Integration and Europeanization of Central East Political and

Administration
Romanias Educational System
In Romania, like in all Eastern European countries, many changes occurred with the
end of the communist era. The Romanian education system has undergone many
transformations, which started with the removal of political education in 1990. However, in
almost 20 years, there has been little stability or consensus on how education should be run.
Each year brings substantial changes that, sometimes, reverse changes just a few years before.
After the collapse of communism, Romania faced an education crisis that it has not
tackled yet. Since 1989, the minister of education has been changed 19 times. Each of these
ministers argued vehemently for reform, but their different visions only created confusion.
One of the reasons for their failure is that education in Romania has never been properly
financed. Paradoxically, Romania is also the country where some of the most brilliant young
brains in the world are born. Here the rate of gifted children is twice the average worldwide.
In July, the country was ranked first in Europe at the International Math Olympics and
10th among 100 countries worldwide. Some of the most feared hackers in the world are
operating in Romania. Corporations like Microsoft have a big community of Romanians
among their workforce and they keep recruiting more.
Most of these achievements seem to be the result of the hard work of individuals
combined sometimes with the influence of a great teacher rather than the result of a proficient
education system. Not one of Romania's universities are ranked among the top 500.
Since 2005, the higher education system in Romania has been organised in three
cycles: bachelor the first degree programmes, master programmes and doctorate programmes
compatible with the European qualification framework and laid out in Law 288 of 2004 1.
Students who have graduated from an upper secondary institution are eligible to apply for
admission to a first degree programme according to the admission methodology of each
university and study programme. Admission generally depends on student performance at the
national examination at the end of upper secondary education (called Bacalaureat),
performance in upper secondary school and performance at the university entrance
1 http://gse.buffalo.edu/org/inthigheredfinance/files/Country_Profiles/Europe/Romania.pdf.

examination. Admission to higher education for every cycle of academic studies first degree
(bachelor), master, and doctorate is organised based on the admission methodology of each
university,

with

the

observance

of

the

legislation

in

force.

For all cycles of academic studies, the number of places funded from the state budget is set by
a Government Decision. Every public higher education institution is allocated by an Order of
Minister a number of places funded from the state budget for which they can organise
admission. Besides these places, public higher education institutions are authorised to admit a
number of students who accept to pay tuition fees.

Bibliografie
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http://www.ibe.unesco.org/International/ICE/natrap/Romania.pdf
http://www.mae.ro/en/node/2176
http://www.ijhssnet.com/journals/Vol_2_No_12_Special_Issue_June_2012/2.pdf
http://www.politici-edu.ro/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Internationalization-of-HE-inRomania.pdf
6. http://www.civiceducationproject.org/legacy/countries/romania.html
7. http://fastromania.eu/projects/projects-education
8. http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/romania_statistics.html
9. http://www.nationmaster.com/country-info/profiles/Romania/Education
10. http://www.educationincrisis.net/articles/item/530-eastern-europe
11. http://www.ibe.unesco.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Publications/WDE/2010/pdfversions/Romania.pdf
12. http://gse.buffalo.edu/org/inthigheredfinance/files/Country_Profiles/Europe/Romania.
pdf
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