On Underrepresented and Vulnerable Groups of Students: Contributions to the Enhancement of the Social Dimension of Higher Education in Croatia Authors: Saša Puzić Nikola Baketa Branislava Baranović Margareta Gregurović Teo Matković Mirta Mornar Iva Odak Josip Šabić IMPRESSUM Title: On Underrepresented and Vulnerable Groups of Students: Contributions to the Enhancement of the Social Dimension of Higher Education in Croatia Publisher: Ministry of Science and Education, Institute for Social Research in Zagreb For the publisher: prof Radovan Fuchs, PhD, Minister Boris Jokić, PhD, Director Reviewers: Martina Gaisch, PhD, Higher Education Researcher at FH Upper Austria and National Expert for the Social Dimension in Austria Martin Unger, Head of Higher Education Research Group at IHS Vienna Editor: Saša Puzić Translator: Lida Lamza Graphic design: ILI NET d.o.o. ISBN: 978-953-8374-06-7, ISBN: 978-953-6218-87-5 Europan Commission's support for the development of this publication does not represent support for the content, which solely reflects the opinions of the authors. The Commission cannot be held responsible for the usage of information contained within. On Underrepresented and Vulnerable Groups of Students: Contributions to the Enhancement of the Social Dimension of Higher Education in Croatia Authors: Saša Puzić, Nikola Baketa, Branislava Baranović, Margareta Gregurović, Teo Matković, Mirta Mornar, Iva Odak and Josip Šabić Institute for Social Research in Zagreb Zagreb, 2021 Contents 1. INTRODUCTION .................. .................................................................................................................................................7 2. RESEARCH AIM AND PROBLEMS ................................................................................................................................ 10 3. LITERATURE REVIEW OF RECENT STUDIES ON UNDERREPRESENTED AND VULNERABLE GROUPS OF STUDENTS IN CROATIA ...........................................................................................................................12 3.1. Students whose parents have a lower level of education .......................................................................14 3.2. Students from lower-income families .............................................................................................................16 3.3. Female students in the technical field, male students in the humanities ..........................................17 3.4. Mature students ......................................................................................................................................................17 3.5. Students with children..........................................................................................................................................18 3.6. Students with disabilities .....................................................................................................................................18 3.7. Students who have completed vocational education ..............................................................................19 3.8. Students who work while studying .................................................................................................................20 3.9. Students who commute to their place of study ..........................................................................................21 3.10. Students who are children of Croatian Homeland War veterans ..........................................................21 3.11. Students from the Roma minority ....................................................................................................................22 3.12. LGBTQ+ students ....................................................................................................................................................23 3.13. Students from alternative care systems .........................................................................................................23 3.14. Homeless students and students at risk of becoming homeless ..........................................................24 3.15. Students from rural areas, small towns and islands ...................................................................................24 3.16. Students with asylum/refugee status .............................................................................................................25 Institutional aspects of vulnerability ...............................................................................................................25 3.17. Part-time students ..................................................................................................................................................25 3.18. Students of professional studies .......................................................................................................................25 4. ANALYSIS OF RECENT NATIONAL POLICIES AND STRATEGIC DOCUMENTS OF HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS IN CROATIA RELATED TO THE SOCIAL DIMENSION OF HIGHER EDUCATION .........................................................................................................................................................28 4.1. National-level policies ...........................................................................................................................................28 4.1.1. Performance agreements .......................................................................................................................28 4.1.2. Strategy of Education, Science and Technology ............................................................................29 4.1.3. National Plan for Enhancing the Social Dimension of Higher Education in the Republic of Croatia 2019-2021 ......................................................................................................30 4.1.4. Operational Programme Efficient Human Resources (2014-2020), priority axis of education, and lifelong learning ..........................................................................................................30 4.2. Analysis of the strategic documents of Croatian HEIs ...............................................................................31 5. ANALYSIS OF THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE OF SELECTED UNDERREPRESENTED AND VULNERABLE GROUPS WITH A FOCUS ON RECOGNISING OBSTACLES TO STUDYING .........................................................50 5.1. Research methodology ........................................................................................................................................50 5.1.1. Study limitations ........................................................................................................................................51 5.2. Results .........................................................................................................................................................................52 5.2.1. Students from the Roma minority .......................................................................................................52 5.2.2. Students with asylum/refugee status ................................................................................................65 5.2.3. LGBTQ+ students .......................................................................................................................................76 5.2.4. Students from alternative care systems ............................................................................................85 5.2.5. Female students in the technical field ...............................................................................................96 5.2.6. Male students in the humanities ......................................................................................................103 5.2.7. Students who are children of Croatian Homeland War veterans ..........................................110 6. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS WITH RECOMMENDATIONS .......................................................................................118 6.1. Literature review of recent studies on underrepresented and vulnerable groups of students in Croatia ..............................................................................................................................................118 6.2. Analysis of recent national policies and strategic documents of higher education institutions in Croatia related to the social dimension of higher education ..................................119 6.3. Analysis of the student experience of selected underrepresented and vulnerable groups with a focus on recognising obstacles to studying .................................................................................120 6.4. Recommendations ..............................................................................................................................................123 7. LITERATURE ......................................................................................................................................................................128 Links to documents .......................................................................................................................................................131 8. APPENDICES ....................................................................................................................................................................135 Appendix 1. Protokol za fokus grupe s podzastupljenim i ranjivim skupinama