UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES COMPETITIVENESS ON REGIONAL HIGH EDUCATION MARKET

U drugoj polovici 20. stoljeća u Europi se pored klasičnih sveučilišta pojavljuje drugi stup visokog obrazovanja koji se zasniva na stručnom obrazovanja. U Hrvatskoj takav oblik obrazovanja pružaju veleučilišta i visoke škole. Hrvatska je članica Europske unije, a pristupom Bolonjskom konvenciji postala je i članica Europskog prostora za visoko obrazovanje. Stoga se hrvatsko visoko obrazovanje ne može promatrati izvan visokog obrazovanja Europske unije i Bolonjskog procesa. Jedna od temeljnih vrednota Europske unije je mobilnost rada, kapitala, roba i usluga, a kroz program Erasmus+ potiče se mobilnost studenata. Sve to dovodi do nužnog ujednačavanja kriterija i kurikuluma u većini država Europske unije, te se visoko obrazovanje više ne može promatrati izvan neke šire regije. Moderna ekonomija već je duboko zašla u područje ekonomije usluga te tržište rada zahtjeva sve obrazovanije radnike. Svako zanimanje za koje je potrebno visoko obrazovanje ne traži nužno klasičnu sveučilišnu naobrazbu, već teži ka stručnom znanju studenta/radnika. Ova doktorska disertacija nastoji kroz povijesni kontekst i moderne ekonomske prilike razumjeti koncept stručnog visokog obrazovanja, a potom, nakon što se utvrde sve prednosti i mane ovakvog oblika visokog obrazovanja, provjeriti jesu li veleučilišta i ostale ustanove stručnog visokog obrazovanja izgradile svoju poziciju na tržištu, te jesu li dovoljno konkurentni u odnosu na druge institucije tercijarnog ili sekundarnog obrazovanja.During second half of 20th century alongside with classical universities, many countries in Europe established second level of higher education based on practice-oriented education. In Croatia this type of education is held on University of applied sciences (Veleuciliste) and higher schools. Croatia is a member of European Union and also, by signing Bologna treaty it has become member of European Higher Education Area. That is why high education in Croatia cannot be observed outside of high education in Europe and Bologna treaty. One of basic values of European Union is mobility of work, capital, goods and services, and through Erasmus+ program EU foster mobility of students. All of mentioned resulted with necessity of harmonization of criteria and courses programs in most of EU member states; and that is why it is impossible to observe high education outside of wider region. Modern economy already went deeply into area of service oriented economy and labour market demands for highly educated workers. Every profession, for which higher education is necessary, do not require classical university tuition, rather requires vocationally trained student/worker. This doctoral thesis aims to, through historical context and modern economy circumstances, understand concept of practice-oriented education, and subsequently, after determination of pros and cons of practice-oriented education, to see whether university of applied sciences and other institutions of practice-oriented education, have built their market position, and are they competitive enough on higher education market