Implementation of Regulation (EU) 2024/1183 in Higher Education in the Republic of Croatia

The introduction of the revised Regulation (EU) 2024/1183, known as eIDAS 2.0, represents a key step in harmonising digital identity across the European Union. This regulation mandates Member States to implement the European Digital Identity Wallet, enabling citizens and businesses to securely and easily prove their identity, store documents, and access services across borders. This paper analyses the legislative, technical, and organizational aspects of implementing eIDAS 2.0 in the Croatian higher education system. It places particular emphasis on adapting existing information systems to facilitate access to academic resources, services, and other stakeholder identification processes. The paper also proposes improvements to business processes within the higher education system in the Republic of Croatia to eliminate the current mandatory printing and signing of documents for authentication purposes under existing regulation, and to enhance the overall digital identity model. The paper identifies key challenges, including ensuring a high level of personal data protection, user acceptance, and interoperability of academic systems, and provides recommendations for effectively addressing these challenges.