Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.3935/zpfz.75.3.1
Reforms of the System of Academic Promotion in the Field of Law in Croatia: Great Ideas and Small Nations
Tomislav Sokol
; Member of the European Parliament, Brixelles, Belgium
Frane Staničić
orcid.org/0000-0001-8304-7901
; Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
Law represents a constituent part of social sciences with an emphasised national dimension. The analysis of both successful and unsuccessful reforms of the system of academic promotion in Croatia has shown that there can be no improvement without taking into account specificities of social sciences and humanities, particularly their national dimension. The key to small nations’ survival lies in a strong protection and promotion of their national identity and culture. The Constitutional Court’s decision from 2013 has set forth the crucial principles and represents a good basis for any potential attempt at reforming the system of academic promotion.
Any future legal framework in the area should strive to increase the criteria concerning the number and quality of required academic papers and projects, emphasising content and excellence instead of formalism. International databases should be taken into account, but supplemented with other criteria, including in particular publications by crucial national institutions. Amendments to the rules should be carefully thought through and prepared, based on a broad public consultation and introduced gradually, in order to protect legal certainty and legitimate expectations on the part of our researchers and teachers. This is the only way to incentivise young capable people to become part of the Croatian academic community and work to contribute to the public interest.
Keywords
citations bases; academic advancement; law; reforms; higher education
Hrčak ID:
337762
URI
Publication date:
31.10.2025.
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