Croatia's Science and Education Ministry will absorb an additional HRK 600 million (EUR 81.1 million) from European Union funds until the end of this year in order to upgrade science and research, a Ministry press release said.

In the past 12 months, a total of 2.5 billion HRK (EUR 338,319,630) were withdrawn from the European Social Funds and the European Regional Development Fund, according to the press release issued on Sunday, marking the first year since Minister Blazenka Divjak took over this government department.

The HRK 600 million from the EU funds are to be used for science in Croatia, for a curriculum reform to be launched in 72 schools, a score of centres of competence worth one HRK billion to be set up in the vocational education system, and an experimental programme of dual education which is expected to start, the statement quoted Minister Divjak.

During the past 12 months, the ministry under her helm absorbed HRK 1.38 billion from the European Regional Development Fund and HRK 1.07 billion from the European Social Fund.

Of that amount, a billion HRK was set aside for equipment and infrastructure in the science sector, and more than HRK 373 million was allocated for scientific centres of excellence.

The minister expects the universities to conclude a programme contracts whereby their cooperation with the labour market will be strengthened in line with demand in that market until the end of 2018.

During the first year of Divjak’s term as minister, 3,400 STEM scholarships were provided. In addition, in the next five year, the Croatian Science Foundation will finance the employment of 154 young researches, and more than HRK 80 million has been set aside for that purpose.