About us

Agency for Vocational Education and Training and Adult Education (AVETAE) represents a key stakeholder in Croatia in the field of vocational and adult education (VET and AE). The agency was founded in 2010 by the promulgation of the Agency for Vocational Education and Training and Adult Education Act, and was created by merging two agencies: the Agency for Vocational Education (2005) and the Agency for Adult Education (2006).

The Agency is responsible for VET qualifications and curricula development, labour market needs surveys, quality assurance in the field of VET and AE, teacher training in the field of VET and AE, relevant data collection and statistics, management information systems, student skills competitions etc. The Agency is a member of Cedefop ReferNet network, National Reference Point for EQAVET, UNESCO - UNEVOC National Centre and it also represents Croatia in networks and EU bodies such as ACVT, DGVET, the Governing Board of the ETF and other associations such as the World Skills Europe.

The Agency, in particular the organizational unit for management of structural instruments is Intermediate Body Level II of the Operational Programme "Human Resources Development " in the framework of the ESF.

The agency operates closely with all key stakeholders in the field of vocational education and adult education.

Since 2006, the Agency for Vocational Education and Training and Adult Education has committed significant efforts to planning, preparing and implementing projects funded by the EU and other funding organizations. In this period, AVETAE Department for European Affairs, International Cooperation and Projects has prepared and implemented projects with the overall budget of 40.000.000 EUR.

In cooperation with other key stakeholders, AVETAE is equally involved in programming of the European Social Fund budget for the period from 2014-2020 in Croatia within the Operational Programme Efficient Human Resources 2014 – 2020.

AVETAE is implementing the following ESF funded projects within the framework of the Operational Programme Efficient Human Resources 2014 – 2020: Promotion of Lifelong Learning, Modernization of the System of Continuing Professional Development of VET School Teachers and Promotion of Student Competences and Vocational Education and Training through Skills Competitions and Fairs. The overall budget for the ESF-funded projects is over 8.5 EUR, which involves 85% of EU-funding and 15% of national co-financing.

The Agency for Vocational Education and Training and Adult Education signed a two-year partnership agreement with Cedefop for the implementation of ReferNet Croatia responsibilities by AVETAE Department for European Affairs, International Cooperation and Projects.

Latest news

In May-June 2021, the Institute for Social Research in Zagreb conducted a survey on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on education in Croatia. The survey concludes that the effects of the pandemic on learners’ wellbeing and learning progress were considerable; it calls for effective policy responses.

While facing the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the WorldSkills Croatia 2021 competition was held live from 11 to 13 May in Zagreb, Croatia, for over 300 IVET learners in 43 disciplines.

From March to June 2020, during the Covid-19 lockdown and the school transition to distance learning, the Agency for VET and Adult Education (ASOO) conducted a survey on the experience, attitudes and needs associated with distance learning in Croatia. They asked 1348 IVET and CVET teachers to assess digital competences, distance learning delivery and available support. Further surveys were also conducted among pre-tertiary and provider levels to plan support and different scenarios for education and training delivery in 2020/21.

The Zagreb and Petrinja earthquakes that occurred in the spring and winter of 2020 respectively, caused major disruption in the education process at all levels, including VET.

Latest publications

Key competences in vocational education and training - Croatia

Vocational education and training in Europe: Croatia - country report

Apprenticeship-type schemes and structured work-based learning programmes

Innovation in vet - Croatia

Supporting teachers and trainers for successful reforms and quality of vet - Croatia

Rss feed

EQF an inspiration for national reforms

Stakeholders across Europe see a steady progress towards increased transparency of qualifications, especially in the formal education and training domain.

Cedefop’s Skills forecast going strong into its 20th year

Representatives from 23 European Union Member States have met to prepare the 2025 release of Cedefop’s Skills forecast

A snapshot of European VET and future priorities

Vocation education and training (VET) systems across the EU are affected by the constant changes in the economy, society and labour market, so making them agile and flexible is of paramount importa

Latvia: renewed collaboration on VET with Germany

In August 2023, the Latvian and German education ministries signed a declaration of cooperation in the fields of vocational education and training (VET) and lifelong learning.