Higher education is organized in universities, study academies, institutes, schools of higher studies, hereinafter referred to as higher education institutions or universities, which have obtained provisional authorization to operate or accreditation.

Higher education institutions are education provider organizations that carry out teaching activities based on programs of study authorized to operate provisionally/accredited in accordance with the law, for initial and continuous training at university level, programs that function based on the principle of quality and the correlation of educational offer with the labor market.

The national system of higher education 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 system of higher education 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 state, private or religious. These institutions have legal personality, are nonprofit and apolitical in nature. 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. Also, public accountability is regulated for any higher education institution, state or private.

By an annual government decision, the following are validated:

• The nomenclature of fields and of university study specializations/programs per union
• The structure of state and private higher education institutions that are accredited or authorized to operate provisionally, with:
  • fields of bachelor university studies and specializations/programs that are accredited or authorized to operate provisionally,
  • geographical locations of operation,
  • number of transferable study credits for each university study program,
  • form of education and language of instruction,
  • maximum number of students who can be trained

The mission of higher education is to generate and transfer knowledge to society both through initial and continuous training at university level, for the purpose of personal development, professional insertion of the individual and satisfying the competency needs of the socio-economic environment, as well as through scientific research, development, innovation and technology transfer, through individual and collective creation, in the fields of sciences, engineering sciences, arts, letters, ensuring performance and physical and sports development, as well as valorization and dissemination of their 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 respect for the rights and liberties 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 consultation of 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 typically lasts 14 weeks of teaching activities followed, usually, by at least 3 weeks of exams.
• The structure of the academic year is approved by the university senate.
• When granting transferable study credits for 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 start of the academic year, the regulation regarding students' professional activity, as well as the calendar of educational activities specific to the academic semesters of study.