The University of Zagreb (UNIZG) is research partner of the EBE-EUSMOSI initiative responsible for design and testing.
Key staff: Anamarija Žic Ralić (UNIZG)
Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Zagreb
The Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences is an institution of higher education of the University of Zagreb. It is one of 33 units (Faculties or Academies) of the University of Zagreb, oldest university in Croatia, established in 1699. The Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences is the central and unique higher education institution in the Republic of Croatia providing education for professionals who will work with persons who have special needs. In 2012. the Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences celebrated its 50th anniversary.
The core activities of the Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences are scientific and educational, including scientific-research and professional training, defined in line with the obligation of organizing and implementing the university studies – undergraduate, graduate, postgraduate doctor’s degree and specialized studies, as well as scientific-research; organization and implementation of the lifelong learning programme; organization and management of scientific and professional conferences and symposiums, professional counselling and other types of events; publishing activities; development of expert studies, expert opinions, professional programmes, to provide research and development services in the institutions and commercial businesses; implementation of the programme of prevention, diagnosis and rehabilitation or treatment of the persons experiencing social integration difficulties and language-speech communication difficulties.
At the graduate studies of the Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences in Zagreb the students are trained to work in the prevention, identification, diagnostics, education and rehabilitation and in the educational and clinical practice, in institutions of social welfare, education and training, health, justice, police and non-governmental organizations, and to work in the social environment in accordance with the social model and inclusion policies.
The studies at the Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences are organized in three study programmes:
- Speech and Language Pathology (undergraduate and graduate level)
- Social Pedagogy (undergraduate and graduate level)
- Rehabilitation (undergraduate level); Educational Rehabilitation (graduate level)
Study program Speech and Language Pathology
- trains professionals for work on prevention, detection, diagnostics, and rehabilitation of various voice, speech and language disorders, hearing impairment and rehabilitation of dysphagia, dyslexia, dysgraphia as well as augmentative and alternative communication.
- integrates contents that enable detailed understanding of all forms of human communications and provides competencies for clinical work on support of habilitation and rehabilitation activities surpassing specific communication dimensions.
- concept of the program ensures training of speech therapists for professional work and for further scientific development.
Study program Social Pedagogy
- trains professionals for scientific research and professional work with individuals, groups and communities at risk of developing or with existing problematic behaviour. Professional activities cover the area of prevention, detection, diagnostics, treatment- and post-treatment intervention of behavioural disorders and crime in children, youth and adults.
- it is aimed at the study of bio-psycho-social-pedagogical characteristics of persons with behavioural disorders (including risky behaviours, behavioural difficulties and disorders) and psychosocial interventions directed towards them as well as social sanctions.
- promotes empirically founded interventions, adoption of knowledge and skills for individual and group work, professional responsibility and ethics, understanding of concepts of human rights and application of participative approach.
Study program Rehabilitation / Educational Rehabilitation
- students acquire competencies in differential diagnostics, special education,
rehabilitation and scientific research related work with children youth and adults with different kind of disorders / disabilities and their families, peers and teachers. - program is directed to inclusive education and rehabilitation based on contemporary approach to disability in the context of human rights, and development of understanding disability as a consequence of interaction of impairment and influence of social context.
- it covers all age groups, from children and youth to adults with: motor coordination disorders and chronic illnesses, persons with visual perception disorders, intellectual disabilities, learning difficulties, attention deficit/hyperactive disorder (ADHD), autistic spectrum disorders and multiple difficulties.
The Faculty has seven departments: Department of Visual Impairments; Department of Motor Disorders, Chronic Diseases and Art Therapy; Department of Inclusive Education and Rehabilitation; Department of Hearing Impairments; Department of Speech and Language Pathology; Department of Behavioural Disorders and Department of Criminology.
The Faculty also offers postgraduate doctoral and specialist studies: postgraduate doctoral study “Prevention Science and Disability Study“ and postgraduate specialist study “Early Intervention in Educational Rehabilitation”
Centre for Rehabilitation – clinical unit of the Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences. The activities in the Centre are organized into 12 units that are each highly specialized for providing support to persons with different developmental or acquired difficulties as well as for working on preventive programs. Experts who do clinical work in the Centre are employees of Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences
Centre for Lifelong Learning – Faculty’s unit that provides possibility of continuous specialization of current knowledge and skills for different professionals. Activities of the Centre enable professional specialization though different modalities, like courses, seminars, workshops, professional conferences, roundtables etc. Main activities of the Centre include developing and conducting educations within prevention, diagnostics and rehabilitation/treatment of persons with difficulties of social integration, as well as persons with difficulties in speech-language communication.