Romania

• Governmental membership
  Romania has been a Governmental Member of EQAR since March 2008.

  Map: EHEA countries by governmental membership

• General information on higher education

  The national higher education system includes education providers and higher education institutions with provisional authorization or accreditation in compliance with the law.

  According to the provisions of Law of Higher Education no. 199/2023, the Romanian higher education system has the following structure:
  

  Initial training in higher education is delivered through academic programmes organised in four cycles as follows:

  • ​short cycle, which includes short-term programmes of 2 years (120 ECTS)
    
  • 1st cycle, bachelor's degree (BA), which includes bachelor’s programmes of 3-4 years (180 - 240 ECTS or 240-300 ECTS for double specializations). Some degrees may be longer i.e., the EU regulated professions include BA of 5 or 6 years for Medical, Pharmaceutical, Dental, Veterinary or Architectural studies, (300 - 360 ECTS)
  • 2nd cycle, master's degree (MA) of 1-2 years (60 - 120 ECTS)
  • 3rd cycle, PhD studies of 4 years (240 ECTS)

  Continuous training in higher education, subsequent to initial training, achieved through postgraduate study programs, as follows:

  • ​postgraduate programmes of professional training for adults
  • postdoctoral study programmes
  • postgraduate residency programmes (for medical education)
  • adult training programmes

  Accredited Romanian higher education institutions may organize joint study programs in collaboration with accredited higher education institutions from the European Higher Education Area. Joint degrees provided by the higher education institutions are recognized as such by the state of origin.
  

• National external quality assurance requirements

  • Evaluation of Master Study Domains
    the evaluation procedure started in 2018. The results of the evaluation are valid for five years.

  • Programme evaluation/accreditations
    is valid for five years and must be renewed regularly. Programmes should receive a provisional authorisation granted by the Ministry. The institution should apply for accreditation of the programmes. The deadline for submitting the application for the accreditation of programmes is 2 years from the date of graduation of the first students promotion.

  • Institutional evaluations/accreditation
    is valid for five years. Institutional audit of HEIs and simplified institutional evaluation are also possible for institutions compliant with certain conditions, according to the provisions of Law no. 199/2023 with subsequent amendments and additions. A legal entity acquires the status of an education provider, after obtaining the provisional authorisation. The external evaluation procedure for institutional accreditation starts at the request of the education provider. The application deadline is 3 years from the accreditation of the first short-term study program, bachelor degree or study domain, as the case may be.

  • Evaluation of Doctoral Study Domains
    the evaluation procedure started in 2021. The results of the evaluation are valid for five years. The doctoral study domains' evaluation is carried out for accreditation or for the renewal of accreditation, while accreditation is awarded in two steps – authorisation (evaluation for the establishment of a new doctoral study domain, introduced in 2022) and accreditation.

  • Evaluation of institutions organising doctoral study programmes (IOSUD)
    the evaluation procedure started in 2021. The results of the evaluation are valid for five years. Starting with the new evaluation cycle, according to Law no. 199/2023, the periodic evaluation of institutions organising doctoral study programmes (IOSUD) will be carried out as part of the institutional evaluation process.

  • Evaluation of Postgraduate study domains and permanent education
    the evaluation procedure started in 2025

• EHEA key commitment

  Fully aligned with the ESG

  A fully functioning quality assurance system is in operation nationwide, in which all higher education institutions are subject to regular external quality assurance by an agency that has successfully demonstrated compliance with the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the EHEA (ESG) through registration on EQAR

  Map: implementation of the EHEA key commitment

• Cross-border quality assurance

  Recognising EQAR-registered agencies as part of the national external QA requirements

  Romanian higher education institutions can choose between the national quality assurance agency, ARACIS, or any other EQAR-registered quality assurance agency for their study programmes, study domains or institutional accreditation and periodic external evaluations.

  • Eligibility requirements for foreign agencies: Registration on EQAR is sufficient. The final evaluation report drawn up by the QA agency shall be confirmed by ARACIS, according to a methodology approved by the Minister of Education (Order No. 4341 of 25 April 2024).

  • Conditions for the agencies’ work (e.g. criteria to be used): national criteria (see Methodology for External Evaluation, approved by Government Decision No. 962/2024, published in the Official Journal, Part I No. 807 of August 13, 2024)

  • Recognition of reviews carried out by foreign agencies: ​ARACIS carries out a conformity assessment on compliance with the provisions of the national legislation. If ARACIS finds compliance, the ARACIS Council will forward the confirmation decision and the evaluation report to the Ministry of Education and Research and inform the applicant institution accordingly. (See Order No. 4341 of 25 April 2024).

  Map: recognition of cross-border quality assurance

• European Approach for Quality Assurance of Joint Programmes

  European Approach available to all higher education institutions

  The Law of Higher Education no. 199/ 2023 includes provisions related to the European Approach for Quality Assurance of Joint Programmes.
  

  Map: availability of the European Approach for QA of Joint Programmes

• Permalink
  https://data.deqar.eu/country/141
• Further information

  • ENIC NARIC

  • Romania - European Higher Education Area

  • Ministry responsible for higher education

  • Methodology for External Evaluation (Approved 25/11.01.2018)

  • Methodology of 21.12.2016 regulating the activities carried out in Romania by foreign EQAR registered QAAs

  • Info the amended law on joint programmes (as of April 2021)

  • Bologna National Report (2015)

  • Law of National Education No 1/2011, updated July 2020 (in Romanian)

  • Methodology for External Evaluation (Approved by Government Decision No. 962/2024

  • Law of Higher Education (no. 199/2023)

  • Methodology for confirming the results of the evaluations carried out in Romania by foreign EQAR-registered QA agencies

  • Framework methodology for the organisaiton and functioning of joint study programmes organised in higher education institutions from Romania, completed with a joint degree, double degree or multiple degree

Registered agencies operating in Romania