CHANGES IN QUALITY ASSURANCE POLICY AT PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES IN CROATIA FROM 2001 UNTIL 2013

From the theoretical perspective of historical institutionalism and concept of policy change the author detects and analyzes the initiators of change and key conditions that enabled or prevented the change in quality assurance policy at public universities in Croatia from 2001 to 2013. The analysis includes seven public universities - the University of Zagreb, the University of Split, the University of Rijeka, the Jo sip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, the University of Zadar, the University of Dubrovnik and the Juraj Dobrila University of Pula. Using qualitative methods (directed content analysis and semi-structured interviews) to follow the process of policy change, it has been established that the main motors of change are external. The main conclusion is that the institutional structure can be a prerequisite that enables actors to implement change, but that certain features of actors, such as their capacities, are necessary for policy change.