Aims and objectives

The general aim of the project is to contribute to the specification and to the applicability of an early warning system on institutional level in the European countries. In order to reach this goal specific objectives of the project were the followings:

• Identification of the elements of early warning system (EWS) based on desk research and empirical survey results. In the framework of the CroCooS project EWS on institutional level was understood as a systemic tool used by educational institutions, based on measurable data and observable phenomena, facilitating the timely identification of students at risk of dropping out and also the establishment and application of prevention measures on an individual level. The system should be grounded on cross-sectoral cooperation.

• Piloting the proposed EWS in 3 European countries (HU, SI, SER). The supporting written professional materials were the Toolkit and  Guidelines   and  the   Resource Pool.  The pilot schools were supported by mentors on monthly bases as well as they have got a small financial grant.

• Measuring the efficacy of the piloting activities with the application of the RCT methodology (randomized controlled trial). There was an input and an output evaluation carried out not only in the 5 piloting schools, but also in the control schools, and detailed reports were used to monitor that the impact of the intervention was to be visible, corrigible and measurable. 

• Promotion of stakeholders’ cooperation by various consultation (workshops, PLAs, online forum, social networks) and dissemination (conference, videos, newsletters) activities.

• Formulation of policy recommendations on what the preconditions of designing and operating an EWS at national level are and what requisites systems should hold to set the ground for efficient interventions on institutional level.

The main products of the 3 year long project are the pilot implementation process itself, the RCT-based evaluation and the policy level recommendations  derived from the outcomes, furthermore international reports based on desk and empirical research, and the online knowledge sharing surfaces (Resource Pool, Guidelines and Toolkit) supporting to spread methods and ideas for the wider public. 

The partnership aimed to elaborate very widespread and various dissemination activities.