Higher Education Reforms In Romania

Romania is an active player in various international higher education areas, while undergoing a series of higher education reforms within its national framework. The Higher Education Evidence Based Policy Making: a necessary premise for progress in Romania project was implemented by the Executive Agency for Higher Education, Research, Development and Innovation Funding (UEFISCDI) in the timeframe February 2012 – February 2014, being co-financed by the European Social Fund through the Operational Programme “Administrative Capacity Development”. The project aimed to increase the capacity of public administration for evidence-based policy making in the field of higher education, while focusing on good practices at international level and impact assessment. With the contribution of the national and international experts, the project has generated a number of analysis and studies on the existing higher education public policies (quality assurance, internationalisation, equity, data collection, the Bologna Process, financing of higher education). Based on the results of the project, the book will reunite a number of policy research articles which would tap into the innovative aspects of the project's activities and provide a concise overview of what good practices can be drawn from the empirical research conducted in this project. The book will therefore aim to improve the information on Romanian higher education reforms, as well as on the concrete evidence-based policy proposals which could be transformed into future policy solutions in the Romanian higher education system.

Romania is an active player in various international higher education areas, while undergoing a series of higher education reforms within its national framework. The Higher Education Evidence Based Policy Making: a necessary premise for progress in Romania project was implemented by the Executive Agency for Higher Education, Research, Development and Innovation Funding (UEFISCDI) in the timeframe February 2012 – February 2014, being co-financed by the European Social Fund through the Operational Programme “Administrative Capacity Development”. The project aimed to increase the capacity of public administration for evidence-based policy making in the field of higher education, while focusing on good practices at international level and impact assessment. With the contribution of the national and international experts, the project has generated a number of analysis and studies on the existing higher education public policies (quality assurance, internationalisation, equity, data collection, the Bologna Process, financing of higher education). Based on the results of the project, the book will reunite a number of policy research articles which would tap into the innovative aspects of the project's activities and provide a concise overview of what good practices can be drawn from the empirical research conducted in this project. The book will therefore aim to improve the information on Romanian higher education reforms, as well as on the concrete evidence-based policy proposals which could be transformed into future policy solutions in the Romanian higher education system.

Romania hosts the 2012 Bologna / European Higher Education Area Ministerial Conference and the Third Bologna Policy Forum. In preparation for these meetings, The Executive Agency for Higher Education, Research, Development and Innovation Funding (UEFISCDI) organised the Future of Higher Education - Bologna Process Researchers’ Conference (FOHE-BPRC) in Bucharest on 17-19 October 2011, with the support of the European University Association (EUA) and the Romanian National Committee for UNESCO. The conference brought the voices of researchers into international-level policy making in higher education. The results of the conference are presented in this book. Until now, empirical evidence supporting policies and reforms in higher education has often been a matter of local or regional focus. The development of a pan-European process in higher education policy drives a need to explore wider research topics on which to base policies. This book offers an unprecedented opportunity for higher education researchers to interact and contribute to the political process shaping the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), and to national policy agendas in more than 100 participant countries for the 2012 ministerial events. The book collects more than 50 articles focusing on vital issues in European higher education. These are arranged in sections addressing the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) Principles; Teaching and Learning; Quality Assurance; Mobility; Higher Education Governance in the EHEA; Funding of Higher Education; Diversification of Higher Education Missions; Higher Education Futures and Foresight.

This open access book includes a series of relevant policy research articles, elaborared in the framework of the "Quality in higher education: internationalisation and databases to enhance the Romanian education system" project, implemented by the Executive Agency for Higher Education, Research, Development and Innovation Funding (UEFISCDI), together with the Ministry of Education. The project aims to develop and implement systemic measures at tertiary education level, leading to an increased quality of the overall higher education system and universities better prepared for labour market requirements and international standards. The book focuses on areas of interest for Romanian higher education, such as systemic measures to improve access, participation and completion for (vulnerable) students, better promotion of the Romanian higher education to attract students, as well as instruments for a more efficient use of data at higher education level. Each article includes evidence-based policy proposals that could support new strategic initiatives in higher education, including new legislation. Additionally, the collection of articles tells a comprehensive story about the audacity of a higher education system which went through significant challenges to align itself with both European and international trends, as well as respond to national imperatives. Over the last three decades, since the fall of the Iron Curtain, Romanian higher education has undergone significant transformations, aiming to align itself to the latest developments and trends at European and international level. The National Law on Education no. 1/2011 has set the stage for a full implementation of the Bologna Process action lines, taking into account that Romania was already a part of the largest European intergovernmental process -- currently the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) -- as a founding member. However, since the adoption of this normative framework, the law suffered numerous amendments, making it challenging to observe and achieve coherence in its implementation. Furthermore, Romania is also currently redesigning the strategy for the alocation of European structural funds 2021-2027, based on two strategic documents - the new Education and Employment Operational Programme and the National Recovery and Resilience Plan which highlight the reform and investment priorities at a national level. At the same time, 2021 is a good time to analyze the level of implementation for the objectives and measures included in the National Strategy for Tertiary Education 2015-2020, the Europe 2020 Strategy, and the Bologna Process action lines in the 2010 – 2020 timeframe. Therefore, the present moment may be an important time to assess the impact of strategic documents and actions in the last decade and, possibly, to draft a new National Education Law, better adapted to current realities, starting from the recent initiative by the President of Romania – the Educated Romania strategic vision which was also politically assumed by the Romanian Government.

With an increase in global competition among universities and national higher education systems, educational programs desire to offer compatible content without losing their competitive advantage. Because of this balance, the issue of convergence, along with its benefits and limits, has emerged. Handbook of Research on Trends in European Higher Education Convergence aims to identify the indicators that meet the consensus of the academic community and higher education management experts. Analyzing the recognized trends within the publication and concluding which measures should be taken to improve convergence pace and avoid potential pitfalls; this reference book is a useful resource for academics and students, as well as specialists, policy makers, and professionals connected with the educational sector.