University of Dubrovnik

[EduCativ]

The University of Dubrovnik is the “youngest University in Croatia. By its programs, its organization, and its technical equipment, the University of Dubrovnik can be stands among very modern educational institutions.

DUBROVNIK, a magnificent historic city, founded in the 7th century, traces its roots to the ancient world. It was the only city-state on the entire Croatian coast, from the 14th to the 19th century. Seafaring and trade, together with the wise international policy and skillful diplomacy, brought economic and cultural prosperity and centuries of prosperity to that free city-state.

The Dubrovnik people were known as competent seafarers, tradesmen, scientists, and writers. High education and scientific work have their roots in the distant past. This is particularly true of the maritime, the social and the natural sciences. For example, Beno Kotruljević, of Dubrovnik, wrote four books in 1458 “About Commerce and a Perfect merchant,” published in Venice in 1573, which was the first work of its kind. Nikola Sorgojević, a citizen of the Dubrovnik Republic (Respublica Ragusii, 1358 – 1816), was the first Croat who wrote a book about navigation (published in 1574). Jesuits founded “Collegium Ragusinum” in 1624, which was promulgated into a public institution of high learning where art and natural sciences were studied.

That institution provided education for Ruđer Bošković, the most eminent Croatian scientist and the founder of the dynamic theory of atoms, who continued his doctorate studies in Rome. The Dubrovnik Republic Senate allowed young aristocrats to study navigation and commerce and apply their professional knowledge when sailing out of the Adriatic Sea.

The University of Dubrovnik promotes international activities and encourages their implementation into all daily activities of the University. The strategic development of the University is based on its international orientation and its emphasis on the importance of being part of EHEA (European Higher Education Area) and ERA (European Research Area).

Mobility, as part of international cooperation, is one of the most critical stakeholders in the further development of the University of Dubrovnik.

The action plan and forthcoming activities related to international activities include the following:

• Adoption and adjustment of an internal organizational structure according to international regulations and EU praxis.
• Implementation and upgrading of infrastructural resources to support international cooperation (incl. housing, distance learning, and ICT support).
• Organization of programs, studies, modules, and subjects taught in foreign languages (English as the priority).
• Adjustment of Quality Management and Control (QM / QC / QA) according to international standards and regulations.
• Promotion of international programs.
• Establishment of a strong relationship between research and education.
• Increase in international conferences and workshops.
• Increase in international research and industry-related projects and programs.
• Increase in the mobility of students, teaching, and non-teaching staff (incoming and outgoing).
• Extension of the partner institutions network.

The tradition of quality management at the University of Dubrovnik dates back to when it had the Polytechnic status. The Polytechnic of Dubrovnik was the first high education establishment in Croatia that could boast of possessing the Certificate of the Quality Management according to ISO 9002:1994 as early as 1999, together with the double Certificate of the Croatian Register of Shipping (CRS) and the Bureau Veritas Quality International (BVQI).

Establishment of the University and the start of its operations in the academic 2004/05 year, a necessity for the introduction of quality management system into all its components appeared, modeled on the system inherited from the Polytechnic.

In order to secure the continuity of lectures and seafarers’ professional courses at the University according to SCTW convention stipulations, the first order of business was establishing a quality system for education and training of seafarers, using the existing Polytechnic documentation, resulting in certification by CRS and BVQI in October of 2004.

In June of 2005, CRS and BVQI have recertified the University’s quality management system, confirming the efforts of the quality project team, Rector, General Secretary, and all University employees during the process of developing new quality management documents, process flowcharts, and creation of internal web-pages.

In March of 2006, Rector has founded a new University Quality management team, led by Rector’s assistant I. Jelčić, and completed by members D. Bonačić, M. Mirošević, and J. Šundrica. The quality management team performs operational tasks linked to quality system management at the University, successfully organizing follow-up inspections performed by CRS and BVQI in June of 2006 and September of 2007.

The team is tasked with continuous quality management system improvement, following all current changes in the process of adapting to all Bologna Declaration requirements, and the continuation of cooperation with the Agency for Science and Higher Education (AZVO) in the implementation of a national quality standard for all Croatian universities. Preparations are underway for the first visit by AZVO’s evaluation team, whose purpose is to oversee and aid in the process of national standards adjustment.

In July of 2008, a regular re-certification audit by CRS and BVQI has been completed, positively evaluating efforts of the quality management team, as well as the entire University with all its employees, unconditionally approving the extension of the ISO 9001:2000 certificate for the following three years.

Certificate’s scope has been expanded to include university-level education in the arts sciences, honoring the Department of Art and Restauration's efforts. Shortly, inclusion of the Institute for marine and coastal research into the University’s quality system, coupled with continued efforts in quality system improvement.

Scope of the certificate issued by CRS and BVQI is as follows: “University education in technical, biotechnical, social and fine art areas, and related scientific and professional activities, including training of seafarers and tourist officials.”

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