IOSUD-UAB automatically recognizes the doctoral diploma and the title of PhD in sciences or in a professional field, obtained at:

a) accredited higher education institutions from a member state of the European Union, the European Economic Area, and the Swiss Confederation;

b) accredited higher education institutions outside the countries provided for in letter a), which are among the most prestigious higher education institutions in the world, according to the provisions of the Order of the Minister of Education regarding the approval of the list of prestigious universities from other countries.

(2) IOSUD-UAB recognizes the doctoral diploma and the title of PhD in sciences or in a professional field obtained at accredited higher education institutions based on an international mutual recognition agreement concluded at intergovernmental level.

(3) IOSUD-UAB recognizes the doctoral diploma and the title of PhD in sciences or in a professional field obtained at accredited higher education institutions from other countries than those provided in para. (1) or (2).

(4) Recognition by UAB is carried out for the purpose of enrolling in postgraduate programs, obtaining habilitation, occupying a teaching or research position within the institution, participating in programs and projects funded by European and international funds, or for other purposes related to teaching and research activity within these institutions.

(5) If the respective institution does not have a doctoral school organized in the field for which recognition is requested, this can be obtained from another accredited doctoral studies organizing institution in the respective field.

(6) Recognition applies only for the same type of doctorate (scientific or professional).

The National Center for the Recognition and Equivalence of Diplomas, hereinafter referred to as CNRED, recognizes, for purposes other than those provided in art. 2 para. (4), the doctoral diploma and the title of PhD in sciences or in a professional field, as follows:

a) automatically, diplomas obtained at accredited higher education institutions from a member state of the European Union, the European Economic Area, and the Swiss Confederation and those among the most prestigious higher education institutions in the world, according to the provisions of Order of the Minister of Education no. 4.002/2024 regarding the approval of the list of prestigious universities from other countries;

b) diplomas obtained at accredited higher education institutions based on an international mutual recognition agreement concluded at intergovernmental level;

c) diplomas obtained at accredited higher education institutions from other countries than those provided in letters a) or b).

The file for the recognition of the doctoral diploma obtained abroad by IOSUD-UAB is sent in physical format (by post/courier to the address: "1 Decembrie 1918" University of Alba Iulia, Romania, str. Gabriel Bethlen no. 5, postal code 510009), through the Single Electronic Contact Point, hereinafter referred to as PCUe or online, at doctorat@uab.ro and includes:

a) recognition request, according to the model in Annex 1, signed by the applicant;

b) the identity document - copy and proof of name change, - copy and translation, as applicable;

c) doctoral diploma, including any other document attesting the awarding of the title of doctor - copy (for Romanian, English, French, Spanish, Italian) or copy and translation (for other foreign languages);

d) proof of payment of the recognition file processing fee. The processing fee will be approved annually by the Senate before the beginning of the academic year. The fee can be paid in the account RO80TREZ00220F330500XXXX;

e) other documents, if applicable.

The recognition request will be assigned a registration number.

(2) The study documents subject to recognition are authenticated with the Hague Apostille for states that are parties to the Hague Apostille Convention, and for other states, the study documents are superlegalized or accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by the competent authorities of the country of origin.

(3) Exemption from apostille or superlegalization is permitted under the law, for persons who benefit from a form of international protection on the territory of Romania, in accordance with the provisions of an international treaty to which Romania is a party, or when the study documents can be verified in the online databases of the issuing institutions or the authorities of the country of origin.

(4) In the event that IOSUD-UAB detects any suspicion regarding the authenticity of the study documents, it notifies the competent authorities.

(1) If an international intergovernmental agreement, mentioned in art. 2 para. (2), provides, for recognition, the fulfillment of the national procedures for attestation of doctoral titles, applicable to Romanian citizens, the files are evaluated by the National Council for the Attestation of Titles, Diplomas and University Certificates, hereinafter referred to as CNATDCU. The files are sent to CNRED, in PDF format, in order to be forwarded to CNATDCU. The decision of CNATDCU is subsequently sent to the requesting institution, for the issuance of the recognition or, as applicable, non-recognition decision.

(2) IOSUD-UAB collaborates permanently with CNRED and CNATDCU and sends annually to CNRED a centralized report of recognition requests and decisions issued.

ART. 6

(1) After verifying the legality of the documents in the file, carried out by the UAB legal advisor, the file is sent to the Council for Doctoral University Studies.

(2) The recognition file is evaluated by the Council for Doctoral University Studies (CSUD) of IOSUD-UAB.

(3) The maximum processing time by CSUD for the files is 30 calendar days from the date of registration of the complete file.

(4) If CSUD finds that the file does not contain the documents provided in Art.4, (1), it notifies the applicant. The file must be completed within at most 45 calendar days from the date of notification receipt, otherwise, CSUD closes the file, and resumption of the procedure will be based on the submission of a new file.

(5) The decision given by CSUD is communicated to the applicant:

- at the university headquarters, during the university's business hours;

- by mail, to the declared address;

- electronically to the address indicated in the recognition request filed in the file;

- through the Single Electronic Contact Point (PCUe), scanned copies of the original documents sent.

(6) The CSUD decision can be appealed within 10 working days from its communication to the applicant. The appeal is lodged following the same procedure as II.1(4) and is resolved by the Appeals Resolution Committee. This committee consists of 3 persons appointed by the Director of CSUD at UAB, teaching staff or PhD supervisors from IOSUD-UAB, other than the members of CSUD. The report or decision of the Appeals Resolution Committee is prepared within 10 days of the appointment of the committee.

(7) The report or decision of the Appeals Resolution Committee is prepared within 10 days from the appointment of the committee.

(8) After the expiration of the appeal deadlines, the Report and the CSUD Decision or, as the case may be, the report and the decision of the Appeals Resolution Committee are forwarded to the Rector, who issues the Recognition/Non-recognition Decision.

(9) The Rector's Decision is communicated to the applicant within 5 days from the date of its issuance.

(10) (6) Against the Rector's decision of non-recognition, the applicant may appeal to the competent court within 30 days from taking note.

ART. 7

(1) The file for the recognition by CNRED of the doctoral diploma obtained abroad includes:

a) recognition request, signed by the applicant;

b) identity document and proof of name change, as applicable;

c) doctoral diploma, including any other document attesting the awarding of the title of doctor, in copy (for Romanian, English, French, Spanish, Italian), or copy and legalized translation into Romanian (for other foreign languages);

d) proof of the evaluation fee, according to the legal norms in force;

e) other documents, if applicable.

(2) If an international intergovernmental agreement, mentioned in art. 3 letter b), provides, for recognition, the fulfillment of the national procedures for the attestation of doctoral titles, applicable to Romanian citizens, or, in other cases, upon CNRED’s request, the files are evaluated by CNATDCU.

(3) The study documents subject to recognition are authenticated with the Hague Apostille for states that are parties to the Hague Apostille Convention, and for the other states, the study documents are superlegalized or accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by the competent authorities of the country of origin. Exemption from apostille or superlegalization is permitted under the law for persons who benefit from a form of international protection in the territory of Romania, in accordance with the provisions of an international treaty to which Romania is a party or when the study documents can be verified in the online databases of the issuing institutions or the authorities of the country of origin.

(4) In case CNRED finds any suspicion regarding the authenticity of study documents, it informs in writing the General Legal and Control Directorate within the Ministry of Education, in order to refer the matter to the competent authorities, the recognition procedure being suspended until the competent authorities complete their investigation. The referral to the General Legal and Control Directorate is also made in the case in which CNRED is informed about a recognition document which has not been issued by CNRED.

ART. 8

(1) The file is sent to CNRED:

a) online through PCUe;

b) at the Registry of the Ministry of Education or by postal services.

(2) The processing time for the files is 30 working days from the date of registration of the complete file at CNRED, with the possibility of extension in justified cases, in which case the applicant is informed.

(3) If CNRED finds the file is incomplete, it informs the applicant to complete the file within 1 month from the date of notification receipt.

(4) If the applicant does not complete the file within the term mentioned in para. (3), CNRED closes the file, and resumption of the procedure will be based on the submission of a new file.

(5) The document of recognition of the doctoral diploma is issued as follows:

a) to the holder;

b) to a person empowered by notarial proxy;

c) in digital format, with electronic signature, for files submitted online via PCUe;

d) by courier or postal services, except for recognition documents issued before March 12, 2015.

ART. 9

(1) The CNRED decision may be appealed only once, within 60 days from its communication, by a motivated request.

(2) Appeals are handled by CNRED or, as the case may be, by CNATDCU.

(3) CNRED rules on the requests within 60 working days. The term for resolution may be extended if the evaluation is carried out by CNATDCU or in any other justified cases, with the applicant being informed accordingly.

ART. 10

In the case of a study program organized jointly or under co-supervision by accredited higher education institutions from Romania and abroad, completed with the issuance of a degree by each institution, the diploma issued by the foreign institution is not subject to the recognition procedure, the degree issued by the higher education institution from Romania conferring all legal rights on the territory of Romania.

ART. 11

In case of loss, destruction or deterioration of the recognition document, CNRED issues, upon request, a duplicate. For the issuance of the duplicate, the holder submits, in writing, a request accompanied by the following documents: copy of the recognized study document, copy of the ID, proof of payment of the fee, according to the legal norms in force, affidavit regarding the situation falling into one of the cases mentioned above.

Recognition of the doctoral diploma and the title of PhD in sciences or in a professional field by UAB is valid and produces legal effects only at the level of this higher education institution.

(2) The attestation of recognition of the doctoral diploma (according to the model in Annex 2) is issued to the applicant:

- at the university headquarters, during the university’s business hours;

- by mail, to the declared address;

- electronically to the address indicated in the recognition request filed in the file;

- through the Single Electronic Contact Point (PCUe), with qualified electronic signature.

(3) This UAB’s own Methodology regarding the recognition of doctoral diplomas and the title of PhD in sciences or in a professional field was approved by the Senate of “1 Decembrie 1918” University of Alba Iulia in the session of October 9, 2020, the date it enters into force.