difficult to achieve

Opportunities

    · social partners (business sector, educational sector, media) sensible for and aware of the importance of CROQF
    · regional recognition of the efforts, organization and quality of (work on) CROQF – regional contacts, support and (?) coordination
    · There are options for European cooperation, including this Coordination group, which may facilitate the creation of answers to some questions
    · Expert and financial support from the European funds is likely to contribute to the increase in capacity for CROQF development
    · Understanding among members of the stakeholders of the importance of the work on CROQF for the improvement of the Croatian education and qualifications system
    · participation of different institutions and bodies during the development of CROQF- improvement of quality assurance
    · students mobility, mobility of working force

Threats

    · Unequal involvement of groups of stakeholders - for example, higher education institutions might be better represented in the working groups than they are now
    · There may be conflicting interests among different stakeholders, which may slow down CROQF development
    · constitution of working groups which will develop qualifications – quality of individuals which will work in those groups
    · selfish interests of some interest groups
    · bachelors not recognised at the market
    · tiredness from constant changes
    · quality assurance