The project will provide the basis for major national policy reforms in Croatia that will contribute to ensuring equitable and transparent access to higher education (HE) by removing financial obstacles to HE. The project will result in a policy framework that presents a concrete proposal of the new HE funding and student support system in Croatia which can be translated into concrete amendments of laws and regulations and which will be based on the principles of evidence-based policy making.The limited data available in Croatia indicates that individuals from poorer backgrounds may be underrepresented in HE and that the current HE funding and student support system does not provide adequate mechanisms for ensuring equitable access to HE. In this context, financial obstacles are a key issue: Croatia has seen a rise both of tuition fee levels and of the proportion of students who pay fees, without having clear regulations regarding criteria for setting tuition levels or for public funding of universities, and with few universities offering tuition waivers based on social background of students. Moreover, the rise of students’ costs has not been followed by a review of the student support system, which despite significant expenditures, does not target support to those students most in need. This combination risks causing inequities in access to HE in Croatia.To ensure that the proposed policy framework is both effective in ensuring equitable access and is sustainable, the project will follow the core principles of evidence-based policy making:- Data collection: three surveys/studies will collect data on the socio-economic structure and financial needs of the student body, and will assess the feasibility of implementation of different HE funding and student support models in Croatia- Training of stakeholders: representatives from universities, state institutions, student councils, institutes and NGOs will be trained on different policy models for HE funding and student support from 6 different EU countries.- Expert recommendations: national and international experts will draft policy recommendations for developing a HE funding and student support system adapted to the needs and capacities of Croatia.- Policy drafting by universities and experts: based on recommendations, decision-makers from universities together with key stakeholders will identify and draft a policy framework.- Stakeholder consultations: consultations will take place at universities with university staff, students and other stakeholders to discuss and legitimise the proposed policy framework.- Sustainability: staff at the university and state level will be nominated and trained to implement HE funding and student support policies and a national Coordination Group will be set up to supervise the sustainability of project objectives after the project’s end.The representation of all key stakeholders in the project Consortium, the high profile of the project’s national and international experts and the commitment shown by the Croatian Ministry of Science, Education and Sports to support the proposal and co-finance the project are guarantees of the successful implementation of project and sustainability of project results.