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 provisional operating authorization or accreditation.

Higher education institutions are education providers that carry out educational activities based on programs of study authorized to operate provisionally/accredited under the law, for initial and continuing university-level training, programs that operate on the principle of quality and correlating 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 system only after accreditation. For more information you can also access the website of the Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education - www.aracis.ro.

Higher education institutions can be public, private or denominational. These institutions have legal personality, are non-profit and are 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. Also, public accountability is regulated for any higher education institution, public or private.

By an annual government decision, the following are validated:

• The nomenclature of fields and specializations/programs of university studies per union
• the structure of the accredited public and private higher education institutions or provisionally authorized to operate, with:
  • fields of bachelor’s degree university studies and the specializations/programs of study accredited or provisionally authorized to operate,
  • geographical locations of operation,
  • number of transferable study credits for each university degree program,
  • form of education and teaching language,
  • 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 education, for personal development, the professional insertion of the individual and for meeting the competence needs of the socio-economic environment, as well as through scientific research, development, innovation, and technology transfer, through individual and collective creation, in the fields of science, engineering sciences, arts, letters, by ensuring performance and physical and sports development, as well as capitalization and dissemination of their results. All of these are carried out with respect for 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 fairness;

f) the principle of managerial and financial efficiency;

g) the principle of transparency;

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

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

j) the principle of national and international mobility freedom 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 didactic activities, usually followed by at least 3 weeks of exams.
• The structure of the academic year is approved by the university senate.
• In assigning transferable study credits for a semester, a period of at least 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 regulation regarding students’ professional activity, as well as the calendar of educational activities specific to the academic study semesters.