Romania

Country in Europe

Capital: Bucharest
Dialing code: +40
Currency: Romanian leu
Prime minister: Dacian Cioloș
Official language: Romanian

Romania is a southeastern European country known for the forested region of Transylvania, ringed by the Carpathian Mountains. Its preserved medieval towns include Sighişoara, and there are many fortified churches and castles, notably clifftop Bran Castle, long associated with the Dracula legend. Bucharest, the country’s capital, is the site of the gigantic, Communist-era Palatul Parlamentului government building.

The Higher Education System

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There are 49 public and eight private universities in Romania. Undergraduate courses last three years for sciences, humanities, social and economic, law, political science, fine arts and sport; four years for technological sciences, engineering, agriculture and forestry; and six years for general medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine and architecture. Master’s courses last for two years. Higher education institutions in Romania consist of universities, institutes, academies, conservatories and university colleges.

Four universities in Romania feature in the QS World University Rankings® 2016/17, all of which are ranked 701+*. A further seven institutions are featured in the QS University Rankings: EECA 2016, a ranking of the top universities in Emerging Europe and Central Asia. The top four universities in Romania are:

University of Bucharest

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The University of Bucharest is the second-oldest higher education institution in the country and the highest-ranked in the global tables. Established in 1864, the university is currently ranked 32nd in the EECA ranking and 701+ in the world. It is home to approximately 32,000 students and 1,300 academic staff. The University of Bucharest has 18 faculties, covering a broad spectrum of subjects. It cooperates with over 50 higher education institutions in 40 countries, and participates in programs such as Erasmus Mundus, Lingua, Leonardo da Vinci, Tempus and others, which promote international collaboration in higher education.

Babes-Bolyai University

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Babes-Bolyai University is the largest Romanian higher education institution, with over 41,000 students enrolled. It was established in 1919, but underwent a profound process of transformation in 1959. Babes-Bolyai University also features among the world’s top 800 universities and 36th in EECA. Named after prominent Romanian scientist Victor Babeș and Hungarian mathematician János Bolyai, it is a leading research university with 21 faculties. The higher education institution offers courses in Romanian, Hungarian, German, English and French.

Alexandru Ioan Cuza University

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The oldest Romanian university, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, was established back in 1860 by Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza. It is one of the most respected universities in Romania, and features in the latest QS University Rankings: EECA in joint 49th place. It teaches about 26,000 students at its campus in Iași. When founded, the university had only three faculties – Philosophy, Law and Theology – but has significantly developed, establishing 12 more. The university is a member of some of the most prominent international higher education networks, including the Coimbra Group and the Utrecht Network.