Eurydice is a European network focused on sharing and providing relevant data on education systems and policies in 37 countries. In this way, it supports European cooperation in the field of lifelong learning and education. The Eurydice network publishes information on education systems and policies, descriptions of national education systems, thematic comparative studies, indicators and other statistical data in the field of education. This information assists policy makers in making high-quality decisions.
The network was established by the European Commission and the Member States in 1980 with the aim to exchange information and support European cooperation in the field of education. Since 2014, Eurydice has been part of the Erasmus+ programme as one of the activities under Key Activity 3 - Support for policy reform.
In the Republic of Croatia, the Eurydice National Unit was established within the Ministry of Science and Education in 2011, where it operated until 31 December 2017. As of 1 January 2018, the Eurydice National Unit operates within the Agency for Mobility and EU Programmes.
The Eurydice network collects information and statistical data on national regulations and policies. The collected data, analyses and figures are published in the following informational and analytical publications:
All publications are available free of charge in the online EU bookshop (EU bookshop).
A leaflet describing the Eurydice activities is available in Croatian and English language.
The Eurydice National Unit collects, analyzes and verifies information and data in the field of education for informational and analytical publications prepared and published by the Eurydice network
The mission of the Eurydice network is to provide analysis and information at the European level to those responsible for education systems and policies in Europe, which will assist them in making decisions.
The main task is to support European cooperation in the field of education based on the data collected. The Eurydice network is primarily focused on the structure of education in Europe and the organisation of education at all levels, taking into account comparative figures and country-specific information. The network's activities are in line with the Europe 2020 strategy and contribute to reporting on implementation of the Bologna Process in higher education.
The task of the National Eurydice Unit is to provide information and conduct analyses on the Croatian education system and education policies. Participation in comparative data-based analyses enables comparisons of national education systems with the aim to improve and enhance them.
As of 2016, the Eurydice network consists of:
The Eurydice network cooperates with European and international organisations such as the Statistical Office of the EU (EUROSTAT) and the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP). It produces joint reports with these organisations. It also cooperates with the NESLI Network, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the Centre for Research on Lifelong Learning (CRELL) and the European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education (EADSNE). The Eurydice Network Coordinating Unit in Brussels supports the European Commission in its work with international organisations such as the Council of Europe and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
The Eurydice network involves different stakeholders in the process of conducting comparative studies. The Eurydice Network Coordinating Unit, based in the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency in Brussels, in cooperation with the European Commission and the Eurydice National Units, defines the research topic and coordinates the overall process of preparing the publication.
The process consists of several stages:
National units are involved in almost all stages of publication preparation. Eurydice National Unit Coordinators collect country-specific data in collaboration with experts from the relevant Ministries of Education, sectoral agencies, and science fields. In some cases, the data is collected by contracted experts, and verified by the national units coordinators. The process of verifying publications is simultaneous with the process of data collection.