Quality Assurance

The Faculty’s Quality Assurance Committee serves as a vital component in ensuring excellence and continuous advancement in academic standards, processes and outcomes. Comprised of academic staff, students and external stakeholders, the Committee oversees research and education including study and lifelong learning programs. Our efforts in implementing a student-cantered approach have been widely recognized and confirmed repeatedly in student and external evaluations.

Enhancing the Faculty’s public accountability and actively contributing to the socio-cultural transition into a knowledge society are among our top priorities. To achieve this, we are actively engaging with the public and the economy sector and forging partnerships to promote community development. In fostering the culture of high quality and continuous improvement we consider essential to remain actively involved in the European Research Area and the European Higher Education Area through various programs and collaborations, as well as by developing sustainable and responsible approaches in performing our tasks.

As a dynamic institution, we promote mobility and support the advancement of research careers. To this end, we prioritize continuous training for our academic and supporting staff, support collaboration on national and international levels, and continuously modernize our curricula. We are likewise committed to encouraging individual talent and entrepreneurial culture by assuring the access to opportunities and establishing the incentivizing reward systems. The Faculty has been continuously receiving positive academic external and internal evaluation reports and, since 2016, has held the ISO 9001:2015 quality certification.

Committee Members

1. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Petra Perišić, Academic Staff Representative, Chairperson
2. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Stjepan Gadžo, Vice-Dean for International Affairs, Management Representative
3. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Iva Tuhtan Grgić, Academic Staff Representative
4. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Danijela Vrbljanac, Academic Staff Representative
5. Assist. Prof. Dr. Iva Parenta, Academic Staff Representative
6. Luka Brajković, univ. mag. iur., Representative of Assistants and Associates
7. Dražen Cuculić, dipl. iur., Representative of Administrative and Technical Staff
8. Ana Acinger mag. iur., Representative of External Stakeholders, and Filip Vlah, mag. iur., univ. spec. crim, Deputy Representative of External Stakeholders
9. Natali Marčelja, Student Representative, and Ana Broz, Deputy Student Representative

During the latest reaccreditation process of the Faculty of Law in Rijeka (as per the 2020 Reaccreditation Plan of the Agency for Science and Higher Education), it was confirmed that the Faculty meets the requirements for conducting higher education and scientific activities in accordance with current regulations. The Accreditation Recommendation by the Agency (August 2, 2021) and the Certification by the Ministry of Science and Education of the Republic of Croatia (September 13, 2021) are provided below.

Following the adoption of these recommendations, the Committee will publish a five-year Action Plan for further quality improvement, based on the recommendations of the Expert Committee during the reaccreditation process, along with a report on the implementation of the Quality System Improvement Plan for the period 2018–2021.

• Accreditation Recommendation by the Agency for Science and Higher Education
• Certification by the Ministry of Science and Education on the fulfillment of requirements for higher education and scientific activities
• Action Plan for Quality Improvement as part of the second reaccreditation cycle

Previous Reaccreditation Cycle

The Faculty was previously evaluated during the 2014/2015 academic year. At that time, it received a positive assessment, and following AZVO’s opinion, the Ministry of Science, Education, and Sports issued a certification in 2016 confirming that the Faculty met all applicable legal requirements for higher education and scientific activities. An Action Plan was adopted to address recommendations for quality improvement, and a progress report was completed for the period up to 2017.

• Accreditation Recommendation by the Agency for Science and Higher Education
• Certification confirming compliance with higher education and scientific activity requirements
• Action Plan for Quality Improvement

Evaluation of the Doctoral Studies

In the 2016/2017 academic year, the Postgraduate Doctoral University Study at the Faculty was evaluated by an expert committee appointed by AZVO. The committee rated most sub-criteria with a high level of quality and provided recommendations for improvement for a few. As a result, the Ministry of Science, Education, and Sports issued a certification in 2018 affirming that the Faculty meets all requirements for delivering the Postgraduate Doctoral Study Program in the field of law within the social sciences area. In the same year, the Faculty Council adopted an action plan, which AZVO positively endorsed.

• Accreditation Recommendation for the Postgraduate Doctoral University Study
• Certification for conducting the Postgraduate Doctoral Study Program
• Resolution on adopting the Action Plan for Doctoral Studies Quality Improvement
• Positive Opinion by the Agency for Science and Higher Education

In May 2023, an internal quality evaluation was conducted by the University of Rijeka, of which the Faculty is a constituent part. This marked the third cycle of internal evaluations performed by the University. The evaluation committee recognized significant progress in the quality system across all areas and the commitment of all stakeholders to fostering and developing a culture of quality. At the same time, the 2023 Quality Assurance System Internal Audit Report provided recommendations to further enhance the quality system.

• 2023 Quality Assurance System Internal Audit Report

Previous Internal Evaluation Cycles

The second cycle of internal quality evaluation was conducted in 2018, during which the University Committee visited the Faculty and drafted a report on the quality assurance system. The committee noted substantial improvements in the Faculty’s quality assurance system compared to the results of prior evaluations (the internal audit conducted in 2013 and AZVO’s external evaluation), aligning with all ESG standards.

• Report on the Implementation of the Quality Assurance System Improvement Plan (2014–2017)
• 2018 Quality Assurance System Internal Audit Report, April 2018
• Recommendations from the Quality Committee to the Administration for Quality Improvement, September 2018
• Decision on Adopting the Quality Improvement Action Plan (2018–2021)
• Report on the Implementation of the Quality Improvement Action Plan for the Period 2018–2021

To enhance the quality of its operations and to fulfill its mission, vision, university-wide, and individual strategic objectives, the Faculty has defined business processes and assessed its overall risk exposure, as outlined in the Quality Manual in accordance with the ISO 9001:2015 standard. Measures for achieving strategic objectives, responsibilities, and implementation timelines are detailed in the Action Plans.

To conduct internal quality management audits, the Faculty has trained several employees. Among its staff, the Faculty now has seven internal auditors and one lead auditor for quality management systems. Internal audits are conducted annually by three auditors, covering administrative services and all teaching processes.

A recertification audit of the management system, in compliance with the international ISO 9001:2015 standard, was performed by Bureau Veritas on June 29, 2022. The audit confirmed compliance with the standard’s requirements, resulting in the issuance of a new certificate to the Faculty of Law in Rijeka. Provided the organization maintains satisfactory application of the management system, the certificate is valid until July 17, 2025.

A surveillance audit, conducted in June 2023, further confirmed compliance with the standard’s requirements.

Email: odbor_kvaliteta@pravri.uniri.hr

Natali Marčelja, Student Representative
Email: nmarcelja@student.uniri.hr