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 authorization for provisional functioning or accreditation.

Higher education institutions are education providers that carry out teaching activities based on study programs authorized to function provisionally/accredited under the law, both initial and continuous university level training, programs that operate on the principle of quality and aligning the educational offer with the labor market.

The national higher education system includes all accredited higher education institutions. A higher education institution authorized to function provisionally, in accordance with 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 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, public or private.

By an annual government decision, the following are validated:

• Nomenclature of fields and university degree/specialization programs per union
• the structure of the accredited or provisionally authorized public and private higher education institutions, with:
  • fields of undergraduate university studies and accredited or provisionally authorized degree/specialization programs,
  • geographical locations where they take place,
  • number of transferable study credits for each university study program,
  • form of education and language of instruction,
  • the maximum number of students that can be enrolled

The mission of higher education is to generate and transfer knowledge to society both through initial and continuous university training, for the purpose of personal development, professional integration of the individual and the satisfaction of the competence 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 sciences, arts, literature, by ensuring performance and physical and sports development, as well as the capitalization and dissemination of these results. All 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 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 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 generally begins on the first working day of October, includes two semesters and ends on September 30 of the following calendar year.
• A semester generally lasts for 14 weeks of teaching activities, usually followed by a minimum of 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 period of at least 17 weeks is considered.
• The university senate of each higher education institution annually approves, at least 3 months before the beginning of the academic year, the regulations regarding students' professional activities, as well as the calendar of educational activities specific to the academic study semesters.