In 2005, the Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation initiated the bilateral inter-university agreement between the University of Zagreb and Indiana State University in the United States (College of Arts and Sciences, School of Criminology and Security Studies). The cooperation has been successful for 20 years and includes the exchange of students and professors and the holding of classes in the Comparative Criminology course. Classes are held alternately every year at a different university and include numerous visits to institutions and cultural activities. The coordinator of this collaboration on behalf of the Educational Rehabilitation Faculty is associate professor. Ph.D. Dalibor Doležal, and on behalf of Indiana State University prof. Lisa Decker.
From August 24 to September 7, 2025, ERF students visited Indiana State University and participated in classes in the field of criminology and social pedagogy. Second-year students of the Social Pedagogy graduate program participated in a study visit and teaching activities in Indiana (USA), where they got to know various institutions and programs relevant to the future professional work of social pedagogues. A total of nine students participated in the visit, accompanied by Assoc. Prof. Dalibor Doležal.
During the stay, classes from the Comparative Criminology course were held, as well as a guest lecture "Cybercrime in the context of the Republic of Croatia", during which students had the opportunity to learn about the specifics of cybercrime and the challenges and trends associated with criminal acts in the digital environment.
Students visited several institutions that play a key role in the mental health, justice, and social services system:
- Hamilton Center, Inc. – a non-profit regional mental health system operating in central and western Indiana. The center provides services to children, youth, and adults, including specialized programs for pregnant women, infants, and people with drug and alcohol addiction problems. The center provides counseling and therapeutic interventions for people dealing with stress, life changes, relationships, depression, anxiety disorders, and serious mental illnesses.
- Gibault Children’s Services – a residential and community-based facility that works with children facing mild to severe emotional difficulties, aggressive and oppositional behavior, addiction problems, victims and perpetrators of sexually harmful/reactive behaviors, learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, and other clinical challenges.
- Wabash Valley Correctional Facility – a correctional institution where students learned about the organization of work, treatment programs, and challenges of the prison system.
- Terre Haute Police Department – a police station where students gained insight into police procedures, prevention programs, and the daily tasks of police officers.
This study visit enabled students to gain insight into different work models, treatment approaches, and organization of services in the fields of mental health, social care, police, and the penal system. Connecting theoretical knowledge with practice, as well as comparing the American and Croatian systems, contributed to their professional development and a better understanding of international aspects of social pedagogy and criminology.
