CROATIA

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ACE Member Organisation

Croatian Chamber of Architects (CCA)

Ulica grada Vukovara 271/II - 10000 Zagreb

Phone: +385 1 5508 410

Fax: +385 1 5508 403

Email: arhitekti(at)arhitekti-hka(dot)hr
Website: www.arhitekti-hka.hr

The Croatian Chamber of Architects (CCA) was founded in 1998; from 1998-2009 it was part of joint Chamber of Architects and Engineers in Civil Engineering, since 2009 it is an independent chamber. Registration with the CCA is mandatory in order to practice architecture and/or urban planning. The profession is fully regulated: professional title (registered architect) and function as well as scope of professional work and responsibilities are protected by 2 major laws. Access to the profession is structured, well organized and in accordance with the ACE positions: 5 years of university level education (MArch, pre-Bologna Accord Dipl.Ing.-Arch.), 2 years of compulsory professional experience under the supervision of a registered architect (5+ years since the registration), compulsory professional exam (administered by the Ministry of Physical Planning and Construction), registration with the CCA (pending the CCA Admissions Board review), compulsory CPD - continuous professional development. A total of 150 students enter the 2 university level, public architectural schools in Croatia (Zagreb and Split), after the entrance examination.
CCA membership is organised in 9 local regional councils and 1 special division (landscape architects). The internal work of the CCA is structured within several bodies, steering and oversight committees, boards, special committees, etc.
CCA continuously promotes and upholds architecture as a discipline and profession. The Chamber maintains and enforces a wide range of objectives, procedures and programs – all dedicated to achieving and maintaining high professional standards in order to protect the profession, public interest and the interests of third parties

Statistics

Professional title

Protection of the title of architectYes
Protection of the function of architectsYes
Professional title

Membership in the Chamber and the right to use a professional title shall be acquired on the basis of a decision on the registration in the  appropriate directory of members of the Croatian Chamber of Architects:

 

Certified architect

 

Certified architect – urban planner

Certified construction manager

Certified works manager


Title and function are protected by laws: ACT ON THE CHAMBER OF ARCHITECTS AND CHAMBERS OF ENGINEERS IN CONSTRCUTION AND PHYSICAL PLANNING
(Official Gazete No. 78/2015)

ACT 
ON PHYSICAL PLANNING AND BUILDING  TASKS AND ACTIVITIES 

(Official Gazete No. 78/2015)

BUILDING ACT

(Official Gazete No. 153/13)

 

PHYSICAL PLANNING ACT

(Official Gazete No. 153/2013)

 

STATUTES OF THE CROATIAN CHAMBER OF ARCHITECTS

(Official Gazete No.140/2015).

Mandatory RegistrationYes
If yes, where ? Croatian Chamber of Architects - CCA
Competent authority

Croatian Chamber of Architects - CCA
Act on the Chamber of architects and chambers of engineers in construction and physical planning 
- Official Gazete No. 78/2015),
Act  on physical planning and building  tasks and activities  - Official Gazete No. 78/2015),

Statutes of the Croatian Chamber of Architects,
Croatian Chamber of Architects CCA
(Official Gazete No.140/2015).

Access to the profession: How to become an architect in this country ?

Entrance examination

YES

Academic training 

 

Study at university level: 5 Years : Baccalaureate 3 years + Masters 2 years.

Qualified as

 

Architect

Professional training needed?

YES  

If yes How much time

 

2 years  

Comments

 

Professional examination administered by the Ministry of Physical Planning and Construction

 

Traineeship

Additional compulsory practical training- internship2 Years
(Professional internship mentor must be registered with the CCA)
Requirement for undertaking a period of traineeship Master level professional degree + regular employment status
Period of traineeship supervised (overseen)
By who ?
Yes
Mentor – a registered architect with a minimum of 5 years of practice as registered architect
Practical training period
Where ?
To which conditions
Number of hours per month required180
Compulsory Professional examinationYes
Complementary professional educationYes
Remuneration of the TraineeshipNo
Trainee accompaniedNo
Specific supplementary courses organisedNo
Model form of contract availableNo
Traineeship and practical experience undertaken abroad taken into accountYes
Evaluation of the TraineeshipNo
Evaluation method used-

Liability and insurance

Certified architects, certified architects – urban planners, certified construction managers, certified works managers and foreign certified persons shall be required to take out professional liability insurance, which is appropriate to the nature and the extent of the risk, covering for damage that they may incur to the investor or other persons while performing their tasks or activities, in which case the insured sum shall not be less than HRK 1 000 000.00.
Professional liability insurance of a certified architect, certified architect – urban planner, certified engineer, certified construction manager or certified works manager who is listed in the directory of foreign certified persons and is established in the territory of the Republic of Croatia shall be recognised if it has been taken out in a member state of the European Economic Area in which he/she is already established and if he/she is covered by a guarantee which is equivalent, or essentially comparable as regards its purpose and the cover it provides, in which case the insured sum shall not be less than
HRK 1 000 000.00. Where equivalence is only partial, the insured person must take out a supplementary insurance to cover the aspects not already covered: the insured risk, the insured ceiling for the guarantee and possible exclusions from the cover. (Act on the Chamber of architects and chambers of engineers in construction and physical planning  - Official Gazete No. 78/2015).
A foreign certified person's professional liability insurance taken out in another EEA contracting state in which the person is established shall be recognised, provided that the person is covered by a guarantee which is equivalent, or essentially comparable as regards its purpose and the cover it provides, in which case the insured sum shall not be less than HRK 1 000 000.00. Where equivalence is only partial, a foreign certified person must take out a supplementary insurance to cover the aspects not already covered: the insured risk, the insured ceiling for the guarantee and possible exclusions from the cover. (Act  on physical planning and building  tasks and activities  - Official Gazete No. 78/2015)

Continuous Professional Development

Does a system of CPD for architects exists in your country ?Yes
If yes:
- Is it compulsory ?
- Is it encouraged ?
- Is it free ?
Encouraged and regulated
If it is compulsory,
is it required by law,
or by a Code of Conduct ?
Required by law and Croatian Chamber of Architects rule book
If it is regulated, who regulates the system:
a professional body,
a governmental body,
a combination of the two ?
Professional body: Croatian Chamber of Architects    


Is it organised ?Yes
Who provides the courses:Any legal person (institutions, faculties, associations, chambers…)
Provided courses are short term seminars, lecture series, workshops, presentations, guided tours or excursions.
What level of training is provided:General awareness (keeping up to date), regulations and legislations, detailed knowledge, local issues 
Are certain subjects mandatory ?Yes, energy efficiency regulation and legislation updates for energy efficiency certificators
What types of activities or provisions are accepted : Short term seminars, lecture series, workshops, presentations, guided tours or excursions 
Do you have any evaluation criteria for the CPD material ?Yes
Who recognize (accredits) these trainings :Croatian chamber of architects within its Continuous professional development program or Ministry of construction and physical planning for energy efficiency certificators
Development of the trainings :
A. Estimated number of courses / year
B. Estimated number of participants / year
C. Estimated lesson hours / year
Level of requirements for the architects :CPD hours accumulation system, requiring a minimum of 20/30/40 hours within 1 year period
Is this required level validated or checked and how:
A. Not requested,
B. Self-assessment of value,
C. Attendance tracking,
D. Self-assessment using self-test,
E. By regular checks,
F. Examination,
G. Thesis,
H. Others means (e.g. electronic monitoring) ?
Attendance tracking (hours)
Is training (provision) delivered abroad accepted ?No
What kind of sanction is applied for the non-compliance with CPD obligation:
A. None,
B.  Reprimand,
C. Expulsion from the register,
D. Other ?
None
Do you have a database of the content of your CPD Programme ?Yes

Requirements to practice in this country

More information can be found here:
http://psc.hgk.hr/usluge-u-rh/uvjeti-za-obavljanje-djelatnosti/arhitekti/?lang=en

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