Volume IV, Issue 6, 2013

IMPLEMENTING THE BOLOGNA PROCESS IN THE ROMANIAN

HIGHER ECONOMIC EDUCATION SYSTEM
Loredana VCRESCU HOBEANU
Faculty of Financial Management Accounting, Craiova
Spiru Haret University Romania
loredana.hobeanu@yahoo.com
Abstract
In order to ensure the comparability in the standards and quality of the higher education qualifications of all
European countries educational systems, the ministers of education of the European countries signed the
Bologna Declaration in 1999. The establishment of a modern, competitive and specific European management
vision is the new philosophy behind the education system promoted by the reform of the European higher
education through the Bologna Process. Among its key guidelines we find quality assurance in education,
excellence in research, a higher degree of performance, raising the level of competitiveness, student-centered
learning, new strategies and approaches to teaching, fostering creativity and innovation, focus on the learning
outcomes, the pragmatism of education, the close relationship between education and the labor market.
Keywords: higher economic education, bologna process, university, performance, quality, knowledge.

1. Introduction
The objectives and principles established and undertaken with the signing of the Bologna
Declaration implies each countrys responsibility to reform its own national education system so that the
level of acquired knowledge of the students, their ability to put this knowledge to use and the degree of
involvement in research activities is achieved at the highest standards.
This article aims to render a complete picture of the higher education systems in Europe and
Romania through the numerous changes already generated following the application of the Bologna
Declaration and focusing on those changes that have occurred in the higher economic education
system.
The Bologna Process is a major reform whose goal was the creation of the European Higher
Education Area (EHEA); the current article presents the measures and actions already taken by the
European countries for the reconciliation of the different education systems.
We emphasize that the particular challenges of this century - the economic and financial crisis
and Romanias quest to find viable solutions to control this reality - place education and especially
higher education among the fundamental concerns of the countrys strategy to solve these issues and to
achieve progress in the future.
The performance of universities is the main challenge that has been launched internationally and
that Romanias higher education system has to cope with.
The Romanian higher education system - whose foundations were laid 150 years ago - has
permanently evolved towards achieving objectives that have become more demanding and quality
standards that are advancing more rapidly. For the following two decades, higher education is viewed as
one of the areas with the highest growth potential and interaction on a global scale and considered an
important tool with multiple meanings.

Journal of Research in Educational Sciences

All facts considered the transition that universities face to cross over their national borders and
relate to the global education market - is one of the major steps that Romanian universities need to
make in order to succeed and attain the level of notoriety required by the new global pattern.
2. The Bologna process - megaproject of the European states
Started in the early 2000s, the Bologna Process represents with its goal and objectives, the
strongest reformation current ever manifested in the European higher education system. Named after
the town where the European Education Ministers first signed the formal agreements to launch the
reform, the Bologna Process aims to increase the international competitiveness of the European higher
education.
The Bologna Process defines the achievement of a coherent and compatible university system.
Achieving this goal means having to develop in Europe a competitive knowledge-based economy, which
would have the potential to provide better jobs and create greater social cohesion. The essence of the
Bologna Process is the realization that the Europe of knowledge is an indispensable factor for social and
human growth and an essential component of the process of strengthening and enriching the European
citizenship.
The process includes several phases conducted over 15 years (1989 - 2004). Developing the
Bologna Process after its implementation has led to the creation of the European Higher Education Area
or EHEA, a more globally unified and competitive system.
The main pillars of EHEA are:
the adoption of the Magna Charta Universitatum (Bologna, September 18 th, 1989);
the Declaration of Paris (Sorbonne, May 25th, 1998);
the signing of the Bologna Declaration by 29 countries (Aula Magna S. Lucia, June 19 th,
1999);
the signing of the documents during the Prague Meeting (May 19 th, 2001);
the organization of the Berlin Meeting (September 19th, 2003);
the conducting of the Bergen Meeting (May 2005);
the London Meeting (May 2007);
the Leuven Meeting (April 2009);
the organization of the Ministerial Conference for the Anniversary of the Bologna Process
in Budapest (March 11th March 12th, 2010);
the official launching of the EHEA in Vienna (March 2010).
The objectives set within the joint declaration on education of the European Ministers of
Education (Bologna, 1999) defining the EHEA, are shown in Table 1.

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Volume IV, Issue 6, 2013

Table 1. Objectives set within the Bologna Declaration on the European Area for Higher Education
(Bologna, 1999)
NO.

OBJECTIVES

MANNERS OF ACCOMPLISHMENT

Adoption of a system of easily readable

and comparable degrees

Through the implementation of the Diploma Supplement, in order to

promote European citizens employability and the international
competitiveness of the European higher education system

Adoption of a system essentially based

on two main cycles, undergraduate and
graduate

Access to the second cycle shall require successful completion of first cycle
studies, lasting a minimum of three years. The degree awarded after the
first cycle shall also be relevant to the European labor market as an
appropriate level of qualification. The second cycle should lead to the
master and/or doctorate degree as in many European countries

Establishment of a system of credits such as in the European Credit

Transfer System (ECTS)

As a proper means of promoting the most widespread student mobility

Promotion of mobility

By overcoming obstacles to the effective exercise of free movement with a

clear specification of the students and mobility staffs roles

Promotion of European co-operation in

quality assurance

With a view to developing comparable criteria and methodologies

Promotion of the necessary European

dimensions in higher education

With regards to curricular development, inter-institutional co-operation,

mobility schemes and integrated programs of study, training and research

Promotion of Lifelong learning - LLP

Each individual has the right to have a proper education and obtain a
higher qualification through education - all throughout life

Implication of universities in contouring

the EHEA

Promotion of the EHEA focus points

Developing doctorate studies and the

synergy between EHEA and the
European Research Area
Source: After the Joint Declaration on Education of the European Ministers of Education on the European Area for Higher
Education, convened in Bologna, a June 19th, 1999, World Bank Publications, 2009, http://www.cnfis.ro/fd/Bologna/
Bologna.html
10

All these efforts were aimed at increasing the performance of European education and training
systems within Europe of knowledge. To fulfill the strategic objectives proposed, various cooperation
directions have been established by inter-governmental with non-governmental European organizations
that have specific competences concerning higher education; therefore, regular meetings have been
held to review the progress made and to identify the future steps required.
The meetings that followed the Bologna Declaration on the EHEA were designed to analyze the
implementation of the objectives and actions set and to outline further steps that would lead to the
creation of the European Higher Education Area.
The meetings that took place beforehand, including the adoption of the Bologna Declaration and
their achievements are summarized in Figure 1. The Conference of the European Ministers of Education
- "Towards a European Higher Education Area" that took place in Prague on May 19 th, 2001 set new
goals, reaffirming the primary objective of the signatory states forming the EHEA. The most important
aspects discussed in Prague are summarized in Table 2.

Journal of Research in Educational Sciences

On September 19th, 2003 the European Ministers of Education from 33 European countries met in
Berlin in order to analyze the progress that had been made and to establish the priorities and new
objectives for the coming years in order to accelerate the training process within the EHEA. The ideas
under discussion in Berlin are found in Table 3.
The Bologna Process emphasizes the idea that EHEA will benefit from its synergy with the
European Research Area, thus consolidating a knowledge-based Europe.

Mobility of
Researchers
European
Credit
Transfer
System
(ECTS)

Mobility of
students
and
teachers /
professors

Easily
readable and
comparable
degrees

Common
two study
cycles
degrees

1998
The
Sorbonne
Declaration

European
Dimension in
higher
education
European
Cooperation
for quality
assurance

Opportunities for
flexible study
routes within the
higher education
system

Lifelong
learning

Social
Dimension

Implicating
academic
institutions
and
students

Promotion
of the
European
Area for
Higher
Education
(EHEA)

1999

2001

The Bologna
Declaration

Prague
Communiqu

Education and
Research
Synergy
Including
doctorate studies
as the third cycle
of study
The European
Qualification
Framework
Recognition of
university
degrees and with
the
implementation
of the Diploma
Supplement)
Assuring quality
at institutional,
national and
European levels

2003

2005

Berlin
Communiqu

Strengthening the
social dimension
The
National
Qualifications
Frameworks

Comparability of
qualifications and
easy recognition of
degrees

Standards and
recommendations
for quality
assurance

2007

Bergen
Communiqu

2009
London
Conference

The
commitment to
elaborate
national action
plans to
effectively
monitor the
educations
social
dimension
Strategy to
enhance the
global
dimension of
the Bologna
Process
Creating the
European
Quality
Assurance
Register
(EQAR)

Launching
EHEA in
March 2010
in Vienna
and
adopting the
strategic
priorities to
be met by
2020

2010 2012
Leuven
and
Vienna
Conferences

Bucharest
Conference

Source: After EACEA P9 Eurydice, Higher Education in Europe 2009: the Bologna Process Progress, (2009, page 16)

Figure 1. The Bologna Process Timeline and the objectives set

Table 2. Key discussion points at the Prague Ministerial Meeting (2001)
NO.
1
2
3

74

TOPICS DISCUSSED

MANNERS OF ACCOMPLISHMENT

1
Creating a new university
structure
Promoting the attractiveness of
the European Higher Education
Area
Implicating students into the
creation of the EHEA

2
Lifelong learning and Education Programmes
Identifying and promoting new ways of enhancing attractiveness of the European
higher education to students from Europe and other parts of the world
The involvement of students as competent, active and constructive partners in
the establishment and shaping of the EHEA

Volume IV, Issue 6, 2013

NO.

TOPICS DISCUSSED

MANNERS OF ACCOMPLISHMENT

Ministers recognized the vital role that quality assurance systems play in
ensuring high quality standards and in facilitating the comparability of
qualifications throughout Europe
Ministers called upon the universities and other higher education institutions,
Higher education institutions national agencies and the European Network of Quality Assurance in Higher
5
dissemination of experiences in Education (ENQA), in cooperation with corresponding bodies from countries
quality assurance
which are not members of ENQA, to collaborate in establishing a common
framework of reference and to disseminate best practice
Source: After the European Education Ministers Communiqu, Prague, May 19th, 2001, www.upt.ro/.../Proces_Bologna_
Conventii_Declaratii_Comunicate.pdf
4

Promotion
of
European
cooperation in quality assurance
at national level

Table 3. Key discussion points at the Berlin Ministerial Meeting (2003)

NO.

IDEAS CONSIDERED

PUTTING IDEAS INTO PRACTICE

Taking complementary actions

to the Bologna Process

Within the doctorate study cycle, public responsibility education, all other areas of
interest of the higher education with a social dimension considering national study
loans and scholarships

Quality assurance

Implementing national quality assurance systems

At the European level, Ministers call upon ENQA through its members
to develop an agreed set of standards, procedures
3
Mandate ENQA
and guidelines on quality assurance, to explore ways of ensuring an adequate peer
review system for quality assurance and/or accreditation agencies or bodies
Source: After the European Education Ministers Communiqu Realizing the European Higher Education Area, Berlin,
September 19th, 2003, www.upt.ro/.../Proces_Bologna_Conventii_Declaratii_Comunicate.pdf

The European Education Ministers Conference in Bergen, 2005 brought on the agenda the
implementation of national qualification regulations, awarding and recognition of joint degrees, including
at doctorate level and creating opportunities for flexible learning routes in higher education, including the
procedures for recognition of prior education.
In 2005, the European Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance (ESG) were adopted and
it was accepted as a reference framework for all European universities.
The European Ministers meeting in London on the 17th and 18th of May 2007 represented a
turning point in the Bologna Process, establishing the first legal body in the process - The European
Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education (EQAR). EQAR is a register of quality assurance
agencies that comply with the European Standards and Guidelines, thus having the legal right to work in
the EHEA. This will increase confidence in the EHEA and facilitate mutual recognition of judgments
relating to quality assurance and accreditation.
The priorities established at that moment for the following two years were related to: mobility,
social dimension, the gathering of social statistics and the introduction of the concept of Employability of
the diplomas. At the end of the meeting, the European Ministers participating in the Bologna Process
signed a joint declaration entitled Towards the European Higher Education Area: Responding to
challenges in a globalised world.
Between the 28th and 29th of April 2009 and during the Sixth Conference of the European
Education Ministers held in Leuven/Louvain-la-Neuve concerning the Bologna Process the participants
stressed the importance of Lifelong learning and widening the access to higher education while
encouraging the students mobility. By 2020, at least 20% of graduates in the EHEA will have to have

Journal of Research in Educational Sciences

studied or participated in a training program abroad. The Ministerial Conference in Leuven set an
agreement regarding the strategic priorities for the next 10 year period of developing the EHEA. The
issues discussed and the decisions reached were echoed with the adoption of the Leuven
Communiqu, which was the main reference tool for the future of the Bologna Process during 2010 and
2012.
In Vienna, in March 2010 the EHEA was released with the approval of the European Education
Ministers participating in the Bologna Process. The conference documents have mainly focused on
presenting and discussing the independent evaluation report of the implementation of the Bologna
Process and the conclusions of the discussions were summarized in the Budapest-Vienna Declaration.
A follow-up of the Ministerial Conference was organized in Vienna as a second Forum that
brought together the European Ministers involved in the Bologna Process with Education responsible
from other parts of the world. The forum focused on "Building the Global Knowledge Society: Systemic
and Institutional Change in Higher Education". The meeting ended with the adoption of the Vienna
Bologna Policy Forum Statement.
Between the 27th and 28th of April 2012, the 8th edition of the Bologna Ministerial Conference was
held in Bucharest, the Eastern capital being the first one in the region to host such an event. The
conference focused on the mobility of students agreeing that within the following 8 years (until the end of
2020), 20% of the member states students would benefit from a study or a training period abroad.
For all participating countries, the Bologna Process has accounted for profound reforms in the
higher education system, marked through changes in the legislation and the reconsideration of the basic
principles of education in a knowledge-based society.
The main decision-making body concerning the Bologna Process is the Bologna Follow-up Group
(BFUG) where each state participating in the process is represented by the secretary of state, a director
general or an expert.
The progress delivered by the accomplishment of the Bologna objectives is marked by national
biennial reports made for the European Education Ministers involved in the Bologna process as
documents for the conferences evaluated as part of the inventory. The results of the inventory process
are then materialized as a score given to each country according to the progress of the reforms and
their current stage of implementation. Until now, there have been three such evaluation exercises - in
2005, 2007 and 2010.
The Bologna Process has gradually expanded from 29 signatory countries in 1999 to 47 today.
This expansion highlights that European countries have recognized that national higher education
systems are facing internal and external challenges to diversify university curricula, employability
opportunities for graduates, lack of skills in key areas and the development of private educational
institutions and transnational education.
The European Commission (EC) has supported policies and actions of the Bologna Process,
providing support for the reforms in higher education through various programs, particularly through the
Tempus program.
The EU has developed relationships with other continents through a series of bilateral or
multilateral cooperation programs: EU - USA / Canada, Asia-Link, Edu-Link, ALFA and ALBAN for Latin
America and the Nyerere program for Africa.

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To support the development of education, the mobility and a better labor market integration of
European citizens, the EU has developed a number of tools such as: EQF/CEC, Europass and ECTS
representing a basis for formal recognition of the study and training periods.
For the period between 2007 and 2013 the EC brings together its initiatives in education and
training under the umbrella of a single program for Lifelong learning. This program enables European
citizens, regardless of their age, to benefit from learning opportunities all throughout Europe.
The Bologna Process, albeit a complex and difficult process, has proved necessary and useful
not only for a small group of European countries but virtually for all of them, proving to be of interest to
many countries on other continents as well. Each of the participating countries has attempted to reform
the education system to incorporate the principles established in Bologna.
One of the European countries concerned with constantly improving the quality of higher
education is France where the National Evaluation Committee or Comit National d'Evaluation (CNE)
has been functioning since 1984 and dealing with the quality of higher education and its evaluation at
institutional level.
Harmonizing and standardizing the French higher education system with those from other
European countries has been initiated since 1997, as a special committee was established, with
responsibilities in this regard.
French universities have implemented the Bologna Process from the academic year 2004-2005.
The Bologna reform was reflected in the higher education system in France by changing from a twocycle based system to a three cycle one: License-Master-Doctorate (known in France as the LMD
reform). The License corresponds to 180 ETCS or three years of study after the French Baccalaureate
(Bac +3). The Master corresponds to another two years of study after the license and it is the equivalent
of 120 European credits, leading in the French system to Bac +5. The Master is both a title as it is a
diploma and it substitutes the DEA (Diplme d'tudes approfondies) and the DESS (Diplme d'tudes
suprieures spcialises). This university course allows the organizing of a range of pathways that
facilitate the progressive orientation of students towards a professional master (the former DESS) or a
research master (the former DEA). Obtaining a masters degree in research is a prerequisite for
enrolling into a PhD program.
The doctorate corresponds to a period of three years. The thesis can be sustained in France or in
another country. All other signatory states of the Bologna Process have updated their higher education
system in the spirit of the reforms requirements, organizing and preparing the education at a superior
level, in three cycles: bachelor, master and doctorate studies.
Unlike the other European education systems, the advantage of the French system is that
national diplomas are issued at the end of each school year.
Regarding education, Germany has made quite a few changes and that is because it had to be
able to adapt to international demands. In Germany the structure of the education system is different
from that of other EU countries. Because the competition has increased in all European education
systems, Germany has taken actions concerning the education system, and in particular concerning its
quality.
Germany is in the process of implementing the Bologna reform because there are still universities
that are not able to make the transition from the old system to the new system. Even if plenty of time is

Journal of Research in Educational Sciences

left until the final implementation, Germany like all other countries that have signed the declaration can
enjoy the benefits it offers: student mobility and the possibility to study at universities abroad.
As a result of the Bologna reform Spain was another country that accepted education based on
university cycles. The structure is different from the previous Spanish one, the difference between the
two systems being that each cycle automatically leads to an official qualification a degree, a certificate,
a diploma, etc. The transition from one cycle to the next is done successively as the first degree
obtained grants access to the second and the second degree provides access to the third cycle.
In 2002, the National Agency for Quality Assessment and Accreditation (ANECA) was created
and its main role is the evaluation and accreditation of the study programs, teaching staff, and also to
contribute to the improvement of the educational system.
Adapting the Spanish education system to the European one signifies major changes in the
current higher education, concerning title, content and methodology. Universities have an important role
in this process, but they are not the only ones involved, because in addition to these, other bodies are
also involved in the creation of the new higher education space (the Ministry of Education, the
Conference of Rectors of Spanish Universities, etc).
3. The demand for compatibility between the higher economic education systems
The global trend of converging the new IT professionals and business administration and
globalizing large Western universities have lead to highlighting the features required by the international
academic context.
Romania has been participating in the Bologna Process ever since its launch in 1999. Until now a
comprehensive legislative framework has been adopted so that the education system would be aligned
with the requirements of the European initiatives. The legislative package adopted after 1989 in the field
of education brings Romanian universities closer to the EHEA.
Given the need to make our higher education system compatible with the European education
one, it is necessary to know the main directions of the European education presented in the Bologna
documents and to adapt our countrys policies to the educational policies promoted in this area. From
these, we mention:
quality assurance in the higher education system;
integrating universities in the EHEA based on a common reference framework in a united
Europe of knowledge;
ensuring the compatibility between university systems;
harmonizing the Romanian higher education system to the structure of three education
cycles (Bachelor, Master, Doctorate) and duration (3/2/3);
compatible academic qualifications;
increase the global competitiveness of the Romanian higher education through
qualifications and scientific research outcomes.
The Education Ministers have pledged in Berlin (2003) to support the development of quality
assurance at institutional, national and European level. By participating in quality assurance, the new
education system will meet certain principles, including one of the most important ones related to quality
and the provision of a superior quality.

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The common reference framework that all universities in the EHEA aim to integrate, regards
mobility, recognition of qualifications and labor market access without limitation concerning cultural and
educational diversity.
Establishing the compatibility between the different higher education systems should be
encouraged by promoting concrete actions and by setting goals so that each country should know and
recognize the principles to be followed in order to arrive towards compatible educational systems in
Europe.
The main purpose of the meeting in Berlin was to increase the competitiveness at international
level. The goal was basically to raise the level of competitiveness for all participating countries so that
each can bring positive elements to take into account by the others and gather elements that are true
role models in the new European space.
The compatibility of the academic qualifications will be achieved by developing a common
reference framework and especially by generalizing the ECTS in the organization of study programs.
This will lead to improving the recognition of education in all countries involved and it will also increase
the employment opportunities in the labor market.
As one of the signatory states of the Bologna Declaration and other related documents, Romania
is interested in implementing the European policies in the field and in making its university system
compatible with the European one.
The main direction of reaching compatibility between the Romanian higher education system and
the European one including the economic education has to do with harmonizing the fields of study
and study programs, academic curricula and academic structures.
The Romanian higher economic education has a significant share in the structure of the higher
education system concerning the number of students enrolled and the teachers involved and also
regarding its institutional structure. Nonetheless, in a world of economic turmoil and social changes the
role and place of the economist has an increasing importance. An economist is expected to bring forth
breakthrough solutions and systems for effective use of human capital and material, financial and
information resources in the most judicious manner. The economist is also the one who determines and
establishes the profitable business opportunities according to firmly argument special and economic
criteria.
According to the expectations, economists should be very well trained, have the skills and
competencies required to provide credible decisions and beneficial actions for both themselves and the
society they live in. These qualities and more can be achieved largely through training in an efficient
education system, which is continuously adapting to the requirements of European education, outlined
by the Bologna reform.
Applying the Bologna Reform in the Romanian higher economic education has led to the
restructuring of the fields of study, specialization/study program reconfiguration, transition to LMD,
implementing the EHEA, establishing the criteria and the evaluation structures for the educational
process as well as it facilitated the mobility of students and staff. All these changes have required a
modified university curricula and conduct adjustments for the actors involved in the educational process.
Concerning all the measures taken, we believe that the Romanian higher economic education is
largely compatible with the European higher economic education one.

Journal of Research in Educational Sciences

4. The structure of the higher economic education programs in the LMD Chain
With the signing of the Bologna Declaration and the agreement regarding the EHEA, Romania
has committed itself to be involved in a long process of change. The decisions taken subsequently by
European decision makers have become targets to be achieved by the Romanian higher education
system. To do this, there are some changes that are to be made regarding the law, institutions,
organization and content.
The participants in the National Higher Education Conference from November 4 th, 2003,
established the following obligations assumed along with the signing of official documents during the
Conference in Berlin from September 19th, 2003 by all Romanian universities. Among the key-points
argued, there are three considered to be of most importance:
quality assurance, through the development of new national and European institutional
mechanisms. National quality assurance systems include: establishing the responsibilities of
the bodies and institutions involved, evaluating the programs or institutions through a system of
accreditation, certification or comparable procedures, international participation, cooperation
and networking;
adopting a structure of study programs based on three cycles: Bachelor/License, Master and
Doctorate. In this respect it is necessary to develop a comparable and compatible system with
university qualifications, each qualification having to be described in terms of direction of the
study, knowledge, skills and profile;
promote mobility of students, academic and administrative staff.
In 2004 a piece of legislation was adopted Law no. 287/2004 dealing with university consortia,
the association between universities and the academic functioning of associative structures. Law no.
288/2004 concerning the organization of university studies brings the education system closer to the
Bologna Process establishing the following: the organizational structure of the higher education in three
training cycles (bachelor/license, master, doctorate), the number of credits corresponding to each cycle,
the introduction of the Diploma Supplement as a binding document that comes together with the degree
issued at the end of each cycle period.
Consequently, the study cycles have been defined as follows:
the first cycle ends with the Bachelor degree and it has a duration of three to six years
(180 - 360 credits in the ECTS);
the second cycle - Master studies - lasts for one to two years (60 - 120 transferable
credits);
the third cycle - doctoral studies for three to four years;
post university studies.
For the majority of the study programs the student requires 180 credits in order to graduate. The
Bachelor studies in specific fields such as engineering, legal sciences and pastoral theology require 240
credits and those with 300 credits correspond to the pharmaceutical education and healthcare sectors.
These regulations are set by the National Council of Rectors and the Ministry of Education (MECTS) at
the proposal of the university senate approved afterwards through a Government decision.

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Study programs for the bachelor degree offers preliminary academic training, qualifying students
for occupations that require the application of knowledge and professional skills. The completion of such
a program is granted with a Bachelors degree where the field of study is mentioned.
The study program for the master cycle completes and deepens the academic training conducted
during the first cycle of study, emphasizing on the scientific or professional specialization and the
development of research skills. The graduation of such a program is finalized by granting a master's
degree where the field of study is mentioned. The minimum cumulative duration of cycles one and two is
300 credits (ECTS).
Its mandatory that all the bachelors and masters degrees are accompanied by a diploma
supplement prepared in accordance with the national and European legislation requirements.
Due to its scientific content and the manner of its study completion, the PhD is a focal point of
societys knowledge assuring a close relationship between the academic, the research and the cognitive
innovation and technological area. The number of study credits equivalent to each cycle of study of PhD
is established according to the scientific field of study.
The completion of the doctorate cycle ends with a PhD diploma where the field of study is
mentioned. Post university study programs comprise:
advanced research post doctoral study programs within the first 5 years after graduating a PhD
cycle;
continuous professional training and developing post university study programs for students that
have graduated at least the bachelor cycle with a degree or equivalent qualification.
The 3 cycle studies have been implemented in Romania starting with the 2005-2006 academic
year; in 2008, the first promotion of students graduated with the bachelors degree according to the
Bologna process requirements and beginning with the same academic year 2008-2009, the first
candidates have enrolled for the master cycle.
After the meeting held in Bergen (2005) Romanian higher education has emphasized on the
importance of developing post doctoral study programs. These so-called advanced research study
programs have a duration of one year minimum and the aim is to develop highly qualified and valuable
researchers by implicating young PhD candidates in the scientific research activities.
In the National Report submitted by Romania in London (2007) it was specified that "the structure
of the higher education reform in Romania aims to increase the mobility of students, to improve their
chances on the labor market, reduce the number of study programs and increase the participation in the
second and third cycles master and doctorate as well as in post university study programs".
The Leuven Meeting Communiqu of the European Education Ministers gathered there and at
Louvain-la-Neuve in April 2009 highlights the importance of the social dimension of the higher education
system: access to higher education should be broadened by providing appropriate conditions for
students so that they can complete their studies. This involves improving the learning environment,
removing barriers that currently restrict their access and creating appropriate economic conditions for
students to benefit from learning opportunities at all levels".
The meetings in April in Leuven and Louvain-la-Neuve were a new milestone for Romania, as the
country presented a report regarding the progress reached concerning education and training.

Journal of Research in Educational Sciences

According to the National Education Law no.1/2011 higher education should reach top quality in
two manners:
in relation to a set of minimum standards;
and in its orientation towards excellence.
Quality assessment in relation to the minimum standard is achieved by the Romanian Agency for
Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ARACIS) in relation to specific standards harmonized with the
European Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance, drafted by ENQA. Currently ARACIS
benefits from an ongoing strategic program designed to improve the evaluation of the higher education
system.
Regarding the orientation towards excellence, fostering excellence for the Romanian education
system is one of the issues that were subject to the regulations of the Education Act. The law
encourages institutional and individual excellence by allocating budget funds on the basis of excellence
criteria. Confronted with the development of a new society, where education is recognized as a key
factor in the competitive success of the nation, the traditional model of the university system should be
aware of the significant adaptations required.
The University of the Future will be a center of innovation, creativity and critical thinking. For such
a university, students are the most important resource. Therefore the entire management of the
university has to be centered on the students interest.
This not only involves adapting the teaching methods, but also shifting the focus towards active
participation of the students on choosing their own educational path and being more involved in
redefining the appropriate use of the curricula and teaching methods and the integration of new
technologies in the learning process.
We consider that the adoption of the National Education Law no. 1/2011 and the application of
the methodology were important steps taken towards the reform of the Romanian education in
accordance with the European restructuring and modernization requirements of this area.
5. The management of the university education quality
Quality Assurance in Education is part of quality management, which is a whole set of measures
aimed at getting universities to plan quality, to determine parameters, to measure the progress and
prove the result. Quality management comprises all activities that determine the policy concerning
quality, objectives and responsibilities and implement them within the system by means such as quality
planning, assurance, control and quality improvement. The role of quality management is to ensure the
training quality of specialists the services offered by the university and adjust the quality to the
customers expectations. For a university, quality management is the main way to increase the
performance and prestige.
Most universities assume an institutional quality culture as a means of achieving academic
excellence in basic processes; quality management is guided by the standards of the International
Organization for Standardization (ISO). ISO 9001-2000 standard is applicable to all types and sizes of
organizations. Quality management system requirements are complementary with specific technical
requirements for products and services. Designing and implementing a quality management system for
an organization are influenced by objectives, customer requirements and associated processes (ISO
9001-2000; Nicolaescu, 1999).
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Figure 2 gives a conceptual outline of the quality management system requirements specified in
ISO 9001-2000. The model highlights two interconnected circuits: a vertical and a horizontal circuit. For
the vertical flow the following structures are important: management of responsibility, resource
management, process management and performance evaluation through analysis and measurement.
For the horizontal flow the contributions from customers are very important, the contributors in this case
being the students, through the requirements they impose on the organization and the university
process.
Management of
Responsibility

S
T
O

Resource
Management

Process
Management

M
Measurement
and Analysis of
Improvements

E
R

M
E
R

Source: Brtianu C., Paradigmele managementului universitar, Economic Publishing, Bucharest, 2002, page 77

Figure 2. The quality management process model

The interconnection of the two circuits is carried out by means of the Deming operator: Plan (L) Do (D) - Check (C) - Act (A). Quality management and manifests are closely related to strategic
management (Hitt et al., 1999), so that the design shown in the figure above must take into account the
interconnections plotted in the figure below.
Threats and
Opportunities

Vision

Mision

Organization
Status

Strengths and
Weaknesses

Critical
Success
Factors

Strategies

Competitiveness

Quality Management

Processes

Products

Quality
Management

Source: Brtianu C., Paradigmele managementului universitar, Economic Publishing, Bucharest, 2002, page 78.

Figure 2.3. The correlation between strategic and quality management

Journal of Research in Educational Sciences

The national focus on academic quality assurance is manifested both at ministerial level and at
institutional level. As a consequence, the higher education reform strategy in Romania includes the main
objectives of ensuring the quality of the learning and educational services.
Academic quality assurance is one of the main objectives of the Bologna Process.
Implementation depends on the correlations established between the meanings of academic quality and
the transformations taking place in higher education.
6. Conclusions
Starting from the role that education plays in any society and especially in a knowledge-based
society, we have presented the main aspects of the evolution of the higher education system after the
implementation of the Bologna Declaration, focusing on the economic higher education.
Higher education has become a major concern at global level. It is considered to play a crucial
role in the development of the knowledge-based society which is the foundation of the common future.
The Sorbonne Declaration of the European University Association highlights the importance of
universities to develop and create a European cultural dimension.
Modern universities must clearly define their vision and mission to ensure maximum synergy
between their function as intellectual capital formation and the scientific research component in order to
properly relate with other social actors. Universities must be concerned with becoming key-entities
engaged in the process of change and to be able to promote modern leadership values and
demonstrate a high level of quality in their study programs as they should dedicate all their efforts
towards excellence in the training and research processes.
We have identified throughout the paper the efforts that have been made by all European
countries involved to standardize the European higher education system based on the common features
manifested towards a better understanding and development of all levels relating to higher education.
Standardizing the education system and implementing the Bologna reform were the first steps towards a
united Europe.
The objectives set by the EU through the Lisbon Strategy and the Bologna Process aimed at
reforming higher education and transforming their systems into more flexible, consistent and open
towards the needs of society. Higher education must prepare individuals that are able to meet the
challenges posed by a globalized society and that have to become properly trained for a reformed
European labor market.
Higher education in Romania, with a special emphasis on universities concerning their role as
developers of knowledge-based society values, proves it has an increasingly important status since it is
genuinely open to the Romanian society and its needs. The transformations that Romanian education
has gone through in general and that higher education has had to deal with in particular since 1990, as it
needed to join the European space have imposed conceptual and structural changes that are beginning
to make it compatible with the requirements of an advanced education in terms of structure, content,
methodology and outcomes.
Following the documentation presented, we conclude that the reform of higher education is a
major concern among EU countries and Romania. We can also say that the Bologna Declaration has
led to the structuring of the three cycles of higher education (bachelor, master and doctorate).

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The challenges of the new era of excellence in higher education require a constant focus on
quality, since the main way to increase the performance and reputation of a university consists of its
quality management system.
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Journal of Research in Educational Sciences

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