Present realisation of numerous projects related to eEducation enabled the creation of the most modern information infrastructure for strong development of society of knowledge and society as a whole, whereby the Ministry of Science, Education and Sport continuously invests into the realisation of technical preconditions, education of staff and all other persons included in the education process.

 

Information infrastructure of the education system is a precondition for each citizen to acquire the basics of information literacy during his/her education, but is also a precondition for his/her education to be of good quality, modern and in alignment with actual life needs and conditions in the information society.

 

In order to achieve the permanent training of new teachers and professors for efficient use of information infrastructure in education and adjustment of education programmes to new conditions and needs of the information society.

 

The Ministry of Science, Education and Sport initiates a series of projects to increase the quality of studying and learning, harmonising learning conditions regardless of how far are the pupils and students from their education institutions.

 

Information infrastructure of the education system has been organised and set up through upgrade of computer-communication infrastructure which efficiently connects and ensures access to global information resources for all schools, faculties, student dorms, and institutes.

 

The Ministry of Science, Education and Sport has been developing and maintaining fundamental infrastructure for the application of new technologies used in the Croatian education system through the Croatian Academic and Research Network - CARNet. In Croatia, CARNet network connects larger Croatian cities on the mainland and several towns on the islands, Schools, faculties and institutes are linked through CARNet network with the global network (Internet) with the help of Pan European research network GEANT.

 

Croatian pupils, students, scientists and employees within higher education and science system in their schools, faculties and student dorms have access to broadband. Besides that, information services such as national portal for distance learning „Nikola Tesla“, index, free access to fast Internet in student dorms (StuDOM), Information systems of colleges (ISVU), distributed computer infrastructure for common use of capacities (CRO-GRID), Croatian Scientific Portal (www.znanstvenici.hr), Giga CARnet, Mobile CARnet, Authentication and Authorisation System (AII) and others are also available.

 

All our schools are connected to the Internet and all are equipped with computer rooms, whereas this year as well, the Ministry of Science, Education and Sport plans to continue with investments into the connection of education institutions system to CARnet network and access to Internet, equipping of institutions with information and communication resources, implementation of the information system and investment into the information and information-supported education.

 

Equipping elementary and secondary schools and colleges with computers and programmes is a permanent activity planned to be implemented in 2009. The continuation of activity related to introduction of smart card SmartX into the education system is also planned. Smart card SmartX will substitute the existing student X card with the aim to increase use functionality. Activities related to the implementation of the information system of colleges – ISVU will also continue. Currently, ISVU system has been implemented by 71 colleges, and in 2009, it will expand to 15 new colleges and to equipping colleges with Internet stands and computers for the work of student service.

 

 

Likewise in 2009, towards support to information-supported education, the Ministry will finance the right to Internet access to commercial bibliographic databases and eMagazines to high education system employees.

 

The implementation of the National information system for application to colleges (NISPVU) is also planned in 2009 upon the previous procurement of computers and programmes for the needs of the Central application office.