The UNIZG has four major governing bodies in its structure: the Rector, the Senate, the University Council and the Rector's Collegium. As support to these bodies, there are six Field Councils (based on the division of scientific and artistic disciplines) and a number of committees.
The Senate is the main governing body of the University. The Senate has 70 members and is comprised of the Rector, academic staff, and student representatives. The Rector presides over the Senate. It meets once a month and adopts new university legislature, study programmes, academic promotions (full professors), university textbooks, financial plans, investment plans, etc. Every four years the Senate elects the new Rector.
The University Council is an oversight and counselling body that has twelve members: six appointed from the University and six by public institutions (Croatian Parliament, Chamber of Commerce, City of Zagreb and City of Varaždin). The Council meets regularly every three months to oversee and discuss the activities of the University. The University council has no role either in the process of electing the new Rector or in any concrete decision-making process.
The Rector and the Vice-rectors form Rector's Collegium that is extended to the enlarged Rector's Collegium by seven representatives from the Field councils and one student representative. The enlarged Rector's Collegium discusses the issues and assists the Rector in decision making. It meets once a week and discusses University policies; and it presents proposals on the University Budget, developmental and research programmes, and investments to the Senate. It advises the Senate on rules and regulations proposals, improvement of administrative and legal services, etc.
The Rector, as the head of the University, is chosen for a term of four years that can be repeated once. Only a full professor from the University can be candidate for the Rector. The Rector proposes the positions of Vice-rectors to the Senate for adoption. There are five Vice-rectors (for study programmes and students, for research and technology, for financing, for international and legal affairs, and for spatial planning and inter-institutional cooperation).