SCIENCE MINISTER: CROATIA WANTS UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS TO HAVE UNIVERSITY EDUCATION

ZAGREB, Oct 7 (Hina) - Croatian Science and Technology Minister Gvozden Flego said at the international conference "Changes in the Education of Professors in Europe" in Zagreb Croatia's goal was to have university professors in all segments have university degrees. #L# Minister Flego spoke about three theses - the specific characteristics of Croatian university education, higher education as public service, and the dynamics of the education system affected by changes in science. Flego said that the unavoidable specific characteristic of higher education in Croatia was that Croatian universities were in fact free faculty associations, not integrated institutions as in most European countries. Faculties in Croatia are essential units which determine education plans and the curriculum, he said. Because of Croatia's specific needs, the education of university professors should consist of four years of university followed by a year of pedagogy and psychology education and three-year doctoral studies. In contrast, the Bologna Declaration suggests a different system -- three-year under-graduate studies followed by two years of post-graduate studies and three years of doctoral studies. The specific nature of public services imposes a need to transfer some responsibilities from institutions of education to the public, the minister said. In certain fields of science such as physics and biochemistry changes are so fast that the curriculum for these and similar fields should be changed every five to eight years, Flego warned. All this indicates the importance of permanent education of both teachers and people in other professions, he said. The organisers of the conference, representatives of the Zagreb University Teachers' Academy, expressed great satisfaction with Flego's speech, this being his first since he stepped into office. (hina) lml