Facts and figures

There is a long and rich tradition of learning and education in Croatia. The country hosts a total of 133 higher education institutions including eight public universities⁸. The first university was founded in 1396 in Zadar⁸; the largest, and oldest currently active university, with over 70,000 students, is the University of Zagreb, founded in 1669⁹. The largest scientific and research institution, the Ruđer Bošković Institute (RBI) in Zagreb, was founded in 1950⁶.

Many higher education institutions offer degree and postgraduate programmes in English⁸. Tuition fees vary depending on length of study, type of programme and institution, but waivers and scholarships, for example via exchange programmes such as Erasmus+, are available for international students¹⁰.

Although steadily increasing, at 0.72% of GDP (2021), investment in research and development in Croatia is relatively low². This combined with gaps in innovation and technology adoption, and weaknesses in managerial and organizational practices puts constraints on competitiveness¹¹. The situation is recognized by both the Croatian government and stakeholders abroad, and several initiatives have been established to help the Croatian government reform the research system. For example, the Croatian ministries and the World Bank collaborate to ensure more effective use of EU funding and better management of opportunities¹². In 2023, the World Bank invested 106 million euros in digital, innovative and green technology¹³. The Croatian government is implementing new policies as part of its 2018−2030 National Development Strategy and 2021–2029 Smart Specialisation Strategy to remedy previous gaps in funding opportunities¹⁴. The Croatian Science Foundation, which in 2021 distributed 228.8 million HRK, its highest level of funding yet¹³, is also expected to take on a significant role in helping to reform the country’s research system¹⁵.

Croatia enjoys the second highest average of sunshine hours in Europe¹⁶. The country is characterized by its areas of natural beauty and extensive coastline. It has eight national parks with a total area of more than 87,000 km², as well as 1,800 km coastline and more than 1,200 islands¹⁴.