Personal Values and Proclaimed Values of the Education System

Abstract

The primary purpose of this chapter is to empirically analyze the relationships between the personal values of current students and the officially proclaimed values of education systems, based on the case of Croatia. To assess whether the declared values, which are intended to guide higher education, are accepted by students, a preliminary sample, consisting primarily of students from business schools in Croatia, is analyzed. The empirical findings show a high level of linear correlation among the variables, describing the students' values and the proclaimed values of the education system. Linear regression models, using gender, level of study, and scholarship status, show a causal relationship among the four dimensions of the proclaimed values and selected aspects of students' values. These findings can be used to rethink the potential contribution of students to the development of the Croatian education system, as well as to show possible directions of action for school leaders and policymakers.