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 teaching activities based on study programs authorized to operate provisionally/accredited under the law, both for initial and continuous university-level training, programs functioning on the principle of quality and the correlation of 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 visit the website of the Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education - www.aracis.ro .

Higher education institutions can be public, private, or confessional. These institutions have legal personality, are non-profit and apolitical. Higher education institutions are legal entities under public law or, as the case may be, legal entities under 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 means of an annual government decision, the following are validated:

• The nomenclature of fields and specializations/university study programs per union
• structure of public and private higher education institutions accredited or authorized to operate provisionally, with:
  • fields of undergraduate university studies and the specializations/study programs accredited or authorized to operate provisionally,
  • geographical locations where they operate,
  • number of transferable study credits for each university study program,
  • form of education and teaching language,
  • 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-level training, for personal development, professional integration of the individual and meeting the competence needs of the socioeconomic 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, humanities, by ensuring performance and physical and sports development, as well as by capitalizing and disseminating their results. All these are achieved in compliance with 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 freedom of national and international mobility 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 teaching activities followed, usually, by a minimum of 3 weeks of exams.
• The structure of the academic year is approved by the university senate.
• In assigning transferable study credits in a semester, a minimum period of 17 weeks is considered.
• The university senate of each higher education institution approves annually, at least 3 months before the beginning of the academic year, the regulations regarding the students' professional activity and the calendar of educational activities specific to the academic semesters of study.