Croatia

1. Digital Croatia Strategy for the period until 2032 focuses on fostering a digital economy, enhancing public administration, ensuring widespread digital connectivity, and developing digital skills and literacy among its citizens. The strategy outlines four primary strategic objectives across four priority areas: Digital transition of the economy, Digitalisation of public administration, Development of broadband electronic communications networks, Digital competences and digital workplaces. Under digital competences and digital workplaces, the government plans to increase the number of students enrolling in ICT-related courses, attract high school students to STEM majors, increase the number of citizens with basic ICT skills—especially internet safety—and integrating digital tools in teaching. 
2. The National 2030 Development Strategy has 13 objectives, including “Digital transition” – moving Croatia above the EU average on various aspects of the DESI index, and “Educated population” – which includes improving critical thinking skills. The Strategy is operationalised in various lower-level strategic documents, including the National Education System Development Plan until 2027, which has a chapter on improving the use of digital technologies in the educational system, with objectives including the improvement of digital skills of both teachers and learners at all levels of education, improving digital training offer and infrastructure, and providing support to educational institutions regarding the use of AI.    

Sources

1. Document full English translation https://rdd.gov.hr/UserDocsImages//SDURDD-dokumenti//Strategija_Digitalne_Hrvatske_final_v1_EN.pdf and description in English  
   https://rdd.gov.hr/istaknute-teme/strategija-digitalne-hrvatske-za-razdoblje-do-2032/2009
2. https://hrvatska2030.hr/ 
3. Link to action plan: https://mzom.gov.hr/UserDocsImages//dokumenti/Obrazovanje/AkcijskiINacionalniPlan//Nacionalni-plan-razvoja-sustava-obrazovanja-za-razdoblje-do-2027.pdf 

1. Digital Croatia Strategy for the period until 2032. This strategy mentions the following initiatives and awareness activities:  Supporting Digital Innovation Hubs (DIHs) to promote digitisation of the economy, digital innovation and enhancing digital literacy among entrepreneurs. DIHs will be financed by the new Digital Europe Programme (2021-2027)  
2. Other initiatives and activities:  a)”AI in STEM Education” Conference: This conference, held in Crikvenica, Croatia, from 25 to 27 September 2023, promoted digital citizenship education (DCE) approaches in relation to the impact of artificial intelligence on society and education. Organized by IRIM – Croatian Makers in collaboration with the European Wergeland Centre, the event included the presentation of the Digital Citizenship Education Handbook, emphasizing safe and responsible digital interactions aligned with the Council of Europe’s Recommendation CM/Rec(2019). b) Media Literacy For The 21st Century In Croatia. “Media Literacy for the 21st Century in Croatia” is a partnership project involving two vocational schools in Zagreb and Rijeka, and Telecentar from Zagreb. It aims to address the training needs of teachers in the Vocational Education and Training (VET) programme for media technicians. It focuses on creating multimedia toolkits for teaching photography, audio, and video basics. c) Charter on the Safety of Children on the Internet, Croatia. This initiative focuses on promoting and ensuring the safety of children online. It outlines guidelines and best practices for protecting children from online risks and fostering a safe digital environment. This charter is a part of broader efforts to enhance digital citizenship education and internet safety awareness among young people in Croatia. d) Digital literacy and strategies for digital inclusion conference 2021. This conference was organized by the European Literacy Policy Network (ELINET) in collaboration with local Croatian institutions and stakeholders, including educational experts and policymakers. e) CARNET provides digital courses for teachers, including a short course in Digital Citizenship.  f) Electronic Media Agency provides relevant services, including support to fact-checking and a website on media literacy.

Sources

1. https://rdd.gov.hr/UserDocsImages//SDURDD-dokumenti//Strategija_Digitalne_Hrvatske_final_v4.pdf  
2. https://www.coe.int/en/web/digital-citizenship-education/-/-ai-in-stem-education-conference-in-croatia#:~:text=Promote%20Digital%20Citizenship%20Education%20approaches,25%20to%2027%20September%202023  
3. https://all-digital.org/media-literacy-21st-century-croatia/  
4. https://www.coe.int/en/web/children/resource-centre/-/asset_publisher/lCGym75EBhwG/content/charter-on-the-safety-of-children-on-the-internet-croatia  
5. https://elinet.pro/conference-digital-literacy-and-strategies-for-digital-inclusion-zagreb-croatia  
6. https://www.e-skole.hr/edukacija/digitalno-gradanstvo-vjestine-u-21-st-u-ucionici-i-izvan-nje/  
7. https://www.medijskapismenost.hr/ 

1. Digital Croatia Strategy for the period until 2032. The impact of the Strategy for Digital Croatia 2032 will be assessed using the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI), which tracks progress in digital competitiveness through areas such as human capital, broadband connectivity, digital technology integration, and digital public services. Mid-term evaluation of the Strategy is planned for 2027, in order to track its progress or detect potential shortcomings in its implementation and, as a result of the evaluation, prepare amendments if necessary. Since the Strategy will be applied until the end of 2032, the post-implementation evaluation will be conducted in 2033, providing a concise review of the Strategy’s overall impact, i.e., its efficiency and effectiveness throughout its implementation. The evaluation will be conducted by external or internal experts who are independent of the authorities in charge of preparing and implementing strategic planning acts, launched by the head of the digitalisation authority by adopting a decision on the beginning of the evaluation process, in line with the evaluation plan. CSODDS is responsible for establishing the Evaluation Committee. Responsibility for its monitoring lies primarily with the Central State Office for the Development of the Digital Society until mid-2024 when it was integrated into the Ministry of Justice, Public Administration, and Digital Transformation which oversees the development of state digital infrastructure, the implementation of public e-services, and the promotion of interoperability between information systems. 

Sources

1. https://rdd.gov.hr/UserDocsImages//SDURDD-dokumenti//Strategija_Digitalne_Hrvatske_final_v4.pdf

1. Digital Croatia Strategy for the period until 2032. The Strategy was prepared based on the partnership among 40 different organizations including competent public authorities, representatives of business associations and social partners, academic and science community, civil society organisations and interested public, who participated in the work of the expert working group and subgroups. There was a dialogue and transparent collaboration with all expert (sub-)group stakeholders, based on the principles of accuracy and completeness of data, accompanied by European and world statistical data, and the European Commission recommendations on joint and harmonised development. The Central State Office for the Development of the Digital Society (hereinafter: “CSODDS”) is responsible for the Strategy’s preparation and implementation. Monitoring also involves inter-institutional cooperation and periodic progress reporting, ensuring that the goals align with EU and national digital transformation priorities. 

Sources

1. https://rdd.gov.hr/UserDocsImages//SDURDD-dokumenti//Strategija_Digitalne_Hrvatske_final_v4.pdf

1. Digital Croatia Strategy for the period until 2032. The Central State Office for the Development of the Digital Society (“CSODDS”) is responsible for the Strategy’s preparation and implementation. The stakeholders involved in the implementation of the strategy include: Central State Office for the digitisation of the economy, Ministry of Education and science, Ministry of labour and Pension system, Family and Social Policy, Ministry of the sea, Transport and Infrastructure, Ministry of Justice and Public Administration, Ministry of Media and Culture, Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development. 

Sources

1. https://rdd.gov.hr/UserDocsImages//SDURDD-dokumenti//Strategija_Digitalne_Hrvatske_final_v4.pdf

1. Digital Croatia Strategy for the period until 2032. Stakeholders responsible for the impact assessment are Central State Office for the Development of Digital Society (SDURRD), European Commission (through DESI)

Sources

1. https://rdd.gov.hr/UserDocsImages//SDURDD-dokumenti//Strategija_Digitalne_Hrvatske_final_v4.pdf

1. The Digital Literacy Revolution was founded by the Rotary Club Zagreb Centar in collaboration with the Institute for Youth Development and Innovation – IRIM and the Croatian Ministry of Science and Education. This initiative aims to equip 300 primary schools with 15,000 micro:bit microcomputers for classroom instruction, targeting grades 1 through 4. It focuses on enhancing digital skills and promoting early digital literacy among young students. The initiative collaborates with the Rotary Club Zagreb Centar, Institute for Youth Development and Innovation (IRIM), Croatian Ministry of Science and Education, and various Rotary clubs and business sponsors globally. 
2. The Croatian Digital Literacy Network is supported by the Croatian government, with direct involvement from the Ministry of Science and Education. It promotes collaboration across civil, public, and private sectors to advance Croatia’s digital society. It focuses on conducting scientific research to inform policy development in digital inclusion, education, and transforming work practices. This network was setup to build capacity among stakeholders and foster innovation in digital technologies for societal development. It has organized conferences and training programs to enhance digital literacy. The network collaborates with the Croatian government, Ministry of Science and Education, and involves civil, public, and private sectors. 
3. CARNET (Croatian Academic and Research Network). CARNET is a key institution created by the Croatian government to advance digital citizenship education. It provides comprehensive digital services and educational resources to schools and higher education institutions across Croatia. CARNET focuses on improving digital literacy among students and teachers through initiatives like the e-Schools program, which integrates digital technologies into the learning process, and various training programs aimed at enhancing digital competencies. CARNET collaborates with educational institutions, the Croatian government, and international partners to provide digital services and resources. 
4. The National Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition in Croatia focuses on enhancing digital skills across the population to boost employment in the digital sector. Established in December 2018 by the Croatian Employers’ Association, it includes partners from academia, industry, public sector, and non-profits. Its main goals are to increase the number of trained digital professionals and improve the digital competencies of the general population. 
5. CROATIAN TELECOM INC.: BOOMER Workshop. The BOOMER project, funded by Erasmus+ Strategic Partnerships, aims to enhance digital literacy among senior citizens. The first workshop took place in Karlovac County, Croatia, with additional sessions planned for the northern region. Organized with Croatian Telecom and other local partners, the project seeks to bridge intergenerational and social gaps caused by digital transformation  
6. The Safer Internet Centre (SIC) in Croatia plays a pivotal role in promoting online safety and responsible internet usage among children and young people. The Safer Internet Centre (SIC) in Croatia collaborates with multiple partners, including A1 Croatia, HAKOM, the Ministry of Labour and Pension System, Family and Social Policy, and the Institute of Public Health of two Croatian counties, among others.  

Sources

1. https://digitalliteracyrevolution.org/en/digital-literacy-revolution/  
2. https://digitalnapismenost.com.hr/about/  
3. https://www.carnet.hr/  
4. https://digitalnakoalicija.hup.hr/  
5. https://www.digital-boomer.eu/see-news.php?lang=EN&id_noticia=38  
6. https://www.betterinternetforkids.eu/sic/croatia  

1. CARNET adheres to frameworks set by OECD and UNESCO, particularly through its e-Schools program which aims to create digitally mature schools

Sources

1. https://rdd.gov.hr/istaknute-teme/strategija-digitalne-hrvatske-za-razdoblje-do-2032/2009

1. Member of INHOPE / INSAFE (Centres from BIK+)  
2. The INHOPE network 
3. Media literacy expert group (E02541)  
4. Working Group on Digital Education: Learning, Teaching and Assessment (DELTA) (E03787)   
5. Commission Expert group for Digital Education Content (E03942)  
6. Commission Expert Group – Expert group on Safer Internet for Children 
7. EDMO Hubs – EDMO 
8. Member of ADMO – Adri Digital Media Observatory 
9. Member of Commission Working group on Schools 
10. Croatian civil sector participated in numerous projects on the topic funded from various sources, including various Erasmus-funded projects on active citizenship and digital literacy. 

Sources

1. https://www.betterinternetforkids.eu/policy/insafe-inhope  
2. https://inhope.org/EN/our-story  
3. https://ec.europa.eu/transparency/expert-groups-register/screen/expert-groups/consult?lang=en&groupID=2541  
4. https://ec.europa.eu/transparency/expert-groups-register/screen/expert-groups/consult?lang=en&groupID=3787  
5. https://ec.europa.eu/transparency/expert-groups-register/screen/expert-groups/consult?lang=en&groupID=3942  
6. https://ec.europa.eu/transparency/expert-groups-register/screen/expert-groups/consult?lang=en&groupID=3624  
7. https://edmo.eu/about-us/edmo-hubs/  
8. https://admohub.eu/en/  
9. https://www.ampeu.hr/novosti/aktivno-gradjanstvo-i-mladi-kroz-program-erasmus-i-europske-snage-solidarnosti 

Training on DCE to teachers and other professionals:
Training to educational professionals is provided by two public institutions – CARNET (for preschool through secondary school) and SRCE (for higher education teachers; https://www.srce.unizg.hr/en). 

Translation and dissemination of DCE Recommendation:
Croatia has shown engagement in related educational policies and initiatives, particularly through its incorporation of digital competences and citizenship education into broader educational reforms. 

For example, the Council of Europe’s Digital Citizenship Education Handbook, which aligns with its recommendations, has been widely shared as a resource for member states, including Croatia, to guide implementation in schools. This handbook offers tools and practices for teachers, parents, and policymakers to develop digital citizenship competences, supporting cross-curricular and democratic culture frameworks.