Higher education’s (HE) key mission is to develop human potential with beneficial effects for social and economic development. HE as a system, along with HE institutions, must be innovative and strategically managed to be able to fulfil their mission. Therefore, the decision making accompanied by evaluation of its implementation in higher education is an issue of highest priority. Primary goal of this research proposal is to develop a complete methodology for strategic decision making and the monitoring of its implementation in HE.

Furthermore, the enrolment rate within online education has skyrocketed worldwide and there are a number of reports on e-readiness and ICT use in HE. Croatian data is absent from these reports. Since the implementation of e-learning has rarely been systematic in Croatia, the positive effect on quality of education remains absent. In the cases where the strategy of e-learning exists, its implementation is not analysed. At the same time there is already a trove of data available in IT systems supporting HE in Croatia with a great potential for deeper analysis. There are no data about open and distance learning introduction in Croatia.

The project started with its activities on June 1st 2015 and it is planned to end on May 31st 2019.

Two basic components of this project are defined; First component is theoretic in nature and second one is applied research with a case study generating specific outcomes such as a national e-readiness report and recommendation for implementation of e-learning (open and distance learning) at institutional and national levels as well as the curriculum model for programs of open and distance learning.

1Development of methodological framework for strategic decision making and monitoring of its implementation

2Application, adjustment and evaluation of our methodology on the example of decision implementation on e-learning and distance learning