Forum za slobodu odgoja

General Information

Forum for Freedom in Education is a non-governmental, non-profit organisation, which has been active in Croatia since 1992 and was registered in 1998 in accordance with the provisions of the Law on Associations.

The main goal of Forum is to introduce the educational standards of the contemporary democratic society into the Croatian education system.

The members of the Forum are education experts, experienced practitioners and academics, professors and teachers, parents and students that want to improve on various education issues.

During the past 20 years, main activities of the Forum include creating and implementing education programs for methodological training of the teaching professionals, non-violent conflict resolution, health education, civic education, student scholarships, and training in the field of methodology of teaching.

Forum for Freedom in education is a member of

• the European Forum for Freedom in Education,
• the Reading and Writing for Critical Thinking International Consortium,
• the Network of Education Policy Centres,
• the Coordination of Associations for Children.

The mission of Forum for Freedom in Education is to implement contemporary and quality education programs and to impact the public policies, always in its activities guided by the principals of fairness, non-violence, open communication, life-long learning and critical thinking. By comparing and harmonising the education in Croatia with the education standards of the contemporary democratic societies, Forum is advocating for the right to choose education that creates a self-actualised person as well as the right of equal access to it.

Programs and Activities implemented by the Forum for Freedom in Education

Educational programs for Teachers and all working in formal or non-formal education:

• Methodological training programs for teaching professionals: Reading and Writing for Critical Thinking and Active Learning and Critical Thinking in Higher Education
• Integral Civic Education Street Law, Rule of Law, Education for Anti-Corruption, Mediation, EU Education, Education for Sustainable Development.
• Health Education.

Programs for children and youth:

• High School Students' Scholarships for studying abroad
• International Youth Trainings and Seminars
• Mediation for Youth
• Youth Enterpreneurship Program

Program Mediation

• Educational Programs (trainings in mediation, peer mediation)
• Mediation Center (counsaling, team mediation, resolving disputes)
• Raising awernees campaigns (International Tolerance Day, Publishing, organisation of round tables and Conferences)

Research Activities

Publishing

Accomplishments of the Forum for Freedom in Education

In the period of 2000-2010 the most important results of the Forum for Freedom in Education's activities are:

• Receiving two institutional grants by the National Foundation for Civil Society Development (2006-2009 and 2010-2012)
• 4 EU-funded project were developed and implemented.
• Over 2000 teachers from all over Croatia have been a part of the „Educating for Health“program since 2000.
• Project „Reading and Writing for Critical Thinking“ was expanded in the region by implementing a series of training modules in Serbia, Montenegro, Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
• Organising a conference of the European Forum for Freedom in Education entitled „Teaching through and for democracy: New school – the path to the modern democratic society“ in Brijuni in 2005.
• Eli Pijaca (Executive Director of Forum) and Zoran Pavletić (trainer) are members of the „Reading and Writing for Critical Thinking International Consortium Board“, an organisation promoting critical thinking and active learning as a means of acquiring quality education.
• Based on the program „Reading and Writing for Critical Thinking“a program „Active learning and Critical Thinking for Higher Education“was created as a own program.
• The president, Vesna Mihoković Puhovski was a member of the Council for Civil Society Development and of the Executive Board of the European Forum for Freedom in Education.
• Founding mediation centres in Zagreb, Rijeka and Velika Gorica in partnership with the respective cities.
• Mediation was introduced as a part of the school curricula in schools in Rijeka and Velika Gorica.
• The development and implementation of the practices of volunteering in Forum as a way to actively include youth into public affairs.
• The program“Reading and Writing for Critical Thinking“was successfully completed by 3.000 teachers and teaching staff in the period 2008-2010
• Successful cooperation with the Croatian legal Centre and the Croatian Debate Society
• The creation and implementation of own standards and systems of evaluation and the quality for the programs and seminars.
• Over 150 high-school students received scholarships for studying abroad.
• Program „Reading and Writing for Critical Thinking“ was introduced as an elective class at the Teaching Academy of the University of Rijeka.
• The introduction of the program „Street Law“ as an elective class in the school curricula in the Primorsko-goranska county.
• Vesna Mihoković Puhovski, president of the FFE, was awarded with the Order of Danica with figure of Antun Radić, for her exceptional contribution to education.
• A collection of publications (book and teaching preparations) were published in the programme “Teaching the EU”.
• In cooperation with the Embassy of the United States of America, Mediation programme was implemented in 15 schools.

	Eli Pijaca Plavšić Executive Director email:  Ova e-mail adresa je zaštićena od spam robota, nije vidljiva ako ste isključili JavaScript
	Denis Čihor Financial Director email:  Ova e-mail adresa je zaštićena od spam robota, nije vidljiva ako ste isključili JavaScript
	Mario Bajkuša Development and Programs Director email:  Ova e-mail adresa je zaštićena od spam robota, nije vidljiva ako ste isključili JavaScript
	Ana Karlović Mediation Centre Zagreb Director email:  Ova e-mail adresa je zaštićena od spam robota, nije vidljiva ako ste isključili JavaScript
	Diana Batinić Mediation Centre Rijeka Director email:  Ova e-mail adresa je zaštićena od spam robota, nije vidljiva ako ste isključili JavaScript
	Marina Brkić Mediation Centre Velika Gorica Director email:  Ova e-mail adresa je zaštićena od spam robota, nije vidljiva ako ste isključili JavaScript
	Biserka Šavora "Health Education" Program Manager email:  Ova e-mail adresa je zaštićena od spam robota, nije vidljiva ako ste isključili JavaScript