[The Zagreb Medical School from the "Croatian spring" to the first multi-party elections]

Schools of Medicine are institutions for an integrative approach to diseases and health, comprising at the same time scientific, teaching and treatment aspects of the nosological entities. These three functions are optimal only when academic freedom and sufficient financial support are satisfied. The authors analyze the last twenty years of academic performance of the University of Zagreb School of Medicine which were considerably influenced by the external political demands imposed by the so-called self-management phase of former communist regime. The constant restructuring of the internal organization, lower investments in science and quantitative expansion in all the activities of the School were the major characteristics of this period. International comparisons, especially in the light of recent development of molecular biology, demonstrate that this was rather growth than development of the oldest School of Medicine of Croatia. The authors emphasize the importance of academic freedom and strong international cooperation for the development and maintenance of quality of teaching schools.