The Bologna Process as a Reform Initiative in Higher Education in the Balkan Countries

Abstract

This paper describes the development of the Bologna process in Romania. The historical context covers the last years of the communist regime through 1989. From 1990 free elections of university leadership, the foundation of private universities and new democratic legislation, and projects for reforming higher education funded by different sources characterize the "pre-Bologna" period. Romania signed the Bologna Declaration in 1999, aiming to align higher education with the emerging pan-European system. Initially a top-down reform, the process gained momentum after consistent efforts to make the academic community understand and accept the two-tier system. The legislative framework for the new structure of university studies was approved in 2004, with the new degree structure put into practice in the 2005-6 academic year. The new quality assurance agency, ARACI S, was established in 2005, and it is now a full member of the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA) and listed in the European Quality Assurance Register (EQAR). The National Qualification Framework was built and self-certified. The new Law of National Education (2011) is now being implemented, and requires diversification of university missions and a better use of resources for advanced university research. The paper also describes new challenges for the Bologna process in Romania and considers its future.