Higher education is organized in universities, academies of studies, institutes, schools of higher studies, hereinafter referred to as higher education institutions or universities, which have obtained the provisional operating authorization or accreditation.

Higher education institutions are educational provider organizations that carry out educational activities based on study programs authorized to operate provisionally/accredited according to the law, initial and continuous university-level training programs, programs that operate on the principle of quality and correlation of the educational offer with the labor market.

The national higher education system includes all accredited higher education institutions. A higher education institution authorized to operate provisionally, according to the legal procedures in force, becomes part of the national higher education binding system only after accreditation. For more information, you can also visit the website of the Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education - www.aracis.ro .

Higher education institutions can be state, private or confessional. These institutions have legal personality, are non-profit and apolitical. Higher education institutions are legal entities of public law or, as the case may be, legal entities of private law and of public utility.

University autonomy is guaranteed by the Constitution. Academic freedom is guaranteed by law. Public accountability is also regulated for any higher education institution, whether state or private.

Through an annual government decision, the following are validated:

• The Nomenclature of the fields and specializations/programs of university studies per union
• The structure of accredited state and private higher education institutions or provisionally authorized to operate, with:
  • fields of bachelor's university studies and specializations/programs of studies accredited or authorized to operate provisionally,
  • geographical locations where activities take place,
  • number of transferable study credits for each university study program,
  • form of education and language of instruction,
  • the maximum number of students who can be enrolled

The mission of higher education is to generate and transfer knowledge to society both through initial and continuous university-level training, for personal development, professional insertion of the individual and satisfying the competency needs of the socioeconomic environment, as well as through scientific research, development, innovation and technological transfer, through individual and collective creation, in the fields of science, engineering, arts, letters, by ensuring physical and sports performance and development, as well as the capitalization and dissemination of their results. All these are carried out in compliance with the following principles:

a) the principle of university autonomy;

b) the principle of academic freedom;

c) the principle of public accountability;

d) the principle of quality assurance;

e) the principle of equity;

f) the principle of managerial and financial efficiency;

g) the principle of transparency;

h) the principle of respecting the rights and freedoms of students and academic staff;

i) the principle of independence from ideologies, religions and political doctrines;

j) the principle of freedom of national and international mobility for students, teaching staff and researchers;

k) the principle of consulting social partners in decision-making;

l) the principle of student-centered education.

Structure of the academic year (according to Law no. 1/2011 – art. 136)

• The academic year usually begins on the first working day of October, includes two semesters and ends on September 30 of the following calendar year.
• A semester usually has a duration of 14 weeks of teaching activities followed, usually, by at least 3 weeks of exams.
• The structure of the academic year is approved by the university senate.
• When assigning transferable study credits for a semester, a minimum period of 17 weeks is considered.
• The university senate of each higher education institution annually approves, at least 3 months before the start of the academic year, the regulations regarding the students' professional activity, as well as the calendar of educational activities specific to the academic study semesters.