The cities of Varaždin, Zagreb, Osijek, Rijeka and Split have, as of today, become richer for Regional training centers (ROC). The Centers have been opened by the Croatian Academic and Research Network – CARNET as part of the implementation of the pilot project „e-Schools: Establishment of a Development system for digitally mature Schools“, with the total value of investment of 3,6 million HRK.
All five Training centers have been opened at the same time with videoconferencing sessions, and the main ceremony was held in the First Gymnasium in Varaždin in the presence of the CARNET executives and the Minister of Science and Education, prof. dr. sc. Blaženka Divjak.
„In the times of the fourth industrial revolution we must make a digital stride in our schools. We have already witnessed big breakthroughs in education, especially in the area of digital transformation. The First Gymnasium in Varaždin is one of the frontrunners in this field and that is why it has been chosen for the Training center. A modern approach to education, international collaborations, project work and learning from good practices will help us in preparing our students not only for the 21st, but also for the 22nd century“said Divjak who expressed satisfaction in opening the Training center in a school that she herself attended and worked in in early stages of her career. She also announced that the second phase of the “e-Schools” project will encompass all primary and secondary schools in Croatia.
The Regional Training Centers opened in the aforementioned cities are multifunctional and technologically innovative spaces intended for educational purposes of the schools but also for educational events organized by local communities. Each center is equipped with an ICT infrastructure and equipment which follows the latest trends and methods of teaching. Alongside the wired and wireless networks, the centers are equipped with 30 laptops, 30 tablets with keyboards, two touchscreens and the teaching management system. Each ROC is also equipped with the multifunctional modular furniture which allows a fast change of classroom layout, depending on the type of education.
„The establishment and equipping of the Training Centers contributes to a systematic training of the school staff and strengthening their digital competence. Various training activities which will from now on be organized on the Training centers premises, not only for the purpose of the e-Schools project are an added value which the pilot project e-Schools brings to local communities “, said Andrijana Prskalo Maček the e-Schools project leader and CARNET Assistant CEO.
Goran Kezunović, CARNET CEO, emphasised that the e-School project is entering its final stage and that the preparation for the second phase are under way. „With the big 2019 to 2022 project we plan to digitally transform teaching and business processes in the remaining 1200 primary and secondary schools in Croatia. The project follows international trends in applying ICT in education and relies on best practices in the development and improvement of education available worldwide“, added Kezunović.
As part of the opening ceremony, in each regional training center there was a presentation showcasing the use of ICT in teaching so the guests were able to understand the significance and the possibilities of technology in modern and innovative teaching.
More information on Regional Training Centres
The Regional Training Centers were selected based on the Call for the Expression of Interest for the Establishment of Regional Training Centers. Out of the total of 72 schools that have applied, the following have been selected:
- the Trades and Crafts School in Split
- the Primary Schooj Franje Krežme in Osijek
- the Primary School Gornja Vežica in Rijeka
- the Science School Vladimir Prelog in Zagreb
- the First Gymnasium in Varaždin
The equipping of the Regional Traning Centres was fully financed from the recources of the e-Schools project, 85 % of which was funded from the EU funds.
