SECTION I: SUSTAINABILITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION

2 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

 RELATIONAL CAPITAL OF ROMANIAN UNIVERSITIES

Simona AGOSTON1, Ramona PUIA2, Sorin ANAGNOSTE3

1
Academy of Economic Studies of Bucharest, simona.agoston@ase.ro
2
Academy of Economic Studies of Bucharest, ramonapuia@gmail.com
3
Academy of Economic Studies of Bucharest, sorin.anagnoste@gmail.com
Following the desideratum of increasing the competitiveness of European universities, the Romanian education system faces great
challenges, especially considering the prior obsolete organizational structure which has to undergo crucial reforms. The current paper
approaches these specific features of the Romanian academic system and the challenges faced when developing strategies in order to
improve the intellectual capital of Romanian universities- especially business universities- focusing on the relational capital. These issues
will be addressed mainly in terms of relational academic marketing, which is directly related to the parties involved: students, alumni,
civil society, business environment etc .The paper brings into light theoretical concepts from the research area of intellectual capital
which were transposed in the area of academic management as well as the findings of the pilot study conducted within the Academy of
Economic Studies of Bucharest. This pilot research is one of the first attempts of assessing the relational capital within the Academy of
Economic Studies of Bucharest and in the future it can be carried out at a larger scale.
Key words: Relational capital of universities, academic marketing, relationship marketing, Academy of Economic Studies of Bucharest

intensely promoted within conferences sponsored by

INTRODUCTION
Globalization of the European education system and
the challenges of the knowledge-base economy have
been in recent years on the agenda of many conferences.
Given the fact that the European Union faces a quantum
leap, the Heads of State and Government set the Union
by 2010 a new target: to make the EU “the most
competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in
the world capable of sustainable economic growth with
more and better jobs and greater social
cohesion”(Lisbon European Council, 2010).
Unfortunately by 2010 most of the goals set by Lisbon
Strategy were not achieved.
The failure to reach the Lisbon’s objectives might be
also to some extent due to the current global crisis,
which has been having since 2008 a major impact on
public investment and therefore public financing of
education. The reduced fiscal incomes to state budget
caused the reduction of the funds allocated for education
-not necessarily as a percental reduction of the GDP, but
in absolute figures- (Bajan et al., 2009). This fact leads
to a slower pace of reforms’ implementation, as the
European education system relies mostly on public
financing: in the EU-27 more than 85% of the financing
originates from public funds.
Thus, the European academic system faces new
challenges which have to be addressed by approaching
and introducing new forms of academic management
and marketing.
ACADEMIC RELATIONSHIP MARKETING AND
RELATIONAL CAPITAL OF UNIVERSITIES
The academic marketing represents an important
part of Non Business Marketing. According to Heiland
(2001) the Strategic Marketing of Higher Education
addresses the image policy of a university aiming at
ensuring the sustainable development in a highly
competitive market, based on an attractive study offer.
The marketing of higher education emerged in the
mid-1980s as an offshoot of health care marketing.
Throughout the 1980s the healthcare marketing was
institutions such as American Marketing Association
and the Academy of Health Care Marketing. The
academia became aware of the important parallels that
could be drawn between the health care marketing and
that of higher education and launched efforts to expose
challenges and prepare colleges and universities to meet
them. The marketing guru, Philip Kotler, who had
formerly published a successful book on the marketing
of health care, issued with Karen Fox the book,
Strategic Marketing for Educational Institutions. The
establishment of The Journal of Marketing for Higher
Education proves the increasing interest for the issue
among academics and practitioners (Hayes, 2007).
Within the academic marketing a crucial task is
assigned to relationship marketing. Relationship
marketing is a policy and a tool kit designed to establish
individual and interactive relations between
organization and clients, suppliers and other
stakeholders aiming at creating and maintaining a
positive and sustainable attitude regarding the
organization and its products/services (Pop, 2009).
Relationship marketing targets not just the clients, but
all the stakeholders. Relationship marketing as a
comprehensive business strategy has achieved
prominence among academics and practitioners
(Watkins and Hill, 2009).
“We all agree that our society is becoming more and
more knowledge-based, and thus only those
organizations will succeed in the global information
society that can identify, value, create and evolve their
knowledge assets” (Adhikary, 2010, p.94). In a volatile
and dynamic environment, the main challenge for
today’s universities is to properly develop and
implement knowledge management (KM). The theory
of KM is strongly connected with the theory of
Intellectual Capital (IC). The complexity of concepts
and ideas from the semantic cluster of IC has generated
different approaches, as well as various research
directions. However, as it results from the almost-
exhaustive analysis of Andriessen (2004) and more
recently Roos and Pike (2007), the large majority of
authors consider intellectual capital to be an
organisational potential structured as follows: human
capital, structural capital and relational capital. In the
4 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
present paper the relationship marketing will be
approached from the perspective of relational capital.
The relational capital represents the value of the
relations that the organisation has with its stakeholders
(for instance the relations between universities and the
business environment, industry, high-schools, alumni,
local community) (Nicolescu and Nicolescu, 2005).
CHALLENGES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF
THE RELATIONAL CAPITAL OF ROMANIAN
UNIVERSITIES
For Romanian universities the challenges for the
development of relational capital are represented by (see
Fig.1):
Demographi
c downturn
Increase
EU
membe Relational
d place regarding the unit cost per pupil/ student: 1.467
operatin
rship capital of g cost
Romanian
universities
Resistance
Steady
under-
within
organizatio
financing
n itself
Figure 1: Challenges for the development of relational capital in
Romanian universities, Source: Own illustration
- Demographic downturns- namely the steady
decline of the potential number of eighteen year olds
entering the higher education market
- Increased operating cost- by acquiring and
implementing advanced communication and
information technology; access to expensive electronic
databases; payment of lectures delivered by prestigious
visiting professors etc.
- Resistance within organization itself- the removal
of bias, especially on the part of faculty members, who
perceived marketing as advertising and personal selling
that degraded the profession, was probably the most
difficult challenge to be met. In Romanian universities
this issue was even more difficult to approach than in
other European universities as the Romanian society had
tradition neither in business marketing or non business
marketing. During the communistic period and also in
the next decade after revolution the Romanian
universities were not aware of the need of a
consolidated marketing strategy, the need to deliver
high teaching and research performance and an
appealing study offer. This perception was caused by
the large number of applicants and the egalitarian and
uniform public financing of universities, irrespective of
any performance criteria. There was no need for
Romanian higher institutions to strive for marketing or
performance, since their development was taken for
granted (Bratianu, 2004). “Changes in this financing
system entail a fundamental shift from allocation of
funding based on incremental development of public
budgets to performance criteria. Reforms have been
introduced in many European countries; this has been
interpreted as an attempt on the part of the state to more
systematically utilize financial incentives and
performance indicators to control organizational
behavior and to improve public sector efficiency and
quality” (Frolich et al., 2010, p.8). Each year,
acceptance for marketing tools grew and the field
expanded. Nowadays marketing became a valuable tool
to ensure survival and ultimate success for higher
education providers.
Beside the aforementioned factors, which are
generally accepted in the European Higher Education
Area, Romanian universities face also the following
specific challenges:
- The steady underfinancing of the Romanian
education system- a report released by Eurostat in June
2009 shows that between 2001-2006 the total public-
sector expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP
in Romania amounts 3,4% compared with an average of
5,1% in EU- 27 or 8% in Scandinavian countries.
According to the same report Romania ranks on the last
Units compared to over 14.000 Units in Luxembourg
(European Commission, 2010). Given these
circumstances the Romanian higher education
institutions have to seek for private financing coming
from the stakeholders. In this respect making use of
their relationship marketing plays a crucial role.
- EU membership- facilitates the access of
Romanian high school graduates to European
universities. This fact along with the establishment of
private universities increases the competition for the
Romanian public universities and therefore the need to
make sense of more consolidated and aggressive
marketing. The number of Romanian universities
increased from 45 in the ‘90s to 140 in 2004. This
number exceeds by far the needs of the domestic market
(Calota, 2004).
THE RELATIONAL CAPITAL OF THE
ACADEMY OF ECONOMIC STUDIES OF
BUCHAREST (ASE)
The quantitative part of this paper consists of a pilot
survey conducted within ASE in the period March-
April 2010. A pilot study is a standard scientific tool for
research, allowing scientists to conduct a preliminary
analysis before committing to a larger study
(Shuttleworth, 2008). The online questionnaire was the
instrument of data gathering. The research seeks to
assess the relational capital in ASE and to design
development priorities. The questionnaire comprises 16
items consisting in 13 closed ended questions (yes/ no,
multiple choice and scaled questions) and 3 open ended
questions. An effort was made to select respondents
from different faculties and departments, that would
result in a representative sampling. The data analysis
techniques used for the pilot study comprise different
forms of descriptive statistics, such as means, frequency
analysis, correlations, graphs and tables, cross
tabulations.
Promotion Techniques Adopted byy The Faculty off Economic Sciences Within The Lower Danube University in Galati To
Reach The Target 5

The
he survey was carried out with the participation of 5
45 employees from ASE,, out of which 42 answers were
complete and valid (see Table 1). 0
Students Alumni Business Civil society Partner
Table 1: Profile of the sample environment universities
Indicators Relative Absolute Figure 4: Stakeholders’ ranking
frequencies frequencies
(%) like Facebook and Linkedin. Recently within one of
Position Management 21,4
21,43 9 ASE’s faculties it was put in execution a new concept,
Execution 78,57 33 namely “Open en days in ASE” dedicated to high school
Age Under 30 54,
54,76 23 pupils. They would have the chance to attend lectures in
31-40 26,19
6,19 11
41-50 9,52 4
ASE together with regular students in order to gain a
51-60 9,52 4 first impression on university life.
Over 60 0 0
Presentations
The research reveals an interesting finding: while 5.13%
24.79% Newsletter
over 55% of the managers believe that ASE has an 28.21%
4.27% Site visits
appropriate strategy for the development of relational
rel 19.66%
17.95% Advertising materials
capital,, just 33% of the regular employees share the Web-site
managers’ opinion. In the samee time one can notice Other methods
Figure 5: Communication’s methods with potential students
different opinions among the 5 age categories: while
53%
3% of the younger employees (younger than 40 years) For top ranked business universities such as
a Havard
believe that the measures set can not overcome the Business School, Oxford University etc. the alumni
challenges mentioned in the previous chapter and 14% network plays a key role in their
the development. Although
of them do not have an opinion in this respect, just the respondents were able to point out representative
12,5% of the older employees believe that the strategy Alumni
lumni of ASE such as Mugur Isarescu, Varujan
should be reconsidered
ed (see Fig.2 and Fig.3).
Fig.3) Vosganian, Mircea Geoana etc., only 2,44%
2,44 of them are
well informed about the activity of the Alumni
Association in ASE and over 50% couldn’t point out
200.00% I don't know
0.00% any activity organized by the Alumni association. The
No survey reveals that the most important benefit triggered
Yes by a strong alumni
lumni network is the enhancement of the
University’s prestige in the economic and business
Figure 2: Cross-tabulation Age- Confidence
onfidence in strategy environment. Despite the poor financial resources that
the university has at its disposal,
disposal the acquirement of
100.00%
sponsorships from alumni ranks on the last place.
Execution
0.00% The Romanian education system
sy was not designed to
Yes No
I don't know
Management meet the needs of the labor market. This problem occurs
in most former communist countries. The universities
Figure 3: Cross-tabulation Position- Confidence in strategy have to redesign their curricula and introduce new
specializations. The survey’s results shows
show that big
Among stakeholders, students rank first- the most steps have been made within ASE: in the last 2 years
important- with 4,27 points on a scale from 1 to 5. On 53.66% of the faculties/departments
faculties/dep underwent
the next positions we encounter business environment moderate changes; s; 29,27% major changes and 2,44%
with 3,59 and
nd partner universities with 2,73 (see Fig.4). were completely restructured, while none of the
As we can see in Fig.5 the most frequent methods programs underwent no changes.
used by ASE to build andd consolidate relations with According to the current survey the business
potential students consist in: website of the university environment
nvironment is considered the second most important
(28,2%), presentations of the education programs in i stakeholder. Although partnerships between business
high schools (24,8%), Pupils’ site visit in the faculties universities and companies represent one of the key
(19,66%),, distribution of advertising materials success drivers,
ers, it can be noticed that university
(17,95%). The less used ed method is the newsletter sent members are not highly involvedinv in this kind of
by email (4,27%). Among other methods proposed were projects: only 45,2% (19 persons) from the questioned
mentioned participation at universities fairs f and employees participated in the last 2 years in one joint
presence on the socialization and professional networks project with a company, while only 9,5% (4 persons)
were involved
nvolved in more than 4 projects (see Fig.6).
12,2% of the active members assumed the role of
project initiator and 9,76% coordinated projects; almost
30% had a secondary active role, while 19,5% were
beneficiaries.
6 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
50
0
over 4 3 projects 2 projects 1 project no project
projects
Figure 6: Projects conducted with companies
On the other hand one can remark that companies
are more open by establishing cooperation with ASE:
agreements were concluded with SAP Austria,
Microsoft Business Solution and Chrystal System for
providing high-tech systems, with CG&GC for
recruiting students, with P&G in marketing field etc. It
can be drawn the conclusion that the business
environment still represents a vulnerable issue within
the relational capital.
One of the strengths of the relational capital of ASE
is represented by the large number of agreements
concluded with foreign universities: 130 agreements for
students’ and teachers’ exchange, research cooperation,
joint scientific events, publications exchange and mutual
recognition of diplomas; over 300 ASE students benefit
from mobilities abroad and ASE welcomes every year
over 80 incoming exchange students; ASE carries on 6
cooperation agreements for joint degree master
programs.
ASE is taking an active role in the process of
requalification and specialization of citizens (Long Life
Learning- LLL represents a priority axis for Romania).
70,73% of the respondents are aware of the fact that
LLL programs should have a larger quota in the
education offer, while 29,27% believe that the
proportion should be maintained at the same level.
As the present research is just a pilot study- a small-
scale rehearsal of the larger research design- the
obtained results cant’ be extrapolated. In the future, the
study can be performed at a larger scale in ASE or in
further universities and the findings can be taken into
account at developing strategies for relational capital.
CONCLUSION
Although universities are knowledge intensive
organizations and they develop basic operations for
knowledge generation, share and transfer, many
Romanian universities have to pay more attention at
transforming the potential intellectual capital in
operational intellectual capital.
The results of the survey carried out in ASE show
that people became aware of the importance of
relational capital and launched a process of developing
strategies to reform the system. There are points where
ASE performs quite well, as well as stakeholders who
were neglected. More partnerships are desirable among
education institutions and companies (pupils/students
recruitment, joint research projects, well-established
internships etc.). More systematic communication is
recommended among the university and the parties of
the civil society: state, citizens, organizations etc. The
improvement of the current situation requires a
consolidated strategy, which has to be internalized and
followed by all university members.
This article is a result of the project „Doctoral Program and PhD Students
in the education research and innovation triangle”. This project is co-funded by
the European Social Fund through the Sectorial Operational Programme for
Human Resources Development 2007-2013, coordinated by the Bucharest
Academy of Economic Studies.
References
1. Adhikari, D. (2010) “Knowledge Management in Academic
Institutions”, International Journal of Educational
Management, Vol.24, No. 2 2010, pp. 94-104 (retrieved from
EmeraldInsight).
2. Andriessen, D. (2004) Making sense of intellectual capital.
Designing a method for the valuation of intangibles. Elsevier:
Amsterdam.
3. Bajan, I, Cretu, A., Peptan, E. (2009), “Impactul crizei
globale asupra cheltuielilor publice în educaţie”, in the
Proceedins of the10th International Conference on Finance
and Economic Stability in the Context of financial Crisis, 11-
12 December 2009, Academy of Economic Studies of
Bucharest, Bucharest.
4. Bratianu, C. (2004), Managementul strategic al calitatii in:
Popescu, S., Brătianu, C., Atanasiu, G., Rusu, C., Oprean, C.,
Curaj, A., Buzarnescu, St.: Ghidul calităţii în învăţământul
superior, Editura Universităţii Bucuresti, Bucuresti.
5. Calota, G. (2004), Metode de proiectare si dimensionare a
invatamantului din Romania, Teza de doctorat, Bibiloteca
ASE, Bucuresti.
6. Frolich, N., Kalpazidou Schmidt, E., Rosa, M. (2010),
„Funding systems for higher education and their impacts on
institutional strategies and academia. A comparative
perspective”, International Journal of Educational
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7. Hayes, T (2007), „Delphi study of the future of marketing of
higher education” , Elsevier: Journal of Business Research
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Hochschulsystem. Eine empirische und
implikationenorientierte Analyse, Deutscher
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11. Roos, G., Pike, S. (2007), “Intellectual capital research: a
personal view” in the Proceedings of the IC-Congress 3-4
May 2007, Inholland University, Haarlem, The Netherlands.
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13. Watkins, A. and Hill, R. (2009), “A simulation of business-to-
business decision making in a relationship marketing
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14. ***European Commission, Key data on Education in Europe
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 THE IMPORTANCE OF THE STATUS OF A STUDY PROGRAM IN THE PROMOTION
POLITIC OF THE EDUCATIONAL OFFER

Angela ALBU1, Doru ALBU2

1
"Stefan cel Mare" University, Suceava, angelaa@seap.usv.ro
2
Arts University "George Enescu", Iasi, dorualbu@clicknet.ro

After the adoption of the Bologna educational, the status of a study program can be authorized or accredited. The work is aiming: to
identify how important is this status in the minds of the future students and, to give some suggestions for the university management to
promote appropriately every study program. We focus the study to the pupils from 3 Arts High Schools from Moldova region, we
systematized their opinion regarding the status of the study programs and those regarding the promotion methods used by the Arts
Universities in the promotion of the new study programs.

Key words: authorized study program, accredited study program, educational offer, vocational education, promotion

1. INTRODUCTION of Bologna system during the period 2005 – 2009, its

The role of arts education in forming the
competences for young people for life in the 21st
century has been widely recognized at the European
level. The European Commission proposed a European
Agenda for Culture, which was endorsed by the Council
of the European Union in 2007. This Agenda
acknowledges the value of arts education in developing
creativity. Furthermore, the EU strategic framework for
European cooperation in education and training over the
next decade clearly emphasizes the importance of
transversal key competences, including cultural
awareness and creativity. Increasing globalization has
brought both benefits and challenges, including those
arising from increased international competition,
migration and multiculturalism, advancements in
technology and the development of the knowledge
economy. The education system may be viewed as a
means of preparing young peoples for their role in an
increasingly uncertain world.
Considering these aspects, the paper is focused on
the arts education at the university level in Romania,
especially on the status of the study programs, according
to the Bologna system.
2. LITERATURE REVIEW
The legal framework for the implementation of the
Bologna process in Romanian universities was adopted
between 2004 and 2006. In 2004, the Romanian
Parliament adopted the Law no. 288 which put on the
new basis the whole university education system. The
implementation of this Law started in 2005 with the
introduction of the new type first cycle and the re-
organization of doctoral studies in form of third cycle.
The second cycle was launched only in 2008-2009 as
the first group of students of the Bologna type bachelor
degree studies has graduated. Now all Romanian high
education institutions have fully implemented the new
structure of university studies, according to the Bologna
system (National Report Romania 2009,
http://www.edu.ro/index.php/articles/12049).
At national level, the Romanian Agency for Quality
Assurance – ARACIS published a big number of
documents regarding: the status of the implementation
activity of monitoring and assurance of the quality in the
high education institutions, lists with the universities,
faculties, study programs and their status – authorized or
accredited, methodologies and guides for the
implementation of the quality system of indicators in
high education, etc. Also, ARACIS published a survey
with statistic information about the level of quality in
the high education Romanian system, including the
opinion of the students, teaching staff and employers
(Vlasceanu, 2009, http://www.aracis.ro). For the arts
universities there are only a few particular conditions,
added to the general ones, which have to be fulfilled in
order to authorize or to accredit a study program. These
conditions refers to the capacity of the institution to
assure the vocational education, e.g. it is mandatory to
have a space/room with stage for theatre study program
or the painting workrooms must have a minimum
surface, according with the number of students who are
painting inside, etc. (http://www.aracis.ro/proceduri/,
2010).
Regarding the status of the study programs, we can
not find a study or a survey focused on the opinion of
the recipients of high education services; we only find
the lists of the study programs offered by every arts
university with their status, up-dated periodically and on
these we were able to establish the new study programs
in the educational offer and the evolution from
authorized to accredited status of the study programs.
To promote their educational offer, the arts
universities are current using a various methods: visits
at the Arts High Schools and not only, their web sites,
printed brochures, the organization of The Day of Open
Doors and others (www.arteiasi.ro, www.unmb.ro,
www.unarte.ro, www.unatc.ro, www.amgd.ro). The
promoting campaigns are using the strengths of every
faculty or study program and for the new ones, the main
elements underlined are the request existing in the arts
area, the alignment of the educational offer at the
European one, the possibilities to find jobs on labor
market.
Regarding the role and the importance of the arts
education in forming the competences for the young
generation, we found some interesting studies
8 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
elaborated both from European and American
specialists. Almost all these studies are approaching the
arts separately because the differences between them.
According to Locklear (2002), music has two main
functions in school curriculum: as a subject with its own
value for the young people, expressing human feelings
in unique and powerful ways, and as enrichment,
reinforcement, and expansion of learning in other areas.
A direct correlation has been found to exist between
arts-based programs and enhanced student achievement.
Music has been found to improve the intellectual
functioning of all children and teenagers and is now
known to be essential for optimal cognitive
development (Rauscher, 1996).
The visual arts have a very positive impact on the
development of the young people in terms of improving
communication, imagination, and creativity (Catterall,
2002).
About the drama, there are studies which affirm that
it promotes inventiveness, clowning, and timing;
(Upitis, 2005) also, drama promotes creativity, is
solving behavior problems, improve the language and
communication, helps the integration of at-risk-students
into society (Gervais, 2006).
Students who are studying the arts develop self-
confidence. They see themselves as capable of doing
work that is personally satisfying and publicly
acknowledged. Because serious work in the arts
requires persistence, students develop self-discipline
and come to understand what it means to make multiple
revisions to achieve high standards. Because so many
art forms are collaborative in nature, students often
develop the crucial ability to work on a common project
with others (Goodheart, 2000).
At European level, the Education, Audiovisual and
Culture Executive Agency published in 2009 a very
important document regarding the importance of the arts
education in the countries members of EU in the frame
of the European Year of Creativity and Innovation –
2009. The document underline that the European
countries need to preserve cultural resources, promote
cultural identity, respect diversity and encourage inter-
cultural dialogue and, in this context, the education
system from every country is playing a fundamental role
(2009, http://www.eurydice.org).
In the light of the review presented above, the paper
is aiming to study the arts educational offer from
Romanian arts universities regarded from the point of
view of the recipients of high education services.
3. THE STUDY OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE
STATUS OF THE STUDY PROGRAM
After the adoption of the Bologna educational, the
status of a study program can be authorized or
accredited. For the teaching staff and for the majority of
the students, the differences between these two statuses
are clear and known, but among the future students still
persists confusion.
3.1. The study’s premises
The Romanian arts universities adopted the Bologna
educational system and re-design the curricula for every
study program. For the new programs the curricula was
elaborated according with the similar ones from other
European arts universities and with the experience
accumulated during the time.
Because of the lack of knowledge, in the minds of
common people, including the high school pupils, an
authorized study program has a high degree of
uncertainty. For this reason, there were situations when
some new study programs didn’t have the expected
success. So, the university management has to intervene
and to find the appropriate solutions to promote every
study program. An overall promoting politic is not the
best method to assure enough students for all faculties
and study programs.
In this context, the paper has two main purposes:
First: to make a survey on the basis of a
questionnaire in order to understand the level of
knowledge about the status of a study program among
the pupils in the last year of study from the Arts High
Schools;
Second: to propose some specific methods of
promoting for the new (authorized) study programs.
3.2. Subjects of the study and methodology
A study made two years ago at the Arts University
“George Enescu” from Iasi revealed that more than 75%
of the students came from Moldova region. All the
counties of this region have an Arts High School with at
least music and visual arts specialties, some of them
have also drama or ballet specialties. So, it is obvious
that our study focused on the pupils from these
education institutions. We choose the pupils from the
last year of study which will become students starting
with academic year 2010 – 2011 from Arts College
“Octav Bancila” Iasi, Arts College “Ciprian
Porumbescu” Suceava and Arts High School “Victor
Brauner” Piatra Neamt.
Generally, the number of the pupils who are
studying in an Arts High School is not very big; usually,
there are 25 – 30 per specialty. At our study participated
in the first phase 87 subjects, but after the introducing
question, remained 72 subjects.
We elaborated a questionnaire with 5 main questions
and an introducing one and we distributed it at the
institutions mentioned above. We want to specified that
we had a fully collaboration with the teachers from
these high schools, especially with the teachers of arts
study objects.
The distribution of the participants between the three
institutions is:
- Iasi Arts College: 29 in the first stage, 24
remained;
- Suceava Arts College: 36 in the first stage, 30
remained;
- Piatra Neamt High School: 22 in the first phase,
18 remained.
The answers at the questions were statistically
interpreted and at the questions with free answer we try
The importance of the status of a study program in the promotion politic of the educational offer
to corroborate different combinations and to build a
hierarchy.
3.3. Results and discussion
Our questionnaire is starting with a question with
informative character, named Question no. 0:
Do you intend to continue your studies in an Arts
High Education Institution from Romania?
The subjects had the possibility to answer Yes or
No;; the survey is continued only with the pupils who
answered Yes. This is so-called
called by us the first phase, for
the rest of the study and for all the calculations we
considered as sample the number of 72 participants with
the affirmative answer.
Question no. 1: You have already decided at what
arts university you want to study?
57 from the subjects (79,16%) are already
alr decided
where they will study, while the rest of 15 (20,84%)
have in mind more possibilities.
57
60
50
40
30
15
20
10
0 We can affirm that the most important reason for
Yes No
We consider a positive aspect the big number of
pupils already decided; it means they have reasons and
the questionnaire in the next question will try to find out
what are these reasons.
Question no. 2: What reasons you had to choose
the university you want to study?
study (it is possible to
choose more than 1 variant)
- it is close to my home
- the reputation / value of the institution
- because the study program I chosec is authorized
- because the study program I chose is accredited
- financial reasons (tuition fee)
- because there are a lot of places with the tuition
fee supported by the budget of the Education
Ministry
- other reasons (please, specify)
At this question were asked to answer only the
subjects already decided regarding the institution they
want to join. Analyzing the answers, we found a lot of
combination of the variants we offer and only a few
persons had some other reasons. The next graph
represents the frequency
requency of occurrence of the various
variants in the answers:
9
33
43
0
variants 13
4
30
7
0 20 40 60
is close to my home
the reputation of the institution
authorized study program
accredited study program
tuition fees
places with tuition fee supported by ministry
other reasons
From the second question we were able to extract
some valuable information for our study. The main is
that the pupils from the arts high schools have
information about the reputations of theth arts universities
and about the quality of the teaching staff; the
professors from universities are usually invited to be
part of juries at different national or regional
competitions, so they have contact one with the others.
choosing a specific university is its public value and
reputation.
Other information is regarding the status of the study
programs. The figures shows that this element is not
taken into account when a pupil decides at what arts
university
ersity wants to study; from the two type of
programs (authorized and accredited) the first didn’t
received any score, in our opinion because of the lack of
knowledge about what it means such a phase in the
evolution of a study program.
Another reason which ch was mentioned by 30 subjects
was the tuition fee supported by Education Ministry.
This system attracts every year candidates with very
good professional and artistic results and promotes a
competition among the students. The number of places
supported by the ministry is public and the arts
universities can use it as a tool for the educational
marketing.
As we expected, the first variant was scored by a lot
of pupils because most of them intended to study at Arts
University from Iasi and they are living in close regions
or even in Iasi.
A last comment for this question refers at the other
reasons which can influenced the choice; among the
answers, there were two which appear more frequently:
- the subjects have brother or sister students and
wants to be together;
- the university is situated in a big town which give
the possibility to find a part-time
part job.
Question no. 3: Do you know what is the
difference between an authorized and an accredited
study program?
10 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
The subjects were able to choose the following
variants: No, In a little measure, In a great measure,
Yes. The answers were very edifying – more than 90%
of the participants at the survey didn’t know or have a
very little knowledge (63 answered No, 6 answered In a
little measure and 3 answered In a great measure).
We consider that the results obtained at this question
can be used in designing a suitable strategy for the
promotion of the study programs. The promotion
campaigns have the charge to explain the accreditation
process of a study program and what are the differences
between the two stages of the process.
Question no. 4: Do the arts universities make
promotional actions in the arts high schools?
At this question the participants can answer with
Yes or No. We obtained a unanimous opinion, all the 72
subjects were answered Yes.
We consider it a positive situation – at one hand, the
arts universities are interested to present their
educational offer at the future students and organize a
large range of promotional activities, and on the other
hand, the pupils participate at these activities with the
desire to find out a lot of information about the arts high
education institution.
Question no. 5: How are you appreciating these
promotional actions? (it is possible to choose more
than 1 variant)
The variants can be seen in the legend of the graph.
This last question is more subjective then the others;
we obtain very spread answers and a lot of combinations
of variants scored by the subjects. However, we can
notice that no one consider the publicity made by the
arts university as useless. Evan the institutions are well
known, every year there are new elements which can be
emphasized regarding the teaching, artistic and
scientific process. The overall results at this question are
showed in the next graph:
9
50
4 1. Rauscher,A., (1996) “What Educators Music Learn From
61
variants
21
58
55
0
0 20 40 60
are organized too late
are organized early enough
are using old means
are using modern means
are emphasizing the specific of the study pr.
are general
are providing minimum information
are useless
The answers at this question allow some comments:
the arts universities start the promoting campaigns with
enough time before the ending of the scholastic year, are
using modern means and give general information about
the its educational offer. For the beginning, that can be
enough, but it is obvious that the pupils need more
information. So, the arts universities have to improve
their promotional activities focusing on the specific of
this vocational high education.
4. CONCLUSIONS AND PERSPECTIVE FOR
CONTINUING THE RESEARCH
The arts high education has an intense vocational
character, the students are coming especially from arts
high schools and there is a strong bind between the two
types of institutions. During the last years the arts
universities have initiated a big number of new study
programs as a response at the request in the field. The
future students have to be informed in a very specific
mode about the changes and the news from the
university level, in order to be able to make a choice in
an informed manner. The printed promotional
documents elaborated by the arts universities and the
persons which are promoted direct has to synthesize the
specificity of each study program, to explain that is no
risk to study at an authorized program and to offer
answers at possible questions of the pupils.
We consider that the application of this
questionnaire brought important information and can be
extended at all the high schools from Moldova region.
On the basis of the results of this survey, the border
of the Arts University “George Enescu” Iasi decided to
renew its promotional campaigns and to give more
details about the authorized (new) study programs. The
promotional politic of the institution will be elaborated
depending the competition at the admission exam.
The application of this survey can be considered a
first step in a complex research regarding the mutual
influence between high school and university education.
References
Science”, Tacoma, Washington
2. Vlasceanu, L., and all, “Starea calitatii in invatamantul superior
din Romania 2009 – Baromentrul calitatii 2009”, QualMedia,
Bucuresti, http://www.aracis.ro
3. Gervais, M. (2006), “Exploring Moral Values with Young
Adolescents Through Process Drama”, International Journal of
80 Education & the Arts, 7(2)
4. Upitis, R., (2005), “Experiences of Artists and Artist-Teachers
Involved in Teacher Professional Development Programs”,
International Journal of Education & the Arts, 6(8)
5. Catterall, J., (2002) “Critical Links: Learning in the Arts and
Student Social and Academic Development”, http: // www.aep-
arts.org
6. Goodheart, C., “A Case for the Arts in Education”,
http://www.newhorizons.org/strategies/arts/goodheart.htm
7. Locklear, S., (2002), “Research-Based Justification for the
Highline School District. Elementary and Secondary School
Music Programs”,
http://www.newhorizons.org/strategies/arts/locklear.htm
8. * * *, “Arts and Cultural Education at School in Europe”,
(2009), Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency,
Brussels, http://www.eurydice.org
9. * * * National Report Romania 2009,
http://www.edu.ro/index.php/articles/12049)
 MEASURES TO COMBAT CORRUPTION IN FACULTY OF DENTAL MEDICINE
"OVIDIUS" UNIVERSITY OF CONSTANTA

Corneliu AMARIEI1, Mihaela DUTA2, CARAIANE A. 3, Cristina NUCA4, Victoria BADEA5

1
Faculty of Dental Medicine, "Ovidius" University Constanta, amariei@oralhealth.ro
2
Faculty of Dental Medicine, "Ovidius" University Constanta, dutamihaela@gmail.com
3
Faculty of Dental Medicine, "Ovidius" University Constanta, aurelianastomato@yahoo.com
4
Faculty of Dental Medicine, "Ovidius" University Constanta, medcris@yahoo.com
5
Faculty of Dental Medicine, "Ovidius" University Constanta, badea_victoria@yahoo.com

Aim: Objective measures program applied in the Faculty of Dental Medicine to reduce corruption and unfair competition. Objectives:
Online evaluation program of the teaching staff and students’ attendance at lectures, practical lessons and seminars. Exams’
proceeding program with assessment and announcing the results on the spot in plenary. Prior work: There have been several studies
on the referral of students and teaching staff, as well as problems arising in the management of the Faculty of Dental Medicine during
2004-2009. It continued with opinion surveys, observations, case studies that we have tried different solutions. The conclusion of these
studies was that only the adoption of a firm strategy with a set of measures that can not leave space to interpretation may begin the
action to mitigate corruption. Design/ Methodology/ Approach: In the descriptive-retrospective analysis based on observations,
surveys, case studies, we designed a program targeting these objective measures: online attendance at lectures, practical lessons and
seminars, displaying individual teaching staff’ daily schedule, 10 custom mandatory regulations of faculty, examinations using
multimedia one-minute-answer questions on the adhesive sheets. Results: The measures taken have resulted in adherence to 68% of
students and 50% of teachers, reducing by 23% the number of arrears exams and the number of students in complementary years
reduced with 72%. Implications: Leaving higher education by 11% of teaching staff refractory to these measures. It is important that
balance of the faculty staff attitude, now 50% - 50%, tilt in favour of quality. 5 Faculties of Dental Medicine partially introduced these
measures. Although inertia is huge, the measures had the mentioned results. Originality value: The degree of originality of the paper
consists of the courage to discuss officially unrecognized but very serious problems that cancels any attempt to increase quality. The
set of measures which, by their objectivity reduced the chance of contesting the people quarrelled with academic ethics and morality is
also original. Keywords: quality in higher education, moral, combat corruption.

INTRODUCTION Achieving this aim required several OBJECTIVES,

It is obvious that Higher Education in Romania is
stiff from the previous era mentality plus dislocation
generated by an infinite period of transition. We believe
that can not discuss about the reformatory measures,
especially expecting results from them without knowing
the current flaws as corruption, nepotism and unfair
competition in higher education between private dental
practice and the one in public services. Clearly, dental
practitioners, in the mean time teachers, will develop
mainly private practice which will generate much more
money, declared or not. In these conditions any reform
program remains only a paper statement without
generating real results.
Starting from the mentioned realities I have
proposed to be accomplished programs as objective as it
can be. Although no studies are overlapping on the
Romanian situation, there are concerns regarding using
informatics technologies in student evaluation.
Published study of N. Mattheos from University of Bern
mentions that traditional examination schemes can be
enriched by IT (Mattheos N. et al). A survey of 32
Faculties of Dental Medicine in Germany shows that
83.9% of the students found on-line knowledge
assessment useful/partial useful (Welk A. et al.).
Aims:
The main aim of this paper is to combat corruption
and unfair competition in the Faculty of Dental
Medicine, “Ovidius” University Constanta trough a
program of objectives measures.
but in this paper we will focus on two of them:
1. On-line evaluation program of teachers and
students attendance at courses, seminars and practical
lessons.
2. Exams scheduled program with evaluation and
announcing of results immediately in front of all
colleagues.
The second purpose of this study is to assess impact
of these programs on teachers and students using a
questionnaire.
Prior Work:
We start on the previously 2004 existing situation
analysis because it was obvious the existence of a great
inertia on implementing the most basic measures to
improve quality in education.
It was found that most teachers have not displayed
the discipline schedule, as they participate at most at the
hours stated in the payroll. It was also found to be
particularly difficult to realise a timetable in students
benefit as teachers “throw” this hours so they don’t have
to disturb their private practice. As didactic activity is
unrolling in several clinics, some at 6-7 km distance
between them, there were situations when students pass
these distances 2-3 times per day, which conduct
frequently to delays or absences, not to mention the
financial repercussions on students.
Another thing already a habit for some teachers is
the theirs lack of presentation of student attendance
situation at courses, seminars and practical lessons.
They found real situations in which students with 1-2
12 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
attendance at courses were allowed in exam as having at
least 70% attendance as it is stipulated in faculty
regulations. Moreover, in practical lessons where there
are maximum 2 absences allowed, there were students
which promoted with high marks even if in reality they
have not participate in more then ½ of didactic activity.
The study have shown that some teachers have
falling in to the monitoring trap, reporting after 10-11
practical lessons 2 attendances, and in the final
situation, after another 2-3 practical lessons, the same
students appear with an attendance of 90%, without
question absences recovery.
Analyzing above mentioned situation assessment
ways of it was found that some students, especially from
other countries, obtained passing marks even they have
massive absentee and embarrassing marks from
semester time, without a chance of improvement
knowledge by fair means.
Other assessments shows that students with good
mark were un-passed in some exams, usually the same,
and the others manifest the opposite phenomenon. There
were situations that have lasted for years when although
the exam was according to regulations, with the entire
group, the marks were given following a face-to-face
discussion in the discipline holder desk. After these
discussions the final situation was completely different
from our previously collected data.
Starting an official investigation is almost
impossible, disadvantaged students are often threatened
in the most rude way and others are interested in getting
results without work because their parents have money.
Considering that all the dishonest work can be
reversed at a time, starting from the medical principle:
prevention is more important then the treatment, we
began a consultation with fellow troubled by a specific
situation in which students from rural areas, with
average mark situation lost their state subsidized seats in
favour of the ones potentate by time.
Design/ Methodology/ Approach
In the Faculty of Dental Medicine, Constanta, were
established real measures and targets for each of the
problems affecting an important segment of education.
According to this, were introduced and updating
measures which target:
- On-line courses, practical lessons and seminars
attendance;
- Displaying the daily scheduled for each teacher;
- Introduction of 10 custom faculty regulations,
which became mandatory;
- Exams using 1 minute multimedia projection of
questions and students answer on auto-copy sheets;
- Evaluation by the Dental Medicine Faculty Council
of the end of each semester of teaching activities of each
teacher and the discipline holder will present the activity
of his teachers;
- Sending to the families the actual semester
situation of the students with more then 2 arrears in the
previous semester;
- Establishment of exams commissions composed of
4-5 teachers including the discipline holder for
supervising the exams accuracy and prevent attempted
fraud trough electronic devices.
For implementation of these measures were applied
specific programs, for not exceeding the space of this
paper we refer to 2 programs with a high degree of
originality and which subside the excess of the one
tempted to fraud, namely:
1. The on-line assessment program of students and
teacher attendance at courses, seminars and practical
lessons.
Because previous measures such as collective
control or evaluation by students showed the most
obvious, without getting data about real quality
improvement in time, therefore has been created an
informatics system which brings, in the first 10 minutes
of teaching activity, to the faculty board the real
attendance of students and teachers. The teacher cannot
change the previous inserted attendance because the
system did not allow it, as it is known the exact time
and date of the data insertion. The system also allowed
viewing the marks given by the teacher during the
semester. There are special sections for recovering
absented practical lessons, with the possibility of
monitoring their accuracy.
Another benefit of this system is to refuse the
diligences of some Ministry officials which urged us to
register students presented at Faculty after half time of
semester. The system not allowed their exam entrance.
To ensure the rightness, IT teacher, who designed
the technical support of the program, gave each
semester a password which allowed the system access
only to discipline holder teacher and only at timetable
scheduled hours.
2. Exams scheduled program with evaluation and
announcing of results immediately, in exams plenary.
This program was necessary as students don’t face
with lists posted a few days after carrying out an
examination, with marks distorted from reality. The
exam, which model was introduced in our faculty by
Prof. Gheorghe Taralunga, proceeds as follows:
- Students are given forms in duplicate, auto-copy
sheets for answers;
- A training (visual and auditory) is done about the
conduct of examination;
- Each question is projected for 1 minute, the student
encircling the correct answer / answers on the form;
- At the exam end the original examination sheets
for answers are taken, the students left with the copy
sheet, both copies being signed by students;
- The correct answers for each question are projected,
and students mark on their remaining sheet the right
answers;
- Students are invited alphabetically to communicate
aloud the obtained score, which is written on the
original form existing at the holder of the discipline;
- Students know the regulation that if they declare a
different score than actual one, they will lose the exam
because it is considered fraud attempt to lie the
Measures to combat corruption in Faculty of Dental Medicine "Ovidius" University of Constanta 13

colleagues regarding their record (actual score obtained

by each). Therefore it is impossible for a student that de- 27,5 21,1 46,4 4,8
clared a score equivalent to 3 or 4 marks to get an 8 or 9
mark in classbook, because all his colleagues know the 9 42,1 25,8 17,4 14,6
publicly recognized situation of the student in question. 30,1
6,3 30,1 33,3
Of course, no system is infallible, or more, any
model can benefit from development. 7 15,3 32,2 43,2 9,1
After measures gradual introduction and programs
22,8 59,1 12,1 5,8
mentioned in 'Design/ Methodology/ Approach', we
wanted to evaluate their impact on students and 2,2
5 40,6 40,6 16,4
teachers.
For this purpose, a total of 534 students and 48 8,9 26,9 62,9 1,1
teachers participated on a voluntary basis, in this study,
completing a questionnaire with 10 questions (Table 1). 3 19,4 50,1 29,0 1,3

Table 1: Questionnaire 21,7 65,5 11,6 1,1

QUESTIONNAIRE
1. How would you assess the quality of dental medical 1 9,5 73,6 14,7 2,0
education in Constanta?
A. Very good B. Good C. Poor D. Don’t 0% 50% 100%
know/n.a.
2. Do you consider as collaboration the relationship with A B C D
teachers?
Figure 1: Scores distribution to the questions of the questionnaire
A. Yes, B. Yes, C. No D. Don’t
mostly sometimes know/ n.a.
3. Do you consider favourable to the students the timetable? On subject of the collaboration with teachers, a high
A. Yes, mostly B. Partly C. No D. Don’t proportion considers that this is done in most of cases,
know/ n.a. only 11.62% of students having a negative opinion.
4. What do you consider the most objective method of It's obvious the students desire to give written
carrying out the exams? examination (89.89%), and not orally (only 8.98%),
A. Oral B. Written C. Multiple D. Don’t those who want multiple choice written examinations
Examination examination choices know/ n.a. represent 62.92%, and written examination with
with written
questions examination
questions: 26.97%.
5. How do you asses the record of the absences from classes, When we asked about on-line absences record of
seminars and practical lessons? courses, seminars and practical lessons we found a
A. Correct B. Incorrect C. Often D. Don’t sizeable resistance from students, 40.63% considered
sometimes incorrect know/ n.a. the method overly rigid and 16.49% are against this
6. How do you asses the exams grading? method, which it does not allow "arrangements" to
A. Correct B.Frequently C.Incorrect D. Don’t motivate or redo the absences.
correct know/ n.a. Regarding the agreement on the establishment of
7. Do you agree to submit to the examination committee of 3- committees for examinations, it revealed an increasing
5 members to ensure fairness?
adherence in the final years, which may suggest that
A. Total B. Partial C. D. Don’t
agreement agreement Disagreement know/ n.a. junior students have understood that "this committee
8. Do you have met acts of corruption in previous years? means a harder test" but not our message that was meant
A. Frequently B. Sometimes C. Never D. Don’t to be "this committee will reduce corruption".
know/ n.a. It was noted that in the years were teachers’ children
9. Do you consider the measures taken in the last 3 years have studying, at the question about corruption the answers
helped to reduce corruption? “do not know / n.a.” were between 31 and 40% percent.
A. Yes B. Partly C. Not at all D. Don’t Effects of anti-corruption fight, praised by students
know/ n.a. at a rate of 68%, are validated also by the answer
10. Do you consider useful the measure of the family written
notice of the students’ results with more than 2 arrears?
regarding the correctness of exams grading ("correct"
A. Yes B. Partly C. No D. Don’t and "frequently correct" 82.01%).
know/ n.a. Anticorruption measures are supported by 68% of
the students and 50% of the teachers (Figure 2).
Results

Answers given by students are reported in Figure 1.

14 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

complained that the development and maintenance of

60% new methods are generally not rewarded from faculty
40% (Hillenburg KL et al).
An even smaller
maller percentage of compliance can be
20%
found in the situations where have been implemented
0% measures perceived by students as a limitation of their
Yes Partial None Don't know/n.a.
freedom of action.
Regarding the faculty-student
student family connection will
students teachers focus only on two aspects: in a few cases
c the families
Figure 2: Scores distribution to question 9: ‘Do you consider the measures have a proper reaction with periodic supervision of the
taken in the last 3 years have helped to reduce corruption?’
corruption?
child, with spectacular comebacks of faculty situation.
In the same proportion the students have found the data
Another positive effect was the decreasing by 72%
of mailing and they have annihilated our good intentions
of the number of students in complementary years, and
or make arrangements
gements with the postman to deliver mail
by 23% the number of arrears exams in 1st semester
to them, or they watch the mail delivery and they took
during 2004-2010 (Figure 3). We avoided accounting
the envelope from the mailbox.
the arrears in 2nd semester and fall just to avoid overlap
with those of un-promoted 1st semester.
Implications and conclusions
120
100% 101,46%
92,03%
100
87,62%
79,41%
Leaving higher education by 11% of teaching staff
76,58%
80 69,84% 66,67% refractory to these measures. It is important that balance
60
42,85%
of the faculty staff attitude, now 50% - 50%, tilt in
36,51%
40
28,57% favour of quality. 5 Faculties of Dental Medicine
20 partially introduced these measures. Although inertia is
0
huge, it is clear that results can be obtained by applying
2004/2005 2005/2006 2006/2007 2007/2008 2008/2010 2009/2010 the mentioned measures.
Nr. of arrears exams/1st semester Nr. of students in complementary years
Originality value:
Figure 3: Dynamics of percentage decrease of the number of arrears exams /
1st semester and the number of students in complementary years
The degree of originality of the paper consists of the
Student position on the family written notice about courage to discuss officially unrecognized but very
the students’ results with more than 2 arrears is serious problems that cancels any attempt to increase
surprising, 60% of the 1st and 2nd study years claiming quality. The set of measures which, by their objectivity
that they do not want to be involved parents also, reduced the chance of contesting by the people
because they are major. quarrelled with academic ethics and morality is also
original.
Discussion
References
The relevant scientific literature on corruption in
1. Hillenburg KL, Cederberg RA, Gray SA, Hurst CL, Johnson GK,
higher education and unfair competition are lacking Potter BJ, (2006), “E-learning
learning and the future of dental education:
because the phenomenon is almost nonexistent in the opinions of administrators andd information technology specialists”,
specialists
leading Western universities,
niversities, and universities of the Eur J Dent Educ. 2006 Aug;10(3):169--77.
East do not recognize the mentioned issues. 2. Mattheos N, Stefanovic N, Apse P, Attstrom R, Buchanan J,
Brown P, Camilleri A, Care R, Fabrikant E, Gundersen S, Honkala
It is obvious that there are major differences between S, Johnson L, Jonas I, Kavadella A, Moreira J, Peroz I, Perryer
student mentality in developed countries and those in DG, Seemann R, Tansy M, Thomas HF, Tsuruta J, Uribe S, Urtane
former communist eastern countries. They go through a I, Walsh TF, Zimmerman J, Walmsley AD. (2008), “Potential of
transition period in which youth’ key word is information technology in dental education”, Eur J Dent Educ.
2008 Feb;12 Suppl 1:85-92.
democracy, freedom and less responsibility. In these 3. Neuhaus KW, Schegg R, Krastl G, Amato
Ama M, Weiger R, Walter C.
conditions it’s very difficult to improve quality (2008), “Integrated
Integrated learning in dentistry: baseline data and first
standards as teachers often do not support them. The evaluation at the Dental School of Basel”,
Basel Eur J Dent Educ.
situation is even worse when teachers have the Aug;12(3):163-9.
4. Welk A, Splieth Ch, Seyer D, Rosin M, Siemer M, Meyer G.
possibility of private
vate gain, which sometimes lead to a (2006), “German dental facultyy attitudes towards computer-
computer
competition type "who has more money, either from assisted simulation systems correlated with personal and
students or from other activities during the educational professional profiles”, Eur J Dent Educ.
Educ 2006 May;10(2):87-95.
process is smarter'.
60% of Basel University students are fearful of the
online techniques implementation (KW Neuhaus euhaus et al.).
Unfortunately, at a conference in USA where Deans,
students and IT administrators attended, the latter
 TECHNIQUES OF APPLYING THE CONCEPT OF SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IN THE
FACULTY OF CONSTRUCTION CLUJ-NAPOCA ROMANIA

Livia ANASTASIU 1, AndreI MOGA 2, Ovidiu GAVRIŞ 3, Sorina CIPLEA 4, Alexandra ANASTASIU5, Sorin
HOPÎRTEAN6
1
PH.D Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, E-mail: livia.anastasiu@cif.utcluj.ro
2
PH.D Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, E-mail: randreimoga@yahoo.com
3
PH.D Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, E-mail: ovidiugavrilg@yahoo.com
4
PH.D Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, E-mail: sorina_ciplea@yahoo.com
5
Babes Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca, E-mail: inahanastasiu@yahoo.com
6
GAMI RO NET Cluj-Napoca, E-mail: office@trust.ro

The present paper aims to demonstrate how to use the principles of social responsibility in higher education system, by applying modern
teaching techniques. The students` practice in the construction companies showed that Romanian businessmen are more interested in getting
profits than to protect the community.
The study is based on the principles of democracy, often worse understood. There must be a balance between rights and obligations.
The questionnaires applied to the constructor students’ show that the interests of the owners of the construction companies are more important
than community care.
Education in social responsibility principles is a long-term investment, for it represents a change of mentality. The role of the University is to
train educated people not only professional, but morally as well.
They will be integrated into communities and they shall protect them.
Our team designed a questionnaire based on the principles of social responsibility, applied for 60 students from the Faculty of Constructions,
who have practiced in construction companies. The questions are closed and open.
The research results show that in companies where the students have made the site practice, 73% of the employers are mainly interested in
financial results, even if they violate the rules of social responsibility. The case studies reinforce these issues.
This research involves two categories of people: teachers and students. The role of the teachers is to prepare the students to implement the
principles of social responsibility. The future graduates will be aware of the positive effects and will be able to apply and disseminate these
concepts among their subordinates.
The originality of this work consists in the responsibly approach of the theme: positive effects if applicable and negative effects, even
stranded, if immediate gains are not correlated with the principle. The modern education system highlights the long-term implications of the
phenomenon.

INTRODUCTION METHODOLOGY

The concept of social responsibility is not new. The The construction field is one of the main pillars of a
first time mentioned was in 1953 in “The Bowen’s national economy. It involves the companies and the
Social Responsibility for Businessmen”. The evolution people as well. Therefore, the social responsibility must
of the society, the industrialization and the changes of govern all the actions. CSR is not imposed, it’s
the consumers’ tastes gave it a different dimension. The volunteer. The customers come from the community, so
companies began to be aware of its importance. The the firms must give something back, not only making
first company which implemented this theory was Shell, profit.
in 1998, followed by lots of firms which understood that The organization’s activity concerns several
it’s the only reasonable way to do business in the connected domains:
Modern Age.
The social responsibility is based on sustainable Economic
development and it leads to ethical norms, both for
businesses and consumers, so it deals with actions that
Ethic
protect and improve the quality of life.
The Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
represents “the voluntary actions that business can take, Politic
over and above compliance with legal requirements, to Organization
address both its own competitive interests and the Legal
interests of wider society”.
The analysis of the companies` results showed that
Social
the strategies for development based only on immediate
proffit weren`t sustainable and led to conflicts, basicly
Techologic
dued to the breach of the legislation concerning the
environment, the working conditions, the social
protection of the employees and others. Figure 1: CSR`s activities

One of the most important principles of the social

responsibility is the education. This is a long term
16 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

investment and the result is the change of mentality. The
role of the University is to train educated people,
professionally, as well as morally, who will be
integrated in the community.
Concerning this principle, our team conducted a
study that involved 60 students who performed their
summer practice in construction companies. The
questions were both open and close and were focused
on the following issues:

The public image of the company

The regulations

The support of the community in survival

The green products

The employees’ motivation and satisfaction

The protection of the environment

The profit

The ethical and moral values

The community services
The results revealed that most of the companies
(73%) are mainly interested in immediate incomes, and
the profit is the basic concern. On long term, 43% of the
subjects want safer conditions for their employees, but
only if the business is good.
When the market is in crisis, 56% lower the wages,
26% reduce the overall costs and 14% reduce the profit
ratio.
More than a half of the firms that participated in this
program don’t use green materials or technologies for
two main reasons: they are not aware of the benefits or
they are more expensive and the profit is smaller.
After interpreting the results, we organized a meeting
with the representatives of the companies, the students
and the teachers. The opinions showed that all the
participants agreed on the fact that the long term plans
must take the social responsibility in account. The
managers thought about training their employees and
applying the concept, as long as the profit is not
affected.
The teachers understood that the university is the
perfect place for students to learn about CSR, so they
have to think about introducing specific chapters in the
curricula in order to support the idea.
The constructions consume 40% from the world
energy, 25% of the wood and 16% of the water.
Raw Manufacture Transport
material
be the leading idea: beginning with the raw material, the
energy consumed for the manufacturing, the transport,
the building of the construction and the life time cycle
of the building.
CONCLUSIONS
The results of the study highlight the importance of
the education system that involves the three pats of the
project: the companies, the students and the teachers.
The new technologies are a priority in the modern
times and they give a competitive advantage for the
firms which understand the long term benefits in almost
all areas:
- public image: reputation for customers and employees
- regulations: toxic technologies may close the business
- survival and growth: the only way a company may
survive is by the community’s support
- employees satisfaction that leads to high productivity
and quality
- consumers faith: their rights are protected by law
That’s why the companies must think their
businesses in long run in order to survive in a
competitive and globalize market:
 For employees: fair wages, education, training,
safety, respect, honesty
 For consumers: fair prices, safe and quality
products and services
 For the society: non-pollution technologies, moral
and ethical values, health services
The originality of this works is the modern approach
of the concept based on the three parts involved:
companies, students and teachers. Their common effort
in a sustainable development of the construction field
will lead to a better understanding and implementing of
the corporate social responsibility.
References
1. Domsa, J., Anastasiu L., (2010), “Post graduate courses in
national and transnational system”, The 6th International
Seminar QMHE, 8th-9th of July 2010, Tulcea, Romania.
2. Kotler, P., (2005), Corporate Social Responsibility – Doing the
Most Good for Your Company and Your Cause, John Wiley&Sons.
3. Moga A., Anastasiu L., Moga R.A., (2010), “Student traineeship
in the national and transnational system”, The 6th International
Seminar QMHE, 8th-9th of July 2010, Tulcea, Romania
4. Werther, W., Chandler, D. (2006), Strategic Corporate Social
Responsibility, Sage Publications.

Building Life cycle

Figure 2: Materials life cycle

Therefore, the green building might be the perfect

solution: they use minimum of raw materials from the
environment: recycled materials, durable and local, if
possible. The preserving of the embedded energy must
 METHODS OF REDUCING THE IMPACT OF THE CRISIS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
FIELD

SENIOR LECT. LIVIA ANASTASIU PH.D 1, PROF. JULIETTA DOMŞA PH.D2

1
Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, E-mail: livia.anastasiu@cif.utcluj.ro
2
Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, E-mail: Julietta.Domsa@bmt.utcluj.ro

The world crisis affected a major area of economic activities involving the construction industry. Graduates from this particular domain have
difficulties in employment in the profession of civil engineer. This paper aims to demonstrate the way the Bologna Master Program assist future
graduates in finding jobs in collateral fields.
The Faculty of Construction in Cluj-Napoca Romania applies for Bologna type Masters since 2009. The effects of the crisis began to manifest
since 2008, therefore we felt the need to organize programs that provide additional competences for the future graduates.
The Management and Technology Department from the Faculty of Construction Cluj-Napoca Romania initiated the Master Program “Project
Management and the Property Evaluation”. Its graduates get competences in project manager, corporate and real estate assessor, techniques for
accessing the European Funds, and others. In this way, they broaden their employment opportunities, which until now were restricted only to the
construction companies. 32 people are studying in the master “Project Management and the Property Evaluation”.
We designed a questionnaire to capture several aspects: understanding of concepts, teaching methods used, the applicability of the knowledge
gained. The questionnaire has 15 questions: 12 closed and 3 open. The results are credible, for the presence was 100% (32 survey’s participants).
Closed questions were developed on a scale of 1 to 5 (1 – negative, 5 – positive).
Of course, the results are limited, because only after graduation we will be able to quantify the effects of this master program.
The research of this program’s effects has implications for several groups: students, teachers, businessmen. The crisis sharpens the competition in
a global market. Modern methods of teaching will help the universities to attract students, while the companies will hire well trained people in
order to gain higher profits.
The originality of this work is the new approach of the competitive market in crisis conditions. The Master Program provides additional
competences for the constructors. An important fact: the joining of the Romanian education system to Bologna allows the graduated constructors
to work throughout the EU.

2,967 $ for each inhabitant of the planet. At a global

INTRODUCTION
The construction field is an important part of an
economy. The growth-decrease cycles, specific for each
domain of activity, have implications in the economy as
a whole.
The beginning of the 21st century was definitely
affected by the crisis. It’s a natural phenomenon that
adjusts and balances the dysfunctions of certain out of
control activities. From this perspective, the
globalization doesn’t have only positive effects.
Rushing for markets dilutes the borders. Today, the
multi-national companies perform from America to
Asia, and when disequilibrium occurs in one country, its
effects have impact all over the world.
However, if we refer only to the 20th century, there
were major crisis: the Great Depression, the Asian-
Russia financial crisis (1997-1998), the dot-com crisis,
and they had a strong impact on all fields of activity.
APPROACH
The whole world is now in recession. The recession
is a severe form of economic crisis, a general regress of
the economic activity, characterized by unemployment,
inflation and low standard of living. The effects of the
actual world crisis mainly affect the constructions and
the real estate. Constructions represent an important part
of the Romanian’s PIB.
The International Monetary Fund reports show that
the world crisis costs are 11,900 billion $, that means
level, the evolution of the domain was:
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
-5% dec.08 ian.09 feb.09 mar.09 apr.09 mai.09
-10%
-15%
-20%
-25%
Figure 1: Construction output – annual variation (Source: EUROSTAT)
According to ARACO (Romanian Association of
Constructors), the construction market decreased with
17% in 2009, 19,500 companies confronted insolvency
and bankruptcy (1 of 5) and there were 70,000
dismissals.
The construction sector is dominated by small
companies. In the United Europe, more than 42% of the
employees work in companies with less than 10
employees, 15% in 10-19 employees companies and
16% in 20-49 employees companies.
The graduations in this field perceive difficulties in
hiring; therefore they must be trained also in collateral
fields in order to facilitate their enrolment.
The future man/woman is the one ready for changes,
flexible and innovative. In the construction field, the
building site is only the top of the iceberg. The unseen
part is the project management.
18 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
less 10 10 to 19 20 to 49
Figure 2: Employees in construction (Source: ARACO)
The Management and Technology Department
belonging to the Faculty of Construction initiated a
Bologna Master Program named “Project Management
and the Property Evaluation” that provides additional
competences in project manager, corporate and real
estate assessor, techniques for accessing the European
Funds, and others. Thus, they broaden their employment
opportunities, which until now were restricted only to
the construction companies.
METHODOLOGY
The Master Program called “Project Management
and the Property Evaluation” has 32 students. We
designed a questionnaire in order to capture several
aspects: understanding of concepts, teaching methods
used, the applicability of the knowledge gained. There
are 15 questions, 12 closed and 2 opened; they were
developed on a scale of 1 to 5 (1-negative, 5-positive):
1. The theoretical concepts help you understand the
project manager activities?
2. Are the teaching methods accessible?
3. Do the case studies support the theoretical part?
4. Are you pleased with the interactive level of
teaching?
5. Do you consider that the notions have a practical
applicability?
6. When graduating these courses, do you fell able to
manage a project?
7. Are the courses helping you realize an integrated
project?
8. Do the seminars explain the methods for a real estate
evaluation?
9. When graduating, will you be able to perform in other
fields than the construction one?
10. Do you feel capable to manage a European grant?
11. Do the practice hours help you integrate easier in a
company?
12. Would you be capable to manage the human
resources in companies?
13. Do you think you may apply negotiating
techniques?
14. How will this Master Program help you in easier
finding a job?
15. What do you think this program missed in meeting
your level of expectancy?
The interpretation of the results revealed the
following aspects:

the students applied to this type of Master Program
willing to learn new things, which will help them in
enrolling in companies, especially in crisis times (92%)

The expectancy level was met in 71% ratio

They were interested mainly in case studies that will
help in the practical using of the notions (87%)

The European Funds accessing is one of their
priorities (89%)

The gained competencies will provide new
opportunities in Romania and abroad and they will not
be limited anymore only to the construction labor
market (68%)

They can apply the Human Resources Management
techniques in the companies and in private (94%)

The evaluation techniques will help them in their
jobs, even if they will be employees or owners

Almost all of the subjects are willing to be trained in
more real examples and to be involved in projects
focused on practical skills
The results are credible, for the presence was 100%
(32 survey’s participants). However, this research is
limited because only after graduation we will be able to
quantify the effects of this master program.
CONCLUSIONS
The research of this program’s effects has
implications for several groups: students, teachers,
businessmen. The crisis sharpens the competition in a
global market.
Modern methods of teaching will help the
universities to attract students, while the companies will
hire well trained people in order to gain higher profits.
The originality of this work is the new approach of
the competitive market in crisis conditions. The Master
Program provides additional competences for the
constructors. An important fact: the joining of the
Romanian education system to Bologna allows the
graduated constructors to work throughout the EU.
References
1. Halpin, D. (2005), Learn the Skills and Knowledge Necessary
to Be a Successful Construction Manager.
2. Kramon, J., (2007), Smart Business for Contractors: for Pros and
by Pros.
3. Gould, F., Joyce, N., (2008), Construction Project Management
4. Moga, A.,Anastasiu, L.,(2010)”Flexible methods of adapting the
construction graduates to the specialized companies”, The 6th
International Seminar QMHE, 8th-9th of July 2010, Tulcea, Romania
5. Moga, A., Anastasiu, L., “Students traineeship in the national and
transnational system”, The 6th International Seminar QMHE, 8th-9th of
July 2010, Tulcea, Romania .
 PERFORMANCE PRISM FRAMEWORK IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

Silvia AVASILCĂI1 Adriana BODEA2, Laura BACALI3, Carmen TRIF4

1
The „Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iaşi, Faculty of Textiles, Leather and Industrial Management, Department of
Management and Production Systems Engineering, avasilcai@yahoo.com
2
Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Faculty of Machine Building, Department of Management and Systems Engineering,
adrianabodea2003@yahoo.com
3
Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Department of Management and Systems Engineering, bacali.laura@gmail.com
4
Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, , Department of Management and Systems Engineering, carmentrif@gmail.com

This paper attempts to emphasize some aspects regarding the application of Performance Prism framework in higher education
sector. The Performance Prism concept states that organizational performance arises at the intersection of the following five
perspectives: satisfying organization’s stakeholders’ wants and needs, using stakeholders’ contributions, and the organization’s
strategies, processes and capabilities, respectively. Performance Prism can help a university to integrate its own needs with its
stakeholders’ expectations and to align its necessary strategies, processes and capabilities.
Keywords: performance management, performance prism, stakeholders

organizational performance. The Performance Prism

INTRODUCTION TO PERFORMANCE
MANAGEMENT AND MEASUREMENT
Organizational performance refers to the results
achieved by the organization. Performance management
relates to what organizations do for having more success
and positioning themselves in front of their competitors.
Both academic and business environments are
extremely interested in different aspects of
organizational performance, as performance has become
a mantra for all organizations (Meyer, 2007).
The practices used for measuring organizational
performance have evolved during time, from the
shareholder theory, which measured the organization’s
performance based on the revenues generated for its
shareholders, to the stakeholder theory, which states that
performance arises from the way in which the
organization succeeds in satisfying all its various groups
of stakeholders.
Marr (2008) is one of the many specialists who
agree that the balanced scorecard created by Kaplan and
Norton is the most popular instrument for performance
measurement. But despite of its adoption by many
organizations worldwide, Neely et al. (2002) claim
some important drawbacks of the balanced scorecard,
like the lack of correlation between organization’s
performance with the performance of its competitors or
the fact that it does not include aspects related to
organization’s human resources and employees’
satisfaction, nor it refers to the organization’s impact on
the society and environment. One example of
overcoming balanced scorecard’s shortcomings is the
development of new organizational performance
measurement models, like the Performance Prism.
Developed by Neely, Adams and Kennerly (2002), this
performance framework offers a more complex image
of an organization’s stakeholders.
The Performance Prism is a performance framework
that combines five different perspectives of
performance: stakeholders’ satisfaction, stakeholders’
contribution, strategies, processes and capabilities. By
combining these five perspectives, one can get an
integrated and comprehensive framework of
was developed as an instrument for managing and
measuring business performance. In the next section of
the article, we will try to adapt the instrument to the
realities and particularities of higher education
institutions.
THE DIMENSIONS OF THE PERFORMANCE
PRISM ADAPTED TO HIGHER EDUCATION
INSTITUTIONS
The first perspective is stakeholders’ satisfaction,
and refers to the fact that in the current academic
environment, any higher education institution that wants
to succeed in the long term should clearly identify its
stakeholders’ wants and needs.
Srikanthan and Dalrymple (2007) give the examples
of students who expect to obtain competitive advantages
for their future careers by using university’s products; of
funding bodies that provide universities with the
necessary resources, but they expect an appropriate
return of their investments; of employers that need
competent graduate students.
Therefore, the starting point on higher education
institutions’ path to performance should be identifying
and understanding their key stakeholders’ wants and
needs.
But the university should also satisfy its own needs,
and in order to do so it needs contributions from the
previously identified groups of stakeholders. In the
Performance Prism concept, this aspect is referred as the
perspective of stakeholders’ contributions, and usually
these contributions come in the form of employees’
capabilities, students’ loyalty, investors’ capitals, and so
on. Therefore, an organization should identify its own
needs and wants, which are expected to be satisfied by
its stakeholders, on a reciprocal basis.
The next perspective of the Prism is the strategies
perspective, which refers to the strategies that an
university should execute, in order to satisfy both the
stakeholders’ needs and the institution’s own
necessities. Various strategies can be applied to
different organizational levels of higher education
20 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
institutions: to university level, to faculties level or to
operational level.
A strategic plan at university level usually includes
main objectives like attracting a larger number of
students or university integration in the social and
economic life, by adapting the educational offer to the
requirements of the labor work. At the operational level,
a university’s strategies may include: an educational
strategy, that seeks the achievement of a high level
academic education or a scientific research strategy for
carrying on high level scientific research activities.
The next performance perspective is that of
processes. According to Neely et al. (2002), most
organizations classify business processes in the
following different categories:
development of products and services, demand
generation, fulfilling demand, organizational planning
and management. A higher education institution needs
to execute processes for its educational and research
activities; appropriate processes are needed as well for
financial, human resource or quality management.
For successfully achieving its goals, an organization
must coherently align its strategies, processes and
capabilities (Neely et al., 2002). A higher education
institution must develop and maintain the right
capabilities, that is, the adequate mix of people’s
competences, good practices, physical infrastructure and
high technologies (Neely et al., 2002).
MANAGING UNIVERSITY RELATIONSHIPS
WITH ITS KEY STAKEHOLDERS
This section presents some aspects regarding how a
higher education institution manages various
relationships with its key stakeholders, according to the
perspectives of the Performance Prism model. The
following groups of stakeholders are identified and
discussed: university’s investors (funding bodies),
customers (students), employees (academic and
administrative), partners (from both private and public
sector), local communities and regulatory authorities.
Managing university’s relationships with its
investors
What investors want from an organization is return
of their investment, as well as numbers that accurately
reflect organization’s past financial and nonfinancial
performances, as well as its future perspectives. In
exchange, an organization wants from its investors
capital for satisfying its needs and support on the long
term (Neely et al., 2002).
All universities include in their strategic plans
strategies whose implementation needs investors’
capital and support: growth, cost optimization or capital
investments. In its relationship with investors, a
university should be able to develop a set of important
capabilities: market orientation, development of new
products and services, risk management, financial
control.
Romanian state higher education institutions are
financed by the Government, therefore a university’s
main investor is the Ministry of Education, Research,
Youth and Sports. National Council of Higher
Education Financing is a national consultative entity of
the Ministry that is responsible for developing policies
of distributing public funds among state Romanian
higher education institutions. The Council makes
proposals for the minister of education and research
regarding the financing needs of higher education, as
well as annual allocation of budgetary funds among
public higher education institutions in Romania
(CNFIS, 2009).
According to CNFIS (2009), state Romanian
universities receive two types of funding: base and
complementary. The methodology for funding
allocation includes 17 quality indicators, classified in
five major groups: academic staff, impact of scientific
research on teaching process, material base, university
management and permanent education.
Universities also try to identify and activate
commercial activities that do not break the compatibility
with the academic statute, in order to attract extra
budgetary funds, like consultancy or technological
transfer.
Managing university’s relationships with its
customers
A higher education institution’s customers are its
students, so the university should identify and fulfill
their needs and expectations at its best. Basically, the
institution must ensure that students get what they need
and want in terms of teaching quality and educational
support. In addition to a very high quality educational
offer, adapted to the requirements of the students and of
the labor market, universities must also offer students
social, cultural and sportive facilities. Therefore the
institution should focus on increasing the capacity and
comfort of its accommodation offer, including hostels,
canteens, sports club, cultural activities and others.
In order to satisfy both its needs and its students’
needs, the institution should try to attract a larger
number of students, as well as to retain its current
students. These objectives can be achieved through
some strategies, like extending and renewing the
educational offer of products and services, attracting
new students for the educational offer and retaining
current students through satisfying their wants and
needs at a very high level.
If these strategies are taken into account, then the
education institution needs some particular processes. A
first process refers to the development of products and
services. The institution must develop a sufficiently
wide range of products and services, ensuring that will
satisfy the desired number of new, current and former
students. University’s products and services are
represented by the educational offer, including forms of
 Performance prism framework in higher education institutions
long-term or short-term education, postgraduate studies
or doctoral studies. The university’s offer could also
include various research centers, specialized on distinct
disciplines. Another process involved in managing
customers (students) relationships refers to demand
generation, which is strongly related to the university’s
ability of developing and offering faculties,
departments, specializations that are demanded by
students. In this process, the university’s marketing
resources play a very important role.
For a successful execution of the processes involved
in customer relationships, the academic institution
should develop and nurture capabilities in the following
areas: marketing research, product and service
development, marketing campaigns, quality
management, customer relationship management, brand
management.
Managing university’s relationships with its
employees
A higher education institution’s human resources
include academic staff and administrative staff.
Employees have several needs that expect to be fulfilled
by their employer. Firstly, they want to have a purpose
in the organization, meaning they would like to have an
interesting job, that makes them feel proud, with a
reasonable level of stress and enough variety for them
not to become bored. Next, the employees want their
employer to care about them, to treat them with respect
and fairness and to do their jobs in a comfortable and
pleasant environment. Other important aspects for
employees are the skills they can develop by doing their
job and the compensation package (Neely et al., 2002).
On the other hand, the employer wants an adequate
number of employees, large enough to allow the
organization to successfully run its activities and
achieve its goals. Employers also want loyal employees,
that have a constructive and positive attitude, good
abilities of working in a team, and that will recommend
the institution as a good employer.
The strategies in the field of human resources that
will contribute in satisfying both organization’s and
employees’ needs refer to recruitment of best
candidates, especially the academic ones, retention of
key employees, consolidation of the organizational
culture. The institution will need processes specific for
human resources management. The competences that an
organization should develop for ensuring a good
relationship with its employees refer to: development of
employees’ skills, recruitment standards, organizational
values, attractive compensation packages, practices for
safety and health, for ethics, for employees’ evaluation
and promotion.
In measuring its relationship with employees, the
institution will firstly refer to measures of employees’
satisfaction. The employee’s satisfaction level will be
monitored (his satisfaction regarding working place,
human resource policies, compensation package,
training courses, and so on), as well as employee’s
21
dissatisfaction level. Employees’ contribution will be
measured in terms of results per employee, absenteeism
rate, employee’s willingness to recommend the
organization as a good employer, feedback related to
training courses.
Managing university’s relationships with its partners
A higher education institution is interested in
establishing, maintaining and developing partnerships
with a various range of external partners. Through such
a partnership, university can get access to resources or
capabilities that it can not develop at its internal level, or
would cost to much to acquire. These resources, like
high technologies or particular skills, have a high
contribution to the improvement of university’s
performance for various activities. Higher education
institutions and their partners can jointly develop new
products and service, highly useful for both the
university and its partners, as well as for the social and
economic environment. University’s partnerships can
also contribute to increasing institution’s reputation and
visibility in the national and international context.
Establishing relationships with partners represents
an important strategy for all higher education
institutions. This strategy’s implementation require
specific processes like mechanisms of strategic alliances
or measurement of partnership’s performance.
A higher education institution is interested in
developing strategic partnerships with other universities
at both national and international level. At research
level, universities join their efforts for large scale
projects, which require significant material and human
resources. An example of partnerships at educational
level is the agreement between universities regarding
students exchange.
Partnerships with important companies from the
business environment contribute to the absorption of
graduate students on the labor market, to the transfer of
consultancy, knowledge, skills and technical assistance
or to the dissemination of specific information, to name
just some of the benefits university – companies
relationship can bring.
Managing university’s relationships with
communities
Higher education institutions must clearly provide
evidence of their performance’s social dimension as
they have a responsibility towards the community in
which they activate. Recently, many Romanian higher
education institutions started to include in their annual
operational plans the development of social
responsibility strategies and the annual publication of
social responsibility reports.
Communities rely on both corporations and
institutions from public service domain to offer jobs at
the local level, therefore universities can be seen as
great local employers, as an university’s personnel
22 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
needs are quite demanding for both its academic and
administrative staffs. Universities are also expected to
adopt a loyal, transparent and responsible behavior in
their relationships with communities.
On the other hand, universities also have some
expectations from the communities in which they are
located. A higher education institution will need
community’s competences and services for successfully
executing its activities. Universities also need
community’s help for creating and consolidating
institution’s favorable image, which should be based on
its good reputation. An institution having a strong
positive image among the community will help the
university to attract more students and more employees.
Regarding university – community relationship, a
possible strategy which a higher education can adopt
regarding its involvement in the community is based on
the university’s vision of development and growth in the
geographic area in which resides. That is why many
Romanian universities include in their operational plans
activities regarding institution’s inclusion in the city’s,
county’s and region’s development strategies.
In relation with this strategy, the necessary related
processes will be those referring to establishing relations
with local community and planning requirements for
local resources and infrastructure. University’s
capabilities in this field will necessarily have to include
those of developing relations with local government and
community influencers and leaders.
Managing university’s relationships with regulatory
authorities
Regulatory bodies for higher education primarily
exist for ensuring that academic institutions conform to
the laws, so a first need of regulator authorities that
universities must satisfy is to comply with the legal
requirements, both Romanian and European. Next,
universities are required to act in a fair manner and to
tell the truth about all their activities.
In what concerns universities’ needs and wants from
regulator bodies (their contribution), it can be said that
higher education institutions want a clear and
transparent legislation, based on justified reasons.
Universities do not want laws that are subject to
interpretability and confusion, as in order to clarify them
they will lose precious time and money.
Strategies regarding an university’s relationships
with the regulator bodies in the field of higher education
usually refer to regulatory compliance, and the typical
related processes will refer to policies implementation,
management of conformity programs, or preparation
and regulation for future legislation. Universities must
improve their capabilities focused on developing
relations with regulatory authorities, employee training,
conformance audits.
Ministry of Education, Research, Youth and Sport is
the Romanian regulator authority for national education,
being responsible for elaboration, coordination and
application of national higher educational policies. In
exercising its attributions, the Ministry relies on the
support of national expert groups and advisory bodies.
The National Council of Scientific Research in
Higher Education (CNCSIS) represents the interface
between the Ministry of Education, Research, Youth
and Sport, and the Romanian academic scientific
community. Its main attributions fall in the fields of
funding allocation for research in universities and
scientific research performance evaluation.
The National Council for Higher Education
Financing (CNFIS) has the responsibility of developing
allocation methods of public funds among Romanian
state universities.
Romanian higher education’s quality, both at the
study programs and institutional levels, is externally
evaluated by the Romanian Agency for Quality
Assurance in Higher Education (ARACIS). Its main
attributions are in the fields of higher education
institutions’ accreditation and quality assurance.
All these regulator authorities monitor specific sets
of performance indicators and universities should do
their best for obtaining best results for all monitored
indicators.
CONCLUSIONS
The Performance Prism managerial and
measurement instrument was presented in the context of
higher education institutions’ performance. By applying
the first two perspectives of the prism, the needs and the
contributions of the following groups of a university’s
stakeholders were identified: funding bodies, current
and prospective students, academic and administrative
staffs, strategic partners, local communities and
regulatory authorities. The remaining three perspectives
of the instrument refer to the strategies, processes and
capabilities needed for satisfying both stakeholders’ and
institution’s own needs and expectations.
References
1. Marr, B. (2008),” What is a Balanced Scorecard?”
Management White Paper, The Advanced Performance Institute.
6. Meyer, M. (2007), “Finding performance: the new discipline in
management”, in: A. Neely (ed.), Business performance
measurement: unifying theory and integrating practice, second
edition, Cambridge University Press, New York, 113-124.
7. Neely, A., Adams, C., Kennerley, M. (2002), The Performance
Prism: The Scorecard for Measuring and Managing Business
Success, Financial Times, Prentice-Hall, London.
8. Srikanthan, G. and Dalrymple, J.F.(2007), “A conceptual
overview of a holistic model for quality in higher education”,
International Journal of Educational Management, 21(3), 173-193.
9. *** *** National Council of Higher Education Financing
(2009), available from http://www.cnfis.ro/ ( accessed March 23,
2010).
10. *** National Council for Scientific Research in Higher
Education (2010), available from http://www.cncsis.ro/ (accessed
March 23, 2010).
11. *** Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher
Education, available from http://www.aracis.ro/ (accessed March
23, 2010)/
Acknowledgement
This work was supported by CNCSIS –UEFISCSU,
project number PNII – IDEI 770/2009
 UNIVERSITY RANKING SYSTEMS AT GLOBAL, EUROPEAN AND ROMANIAN
LEVELS

Silvia AVASILCĂI1, Adriana BODEA2, Laura BACALI3

1
The „Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iaşi, Faculty of Textiles, Leather and Industrial Management, Department of
Management and Production Systems Engineering, avasilcai@yahoo.com
2
Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Faculty of Machine Building, Department of Management and Systems Engineering,
adrianabodea2003@yahoo.com
3
Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Faculty of Machine Building, Department of Management and Systems Engineering,
bacali.laura@gmail.com

The present paper attempts to give an overview on main university ranking systems recognized globally, at European level and in
Romania. The paper presents and compares the most recent rankings (2009 editions) of two global university ranking systems:
Shanghai Jiao Tong University Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) and Times Higher Education Supplement (THES).
Next, in the context of European higher education institutions ranking systems, the CHE system is presented, as many academicians
and specialists around the globe consider it to be interestingly different from the previous two ranking systems, from a methodological
point of view. The paper continues by presenting some Romanian aspects and initiatives related to university rankings.

Keywords: higher education, university ranking, performance

governmental bodies, university employees, higher

WHY ARE UNIVERSITIES RANKING SYSTEMS
IMPORTANT?
Since their birth in the 1980s, when U.S. News
published the first ranking of American universities,
higher education institutions ranking systems have come
a long way. Initially developed with the aim of
measuring nearly all of a nation’s universities one
against another (Usher and Savino, 2007), when higher
education institutions started facing the challenges of
globalization and internationalization, the national
rankings lead to development of global university
rankings, which quickly became a global phenomenon.
Although the global rankings are much criticized and
surrounded by intense debate, the fact is that they “are
here to stay” (Marginson and van der Wende, 2007) and
university stakeholders should try to make the best use
of them.
According to International Ranking Expert Group
(2006), the main purposes of university ranking systems
are: enhancing competition between higher education
institutions; allowing various stakeholders to easily
understand and interpret universities standing; and
providing some of the rationale for funding allocation
among universities.
Based on a comparison of 17 higher education
ranking systems and league tables from around the
world, regarding their methodologies for collecting
necessary data, selecting and weighting of indicators,
Usher and Savino (2007) conclude that these systems
significantly differ in what concerns the university
performance dimensions they measure and how they
measure them and their definition of what quality
represents in higher education institutions (Usher and
Savino, 2007, p.32).
Thakur (2007) debates on the effects university
ranking systems have on various groups of university
stakeholders (potential students and their parents,
education policy makers, local communities) and
advises them to be cautious when comparing higher
education institutions based on ranking systems, and to
treat results “as suggestive rather than definitive”
(Thakur, 2007, p.93).
In this context of university ranking systems rapid
emergence and dissemination, in May 2006, at Berlin,
the International Ranking Expert Group (IREG)
developed the Berlin Principles on Ranking of Higher
Education Institutions, “a set of principles of quality and
good practice in higher education institution
rankings”(IREG, 2006) that university rankings and
league tables should follow.
UNIVERSITY RANKING SYSTEMS AT GLOBAL
LEVEL
The two university ranking systems currently used at
global level are Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) and
Times Higher Education Supplement (THES), which are
often viewed as being in direct competition one with
another.
The Academic Ranking of World Universities was
developed in China, at Shanghai Jiao Tong University.
First published in 2003, ARWU became one of the most
powerful ranking systems for universities from the
entire world.
The methodology used by ARWU for ranking
universities is based on four criteria: quality of
education, quality of faculty, research output and per
capita performance (Academic Ranking of World
Universities, Ranking Methodology, 2009). These four
criteria are further developed into six research or
academic performance indicators, each of them having a
distinct weight in the final score. For each of the
indicators, the higher academic institution which scores
the highest is assigned a score of 100; the other
24 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

institutions scores will be determined as a percentage of According to ARWU, the top ten universities of the
the top score. world include 8 higher education institutions from USA
The methodology used by Times Higher Education and 2 universities from UK: University of Cambridge,
Supplement (THES) is quite different than the one used considered the fourth best university in the world, and
by ARWU. At its first edition in 2004, the methodology University of Oxford, which ranks on the 10th position.
supporting THES ranking stated that a leading higher Not only that THES ranking includes four institutions
education institution should be based on four pillars: from UK among the best ten universities of the world,
“high quality research, high quality teaching, high but the UK universities score significantly better in this
graduate employability and an international outlook” top, compared with ARWU ranking.
(Baty, 2009). Another significant difference can be noticed
Table 1: Top ten universities of the world according to the Academic Ranking
regarding the overall scores assigned to each university
of World Universities, 2009 edition included in the top ten ranking. While both ARWU and
Rank Higher education Total Country THES recognize Harvard University as the best
institution score university in the world, and assign to it a total score of
1 Harvard University 100.0 USA 100.0 points, the scores obtained for the other
2 Stanford University 73.1 USA institutions included in the top ten universities are quite
3 University of California, 71.0 USA
different. Stanford University, the second best
Berkeley
4 University of Cambridge 70.2 UK university in the world according to ARWU, had an
5 Massachusetts Institute of 69.5 USA overall score of 73.1, which is quite far from the 100
Technology (MIT) points obtained by the leader Harvard. Obviously, the
6 California Institute of 64.8 USA scores determined for the other universities are in a
Technology decreasing order; for instance, University of Oxford,
7 Columbia University 61.7 USA which ranked on the 10th place, had a score of 56.3,
8 Princeton University 60.2 USA almost half of Harvard’s overall score. On the other
9 University of Chicago 57.0 USA hand, the best ten universities ranked by THES
10 University of Oxford 56.3 UK
methodology obtained much closer scores; California
Institute of Technology, occupying the 10th position,
Table 2: Top ten universities of the world according to the Times Higher obtained an overall score of 95.9, given that Harvard
Education Supplement, 2009 edition
was again the leader of the ranking, with 100 points
Rank Higher education Total Country
institution score assigned to it.
1 Harvard University 100.0 USA The general perception of the two most famous
2 University of Cambridge 99.6 UK university rankings is that ARWU focuses on
3 Yale University 99.1 USA institutions scientific research performance and pays
4 University College 99.0 UK little attention to the educational dimension, favoring
London universities particularly strong in the sciences fields,
5= Imperial College London 97.8 UK “comprehensive enough to amass strong research
5= University of Oxford 97.8 UK performance over a broad range of fields … and from
7 University of Chicago 96.8 USA English-language nations” (Marginson and van der
8 Princeton University 96.6 USA
Wende, 2007, p. 311), while THES’ main focus is
9 Massachusetts Institute of 96.1 USA
Technology (MIT) university’s reputational performance, neglecting to
10 California Institute of 95.9 USA some extent the scientific dimension and favoring the
Technology best known higher education institutions from many
countries (Marginson and van der Wende, 2007, p.312).
Tables 1 and 2 present the ten best universities of the After analyzing each criteria included in the ranking
world according to the 2009 editions of ARWU and methodology for each of the two ranking systems,
THES rankings respectively. By comparing universities debating on the advantages and shortcomings of each
rankings, it can be easily noticed that there are only two performance criteria, Taylor and Braddock (2007,
institutions that preserve their ranks in both tops; these p.252, 255) conclude that THES is a poor university
are Harvard University, which is considered the best ranking system, while ARWU system, far from being
university in the world by both ranking systems, and perfect, “is clearly superior to the THES ranking
Princeton University, occupying the 8th position in both system”.
rankings. Moreover, 7 out of the ten best universities
according to ARWU appear in THES ranking, but their UNIVERSITY RANKING SYSTEMS AT
ranks differ considerably. The most significant EUROPEAN LEVEL
discrepancies appear for Stanford University, which is
the second best university in the world after Harvard, In the 2009 edition of ARWU ranking, only two
according to ARWU, but ranks only on the 16th position European universities were included among the best
in THES ranking. ARWU places University of twenty universities in the world, while the remaining 17
California on the third position, but this institution were from USA and one university from the Asia/
occupies only rank 32 in THES top of universities. Pacific region. Further, Europe had 32 institutions in top
University ranking systems at global, European and Romanian levels
100 (while America had 59) and 208 universities in the
top 500 (ARWU 2009).
When speaking about the European university
ranking systems, a number of papers allocate a special
place for the CHE ranking, developed in Germany by
the Centre for Higher Education Development (CHE)
and published annually in the German news magazine
“Die Zeit”. In opposition with ARWU or THES
rankings, which calculate an overall score for each
institution and then rank the universities in the
decreasing order of their scores, CHE ranking relies on
the belief that the large number of various criteria used
for assessing universities cannot be aggregated in the
form of a single composite indicator and that
comparison and hierarchy of universities is possible
only for a particular dimension, and therefore, no
university can be considered as being the best in a
general ranking system. Instead, CHE looks more like a
rating system. This methodology obviously leads to
different rankings of universities, according to the
criteria considered for their comparison (CHE Ranking,
2010).
In June 2009, the Consortium for Higher Education
and Research Performance Assessment (CHERPA) won
European Commission’s tender for developing and
testing a new multi-dimensional global ranking of
higher education institutions. The new ranking model
will respect the Berlin Principles for ranking higher
education institutions and is expected to overcome the
drawbacks of the existent international university
ranking systems, like ARWU and THES (Centre for
Higher Education Development, 2009). New ranking’s
launch is scheduled for 2011.
ROMANIAN UNIVERSITIES RANKING
SYSTEMS
Top of Romanian universities developed by Ad Astra
Association of Romanian Researchers
The first ranking of Romanian higher education
institutions was developed by Ad Astra Association of
Romanian Researchers. The methodology used by Ad
Astra was based on the scientific work published by the
universities’ academic staff in scientific journals which
enjoy international recognition and were indexed by ISI
Web of Science in 2005 and 2006 (Ad Astra, 2007).
The main drawback of Ad Astra’s ranking system
resides in the fact that is based just on scientific
performance evaluation, not taking into account other
factors that strongly contribute to a higher education
institution’s performance (Ad Astra, 2007).
By comparing the Ad Astra’s university rankings
from 2006 and 2007 editions, it can be easily noticed
that the same higher education Romanian institutions
made their way to the first five positions of the top in
each of the two years considered. Moreover, these
institutions preserved their order in 2006 and 2007,
except University of Bucharest and the “Babeş-Bolyai”
University of Cluj-Napoca, which interchanged the
25
second and third position. In both editions, the best
Romanian university was the “Alexandru Ioan Cuza”
University of Iaşi, and the institutions occupying the 4th
and 5th positions were Politehnica University of
Bucharest and the “Gheorghe Asachi” University of
Iaşi, respectively.
In 2006, prior to Romania’s adherence to European
Union, the Ad Astra Association had a notable initiative
of estimating the scientific performance of Romanian
higher education institutions, according to the
methodology used for Shanghai ranking 2005 edition, in
which no Romanian university was included.
According to the results (Florian, 2006), the top five
Romanian universities that obtained the best estimated
scores were University of Bucharest (4,09), the “Babeş-
Bolyai” University of Cluj-Napoca (3,96), Politehnica
University of Bucharest (3,66), “Alexandru Ioan Cuza”
University of Iaşi (3,25) and “Gheorghe Asachi”
Technical University of Iaşi (2,44). The estimations
revealed that even the institution considered the best
Romanian university, University of Bucharest, which
obtained the highest score – 4,09, had a long journey
ahead before being included in the Shanghai ranking of
500 best universities in the world, as the lowest score of
a university included in the 2005 edition of Shanghai
ranking was 8,22 (Florian, 2006). Four years later, in
2010, nothing changed much. Not one Romanian higher
education institution managed to be included among the
500 best universities worldwide, despite the fact that
many of the Romanian universities recognize the
importance of being part of such a ranking. Therefore,
some Romanian higher education institutions include in
their strategic plans the goal of being included by
ARWU in the top of 500 best universities of the world.
For instance, the “Babes-Bolyai” University of Cluj-
Napoca launched in March 2006 a program called
“UBB500”, which included many improvement
initiatives in the field of the university scientific
research and educational performance, and whose end
goal is to promote the university among the best 500
universities according to ARWU by 2012 (Agachi and
Bucur, 2007).
Romanian university ranking developed by Capital
magazine and Kienbaum Consulting
The most recent ranking of Romanian higher
education institutions was conducted by Romanian
Capital magazine and Kienbaum Human Resource &
Management Consulting and published in September
2009. The study covered two main modules: one for
employers and one for graduates and students.
The participants for the first module were 35
national and international employers/companies, who
were asked to rank state and private Romanian higher
education institutions by their educational content,
which included the following dimensions: theory,
practice-orientation, language skills and international
experience. According to the overall ranking results
(Capital and Kienbaum, 2009), the top five universities
26 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
in Romania are: the “Babeş-Bolyai” University of Cluj-
Napoca (1), the University of Bucharest (2),
“Transilvania” University of Braşov (3), “Ştefan cel
Mare” University of Suceava (4) and “Lucian Blaga”
University of Sibiu (5).
The study’s second module had 3.131
students/graduates as participants. They were asked to
answer questions regarding various aspects of university
educational content, business focus, university
environment, quality of university administration,
corruption in higher academic environment and career
options (Capital and Kienbaum, 2009).
Some of the study’s results reveal that although most
of the respondents are satisfied (50.80%) or very
satisfied (18.51%) regarding the theoretical education
they receive in the universities, they are unsatisfied or
very unsatisfied in what concerns the international
experience (32.98% / 35.53%) and language skills
(34.78% / 21.12%) offered by the university (Capital
and Kienbaum, 2009).
Strategic projects for Romanian higher education
system
In 2009, the Romanian Ministry of Education
Research and Innovation launched five strategic projects
regarding Romanian higher education system, all of
them being financed by the European Social Fund,
Sectoral Operational Program for Human Resources
Development 2007-2013 (SOP HRD).
One of the five strategic programs is “Quality and
Leadership for Romanian Higher Education – charting
the future of our society”, whose main goal is to
develop a vision and a strategy for the Romanian higher
education sector.
The project has four specific objectives; the fourth
specific objective consists in developing a
methodological framework for Romanian universities’
institutional differentiation. In order to reach this goal,
several activities were planned. The first activity was
carried out between March and August 2009, and was in
charge to make a critical analysis of international
practices regarding higher education institution’s
evaluation, differentiation and benchmarking. The last
activity planned for this objective consists in
formulating strategic recommendations and proposing
an official document regarding universities
differentiation, which is scheduled for September 2011.
The process of Romanian universities’ institutional
differentiation is supposed to lead to a growth in
Romanian higher education institutions’ visibility both
at external and internal levels. It is believed that
institutional differentiation will put more pressure on
universities, leading to the accession (at least of some of
them) in university international rankings, like ARWU.
It is also considered that in the current conditions, of
intense competition in the European and global
educational markets, and of internalization of higher
education, Romanian universities require a branding
process, and acceding in international rankings can
certainly contribute to strengthening a university’s
brand (Quality and Leadership for Romanian Higher
Education, 2009).
References
1. Academic Ranking of World Universities (2009), Academic
Ranking of World Universities – 2009, available from
http://www.arwu.org/ARWU2009.jsp (accessed April 1, 2010).
2. Ad Astra Association of Romanian Researchers (2006), “Top of
universities in Romania, 2006”, available from http://www.ad-
astra.ro/universitati/clasamentul_universitatilor_2006.pdf (accessed
March 27, 2010).
3. Ad Astra Association of Romanian Researchers (2007), “Top of
universities in Romania, 2007”, available from http://www.ad-
astra.ro/universitati/clasamentul_universitatilor_2007.pdf (accessed
March 27, 2010).
4. Agachi, P.Ş. and Bucur, I. (2009), “UBB 500 Program of Babeş-
Bolyai University”, Quality Assurance Review for Higher Education,
1(2), 156-163.
5. Baty, P. (2009), “World University Rankings 2009. Rankings 09:
Talking points”, available from
http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=408562
(accessed April 1, 2010).
6. Capital magazine and Kienbaum Human Resource &
Management Consulting (2009), “Romania University Ranking”,
available from http://www.capital.ro/usr/imagini/0-37835-
studiev10.pdf (accessed March 27, 2010).
7. Centre for Higher Education Development (2009), “The
CHERPA-Network wins a European tender to develop a multi-
dimensional global ranking of universities”, available from
http://www.che-
ranking.de/cms/?getObject=302&getNewsID=983&getCB=309&get
Lang=en (accessed April 1, 2010).
8. Centre for Higher Education Development (2010), “CHE
University Ranking”, available from http://www.che-
ranking.de/cms/?getObject=644&getLang=en (accessed April 2,
2010).
9. Florian, R. (2006), “Universităţile din România şi clasamentul
Shanghai” (“Universities from Romania and Shanghai ranking”),
Journal of Ad Astra Association of Romanian researchers, 5, available
from http://www.ad-astra.ro/journal/8/florian_shanghai_romania.pdf
(accessed March 27, 2010).
10. International Observatory (2006), “Berlin Principles on
Ranking of Higher Education Institutions”, available from
http://www.ireg-
observatory.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=41&
Itemid=48 (accessed April 1, 2010)
11. Marginson, S. and van der Wende, M. (2007), “To rank or
to be ranked: the impact of global rankings in higher education”,
Journal of Studies in International Education, 11(3/4), 306-329.
12. Quality and Leadership for Romanian Higher Education,
available from http://www.edu2025.ro/about-the-
project/presentation.aspx (accessed April 1, 2010).
13. Taylor, P. and Braddock, R. (2007), “International
university ranking systems and the idea of university excellence”,
Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 29(3), 245-260.
14. Thakur, M. (2007), “The impact of ranking systems on
higher education and its stakeholders”, Journal of Institutional
Research, 13(1), 83-96.
15. Times Higher Education (2009), World Universities
Ranking 2009, available from
http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/hybrid.asp?typeCode=431&p
ubCode=1&navcode=148 (accessed April 1, 2010).
16. Usher, A. and Savino, M. (2007), “A Global Survey of
Rankings and League Tables”, in: College and University Ranking
Systems: Global Perspectives and American Challenges, Institute for
Higher Education Policy, 23-34.
Acknowledgement
This work was supported by CNCSIS –UEFISCSU,
project number PNII – IDEI 770/2009
 THE IMPACT OF ACADEMICS’ MOTIVATION ON THE QUALITY OF THE
EDUCATIONAL PROCESS

Bogdan BACANU1
1
“Transilvania” University of Brasov, email: b.bacanu@unitbv.ro

Abstract: The study discusses the effects that the shift in motivation of Romanian academic teaching staff has on the quality of the
educational process due to the emergence of legal changes related to the organizational environment. The topic refers to significant
theories of motivation, focusing on work motivation as discussed in the context specific to the university. The consequences related to
the change of the most usual factors of motivation are analyzed by means of a deductive approach, using reference correlations
identified decades ago; the same method is used for the effects triggered as regards the university management system.

interest due to the fact that universities are affected by

INTRODUCTION
The last decade can be distinguished due to the
numerous changes within the European education
system, including the Romanian one. These changes
reflected the concern of the society and of the political
decision makers to emphasize the positive role of
education in the general well-being, but also to adapt the
education process to the individuals’ contemporary
needs, associated with the present-day development. At
European level, there is a major concern about
successfully coping with the competition coming from
the other poles, USA and Asia, involved in the global
development of this field, and also about harmonizing
the national systems of the countries which are members
of the European Union.
Significant efforts have been made in Romania in
order to update the educational system by aligning it
with the European standards and with the requirements
of the new public management, given the spectacular
change in the socio-political and economic paradigm
taking place at the level of the whole society. The
particular conditions that make the change extremely
difficult are amplified by the major economic crisis
which started in 2008. In this context, the concern for a
competitive management of the human resources system
is justified by the experience of the past, but also by the
experience of other countries, which are to be
considered as models to follow.
At global and European level, the impact of the
aforementioned changes on the motivation of the
teaching staff represents a topic of research, taking into
account that, according to the general opinion, their
interest in education has decreased, just like the
students’ interest, the result being represented by a
negative influence on the quality of the educational
process. The stakes raised depend on finding a solution
in order to reverse this negative trend.
This issue is visible and of great concern in
Romania, especially at university level. The Romanian
university environment has been more troubled than the
pre-university one, and even than similar European
university environments, being defined by significant
modifications of legal regulations. The year 2010 is of
two new legal regulations, the unitary wage law in the
public budget system and the law of education, which
bring forward certain mechanisms that are essential for
the teachers’ motivation. The analysis of the effects on
the organizational performance, the quality of the
educational process included, appears as an approach
imposed by the elementary logic of the management
process.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Beginning with the observation that the university is
a public organization in most of the European countries,
the results of the research on the motivation of members
belonging to this type of organizations can be utilized as
a starting point for this discussion. An important
number of the reference elements, some created few
decades ago, are associated with the great names
involved in the topic of motivation. Certain studies
focused on teaching staff from numerous countries add
up to these elements, suggesting the importance of the
matter.
The existence of a positive correlation between the
students’ motivation and that of the teachers is
considered more clearly connected to this area of study
(de Jesus and Abreu, 1994). But the different studies
made in the EU countries, such as Sylvia and
Hutchinson (1985), start from the idea that the teacher’s
motivation is on a “negative slope”. So the importance
of this subject may be deduced from the more and more
frequent discussions concerning the quality of the
educational system and the positive correlations
between the performance of the national educational
system and the general performances of the state.
The research on the internet shows that there are
numerous studies concerning teacher motivation, not
only in the USA, Great Britain or France, but also in
small countries of the EU, such as Portugal or Finland,
or in other countries in Africa, Asia or Latin America.
The main point of the commonly approved theories
which are used within organizations is that they
concentrate on employees’ financial motivation. The
original idea was coined a century ago by Taylor
(1911). Despite many decades of controversial
28 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
discussion on the role of money as motivator, some
recent studies (ex. Horwitz et al, 2003) find that a highly
competitive pay package, with performance incentives,
seemed to be more important for attracting employees
than other motivators.
Frederick Herzberg’s motivation theory also states
that employees’ satisfaction is associated with non-
monetary or intrinsic factors such as achievement,
recognition, personal growth and the characteristics of
the work. The intrinsic factors motivate the employee.
Similarly, dissatisfying or extrinsic factors such as
company policies, salary, relations with co-workers or
supervisors and job security etc. renders the employee
less motivated.
A challenging work environment and support of the top
management represents a very high motivator (Horwitz
et al, 2003). The ineffective practices may be potential
dissatifiers and may not motivate intrinsically
(Herzberg, 1966). Collective bargaining is one variant
of participation (Porter and Miles, 1974). It has been
further stated by Porter and Miles (1974) that
participation would contribute positively to motivation.
Sector differences as regards performance rewards,
procedural constraints and goal content may influence
work motivation directly.
Higher employee motivation leads to greater
employee creativity, productivity and discretionary
effort which, in turn, lead to improved organization
performance.
METHODOLOGY
The study is based on the idea of causal relation
between motivation and the quality of work, considering
that a direct correlation is logically associated with the
content of the concepts. The study also considers the
fact that the aforementioned correlation has been
emphasized by numerous empirical studies developed in
various types of organizations. This correlation is valid
in universities as well, the most common form
associated to it, considered as demonstrated, being that
„motivated teachers have a positive effect on the
educational process”.
From a dynamic perspective, the consequences of
modifying a set of motivating factors related to teachers
are of great interest. The study is particularized for
Romanian universities, which represent a subclass
belonging to the set of organizations for which the
aforesaid relation exists, under conditions that do not
essentially differentiate the context where the studied
process evolves. The dynamics of the Romanian
particular situation is generated by a set of significant
changes, which have an effect on the motivational
system.
In the case of the universities, the analysis of the
impact related to the modification of variables, which
can be predicted to be the causes in a relation
considered as demonstrated, is based on a deductive
approach. The validity of the reasoning results are
discussed in the light of certain elements, generated by
case studies related to the university system and having
a longitudinal nature, and in the light of certain relations
belonging to executives in the system or to independent
experts.
On the basis of the relations identified by reviewing
the literature associated with motivation, one can
identify the variables whose monitoring is significant
and which can undergo important modifications due to
the legal changes which take place in the Romanian
environment. If they had a major impact in previous
cases, pointed out by empirical or explanatory studies
for the state of facts in other countries, there is a high
probability for the effects to be the same in Romania.
The great probability becomes certitude if there are
already signals which predict a known effect, which is
expected according to the reasoning exposed in the
study.
ROMANIAN FACTS
The first major legal element which may generate a
change in teacher motivation is the so-called “unitary
wage law”, related to the employees belonging to public
organizations. Such a law sets a relative positioning of
the various categories of public employees depending
on the institution they belong to, and settles the limits
between which a certain organization may negotiate
salary agreements, in fact the limits of the particular
relation between employer and employee. More subtly,
this law defines an economic relation between the state
and a public institution and, finally, it models the
economic conduct of a private organization. This
conduct will implicitly model the attitude of the
organization towards quality and also the so-called
orientation towards the client.
In addition, the Romanian law related to the
aforementioned category includes, explicitly or
implicitly, a series of elements that may become an
object of analysis, guided by the concepts associated
with the present-day theory of motivation and by the
practice of the public organizations.
The first issue to be discussed is the inclusion of
Romanian universities in the category of institutions for
which the mentioned law is applicable. A problem
appears due to the fact that the state budgets the student
and not the academic staff, and an increasing number of
students are currently paying their studies entirely, as
well as connected services. In this manner, an economic
behaviour associated with the incomes is encouraged.
The law has however an opposite effect on salaries.
Incomes can be increased if the quality or the volume of
„production” can be improved, in other words if the
number of students and the assignable tuition fees are
increased. As this fact may become possible provided
there is a sharing of the profit with the one who
generates it, it follows that the reduction of possibilities
to motivate the teachers will have negative effects from
the point of view related to the economic rationality.
The anti-entrepreneurial approach is more obvious,
due to the fact that the previous legal approach offered
The Impact of Academics’ Motivation on The Quality of The Educational Process
the university the possibility to choose the basic level of
the remuneration system, between x and 2x. Conversely,
between the years 2009 and 2010, the ministry of
education interfered administratively in decisions
related to salaries at organization level, diminishing the
academics’ salaries. All the mentioned aspects lead to
setting the expected reward in a less favourable area
than the one associated with the previous situation, the
result consisting in the effects described by Vroom
(1964).
Strictly from the point of view related to human
resources, the legal regulations we referred to reduce the
opportunities to negotiate the rewards, a fact that,
according to Hertzberg (1966), has a demotivating
effect on pursuing the economic performance and,
consequently, on quality. From the responsibility point
of view, a motivating factor indicated in several
significant theories, the effect is the restriction of the
area associated with university managers.
Another important issue to be analyzed is
represented by the academics’ relative positioning on
the general salary scale related to public servants. This
fact can be interpreted by referring to the theories
devised by Maslow (1954), Hertzberg (1966), Argyris
(1960) or McClelland (1961). If the new positioning
proves a negative evolution, then the needs related to
the superior area of Maslow’s hierarchy are not fulfilled
and recognition, one of the main motivational factors
according to Hertzberg, is questioned.
If the absolute level of salary is considered, then, in
the case of assistants and lecturers, this calls into
question even the fulfilment of needs associated with
the first stage in Maslow’s hierarchy, emerging as a
dissatisfaction-inducing hygiene factor, according to
Hertzberg.
The law also changes the criteria of importance
related to one’s professional progress and promotion,
bringing the management positioning in the forefront
instead of the didactic one. In this manner, the effort to
obtain a position in the administrative hierarchy is
encouraged to the prejudice of the professional
accomplishment as a professor and researcher. The
concern about the fulfilment of the requirements coming
from those who determine a certain individual’s
administrative position may become more important
than the concern about the fulfilment of the client’s
needs, be it a student or a research beneficiary. In the
total quality management (TQM) terms, this shift of
interest represents a diminution of quality.
There is also the possibility to analyze the restriction
related to the set of financial reward instruments and to
the choice of a certain orientation which will encourage
the competition for management positions as having a
positive impact on quality by increasing the number of
standardized procedures related to the instruction and
the formalization of certain processes. However, there
are no substantial enough reasons to identify a positive
correlation between the standardization and decrease of
rewards and the standardization of processes, supposing
the latter represent an improvement of quality. On the
29
other hand, a “boss-oriented behaviour” cannot be
considered as a substitute for the client-oriented one. It
rather seems to be the sign of a negative tendency,
because different competences will prevail instead of
the ones which are essential for the educational process
and the expert type leadership.
A major modification of context, with an impact on
the motivation in Romanian universities, is produced by
establishing a new statute for the teaching staff. This
statute changes the university management system
especially from the point of view of the manner of
empowering faculty and university managers, deans and
rectors, or other executives having a direct relation with
them. In association with this major modification, other
transformations are to be produced, in order to generate
a “corporate style” management in universities.
Even if the intention seems to be positive, the main
question is whether the university, especially the
Romanian one, can and is advisable to adopt the
behaviour of a profit-oriented organization. Supposing
the answer is affirmative, the issue of the impact on the
educational process quality emerges and, in the
Romanian context, the issue of adjusting this new
behaviour to the existing regulations established for
public organizations, especially to the “unitary wage
law”.
In principle, the corporate governance and the profit
orientation of a certain organization supposes that this
organization tends to innovate and to gain a higher
degree of freedom in comparison with a public
organization. However, it was previously argued that the
new “unitary wage law” has a restrictive effect on the
behaviour and management of the university, and
consequently an essential contradiction emerges
between the two regulation directions.
On the other hand, a university is, due to its nature, a
so called “professional bureaucracy” (Mintzberg, 1979),
having characteristics which are significantly different
from those specific to corporate organizations, which
could be identified as „mechanic bureaucracies” or
possibly an “entrepreneurial organization”. The
coordination mechanisms are based on the
standardization of qualifications, whose consequence is
the autonomy of the individual and group work,
supported by superior competences and the innovative
approach of processes. Corporatism represents an
integration which is opposed to university autonomy.
The result of the respective modification is a
transformation of the external relation system belonging
to universities, but mainly of the internal relations at the
level of groups and individuals. The individual
organizational behaviour will change in order to gain an
orientation with commercial elements. If the university
becomes an organization with obvious commercial
interests, a similar orientation is expected at individual
level. The change of attitude, imposed de facto, also
requires a change in the reference system related to the
value associated with the educational process, and also a
change in the manner of setting temporal milestones.
30 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
The short term orientation becomes prevalent, and the
instability a basic characteristic of the organization.
The aforementioned elements affect the safety of the
position, the interpersonal relations, the quality of
supervision indirectly or directly by referring to hygiene
factors. They also impinge on the recognition or the
career plan, by referring to motivating factors, according
to Hertzberg (1966).
From a more general point of view, the modification
of the university statute represents a negative change in
the motivation of the academics, according to the main
classic theories in the field.
The change in the way university managers are
empowered represents „the top of the iceberg”, the
iceberg being a substantial institutional transformation
associated with the autonomous character of the
university. The old system reflected a fellow-like
formula of management, as the new one will represent
an empowerment from top to bottom, influenced by the
external stakeholders’ option. Their interests refer
doubtfully to the quality associated with the educational
process, which calls into question the beneficial
character of their decisional involvement.
The new manner of empowering managers and the
modification of the university decision mechanisms
represent a diminution of the academics involvement.
The group decision will lose ground to the individual
one, in the case of issues related to an educational
process based on voluntary cooperation and consensus.
In principle, it is expected that, according to the
corporate practice, the decisional process will prove a
deterioration of quality and the people in subordinate
positions will show resistance during the experimental
stage.
Paradoxically, the empowerment will probably
diminish, due to the fact that the setting of SMART
(specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, time-related)
objectives within universities is difficult and so is that
of the objectives related to quality, their qualitative
assumption being related to the collective system of
management. In the new situation, it will be difficult to
set individual objectives related to a certain
responsibility correlated with the new management
system. The deresponsibilization will have a
demotivating impact with effects on performance and
also on quality.
If the reaction of the university teaching staff
regarding the “unitary wage law” was insignificant, the
reaction generated by the law of education was
particularly clear. The national conference of rectors
voted unanimously against it, identifying a large number
of weak points, including those with a strong influence
on motivation. The rectors from Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca
and Iasi have frequently expressed their critical points
of view. The independent experts were relatively less
visible, being put in the shade by politicians and by
other problems of the educational system, generated by
the “unitary wage law”. The substantial argumentation
related to the motivational system has not raised the
public interest, and the lack of reaction at the system
level can be interpreted as a normal reaction, generated
by the need of safety. The worries related to jobs are
visible due to the insignificant reaction against the
diminution of financial rewards.
CONCLUSIONS
Even if the discussion related to motivation refers to
the usual elements of the most renowned theories, the
conclusions obviously belong to an area which
generates worries due to the expected negative results.
The legal modifications related to the operational
context of the Romanian universities have significant
effects on the work motivation of the academics. The
individual and organizational statute, the system of
rewards and a series of other factors of influence
discussed in the managerial literature are essentially
affected.
Even the discussion of the modifications with
reference to renowned theories of motivation suggests
its general deterioration, with substantial effects on the
work itself and on the re-orientation of the individual
interest. The negative consequences on work are
translated into the diminution of the educational process
quality, due to the main role of the academics in
defining the education level.
Taking into account the fact that the change
analyzed involves professors who should know the
usual theories of motivation, one is surprised by the
manner in which the causal relations underlined by the
present study and by any study focusing on the relation
context-motivation-work-process quality are ignored.
References
1. Argyris, C. (1960), Understanding Organizational Behaviour,
Dorsey Press, Homewood, IL.
2. de Jesus, S.N., Abreu, M.V. (1994) ”Study of Teachers′
Motivation: To Motivate Students by the Theory of Planned
Behavior”, paper at „23rd International Congress of Applied
Psychology” Madrid, Spain, 17-22 July, from:
http://eric.ed.gov/.../Ed400235
3. Hertzberg, F. (1966), Work and the Nature of Man, World Publ,
Cleveland, OH.
4. Horwitz, F.M. and Heng, C.T. and Quazi, H.A. (2003), "Finders,
Keepers? Attracting, Motivating and Retaining Knowledge Workers",
Human Resource Management Journal, 13(4), pp. 23-44(22)
5. Maslow, A. (1954), Motivation and Personality, Harper& Row,
New York, NY.
6. McClelland, D.C. (1961), The Achieving Society, D. Van
Nostrand, Princeton, NJ.
7. Mintzberg, H. (1979), The Structuring of Organizations, Prentice-
Hall, Englewood Cliffs, N.J.
8. Porter, L.W. and Miles, R.E. (1974), “Motivation in
Management”, in: J. W. McGuire (Ed.), Contemporary Management:
Issues and Viewpoints, Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, N.J., pp. 545-
570
9. Sylvia, R.D., Hutchinson, T. (1985) “What Makes Ms. Johnson
Teach? A Study of Teacher Motivation”, Human Relations, 38, pp.
841-856
10. Taylor, F.W. (1911), The Principles of Scientific Management,
Harper Bros., New York, NY.
11. Vroom, V. H. (1964), Work and Motivation, Wiley, New York,
NY.
QUALITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION IN ROMANIA AND THE CHANGE MANAGEMENT
IN BOLOGNA PROCESS

Cristina BACIU1, Mihaela GHENŢA 2

1
ARVO Technology, Ph.D. Candidate,Academy of Economic Studies, Romania, cristina@arvo.ro
2
National Research Institute for Labour and Social Protection, Ph.D. Candidate, Academy of Economic Studies, Romania,
ghenta@incsmps.ro
This research's aim is to fit Bologna process on a theoretical change approaches as a necessary condition to attain
quality in Romanian higher education. The results of this major change are analyzed based on change management theory,
emphasizing both the strong parts and the weaknesses of this implementation.

implemented in some universities. Recognition of

INTRODUCTION
Bologna Process is the largest education
reform recently adopted reforms involving
major changes of the higher education system
of countries that acceded to this process.
The purpose of this study is not to analyze why we
have joined this process, but to explore how was
implemented and to evaluate the results produced by
this process. Thus in evaluating the Bologna Process in
Romania we have used well-known theoretical models
of change management to ensure successful and quality
organizational transformation.
There is no similar approach in Change Management
Theory, nor in Bologna evaluation and Reports.
The change is a complex process and start changing
without a plan is a process started with the wrong foot
with a good chance of failure. The first step is to
identify the nature of change
THE NATURE OF CHANGE
To understand the nature of change we need to know
the current state and the future state (where we want to
be after changing); for achieving the European Higher
Education Area in Romania the first step is to know the
current state in Romania Higher Education before
implementation of Bologna process; then a brief review
of the main objectives of Bologna is required in order to
attain this paper aim – that means to know the results
expected after reform implementation – where we want
to be; only after these steps we can conclude on the
change that is taking place.
Romanian Higher Education before Bologna
Until 2005 higher education in Romania was
differentiated as years of study, which is organized
starting from 3 years for colleges till 6 years for Human
and Veterinary Medicine. Master degrees were from 1
to 2 years, and doctoral and postgraduate research
studies ranged from 2 to 4 years. Should be noted that
before 2005 the graduates who have completed a min 4
years could subscribe directly to PhD.
There was a wide variety of domains and
specializations, and the credit system was successfully
studies in Europe was provided only for certain
specialties in some famous college in Romania, like:
Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest Polytechnic
University.
Mobility and interuniversity national contexts and
even international contexts were assured through less
promoted programs. Regarding quality assurance, it
was done locally, internal and through national
accreditation and national regulated by law.
The main decision body is the Ministry of
Education, research and Youth. Another important role
was played by professional association in decision about
the competencies that a student needs to acquire at the
end of a study cycle. Students have representatives in
University Senate, which play the main role at
institutional level.
Bologna Process – Objectives
Bologna process has its starting point in 1997 when
the Lisbon Convention promoted “the recognition o
qualification concerning higher education in Europe” as
a champion of peace, tolerance ad understanding( the
Lisbon convention, 1997); thus in 1999 was founded the
“European Higher Education Area” whose objective
were finalized by meetings that took place every 2
years.
So, after all these iteration, it is aimed to achieve a
comparable space in an European Higher education,
allowing recognition of studies by transferable credits,
light motilities, which requires collaboration and
cooperation among universities for both students and
teachers; all these should be done by providing a certain
level of quality learning. The Bologna reform requires a
new educational cycle 3-2-3; there are also stipulated
the domains of studies that must be covered (15
domains)
Nature of Change
By analyzing the ideas discussed in the first
paragraphs we identify a major change imposed to
Higher Education System.
We can identify in the change management
literature– but all based on Ackerman’s (Type of
Change”) change management theory (1997) - three
types of changes:
32 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

- Developmental change refers mainly to strong motivation to jump

actions/strategies to improve current processes, methods to a new equilibrium.
and practices of performance; is or should be a constant Change Move to a During this stage people
activity of organizations whishing to maintain their new level starts to really believe in
the need of change and
completive market position and why not, their grow starts to support the new
- Transitional Change - means change of direction. The change is
certain methods, practices, processes with new happening.
ones at organization level: implementation of Refreeze Lock the When the new ways of
behavior of working starts to delineate
new technologies, creation of new the new it is time to save the
products/services level progress and communicate
- Transformational Change - is somehow both the new state.
transitional and developmental change; requires a
radical change in the organization and when they occur Kotter (1995) has identified 8 stages of change
there are major changes of entries and exits, supply and management in order to perform a successfully change
demand, competition with unexpected and uncovered
costs.
Another classification that complements Schein is
well captured by John Hayes (2007). He considers and
extra item for categorization, namely how the
organizations respond to change:

Figure 1: Types of organizational change

Note: Hayes, J., Reproduced from The Theory and Practice of Change
Management, 2007 p. 15

As in Romania “The main implementation

mechanism was the legislative without any
implementation strategy at national level” (Teichler, U.,
M. Kehm, B., Schomburg, H. and Muresan, C., 2008)
we conclude that we deal with a re-creation – redefining
the organization – reforming the education system.
CHANGE MANAGEMENT THEORY
Change Management theory provides a number of
models of change, starting from Lewin's model (1951),
continuing with advanced models like that of Koter
1995's Nudler and Tushman 1995, till the generic model
of Hayes in 2001 (12Manage the executive fast track,
“Organization and change. Methods, models and
theories (A-Z)”). Most models extend Lewin's model,
which consists of 3 major phases:
Table 1: Three Stage Change Management Lewin’s Model (1951)
Stage Name Short Explanation
description
Unfreeze Unlock This is the most difficult
from the part, this is the stage where
existing the changing leaders has to
change of really work on, spent a lot
behavior of time and. There is a
disequilibrium that is
created inside organization,
but this should build a
Figure 2: Kotter’s 8 steps to succeed in changing organizations
Note: Kotter, J. , Reproduced from Kotter International, 8 Steps for
leading change
CHANGE MANAGEMENT PRACTICE IN
IMPLEMENTING THE BOLOGNA REFORM
Implementation of the Bologna Reform Process in
Romania had a direction from top to bottom, through
laws approved nationwide. Current state of education in
Romania, the quality of this learning process is the
result of the change that is intended to be achieved and
reflects the ability of the management/managers to
control and to implement this change.
First we identified the nature of change, and then we
have identified a pattern of change recommended by the
theory of change management as being good practice to
follow such implementations.
The research approach is to identify Bologna process
as a change process based on a change management
model. Thus, we can observe the points/phases where
this change does not meet with the theory and we can
validate the observations with the change process results
and in terms of quality.
Quality in higher education in Romania and the change management in Bologna process
The first step, establish a sense of urgency, in
Bologna Change Process can be identified as being the
creation of the legal framework; National Alliance of
Student Organizations in Romania (ANOSR) concludes
that this framework has some major deficiencies, like no
plan, just wanted to get the line, to much laws and
directives in a short time (few months), no coherent
feedback required and expected form students. Still, the
target has been reach and people start talk about the
need of change, but not like a conviction but as a
constrained. Qualification granted: satisfactory .
Second Step, Developed the guiding Coalition, is
easy to be identified - the new organizations: the
National Report on 2009 presents The Romanian
Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education
(ARACIS) as piloting universities in their change
process taking care about institutional and
methodological aspects of quality assurance. For the last
year, 2009, the National Council for Higher Education
Financing decided to increase the quota of quality
indicators in the founding formula from 20% in 2006 to
30% in 2009, the remaining 70% depending on the
number of equivalent students Qualification granted:
good.
Third Step, develop the vision, has been accomplish
by the laws and vision – mission of the institutional
framework build: ARACIS, ANOSR, ACPART (The
Agency for Qualifications in HE and Partnership
between Universities and Socio-Economic
Environment). Qualification granted: good.
Communicate the vision, the fourth Step, is the area
where the process has to work more on. Qualification
granted: not satisfactory.
Regarding the Fifth Step, empower brown based
action, by removing key obstacles and getting more
people act on the vision, was limited mainly by lack of
disseminated information and lack of founds.
Qualification granted: not satisfactory.
As Sixth Step, there is a good practice used by
ARACIS and other institutions to make public the
success stories and conserving these little wins. In
ANOSR Report-Implementation of Bologna Process –
student eye [2009] it is stipulated that, although not all
line of actions have not yet reached the desired
parameters, we can grant a satisfactory qualification.
Consolidate gains and produce more change, as
Seventh Step in Kotter Change Model, was the main
reason for which in spring 2008, “eight major projects
concerning various aspects of the impact of the Bologna
process on university management were approved to be
financed through the European Social Fund” (Romania
National Report 2009, p. 3). Is a great movement in
assuring the quality management is system and
institutions in Romanian Higher Education, but because
of the short run till now is somehow to early to discuss
about their success. Qualification granted: satisfactory.
The Eight Step, the last one in the Kotter’s
recommendations in order to assure the success of the
change is to anchor the new approaches in the
organization culture. We are talking now about new
33
decade of Bologna process, till 2020, that means that the
structures already created that provide the new ways of
operating, with good ad bad parts, were build and run in
this new European High Education Area. In the future
the new behavior continues and actions will be focused
on improvements, on increasing quality management of
education process. Qualification granted: good.
Figure 2: Achievement of 8 steps Kotter’s model in implementing the Bologna
process in Romania
Note: developed by authors
CONCLUSIONS
Analysis of phases in the implementation of Bologna
Process in Romania, viewed in terms of change
management theory, particularly thought the 8 great
steps of Kotter, brings out certain deficiencies, which
lead to results under the expectations. Poor
communication of the vision, of the opportunities that
change offers, draws in opposing forces, strong barriers
in the process of change.
So the effort in disseminating information, providing
high quality services both in terms of information and
education, providing funds for counseling and
promoters programs and must rise to a higher level than
the current, to ensure success change.
It is not enough a top-down approach to a major
change in public organizations, in particular the
Bologna Reform in Higher education in Romania till
2010. It is required also a bottom up approach, from the
student - beneficiary of education services, to senior
management and national organizations. Sticking the
change in the organizational culture can not be done
properly without student motivation and implication.
Bologna process is a major Change in High
Education System and it is mandatory to be well
managed (planned, controlled, coordinated) and
implemented; so this research has implication for
administrators of the university, policy makers, quality
assessors but also for researchers and practitioners.
34 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

References

1. ***12Manage the executive fast track, “Organization and

change. Methods, models and theories (A-Z)”, [On-line].
Available at: http://www.12manage.com/i_co.html [Accessed on
6 January 2010]
2. ***12Manage the executive fast track, “Unfreezing, Moving,
Refreezing”, [On-line]. Available at:
http://www.12manage.com/-
description_lewin_unfreezing_moving_refreezing.html
[Accessed on 6 January 2010]
3. ***Alianţa Naţională a Organizaţiilor Studenţeşti din România,
“Implementarea procesului Bologna în România-perspectiva
studenţilor”, 18 March 2009, [On-line]. Available at:
http://www.anosr.ro/index.php/raport-anosr-implementarea-
procesului-bologna-in-romania-perspectiva-studentilor.html
[Accessed on 10 January 2010]
4. ***Alianţa Naţională a Organizaţiilor Studenţeşti din România,
“Poziţia ANOSR vis-a-vis de legile educaţiei”, [On-line].
Available at: http://www.anosr.ro/index.php/pozitia-anosr-vis-a-
vis-de-legile-educatiei.html [Accessed on 30 March 2010]
5. ***Berlin, Eaton & Associates Ltd., “Three types of
Organizational Change and Leading Change” [On-line].
Available at: http://www.berlineaton.com/-
resource_files/3%20Types%20of%20Change.pdf [Accessed on
27 March 2010]
6. ***KARIS, Leading through learning, “Type of Change” [On-
line]. Available at:
http://www.karis.biz/storage/crew_cv/types%20of%20change.pd
f [Accessed on 9 January 2010]
7. ***Kotter International, 8 Steps for leading change [On-line].
Available at
http://www.kotterinternational.com/KotterPrinciples/-
ChangeSteps.aspx [Accessed on 15 March 2010]
8. ***To European Vision of Higher Education, Bologna Process,
Romania National Report 2009 [On-line]. Available at:
http://www.bologna.ro/a/upfolders/National_Report_Romania_2
009.pdf [Accessed on 31 march 2010]
9. Hayes, J.(2007), “The theory and practice of change
management”, Second edition, Palgrave Macmillan, New York,
14-18
10. Kotter, J. (1995), “Leading Change: Why Transformation
Efforts Fail”, Harvard Business Review, March-April 1995,
Organization/University, [On-line] Available at:
http://www.spinnakerms.com/.../Leading%20Change_%20Why
%20Transformation%20Efforts%20Fail.pdf [Accessed on 17
March 2010]
11. Teichler, U., M. Kehm, B., Schomburg, H. and Muresan, C.
(2008), “Effects of Bologna process on the European Higher
education systems”, essay, 16.
 THE SUSTAINABILITY OF MARITIME EDUCATION AND TRAINING ON BOARD
TRAINING SHIPS IN THE PRESENT ECONOMIC CONDITIONS

Ghiorghe BATRINCA1, A. VARSAMI2, C. POPESCU3

1
Constanta Maritime University, gbatrinca@martest.net
2
Constanta Maritime University, anastasia.varsami@yahoo.com
3
Constanta Maritime University, corypopescu25@yahoo.com

Maritime Education and Training is quite an expensive system since it requires high investments. Training on board ships is a sensible
issue for all the maritime universities. The main question is if this training on board should continue or could there be another
solution for training students within the university. Maritime Education and Training became expensive since costly equipment, such
as simulators and training ships, were considered to be a necessary prerequisite for offering a high-level education. This situation,
which suggests the compulsory need for these resources, which are worth several million euro and incur considerable running costs,
is acerbated by the reduced number of students at many Maritime Education and Training institutions. It also leads to the thesis that
not all institutions can offer high-quality Maritime Education and Training (particularly not those which cannot afford expensive
equipment) and that Maritime Education is more expensive than it needs to be. These arguments make it necessary to have a closer
look at costs and financing of Maritime Education and Training and to investigate the constraints in the present economic conditions.
Rapid evolution of technologies, increased globalization, communication, and economy factors will govern any attempt at finding the
best costs’ reducing solutions. Therefore, it is compulsory for the Maritime Universities to catch up with the technologic
advancements and to improve the quality standards in order to remain viable and competitive, to design the education of the next
generation and to compete with other universities. Constanta Maritime University is a good example of a maritime institution that had
to reduce expenses by suspending students’ training on board its own ship, “Neptun”, in 2004. Therefore, our university uses a
protocol with the most influent shipping companies in Romania, for training our students on board their ships. This paper emphasizes
the importance of reducing the costs for training students on board traditional training ships, while money could be redirected to
other more important investments and the training on board could be solved by the shipping companies that need to train their future
officers.

INTRODUCTION training, with a broader acceptance that the costs have to

In the past, a formal certificate of competency would
have been sufficient for seafarers to cover almost all
their professional requirements.
In the modern days, a master needs more than 20
separate pieces of paper to qualify for his role. This is
excluding optional training courses in various
management skills, for example.
As ships have become more sophisticated and
specialised, regulation more exacting and other skills
increasingly necessary, all these formal requirements
can be fully justified.
Training for seafarers has evolved rapidly to include
a whole range of approaches and techniques. In
particular, reliance on traditional face-to-face and on-
the-job training has given way to the increased use of
ever more advanced and realistic simulators and other
forms of computer-based training, including online
training.
Attaining and maintaining the highest levels of
training require major investment from all parts of the
shipping industry that benefit from and need high-
quality seafarers.
For example, shipboard system suppliers often fund
simulators for training at maritime colleges and training
centres.
There is every indication that shipboard systems will
become even more advanced and integrated in years to
come and training will have to keep pace with that
progress.
This necessity has meant that the industry has
moved on, at least to some extent, from the apparently
insoluble arguments about who should pay for seafarers’
be shared.
However, in tougher financial times training is often
a soft target for trimming costs, because the negative
effects of doing so do not manifest themselves
immediately but in the future.
Earlier, shipping companies’ cutbacks in recruitment
and training came back with a vengeance during the
boom period as operators struggled to fill officer
positions and only did so at a high cost.
Now, the shipping industry increasingly needs to
recruit high quality seafarers and train them to ever
higher standards to reflect the changing nature of
shipboard operations and demands for officers to
possess a wider range of skills. This means that the price
of cutting back on investment in training will be even
greater than it was in the past.
This has been recognised by a number of industry
organisations, which have argued the case for owners
and managers to at least maintain current funding for
training.
It is vital that shipping companies heed these
warnings and do not take short-sighted decisions to cut
training budgets if they want to ensure the future
availability of highly educated and trained officers that
they will need in years to come.
Training on board
According to the STCW Convention requirements,
the minimum necessary time spent at sea as a cadet for
obtaining the watch officer license should be of
minimum 12 months.
Over the generations, the education of professional
officers has undergone many evolutions.
36 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
Today’s maritime universities, academies and
faculties using advanced methods of teaching, modern
simulators and other sophisticated equipment have not
to forget that practical training plays an invaluable role
in officers education.
Training ships and on board practice give students
and cadets an important and unique opportunity to
achieve proper skills for performing their future job
requirements under the control of experienced teachers
and seafarers.
Practical on board training of maritime students
became a very important component of the maritime
education process since the International Maritime
Organization (IMO) imposed seagoing practice as an
integrated educational part for future seafarers.
Therefore, the optimum solution could be the
training of the future officers performed by combining
the simulator hours (Radar Training, Ship Handling
Training, GMDSS Training) inside the maritime
universities with the training on board training ships or
on board merchant ships.
On Board Training Record Book is an important
component of the training process as it includes sea
training tasks for cadets.
During this training, the cadets gain the professional
skills and experience necessary during the work process
as a watch keeping officer.
On board training skills achieved according to the
program included in the Training Record Book fulfil the
minimum requirements for certification as an officer in
charge of a navigational watch. During the sea training
period the cadets have the opportunity to combine the
theoretical knowledge obtained during the classes taken
at the Maritime University and the practical knowledge
achieved first on the simulators in the university and
now improved when being onboard a real ship.
It allows the future watchkeeping officer to learn
everything about his job on board modern and
automated seagoing ships.
Sea training properly integrated with theoretical
education is necessary for an officer of a contemporary
modern ship.
A cadet’s practical training should be performed
under the careful supervision of the Master, Chief
Officer and designated supervising officers.
A properly filled Training Record Book is the
evidence that the trainee has achieved the professional
skills and experience required in the standards of
competence according to Code A of the STCW
Convention 78/95.
That is why the Training Record Book should be
precisely filled in and carefully reviewed by those in
charge.
However, training on board training ships involves
spending a large amount of money by the Maritime
University that owns the training ship (costs for
maintaining and repairing the ship, costs for the crew,
costs for operating the ship – fuel, spare parts, taxes for
crossing the channels, taxes for calling a port, for
berthing, flag costs and so on), a sum of money that
could be redirected to investing in a better material base
inside the university in this present economic crisis (last
generation simulators, teaching aids and materials for
students and teachers).
Training ships belonging to the maritime universities
also imply the need for teachers with a particular on
board experience to be present on board the training
ship during the training period, teachers who also have
to be extra paid.
Training in a multicultural crew
There is also another important issue to be taken into
account and that is the multicultural crew that will not
be on board a training ship under the national flag of the
university.
Nowadays, the shipping industry is a multinational
one and future maritime officers should be prepared for
working in a multinational crew.
All activities in this industry are based on interaction
and collaboration between people from different
countries and cultures.
In an international company these details are
common, due to company necessity in having offices
placed in different countries according to the business
interests.
But these aspects become more complex when we
refer to onboard ship activities.
For this reason it is necessary to observe and study
the kind of compatibilities or non-compatibilities that
exist between seamen from different countries in order
to create a proper working environment on board the
ship.
These problems are even worse when we think for
example about a cadet at his first experience on board a
ship and especially in a multinational and multicultural
crew.
This category includes cadets and young officers
who performed their practice stages on board merchant
ships under international flags.
Facing a multicultural working environment, many
seafarers have accommodation problems, difficulties in
the working relationships onboard and the worst
problem has been created by the use of a foreign
language, mostly Maritime English, in the daily duties
communication.
The multicultural problems are hard to be managed
at the first contact and here we refer to young maritime
cadets and officers, people who can be very affected by
the difficult relation especially in communicating with
those of a different nationality.
A solution could be the involvement of the training
institutions in preparing the young cadets for a
multicultural work environment.
Before their first experience onboard ships, a special
training about multicultural concepts and social
activities in a multicultural crew would be useful in
order to provide the necessary knowledge about and
how to deal with problems raised by cultural
differences.
The Sustainability of Maritime Education and Training on Board Training Ships in the Present Economic
Conditions
Maritime English represents another problem for
students. It is a fact that the language barrier on board
the ship can be overtaken only if the students really
master the Maritime English, so it could be important
for them to work in a multinational crew right from the
very beginning in order to get used to speaking in a
different language other than their mother tongue.
In our opinion, in order to reduce the expenses
caused by the training of young deck cadets on board a
university’s own training ship, it would be much
cheaper to sign a collaboration protocol with the
shipping companies.
This way, students have the opportunity to work in a
multicultural environment and to get used to it, having
the opportunity of improving their Maritime English
and the opportunity of learning from experienced
seamen.
Also, another advantage of these protocols is in
favour of the shipping companies having the possibility
to train their future officers as per the company’s policy
and on their own type of ships.
It is in their interest to train the apprentices the best
they can in order to have on board their ships well
trained officers when students end their 12 months
period of training on board.
On board merchant ships, there are usually one, two
or maximum three deck cadets, so the entire attention of
the officers focuses on training fewer people than on
board a training ship where there are more cadets (some
training ships can accommodate up to 30 students) and
it is rather difficult to properly train each one of them
and to make sure that they fully understand their
responsibilities.
But there is also the reverse side of the coin for the
shipping companies – the students they take on board
could have a poor theoretical background or they might
not adapt to the sea life, so the Master could be forced to
disembark them and the company could lose the money
invested for bringing them onboard.
Constanta Maritime University is a good example of
a maritime institution that uses a protocol with the most
influent shipping companies in Romania. In 2004, the
University suspended the students’ training on board the
training ship “Neptun”.
Since then, the solution found for training the deck
and engineer cadets was to send them in international
voyages with different shipping companies, local or
international and for this action the local crewing
agencies or ship owners’ offices have been contacted.
This was the accomplished first step, when over half
of our students covered their requested onboard training
on ships belonging to different owners, most of them,
international shipping companies with a great name on
the world shipping market, as NYK Ship Management
from Japan, Peter Dohle from Germany, Maersk from
Denmark, CMA-CGM from France and many others, in
total 22 shipping companies being part of the
partnership.
Therefore, Constanta Maritime University is a good
example of how not using a training ship can work and
37
in this way the money that should have been invested in
a new training ship were actually spent for training the
teachers, for acquiring last generation simulators, for
investing in a high standard material base, for improving
the library with the latest editions of the required
bibliography and so on.
Training on board merchant ships through
ERASMUS programme
ERASMUS is part of the communitarian education
programme SOCRATES and includes actions meant to
encourage European cooperation in the superior
teaching system. ERASMUS supports the development
of the European dimension of university and post
university studies, and it covers all study subjects and
domains.
The programme pursues to continue, into a revised
and extended form, the action project of the European
Community for students’ mobility (European
community Actions for the Mobility of University
Students), having as objectives the quality development
and consolidation of the European dimension in the
superior education; promoting trans-national
cooperation between universities on all educational
levels (university diploma, post-university studies,
doctorate), encouraging students’ and teachers’
mobility, improving transparency and academic
acknowledgement of studies and qualifications obtained
in any of the European Union countries, harmonization
of university studies curricula, providing them with
European value in order to become compatible with
well known university’s curricula in EU, development
and extension of the Transferable Credits European
System, meant to facilitate the academic
acknowledgement of diplomas and qualifications
obtained in partners universities.
In order to fulfil these objectives: universities must
develop activities in collaboration with other superior
education institutions in EU, based on the reciprocity
principle, approved by the Bilateral Agreements of
cooperation SOCRATES/ERASMUS.
These agreements are annually signed and they first
of all stand for the formal engagement of the two
institutions to collaborate in ERASMUS programme.
Secondly, they define the activities meant for
cooperation and state several preliminary data (number
of students and teachers who will be sent or received,
study domain, training period etc.) which will be
included in the application form for signing the
Institutional Contract.
The actions which are approved are financed
through funds provided by the European Commission,
Romania’s Government and the institution. The whole
activity is conducted on national level by the National
Agency for Community Programmes in the Educational
and Professional Training Domain, and in universities
bye the Community Programmes Bureau.
ERASMUS programme is developed in Constanta
Maritime University during the onboard training periods
38 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

performed by students onboard ships in international
voyages. Therefore, during the university year
2007/2008, through this programme, 146 mobility of
placing students have been realized, for periods between
3 to maximum 7 months. In this view, our university has
signed protocols with the largest shipping, crewing and
manning agencies in the United Kingdom (Dohle
Manning Agency, Zodiac Maritime Agencies Ltd. and
Carisbrooke Shipping Ltd.), in Denmark (Maersk
Marine Services Ltd) and Germany (Oskar Wehr KG
Gmbh&Co, International Tanker Management Gmbh)
which provided students’ recruitment for the cadet
position, their training and monitoring during the
onboard training period. We should also mention the
fact that, besides the monthly scholarship offered by
these companies for our students, they also benefit from
the best onboard learning conditions, as well as the
possibility to have access to the newest technologies and
equipments, compulsory instruments for the navigation
activity.
Who has the right to candidate?
• Students attending long term studies, who
graduated the first university year;
• Students who didn’t benefit from any other
ERASMUS mobility;
• Student with Romanian citizenship or any
other European Union member.
General conditions:
• To possess a seaman’s book;
• English communication abilities;
• Specialization knowledge level, proper for
the didactic purpose of the placement.
CONCLUSIONS
They can accommodate to the sea life from the early
stage of their career.
They can see from the beginning what being on a
ship is all about (working in a multicultural and
multinational crew, the responsibility for the lives of the
entire crew members, for the safety of cargo and the
ship itself while performing the watch and not only
during this period, using a language different to their
native one while working on board and so on).
This is an economy of scale that could allow the
Maritime Universities to maintain their strong positions
in the Maritime Education and Training.
References
1. Butman, B.S. (2007), “STCW and Beyond: Minimal
Requirements and Additional Knowledge for Marine
Engineers”, 8th IAMU Annual General Assembly, Odessa,
Ukraine;
2. Laczynski, B. (2007), “Role and Situating of Practical Training
of Deck Students on Training Ships in Practice of GDYNIA
Maritime University”, 8th IAMU Annual General Assembly,
Odessa, Ukraine.
3. Hanzu-Pazara, R., Stan L., Grosan N. and Varsami A. (2009),
“Particularities of cadets practice inside of a multinational
crew”, 10th General Assambly of International Association of
Maritime Universities – St. Petersburg, Russia;
4. International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification
and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (1978), Adoption: 7 July 1978;
Entry into force: 28 April 1984; The 1995 amendments, which
completely revised the Convention, entered into force on 1
February 1997;
5. Kostylev, I and Loginovsky V. (2007), “Comprehensive Review
of the STCW 78 Convention and Code: Some Concepts and
Trends”, 8th IAMU Annual General Assembly, Odessa, Ukraine;
6. Zhukov, S. D. and Mykhaylo V. M. (2008), “On-board training
and experienced officers”, Proceedings of the 9th Annual
General Assembly International Association of Maritime
Universities, San Francisco, California, U.S.A.

Shipping and shipmanagement companies and

maritime training institutions must work together to
tackle the raft of concerns that dissuade school leavers
and college graduates from embarking on a sea-going
career.
From this point of view and taking into account the
latest experiences one can honestly conclude that much
more can be learned on board merchant ships especially
about the safety and watchkeeping tasks.
The costs for training the students on board training
ships could be totally reduced and redirected to other
more important investments and the training on board
could be solved by the shipping companies that need to
train their future officers.
It is also a good deal for the shipping companies as
they train the students as per their own purposes and
they make sure that they will have well trained officers
on board their fleet ships.
While the world is facing a big economic crisis, it is
important to cut costs from wherever it is possible.
Cutting the costs for training the maritime students
can also be good for them because they have the chance
of training on board merchant ships and this could only
be a useful experience for them.
STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES ENABLING QUALITY AND SUSTAINABILITY IN
HIGHER EDUCATION: ACADEMIC ADVISING

Virginia BĂLEANU1, Sabina IRIMIE2, Andreea C. IONICĂ3, Sabin Ioan IRIMIE4

1
University of Petrosani, ginabaleanu@yahoo.com
2
University of Petrosani, bina2932@yahoo.com
3
University of Petrosani, andreeaionica@yahoo.com
4
University of Petrosani, nibas8511@yahoo.com

The paper aims to highlight the central role of the student support services (SSS) within the global reformative process directed to
quality and sustainability in higher education (HE). In particular, we focus on some key-challenges of implementing Bologna process
related to such services, especially to the issues of academic advising (AA). According to the recent reports, many European
universities offer an apparently extended range of SSS, but these may be poorly developed or adapted to the various needs of students.
By revealing the main developments of AA conceptual approaches and practices in the USA, as those developed and applied by
important organizations such as National Academic Advising Association (NACADA), or Council for the Advancement of Standards in
Higher Education (CAS), we attempt to provide a useful frame of reference for our universities.

re-designing the student-centred curricula, the HE

INTRODUCTION: THE BACKGROUND
A report prepared for the UNESCO 2009 World
Conference on Higher Education (HE) showed that the
academic changes of the late 20th and early 21st
centuries describe a reformative process without
precedent by its global nature and impact on worldwide
institutions and people, so-called academic revolution
(Altbach, Reisberg and Rumbley, 2009). On the one
side, the impact of globalization on HE means
expanding opportunities for study and research beyond
the national boundaries. On the other side, it means a
pressing need for international cooperation and
agreements, including on standards to properly evaluate
foreign qualifications. Obviously, this cannot achieve
easily. However, the report refers to the Bologna
Process and Lisbon Strategy in Europe as the clearest
examples of international engagement at this level,
becoming a model for similar efforts in other regions of
the world.
The Bologna Process (BP) has been the driving
force to recent reforms of HE systems in EU countries,
including Romania. At the suggestion of the student
representatives at the first ministerial follow-up meeting
in Prague (2001), the social dimension was included as
an integral part of BP, being recognized as crucial for
the success of European Higher Education Area
(EHEA). In this context, the subsequent reports on BP
have revealed the central role of Student Support
Services (SSS) as enablers of quality and sustainability
in HE. For example, 2007 report of the European
University Association (EUA) has shown that SSS
„needs to be better recognised, supported and developed
in the interest of all students. In particular guidance and
counselling services play a key role in widening access,
improving completion rates and preparing students for
the labour market” (Crosier, Purser and Smidt, 2007, p.
52). Also, is pointed out that such essential services are
often neglected in both internal and external quality
assurance processes but is difficult to imagine and build
an effective quality culture without these. Moreover, in
institutions should consider that the students will need
more guidance and counselling, or advising services to
find the academic routes through which they will be
able to optimally capitalize their individual potential.
Such topics are reiterated in the Stocktaking Report
2009 of the Bologna Follow-Up Group (BFUG), in the
section 5 (Rauhvargers, Deane and Pauwels, 2009). So,
there is an obvious need to enhance the efforts for
academic advising services at the EU level, including
through the identification of referential approaches and
appropriate practices validated at the international level.
Our paper addresses this issue, reviewing the
conceptual approaches and practices related to academic
advising as resulted from the HE evolution in USA.
DEVELOPMENTS OF ACADEMIC ADVISING
APPROACHES IN USA
Informal, the students’ advising has its origins in the
first American colleges established at the end of the
XVIII century (e.g. Harvard, William and Mary, Yale,
New Jersey, Philadelphia, etc.) based on the English
model of Cambridge and Oxford (Gillispie, 2003). This
model included usually the intern residence of the
students so that was based on a disciplinary relationship
in which the teachers were strictly guiding and
controlling the students both inside and outside classes.
During the next centuries, as the numbers of colleges
were growing rapidly, the model has lost from its
influence. The USA University became increasingly less
implied in the students’ discipline, assuming the role to
develop curricula and guide the students toward the
courses they need, according to their own career
choices. Furthermore, the explosion of school
population during 1960–1970 years (the so-called “baby
boom” generation) induced a significant change in the
traditional structure of the USA academic community.
The groups of the beginner (first-year) students much
bigger, with much more descendants from families with
little incomes, minority groups and other disadvantaged
social categories, have generated a series of new
40 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
problems leading shortly to a worrying increase in
abandon studies before their completing. Against this
background, the famous Carnegie Commission revealed
the real need for a more systematic approach of
academic advising (AA) in USA universities as a mean
of improving students’ retention, involvement, and
motivation.
Thus a new stage of concerted efforts toward
improving conceptual approaches and institutional
practices of AA started. Therefore, a first conference on
the AA issues held in 1976 at the state level (Fresno,
California) being followed after a year by first national
conference (Burlington, Vermont) that put the basis of
the National Academic Advising Association
(NACADA), founded in 1979. Whether in the first year
NACADA brought together 429 members, nowadays
the association has over 10.000 members, representing
the HE institutions from USA (covering all 50 states),
Canada, Puerto Rico and other few worldwide countries
(http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/).
The conceptual approaches of AA have registered
significant developments during the three decades of
NACADA existence, revealed by evolving some
referential models for the theory and practice in the
field. According to Williams (Williams, 2007), the most
known basic models for approaching AA are
prescriptive advising and developmental advising (terms
coined by Crookston in the early 1970s), describing
them as follows:
►Prescriptive advising reflects the traditional
relationship based on authority between the academic
advisor and the student. This can be compared with the
doctor – patient relationship, where the advisor (the
doctor) makes a diagnosis and prescribes something to
the “patient” student having a problem, giving him
advises regarding the way for solving the problem and
waiting for him to follow these advises. The model does
not imply any responsibility from the student (even if
the advice is misunderstood, or ignored), not encourage
him to develop the “sense of responsibility” for his own
academic choices. In addition, even the advisor
responsibility is limited to answer specific routine
questions rather than to address the more comprehensive
academic concerns.
►Developmental advising relates to the student
development theories, particularly those of developing
competence, autonomy and purpose, and reflects a
relationship of active involvement and responsibility
assuming from both parties (advisor and student). In this
model, AA deals not only with a specific personal or
vocational decision but also facilitates the thinking,
environmental and interpersonal interactions, behavioral
awareness and skills evaluation of the student, helping
them to develop a “life plan” for personal growth and
self-fulfilment. In Appleby opinion, the “active,
dynamic interchange that forms the essence of
developmental advising relationship produces trust,
curiosity, enthusiastic participation, and a sincere desire
to learn and grow” (Appleby, 2001, p.4).
Many other subsequent approaches of AA build on
these two models, with an obvious tendency towards
developmental advising during last two decades, as we
can observe in the following examples.
►Approaching AA as an advisory system based on
shared responsibility means in essence (Frost, 1991):
- viewing AA as an institution wide system centered on
students' involvement and positive university outcomes.
- promoting concept of shared responsibility for both
students and the university.
- starting AA relationship with an awareness of the
overall purpose of advising and continuing then with an
awareness of details.
- planning for success (all participants in AA should be
involved in an ongoing, strategic effort to develop
advising around a meaningful mission).
- assessing the overall program and individual
contributions, for further improvements.
- developing a collaborative advisor-student relationship
(a shared advising relationship leads students to contact
many members of the university community for answers
to questions that arise in academic planning).
►A more recent AA approach is strength-based
advising proposed by Schreiner and Anderson
(Schreiner and Anderson, 2005) that focuses on
identifying, developing and applying the student’s
strengths. The basic idea is that the complex needs of
today’s various categories of students can be satisfied
with better results in this way than in traditional way of
advising focused on solving the problems caused by the
aspects in “deficit”. In fact, the model proposes a shift
of the focus in the advising sessions by directing
attention toward the natural talent and engagement of
student and not on the need of correcting deficiencies
that occurred because of some weaknesses of the
student. In such an approach, the advisors can identify
the inherent talents that students bring with them within
the university and can build a relationship based just on
these talents/personal strengths, teaching them how to
develop and use their strengths to gain the needed
learning outcomes in the new challenging academic
environment.
►Another recent AA approach is based on the
learning-centred paradigm that places the teaching
element on the first line of AA, seeing the role of the
advisor like that of a teacher, but with an action
covering the whole student’s curricula. Lowenstein
considers that “the advisor's instruction in the logic of
the curriculum elevates the advisor's work to a central
role in enhancing a student's education” (Lowenstein,
2005, p. 65). By helping students to look into
perspective upon the various aspects of their course of
studies or curricula, this approach enhances their
individual learning potential, allows them to understand
better the relations between courses and disciplines and
identify the options most appropriate to their own skills
and learning methods.
RECENT INITIATIVES
Student Support Services Enabling Quality and Sustainability inn Higher Education: Academic Advising 41

Following developments in AA approaches, 1. Curriculum covers from the ideals of HE to the

NACADA has initiated in 2005 year an action of pragmatics of enrolment and includes mainly: ▪mission,
systematizing the most important elements and culture, expectations
ons of the institution,
institution resources,
integrating them within a concept of AA to reflect the policies, and procedures of campus; ▪selection of the
shared vision of the association members about the academic programs and courses; ▪setting goals for life
relevant
elevant values and principles of advising practices in and career; ▪transferability
transferability of skills and knowledge.
HE. In this action were considered and precedent 2. Pedagogy reflects AA seen as a teaching and learning
initiatives of some other representative organizations, process
ocess that needs a pedagogy including preparation,
such as the UNESCO work papers for defining the facilitation, documentation and evaluation of advising
content of AA (see table 1), or the specific standards
sta interactions. Even if the specific strategies, methods and
elaborated by the Council for the Advancement of techniques may be various, the advisor-studentadvisor
Standards in Higher Education (CAS). relationship is fundamental, having as major features the
Table 1: The content of AA process, according UNESCO
mutual respect, trust and ethical behavior.
Main purposes of AA Typical activities of AA 3. Student learning outcomes refer to the acquisitions
▪To support students in ing students with
▪Assisting that the students gain through AA, guided by mission,
developing educational decision
decision-making and career objectives, curriculum and co-curriculum
co of a HE
plans consistent with their orientation institution. Thus, each university have to develop a set
life goals Helping students understand
▪Helping of student learning outcomes and assessing methods,
▪To offer students precise and comply with institutional and define them in an advising curriculum in order to
information about academic requirements describe what its own students will demonstrate to
academic progression and Providing clear, accurate
▪Providing
know, value and do after their participation in AA.
degree requirements information about
▪To help students to institutional policies,
understand academic programs and procedures
policies and procedures ing students in
▪Assisting
▪To facilitate the students’ selecting courses and other
access to the campus educational experiences (e.g.
(
resources for increase internships, study abroad)
their success chances Guiding students in using
▪Guiding
▪To ensure students the appropriate resources
assistance to surpass the from inside and outside the
educational and personal campus
problems Assessing the students’
▪Assessing
▪To identify the systemic progress in reaching Figure 1: Concept of Academic
Academi Advising
and personal conditions established
stablished goals (Source: NACADA, 2006, http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/)
that may impede the Collecting and distributing
▪Collecting
academic achievements data about students’ needs, The second mentioned document provides a
and adequate intervention preferences and results in framework to guide professional practice and reminds
to those order to their use
us for academic advisors of their responsibilities to students,
▪To review and use improving institutional colleagues, institutions, society, and themselves
th (Fig. 2).
available data about decisions and policies.
needs, performances, Interpreting the various
▪Interpreting
aspirations and academic “lists” of requirements
problems of students (skills), that offer the
▪To increase student students information about
retention by offering the their career
car choices
personal contact needed Using complementary
▪Using
and asked by students in systems for delivering
order to better connected advising information (e.g.
them with the institution online programs)
Source: adapting UNESCO, 2002, pp.25-26

Thus, after a large consulting and collaboration

process during over a year, the combined
combin efforts of the
NACADA members resulted in assuming the following
three documents, approved in October 2006: ▪Concept
of AA; ▪Statement
Statement of Core Values; ▪Standards and
Guidelines for AA (updateded by CAS in 2005).
In NACADA vision (NACADA, 2006) AA is
integral
ral part in accomplishing the educational mission
of HE (teaching and learning) incorporating three
components (Fig. 1), as follows:
Figure 2: Core values of Academic Advising
(Source: NACADA, 2006, http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/)
CAS developed the standards for AA with the main
scope of offering the guiding necessary to
implementation and/or evaluation of an advising
program that respond to quality requirements. Thus,
these act as a primary mechanism for reaching
acceptable standards of practice and self-assessment
self
aiming quality improvements either by self-initiative,
self or
42 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
by meeting the requirements of different accreditation
agencies. The standards updated by CAS in 2005 year
include the following 13 parts (domains): mission;
program; leadership; organization and management;
human resources; financial resources; facilities,
technology and equipment; legal responsibilities; equity
and access; campus and external relations; diversity;
ethics; assessment and evaluation. Each part establishes
criteria that every HE institution must and can meet
through a reasonable effort, as well as some guidelines
for action in the respective domain. For exemplifying
the standards, we present a selection of issues addressed
in the first two parts (CAS, 2005, pp. 1-5), as follows:
►Mission: The primary scope of the AA Program
(AAP) is to assist students in the development of
meaningful educational plans. AAP must incorporate
the student’s learning and development processes in its
mission, enhancing overall educational experiences. The
institution has to draw up a clear declaration of mission
concerning AA, including the program of goals and
expectations of both advisors and students.
►Program: The students’ formal education is
holistic, having a curricular and co-curricular content
and a specific finality. AAP must identify relevant and
desirable student learning and development outcomes
which include: “intellectual growth, effective
communication, realistic self-appraisal, enhanced self-
esteem, clarified values, career choices, leadership
development, healthy behaviors, meaningful
interpersonal relations, independence, collaboration,
social responsibility, satisfying and productive
lifestyles, appreciation of diversity, spiritual awareness,
and achievement of personal and educational goals”.
AAP must identify environmental conditions that may
influence student academic achievements and propose
measures that may neutralize negative influences. Both
students and advisors have to assume the shared
responsibility in the advising process. Examples of
achievements student learning and development
outcomes:
▪intellectual growth: understands the requirements of an
academic degree plan, as well as the institutional
policies and procedures; adopts a critical thinking in
problem solving and courses selection; uses complex
information from various sources (including personal
experiences and observations) to make a decision or to
form an opinion; applies information and concepts
previously assimilated to new situation or setting etc;
▪independence: acts autonomously by attending
advising sessions or programs or by soliciting the advice
of the advisors at the right moment; interprets and
applies correctly the information; selects courses in
consultation with advisors etc.
▪collaboration: works cooperatively; seeks to involve
and to obtain feedback from others; contributes to
achieve the group objectives etc.
CONCLUSIONS
By its nature, the process of formal education is a
bilateral process with outcomes that depend decisively
on the real, active involvement of both parties (teacher
and student). In the present context of reforms aiming at
quality and sustainability of HE, the universities has to
integrate all parts of their institutional mission within
the quality system and to focus on enhancing student
involvement in both learning and research process. This
is not easily to achieve, especially if we consider the
major challenge confronting European HE institutions
(including from our country) for reaching the EHEA
goals within the global context. Therefore, we
highlighted the recent approaches and initiatives in AA
field that are among sources of competitive advantage
for some world class universities from USA.
References
1. Appleby, D. (2001), “The teaching-advising connection”,
published in The Mentor: An Academic Advising Journal on
March 19, 2001 [Electronic version, www.psu.edu/dus/mentor]
2. Altbach, P.G., Reisberg, L.,Rumbley, L.E. (2009), “Trends in
Global Higher Education: Tracking an Academic Revolution“, A
Report Prepared for the UNESCO 2009 World Conference on
Higher Education – Executive Summary, published by UNESCO,
Paris, 2009
3. Crosier, D., Purser, L., Smidt, H., “Trends V: Universities
Shapping the European Higher Education Area”, Report to the
Conference of Ministers of Education meeting in London on 17-18
May 2007, European University Association, Brussels, 2007
(http://www.eua.be).
4. Frost, S.H. (1991), “Academic Advising for Student Success: A
System of Shared Responsibility”, ASCHE-ERIC Higher
Education Report. Washington DC: The George Washington
University, 1991 (http://www.ntlf.com/html/lib/bib/91-11dig.htm)
5. Gillispie,, B. (2003), ”History of Academic Advising”
(http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Clearinghouse/AdvisingIssues/Histor
y)
6. Lowenstein, M. (2005), “If advising is teaching, what do advisors
teach?”, NACADA Journal, 25(2), 2005, pp. 65-73.
7. Rauhvargers, A., Deane, C., Pauwels, W. (2009), “Bologna
Process Stocktaking Report 2009”, Report from working groups
appointed by the Bologna Follow-up Group to the Ministerial
Conference in Leuven/Louvain-la-Neuve, 28-29 April 2009.
8. Schreiner, L.A., Anderson, E. (2005), “Strengths-based advising:
A new lens for higher education”, NACADA Journal, 25(2),
2005, pp. 20-29.
9. Williams, S. (2007), “From Theory to Practice: The Application
of Theories of Development to Academic Advising Philosophy and
Practice”, Retrieved 08.11.2009 from NACADA Clearinghouse
of Academic Advising Resources Web site:
(http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Clearinghouse/AdvisingIssues/Theori
es.)
10. Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education
(CAS, 2005), Standards and Guidelines for Academic Advising
Program, Retrieved 05.11.2009 from NACADA Web site
11. National Academic Advising Association (NACADA, 2006),
NACADA concept of academic advising. Retrieved 05.11.2009
from
http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Clearinghouse/AdvisingIssues/Concep
t-Advising.htm
12. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO, 2002), “The Role of student affairs and services in
higher education: A practical manual for developing,
implementing and assessing student affairs programmes and
services”, Paris, 2002 (www.unesco.org/education/wche)
MISMATCHES BETWEEN THE
T COMPETENCES ACQUIRED THROUGH THE HIGHER
EDUCATION AND THE LABOR
LA MARKET DEMAND IN TEXTILE CHEMISTRY

A. BERTEA1, A-P. BERTEA2

1
"Gheorghe Asachi" Technical University of Iasi, ani_bertea@yahoo.co.uk
2
"Gheorghe Asachi" Technical University of Iasi, apbertea@tex.tuiasi.ro

The paper takes into discussion the issue of quality of higher education services, from the perspective of the correspondence between
the competences acquired through the higher education and the labour market demand, as seen in the process of the development and
revision of the National Qualifications Framework in higher education. Mismatch between the output of educational systems and
labour market needs in field of textile chemistry, especially in the context of globalization and accelerating technology, has been
identified discussing with various stakeholders from the textile sector and other potential employers. We have analyzed the acquired
a
knowledge and skills within the fields of textile chemistry as supplied by universities and as demanded by employers, in order to
evaluate the linkages, gaps and suggest reasonable interventions to bridge the gaps. The outcome of the approach was a consensus
consen
among the participants on a variety of themes, which werewere believed to be most critical for the development of better curricula for
Higher Education in textile chemistry.

recognised, measured and related and coherence of

1. INTRODUCTION certified qualifications and awards is ensured. NQFHE
takes into consideration
ration the European Commission’s
documents on the establishment of the European
European higher education is experiencing important
Qualifications Framework for lifelong learning. The
changes in the direction of competitiveness and
recognised qualifications are included in the National
encouragement of mobilityy on the basis of compatible
Qualifications Register for Higher Education (NQRHE).
curricula structures and transferable credits (Antia, B.E.,
2009), and the objectives of employability and subject-
subject According to GD no 1375/2005, the National
Agency for Qualifications in Higher Education and
specific and generic competences have a growing
Partnership with the Economic and Social Environment
importance. Employability is defined as “a set of
(ACPART) is the national authority for the
achievements - skills, understandings and personal
establishment of the national qualifications framework
attributes - that make graduates more likely to gain
employment and be successful in their chosen in higher education and its regular updating.
occupations which benefits themselves, the workforce, The complexity of the process can be observed in
fig. 1.
the community and the economy” (Knight, P., 2004) or
“a set of skills,
ls, knowledge, understanding and personal
attributes that make a person more likely to choose and
secure occupations in which they can be satisfied and
successful” (Dacre Pool, L., 2007). In this context, the
European Qualification Framework is developed in i
order to serve as a qualification description framework
to make different national educational systems
comparable across Europe (Petersen
Petersen, W., 2005). In
order to harmonize the qualifications in higher
education according to the labour market requirements,
requirements
all categories of stakeholders interested in the
Qualification Framework have to be consulted.

2. HARMONIZATION OF ROMANIAN HIGHER Figure 1.. Partners in the NQF establishment

EDUCATION QUALIFICATIONS WITH LABOR
The process comprises the four stages:
MARKET REQUIREMENTS
1. description of the qualifications provided through
the Bachelor, Master’s
ter’s and Doctorate cycles at the
Under the context of European Qualification level of study fields and/or programmes, in terms
Framework development,, Romania prepares the of occupations, competences and minimum
National Qualifications Framework for Higher performance standards;
Education (NQFHE), a sole instrument to determine the 2. identification, for each study programme, of the
qualifications structure and ensure national recognition correlations between competences, content areas,
as well as international comparability and compatibility study disciplines
iplines and their related credits;
of qualifications acquired
quired within the higher education 3. development
pment of the educational plan for the study
system. Through the NQFHE all learning outcomes programme according to the competences that
acquired within the higher education system can be define the qualification;
44 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
4. development of the discipline sheet according to
the educational plan and the competences that
define the qualification.
An important step towards the National
Qualifications Framework for Higher Education is
represented by the consultations with the representatives
of the labour market, such as sectoral committees,
employers, professional associations, trade unions,
employers’ associations.
3. HIGHER EDUCATION IN TEXTILE
CHEMISTRY
The role of the textile finisher has become
increasingly demanding, and now requires a careful
balance between the compatibility of different finishing
products and treatments and the application processes
used to provide textiles with desirable properties.
Textile chemistry is primarily an applied form of
chemistry. It is a highly specialized field that applies the
principles of the basic fields of chemistry to the
understanding of textile materials and to their functional
and esthetical modification into useful and desirable
items. Textile materials are used in clothing, carpet, tire
yarn, sewing thread, upholstery, and air bags, to name a
few examples. The study of textile chemistry begins
with the knowledge of fibers themselves-both natural
and synthetic. Because synthetic fibers are such an
important part of today's textile business, the field
includes many who are trained as polymer chemists.
The interaction between textile chemistry and materials
science is also increasing. Textile chemistry includes the
application of the principles of surface chemistry to
cleaning processes and modifications such as dyeing
and finishing. Textile chemistry can generally be
divided into three major areas: dyeing and finishing
chemistry, fiber and polymer chemistry, and a newer
area that intersects with materials science and involves
the blending of textile materials. In the textile business,
chemists work in R&D, process development, process
modification, technical services, environmental testing,
and dyeing and finishing operations
Chemical companies that manufacture the basic
polymer from which synthetic fibers are made employ
chemists globally. Small dyeing houses that dye yarns,
fiber, fabric, and carpets employ them.
In Romania, the study program Textile Chemical
Technology is given only by the department of Textile
Finishing from the Technical University in Iaşi.
To prepare students for future professional careers in
the textile and chemical industries, this curricula
provides an integrated, multi-functional academic
experience. Students focus on the preparation, dyeing
and special finishing of textile products and are
encouraged to develop a broad-based problem-solving
perspective through synthesis of concepts, course work,
and work experiences. Graduates pursue careers with
textile and chemistry manufacturers, retailers, testing
laboratories, government agencies, media firms, or they
may open their own businesses.
This is a four-year program, and many aspects of the
curricula are identical to all chemical engineering study
programs from the Technical University in Iaşi. In fact,
about 66 of the credits are common with those offered
by the Chemical Engineering Faculty of Iaşi Technical
University.
In the process of preparing prepares the National
Qualifications Framework for Higher Education,
consultations with the representatives of the textile
chemistry industry took place, a good opportunity to
find in the present curricula is responding to their
expectations.
4. GAPS BETWEEN THE KNOWLEDGES AND
THE LABOR MARKET DEMAND IN THE
TEXTILE CHEMISTRY STUDY PROGRAM
The European textile industries has passed through
stormy weather over the past decades: the development
of the World economy, consumer demand for high
value-added products, product and process innovation in
the sector, globalisation of production and trade, public
support for environmentally friendly products.
Attacked by competitors from Asia and faced with
heavy price competition on consumer markets, the
industry had to adapt to the changes in the global
marketplace, and emphasized the use of specialty
products and functional materials to enhance product
and performance characteristics. These specialty textiles
are equipped with electronic components, coated with
new materials, and used for packaging, filtration, or for
construction and mechanical engineering purposes. The
use of these textile appliances is seen as the best escape
from apparently tight consumer markets.
The textile chemistry education has to follow the
economical background by responding to these
challenges and introduce adequate ways of teaching and
learning.
The chemistry textile industry needs engineering
graduates with skills in engineering, design, chemistry,
management, computers, marketing/sales, and quality
control.
Textile Chemistry Curricula is a specialized
program, focusing on the chemistry and physics of
fiber-forming polymers and the theory and practice of
wet processing including dyeing and finishing of
textiles.
Conventional practices, recent advancement in
technological processes and equipments, environment
and human friendly approaches used for textile
manufacture are part of the curricula.
Course curricula in chemistry textile technology
must be framed by taking into account the requirements
of the employers, the facilities and available resources.
There is, more than ever, a need for increased
correlation between the education systems and industry
requirements – education providers need to react more
rapidly to changes in industry.
Mismatches Between the Competences Acquired Through the Higher Education and The Labor Market Demand
in Textile Chemistry 45

In time, many transformations have been made to employees) and 4 large business companies (LB -
the textile chemistry curricula, following the five-step between 250 and 999 employees).
curricula development process (Print, M., 1993).

Figure 3. Type of the of the interviewed companies

As it can be seen from fig. 3, there are companies
that have a complete textile finishing department
Figure 2. Curricula development process (especially the large ones), companies that restrict their
activity to tinctorial processes, and companies that only
In order to identify gaps between chemistry textile print textiles (2 of them only in digital form).
education provision and industry needs, we have The responses to the second question are
collected data by the use of a questionnaire to answer summarized in fig. 4.
questions concerning the objectives of the study.
In designing the questionnaire, in order to obtain
richer responses from the respondents without posing
limitations on their opinions, we have used eight open
questions:
1. General data about the consulted companies
2. Positions/Jobs offered by the companies to the
study program graduates
3. Competences that the employer considers to
be necessary for carrying out the job Figure 4. Positions/Jobs offered by the companies to
responsibilities the study program graduates
4. Considerations on the level of competences of
the graduates, employed immediately after the In can be seen that the highly specialized jobs (such
license, and their subsequent evolution at work as Computer-Aided Design Technologist, Product
5. Considerations and suggestions on how Developer) are what most of companies are looking for.
university curricula meet current labour market The competences that the employers consider to be
demands necessary for carrying out the job responsibilities are
6. Examples and suggestions for actions to be summed up in fig. 5.
taken by the employer (at individual or branch
level) in order to help the insertion of the
graduates immediately after leaving school
7. Information about the way the employer trains
the personnel
8. Other relevant information
An introductory and directional paragraph was
placed at the beginning of the questionnaire. This Figure 5. Essential competences from the employers’
information provided guidelines to the respondents in point of view
order to complete the questionnaire. Participants were One can observe that most of the employers
informed of the following ethical principles: The name mentioned transversal competences, such as
of the institution supporting the research (namely communication and interpersonal skills, knowledge of
ACPART); the name of the researcher; the aims of the foreign languages, but there is a strong need of technical
research; and the voluntary participation of potential competences as well. Some employers considered that
respondents. many of the graduates lack such competencies as time
The questionnaire was responded by 20 employers, management and effective performance under stress.
reputed companies in textile sector: 6 small business In order to evaluate the level of competences of the
companies (SB - between 10 and 49 employees), 10 graduates, employed immediately after the license, and
middle business companies (MB - between 50 and 249
46 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

their subsequent evolution at work, the employers have
been asked to use a grade on a 1-10 grading scale. The
results are shown in fig. 6.
study program has the opportunity to achieve the
redesign of the curricula for better alignment with
market requirements and improvement of the
employability of graduates. In what concerns the textile
chemistry study programs, the opinions of the
employers showed that the curricula has to be reshaped,
taking into account the labour market evolution by
orienting the education towards the development of
necessary competences, abilities and skills and
identifying transversal key competences that can
enhance employability. Curricula designers of the textile
chemistry study program should take into consideration
the improvement of development of competencies such
as time management and effective performance under
stress.

References
Figure 6. Level of initial competences of the
graduates and their subsequent evolution as seen by 1. Antia, B.E. (2009), ”A German Initiative in Higher
the employers Education Management and Nigerian Applications”, in: S.
Mayanja & R. Sonaiya (eds.) Network Dialoguing and the
Even though variations exist in the quality of Strengthening of Academic Exchange between German and
graduates entering the labour market every year, and West African Universities, Boersedruck Publishers, Vienna
employers rarely have a well-formulated mechanism to 2. Dacre Pool, L. and Sewell, P (2007), ”The Key to
Employability. Developing a practical model of graduate
assess the quality and competence of graduates, it can employability”, Education + Training, Vol 49, No 4, pp
be seen that the general impression in not very good, 277-289.
especially in what concerns the level of competences of 3. Knight, P, and Yorke, M. (2004), Learning, Curriculum
the graduates. The employers have a better opinion and Employability in Higher Education, Routledge Falmer,
London.
regarding the skills and knowledge that the employees 4. Petersen, W., and Wehmeyer, C., (2005), ”European
gain on the job. Qualification Strategies in Information and
According to employers’ opinion, during the studies Communications Technology (ICT) - Towards a European
some competencies are developed more than it is (reference) ICT Skills and Qualification”, Studies in
Informatics and Control, Vol.14, No.1, p.37 - 46
required in labour market. It is the case with general 5. Print, M (1993), Curriculum development and design,
engineering knowledge, and the too deep study of some Allen & Unwin, Crows Nest, Australia.
chemistry disciplines (such as analytical chemistry, for
example). On the other hand, the employers mentioned
the insufficient application of scientific knowledge to
practical problems.
In what regards the rapid insertion of the graduates
immediately after leaving school, employers
recommended appropriate stages of practical activities,
that take place in industrial environments, where
students have to face and solve real problems. Such
activities are already included in the curricula, but a
tighter link with the company applications has to be
acquired.
The graduates’ value at the entrance on the labour
market is unstable because of the rapidly changing
labour market, and that is why employers have to take
rapid measures in order to help the insertion of the
graduates immediately after leaving school and to keep
them updated with the latest developments. The
majority of the employers indicated short training
courses for the personnel working in company keep
them up-to-date with the continuous development of
knowledge.

4. CONCLUSIONS
In the process of establishing the National
Qualifications Framework for Higher Education, each
 UNIVERSITY RANKING SYSTEMS AT GLOBAL, EUROPEAN AND ROMANIAN
LEVELS

Adriana BODEA1, Laura BACALI2 , Silvia AVASILCĂI3

1
Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Faculty of Machine Building, Department of Management and Systems Engineering,
adrianabodea2003@yahoo.com
2
Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Faculty of Machine Building, Department of Management and Systems Engineering,
bacali.laura@gmail.com
3
The „Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iaşi, Faculty of Textiles, Leather and Industrial Management, Department of
Management and Production Systems Engineering, avasilcai@yahoo.com

The present paper attempts to give an overview on main university ranking systems recognized globally, at European level and in
Romania. The paper presents and compares the most recent rankings (2009 editions) of two global university ranking systems:
Shanghai Jiao Tong University Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) and Times Higher Education Supplement (THES).
Next, in the context of European higher education institutions ranking systems, the CHE system is presented, as many academicians
and specialists around the globe consider it to be interestingly different from the previous two ranking systems, from a methodological
point of view. The paper continues by presenting some Romanian aspects and initiatives related to university rankings.

Keywords: higher education, university ranking, performance

governmental bodies, university employees, higher

WHY ARE UNIVERSITIES RANKING SYSTEMS
IMPORTANT?
Since their birth in the 1980s, when U.S. News
published the first ranking of American universities,
higher education institutions ranking systems have come
a long way. Initially developed with the aim of
measuring nearly all of a nation’s universities one
against another (Usher and Savino, 2007), when higher
education institutions started facing the challenges of
globalization and internationalization, the national
rankings lead to development of global university
rankings, which quickly became a global phenomenon.
Although the global rankings are much criticized and
surrounded by intense debate, the fact is that they “are
here to stay” (Marginson and van der Wende, 2007) and
university stakeholders should try to make the best use
of them.
According to International Ranking Expert Group
(2006), the main purposes of university ranking systems
are: enhancing competition between higher education
institutions; allowing various stakeholders to easily
understand and interpret universities standing; and
providing some of the rationale for funding allocation
among universities.
Based on a comparison of 17 higher education
ranking systems and league tables from around the
world, regarding their methodologies for collecting
necessary data, selecting and weighting of indicators,
Usher and Savino (2007) conclude that these systems
significantly differ in what concerns the university
performance dimensions they measure and how they
measure them and their definition of what quality
represents in higher education institutions (Usher and
Savino, 2007, p.32).
Thakur (2007) debates on the effects university
ranking systems have on various groups of university
stakeholders (potential students and their parents,
education policy makers, local communities) and
advises them to be cautious when comparing higher
education institutions based on ranking systems, and to
treat results “as suggestive rather than definitive”
(Thakur, 2007, p.93).
In this context of university ranking systems rapid
emergence and dissemination, in May 2006, at Berlin,
the International Ranking Expert Group (IREG)
developed the Berlin Principles on Ranking of Higher
Education Institutions, “a set of principles of quality and
good practice in higher education institution
rankings”(IREG, 2006) that university rankings and
league tables should follow.
UNIVERSITY RANKING SYSTEMS AT GLOBAL
LEVEL
The two university ranking systems currently used at
global level are Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) and
Times Higher Education Supplement (THES), which are
often viewed as being in direct competition one with
another.
The Academic Ranking of World Universities was
developed in China, at Shanghai Jiao Tong University.
First published in 2003, ARWU became one of the most
powerful ranking systems for universities from the
entire world.
The methodology used by ARWU for ranking
universities is based on four criteria: quality of
education, quality of faculty, research output and per
capita performance (Academic Ranking of World
Universities, Ranking Methodology, 2009). These four
criteria are further developed into six research or
academic performance indicators, each of them having a
distinct weight in the final score. For each of the
indicators, the higher academic institution which scores
the highest is assigned a score of 100; the other
48 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

institutions scores will be determined as a percentage of According to ARWU, the top ten universities of the
the top score. world include 8 higher education institutions from USA
The methodology used by Times Higher Education and 2 universities from UK: University of Cambridge,
Supplement (THES) is quite different than the one used considered the fourth best university in the world, and
by ARWU. At its first edition in 2004, the methodology University of Oxford, which ranks on the 10th position.
supporting THES ranking stated that a leading higher Not only that THES ranking includes four institutions
education institution should be based on four pillars: from UK among the best ten universities of the world,
“high quality research, high quality teaching, high but the UK universities score significantly better in this
graduate employability and an international outlook” top, compared with ARWU ranking.
(Baty, 2009). Another significant difference can be noticed
Table 1: Top ten universities of the world according to the Academic Ranking
regarding the overall scores assigned to each university
of World Universities, 2009 edition included in the top ten ranking. While both ARWU and
Rank Higher education Total Country THES recognize Harvard University as the best
institution score university in the world, and assign to it a total score of
1 Harvard University 100.0 USA 100.0 points, the scores obtained for the other
2 Stanford University 73.1 USA institutions included in the top ten universities are quite
3 University of California, 71.0 USA
different. Stanford University, the second best
Berkeley
4 University of Cambridge 70.2 UK university in the world according to ARWU, had an
5 Massachusetts Institute of 69.5 USA overall score of 73.1, which is quite far from the 100
Technology (MIT) points obtained by the leader Harvard. Obviously, the
6 California Institute of 64.8 USA scores determined for the other universities are in a
Technology decreasing order; for instance, University of Oxford,
7 Columbia University 61.7 USA which ranked on the 10th place, had a score of 56.3,
8 Princeton University 60.2 USA almost half of Harvard’s overall score. On the other
9 University of Chicago 57.0 USA hand, the best ten universities ranked by THES
10 University of Oxford 56.3 UK
methodology obtained much closer scores; California
Institute of Technology, occupying the 10th position,
Table 2: Top ten universities of the world according to the Times Higher obtained an overall score of 95.9, given that Harvard
Education Supplement, 2009 edition
was again the leader of the ranking, with 100 points
Rank Higher education Total Country
institution score assigned to it.
1 Harvard University 100.0 USA The general perception of the two most famous
2 University of Cambridge 99.6 UK university rankings is that ARWU focuses on
3 Yale University 99.1 USA institutions scientific research performance and pays
4 University College 99.0 UK little attention to the educational dimension, favoring
London universities particularly strong in the sciences fields,
5= Imperial College London 97.8 UK “comprehensive enough to amass strong research
5= University of Oxford 97.8 UK performance over a broad range of fields … and from
7 University of Chicago 96.8 USA English-language nations” (Marginson and van der
8 Princeton University 96.6 USA
Wende, 2007, p. 311), while THES’ main focus is
9 Massachusetts Institute of 96.1 USA
Technology (MIT) university’s reputational performance, neglecting to
10 California Institute of 95.9 USA some extent the scientific dimension and favoring the
Technology best known higher education institutions from many
countries (Marginson and van der Wende, 2007, p.312).
Tables 1 and 2 present the ten best universities of the After analyzing each criteria included in the ranking
world according to the 2009 editions of ARWU and methodology for each of the two ranking systems,
THES rankings respectively. By comparing universities debating on the advantages and shortcomings of each
rankings, it can be easily noticed that there are only two performance criteria, Taylor and Braddock (2007,
institutions that preserve their ranks in both tops; these p.252, 255) conclude that THES is a poor university
are Harvard University, which is considered the best ranking system, while ARWU system, far from being
university in the world by both ranking systems, and perfect, “is clearly superior to the THES ranking
Princeton University, occupying the 8th position in both system”.
rankings. Moreover, 7 out of the ten best universities
according to ARWU appear in THES ranking, but their UNIVERSITY RANKING SYSTEMS AT
ranks differ considerably. The most significant EUROPEAN LEVEL
discrepancies appear for Stanford University, which is
the second best university in the world after Harvard, In the 2009 edition of ARWU ranking, only two
according to ARWU, but ranks only on the 16th position European universities were included among the best
in THES ranking. ARWU places University of twenty universities in the world, while the remaining 17
California on the third position, but this institution were from USA and one university from the Asia/
occupies only rank 32 in THES top of universities. Pacific region. Further, Europe had 32 institutions in top
University ranking systems at global, European and Romanian levels
100 (while America had 59) and 208 universities in the
top 500 (ARWU 2009).
When speaking about the European university
ranking systems, a number of papers allocate a special
place for the CHE ranking, developed in Germany by
the Centre for Higher Education Development (CHE)
and published annually in the German news magazine
“Die Zeit”. In opposition with ARWU or THES
rankings, which calculate an overall score for each
institution and then rank the universities in the
decreasing order of their scores, CHE ranking relies on
the belief that the large number of various criteria used
for assessing universities cannot be aggregated in the
form of a single composite indicator and that
comparison and hierarchy of universities is possible
only for a particular dimension, and therefore, no
university can be considered as being the best in a
general ranking system. Instead, CHE looks more like a
rating system. This methodology obviously leads to
different rankings of universities, according to the
criteria considered for their comparison (CHE Ranking,
2010).
In June 2009, the Consortium for Higher Education
and Research Performance Assessment (CHERPA) won
European Commission’s tender for developing and
testing a new multi-dimensional global ranking of
higher education institutions. The new ranking model
will respect the Berlin Principles for ranking higher
education institutions and is expected to overcome the
drawbacks of the existent international university
ranking systems, like ARWU and THES (Centre for
Higher Education Development, 2009). New ranking’s
launch is scheduled for 2011.
ROMANIAN UNIVERSITIES RANKING
SYSTEMS
Top of Romanian universities developed by Ad Astra
Association of Romanian Researchers
The first ranking of Romanian higher education
institutions was developed by Ad Astra Association of
Romanian Researchers. The methodology used by Ad
Astra was based on the scientific work published by the
universities’ academic staff in scientific journals which
enjoy international recognition and were indexed by ISI
Web of Science in 2005 and 2006 (Ad Astra, 2007).
The main drawback of Ad Astra’s ranking system
resides in the fact that is based just on scientific
performance evaluation, not taking into account other
factors that strongly contribute to a higher education
institution’s performance (Ad Astra, 2007).
By comparing the Ad Astra’s university rankings
from 2006 and 2007 editions, it can be easily noticed
that the same higher education Romanian institutions
made their way to the first five positions of the top in
each of the two years considered. Moreover, these
institutions preserved their order in 2006 and 2007,
except University of Bucharest and the “Babeş-Bolyai”
University of Cluj-Napoca, which interchanged the
49
second and third position. In both editions, the best
Romanian university was the “Alexandru Ioan Cuza”
University of Iaşi, and the institutions occupying the 4th
and 5th positions were Politehnica University of
Bucharest and the “Gheorghe Asachi” University of
Iaşi, respectively.
In 2006, prior to Romania’s adherence to European
Union, the Ad Astra Association had a notable initiative
of estimating the scientific performance of Romanian
higher education institutions, according to the
methodology used for Shanghai ranking 2005 edition, in
which no Romanian university was included.
According to the results (Florian, 2006), the top five
Romanian universities that obtained the best estimated
scores were University of Bucharest (4,09), the “Babeş-
Bolyai” University of Cluj-Napoca (3,96), Politehnica
University of Bucharest (3,66), “Alexandru Ioan Cuza”
University of Iaşi (3,25) and “Gheorghe Asachi”
Technical University of Iaşi (2,44). The estimations
revealed that even the institution considered the best
Romanian university, University of Bucharest, which
obtained the highest score – 4,09, had a long journey
ahead before being included in the Shanghai ranking of
500 best universities in the world, as the lowest score of
a university included in the 2005 edition of Shanghai
ranking was 8,22 (Florian, 2006). Four years later, in
2010, nothing changed much. Not one Romanian higher
education institution managed to be included among the
500 best universities worldwide, despite the fact that
many of the Romanian universities recognize the
importance of being part of such a ranking. Therefore,
some Romanian higher education institutions include in
their strategic plans the goal of being included by
ARWU in the top of 500 best universities of the world.
For instance, the “Babes-Bolyai” University of Cluj-
Napoca launched in March 2006 a program called
“UBB500”, which included many improvement
initiatives in the field of the university scientific
research and educational performance, and whose end
goal is to promote the university among the best 500
universities according to ARWU by 2012 (Agachi and
Bucur, 2007).
Romanian university ranking developed by Capital
magazine and Kienbaum Consulting
The most recent ranking of Romanian higher
education institutions was conducted by Romanian
Capital magazine and Kienbaum Human Resource &
Management Consulting and published in September
2009. The study covered two main modules: one for
employers and one for graduates and students.
The participants for the first module were 35
national and international employers/companies, who
were asked to rank state and private Romanian higher
education institutions by their educational content,
which included the following dimensions: theory,
practice-orientation, language skills and international
experience. According to the overall ranking results
(Capital and Kienbaum, 2009), the top five universities
50 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
in Romania are: the “Babeş-Bolyai” University of Cluj-
Napoca (1), the University of Bucharest (2),
“Transilvania” University of Braşov (3), “Ştefan cel
Mare” University of Suceava (4) and “Lucian Blaga”
University of Sibiu (5).
The study’s second module had 3.131
students/graduates as participants. They were asked to
answer questions regarding various aspects of university
educational content, business focus, university
environment, quality of university administration,
corruption in higher academic environment and career
options (Capital and Kienbaum, 2009).
Some of the study’s results reveal that although most
of the respondents are satisfied (50.80%) or very
satisfied (18.51%) regarding the theoretical education
they receive in the universities, they are unsatisfied or
very unsatisfied in what concerns the international
experience (32.98% / 35.53%) and language skills
(34.78% / 21.12%) offered by the university (Capital
and Kienbaum, 2009).
Strategic projects for Romanian higher education
system
In 2009, the Romanian Ministry of Education
Research and Innovation launched five strategic projects
regarding Romanian higher education system, all of
them being financed by the European Social Fund,
Sectoral Operational Program for Human Resources
Development 2007-2013 (SOP HRD).
One of the five strategic programs is “Quality and
Leadership for Romanian Higher Education – charting
the future of our society”, whose main goal is to
develop a vision and a strategy for the Romanian higher
education sector.
The project has four specific objectives; the fourth
specific objective consists in developing a
methodological framework for Romanian universities’
institutional differentiation. In order to reach this goal,
several activities were planned. The first activity was
carried out between March and August 2009, and was in
charge to make a critical analysis of international
practices regarding higher education institution’s
evaluation, differentiation and benchmarking. The last
activity planned for this objective consists in
formulating strategic recommendations and proposing
an official document regarding universities
differentiation, which is scheduled for September 2011.
The process of Romanian universities’ institutional
differentiation is supposed to lead to a growth in
Romanian higher education institutions’ visibility both
at external and internal levels. It is believed that
institutional differentiation will put more pressure on
universities, leading to the accession (at least of some of
them) in university international rankings, like ARWU.
It is also considered that in the current conditions, of
intense competition in the European and global
educational markets, and of internalization of higher
education, Romanian universities require a branding
process, and acceding in international rankings can
certainly contribute to strengthening a university’s
brand (Quality and Leadership for Romanian Higher
Education, 2009).
References
1. Academic Ranking of World Universities (2009), Academic
Ranking of World Universities – 2009, available from
http://www.arwu.org/ARWU2009.jsp (accessed April 1, 2010).
2. Ad Astra Association of Romanian Researchers (2006), “Top of
universities in Romania, 2006”, available from http://www.ad-
astra.ro/universitati/clasamentul_universitatilor_2006.pdf
(accessed March 27, 2010).
3. Ad Astra Association of Romanian Researchers (2007), “Top of
universities in Romania, 2007”, available from http://www.ad-
astra.ro/universitati/clasamentul_universitatilor_2007.pdf
(accessed March 27, 2010).
4. Agachi, P.Ş. and Bucur, I. (2009), “UBB 500 Program of Babeş-
Bolyai University”, Quality Assurance Review for Higher
Education, 1(2), 156-163.
5. Baty, P. (2009), “World University Rankings 2009. Rankings 09:
Talking points”, available from
http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=40
8562 (accessed April 1, 2010).
6. Capital magazine and Kienbaum Human Resource &
Management Consulting (2009), “Romania University
Ranking”, available from http://www.capital.ro/usr/imagini/0-
37835-studiev10.pdf (accessed March 27, 2010).
7. Centre for Higher Education Development (2009), “The
CHERPA-Network wins a European tender to develop a multi-
dimensional global ranking of universities”, available from
http://www.che-
ranking.de/cms/?getObject=302&getNewsID=983&getCB=309
&getLang=en (accessed April 1, 2010).
8. Centre for Higher Education Development (2010), “CHE
University Ranking”, available from http://www.che-
ranking.de/cms/?getObject=644&getLang=en (accessed April
2, 2010).
9. Florian, R. (2006), “Universităţile din România şi clasamentul
Shanghai” (“Universities from Romania and Shanghai
ranking”), Journal of Ad Astra Association of Romanian
researchers, 5, available from http://www.ad-
astra.ro/journal/8/florian_shanghai_romania.pdf (accessed
March 27, 2010).
10. International Observatory (2006), “Berlin Principles on
Ranking of Higher Education Institutions”, available from
http://www.ireg-
observatory.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id
=41&Itemid=48 (accessed April 1, 2010)
11. Marginson, S. and van der Wende, M. (2007), “To rank or to be
ranked: the impact of global rankings in higher education”,
Journal of Studies in International Education, 11(3/4), 306-329.
12. Quality and Leadership for Romanian Higher Education,
available from http://www.edu2025.ro/about-the-
project/presentation.aspx (accessed April 1, 2010).
13. Taylor, P. and Braddock, R. (2007), “International university
ranking systems and the idea of university excellence”, Journal
of Higher Education Policy and Management, 29(3), 245-260.
14. Thakur, M. (2007), “The impact of ranking systems on higher
education and its stakeholders”, Journal of Institutional
Research, 13(1), 83-96.
15. Times Higher Education (2009), World Universities Ranking
2009, available from
http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/hybrid.asp?typeCode=4
31&pubCode=1&navcode=148 (accessed April 1, 2010).
16. Usher, A. and Savino, M. (2007), “A Global Survey of Rankings
and League Tables”, in: College and University Ranking
Systems: Global Perspectives and American Challenges,
Institute for Higher Education Policy, 23-34.
Acknowledgement
This work was supported by CNCSIS –UEFISCSU,
project number PNII – IDEI 770/2009
 INVESTIGATION OF THE BOLOGNA PROCESS IN MOLDOVAN HIGHER
EDUCATION PRACTICE

Larisa BUGAIAN1, Viorelia MOLDOVAN-BATRINAC2

1
PhD, Technical University, Republic of Moldova, lbugaian@hotmail.com
2
PhD, Technical University, Republic of Moldova,vicemin.he@gmail.com

About five years ago, Moldovan higher education joined the Bologna Process, being inspired by the great opportunities offered by
EHEA. In spite of rapid reforming of the national policy, many higher education institutions are engaged formally in the proposed
reform and the promised results are not still tangible. The aim of this research is to review the national practice in implementing
Bologna goals, to analyse the lack between top-down policy and its bottom–up reception, updating the strategy for Moldovan HE
system reform. Moldova is one of the five last-comers into the Bologna Process, a small country with limited resources that tried to be
an equal partner in EHEA. Is it possible for the Moldovan HE system to be competitive in EHEA and to assure sustainable
development of the country? The answer to this question is sought trough a dialectic analysis of the values of the old and new
structure of HE, massification and quality assurance, national or international accreditation, Pros and cons of applying the Bologna
principles in reforming the Moldovan higher education are researched applying surveys of main stakeholders, statistical data
analyses, and are based on personal observations and conclusions of authors who are national Bologna promoters. The results
underline the main patterns for national legislation framework development, agenda for national stakeholders and international
collaboration for future higher education policies development and regeneration of the country‘s growth capacity. New approach to
HE policy development at national and institutional level emphasise the importance of greater “ex-post” post accountability of
Moldovan universities for quality, efficiency and achievement of agreed national and European objectives, new managerial and
communication policy. This research paper formulates the main positive and negative lessons of implementing the Bologna principles
and formulates a proposal for updating the policy agenda for reforming the Moldovan higher education system based on reviews of
best international practices.

Union countries, raise the issues of recognition and

PROBLEM STATEMENT
The Bologna Process has inspired many small
countries in the European Area to participate and to
benefit from great opportunities offered within this
ambitious and innovative higher education political
process at the European level. The sustainable higher
education system development and an enhancement of
the country's competitiveness trough cooperation and
joint efforts represent inherent needs for any country in
the actual globalized world.
In this context, the question “Do small countries
have the capacity to be equal partners in this
responsible and multidimensional endeavour?” was
raised both externally and internally at the pre-
adherence phase. Today, five years later, the actors and
the stakeholders ask: “How well did the last-comers
perform in the process? What is the level of diffusion of
Bologna innovations? What extent of compatibility,
comparability, attractiveness and effectiveness has the
national higher education system achieved relatively to
the overall features of the European Higher Education
Area?”
This paper considers what and how was changed in
the Moldovan higher education system regarding the
main action lines of the Bologna process.
THE PREMISES FOR JOINING THE BOLOGNA
PROCESS
The premises for joining the Bologna Process by the
Moldovan higher education system in May, 2005 were
shaped by both internal and external forces. The
massification, decrease of relevance and efficiency of
studies expressed in growing unemployment, increase of
academic mobility and labour migration to European
quality of the Moldovan higher education, and,
consequentially, generate fragmentary reforms of the
national HE system.
The main factor that sped-up the decision to join this
pan-European process was the political willingness to
begin Moldova’s European Integration plan with
integration in the European Higher Education Area.
Being inspired by European innovations in learning,
teaching, higher education environment and other great
opportunities offered by EHEA, and by the experience
of the Tempus Projects and institutional bilateral
cooperation agreements, the Moldovan academic
community expressed its full support of the Bologna
Process.
In November, 2004, during the International
Conference of Higher Education, organized with the
support of the European Council, the agenda for the
national higher education system modernization in
accordance with Bologna principles was approved and
was formally agreed upon by the Government. There
was a strong consensus to work towards an open
flexible system of HE and commitment to join the
European integration process.
Because the implementation of Bologna goals was
an integral part of the Republic of Moldova – EU action
plan, it was relatively easy to integrate national needs
and perspectives with Bologna Process developments.
Nonetheless, despite this consensus and compared to
other last-comers in the Bologna Process, after Moldova
generally implemented structural reform, many higher
education institutions have not engaged effectively in
the proposed reform and the society does not see the
promised effects.
MOLDOVAN HIGHER EDUCATION: BEFORE
AND AFTER JOINING THE BOLOGNA
PROCESS
52 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

Before joining the Bologna project, Moldovan fields of studies (law and business), and – last but not
Higher Education included a 4-year graduate program, least – the serious deterioration of quality of teaching
which gave access to a 1-year postgraduate master's and low, irrelevant learning outcomes for graduates,
program and to a 3 to 4-year doctoral program. Main which is mentioned in many labour force market
reforms initiated in that time were regarding research surveys carried out by stakeholders.
accreditation, admission, harmonization of classification When considering access to higher education, it
of fields of higher education according to ISCED and should be noted that there is a tendency for
reconsideration of national research. universalisation: more than 70% of upper secondary
Table 1: Main indicators of Moldovan Higher Education system after education graduates applied for a tertiary program.
implementation of the Bologna model About 60% of 19-30 age groups are enrolled in tertiary
2005/ 2006/ 2007/ 2008/ 2009/ programs.
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
It should be mentioned that the Republic of Moldova
Institutions : - 2
35 31 31 31 33 performed well in the structural reform of its Higher
Students 2 cycles: -12,9% Education system, in the “hard” elements of the
126132 127997 122939 114865 109892 Bologna Process. But there is still considerable amount
Admitted: -21,6% of work to be done in the “soft” aspects, like quality
34553 25854 23767 29122 27075 assurance, governance, recognition of prior learning,
I-cycle: -38,5%
34553 25854 23767 23889 21243
etc. Most reforms were implemented in 2005-2007,
II-cycle: +11,4% mainly fuelled by the enthusiasm and voluntary work of
- - - 5233 5832 a small group of Bologna promoters. Subsequently,
Graduates: +49,9% when the leadership of the Bologna project
17415 16984 19972 29614 26111 implementation has changed, there was stagnation,
Doctoral program students: -7,4%
1667 1685 1610 1574 1543
coupled with increasing criticism of the system
Doctoral program admission: -10,3% deterioration from various stakeholders.
388 388 290 322 348 Looking at the level that the Moldovan Higher
Defended doctoral and post doctoral thesis : +46,2% Education has achieved in the main area of actions lines,
195/21* 225/24 247/18 197/23 285/38 we provide comparative overall achievements of 46
Graduated students per 10 000 people: -43
signatory countries and five last-comers in the Bologna
351 357 344 322 308
Graduates per 10 000 people: + 27 Process that share relatively similar points of departure
48 47 56 83 75 and nature of national higher education policy issues
Mobility III cycle , outgoing: -19,1% (table 2). It is worth to mention that the leader in this
47 46 41 38 - group is Georgia, which is closer to achieving strategic
Mobility, ingoing 2 cycles:-30,1% goals, but Moldova fits the general trends, which gives
1979 1687 1645 1383 -
Public expenditure on HE in total expenditure for education, %
us the moral right to affirm that even small countries
+8,8 p.p. with lack of financial resources could be an equal
5,0 16,5 15,1 12,4 13,8 partner in the EHEA.
Public expenditure on HE in GDP, % +1,44 p.p
Table 2: The comparative progress in implementation Bologna action lines in
0,36 1,3 1,2 1,0 1,8 the last comers’ countries
Public expenditure on research as GDP,% +0,26 p.p
Moldova Armenia Georgia Ukraine
0,37 0,45 0,58 0,63 0,63 Degree system
Table 1 shows aspects of the compression of the 2cycles 31* green green lt.green green
system during the last 5 years after signing the Bologna Access 42 green green green green
process. The network of institutions has decreased by 2 NQF 6 red yellow yellow red
units, mostly because of revoking the license from a few Quality assurance
External 16 yellow yellow green yellow
private institutions. In 2009, a new state university was Students 19 lt.green green lt.green green
created, with 3 cycle programs in science fields, Intern-l 16 yellow orange orange orange
targeting gifted graduates of lyceums that are Recognition
subordinated to the Academy of Science. In other Dipl..Supp26 green yellow lt.green red
words, a Lyceum-University-Science academic cluster Lisbon 35 yellow green green yellow
ECTS 21 lt.green yellow green lt.green
was created aiming to recruit, train, and promote gifted
RPL 19 red yellow green green
youth in science carriers. * number of countries out of 46 with highest level of
The admission to the 1st cycle during the researched implementation of action line - "green", the lowest level - "red"
period continuously decreased, mostly because of state Degree and curriculum reform is in ongoing
regulation of study places. These actions were supported transition. This action line has been achieved partly but
by the following arguments: the doubled number of it needs more effort to fully converge to European
graduates in 2008 that created a serious pressure on the principles. The prominent model 180+120 credits was
labour market, the low interest to continue the study at established, but the attractiveness of II and III cycle is
next levels of higher education (only 28% of 1st cycle very low. In order to ensure convergence with European
graduates applied for master programs, and less than principles, a framework for university curricula
5% of 2nd cycle graduates applied for doctoral elaboration for 2 cycles was created together with the
programs), over-concentration of applicants in two Council of rectors.
Investigation of The Bologna Process in Moldovan Higher Education Practice 53

Table 3: Recommended structure of 1 cycle program, ECTS education. All of these efforts taking in this regard did
Basic Modules Courses Courses Courses
formation oriented oriented with
not change the image of HE and attitudes of main
structure 1 field of 2 fields vocation stakeholders. The main weaknesses of accreditation as
specialisa of character important pattern in QA are the following: Moldova is a
tion specialisa small country where usually the academicians know
tion
Common Fundament.
each other and often they accredit the institutions in
40-60 40-50 40 which they are working based on reciprocity; the
route courses
General external accreditation is a process mainly based on
<10 <10 <10
courses inputs rather than on outputs; lack of transparency, lack
Socio-uman. 18-25 15-18 15-18 of expertise on how to evaluate. The interview of
Individual Major spec. 40-70 40-50 60
route Minor spec. 0 30-35 0
students, teachers and international reports on business
Master spec. 20 20 20 and investment climate in Moldova indicate low
Internship 15-20 15-20 30-40 relevance of higher education studies, lack of
Grad. exams 5 6 5 competences and disappointment regarding the effect of
Total 180 180 180 providing reform and management of quality assurance.
Psycho-ped.
training.
60 60 60 Employability - the percentage of unemployment of
people with higher education is about 24% in 2009 and
Table 4: Recommended structure of 2 cycle program, ECTS is decreasing from 2005. A survey on youth entry in the
Type of Master program 120 ECTS
Research Professional
labour market indicates that after graduation of higher
Fundamental 30-40 25-35 education only 20% of respondents did not find a job.
Specialization 40-50 45-55 About 30% of respondents mentioned that after
Internship 10 10 graduation have tried to initiate their own business.
Thesis 30 30 5,3% of the respondents indicated that they were
The practical implementation of this innovation in employed during their study. These data demonstrate
curricula planning shows that without a qualification the contrary to stakeholders' opinion – the rate of
framework and clear learning outcomes, institutions insertion is relatively high. At the same time we accept
have compressed the old program provided in 4 years that the quantitative data don’t provide information
into 3 years, which has a negative impact on the about the real mix of graduates’ competences and level
teaching and learning process and quality of learning of possession.
outcomes. University curricula remain relatively The National Qualifications framework is not
inflexible in terms of the students' options in choosing established and it seems there is now qualified expertise
desirable courses and professors, because of the rigid to realize this goal. Although university leadership for
system of university management. We note intensifying each broad field of education has been nominated and a
criticism of the 3-year program from some few national and international workshops have been
representatives of the academics, who use the argument organized, there is different interpretation and
that 3 years are not sufficient time to prepare a good understanding of learning outcomes for each cycle.
specialist, in order to stimulate graduates to apply for a Recognition policies - Moldova has ratified the
second cycle. Lisbon Recognition Convention. A positive outcome is
Doctoral degrees program is in deep crisis. The that a Diploma Supplement is issued automatically and
number of doctoral students who successfully graduated free of charge by all higher education institutions for
in normative terms is very low (5%). The program is graduates of 1st and 2nd cycles; it is bilingual. A unique
organized mostly as individual research of doctoral soft and guide for its completion was provided for all
students. The graduates of master programs are not institutions. Although at the national level there is low
motivated to apply for the next level. Presently, the awareness of the existence and meaning of the Diploma
academic community is actively engaged in reforming Supplement among employers.
the doctoral program and developing doctoral schools Student mobility did not increase substantially
according to ERA principles. because, in spite of all efforts of the Ministry of
The European Credit Transfer and Accumulation Education, the Government did not provide financial
System has been established through regulations, but the support for the mobility program. The main positive
degree to which ECTS is used in institutions and change was the increase in 2nd cycle mobility abroad
programs is not connected to learning outcomes and due to European support programs. The internal vertical
often formally is linked to student workload. The and horizontal mobility is at the incipient phase, it still
programs are mostly modularized at the II cycle, but at remains unclear and unattractive. Due to bilateral
the I cycle it seems to be predominantly old style. cooperation agreements, there is a slight increase in the
Quality assurance is the most vulnerable action line mobility of teachers in both directions.
in Moldovan HE and requires serious reform. Although Social dimension - starting with 2005 state bursaries
internal and external quality assurance is applied, the for higher education have continuously increased.
national quality assurance system is far from European Gradually, state scholarships based on excellence in
Standards and Guidelines. National QA system did not learning and institutional or state public life have been
become a powerful driver of change in higher extended: republican, presidential, prime minister,
54 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
regular based on learning achievements, social for
students from vulnerable social group. New regulations
on state scholarships provide equity for both budget-
and contract-based students. This process attracted some
of the biggest enterprises which launched, in agreement
with the Ministry of Education and Council of Rectors,
a program of corporate social responsibility through
which many students have the opportunity to compete
for study grants. In 2009, more than 40% of all students
were financed by the state and these figures have
increased constantly since 2005. About 50% are
accommodated in university campuses. The level of
investment in the modernization of learning and living
condition is relatively low.
Governance, funding and public responsibility in the
Moldovan HE system is another action line which is far
away from compatibility with Bologna principles. The
organizational structure, governance, payment system in
universities at institutional level is rigid and
incompatible with new tasks. At national level, the
performances of universities are not stimulated and
financing from state budget is provided equally per
students to all universities with some exception in arts
and medical education. The election procedure of
governing bodies is imperfect and the main actors in
interview indicated lack of democracy in this field. One
positive achievement in this sense is student
participation in governing bodies at all levels,
institutional and national, but they usually do not have
enough experience to be effective in this process, so
there is a necessity for capacity building in this respect.
Main obstacles are lack of resources and expertise to
guide, to influence the domestic policy process and
subsequent implementation, especially quality assurance
process, enhancement of doctoral programs, effective
mobility, qualifications framework. It seems that the
interest of political leadership among the universities is
decreasing in the reform process area. Incoherence, slow
speed of reform, effective institutional leadership raises
the risk of small impact of Bologna model reform on the
reality of Moldovan higher education.
CONCLUSIONS AND KEY CHALLENGES
In order to achieve more substantial change, Moldovan
HE needs grater involvement and more consistent work
of staff and other stakeholders in real implementation of
Bologna action lines. It is critical to strengthen the
capacity of bodies responsible for quality assurance at
national and institutional levels. Development and
implementation of NQF is a main priority and it should
be explained to teachers and learners. For better
realization of Bologna Process actions line, an on-line
tool for benchmarking view should be create. Also, we
suggest intensifying efforts and financial support
through European projects to implement the project of
global Assessment of HE learning outcomes (AHELO)
in all Bologna countries, in order to eliminate internal
subjectivity and provide a real comparative assessment
at European and Global level. Taking into consideration
the specifics of various fields of HE, we would suggest
to extend the good practice of CHARME, POLIFONIA
on other projects oriented to harmonies medical, arts,
engineering HE at the European level which were
oriented on development, professional network and
carrying of accreditation. We should strengthen the
efforts on improving employability of higher education
graduates and create a mechanism for monitoring
institutional responses and reactions of main
stakeholders and their consultations. Positive attitudes
and commitment to Bologna model reform of Moldovan
HE could be ensured supporting implementation by
updates, surveys, case studies ensuring in such way
more visibility and comprehensiveness of HE. The
small countries are usually excluded from such research
at European level, but those results are very important to
convince internal stakeholders that reform goes well or
to operate some changes in reform routes having an
external impartial expert view. To speed up the reform,
universities should maintain this rhythm, in spite of
political uncertainty and ministerial changes in order to
stimulate progress of the national HE system and to
participate in the EHE as equal partner, to demonstrate
excellence. Tthe management of the Bologna process
was a mix type of top and down decisions, but starting
now it should become more from down-level operated.
In this regard, the universities should improve their
management practices, develop their innovative
capacity, and modernize their curricula in a manner that
corresponds to the labour market and students' needs,
meets the requirements of economic and technological
competitiveness and broader societal goals, reinforces
partnerships with main stakeholders, and strengthens
project-based learning and early involvement of
students in research.
References
1. Don F. Westerheijden, The first decade of working on the EHEA,
The Bologna Process Independent Assessment, V.1, Detailed
assessment report , CHEPS, ICHER Kassel, ECOTEC, pages
116
2. A.Rauhvargers, Cyntia Deane, Bologna Process Stocktaking
Report 2009.Education and Culture DG, LLP, pages 144
3. Andrée Sursock and Hanne Smidt, Trends 2010: a decade of
change in European Higher Education, EUA, pages 128
4. Education in the Republic of Moldova 2008/2009, statistical
publication, pages 100,Chisinau 2009 www.statistica.md
5. Roadmap for the OECD assessment of Higher Education
learning outcomes (AHELO) feasibility study, 2nd ver. 11 June
2009 ,pages 21
6. Statistical Yearbook of the Republic of Moldova, Chisinau 2009,
National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova, pages
 FRAMEWORK OF TEAM LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Hong T. M. BUI1, Yehuda BARUCH2

1
Bournemouth University, hongbui76@yahoo.co.uk
2
University of East Anglia, Y.Baruch@uea.ac.uk

A model of team learning (TL) within the context of higher education (HE) was developed with a set of antecedents, moderators and outcomes. Seven
factors are identified as the antecedents of team learning including individual learning, motivation, goal setting, team commitment, organizational
culture and leadership. Individual performance including administrator performance, teaching performance and research performance, and
knowledge sharing are the outcomes. Learning environment and communication system are the two moderators of the relationship between team
learning and the outcomes.
INTRODUCTION
Team learning can be defined as ‘the process of
aligning and developing the capacity of a team to create
the results its members truly desire’ (Senge, 1990, p.
236). This emphasizes the significance of team learning
as a fundamental learning unit in organizations. A
learning team can constantly foster other learning teams
by inculcating the knowledge and skills of team learning
more widely (Senge, 2006).
While research on team learning in HE mainly
focuses on either students (Fiechtner & Davis, 1992;
Karp & Yoels, 1987; Rassuli & Manzer, 2005), or top
management (Bensimon & Neumann, 1993;
Katzenbach, 1998; Woodfield & Kennie, 2008), team
learning among academics is often neglected and poorly
understood (Nissala, 2005).
Research finds that academics are more committed
to their professions than their organizations (Baruch &
Hall, 2004). Team learning challenges university leaders
and managers when they manage to make all talented
individuals work together to achieve its vision and
missions in severe competition of the global HE. Team
learning has been found to be successful in some
universities in their process of becoming learning
organizations (Bender, 1997).
The aim of this paper is to present and test a model
of team learning with a set of antecedents, moderators,
and outcomes. Then, a comparison is made between two
different cultures, the UK and Vietnam. The UK scores
very high in individualism and masculinity, but
represents small power distance and weaker uncertainty
avoidance (Hofstede, 1984, 2001). In contrast, Vietnam
is a collectivist culture, appreciating harmonious
relationships (Smith & Pham, 1996; Thêm, 1999;
Vượng, 2001; Vuong, Thanh, Ben, Dzung, & Anh,
1999). As mentioned earlier, UK is a big HE exporter
while Vietnam is quite a big HE importer in the South
East Asia. Unlike other goods or commodities,
education has impacts on both exporters and importers.
More precisely, these impacts are ‘beyond the economy
of exchange and satisfaction’ (Standish, 2005, p. 57)
towards development and changes of both. The paper
also tests if there are any differences between academic
and non-academic employees, and between science and
non-science employees in the HE sector.
THE MODEL OF TEAM LEARNING
Antecedents of team learning
Team learning appears as ‘a concerted effort’ to get all
people participating in innovation (Molnar & Mulvihill,
2003, p. 172). All the members learn together and
manifest a level of collective intelligence that is greater
than the sum of the intelligence of the individual
members (Hitt, 1995; Senge, 2006). Team learning
cannot happen without individual engagement and team
commitment (Ellemers, de Gilder, & can den Heuvel,
1998; Katzenbach, 1998). Team commitment,
leadership, organizational culture, goal setting, and
development and training are believed to be antecedents
of team learning (Bui & Baruch, forthcoming-b).
Few works on team commitment are found in HE. This
area is under-researched (Bui & Baruch, forthcoming-
a). However, a valuable research finds that teamwork
makes teachers more committed (Park, Henkin, &
Egley, 2005; West, 2004). When people are committed
to team learning, they tend to set clear goals for the
team and themselves (Bui & Baruch, 2010-b). Outside
HE, team commitment is highly associated with team
learning (Bishop, Scott, & Burroughs, 2000).
Goal setting has long been referred to as MBO
(Management by Objectives) (Drucker, 1954). It is not
something new, but important in order to measure the
result of team learning. Studies find that the more
educated employees are, the more participative and
effective their goal setting is (Ivancevich & McMahon,
1977; Locke & Latham, 2002).
The most successful teams have leaders who proactively
manage the team learning efforts (Edmondson, Bohmer,
& Pisano, 2004; Marsick & Watkins, 2003; Wageman,
2001). ‘Leadership (in education) is about culture
building that allows educators, students and parents to
be a part of a team that learn together’ (Sackney &
Walker, 2006, p. 355). Leadership is the soul of the
team, inspiring the innovation and creation of
knowledge on team members. ‘Empowering is the
fundamental component in quality leadership: in
essence it involves releasing the potential of individuals
– allowing them to flourish and grow, to release their
capacity for infinite improvement’ (J. Bell & Harrison,
1998, p. 60). Team learning has now become
particularly significant in HE where interdisciplinary
research is about to flourish (Lattuca, 2001).
Team skills are important for successful learning
(Bowen, 1998; Druskat & Kayes, 2000). To be
effective, team members must have both genetic and
specific team competencies (Prichard, Stratford, & Bizo,
2006). Team skills training enhances collaborative
learning (Prichard et al., 2006). On the other hand,
56 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
Garavan (1997) states: team learning and performance
are team skills that need to be practiced if they are to
result in improved individual and organizational
effectiveness. HE often puts on-job training as a top
priority (Dalin, 1998; Maslen, 1992). Team skill
training can be one of these forms of training.
Organizational culture describes the fundamental
assumptions people share about an organization’s
values, beliefs, norms, symbols, language, rituals and
myths that give meaning to organizational membership
and are expected as guides to behaviour (Bloisi, Cook,
& Hunsaker, 2007, p. 751). In other words, it is a
combination of values, structures and power that has
implications for every aspect of an organization’s
operations and external relationships (Dopson &
McNay, 1996). The culture of an organizational
environment can be highly influenced by the societal
culture in which it is embedded (Dimmock & Walker,
2000; Hofstede, 2001). Thus, organizational culture is
influenced by the societal culture, where a framework of
values has been established. However, the culture of
universities might be distinctively different from other
sectors, because academics are generally highly
individualistic in their work (White & Weathersby,
2005).
Individual learning (IL) is the core layer of team
learning (Antonacopoulou, 2006; Pedler, Burgoyne, &
Boydell, 1991; Senge, 1990; Wageman, 1995). In other
words, team learning is the product of individual
learning (Antonacopoulou, 2006; Argyris & Schon,
1978; Fiol & Lyles, 1985; Senge, 1990; Watkins &
Marsick, 1993). However, among a large number of
studies conducted on the relationship between
individual learning and team learning, few of them work
on HE’s employees’ perspective.
Outcomes of team learning
A number of research works have proved that
organizational benefits of team learning include
increased workplace productivity, improvements to
service quality, a reduced management structure, low
level of absenteeism, and reduced employee turnover
(Park et al., 2005, p. 464). Team learning plays a critical
role in individual performance and knowledge sharing
as team members exchange ideas through dialogue and
discussion (L. Bell, 1992; Hackman & Wageman, 2005;
Nonaka, 1991; Senge, 1990). In HE, there is a trend to
create interdisciplinary courses to tailor to all tastes of
students (Gurtner, Tschan, Semmer, & Nagele, 2007;
Petrina, 1998; Stengers, Mathieu, & Verstraeten, 2000).
This trend helps HE set up teamwork and team learning
more easily. An and Reigeluth (2005, p. 37) emphasize
that interdisciplinary teams have the potential to
facilitate organizational learning by fostering team
learning, knowledge sharing, and systems thinking and
by creating a change-friendly culture. Knowledge
sharing means developing from within (Patrick &
Dotsika, 2007).
Moderators of team learning and the outcomes
It is argued that communication and learning
environment are moderators rather than antecedents in
this case because the association between the team
learning and the outcomes including individual
performance and knowledge sharing will work only if
there are clear and strong communication systems and
effective learning environment, whereas with poor ones
the association will not exist.
Communication influences fundamental beliefs, values,
and attitudes necessary for employee empowerment and
commitment to quality and service (Kapp & Barnett,
1983; Mohr & Spekman, 1994; Quirke, 1992; Snyder &
Morris, 1984). Team learning can be supported by
effective communication (Hirst & Mann, 2004; Holton,
2001; Jamali, Khoury, & Sahyoun, 2006). There is,
however, little theoretical innovation in organization
theory grounded in communication, though
communication has been emphasized as a significant
constituent of organizational life (Dixon, 1998). With
the aid of technology, universities can create effective
and efficient e-communication systems to boost up the
team learning process.
A learning environment supports team learning (Pedler
et al., 1991) and improves performance as well as
knowledge sharing (Barker, Schaik, & Hudson, 1998;
Cabrera, Collins, & Salgado, 2006). Research shows
that supportive learning environment encourages
professional and collaborative learning in HE
(Merrienboer & Paas, 2003; Roberts, Oakey, &
Hanstock, 2007). Otherwise, people become ‘stuck’ and
‘professional obsolescent’ (P. T. Knight, 1998).
As a multidimensional comparative research, this
research also detects any differences in team learning
components in various aspects. For the first time, team
learning is compared in different cultures, between
academic and non-academic, and between science and
non-science employees. Academic employees are
defined as those who have either research or teaching or
both roles. Science employees refer to those who work
in schools of natural sciences and technologies.
We depict the model based on the combination of the
hypotheses in Figure 1 below:
Goal setting
Learning environment
Motivation
Individual
Individual learning performance
Organizational
culture
Team learning
Developing
& training
Organization
commitment
Knowledge sharing
Leadership Communication systems
Figure 1: Model of team learning
CONCLUSION
In this paper, we have built up a framework of
team learning. To identify the proposed antecedents,
outcomes and moderators we have covered a wide range
Framework of Team Learning in Higher Education
of the literature related to team learning and beyond.
The development of the propositions stems from the
existing literature as well as from logical argumentation
and sense-making of knowledge already acquired within
the management and organizational studies.
Our model opens an easier route to explore the theory
via quantitative analysis, which would be
complementary to the many studies already conducted
to examine team learning. We believe that empirical
research will validate this theory in practice.
A would be to identify ways to measure the different
variables. For most of the variables we employed, there
is a choice of already developed measures which were
tested for their validity and reliability (e.g. team
commitment, organizational culture). Some measures
are yet to be developed. An example of how to approach
measurement of such constructs was demonstrated by
Jerez-Gomez et al (Jerez-Gomez, Cespedes-Lorente, &
Valle-Cabrera, 2005).
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 TOWARDS FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY OF HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS:
ISSUES ON IMPLEMENTING FULL COST ACCOUNTING USING ACTIVITY-BASED
COSTING METHOD

Cristina Aurora BUNEA-BONTAS1, Mihaela Cosmina PETRE2

1
Constantin Brancoveanu University of Pitesti, Faculty of Management Marketing in Economic Business Braila,
email: bontasc@yahoo.com
2
Constantin Brancoveanu University of Pitesti, Faculty of Management Marketing in Economic Business Braila,
email: nita_mihaela_c@yahoo.com

The financial sustainability is a key issue in the modernization of European higher education institutions. Costs indicate the financial
performance, measuring how well resources have been allocated and consumed. This paper emphasizes the need for identifying the real
costs of universities' activities and for implementing full cost accounting, in order to understand the funding requirements necessary to
maintain financial sustainability. Costing in higher education has received considerable attention over the past four decades, many
studies examining institutional costs and analyzing internal efficiency, using various frameworks and methods. As, recently, the movement
towards full cost accounting has been promoted by national and regional regulatory institutions, we have critically investigated the
benefits and the challenges of its implementation. We have also conducted a theoretical research on the general principles of Activity-
Based Costing method, investigating how it can be applied within higher education institutions and we have provided a practical research
on the particular aspect of allocating the costs to activities and programs. The conclusion is that the Activity-Based Costing provides a
reliable method to report, define and capture the resources spent by higher education institutions within specified activities contributing
to their overall performance, and insures these operate on a financial sustainable basis. This paper should be useful for all types of
universities and for their professional managers engaged in costing, its value consisting in being a first step on the way of implementing
full cost accounting within the Romanian higher education institutions, discussing and investigating the feasibility of Activity-Based
Costing system implementation. Keywords: higher education institution, full cost accounting, costing information, activity-based costing.

INTRODUCTION BENEFITS OF IMPLEMENTING FULL COST

Demands and expectations on higher education
institutions (HEIs) both in teaching and research are
growing rapidly. The costs of universities’ activities are
rising (EUA, 2008; Granof et al., 2000) necessitating
additional financing, thus the financial sustainability of
universities becomes the primary issue of concern in the
21st century. The first step for universities to respond to
these pressures is to identify the real costs of their
activities (EUA, 2008), as proper cost information and
computation are essential for cost control and
containment. The objectives of the paper are: 1)
emphasizing the need for implementing full cost
accounting, identifying the real costs of universities’
activities and understanding the funding requirements
necessary to maintain the financial sustainability; 2)
investigating the potential of Activity-Based Costing
(ABC) system to be extended to activities of HEIs,
considering the possibilities for adapting the common
principles of this method to the universities’ specific
context. The research methodology is a combination of
theoretical and practical research: we provide a critical
analyses of implementing the full cost accounting within
HEIs, motivated by the recent movements toward this
accounting system, promoting by regulatory institutions;
we conduct a theoretical research on the ABC method,
emphasizing its general principles and investigating
how they can be applied within universities, in order to
better understand their activities and costs, and, thus, to
manage them more effectively; we provide a practical
research on the particular aspect of allocating the
universities’ costs to activities and programs.
ACCOUNTING IN HEIs
The current financial crisis has brought a truly
unprecedented level of financial chaos to HEIs all
around the world: programs are being reduced, staff and
faculty are being furloughed, class sizes are increasing,
departments are being cut, and tuitions are rising. The
higher education ‘cost disease’ has reached a point
where it is unsustainable, because of a chronic mismatch
between revenues and spending in an environment of
growing need for increased access and degree
attainment. As they deal with the current recessionary
economy, most colleges face the question of how to
reallocate existing resources to fund new and
meritorious initiatives in the absence of new revenue
streams. These trends are forcing universities to respond
fast by taking action and we consider that a priority is to
identify the real costs of their activities for both internal
and external purposes (EUA, 2008). For all types of
institutions, this means to develop a costing and
information system, in order to ‘control’ the cost and to
identify the policy levers that influence cost behaviors,
for tackling the higher education cost disease.
HEIs often lack even rudimentary information about
their costs. According to Granof et al. (2000), “large
universities may maintain intricate accounting systems,
often with thousands of accounts”, based on a form of
fund accounting, intended to satisfy legal and donor
stipulations, rather than to provide information for
administrative decisions. We note that, in Romania,
HEIs report an analysis of expenses using a
classification based on the ‘nature of expense’ method,
in order to fulfill the legal requirements (e.g. salaries
60 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
and wages, utilities, depreciation, purchases of
materials, transport costs, advertising costs, etc.), and do
not reallocate them among functions within the
institution. In case of using the analysis based on the
‘function of expense’ method, a HEI would classify
expenses according to their function as part of cost of
instruction, research, public service, academic support,
student services, institutional support, operation and
maintenance of plant, scholarships, or administrative
activities. In our opinion, this method can provide more
relevant information to stakeholders, despite that
allocating cost to functions may require arbitrary
allocations and involve considerable judgment.
Ernst and Young (2000) in the DETYA-funded
study came up with a number of factors to justify
Activity-Based Costing and Management in Australian
universities. Analyzing these factors throughout the
perspective of the necessity of implementing the
managerial accounting in HEIs, our opinion is that they
are the same within Romanian academic environment.
The Accounting Law no 81/1991 (republished in 2008),
subsequently modified and amended, does not impose to
the public institutions to apply the managerial
accounting, this being a legal obligation generally for
private companies. The factors can be summarized as
follows: 1) the current state of cost management in most
universities is not adequate to support the needs of the
entity and its changing environment; 2) traditionally, in
Romanian universities, the financial managers have
focused on meeting the external reporting and basic
management accounting requirements, in order to fulfill
the accounting regulation; 3) effective use of cost
management is essential as this allows understanding
the creation, maintaining or destroying value by
decisions and actions and allows university managers to
obtain information and feedback necessary to meet the
goals towards the achievement of their strategic agenda.
Our opinion is that the costing information must be
required in universities for financial reporting and
strategic requirements, for understanding the costs of
activities and services and for providing feedback and
insight to management on what causes costs.
The benefits of full costing for universities are the
following: a more systematic approach to activity
analysis and costing; a more efficient internal resource
allocation; improved strategic decision-making based on
better understanding of investment decisions; enhancing
ability to negotiate and price activities, which leads to
higher cost recovery of project costs and thus contribute
to financial sustainability (EUA, 2008). On the national
level full costing facilitates budget allocation, as
universities can prove what they need on a reliable and
verifiable basis. This accounting tool can enhance
financial sustainability and in the long run create
stronger and more competitive universities which helps
strengthen the higher education area (EUA, 2008).
Among the most common obstacles in implementing
full cost accounting we note the resistance to change
and to a managerial approach in universities, a lack of
management and leadership commitment, a lack of
autonomy, legal barriers and a lack of financial support
with the implementation of full costing, this being a
costly process and a strain on financial, technical and
human resources. To overcome these barriers it is
necessary to raise awareness of the benefits of full
costing among the top leadership and key academic and
administrative staff of the universities.
ISSUES ON IMPLEMENTING ABC IN HEIs
Our research is based on ABC approach, as this is the
most common in universities that have already
implemented full costing system. It is also a model
recommended by the International Federation of
Accountants (IFAC) because it reflects the underlying
reality of an organization’s workings as closely as
affordability allows. According to IFAC (2008), ABC is
both a product costing method and a resource
consumption model that can provide information useful in
making decisions concerning product and process
improvements. ABC focuses on the costs of activities
Heskin and Sharma (2001), addressing certain weaknesses
of traditional absorption costing and identifying the most
appropriate way of tracing and assigning indirect expenses
to final cost objects (IFAC, 2009).
Since 1970s, numerous studies have examined
institutional costs in higher education using various
frameworks and methods, based on full costing or
partial costing systems (see Heskin and Sharma, 2001
for a literature review of implementation of ABC
method within HEIs published until 2000). Our
contribution consists in reviewing the recent studies. In
Australia, an Ernst & Young study (2000) showed that
ABC information reflects: which activities are
performed in the institution; what resources they
consume; and for what purpose those activities are
performed. It is suggested that with this sort of
information, university managers can make their
decisions about what, how and for whom they provide
services or products and at what price. This study has
recently been followed up by a study of KPMG, which,
according to Heskin (2001), advocated two main
approaches to costing, including top-down (Activity-
Based) costing and bottom-up cost estimation. The top-
down ABC substantially increases the accuracy of
output/product costs by tracing indirect expenses to
outputs in a way that is more consistent with the
causality principle. Resource expenses are ‘pushed’ (top
down) through activity costs, and eventually re-assigned
to final cost objects (IFAC, 2009). KPMG proposed top-
down costing approach for obtaining institutional,
subject, discipline but not course costing or obtaining
cost information about types of students and teaching
methods. For the latter they suggested bottom-up
costing, which involves drawing up the cost of a set of
programs of courses on a zero base budgeting approach.
Cox, Downey and Smith (2000) used the time-driven
activity-based costing (TDABC) approach, emphasizing
the feasibility of ABC. An important study was
elaborated by Granof, Platt and Vaysman (2000). Its key
Towards Financial Sustainability of Higher Education Institutions: Issues on Implementing Full Cost
Accounting Using Activity-Based Costing Method
findings are: great disparities existing among various
programs; unused capacity is costly; ABC accounting
provides useful efficiency information; support services
do not benefit programs uniformly; and space costs are
significant. The study of Heskin and Sharma (2001) has
applied principles of ABC to the discipline of Social and
Behavioural Sciences undertaken as part of a pilot study
within an Australian university. In 2006, a case study of
Krishnan had as a purpose to study the application of
ABC in higher learning institutions and to investigate
whether this cost system provides better control over the
cost in comparison with the traditional costing.
McChlery, McKendrick and Rolfe (2007) described an
ABM model, which has been successfully used to cost
institutions’ activities down to appropriate levels of
focus, linking the activities to income streams and
arriving at a form of value added. Pineno (2008)
outlined the application of the ABC concept and the
balanced scorecard approach, investigating whether the
approach should be used to drive the university strategy
for continuous improvement. It worth mentioned the
study of Qinhua, Geng and Li (2009) who analyzed the
status of the school-running cost and efficiency of the
pilot universities for distance education in China.
ABC METHODOLOGY
The ABC concept draws attention to what is driving
costs within a university. According to Pineno (2008),
applying ABC in the specific context of HEIs involves
the following: 1) Identifying cost objects, as a sum of
individual curriculum consisting of a number of courses,
being, in fact, what ABC seeks to measure, e.g. the cost
of delivering a single course; if the cost of a single course
is the cost object, the cost unit is the cost per student; 2)
Identifying output, as the desired end results, e.g. courses
and programs; degree programs, a collection of courses
that form a special curriculum; 3) Identifying activities
that are needed to deliver the outputs; 4) Allocating
resources and making cost pools based on direct or
indirect costs; 5) Linking activity costs to output - once
the cost pools are made and cost drivers identified, costs
from these pools are assigned to cost objects according to
activity levels; 6) Analysis and cost reporting and make
relevant conclusions such as whether to keep or remove
a specific course within a curriculum. Ernst & Young’s
study (2000) groups the steps of implementing ABC
into two phases: Phase I is fully costing activities and
Phase II is fully costing cost objects.
Phase I. Costing Activities - The costing activities
phase primarily focuses on (a) defining the activities
performed within the institution, or area of focus, and
(b) gathering data that will enable costs, from the
general ledger or budget, to be attributed to activities
and for these costs then to be attributed to the required
cost objects (e.g. courses or students).
Cost analysis. In a university, resources include the
salaries of academics, professionals and support staff,
consumables, computers and information systems,
energy, travel, etc. The costs in the general ledger are
61
the starting point for any costing study; deciding which
source of cost data to use is an important consideration.
Activity analysis. It identifies the activities within
each department and why, and under what
circumstances each activity is done; how often, and for
whom, the activity is performed; resources consumed in
doing the activity; and, what factors determine or drive
the activity or resource (Krishnan, 2006). The EUA
study (2008) emphasizes that each costing model should
include a process by which its activities can be
identified. This usually comprises teaching, research
and support, but can be extended to include a much
larger range of activities. Some authors (Pineno, 2008)
argues that the core activities are teaching, research,
service, and outreach, these being supported by
functions such as registration and administration,
facilities maintenance, security, library and learning
resources, and various types of labs. Ernst & Young
study (2000) suggests that the major activities cost pools
include infrastructure, administrative support,
student support, teaching and research. The cost
objects are the purpose of costing and, considering the
mission oriented approach, one can delineate teaching
and learning, research and community service as major
cost objects, and also type of student (full time, part
time, undergraduate, postgraduate, etc.); cost of
individual programs or subjects; different approaches to
teaching and learning (e.g. traditional lecture, tutorial
and practicum); various distance education
methodologies. The development of ABC costing
systems within universities should consider using macro
activities in the initial projects, this ensuring that the
project does not get bogged down in too much detail
(Ernst & Young, 2000). Limiting the number of
activities identified makes the process of data gathering
and allocation simpler (EUA, 2008).
Attributing costs to activities. This is based on
gathering resource driver information. A resource driver
is a measure of the quantity of resources consumed by
an activity. The most common methods of attributing
costs to activities include direct assignment and
assignment on an activity or causal basis. Two major
characteristics have to be considered when specifying
resource drivers: firstly, a resource driver must bear a
logical relationship to its activity and secondly, statistics
must be available allowing associating the costs with the
activities. Typical resource drivers include headcount or
full time equivalents (FTEs); square meters; number of
computers; and managerial estimates of relative effort.
Once the resource drivers are specified, the information
about the quantity of each resource driver associated
with each of the activities it wants to cost is collected.
Table 1. Example of activity cost and activity driver
Activi- Activity Activity Activity Unit cost
ties cost (lei) driver driver volume (lei)
Teaching 720,000 Teaching 6,000 hours 120
hours
Research 160,000 Research 2,000 hours 80
hours
Total 880,000 - 8,000 -
62 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

In our opinion, analyzing and identifying the available, but these should be evaluated to see if they
resource drivers are important tasks in the ABC system, are fit for this purpose. The types of activity drivers that
as they are the links between the resources and the are likely to be required include the number of: lecture
activities. The resource driver allocates the total budget hours; tutorial hours; examinations; graduations;
to each resource centre and is also used to disseminate research grant submissions; research projects; students;
the centre budget to other sub division (Krishnan, 2006). EFTSUs; new enrolments; student counseling sessions;
Phase II. Costing Cost Objects - Designing the costing academics; staff; and applications. Once the assignment
model is the critical stage in the ABC implementation of an activity driver for each activity is finalized, it is
process, where the structure of the system is created and needed to collect data about each activity driver for each
the intelligence added (Ernst & Young, 2000). cost object (e.g. information about how many teaching
Cost object analysis. Each model needs to identify hours there are for each cost object, i.e. course).
cost objects. The concrete choice of cost objects depends
on specific institutional context and their objectives CONCLUSIONS
(EUA, 2008). The common types of cost objects include
faculties or schools; courses or subjects; student types Our conclusion is that the ABC provides a reliable
(i.e., international fee paying undergraduate); various
method to report, define and capture the resources spent by
commercial operations; delivery channels (i.e., chalk and
higher education institutions within specified activities, and
talk, Internet); and process groupings (i.e., research).
insures these operate on a financial sustainable basis. This
Gather activity driver information to attribute
paper should be useful for all types of institutions of higher
activity costs to cost objects. Activity drivers measure education and for their professional managers engaged in
how often activities are performed on each type of costing, also for the governing boards, administrators, and
course or student and the effort involved in carrying
others whose decisions directly affect the cost of higher
them out, for example, the number of students or
education, its value consisting in underlying the need for
number of equivalent full time student units (EFTSUs).
costing information, required in universities for purposes of
Table 2. Example of activity drivers and cost object calculation allocating their scare resources. Moreover, it is a first step
Activities Activity driver Unit Cost object on the way of implementing full cost accounting within the
description/ cost (lei) cost (lei)
volume Romanian higher education institutions, discussing and
Teaching Course A / 4,000 hours 120 480,000 investigating the feasibility of ABC implementation. This
Course B / 2,000 hours 240,000 paper raises awareness of the full costing issue on a
Research Grant X / 800 hours 80 64,000 broader scale within the higher education community.
Grant Y / 1,200 hours 96,000
Total 8,000 - 880,000
Selective References
Table 3. Example of teaching related activities unit cost calculation
Teaching Activity Activity Activity Unit cost
related cost (lei) driver driver (lei) 1. Ernst & Young (2000), “A Study to Develop a Costing Methodology
activities description volume for the Australian Higher Education Sector”, Final Report, pages 13, 20,
Developing 50,000 # New 1 50,000 25-37, http://www.dest.gov.au/archive/highered/otherpub/costme2.pdf
new course courses 2. European University Association (2008), “Financially
Enrolling 75,000 # Students 5,000 15 sustainable universities towards full costing in European
students universities”, An EUA Report, page 6, 8-9, 12, 18, 58-63,
Teaching 1,250,000 # Teaching 10,000 125 http://www.eua.be/fileadmin/user_upload/files/Publications/Financial
students hours ly_Sustainable_Universities.pdf
Assessing 225,000 # EFTSU 4,500 50 3. Granof, M.H. et al. (2000), “Using Activity-Based Costing to
students manage more effectively”, The PricewaterhouseCoopers Endowment
Graduating 150,000 # 1,200 125 for The Business of Government, page 7-10, 12-15,
students graduands http://www.businessofgovernment.org/pdfs/GranofReport.pdf
4. Heskin, K. and Sharma, R (2001), “Activity Based Costing in an
Total 1,750,000 - - -
Australian University: a Pilot of Social and Behavioural Sciences”,
Table 4. Example of course cost calculation pages 1-4, http://www.aair.org.au/jir/May01/Heskin.pdf
Teaching related Activity cost Course A Course B 5. IFAC (2008), “Costing to Drive Organizational Performance”, in
activities (lei) Explanatory Statement of Ministry of Corporate Affairs to the Review
Developing new 50,000 20,000 30,000 of Cost Accounting Record Rules, Cost Audit Report Rules & Cost
courses Accounting Standards, page 521,
Enrolling students 75,000 30,000 45,000 http://www.mca.gov.in/Ministry/latestnews/Explanatory_Stmt_24apr2009.pdf
Teaching students 1,250,000 500,000 750,000 6. IFAC (2009), “Evaluating and Improving Costing in
Assessing students 225,000 100,000 125,000 Organizations”, International Good Practice Guidance, page 31-34, 37,
Graduating students 150,000 70,000 80,000 web.ifac.org/media/publications/a/.../evaluating-and-improving-co.pdf
7. Krishnan, A. (2006), “An Application of Activity Based Costing in
Total 1,750,000 720,000 1,030,000
Higher Learning Institution: A Local Case Study”, Contemporary
No. of EFTSU’s - 3,000 4,000
Management Research, Volume 2, No 2, pages 5-9, www.cmr-
Cost per EFTSU - 240 257.50
journal.org/article/download/221/511
Cost objects are costing accurately when activity 8. Pineno, C.J. (2008), “Should Activity-Based Costing or the
drivers measure the use of activities directly or correlate Balanced Scorecard Drive the University Strategy for Continuous
closely with their use. The choice of sources is Improvement?”, Proceedings of ASBBS, Volume 15, No 1, Shenandoah
University, pages 3, 7, 17, http://asbbs.org/files/2008/PDF/P/Pineno.pdf
determined to a certain extent by the data and systems
 TEACHER FACING SOME CHALLENGES OF AN ULTRA-MODERN SOCIETY

Gheorghe CALCAN
Associate Professor, Petroleum-Gas University of Ploiesti,
calcangheorghe@yahoo.com

This work aims at surprising the impact of the new technologies on the attitude and behaviour of the academic community (students and
teachers), nowadays. More tests of opinion survey, which we’ve already done, illustrate the fact that students reasonably use the new media, leading
to the achievement of a favorable climate of the formative activity that a teacher must take into account and adapt himself.

Keywords: teacher, ultra-modern society.

Introduction appreciated that “education can do everything”, Kant

Education represents a constant of human society.
The educational content varied throughout the centuries.
Every historic period fixed its objectives, priorities and
interests. The education of the third millennium tries to
keep up with the challenges of our ultra-modern society.
The most relevant challenges at the present time seem to
be the computer, the internet, television, globalization,
working abroad, the globalization of jobs, the possibility
to spend the holiday on continental/worldwide level, the
diversification of the work forms, the possibility to have
more jobs at the same time: full time, part time, etc. The
teacher has to overcome all this challenges. If these
phenomena influence all the level of education, the most
visible consequences are perfectible at the level of
superior education. It is obvious that the educational
process cannot go any longer in the way it did decades
ago. The fact that the teacher understands the meaning
of the social development determines the adoption of
the strategy that can lead to the targeted results.
In our work we aim at analyzing all these complex
aspects which represent a real challenge for the
contemporary educational system. We took into account
both the considerations of the Romanian classic
pedagogy and those belonging to Constantin Narly,
published in 1938 in the work “General Pedagogy”
(Pedagogie Generală) and also the notions of some
contemporary specialists on educational sciences
(Gabriel Albu, Ioan Cerghit, Constantin Cucoş, Emil
Stan etc.).
Because we want the results of our analysis to be
concrete we have achieved a social-educational survey
both for the students of the first instrumental cycle-
Bologna type and for those of the second cycle, that of
master degree.
The perception of the educational system
The role of education has been perceived since old
times. Democrit considered that education changes
people, offering them the second nature. (Simenschy,
1979, p.276), and Platon stated that “nothing is more
divine than education; by education people really
become people”. The high qualities of education were
emphasized throughout the centuries. Leibnitz thought
that education could defeat any obstacle, Helvetius
considered that people could become real people only
by education. This outlook didn’t change at the end of
the 19th century and in the first half of the 20th century.
The educator and sociologist Paul Barth appreciated that
education essentially contributes to the perpetuation of
the society; the educator Friedrich Schleiermacher
remarked the competence of the education regarding the
modeling of the young generation, an idea also
emphasized by Emile Dukheim (Narly, 1996, p. 72-
104).
The Romanian educator Ion Găvănescul
considered that the education represented the aware and
purposeful exercise “with a planning and a method, of
influence on man in oreder to make him a permanent
spring of happiness both for the society and for
himself”. This perception is appropriated by Constantin
Narly who adds the intention of the education to
complete in a man his own ideal, his personality, “the
perfection of the inner live is anyway the most general
purpose targeted by any educational system”. The ideal
of education must lead to the overlapping of formative
purposes of the society with those of each person
(Cucoş, 2006, p.30-40). The institution which assumes
the formative role of the citizen is school which is
supposed to be “the pedagogical community based on
the will of self-fulfillment” (Narly, 1996).
The challenges of the contemporary society
The purpose of education hasn’t changed; it is the
same nowadays, too. What has changed is the context
where it develops. The coordinates of the present times
are quite different compared to the past. The great
changes that have taken place in the cotemporary
society “in all directions, informational flux, computer
and internet brought in visible transformations in the
life, perception and activity of the youngest” inhabitants
of our planet. The young people of our present times
live “in a dynamic social environment, an active and
competitive one, of some facilities and remarkable
comfort together with their parents”, friends and persons
“very much involved in their own career, where
unfortunately the stress elements are not fully
eliminated”, but on the contrary, they are increased.
(Calcan, Munteanu, 2009, p. 4).
64 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
Though we have to admit that each epoch was
considered the most alarmed of all the humanity history,
we must admit nevertheless, the special valences of the
contemporary society. In the period between the two
World Wars, Constantin Narly remarked “the amazing
progress of the automation, the Americanism […which]
seems to have largely reduced the human freedom […].
Nowadays, if a man didn’t take into account the
technical equipment of the century, he might be
destroyed” (Narly, 1996, p.139). Obviously, beginning
with the second half of the 20th century, the scientific-
technical revolution got into another stage. Nowadays,
as Zygmunt Bowman remarked, our existence comes
across “ingenious locks, anti-theft alarms, barbed wire
[…], detective journalists”. Actually, we witness a
process of depersonalization of the man which combines
with that of relativity of the subject identity. People play
social roles. Each man owns a job file, instructions for
use, which explicitly transmits the signal that nobody is
indispensable” (Stan, 2007, p.15-17)
It is obvious that the new media have a strong
impact on today people’s life and school cannot ignore
this reality. Among the scientific acquisitions with a
spectacular impact we can mention the use of computer
and internet. On one hand, it is seen as the most
important gift received by humanity if we take into
account its personal, national and international qualities,
namely offering information and communication. On
the other hand, it leads to estrangement, loneliness and
removal of direct human contact. (Albu, 2009, p. 24).
The fierce enemies of internet reveal only its negative
aspects and consider it, according to Fr. Furady, a place
populated by pedophiles, harassers, and criminals or, as
Goldberg stated, an instrument that leads to Internet
addiction syndrome. (Albu, 2009, p. 24). The supporters
of Internet see it as an instrument which offers more
freedom, information, democracy, international
relationships. Obviously, as usual, the middle way may
be the closest to the truth and the most efficient.
(Campbel, 2001, p. 132-135)
This situation is emphasized by my own research at
the Petroleum-Gas University-Ploiesti with the students
we collaborate during this academic year, students
integrated to the field of social-political sciences,
specialization-public administration. Next I’ll show the
survey result about the question: “How long do you
spend each day surfing Internet/computer?”
Table 1: Time spend in front of the PC
Total Less 1-2 3-4 5-6
tested than hours hours hours
people an
hour
1st year 68 6 43 16 3 -
2nd year 49 - 16 15 7 1
3rd year 16 - 7 6 1
Masters 34 - 12 10 9 3
1st
Masters 41 - 9 5 7 20
2nd
We remark that most students of the total university
degree cycle and of the masters degree, first year, spend
1-2 hours a day on Internet/computer, meaning 63,2% -
the 1st year, 32,6% -the 2nd year, 43,7% -the 3rd year and
29,2% -the 1st year masters degree. There follows the
segment of the students surfing the Internet/computer 3-
4 hours each day: 23,5% -the 1st year, 30,6% -the 2nd
year, 37,5% -the 3rd year and 24,3% -the 1st year masters
degree. It can be easily concluded that most of the tested
students spend on Internet /computer about 1-4 hours
each day, more exactly 67,8%, which is not negligible
in the circumstances of the daily school programme.
Regarding the existing situation at the 2nd year of
masters degree, we consider that employment and the
use of Internet/computer at and for the job interests, led
to another algorithm of using Internet/computer. Our
survey emphasized the fact that 76,3% of the masters
degree students, the 2nd year, had a job, compared to
18% of the university degree students, the 1st year.
Although it won the spare time universe a long time
ago, television still represents a means which attracts,
influences and dominates both time and people’s
outlooks and attitudes. As it is the case of
Internet/computer, there are opinions emphasizing only
the negative aspects, others the positive ones. Television
critics reproach the poorer language (compared to that
of books for instance), it can bring people back to their
simple, primitive feelings, it represents an attraction and
a trap at the same time for the laziest and tired people, it
locks them in their houses, into an “electronic
loneliness”, limiting their relations with the others,
eventually making them communicate with the
emptiness, reducing man’s personality, affecting his
ability to understand, his options and even his personal
values. Television’s funs emphasize its utility in
everyday life, its role in fun, entertainment, information,
image, documentation etc. Obviously, it is also the case
of television, its well-balanced use, especially
selectively, can only have positive effects. (Albu, 2009,
p. 47-49).
These realities represent a real challenge for the
teacher who cannot ignore the society’s contemporary
evolution, trying to adapt himself to these tendencies of
modernization which is” affected and obsessive, endless
and unstoppable and always incomplete”(Stan, 2007, p.
19-23).
More The pressures of the contemporary world on
than individual don’t stop here. The further bureaucratization
6 of the society also influences human behavior. Within
hours
an organization, the holders remain or disappear, people
change, counting by their abilities and talents. Within
such a structure, individuals strictly act in terms of their
official competences, their familial relations; their
2 qualities, their interests, feelings, their personal inner
life mustn’t be excessive and they are valueless. Each
member of the organization becomes an expert and
responsible of a certain aspect, no matter the rest.
Teacher Facing Some Challenges of an Ultra-Modern Society
Continuing the radiography of the today society,
specialists identify another syndrome acting on the
psychology and individual behavior-the phenomenon of
washing the brains by the insistence regarding the
change in the way of thinking and acting in one branch
or another of the society. (Albu, 2009, p.159-161; 56-
61).
Facing the multiple urges that society exercises
upon individual, young people confronting a career
choice or those who already have a career prove
decision and determination for the option/specialization
they attend. In the following table we present the result
of our research at the same students’ sample specified
above. There comes the question: “You attend this form
of education: a. for profession itself; b. for record”.
Table 2: Criteria of choosing
Total For profession For record
tested
50- 90- 100% 50-
people
80% 99% 80%
1st 78 24 10 34 7 -
year
2nd 36 11 5 16 4 1
3rd 16 7 4 5 -
Master 33 9 1 11 8 -
1st
2nd 37 4 - 24 3 1
The analyze of the results clearly indicates that
most of the students from the 1st cycle of education,
meaning 89,2%, as well as the master degree students,
meaning 71,9% chose the formal education which they
attend, out of those reasons related to the profession
they want to practice or they already practice. It is
significant that 45% of all the tested people showed that
they had chosen this form of education because of
reasons 100% related to the profession plus 10%, whose
reasons related to profession exceeded 90% of their
decision and that only 2,3 % from the students on the 1st
educational cycle chose that specializing form because
of reasons 100% related to the academic record. Among
masters students who already have a specialization
achieved by superior learning, the percentage of those
who chose their new university stage because of reasons
100% for record, is more increased, 14,2%, but not
spectacular.
Another investigation conducted by us shows the
maturity of our students options and the independence
of their ability to decide on the form of learning and the
profession choice. Also 88,8% of them make a choice
themselves or impose their desire on the form of
learning they attend, 63,6% of them demonstrating that
their power of decision on their academic option is total
(100%). Concomitantly, only 11,1 % made their options
depending on the insistence of other factors: parents or
economical compulsions.
The teacher facing the contemporary challenges
65
The role of teacher as a mentor of the educational
phenomenon was always emphasized. Quintilian
considered that a teacher should possess morality,
knowledge and skill, Ian Hrisostom considered that the
educator should be more perfect than a painter or a
sculptor, Saint Augustin insisted on the joy that must
accompany the educator on his way, Montagne wanted
the teacher to have “a good head”, Erasmus saw the
educator as a special man, both morally and culturally
and Rousseau, admitting the role of nature and parents,
specifically emphasized the role of the great educator.
(Narly, 1996. p. 400-412). We consider that the passing
time didn’t dissipate the qualities that an educator must
have. At most, we can speak about a dosing of intensity
for some of them compared to others and especially the
existence of some permeability and flexibility regarding
the adjustment to the rhythms, exigencies and demands
90- 100% of the contemporary society.
99% While analyzing, more than seven decades ago,
3 the qualities of the university professor, the Romanian
educator Constantin Narly considered that his role was
- almost entirely scientific, that his educational influence
- - on the young people was transmitted by the example of
5 his work, a pedagogical enthusiasm and a deep morality,
the passion of his specialty had to be overlapped to the
5
scientific truth and strange to any other temptations of
social life for political reasons. The professor must be
an animator of all the elements generating creation, who
is supposed to lead to a harmonious perfection of the
future specialists. (Narly, 1996, p. 430-432).
The educator’s quality of animator is fully
accepted nowadays too. Besides, today, teacher is seen
as a facilitator who intermediates the values’
acquirement. Among the qualities of an educational
facilitator, we must include: the promotion of variety,
equality and partnership of the actors included in the
educational process, tolerance and freedom, stimulation
of creativity, admission of the emotional value,
relevance of intuition, etc. The teacher’s role remains
important, as a specialist, he gives birth to the
educational scenario, he is the manager of the planned
educational process, but, at the same time, he must
“run” to the edges, in order to understand completely his
educational partners, to accept the relativity of the
central position. (Stan, 2004, p. 51-56).
From more pragmatic and economist perspectives,
the role of teacher is integrated in life’s mechanisms as
he has nothing else to do but achieving an educational
transaction, by which he delivers to the buyers their
educational product (students, parents, etc). Another
perspective from which school is seen, bringing a
certain perception of the quality of the educational
process is that which surprises the competition of the
school institutions in order to attract more and more
pupils and students. This fact has direct consequences
on the relationship between the educator and the
educated, which will be remodeled in order to bring a
maximum profit to the image of the respective
institution. Nowadays we can notice a real competition
66 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
between the educational efforts of the private and state
universities, a competition which not always has
positive effects upon the quality of the formative
process. (Stan, 2004, p. 43-50).
A constructivist view on the teaching design ask
the contemporary teacher to use the students’ ideas and
interest regarding the courses’ orientation and structure,
to promote students’ ability and responsibility as
partners of the formative act, to encourage students’
interventions and view points, to fructify the students’
way of thinking and experience, to encourage the use of
alternative informational sources, to emphasize the ideas
expressed in school before they are possibly denied, to
surprise the best timing for analyzing and reflection of
the uttered opinions, to emphasize the continuity of the
research beyond the classroom, to guide all the teaching
design to the specialization and career that students
want to take up etc. Obviously, all this teaching design
must include preoccupation for a communication
language/efficient style (Cerghit, 2002, p.268; Stan,
2004, p.105-106; Albu, 2008).
Conclusions
Our research certifies once again the modernism
and great changes that take place in our society
nowadays. In spite of all these difficulties, our students
prove maturity and balance. This was surely
demonstrated by our research. Students choose their
future job according to their own wish, aspiration and
interests. They aim at professionalizing, not studying for
the sake of study. It means an alarming signal for
teachers. They must entirely correspond to their
students’ wish of specializing.
Our research demonstrates “the contamination” of
the students with the latest acquisitions in science,
computer technique, Internet etc. But their use is within
normal limits, with some exceptions. The use of
computer and Internet is not “pathological”. This is a
good prerequisite for a smooth and efficient educational
process.
Obviously, by making these statements, we don’t
deny that we have done the test only on a small group of
students in our university and the results may have a
partial character. However, according to our perception,
we consider that the results of our research can be
relevant, by extension, on the whole student community
from our university and that this conclusions can be
guiding for the student communities from the
“province” universities (smaller), as well. At the same
time, these conclusions can give, to a certain extent, a
signal about the attitude of students from the whole
Romanian society. With its specific which obviously
includes new things but also the conservatism, the
power of reason, “moderation”, manifest a role of
balance and harmonization. We think that this “specific”
offers a favorable space of activity to all the actors of
the educational system (teacher-student-social demand).
We can thus conclude that students prove interest
for the form of education they choose, they rewardingly
use modern enquiry facilities, a fact that assures the
climate for a positive formative system. The teacher,
under modern research and informative system and
involved in it as well, must be understanding regarding
the preoccupations and aspirations of youth, he must
adapt himself to the present-day demands, he must show
ability regarding the most suitable ways of
communication with young people, by the most efficient
methods of reaching the educational and formative
purpose. The academic community of our society
demonstrates its viability, as its two main components,
students and teachers, represent a partnership within the
educational process.
REFERENCES
1. Albu, G. (2008), Comunicarea interpersonală, Institutul European,
Iaşi.
2. Albu, G. (2009), Educaţia, profesorul şi vremurile. Eseuri de
pedagogie socială, Editura Paralela 45, Piteşti.
3. Calcan, G. Munteanu, V. (2009), Istoria românilor. Elemente de
metodica predării istoriei, Ediţia a II-a revăzută şi adăugită, Editura
Universităţii Petrol-Gaze, Ploieşti.
4. Campbel, R. (2001), Educaţia prin iubire, Editura Curtea Veche,
Bucureşti.
5. Cerghit, I. ( 2002), Sisteme de instruire alternative şi
complementare. Structuri, stiluri şi strategii, Editura Aramis,
Bucureşti.
6. Cucoş, C. (2006), Pedagogie, Ediţia a II-a, Editura Polirom,
Bucureşti.
7. Simenschy, T. (1979), Un dicţionar al înţelepciunii, Ediţia a II-a,
Editura Junimea, Iaşi.
8. Stan, E. (2004), Pedagogie postmodernă, Institutul European, Iaşi.
9. Stan, E. (2007), Educaţia în postmodernitate, Institutul European,
Iaşi.
 RESPONSIBILITIES OF HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS IN RESEARCH OF
PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE IN ROMANIA IN THE LIGHT OF NEW LEGAL
REGULATIONS

Emilia Lucia CĂTANĂ1, Emilia COTOI2

1
Dimitrie Cantemir University Tîrgu Mures, luciacatana@yahoo.fr
2
Dimitrie Cantemir University Tîrgu Mures, cotoiemy@yahoo.com

By Government Decision number 1421 of 2009 was founded the National School of Public Health, Management and Training in
healthcare Bucharest, Romanian public institution with legal personality, subordinated to the University of Medicine and Pharmacy
Carol Davila Bucharest (UMF Carol Davila Bucharest) and coordination of the Ministry of Health created by merging the National
School of Public Health and Health Management Bucharest with National Training Center in Bucharest healthcare. This institution
has created new teaching positions, scientific research, design and production in public health, administration and health
management.
The importance of this legislative approach consists mainly in the fact that, for the first time in Romania, a public institution of
medical research - the former National School of Public Health and Health Management Bucharest - was passed by merging the
merger of subordination of executive power under the control of a university and the Ministry of Health has just coordinating
institution.
In this context, the study aims at highlighting the role of an important higher education institution in Romania by taking a public
institution subordinated to research, administration and health management, this fits in the overall strategic Romanian public service
and business research. Are also highlighted the skills of the new institution, structure and financing, governing bodies and powers of
the institutions.
Paper foundation is a relevant case study in terms of increasing the role of higher education institutions in Romania and research
topic is based on empirical method and epistemological approach, comparative analysis, coupled with legal analysis of the regulatory
framework in the field. Research results lead to the conclusion that the involvement of higher education institutions in research,
administration and management of a public service of great importance for the efficient conduct of its citizens the benefit of general
public interest, creating a regulatory framework in the field is an essential requirement this purpose.
The novelty of the subject and its pragmatic character, the work is addressed to researchers in higher education, is also a real
working tool for public institutions and practitioners of public administration with public health service preference.
Key words: public institution, higher education, responsibility.

A HIGHLIGHT OF THE ROLE OF HIGHER private sectors, industry, transportation and

EDUCATION AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS
WITHIN THE ROMANIAN GENERAL
STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK REGARDING
PUBLIC SERVICES AND RESEARCH
According to 2013-2020-2030 Horizons, the
National Strategy for Sustainable Development of
Romania, increase in the relevance of higher education
on the work market requires support of the interaction
among universities, of the business community, and of
the research-development-innovation sector, by strong
partnerships, which may include the setting up of
complex interdisciplinary “cluster” organizations.
Moreover, the Strategy points out that the entire
educational and professional development system needs
to assimilate sustainable development principles and
objectives as integrating part of the knowledge, abilities
and skills necessary for survival and personal and socio-
cultural performance in the modern world. Education
for sustainable development needs to be transversally
integrated in all preparation programs drafted and
organized into subject fields or modules, from natural
science to responsible civic practices, from consumption
and production sustainability in terms of resources to
becoming acquainted with cultural diversity, good
government and rule of law principles. Furthermore, the
educational approach of sustainable development
traverses the formal, informal and non-formal paradigm.
To meet this purpose sustainable development
education necessitates cooperation and partnership
among multiple decision-making factors: central and
local authorities, the education, scientific, health, and
agriculture, commerce, trade unions, mass-media non-
governmental organizations, the local community,
citizens and international organizations.
Education for sustainable development should not be
limited to an ecologist point of view. It should develop
as a wide ranging concept that comprises inter-
connected aspects with regard to the environment, as
well as economic and social problems. Linking it to the
extended and diversified topics associated to sustainable
development principles requires an inter- and trans-
disciplinary approach within integrated, cross-curricular
and complementary educational formulas, which take
into account local, both national and regional specificity
and the global context. The education and professional
development system should valorize proactive
participation and promote volunteering activities as an
expression of the civic spirit encouraged in schools.
The 2007-2013 National Strategy for Research,
Development, and Innovation defines three strategic
objectives:
a) creation of knowledge through top scientific and
technologic findings; increase in the international
visibility of Romanian research, and transfer of results
into economy and society; substantial, qualitative and
quantitative improvement of human resources
performance in research, by developing peaks of
excellence.;
b) increase of Romanian economy competitiveness
by promoting innovation that impacts upon economic
operators, intensifying technologic transfer, moving
emphasis towards complex problem-solving practices,
stimulating partnership with competitive production and
68 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
services businesses, creating proficiency centers and
technologic platforms;
c) increase in the social quality of research, by
generating conceptual and technologic solutions that
promote the design and implementation of public
policies, and by interconnecting them in fields such as
public health, environmental protection, infra-structure,
territorial planning, and sustainable eco-responsible
management of national resources.
Colligation of education level and demographic
tendencies requires the augmentation of higher
education participation ratio and that of adult continuous
learning programs, which could compensate for the
highly-qualified work force deficit in an economy based
on competitive and sustainable knowledge. This aim
could be achieved by increasing the involvement of
higher education institutions in scientific research; this
approach is likely to become possible if partnership is
created between government institutions in the field of
public administration and higher education institutions,
in the general context of proficient and responsible
public management (Lazăr, I ., 2009).
A MODEL OF STRATEGIC REFERENCE
FRAMEWORK APPLICATION IN THE
MEDICAL FIELD: THE FOUNDATION OF
BUCHAREST NATIONAL SCHOOL OF PUBLIC
HEALTH, SANITARY MANAGEMENT AND
TRAINING, SUBORDINATED TO A HIGHER
EDUCATION PUBLIC INSTITUTION
Historical evolution. The transfer from direct
governmental subordination, under the authority of
Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy,
Bucharest
Government Decision no. 1421/2009 provides the
foundation of Bucharest National School of Public
Health, Sanitary Management and Training, which is a
public institution with Romanian juridical personality,
subordinated to the Carol Davila University of Medicine
and Pharmacy of Bucharest (Carol Davila Bucharest
UMF) and coordinated by the Ministry of Health.
Firstly, we underline that this institution has been
created by merger of Bucharest National School of
Public Health, Sanitary Management and Training with
Bucharest National Sanitary Training Centre.
This subject calls for some observations to be made,
since they are relevant from the perspective of the
research objectives of this study, as for the first time in
the evolution of health reforms in Romania, an
institution placed under the direct authority and
coordination of the Government through the competent
ministry, becomes subordinated to a higher education
and research institution, that is Carol Davila University
of Medicine and Pharmacy of Bucharest.
The historical evolution of health reforms
demonstrates that, in the initial stage of scientific
research development in Romania, the National Institute
for Health Research and Development of Bucharest was
created. This was a Romanian legal entity whose main
activity was research and development, whose
functioning was based on economic management and
financial autonomy, and which was coordinated by the
competent ministry in the field of public health.
During an intermediate stage, the National School
of Public Health and Sanitary| Management was set up.
It was a public institution, a Romanian legal entity
based in Bucharest, and coordinated by the Public
Health Ministry. This public institution was set up by
reorganization of the National Institute for Health
Research and Development of Bucharest, which had
been repealed when setting up the National School.
For this purpose, Government Decision no.
1718/2008 regarding organization and functioning of
the Health Ministry included Bucharest National School
of Public Health, Sanitary Management and Training, in
the List of institutions with juridical personality
subordinated to the Health Ministry. Coordination by
the competent ministry has currently been maintained
by Government Decision no. 144/2010, applicable in the
field of Health Ministry organization and functioning.
Consequently, if the activity of this institution used
to be and is currently coordinated by the Government
through its competent ministry in the field of public
health without the existence of any provisions that
mention any subordination links to another type of
government structure of the public sector, Government
Decision no. 1421/2009 meant a major step towards
achieving reform in the field of education and research
in the field of health, as this institution passed under the
authority of a higher education institution - Carol
Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, of
Bucharest.
It is true that to the present days, coordination of this
institution by the Health Ministry has been maintained.
The explanation behind this is that the higher education
institution itself is but another public institution, which
does not prevent the existence of legal subordination
relations to the higher education institution; and
subordination relations prevail, coordination relations.
Moreover, the topic under discussion here is legal
relations established between public law legal entities,
and therefore, they fall under the incidence of the
existence of administrative law legal relations that
emerge according to the law, and are defined by
doctrine (Petrescu, R.N., 2009) as those social
relationships regulated by provisions of Administrative
Law, which appear within and in order to achieve the
executive function of the State.
Functions and object of activity
In accordance with art.1 of Government Decision
no. 1421/2009, the Bucharest National School of Public
Health, Sanitary Management and Training has four
major functions in the domains of public health,
sanitation management and administration:
▪ didactic function,
▪ scientific research function,
Responsibilities of Higher Education Institutions in Research of Public Health Service in Romania in The Light of New Legal
Regulations
▪ planning function
▪ production function, in the above-mentioned.
In achieving these functions the following object of
activity is outlined, within which a particular emphasis
is placed on didactic and scientific research activity:
a) organizing courses in the domains of public
health, promotion of health, administration and health
management, and training courses for the health
personnel with a university degree, and the personnel
with a high-school or college diploma, working
primarily in the health system;
b) organizing certification courses, short-term
courses, and other courses typical of the field of public
health, health promotion, health management, primarily
intended for the health personnel, including those
working in the health and community public
administration.
c) organizing post degree and master degree
courses, including courses in partnership with
competent national and international institutions;
master degree syllabi are subject to external assessment
in order to become accredited by the Romanian Agency
for Quality Standard in Higher Education;
d)training and specializing of public servants ,
primarily of those working in the health and health
insurance systems;
e)continuous education, teacher training,
management and organization of complementary
courses for the health system personnel, including
certification;
f)carrying out research and development activities in
the field of public health, health promotion, and health
management;
g)carrying out activities related to national health
programs and activities related to analysis, assessment
and monitoring of health services covered by the
National Health Insurance Fund;
h)technical and methodological support for providing
community medical assistance, including the
development of research activities particular to national
programs for community medical assistance;
i)editing and publishing of specialty publications;
j)other related activities approved by the Board of
directors.
An emphasis of the role of Carol Davila
University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest in
the functions, structure and financing of Bucharest
National School of Public Health, Sanitary
Management and Training
In achieving its object of activity the Bucharest
National School of Public Health, Sanitary Management
and Training has a series of major functions, of which,
from the point of view of this study, the following are
highly relevant:
- to carry out education and training activities, in
accordance with its object of activity; to issue, when
necessary and in accordance with the law, graduation
69
certificates; however, master degree diplomas are issued
together with Carol Davila University of Medicine and
Pharmacy of Bucharest ,in accordance with the current
applicable legislation;
-to carry out research and development activities in
the field of public health, health promotion, and health
management; and to provide technical assistance n the
field of public health, health promotion, and health
services management;
-to organise specialty university and post degree
courses.
According to provisions of art. 5 of Government
Decision no. 1421/2009, the Bucharest National School
of Public Health, Sanitary Management and Training
carries out its post degree and master degree
educational activities within the Carol Davila
University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Bucharest.
This is based on university autonomy principle, as the
former is provisionally authorized to carry out its
activity, according to provisions of Law no. 95/2006 on
health reform, with subsequent modifications and
completions. Nevertheless, the Bucharest National
School of Public Health, Sanitary Management and
Training is going to take all necessary action for
accreditation, in accordance with provisions of
Emergency Government Ordinance nr. 75/2005 on
quality standard in education, which was approved with
some modifications by Law no. 87/2006, by the
Romanian Agency for Quality Standard in Higher
Education.
During its provisional authorization period the
Bucharest National School of Public Health, Sanitary
Management and Training is authorized to organize post
degree and master degree courses, under the conditions
imposes by law, in public health, health management
and administration.
The structure of the Bucharest National School of
Public Health, Sanitary Management and Training
includes the following departments:
▪The Department of Health Management and
Administration,
▪The public health, health services management and
administration training centre, for the health system
personnel,
▪The health services management centre,
▪The health services research and assessment centre,
▪The national centre for health promotion,
▪The national continuous education centre for
doctors, dentists and pharmacists
▪The national professional development centre for
medical assistants, and other categories of personnel.
This institution includes 15 standardized teaching
positions, or positions for holders of equivalent
scientific title, for the first two years that Government
Decision no. 1421/2009 is in force, and subsequently
according to its needs, the number of positions will be
established with the approval of the Ministry of
Education, Research, and Innovation in accordance with
the applicable legal regulations.
70 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
An important aspect related to the functioning of this
organization is its financing. As far as this matter is
concerned, it functions as a self-financing institution,
that uses funds coming from interests, donations,
sponsorships, and fees charged in accordance with the
law, from Romanian or foreign private individuals or
legal entities, or from other sources, under the
provisions of the law.
Another worth-mentioning issue is the fact that the
incomes of the institutions are based on contracts drawn
with legal entities or private individuals, and represent
the fees paid for the provided products and services, or
other type of incomes, under the conditions of the law.
The Bucharest National School of Public Health,
Sanitary Management and Training is headed by the
general director who is the credit release authority under
the conditions of the law, and by the Board of directors.
What should be noticed is the highly important role of
the higher education institution which the Bucharest
National School of Public Health, Sanitary Management
and Training is subordinated to, as the general director
is appointed by the rector of Carol Davila University of
Medicine and Pharmacy of Bucharest for a 4-year term,
and he/she is also member of the Senate of this
university.
Furthermore, appointing the general director is
based on elections held when and under the conditions
decided by The Charter of Carol Davila University of
Medicine and Pharmacy of Bucharest, in accordance
with the applicable legislation.
With regard to the Board of directors, it has a
series of functions, among which extremely relevant is
the one related to sanctioning the internal regulations
on organizing its educational activity and research,
which is based on The Charter of Carol Davila
University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Bucharest;
In the first semester of each academic year the Board
of directors presents a report on the activity carried out
during the previous year, and on the activity planned for
the following year, in front of the Health Ministry and
the Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy
of Bucharest. This function calls for at least two
observations: on the one hand, reporting to the Health
Ministry is motivated by this institution being
coordinated by it, and on the other hand, this reporting
is practically the only legal obligation that the institution
needs to comply with, as the role of Carol Davila
University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Bucharest is
overwhelming.
With the same intention we draw attention to the
provisions of art. 13 of Government Decision no.
1421/2009, according to which, the Senate of Carol
Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy of
Bucharest sanctions the following matters, in order to
achieve the object of activity and the functioning of the
National School of Public Health, Sanitary Management
and Training:
a)the general strategy and the research plan of the
institution;
b)the curriculum plan of the institution;
c)the methodology and conditions for students’
admission;
d)procedures for internal training programs quality;
e)conclusion of partnerships with other education
institutions under the conditions of the law.
CONCLUSIONS
The National Strategy for Sustainable Development
of Romania, increase in the relevance of higher
education on the work market requires support of the
interaction among universities, of the business
community, and of the research-development-
innovation sector, by strong partnerships, which may
include the setting up of complex interdisciplinary
“cluster” organizations.
A model of strategic reference framework
application in the medical field is the foundation of
Bucharest National School of Public Health, Sanitary
Management and Training, subordinated to a Romanian
higher education public institution. In fact, if the activity
of this institution used to be and is currently coordinated
by the Government through its competent ministry in
the field of public health without the existence of any
provisions that mention any subordination links to
another type of government structure of the public
sector, Government Decision no. 1421/2009 meant a
major step towards achieving reform in the field of
education and research in the field of health, as this
institution passed under the authority of a higher
education institution - Carol Davila University of
Medicine and Pharmacy, of Bucharest.
Research results lead to the conclusion that the
involvement of higher education institutions in research,
administration and management of a public service of
great importance for the efficient conduct of its citizens
the benefit of general public interest, creating a
regulatory framework in the field is an essential
requirement to this purpose.
REFERENCES
1. Lazăr, I. (2009), ”Administraţia publică, managementul public
şi sursele europene de finanţare în contextul noilor provocări
impuse de conjunctura actuală a economiei mondiale”,
Pandectele române no. 5/2009, Wolters Kluwer Publishing
House, Bucharest
2. Petrescu, R.N. (2009), Drept administrativ, Hamangiu
Publishing House, Bucharest
3. Government Ordinance no. 52/2002, published in the Official
Gazette of Romania, Part I, no. 643 of 30 August 2002, endorsed
by Law no. 324/2003, with subsequent modifications and
completions.
4. Law no. 95/2006 regarding reform in the field of sanitation,
published in the Official Gazette of Romania, Part I, no. 372 of
28 April 2006, with subsequent modifications and completions.
5. Romanian Government, The National Strategy for Sustainable
Development of Romania, published in the Official Gazette of
Romania, Part I, no. 824bis of 8 December 2008
 SUBSTANTIATION REASONS TO SET UP
THE VALUE ANALYSIS AND ENGINEERING ROMANIAN ASSOCIATION
Gheorghe CONDURACHE,1, Romeo Mihai CIOBANU2, Costache RUSU3
1
« Gh.Asachi »Technical University of Iasi, Romania, email: condur@cetex.tuiasi.ro
2
« Gh.Asachi »Technical University of Iasi, Romania, email: crm_iasi@yahoo.com
3
« Gh.Asachi »Technical University of Iasi, Romania, email: crusu@cetex.tuiasi.ro

Abstract: The research aims to identify the knowledge and using level of Value Analysis and Engineering (VAE) method within Romanian
specialists in training, scientific research and economic activity, and their points of view, too, in order to set up a national framework for a wide
application of this method. Having old concerns in teaching and management of VAE projects, as members of SAVE International and MCDA
Working Group, the authors have tried radiography of the state of VAE knowledge at national level with the desire to change the actual situation
by establishing a mechanism/structure to manage the work in this area. The paper continues the authors' concerns evidenced by the publication of
books and scientific papers in this area. Thus, we have developed a questionnaire that we have delivered to around 200 specialists in education,
research and business. The questionnaire contains questions with the both closed and open answers, allowing us a quantitative analysis, and a
qualitative analysis, too. The answers from 52 respondents provide a relatively clear image about the actual situation, which is not just happy
about the using level of VAE in Romanian economic activity. All respondents consider necessary to establish a VAE national structure, and the
most respondents indicate the association /foundation as the best form. The consequences of our study for the target groups of academics,
researchers, administrators of universities and practitioners is to invite them to set up the Romanian association of VAE, and to act upon it.
Authors are encouraged to continue their efforts to set up this structure, too. Despite the necessity and utility of a VAE national association is
obviously, it has to be founded. That is why the authors try for the first time in Romania to substantiate this action by their original research.
Key Words: Value Analysis and Engineering, questionnaire, survey, national association/foundation.

that suggests the necessity of specialists’ involvement in

INTRODUCTION the training process.
knowledge about VAE

Value Analysis and Engineering has demonstrated its

vitality and quality for a long time in the entire world
23%
being one of the management methods with a high
longevity. Our affirmation is based on a great number of Y
VAE associations and societies, which continue to get N

important results. Unfortunately, in our country it didn’t

set up yet a VAE national structure because of different 77%

reasons, although there are a lot of individual or group

experiences and results regarding the process of using or Figure 1: Knowledge about VAE method
transfer the VAE knowledge.
Thus, this paper proposes to argue the necessity to level of knowledge
found a Romanian VAE structure. According this aim
we have undertaken a survey on a target group 17
composed by the real and potential users of VAE 18
16
15

techniques. 14
12
10 8
1. QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS 8
6
4
The applied questionnaire contains a number of 26 2

questions with the both open and closed categories of 0

low middle high
answers, which offer us the possibility to undertake the
Figure 2: Level of knowledge
both quantitative and qualitative analysis regarding the
actual situation, and the possibilities and chances to
knowledge source
succeed a VAE national structure.
The target group was composed around 200 specialists 20
19

from academic, research and economic environments. 15

14
13
We have received answers from 52 persons, so over 25
10
% of target group. We present on the results of our 4
survey. 5

The level and source of VAE method knowledge are 0

University Postgraduate Internal training Self-training
shown in the figures no. 1, 2 and 3. It is very interesting Studies courses

that we have received answers even from certain
persons who don’t know the VAE method (23 %). The
majority of answers show that the knowledge is situated
on a medium level and it is based on the self-training,
Figure 3: Knowledge source
The respondents’ perception regarding the utility and
applicability of VAE method are shown in the figures
no. 4 and 5. The conclusion is very obviously because
72 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

over 90 % of respondents consider that VAE is a useful best tool / structure

method, and over 60 % applies VAE very frequently or 25

even permanently. 25
20
20 17

knowledge utility 15

10 7
18
17 5
18
16 0
Training program university Structure of research / Professional association / Other
graduate design foundation
14
12 Figure 6: The best VAE structure
10
8 5 activities to be conducted this structure
6
4
350
2
300
0 250
Small extent Aught Largely
200
150
Figure 4: Knowledge utility 100
50
0
Apply this knowledge in your professional activity

20
17

15
11
Figure 7: Activities rank of VAE structure
10
7
5
5 Table 2: Activities rank

0 Activities Rank
rarely occasionally often permanently
Training 140
Figure 5: Method applicability Technology transfer 268
Table 1: Concrete results of VAE utilization
Research 269
Number of Professional promotion 270
Concrete result respondents Advice 274
Reducing cycle 3 Lectures, congresses, meetings 277
Increasing the value 5 Implementation of projects/inventions 282
Standardization 5 Project Management 288
Fitness for use 6 Projects assessment 296
Other 6 Inter-organization cooperation 307
Simplification of products and processes 12 Publishing and distributing 310
Customer satisfaction 15 Membership of international bodies 328
Reducing costs 16
Self-financing and European projects have to be the
Improving quality 22
basic financing sources of the VAE Romanian structure
according the answers presented in the figure no. 8.
Simplification of products and processes, customer
satisfaction, reducing costs, improving quality are the self-financing
most important results VAE utilization. This conclusion Ways of financing structure

is based on the majority of respondents presented in Sponsorship

table no. 1. 11% 2% European

29% projects
Association or foundation is the VAE best structure 7%
2% tax
suggested by the most respondents (25 answers in
Membership
comparison with the 20 and 17 answers for others 12% fees

structures, figure no. 6). 28%

11%
funding from
state budget
Training, technology transfer, research, professional other

promotion, advice, lectures, congresses, meetings are

the most adequate activities of the future Romanian Figure 8: Financing structure

VAE structure (table no. 2 and figure no. 7).

There are presented the structure of respondents from
the figure no. 9 until the figure no. 15 (activity sector,
position in organization, age, seniority, sex, work
nature, status).
Substantiation Reasons to Set Up The Value Analysis and Engineering Romanian Association 73

activity Where you do business

30

25 40
20 35

15 30
25
10
20
5
15
0
industrial education administratio n health o ther 10
5
Figure 9: Activity sector of respondents
0
public interest organization private interest organization

function Figure 14: Respondents work

25

20
50
15
45
10
40
5
35
0
30
top manager midle manager line manager employee
25
Figure 10: Position in organization 20
15

sex 10
5
0
40 as employee as ow ner,
shareholder, partner
30
20
Figure 15: Status of respondents
10
0
M F
2. QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS
Figure 11: Sex of respondents
According the questions with open answers the authors
age have selected the following aspects:
19
20
15 Areas of VAE application:
15
11
10
6
a) Teaching activities (the following courses of
5
1
specialization: Value Analysis and Engineering;
0 Functional Analysis; AMDEC; Technological Devices;
18 - 25 26 - 35 36 - 45 46 - 55 56 - 65
Elements of Design; Elements of General Technology;
Figure 12: Respondents age Basics of Technical Design; Quality Function
Deployment; License and Dissertation projects design;
seniority in the organization
Case Studies design; Planning of Continuum Education
11
Courses; Self-Evaluation Reports of Scholar Unities).
12
10 9 b) Research, Design and Marketing Activities (Doctoral
8
6 6
7 7 Thesis; Research and Consultancy contracts;
6
4 Pharmaceutical, Electrics, and Electronics products;
4
2
2
Development of New Products according the customers’
0 requirements; Programs Study design).
under 1
year
1-5 6 - 10 11 - 15 16 - 20 21 - 25 26 - 30 over 30
years c) Production and Service Activities (Heat Treatment;
Selection of Certain Logistics Systems; Selective
Figure 13: Respondents seniority
Gathering of Waste to Recycling; General Repairing of
Huge Vehicles; Redesign of Fuel Distribution Network;
Selection of Investment Projects; Electronically
Evidence in Documents Archives; Quality
Quantification of Textile Products; How to Sell a
Tourism Product; Water Source Capitalization, etc.).
74 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
Exemples of products/services which the respondents
have supposed that are designed and maded by using
VAE method:
1. Automotive production; Components for automotive
industry; Service for vehicles; Products for Maritime
and Air Transportation.
2. Machines Manufacturing; Romanian Industrial
Products and Processes; Aeronautics; Boring
Equipments; Electrical Engineering; Electronics.
3. Labor-saving devices; Consumer goods.
4. Pharmaceutical Products; Medical Devices; Food-
Stuff.
5. Tourism Products; TV Programs; Mobile Phone
Services; Softwares; Computers.
6. General Textile Products; Technical Textile Products;
Medical Textile Products (artificial artery, surgery
thread, etc.); Ready-made clothes; Footwear.
Main causes of VAE unusing in Romania:
a) Lack of specialists with VAE specific competencies.
b) Ignorance of VAE, lack of information, small interest
to put in practice modern methods of management for
improving the economical activities.
c) Reticence, untrust, uninvolvement, routine,
impatience, precipitation, old ideas, bureaucracy.
c) Discrepancy between academic environment and
economic environment points of view.
d) Low resources and effort for training on VAE and in
other concepts regarding the improvement of value.
e) Deficiencies in organizational culture, and promotion
of non-values;
g) Lack of motivation of the specialists who can really
involve in VAE application.
Examples of VAE non-application:
1. Labor-saving devices with a very short electric cable;
Incompatibility between the dimensions of labor-saving
devices and functioning space; Ddisproportion of tools
hand.
2. Services of consumer goods (repairing, maintenance,
upkeeping, etc.); New services/products with lack of
information from beneficiaries.
3. A lot of food-stuff.
4. Ready-made clothes and footwear which ignore the
antropometric dimensions.
5. Pieces or products of inadequacy materials.
6. Furniture with wrong dimensions, Package difficult
to manipulate it.
6. Books, Fine art objects. Others products/services.
Does VAE influence the innovation process?
The most answers are affirmative as the following:
“VAE is the engine of the (re)design. VAE has the main
feature to identify the necessity and opportunity of
innovation. Innovation process is influenced by: the
logical formulation of the creativity subjects, real
stimulation of creativity, applying of team working
methods, to go down in the real market. VAE supposes
to search and find solutions in a novelty manner in order
to satisfy all the parties involved as well as the client,
producer and why not, environment”.
VAE Associations in the world:
Many respondents don’t know about the VAE
structures. In Romania there is not yet a VAE
association. However, fortunately, there are answers
regarding knowledge of SAVE (American Society of
Value Engineering), AFAV (Association Française pour
l’Analyse de la Valeur), SJVE (Japan Society of Value
Analysis), Miles Foundation, Zentrum Wert Analyse
(Germany).
Necessity of a VAE department:
There is a large diversity of opinions from the
categorical NO to the following meanings:
a) YES, a VAE team within the Marketing/Sales
Department, or Management of Quality Department.
b) YES, a department leaded by the General Manager or
an Executive Manager.
b) It is not necessary as a separate department but it is
useful to develop thinking in the spirit of VAE method.
CONCLUSIONS
Based on the actual stage of the Romanian research and
economic environment the authors have proposed to
argue the necessity of a national structure to valorify the
potential of VAE method. According the survey that has
undertaken there are the following main conclusions:
• VAE is known at a medium level especially based
on self-training that suggests the necessity of a high
involvement of specialists in the training process.
• All the respeondents agree to set up a VAE
national structure.
• Majority of opinions are oriented to the
association/foundation forms based on the self-financing
and European Project financing.
• Respondents have presented a large variety of
application or non-application of VAE methodology to
design Romanian products/services, and its cause.
• Once founded, the new VAE structure will have
the role to reduce such of mentioned difficulties, and to
improve, too, the technic and economic activities by
training, technological transfer, research, professionals
promotion, advice, lectures, congresses, meetings.
References
1. Miles L.D (1989), Techniques of Value Analysis and
Engineering, Third Edition Published by Eleanor Miles Walker,
USA.
2. Condurache G (1997), Management aplicat I - Managementul
valorii produsului, Editura “Gh.Asachi” Iasi.
3. Ciobanu,R.M.,Condurache,G (2001), Ingineria valorii,
Editura Tehnica Info, Chisinau.
4. Condurache,G , Ciobanu R.M., Niculae M., (2004) Analiza
si ingineria valorii – studii de caz – Editura Performantica,
Iasi.
5. Ciobanu, R.M., Condurache, G., (2008) Students’ training on
value methodology – some particularities in Romanian higher
education, The 5th International Seminar on the Quality
Management in Higher Education, Editura Performantica, Iasi,
pg. 93-98.
 PARTICULARITIES OF A QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IMPLEMENTED
IN A UNIVERSITY

Doina CONSTANTINESCU1, Bianca PRISECARU2 , Razvan CONSTANTINESCU3

1
PhD University Professor, Politehnica University Bucharest, Romania, sam.upb@gmail.com
2
PhD Candidate, Politehnica University Bucharest, Romania, biancaprisecaru@gmail.com
3
MSc. Business Development Manager, Sebastian SRL, Romania, razvan.constantinescu@sebastian.ro

As in any field of activity, also in higher education, long-term success can be ensured mainly by focusing on the quality of the educational service.
Therefore, our research aimed to identify ways to realize the peculiarities of the quality management system (QMS) developed in a university in
accordance with SR EN ISO 9001:2008 and ISO IWA 2:2007 standards. Although SR ISO 9001:2008 is the standard which presents the QMS
requirements developed for any organization, the peculiarities, but also the consequences of the quality level of the educational service, it also
involves specific approaches in the development of the QMS processes. To solve these particular issues we have researched also the ISO IWA
2:2007 and SR EN ISO 9004:2000 standards. The results of a research on the QMS particular development in a university can be assessed only in
a specific situation, namely by developing and implementing all QMS necessary processes. From what we know, such a research is original for
the higher education in Romania.

components that can express themselves through

INTRODUCTION
Educational organizations worldwide have been
subject to different policies and programs. Agencies
such as UNESCO, OECD (Organization for Economic
Cooperation and Development), World Bank and others
have raised and invested more economic resources to
view education as a global problem, especially for a
quality education.
Although each country has its own approach to
quality education, it is necessary to evaluate the effects
of education, class, school, or country, even making a
comparison between them.
International agencies have indicated that there are
some overall guidelines as well as important
characteristics of education in different countries, and it
is necessary to assess their progress.
Education and continuous learning have a critical
role in economic and social development since the
human capital has become a key driver of economic and
personal income growth.
A PISA report (International Student Assessment
Programme) in 2003, indicates the importance of the
social and economic performance in school, and recalls
that "comparing the results of educational organizations
should take into account the economic situation and the
resources that countries can devote to education”.
Countries that have high-performance indicators
based on PISA 2003 results report are Australia,
Finland, Ireland, South Korea, Belgium, Holland,
Canada and Czech Republic, Peralte Y.L. (2007).
Following the interest shown worldwide for
increasing the quality of educational organizations,
particular standards were developed in order to improve
the service provision by implementing a quality
management system (QMS).
Since such a system focuses mainly the organization
towards the customer, it is natural that among the items
which produce both direct customer satisfaction as well
as indirect customer satisfaction, to find also
"quality of education".
ISO 9000 standard family is oriented towards quality
management systems for organizations of all types and
sizes, regardless of industry or services.
Quality is not a new phenomenon in education and
training. But the interest for increasing the level of
educational quality of the corresponding level of human
society development has led the educational
organizations to ISO 9000 family standards orientation.
Since the early '90s, a number of educational
organizations in Europe have implemented a QMS
according to ISO 9001 and ISO 9002, Peralte Y.L.
(2007).
While certification according to ISO 9001:2008
standard, remains a marginal phenomenon in the field of
education, the number of certification organizations is
increasing, especially among professional and
continuous training providers.
Despite the terminology and interpretation problems,
most experts agree that the standards quality
requirements provide the appropriate framework for a
quality assurance system in all types of organizations.
The quality and especially the quality requirements
evolution from recent years, has led, at least in Europe,
to recognition of the value of a QMS certification
according to ISO 9001:2008 standard requirements.
In this context, it is not surprising that education and
training organizations have shown interest in ISO 9000
standards.
The fact that European organizations have noticed
the importance of implementing a QMS developed
according to an international standard means that they
observed some advantages.
These may be:
- a reason to obtain international prestige, an
increased addressability of direct customers, even of
those that are foreigners (pupils, students) and indirect
(the society, and the organizations in which the
graduates will work);
- more effective internal organization, more
motivated staff and better internal communication;
76 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

- professionalism; Standards ISO ISO ISO IWA

- an increase in educational and professional training 9001:2008 9004:2000 2:2007
service, the relevance of scheduled courses, the teaching Processes Requirements Guidelines* Guidelines*
quality; 6.2 Human The The The
- can be the basis for an objective and unitary Resources organization organization educational
6.2.2 shall: shall: organization
evaluation; Competence, - determine (6.2.2.1)* should:
- may be a benchmark for financing the budget training and the necessary Consideration - adapt the
educational organizations (England). awareness competence of the need curricula to
Although it is possible to develop a QMS according for personnel for accommodate
to ISO 9001 standard in an educational organization, the performing competence scientific and
team that will develop the system should have more work includes technological
specialized knowledge so that they can appreciate that affecting sources such changes,
some of the ISO 9001 requirements are either not conformity to as : - assess the
suitable or not appropriate to educational organizations; product - future student
requirements, demands, achievement
in addition for ensuring customer satisfaction both direct - provide - anticipated and
(students) and indirect (organizations, benefiting from training or management organization
their training) requires that some of the QMS processes take other and effectiveness
to have also other results than those presented in ISO actions, workforce based on
9001 standard. - evaluate the succession fulfilment of
These were the reasons for which the specialists in effectiveness needs, educational
educational organizations from many countries around of the actions - changes to goals,
the world have developed a particular version of “ISO taken, the - ensure staff
9001 - Quality Management Systems. Requirements” - ensure that organization's competence
its personnel processes, for carrying
standard, especially for the development of a QMS in are aware of - evaluation out their
educational organizations. It is presented “IWA 2 ISO: the relevance of the functions,
2007 - Quality Management Systems. Guidelines for the and competence - academic
application of ISO 9001:2008 in education” importance of individual degrees held
of their people, by
ISO IWA 2:2007 Standard activities, - statutory instructors,
- maintain and employment
appropriate regulatory history,
What is IWA 2? records of requirements. special
A concise answer to this question might be: it is an education, courses or
international standard that presents guidelines for training, certificates,
developing a QMS according to ISO 9001:2008 skills and and in-
standard in educational organizations. experience. service
The question might be obvious, as ISO 9001:2008 training,
should be a
specifies that a QMS, whose requirements it presents, is
part of the
applicable to both organizations producing goods and quality
services. records.
The existence of an international standard that *Note: In paragraph 6.2.2, ISO 9004:2000 presents
customize the necessary requirements for QMS separate recommendations for competence (6.2.2.1) and
processes that develop in an educational organization, for awareness and training (6.2.2.2).
was initiated even by such organizations. It is also
important to point out that since 1996, in different In any type of economic and noneconomic
countries there are national standards on the subject. organization, developing and implementing a QMS
The need and importance of ISO IWA 2: 2007 can according to ISO 9001:2008 standard, ensure its
mainly be substantiated by: capability to satisfy the quality requirements, so the
- social importance of education services; default ability to meet customer needs and expectations,
- long-term consequences of the quality level of the and also of other stakeholders.
educational activity for both direct beneficiaries - For an educational organization, the objectives, the
pupils, students - and the indirect beneficiaries - final results of the QMS necessary processes should be
economic and noneconomic organizations, where more comprehensive, and for this reason the IWA 2:
graduates at different levels of education will work. 2007 standard requirements are more numerous, and
Table 1 shows comparative requirements / more demanding than those of ISO 9001.
guidelines related to employees competence – 6.2 For most QMS necessary processes, the
Process "Human resources"; Table 2 shows the requirements for an educational organization express the
requirements / guidelines relating to “Control of recommendations of ISO 9004:2000 (Quality
production and service provision " - 7.5.1 Process. Management Systems - Guidelines for performance
improvements).
Table 1: Comparative presentation of requirements / guidelines related to
employees competence
Substantiation Reasons to Set Up The Value Analysis and Engineering Romanian Association 77

Table 2: Comparative presentation of requirements / guidelines relating to

control of production and service provision
Standards ISO 9001:2008 ISO 9004:2000 ISO IWA
Requirements Guidelines* 2:2007
Processes Guidelines*
7.5 - the - reducing - selecting
Production availability of waste, and enrolling
and information - training of students,
service that describes people, - designing
provision the - curricula on
7.5.1 characteristics communicating different
Control of of the product, and recording subjects,
production - the information, - allocating
and availability of - developing teaching
service work supplier loads,
provision instructions, capability, - developing
- the use of - improving course
suitable infrastructure, material,
equipment, - preventing - providing
- the problems, practice
availability and - methods of manuals for
use of monitoring. laboratories
monitoring and and
measuring workshops,
equipment, - allocating
- the the resources
implementation necessary to
of monitoring carry out off-
and campus
measurement, instruction,
- the - establishing
implementation methods to
of product verify
release, - academic
delivery and performance
post-delivery allocating
activities. spaces,
- tutoring and
consulting on Figure 1: Necessary process for „Control of production and service provision”
vocational (7.5.1), ISO 9001:2008
opportunities.
*The guidelines consist of a set of processes a. Between ISO 9001 requirements and ISO 9004
recommendations, as was expected, the differences are
To argue those stated above, we presented the considerable, and IWA 2 ISO: 2007 standard was
requirements / guidelines for two of the QMS necessary designed to obtain an appropriate level of education
processes, stated in the three standards mentioned. services quality adequate to its social importance.
As shown in Figure 1 flowchart, for satisfying ISO
Examples of QMS necessary processes according to 9001 requirements, a single managerial process is
ISO IWA 2: 2007 necessary.
To implement ISO IWA 2 recommendations, it is
QMS guidelines and the content of necessary necessary to develop a set of managerial processes
processes, customized for educational organizations in (figure 2) because for developing and implementing
ISO IWA 2:2007, should be developed at appropriate each stage of the process shown in the figure it is
level and according to the particularities of each necessary to develop a process.
educational unit. b. On the other hand, the specific way in which it
To illustrate how such processes should be is organized and operates a university, and the manner
developed, we chose "control of production and service in which the educational services are provided, at
provision” process. university level, has as a consequence, the difficulty of
Not by chance we chose to exemplify this issue. keeping under control the service provision.
Mainly our intention was to report the following
aspects:
78 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

The process whose flowchart is represented in

Figure 3, which is a necessary step in control of service
provision process, is, in our conception, the way we
should proceed to "allocate teaching loads" in
educational organizations at university level.

CONCLUSIONS

Even if, in this paper we exemplified the

development of a single subprocess, necessary for
implementing a QMS according to ISO IWA 2:2007
standard, we can notice the following:
- the team that will develop the QMS should
consist of teachers with experience in providing
educational services;
- team members must have the adequate skills in
order to develop QMS processes at all levels of
educational organization;
- it is necessary that the educational organization
to provide proper training for teachers who will
audit the implemented QMS.
From those presented in this paper results that while
developing and implementing a QMS according to ISO
IWA 2:2007 standard in a university involves a
considerable effort, the results that will be obtained,
namely organizational capability to meet stakeholders
requirements, fully justifies the effort.
Figure 2: Set of necessary processes for „Control of production and service
provision in educational organization”, (7.5.1), ISO IWA2:2007
References

1. ISO 9001:2008, “Quality Management Systems -

Requirements”.
2. ISO 9004:2000, “Quality Management Systems - Guidelines for
Performance Improvements”.
3. IWA 2:2007, “Quality Management Systems – Guidelines for the
application of ISO 9001:2008 in education”.
4. Peralte Y.L. (2007), “Education y calidad”, Revista
Iberoamericana de Educacion, nr. 42/2-10 march 2007, ISSN:
1681-5653, pages 1-13.

Figure 3: „Allocating teaching loads” process

 TEACHING ETHICS AT MASTER’S LEVEL - THE ROLE OF THE TEACHER AND ITS
CHALLENGES

Daniela-Tatiana CORODEANU AGHEORGHIESEI1,Valentin NIŢĂ2

1
PHD. ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR Universitatea Alexandru Ioan Cuza, dtc@uaic.ro, d_corodeanu@yahoo.com
2
PHD. FULL PROFESSOR Universitatea Alexandru Ioan Cuza, valnit@uaic.ro, valnit2003@yahoo.com
Abstract
This theoretical and experimental research aims to identify main courses of action that teachers can follow in teaching the values and
applied ethics in the Master level education with a true knowledge and appreciation of how students actually learn and perceive the importance of
ethics subjects in the academic curricula. Our article presents the results of an empirical research based on questionnaire on the importance of
discipline Ethics, methods and tools for teaching considered to be optimum in training and also the role of teachers in the perception of over 300
students from the MSc modules from the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Iasi.

Key-words: teaching ethics, students’ perception, teaching methods.

FORMAL EDUCATION IN BUSINESS ETHICS –
AN INSIGHT INTO TIME
The great ethical dilemmas of a post-communist
society have generated consistent efforts for their
solving, many times based on recommendations from
western countries. The National Report on Corruption,
from 2009, published by Transparency International
(2009: 8, 31) shows that Romania is dealing with an
unprecedented institutional crisis, but also with a social
one, as even “the educational system represents one of
the sectors most vulnerable to corruption” (idem, 2009:
51). Romania is moving backwards in the battle against
corruption, being in the danger of reaching the level of
the year 2003, the general confidence climate
deteriorating dramatically. In the public declarations of
foreign officials it is recommended that our society
mobilizes against corruption. Still, many of the
measures taken have remained without effect, given the
fact that they haven’t been directed towards eliminating
the real causes: many of the unethical behaviors are
based, among others, on an obsolete mentality and lack
of education. Willingly or not, ethics disciplines are part
of the arsenal used to fight against this “inability” to exit
this vicious circle.
One of the role models followed by Romanian
universities in order to introduce business ethics
disciplines in the university curricula starting with the
late 90’s was USA. The explanation could be owed to
“the exaggerated respect for everything that meant
Western” (Heintz, 2006: 20), to the large amount of
American bibliography or to the teachers that went to
USA on Fulbright scholarships for specializations. To
these we may add the ethics courses held by American
experts in ex-communist countries of the East-European
bloc.
Teaching a business ethics discipline or a Public
Administration ethics discipline in Romania remains a
true challenge for university teachers. The skepticism or
irony of the students represents one of the great barriers,
considering that for them the reality outside the
university is different from the ideal world of theory:
they cannot easily find a job because “everything
depends on roots and connections” (the results of our
research among students reveals the fact that 67.9%
complain about this aspect) and the role models for a
business man or a successful politician are largely
presented in the press as being highly controversial.
Another barrier is even the message sent out by other
economics disciplines that aggressively orient the
student strictly towards material objectives, profitable
businesses, not calling their attention towards the
importance of individual and collective values
management (amusing but immoral commercials are
abundant, 81.3% of students blaming deceiving
publicity and manipulation in marketing practices, etc.).
To these we may add the feeling of “tied hands”, in the
sense that students do not feel they can put into practice
the solutions learned at the courses because “no one
takes you seriously” and the law is too permissive or not
punitive enough (“an environment oriented towards
lawfulness, but unethical” – 59.4%). Alongside other
unfavorable factors, the lack of ethical behavior models
(counter balanced by the success of the unethical
behavior), and the lack of a civic education shows its
influence and we pay tribute to passive attitude and we
perpetuate the unfavorable consequences of the lack of
morality. Experience demonstrates that although some
of us consider ourselves moral, we lack the ethical
dimension, and the role of the ethics teachers is firstly
inclined towards making students aware, towards
convincing them, and only afterwards teaching the
theories and the instruments. In these conditions, the
school has a greater mission, not only to shape future
leaders and businessmen (the present students) but also
to re-call those already integrated in the economics area
and who, in their turn, have the mission to
promote/follow the ethical behavior.
Literature review
Supported efforts for “an ethics formal education”
are visible in the USA starting with the 90’s, when
interest has been directed towards introducing ethics
courses in professional schools, at Master level, or by
organizing training programs for clerks at governmental
level. However, research concerning the role of
education in ethics, may be found starting even with the
early 60’s, 70’s (Collins&Wartick, 1995,
80 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
Bowman&Menzel, 1998, Deni Elliott, 2007, Ronald R.
Sims, 2002 and many others).
Researches found their legitimacy the more the
period of the 60’s and early 70’s has been considered
the stage of the values’ crisis in education, the students
no longer being exposed to values; the latter had to deal
with “a model of knowledge that was objective,
impersonal, instrumental, specialized, reductionist,
atomist and even amoral”. The values’ moral crisis in
superior education appears because of puzzleness and
egocentrism, and is explained by three psychological
reasons: each person’s anxiety regarding its economic
stability, narcissism with focus on limited personal and
social matters and the loss of a credible experience
center, as well as the confusion whether decisions could
be made based on adopting the vision of long term
values (Mitchell, 1989: 3 -4).
Still, although it seems that the start in ethics
education has been given, business schools are still
characterized as lacking relevance and legitimacy
concerning the interest in ethics courses
(Swanson&Fisher, 2008: 14). The dilemma remains if
“the short-sighted attitude in business is reflected by the
business Master programs and vice versa”
(Orlitzky&Swanson, 2006: 18). Innovation is needed in
the education of ethics, which may salvage business
schools from being „nurseries for amoral practitioners,
who are being discouraged from considering collective
necessities”.
Challenges of the present or of the future? Ethics
in university curricula
Bowie (2002: 135-136) asserts the need to integrate
management and ethics in two large directions:
integration within the curricula and emphasis on what
may be called „extra-curricula”.
The curricular strategy, teaching ethics based on the
method of the case study must be supported by the
management (by specifying the importance of ethics in
the curricula) as well as by the university. The strategy
includes four steps – initiation (an introductory module
to create the common language of business ethics
among students), the inclusion of case-studies with
ethical topics, of readings within the main functional
courses existent in the curricula (management,
marketing, finance, law, enterprise), the consolidation of
functional applications, and feedback from the students
to thus improve the methods and the range of teaching
materials for the next cycle.
The extra-curricula completes the curricular strategy,
consolidating the culture of ethics relevance and the
method of the case-study through optional courses,
special guests, organizing colloquies, students’ seminars
and various learning techniques with the aid of the
internet.
A conclusive trio points out that a fundamental
ethics course is essential; integrating ethics courses
within the studies program curricula must become an
objective; other initiatives are desirable, such as guests’
speeches on ethical topics, offering services for learning
projects, establishing management positions in ethics
(Swanson&Frederick, 2005: 235).
Most business schools have chosen to implement the
infusion model, by encouraging ethics teachers to
mandatorily approach ethical dilemmas encountered in
the texts from the manuals. Unfortunately, students have
reported that ethics teachers avoid present ethical
matters in their courses, thus the former are
inadequately prepared for the types of ethical dilemmas
that they may encounter throughout their career
(Wankel&DeFillippi, 2006: 332). Another study among
MBA students referring to seriousness in approaching
ethical dilemmas brings out the fact that they feel
embarrassed about their lack of experience in making
decisions based on values, that they do not understand
the consequences of their actions in society and that
they are not able to harmonize their own values within
leadership (Mintzberg, 2004:42). The design of the
ethics courses must be shaped on learning experiences
in services oriented towards the community, which will
offer business students the opportunity „walk ethics
talk” (Collins, quoted by Swanson&Fisher, 2008: 12).
The immediate challenge for education in business
ethics is to develop an approach and a conceptualization
that may be universally understood and carrying a
message meaningful for all actors involved, regardless
of the geographical area or the culture they are in. As
stated by Tom Dickson (2000: 215),”Ethics global
approaches are created as we move from standards
based on culture towards more universal standards”.
Cowton and Crisp (2004: 177) criticize the present
teaching methods that overcharge the cognitive analysis
of individual actions, of case-studies based on difficult
dilemmas and with the final message that „there are no
correct solutions”, which leads to the relativity of the
idea that nothing is good or bad; they suggest the
development of the social actors’ moral character in the
education of adults and of those already involved in
business practices, the teaching of virtues’ ethics, and of
the cognitive techniques of decision making. To the
question „how ethics should be taught?”, they insist on
treating business as human, virtues’ ethics and personal
character development based on mentorship (idem,
2004: 183- 199).
Research design
Our research is based on the distribution of an ample
explorative questionnaire made up of two parts (the first
with 27 items being the object of our analysis) among
the students from all Master programs from the Faculty
of Economics and Business Administration, „Alexandru
Ioan Cuza” University of Iasi, who have the discipline
Business Ethics in their study program.
Research objectives
The purpose of this questionnaire was to identify the
perception of ethical behavior in the Romanian society.
As intermediary objectives, it was also desired to
identify the opinion of the students regarding the utility
of the discipline Business Ethics, for students, as well as
Teaching Ethics at Master’s Level - The Role of the Teacher and its Challenges
for future or present leading factors, starting from the
ethical problems that the Romanian society is presently
dealing with; the structure of the teaching program and
the role of the teacher in passing on ethical knowledge.
Work method
The questionnaire was distributed during the exam
session, depending on the period set for each exam
(semester II 2009 and semester I 2010), to 374 subjects.
The number of questionnaires processed from each
Master differs due to the number of students subscribed
at the each Master programme or present during the
exam session, but also due to the taking out of the
analysis of the questionnaires that were not filled in
correctly, or where answers given were contradictory.
The distribution resulted as follows: Human Resources
Management (HRM) – 156; Organizations Management
(OM) – 84; Tourism and Hotel Management (THM) –
54; Human Resources Development Management
(HRDM) – 35; Marketing Planning and Strategy (MPS
postgraduate) – 29; Public Relations Negotiations
(SCOP 2M) – 16. The data has been processed using the
statistical program Sfinx . The questions were of the
type closed, with one possible answer, multiple answer
and ordered answer, but they also left the possibility for
an open answer. As the variables were nominal, the
univariate statistical analysis was used to interpret the
obtained information, (the analysis of the frequencies
and the Chi-square significance test) and the bivariate
statistical analysis.
Research results
The ethics issue has been approached gradually,
obtaining several results that we present here selectively
and succinctly: 43% of the Romanian Master students
questioned consider that the moral correctness of an
action is determined by each person’s conscience;
56.4% associate ethics with etiquette and good manners.
A percent of 58,3% of the students state that the
Romanian society is dealing with many unethical
behaviors, 40,6% with ethical dilemmas and 71,7% with
lack of education.
The previous answers are enforced by affirmations
regarding the causes for unethical behavior, 268
respondents (71,7%) being convinced that the lack of
ethical education comes first.
The Teaching and the Role of the Business Ethics
Discipline
Our research reveals that 66% (247) of the Master
students consider that the discipline Business Ethics is
useful to students and future managers, and 41,7% that
it would be useful to managers an enterprisers (156 of
which 96 are employees). Of these, half are women
(187). Still, cross-tabling the variables of the role of the
discipline Business Ethics and the sex of the
respondents shows that the dependence is not significant
(chi2 = 3,11, ddl = 5, 1-p = 31,73%).
The percent of 71,6% (179) of those that appreciate
the positive role of ethics are aged under 25 (still, the
test Chi-square shows that the dependence between the
81
two variables is not significant, chi2 = 13,48, ddl = 15,
1-p = 43,47%). More than half of the respondents,
53,7%, consider that it would be beneficial to introduce
the study of ethics from the first years of study in the
university. One of the explanations would be that not all
students continue their studies with a Master, or because
„it would gain time” to study thoroughly the ethics
issue.
With respect to the role of the discipline, 66,3% of
the Master students consider that it will determine an
awareness of the future decision factors/specialists
regarding the role of ethics in business, and 61,5% that
it will be the beginning of an ethical behavior at
individual and professional level, offering a reflection
reference point. The difference with the reference
repartition is very significant, chi2 = 344,33, ddl = 6, 1-
p = >99,99%.
Cross-tabling the variable with demographic
variables shows that the dependence is significant only
with the Master type (chi2 = 41,17, ddl = 25, 1-p =
97,80%). The students from THM Master are skeptical,
considering that it only has a theoretical role, the
conditions of the market determining whether to adopt
an unethical behavior or not. Students from marketing
add that it is not a sufficient factor, the ethical behavior
depending on each individual at a time.
What the Business Ethics discipline should be
based on
80,7% (304) of the Master students prefer that the
teaching of the discipline be based on discussions and
case-studies (of these 54,5%, meaning 204, are aged
under 25) and for 60,2% it is preferable to have the
instruments that help solve the ethical dilemmas
presented. Only 33 of the students believe that the
discipline should be based on teaching ethics theories.
The result is not surprising, considering that « most
often, students consider moral philosophies hard to
understand and their most important features difficult to
remember; they are complex and very abstract »
(VanSandt, 2005: 477). Romanian Master students
prefer that the teacher stimulate discussions and
analyses (73,3%) and make students aware of the
benefits of ethical behavior in business and society as a
whole, offering solutions for different ethical dilemmas
from the practice of organizations (52,7%). Cross-
tabling the variable The teacher’s role in teaching the
discipline with demographic variables show significant
dependence to Studies (chi2 = 21,83, ddl = 12, 1-p =
96,05%). The least interested in „theories” were
graduates of technical and medical studies.
Conclusions
Starting from Richard De George’s statement
(quoted by Cowton&Crisp, 2004) that the role of the
Business Ethics discipline is to create awareness,
sensitivity and critical thinking among students, or from
Ronald Duska’s statement (idem), not to modify the
system of values and behavior, but to analyze and
evaluate possible action alternatives in order to find the
82 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
ethical path, our research is based on the premise that
through ethics courses the ethical competence is shaped,
but not necessarily the ethical behavior (“or changing
students’ values”) as well, several variables having to
contribute to this. The ethics disciplines in business
have essentially an instrumental character, and business
practice demonstrates that the market forces you to line
up to ethics and social responsibility, even if it is about
reputation, image in the relationship with shareholders
and stakeholders and for that instruments are used (see
the role of ethical codes).
As asserted by Giacalone, Jurkiewicz, Knouse
(2003: 592), any consistent program for ethical training
must include “theory, research and practice”; the
program, as well as the teaching manual must help
students “integrate philosophy and management theory,
research and practice”. Williams and Dewett (2005:
112-114) also insist on becoming aware of the moral
matters, moral development and teaching students how
to deal with complex ethical decisions.
Although „sick and tired” of theory, as the slogan
strongly tethered with Romanians says „theory goes, but
it’s practice that gets to us”, the students demanding that
the teaching be based more on discussions and case-
studies, especially since the business environment
demands objectiveness, we consider that teaching ethics
without presenting ethical theories and interpreting
various situations and ethical dilemmas based on them,
means skipping „the shaping of moral judgment”, and
that would be superficial, similar to learning „by
standing aside and observing from the side of the road”.
The teachers have the role of making these theories
attractive and connecting them to practice, by applying
methods and instruments based on theories in which
people learn, remember and apply something new,
complex or abstract.
Essentially, the teachers have the shaping role of the
parent who must convince its child to eat according to
standards of good manners, or to go to school and learn
things that are considered unpleasant and „boring”. Still,
the parent insists because he/she knows that later on
these will be useful to the child, in order to succeed in
life. The true art consists in choosing the means of
persuasion and the associations that he/she can make.
However, the approach must be differentiated, from
„child to child”, depending on the students’ background
and level of studies, type of master, age and statute.
The present study is a step forward in the
understanding of the way in which the Ethics discipline
influences the behavior of future leading factors and
specialists, or that of those already integrated in the
labor market, but willing to improve their knowledge.
The conclusions obtained will represent an extra proof
for the utility of this discipline, but also the basis for
future approaches of subjects chosen by teachers,
depending on the targeted audience. At the same time,
depending on the aspects signaled, teachers will have to
look for balance between the theoretical support and the
practical applicability, by searching for innovative
strategies and teaching instruments. Although passing
an ethics discipline exam with a high mark does not
necessarily mean that the respective student will have an
ethical behavior, our study may be a step forward in the
understanding of the university’s mission of shaping a
society more aware of the benefits of ethical decisions
and actions, through the study programs proposed.
References
1. Bowie, N. E. (2002), The Blackwell guide to business ethics,
Blackwell, Massachusetts, pages 135-136.
2. Bowman, J. S. şi Menzel, D. C. (1998), Teaching ethics and
values in public administration programs : innovations,
strategies, and issues, State University of New York Press¸
Albany, NY , pages 1-7.
3. Collins D. şi Wartick, S. L. (1995), Business & Society/Business
Ethics Courses: Twenty Years at the Crossroads, Business
Society 1995; 34; 51,
http://bas.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/34/1/51
4. Cowton, C., Crisp, R. (1998), Business ethics : perspectives on
the practice of theory, Oxford Univ. Press, Oxford, page 177,
`183-199.
5. Crane, A. şi Matten, D. (2007), Business ethics: managing
corporate citizenship and sustainability in the age of
globalization, Oxford Univ. Press, Oxford, page 166.
6. Dickson, T. (2000), Mass media education in transition:
preparing for the 21st century, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates,
Mahwah, NJ, page 215.
7. Heintz , M. (2006), “Be European, recycle yourself!": the
changing work ethic in Romania, Berlin Münster London Lit,
page 20
8. Giacalone, R. A., Jurkiewicz C. L. şi Knouse, S. B. (2003), A
Capstone Project in Business Ethics: Building an Ethics Training
Program, Journal of Management Education 2003; 27; 590, page
592
9. Mintzberg, H. (2004), Managers, not MBAs : a hard look at the
soft practice of managing and management development,
Berrett-Koehler Publishers, San Francisco, page 42.
10. Mitchell, C. T., (1989), Values in teaching and professional
ethics, Mercer University Press, Macon GA.,pages 3-4.
11. Orlitzky, M. şi Swanson D. L. (2006), “Socially responsible
human resources management. Charting New Territory”
(Chapter 1) in John Raymond Deckop (eds.), Human resource
management ethics (Chapter 1), Information Age Pub. Inc.,
Greenwich CT, page 18.
12. Swanson, D.L. şi Mitchell, C. T. (1989), Values in teaching
and professional ethics, Mercer University Press, Maco, page
514
13. Swanson, D.L. şi Fisher, D. G. (2008), Advancing
business ethics education, Charlotte, NC : IAP, page 14, 18
14. Swanson, D.L şi Frederick W. C. (2005), “Denial and
Leadership in Business Education” in Robert Allen Peterson,O.
C. Ferrell (eds.), Business ethics: new challenges for business
schools and corporate leaders, Business ethics: new challenges
for business schools and corporate leaders, Armonk, NY [u.a.]
Sharpe, pages 224, 235.
15. VanSandt, C. V. (2005), Three on Three: A Tale for
Business Ethics Classes, Journal of Management Education
2005; 29; 475
http://jme.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/29/3/475, page 477
16. Wankel, C. şi DeFillippi, B. (2006), New visions of
graduate management education, Information Age Pub,
Greenwich, CT, page 322
17. Williams, S. D., Dewett, T. (2005), Yes, You Can Teach
Business Ethics: A Review and Research Agenda, Journal of
Leadesip and Organizational Studies, vol. 12, nr. 2, pages 112-
114
18. Transparency International, Raportul Naţional asupra
Corupţiei 2009, Iunie 2008 – septembrie 2009,
http://www.transparency.org.ro/politici...studii/studii/national_co
ruptie/2009/NCR2009ro.pdf, pages 8,31,5
 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE STUDENTS COUNSELING PROGRAM AT THE
POLITEHNICA UNIVERSITY FROM TIMIŞOARA

Ioana Alina COSTESCU1, Rareș HĂLBAC COTOARĂ ZAMFIR2, Radu JUMANCA3, Catalin IENCI4
1
Politehnica University of Timișoara, ioanafair@yahoo.com
2
Politehnica University of Timișoara, rares_81@yahoo.com
3
Politehnica University of Timișoara, jumancaradu@yahoo.com
4
Politehnica University of Timișoara, catalinienci@yahoo.com

The aim of this paper is to present and to promote the steps that we take in developing a Student Centered Learning process through
the foundation of the Office for Students Information and Counseling at the Hydrotechnical Engineering Faculty in the
POLITEHNICA University from Timişoara. This is a very important thing for a better transparent implementation of the Bologna
Process.

Orientation involves every stage of ontogenetic

OBJECTIFS
Stipulate in Bologna Process and integrated part of
The European Higher Education Area, The program for
Students Information and Counseling is one of the
answers to promote the Student Centered Learning. This
is because the Bologna Process implies more than
approving the new system of specialization (Bachelor,
Master, and Doctoral).
PRIOR WORK
To specify the proposed results we used as working
method observation on a 2 year period 2007-2009,
period that even if is short presents the firsts steps into a
new direction for our University, students career
counseling and guiding.
The results were highlighted after taking skills,
personality tests, specialists counseling and information
regarding the employment places. All this are just a start
that will materialize in time with solids results in taking
decision during the academic activity.
METHODOLOGY
The aim of the Hydrotechnical Office for Students
Information and Counseling is the students guiding for
choosing the learning journey with collateral advantages
wishing to support the student’s personal and
professional development. It is required also to assure
the means for motivation, interest and responsibility to
the learning activity.
The paper wishes to improve the transparency of
Process Bologna implementation in universities
presenting the studies taken for this purpose and the
actual results.
The professional’s counseling orientation dynamic is
ontological determined; each ontogenetic stage has its
particularities, which must be taken into account, but
also a variation in time of social needs caused by the
evolution of society and scientific advancement.
development, starting in kindergarten to primary school,
secondary school, high school and college, and then
throughout the whole professional life. In higher
education, vocational guidance and counseling
activities, are a natural extension of the high school ones
and involves the acquisition of knowledge and
professional skills, building of professional awareness,
knowledge and understanding of occupational status and
role which the chosen profession assumes. All these are
key factors for stability and professional success. Since
all these are not made by all teachers in higher
education, dissatisfaction phenomena can occur for
some students, leading to abandonment of studies or to
shifting to other faculties. Leaving the professional
route initially chosen may cause significant moral and
material damage to those involved (P.Anucuta, 2002).
Both, lower and higher education, are the main
organized form that can and must do the orientation
work a priority, to ensure that the chosen profession is
the best possible choice.
To be able to accomplish this goal some points must be
reached.
1. Knowing the students - is a constant preoccupation of
teachers throughout the university
2. Preparation for choosing a profession - is a complex
activity, the counselor is based and uses pedagogical
concepts: interests, abilities, skills.
3. Professional information - a more accurate
knowledge of the professions, social and economic
development and workforce needs to ensure a
scientifically based vocational option.
The counseling process should take into account world
professions and labor requirements of different areas,
analyzing them both quantitatively and qualitatively.
Counseling generally aims to provide necessary
information about career decision making and training.
Through this process the three components of
personality will be achieve (M Jigau, 2001)
1. Cognitive component - provides information,
techniques, stretching in search of a job
2. Emotional component – self knowing exercises,
increase self esteem, positive attitude towards work.
84 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
3. Action component - decision-making, planning and
putting into practice option
The Student Counseling Services offers career
counseling and assessment to help you begin setting
career goals. Career counseling sessions are free, and
confidential. Whether choosing a major, exploring
options, or addressing a problem related to career plans
career counseling can help. Career assessment can also
help you expand your options, or confirm choices you
are considering.
Choosing a major is a common difficulty for college
students. Some students may lack information on certain
majors, while others are interested in many majors and
are unable to pick among the many appealing options.
Whatever the reason, it is important that you pick a
major that is a good “fit” for you. Having this kind of
“fit” will help you have more success and happiness in
college, your career and beyond. Below is a three-stage
model for career development, along with links that will
connect you to resources that can help you at each stage.
If you are still struggling with choosing a major or a
career focus, feel free to contact Student Counseling
Services to arrange a meeting with a staff member to
discuss your career concerns.
Discover helpful tips and information to begin the
career planning process by visiting the three sections of
Career Start Self Help linked below:
• EXPLORE: Look for alternatives. What’s out
there? What majors might you explore? What
careers might you enjoy?
• CLARIFY: Get detailed information about
interesting options. Find the costs and benefits for
each option. Try things on “for size” before
committing.
• COMMIT: Take steps to make your dream become
a reality. Taking steps now can help you shape your
future.
Figure 7
Reasons People Have Trouble Making Decisions
• Fearing failure.
• Fearing success. Believing that others will
expect always expect perfection if succeed once.
• Lacking the ability to set priorities, so I don’t
know what to do first.
• Not knowing where to get the information I
need to help me decide.
• Hoping someone else will decide.
• Having little experience in making
decisions and feeling overwhelmed.
• Not being willing to sacrifice
immediate comfort for the long-term gain.
• Fearing others will disapprove of my
decision.
• Thinking, "I can’t do something if no
one else that I know is doing it."
• Believing my decisions won’t matter.
Steps to Take in Making A Decision
Step 1: Exploration: Identify the problem
• Define the decision.
• Clarify the time-line.
• Identify the conflicts faced.
Step 2: Generating Alternatives
• Locate the resources needed to explore options
• Consider options and new alternatives
• Consider personal values – What is important
to you?
Step 3: Predicting Outcomes
• Consider both good and bad outcomes associated
with alternatives
• Consider the probability that a given outcome will
happen
• Remind yourself that you can only choose an
alternative, not an outcome.
Step 4: Selecting an Alternative
• After examining the outcomes and risks, choose an
alternative
• Identify the "next steps" to put your decision into
action
Step 5: Re-evaluation (examine the outcome from your
decision and decide if you are satisfied)
• If so, plan steps to further implement your decision.
• If not, examine your options again, and consider
changing.
The Redesigning School Counseling Process used
by the Indiana Student Achievement Institute is based
on the Vision-to-Action school improvement model
developed by the Indiana Student Achievement Institute
in 1996. Vision-to-Action is not a "one-size fits all"
improvement process. Rather, it is a "discovery" process
through which schools discover the guidance and
counseling activities that will support the goals of the
local School Improvement Plan related to raising
student achievement and closing achievement gaps.
Contributions to The Students Counseling Program
Figure 8
RESULTS
Career counseling process goes through 3 stages (M.
Jigau 2001), is the first stage of preparation, exploration
the alternative and in the end accepting one of them, the
second stage includes the successful series which seeks
the best alternative decision and complete these searches
by choosing the best alternative decision, and the third
stage is that in which the external factors of decision are
analyzed , the analysis is done in terms of resolving the
conflict experienced by the young-at home, conflicts
caused by making a decision under pressure in terms of
action of different factors and the existence of several
alternatives (Hilton 1962 model).
To get the best possible decision, to be more
involved in making this decision, the young must be
prepared :( M Jigau 2001)
1. Show him how to inform, what information to
look for and where to find the information, but the
young must look to do that;
2. Show him how the SWOT analysis looks like
(strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) and
how to identify these points to his own person;
3. Show him how to prepare a resume, cover letter,
etc., but again mentioning that he has to prepare;
4. Show him how to identify a specific vacancy job,
but he needs to do search;
5. Show him how to simulate different situations
before he get the job, he must knows that over there will
be alone;
6. Remind him the desirable behaviors in the
situation of employment and the situation at the working
place, but he will decide his own attitude;
7. Show him how to know the priorities of the
employer, but he decides whether or not it’s major;
85
Figure 9
Talking to a professional who is currently in the
field can offer a look into the job environment, an
opportunity to hear a personal reaction to the joys and
frustrations of the job and information about recent
trends in the field. You may want to hear about a typical
day on the job or find out what some related career
paths are like when people choose to leave the field.
You may want to know about hiring trends with the
economic "down-sizing" that surrounds us.
Whatever your question, hearing someone’s
personal experiences can help bring this career to life,
making it easier to imagine yourself in this role. It’s also
a great time to ask about any recommendations your
interviewee has about preparing for a job while you are
still a student.
University students experience stress on a daily
basis, working to maintain a balance among academic,
social, family, financial, and work demands. While
many cope successfully, others have trouble. For some,
the pressures become overwhelming. These students
may experience a crisis that impairs learning, as well as
their ability to function in other areas of life.
As faculty and staff members, you are often the first
to notice when students are in trouble. Your willingness
to help may make a difference in their ability to survive
and succeed academically.
Considering the hyper complex nature of the
professional world, career guidance should take into
account this reality and emphasize the versatility,
flexible and open to innovations training in all activity
areas.
IMPLICATIONS
The philosophy of the Hydrotechnical Office for
Students Information and Counseling reflects the belief
that the delivery of high quality counseling services, the
professional development of staff, and the formal
training of pre-professionals are intimately intertwined.
86 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

The historical commitment to training is extensive,

and occurs at several levels, including undergraduate
pre-professionals, masters and doctoral-level practicum
trainees, pre-doctoral psychology interns, new staff
supervision for licensure, and the ongoing professional
development of our staff.

Figure 10

ORIGINALITY VALUE

The paper wishes to improve the transparency of

Process Bologna implementation in universities
presenting the studies taken for this purpose and the
actual results.

References

1. P. Anucuţa (2002), School and professional guidance,

ExcelsiorPublishing House, Timişoara.
2. , Jigău M. (2001), Career Counseling, Sigma Publishing House,
Bucureşti.
3. G. Tomşa (1999), School counseling and guidance, Viaţa
românească Publishing House, Bucureşti.
4. www.counseling.ilstu.edu
5. www.studentaffairs.cmu.edu
6. www.studentcounsellor.com
7. www.careerplanner.com
 WHAT WE CAN DO OR NOT DO FOR OUR HIGHER EDUCATION ENVIRONMENT? –
OPINIONS FROM THE YOUNG GENERATIONS FOR THE TIMISOARA'S HIGH
EDUCATION OF TOMORROW

Ioana Alina COSTESCU1, Rareș HĂLBAC COTOARĂ ZAMFIR2, Radu JUMANCA3, Catalin IENCI4
1
Politehnica University of Timișoara, ioanafair@yahoo.com
2
Politehnica University of Timișoara, rares_81@yahoo.com
3
Politehnica University of Timișoara, jumancaradu@yahoo.com
4
Politehnica University of Timișoara, catalinienci@yahoo.com

The papers presents a project implementation whose purpose was to raise the awareness of the young generation regarding the
educational staff activities impact on higher education environment, affirming the idea that education is timeless, identifying the major
educational problems and consequences of some teaching approach, the consequences of our professors action or inaction in problems
with major impact for students.

PRIOR WORK
OBJECTIFS
The basic concept is The European Higher
Education Area concept that is found in the Bologna
The presented project purpose is to valorify the
Process (Figure 1), to be able to speak about our higher
positive idea of the young generations regarding the
higher education environment problem, starting with education environment existence for the future
their spontaneity, sincerity and feed-back; organizing generations.
activities on higher education environment problem,
contests and scientific exhibitions.

Figure 11

On 12 March 2010, the Minsters of the now 47
countries participating in the Bologna Process adopted
the Budapest – Viena Declaration and officially
launched the European Higher Education Area.
In this context, we note that the Bologna Process of
creating and further developing this European Higher
Education Area has helped redefine higher education in
Europe. Countries outside the area will now be able to
more effectively foster increased cooperation with
Bologna countries.
1. We, the Ministers of Higher Education and heads of
delegation of the countries, institutions and
organisations participating in the Second Bologna
Policy Forum, held a dialogue on systemic and
88 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

institutional changes in higher education in the something for our society benefit and to be a good
developing global knowledge society. example.
2. We focussed our debate on how higher education According to the law no. 288/24.06.2004 in
systems and institutions respond to growing demands Politehnica University Timiţoara are organised the
and multiple expectations, discussed mobility of staff following stud programs:
and students, including the challenges and opportunities • bachelor degree studies;
of “brain circulation”, and the balance between • master degree studies;
cooperation and competition in international higher • PhD studies.
education. In the university year 2008/2009 the programs proposal
3. To address the great societal challenges, we need for Bachelor studies reached 18 area regarding
more cooperation among the higher education and “Engineering Science” (with a studies duration of 4
research systems of the different world regions. While years), 2 areas regarding the fundamental area “Social
respecting the autonomy of higher education institutions and politic Sciences” ( with studies duration of 3 years,
with their diverse missions, we will therefore continue Communication Science and Administrative Science) , a
our dialogue and engage in building a community of fundamental area involving “Humanistic Science” (with
practice from which all may draw inspiration and to 3 years duration, Applied modern languages) one field
which all can contribute. regarding the “Exact sciences” (3 years, Informatics)
4. To facilitate policy debates and exchange of ideas and and one field regarding “Architecture and urbanism”
experience across the European Higher Education Area (with a duration of 6 years, Architecture).
and between countries, institutions and organisations Below is shown a graduates comparison between
participating in the Second Bologna Policy Forum, we 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 regarding the students
will each nominate a contact person and inform the repartition in faculties.
Bologna Secretariat by May 31, 2010. These contact
persons will also function as liaison points for a better
flow of information and joint activities, including the
preparation of the next Bologna Policy Forum at
ministerial level.
5. We welcome the commitment of the European
Bologna Follow-up Group to provide expertise on the
Bologna Process and the European Higher Education
Area.
6. We welcome the initiatives of the institutions and
organisations participating in the Second Bologna
Policy Forum to promote dialogue and cooperation
among higher educations institutions, staff and students
and other relevant stakeholders across the world. In this
context, we especially acknowledge the need to foster
global student dialogue.
7. In September 2010 the OECD will be hosting an
Figure 12
international conference on how the crisis is affecting
higher education and how governments, institutions and
other stakeholders can work towards a sustainable future
for the sector. In 2011, a seminar on quality assurance
will be organised with the support of the European
Union.
8. Cooperation based on partnership between
governments, higher education institutions, staff,
students and other stakeholders is at the core of the
European Higher Education Area. This partnership
approach should therefore also be reflected in the
organisation of the next Bologna Policy Forum at
ministerial level in 2012.

METHODOLOGY
Figure 13
Acting in a volunteer manner from our student part
to sustain the higher education environment must start The studies conducted presented t the following
with a feedback from our young generation from the existing problems in Romanian universities and
principle that is in the young generation power to do colleges:
What We Can Do or Not Do For Our Higher Education Environment? 89

• mechanisms for selecting students representatives are

vaguely defined in the university regulations;
• many students do not know their representation
mechanisms;
• interest in the representation mechanisms is low;
• teachers and, especially, the university / faculty board
have a strong influence in the operation of the students
representation mechanisms;
• students from the councils / Senate are "placed" there
by teachers or get there by other ways than their
colleagues democratic voting;
• the students from the councils / Senate have a
decorative role;
• Students fail to have any representatives impact
because of the mentality of other actors (teachers,
management) are not used to treat students as equal
partners, but rather as performers whose opinions do not
matter, too little value is put on their views if they are
different from those of teachers;
• Lack of informal student bodies who prepare
decisions. Students have little or no involvement in
issues such as finances, working conditions, results
assessments follow-up, or aspects of the learning
environment;
• lack of human and financial resources in student
organizations.
Figure 14

RESULTS Following consultations, ANOSR ask these ten changes

A rhetoric on competences has developed for the
past decade, calling for young researchers to be “highly
skilled professionals”; it is not new – but louder and
louder. Numerous reports have been produced by many
European and North American associations and also
within the Bologna process and the list of skills which
are called “core”, “key”, “soft” or “transferable” is
impressive :
 Critical analysis
 Ability to conceptualize and to see the “big picture”.
Is forward-looking. Understands the implications of
his/her work in broader institute and industry
perspectives
 Capacity to organize own and others’ work well
 Knowledge development/Sharing
 Strong commitment to quality
 Capacity to identify key issues and to disaggregate
them into sub-issues that can be tackled separately
 Searching for creative ideas, thinking “out of the
box”.
 Ability to stand up for people and his/her
ideas/beliefs
 Capacity to understand and respect other individuals
and cultures
 Listening actively and responding constructively to
others’ ideas, and considering others’ perspectives
and inputs
to the new education plan:
1. Clear stipulation that students participate and are
represented in all decision-making processes at a
rate of 25% and are represented in all committees
and councils of the university (E.C. ethics
committee, the university board office board /
senate).
2. Creating a national office for combating corruption
and abuse education.
3. Flexibility of learning paths: One-third of loans
related to a program of study a student can be used
to acquire materials options, free choice of
university.
4. Better regulation of internal mobility: access is
based on acceptance to the university student who
wants to study. This completes the provisions of the
Charters University.
5. Indexed annually for inflation subsidies homes,
canteens.
6. Homes becoming non-profit and not units of
university business.
7. Evaluation by students to benefit teachers is
mandatory. Results of the assessment should be
public information and have a weighting of 25% in
the final evaluation of teachers.
8. Regulations on the status and rights of ethnic
Romanians abroad, particularly those from Moldova
and Ukraine.
9. Medical services, free professional advice and
guidance.
10. Clear definition of distance education, with reduced
frequency, extramural, evening and online entry
90 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

form, complete with elements related to quality

assurance.

IMPLICATIONS

In this context of higher education our young

generations must represent a base point for their liability
as human beings who desire to achieve an excellent
accomplishment during professional and spiritual
training.
Recommendations: ·
Accomplishing studies that will regard the social
categories with highest problems in achieving superior
education and developing programs that will facilitate
their aces;
Organizing debates at national level with all the
actors relevant for the Higher Education System
regarding the social dimension;
Debating, conceiving and implementing a financing
system for the Higher Education that will respond to his
needs encouraging also the Bologna Process objectives;
Elimination or reducing the universities taxes
Inveigling and promoting among the students the
private scholarships;
Promoting and increasing the efficiency in granting
mechanisms for scholarships in rural areas;
Conceiving solids strategies for the Students
Counseling and Guidance Centers and eliminating the
taxes involved;

ORIGINALITY VALUE
The propose project is the first of this kind in
POLITEHNICA University of Timişoara and promotes
adaptation of good practices for higher education,
associated to a “life style” and also elements from the
daily program of an individual ally of the higher
education environment.

REFERENCES

1. www.reflexives-lpr.org
2. http://cevug.ugr.es/africamideast/module_six/3.html
3. http://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/hogeronderwijs/Bologna/
4. www.anosr.ro
5. www.upt.ro
 ON THE WHY AND HOW OF MAKING MORAL EDUCATION AN INTEGRATED PART
OF LANGUAGE COURSES AT MEDICAL UNIVERSITIES

Ioana CREȚU1
1
« Gr.T.Popa » University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iasi, « Al. I. Cuza » University Iasi, ioana.cretu.2009@gmail.com

The paper discusses arguments, opportunities and challenges for enriching the medical language and communication curriculum with
moral/ethics education principles and methods. The discussion is fueled by literature review, the author’s teaching experience and two
questionnaire-based surveys involving medical students. This is part of a PhD research project at the Faculty of Psychology and
Educational Sciences, “Al. I. Cuza” University Iași, which also includes a SWOT analysis in the context of Romanian medical
education and a didactic experiment at “Gr. T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Iași.So far, findings have revealed fertile
grounds for further research into insufficiently known areas, concrete opportunities for improving educational practice at UMF Iași
and potential for increasing cooperation between Romanian medical universities.This kind of educational research is a first in many
ways, not only in Romania but also in the field of teaching foreign languages for specific purposes.

The call for a renewed needs analysis
Regardless of advances in medical science and
technology, communication is still the most powerful
tool AND the biggest obstacle in making or breaking the
therapeutic relationship, depending on how it lives up to
the moral promise made by medicine’s contract with
society. The only difference today is that the medical
encounter still sitting on moral pillars does so with
increased difficulty and likelihood of failure. In this
paper, we seek to explore what (if any) arguments,
opportunities and challenges exist for moral/ethics
education principles and methods to inform the LSP∗
curriculum in a way that also fosters the kind of moral
conduct expected of a medical professional.
The content and method choices in the teaching of
LSP revolve around the learners’ needs and preferences,
which makes LSP an approach (rather than a method)
with and incredible diversity of forms and shapes based
on a few core features: satisfying the specific needs of
the learners, using methods and activities from the target
field, selecting and teaching language and
communication items relevant to the target field9, 10.
A needs analysis is, therefore, the starting point of
any such venture: what should the learners be able to do
and how well? How much do they already know? Etc.
However, in teaching language and communication
skills for medicine, the needs analysis is never truly
easy and straightforward. As one may find, the need for
medical jargon is sometimes falsely perceived as a real
learning need, when in fact it other learning objectives
and contents should get more attention12. Moreover, the
learners’ actual learning needs may not necessarily
match the linguistic requirements of the field. Some
aspects which often go unnoticed are how language
serves to fulfill important social functions in
communication such as being polite3 or how the correct
understanding and production of a specific type of
discourse is underpinned by a "hidden" thinking
framework (Hirvela, 1997, in Basturkmen, 2006, p.137).
∗
LSP / Language for Specific Purposes (other related
acronyms are ESP / English for Specific Purposes, EMP
/ English for Medical Purposes, EAP / English for
Academic Purposes etc.)
In Romania, medical universities offer both
compulsory and optional courses for medical students to
study a foreign language (mostly English and mostly in
the first two years of study). This seems to suggest that
Romanian medical education is committed to increasing
students’ chances of participation and success in an ever
more connected, dynamic field. However, a consensus
on what objectives and contents these courses should
entail is missing in Romania. Moreover, many language
teachers from the different medical universities are still
largely unaware of what the others are doing. This
research project has the potential to do more than
improve the language teaching practice at UMF Iași, but
also help fuel conversations and cooperation across
institutions (as we have reason to believe based on most
positive reactions from our colleagues at UMF Cluj).
Research methods and processes
In my 7-year experience teaching English to medical
students, I often found myself listening and responding
to students’ needs and interests beyond my role as a
language teacher, such as when they would act
insensitively towards each other, or they would
plagiarize assignments without considering any of the
short- or long-term consequences etc. Eventually, I took
this interest from the level of classroom to the level of
PhD research at the Faculty of Psychology and
Educational Sciences, “Al.I.Cuza” University in Iași.
To a large degree, this process of gaining awareness,
learning about practice and improving it follows the
spiraling pattern of Action Research2, 16. This PhD
research project running until Sept 2011 is the latest and
most formalized cycle. This paper draws from literature
review, two questionnaire-based surveys and initial
piloting of didactic materials.
The bibliographic online databases Science Direct,
Wiley InterScience, SpringerLink, Oxford Journals,
Cambridge Journals and ProQuest, other relevant
websites and works available in print locally were
surveyed. Some texts were obtained by contacting the
authors directly. The full results of the review will
constitute the object of a PhD research report.
92 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
The two questionnaire-based surveys were
conducted in spring 2009 at UMF Iași. One looked at
the students’ knowledge, skills and attitudes related to
academic dishonesty. The other explored their
perceptions of if/how their university (and the Medical
English course in particular) had helped them to develop
certain values such as altruism and honesty. The
quantitative and qualitative results, combined with the
students’ general feedback and the then available
literature were used to update the 2009-2010 syllabus.
Currently, closer attention is being paid to the
Romanian medical education context and to how the
updated course syllabus has been received by this year’s
medical students. These will be fed into a SWOT
analysis informing the design and delivery of a didactic
experiment at UMF Iași in 2010-2011 involving the
piloting of Medical English teaching activities using
principles, contents and methods appropriate for
fostering moral values and corresponding
communicative competence in the medical encounter.
The expected outcome is a suggested didactic approach
for language teachers at medical universities.
The moral pillars of the medical profession
A fair degree of worldwide consensus on the
morality of medicine can be found in documents such as
the Hippocratic Oath, the UNESCO Universal
Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights (see
http://portal.unesco.org), the World Medical
Association’s Declaration of Geneva, Declaration on the
Rights of the Patient, International Code of Medical
Ethics, Medical Ethics Manual etc. (see www.wma.net)
and the 2002 Physician Charter1. The common view is
that medicine’s contract with society is essentially a
moral one. It is defined by a doctor-patient relationship
built on trust, which in turn demands altruism and
compassion, respect, honesty and integrity, cooperation.
However, these values and their implications are empty
words without putting them into practice in both
everyday and exceptional medical communication.
Consequently, the World Federation for Medical
Education considers it a must for medical education to
ensure the acquisition of such values, attitudes, skills
and strategies21. At European level, the Tuning Project
lists the learning outcomes for medical graduates and
includes honesty, empathy etc. (www.tuning-
medicine.com). Two of the most advanced countries in
producing coherent guidelines for initial education,
accreditation, continuing education and medical practice
in this sense are the USA (www.aamc.org and
www.acgme.org) and the UK (www.gmc-uk.org), with
Scotland following in UK’s footsteps
(www.scottishdoctor.org).
Currently, there is a large body of empirical
evidence demonstrating how, in order to be effective,
medical communication must also be ethical, which
demands that ethical principles feed into the doctor’s
actual use of verbal and non-verbal communication4.
Contents such as the ethical importance of
communication, medical communication with empathy,
honesty and trust, possible difficulties in telling the truth
and so on are to be taught throughout the curriculum as
an integral part of all the disciplines, as relevant and
appropriate5, 8. However, while communication can be
learned and improved, medical education has often
failed to provide adequate or sufficient formal training.
The moral development of medical students
Students bring into the learning equation not only a
certain amount of knowledge, but also their (largely
invisible) (auto-)(mytho-)biographies shaped by life
experiences in the family, at school, in society11. From a
moral standpoint, students come in with certain values,
sense of justice, empathy levels, habitual moral conduct
and metacognitive ability to identify, analyze, accept or
reject new educational experiences. All these need to be
considered or at least acknowledged, as research shows
that moral growth is not yet finished by the typical age
of attending university. This further emphasizes the
responsibility to do more than impart knowledge, but to
also facilitate the development of an autonomous person
in tune with the standards of the profession.
The formal curriculum seems to largely ignore the
moral issues of development during studies and fails to
support students in understanding and resolving their
dilemmas. This is all the more important as studies
show how medical students’ moral judgment and
conduct may take a turn for the worse during medical
school under the influence of the hidden curriculum6, 14,
17
. The road to moral maturity involves development of
cognition (knowing, interpreting, understanding,
judging), motivation (aspirations, values, interests,
commitment, convictions, perseverance) and action
(communication and discourse, social participation).
These are linked, but their development is not7.
Medical education programs should, therefore, pay
more attention to making use of findings and models
from the field of moral psychology (see Kohlberg’s
stages of moral development, Gilligan’s morality of
care, Turiel’s domain theory). A variety of educational
methods are available: the moral exemplar, the moral
dilemma discussion, values clarification activities, the
use of demonstrative or authentic materials (including
audio-video, produced in class), simulations and role-
play with observation tasks followed by reflection and
feedback, teamwork and peer-teaching, use of
suggestive literary texts, use of portfolios and journals
to stimulate reflection etc. Curriculum and course
developers should aim to include positive examples, to
occasion clarification, to build in time for reflection and
feedback, to foster desired behaviors based on
upholding moral values, to create the right atmosphere
for students to be sincere and receptive6.
Despite the lack of general consensus in terms of
specific objectives and benefits (which are also
extremely difficult to measure, being mostly qualitative
in nature), the general feel is that the humanities are a
channel for introducing important non-scientific aspects
On the WHY and HOW of Making Moral Education and Integrated Part of Language Courses at Medical
Universities
of medicine – professionalism, ethics and commitment
to humanistic values, empathy, communication,
intercultural sensitivity19.
Two surveys at UMF Iași
With such ideas in mind, in spring 2009 I invited my
1st year medical students to respond to an online survey
which featured an inventory of 21 moral, professional
and social values (I.Al.Dumitru, 2001, in Sacară,
2006:41). I asked the students to rate how important
each value was to their definition of professional
success. I also wanted to find out to what extent they
felt that life at UMF Iasi (and their experience at their
Medical English course in particular) was fostering or
preventing their commitment to those values.
Although altruism is, across the international
literature, the number one value at the core of the
medical profession, it was in the bottom 3 in terms of
my students’ definition of professional success, with
16.8% compared to ambition, ranked first by 73.7% of
the 82 respondents. Also, 43 students felt that life at
UMF Iasi was helping them greatly, much or adequately
to develop altruism, while an almost equal number of
students felt that it helped them very little, not at all or
quite the contrary, that they were being prevented from
being altruistic. For honesty, it was exactly 41 vs. 41.
Regarding the experience at the English class, many
students appreciated positively the fostering of altruism
(e.g. “I always have the chance to do something good
for my colleagues”, most likely a reflection of the
teamwork and peer-teaching scheme), kindness (“by
developing the availability to see others without
prejudice” and “one must answer kindness with
kindness, right?”), honesty (“the honesty and openness
of the discussions” and “it’s good that we are being
treated as honest people, hopefully it will catch on”,
possible reactions to the series of seminars addressing
plagiarism), dignity (“the collaboration and respect
between us and the teacher, the fact that we are being
treated as equals and that our opinions matter”,
probably in relation to the overall student-centred
approach), “the pleasure to participate in the seminars
fosters the love for the profession” (capturing some of
the classroom atmosphere) etc.
Besides highlighting once more the uniqueness of
each individual, the answers also suggested that the
university might be sending conflicting messages,
ignoring the fact that learning draws not only from
education, but also from imitation and experience. On
the other hand, paying deliberate attention to tailor the
methods to more “subliminal” objectives in the English
class did not go unnoticed and lead to what the students
perceived as a holistic approach to personal and
professional development.
In another survey I conducted in April 2009, I
wanted to further explore why plagiarism seemed to be
so commonplace among my students. 175 1st year
medical students anonymously filled out in Romanian a
93
questionnaire in which I had purposefully avoided the
use of words such as “plagiarism”.
Only 30 students gave clear indication that they
knew how to quote correctly, 88 gave incomplete
answers and 46 were completely wrong or off track (11
did not answer). Moreover, only 7 students out of 175
gave clear indications that they knew how to paraphrase
correctly, 98 were on the right track but fell into the trap
I had planted on purpose in the formulation of the
multiple choice item, while 69 gave clearly mistaken
answers (1 did not answer). These numbers indicate that
many students may resort to plagiarizing simply because
they do not know how to quote or paraphrase (which
could be addressed through appropriate instruction and
writing practice).
According to answers in several items, 27 students
were regular and faithful copy-pasters, 28 were used to
submitting texts as their own while producing them with
the help of other people, 14 would submit the same text
for several assignments (it is not clear if / how many of
the other students participating in survey had the same
habits but hid them in the survey). 77 students felt the
need to comment additionally on how instruction or
support in this area was: non-existent, too little, too
vague, confusing or had come as a reproach (which
confirms the need for explicit learning opportunities).
The reasons students gave for their dishonesty,
however frequent or rare, speak for themselves:”the
grade is more important”, “the teacher is not
interested”, “it is not punished”, “because copy-paste
exists”, “the stupidity of the assignment”, “this is how
I’m used to do it”, “nobody has ever told me to do it
differently”, “I don’t know how to do it differently” etc.
On the other hand, other students justified their
avoidance of academic dishonesty by invoking: ”my
ethical code”, “for the way I would feel about it”, “I
don’t appreciate plagiarism”, “honesty”, “respect”,
“to avoid the degrading of my principles” etc.
Despite appearances, the students did not form two
clear sides, as the responses to the opinion-based items
showed little consistency and much confusion among
most students. They did prove aware of the dishonesty
of certain actions but were mostly careless about the
long-term implications on their development due to
pressures of a more immediate nature and a perceived
lack of interest from teachers in general.
However limited, these results convinced me of the
need to tackle the academic dishonesty issue in a more
complex way, providing opportunities for clarification,
teaching certain specific skills, engaging in open
discussions and reflection, addressing failure and
occasioning remediation, promoting a firm attitude and
friendly classroom climate etc. Indeed, if 4 years ago
approx. 50% of the written assignments I would get
from my students at the end of a semester would have
been plagiarized, this year less than 10% fit into this
category. Further studies are needed to monitor if and
how such results are maintained in time.
Implications / complications for theory and practice
94 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
It is our belief that medical language and
communication courses deserve a firm position in the
core medical curriculum. Teachers of foreign languages
for medicine have the opportunity and, arguably, the
responsibility to tackle the ways in which the moral
essence of medical practice translates into awareness,
knowledge, skills and attitudes involving verbal and
non-verbal communication strategies.
However, countless questions and obstacles emerge
when looking more closely at what planning, teaching
and evaluation actually entail. For instance, language
teachers may find such a mission worthwhile in theory
but very difficult to apply without some knowledge of
moral psychology and experience with medical ethics
education principles and methods (hence the need for
prior pedagogical training scheme). Then, there is the
question of how much classroom time to take away
from language instruction and put into these other issues
related to professionalism (hence the paradox of
compromising language learning at a language course
which also often happens to be quite short and of little
weight in the curriculum). Also, there is the practical
aspect of having the right materials at the right time
(hence the need for relevant educational resources).
Moreover, there is the complicated matter of evaluating
qualitative outcomes which may, among other things,
elude observation and emerge as such much later in the
life of the student (hence the need for longitudinal
studies and a carefully thought out course evaluation
scheme). And the list goes on.
At the same time, we are witnessing the release on
the market of materials which are very explicit about
bringing the standards and recommendations for ethical
conduct and interaction into the Medical English class.
Such is the case of applied EAP materials and of course
books built around the Calgary-Cambridge Observations
Guide to the Medical Interview20, UK General Medical
Council’s Good Medical Practice13. Such materials15
include a variety of textual and multimedia illustrations,
simulations, opportunities for language practice, role-
play, discussion and reflection. Verbal (language) and
non-verbal communication features are closely linked
together and to the interlocutors’ values, attitudes,
assumptions, expectations, skills, limitations coming
into play during medical interactions and professional
activities.
This research starts and ends with educational
practice in a very concrete sense, aiming to produce a
richer, improved language and communication
curriculum at UMF Iași and a suggested approach for
other institutions with similar programs. It does so by
drawing from theory and available research, while
revealing gaps and raising more questions along the
way. The path is by no means straight, smooth and well
lit, but (and I quote from one of my students’ end-of-
course comments) “there should be more such courses
in the curriculum focusing on our growth as people, not
only as doctors, because when working with human
beings, one must first of all be humane.”
References
1. ABIM Foundation, ACP-ASIM Foundation, and European
Federation of Internal Medicine (2002), “Medical
Professionalism in the New Millennium: A Physician Charter”,
Annals of Internal Medicine, 136(3), 243-246.
2. Altrichter, H.,Posch, P., Somekh, B. (1993), Teachers
Investigate Their Work: An Introduction to the Methods of
Action Research, Routledge, London.
3. Basturkmen, H. (2006), Ideas and Options in English for
Specific Purposes, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, New Jersey.
4. Berry, D., (2007), Health Communication – Theory and
Practice, Open University Press, New York.
5. BMJ Publishing Group, and Institute of Medical Ethics
(1998), “Teaching medical ethics and law within medical
education: a model for the UK core curriculum – Consensus
statement by teachers of medical ethics and law in UK medical
schools”, Journal of Medical Ethics, 24, 188-192.
6. Branch, W. (2000), “Supporting the Moral Development of
Medical Students”, Journal of General Internal Medicine, 15,
503-508.
7. Colby, A. (2008), “Fostering the Moral and Civic
Development of College Students”, in: L. Nucci and D.
Narvaez (eds.), Handbook of Moral and Character Education,
Routledge, New York, 391-414.
8. Cuff, P., and Vanselow, N. (eds.) (2004), Improving Medical
Education: Enhancing the Behavioral and Social Science
Content of Medical School Curricula, National Academies
Press, Washington.
9. Dudley-Evans, T. (2001), “English for Specific Purposes”,
The Cambridge Guide to TESOL, Cambridge University Press,
Cambridge.
10. Dudley-Evans, T., and St.John, M. (1998), Developments
in ESP: A multi-disciplinary approach, Cambridge University
Press, Cambridge.
11. Enăchescu, C. (2008), Tratat de Psihologie Morală,
Polirom, Iași.
12. Gatehouse, K. (2001), “Key Issues in English for Specific
Purposes (ESP) Curriculum Development”, The Internet TESL
Journal, VII(10) (retrieved from http://iteslj.org, Mar 20,
2010).
13. General Medical Council, (2006), Good Medical Practice
(retrieved from www.gmc-uk.org, Nov 20, 2009).
14. Hicks, L., Lin, Y., Robertson, D., Robinson, D., and
Woodrow, S. (2001), “Understanding the clinical dilemmas
that shape medical students’ ethical development:
questionnaire survey and focus group”, British Medical
Journal, 322, 709-710.
15. McCullagh, M., and Wright, R. (2008), Good Medical
Practice – Communication Skills in English for the Medical
Practitioner, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
16. Mertler, C. (2009), Action Research – Teachers as
Researchers in the Classroom, Sage Publications, California.
17. Patenaude, J., Niyonsenga, T., and Fafard, D. (2003),
“Changes in students’ moral development during medical
school: a cohort study”, Medical Education, 37, 822-829.
18. Sacară, L. (2006), Portrete axiologice individuale și
colective – perspectivă psihoeducațională, EduSoft, Bacău.
19. Schwartz, A.W., Abramson, J.S., Wojnowich, I., Accordino,
R., Ronan, E.J., and Rifkin, M.R. (2009), “Evaluating the
Impact of the Humanities in Medical Education”, Mount Sinai
Journal of Medicine, 76, 372-380.
20. Silverman, J.D., Kurtz, S.M., and Draper, J. (2005), Skills
for Communicating with Patients, Radcliffe Medical Press,
Oxford.
21. World Federation for Medical Education (2003), Global
Standards for Quality Improvement – Basic Medical
Education, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen.
 PATTERNS OF THE SOCIAL CORPORATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY APPLICABLE
TO THE ROMANIAN UNIVERSITY EDUCATION
N. CRISTACHE1, I.O. SUSANU 2 , A. MICU 3
1
University “Dunarea de Jos” of Galati, cristache.nicoleta@yahoo.de
2
University “Dunarea de Jos” of Galati, irisusanu@yahoo.com
3
University “Dunarea de Jos” of Galati, mkdradrianmicu@yahoo.com

Abstract: The development of the human resources and the growth of the competitiveness through initial and continuous
training, for a flexible and globalized labour market are the goals of a modern society. In this context, all the structures of
education inclusively the university must prove their responsibility and adopt a pro- active attitude in the large process of
promoting the fundamental values. In the conditions in which the social responsibility is becoming a necessity for the business
environment as well as for the society, the higher education must support and encourage the society in order to generate global
knowledge which should answer to the global challenges, among which we can mention the security of the food, the climatic
changes, the water administration/ management, the intercultural dialogue, the renewable energy and the public health. The
social responsibility is a concept with a large application which can prove to be efficient in the structures of higher education,
too. The present paper highlights the importance of the concept of CSR for the society and the way in which the mechanisms of
this concept can be integrated in the Romanian university or higher education. Practically, it is made a summary ( at a glance)
of the main aspects that mark out the academic environment at the European level as well as at the national level and that
demand the problem’s solving using a series of managerial models and patterns that should support and make effective the
effort of any structure from the higher education in the context of the sustainable development.
Key words: social responsibility, education, sustainable development, higher education, CSR patterns
We are in a time interval in which the higher
1. INTRODUCTION education must be considered a priority in the special
The paper emphasizes background issues context marked by the globalization process and
identified at the level of the entire society. Thus, CSR made worse by the economic crisis. Thus, we can
is a concept tackled by the business environment state that the main themes of major importance for
representatives, seeming that it’s only their the higher education from all over the world are the
responsibility. The issue that we referred in our paper following:
is that the academic environment needs to identify The impact of globalization upon the higher
the CSR approach, and every university can focus its education,
policies by taking into account the social The social responsibility in the higher education
responsibility phenomenon. The academic freedom,
The year 2009 was marked by a series of events The society’s commitment for the higher
on a national and international plan which education
emphasized the problem and the necessity of the The research and financing etc.
social responsibility in the system of Romanian This general frame can be completed by a series
higher education. The concept of social responsibility of other problems, such as: the uprightness, the
is taken into consideration to the extent that it is academic professions, the governance, the leadership
really wanted to initiate the process of reformation of and responsibility, the diversification of the
the higher education and a beneficial evolution for institutions, the promotion of the cross-sector
the following years to come. Nowadays the mission politics, the continuous education, the possibilities of
of the higher education is a very complex one: to employment, finances, the informational and
educate or bring up the graduates with high communicative technologies and the teaching
qualification and responsible citizens, to create and practice of the new higher education, the research
disseminate knowledge in such a way that it can management and many other things besides all these
influence the projection or design of politics, to mentioned.
provide services towards the community. The uprightness is one of the delicate aspects of
Before any debate, it must be noticed the fact that the education, with significant implications on a long
in the future the winning countries will be those that term. The whole society contributes to the
are going to invest in efficient and competent persons harmonious and sustainable development but it can
able to create and consolidate a society based on be easily be jeopardized if the investment in the
knowledge, on the economic development, on the human resource does not take into consideration the
social cohesion and on democracy. Thus, each type of,, the raw material” that is polished by
country must make the inventory and revise its society. The greater the disequilibrium between the
talents, to cultivate it and motivate in order to investments will be, the higher will be the tensions
generate a sustainable development through between the social differentiated categories
economic and social efforts. depending upon the gender, race, religion, ethnicity,
Practically, there must be identified the main geographic position, income, physical disability,
challenges to which the higher education must face in historic disability. The participation to the higher
the future and the evaluation of the way in which the education does not automatically reflect the society’s
university is prepared to answer them and to structure. This is why, the political responsible and
contribute to the society’s welfare. officials and the governments must take the right
96 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
measures in the future, in order to reduce these gaps
or differences.
In a society in which the intercultural
communication is on the one hand stimulated by the
dynamics of globalization and on the other hand
being encouraged by a whole series of regional
politics, we observe that either there are not enough
politics of integration for the communities, either that
the integration equalizes to the members’ isolation
within certain institutions of higher education. In this
context, the directions of action in the system of
Romanian higher education regard the following
aspects:
The training of specialists with creativity and
innovation capacity.
The production of relevant international
knowledge through scientific research.
The achievement of cultural creation.
The dissemination of knowledge.
The training of specialists in relevant fields for
society.
The opening towards community and the
participation with expertise to the establishment of
the directions of national development.
The assumption of the social responsibility
derived from the academic autonomy.
The promotion of personal and institutionalized
excellence on the basis of valuable criteria
internationally validated.
The encouragement of the repatriation of the
Romanian university elites.
The external evaluation of all the institutions of
higher education, public and private ones, in order to
ensure quality.
The differentiation through legislation of the
universities, in universities of education, of education
and research and mostly of research.
The strengthening of the university autonomy in
order to increase the quality of the higher education.
The modernization of the management and of the
leadership of the universities.
The effective operation of a deontological code at
the level of each university.
The multi-annual financing of the study
programmes.
The support of the exact sciences and technical
education according to the European directives.
The promotion of the institutional excellence
through competitive financing programmes;
The involvement of the universities in the
permanent education for the inclusion of 10% of the
active population.
The promotion of the partnership with the
students.
The development and diversification of the
scholarship programmes.
The insurance of the students’ mobility at a
national and international level.
The insurance of the operation of the credits
system for the studies financing.
The internationalization of the higher education
from Romania.
2. PATTERNS OF THE SOCIAL
CORPORATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY
APPLICABLE TO THE ROMANIAN
UNIVERSITY EDUCATION
The social responsibility covers a large range of
themes and problems such as: the human’s rights,
health, the alternative energies, the infantile work and
the eco-efficiency, but despite the fact that it is
perceived as being favourable, it is not really
integrated in organizations yet. Despite the promising
debates, in the confrontation with the competition
pressure, with the demands in a continuous change,
or with the economic recession, the organizations
cannot consider the social responsibility as being
urgent enough. The process of the integration of the
social responsibility in the structures of an
organization must be made in an integrated manner
(Jonker, Witte, 2006).
2.1 The pattern of the multi-dimensional value
This pattern emphasizes and defines all the shapes
of the created value, especially the ones sustained or
supported by the ethic reasons and ideals (Détrie,
2003) specific to the education field. Thus, within a
structure of higher education there can be identified
seven basic dimensions:
1. The economic dimension
The main groups of interests that are directly
implied in this dimension are:
The teachers and their families;
The auxiliary staff and their families;
The Students;
The structures of the public administration;
The civil society – the direct and indirect
beneficiary of the educational and teaching process;
The business environment – beneficiary and/ or
partner of the academic system.
Practically it is mostly required with necessity the
identification of the demands present and of
perspective of the economical-social environment
and the orientation of the university’s offer towards
their satisfaction in performance conditions.
2. The relational dimension
This dimension given by” the combination of all
the external real or potential relations of the
organization” and perceived through three
perspectives:
- The direct relational dimension emphasized
through the participation of the universities to fairs
and specific profile exhibitions;- The indirect
relational dimension is given by all the relations that
contribute to the solidification of the reputation of a
university;
- Relational goods- refer to the human content of
the relationships independently of any immediate
financial benefit.
In this way, the relational capital of a university
contributes to the identification of all the external
groups that are in connection with:
Nurturing Policy Communities Through Foresight Exercices. The Case of Romanian Higher Education
- Market development/ growth – through the
student’s satisfaction and of the structures that
integrates them after they finish their studies;
- The final product – the structures of the
administration and the business environment;
- The local community and the civil society in the
locations where the university is placed;
- The social and intercultural dimension.
3. The culture of the university
This concept defines a set of principles that guide
the activity of the university and to which join the
employees as well as the students. Synthesizing, the
culture of the university refers to the following main
aspects:
- The defining of the strategic and operational
distinctive elements of the culture of the university;
- Actions for the awareness of these principles for
the education of the involved ones, too: teachers,
students, and administrative staff;
- The granting of a special attention to the
transparency and to the legality or lawfulness.
Taking into consideration this aspect it is imposed
the creation and development of an institutionalized
culture in the university in the middle of its own
personnel/ staff as well as among students.
4. The Social Dimension
Regarding the social dimension the main interest
points are:
- The protection of the psychological and psychic
health of the staff within the university;
- The analysis of the work climate, by indicating
the quality of the work relationships between the
employees;
- The analysis of the quality of the relationships
between the teachers and students;
- The quality of the teaching process, scientific
research, the students’ quality;
- Producing the social capital.
In this context, the universities must track the
objectives of the uprightness, quality and success by
developing more flexible means of access and
ensuring a better recognition of the previous learning
and work experience.
5. The human resources and the organizational
structure
Moreover, the organizational style cannot be
separated of the relational one and of the cultural
identity of the university. Also, each academic centre
must determine the optimum degree of
(de)centralization, to revise the organizational
structure and not in the least, to promote a system of
improving the quality in a comprehensive manner,
respectively a quality culture. For this purpose, it is
highly recommended the introduction of mechanisms
that should allow to the leadership of the university,
faculties, departments, and services: a more efficient
institutional control of the individual and collective
services, keeping under control and the continuous
improvement of the university processes and
activities, the identification and the rectification of
97
the existent deficiencies and the prevention of the
ones that can appear in these processes and activities.
A performant and responsible management, a new
philosophy of education oriented towards results and
towards the relationship with the society and the
economic environment, the accent being put on the
teaching and learning quality, on creativity and
innovation are some of the elements which support
this necessary change.
6. Education, training and innovation
This dimension refers to the intellectual capital,
the development of the training processes,
innovation, and their continuous improvement. Such
processes can generate the increase of the intellectual
capital accompanied by the compatibility of the
structure and content of the graduates’ preparation
for facilitating the students’ , teachers’ and
graduates’ international mobility; the insurance of the
performant preparation of the graduates in order to
contribute efficiently to the economic and social
development of Romania.
7. Communication
This dimension takes into account two
components of the communication process: the
internal communication and the external
communication, the quality of the communication
and of the information can be evaluated taking into
consideration:
- The forms and frequency of the internal
dialogue;
- The participation of the employees and student’s
to the dialogue;
- Activities of external communication.
The pattern implies the analysis of the seven
aspects, the mapping of the strategy of the university
and of the process of value creation. At the same
time, the strategy and creation of the value must be
correlated with the vision and objectives of the main
groups of interests through a matrix of the type
aspect/ interests group. By offering each dimension
an intrinsic value the pattern allows us to highlight
the way in which the social responsibility can
integrate and the way they can support each other
mutually. Practically, all the seven dimensions derive
from inside the structure of the university and inside
the company, all the decisions, events and problems
are also integrated in an interdependence relation.
2.2 The molecular pattern
This pattern has as main goal the integration of
the social responsibility in the strategies of the
university and in their daily activity; they also reflect
the fundamental change that takes place in the
present in the debate concerning the sustainability
and social responsibility. The molecular pattern is
based upon the following principles:
First of all, it is necessary the acceptance of the
strategic role played by the social responsibility. The
pattern combines indicators for a long term strategy
with specific indicators that facilitate a practical
action plan (Bergmans, 2006). Everything starts from
98 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
the manager’s opinion and convictions, of the
teachers and students’, that the social responsibility
represents the anchor of a renewed and distinct
position, a necessity but also an opportunity.
Secondly, the social responsibility is an integrated
and component part on a long term of the societal
and corporative development, bringing its
contribution towards a sustainable society based on
knowledge. The pattern highlights seven elements
that can be developed step by step.
1. Rehabilitation – this element refers to the
restoration or rehabilitation of the damage caused to
the resources and to the human resources, natural
capital, social and economic one. Practically it refers
to a series of actions such as the reduction of the
resource consumption: electrical energy, paper,
water, etc. That even if they seem simplistic, in
whole they can be marked as responsible actions. In
this context the universities must review and re-
examine their missions, better define their objectives
and establish and fix their strategic priorities.
2. Prevention - by integrating this element it is
guaranteed that there are not going to be any
damages in the future. It is highlighted the necessity
of the prevention that is preferred to the subsequent
reduction of the caused damages.
3. The increase – refers to the exploration of the
activities that can consolidate and increase
simultaneously the economic and social capital of the
university. Practically, we can make reference to the
initiation of some projects that take into
consideration the human resource, respectively
participation to qualification and specialization
training courses through the internal training
structures of the universities, participation as
volunteers to social projects in partnership with other
institutions in order to find out solutions at a series of
problems of the local community.
4. The integration – This aspect refers to the
empowerment of the university to deal with different
political perspectives upon the social responsibility
that are often in conflict. In this case, the specialists
propose that each unit of higher education to
integrate in its structures the respect and the trust.
5. The renewal - This element highlights the
necessity of renewal of the philosophy and mission
of the university, of its relations with the interest
groups and with the environment. It is based and
axed upon new principles that are going to engage a
new identity, a pro-active one, a new logic and other
strategic decisions.
6. Classification – corresponds to a new necessity,
respectively of cooperation of the universities with
different establishments and institutions,
representatives of the business environment under the
shape of some public or public- private partenerships.
In this way, there are unrolled different research-
development projects with beneficial results for each
structure.
7. Valorisation – It is well understood that of
course that the profitability is important on a short
and long term, but it must constitute the result of a
sustainable/ responsible strategy. This also implies an
awareness of the value created by the commitment
and loyalty of the citizens, the respect in society and
the preservation of the natural environment.
3. CONCLUSION
Taking into consideration the exposed problems,
we can reach the conclusion that each university
must adopt a proactive attitude, in the sense of
preserving its values since it proves its responsibility.
One of the best ways of making these things happen
is to offer academic programmes and competitive and
of a high quality research ones. Beyond the common
European discourse, the university practices evolve
differently from country to country, depending upon
the traditions and the economic and social specific of
each region. The compatibility of the higher
education national system with the European system
of education implies the understanding of the
dynamics of the higher education, the identification
of the main challenges to which evaluation of the
way in which the University is prepared should
support and make face in the future and to contribute
to the welfare of our society.
The opportunity of the approach and originality of the
theme concerning the responsibility come as a result of
certain problems that the universities have at the present
moment: the equity or uprightness, the academic
professions, the governing, the leadership and the
responsibility, the diversification of institutions, the
promoting of cross-sectorial politics, the continuous
education, the possibilities of employment, the finances,
the informational and communicational technologies and
the didactics of the new higher education. In reality, the
change and transformation of the academic environment in
an ethic frame connected to the new orientations that exist
on an international level regarding the sustainable
development must be seen in the context of the
international cooperation between the representatives of the
academic education and teaching, as well as the role and
responsibilities that they have in promoting our society’s
progress through the public politics.
In a strong competitive environment, the
universities “fight” for a better position both in the
academic system and in society, the image and
reputation being resources with strategic value. Even
if this aspect isn’t consistently highlighted in the
Romanian universities, these academic institutions
will have to prove their responsibility towards all the
people they represent, to launch and develop CSR
programs with the employees, students and local
community.
REFERENCES
1. Bergmans F. (2006), Management Models for
Corporate Social Responsibility, Springer, Berlin.
2. Jonker, J., de Witte, M. (2006), Management Models
for Corporate Social Responsibility, Edit. Springer,
Berlin. Heidelberg
3. Détrie, P. (2003), L'entreprise durable, Editions
Labor, Bruxelles.
 NURTURING POLICY COMMUNITIES THROUGH FORESIGHT EXERCICES.
THE CASE OF ROMANIAN HIGHER EDUCATION
Adrian CURAJ1, Radu GHEORGHIU2, Cosmin HOLEAB3
1
POLITEHNICA University of Bucharest, Centre for Strategic Management, email adrian.curaj@gmail.com
2
Institute of World Economy, email radu.cristian.gheorghiu@gmail.com
3
POLITEHNICA University of Bucharest, Centre for Strategic Management, email cosmin.holeab@gmail.com

In the last decades there has been a growing trend of enlarged participation in supporting decision-making in public policy. This trend
has not been generated only in view of a progressive democratization, but also of collecting intelligence and collaboration on a larger
scale and in an increasingly complex environment. Hence, policy communities are now more than ever needed to for the promotion and
validation of new ideas. Policy communities have a life of their own and they cannot be artificially created, but they can be nurtured.
One mechanism for nurturing them is to involve the members in a foresight exercise, i.e., a systematic collaboration in the definition of
future options for their field. Foresight exercises may contribute to the development of a policy community by enhancing reputation
mechanisms in the community; structuring the problems; making explicit the policy paradigm; and even developing the mechanisms for
the sustainability of the policy dialogue.
The paper explores the contribution of a national foresight exercise in higher education to the development of the corresponding policy
community. The foresight exercise started at the beginning of 2009 with the main aim of developing the vision of Romanian Higher
Education in 2025, and involves over one thousand experts and representatives of stakeholders in face-to-face meetings, and other
several thousands in online interaction. The different collaboration tools used in this foresight are analyzed in view of their relevance
for developing the policy community on Romanian higher education and its international integration.

dialogue, as well as the incapacity of accounting for long-

INTRODUCTION
The growing complexity of the decisions challenging
almost all domains of policy-making reduces the relevance
of procedural rationality in favor of communicational
rationality. The participative elaboration of policies and
maintaining an active dialogue become requirements of an
efficient decision-making system.
Higher education is not an exception: the development
of an active policy community is particularly important
when this complex system is, on the one hand, subjected to
pressures related to its positioning at the center of economic
and social progress and, on the other hand, is undergoing
pressures for becoming a part of the international
competition on this market.
The aim of this article is to show that a policy
community can be supported by deploying a foresight
exercise at national level. For this, the first step consists of
clarifying the theoretical premises underlying a policy
community, followed by the proposition of a framework for
their development. We conclude with an analysis of the
elements of policy community development in Romanian
higher education during the foresight exercise carried out in
this field.
BACKGROUND. FROM PARTICIPATORY POLICY
MAKING TO POLICY COMMUNITIES
According to Simon (1983), a thorough and procedural
rationality is impossible under conditions of systemic
complexity. From this perspective, “communicative
reasoning” (Habermass 1988), which presupposes that
decisions and consensus are created through deliberation
among the key actors, offers a more reliable theoretical
framework. This post-rationalist approach is similar to
interest-based negotiation, but it rather relies on the
importance of discursive conditions within the social
structures actors originate in. Criticism of this perspective
notes the excessive interference of power relations in the
term development (given the captivity of discourse in
current power relations).
If we add the dynamic element of dialogue, we may refer
here to the concept of “social learning”, which represents a
participative process of social transformation (Woodhill and
Rolling 2000). This process does not involve planned
intervention, but rather an increase in the quality of
processes already emerging (Long 2001).
The opening of policy dialogue is meant not just to
consolidate the relationship with research in the field of
social sciences and policies (Lindquist 2001), but also to
diversify the types of participants. We reach thus the
creation of real communities, a concept introduced by
Richardson in 1995.
Policy communities have been identified as such early as
1981, but under the name of epistemic communities, a
notion later established by Haas (1989, 1992, 2004).
According to Haas (1989, 2002), the elements which join
together the members of the community are: (i) shared
values and beliefs, which ensure the motivation for the
social action for community members; (ii) shared
professional judgments; (iii) common, inter-subjective
notions for the validation of knowledge; (iv) a common
policy enterprise, that is, a set of practices associated to a
central set of issues, based on the assumption that human
welfare will be improved through them.
Examples of such international communities include: the
community who promoted environmental management, the
community who promoted Keynesianism, or the Chicago
School and its impact on the decisions of certain states to
conduct privatization in the 1990s (Kogut and Macpherson
2003).
The (constructivist) premises which allow for the
creation of policy communities as defined by Haas are as
follows: that the state has differentiated functions to which
specific relations with society correspond; the state acts
under conditions of complexity; the information about the
environment is valorized; decisions are based on procedural
rationality. Other preconditions involve the institutional
100 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
capacity of the country, the large number of researchers and
the existence of relatively autonomous research areas
(David 1995).
The policy communities can be described as hybrid
agents-concepts networks. Criticism of this theoretical
model of policy collaboration refers to the emphasis on the
science-policy interface as a domain of power, prone to
ignore the sources of scientific ideas, beliefs and practices
(Miller 2004).
Some related forms or patterns of collaboration are:
advocacy coalitions, policy networks, policy transfer
networks, and think-tanks.
Advocacy coalitions create “spaces of signification”
inside the policy community. There are usually 2 to 4 such
coalitions inside a policy community (Sabatier 1988). These
coalitions are based on shared values and beliefs which are
difficult to alter, not because they cannot be reached, but
through arguments and a permanent interrogation of their
empirical basis. As the research comes closer to those
involved in decision making, it is shaped by the conceptual
debates and values. Sometimes regarded as different from
epistemic communities because of the economic importance
of their agents, advocacy coalitions can generate dedicated
individuals (policy entrepreneurs).
Policy networks represent types of public-private
partnership which create the space for debates on policies
(Atkinson and Coleman 1992). The state-social actors
rapport may be balanced or it may be dominated by one of
the parties, making three situations possible: corporatism
(balanced), state corporatism (state domination) or
clientelism (domination of social actors). Many of these
networks go beyond national frameworks and become
global (Reinicke and Deng 2000).
Policy transfer networks is a concept meant to link
“policy networks” and “epistemic communities” (Marsh and
Rhodes 1992), which are ad hoc and aim at a change of
policies in a single respect (Evans and Davies 1999).
Think Tanks are characterized by: organizational
autonomy; self-determination of research agenda; focus on
policies; public aim; expertise as resource and public
activities such as conferences and seminars (Stone 1996).
A FRAMEWORK FOR DEVELOPING POLICY
COMMUNITIES
We have identified the following pillars for the cultivation
of a policy community:
a) Ensuring the visibility of community members
Members’ visibility can vary from mere identification to
the construction of strong social networks and the
development of complex reputation mechanisms. The
members’ identification represents the primary condition for
any community. This process is dynamic and has to be
correlated with members’ activism inside the community.
Visibility is strongly related to access to the community,
to a certain epistemic structure of the community and to the
recommendation mechanisms. The criteria for the reputation
mechanism are not always explicit and they may develop. A
mature community tends to make explicit these criteria and
even subject them to debate.
b) Making explicit the policy paradigm
The policy paradigm embodies the reference framework
for the entire policy debate. Making it specific clarifies to a
great extent both the questions and the institutional
structures meant to answer them.
At the level of loosely structured systems, the process of
making explicit the policy paradigm(s) contributes not only
to the positioning of the types of discourse, and to the
focalization of dialogue at a national level, but also to its
integration in the international debate space, also by linking
it to the main flow of publications.
The policy paradigm may evolve in time, either through
a learning process, or through a Kuhnian revolution process
or external shocks.
c) Structuring the problems
Identifying the problem is epistemically subordinated to
the paradigmatic level, but practically it is connected to the
voices of the actors in the system. Formulating the problems
is not a linear process. This is why interrogating about them
should be performed on several levels: from the analysis of
current discourse on the problems, to the social and
economic causalities, all the way to worldview and even
myth (see Inayatullh 2004).
d) Debating
Debating implies not just identifying the divergences and
building consensus, but also a dialectics of discourse at
community level.
e) Ensuring dialogue sustainability
Identifying and debating the policy options need an
acknowledged debating space, with rules commonly
accepted by the community members. Very often this space
combines publication in specialized journals with structured
interaction frameworks.
A policy community evolves in time, which presupposes
a dynamics of its members, the continuous structuring of the
space of internal dialogue and of the dialogue with policy-
making agents.
FORESIGHT AND THE ROMANIAN HIGHER
EDUCATION POLICY COMMUNITY
According to the online guide of the European
Commission (forlearn.jrc.ec.europa.eu/), foresight is a
systematic, participative, future-orientated process which
aims at developing medium- and long-term visions for the
support of present decisions and for the mobilization of
collaborative actions. The typical objectives of foresight
exercises are: informing the people who elaborate policies;
building up networks; developing capacities, including
foresight culture; building strategic visions and creating a
common spirit of accountability for these visions at the level
of participants in the foresight exercise.
Da Costa and al. (2006) identify six functions of
foresight specifically for the elaboration of public policies:
Nurturing Policy Communities Through Foresight Exercices. The Case of Romanian Higher Education
informing the public sphere; facilitating policy
implementation (through building up a shared awareness,
new networks and visions); support and participation in
elaborating policies; the reconfiguration of the policy
system (through debating and assuming long-term
challenges); and the symbolic function (letting the public
know that policies are based on rational information).
The project “Quality and Leadership for Romanian
Higher Education” (www.edu2025.ro), developed between
2008-2011, has set as its main objective the collaborative
development of the vision on Romanian higher education at
the horizon 2025, a document meant to become a point of
reference for the actors in the system. Like in every
foresight exercise, the consultative process (which in this
case includes thousands of individuals) has a great value in
itself, which we consider to be capitalized on through the
development of an active policy community, capable of a
sustainable dialogue in this domain.
The consultative process was conceived with the
purpose of reaching the main objective, that of the vision
document, and includes the following stages:
a) Five expert panels (each of them approaching one of
the main functions of the higher education system) analyze
the situation in Romania in these domains, identify the
drivers of change and develop success scenarios at the
horizon 2025.
b) Success scenarios constitute the object of an extended
debate with the actors in the system, on the basis of which a
vision framework on higher education is proposed (a
coherent, desirable and realistic image).
c) Other ten expert panels on specific domains propose
policies which support the elements of the vision.
d) The policy proposals are the object of a Delphi
consultation which gradually involves up to several
thousands of individuals.
e) The vision document is elaborated as a combination
between the assumed success image and the policies
validated by the community as relevant.
Each of these stages is based on activating the policy
community at the level of Romanian higher education, but
at the same time generates a new dynamic within this
community. The contribution of the consultative exercise on
the five pillars of the model proposed for the development
of a policy community is summarized in the chart below.
101
Table 1. The relevance of the project “Quality and Leadership” from the perspective
of developing a community of associated policies in higher education
The element of community Activity
consolidation
Ensuring visibility of Viral questionnaire of
community members nominalization-
conominalization;
Key-actors analysis.
Identifying the problems Brainstorming sessions.
Scanning literature.
Analysis of current state.
Analysis of drivers of change.
Making explicit the policy Developing success scenarios.
paradigm
Debating Delphi consultation.
Ensuring dialogue Observatory regarding
sustainability Romanian Higher Education.
The increase in the visibility of community members was
achieved in this exercise firstly through a nominalization-
conominalization questionnaire. The main objective of this
questionnaire was to identify the individuals who have the
interest and competences to participate in the debates
regarding the future of Romanian higher education. The
viral approach allowed the respondents to identify other
individuals and / or institutions with an interest and
competences in this direction, the latter being subsequently
invited to respond to the questionnaire themselves.
As for identifying the problems for the debate, this was
done iteratively, starting from scanning scientific literature
on higher education and exploring the ideas existing at the
level of the different categories of actors. Thus, the analysis
of the contents of over 100 titles was done by human
analysts, after which, with the help of a semantic analysis
software, key concepts from over 600 books and articles
were identified. The results of this scanning were then
analyzed comparatively with the results in the three
brainstorming sessions (students, professors, representatives
of the business environment), so that in the end the
identified topics could be adequately positioned. This
structuring of the problems was directly reflected in the
topics and sub-topics of the expert panels, being completed
with their assistance and thus becoming a reference for the
policy dialogue.
The elaboration of success scenarios was in itself a way
to make explicit the policy paradigm. Through their very
nature, success scenarios are based on a series of
assumptions about the future which target both the functions
and the general organizational model of the higher
education system. A part of these assumptions were made
explicit during the scenario-building workshops, also being
repeated during the enlarged debate with the actors in the
system.
In order to increase the involvement of key actors, the
scenarios were subjected to a debate among their
representatives. One problem that arises in this type of
situations is that scenarios are not complete so as to be
easily assimilated by the new participants in the debate. The
solution was that from the existing scenarios a set of key
102 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
elements were selected, and these elements became the
contents of playing cards. The debate was organized as a
World café session. This open-structured dialogue in
relatively large groups plays an important role in developing
inter-subjective knowledge at the level of the policy
community, also allowing for a coagulation of policy
paradigm(s).
The debate at the level of the community is mainly
carried out in the area of developing policy directions which
support the chosen image as desirable for Romanian higher
education. In our case, consultation follows these steps: the
expert panels on the identified policy topics are constituted;
the panels debate internally and propose a limited number of
actions through a combination of face-to-face meetings and
online debate; these options are the object of an extended
online debate using a web 2.0 platform (community-
oriented). This innovative online platform allows
respondents not just to evaluate on a given scale the
expected impact of the different policies proposed, but also
to offer arguments for and against, which are dynamically
ranked in YouTube manner. These types of structures allow
for the involvement of a large number of individuals,
concomitantly with keeping up an adequate level of
controversy.
The consultation regarding the future of higher education
in Romania generates a significant energy at the level of
associated policies. Part of this energy is orientated toward
the elaboration of the vision document which becomes a
reference for the community, but the activation and process
effects naturally tend to decrease after concluding the
collaborative exercise. In order to encourage the
maintenance of the dialogue, a series of complementary
elements were developed, which contribute to preserving
the interest at the level of the community.
A first action is represented by the development of a
guide on foresight at university level. This guide allows
universities to start their own collaborative exercises
through the involvement of the key actors around the
institution in defining a future which implicitly takes into
account the vision at national level.
Another direction is that of the development of the
Observatory for Higher Education. This is a portal which
offers among others quick access to the reports, books and
articles about the problems of Romanian higher education,
with fast connections to information about the authors or
institutions that produce these publications. This type of
portal supports the visibility of community members and
offers, at the same time, a quick snapshot of the dynamics of
debates at national level.
CONCLUSIONS
Like other epistemic communities, policy communities
cannot be created from scratch, but they can be stimulated.
An important step in this direction is to get their members
involved in a foresight exercise on the topic of the
community. Through its very own nature, the foresight
exercise entails the involvement of relevant individuals, the
establishment of a shared language, the identification and
debating of options, and finally the creation of a shared
vision.
The consultation exercise regarding the vision on
Romanian higher education at the horizon 2025 contributed
to the development of the community of associated policies
through increasing the visibility of community members,
identifying the problems, making explicit the policy
paradigm, ensuring the space for dialogue, and even
creating the premises for continuing this dialogue beyond
the consultation period.
It is to be expected that developing policy communities
will be increasingly present in the implementation of
foresight at national and international level, as an important
way to capitalize on consultative processes.
References
1. Atkinson, M.M. and Coleman W.D. (1992), „Policy networks, policy
communities and the problem of governance”, Governance 5, 155-
180;
2. Da Costa, O. and Warnke, P. and Scapalo, F., (2006), The Impact
of Foresight on Policy-Making: Insights from the ForLearn Mutual
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Management;
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emergence of the institutions of open science, Mimeograph, Stanford
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11578-11586;
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and Evolving Policies to Control Mediterranean Pollution,
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as an Economic Policy Idea: Epistemic Communities, Palace Wars
and Diffusion, Harvard University Press;
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for a Strategic Evaluation of IDRC- Supported Research, University
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11. Marsh, D. and Rhodes, R., (1992), Policy Networks in British
Government, Clarendon Press, Oxford;
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political order, in: Jasanoff, S. (Ed.), States of Knowledge: The Co-
production of Science and Social Order, Routledge, Abingdon, pp.
46–66;
13. Reinicke, W.H. and Deng, F., (2000), Critical Choices, IDRC,
Ottawa;
14. Richardson, J., (1995), Actor based models of national and EU
policy-making: Policy communities, issue networks and epistemic
communities, in Kassin H, Menon A (eds.), State Autonomy in the
European Community, Routledge, London;
15. Sabatier, P.A., (1988), „The Advocacy Coalition of Policy
Change and the Role of Plocy-oriented Learning Therein”, Policy
Sciences 21: 128-168;
16. Simon, H.A., (1983), Reason in Human Affairs, Stanford
University Press, Stanford;
17. Stone, D., (1996), Capturing the Political Imagination, Frank
Cass, London;
18. Woodhill, J., Rolling, N., (2000), „The Second Wing of the
Eagle: The Human Dimension in Learning our Way to more
Sustainable Future”, in Rolling N. (ed.), Facilitating Sustainable
Agriculture. Participatory Learning and Adaptive Management in
Times of Environmental Uncertainity, pp 46-71.
 RESULTS OF IMPLEMENTING BOLOGNA PROCESS IN CURRICULA DESIGN
Ioan CURTU, Mariana Domnica STANCIU, Mihai FLOROIU, Daniela ISPAS
1
The Romanian
an Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education – ARACIS
curtui@aracis.ro, mariana.stanciu@aracis.ro,
mariana.stanciu@aracis.ro mihai.floroiu@aracis.ro, daniela.ispas@aracis.ro

The aim of this study is to analyze how the implementation of the Bologna process was undertaken
under by decision makers in higher
education in terms of curricula design. Creating separate
separate curricula for bachelor, master and doctoral cycles in different stages
without a link between the three levels, has led to poor development of curricula: the repetition of themes, disproportion, mergerm of
knowledge and disciplines in a short period of time, number of hours, a. o. All this meant overcrowded curricula, training deficiencies
in skills and abilities of graduates, as well as some repetitive courses. The paper will highlight the types of curricula developed
dev for the
Bologna process in Romaniann universities. At the same time, will be analyzed the causes and effects on quality education of those
faulty curricula design. The work is based on comparative analysis of the curricular structures before and after the transition
transiti to the
Bologna process. In this sense will be analyzed cases of curricula and expressed as summarized in the types of conceptual models and
graphics. The results of this study represent a warning sign concerning of designing curricula to avoid a truncated, fragmented
fragment and
without consideration of the inputs and outputs of the system, socio-economic
socio economic demands, the expectations of graduates, the balance
between information, knowledge and skills, abilities. The main people directly interested by this document are, at the same level l of
importance,
mportance, all major stakeholders in the education process - academics (teachers, researchers), management structures at university
level, students as well as quality evaluators and policy makers. The paper shows and materializes in the form of conceptual models of
serious gaps in the License - Master – Doctoral studies,, curriculum through a critical analysis of the results of implementing the
Bologna Process.

vision of assembly concerning the cycle of license,

GENERAL ISSUES CONCERNING THE respectively years I, II, III, IV and even less continuity
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BOLOGNA-
BOLOGNA with M and D cycles.
LISBON PROCESS

Romania's accessionn to the Bologna - Lisbon

process, as well as the Law aw 288/2004 have imposed to
Romanian higher education system deep changes of
structure and content. Inclusion of masters (M) and
doctorate (D) alongside the license (L) in the period of
university studies assumes a gradual increase of skills
from the cycle L to cycle M and in the final cycle D, in
conditions under which has so far M and D, were
considered postgraduates studies.
According to law 288/2004, bachelor’s degree
is the first cycle of university studies
tudies which must ensure
an appropriate level of qualification for the labor market
Fig. 1. The structure of higher education before and after implementing of
integration, through general and specialized knowledge. Bologna process
Masters is the second cycle of university studies aiming
to deepen the knowledge and skills acquired in the first A principle which must be taken into account
cyclic
clic of study (L). Master studies can be followed in in drawing up plans for Education is the perishability of
licensing studies or in near area or to obtain additional various
ious groups of subjects.
subjects Basic disciplines are less
skills when undertaken in an area other than the license. perishable, having a strong durability in time. Field
Doctoral studies are higher cyclic university studies disciplines have parties which in time can refine,
(third cycle of university studies) s) and is organized in deleted, optimize and therefore perishability is the 10-
10
accordance with Government Decision no. 567 of June 20%, and specialized disciplines have content with 40- 40
15, 2005 regarding organization of doctoral studies. 50% degree off perishability. As such, at the moment of
PhDs goal is to develop knowledge through original preparing the curricula, the most variable disciplines are
research in the two components: training program based inversely proportional to the phenomenon of perishing.
on advanced university studies and scientific research
program. DEFICIENCIES IN DRAWING UP NEW PLANS
The organization of L-M--D is based on two FOR EDUCATION IN SCIENCE ENGINEERING-
ENGINEERING
aspects: one which takes into account the unity and LICENCE AND MASTER
continuity of three cycles of students training, on the
other hand the autonomy of each level of university The transition from 5 to 3/4 years has been
studies. Att the beginning of the academic year 2004-2004 made by the managers Faculties without a uniform
2005 has been imposed drawing up plans for education thinking, taking into account more or less general
(curricula) for years I and II, having not in regard to the
104 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

interests of education in favor of those personal, personal

subjective of teachers from leadership. Thus, from the
start has been vitiated content and structure of the
overall plans for education at the expense of disciplines
(not endorsed) and in favor of some that tha managers
agreed. Thus, each wanted that through the new plan for
education his discipline not to be "damaged" both in the
structure but especially in the number of hours of
course, seminar, laboratory and project.
Lack of overall thinking, responsible, fear of losing
"hours" and fear that the cycle M no longer do certain
disciplines (even) in a selected structure and modern,
has made to proceed wrong with certain subjects and
"atrophy" desire to impose these disciplines, especially Fig. 3. Ways to "pass" from the curriculum of 5 years to the 3 / 4
in various master plans (either by deepening or years - type "saw"
research). This was accentuated by the appearance of
the idea of "viability" of education att the expense of  Method roughing "from basic" (fig. 4)
4 through
quality. Study programmes of certain areas have which has reduced the share, content and number of
provided many common courses in the years I and II, hours allocated to basic and fundamental disciplines,
the number of hours and content, thus disappearing those specialized not being affected by anything. This
specific adaptation to one or another program of study idea contradicts fundamentally Bologna-
Bologna Lisbon process
in the same area. which provides in L cycle a basic quality training and
Switching from 5 years at 3 / 4 years led, in profound on which to build superior preparation for
different universities and faculties to an irrational and certain directions required by the labor market on the
matchlessly thinking, meeting the following cases of one hand and comprehensive and specialized M
organizing of new plans of education: program, on the other hand.
 Method of "plunger" (Fig. 2)) through which all
subjects were compressed without out any sort of
discernment selection, of importance and utility in
preparing future graduates for license. As a consequence
of curricula design, the student schedule is loaded
(sometimes crowded), teachers teach the same amount
of material in less time without
thout being eliminated non-
non
essential content. In this situation, there is also refusing
students come to enjoy the course or to learn, and
quality and learning performances are reduced.

Fig. 4. Ways to "pass" fromm the curriculum of 5 years to the 3 / 4

years - type "roughing" based

 Method
hod of "roughing" the specialized
disciplines (Fig. 5)) achieved in light of their retrieval at
master M, where the emphasis will not be put on basic
and fundamental subjects, ts, but on those specialized,
those which allow learning through research;

Fig. 2. Ways to "pass" from

m the curriculum of 5 years to the 3 / 4
years - type "plunger"

 Method of "Saw" (Fig. 3) through which were

"cut" from all disciplines hours of lessons and project-
project
seminar-laboratory,
laboratory, of importance and utility in
preparing future graduates for license. As consequences,
it was cutting proportionally
ionally the number of hours
allocated to basic and specialized disciplines, which
leads to incomplete formation of all competencies and
student’s skills.
Results of implementing bologna process in curricula design
Fig. 5. Ways to "pass" from
m the curriculum of 5 years to the 3 / 4
years - type "roughing" peak
 Method of differentiated reduction to all kinds
of disciplines (Fig. 6) phenomenon
enon close to the concept
of the Bologna- Lisbon process;
Fig. 5. Ways to "pass" from m the curriculum of 5 years to the 3 / 4
years - type differential reduction in general subjects domain and
specialized
 Type of selective reduction at certain
disciplines (fig. 1, g) emphasizing those aspects that
respond to the skills of the new graduates in European
context and requirements of the labor
labo market.
Fig. 5. Ways to "pass" fromm the curriculum of 5 years to the 3 / 4
years - type of selective reduction
duction curriculum in some
disciplines
When drawing up plans for education for 2th
cycle M, rarely it resorts to modern aspects of the
fundamental disciplines and of the field. It is forgotten
that another is the student after a license from the
perspective of interest, degree of skill, competence,
abilities and selection. The approach of some theoretical
and scientific research skills at master contribute to
foundation of scientific inquiry skills, synthesis and
analysis as well as developing skills from the
perspective of sustainable development of human
society. According to regulations, university masters
programs represents 2th th cycle of university studies,
finalized through level 7 of the European Qualifications
Qualificatio
Framework (EQF) within National Qualifications
Framework (CNC) and have a normal life span of 1-2 1 academic curricula in terms of labour
105
years, corresponding to a number of transferable credits
between 60 and 120 ECT.
Often is forgotten that, on a licensing program
can be built more masters programs which deepen and
specialize the training consistent with the requirements
of socio-economic
economic environment (fig. 1). A truncated
vision of those what masters proposed under the
Bologna-Lisbon
Lisbon conditions is reflected by the fact that
many disciplines from L cycle is repeated, having the
same curriculum, being designed only to ensure jobs
teaching.
Within these modernization, changes,
adjustments, confrontations, introducing new concepts
should not be forgotten, neglected, truncates, depreciate
the fundamental
damental disciplines and of the domain which
ensure the completion and the training foundation in a
certain space of the domain.
A modern vision requires knowledge
knowl of skills and
abilities of which M graduates will benefit.
benefit According
to these shall be drawnn up curricula M and type of
master - professional and research.
research Professional masters
are targeted mostly to professional skills training,
training while
research masters are oriented mostly to research skills
training, preceding PhD preparation.
Itself concrete wayy to conduct masters is not well
household (most often are held in the evenings and
Saturdays and even Sundays, some teachers do not
come, not always attractive, many master students are
employed in different firms, come rarely at hours or
only at the exam,, MA students are not motivated, etc.).
etc
Also, evaluation of master students training is not
optimal: too many exams are written, rarely oral and
written and very rarely speaking. There are no
communications and no discussions with the master
students, lacking
ing them language skills such as argument,
persuasion, concise and coherent expression.
CONCLUSIONS
The effects of changing curricula – in steps –
without a unit thinking for cycles L and M does not
concord with the European thinking of increasing
graduates efficiency and strengthening basic training.
To these it is added and a weak interest from students
(low attendance in classes, lack of motivation, poor
preparation in education, large share of employees
student, lack of individual learning, lack of constant
co and
consistent training during the academic year, etc.).
Many times even teachers do not succeed to systemize
matter, too select chapters that create the basic training in
that discipline.. It is our obligation, of professional
conscience, of public accountability
a to rethink our
activity and to realize concrete actions, focusing on
learning outcomes and what students want (sharing (
responsibilities, focus on learning, flexibility in route
learning, autonomy in expressing opinions and value
judgment, clearly arly defined powers, continuous
assessment tests, laboratory work, projects, adapting
labo market based on
an analysis of needs and resources of training).
106 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

Must be used to maximum opportunities offered the cycle of the Doctoral university studies starting with the
university year 2005/2006;
by existing legislation which allows higher education
7. Order of the Min. of Edu 3404/07.03.2006 on the general
institutions to establish partnerships with businesses, criteria for the organization and admittance on the cycle of
professional associations and / or public institutions to Licence university studies for the year 2006-2007;
develop some academic curricula of masters (M) which 8. Bologna Declaration (1999)
9. Evaluation reports from ARACIS
to respond to labour market successfully. Labour market
requires graduates of License and Master skills,
practical knowledge, critical thinking, adaptability
capacity and lifelong learning.
Final effects of teaching (instructive + formative
+ education) must ensure not only the rate of
employment and income of graduates, but especially
intellectual values, moral and ethical, important
personal and professional satisfaction for both the
individual and especially for a rapidly changing society.
Only by understanding and applying the 8
principles of quality - orientation to clients /
beneficiaries of teaching activity, a good organizational
management at the institution level and classroom
(clear vision towards the future, setting goals, values
support, the creation of ethical and trust models,
training for accountability, encouragement of valuable
contributions and their recognition), involvement of
people (using their talent and capacity, motivation,
innovation, creativity, the feeling of mastery of the
domain of activity, responsibility of teachers and
students for continuous renewal), standing approach,
systemic approach to management, continuous
improvement following the correct self-assessment and
external evaluation (setting targets for change,
improvement, measuring the efficiency of the
mechanisms which determine and implement these
changes for the better), foundation decisions on facts,
establish mutually beneficial relationships with
interested parties – can ensure correct implementation of
the Bologna process and achieve quality results.

AKNOWLEDGMENTS

This work was accomplished under the project:” Quality

Assurance in Higher Education in Romania within
European Context. Development of Academic Quality
Management at System and Institutional Level” –
ACADEMIS, POSDRU/2/1.2/S/1, Project Manager
Prof. Dr. Ioan CURTU, Romanian Agency for Quality
Assurance in Higher Education (ARACIS).

References

1. Law 288/24.06.2004 on the organisation of university studies;

2. Gov. ordinance 88/10.02.2005 on the organisation of Licence
university studies;
3. Gov. ordinance 404/29.03.2006 on the organisation of Master
university studies;
4. Gov. ordinance 567/15.06.2005 on the organisation of Doctoral
university studies;
5. Order of the Min. of Edu 3235/10.02.2005 on the organisation of
the cycle of the Licence university studies;
6. Order of the Min. of Edu 4491/06.07.2005 on the organisation of
 THE IMPACT OF EDUCATIONAL QUALITY OVER THE ORGANIZATIONS CULTURE

Alexandra Martiniana DADARLAT1, Cristian Alexandru SIMESCU2, Dragos Anton DADARLAT3

1
“Hermann Oberth” Faculty of Engineering Sibiu, martina0882@yahoo.com
2
“Hermann Oberth” Faculty of Engineering Sibiu, cristian.simescu@gmail.com
3
”Victor Papilian” Faculty of Medicine of Sibiu, dragosdada@yahoo.com

The success of the organization in increasing the quality of all activities carried out, depends on the ability of managers to deal with human
relationships, to recognize and assess the characteristics and individual talents, to give every employee the opportunity to achieve their maximum
potential, to develop and continually train the whole staff organization.
The requirements of management standards, by which observation there is configured in an organization a quality system management, make no
explicit mentions of cultural degree. However, regardless of organization, designing and implementing a quality management system is a directly
conditioned process by specific corporate culture, pre-existing cultural elements at the beginning of the process, by its flexibility to incorporate
new values and specific quality standards.

Keywords: Career, Career Orientation, Management Career, Professional Development

1. INTRODUCTION
The success of the organization in increasing the
quality of all activities carried out, depends on the
ability of managers to deal with human relationships,
to recognize and assess the characteristics and
individual talents, to give every employee the
opportunity to achieve their maximum potential, to
develop and continually train the whole staff
organization.
Managers, in addition to planning and developing
their careers, have the duty to help employees to find
their own and optimal path in professional
development, to create the optimal deployment of
business and motivate the package offered to
employees.
2. THE IMPACT OF EDUCATIONAL QUALITY
OVER THE THOUGHT OF MANAGERS
Managers emphasize more on careers and
employees, involving themselves in planning these
careers by facilitating skills, extending and enriching
their work. Thus, employees who feel that the manager
is really interested in their careers become loyal while
performing quality work.
Dependence of quality assurance systems as
promoted values of the society at some point in its
evolution leads to an obvious conclusion that there are
not and cannot exist universal systems of quality
assurance, and because there is not and cannot exist a
concept of unique quality development, but principles
that apply quality management and standardized
procedures. We can adopt internationally agreed
procedures, as for example ISO.
Although this framework is not the optimal one for
all types of organizations, and the value of an ISO
9000 certificate differs by sector and country, the
developments over the last years have resulted, at least
in Europe, in a broad recognition of the value of an
ISO 9000 certificate and its function as a quality label.
In the education and training world, the first
groups to pay attention were providers of continuing
education and training for the business world, as well
as vocationally oriented schools. Both types of
organizations are indeed closer to market needs and
business developments than regular education
institutions. Some general education schools and
higher education institutions have also taken the ISO
9000 road and a few pioneers have already passed the
certification stage. It is only since the early 90s that the
first education and training institutions in Europe have
obtained an ISO 9000 certificate, some of them even
for only part of their activities. Adopting TQM (and
ISO 9000) does not make a lot of sense if some basic
quality level is absent.
Based on reported experience and documented
case studies, the main rationale behind the TQM
approach are:
• an improved external quality perception and
image, thanks to clearer internal policy
choices, better customer orientation and more
effective marketing;
• a more efficient internal organization, with
more effective management, better motivated
staff, and more successful internal
communication;
• achievement of professionalism in non-
educational services, understanding by this the
services and activities provided by the
institution in addition to the delivery of the
course program (registration, administra-
tion,...);
• raising the quality of the education and
training services and products themselves: the
relevance of the course program, the didactic
quality of instruction, the effectiveness of the
needs analysis,...
This is, actually, also the order in which the
benefits of TQM seem to materialize.
According to G. Johns and E. Saratean, career is a
developmental sequence of activities and professional
positions reached by a person as attitudes, knowledge
and it associates skills which develop over the time.
108 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
In the past, the employee was hired for a job and
keeping him in the organization was desirable. Given
the narrow specialization of jobs and their stability, the
polyvalence was not necessary.
Nowadays, for the flexibility of human
resources is necessary to give up the old
structures and the old perspectives for
promotion and adoption of a career system
based on acquiring a portfolio of skills.
In terms of organization, the need of
career development includes: stability and
employee loyalty, reduction of the impact that
will cause the future shock, motivating
performance.
In general, the time spent during a year for
planning and career development of a normal
individual is less than the time spent during a
week watching television.
A fundamental difference between individual and
organization is that organization is, theoretically
speaking, an unlimited life, while the employee has a
finite time, which can highlight the strengths and take
decisions on career development. Things may however
be viewed differently, from the point of the time,
employees who access a certain position, have a wide
range of possibilities regarding career development,
each following his own career path.
Career management plans and shapes the progress
of individuals within an organization according to
organizational needs assessments as well as
performance, potential and personal preferences of its
members.
3. THE IMPACT OF QUALITY IN HIGHER
EDUCATION IN THE ACADEMIC
ENVIROMENTAL OF SIBIU
The environmental study in Sibiu, on a relatively
large sample of 70 respondents of which one third are
from the academic environment, who have mentioned
the following aspect about the organizational culture
trends universities cumulate difficult trends, latent
changing factors, changing factors that act
simultaneously.
Naturally, this accumulation of elements more or
less contradictory, are found in extremely nuanced
forms in the organizational culture of the Romanian
school. In this organizational culture, there are: the
totalitarianism influence - which perpetuates its
presence by perceptions, mentalities, attitudes,
behavior - found at the school actors; existence in
latent and potential upgrade state of the traditional
cultural elements that have lost their influence or that
were devalued during the dictatorial regime;
emergence – in the decade of "transition" – of some
new cultural factors as the effect of specific social
context and external openness. Despite reform strategy
applied during the last decade, preservation of
structural elements that perpetuate old outdated
mentality still put their influence on the culture
learning in the university environment, resulting the
perpetuation of old university mentality actors, limiting
training to students regarding creativity, responsibility,
all unfolding in a vicious circle. Of the respondents
surveyed, we can notice that they of their own
knowledge or from other information sources, know
the fact that in the business environment from Sibiu
there are promoted mainly young employees for their
interest, capacities and qualities that they value and not
last, for their professional abilities, thus from this there
results that the academic education from Sibiu is of
quality. Still, among the surveyed ones, we have
noticed that most of the young people started to build
and develop a career, by continuous training that
means they have the necessary culture or come from an
organizational environment where organizational
culture influenced them.
Any environment has a specific culture that
influences the behavior of actors that manifests inside,
in this sense the academic environment does not
compromise. In terms of contemporary society that is
in a continuous change, the university is required a
high degree of flexibility and dynamism, a greater
familiarity between the two entities (company and
university). Also the number and percentage of
students increased, conditions in which some "myths"
specific to university tend to expire, no longer have the
same coverage at a practical level, to become truly "a
myth", for example: the myth of academic erudition.
Image of the concept of organizational
performance makes us think to develop a model to
quantify performance. The literature has many such
models, more or less compatible with the idea of
university organizational performance. For an
overview, we recall some of the most used models:
Methodology Shanghai proposed by Shanghai Jiao
Tong University, U.S. News, Times Higher Education
Supplement accomplished in United Kingdom or
Rating Ad Astra Romania.
Our investigative approach does not aim to
develop an organizational system for measuring
academic performance, or to identify performance
culture in Romanian University. We follow this
approach because no matter how difficult it would be
to develop a system for measuring the organizational
performance of the academic environment and it is
more difficult to implement this system, especially if
you don’t know how actors perceive the concept of a
performance university.
In our intention to see how the Romanian involved
in the academic environment relates to the concept of a
performance university we applied a sample
questionnaire / statement test, psychological adapted
version of the instrument and asking subjects to
complete statements like: a performing university is.
Data collected were processed based on content
analysis, using software - SPSS. Thus, we distributed
The Impact of Educational Quality Over The Organizations Culture
each statement in one of three academic perspectives of
organizational university performance, after which we
grouped into representative categories statements and
we calculated the percentage of the same class of
claims is among the sample. After these procedures we
determined the weight that each perspective has an
academic organizational performance in our subjects'
responses.
In the study we conducted semi-structured
interviews with 30 persons from the academic
management staff (scientific secretary, head
department, vice-dean, dean, rector), seeking to
identify aspects of implementing changes in the
Romanian university organization. Sample subjects
were asked to answer the following items: 1. Indicate
the most important changes observed in the evolution
of your university since 1989 to the present moment?
2. Describe briefly the implementation approach of one
of these changes (procedure relevant and commonly
used in your university), 3. List the main factors
required to implement these changes?, 4. What were
the most virulent organizational factors that have come
from these changes? 5. How do you proceed now,
when you want to insert new elements in the
organizational structure managed by you? 6. What are
the key factors to keep in mind when considering
implementing a program of organizational changes? 7.
What are your usual difficulties met when you plan the
introduction of changes?
The academics staff respondents of which we found
after questionnaires, many of them consider relevant
the impact of educational quality over the organization
culture. And thus we can reach the conclusions or
suggestions that they have to put greater emphasis
during the years of study of higher education, so that
those attending these types of education forms to be
prepared for the changes that will appear in the future
organizations and that will influence more on the
organizational culture, in the form of globalization.
Another fact found is that in terms of scientific
research or continuous training only those who work in
universities or the freelancers are focused on this. As a
suggestion that emerges is that if they would put more
emphasis on continuous professional training would
increase the quality of education, not just the university
one.
Auxiliary staff of the university is an unique
cultural group. In this group specific for the academy
environment, we can identify several subgroups: staff
secretary, the economic staff - administrative, safety
and security personnel, the cleaning staff responsible
for cleaning activities and staff responsible for
maintaining the university's goods and assets, etc.
Regarding the formation of organizational group
culture for different staff groups, some specific
differences are undeniable, as required by level of
education or status, or assigned place in the university
staff organization scheme to the members of different
groups of the auxiliary staff.
109
Students are a special category of human resource
in the academy environment, they have a special social
status, they are young people in training, future
intellectuals, they are perceived by the society as being
different from other young people. Students are seen as
a particular social and age group, a group that shows
certain cultural specific features (behavior norms,
values and principles).
Student position makes the young person have a
contradictory status between satisfying the age needs
and comply with the ones imposed by the academic
field, to prepare as good as possible for the purposes of
academic performance. For this problem we can
identify a series of conflicts faced by students: the
desire for freedom, but the financial dependence on
parents, the desire for a rapid social integration, but
also they need for professional development; the desire
to live the situations specific to the age, but also the
requirement for thorough preparation of the academic
activities, etc.
In the study accomplished by us, through the
questionnaire on social representation of student life in
Sibiu (March 2010), on a sample of a population
divided into three categories (aspiring student status,
students and non-students / non-aspiring status), there
is revealed a positive perception of student.
Aspiring students see in the student life few
disadvantages and advantages as: scholarships, access
to information, entertainment, social prestige, various
discounts, freedom, the possibility of a high
specializations and not at last the entry into the world
of the intellectual elite and shaping a successful career.
Students, while identifying some disadvantages,
especially on the short term (living in a campus
housing, lack of money), they stress about the same
benefits as those who aspire to students status.
The last questioned category, non-students / non-
aspiring students, keep the positive image note about
the student, considering this class characterized by:
intelligence, optimism, dynamism, seriousness,
competence but they show a few negative aspects as:
lacking material resources, arrogant, or libertine or
"long-haired."
Empirical study conducted for the group displays
the following cultural profile of students: the tendency
towards universalism; tendency toward collectivism,
less tendency to avoid uncertainty, trend towards low
power distance; tendency towards emotional, tendency
to diffuse; trend attributed status, trend past-oriented,
trend-oriented self.
Educational management is a growing field,
especially in the view of recent reform initiatives of the
Ministry of Education, in particular quality assurance
in education and decentralization of education. All
these initiatives have on the one hand, important
consequences for management and administration of
education, on the other hand, can not be implemented
without an education training management system.
The definition of research is given of W. Carr and
S. Kemmis who say: 'research-action is an auto-
110 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
reflexive research form made by participants in social
situations in order to improve the rationality and
fairness of their practices, understanding these
practices and situations where these practices are
performed '.
The result of the educational services is actually
the result of education understood as a value for the
learner, namely what the science has also at the end of
one year from initial situation. We can reach to the
following conclusion, namely, the high quality of
education actually means added value and creation of
a plus that is determined by factors such as work
during their studies, organizational culture in terms of
internal and external environment that is part of the
individual. Therefore, students are the beneficiaries of
educational services outside primary, secondary
beneficiaries, and labor market, employers, society in
general, are tertiary beneficiaries.
In order to support organizations prepare and train
their staff, that the organization wants to get
specialized in order increase the potential of quality
management in education, there have been created
structures for learning and training activity: business
incubators, centers for research recognized nationally
and internationally, research centers, doctoral centers.
4. CONCUSIONS
In drawing conclusions, we can state the first
conclusion, that is the opinion of trying to make
obvious the product - "core", elaborated, relevant (and
possibly "anticipated") are not the needs, but the
development interests by training (ongoing) that
innovative research cannot only reveal but also induce,
and the efficiency is not reached by producing and
disseminating recipes as unique ways (best practice)
according to the information likeness clones reduced at
scale, to exact copies of the scientific content of the
syllabus, but co-development (joint research team:
teachers, experts), by regional applicability (not local)
and programmatic de-multiplication. Taking over the
unprejudiced facts from the site and build accordingly -
intervention models based on innovation, in order to
valorize this kind and at this level - including a
discussion forum and, if possible, "location" and
performing of models - is, we believe, not only
employment obligation, but rather an ethical duty.
Managerial approach of the solid pillars of the
quality education as a process - the organizational one
– school and the strategic one – innovation – it must
be, in this respect (as, indeed, of the problem of staff
assessment), not the situational exercise, but consistent
approach to the essential reform support of education,
with basis in the professional belief that producing
quality is directly proportional to the size and
consistency of invested resources (based on accurate
cost-benefit analysis), requires the prior action and then
the well-cadenced "engine" the establishment, by
training, under the sign of lack of concentration into
collaborative business expertise of the specialist,
manager and professor.
Considering the cultural particularities
determinant, we present a list of suggestions still
operational. Management suggestions provide two
directions: suggestions for who is inside the group that
presents cultural profile, and suggestions for who
comes from outside and comes in contact with the
group that presents cultural profile.
The suggestions proposed by us can be easily used
in approaching any organizational group described
above (students, staff, professors, etc.). Such an
approach can build on the cultural profile of the group
revealed by that group and intercalated/combined to
the list of proposals made to each cultural perspective
in every dimension. Certainly, the suggestion list is
open to additional suggestions, and from another point
of view we should mention that at each case we should
be cautious of rigor in their effective application.
Suggestions that we propose:
 constantly try to follow rules and procedures,
deviations from the regulation, even if you do
not seem justified context are seen with good
eyes;
 be transparent in everything you undertake;
 try to be prompt in the steps you take;
 try to adjust to the individual needs of the
organization;
 manifest your availability to experience
occupational mobility.
References
1. John G., (1996),Organizational behavior, Economic
Publishing, Bucharest
2. Saratean E., (2003), Human resources, Support change,
Mirton Publishing, Timisoara
3. Berghe den Van Wouter, (1997), Application of ISO 9000
Standards to Education and training, Interpretation and
guidelines in a European perspective, CEDFOP – Eoropean
Centre for the Development of Vocational Training Publishing,
Thesaloniki
4. Ionescu S. (2000), Quality of education, concepts, principles,
methodologies, 2000+ Workshop Collection, 2000+ Education
Publishing, Bucharest
 QUALITY ASSESSMENT FOR QUALITY ASSURANCE. BETWEEN PRIDE AND
PREJUDICE - ARE ALL EQUALLY GOOD OR SHOULD ALL STRIVE TO BECOME
BETTER?

Radu Mircea DAMIAN, Oana SÂRBU, Carmen MIRIAN

1
PROF. UNIV. DR. ARACIS, radu.damian@aracis.ro
2
ARACIS, oana.sarbu@aracis.ro
3
ARACIS, carmen.mirian@aracis.ro

If higher education institutions are to be able to demonstrate the effectiveness of their own internal quality assurance processes, and if
those processes properly assure quality and standards, then external processes might be less intensive than otherwise. It is important
that the institutions' own internal policies and procedures are carefully evaluated in the course of external procedures, to determine
the extent to which the standards are being met. Support universities in fulfilling their mission(s) as it was established by the
Committee of Ministers to member states of the Council of Europe on the public responsibility for higher education and research:
preparation for sustainable employment, preparation for live as active citizens in democratic societies, personal development, the
development and maintenance, through teaching, learning and research, of a broad, advanced knowledge base.

1. INTRODUCTION “prêt-a-porter” one) large enterprises value more

Defining quality in and of education is not an easy task.
Definitions of quality education given by educators,
scholars, students, employers or different other
stakeholders vary significantly. Not to speak of those
given by people involved in standard settings used in
the economic life, who have a more specific, product
and conformity oriented vision, which is another source
of potential conflict.
The Parents/Familly. Responsible parents want for
their children the best schools and the best teachers and
generally all of us would like to have „what is the best”.
But, what is „the best”? How can we be sure we chose
„the best”?
The Learner. Since education implies personal
involvement of the learner, his/her perception of the
quality of higher education is inherently influenced from
the very beginning by the binomial „expectations –
reality” he/she is confronted to. Many students and in
general each person strive to become the best, to
perform in education, in his/her profession, personal life
etc. To be honest with ourselves, in this first
confrontation how often expectations of the learner are
overtaken by reality?
The Institution. On the other hand, under the influence
of the quest for excellence, of economic factors, public
opinion, mass media etc. higher education institutions
become more and more obsessed with the on-going
discussions about definition and role of quality. Any
indication that they might not be top-quality institutions
or that they are poorly ranked in one of the many
„league tables” or „rankings” is considered to be an
attempt to downgrade their performance status and
therefore a direct prejudice brought to it.
The Employers. Whereas small businesses (SMM type)
generally prefer to hire "well-specialized“ people, ready
to do everything in the firm (we could call this attitude a
general skills and transversal competences. They are
waiting to make education and training more flexible
and more open for innovation and enhancing
relationships between educators and employers, giving
priority to the development of institutional leadership,
capacity building and quality improvement efforts. The
universities have to give much more importance to
general, “transversal” competences of graduates, such as
communication, team work, listening, explaining etc..
The decision-makers/governments. One common
playground of discussion which emerges and
permanently re-emerges at national and/or European
Commission level is the „Efficiency of Higher
Education”. Although the „efficiency of Higher
Education” is not defined (for instance, in the
Communication from the Commission to the Council
and the European Parliament, COM(2006) 208 final,
Brussels, 10 May 2006, Delivering on the
modernisation agenda for universities: education,
research and innovation, only examples of „in-
efficiency are proposed and all come from pre-
university education!) it considers almost an exclusive
economic parameter. In that sense, quality of Higher
Education has a beneficial effect on the quality of highly
trained workforce – including by research - in the
European Union and should contribute to the economic
development of the European Union. Who would dare
to flatly challenge this assumption? But, is this
everything about the role of quality assurance in higher
education? In the end, what education do we want? The
Chilean scholar Eugenio Tironi in his book „El Sueño
Chileno” (The Chilean Dream) relates education to the
kind of society we want.
2. POSSIBLE ANSWERS
112 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
Some answers on what should then be made to a better
understanding of the role of quality assurance in higher
education could be given by starting from the purposes
of higher education. The Recommendation Rec (2007) 6
by the Committee of Ministers to member states of the
Council of Europe, on the public responsibility for
higher education and research, prepared by the Steering
Committee for Higher Education and Research
(CDESR), points to four main purposes of higher
education:
• preparation for sustainable
employment;
• preparation for life as active citizens
in democratic societies;
• personal development;
• the development and maintenance,
through teaching, learning and
research, of a broad, advanced
knowledge base.
These are the overall purposes of higher education and
research. In the European Higher Education Area
characterized by the diversity and the autonomy of its
institutions, each institution may fulfill one or more of a
wide range of missions and it may do so at varying
levels and degrees.
On the other hand, the dynamics of society induce
change, new requirements and expectations, need for
adaptation to fluid realities much over shorter time
intervals as before.
As an active answer to some of those challenges, the
ministers responsible for Higher Education in the
Bologna Countries approved at their meeting Bergen
(2005) the “European Standards and Guidelines for
Quality Assurance in Higher Education” (ESGs). In
many aspects, considering the large number of countries
having become members of the “Bologna Process” in
Bergen, 2005 is now considered as the “point of no-
return” of this comprehensive reform of Higher
Education in Europe. Quality Assurance has thus been
upgraded as an essential component of the Bologna
process and the role of external evaluations performed
by Quality Assurance Agencies is recognized by the
creation of the European Quality Assurance Register
(EQAR), which became functional in 2008.
One common question is, however: are the ESGs good,
do they describe adequately quality processes and
procedures in Higher Education? After a number of
years of regulations being developed by Governments
and procedures being developed by Quality Assurance
agencies on the basis of ESGs the most commonly heard
answer is “the ESGs are perfectible”.
Another question is where is quality assurance and how
it can be achieved and “measured”?
Are ranking adequate tools to allow judgments or do we
need more tools?
According to the European University Association
(EUA): „There is a fundamental difference between
Quality Assurance and rankings: “Quality Assurance
process should always be internally driven (even if there
are external incentives) and aim at enhancing the
quality of activities (usually through recommendations)
and therefore foster a quality culture” rankings are
externally driven and only state the current situation of
an institution in comparison to other institutions on the
basis of selected indicators.“
European Student’s Union (ESU): „Ranking systems do
not help to improve the quality of Higher Education
Institutions as they line them up according to simplistic
ranking criteria. ESU strongly opposes the introduction
of rankings into the Bologna Process. Rankings, or
so‐called «transparency instruments», provide a false
sense of knowledge of the institutions’ performance and
quality, are inaccurate and scarcely focus on the
information needs of the students.“
Rankings can provide comparative information and
improve understanding of higher education, but they are
not the main method for assessing what higher
education is and does. Rankings may ignore the causes
of deficits, weaknesses or poor performance and the
most important issue for higher education in a dynamic
European society is not finding problems. The most
important challenge is to understand why they occur and
to improve.
3. QUALITY ASSURANCE EVALUATION
“Quality assurance in higher education is at the heart of
efforts to build a coherent, compatible and attractive
European Higher Education Area (EHEA), in line with
the objectives of the pan European Bologna Process” -
Report from the Commission to the Council, The
European Parliament, The European and Social
Committee and The Committee of the Regions: Report
on progress in Quality Assurance in Higher Education,
2009.
In the EHEA quality assurance evaluation is based on
confidence. The most important document in the
external evaluation of a higher education institution is
the Self Evaluation Report (SER) – result of an internal
evaluation. Evaluation is a constructive process and the
self evaluation is the most important part of it.
More and more universities understand that
evaluations/audits/assessments (internal or external) are
not to demonstrate that the quality of
educational/research processes is perfect. Quality
assurance in higher education should be an on-going
process in the context of dynamic society and economic
environment. The experience of ARACIS, which has
been listed in the EQAR on October 2010 in evaluating
externally 58 universities in Romania allows for an
interesting conclusion: not all the universities have been
close enough to a balanced attitude between „pride” –
showing only how good they think they are and the
„prejudice” of open self-criticism. Although academic
performance is influenced by management, the result
depends on the extent to which university staff (teachers
and other employees) and students feel empowered and
engage effectively for achieving higher education
institution objectives. Peoples motivation is not only
material, it depends on a number of other factors such as
Quality Assessment for Quality Assurance. Between Pride and Prejudice - Are All Equally Good or Should all
Strive to Become Better?
institutional culture and quality, attitude, work
environment, hierarchical relationships.
The university settings indicate where is positioned in
the national educational offer and what steps intends to
take to accomplish its mission. This cannot be achieved
without a realistic internal evaluation and a transparent
external evaluation, accompanied by clear and relevant
recommendations to support the institution. Many
foreign evaluators who participated in ARACIS external
institutional evaluation noted that self-evaluation reports
of higher education institutions in Romania are to
"laudatory," which is a question of understanding the
concepts and activities themselves. Also often
exaggerated response to recommendations made by
ARACIS or ratings given to certain institutions or
university education programs shows that many
institutions are suffering from a syndrome that could be
called "Snow White" - just look in the mirror and say
that you are "the most beautiful in the country", without
accepting the reality.
Concerning the external evaluation in Romania, the
ARACIS Methodology for external evaluation,
standards, standards of reference and list of performance
indicators, which was approved by Government
Decision No. 1418/2006, the Guide of the Activities of
Quality Evaluation of University Study Programs and
Higher Education Institutions, are basis on which were
made public more than 1000 ARACIS evaluation
reports for study programs and 58 institutional reports.
Also, several papers for ENQA seminars, proposals for
ENQA guideline etc. recommend ARACIS as a reliable
partner for Romanian universities. One of the main tasks
of ARACIS was to determine the main approach for the
definition of quality, adapt its Methodology and
procedures it developed according to the ESGs to the
national context in order to become acceptable
throughout the system.
4. CONCLUSION
In order to achieve real quality higher education
motivation must be a powerful incentive for all
participants in the process. Developments in the social
and economic reality are reflected also at the individual
level, in every HE institution. To meet the challenge of
quality higher education, the quality criteria, standards
and performance indicators applied to evaluate
academic institutions should consider all the purposes of
Higher Education since the institutions are also
accountable to the society. Tradition is not a guarantee
and youth is not a handicap. Professional competence,
moral integrity, respect (for work and values, to people
and community), creativity, dynamism and personality,
democratic behavior, harmonization of individual
interests with those of the community, entraining
students in scientific research are all part of the shaping
of the European Higher Education Area.
If higher education institutions are to be able to
demonstrate the effectiveness of their own internal
113
quality assurance processes, and if those processes
properly assure quality and standards, then external
evaluation processes might be less intensive than
otherwise. It is important that the institutions' own
internal policies and procedures are carefully evaluated
in the course of external procedures, to determine the
extent to which the general and own criteria, standards
and performance indicators are being met.
Some recommendations to improve the quality of the
Romanian can be found in the reports of foreign
experts who participated in the recent ARACIS
external evaluation panels.
Prof. Ivan Zadori from University of Pecs, Hungary,
writes: „Developing more international links and
collaborations to support international research activities
and encourage students and staff members taking part in
exchange and mobility programs. The universities
should continue to invest in the physical infrastructure
and facilities when own resources, state support or any
other funds allow.“
Prof. Malcolm Cook, from the University of Exeter, UK
states: „I am not convinced that the University fully
understands the implications of the Bologna process as
it became apparent, in the course of discussions, that
teaching was still following a traditional pattern and that
student-centred learning was not a reality in every
faculty. Contact hours are still very high, far too high
for a university that aims to be research intensive. I
recommend early engagement with a Bologna expert to
discuss different ways of learning and teaching.“
Prof. Roger Downer, expert of the European
University Association (EUA) suggests that „The
University should examine current procedures for
performance evaluation and identification of annual
workloads and job descriptions with a view to
improvement and consistency across units. The
University should mobilize support from the media and
all levels of society to persuade government of the
importance of Universities to the economic, social and
cultural welfare of the nation and to resist any further
reduction in state funding. The University should
explore alternative sources of revenue including
expansion of the intake of foreign students,
commercialization of research, generation of fee-
generating services and solicitation of gifts-in-kind from
business. The University should establish an Office of
Technology transfer to explore and implement revenue
generating commercial opportunities.“
In concluding her findings, Ms. Jacqueline Smith, EUA
expert, writes: „Therefore it is recommended that the
university reviews carefully what the Bologna
objectives imply, and identify areas where further
improvements can be achieved, especially as regards
defining learning outcomes and developing programmes
based on learning outcomes, increasing mobility, and
flexibility of studies or transdisciplinarity as a form of
intra-university mobility.“ The Quality Assurance
process should always be internally driven (even if
114 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

there are external incentives) and aimed at enhancing

the quality of activities (usually through
recommendations) and therefore foster a quality culture.
Only institutions understanding that assessment
(internal or external) is not only meant to try to
demonstrate that the educational process is “perfect” but
that they aim at achieving better performance indicators
compared to higher and higher benchmarks are those
closer to the accomplishment of their missions. As
opposed to rankings, which give a static mirror of
partial realities at the moment they are published,
Quality Assurance in higher education is a dynamic
process in the context of a dynamic society.
Quality in education is a moving target!

AKNOWLEDGMENTS

This work was accomplished under the project:” Quality

Assurance in Higher Education in Romania within
European Context. Development of Academic Quality
Management at System and Institutional Level” –
ACADEMIS, POSDRU/2/1.2/S/1, Project Manager
Prof. Ioan CURTU, Ph. D, Romanian Agency for
Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ARACIS).

Selected References
1. Report to Council of Europe by Susana Melo, University
rankings: What can they tell about higher education?
Strasbourg, February 2009.
2. Quality assurance, ranking and classification in the light
of the missions of higher education, Presented at the
Conference of European Ministers Responsible for
Higher Education, Leuven - Louvain-la-Neuve, 28-29
April 2009.
3. Professor Jean-Marc Rapp, EUA President, The role of
evaluation and ranking of universities in the quality
culture, 2 July 2009
4. ESU, Policy paper “Excellence”, 20 May 2008.
5. Position paper of the CDESR on Quality Assurance and
Rankings presented to the BFUG in preparation of the
Conference of European Ministers Responsible for
Higher Education, Leuven - Louvain-la-Neuve, 28-29
April 2009.
6. Report from the Commission to the Council, The
European Parliament, The European and Social
Committee and The Committee of the Regions: Report on
progress in Quality Assurance in Higher Education,
2009.
7. ENQA Seminar Quality and Transparency, Bologna, 17-
18 May 2010.
8. Reports - www.aracis.ro.
 TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERS FOR ROMANIAN UNIVERSITIES

I. GIURMA1, B. RUSU
1
„Gh. Asachi” Technical University of Iasi - Romania, email igiurma@hidro.hidro.tuiasi.ro

Abstract: The main objectives of the paper are to identify the main activities of university leaders towards the transformation of their
institutions and to analyse the perceptions of academic staff regarding the frequency of such actions and the differences in perception
among staff on various hierarchical levels of management. The results of the research provide an image of the distribution of the
frequency of such actions and the key factors that defines institutional change on different hierarchical levels of management. The
implications of such research are of interest for university leaders from Romanian universities that may further particularise the
results for their own institution and initiate appropriate actions that will enable the provision of high quality education. The
originality resides with the exploratory examination of the perception of academic staff from different hierarchical levels, regarding
the transformational actions of the leaders and the implications of the factors that defines institutional change.
Key words: Transformational leader, university

Brombley and Kirshner (2007) cite Brass and Avolio

INTRODUCTION
“Gh. Asachi” Technical University of Iaşi initiated
an exploratory research of the leaders of Romanian
Universities during the transformations due to the
Bologna Process that overlapped with the
unprecedented crisis of World Economy. The paper
exhibits preliminary results regarding university leaders:
1. Identification of the actions made by university
management from Romania to transform their
institutions
2. Employee perceptions on the frequency of such
actions towards transformation
3. Analysis on perception of such actions among
different levels of university management
TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADER
Transformational leadership concept is described
and analysed in the leadership literature (Bartram and
Casimir 2007, Gregory et.al 2004, Krishnan 2004 and
Sidani 2007) and it should initiate change leading to
improvement of quality education (Deselnicu and Rusu
2008, Rusu 2008).
Table 1.Key dimensions of transformational Leadership
Idealized influence Inspirational motivation
(1994) that proposes for key dimensions of
Transformational Leadership concept: Idealized
influence, Inspirational motivation, Intellectual
stimulation and Individualized consideration, briefly
described in table 1.
METHODOLOGY
The questionnaire had been developed based on
literature review (including the research on
transformational leadership), interviews with
colleagues, members of staff, and personal experience.
It had been pretested, piloted, and send through e-mail
to members of staff and researchers from 22 Romanian
Universities. Out of 500 questionnaires sent, 209
correctly filled and useful questionnaires had been
returned and analysed.
We were particularly interested in this part of the
research to identify the actions made by university
managers from Romanian Universities and developed
this concept into 17 questions. The respondents were
invited to appreciate the frequency that university
management use the 17 items in order to train / involve /
motivate the personnel towards university
transformation. The questionnaire uses a 5-point Likert
scale where 1 stands for “Very rare” and 5 for “Very
frequent”. Data analysis was made using SPSS.

Behaviour that Behaviour that determines SAMPLE DESCRIPTION

determines • Sense and challenge in work
• Followers admiration • Existence of clear expectations
The differences among respondent’s perceptions are
• Respect • Determination of commitment to
• Trust in the leader organizational goals exhibited based on their job title; age and position
• Ethical and moral • Team spirit stimulated through within the university (see figures 1, 2 and 3 for these
behaviour outward enthusiasm and optimism distributions of the respondents from the sample).
for the future of the organization Nearly half of the respondents are full professors,
and the sample includes staff from all the job titles,
TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADER including researchers.
Intellectual stimulation Individualized consideration About 30 persons form the sample are very young
(25 to 34 – see figure 2).
• Leaders seek out ideas • Leaders who listen attentively and Whilst the questionnaire include vice deans, deans,
and creative solutions pay special attention to the vice rectors and rectors, most of the respondents do not
• Leaders encourage followers’ achievements and their have any administrative position (about 75%) which
new approaches to for specific needs for development reflect the realities from any University (see figure 3).
performing tasks • Excellent communication abilities
116 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
Figure 1: Respondent distribution according to job title
Figure 2: Respondent distribution according to age
Figure 3: Respondent distribution according to the position within
University
DATA ANALYSIS
Figure 4 exhibits a comprehensive view of
employee’s perceptions regarding the frequencies of the
actions made by university managers toward
transformation of their institutions.
Most of the respondents indicated an “average”
frequency of such actions. The action with the lowest
reported frequency refers to “actions towards the
improvement of top management skills in
management”. At the other end, the most frequently
invoked action refers to the “imposing of rules and
procedures” and “concern towards achieving high
performance” (see figure 4).
Figure 4: Respondent answers regarding the frequency of actions
and transformation abilities of university managers
In order to reduce the number of variables and
facilitate the understanding of the factors that influences
the university transformation we made a factor analysis,
depicted for three levels of position within the
university: University Level (rector and vice rector),
Faculty level (deans and vice deans) and those with no
administrative position. The results are exhibited in
table 2, 3 and 4.
Factor analysis at University level
The results of the factor analysis at University level
are exhibited in Table 2 and include only the
respondents that reported to hold Rector and Vice
Rector as administrative position within the University.
It reveals three key factors that define institutional
change as perceived by respondents:
1. Internal development (academic)
2. External development (industry and University
image)
3. Integration and University transformation
The names of the factors reside from the composing
variables for each of the three factors and express the
perceptions of Rectos and Vice Rectors included in the
Exploratory Study of Students’ Satisfaction Regarding Acquired Competences
sample regarding the strategic orientation
transformation of Romanian Universities.
Table 2 Results of the factor analysis at University Level
Factors explain nearly 80% of the total variance (see
table 3), the first factor “Internal development
(academic)” accounting about 30%. It includes leaders’
focus on moral and ethical principles, their concern to
improve communication with the academic community,
cooperation among departments and faculties (through
rigorous applications of rules and procedures),
recognize employees’ achievements and concern
towards achieving high performance.
Table 3 Variance distribution among factors at University Level
Factor analysis at Faculty level
The results of the factor analysis at Faculty level are
exhibited in Table 4 and include only the respondents
that reported to hold Dean and Vice Dean as
administrative position within the University. It reveals
five key factors that define institutional change as
perceived by respondents:
1. External development of the Faculty
2. Internal development of the Faculty
3. Personal example of behaviour
4. Communication and cooperation
5. Integration and transformation of the University
117
and The names of the factors reside from the composing
variables and express the perceptions of Deans and Vice
Deans included in the sample.
Table 4 Results of the factor analysis at Faculty Level
Factors explain 75% of the total variance (table 5),
the first factor “External development of the Faculty”
accounting for nearly 20%. It includes actions towards
improvement of top management skills in management,
strengthening the links with alumni and business
community, communication with academic community
and recognition of employees’ achievements.
Table 5 Variance distribution among factors at Faculty Level
Internal development of the Faculty includes top
management concern towards achievement of high
performances, moral and ethical principles, promotion
of competition in all internal activities of the university,
consideration for staff suggestions and proposals as well
as proof of entrepreneurial behaviour.
Factor analysis for those with no administrative
position
Factor analysis for those that reported no administrative
function generated only 2 factors, that accounts for 65% of
the total variance from the sample. The first factor,
“Organic transformation” explains 50% of the variation,
and includes 16 of the 17 variables. The second one,
“Mechanistic transformation” consists in only one
variable, (University leaders imposes rules and procedures)
and accounts for 15% of the total variation (table 6 and 7).
118 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
Table 6 Results of the factor analysis for those with no
administrative position
The “Organic” focus on “human” side of the
transformation, and “Mechanistic” considers the
bureaucratic aspects required for practical
implementation based on new rules and procedures
developed and imposed by management team. The
distribution of the variables that comprise each factor
are graphically depicted in figure 5.
Figura5: Variables distribution after factor analysis of the
respondents with no administrative position
Table 7 Variance distribution among factors for those with no
administrative position
RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS
The key common elements of the two levels of
management are development (both internal and
external), integration and transformation.
It is interesting to notice the differences among the
actions of the leaders on different hierarchical levels.
As it was expected, at University level, Rectors and
Vice-rectors are primarily concerned with the
development of academic activities, which are mostly
internal, the external development towards the industry
and University image and for integration and University
transformation. On Faculty level (deans and vice deans)
focus primarily on opening up their faculty, seeking
visibility and prestige that in turn would attract better
students which will become better graduates sought by
the employers which in turn will generate a reinforcing
positive loop.
All managers must harmonise and support the
transformation efforts on their hierarchical level,
especially during the unprecedented crisis that we pass
through, highlighting the importance of quality
education provision and strengthening the links with the
industry on both Faculty and University level. .
The actions towards integration and transformation
must commence with the University’s vision and values
that must be explained and made transparent for all the
members of staff, because many of the employee that do
not have administrative positions must be actively
encouraged to follow and support their leaders. Such
members of staff must not perceive the transformation
process just as a set of new rules and regulations
designed by management that they just have to abide to.
References
1. Brombley Howard R. şi Kirshner – Brombley Victoria A., (2007),
Are you a Transformational Leader?, in „The Physician
Executive”, November – December, pp.54-57.
2. Barss B.M. and Avolio B.J., (1994), Improving organizational
effectiveness through transformational leadership. Thousand
Oaks. CA: Sage.
3. Bartram Timothy, Casimir Gian, (2007), The relationship between
leadership and follower in-role performance and satisfaction with
the leader: The mediating effects of empowerment and trust in the
leader, in Leadership & Organization Development Journal;
Volume: 28 Issue: 1, pp. 4-19.
4. Deselnicu C.D., Rusu C., (2008), The practice of Quality in
Romanian Higher Education Institutions, in “Proceedings of The
5th International Seminar on the Quality Management in Higher
Education”, pp.415-420.
5. Gregory Stone A., Russell Robert F., Patterson Kathleen, (2004),
Transformational versus servant leadership: a difference in
leader focus, in „Leadership & Organization Development
Journal”, Volume 25, Issue 4, pp. 349 – 361.
6. Krishnan Venkat R., (2004), Impact of transformational leadership
on followers’ influence strategies, in “Leadership & Organization
Development Journal”, Volume: 25 Issue: 1, pp. 58 – 72
7. Rusu C., (2008), Quality Costs in Romanian Higher Education, in
“Proceedings of The 5th International Seminar on the Quality
Management in Higher Education”, pp.571-576.
8. Sidani Yusuf Munir, (2007), Perceptions of leader transformational
ability: The role of leader speech and follower self-esteem, in
“Journal of Management Development”, Volume 26, Issue 8,
pp. 710 – 722.
 ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE AND ITS ROLE IN QUALITY ASSURANCE IN “PETRU
MAIOR” UNIVERSITY OF TG-MURES

R. FARCAŞ1, L. MARIAN2, S. MOICA3,

1
DRD. ING. Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, craluca@upm.ro
2
PROF. DR. ING. Petru Maior University of Tirgu-Mures, liviu.marian@ea.upm.ro
3
DRD. ING Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, sorina.moica@yahoo.com

Abstract
Higher educational institutions as organizations are made up of complex webs of individuals and groups with diverse orientations,
perceptions, values, goals and aspirations. Getting all such individuals and groups committed to a vigorous pursuit of the quality
standards aspired for is a Herculean task for managers of higher educational institutions. What effective measures can leaders of such
institutions put in order to ensure that quality assurance is accepted and pursued by all or most involved actors? A sustained
organizational commitment of all or most actors seems to be an answer.
Organizational culture has become in recent years a frequently discussed topic in both academic and economic environment. The
research in this field shows that it affects management decisions and even the way in witch evolves the organization.
Thus, regardless of what type of organization we refer, either a public or commercial enterprise, organizational culture is one of the
main factors that can determine success or failure of that organization.
A quality-oriented organizational culture is for any organization the guarantee of the survival and continued development, whether
operating in a highly competitive environment or in a socially, economically or politically unfavorable environment, because the
organizational culture, through its components, dictates certain rules of conduct of employees and how they perceive the reality and
adapt to environmental changes.
Culture is a kind of "map", which gives employees direction and knowledge about how to react and adapt in different situations.
Given these considerations, the present paper addresses the concept of organizational culture, places it in the quality management
field, and stresses the relationships influence between organizational culture and the success of quality management system
configuration.
The main objective of this paper is to highlight the importance of institutional environment as a prerequisite for quality assurance of
educational services, using a case study of “Petru Maior” University of Tg. Mureş.

Keywords: higher education; organizational culture; quality.

represents for an organization what the personality

FROM ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE
QUALITY CULTURE
In general, organizational culture represents the
pattern of values, beliefs, and assumptions shared by
members in an organization (Sigler and Pearson, 2000).
Specifically, organizational culture is defined as “a
pattern of basic assumptions – invented, discovered, or
developed by a given group it learns to cope with its
problems of external adoption and internal integration –
that has worked well enough to be considered valid,
and, therefore, to be taught to new members as the
correct way to p0erceive, think, and feel in relation to
those problems.” (Shein, 1985).
Each organization, no matter the size or of its
activity field, it has an own organizational culture,
which depends upon own history, by the manner of
approaching the problems and of practices or managing
activities. Its organizational culture reflects the feature
of personalities and or leadership styles, marking the
manner of how things will be accomplished, how
changes will be made, thus manifesting the
organizational personality and psycho-social climate.
Using a simple analogy, the organizational culture
represents for an individual, having its origin on
TO interaction of inter-personal relationship, on
organizational level.
The organizational culture can be defined as being
the specific manner of thinking, feeling and acting,
which people of an organization understood as result of
procedures assembly conceived of managers, but of
social environment influence too, where they lived and
formed. The organizational culture is represented by the
values system, by the common convictions of the
organization’s members, as concerns its existence and
functioning, of rituals, myths and happening, which
determine the manner how employees think and action.
Organizational culture is not "show" but is inferred
from its manifestations (in symbols, for example).
It has only visible forms of expression. Organizational
culture is important both in formulating strategies and
their application. Strategies that complies culture will
enjoy support within the organization. The non-
compliant are in danger of being doomed to failure.
Culture of the organization creates a sense of belonging
employees (the "we") and loyalty.
In higher education institution, organizational
culture requires:
120 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
- A clear vision of the organization, known by all
actors;
- Focus management attention on teacher-student
relationship;
- Teamwork;
- The need for change and strive to
perfectionism;
- Ability to create new;
- Clear functioning rules of the organization.
The research in this field identified certain features
of the internal dynamics of groups and organizations
that have the consensual or cooperative organizational
culture.
These features are:
- Interdependence
- Interaction
- Group processing
- Social skills
- Accountability
- Equal participation, and
- Shared leadership
Interdependence is the recognition that no one can
succeed in their tasks unless every one else succeeds in
theirs. Most or all actors must accept the fact that as
they strive to achieve and sustain quality in academic
standards and output, and as they strive to achieve
effective management of their institution, they are in a
position where they can swim together or sink together,
depending on the total effect of their individual efforts.
Interaction is the mutual help that members offer to
one another as they interact as members with a common
objective. There should be a platform for actors to share
experiences, ask questions, offer or receive explanations
and seek clarifications, learn from one another.
Meetings at the staff club or the senate/academic board
can be suitable for such formal and informal
interactions.
Group processing is the monitoring of the
performance of the institution as a whole, as well as
monitoring of the performance of groups and individual
actors. Members of the institution must occasionally and
periodically meet and reflect on how well they are
achieving their goals. There is the need for periodic self-
appraisal to determine the extent to which the institution
is making success both as a corporate entity and as
individual actors.
Accountability is the acceptance of the fact that each
consequential actor in the institution is accountable to
the group for tasks assigned to them. The lecturer, the
head of department, the director, the dean, and the
student must recognize that they are individually and
severally accountable to the institution for the roles they
are supposed to play in the quality direction. By holding
actors accountable, and by monitoring one another, free
riders and social loafers can be identified and made
aware of their non performance.
Social skills are the tact and diplomacy with which
actors monitor and thereby reprimand non performing
actors. Reprimands and awareness creation must be
made so tactfully that the pride of those in question will
not be hurt. Therefore social skills must be applied
when reprimanding actors for non performance.
Equal participation is a condition in which all or
most actors perceive that no one acts as a free rider, a
social loafer, or a sucker. There should be no room for
anyone to brood the idea that some actors are working
while others are goofing. Nor should others see
themselves as doing almost all the work. All must be
perceived to be involved.
Finally, shared leadership is the condition in which
all or most actors perceive themselves to be leaders at
their levels of operation. They must feel that each actor
has a role as a leader in the local constituencies they
operate. Each incumbent of a position must have
initiative to offer the leadership that will contribute to
the achievement of the goals set by the institution.
Therefore, even though leadership is reposed in the
Vice-Chancellor or Rector, in actual practice, leadership
must be perceived to be diffuse and contextual (Opare,
2007).
Quality is also an element of culture. Besides art,
science and philosophy in the spiritual patrimony of a
nation step in organizational culture also.
In the quality management literature, attention to the
importance of organization culture has been largely
driven by the fact that many organizations failed to
achieve expected benefits from their quality
management implementation because of the ignorance
of the cultural factors. (Prajogo and McDermott, 2005).
University because of its position upstream of all
other institutions which provide resources is also in this
regard a critical locus of national culture.
For many reasons it is necessary to develop an
organizational culture in higher education leading to
greater efficiency, greater responsibility, creativity and a
greater autonomy in the whole social system. Such an
organizational culture can only be a culture of quality
(Pânzaru, 2005).
ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE – QUALITY
MANAGEMENT RELATIONSHIP IN “PETRU
MAIOR” UNIVERSITY OF TG. MUREŞ
"Petru Maior" University of Tg. Mureş is a state
institution for higher education and scientific research.
The two components of its work are kept in balance
under a quantitative and qualitative aspect with shares
substantially the same. The imperative concern of the
teachers, researchers and administrative staff is focused
on ensuring quality parameters that enable the
transformation of a regional university in a wide-profile
national character, which provides training in fields of
engineering, economics, linguistics and history ,
science, mathematics, computer, social-psycho-
pedagogic, physical education, etc.
Also, the university is a permanent training center
(education) for specialists, having appropriate expertise
to enhance the business center in the scientific
community, cultural, technical, economic and social
area.
Total quality management in higher education and Organizational culture 121

It can be said that “Petru Maior” University has a 5. Organizational behavior: work motivation,
certain personality, which is an expression of shared organizational stress, participation in organized
values and beliefs of the vast majority of staff activities outside working hours, job satisfaction,
organization, is an expression of organizational culture, career intentions;
(fig.1). 6. Individual and organizational variables: age,
education, personal values, statuses and roles, etc.
7. Job satisfaction: relationships with colleagues and
supervisors, human resources, cooperation
between departments, the possibility of enrichment
of knowledge and skills, information and
supervision, conditions associated with the job.
8. The perception of management: favoritism and
discrimination, teamwork, bureaucracy, mobilizing
personnel.
Figure 1. Organizational culture
Setting quality management system has generated
major changes in overall management of the “Petru
The organizational culture of the university does not
Maior” University. The entire management system has
control all perceptions, thoughts and feelings of the
been remodeled to steer and control the quality of the
staff.
institution, towards obtaining maximum satisfaction for
The institution uses the organizational culture - deep
all stakeholders of the university. Also, the cultural
beliefs, common values and embodies their teachers,
values promoted together with the implementation of
various rituals and ceremonies, etc. - to formulate the
quality management system are a consequence of
majority of strategies and policies.
changes in organizational culture.
The objectives of quality policy developed in the
By implementing the quality management system,
"Petru Maior" University include the presence of a
which involves cultural elements, allow to the
permanent concern for creating a culture of quality,
institution a better adaptation to new conditions and
involving all staff of the university.
ensure the maintenance of continuous improvement.
Progress approach relies on developing an
The success of quality management system
organizational culture that promotes the following
configuration of the university, as a process of changing
values:
organizational culture is closely related to how staff
- Quality management is the central axis of the
responds to this process in the cultural aspect. To get a
University;
positive response is necessary for the employees to:
- Accountability of each individual in achieving
- Know what means at individual and group
its mission;
level the implementation of quality
- Creativity and entrepreneurship, key factors to
management systems (cognitive plan);
improve quality.
- Have a positive attitude relatively to change
Successful quality management system
which involves setting up a quality
configuration is directly subject to specific
management system (attitude plan);
organizational culture, the underlying cultural elements,
- Develop an individual and group behavior to
the flexibility of organizational culture, to integrate new
support the implementation and maintenance
values and specific quality standards.
of a performing quality management system.
To do so, before setting up the quality system are
Because of the organizational change posed by, the
analyzed:
quality management system configuration is a long
1. Management philosophy: the university mission
process. This process began with the commitment of
and strategic goals, values, guidelines and
management in developing those individual behaviors
management principles that are applied in the
that support change and further involvement of all
organization;
employees in an effort to develop those group behaviors
2. Socio-cultural context in which the institution is
that support continuous improvement.
operating;
The development of competence and an internal
3. The way in which is perceived teaching by both
culture of the university in Quality Management are
professors and students;
achieved by:
4. Issues and teaching organization: the
- University staff training on Quality
organizational structure and organization of
Management in Higher Education;
teaching (the determination and analysis of formal
- Developing and promoting the discipline of
and informal groups of university, the mode of
Quality Management with its introduction in
cooperation between them, etc.) decision making
curricula and scientific research;
(structure, content and personnel involved),
- Development of masters programs in quality
personnel management policy; analysis items
management;
(tasks, responsibilities, authority and decision
- Organizing training courses in quality
making, organizational relationships);
management and performance of cooperation
122 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
agreements with third parties (research and
consultancy to implement quality management
systems).
In order that the costumer of the university to benefit
as much as possible from de implementation of a quality
system, after developing an organizational culture
oriented towards quality, it is necessary for the changes
to be planned, participatory and negotiated,
characterized through:
- The rate of change is rationally scheduled;
- The agreement (compromise) of all employees
of the university, to ensure participatory
necessary support and maintain quality system
implementation;
- The changes are for a long term.
The values and beliefs underlying “Petru Maior”
University’s culture are able to shape its philosophy and
policies of managing processes, which in turn influence
the development of quality management practices.
By implementing and maintaining quality
management system in the university, is formed a strong
organizational culture, a culture where the values and
beliefs, roles and behavioral norms, etc., are
subordinated to the idea "everything you do, must be of
quality."
CONCLUSIONS
This paper sought to provide a better understanding
of the culture-quality management relationship.
For an institution to realize the value of
implementing the quality management practices, it must
have a culture that is capable of fully supporting their
implementation.
Given the strong influence that organizational
culture can have on performance of an institution, the
problem arises increasingly is to adapt this culture to the
demands and dynamics of the organization external
environment. This means changing organizational
culture and its orientation to new value systems and new
systems of collective thinking.
We cannot talk about quality in an organization
without the existence of an organizational culture
oriented to this concept.
The need to recognize the multidimensional
relationship between organizational culture and quality
management has been identified by some researchers
(Cameron and Quinn, 1999).
Employees’ attitudes and behaviors are critical for
implementing the change entailed in implementing
quality management programs.
Organizational culture is recognized as having a
limiting effect on the effectiveness of quality
management implementation.
An organizational culture toward achieving quality
is a key factor in improving the competitiveness of
every type of organization, including higher education
institutions.
To survive in a rapidly changing and expanding
market, customers and their needs should govern all
activities of an institution of higher education.
For most universities, this requires a change in
internal culture. The core concept of total quality
management, namely focusing on the customer, with
continuous improvement plans supported by innovation
and creativity can build a strong culture focused on
increasing performance and competitiveness.
The aim is to create an organizational culture of
quality.
A strong organizational culture enables the smooth
flow of information and nurtures harmony among its
members.
Future research is desired that employs a
longitudinal approach to explore the causal direction
and possible reciprocal relationships between TQM/Six
Sigma implementation and organizational culture.
References
1. Atanasiu, G., (2000), Calitatea în învăţământul superior în
contextul globalizării, în Brătianu, C. (coord.), "Managementul
calităţii în învăţământul superior", Ed. "Vasile Goldiş" University
Press, Arad.
2. Brătianu, C., (2002), Paradigmele managementului
universitar, Ed. Economica, Bucureşti.
3. Cameron, K.S., Quinn, R.E.,(1999), Diagnosing and
Changing Organizational Culture. Addison –Wesley, Reading, MA.
4. Irani, Z., Sharp, J.M., Kagioglou, M., (1997), Improving
business performance through developing a corporate culture. The
International Bi-Monthly for Total Quality Management: The TQM
Magazine, vol. 9, No 3.
5. Kanji, G.K., Yui, H., (1997), Total quality culture. Total
Quality Management, vol. 8, No. 6.
6. Opare, J. (2007), Simplicities and Complexities of the
Effect of Collaborative Learning Contexts on Academic
Achievement.International Journal of Educational Research, 3 (1)
7. Pânzaru, I., (2005), Asigurarea calităţii în învăţământul
superior din ţările Uniunii Europene, Consiuliul Naţional de
Evaluare Academică şi Acreditare, Ed. Ars Docendi, Bucureşti.
8. Prajogo, D.I., McDermott, D.M., 2005. The relationship
between total quality management practices and organizational
culture. International Journal of Operations & Production
Management 25 (11).
9. Schein, E.H., 1985. Organizational Culture and
Leadership: A Dynamic View. Jossey-Bass Publishers, San
Francisco, CA.
10. Sigler, T., Pearson, C., 2000. Creating and empowering
culture: examining the relationship between organizational culture
and perceptions of empowerment. Journal of Quality Management 5
 ASPECTS OF THE CONCEPT OF SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IN HIGHER TECHNICAL
EDUCATION ORGANIZATIONS

Cristina Mihaela GHEORGHE1, Mircea COVRIG2, Claudia POPESCU3, Steliana (UNCUŢĂ) PUŞCAŞU4
1
Politehnica University of Bucharest, cristina.gheorghe@upb.ro
2
Politehnica University of Bucharest, mircea.covrig@upb.ro
3
Politehnica University of Bucharest, claudia.popescu@upb.ro
4
Politehnica University of Bucharest, steliana_1185@yahoo.com

The authors aim to examine the main forms of the concept of social responsibility that match higher technical education and should be
developed and implemented by universities. The study is based on results published in specialized literature works that examine the
concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR), on the authors' experience in technical higher education and also on the actions of the
Electrical Engineering Faculty of Politehnica University of Bucharest, which can be included in this approach.
Keywords: social responsibility, CSR, higher technical education organizations

speaking, we can say, without any mistake, that SR is

INTRODUCTION
Currently, the concept of social responsibility,
especially related to business corporations, is a much
debated topic. As proof stand the numerous studies,
articles, essays, conferences, websites that have the
concept as their center. In this context, the authors aim
to analyze the main forms of social responsibility that
match higher technical education and which should be
developed and implemented by the universities.
The study is based on results published in
specialized literature works that examine the concept of
corporate social responsibility (CSR), on the authors'
experience in technical higher education and also on the
actions of the Electrical Engineering Faculty of
Politehnica University of Bucharest, which can be
included in this approach. Research activities carried out
by the authors are literature review and case study.
Starting from the specialized literature on corporate
social responsibility, the first part of the paper briefly
presents the main themes of corporate social
responsibility, the authors trying to customize the
application of this concept within a higher education
organization. In the second part, the authors propose a
framework for analyzing the appropriate actions for
(technical) higher education organizations. The paper
ends with the presentation of the specific actions of the
Electrical Engineering Faculty of Politehnica University
of Bucharest.
CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Relationship between Social Responsibility (SR) and
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is not clearly
defined. While the concept of SR does not have its own
literature, the CSR literature abounds, its scope being
relatively well defined. In most studies, the two terms
are interchangeable. This approach can be found in The
A To Z Of Corporate Social Responsibility, a paper
which calls itself the encyclopedia of CSR, where social
responsibility is defined as a synonym for corporate
social responsibility (Visser et al., 2007). Intuitively
the generalization of the concept of CSR, in that their
actions not only cover business corporations but all
existing organizations in society: “CSR then is not only
a topic for business, but equally a subject for
government and civil society or the NGO sector”
(Vogel, 2005). But what is CSR and what does it mean
to act in accordance to it?
Definitions
To present the definition of CSR or of SR is practically
impossible. This is supported by the research conducted
by Alexander Dahlsrud (2006), which aimed to identify
the various methods of defining CSR. Based on 37
definitions, Alexander Dahlsrud, identified five
dimensions that were associated with CSR:
environment, social, volunteering, economics and
stakeholders (Dahlsrud, 2006).
Therefore, here are some representative definitions.
The purpose of this listing is becoming familiar with the
concept of CSR, rather than identifying an exhaustive
definition:
 “CSR refers to the obligations of businessmen to
pursue those policies, to make those decisions, or to
follow those lines of action which are desirable in
terms of the objectives and values of our
society“(Howard Rothman Bowen – 1953, the first
definition of CSR) (apud Lolescu, 2009).
 “The proper management of relations with
stakeholders - those groups that may be affected by a
company's activities or which a company depends on
in its evolution, i.e. investors (shareholders or
owners), customers, business partners, employees,
local community, civil society.” (Diaconu, 2009).
 ”The continuing commitment of business to behave
ethically and contribute to economic development
while improving the quality of life of the workforce
and their families as well as of the local community
and society at large.” (World Business Council for
Sustainable Development - 2001) (apud Raynard
and Forstater, 2002).
124 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
 “Operating a business in a manner that meets or
exceeds the ethical, legal, commercial and public
expectations that society has of business.” (Business
for Social Responsibility) (apud Raynard and
Forstater, 2002).
 “Being socially responsible means not only fulfilling
legal expectations, but also going beyond
compliance and investing more into human capital,
the environment and relations with stakeholders.”
(The European Commission) (apud Raynard and
Forstater, 2002).
Historic landmark
The 1950s period is considered as the starting point of
CSR. The American economist Rothman Howard
Bowen (1908-1989), called “the father of CSR”, is the
first author who theorized this concept, in the paper
Toward Social Responsibilities of the Businessman
(1953). This paper defined for the first time the concept
of CSR and it presented at the same time the types of
responsibilities that should be undertaken by
businessmen (Carroll, 1999) (Crane, 2008) (Lolescu,
2009) (Vuţă et al., 2007). This milestone is the start of
theorizing the CSR concept, but not beginning of the
specific actions which can be subsumed under the
principles of social responsibility. The works that
analyzed the evolution of CSR found some interest in
this problem before they defined it. There are authors
who consider that actions within the SR began with the
Industrial Revolution (Crane, 2008).
Here are some contributions which show the various
forms CSR may take, contributions which are not so
common in the works that examine the concept of CSR.
Among those who contributed to defining CSR is
Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919), founder of U.S. Steel,
whose two life principles were: the principle of charity
and the stewardship principle. These two principles are
considered to be manifestations of social responsibility
(Lolescu, 2009). The principle of charity suggests the
manifestation of compassion by wealthy members of a
society towards those less fortunate: the unemployed,
the elderly and the sick ones. Manifestation of
compassion could be expressed directly or indirectly
through the churches, settlement houses or self-help
community groups. The second principle, the
stewardship principle, means that businessmen are
caretakers of the wealth of the entire society and they
must behave as such (Lolescu, 2009).
Another contribution in shaping the field of CSR
comes from teachers A.A. Berle and C.G. Means. They
were the ones who introduced, in 1930, the term „social
corporate responsibility”, when expressed their view
that businessmen who earned a lot must offer something
in return to society, by elaborating or contributing to
programs for its benefit (Lolescu, 2009).
Another contribution to the extension of the CSR field
is the study of Chester Barnard, The Functions of the
Executive (1938). In this paper the author argues that
social responsibility is a function of the elite or the
executive class (Lolescu, 2009).
Main themes of the CSR domain
A brief browse of CSR literature highlights the variety
of the themes in the social responsibility field, thus
emphasizing the complexity and importance of this
domain. The most common themes are the studies that
examine the forces driving CSR, the evolution of the
concept of CSR, the CSR approaches, the ways to
implement the principles of CSR and CSR's criticisms.
David Vogel (2005) states that an organization may
decide to act according to CSR principles being driven
by strategic, defensive or altruistic considerations. For
instance, there are companies that really think they are
responsible not only for creating wealth but also for
social welfare and environmental quality. Some of these
reasons could be encouraged by the market through
measures like: consumer demand for responsibly made
products, actual or threatened consumer boycotts,
pressure from investors, challenges to a firm’s
reputation by nongovernmental organizations.
Moreover, the market may limit the actions of social
responsibility by the fierce competitiveness, which most
often translates into lower costs to an organization
(Vogel, 2005).
A second issue of the domain analyzes the CSR
approaches. The field of CSR has developed differently
in the U.S. and Europe and it materialized into two
approaches. The U.S. perspective of CSR is a positive
one, with self-imposed strategies and practices by
organizations. On the other hand, Europe has developed
a negative approach, based on rules and principles set
by the State and society. While the U.S. market
motivates and encourages the ethical behavior,
European environment formulate ethical rules and
regulations. U.S. ethics is a product of competition and
CSR is considered an added value, a distinctive feature
in the competition of different brands on the market. In
Europe, ethics seems to be a requirement imposed from
exterior, not a market need. While the U.S. encourage
volunteerism and originality in social programs, the
regulatory trends on the European market lead to a
standardization of the criteria for ethic performance and
to a leveling of social responsibility campaigns.
Bredgaard Thomas (2004), considering two
dimensions of analysis, the CSR focus (societal
responsibilities or labor market responsibilities) and the
CSR initiator (business driven or government-driven),
has identified four approaches to the concept of CSR,
namely (Bredgaard, 2004):
 CSR in business (e.g. Human Resources
Management within firms)
 CSR between business and society (e.g. the US
approach)
 CSR between business and government (e.g. the
European Commission's approach)
 CSR between employment policy and business (e.g.
the Danish approach).
Total quality management in higher education and Organizational culture 125

Another issue is the problematical topic of the
different forms of manifestation of CSR. What does it
actually mean to act in accordance with the principles of
CSR? David Vogel notes that CSR can mean anything
from actions which strictly aim to reduce energy to
reorganizing the entire business of a company (Visser et
al., 2007). In respect with the above mentioned, Bogdan
Diaconu (2009), identifies ten "action areas" which are
oriented to social responsibility programs, specific U.S.
society (Dahlsrud, 2006):
 Economic Development (in partnership with
government research and productivity growth)
objective of a higher education organization - that is, to
preparing the future generations. The second direction is
determined by the actual existence of the higher
education organization, which can be considered as any
other corporation and should be subject to commercial
common sense, as any other economical organization: to
serve customers, take care of staff morale, be attentive
to suppliers, to be good neighbors and protect the
environment. Each of these two directions has its own
actions (see Table 1).
Table 1: Manifestation of social responsibility

 education (financial support, assistance in school Actions to show social

Categories
responsibility
management)
- thematic courses or topics in some
 labor market (training for disadvantaged workers, courses
retraining courses for unemployed) - SR thematic competitions
 civil rights (equal opportunities in employment and student-oriented - SR thematic Scientific Students
new jobs) Sessions
 modernization and urban development (housing, - SR thematic celebration
public transport) - etc.
 environment conservation (protecting plants and - environment conservation actions
animals, reforestation) - actions to reduce pollution
 reduce pollution (pollution control investments, function-oriented - partnerships to conduct retraining
courses
developing technologies for recycling)
- etc.
 Culture and Art
 health (financial and management support for
The goal of the first direction is to raise students’
community health programs)
awareness about the concept of social responsibility.
 governance (assistance in administration and
This can be done through thematic courses or topics in
reorganization).
some courses, competitions, organizing events and
A survey conducted by the Social Science Research
encouraging students to participate. These actions meet
Council (SSRC) show more specific ways of
with the CSR's proponent idea that the better future
implementing CSR programs, such as involvement in
managers are trained in applying this principle, the more
local development, environment, pacifism, human
they will contribute to developing a new generation, a
rights, sexual rights, women's rights or transparency of
new ethics.
operations (Chelcea, 2009).
Regarding the second component of social
Criticisms and benefits of CSR concept can be
responsibility, a higher education organization should
identified from three positions (Chelcea, 2009):
behave like any other corporation, developing specific
 moderate reformist position, which states that “CSR
actions on education, attention to environment, etc. This
is a pragmatic response to the balance between
second part has a double advantage, that of presenting
positive and negative effects of modern capitalism”
"practical activities” (CSR applications) for students.
 radical pro-profit position, shared by neoliberal
Most of the times, the CSR actions cannot be strictly
economists, considers CSR as “an aberration of the
attributed to a single direction, as they fit both into the
market economy, which introduces barriers limiting
category of student-oriented activities and into the
the capacity choices of firms”
category of existence educational activities.
 radical anti-globalization position, that CSR is seen
as “a protective mechanism for businesses, public
relations exercise and avoid tougher rules”. CASE STUDY – THE ELECTRICAL
ENGINEERING FACULTY
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IN HIGHER
TECHNICAL EDUCATION Although the actions of the Faculty of Electrical
Engineering are not conducted under the auspices of
social responsibility, they can be easily be assigned to
Is such a theme useful in a technical university
the principles of social responsibility, especially towards
environment? Is it necessary to create awareness of this
the environment area. The curriculum is modern and
approach among the technical students or should this
contains current topics, like renewable energy, electric
subject be the concern of economic and social
car, electric systems on environmental impact
scientists? In what form should it be introduced: lectures
assessment, environmental monitoring systems and
about what others do or personal actions?
environmental management. A good example of
Manifestation of social responsibility principles
environmental interest is the 30KWp photovoltaic
within an organization of higher education has two
central installed on the roof of the faculty, which
directions. The first direction concerns the main
126 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
charges the electric network and also has the functions
of a laboratory.
Current extracurricular activities undertaken by the
faculty are: the Christmas Tree Celebration, the Spring
Festival, and the Earth Day Celebration. In the Spring
Festival, a representative action is "A tree for the
future". The students and the professors together planted
trees around the faculty. Every year, Earth Day is
celebrated around the day of April 22, by organizing a
special section of the Scientific Students Sessions.
During this event the students present papers with an
environmental theme.
Particularly in the last two years, the actions of the
Faculty of Electrical Engineering aimed at creating a
proper framework for study, in which to achieve a high
level of performance and desired competencies, through
a professor-student educational active partnership. On
the other hand, the faculty wants to inform students on
current issues and environmental legislation and drive
them towards adopting an active attitude, by adopting
solutions in accordance with the principles of
sustainable development.
CONCLUSIONS
The paper examined the concept of social responsibility,
by highlighting the possible actions that can be
deployed by almost any higher education organization,
as the presented case study shows.
The main implications of the work are intended to
be: the development of an awareness of the actors
involved in the educational process in dealing with the
concept of social responsibility in education, the
emphasis on the importance of this concept
implementation and the specific actions that can be
taken by a technical education organization to keep in
line with this approach.
The value of the study consists in highlighting the
particular aspects of the concept of social responsibility
for higher technical education organizations.
References
1. Barth, Regine. Wolff, Franziska (2009). Corporate Social
Responsibility in Europe. Rhetoric and Realities. Edward Elgar.
Cheltenham, UK • Northampton, MA, USA
2. Bredgaard, Thomas (2004). Corporate
responsibility between public policy and enterprise policy.
European Review of Labour and Research, Vol. 10, No. 3, 372-
392
3. Carroll, Archie B. (1999). Corporate Social Responsibility.
Evolution of a Definitional Construct. Business & Society, Vol.
38, No. 3, 268-295
4. Crane, Andrew. McWilliams, Abagail. Matten, Dirk (eds)
(2008). The Oxford Handbook of Corporate Social
Responsibility. The Oxford University Press
5. Chelcea, Liviu. (2009). Cultură, firmă, globalizare. (note
de curs)
6. Dahlsrud, Alexander. (2006). How Corporate Social
Responsibility is Defined: an Analysis of 37 Definitions.
Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental
Management
7. Diaconu, Bogdan. (2009). Etica societăţii
instituţionalizate. Trei dimensiuni ale responsabilităţi sociale:
legea, statul şi mediul de afaceri. Bucureşti: Editura Curtea
Veche
8. Kotler, Philip. Lee, Nancy. (2005). Corporate Social
Responsibility. Doing The Most Good For Your Company And
Your Cause
9. Lolescu, Radu. (2009) The Significance Of CSR And The
Effects Of The Financial Crisis. The Young Economists Journal
(Revista tinerilor economişti). issue: 12 / 2009, pages: 105-110.
www.ceeol.com. (accesat în 07.04.2010)
10. Morrison, J. J.Catherine. Morrison, Paul. Siegel, Donald
S. (2006) Corporate Social Responsibility and Economic
Performance.
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=900838&re
c=1&srcabs=1347358 (accesat în 07.04.2010)
11. Orzam, Mihai. Stancu, Alin. (2006). Responsabilitatea
Socială a Companiilor
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(accesat în 07.04.2010)
12. Raynard, Peter. Forstater, Maya. (2002). Corporate social
responsability. Implications for Small and Medium Enterprises
in developing countries. UNIDO
13. Visser, Wayne. Matten, Dirk. Pohl, Manfred. Tolhurst,
Nick (2007). The A To Z Of Corporate Social Responsibility.
John Wiley & Sons Ltd, The Atrium
14. Vogel, David (2005). The Market for Virtue. The Potential
and Limits of Corporate Social Responsibility. Washington D.C:
Brookings Institution Press
15. Vuţă, Mariana et. all. (2007). The Corporate Social
Responsibility Practices in Romania in the Context of
Sustainable Development Principles. The 47th Congress of
European Regional Science Association, ERSA, 2007
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=900838&re
c=1&srcabs=1347358 (accesat în 07.04.2010)
16. *** WBCSD (2001). Corporate Social Responsibility:
Making Good Business Sense. WBCSD. Washington,
www.wbcsd.org.
17. *** EU Green Paper (2001). Promoting a European
Framework for Corporate Social Responsibility. Brussels,
Commission of the European Communities.
18. *** BSR – Online Introduction to CSR
www.bsr.org/BSRLibrary/TOdetail.cfm?DocumentID=138
19. http://www.upb.ro/documente/stiri/sarbatoarea-
primaverii.pdf (accesat în 07.04.2010)
social
 GENERALIZING THE FEES IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Eugenia GRECU1
1
Associate Professor, PhD, Politehnica University of Timisoara, Faculty of Management in Production and Transports,
eugeniagrecu@yahoo.com
Abstract: To place a quality education universities require large funds. Universities should ensure quality education. Generalized charges could
bring universities amounts they need to perform a quality education. State fails to recover lost resources and investment in human resources
through inefficient use of graduates with higher education but also by brain drain.
Keywords: fees, universities, granting, quality.
1. Imperatives of higher education development
At the current stage of economic and social
development, the development of education appears as a
requirement of the overall progress of the society. On
long term, education contributes to the economic
development, stimulates progress and raises the
population's living standard. To achieve these objectives
are necessary but some conditions: education must be
well tailored, rationally organized, adapted and
adaptable to current and future needs of society, driven
by professionalism and competence (Crăciun, C., 2008).
Regarded as educational and training activity,
education is materialized in two forms, closely related:
first as a process of transmission - reception of
information and then a lengthy process of storing and
checking them gradually. In other words, on short term,
education is a consuming activity of National Income
and on long term an investment in human resources
process.
Education costs vary depending on the degree of
coverage of students in education, the size and structure
of the school network, the duration of studies, the
economic nature of the expenditure entailed, etc. The
return of educational investment varies from one
country to another, from one form of education to
another (university, postgraduate). It was noted that the
profitability of investment in education (human capital)
is higher than the return on investment in the economy
(in real capital). The increase of efficiency on
investment in education can be increased in various
ways: by increasing the enrollment of students in
education by improving the organizational structure of
learning, adapting curricula and syllabuses to the needs
of each determined historical phase, by raising the
professional qualification of teachers, by creating the
infrastructure necessary for the modernization of the
educational process (Păunescu, M., 2008).
Unfortunately for Romania a sad phenomenon "brain
drain" of highly qualified human resources leave the
country to work on much higher salaries in the
Occident. This way, the investments in such human
resources who decide to emigrate have no purpose for
the Romanian state. For example, from one graduate of
general medicine (6 years), without charge, and then a
residency in neurosurgery ( 7 years), so the recipient of
a grant of 13 years of education (university and
postgraduate) who decides to leave country and work
abroad, the Romanian state does not recover anything
from the investment in this human resource of exception
(Voineagu, V., 2007).
2. The financing evolution of public higher education
in the period 1990-2009
In Romania, education is declared a national priority,
meaning that the Romanian higher public education is
free, during the legal duration of studies. In 1989, in the
higher education system were 46 public universities,
which numbered a total of 164 507 enrolled students.
Currently, the number of students increased almost
fourfold and universities (public and private) reached
the number of 119. The number of students has tripled
in the last decade, reaching almost one million, while
the exact number of students in private universities is
not known, many of them refusing to report on all
entries.
Until 1990, the main source of financing public
education was the Romanian higher budgetary
allocation for this chapter. Due to changes occurring in
the higher education system in the period 1990-1996,
there were changes and the principles of public
financing of Romanian higher education( like changes
in the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and
Development countries): a complex system of allocating
funds, the increase of universities’ financial autonomy,
the diversification of funding sources, the sharing of
costs for education by introducing tuition fees, a clearer
separation between the funds for education and those for
research. Even in these conditions, the budget
allocations continue to represent the main source of
funding for public higher Romanian education.
International experience has shown that the funding
of the public higher education system in order to meet
present needs is the following mixed nature: a core
funding from budgetary allocations, to ensure free
access to education, the quality and consistency of the
learning process, an additional funding obtained by the
institution through their own efforts and resources other
than the State Budget. Thus, education can be supported
through scholarships, study loans, fees, donations,
sponsorships, own sources and other legal sources. The
financing of education is made from the following
sources: state budget (central or local), sources of
population shares of companies for education and
128 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
education (transportation, supplies, uniforms),
donations, sponsorships, own income of educational
institutions (research, rent, tuition fees etc.) and other
external resources (grants, external loans granted by
foreign financial institutions).
Moreover, a milestone in the reform process was the
replacement of the financing of budgetary chapters with
the global finance of the university based on
institutional contracts with the Ministry of Education,
Research, Youth and Sports. This change was a way to
get better performance in education and research
through a better management of financial resources.
Thus, the financing of public universities will also be
determined by performance and by efficiency criteria.
Thus, since 1999, the means of financing higher
education have changed, and it passed to a methodology
for allocating the budget allocations based on formula
(quantitative component) and based on the fundamental
principle "resources follow students.” Since 2002, the
methodology for allocating the budget allocations for
base university funding was complemented by a
qualitative component, continuously updated during
2003-2009. However, the state budget is the main
source of funding for education.
Table 1: The % GDP invested in basic funding for public universities
Year %GDP
1998 0,37
1999 0,32
2000 0,34
2001 0,33
2002 0,32
2003 0,34
2004 0,32
2005 0,34
2006 0,36
2007 0,34
2008 0,39
2009 0,33
For each student who benefits of free of charge
university studies, the state pays between 3,200 lei per
year for the human profile, and 16,000 lei for the
vocational one. At the technical or sports college, a
student is worth more than 5,600 lei, and in Medicine,
7,200 lei. The fees that the students at the state
universities on the fee places are less than the cost of
schooling and they cover only about 60-65% of costs for
preparing a student. Therefore, from the total income of
universities, less than 15-20% is provided from tuition
fees. For example, in 2009, the state contribution to
university funding was 3.76 billion lei, and only 0.44
billion came from tuition fees. In these circumstances,
the funds currently available to universities are
insufficient. A possible solution to increase university
funding could be generalized charges.
3. Arguments for introducing generalized charges in
higher education
The introduction of generalized charges in higher
education would allow the Romanian state to recover
the amounts invested in those who decide to leave the
country and work abroad. This way, the “brain drain”
would not lead to leakage of funds and would not turn
Romania into a free "supplier" of highly qualified
human resources to other countries (Voineagu, V.,
2007).
In addition, it appears that people generally
appreciate more the things they pay for than those who
come for free (Crăciun, C., 2008).
Currently, in many universities there seems a kind of
tacit agreement between teachers and students. Students
"pretend to work", the teachers “pretend to teach and to
note" and everyone is happy. Lack of interest occurs on
both sides. Perhaps higher wages might motivate the
teachers. Perhaps the feeling that college is more than a
diploma and the what one learns is really useful could
motivate the students. Through the generalization of
university fees, students would be more responsible and
probably will think better about their options before
applying to college. At the same time, it will also
increase the interest in the study.
Virtually, every university must have academic fees.
It is unrealistic to pretend that the state (that is our
taxes) to ensure the cost of 4-6 years of university for
each student. Obviously, there will be universities with
lower taxes and others with higher taxes.
The university education is a luxury which must
fight for both from the students and from their parents.
This should represent an investment in the future of the
student. To obtain the diploma that requires a battle not
only financially, but academically speaking as well. The
job, the salary after university should offset this
investment, even if it takes several years. In this way,
there will be no more problems with the teachers’
salaries while students will no longer mock university.
And the more strictly these university rules apply (ie
only those who deserve to go in; copying are not
allowed, corruption should not exist) then that
university will be known, and those big companies will
hire graduates (Păunescu, M., 2008).
Maybe from the money that our state allocates to the
universities it could create scholarships somewhat
similar to the present places "on budget", but managed
with more accountability, fewer and more selectively
granted.
Such a system could even revive the preuniversitary
level. High school students would be more aware that
they have an enormous opportunity in the scholarships
granted and it should result a greater responsibility
towards their training and development. As there are
young romanian people who get full scholarships at
universities abroad, there would also be young romanian
people or abroad who get those from us. There would be
students well prepared and interested in the faculty who
know that the scholarship file is evaluated annually and
work hard to keep that scholarship. Or work hard not to
repeat one year and pay extra (Levine, A.. and Cureton,
J., 1998). I will not deny that by this method it would be
students for which will pay their mother (or their father)
and they actually do not care about this, but probably
that will be marginal phenomena.
Generalizing The Fees In Higher Education 129

But if universities will have fees, they would not to increase the number of places with fees because of
build their budgets based on the number of students; insufficient financial resources.
universities will have and could apply more serious
selection criteria. They could also be more stringent in 4. Loans for education - a modern source of
assessing students and not allow that every student pass financing higher education
the study year simply because the university funding is
basically granter per budgeted student and therefore Under the new conditions the society we live in
teachers needs students to take their salaries (Păunescu, operates, it is necessary to find new sources of
M., 2008). financing, which, along with the traditional sources of
For a long time in many countries worldwide are financing education, to provide funds necessary for
generalized university fees. Maybe this is one of the developing, development and modernization of teaching
reasons that American and British universities are the activity in higher education.
first in top. It seems that the solution to this problem is the loans
for study incurred by students during the university
Table 2: University fees study. These loans contribute to increase resources for
No University Country Fee financing higher education and also represent a
1 Oxford United 10000£ mechanism that requires students to choose the desired
Kingdom
specialization and to frame in the normal period to
2 Worcester United 5000 £
Kingdom promote academic years.
3 Harvard USA 48000$ This innovative form of financing education allows
4 Yale USA 49000$ anyone willing to study to do so, in some countries is
5 Princeton USA 40000$ reaching even be considered a way to help students
6 HEC Canada 14000CAD along with study grants or allowances. These loans can
Montreal be contracted through commercial banks and institutions
7 Saint Louis Spain 8000 euro especially created for this purpose.
8 Utrech Netherlands 1700 euro In countries with developed market economy, the
9 Amsterdam Netherlands 1600 euro
credit is an important tool in most fields of activity,
University
10 University Switzerland 700 euro including education. In Europe, loans for studies are
of Geneva found mainly in the Nordic countries (Finland,
Denmark, and Norway) and represent for many years
now the most important form of support for students.
Thus, in a university from Canada, a student with These loans are guaranteed by the state. In Finland, the
good grades (let’s say that the average is equivalent to interest of these loans is initially of 3.25% and increases
the grade 9) can receive a scholarship covering the to 6.25% at graduation. Reimbursement is in 10 years
school cost. For example, a masters program costs $ after a grace period of 2 years from graduation.
2,800 per semester and a student with good grades, Reimbursement is in Denmark 15 years to graduation.
receives an admission scholarship of $ 3,000 per In Norway, over 80% of students benefit from these
semester. The fact that school is paid for is good. The funds. We note that during their studies, the interest is
students in an overwhelmingly majority learn. They do zero, and at graduation they begin charging an interest
not afford to waste the money. However, not everybody of 4 to 5 percent below the prevailing commercial
can take the scholarship. But there is a loan that the banks. Repayment is made in 20 years.
students pay back after they get employed. In Japan the loans for education are very important
A good example that we could follow is the system and therefore there was created the ’Japanese
in England, where the university fee is quite high, but Foundation Scholarship" which granted either only
students are helped with a loan from state which covers loans (2 / 3 of total transactions) or a combination of
the university fee and only after they finish college and loan and scholarship. Loans are granted with low
have a job, they start to pay back in small installments. interest or without (Crăciun, C., 2008).
Presently, in Romania, no law in force or only in the In United States of America, there are many
planning stage does takes into consideration the programs to assist students. Such a program is "Work
introduction of a generalized fee for higher state and Study" which allows students to work and attend in
education. parallel. Most popular loans for studies are those
Perhaps in the future, those who will deal with the guaranteed by the government, however, before
education reform will have to analyze this topic too, but granting them there take place various examinations to
not in the way the issue of the generalized fee is being avoid waste and abuse. The students who benefit of
discussed at the moment, when there is a battle between these loans may be independent (graduates who pursue
private and state education on the places with money. further studies or master) or dependent (students
The rectors from the private universities accuse their attending a university). Loans are not made by banks,
colleagues from the state institutions of unfair but the funds are obtained through auctions of
competition for places that have introduced toll on government bonds. The government bears the interest of
admission. Instead, the state rectors argue that they need these loans for the students in employment, for those
130 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
who benefit from delays or who are in the grace period.
The annual amount the student actually benefits of
depends on its dependence or independence.
In Romania there is also the possibility of using
loans for studies. For implementation of the law
education, the Ministry of Education, Research and
Youth has begun a series of actions on legislative line
and initiated a clear mechanism for granting credit for
study. The Ministry talked with several trade banks to
test their readiness for study loans. But from the
beginning, the banks were not interested in this idea of
the Ministry, mainly due to the low level of interest (5-
6%, max. 10%) compared with prevailing market
interest rates. On the other hand, the low amounts
requested by students did not make the offer attractive
(about 15 to 20 million lei).
One of the advantages that the Ministry has
emphasized is the winning of establish long-term clients
among those who would benefit from these loans, but
even this argument did not convince the Romanian
banks.
The repayment term begins after a grace period of
two years after graduation, in monthly installments and
shall not exceed 5 years. After 90 days from graduation,
the debtor shall start to pay the respective interest to the
loan. Although this source of funding could help many
young people attending university there are few people
who know about these special loans.
5.Conclusios
The generalized tuition fee is a need.
The introduction of generalized fees in higher
education would counter-balanced “brain drain”, would
increase accountability and interest in academic study.
References
1. Crăciun, C. (2008), Public Policy Management.
Transformations and perspectives (în romanian), Publisher
Polirom, Bucharest.
2. Păunescu, M. (2008), The Public Management in Romania (in
romanian), Publisher Polirom, Bucharest.
3. Levine, A. and Cureton, J. (1998), When Hope and Fear
Collide: A Portrait of Today's College Student, Jossey-Bass
Inc.Publisher, San Francisco
4. Voineagu, V. (2007), ”Brain drain phenomena in Romania –
possibilities of econometrical modelling”, in: Economic
Computation and Economic Cybernetics Studies and Research,
nr. 3-4/2007, vol. 41, Romanian Academy of Economic Studies,
Bucharest, p. 33-42
5. http://www.aracis.ro
6. http://www.edu.ro
7. http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu
8. http://www.europa.eu
9. http://www.insse.ro
10. http://www.ox.ac.uk
11. http://www.harvard.edu
12. http://www.hec.ca
13. http://www.yale.edu
14. http://www.princeton.edu/main
15. http://www.slu.edu
16. http://www.universityofworcester.com
17. http://www.uu.nl/
18. http://www.unige.ch/international
19. http://www.uva.nl
 THE INFLUENCE OF HIGHER EDUCATION ON LABOUR MARKET IN ROMANIA

Maria-Ana GEORGESCU1, Emilia HERMAN 2

1
„Petru Maior”University of Tg. Mures, maria_ana_georgescu@yahoo.com
2
„Petru Maior”University of Tg. Mures, emilia_herman@yahoo.com

The role of education and training in the human resources development, as elasticity mechanisms of the labour offer in relation with the
demand, is recognized both at a national and an international level, being a strategic priority. Achieving a high degree of mobility and
adaptability of the human capital as response to the demands resulted from the logic of the technological process is one of the conditions in
reaching a higher economic performance. The education process, especially the higher education, assures the conditions for the labour
market’s flexibility, this meaning adapting competences to the new requirements specific to the new jobs, having consequences also on the
degree of job security, increasing this, but also on finding another job more easily. The current economic theory and practice highlights the
fact that the higher the education level the higher the employment rate. In our study, we intend to analyse the economic-statistical
correlation between labour market indicators (employment rate and unemployment rate) and the education level, in Romania, between
1996 and 2008. The results of this research show that, in Romania, there are direct significant relationships between employment and the
education level, and an inverse correlation between unemployment and the education level, fact that states the major role of education in
the labour market.

The coefficient result is situated in the interval (-1;+1).

1. INTRODUCTION
Education holds a central place in the sustainable
development, and post–industrial economies are
considered economies of knowledge by means of
amplifying the place and role of human capital in
developing the economic activity under high
performance conditions. Human capital is considered to
be one of the most important assets of the society and
higher education has a major contribution for human
resources development.
Over recent decades, there has been rapid expansion
of higher (tertiary-level) education across many
countries. This has had important and profound effects
on labour markets and the way in which employers use
highly educated labour. These expansions have, for the
most part, been predicated on the assumption that more
education is good for individuals and for society as a
whole, not only in terms of economic outcomes like
wages or employment, but also for a wide range of
social outcomes like improved health, reduced crime
and higher well-being.
The objectives of our paper are to present a
theoretical and empirical view on the role the higher
education has on the labour market.
Research methodology
This paper uses descriptive methods in order to
highlight the empirical relationships between the
education level and labour market in Romania. We will
analyse statistical data on the structure of employment
and unemployment related to the education level for the
period between 1996 and 2008 in Romania. In order to
study the intensity of the relation between the labour
market (expressed through the employment rate and
unemployment rate indicators) and higher education
(expressed through population with tertiary education per
100 population aged 25-64) for 32 European countries, in
2008, we applied the correlation coefficient of Spearman.
We calculated Spearman’s correlation coefficient because
it is less affected by the influence of the atypical values.
The plus sign shows a direct relation (as the independent
variable increases also the dependent variable increases)
and the minus sigh indicates a inverse relationship.
2. THE ROLE OF HIGHER EDUCATION ON
LABOUR MARKET: A THEORETICAL
APPROACH
The ever changing conditions that the economy has
to face produce, periodically, mutations equally
important also in terms of supply and demand of the
labour force. The work resource is permanently asked
to produce something else, with higher productivities,
its work content being changed, new skills, abilities and
qualifications being required, in other words a
permanent adaption to new and the continuous
upgrading of knowledge, through education and
professional long life training during the active life.
Quality higher education and training is crucial for
economies that want to move up the value chain beyond
simple production processes and products. In particular,
today’s globalizing economy requires economies to
nurture pools of well-educated workers who are able to
adapt rapidly to their changing environment (6, p.18).
A major benefit of education is the lower risk of
unemployment at higher education level. Workers with
higher educational attainment are unemployed less and
earn more than workers with lower educational
attainment (Teichler, 2000). From the economic theory
it can be inferred that in most developed countries exists
an inverse relationship between education and
unemployment (Livanos, 2009).
Nunez and Livanos (2009) examine the impact of an
academic degree and field of study on short and long-term
unemployment across Europe (EU15). The results indicate
that an academic degree is more effective on reducing the
likelihood of short-term than long-term unemployment.
Educated workers enjoy at least three basic
advantages over less educated workers in the labour
market: higher wages, greater upward mobility in
132 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

income and occupation, and greater employment labour market and finding
ing a convenient job belong to
stability (J. Mincer, 1991). those who graduate higher education.
In general, higher
gher education leads to accumulation of
human capital, which is linked with higher productivity.
Firms are keen to maintain high levels of productivity, 100% 8 8.9 12.6 14.8
thus they would be reluctant to dismiss employees with 80%
high skills. Growth in education has historically
historicall been an 55.1 54.7 Tert
important source of growth in worker productivity. 60% 61 60.7 iary
In Education at a Glance (OECD,
OECD, 2008)
2008 study it si 40% Med
shown that employment rates rise with educational ium
attainment. With few exceptions, the employment rate 20% 36.9 36.4 26.4 24.5
for graduates of tertiary education is markedly
mar higher 0%
than the rate for upper secondary graduates. Similarly,
unemployment rates are generally lower for higher- higher 1996 2000 2005 2008
educated individuals, but this is typically because higher
Source: Social Tendencies, INS, 2009, p.160
educational attainment makes an individual more Figure 15 Employment by educational level in Romania, 1996-2008(%)
attractive in the labour market. t. Unemployment rates
therefore include information both on the individual’s The structure of the employed population by
desire to work and on the individual’s attractiveness to education level, in 2008, at the level of the development
potential employers. regions,, presented in the figure below suggests that in
In the decade up to 2020 European higher education Romania significant regional differences are recorded
has a vital contribution to make in realising a Europe
Eu of regarding the influence of education on employment.
knowledge that is highly creative and innovative.
Europe can only succeed in this endeavour if it 100.0 14.514.411.311.3 9.5 33.213.615.814.8
maximises the talents and capacities of all its citizens 80.0
and fully engages in lifelong learning as well as in 60.0 62.470.453.961.262.0 55.665.960.7
40.0 58.7
widening participation in higher education. 20.0 23.115.334.827.528.4
28.4 8.1 30.818.324.5
0.0
3. HIGHER EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT
IN ROMANIA

The importance of increasing employment resources

for the development of the national economy is Tertiary
unanimously acknowledged. In order to reach an Source: Labour force in Romania. Employment
yment and unemployment, in 2008,
2008
INS, 2009
employment rate as high as possible it is necessary to Figure 2 Employment by educational level educational level, in Romania, at a
assure the conditions for the human resource to perform regional level, in 2008 (%)
actively and creatively. It is in the interest of the entire In Romania, during 1997 and 2008, employment rates
society that the European economies, including the rose with education attainment. In 2008, in Romania the
Romanian economy to be more able of anticipating and highest level of employment rate, by highest level of
absorb change, and the labour market to prove a higher education attained (calculated
calculated by dividing the number of
adaptation capacity. Therefore, education and professional employed people within age group 25-6425 years having
training are needed in order to face all these changes. attained a specific level of education, by the total
The evolution of employment in Romania, during population of the same age group) was recorded
re among the
1996 and 2008, in relation to the education level (fig. 1) graduates of higher education (85.7%).
highlights the following aspects: a decrease in the
employed population with a low education level by 12.4 100 84.887.286.383.982.6 82 81.585.2
81.5 84 86.185.8
85.7
percentage points (p.p.) in 2009 compared to 1996; the 71.670.169.368.267.7
64.365.166.263.864.963.9
63.5
increase of the percentage of the employed population 56.155.154.153.951.7
with an average education level out of the total 43.843.8
43.840.339.639.640.3 41
50
employed population,ion, by 5.6 p.p., the increase of the
percentage of the employed population with a higher
education level by 6.8 p.p.
The ascending trend of the percentage of the 0
employed population with higher education out of the Tertiary Medium Low
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008

total employed population may be interpretedinterpr as a

positive situation, because this increase shows the high
Source:Eurostat http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/
training level. The higher the education level of the Figure 3. Employment rate, by highest level of education attained
work resource the higher the productivity and the access
to a easier job. The highest chances of acceding on the As the education level decreases,
ses, also the employment
level decreases, thus in 2008 63.5% of the people with an
The Influence
nfluence of Higher Education on Labour Market in Romania 133

average education level (high school studies, professional,
post-high
high school and technical) were employed and only
41% of those with a low education level (secondary
studies,, primary or without studies). As we can notice,
from the analysis of the data in fig. 3 during 1997 and
2008, in Romania, a reduction in the employment rate of
the people with a low education level (from 56.1% to 41%)
as well as in the employment rate of those with an average
education level (from 71.6% to 63.5%).
The data presented above confirm the hypothesis
according to which higher education assures an increase in
employment. Thus, it is necessary to take some measures
in order to increase the educationon level of population in
Romania. Over the last decade the number of population
with higher studies, the indicator of population with tertiary
education per 100 population aged 25-64 25 recording an
increase from 10% to 12.8% (fig.4). But making a
comparison with the average recorded at the EU-27EU level
we notice a negative difference of 11.5p.p. and compared
to Finland, the country with the highest level of population
with tertiary education per 100 population aged 25-64,
25 the
negative difference is of 23.8 p.p.
40.0 32.4 32.8 34.0 34.6 35.1 36.4 36.6
23.0 23.5 24.3
19.9 20.9 21.7 22.5
20.0 12.8
10.0 9.8 10.4 11.1 11.7 12.0
0.0
Romania EU-27
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
Source: European Innovation Scoreboard (EIS) 2009
Figure 4. Population with tertiary education per 100 population aged 25-64,
2002-2008
25
In the economic literature it is stated that a better
educated population, with a qualification corresponding
to the
he needs of the market, is characterized through
higher rates of activity and employment.
work resources is also reduced (Turkey, Romania,
Malta, Hungary, Slovakia, ia, etc). A higher level of higher
education is accompanied by a high employment rate
(Finland, Denmark, Netherlands, Norway, Iceland, etc.)
fact that highlights the decisive role of higher education
in increasing employment, and implicitly in the process
of sustainable development.
development
4. HIGHER EDUCATION AND
UNEMPLOYMENT IN ROMANIA
Together with the employed population, the
unemployed people represent an important part of the
quantitative – numerical dimension of the labour force
market. Employment and unemployment
unemploym are considered
polar categories, meaning that employment is a category
integrally positive, beneficial to the state of functioning
and of relative wellbeing, and unemployment has an
exclusively negative connotation, equivalent to a
marginal state, one of poverty.
The lack of employment represents a dimension of
social exclusion, because it means exclusion from one
of the most important components of human activity,
from the social relationships that participation in work,
the impossibility of valuing youryo on potential implies
and facilitates. The statistical-economic
statistical activity of the
ILO unemployed people structure according to the level
of education highlights the fact that unemployment is
highly spread among those with a low or average level
of training. In 2008, 30.6%6% out of the number of ILO
unemployed people had a low level of training and
almost two thirds (62.7%) had an average level of
training. According to the data in the figure below
between 1996 and 2008 the percentage of the
unemployed people with a high education level rose
from 2.8% to 6.7%, as result of the increase in
population with a higher education level.
level

90 2.8 4.4 6.6 6.7

100%
Employment rate

80
IS
CHDK 80%
NL NO Terti
70 AT SE FI 69 74.3 69.3 62.7
PT DE
SI LV CY 60% ary
FR UK EE Med
CZ BG ES LT IE 40%
60 RO SK PL ELEU LU BE ium
IT
y =HR
0,694x
HU + 49,32 R² = 0,504 20% 28.2 21.3 24.3 30.6
50 MT
0%
40 TR
Spearman correlation coefficient=0,699 1996 2000 2005 2008
10 15 20 with25
Population tertiary30education
35 … 40
Source: Social Tendencies, INS, 2009, p.167
Figure 5. Direct Correlation between Employment rate and population with Figure 6.Structure of unemployment by education level, in Romania, 1996-
tertiary education per 100 population aged 25-64,
25 in 2008 2008 (%)

Based on the data regarding the employment rate
and population with tertiary education per 100
population aged 25-64, for 32 European countries,countries in
fig. 5 was identified a strong direct and statistically
significant correlation (correlation is significant at the 0.05
level, 2-tailed), fact
ct highlighted by the value of the
Spearman correlation coefficient, of 0,699.
0,699
Therefore in the countries where a low level higher
education is recorded, the level of employment of the
Moreover, the unemployment rates indicator of the
population aged 25-6464 by level of education (annual
average) shows that in Romania the increase in the
education level reduces the risk of unemployment. This
indicator provides a measure of difficulties that people
pe
with different levels of education have to face in the
labour market and offers a first idea of the impact of
education in reducing the chances of being unemployed.
134 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

level, inn the figure below the inverse relationship between

10 5 5.3 6.6 7.5 6.8 8 6.5 6.4 6.4 6.4 5.5 4.8
7.2 6.3 6.9 6.66.5 higher education and unemployment is highlighted.
5 5 5.3 Thus in 2008, based on the Spearman correlation
3.2 2.9 3 3.9 4
0 coefficient of - 0,421, an inverse relationship of low
2 2.2 2.3 3.4 3.4 3.4 2.8 2.6 3.1 2.9 2.2 1.9 intensity was identified between the higher education
educati
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
and unemployment at the level of the 30 European, E
according to the data in fig.9.
Low Medium Tertiary In Romania, in 2008, a lower unemployment rate is
noticed as compared to the one registered in countries
like Finland, Belgium, Ireland, Sweden, etc, countries
Source:Eurostat http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/
at.ec.europa.eu/ where the higher education level is higher. higher Thus in
Figure 7.. Unemployment rates of the population aged 25-64
25 by level of Romania, a low unemployment even if the employment
education - Annual average, in Romania, 1997-20082008 (%)
rate is low and the employed population decreases, as a
The data provided in the figure above show the fact relative measure as well as absolute, reflects a more
that, in Romania, as the education level decreases, the profound deterioration of the disequilibrium on the
unemployment
loyment rate increases, thus in 2008 among the labour market and not only, having an invisible, latent
people with the lowest education level the highest and sometimes not taken into account character.
unemployment rate was recorded of 6.5% with 4.8 p.p.
more than the unemployment rate of the people with a 5. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS
higher education level (1,9%).
In case the structure of unemployment is analysed
From the statistical-economic
economic analysis carried in this
according to the education level, on development
research, based on the data recorded in Romania
regions significant differences are highlighted,
between 1996 and 2008,, we can notice the positive
regarding the unemployment level among people with a
influence that the education level, especially higher
low education level as well as among those with a
education, has on the labour market.
higher education level, according
cording to the data in fig. 8.
8
The results of the study confirm that a better
16.7 educated population, with a qualification corresponding
20 Total 13.8Tertiary to the needs of the labour market,marke is characterized
15 8.5
7.6 5.77.28.5 7.7 6.57.5 9.8
through higher employment rates and implicitly lower
7.46.8
6.8 5.7
5.3 5.25.87.1
6
10 3.8 5 4.5
3.7 2.9 3.33 3.2 4 3.4 5
2.2 3.1
0.9 2.6 2.7 unemployment rate.
5
0 We underline the fact that the lowest level of the
population with tertiary education per 100 population aged
25-64 indicator is registered in Romania at the EU-27
EU level,
fact that requires taking some measures for increasing the
education level of the population in Romania.
Education, especially higher education, has to
Source: Labour
abour force in Romania. Employment and unemployment, in 2008,
2008 become a strategic priority for any country which aims
INS, 2009 to create an economy based on knowledge, being b at the
Figure 8. Unemployment rate by educational level, in Romania, at a regional
level, in 2008 (%) same time the fundamental condition for the promotion
of international competitiveness, for achieving higher
In the economic literaturee it is stated that a better, rates of economic growth and employment, in the
with a qualification corresponding the needs of the sustainable development context.
market is characterized by lower unemployment rates, REFERENCES
in other words between education level and 1. Livanos, I. (2009), “The
The Relationship Between
Betwe Higher Education
unemployment there is a negative relationship. and Labour Market in Greece: the Weakest Link?”, Link? Institute for
Employment Research, University of Warwick.
15.00 2. Mincer, J. (1991), “Education
Education and Unemployment”,
Unemployment NBER
Working Papers series no. 3838, Cambridge
ES 3. Nunez, I. and Livanos, I. (2010), “Higher
Higher education and unemployment
10.00 SK TR in Europe: An analysis of the academic subject and national effects”,
effects 2009,
Unemployment

PTHR HU EL LV FR Journal Higher Education, vol.59, no 4, pages 475–487

IT PL EU DE LT BE SEIE EE FI
MT BG 4. Teichler, U. (2000)“Graduate
Graduate Employment and Work in Selected
5.00 ROCZ SI LU UK CY European Countries”, European ean Journal of Education, Volume 35
rate

AT NL DKNO Issue 2, pages p141-156

Spearman
0.00
correlation coefficient=- 5. OECD (2008), “Education
Education at a Glance”,
Glance (OECD , PARIS)
0,421 6. The Global Competitiveness Report 2008–2009,
2008 World Economic
10.00 20.00
Population 30.00education
with tertiary 40.00
… Forum, Geneva, 2008
7. European Innovation Scoreboard (EIS) 2009- Comparative analysis of
Figure 9. Indirect correlation between unemploymentent rate and population with
tertiary education per 100 population aged 25-64,
64, in 2008 innovation performance, (2010), PRO INNO EUROPE PAPER, No. 15, EU

Based on the data regarding the unemployment rate

and population with tertiary education per 100 population
aged 25-64,
64, for 30 European countries and the UE-27
UE
 THE IMPORTANCE OF TEACHING ABOUT SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN
HIGHER EDUCATION

Ionica HOLBAN (ONCIOIU)1, Florin Razvan ONCIOIU2, Matei Agaton DAN3, Ana Yolanda VODA4, Oana Ion
BOCĂNETE5, Nelu MOCANU6,
1
Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi and Academy of Economies Studies from Bucharest, email:
NELLY_ONCIOIU@yahoo.com
2
University of Agronomies Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest, email: oncioiu_florin@yahoo.com
3
Tomis University of Constanta, email: dan.matei@yahoo.com
4
Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, email: yolandadr3i@yahoo.com
5
Tomis University of Constanta, email: nelly@cta.ro
6
Tomis University of Constanta, email: nelly@cta.ro

The problem of unsustainability has been attributed to a wide variety of root causes including economic growth, greediness and
leadership impotence. Helping new generation learn about sustainable development by putting its principles into practice during a
community forum can catalyze individual and collective action on environmental, economic and social equity issues by raising
awareness and consciousness. Outside the higher education sector, education about sustainable development can be accomplished
through community learning forums and are then given an opportunity to operationalize the principles with discussion tool, planning
model and decision-making framework. So, the barriers to cooperating and communicating with each other are falling down. This
paper explains the importance of the separation of conceptual knowledge from experience. The solution to this problem is
reconnective learning to use when designing and implementing educational programs.

because there is still the problem that knowing does not

Introduction
We often talk of education for sustainable
development without first ensuring that people
understand sustainable development - and we often
teach in a way that does not put sustainable
development principles into practice. Outside the formal
education sector, education about sustainable
development can be accomplished through community
learning forums. When stakeholders - adults and youth
of all ages - come together to hear the history, the
“story” and the promise of Sustainable development,
learn its principles and practices, and are then given an
opportunity to operationally those principles with fellow
community members, they can become enthusiastic
about sustainable development as a discussion tool,
planning model, and decision-making framework.
Applying adult learning principles and social marketing
strategies in a principled dialogue approach to learning
about sustainable development is the first step in
organizing a successful forum, one that will lead,
ultimately, to sustainable development.
The resulting conception of learning sustainability is
community based and can be used to facilitate deep
reconnection with nature and each other. It involves
ways of seeing and perceiving that are participative,
transformative and creative. The learner engages in an
experience and reflects artistically, creatively and then
critically on the experience to develop pro-positional or
conceptual knowledge about it. The outcome of the
learning process is that practical knowing develops. As
a way of learning this process engages the learner fully
in their experience and in their own lives.
The problem of unsustainability has been attributed
to a wide variety of root causes including patriarchy,
economic growth, greediness and leadership impotence.
However, knowing the cause does not provide solutions,
produce change. Change depends upon actions. In
practice reorientation towards sustainability needs to be
faster and more effective to address many overarching
issues such as climate change, bio-diversity loss, fresh
water depletion and environmental toxins. As a school
teacher, I ask: “How do we learn to act on what we
know?” In this paper, I use the phrase ‘learning
sustainability’ to convey the idea of a participative
learning approach necessary for sustainability outcomes.
Literature review
Reason (2003) describes three competing
worldviews: mainly about matter (mechanistic,
technocratic); mainly about mind and spirit; and mind-
matter integration (relational).
Twenty five years ago, Berman (1981) wrote that
two major problems with science are that it lacks
participation, and it lacks the admission that it involves
participating consciousness at all. He argued that the
Cartesian paradigm is really a fraud, and that the illness
of our era is not just the lack of participation, but the
wilful denial of the body and experience in cognition.
He suggested that the mind/body dichotomy that
underpins the mechanical causality understanding of
perception should be classed as: “impaired reality
testing” because if emotional/ visceral responses are not
included, it is unscientific by virtue of omission
(Berman 1981).
Harding (2006) illustrates that an experiential,
sensorial stance enables a deepening of our conscious
awareness of place, through which the presence of
anima muddy, soul of the earth, can be sensed and
therefore brought to awareness, intuitive knowing and
reason. This is the goal of the learning sustainability of
the mind/body dichotomy occurs through practices and
skills for reconnection.
136 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

Perceiving ourselves and nature as a relational meaning. Problems arise when the secondary meaning is
process, constantly being recreated, sets up a relational dislocated and distorted from the primary meaning,
ontology that is central to understanding a lived resulting in practices that no longer depend upon
paradigm of learning sustainability. Sterling (2005) experiential truth values for comprehension.
explains that in order to achieve a more suata1nable Secondary, conceptual or propositional level of
society we need to learn to think and act in ways that are knowing can be separated from the primary experience
far more relational than currently is the custom. As on an individual basis, as well as collaboratively by
Harding (2006) shows, through a relational focus the intersubjective agreement. But taking concepts as
principle of emergence quickly becomes evident. That is separate from the lived reality is like confusing a map
to say, surprising properties appear at the level of the with its actual geography. By privileging the map or the
whole that cannot be understood through focusing on secondary meanings, many of the fundamental beliefs
the individual elements in isolation. The relations and practices of an unsustainable culture are reinforced
ontology is fused with a participative epistemology, by technologies of separation, both linguistic and
which is part of the critical/emancipator paradigm (Fien material. An example of this habituated separation is the
2002). practice of driving along the freeway in our cars without
Full humanity implies the epistemological noticing the resulting brown sky clearly visible through
imperative of” living as part of the whole” which means our windscreens, or knocking down ass old
that we integrate all of our forms of knowing (Reason neighbourhood tree without seeing the habitat it
2005). provides for endangered fauna, or purchasing over-
packaged products and immediately filling our rubbish
Learning sustainability bins. Our separation, and in many cases our dualistic
hyper-separation from each other and nature, are thus
reinforced with many of our cultural practices, which
Table 1 below presents the elements in the proposed
are hegemonic. To query these hegemonic practices is to
learning sustainability method which
query the mundane, the everyday, in many cases with no
Table 1: Elements in the Learning Sustainability Process satisfactory alterative available.
Levels
Level of
of
Ways of Quality of Participative The language-embedded deepest cultural
Meaning Knowing Knowing Epistemology
Knowing assumptions about progress away from nature and each
Experiential Direct,
unmediated
other are heartily endorsed by the modem liberal
experience which assumptions upon which the ecological crisis is
is local and constructed (Bowers 1997). An example of this is the
Presentational culturally
notion of creativity as an unquestioned ‘good’ in
Holistic
Primary

specific. For learning

Propositional, Artistic, musical sustainability, schools.
Conceptual – imaginal: some we need to
Dependent distance to reconnect
upon engage more holistic with
experience,
reduced. Has
deeply
experience.
with the discrete:
cycling ways
Experience Artistic
cognitive of knowing, Reflection
Secondary

mobility – Conceptual for practical

adaptable, can framework can knowing and
Discrete

be fitted over enable us to treat wisdom

primary or the secondary,
other limited world
conceptual they represent as
meanings. the whole reality,
(The business-
as-usual
when it is not!
The use of
Practical
knowing is Dialogical
Plan Reflection
Participative

paradigm concepts is the basis of a

tends to always being participative
Practical

disconnect revised and epistemology.

primary from transcended,
secondary
meaning).
elaborated
mediated by the
and
Practical
experiential
Post depths of primary Reflection
conceptual meaning.
Figure 1: Learning Sustainability Process
Primary meaning is that derived from direct,
Figure 1 illustrates the cyclical and iterative basis of
unmediated experience of participation in an event
the learning sustainability method that I propose in this
before it is shrouded in words (Heron 1 996). It is
analysis. Taking experience as the standpoint, the
directly connected to the experience and has knowing
method uses a reflective process of deepening the
qualities that are unique, specific and non-transferable.
experience through presentational, artistic ways of
Secondary meaning is the linguistically shrouded
knowing. This is followed by dialogical, propositional
meaning of the incident and is conceptual or
and critical reflection to produce practical knowledge.
propositional (Heron 1996). It is disconnected from the
Whilst it is handy to think of the method in terms of
experience and is cognitively mobile in that it can be
stages, in reality it is interactive and the order of events
adapted and fitted over primary or other secondary
is not significant. The key learning element is repeated
meanings with variation to the original primary
The Influence of Higher Education on Labour Market in Romania
cycling through the stages. One cycle produces only a
formative, practica1 belief. For the higher order truth
values of practical knowing, several or many cycles are
required. The method cannot be properly understood in
isolation from the participatory approach, which
provides depth and methodology. I shall detail the
participatory approach in the following section, with an
explanation of the relationa1 ontology and participative
epistemology in order to situate and properly explain
this method of learning sustainability.
A method of learning sustainability
Essentially, the process comprised collaboratively
cycling through the forms of knowing, enabling the
development of increasing practical knowledge as a
result of each cycle. As shown in Figure I at the start of
this chapter, the learning sustainability method is
iterative - very rarely did the stages smoothly flow in a
set order. We assumed the teacher was also a learner,
and collaboratively learned with the group. The teacher
had enhanced political power by virtue of being
facilitator and teacher, but needed to use this
responsibly as a leader, acknowledging that every group
of learners will be different to every other group in
make-up, context and interpersonal relationships.
The teacher cannot know in advance what will work
the best for any particular group, so needed to be deeply
aware of and responsive to the students group dynamics
that emerge with the implementation of the method.
With the benefit of experience, I advocate a deep
responsiveness on the part of the teacher even if the
learners are young students; a facilitator with an open
mind enables the emergence of new ideas and angles
that may surprise and delight even a very experienced
teacher.
In Heron’s post-conceptual realm, the self-system is
continuously reaching out expansively, integrating
experience and empathic imagination, to reframe its
concepts subject to the claims of a deeper vision of the
world. Its cycling, together with the reflective nature of
propositional knowledge, enables the retention of the
benefits of ethical, political and scientific thinking in
continuously revised forms. This is significantly
different to the normal business-as-usual way of relating
to people and nature. Through the process of elaborating
propositional knowledge out of more holistic
experiencing, people become transformed and/or freer
(emancipated) from the grip of propositional structures.
This analyze resulted a method for learning
sustainability to address the problem of a distinction
137
between primary and secondary meaning, in which the
secondary has been privileged causing social and
ecological consequences.
Conclusions
Sustainability education which includes education
and interpretation serves three basic functions increases
the knowledge and understanding of the value of
protected areas that justify their existence, increases
satisfaction of the visit by minimising or preventing the
impact of visitors in the area and increases support and
encourages the participation of the community living
near the protected area. The role of environmental
education and interpretation (communication, education
and public awareness) in protected area conservation
should be highlighted and prioritized amongst protected
area institutional staff and management. People are not
concerned with the conservation of protected areas
unless they realize their value. If this is not done, all our
efforts will be undermined by the activities of
surrounding communities. Case studies in which
education, communication and public awareness have
been successful in promoting conservation should be
documented and widely disseminated. It is necessary to
communicate the link between protected conservation
areas and local communities. Protected areas are not
isolated islands. They occur within peopled areas and
these people can positively or negatively impact on their
activities. In countries such as Greece, despite the
obvious role that environmental interpretation could
play, the vast majority of environmental educators in
protected areas lack formal training in environmental
interpretation. Considering the positive benefits of
environmental interpretation in other countries, it is
recommended to resource management agencies to use
interpretation as a tool to help people understand the
process and policies of management objectives.
References
1. Beriatos, El. (2005), Planning and management of protected
areas in Greece. Sustainable Development and Planning II, vol.
1, pp.389-400.
2. Reason, P. (2005), Living as part of the whole: The implication
of participation. Retrieved 21st March 2006.
3. Renn, O. (2006), Participatory processes for designing
environmental policies. Land Use Policy. 23:34-43.
4. Wooltorton, S. (2004), School and community: Bridging the
gap to sustainability. Unpublished Doctor of Philosophy
Dissertation, Murdoch University, Perth.
 INFORMAL INSTITUTIONS AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT. THE ROLE OF
EDUCATION IN DEVELOPING A CULTURE OF SUSTAINABILITY IN ROMANIA (I)

Andreea IACOBUŢĂ1, Maria GAGEA2

1
Alexandru Ioan Cuza University Iasi, andreea_iacobuta@yahoo.com
2
Alexandru Ioan Cuza University Iasi, marygag2002@yahoo.com

This paper takes an institutional approach to analyzing the role of education in adopting sustainable development practices. It
assesses the influence of the existing individual values on the capacity of countries to follow sustainable paths and suggests possible
ways to make education a pillar for building a culture of sustainability. Prior research has shown that the ability of a country to
follow sustainable development paths largely depends on the presence of strong formal rules (such as free market, property rights,
contract enforcement etc). However, fewer studies are concerned with the role of informal institutions and the ways these can be
changed in order to underpin sustainable development practices. This paper adheres to the idea that sustainable development is
mainly about individual values and, if not appropriate, these should be changed. We believe that the process of institutional change at
the informal level can happen only through education and learning. The paper provides a combination of qualitative and quantitative
analysis. Data from WVS and EVS databases and from own researches previously conducted in Romania are used, the purpose being
to determine the extent to which the existing values influence sustainable development practices in our country and how they can be
changed through education and learning. The findings confirm the existence of a relationship between individual values and
sustainable development. Also, the Romanians share several negative values which hamper the ability of the country to follow
sustainability paths. However, we believe that only through education and learning people will adopt and praise those values proven
to be a sure path to welfare and progress. The conclusions of the paper may be valuable for a successful development in Romania.
Also they point out that development strategies cannot be designed via a “one size fits all” principle and need to be adapted to the
conditions of different national institutional environments, in order to achieve sustainable development. The added value of the
research derives from the correlation between the existing individual values and the indicators of sustainable development. Besides
contributing to the literature on the role of education in developing institutions underpinning sustainable development, this paper may
provide useful knowledge for higher education and public administration decision-makers.

relationship between the identified values and

INTRODUCTION
Institutions are sets of rules, constraints,
conventions, self-imposed codes of conduct, and norms
of behavior that define the rules of the game in society
(North, 1990). The classification according to the degree
of formality distinguishes between informal and formal
institutions. The informal ones (habits, traditions,
conventions, behavioral norms) evolve in time and turn
into unspoken and unwritten norms of conduct. The
formal ones (laws, regulations, institutional constraints)
are deliberately designed, compulsory and punitive.
The presence of adequate formal institutions has
been widely recognized as a necessary condition for
economic growth. However, their simple presence is not
enough. People, with their preferences and values,
should also be taken into account. The complex
relationship between values and human behavior is
often a good explanation for the differences in
development between countries.
This paper aims at assessing the influence of the
existing individual values on the capacity to achieve
sustainable development.
We adhere to the idea that, with all the ways
sustainable developed can be defined in - goals,
indicators, values and practice (Kates et al., 2005), it is
mainly about individual values.
Taking the existing literature as a point of departure,
this first part of the study aims at providing answers to
the following questions: Which individual instrumental
values can be considered as representative for
sustainable development? and how strong is the
sustainable development?
The findings confirm the existence of a relationship
between several instrumental individual values namely,
trust, democracy, independence, tolerance, imagination
which are positively correlated with sustainable
development while obedience and religious faith have a
negative influence on a country’s sustainability. We also
suggest that the main processes through which people
can adopt and praise the sustainability values are
education and learning.
THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
Prior research on the relationship between
institutions and sustainable development has shown that
the ability of a country to follow sustainable
development paths largely depends on the presence of
strong formal rules, such as free market, property rights,
contract enforcement etc. (Sharp, 2002; Veeman and
Politylo, 2003; Anderson and Huggins, 2004).
However, fewer studies are concerned with the role
of informal institutions in underpinning sustainable
development practices (Shepherd et al., 2009;
Rodriguez-Pose, 2010; Sedlacek and Gaube, 2010).
Although the importance of people’s sustainability
values in enhancing sustainable development is widely
recognized, little is known about the nature of these
values and much work has to be done in developing a
valid scale (Shepherd et al., 2009).
The way we behave in society, our attitude towards
different aspects from everyday life is a consequence of
the values we “profess”. Although this statement seems
axiomatic (needs no demonstrations), surprisingly there
140 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
is quite a limited consensus among psychologists when
it comes to asserting the role of personal values in
guiding behavior. Some argue that values have an
obvious role in guiding behavior (Rokeach, 1968);
others argue that, on the contrary, values rarely guide
behaviors (Bardi and Schwartz, 2003, 1207).
Most empirical research links singular behavior to a
certain set of variables. This is why one cannot assert
that values influence human behavior in general.
However, some recent researches argue that there is an
extensive connection between the general value system
and human behavior as a whole (Bardi and Schwartz,
2003).
Distinction should be made between instrumental
values (the ones that guide human behavior) and final
values (which envision the final goals of existence). The
instrumental values are, in other words, means to
achieve a goal. At the same time, “values provide
standards against which the behaviors of individuals and
society can be judged” (Kates et al., 2005, 16).
Value systems are relatively stable in time. Not
completely stable because social and individual changes
would not be possible; and not completely unstable
because the continuity of personality and society would
be impossible (Baciu et al., 2008).
This sort of stability creates several challenges for a
situation of institutional change. If formal institutions
can change marginally or they can be replaced “over
night”, informal rules tend to develop a certain
resistance to change and to carry on our values and
attitudes. Thus, cultural norms, personal values and
attitudes and inherited beliefs affect the present
individual behavior furthermore, affecting the
institutional and economic development of a country.
At the same time, individual values are also formed,
reinforced and changed through education. Education
explains not only the differences in the cognitive
content of individuals’ mind (which, furthermore,
explains the differences in skills and competences,
income level, socio-economic situation etc.) but also in
the ways individuals filter the environment and reason.
Also, education “may bring about differences in
individual attitudes, in values concerning personal and
social relations and in the strength of certain
psychological propensities” (Inkeles, Holsinger, 1974,
1). Studies conducted in less developed countries point
out that “education is a major determinant of the
syndrome of attitudes, values and behaviors which
distinguish the more modern from the more traditional
man” (Inkeles, Holsinger, 1974, 1). Other studies
clearly state that “the educational process is of constant
self-realization leading too the achievement of essential
values as a human being” (Nomura, 2002, 44).
There are also more focused studies on this issue.
For example, it has been proven that education is
“significantly associated with tolerance not only via a
direct path but also indirectly though its influence on
values” (Golebiowska, 1997, 30).
Translating all these aspects into the language of
sustainable development, we can say that the
sustainability institutions strongly depend on receiving
the acceptance and support of pre-existing institutions.
If the pre-existing institutions are not part of the
network built by the newer arrival, the process of
integration suffers (Sedlacek and Gaube, 2010). The
pre-existing institutions refer to both formal and
informal rules. People’s sustainability values are a part
of the informal pre-existing rules.
Previous work in the field of sustainable
development provides several attempts of identifying
these sustainability values. The most explicit set of
values can be found in the UN Millennium Declaration
which clearly states that “certain fundamental values are
essential to international relations in the twenty-first
century: freedom, equality, solidarity, tolerance, respect
for nature, shared responsibility” (UN, 2000).
If “human development is the end” (UN, 1996, 11)
and if “sustainable development can be defined as a call
to maximize human welfare over time” (Anderson &
Huggins, 2003, 59), then we believe that the true
sustainability values are the ones that make human
efforts and human cooperation possible. They are the
ones which allow the individuals to develop just their
good side in order to survive; the ones that have always
led to peace, prosperity and expansion of human
freedom.
Taking the existing literature as a point of departure
and even if to a certain extent intuitively, we believe
that the main instrumental individual values
underpinning sustainable development practices are
trust, democracy, tolerance, responsibility,
independence, imagination respectively those
instrumental values positively influencing economic
behavior at social level.
EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS OF THE
RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN SSI AND
INSTRUMENTAL VALUES
Data and Method
In order to study the relationship between
sustainable development and individual instrumental
values we use several indicators. Sustainable
development is measured by Sustainable Society Index
(SSI) 2008 released by Sustainable Society Foundation.
Using World Values Survey 2005-2008 we quantify the
instrumental values identified above. In order to capture
each value, one question from the survey is identified
that is most closely correlated with each trait. Trust is
measured by the question “Generally speaking, would
you say that most people can be trusted or that you need
to be very careful in dealing with people?”., Democracy
by “Importance of democracy” and all other variables
are selected from the list of qualities that children can be
encouraged to learn at home. Due to the fact that
individual values are relatively stable in time, as
discussed above, there is no impediment in using data
previously 2008 although the SSI value is registered for
2008.
Informal Institutions and Sustainable Development. The Role of Education in Developing A Culture of Sustainability
in Romania –Part I 141

Data are recorded at country level for 13 EU
Member States (Bulgaria, Cyprus, Finland, France,
Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Netherlands, Sweden,
Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Spain). Data sources are the
sites of Sustainable Society Foundation
(http://www.sustainablesocietyindex.com/Datasheet_SS
I_2008.xls) and World Values Survey
(http://www.worldvaluessurvey.org/). Statistical data
processing was conducted using SPSS software.
The relationship between two or more variables is
most frequently analyzed using regression and
correlation analysis. This method is applied in the paper
in order to identify those individual values which have a
strong influence on Sustainable Development. The
identification of the significant correlations is made
using Pearson correlation coefficient. The statistical
significance of the Pearson correlation coefficient is
tested using Student t - test.
Using Student t-test we test the null hypothesis
H 0 : ρ = 0 , the absence of correlation between the
analyzed variables, as against alternative hypothesis
H 1 : ρ ≠ 0 , the presence of correlation, where ρ , is
the Pearson correlation coefficient. If Sig probability
associated to the calculated value of t statistic is higher
than the conventional probability α , Sig > α , the null
hypothesis is validated. On the contrary, if Sig < α , we
reject the null hypothesis, with assumed α risk.
Main Results
For the sample of 13 countries, we studied the
bivariate correlation between SSI and the identified
instrumental values.
Table 1 presents, for each analyzed correlation, the
estimated value of Pearson correlation coefficient (r)
and Sig probability associated to the computed value of
Considering the small sample dimensionality, we
also accept for analysis the significant correlations for a
risk of 10%. For a risk of 10%, the factors that influence
SSI are: Democracy, Independence, Tolerance and
respect for other people, Religious faith, Obedience.
From the analysis we can conclude that several
instrumental values such as, Trust, Democracy,
Independence, Responsibility, Imagination, Tolerance
positively influence a society’s sustainable development
while there are also other instrumental values which
exert a negative influence on a country’s sustainability
such as Religious faith and Obedience.
Furthermore, we selected the countries with the
highest value for SSI (Sweden, Finland) and
respectively, the smallest value of SSI (Poland, Cyprus)
and we represented the column diagram for SSI and the
most important influencing instrumental values (Trust,
Responsibility, Imagination) and also the variables
which negatively correlate with SSI (Religious faith and
Obedience)
We reached the following conclusions: i) the
variable Responsibility, positively correlated with SSI,
displays a weak variation and a relatively constant
influence from one country to another; ii) the variables
Trust and Imagination, also positively correlated with
SSI, have higher values for the countries with high SSI
values; iii) the factors Religious and Obedience,
negatively correlated with SSI, have small values for the
countries with high SSI values and vice versa.
7.00 SSI
Most people
can be trusted
6.00 Feeling of
responsibility
Imagination
5.00 Religious faith
Obedience
4.00

t statistic.
3.00

Table 1: The correlation coefficient between SSI and instrumental values

Variable r Sig 2.00

Trust (Most people can be .896 .000

trusted) 1.00
Democracy .492 .088
Independence .479 .097 0.00
Hard work -.426 .146 Poland Cyprus Finland Sweden
Feeling of responsibility .577 .039 Figure 1 SSI and the most important influencing factors for the countries
Imagination .765 .002 with the highest respectively, the smallest values for this index
Tolerance and respect for other .527 .064
people The society present in several European countries
Thrift saving money and things -.182 .552 such as Finland and Sweden is oriented towards several
Determination perseverance .412 .162 values such as, trust, responsibility, imagination etc.
Religious faith -.526 .065 while the society present in Poland and Cyprus is more
Unselfishness -.140 .647 religious, obedient. Such societies (characterizing also
Obedience -.488 .091 most of the Eastern European countries) are more
Source: Output obtained in SPSS
oriented to respect for authority; work is seen as an
Thus, for a risk of 5%, we accept the existence of a obligation towards society coming from a stronger sense
significant relationship between SSI and the following of obedience, inaction to change is extremely high,
factors: Trust, Feeling of responsibility, Tolerance and family values are important; intolerance to deviant
respect for other people. groups is also higher etc.
142 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

DISCUSSIONS AND CONCLUSIONS
The findings confirm our premise, i.e. the existence
of a positive correlation between several instrumental
individual values namely, trust, democracy,
independence, tolerance, imagination and sustainable
development.
This study confirms, once again, that people, with
their preferences and values, should be taken into
account when it comes to design sustainable
development strategies. The existing differences
between countries from the cultural point of view
(including values and preferences) make impossible a
“one size fits all” approach or a top-down approach of
sustainability institutional framework. It is not enough
to have adequate formal institutions. It is not enough to
put rules on the paper and wait for a change in the
direction of sustainability. People have to believe in
those rules; if not, they will be designed in vain and will
remain on the paper.
In a situation of reluctance, it takes a long term
learning and education process to change people
mentality and make them appreciate those values which
enable behavioral adjustments to the institutional
context of sustainability.
13. Rokeach, M. (1968), Beliefs, Attitudes & Values: A theory of
Organization and Change, Jossey Bass, San Francisco.
14. Sedlacek, S. and Gaube, V. (2010), “Regions on their way to
sustainability: the role of institutions in fostering sustainable
development at the regional level”, Environment Development
and Sustainability, 12 (1), 117–134.
15. Sharp, B. (2002), “Institutions and Decision Making for
Sustainable Development”, Working Paper, 02/20, New Zeeland
Treasury.
16. Shepherd, D.A., Kuskova, V. and Patzelt, H. (2009), “Measuring
the values that underlie sustainable development: The
development of a valid scale”, Journal of Economic Psychology,
30 (2), 246–256.
17. United Nations General Assembly (2000), “United Nations
Millennium Declaration”, Resolution 55/2. Available at
http://www.um.org/millennium/declaration/ares552e.htm.
18. United Nations (1996), Human Development Report, New York..
19. Veeman, T.S. and Politylo, J. (2003), “The Role of Institutions
and Policy in Enhancing Sustainable Development and
Conserving Natural Capital”, Environment, Development and
Sustainability, 5 (3–4), 317–332.

References

1. Anderson, T.L. and Huggins, L.E. (2004), “The Property Rights

Path to Sustainable Development”, in: M. Wynne, H.
Rosenblum, R. Formaine (eds.), The Legacy of Milton and Rose
Friedman’s Free to Choose, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas,
57–72.
2. Baciu, L., Ceobanu, C., Asandului, L. and Iacobuţă, A. (2008),
“Institutions and Economic Performance in Romania: A
Sociopsychological Perspective”, Conference Paper, 2nd
International Conference on Educational Economics, 27–30
August, Athens.
3. Bardi, A. and Schwartz, S.H. (2003), “Values and Behaviour:
Strength and Structure of Relations”, Personality and Social
Psychology Bulletin, 29 (10), 1207–1220.
4. Ceobanu, C. (2005), Mentalităţi şi structuri axiologice, Editura
Universităţii “Al. I. Cuza”, Iaşi.
5. Golebiowska, E.A. (1997), “Individual Value priorities,
eductaion and political tolerance”, Political Behavior, 17(1), 23-
48.
6. Inkeles, A. and Holsinger, D.B. (1974), “Introduction”, in A.
Inkeles, A. , D.B. Holsinger (eds.), Education and Individual
Modernity in Developing Countries, E.J. Brill, Leiden,1-6.
7. Kates, R.W., Parris, T.M. and Leiserowitz, A.A. (2005), “What is
Sustainable Development? Goals, Indicators, Values and
Practice”, Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable
Development, 47 (3), 8–21.
8. Morita, S. and Zaelke, D. (2005), “Rule of Law, Good
Governance and Sustainable Development”, 7th International
Conference on Environmental Compliance and Enforcement,
Conference Proceedings, Vol. 1, 15–21.
9. Nomura, Y. (2002), Lifelong integrated education as a creator of
the future, Trentham Books Limited.
10. North, D.C. (1990), Institutions, institutional change and
economic performance, Cambridge University Press,
Cambridge.
11. North, D.C. (2005), Understanding the process of economic
change, Princeton University Press, Princeton.
12. Rodriguez-Pose, A. (2010), “Do institutions matter for regional
development?”, Working Paper, Series in Economics and Social
Sciences, February, IMDEA Ciencias Socials, Madrid.
INFORMAL INSTITUTIONS AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT. THE ROLE OF
EDUCATION IN DEVELOPING A CULTURE OF SUSTAINABILITY IN ROMANIA (II)

Andreea IACOBUŢĂ1, Maria GAGEA2

1
Alexandru Ioan Cuza University Iasi, andreea_iacobuta@yahoo.com
2
Alexandru Ioan Cuza University Iasi, marygag2002@yahoo.com

This paper takes an institutional approach to analyzing the role of education in adopting sustainable development practices. It
assesses the influence of the existing individual values on the capacity of countries to follow sustainable paths and suggests possible
ways to make education a pillar for building a culture of sustainability. Prior research has shown that the ability of a country to
follow sustainable development paths largely depends on the presence of strong formal rules (such as free market, property rights,
contract enforcement etc). However, fewer studies are concerned with the role of informal institutions and the ways these can be
changed in order to underpin sustainable development practices. This paper adheres to the idea that sustainable development is
mainly about individual values and, if not appropriate, these should be changed. We believe that the process of institutional change at
the informal level can happen only through education and learning. The paper provides a combination of qualitative and quantitative
analysis. Data from WVS and EVS databases and from own researches previously conducted in Romania are used, the purpose being
to determine the extent to which the existing values influence sustainable development practices in our country and how they can be
changed through education and learning. The findings confirm the existence of a relationship between individual values and
sustainable development. Also, the Romanians share several negative values which hamper the ability of the country to follow
sustainability paths. However, we believe that only through education and learning people will adopt and praise those values proven
to be a sure path to welfare and progress. The conclusions of the paper may be valuable for a successful development in Romania.
Also they point out that development strategies cannot be designed via a “one size fits all” principle and need to be adapted to the
conditions of different national institutional environments, in order to achieve sustainable development. The added value of the
research derives from the correlation between the existing individual values and the indicators of sustainable development. Besides
contributing to the literature on the role of education in developing institutions underpinning sustainable development, this paper may
provide useful knowledge for higher education and public administration decision-makers.

nations: carelessness, idleness, lack of initiative,

INTRODUCTION
In the first part of the paper we have identified
correlations between Sustainable Society Index (SSI)
and several instrumental values, the most important
being Trust (measured by the statement “Most people
can be trusted”), Responsibility (Feeling of
responsibility) and Imagination.
In this part of the paper we aim at analyzing the
influence these values have on sustainable society in
Romania compared to other EU countries (Great
Britain, France, Italy, Netherlands, Sweden, Finland,
Poland, Slovenia, Spain, Bulgaria, Cyprus and
Germany).
Romanians are considered to have a series of fatidic
informal institutions which intertwine with the efficient
formal ones or are against institutional change. Ethno-
psychological studies show that Romanians tend to be
obedient in front of authority, expect that somebody
offers them assistance, believe that the State should
provide a better life for everybody, easily use
connections and bribe to solve their problems (Baciu et
al., 2007).
THEORETICAL BACKGROUND: THE WAY
ROMANIANS ARE
In one of the most seminal studies about the
Romanians’ way of thinking Drăghicescu points out
that “the lack of homogenous development of our past
favors the lack of clear-cut way of thinking of the
Romanian people. Romanian behavior is a mixture of
frequently detrimental cultural peculiarities of other
unresisting acceptance of fate, lack of self-confidence,
and above all fatality, blind belief in luck and destiny”
(Drăghicescu, 1996).
Previous research conducted at national level (Baciu
et al., 2007, Baciu et al., 2008, Baciu et al., 2009a,
Baciu et al. 2009b) show that the most frequent
instrumental values of Romanians are affectiveness,
ambition, competence, cleanliness, politeness,
responsibility. Values such as sincerity, receptivity,
creativity obtained only a poor percentage, a fact which
confirms the idea that individual initiative and the free
and self-determined individual’s mentality still need to
be cultivated in the Romania. Also, the same researches
point out that Romanian people lack trust and
involvement.
Besides, of all the European countries, Romania is
among the closest to traditionalism (Voicu and Voicu,
2007, 306-309), having the tendency to consolidate its
traditional values. Thus, institutional change at informal
level is a difficult process with a negative effect on
country’s development.
EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS OF THE
RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN SSI AND SEVERAL
INSTRUMENTAL VALUES IN ROMANIA
Method
Based on the results obtained in the first part of the
paper, we estimate simple linear regression models
between sustainable development and the factors which
are positively correlated with it. Using the estimation
errors, we try to assess the influence of individual
144 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

values on sustainable development in Romania, The relationship between SSI and Most people can
compared to the other countries considered in the be trusted is presented in figure 2. The estimated
analysis. equation for the regression model is
~
y i = 5,356 + 2, 413 x i .
The estimation errors, ei , i = 1, n are deviations
between the observed value of the dependent variable
y i and the estimated value of the dependent variable 7.00
Sweden
~y , meaning e = y − ~y . The estimation errors may Finland
i i i i
6.75
be negative or positive.
Negative errors mean that the estimated value of the 6.50
dependent variable (SSI, in this case) is higher than the France
Netherla

observed value. The negative errors appear when the

SSI
6.25 Germany
considered factor has a strong influence on sustainable Romania

development. The higher the negative errors are, the 6.00

Slovenia Great Br
stronger the factor influence is. Italy
Positive errors imply that the estimated value of the 5.75 Spain Bulgaria

dependent variable is smaller than the observed value.

Cyprus Poland
In this case, the considered factor has a weak influence 5.50

on sustainable development. The higher the positive 0.00 0.10 0.20 0.30 0.40 0.50 0.60 0.70
errors are, the weaker the factor influence is. Most people can be trusted

Main Results
The relationship between SSI and Most people can be
trusted
The comparative analysis of data regarding SSI and
Most people can be trusted, registered for the 13
countries in the sample (figure 1) points out the
following aspects: i) countries such as Great Britain and
Italy register SSI values below the average value of the
index and the values registered for Trust are equal or
above the average. ii) France and Romania display SSI
values above or equal to the index average value but
they register Trust values below this variable’s average.
Figure 2 The relationship between SSI and Most people can be trusted
According to Student test, the model’s parameters
are statically significant ( Sig < α ).
We test the following assumptions on errors: the
average error is zero (the Student t-Test), the hypothesis
of normality (the Jarque-Bera test), the
homoscedasticity hypothesis (Spearman nonparametric
correlation coefficient test) and autocorrelation (Durbin-
Watson test). According to the results obtained the
regression model is validated.
The estimation error corresponding to Romania is
e RO = y RO - ~y RO = 6 .10 − 5 .595 = -0.254 .
0.60000

7.00 SSI
Most people 0.40000
can be trusted
6.00

0.20000
5.00

4.00 0.00000

3.00
-0.20000
2.00

-0.40000
1.00
G

Sp rla

Sw

Sl d

C nia

G s
Fr

Ita Br

Fi

Po d

Bu ia

R ria

yp
et

om
re

er
nl

ov
an

ly

ai

la

lg
ed

0.00
he

an
at

m
ru
en
n

a
ce

a
en

an
G e

Sp erla

Sl d

C ani

G s
Fr

Ita t Br

Fi en

Po nd

Bu ia

R ria

y
w
et

yp a
re

om

er
nl

ov
an

ly

ai

la

lg
ed
h

a
a

m
ru
en
n

a
c

an

Figure 3: Distribution of the estimation errors of SSI depending on Trust

y

Figure 1: Distribution of the countries from the analyzed sample depending on

SSI and Most people can be trusted
We make the intuitive hypothesis that for the second
category of countries, the estimation of SSI as
depending on Trust, displays the highest positive
estimation errors within the identified regression model.
In other words, Trust plays a less significant part in
achieving sustainable development in these countries
compared to the ones in the first category.
From the graphical representation (figure 3) one can
notice that the highest errors are registered for France,
Poland and Romania. For Romania and France the
positive errors show that the estimated value of the SSI
is smaller than the observed value, which means that
Trust has a smaller influence on sustainable society
compared to the other countries.
Since the estimation errors follow a normal
distribution, we determine the average range of
variation e ± s = ±0.2073, where s is the estimation
Informal Institutions and Sustainable Development. The Role of Education in Developing A Culture if Sustainability
in Romania- Part II 145

standard deviation of the errors, s = 0.2073. The 0.60000

average range of variation (− 0 . 2073 ; + 0 .2073 )

0.40000
covers 68.27% of the estimation errors. The error
registered for Romania is not located in this range which 0.20000

means that it cannot be found among the smallest 0.00000

68.27% values.
We can conclude that in Romania, Trust explains -0.20000

sustainable development to a smaller extent compared to -0.40000

countries like Italy, Netherlands, Sweden, Spain,
Cyprus, and Germany which have small but negative -0.60000

values of the estimation errors within the considered -0.80000

model.

Sp rla

Sw

Sl d

C nia

G s
Fr

Ita Br

Fi n

Po d

Bu ia

R ria

yp
et

om
re

er
nl

ov
an

ly

ai

la

lg
ed
he
at

an

m
ru
en
n

a
ce

a
e

an
The relationship between SSI and Feeling of

responsibility
Boxplot diagram of the distribution of the countries
from the analyzed sample depending on SSI and Feeling
of responsibility (Figure 4) indicates that SSI shows a
greater variation compared with the indicator of
Responsibility. Given this aspect, we make the intuitive
assumption that the positive estimation errors of the SSI
based on Responsibility have higher values in the
countries where SSI has high values (Finland, Sweden).
The negative estimation errors will be recorded for the
countries with the lowest SSI (Poland and Cyprus).
Romania ranks 6th among the countries in the
sample from the point of view of SSI and the value of
Responsibility indicator is below the average. In this
case, we expect a positive estimation error,
Responsibility explaining to a small extent sustainable
society in our country.
Feeling of
responsibility
y
Figure 5 Distribution of the estimation errors of SSI depending on
Responsibility
The most significant influence of Responsibility on
sustainable society can be traced in Poland, Cyprus and
Italy, which have negative estimation errors (Figure 5).
The weakest influence can be noticed in Sweden and
Finland which, like Romania, register positive errors.
We compute the average range of variation,
e ± s = ±0.381, where s is the standard deviation of the
estimation errors, s = 0.381 .
68.27% of the countries register estimation error
values between (− 0.381; + 0 .381 ) . The error registered
for Romania can be located in this range which means
that it can be found among the smallest 68.27% values.
The relationship between SSI and Imagination
The variable Imagination registers a small value for
Romania and we expect that the estimation error of SSI
depending on Imagination to be a positive one, having a
weak influence (Figure 6).

7.00 SSI
Imagination

6.00

SSI 5.00

4.00

3.00

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
2.00

Figure 4: Distribution of the countries from the analyzed sample depending on

SSI and Feeling of responsibility 1.00

The linear regression equation is: 0.00

G

S erla

Sw

S d

C ani

G s
Fr

Fi en

P nd

Bu nia

R ria
Ita Br

~
pa

lo
ol

yp a
et

om
re

er
nl
an

ly

lg
ed

y i = 3,832 + 2,842 x i . The linear regression model

ve
an
h

a
at

m
in

ru
a
ce

an
y

between SSI and Feeling of responsibility is validated. Figure 6: Distribution of the countries from the analyzed sample depending on
SSI and Imagination
The estimation error for Romania is
e RO = y RO - ~y RO = 6 .10 − 5 .825 = 0.2753 . The
The relationship between SSI and Imagination is
positive error shows that the estimated value of SSI is presented in figure 7. The linear regression equation is:
smaller than its empirical value, meaning that in ~y = 5,382 + 2,831 x . The linear regression model
i i
Romania, Responsibility contributes to a small extent to
between SSI and Feeling of responsibility is validated.
supporting SSI, compared with other countries in the
sample.
146 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

7.00
small extent influenced by Trust, Responsibility and
Finland Sweden
Imagination.
6.75 Based on these research results and corroborating
with the ones obtained in first part of this paper, we can
6.50
Netherla state that the Romanians have not embraced yet the
sustainability values.
SSI

As long as, according to World Values Survey,

6.25 France Germany
Romania

6.00
92.3% of the interviewed Romanians never heard about
Italy
Slovenia Spain
Great Br
the Millennium Development Goals and of the small
5.75 Bulgaria percentage of those who heard about them, the majority
Cyprus
consists in people with University degree, as long as
5.50 Trust, Responsibility and Imagination are by far more
0.10 0.20 0.30 0.40 0.50 0.60 appreciated by educated people (the ones with higher
Imagination educational levels), we believe that education and
Figure 7: The relationship between SSI and Imagination learning are the way towards praising the sustainability
The estimation error for Romania is values. However, education does not only stand for
~
e RO = y RO - y RO = 6 .10 − 5 .852 = 0.248 . As in the cognitive acquisitions; it also stands for modeling
previous situations, the positive error shows that the behaviors. Consequently, the issue of the use of
estimated value of SSI is smaller than its empirical education in enhancing sustainability values has to be
value, meaning that Imagination explains sustainable put in terms of learning how to overcome the mentalities
development to a smaller extent compared to other obstacles and not only introducing Sustainable
countries in the sample. development in classroom curricula.
The positive errors, indicating weak influences of If education and, more important, the individual
the variable Imagination on sustainable society values it “teaches” make the distinction between
indicator, are also registered for Finland, Netherlands traditional and modern individual and Romania is to a
and France. The most significant influence of large extent a traditionalist, reluctant to change society,
Imagination, as an instrumental value, on sustainable then we can state that the surest path towards Romania’
development can be noticed in Great Britain (Figure 8). s modernization is education .

0.60000 References

0.40000 1. Baciu, L., Asandului, L., Iacobuţă, A. and Corodeanu, D.

(2009a), Coerenţa instituţională în dinamica economiei
0.20000 româneşti, Editura Universităţii Al.I.Cuza Iaşi.
2. Baciu, L., Asandului, L. and Iacobuţă, A. (2009b), “Institutions
0.00000
and values of Romanians – comparative analysis of historical
regions”, The Annals of the University of Oradea, Economic
Sciences Series, Tome XVIII 2009 – Vol.II, 246-251.
-0.20000
3. Baciu, L., Ceobanu, C., Asandului, L. and Iacobuţă, A. (2008),
“Institutions and Economic Performance in Romania: A
-0.40000
Sociopsychological Perspective”, Conference Paper, 2nd
International Conference on Educational Economics, 27–30
-0.60000 August, Athens.
4. Baciu, L., Asandului, L., Ceobanu, C., and Iacobuţă, A. (2007),
G e

Sp rla

Sw

Sl d

C nia

G s
Fr

Fi n

Po d

Bu ia

R ria
Ita Br

“Informal institutions, cultural factors and economic

yp
et

om
re

er
nl

ov
an

ly

ai

la

lg
ed
he

an
at

m
ru
en
n

a
n
c

a
e

an

performance in Romania”, available at

y

Figure 8: Distribution of the estimation errors of SSI depending on http://sadapt.imapg.inra.fr/ersa2007/papers/278.pdf

Imagination 5. Drăghicescu, D. (1996), Din psihologia poporului român,
Paideia, Bucureşti.
The error registered for Romania can be located in 6. Gagea, M., Balan, Ch.B. (2008), “The statistical evaluation of
the curriculum role in the formation of a specialist’s skills”,
the average range of variation (− 0.300 ; 0.300 ) , which International Conference of Education, Research and
means that it can be found among the smallest 68.27% Innovation, IATED, Madrid, available at:
values. www.iated.org/iceri2008
7. Gujarati, D.N. (1995), Basic Econometrics, third edition,
McGRAW-HILL International Editions, Singapore.
CONCLUSIONS 8. Jaba E., Grama, A. (2004), Analiza statistică cu SPSS sub
Windows, Ed. Polirom, Iaşi.
9. Nenciu, E., Gagea, M. (2009), Lecţii de Econometrie, Ed.
Compared to the other countries in the sample Sedcom Libris, Iaşi
(Great Britain, France, Italy, Netherlands, Sweden, 10. Voicu, B., Voicu, M., coord., (2007), Valori ale românilor 1993-
Finland, Poland, Slovenia, Spain, Bulgaria, Cyprus and 2006, Ed. Institutul European, Iaşi.
Germany), Romania registers positive estimation errors
for all three variables (Trust, Responsibility,
Imagination). This means that sustainable society is to a
PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT SYSTEMS IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Liviu ILIEŞ1, Delia BUTILCĂ2, Adriana FEKETE3, Emil CRIŞAN4

1
Babeş-Bolyai University Cluj-Napoca, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, liviu.ilies@econ.ubbcluj.ro
2
Babeş-Bolyai University Cluj-Napoca, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, delia.butilca@econ.ubbcluj.ro
3
Babeş-Bolyai University Cluj-Napoca, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, adriana.fekete@lingua.ubbcluj.ro
4
Babeş-Bolyai University Cluj-Napoca, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, emil.crisan@econ.ubbcluj.ro

Objectives: International rankings, national rankings, intra-university rankings, intra-departmental rankings are performed
constantly. At present, performance management in higher education is undoubtedly one of the main concerns of most universities. At
international level performance management as part of quality assurance and assessment programmes has proved to be a stressful
system for teachers and has created a culture of mediocrity. The goal of this article is to underline the need for an alternative
paradigm for performance management in higher education, more independent, customer – centred and human oriented.
Prior work: Performance measurement used in higher education is considered in comparison with performance measurement used in
business organisations. Performance management in higher education institutions has its roots in business performance management.
The stressful key-performance-indicators system borrowed from business, very often built according to some “prestigious” external
rankings, has caused the advanced countries to rethink the scope of their higher education system.
Approach, results and implications: For identifying the main differences between business and higher education performance
measurement systems literature review is used. The need for a new paradigm regarding performance measurement and management
within higher education institutions is identified considering the pitfalls which the advanced countries have already met while
implementing business-like performance management systems. This article is a manifest for thinking and rethinking how performance
management is done. Several conclusions are revealed: the interest in meeting external conditions imposed by international rankings
prevails over internal improvement interest; output results interest prevails over process key performance indicators measurement;
the focus on result indicators (task orientation) is rather a stressful factor for teachers and generates demotivation.
Value: this paper underlines the need for changing the focus from international rankings to customer needs, from output to process,
from process to human resources in building performance management and measurement systems within HEIs.
Key words: performance, measurement, management, system, paradigm, higher education

The goal of this article is to perform an analysis of

INTRODUCTION
For a country and its citizens, investing in
education is synonymous with investing in the future.
At an international level, higher education is a huge
market, containing competitive higher education
institutions (HEIs). These poles of attraction for people
interested in knowledge and progress succeeded in
ancient times due to several reasons: peace and stable
states, state investments and a continuous relation with
economy. There were small HEIs, small systems, easy
to manage, with very few employees. Knowledge
transfer to new employees, quality assurance and
change were performed mostly by continuous
supervision (inspection) within the master – apprentice
relation.
The need for knowledge, the need for progress and
the existing peace conditions have contributed to the
development of HEIs, both in dimension and
complexity. Knowledge transfer, quality assurance and
change are now the main concerns inside HEIs. For
being a top performing university the master-
apprentice model seems to be overrated.
The final result of the current performance
management in HEIs is occupying a favourable
position in different international rankings. So much do
these rankings matter nowadays that actual
performance management endeavours are less
promoted than the rankings themselves.
There is a great difference between the paradigm
which exists in business organizations and that which
is created in HEIs regarding performance measurement
and management.
these two paradigms: business and higher education
performance management. Comparisons are drawn
considering the literature regarding performance
management in business and in HEIs.
The first part of the article contains details
regarding the evolution of performance management
and performance measurement systems within business
organizations – from financial to non-financial
indicators, from operations to strategic performance
management.
The second part is related to performance
management in higher education institutions, with an
emphasis on the importance of international rankings
and other external performance milestones while
building performance management systems, and the
pitfalls of implementing business-like performance
measurement systems in higher education institutions.
The final part of the article contains some
hypotheses regarding the current performance
management systems used in Romanian higher
education institutions.
The conclusion of this article is that performance
management systems used in higher education should
be improved in several ways: changing the focus from
numbers to people and ensuring that creativity,
spontaneity and value are ranked higher than
mediocrity.
THE PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT
PARADIGM IN BUSINESS
Performance management has been reflected in
performance measurement systems used within the
148 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
business community. The term “performance measure”
is vague, historical, and diffuse (Neely 1999).
The management of performance is centred on its
measured values, hence the importance of
measurement above all else (Neely et al. 2003). Quite
often the measurement of performance has been seen
simply as a collection of numbers refering to
operational functions. As a result, the metrics should
have allowed meaningful comparisons. Neely (2005)
found that the field of performance measurement has
become a broad framework covering disciplines as far
from each other as management is from medicine,
providing “little consensus about its theoretical
foundations” (p. 1267).
Schneiderman (1996) stated that measures consist of a
broad set of infinite forms of evaluating a firm’s
processes whereas metrics are a subset of the few
measures actually useful for improving a company’s
efforts.
The accounting, finance, management and economic
world certainly accept that the financial metrics were
initially the most suitable indicators of comparative
performances among companies, industries and
nations. Secondly, financial performance measures
acted as barometers to signify achievement against
major organizational objectives. Thirdly, they acted as
motivators for future achievements. By providing a
window of the past they were thought to be the
instigators of future success. The fact that they were
cost-based and backward-looking provided little
motivation to improve, and in some instances even
hindered improvement (Kaplan 1986).
The difficulties with financial measures of
performance are many (Eccles 1991): performance is
usually isolated to individual units, rather than
measured and interpreted holistically; often, financial
information used in managerial decision making has no
operational relevance, resulting in the failure to
understand the processes within the organization;
customer focus is usually not considered or
downplayed by financial indicators (Hill and
Alexander 2000); bottom-line financial results are
historically focused when the firm should be orientated
to the future; cost based accounting metrics are well
over half a century old (DuPont method, in Gardner
2004).
The problems of traditional finance-based measures
generated the search for better metrics. Financial
specialists adopted measures such as activity based
costing (ABC), economic value added (EVA) (Otley
2002), triple bottom line (TBL) (Elkington 1997). It
was the balanced scorecard (BSC) (Kaplan and Norton
1992) that paved the way for an innovative approach to
measuring and managing performance. This framework
has four dimensions, including the financial one. The
other three are the internal business perspective,
customer perspective, and the innovation and learning
perspective. The Cranfield University response to the
BSC is the Performance Prism (Neely et al. 2003),
which has five facets of performance: stakeholder
satisfaction, strategies, processes, capabilities, and
stakeholder contribution. These performance
measurement models and similar ones, such as Lebas’s
performance tree (1995), the performance matrix of
Keegan et al. (1989) or even the Tableau de Bord
(TdB; Epstein and Manzoni 1998), and the others
presented in the next table recognize the need for
including non-tangible performance indicators in a
broad-based metric.
Table 1: Some emerging systems for performance measurement
Source: Ilieş, Butilcă, Crişan 2009
Performance measurement systems References
and approaches
Strategic Measurement Analysis and Lynch and Cross 1991;
Reporting Technique (SMART) McNair et al. 1990
Performance Measurement Dixon et al. 1990
Questionnaire (PMQ)
Results and Determinants Matrix Fitzgerald et al. 1991;
(R&DM) Fitzgerald and Moon 1996
The Balanced Scorecard (BSC) Kaplan and Norton 1992,
1996, 2000
Comparative Business Scorecard Kanji 1998; Kanji and
(CBS) Moura e Sá 2002
Cambridge Performance Measurement Neely et al. 1996, 2000;
Process (CPMP) Bourne et al.1998, 2000
Consistent Performance Measurement Flapper et al. 1996
Systems (CPMS)
Integrated Performance Measurement Bititci et al. 1997, 1998a, b
Systems (IPMS)
Dynamic Performance Measurement Bititci et al. 2000
Systems (DPMS)
Integrated Performance Measurement Medori 1998a, b; Medori
Framework (IPMF) and Steeple 2000
Performance management in business has evolved
from shareholders’ focus (financial results) to
stakeholders’ focus (considering several aspects of the
business). All mentioned systems were built in order to
ensure performance improvement.
Just focusing on results has been considered a very
poor method to ensure improvement as it did not
provide the tools for improvement. BSC, for example,
extends the focus from financial indicators
(shareholders) to customers and employees (innovation
and learning), but considers the processes improvement
as the key to performance. All the other systems
consider the process approach of business, which is
recognized by ISO 9001:2008 as a key approach to
obtaining quality in organisations. The direction of
these management systems is not only from
shareholders to stakeholders, but also from results to
processes. We have presented here only the
measurement systems, but they have been
complemented by several management tools used for
attaining the objectives established by these measures.
These tools, presented as quality improvement tools,
six sigma tools or just improvement tools are useful
both in business and in higher education management.
THE PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT
PARADIGM IN HIGHER EDUCATION
INSTITUTIONS
Informal Institutions and Sustainable Development. The Role of Education in Developing A Culture if
Sustainability in Romania- Part II
Performance management and measurement in earlier
HEIs were based on the master – apprentice relation
and on trust. Because profit and money were not the
focus of state-owned HEIs, financial performance
measurement was not used in education.
Until the 1970s, performance and quality in higher
education were controlled through legal conditions
(Massy 2004, p.17) when creating institutions, faculties
or programmes of study. A first movement in
performance management was the appearance of
quality assurance (QA) in university management. It
started in the 1970s and 1980s, when it was used as a
new management tool in industry by the Japanese
companies.
Massification of higher education systems could be
considered one cause of this new trend. The majority of
Western governments decided to create quality
assessment agencies, which were responsible for
ensuring quality in the more autonomous HEIs. In Cen-
tral and Eastern Europe, they were introduced in 1990.
In 1998, the Commission of the EU made a
recommendation to establish and support a network of
the EU member states quality assurance agencies. This
network, the European Network of Quality Assessment
Agencies (ENQA), became operational in 2000.
The belief was that quality can be assured through
measurement of performance, productivity and
customer satisfaction. A variety of performance
monitoring mechanisms have been introduced, from
research and teaching assessment to quality audits and
publication of quantitative performance indicators
(Kezar and El-Khawas 2003). Increasingly, however,
these trends are taking place in the context of
globalization which leads to fiercer competition for
human and financial resources across the borders of
nations and continents. One example of globalization is
the Bologna process which led to the convergence of
higher education systems in different European
countries.
These QA programs have several pitfalls and are
contested by teachers from the UK, where these
mechanisms were first introduced. Morley (2003) and
Hussey (2010) identified several negative effects of
using these systems:
• QA is about standards and conformance. These
mechanisms neglect differences and diversity. The
TINA (there is no alternative) effect appears in HEIs;
• QA systems could be perceived as power systems
imposed by the state;
• QA is not suitable for education where the the
human relationship component is very important;
• QA is perceived and used as a defence mechanism.
HEIs attaining pre-established KPIs and the
government will ensure funding. Do these KPIs mean
real quality?
• QA has modified the old academic culture;
• QA means excessive regulation, which, combined
with low salaries, makes academy a poor career option;
• QA culture of excellence produces mediocrity;
• QA forced people to hide things;
149
• QA modified the primary function of HEIs to
management rather than learning.
Competition becomes international. In addition to the
external pressure on HEIs activity, determined by
specific governmental quality assurance programmes,
another external pressure appears: global
university rankings (Wende 2008). Increasingly,
national higher education systems and higher education
institutions are judged by where they stand in global
terms.
The most influential global rankings are ARWU
(Academic Ranking of World Universities) and Times
Higher Education Supplement. Performance indicators
considered by Times are: quality of research – 60%, the
percentage of graduates hired in the field they were
prepared for – 10%, international recognition – 10%,
quality of teaching – 20%. To establish the rankings
several means are used: questionnaires from higher
education teachers (40% weight), questionnaires from
employers (10% weight), number of citations (20%
weight), student/teacher ratio (20%), international
factors (5% - international students, 5% international
teachers). There are several problems related to this
measurement: it was only in 2007 that institutions
stopped evaluating themselves; the citations indicator
considers only three sources: Web of Science
(Thomson Reuters); Scopus (Elsevier) and Google
Scholar, a disadvantage for social sciences; the quality
of teaching is reflected only by the student/teacher ratio
– the calculation method for this ratio does not mention
whether the number of associated teachers is
considered. Performance indicators considered by
ARWU Shanghai are: quality of teaching (number of
graduates of the institution winning a Nobel Prize or a
Fields Medal - Alumni) – 10%, quality of the
institution (number of teachers of the institution
winning a Nobel Prize or a Fields Medal – Award –
20%) and the most cited authors in 21 fields – HiCi –
20%), research output (papers published in Nature and
Science – N&S– 20%, papers published in Science
Citation Index and Social Science Citation Index –
PUB – 20%), performance per capita (PCP – calculated
as a weighted average of the previous 5 indicators
(Alumni, Award, HiCi, N&S, PUB) considering the
number of teachers).
Some of the problems with these external rankings are:
• HEIs have a high degree of diversity, which is not
reflected by these rankings;
• Research rankings tend to be biased towards the
natural and medical sciences and the English language,
neglecting other sciences and languages;
• The international rankings place significant weight
on research activities. This element only partially
reflects academic activity;
• These rankings only measure the effects; they don’t
consider the causes of these values and can rarely be
used for improvement.
An international survey supported by the OECD
programme on Institutional Management of Higher
Education (IMHE) has looked into the impact of
150 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
rankings on institutional and academic behaviour. 46%
of the responding institutions have a formal internal
mechanism for reviewing their rank (Wende 2008).
The main disadvantage of these rankings is that instead
of being driven by competition for consumer needs,
HEIs are driven by competition for institutional
reputation. The institutions which succeed in meeting
customer needs could not be recognized as such due to
their lack of prestige;
CONCLUSIONS
Business organizations have built their performance
management system in accordance with their prime
goal: profit. They can independently choose the main
KPIs and directions for improvement.
Education is different. The external pressures imposed
by quality assurance agencies and by international
rankings are not considered a progress by the entire
academic world.
The introduction of QA programmes into higher
education is an example of the changing relations
between universities and the state. The state has the
stronger position in this relation. The import of best
practices for QA from business has not produced
equally successful results. Teaching and learning must
be motivated by appropriate ideals, not driven by
managerial desires to achieve economic outputs
(Wende 2008). Perfect uniformity is essential when
manufacturing bricks, but not when educating people.
In advanced countries, this managerial movement in
education is considered a mistake.
QA incorporated international rankings objectives,
adding new general (and probably wrong) solutions to
specific problems. Rankings are recognized as
improper approaches to academic performance. All
rankings are partial in coverage, contain biases and are
purpose-driven. The Centre for Higher Education
development in Germany has developed an alternative,
replacing the holistic ranking approach with a great
range of indicator data in specific areas. Rankings
make sense only within defined groups of comparable
institutions.
It is recognized that actual quality and performance
systems do not generate quality: they are output
oriented; they neglect processes and inputs; they
measure only numbers; measurements do not reflect
the market where each university acts; they do not take
into account the performance of each university in
satisfying the needs of the stakeholders.
Successful HEIs should change the way in which
things are measured and the actual external orientation.
The orientation should be customer driven, not
imposed by the government or by some global
rankings. They should remember that HEIs have
several purposes, not just research (Hussey and Smith
2009, p.78): individual and social development,
preservation of freedom, creativity, repositories of
knowledge, dissemination of knowledge, and
gatekeeper to professions.
HEIs should adopt the good things which the business
systems boast: independence in action and customer
focus (stakeholder approach). The academic system is
based on trust; the QA programmes should be more
flexible and should insist on personnel development of
HEIs. Within HEIs, mentoring and coaching are
considered better QA alternatives than KPIs.
References
1. Eccles, R.G. (1991), The PM manifesto, Harvard Business
Review, 69, pp. 131 –138.
2. Elkington, J. (1997), Cannibals with Forks: The Triple Bottom
Line of Twenty First Century Business, Capstone Publishing,
Mankato.
3. Epstein, M. and Manzoni, J. (1998), Implementing corporate
strategy: from tableaux de bord to balanced scorecards,
European Management Journal, 16(2), pp.190-203.
4. Gardner, D.L. (2004), Supply chain vector, J. Ross Publishing,
Florida.
5. Hill, N. and Alexander J. (2000), Handbook of customer
satisfaction and loyalty measurement, Gower Publishing
Company.
6. Hussey, T. and Smith, P. (2009), The Trouble with Higher
Education: A Critical Examination of Our Universities,
Routledge.
7. Ilieş, L., Butilcă, D., and Crişan, E., (2009), From firm
performance to supply-chain performance: methodologies used
at international level, The Proceedings of the international
conference Managerial Challenges of the Contemporary Society,
May, 29-30, 2009, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, pp. 130-139.
8. Kaplan, R. (1986). Accounting lag-the obsolescence of cost
accounting systems, California Management Review, 28(2),
pp.174–199.
9. Keegan, D. et al. (1989), Are your performance measures
obsolete?, Management Accounting, 70 (12), pp.45-50.
10. Kezar, A. and El-Khawas, E. (2003), Using the performance
dimension: Converging paths for external accountability, Higher
education reform. London, Society for Research into Higher
Education, pp. 85-99.
11. Lebas, M. (1995), Performance measurement and performance
management, International Journal of Production Economics,
41(1-3), pp.23-35.
12. Massy, W. (2004), Markets in higher education: Do they
promote internal efficiency?, Markets in Higher Education, pp.
13-35.
13. Morley, L. (2003), Quality and power in higher education.
Open University Press, McGraw Hill House, Philadelphia.
14. Neely, A. (1999), The performance measurement revolution:
why now and what next?, International Journal of Operations
and Production Management, 19(2), pp. 205-228
15. Neely, A. (2005), The evolution of performance measurement
research: Developments in the last decade and a research
agenda for the next, International Journal of Operations and
Production Management, 25(12), pp. 1264-1277.
16. Neely, A. et al. (2003), Towards the third generation of
performance measurement, Controlling, 3/4(2), pp. 61–67.
17. Neely, A., and Platts, K. (2005), Performance measurement
system design: A literature review and research agenda,
International Journal of Operations and Production
Management, 25(12), pp. 1228- 1263.
18. Norton, D. and Kaplan R. (1992), The balanced scorecard:
measures that drive performance, Harvard Business Review,
70(1), pp.71-79.
19. Salmi, J. (2009), The challenge of establishing world-class
universities, World Bank Publications.
20. Schneiderman, A. (1996), Metrics for the order fulfilment
process (part 1), Journal of Cost Management, 10, pp. 30-42.
21. Wende, M. (2008), Rankings and classifications in higher
education: A European perspective, Higher Education:
Handbook of Theory and Research, XXIII, pp. 49-71.
 STATISTICAL METHODS TO QUANTIFY THE STOCHASTIC RELATIONS THAT
CHARACTERIZE THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN ROMANIA

Nicolae ISTUDOR 1,Silvia Elena CRISTACHE 2,Rodica GOGONEA3,Lavinia ŢOŢAN4,Georgiana ŞTEFAN5, Constantin
Viorel MIHAI6
1
Professor, PhD,Academy of EconomicStdies, Bucharest, nicolae.istudor@ase.ro
2
Professor, PhD, Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, csilva2005@yahoo.com
3
Assistant professor, PhD, Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, manuela.gogonea@gmail.com
4
Assistant, PhD Candidate, Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, laviniatotan@yahoo.com
5
Assistant, PhD Candidate, Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, stgeorgiana@yahoo.com
6
PhD, Bucharest University, constantionviorelmihai@yahoo.fr.

Abstract:
The progress report on the national education system in 2005, produced by MEC, in most European countries, personnel costs have a share of
over 70% of total expenditures on education. Interested in 2001 and 2005 under the same ratio of personnel expenses decreased share of total
expenditures on education, this being determined by increasing the share of material expenditures in education. Also under MEC CNFIPS and
international statistics show that in all European countries, costs per student increase with education level and average cost per student of recent
years is a dynamic upward, one plausible explanation of this phenomenon is increasing funds allocated to education and decrease the total school
population.
1.General considerations on the education system in
Romania
A challenge at the moment is the addressing new needs
in terms of quality of higher education in the context of
European space for higher education achievement and
alignment of the Romanian system for higher education
quality standards imposed by the European Commission
through the implementation of the Bologna Process. The
report on the status of the national education system in
2005, prepared by the MEC in most European countries,
personnel costs have accounted for over 70% of total
expenditure for education. Between 2001 and 2005
decreased as compared to the same share of the total
personnel costs for education, this being determined by
increasing the share of expenditure in education
materials. MEC also under CNFIPS and international
statistics reveal that in all European countries, the cost
per pupil increase with education level and average cost
per student last year has a dynamic upward, one
plausible explanation of this phenomenon is increasing
funds allocated to education and decrease the total
school population. Also, National Institute of Statistics
in its official publications and publications Statistical
Yearbook of Romania and the Educational System in
Romania with Higher Education points out that higher
education is an upward trend of average duration and
increased its attendance rate Specific coverage of the
population of all ages, which reflects the average
duration of attendance and the level of education.
Also according to these publications issued by INS
between all levels of education, private alternative is
best represented in higher education that occurred after
1990, registering a spectacular evolution. Also
supported by J.M. Conference Barroso, in 2005, the
European Parliament, presents education as a successful
investment. Issues of success, depending on individual
factors such as intelligence, the ability to adapt
(Laughton, 1990, Gardner 1983, 1999), emotional
intelligence (Goleman, 1995), narrative intelligence
(Blair and Mayer, 1997, Elliott et al., 1998) which helps
the individual to decode the social codes, to create
explanations for the actions they observe, the suitability
of the context (the fitness function - Albrecht, 2005), is
a major concern of contemporary socio-humanistic,
while the whole civilization is based on an ideal time
success (Rigaud, 1999). Also active population in
Europe lives in a complex and diverse world of socially,
politically, culturally, ethnically and linguistically.
Education in general, is how to effect during learning
and understanding and adaptation of new European
context approach. So education and training systems
continue to be found in the process of transformation.
For this European Union member states will have to
adopt measures within the competence of state
authority, to identify coherent strategies and practical
measures to facilitate the development of learning
throughout working life of individuals, both at
individual and institutional and in public and private
spheres of life. It aims to harmonize higher education
systems to achieve, by 2010, a European Area of Higher
Education.
2. Analysis of statistical distributions to characterize
the evolution of higher education in Romania during
2001-2009
An accurate analysis of the levels of the population of a
country must first know the political, economic, social
and demographic. As a result of systematic statistical
data on education indicators derived were determined,
which enable a first form of the higher education system
is thus: • Real GDP economics Average annual real
GDP in the economy during 2001-2009 was 81,212.5
million euro with a representation that exceeds the
threshold of 35% is 44.72%, due to a high of 94,941
million euro dispersal makes asymmetry coefficient
value of 1.10 million euro to show us that the average
GDP overcomes median value of 70,450.5 million euro.
• Real GDP education -Follow the same distribution as
real GDP economy with an average of 2537.5 million
euro in the period 2001-2009, indicating quite
significant (coefficient of variation 47.64%> 35%) as
152 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
the amplitude variation is 3447 million, the asymmetry
is negative and low (0.54). There are times in analysis
the real GDP value of education was located above the
million Euro in 2377 and the period in which GDP
showed a lower value of the central value of 2377
million euro.
• Real average net monthly salary in education
Macroeconomic indicators dependent on real GDP in
education, the economy's real GDP and the total school
population in education at all levels, recorded an
average of 227.8 euro in the period 2001-2009,
unrepresentative because the value of the coefficient of
homogeneity (55, 68%) is high, this because in 2005-
2009 the real value of average net monthly salary has
doubled year 2005, tripled in 2006 and 2007. Real
wages in 2009 average net monthly amount of education
accounted for 418 euro maximum. This is confirmed by
relatively high positive value and the asymmetry
coefficient (0.85).
• Total school population education at all levels -
Average total school population education is 4.421
million persons per year, indicating very representative
confirmed the value of the coefficient of uniformity of
1.81% which is noted and the low value and positive
asymmetry coefficient of 0.58, because period 2004-
2009 was a total school population education as 4.421
million people.
• Population of Higher Education -Average annual
value of higher education population was 719 thousand
persons with reduced significance (coefficient of
variation of 18.05%). Maximum range of variation of
325 thousand persons [907 in the 2001/2002 2007/2008-
582] is low, leading to a small and positive asymmetry
(CAS = 0.52).
• Population over 12 years -Population over 12 years
with an average of 4.649 million persons per year ahead
of the total school population education, that dispersal is
modest spread in the area of 330 thousand people, very
high uniformity (Vx = 7.10%) after this indicator
analysis. Asymmetry is small and positive (CAS =
0.22).
• Degree of coverage in education, all school-age
population-Between 2001-2009 the average coverage
degree in education was 75.65% / year with a
coefficient of variance not exceed the 5% (Vx = 4.20%)
and a low asymmetry as for population over 12 years
(CAS = 0.19). Also, higher education is an upward trend
of the average duration of attendance and its specific
growth rate of coverage of the population of all ages.
Increase gross enrollment rate in higher education
reflects the average duration of attendance and the level
of education.
3.Analysis of dependencies between variables that
influence and characterize the educational system
In the second stage of the statistical approach are
characterized quantitatively and qualitatively the main
dependent variables mentioned above. Thus the analysis
of complex connections and interdependence of
economic and social phenomena, elementary statistical
methods are often inadequate. The connections between
economic phenomena of mass that is characterized by
one or another phenomenon varies under the influence
of a complex of factors, some of them crucial, and
others of secondary importance. In most of the links
between causal link am phenomena based on cause and
effect relationship. Links to statistical analysis is
necessary first to identify linkages, identifying and
prioritizing their influence, followed by the analysis of
the forms that show causal relations and statistical
measurement of the degree of connection. Multifactorial
ANOVA also allows analysis of the indicators
characterizing tourism activity due to several factors and
default comparison typical values in order to determine
whether there are significant differences between them.
• Factors Influencing the net average monthly
nominal wage in education Analyzing the average net
nominal monthly wage developments in education
during 2001-2009, according to causal variables: real
GDP evolution education, development economics real
GDP, the total school population education at all levels
following results were obtained regression function
Multiple linear regression model using multifactorial
yˆ x1, x2, x3 = 3047,05 + 0,233x1 + 0,0029x2 + 0,695x3
Intensity of the relationship between variables of this
model is measured by multiple correlation ratio whose
value is 0.99, the relationship between variables is
strong and direct. Determined coefficient of variation
shows that 98% of net average monthly nominal wage
of education is explained by the influence of educational
variables real GDP, real GDP national economy, the
total school population education at all levels, as
adjusted R showing, but in view of number of degrees
of freedom. Deviation of error (Standard Error) = 30.23
where this indicator is 0, means that all points are on the
right of regression. Checking the accuracy of regression
model multifactorial and multiple correlation ratio
criterion "Fisher" leads to the following conclusion:
because the probability Sig. F is less than 0.05
multifactorial regression model is valid, with a
significance threshold of 0.05. Intercept is free time and
is 3047.05 which is the point where explanatory
variables are 0 so the net average monthly nominal
wage of education that would exist if educational real
GDP, real GDP national economy, the total school
population education at all levels should be 0. Member
Since t = 1.71 and p-value = 0.1608 means that the
coefficient is not valid for a significance level of 0.05
(probability> 95%).
Confidence interval in this case is: -1876.70 <α
<7970.81. B1 coefficient is 0.233 which means that real
 Statistical methods to quantify the stochastic relations that characterize the educational system in romania 153

GDP increased by one million euro education, some freedom. Deviation of error (Standard Error) = 0.39
with a measure of net average monthly nominal wage where this indicator is 0, means that all points are on the
increase with education 0,0,233 ROL / employee. right of regression. Checking the accuracy of regression
Member Since t = 2.29 and p-value = 0.030> α means model multifactorial and multiple correlation ratio
that the coefficient is not valid for a significance level of criterion "Fisher" leads to the following conclusion:
0.05. Confidence interval in this case is -0.048 <α because the probability Sig. F is less than 0.05
<0.515. B2 coefficient is 0.0029 which means that the multifactorial regression model is valid, with a
national economy with real GDP growth of one million significance threshold of 0.05. Intercept is free time and
euro net average monthly nominal wage of education is 103.38 which is the point where explanatory variables
will increase by 0.0029 MDL-employee. Member Since are 0 so the degree of coverage in the education of
t = 1.025, and p-value = 0.3631> α means that the school-age population that would exist if real GDP
coefficient is not valid for a significance level of 0.05. education, population over 12 years, people of higher
Confidence interval in this case is -0.0049 <α <0.010. education should be 0 .
B3 coefficient is 0.695 which means that the total Member Since t = 12.46 and p-value = 0.002 means that
school population growth in education at all levels with the coefficient is valid for a significance level of 0.05
a thousand people the average net nominal monthly (probability> 95%). Confidence interval in this case is:
salary of education will increase by 0.695 Euro / person. 80.36 <α <126.41. B1 coefficient is -0.00050 which
Since they can be inferred that the influence of the total means that real GDP increased by one million euro
school population education and education to real GDP education, is a unit degree of coverage in education
is higher than real GDP national economy. population school age will decrease by 0.00050%. B2
Multiple correlation between average net coefficient is -0.0073 which means that the population
nominal monthly salary outcome variable real GDP growth of over 12 thousand people with a degree in
and educational developments, changes in real GDP education coverage of school-age population will
national economy, the total school population decrease by 0.0073%. B3 coefficient is 0.010 which
education at all levels as factorial variables means that the population growth of higher education
Regression Statistics with a thousand people, the education level of coverage
Multiple R 0.998 of school-age population will increase by 0.010%.
R Square 0.997
Adjusted R Multiple correlation between the degree of coverage
Square 0.99 in the education of school-age population outcome
Standard Error 30.23
variable and real GDP evolution education,
Obs. 8 population over 12 years, people in higher education
Coeff. P-value Lower 95% Upper 95% as factorial variables
Intercept 3047,05 0.16089 -1876.70 7970.81 Regression Statistics
PIB invat.
corectat 0,233 0.0830 -0.04 0.5152 Multiple R 0.99
PIB ec R Square 0.99
nationala Adjusted R
corectat 0.0029 0.3631 -0.0049 0.010 Square 0.98
Pop scolara Standard
totala in Error 0,39
invatamânt 0,695 0.1500 -1.7817 0.3905 Obs. 8
• Factors influencing the degree of coverage in Lower Upper
education, all school-age population Coeff. P-value 95% 95%
Analyzing developments in education degree coverage Intercept 103,38 0.0002 80,36 126,41
population schoolchildren during 2001-2009, according PIB
to causal variables: real GDP evolution education, învăţământul
population over 12 years, population education, the corectat -0.00050 0.3758 -0.0019 0.0009
following results were obtained by multiple regression Populaţia
peste 12 ani -0,0073 0.0065 -0.011 -0,0034
function using multifactorial linear regression model Populaţia
yˆ x1, x2, x3 = 103,38 − 0,00050x1 − 0,0073x2 + 0,010x3 invăţământul
superior 0,010 0.0728 -0,0015 0,0029

Link between the model intensity variables measured by
multiple correlation ratio whose value is 0.99, suggests
that the relationship between variables is strong and
direct. Determined coefficient of variation shows that
98% degree of coverage in education population school
age is explained by the influence of educational
variables real GDP, population over 12 years, the
population in higher education and R showing as
adjusted, but in view The number of degrees of
4. Implications and conclusions
Presentation framework of the Romanian education was
aimed at identifying general features of Romanian
education in order to determine areas where you can
take steps to improve the quality of Romanian education
system. Given the observation that Romania has the
lowest level of expenditure on education as percentage
of GDP, accounting for only 3-4% compared with an
average of 5.22% calculated for the remaining EU
154 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
members, our recommendation would be to percentage
increase spending by at least 5% in the immediate
aftermath. Resources must be directed towards
equipping faculty with laboratories containing
equipment performance art, able to encourage the
pursuit of practical application courses. Education can
help to improve the quality of their work, but can lead to
jobs for new graduates.
Participation rate of population aged 15-24 years at all
levels of education (ISCED 1-6) ranks Romania last
place compared to other European countries. However,
the gross school enrollment in all levels of education has
made some progress in recent years. Upward trend is
visible both when the female population and male,
maintaining differences by sex, for the female
population during the entire reference period. The
increase rate of participation at all levels of education is
primarily a consequence increase the participation in
higher education. The average duration of education
attendance increased by one time last year, reaching
15.16 years. However, Romania continues to be ranked
lower than other European countries. Increased duration
of schooling is primarily the result of specific growth
rate of enrollment in higher education. Resources must
be directed towards equipping faculty with laboratories
containing equipment performance art, able to
encourage the pursuit of practical application courses.
Also regarded that some funds should be targeted at
financing foreign students study in order to inspiration
of practical methods used in Western educational
systems. In conclusion, although Romania is still
deficient in Chapter efficiency in higher education, there
are some indicators such as average cost per student and
enrollment rate in higher education, whose trend can
justify hope for a change upward evolution.
References
1.Anuarul statistic 2005, Capitolul 3, Piaţa forţei de muncă – datele
Anexei 6 şi Anexei 7 – http://www.insse.ro/cms/files/pdf/ro/cap3.pdf,
18 Aprilie 2007
2.Raport asupra stării sistemului naţional de învăţământ 2005
3.ŞERBAN, DANIELA, Statistica pentru studii de marketing si
administrarea afacerilor
4.BLALOCK, H. M., Social Statistics, 2nd Edition, New York, Mc.
Graw Hill, 1979
5.BOONE, P. KURTZE, R., Unabriged statistics, New York, Hartcourt
Brace, Colledge, 1992
6.GUJARATI, DAMODAR, Essentials of Econometrics, Mc. Graw
Hill, 2006
7.http://www.leidenuniv.nl/fsw/verduin/stathist/1stword.htm
8.http://members.aol.com/jeff570/stat.html
9.Raport asupra stării sistemului naţional de învăţământ 2005
Bucureşti
10.Communiqué of the Conference of European Ministers
Responsible for Higher Education, Bergen, 19-20 May 2005
11.Focus on the Structure of Higher Education in Europe 2004/05
12.National Trends in the Bologna Process, EURYDICE The
information network on education in Europe
 HANDLING THE QUALITY PRESSURE IN UNIVERSITY MANAGEMENT

Mihai KORKA1
1
Professor dr. Academy of Economic Studies – Bucharest

Quality pressure is a new concept used in university management in order to underline the central role of quality assurance of study programs in a
more and more crowded competition among higher education providers for students and for resources. The article discusses the learning
environment that generated the quality pressure in the European Higher Education Area, as well as the external and internal dimensions of the
concept. Concluding remarks refer to the quality management tools that could assist study programs’ providers in improving the package of tools as
well as the impact of the internal quality assessment in higher education institutions.

Key words: quality culture, quality pressure, quality management of study programs, learning outcomes, assessment of individual learning
achievements

The approach of quality in university education
has undergone a series of changes in the attempt to
better respond to the expectations of the society. In the
19th century and in the first half of the 20th century, one
of the basic missions of universities was to provide the
elite of the society, to educate people for the laic and
religious administration of the country and for public
services. In the public eye, universities which were fully
or partly supported by national authorities were offering
quality education and training to their students. Quality
of higher education was a defining value for the
university and quality management was an intrinsic
aspect of providing each study program. In an elite
higher education, quality and morality of the teaching
staff were guaranteeing the quality of the learning
outcomes.
After the 2nd world war social, scientific,
cultural, political and economic environment have
dramatically changed in each country. On the other
hand, the effective functioning of the newly established
international organizations induced the first steps
towards what we currently understand by globalization1.
Under these and many other development drivers of the
modern and post-modern society, we witnessed:
- The massification of higher education in most
of the developed and emerging countries,
which goes alongside with the increase of the
number of education providers,
- The diversification of public and private higher
education institutions in terms of vision and
mission assumed to serve the society,
- The rapid development of higher education not
only as a public service but also as a tradable
service in the local market and in cross border
transactions,
1
In essence, globalization aims at ironing out
differences inherited from the past and mapping out a
common future at world-wide scale. The future of
mankind cannot be conceived outside the desire to build
bridges between the local needs and the global demands
of the global village, as McLuhan put it.
- The dramatic change of the dialogue between
teacher and students as access to modern tools
of information and communication is becoming
wider and cheaper from childhood on,
- The variable balance between teaching and
research in university endeavor and the
emergence of research intensive higher
education institutions,
- The steady increase of international co-
operation among universities and international
mobility of students and academic staff.
All these changes of the last 50 to 60 years had
o strong impact on the quality management in higher
education. In their competition for students and
resources, the various higher education providers have
adopted different attitudes and strategies to attract
students. The consequences are easily observable in
many higher education systems in various countries.
Well established universities tried to preserve their
tradition of quality education. Yet, for many new
providers, quality was a secondary issue. Commercial,
financial or personal interests prevailed to quality when
strategies on the provision of higher education were
discussed.
As transparent means and ways to guarantee
the quality inside each providing unit were missing and
in order to preserve an acceptable level of quality in the
national higher education systems, in the late 1970’s and
in the next decades external watch entities were set up.
Ministries and/or accreditation bodies took over the
responsibility to guarantee from outside the providing
units the quality of higher education. In the best case,
this kind of external quality assurance managed to
regulate the market entry of the new providers, but not
their conduct after starting to operate. The rigid
verification rules have frequently generated a
standardization of the educational offer, using
quantitative standards for the input factors and lists of
disciplines, while neglecting contents of the disciplines
and quality of the teaching and learning.
As Jürgen Kohler recently observed: “Quality”
of higher education is challenged by the freedom of
teaching and learning and the very essence of
innovation brought about by the unimpeded integration
of teaching and research may be jeopardized if and
156 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
when study programs are put into straightjackets of
program templates, standardization, and external
surveillance which might mutate into censorship in the
name of “quality assurance”. (Kohler, 2009).
There are two ways of avoiding the
standardization of teaching end learning programs. First,
universities should take into account the specific needs
of the region and/or of the country that hosts the
institution. Current and future labor market
expectations, local and regional public administration
needs, cultural and social life improvement/revival
needs should be at the origins of the design of study
programs. This attempt to bring the
local/regional/country specificity into the content of the
educational offer should not neglect, of course, the
progress registered in modern knowledge and
understanding, the dynamics of the knowledge driven
society and economy, the impact of the new
communication and information techniques in problem
solving and active involvement in social life.
On the other hand, the university can and
should create that student centered learning
environment, which invite to explore and promote the
personal talents of each and every student. The use of
modern information and communication techniques, the
liberalization of interpersonal relations and the impact
of the globalizing world demand an increased capacity
of each individual not only to assume independent
decision-making but also to accept interconnectedness,
interaction with peers, teamwork, etc.
“New skills for new jobs” – a document
prepared on request of the European Commission and
released in February 2010 underpins some critical
aspects and challenges of the future of education in
Europe: Upgrading, adapting and widening the skills
portfolio of individuals through education “is a real
“win, win” for all – for the economy, for society, for
employers and, of course, for individuals themselves. In
each and every single EU country, unemployment rates
systematically vary with qualification levels. … And
yet, it is an inconvenient truth that, despite progress in
recent years, much of Europe is still not sufficiently
skilled. …Another major challenge is to ensure that
people have the right skills. … During the last decade
education and training systems in Europe have become
more relevant and more responsive to the needs of
society; but labor market mismatches still exist and
create the painful and wasteful situation of both skill
shortages and skill gaps co-existing with unemployment
and economic and social exclusion.”
The negative demographic trends and the
increasing old-age dependency ratio add complementary
concerns related to the need to adapt and to become
flexible in offering initial and further education in terms
of design of the educational packages, recognition of
prior learning, assessment of learning outcomes, etc.
Only a pro-active, innovative attitude of universities
accompanied by appropriate tools of quality
management for each and every new type of provision
of study and training programs could limit the
immediate perspective of the cohorts of young people
that graduate from schools and universities. In the given
circumstances, even ARACIS as an external evaluation
agency of the higher education providers will have to
widen its perspective and rethink some of its quality
standards. Initial formal education programs at
Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral level will remain the
core of the institutional evaluation, but the further
education at the level of tertiary education cannot be
ignored when it comes to evaluate a higher education
provider. The outgoing point is, of course, to design the
new training programs in accordance with the quality
standards set by the university itself.
The market puts its pressure on the successful
delivery of initial and further education programs in
terms of quality and flexibility as:
- The number of local and international
providers of similar programs is increasing:
- The number of young people interested to start
its tertiary education is decreasing;
- The information related to the educational
offer, the learning outcomes and the job
perspective of graduates is becoming more and
denser.
In other words, market atomicity improves the
market transparency for those interested to enroll in a
new study program, but generates new challenges for
the providers. The attractiveness of the offered
study/training programs has to be guaranteed via
transparent information by each provider. And
information on quality of the provision makes the
difference.
This is why in recent debates the quality
pressure is in the very center of the discussion. This
new concept has an external dimension, as each
university competes with the other providers active in
the same market niche. Good quality has to be
convincingly demonstrated by the provider to the
potential learners. The cheapest way of making public
how good a study program is consists in posting on the
university website appropriate information concerning:
- Learning benefits in terms of outcomes;
- Internal quality management efficacy, and
- The labor market entry success rate of the
recent graduates.
Quality pressure has also its internal dimension
inside each university. Higher education institutions and
the members of the academic communities have their
own responsibility in assuring in a transparent and
systematic manor the quality of the learning contents
and outcomes as well as the quality of research related
to education.
The accountability of the higher education
providers cannot be replaced by external monitoring or
control. Quality assurance agencies play a widely
recognized role in improving quality management,
transparency, certification of good practice, etc. But the
main actor and responsible for quality assurance
remains the higher education institution itself together
with the members of the academic community.
Handling The Quality Pressure in University Management
As the 2008 European Quality Assurance
Forum revealed, it is the interaction between the
education providers and the quality assurance agencies
that best respond to the new forms of accountability,
particularly quality of learning outcomes and rankings.
In improving accountability, the European Standards
and Guidelines (ENQA, 2005), the cyclical peer-review
of quality assurance agencies and the establishment of
the European Quality Assurance Register Committee
were leading in recent years to:
- Profesionalisation of the quality assurance
agencies,
- Development of a variety of internal quality
assurance packages and processes in higher
education institutions and
- Involvement of students in quality assurance
processes (QA Forum, 2008).
What remains insufficiently involved in the
quality management process are the other stakeholders,
and mainly the employers and of the professional
associations. Their role in the quality management of
higher education should not be reduced to expressing
opinions and judgments on the quality of graduates from
the labor market’s expectations and needs perspective.
They should also accept to invest time, intelligence and
money in the design and implementation of the
study/training programs.
When linking quality of higher education
expressed in terms of learning outcomes to
accountability of the providers, a new successful quality
culture has to be gradually developed in each university
and in each of its institutional constituencies. It is
grounded in the mutual engagement of all persons active
in the campus: teaching staff members, researchers,
administrative staff and students. Performing learning
outcomes require new approaches to teaching and
learning, improvement of the physical learning
environments corresponding to new learning objectives
and academic staff development in order to ensure an
effective amalgamation of resources in order to get the
most competitive and attractive learning and living
conditions for students.
Content standards and learning outcomes have
been among the drivers of the Bologna Process (Figel’,
2009) from the start and the Lisbon Agenda enhanced
significantly their role. Quality of learning outcomes,
qualifications framework and employability of
graduates are currently among the key topics discussed
in the European Higher Education Area.
ARACIS, alike most of the quality assurance
agencies in Europe launched a review of the
methodology concerning the educational efficacy of the
study programs. On their side, universities are more and
more interested to implement new tools in the quality
management of the programs they offer in the context of
a glowing competition for students and complementary
resources.
157
One of the outcomes of the research project on
“Quality Education for Labor Market”2 suggests
universities to improve the syllabi of the disciplines.
These documents should offer to students and members
of the teaching staff of the university full information
concerning the contents of the discipline accompanied
by references from the local and international literature,
and by learning objectives to be reached during the
courses, seminars, labs and project works. It should also
provide clear information on learning outcomes in terms
of knowledge, skills and transversal competences and
the way the personal achievement of these outcomes are
individually assessed during the teaching and learning
process (Korka, 2009).
Currently, Romanian universities prepare to
register their Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs
in the National Register of Qualifications in Higher
Education – RNCIS. Full documentation for each study
program is developed in consortia reuniting higher
education providers and representative employers with
the professional assistance offered by the experts of the
Romanian Agency for Qualifications in Higher
Education and Partnership with the Social and
Economic Environment – ACPART. There are two grids
used in the standardized description of the
qualifications. The first one presents the learning
outcomes, the second one captures the coverage of
knowledge, skills and transversal competences by
disciplines involved in the study program.
The project on “Quality Education for Labor
Market” provided the coverage of the last piece of the
package for an in depth quality management of the
study programs: an improved syllabus for each
discipline involved in the delivery of the study program.
Having displayed the package of tools is just a
prerequisite of a sound quality management. The
systematic and appropriate use of the tools, the
transparence of the assessments’ outcomes and the
continuing debate on outcomes with students, members
of the teaching staff, alumni and employers of the
graduates aiming at improving the existing quality
represent the single way to handle the quality pressure.
2
For the benefit of ARACIS – the Romanian Agency
for Quality Assurance in Higher Education, a research
project on „Quality Education for Labor Market”
aiming at the improvement of the internal and external
evaluation methodology of study programs and of their
components has been developed during 2008-2009. The
research covered fours fields of study: Computer
Engineering and Information Technology,
Communication Sciences, Law and Mechanical
Engineering. Content standards at study field level have
been designed and tested as an efficient means to
increase employability of the bachelor degree graduates.
Subsequent recommendations were addressed to
ARACIS as well as to universities aiming at improving
quality management criteria, standards and performance
indicators.
158 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

The institutional commitment does not suffice.

The new quality culture goes far beyond. Each student,
each member of the teaching staff, each alumnus and
each employer should feel responsible for the quality of
learning outcomes, for the employability of the
graduates, for the active citizenship of students and
alumni.
The vivid debates in many academic
communities concerning the findings and the
recommendations of the above mentioned project meant
to improve the quality management in a more
interconnected approach of academic contents to the
expectations and needs of the society and of the labor
market. They demonstrate that the new quality culture is
gaining in terms of number and quality of supporters.

References

1. ENQA (2005): European Standards and Guidelines,

European Network of Quality Assurance in Higher
Education, www.enqa.eu/pubs_esg.lasso

2. Figel’, Ján (2009): Inaugural Speech of the European

Commissioner for Education, Training, Culture and Youth
at the UNESCO Forum on Higher Education in the Europe
Region: Access, Values, Quality and Competitiveness.
Bucharest, 21-24 May 2009

3. Kohler, Jürgen (2009): „Quality” in European Higher

Education. Paper prepared for the UNESCO Forum on
Higher Education in the Europe Region: Access, Values,
Quality and Competitiveness. Bucharest, 21-24 May 2009,
p.2

4. Korka, Mihai – coordinator (2009): Educaţie de calitate

pentru piaţa muncii. Editura Universitară, Bucureşti. Full
text is also available on: www.aracis.ro

5. New Skills for New Jobs: Action Now. A report by the

Expert Group on New Skills for New Jobs prepared for the
European Commission. Brussels, 2010, p.4.

6. QA Forum (2008): Press Release of the 3rd European

Quality Assurance Forum Summary in 2008. Corvinus
University of Budapest, 2008, available on website of
ENQA, under www.enqa.eu/files/EQAF08/finalconclusions
 SOME FINDINGS CONCERNING THE TRENDS OF THE REAL QUALITY
IN THE ROMANIAN HIGHER EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

G. P. LUCA, I. VERZEA, I. COZMINCA

“Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iasi, Romania, gpluca77@yahoo.com

This paper is showing some findings concerning the trends of the real quality in the Romanian higher educational system. Based on an
Internet research and internal statistical data analysis as well, during the last decade, the authors are trying to emphasize the main
reasons of the identified trends, and the means needed to be used further, in order to avoid a major fall down of both the Romanian
educational system and economic development. The specific demands for EU integration of Romania, the Bologna Process, the level
of business investments, the quality of economic development, and the local and regional policies, are only a few challenges and – at
the same time – related constraints to be overcome by the Romanian higher educational system. Finally, the authors are trying to
identify the main causes that can explain the reasons of the present low regional development despite the obvious existing high level of
training of human capital.

This preserved heritage of national conscience is –

1. RESEARCH PREMISES
To identify and to justify the present and the future
Romanian trends in the higher educational system were
done several internet researches of the national bodies’
sites, such as the Romanian Agency for Quality
Assurance in Higher Education (ARACIS) [1],
Romanian Presidency (the Education Committee) [6],
national and regional newspaper articles [2], [3], [7],
specialized news sites [8], but also international ones as
follows: the QS World University Ranking, the
Academic Ranking of World Universities, EU and EC
Reports [4], [5]. The present research and findings
analysis was required by the different and, many times,
quite opposite statements, approaches or conclusions on
the subject of the real quality of Romanian higher
educational system.
Finally, the goal of this attempt was to find out the
proper ways to ensure a better quality of education, and,
by consequence, to increase the general training level
for each university graduate. The mentioned goal is also
requested not only by the specific demands for EU
integration of Romania, but also because the future
economic development of the country is relied on.
From the many opinions encountered we have
selected several, which can be considered as in-debate
key factors for a quick improving approach.
2. “URBAN LEGENDS” OR FACTS?
In Romania there are several traditional ideas – we
can say even a true legacy before the early 90’s – about
the quality of the national educational system: it is
undoubtedly very good, almost similar to the world
wide level of quality, well-known and with (again) an
worldwide recognition of excellence, providing
exceptional graduates and highly skilled and trained
specialists.
or was – based on previous achievements, from which
let’s keep in mind just seven:
1. Romanian educational free of charge system allows
access for everyone to the academic training;
2. Romanian teaching staff is well selected, with a high
social appreciation and status, well prepared, and highly
motivated;
3. Romanian Olympic students are usually winners at
different world scientific annually competitions;
4. Romanian university graduates are highly
professional prepared to become involved in any
industry of national economy;
5. Romanian graduates are hired in famous western
universities as teaching staff;
6. Romanian specialists are also hired in multinational
companies;
7. Romanian scientists are undisputed winners of many
international innovation contents.
Nowadays, to all these historical point of view, are
added more other, from which, in order to have a faire
balance; let’s remind also a number of seven:
1. A strongly and continuously claimed as national
priority of the education by any government Romania
has in the past 20 years;
2. A 6% budgeting allocation from the gross national
income;
3. A spectacular increase of the Romanian universities
number;
4. A consistent development of the private university
sector:
5. An increased competition among many universities
with similar educational offers;
6. An annually larger opening to university teaching
staff and students flow exchanges into the European
cooperation framework;
7. A continuously significant increase of the students’
number.
Most of these issues seem to be still well spread
among many Romanians, making them proud enough
and pretty confident about the overall quality of the
Romanian higher educational system. At the same time,
160 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
there are, more and more, voices which start, more and
more louder, to signal that the entire national
educational system is already in crisis, and, if nothing
good will be quickly done, its future can become much
worst, near to the bankruptcy [2].
Since those voices are coming from employers,
graduates, students, and teaching staff – in, precisely,
that order – a realistic, unpartisan, and deep analysis of
the system become unavoidable.
For this very purpose we will try to summarize
official recorded opinions - of different national and
international specialized institutions – by taken into
account seven distinct issues.
2.1 The Romanian Higher Education as a Priority of
Each Government
The education, claimed such as a national priority by
each Romanian Government – next by the health and
culture sectors – is, nowadays, a sick patient; the other
two mentioned sectors are in a same condition. Being
involved in the educational system over 300.000 people
is the largest from all Romanian public sectors. During
the past two decades, they were trying, from time to
time, to do infrastructure investments and to increase the
wages. Concerning the overall educational system, each
Minister has came with his/her own ideas, starting the
management mandate by changing or, sometimes, even
canceling the prior work of the predecessor. Also,
sometimes, few ministers were able to build something
and to put to work an idea. Sometimes, something,
changing, canceling, can be considered as the main
descriptors of most attempts from the past 20 years. A
single, but relevant, example: since 1995, when the
National Education Law became operational, were
operated over 100 changes. Just these days, the present
Minister of Education will promote a new law, which is
already highly disputed. But he has decided that – for
such an important law - a couple of weeks for the public
debates are more than enough. There are several gains,
like the university autonomy, but, overall, the
unpredictability is a central feature in the Romanian
educational system. Worst, until now, there was not a
vision, a long-term strategy concerning the education
[8]. In fact, still there is not! So, in statements, the
education was a priority for 20 years. In reality, it was a
constant ever-changing process without any vision.
2.2 The Romanian Higher Education Financing
Since 1990, Romania had annually financial
difficulties. By consequence, the educational system
suffered, at its turn, by a consistent under-financing.
During the years 2004-2008 Romania recorded its first
economic growth. That made possible in 2006 to insert
in the National Education Law the Government
obligation to ensure a financing of 6% from the gross
internal revenue. But this rule was really applied just for
one year. Of course, one year of well financing does not
allow the educational infrastructure to catch-up, and,
most unfortunately, lots of resources were wasted in
unnecessary investments. Now, due to the present
economic crisis the lack of financial resources is higher
than any time before. Despite other existing factors of
influence, the under-financing alone is enough to deny
to any Romanian university the access in Top 500 [7].
Never mind, the under-financing factor is not alone and,
perhaps, is not even the first one.
2.3 The University Teaching Staff and Students/
Graduates Professional Competences and
Motivation
Let is start with just one statistics: between 2000 and
2003, in Romania, were graduated 3.000 Ph.D. That can
be good. But, if the Romanian nation is not plenty of
geniuses, than that is wrong. In the university year
2008-2009, in all Romanian universities were almost
one billion students. A real mass training approach.
And, they say, the quantity is something else from
quality. However, the best official expectations for the
graduates to find a proper job were between 15% and
25%. That, before the economy decline. So, what
professional motivation can have many students, if they
have little chances to find a job on the labor market?
Also, if we have in view that in the past 10 years, almost
all Romanian universities gave up to the admission
exams and the reality of pretty unattractive wages level
in educational system, then it is understandable if the
universities has grate difficulties to find out and to keep
in system well prepared specialists for their own
teaching staff. Going further, deep down, also the
quality of the high school graduates decreased [8]. Of
course, they will be the future students from Romanian
universities, and, after a while, maybe even professors
who will teach next students. An undesired loop!
2.4 The Romanian Higher Education Quantity and
Diversity Development
In Romania – for 22 billion inhabitants – there are
more universities, state and private ones put together,
than in Germany, a country about five times larger.
Added to that, the per-capita financing system and the
overall and, already, the chronically university sub-
financing, have lead to just one result: a frenzy rush for
students. That means two things: to accept everyone as
student, and to try hard to keep them all until the
graduation. That last thing, next by the university
autonomy, is another reason for - more than necessary -
curriculum diversity: to avoid losing students by using
the ECTS. The ECTS procedures were formally
implemented, but not for a practical use [6]. So, the
educational quantity, in Romania, still is waiting to be
transformed in educational quality. And… is waiting.
2.5 The Romanian Higher Education and World
Performances Recognition
Handling The Quality Pressure in University Management
There are voices – from officials or not – that
emphasizes the Romanian students’ successes at
international Olympics and different professional
contents, the Romanian graduates employed in
multinationals and international prizes earned at world
innovation competitions. But there are many other
voices which are saying that are, in fact, just oasis of
excellence in a sea of mediocrity, since under 0,5% of
the students and graduates are able to prove themselves
as international professional values. Here it seems to be
very difficult to set a crystal clear verdict. However, one
more fact can make the difference. There is not any
Romanian university in the top 500 [4], [5]. Not a single
one.
2.6 The Romanian Higher Education and the
National Market Competition
Not very much left to be said after the mentioned
issues at §2.4. There is a Quality Law for Education
(since 2006), also a public institution to apply it
(ARACIS) and one major result: 2/3 from the 39
assessed universities received the “highest degree of
trust” for their performances, and no one was punished.
So, the higher educational system is running well, since
almost all universities are so good. Added to that, the
increased universities number, their geographical
spreading out and the increasing approach of the
distance learning system, have lead to a very low
mobility of candidates. They are choosing just the
educational offer from the most “comfortable” – from
many unprofessional points of view – university [2], [6].
There are exceptions, but the rule seems to underline
that pretty every university has the chance to be the
“king of the jungle” in its geographic area. So, when
each university controls its own “hunting ground”, who
needs competition any longer?
2.7 The Romanian Higher Education and the
International Research and Cooperation
It is notorious the fact that Romania, since 2007, is a
financial contributor to the European Union. For the
past two years we have one of the lowest rate of
absorption of European founds, which are available to
us. At the university level the status is a little of bit
better. However, the partially obsolete infrastructure, the
chronic under-financing of research, and the present
lack of governmental founds for projects co-financing,
will lead to a decreasing involvement of the Romanian
universities in international partnerships and research
co-operation programs [6], [8]. At the moment, already,
many universities have to face increasing difficulties to
keep their involvements in international research
programs which are in progress. Therefore, many
scientists and young researchers, even fresh graduates,
are leaving Romania for a professional fulfill abroad. In
this way, in a short period of time, just few years, the
161
Romanian universities will be able to (re-)search only to
find out what the other have researched.
4. CONCLUSIONS …
… for the Romanian higher educational system, as it
concerns its real quality trend, just three words: is going
down. But, it is not all lost for good. There is hope
because there still are resources: human resources.
There are also many good rules and regulations, but
they are not properly applied by the existing public
bodies (government, minister of education, ARACIS,
universities themselves etc.).
And, now, there is a new major player on the
educational “battleground”, which can be successfully
used to set a new positive trend: the crisis itself. They
say when something goes well do nothing. Or,
nowadays, the entire educational system runs from
wrong to worst. So, now is the time to do a lot. A good
management has the opportunity to prove itself efficient
only when a crisis strikes. We have to give up from the
traditional principle that seems to guide us: many and
poor.
Several measures ought to be taken:
I. First of all, a well and explicit vision development for
the Romanian education for next 20 years, vision and
correspondent strategies which will be set by scientists,
members of Romanian Academy, university
representatives, business environment representatives,
educational unions, non-governmental organizations,
but starting from the existing educational policies in EU
and into a public debate process [6];
II. A real and correct assessment of any Romanian
university, evaluation made by joint-teams of auditors,
Romanian and European [8];
III. A public communication of Romanian university
rankings, available to every potential candidate/student
and possible university partner from Romania or abroad;
IV. A four-year governmental program concerning the
financing shifting criteria towards – not every single
university from Romania – but only to the best
universities, that prove themselves able to use highly
efficient the public funds, and at the same time, the
amount received will be accordingly to the university
educational and research performances [6].
All these measures are well known, in the past
several years individuals and organizations, separately
or together, becoming more and more vocal, trying to
signal that the crisis – in the Romanian educational
system - approaches, but also to make the Romanian
officials aware that there are also solutions. A long and
deep crisis in education is a guarantee that the economic
crisis never ends. A poor skilled labor force and
unprepared specialists means low productivity and lack
of innovation [8]. No progress.
This paper can be considered, by someone, as
mostly full of criticism, ignoring the bright side of the
subject. May be so, but not exactly quite. Anyhow, next
by the reason according to which the things are going
wrong, surprising, there is also another need to have
162 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
such an approach. In the single report made and
published in the last two decades [1] about the
Romanian educational system status, another criterion
analysis should shock: by taken into account the
criterion “The hierarchy of most important knowledge
and abilities of the graduates, requested from the point
of view both of the teaching staff and employers”, the
result points the large gap existing between these two
players, from the educational market and the labor
market. With only one major exception. On a scale from
1 to 10, both players place the “sense of criticism” on
the same position: the last one. So, if there are
differences among all requested skills of a graduate, the
professors and the employers as well, agree: the
criticism is not desired. Obviously, we like to criticize,
not to be criticized.
Summarizing, indeed, there is a real crisis and there
are available solutions, but if we continue to let the time
to past, it will be increasing more difficult and painful to
do the right thing. Until it will be too late for many
generations to come. And the clock is ticking…
References
1. http://www.aracis.ro, 2009, Statistical Distributions,
Interpretations and Options, Concerning the Quality Barometer.
2. http://www.ziare.com, 2009, What the Recent ARACIS Report
Does Not Say.
3. http://www.ziaruldeiasi.ro, (28.01.2010), Not Any More
Admission Exams, Just Personal Files Placed on a List.
4. http://www.topuniversities.com, 2009, Top Universities.
5. http://www.arwu.org, 2009, Top Universities.
6. http://edu.presidency.ro, 2009, Presidential Commission for
Policies Analysis and Elaboration in Romanian Education and
Research.
7. http://www.flacarais.ro, (26.02.2010), The Poor Financing
Keeps the Romanian universities far Away from Top 500.
8. http://www.hotnews.ro, (21.03.2010), National Education Law
Analysis, Quality Control – the Achilles’ heel.
 THE ROMANIAN HIGHER EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM AS A MAJOR PLAYER ON A
TURBULENT LABOR MARKET IN A CONTINUOUSLY CHANGING ENVIRONMENT

G. P. LUCA, I. VERZEA
“Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iasi, Romania, gpluca77@yahoo.com

In order to narrow the gap between the EU members, as well as between the different administrative regions inside Romania, the
“Ghorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iasi, located in Moldova Region – one of the poorest industrial developed region of
Romania – has started up, in 2002, to build a special designed educational structure: the Regional Training Center in Public and
Private Business Administration (RTC-PBA). During the past 8 years of practice and experience, the RTC-PBA was growing and
enriched continuously its high educational offers, especially throughout the Master Programs. Until now, RTC-PBA has proved to
have a perfectly adapted curriculum, which met the labor market demands from Moldova Region. The flexibility to regional low
financial resources, the adaptability to poor local infrastructure, the quick response to new educational rising demands, and the
quality of partner relationship, are the main features taken in view and step-by-step emphasized by the RTC-PBA activity. The paper
shows the further proper approach of the Higher Educational offers in order to support the economic development in a continuously
changing environment and on a turbulent labor market.

Table 1) and finance. As can be noticed, two master

1. BRIEF REVIEW OF RTC-PBA ACTIVITY AND programs - because the lack of interested candidates -
RESULTS were withdraw from the RTC-PBA educational offer
(Logistics Management since 2004, and one year later
In order to identify the key factors for a successfully the Ecological Marketing too).
educational curriculum further development, especially Table 1
for master degrees programs, the present research was Academic
Master Program
focused on the activity outcomes of a specialized Year / Total
Students EMk MMk LM MTE MLIAS students
university department in post-graduate training
programs. 2002-2003 4 4
The Regional Training Center in Public and Private 2003-2004 5 35 - 40
Business Administration (RTC-PBA) is the final 2004-2005 7 20 - 16 75 118
outcome of the Tempus - Phare Project IB_JEP
2005-2006 - 162 48 249 459
14085/1999, being setup starting with 2002 as an
2006-2007 149 57 302 508
autonomous and self-financed educational department
2007-2008 165 82 304 551
of the “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iasi
2008-2009 145 90 228 463
(TUI).
During its activity, the entire educational offer of the TOTAL GENERAL (during the 7 years time period:
RTC-PBA was formed by master programs exclusively 2002 - 2009): 2143 students [2], [3].
based on tuition fees [3].
By keeping the tuition fees unchanged and, at the
Its first educational offer – as postgraduate master
same time, by substantially increasing the advertising
programs dedicated department – was a one-year study
investments, the RTC-PBA became the most efficient
master program focused on Ecological Marketing.
educational substructure of TUI as Table 2 shows [2]:
Since then, the RTC-PBA educational offer was
continousely up-dated and enriched, so in the past 8 Table 2

years of activity were developed 5 diferent master Academic TUI

RTC-PBA
specializations as following: Year students
students
- Ecological Marketing (EMk), year 2002; (% from total)
- Marketing Management (MMk), year 2003; 2002-2003 184 4 (2%)
- Logistics Management (LM), year 2003; 2003-2004 329 40 (12%)
- Management and Trade Engineering (MTE), year 2004-2005 400 118 (29%)
2004;
2005-2006 830 459 (55%)
- Management and Law in Industry, Administration
2006-2007 1204 508 (42%)
and Services (MLIAS), year 2005.
2007-2008 1170 551 (47%)
Beginning with year 2005 until 2008, RTC-PBA has
2008-2009 1151 463 (40%)
become truly regional, since it spread its own
educational offer in all 6 counties of Moldova Region. Taken into account the fact that for the academic
Despite the fact by the academic year 2008-2009 the year 2008-2009, the total number of master
RTC-PBA has focused only on 3 main counties (Bacau, specializations included in the overall educational offer
Iasi and Suceava) of Moldova Region – because of lack of TUI was 64, and RTC-PBA has only 3 in its own
of teaching staff resource – it still kept a high offer, it becomes more obvious the RTC-PBA very high
performance level in terms of number of students (see performance, proving its proper labor market
164 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
orientation. In other words, almost 5% of post-graduate
post
educational programs brought 40% master students at
the University level [2].
2. SEVERAL STATISTICS FINDINGS
RELEVANT ANALYSIS OUTCOMES
Next, it will be briefly displayed several relevant
statistics and analysis outcomes in order to emphases
the RTC-PBA “client’s orientation” on a turbulent labor
market and a continuously changing environment. The
study will help to identify the correspondence between
the students' profile – candidates’ reservoir - and the
master programs curriculum, in order to increase the
attractiveness of the educational offer, accordingly to
the requirements sett by the Bologna process, and,
especially, in the new context of the economical crises.
2.1 Students' number trend on the time period of
2002-2009
The students' number trend shows a constant
increasing, from the program start-upup until the 2009
university year (Figure 1).. This trend is a direct
consequence of the marketing actions done at the entire
RTC-PBA
PBA level, and, at the same time, of the value and
importance recognition for each kind of master
specialization [1].
Figure 1: Students number trend (absolute
olute values)
2.2 The students structure accordingly to their own
professional background
Figure 2: Students structure accordingly to their own
specialization background (average relative values)
According to Figure 2, it can be noticed that most
partt of the students are graduates of engineering
specializations (technical science), all the rest being
graduates of economics, law, social science, and
medicine, in exactly this order.
What can be considered rather unexpected is the fact
that, despite the master programs are offered by a
AND technical university, the students with a technical
background are under 50%.
2.3 The students structure accordingly to the age and
gender
lated to the students' age, considering 100
Related
students, the statistics is as can be shown in Figure 3. It
can be noticed that the master studies are attractive for
the people in the 23-2525 years range, meaning specialists
which have graduated a university specialization in the
last 1-22 years. For the people in the 26-34
26 years range
the master attractiveness is lower; that fact can be
explained by a satisfied self-assessment
assessment concerning their
own practical expertise - earned through the job - and a
pretty recent theoretical knowledge due by the
university graduation. The students' flow is significantly
increased for the people in the 35-4935 years range, all
these students being, in fact, university graduates before
1989 (the year of Romanian political system change) or
in the earlier '90s; this trend has as main reason the
people needs to up-date
date their own knowledge, especially
in a context due by a different vocational carrier.
carrier
Figure 3: Students structure accordingly to
the age and gender (average relative values)
A special notice can be done related to the students
over 50 years old - in general - specialists with a strong
job position, but interested to up-date
date their knowledge in
order to “face” the younger generation of specialists,
and/or to have access to a management position in their
organization.. Also, starting from the same statistics
stati
displayed in the Figure 3,, a second notice concerns the
percentage of male/female gender from total students.
students It
is obvious the fact that the female are more interested to
access a master degree program, since 58% are female
students. The main reason is that they are feeling less
sure about the future of their jobs [1].
2.4 Students structure accordingly to their job status
and/or the positions held in an organization
Accordingly to the statistics displayed in the Figure
4, considering also 100 students
tudents as reference, it can be

The Romanian higher educational system as a major player on a turbulent labor market in a continuously
concluded that most students held job positions at a
bottom management level in their organization. The
students' majority is young, under 30 years old, making
efforts to consolidate their executive and/or
management position. n. The firms' middle management is
pretty well represented, but there is a lower level for the
students' number provided by the firms' top
management. We appreciate – as a good sign – the
effort made these last two students' segments, because,
from our pointnt of view, they are directly interested to
put into practice – as much as possible – the knowledge
earned during the training.
Figure 4: Students structure accordingly to their job positions
held in organizations (average relative values)
2.5 Students
nts structure accordingl
accordingly to
organizations type
It can be noticed that the majority of the students are
provided by the Public Administration bodies, and
added to the students involved in educational
organizations, that can be said that the overwhelming
overwhelmin
part (81%) of the master students are employees of the
budgetary system (Figure 5). The last 19% of the
students are coming from industryy sector, a fact which
can show a pretty realistic image about the low
economic development level in the North-Eastern
North
Region of Romania.
Figure 5: Students structure accordingly to the
organizations type (average relative values)
The 18% are from SME's, were, formally, the
diploma is not decisive proof (more important being to
prove what you really know to do…). Almost
Almo 1% is the
total number of students provided by the large
enterprises, especially - in our case – since we are
talking about transnational companies, most of them
being regional power plants, were, once again, the
owners are interested to promote the employees
emp in
ntinuously changing environment165
higher ranks jobs not on a specific diploma basis, but on
knowledge and expertise proved criteria. However,
100% of these kinds of students are paying the training
fees from their personal financial sources (their own
income). As a significant percentage,
pe there are students
provided by the public administration bodies, in which
the diploma is a very important criterion just to keep the
job, but the promotion on higher ranks jobs is, many
times, conditioned by the, so named, “good informal
personal relationships”. The teachers and associate
personnel from the undergraduate educational system
are also interested in this master programs, because the
diploma is one criterion in their professional
performances assessment, and, at the same time, they
perceive
ceive the program as a real opportunity to update
their knowledge – useful for their professional
competences or, even, for a future own business
development.
3. INSTEAD OF CONCLUSION…
By using TUI internal statistics and records research
methodology a relevant
elevant analysis of the findings, it was
developed, in order to identify the key factors for the
success or the failure of RTC-PBA
RTC educational offer,
the during 8 years time period of activity.
Also, by taken into account some features of the
highly turbulent labor market and the increasing
unpredictability level of the Romanian business
environment as well, the statistical data analysis has
provided the basis for most appropriate educational
strategies, concerning the master programs and
continuing training systems,
stems, in the next future. It can be
considered that the RTC-PBA
RTC master programs offer
has proved as an adapted
apted educational package to a labor
market demand and to the regional business
environment. The latest analyses will support us in the
curricula improvement
ovement as well as in the appropriate
policy setting process regarding the educational
marketing. By comparison to the “Gheorghe Asachi”
Technical University of Iasi master offer the RTC-PBA
RTC
educational programs were succesfully because they are
part of thee economic area of training, not pure
technologicaly. Also, since the RTC-PBA
RTC training
programs are focused on a general approach for
industry, services and public administration activity –
not a narrow technical specialization – they were able to
meet a larger
arger range of labour market demands,
provinding to the “clients” a higher level of flexibility in
their own professional objectives (i.e. improving
competences, keeping present job or finding a new one,
etc.). Since, about 80% of RTC-PBA
RTC master programs
curriculum
urriculum has correspondents in the North American
and EU programs, graduates of our training programs
were hired in companies from different Western
European countries (such as France, Italy and Spain).
At the same time, since the RTC-PBARTC master
programs are exclusively only with tuition fees, the
numbers of student available to support by themselves
all the taxes, proves, once more, that the analyzed
166 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
educational offer is pretty well feted both to the labor
market demands and to the students expectations.
As a brief and final conclusion, due to the already
proved success of RTC-PBA educational offer, also to
the unchanged – and unpredictable trends as well – of
economical development of North-Eastern Region, and
accordingly to the Bologna process requirements, the
master programs for next academic year, 2010-2011,
will preserve the flexibility ensured by the same general
economic specializations, but they will be developed for
a two-years duration.
References
1. Verzea, I. and Luca, G. P. (2008), “The Management and Trade
Engineering Master Program: A Genuine Specialization to
Regional Business Environment”, Proceedings of the 5th
International Seminar on the “Quality Management in Higher
Education”, The “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iasi,
ISBN 978-973-730-496-4, Romania, June 12 - 14, pp. 645-650.
2. The “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iasi, (2002-
2009), Internal Records and Statistics.
3. The RTC-PBA Web Page, http://www.criap2.tuiasi.ro
 WORK MOTIVATION ISSUES AMONG ACADEMIC STAFF

Edit LUKACS1, Maria-Madela ABRUDAN2, Sofia TOTOLICI3

1
„Dunărea de Jos” University, Galaţi, Edit.Lukacs@ugal.ro
2
University of Oradea, m_abrudan@yahoo.com
3
„Dunărea de Jos” University, Galaţi, totolici_sofia@yahoo.com

This research paper aims to bring attention to an issue of particular importance for improving quality in higher education, namely, motivation of
academic staff. Using a questionnaire based on the theory of expectations, we conducted a survey among instructors in two public universities in the
country. By survey, we sought to evaluate the respondents’ strength of motivation, as well as to emphasize the differences, if any, in the attractiveness
of various types of rewards based on ranking in the academic hierarchy.

Key words: work motivation, expectancy theory, previous

research ,research tool ,interpretation of the results.
1. INTRODUCTION
A fundamental element of any efficient education
system is adequate motivation of instructors.
Motivation refers to the individual’s internal factors
that encourage, maintain and channel the behaviour in
relationship to a goal (Huffman et all, 1991). Motivation
gives meaning and support to any human action.
Work motivation depends on the individual and the
incentives. Adequate motivation of instructors requires
material and spiritual incentives, according to every
individual’s level of appreciation for various types of
incentives.
Spiritual motivation refers to the granting of titles,
diplomas or rankings according to achievements. Even
the academic hierarchy system (preparator, assistant,
lecturer, reader, and professor) can be viewed as a
motivational system for the academic staff. These titles
express the formal recognition of their professional
skills acquired throughout their academic careers
(Cicea, C., 2004).
Material motivation comes from the staff’s
revenues, comprising of fixed salary, merit premium,
bonuses.
The subject of work motivation of academic staff is
a challenging one and needs to be debated, especially in
the current economic context, in which various
restrictions brought about by the crisis are interfering
with the need to improve the quality of higher
education.
Considering V. Vroom’s Expectancy Theory, based
on the assumption that the choice of particular work
behaviour is a function of the individual’s expectations
and assessments regarding potential rewards, in this
research paper we want to analyze the work motivation
of academic staff in a few public universities in the
country.
The chosen research tool was a questionnaire based
on a model by J. Gordon (1991), sent over the internet
to 130 academic instructors.
2. PREVIOUS RESEARCH ON WORK
MOTIVATION IN ROMANIA
Perhaps the most extensive study on employee
work motivation carried out in Romania is that of
authors Cretu R., Shanks R. and Ciobanu G. In the
research paper titled “Motivating Employees of
Romanian Companies – between Myth and Reality”, the
abovementioned authors present the result of their
research carried out in 40 enterprises nationwide (Cretu
R. et all, 2001).
The theoretical models on which this study was
based are A. Maslow’s theory of the “hierarchy of
human needs” and F. Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory,
the subjects of the survey having been employees of
different professions as well as managing staff of both
private and governmental corporations. From within the
causes of satisfaction stated by the employees surveyed,
“work in itself” and “relationships with co-workers”
stood out, while among the reasons of dissatisfaction,
“payment”, “corporate policies and procedures” and
“the work environment” were most prominent. Among
many other aspects, the study emphasizes the fact that
despite unsatisfactory rewards and an unpleasant work
environment, Romanian employees tend to be satisfied
if they can perform interesting work, in line with
personal professional interests.
In an article in the “Economia” magazine, it is
stated that following 1989, salaries in higher education
deteriorated much faster than in other economic
segments (Cicea C., 2004). To prove this fact, the author
of the article points out the dynamics of salaries of
different academic titles, compared to the evolution of
the average national gross salary between 1989 and
2003.
In order to improve the motivation of academic
staff members, the author of the article suggests the
generalized increase of wages in the higher education
system and the introduction of a remuneration system
based on performance.
3. THE EXPECTANCY THEORY
The theory of Victor Vroom is based on the idea
that motivation is determined by the results that people
expect as a consequence of their actions at the
workplace. The motivational model proposed by Vroom
assumes that the strength of motivation is a complex
function defined by three factors:
1. expectancy (the “effort – performance”
expectation (E  P)); it is the employee’s degree of
168 The 6th International seminar Quality management in High Education – QMHE2010
confidence in the possibility of achieving the expected
performance following a certain level of effort; this
expectancy is influenced by several factors, including
the level of one`s self-esteem, the employee`s past
experience in similar situations and the employees`s
perception of the actual situation.
2. instrumentality (the “performance – reward”
expectation (P  R)); it is the probability of a
performance result to lead to the desired reward;
performance- reward expectancy is influenced by a
variety of factors, including past experience in similar
situations, the attractiveness of the various rewards
available, the extent of one`s internal locus of control
and belief in an ability to control the environment and
the individual perception of the actual situation (Steers,
R.,1991)
3. valence (V), is the value that the individual
attributes to various results or rewards, the degree to
which the latter are appealing or unappealing to the
individual. The valence attached to certain rewards can
vary widely. For instance, some of the employees do not
want to be promoted into positions of increased
responsibility and stress, whereas others welcome such
opportunities. Some rewards, such as money, are
consistently valued in their own right or because of their
instrumental value in leading to the acquisition of other
outcomes.
According to Expectancy Theory, the strength of
motivation:
M = [E → P] ⋅ ∑ [(P → R ) ⋅ V ]
We chose the Expectancy Theory model as basis of
our research because it provides a means to measure the
motivational strength based on the above formula.
4. RESEARCH REGARDING WORK
MOTIVATION OF ACADEMIC STAFF
4.1. The Research Tool
The questions aimed at evaluating the three factors
of motivational strength are as follows:
• Question 1: the „performance  reward”
expectation
„In your opinion, to what extent is it possible to
achieve the following rewards in your job, as a
consequence of excellent fulfilment of your duties?
Please indicate the level of probability for each type of
reward by filling in the corresponding space with the
number that reflects your opinion (1- unlikely; 5 – very
likely)”.
The list of the fifteen types of possible rewards
included both intrinsic and extrinsic rewards, as follows:
-you will receive a merit bonus or another salary
increase;
- you will feel more accomplished;
- you will have the opportunity to develop your
skills;
- you will have more job security;
- you will be promoted or will get a better position;
- you will have the chance to learn something new;
- you will have the feeling that you are accomplish-
ing something worth the effort;
- you will have more freedom in your work;
- you will be respected by colleagues and/or
students;
- you will be more appreciated by your superiors;
- your colleagues/students will be friendlier to you;
- you will gain professional acknowledgement;
- you will gain power/authority;
- you will be able to face your professional
challenges better;
- you will be able to cooperate more with your
colleagues.
Considering the nature of academic instructors’
work, which has a high potential for intrinsic
satisfaction, we thought it was appropriate to add a wide
variety of intrinsic rewards to our list of possible
rewards.
• Question 2: The perceived value of rewards
“How important are to you the potential results
listed below? Please indicate the level of importance for
each type of reward by filling in the corresponding
space with the number that reflects your opinion (1-
unimportant; 5 – extremely important)”.
To this question, we have attached the same list of
rewards, though this time, the respondents were asked to
specify how important each type of reward is to them.
• Question 3: the „effort  performance”
expectation
“At your job, how often does it happen that when
you work more and harder you get better results from
your performance? For each instance, please indicate
how often you encounter a better result, by filling in the
corresponding space with the number that reflects your
opinion (1 – very rarely; 5 – almost always)”:
- By working more hours, the quality of my courses
is better;
- By using time more efficiently, the quality of my
courses is better;
- By working more hours, I have better results in
my research activity;
- By using time more efficiently, I have better
results in my research activity.
Considering the fact that the three basic questions
underlying the computation of motivational strength
were spread over a scale of 1 to 5 and that the
motivation is the product of the three factors, the
resulting values of motivational strength vary within the
interval 1 - 125.
By splitting this interval into 5 subdivisions, we
have the following scale for motivational strength:
1 – 25 25,1 – 50 50,1 – 75 75,1 – 100 100,1 – 125
Very weak Weak Average Good Very good
The fourth question was meant to emphasize
whether in their professional activity, academic staff
members ever found themselves in the situation of not
Work Motivation Issues among Academic Staff 169

being able to live up to their own or others’ expectations • most values indicate weak (40,30 – 45,70), or
because of external factors. average (50,47 – 58,46) motivational strength;
The questionnaire also comprised questions • the University of Oradea’s group of “readers”
regarding academic title, age and sex of the respondent. who registered a score of 77,06 seems to have a good
strength of motivation;
4.2. The Structure of the Sample • there were no great differences among the
results registered by the different groups of academic
The universities from which staff members were ranking;
surveyed, and the number of filled out and returned • there was not any score to indicate a very good
questionnaires are as follows: motivational strength of any members of academic staff.
1. “Dunărea de Jos” University, Galaţi – 53; By processing the data, we were also looking to
2. University of Oradea – 55 questionnaires; emphasize whether there are differences according to
3. Academia de Studii Economice, Bucharest – 4 title regarding the perceived value of various types of
questionnaires; rewards.
4. Petru Maior University, Târgu Mureş – 6 From the analysis of the data, we noticed that most
questionnaires; academic instructors, regardless of title, hold as
5. Al. I. Cuza University, Iaşi – 2 questionnaires; important or very important the intrinsic rewards, such
6. University of Petroşani – 10 questionnaires; as:
• the feeling of accomplishing something worth
Because of the low number of questionnaires the effort – 4,72
returned from the Al. I. Cuza University of Iasi, Petru • the possibility of facing professional challenges
Maior University of Targu Mures and A.S.E. Bucharest, better – 4,33
the latter were not included in this study. They will be
• the chance to learn something new – 4,25
accounted for within a future research.
• professional recognition – 4,53
The profile of the survey according to academic
• opportunity to develop competencies– 4,57
ranks of respondents from “Dunarea de Jos” University
and the University of Oradea is shown in Table 1.
As far as the importance of the “merit premium or
Table 1 – Number of respondents by academic title of a salary increase”, the results are laid out in Table 3.
“Dunărea de Jos” University of
Title
University, Galaţi Oradea Table 3 – Perceived importance of merit premium
Professor 7 4 “Dunărea de Jos” University
Title
Reader 17 10 University Galaţi of Oradea
Lecturer 15 14 Professor 3,28 3,50
Assistant 9 12 Reader 3,55 3,66
Preparator 5 15 Lecturer 3,58 3,0
TOTAL 53 55 Assistant 3,50 3,58
Preparator 3,50 3,33
As far as the 10 questionnaires received from the
University of Petrosani, the answers therein have been It is once again noticeable that there are no
computed and an average score was obtained for all of significant differences as far as perceived importance of
the respondents, regardless of academic ranking. The the merit premium according to title. The merit
result is 66,21. premium is considered to have average to great
importance.
4.3. The Processing and Interpretation of the results Regarding expected rewards, the study emphasizes
relatively large differences based on the type of reward,
The processing of data consisted of categorizing but not on academic title. Therefore, while intrinsic
answers from the 2 universities according to academic rewards are “fairly likely” or “very likely” for most
title and the computation of an average motivational academic instructors, “the merit premium or an
score for each member of the staff. The values obtained additional salary raise” is “less likely” or even
are listed in Table 2. “unlikely”.
We think that one of the reasons for the relatively
Table 2 – Average motivational score by academic title
poor motivation level of academic staff members is the
“Dunărea de Jos” University
Title
University, Galaţi of Oradea lack of confidence in the fact that their efforts will be
Professor 53,09 43,21 financially rewarded as well.
Reader 58,46 71,06 Analysing the „effort  performance” factor, or the
Lecturer 52,58 40,30 instructor’s confidence in the chance to have better
Assistant 45,70 56,44
performance results following a certain level of effort,
Preparator 43,82 58,18
we note the following:
By relating the values in the table to our • with regard to academic activity, generally, the
measurement scale of motivational strength, we noticed confidence is higher than in the case of research
the following: activity;
170 The 6th International seminar Quality management in High Education – QMHE2010
• as perceived by professors, there is generally a
higher chance of improving the performance of both
teaching and research by more efficiently managing
time rather than working more hours;
• on average, “the frequency with which a better
result occurs” scored between 3 and 4, which
corresponds to “sometimes” and “frequently”.
5. CONCLUSIONS
Before formulating a few of the conclusions of our
research (because there were left over unprocessed data,
while others were not interpreted), we allowed ourselves
a few personal opinions.
The idea of elaborating a research paper on the
work motivation came to us from the atmosphere of
dissatisfaction and even sometimes apathy that we quite
frequently sensed in our work environment. We hereby
refer to both a significant part of our students, who
manifest lack of interest for studying, as well as
colleagues whom in disappointing preponderance I have
seen tired, stressed, unsatisfied or resigned.
At the time of handing him a questionnaire and
being asked to answer the questions regarding his
expectations from the workplace, one of our
distinguished colleagues replied with discouragement in
his voice: “I no longer expect anything”.
Our scrutiny, despite being of small-scale, proves
what we subjectively assumed: there are serious
motivational problems among members of academic
staff.
The scores of motivational strength set against the
evaluation scale indicate a poor or average level of
motivation at most for the majority of surveyed subjects.
What causes poor motivation? Based on the
concepts of the underlying theoretical model that we
employed, we can state that poor motivation is the
combined effect of three factors:
1. The relatively weak belief that the invested effort
will lead to performance. There are many who blame
fatigue and lack of time. The extra work hours cannot
lead to improved performance if the individual is tired.
2. The weak belief that performance will lead to
financial reward.
3. Even if considered great, the value attributed to
rewards does not stimulate the individual if there is lack
of confidence that the results can be achieved.
A positive aspect that emerged from the study and
which gives hope and maintains academic instructors’
motivation is their confidence that their efforts will at
least bring upon them professional acknowledgement,
the chance to develop competencies and better ability to
cope with challenges, even in lack of a merit premium
or other financial gains.
The intrinsic motivation and the satisfaction related
to the content of the work often have the power to
counteract the effects of dissatisfaction regarding
financial rewards.
Among the environmental factors bearing a
negative influence on performance, the professors
mentioned: too much bureaucracy, insufficient time,
unsatisfactory rewards, lack of leadership support, the
limited amount of knowledge that fresh students have
after graduating from high-school.
REFERENCES
1. Huffman, K., Vernoy, M., Williams, B. Vernoy, J. (1991) –
Psychology in action, John Wiley and Sons, New York.
2. Cicea, C. (2004 – Motivarea cadrelor didactice, element
fundamental al eficientizării sistemului de învăţământ, Economia,
1/2004
3. Gordon J. (1991) – A diagnostic Approach to Organizational
Behavior, Allyn and Bacon, Boston
4. Creţu, R., Shankes, R., Ciobanu, G. (2001) – Motivarea
angajaţilor în companiile româneşti – între mit şi realitate, HRD
Dezvoltare Resurse Umane
5. Pânişoară, G., Pânişoară, I.O.(2005)-Motivarea eficientă,
Editura Polirom,Iaşi
6. Steers,R. (1991)- Introduction to Organizational Behavior,
Harper Collins Publishers, New York
7. Steers, R.,Porter, L., Bigley, G.(1996)-Motivation and
Leadership at Work, McGraw Hill, New York
 EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES IN HIGHER EDUCATION AND MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS INVOLVED IN
CHANGING THE STUDENTS’ ATTITUDE REPRESENTED ON THE LIKERT SCALE OF AFFECTIVITY

Elena LUPU1
1
University Lecturer Ph.D. Physical Education and Sport Department
Petroleum-Gas University of Ploiesti
e-mail: lupu_lln@yahoo.com

Abstract: As a consequence of the research undertaken, concerning the educational objectives and the motivational factors involved in
this process, we have observed that the students’ training during the Physical Education classes is still characterized by ambiguity and inadvertence,
generated by the tendency of working according to a current programme, where only the physical objectives are followed, thus ignoring the affective
and cognitive objectives. We consider that the chosen subject may represent a priority in the training process and for the national interest
Objectives: Our research objectives were focused on designing a methodology that will underpin the training of physical education lesson. Filling the
information specialized regarding the importance of the introduction and use of cognitive and affective objectives in education, in order to learn of
how their achievement leads or not to attitudinal and behavioral changes towards physical education activities;
Prior Work: We observe that training students in physical education is still pervaded by ambiguities and discrepancies arising from the tendency of
working according to a current programme where only physical aims are pursued. We believe that if we build and adapt a teaching strategy (a new
working programme with cognitive, affective and psycho-motor objectives) then the quality of the training process will be enhanced and a positive
behavior will be spontaneously triggered for the activity of Physical Education and leisure time.
Design/Methodology/Aproach: In the research we involved the students from the Petroleum-Gas University of Ploiesti, in number of: 88-group
experiment, 94 control-group. The considered basis for determining the research hypothesis arose from the field literature and the experience gained
during the training processes. The design of the research on cognitive and affective objectives in physical education activities with students:-A
program was developed that has met the physical, cognitive and affective objectives. Training the students according to the program was adopted
pursuing the impact of the independent variable. -The effect of the new program was measured by comparing it with the current program. Likert-
scale was used for affective processes.
Results/Acknowledgements: This research started from the assumption that: By explicitly introducing cognitive and affective objectives in Physical
Education lessons with students increases the effectiveness of training. Basing ourselves on the hypothesis we observed the evidence that cognitive
and affective objectives are indestructibly related to the physical ones and may provide teachers the possibility of their evaluation in changing
mentality, thus becoming a goal in training and a working method used consciously. In interpreting the responses we used the arithmetic average,
ranking, percentage. The motivational factor occupied different places on the Likert scale of affectivity. We started exemplifying with a motivational
factor on of rank 1 in order to rank 7, according to the students' preferences.
Implications: Sometimes attitudes are called emotional processes, this being the motivation for which part of the experiment conducted was
channeled towards attitudes and were measured as emotional processes on the Likert scale. Presenting our proposed new program developed on the
basis of the cognitive objectives, affective and psychomotor can be a beginning for a new manner to approach Physical Education both for teachers
and for the younger generation.
Originality Value: Scientific research related to the problem treated "educational goals and motivational factors involved in changing attitudes
presented on the Likert scale of affectivity in Physical Education activities with students", has been less studied in our country, which led me to
choose this subject as a necessity having the purpose of refreshing the field of information and launching new approaches of the subject.

Keywords: students, Likert scale, educational objectives, cognitive, affective, higher education, Physical Education

Scientists and philosophers have always
contributed in formulating educational objectives,
because the concept in itself is essential for the educating
and managing the quality of learning. A role in the
development of the Physical Education lessons is held by
the establishment and definition of the educational
objectives. Through the means of conceiving these
objectives, we can foresee the result of the educational
act, translated through behavior as a response of the
subject after the experience of certain learning stages or
sequences. The design and programming of the Physical
Education activities implies the formulation of the
finalities and strategies which lead to the fulfillment of
the objectives.

Hypothesis adaptation of a new teaching strategy based on the

emotional and cognitive processes (working hours other
This research started from the hypothesis according than classical), we will trigger a positive behaviour for
to which students' attitudes about the educational activity the Physical Education lesson and physical exercise.
is a negative one, but through the construction and

In the research were involved students from the

Petroleum-Gas University of Ploiesti, as following: -88
students – Experiment Group;-94 students–Control
Subjects Group–participating in the Physical Education lesson.

Research Methods research lay the following methods: Bibliographic study

method; Observation method; Survey method (dialogue,
The method is, therefore a structure of organized questionnaire etc.); Likert method for measuring
operations with the purpose of achieving a target, in our attitudes; Pedagogical experiment method; Statistical
case, proving the scientific truth. On the basis of the Method
172 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
Objectives
The main objectives in our research were:
1. Completing the information package regarding the
importance of the implementation and use of the
cognitive and affective objectives in the training
process, with the purpose of learning the manner in
which their realisation produces or not behavioural
changes in the Physical Education activity.
2. Designing a training programme which will allow
the implementation and use of the cognitive and
Research content
“We do not insist on the manner in which the
Physical Education functions and objectives were not
treated in our country literature. We will remark that,
declaratively, among functions as well as among the
objectives of the Physical Education domain we can also
find those referring to the educational aspects, the
cognitive or the attitudinal formation. Formulations are
albeit general enough, more implicit, their concrete
operation in the methodical recommendations being
nearly inexistent.” (M.Epuran, 2005, p.301) the purposes
can be materialized into a variety of objectives,
concerned with the influence upon personality as a
whole. The content of the objectives is usually
measurable through patented methods, in order to offer
the possibility of a minute control of the educational
activity. Usually, the cognitive objectives are more
difficult to be formulated and operated, and even
evaluated (if there is an intention and a competence). On
the other hand, the objectives generically named
affective are less precise and included in the general term
of education.”(M. Epuran, 2005,p. 301)Affective mental
processes relate to: affection, states, emotions, feelings,
passions. Sometimes, attitudes are called affective
processes, this being the motivation due to which a part
of the undertaken experiment was driven towards
attitudes. The measurement of attitudes considered to be
condensed affective processes was made on the
attitudinal scale – Likert method (1937) and highlighted
through the design of a program applied in lessons and
the development of a questionnaire with answers
consisting of 30 questions on students’ attitudes towards
Physical Education. The program was designed on the
basis of the three objectives: those concerning physical
skills structures; cognitive- providing information about
sport, games regulation, lifestyle, etc.; and affective on
the stimulation of the affection represented by the
aerobics lessons, done with music, the latter being an
element with affective impact, as all human beings are
sensitive when listening to a piece of music we enjoy,
affirmation, compensation, domination, reaction to
frustration have the order assigned by me at the
beginning of the research, considered ideal in the
expression of attitude changes. The evolution of the
motivational factors in the top of preferences was other
than the one considered to be ideal, evidence being the
fact that attitudes change independently of the teacher’s
desire; it is important that change is positive. The
affective, accompanied by the physical ones and
their application in practice.
3. Eliminating the negative attitudes towards the
Physical Education lesson, through the evaluation of
the cognitive and affective objectives in the training
process.
4. Using the Likert scale for emotional processes.
5. Discussing through a quantitative analysis of the
answers expressed in scores.
6. Evaluating the results of the undertaken experiment.
themed sport games - Basket points scored by the
weakest, the development of fair play, etc. The novelty of
this research is the approach of the presentation of
affective processes on the Likert scale, resulted from
practical application of the three motion-cognitive and
affective objectives in the Physical Education lesson. The
survey was separated in two sequences: Questionnaire
No. 1 divided into 14 questions about interest in sport,
lack of exercise and needs of self-knowledge;
Questionnaire. 2 divided into 16 questions about the need
for assertion, domination, aggression, and compensation
To measure a general attitude I used a battery of
statements and calculated the obtained points. The
subject expressed for each statement the degree of
agreement /disagreement by choosing an interval on a
scale of answers presented in 5 levels. Likewise, I
continued to follow the events, concluding what
happened with the Experiment Group, which received a
special program, as compared to the Control Group, not
involved. I mention that students were organized, and
participated in lessons according to the data from the
table below: We begin presenting the questionnaire by
the comments for each question, while presenting the
two groups in parallel – Experiment and Control. The
analysis of the recorded data is revelatory; the sum of the
obtained points after the application of questionnaires
No. 1 and No. 2 was expressed as scores, according to
data from the scheme No. 1.Students from the
Experiment Group maintain a constant appreciation
towards the Physical Education activity, feel its positive
effects, show respect towards the teacher, and collaborate
with him/her. The score of the answers was higher in the
Experiment Group, as compared with the Control Group.
It may be due to their interest being aroused by the
information that they would be part of an experiment.
Average and rank made us observe the differences that
emerged between the two groups Control - Experiment
during the training process. Presenting the motivational
factors are the main aim in sports; needs for motion
motivational factor occupied different places on the
Likert scale of affectivity. I started the illustration with a
motivational factor from rank 1 to rank 7, according to
the students’ preferences. Average and class differences
appear during the two years according to data from
scheme No.1. Students linked between the learning
outcomes, success in society and needs for self-
knowledge, motion, asserting, all holding the first 4
 Educational Objectives and Motivational Factors Involved in Changing Attitudes Represented on The Likert Scale of
Affectivity 173

ranks in both groups. Need for compensation is situated Group, as we can observe in the images that were
on rank 5 in the Experiment Group and for the Control captured in the photo of the team’s organization. We
Group on rank 7. Students in the Control Group are more evaluated these factors and how they influence
aggressive, with less desire to offset mental fatigue affectivity, using the Likert scale with the following
through motion. Deprived of the positive effects of interpretation for the two groups – Experiment and
Physical Education, students in the Control Group have a Control. In order to understand and interpret the recorded
"disability" of understanding, perceiving tasks, data on the Likert scale, we firstly show the legend and
cooperating, fair play, as compared with the Experiment symbols used, and then schem
Scheme No.1.

Grupa Experiment
Caption – motivational factors
5
Needs of
*
compensation
4 Level of interest for
•
the sports activity
3,19 3,17
▼ Aggressive needs
3 2,6
2,41
■ Self-affirming needs
2,26 G.E
1,98 2,06 ♦ Dominating needs
2 1,79 1,78 1,7
1,58
1,4
▲ Motion needs
1,29
1,02 Self-knowledge
◊
1 needs
Caption – motivational factors
Needs of
0 *
Grupa Control compensation
* · ▼ ■ ♦ ▲ ◊ ▲ ◊ ■ · * ♦ ▼ Level of interest for
5 •
the sports activity
Anul 2003-2004 Anul 2004-2005
▼ Aggressive needs
4 ■ Self-affirming needs
♦ Dominating needs
3 ▲
2.59 2.58 2.52 Motion needs
2.2 G.C Self-knowledge
◊
1.93 needs
2 1.68 1.62
1.41 1.45 1.46
1.21 1.16 1.09
1.06
1
ORDERING THE MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS INVOLVED IN
THE ATTITUDINAL MODIFICATION ON THE LIKERT SCALE
OF AFFECTIVIY
0
* ■ ▼ · ♦ ▲ ◊ ◊ ▲ ■ · ♦ ▼ *

2003-2004 2004-2005

Year I Year II
* • ▼ ■ ♦ ▲ ◊ ▲ ◊ ■ • * ♦ ▼
E.G. 1.02 1.29 1.58 1.79 1.98 2.41 2.6 3.19 3.17 2.26 2.06 1.78 1.7 1.4
Year I Year II
* ■ ▼ • ♦ ▲ ◊ ◊ ▲ ■ • ♦ ▼ *
C.G 1.06 1.21 1.41 1.45 1.68 2.2 2.59 2.58 2.52 1.93 1.62 1.46 1.16 1.09
Legend – motivational factor (FM) .Interpretation of intensity; Value 2 = the motivational factor has an
the obtained values :Value 0 = motivational factor is average value ;Value 3 = strong motivational factor;
absent; ;Value 1= the motivational factor has a very low Value 4 = very strong motivational factor .
• Sometimes, attitudes are called affective processes, this
Conclusions being the motivation due to which a part of the undertaken
 174 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
experiment was driven towards attitudes, evaluated
according to the Likert scale.
• The whole research confirmed the main theories
regarding the psychological and behavioural characteristics,
as well as the emotional ones, observed in students during
the Physical Education activity (see the legend below
scheme No. 1 – the motivational factor changes).
• Between emotion and cognition a bilateral relationship of
mutual conditioning of needs is created, demonstrated by
the change of the needs during the experiment.
• There are attitudes which remain unchanged, therefore
we find these on the Likert scale during the experiment,
even though we stimulate the affective side, the result being
irreplaceable (see scheme No. 1 below the scale for E.G.
and C.G.)
References
1.Babanski, IK, (1979), Optimizing the educational process. Didactic and
Pedagogic Publishing House, Bucharest. Pages 42-67.
2.Bandura, A.,(1977), Principles of Behavior Modification , Holt,
Reinehartand Winston, Inc., pages25-30.
3.Baumgartner,T., Jackson,A.,(1991) Measurement for Evaluation in
Physical Education an Exercise Science, Wm. C. Brown Publishers,
pages.18-25.
4.Belinovici, VV (1959), The learning process in physical education, Youth
Publishing, Culture and Sports, Bucharest, pages.7-14.
5.Cârstea, Gheorghe, (2001) Teaching physical education. ANEFS,
Bucharest, pages.20-45.
6.Chelcea, Septimius, (1982) Experiment in Psychosociology. Scientific
and Encyclopaedic Publishing, Bucharest, pages.12-36
7.De Landsheere, Viviane, De Landsheere, Gilbert,(1979) Defining
educational objectives. Didactic and Pedagogic Publishing House,
Bucharest, pages61-114, 117-190.
8.De Meur, A., Staes, L.,( 1985) Psychomotricite. Education et reeducation
. Niveaux maternel et primaire . Editions A. De Boesck, Bruxelles,
pages25-26.
9.Epuran, Michael (2005) Research Methodology of physical activities.
Exercise.Sports. Fitness. Edition II, Fest, Bucharest, pages.49-70, 163-
188,299- 304,387.
• The emotional connection implies the acknowledging the
possibility that emotion can become a factor to trigger
action, influencing the subject to act in accordance with its
intensity, this being the explanation for the order change of
the needs on the scale of Likert's affectivity.
• Our current knowledge in terms of affection is elusive,
but by introducing cognitive and affective objectives in
physical education activities with the physical aims, we
could determine positive changes in students’ attitude
towards the taught material, which confirms the hypothesis.
• Approaching the subject through the implementation of
the cognitive-affective objectives in the Physical Education
lessons, alongside the physical objectives, can still be a
challenge for scientists and the initiation of a new research
to determine the changes, to contribute both theoretically
and practically to specifying the characteristics regarding
the changing attitude in this sector.
10. Famouse, JP Durcand, M., (1988) Attitudes and physical performance,
Publishing Revue, EPS, March, Paris-43 pages24
11. Gagne, R..M, (1975) Learning conditions. Didactic and Pedagogical
Publishing House, Bucharest, pages. 30-33
12. Horghidan, Valentina, (1997) Methods of psycho-diagnosis. Didactic
and Pedagogic Publishing House, Bucharest, pages38-57
13. Malim, Tony Birich Ann, Wadelez, Alison, (1999) Perspectives in
Psychology. Technique Publisher, Bucharest, pages123-185
14. Miclea, M., (1994) Cognitive Psychology, Glory Ltd. Publishing
House, Cluj-Napoca, pages25-58
15. Montmollin, G. (1993) Les changement de l'atitude. Rev de
Psychologie sociale, Editura Puf, Paris.
16. National Evaluation System in Physical Education in primary schools.
(1999-2000) Bucharest.
17. Stănescu M., (2002) Strategies of motion learning through imitation.
Signs Publisher, Bucharest, pages163-186.
18. Şchiopu, U., Verza, E.,( 1979) Ages Psychology, EDP-RA, Bucharest,
pages209-216.
19. Thomas, R. – Jerry & Nelson, K., Jack,( 1996) Research Methodology
in Physical Activity Vol I S.D.P. nr. 375-377,; vol. II S.D.P. nr. 386-
389, (1997) Research Center of Sports Affairs, Bucharest, pages 65-
170;
20. Zlate, M.,(1999) Cognitive Psychology mechanisms. Polirom
Publishing, Iaşi, pages227-337.
 HUMAN RESOURCES STRATEGIES AND POLICIES IN THE ROMANIAN
UNIVERSITIES
Laura MARINAŞ1, Cristian MARINAŞ2, Ramona PUIA3, Sorin SFERLE4
1
The Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies, laura.marinas@gmail.com
2
The Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies, cristian_marinas@yahoo.com
3
The Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies, ramonapuia@gmail.com
4
The Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies, sorin@romfra.ro

The paper aims to assess the human resources development strategies and policies in the Romanian universities.
The assessment will focus on several key areas of HR policies: recruitment, motivation, training and career development in universities. The
existing HR policies in Romanian universities will be compared with similar policies in varies EU member states as well as by reference to the
transforming processes of higher education in Europe.
The methodology for conducting this study refers to makes use of: analysis of the relevant legislation as well as the relevant documents and
strategies of the universities, surveys and questionnaires applied to a sample of the management and academic staff of the 10 important
universities in Romania.
The findings revealed by the survey, the HRD policies are not sufficiently developed and present in the life of the academic community in
Romania, in particular with regard to the university teaching positions.
This article synthesizes the preliminary conclusions of the existing legislation in the field of higher education and of the HRD
policies/documents of the 10 important state owned universities in Romanian.
This article is the first output of research initiated by the authors with regard to the human resources development (HRD) policies
implemented in the Romanian universities.

INTRODUCTION case of the ten universities surveyed, the analysis also

This article is the first output of research initiated
by the authors with regard to the human resources
development (HRD) policies implemented in
universities in Romania.
The methodology for conducting this study refers to
makes use of: analysis of the relevant legislation as well
as the relevant documents and strategies of the
universities, surveys and questionnaires applied to a
sample of the management and academic staff of the 10
important universities in Romania (with respect to the
number of students enrolled in all 3 cycles and to the
research activity – number of research projects and
budget). Once the assessment of the current state of the
human policies in higher education will be finalized,
recommendations will be proposed by the authors.
This article synthesize the preliminary conclusions
of the existing legislation in the field of higher
education and of the HRD policies/documents of the 10
important state owned universities in Romanian
(Academy of Economic Studies in Bucharest,
University of Bucharest, Politehnica University of
Bucharest, University A.I. Cuza of Iasi, Technical
University of Iasi, Babes Bolyai University of Cluj
Napoca, Technical University of Cluj Napoca, West
University of Timisoara, Politechnica University of
Timisoara, University of Craiova and Ovidius
University of Constanta).
The legislation in the field of higher education that
was consulted by the authors refers to: Education Law
(law 84/1995, consolidated version), Statute of the
teaching staff (law 128/1997, consolidated version),
Education Code of 2009. The survey of the HRD
policies in the 10 Romanian universities targeted the
following areas: training policies for academic staff (in
particular teaching staff), recruitment, motivation
policies, career development policies, evaluation. In
aimed to identify if any document or strategy referring
to the HRD policy areas exists; also another area of
analysis was the correlation between the objectives and
instruments of the HRD policy and the objectives of the
university strategy/mission declared.
PARTICULARITIES OF THE HUMAN
RESOURCES MANAGEMENT IN THE
ROMANIAN UNIVERSITIES
The legislation in the field of higher education
contains provisions regarding the management and
teaching/research positions in higher education and
general access conditions to these positions. Accession
to the positions of senior lecturer and university
professors are conditioned by the doctoral degree and
are confirmed by the Order of the Minister of
Education. All teaching and research positions could be
filled in by competition. Normal activities for university
teaching staff include teaching, students’ supervision,
examinations and research-development-innovation
activities.
The legislation and universities’ regulations contain
provisions referring the training of the teaching staff. In
all universities surveyed the graduation, the access to
teaching in any of the Bologna cycles is conditioned by
the specific pedagogical training as a prerequisite. The
new Education Code emphasis that continuous training
of the teaching staff is mandatory, during the academic
career; still certified continuous training programs for
the academic staff in higher education are not
operational, unlikely the situation in the preuniversity
education in relation with both initial and continuous
training programs for teachers are regulated by the
legislation in force. The needs, standards and programs
for academic staff training are nor regulated and
operational. Although the new Education Code refers to
176 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
continuous training of teaching staff in higher
education, none of the 10 universities documents and
strategies consulted do not contain provisions referring
to the involvement/participation of the university to the
development/implementing of continuous training
programs for university teaching staff and/or the
financial support granted to the staff for participation to
training programs during their academic career. This
situation may have negative effects on the quality and
relevance of the teaching, and in the end on the quality
of the higher education delivered.
According to the legislation in force and with the
universities individual regulations, regular evaluation of
the academic staff is an important element of the HRD
policies. The main pillar of the performance based
wages schemes (operational in some of the surveyed
universities) is the academic staff evaluation processes
and policies in the respective universities; similarly
performance criteria/standards influences access to
higher academic positions/degrees and career
development. The framework evaluation criteria are
detailed at the level of the universities (including
threshold ceilings). In all of the universities surveyed,
the quality of the teaching delivered in measured against
the students’ satisfaction and evaluation and this seems
to be the only criteria in this respect. In all of the
universities surveyed, the quality of the research
conducted by the university teaching staff (usually
measured by the number of the research conducted and
the valorization of research by scientific publication) is
an important criterion. The analysis reveals imbalances
with regard to the weight of these two major issues:
teaching quality/performances and research
quality/performance for the teaching staff in
universities; regardless that the university teaching
staff/position are not full time research /research staff,
still the quality of their teaching activities/skills is less
important for their career development. This may
explain why the continuous training for the university
teaching positions is less present in the HRD policies in
higher education. This focus on research in HR policies
in universities could be explained by the fact that the
declared official missions of the 10 universities
surveyed are to become „research oriented universities”
or „research and education oriented universities”. Once
this conclusion drawn, the authors extended the analysis
to other 10 regional/small universities and universities
with declared mission of „education oriented
universities” selected on the random base. The analysis
revealed the same prevalence of the criteria related to
the research activities as compared to the teaching
quality. All of the universities surveyed had
standards/performance criteria for university teaching
staff evaluation embedded in an official document
(university Charta, internal regulations). Only one
university had available an approved strategy for human
resource development. In other cases, issues related to
human resources in teaching positions were rather
marginal and not embedded in a internal regulation or
procedure or in the university Charta or in the quality
manuals; in most cases provisions covered accession to
teaching position and evaluation. A particular case was
registered in case of a technical university which
developed a procedure for „awareness and
competences” of human resources. Although almost
50% of the universities surveyed referred to the
continuous training opportunities of the teaching staff,
both no coherent programs were available nor
developed (at least 3 of the universities surveyed
mentioned that the training of teaching and research
staff by exchange of good practices, partnership with
student community and teaching staff mobility). This
indicates inconsistencies between declared mission and
the availability of competences and skills of the
university teaching personnel (HR policies) taking into
account both the knowledge that the teaching staff
posses and the capacity to transmit knowledge to the
students.
If the factors of the knowledge triangle identified at
EU level are considered, the capacity of the academic
staff to transmit knowledge to the students and to
integrate research results in the teaching processes,
seem to be considered of a lower importance (as
compared to the content of the university education
programs). The policies to develop these capabilities to
the teaching staff trough continuous training programs
are not part of a coherent vision/policy in case of the
Romanian universities surveyed.
Diverse competence and qualifications requires, in
universities, diverse profiles: applied research and
innovation, pure research and educational research. If
people with different competencies integrate, it has a
great impact on higher-education policy.
In this context a number of measures could be
suggested, including creating a workforce of skilled
knowledge transfer staff in universities (and a
professional qualification and accreditation scheme) In
addition, voluntary guidelines to help improve
knowledge transfer cover issues such as intellectual
property management, incentives for researchers to
participate in knowledge transfer activities, and the
development of knowledge transfer resources [4]. This
knowledge transfer activities should cover both
knowledge transfer to the industry (research, innovation
and technology transfer policies, university-industry
partnerships) as well as knowledge transfer to the
students (learning content and teaching methods); the
last area identified for the knowledge transfer covers
development of specific competencies/capabilities of the
academic teaching staff. This approach raises the need,
in universities to ensure balance of the positions
participating to the knowledge creation and transfer:
teaching positions, research positions, management,
professionals from industry etc. In this respect, in case
of the Romanian universities’ HR policies, one major
weakness resides in the recruitment policies which are
(limited to the graduates of the respective universities,
according to the surveyed universities’ regulations and
procedures), while one major strength consists of the
importance of the research activities/performances of
Human Resources Strategies and Policies in the Romanian Universities
the teaching staff in the evaluation policies and for
career development (accession to upper side of the
academic position pyramid).
CONSLUSIONS
Taking into considerations the findings revealed by
the survey, the HRD policies are not sufficiently
developed and present in the life of the academic
community in Romania, in particular with regard to the
university teaching positions. Based on the future results
of the study initiated by the authors, future
recommendations will be made.
REFERENCES
177
1. Lefter, V, Deaconu, A, Marinaş, C, Nica, E, Marin, I & Puia, R.
(2008), Human Resources Management. Theory & Practice, Second
Edition, Economica Reader, Bucharest
2. Manolescu A., Lefter V., Deaconu A., Marinaş, C. (2008), Human
Resources Management, Economica Reader, Bucharest
3. *** Conclusions of the DEAN Network “The knowledge triangle
in the shaping the future of Europe”, 31 august-2 September 2009,
Goteborg, Sweden
4. *** European Commission, Voluntary Guidelines for Universities
and Other Research Institutions to Improve their Links with Industry
across Europe, SEC (2007) 449, European Commission, Brussels
5. *** Romanian Parliament, Law 84/199, Law 128/1997,
consolidated versions
6. *** University Senates of Academy of Economic Studies in
Bucharest, University of Bucharest, Politehnica University of
Bucharest, University A.I. Cuza of Iasi, Technical University of Iasi,
Babes Bolyai University of Cluj Napoca, Technical University of Cluj
Napoca, West University of Timisoara, Politechnica University of
Timisoara, University of Craiova and Ovidius University of
Constanta, Official documents (University Charta, Quality assurance
procedures and manuals, Procedures, HR Strategies, Internal
Regulations), 2009
178 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
 THE INVESTIGATION OF CONTINUOUS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN
ROMANIAN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

Liliana MÂŢĂ1, Roxana Maria GHIAŢĂU2, Camelia ONU3, Cristi ONU4

1
“Vasile Alecsandri” University of Bacău, liliana.mata@ub.ro
2
“Al.I. Cuza” Iaşi, vasiloiuroxana@yahoo.com
3
“Al.I. Cuza” Iaşi, onu_cami@yahoo.com
4
“Gheorghe Asachi” University of Iaşi, cristi_onu@yahoo.com

The purpose of the current paper is to propose a way for investigating trainer perceptions towards the indicators who aim at the
continuous professional development of teachers in the Romanian educational system.

and practice with children, young people and colleagues

I. The continuing professional development concept
Teaching professionalization does not end with
graduation, but continues with career development,
achieved through continuous education (Iucu, 2007).
The definitions both of teacher development and, more
generally, of professional development, are difficult to
find.
In the reference literature there are many terms that
are semantically close, sometimes vague and poorly
specified, with no universally agreed upon definition
and/or consensus: professionalism, professionalization,
professional development education (Evans, 2008),
professional staff development (Hoyle, 1982), teacher
professional development, continuing professional
development of teachers (Office for Standards in
Education, 2002, Gray 2005).
There are two related concepts of professional
development of teachers (Hoyle, 1982). In the first,
professional development is seen as `a process in which
a teacher continues to develop the knowledge and skills
required for effective professional practice as
circumstances change and as new responsibilities are
accepted” throughout the teacher’s career. In the second,
professional development is perceived to be “knowledge
acquisition and skills development which should to a
greater degree than in the past be more directly related
to the substantive problems faced by teachers”.
Fullan and Hargreaves (1992, p. 1) comment on
“how little systematic attention has been devoted to
understanding the topic”. Definitions of teacher
development are almost entirely absent from the
literature; even those who are generally considered
leading writers in the field do not define precisely what
they mean by the term. Darling-Hammond (1994),
Eraut, 1994, Leithwood (1992), Fullan and Hargreaves
(1992), for example, all fail to offer operational
definitions of teacher development or of professional
development.
One of the very few available definitions is Day’s
(1999, p. 4). Professional development is “the process
by which, alone and with others, teachers review, renew
and extend their commitment as change agents to the
moral purposes of teaching; and by which they acquire
and develop critically the knowledge, skills, planning
through each phase of their teaching lives.”
Professional development is therefore about teacher
development. It is about career development to improve
teaching performance. Keltchermans (1998) described
professional development of teachers as a life-long
process in the context of schools and classroom. It is
career long, “starting with initial education and
continuing until retirement. It is an active process. The
teacher must actually work to develop. Professional
development of teachers, therefore, suggests a process
whereby teachers become professional by having a
“substantial background knowledge and skills, acquired
during initial training and thereafter” (Dean, 1991, p. 5).
It is the improvement of teaching, which involves the
continuous improvement of knowledge and skills of the
teachers.
After O’Neill (1994, p. 292), the professional
development of teachers need to be incorporated in the
school or college development plan based on the
following principles:
1. Professional activity should take place at three levels:
a. individual;
b. functioning group;
c. whole institution.
2. Effective management of professional development
needs to rationalize and integrate perceived priorities
from each of these levels to best promote individual and
organizational development.
3. Development activities need to be directly linked to
the organizational context or environment in which they
are to be implemented if they are to have any prospect
of success.
Professional development is a key process within
the wider agenda of raising standards and increasing
societal growth capacity by improving policy and
practice in all areas of public service provision, not least
education.
II. The management of professional development
needs of teachers
The continuous professional development of
teachers can become better organized and made you if it
realizes correlated individual needs with the needs of
schools in which they work (Office for Standards in
Education, 2002). Hustler, McNamara, Jarvis, London
180 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
and Campbell (2003) point out that a good process for
professional development of teachers must ensure the
unity, convergence and complementarity between the
initiatives of central or local institutions, the needs of
schools and teachers and individual needs of teachers
situated on different levels of their careers.
In view of the above, there may seem to be a
tension in meeting with the conflicting demands
between individual needs and institutional needs
(Sanggura and Inggeris, 2002). However, this may be
overcome if the management succeeds in integrating the
needs of the individual teachers with the needs of the
institution. To do so, the management may have to carry
out needs analysis among the staff. O’Neill (1994, p.
286) states that needs analysis is an essential part of a
process designed to generate a range of possible
professional responses to a problem.
Therefore the professional development of teachers
is not only about meeting the professional needs of
individual teachers but also meeting organizational
needs and growth.
Evans (2002) have identified two constituent
elements of teacher development (which are equally
applicable to the broader concept of professional
development): functional development and attitudinal
development. To be effective, professional development
initiatives or policy need to incorporate not only
mechanisms for achieving functional development, but
also recognition of the great significance of attitudinal
development.
Essentially, continuing professional development
encompasses three types of activities (Caffarella and
Zinn, 1999, p. 242): self-directed learning experiences,
formal professional development programs, and
organizational development strategies.
For future professional development programs to
succeed, researchers and practitioners must attend to
situational factors that affect the program at both the
institutional and individual levels (Yamagata-Lynch,
Haudenschild, 2008, p. 508). Newmann, King, and
Young (2000) identified some of these factors, which
included teacher knowledge, skills, dispositions, school
community, program nature, available resources, and
school leadership.
The interest for teacher training in the Romanian
education system has been generated rather recently (10
years) and has become visible through several directions
of innovation in continuing teacher training in Romania.
They are defined by R. Iucu and Păcurari O. (2001):
changes at the level of the forms of organizing the
research, assessment of joint, both quantitative and
qualitative, methodologies for investigating the field,
(Iucu, Pânişoară, 1999, 2000); reconsideration of
scientific research funding mechanisms, building of
professional/ education standards in relation to a
challenging teaching career (Potolea, 2001). Also,
development of human resources was one of the six
directions of the Education 2000 + Program (Păcurari,
Tepelea, Tîrcă, Crişan, 2003). One of the fundamental
orientations of changes in the system of training refers
to training teachers and fostering human resources in
education to maintain a high motivation for education
and self-education. In terms of both conception and
design of training programs, special attention was given
to the teacher’s condition, how personal development is
associated with professional development, without
explicitly correlating it with the completed stages in the
evolution of the teaching career.
At the internationally level, the researches on the
issue of continuing professional development are better
structured and focused. Regarding the investigation of
continuous professional development from perspective
of teachers need, there are a number of research: Hustler
et all., 2003, Earley, Bubba, 2004, Evans, 2008,
Kyriakides et. all, 2009.
III. Educational research
III.1 Objectives and Hypothesis of the Investigation
III.1.1. Objectives of the Investigation
The main objective of our research is to obtain the
perception of trainers towards the three main indicators
aiming at the continuous professional development
(CPD) of teachers in the pre-university education
system:
• Significance of the concept of continuous
professional development;
• Development of continuous training programs
according to the needs of teachers;
• The reasons of teachers to attend at continuous
training programs.
III.1.2. Hypothesis of the Investigation
The first hypothesis
Trainers determine the significance of the concept of
continuous professional development in accordance
with current European educational policies.
The second hypothesis
The continuous training programs are conducted in
Romanian education according to the needs of the
professional development of teachers.
The third hypothesis
Trainers identify the reasons for which teachers from
the Romanian education system attend continuous
training programs.
III.2 Variables
The concept of continuous professional development
has been developed in main categories, corresponding to
the current educational European policies: the current
significance of the continuing professional development
concept, achieving continuous training programs closely
related to the needs of teachers, the reasons that support
the process of continuing professional development,
relationship between practical competencies and
theoretical preparation, continuing professional
development stages.
III.3 Subjects
The Investigation of Continuous Professional Development in Romanian Educational System 181

48 trainers were involved in this study; they were education programs are made based on the teachers’
grouped according to the independent variables: the needs of professional development, and less in the pre-
education system (26 from Teachers’ Training university education system.
Departments – TTD and 22 from Didactic Staff House -
DSH); the education system (26 from the university
education system and 22 from pre-university education 18
16

system). 14
12
10
yes
8
no
III.4 Methodology 6
4
In close accordance with the objectives, an 2
0
interview guide consisting of 13 questions was applied 1 2
1 - univesity, 2 - pre-university
to investigate the trainers’ perception towards relevant
indicators of continuous professional development. Graph 1: Graphic representation of trainers’ perception towards ways of
achieving the needs analysis of teachers’ professional development, depending
on the educational system
III.5 Data presentation and Analysis
The responses obtained by using the interview grid In terms of the reasons why teachers attend
were analyzed qualitatively, establishing the dominant continuous training programs, they are both the
categories, topics and their corresponding specifications. nature of extrinsic and intrinsic nature (Table 2). The
The analysis algorithm allowed the obtaining of the main external reasons that trainers mention are: interest
most relevant categories at the level of three categories for professional development (26), obtaining credits
of CPD. These are briefly presented only for three (22), desire for promotion (18), compulsoriness (14),
categories: the significance of the concept, achieving job security (9). Besides these, trainers also emphasize
continuous training programs according to the needs of the existence of internal reasons that support the process
teachers and the reasons of teachers to attend continuous of continuing professional development of teachers:
training programs. interest for personal development (7), curiosity (3) and
Regarding the significance of the concept of desire for self-improvement (3).
continuing professional development, trainers define
it as a dynamic process of building the teaching career Table 2: Frequency specifications for the reasons that support the process of
continuing professional development, differentiated by kinds of reasons
(21), as a genuine need for training (13), as a program of Frequency
improvement and updating of knowledge, skills, Themes specifications
attitudes (9) or as a means of personal development (5). ER IR
These meanings are given by trainers from the 1.1 compulsoriness 14
Teachers’ Training Departments, and those from the 1.2 job security 9
Didactic Staff House (Table 1). 1.3 obtaining credits 22

Table 1: Frequency specifications for the CPD category, differentiated

1.4 desire for promotion 18
by level of education 1.5 interest for professional 26
Frequency development
Theme specifications 1.6 curiosity 3
TTD DSH Total
1.7 interest for personal 7
1.1 program of improvement 5 4 9 development
and updating of knowledge,
1.8 desire for self-improvement 3
skills, attitudes
1.2 dynamic process of 11 10 21 Total 89 13
building teaching career
1.3 personal development 3 2 5 Conclusions
1.4 genuine need for training 7 6 13
Total 26 22 48 After analyzing the literature, we conclude that
there is a need to clarify the concept of continuing
Concerning the implementation of continuous professional development. The research results indicate
training programs according to the needs of the the necessity for design the continuing professional
professional development of teachers, 25 trainers development closely related to professional
mentioned the fact that needs had been analysed before development needs of teachers.
the programs, while 23 noted that this analysis had not There is a real need of insuring a growth and
been carried out. Depending on the level of education, manifestation of the significance of the teachers’
most trainers who support such programs in higher professional development process, which implies the
education (18) claim that they had made a previous need of conceptual clarification and development of an
analysis of needs, while most trainers from the pre- innovative model to approach the continuing teacher
university education system consider that they had not professional development in the context of the
made any needs analyses (Figure 1). Therefore, we Romanian pre-university education.
conclude that in the higher education, the continuing
182 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
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Teachers in Schools, Office for Standards in Education,
Alexandra House, London.
PROMOTION TECHNIQUES ADOPTED BY THE FACULTY OF ECONOMIC SCIENCES
WITHIN THE LOWER DANUBE UNIVERSITY IN GALATI TO REACH THE TARGET

Adrian MICU1, Angela Eliza MICU2, Nicoleta CRISTACHE3, Irina SUSANU4 , Costel NISTOR5
1
University “Dunarea de Jos”, email: mkdradrianmicu@yahoo.com
2
University “Dunarea de Jos”, email: angelaelizamicu@yahoo.com
3
University “Dunarea de Jos”, email: cristache.nicoleta@yahoo.de
4
University “Dunarea de Jos”, email: irisusanu@yahoo.com
5
University “Dunarea de Jos”, email: cnistor@ugal.ro

Abstract: This paper has in view the creation of a clearer vision on the promotion way of the educational activity, developed by an
institution of high education on the target in order to underline some decisions regarding the school- professional guiding of the
pupils in the final classes of high school. The Faculty of Economic Sciences promotes a marketing specific to high education using
different means, methods and specific techniques, such as: the student’s guide, printed field means and materials, the faculty website,
methods of promotion by means of local television; We address ourselves to a sample of 294 pupils in the twelfth grade, belonging to
high schools of Galati, Braila, Vrancea and Tulcea by means of these questionnaires. The existence of a decreasing trend of the
number of pupils registered at the Faculty of Economic Sciences on a period of six years (1157 pupils were registered in 2004, 999
were registered in 2005, 1050 in 2006; their number decreased to 960 in 2007; 878 pupils in 2008 and 828 registered pupils in 2009)
will determine in the near future an improvement, a multiplication and diversity of the promotion techniques.

different resources are entailed it disposes to have the

I. INTRODUCTION
Education is a complex phenomenon based on a
sum of measures, methods, techniques and educational
goods used systematically in order to create and
develop the young generation, but also people in
general.
High education is one of the domains that represent
the basis of a nation’s development and this is the
reason why the eventual failures must be avoided. As a
long time ‘company’ that offers a specialized labor
force on the market, the faculty develops a diversity of
educational activities based on well structured
educational management and an organized marketing.
Educational marketing involves an activity or a
system of human activities, developed in order to
satisfy the requests of the present consumers (the
students) and also the potential consumers (the pupils)
who are the target of a complex promotion activity, so
that they become candidates for admission.
This paper has in view the creation of a clearer
vision on the promotion way of the educational
activity, developed by an institution of high education
on the target.
II. TECHNIQUES OF PROMOTION ADOPTED
BY THE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGH
EDUCATION. THE THEORETICAL
APPROACH
2.1 The marketing mix and its domains
In the present, the success of a marketing plan
requires the combination of the four ‘P’ (product, price,
promotion, placement), these being the key variables
by means of which an organization can act in order to
get the maximum impact on the market, but also on the
consumer that reflects in the same time the way the
anticipated results. (Kotler Ph., Armstrong G, 2004)
The service marketing, as a branch of marketing
propose on the one hand to deal with the elements
common to the goods and services and on the other
hand, the emphasis of the elements specific to the last
ones; the definition of the service consumer’s behavior;
the knowledge of the marketing mix and the main
principles that can be adopted and implemented by a
company. Thus, within the services, an extended
pattern of the marketing mix must be applied,
respectively projected due to the peculiarities of the
carrying out process. The generalized variant contains
seven components: product, carrying out process,
physical evidence, personnel, price, distribution and
promotion.
In the same time, the organizations that carry out
different social services, having in view both the
solving of the various persons’ problems and also the
change of the society’s attitude in general are called
non–profit organizations (NPO). Their activities are
not quantified in economic results.
The NPO’s offer the customers ‘products’ that are
either services with public use or ‘collective goods’
under charity form, created for the public’s benefit or
for their members (clubs, associations, etc), thus,
having as a fundamental mission the change of the
community, the people in general (P. Druker names
them ‘agents of the human change’).
The forms of a non –profit organization can be
extremely various and the specific activity domains
are: health, education, culture, politics, religion,
domains in which the economic organizations with
private character usually activate.
A special category of non- profit organizations is
given by the institutions of high education.
As it can be observed, these institutions are
extremely important for a good social – educational
development of a society. This is the reason why their
existence must be stimulated and supported both by
legislation and the local and governmental bodies.
184 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
The activity of the educational marketing starts by
considering first the target –public (the pupils), that can
be determined based on the statistic research stored in
different publications, studies, reports, analyses or by
direct research. (Cojocariu Venera Mihaela, 2004). The
pupils or the education consumers have a certain clear
behavior as being the sum of actions and decisions
regarding the value of opportunities in order to get and
use the educational goods and services. These
educational products are disseminated and received by
the consumers who, in their turn, give them a certain
value. When establishing the value, in the case of this
type of marketing, there must be taken into account the
quality of the educational act, the investments made in
order to create and insure better development
conditions of the teaching –learning process and also
the quality of the teachers who support education. We
can also state that the educational services are actually
activities carried out for the benefit of the education
consumers in order to fulfill certain needs and give
them intellectual satisfactions.
Educational marketing is in fact, the marketing that
is applied in the organizations that operate for the
public interest, without having in mind financial
profits, but only the satisfaction of the beneficiaries
and paymasters of social services.
III. TECHNIQUES OF PROMOTION ADOPTED
BY THE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGH EDUCATION
– THE PRACTICAL APPROACH
3.1. The presentation of the Faculty of Economic
Sciences – mission and objectives
The Faculty of Economic Sciences (FES) is a non-
profit organization which had to follow certain
directions of action, due to the important changes that
took place in the Romanian high education, as a result
of the integration in the European Union (in which
Romania is integrated). FES has in view the future
professional development and training by formation
courses, identifying the interest domains and
specializations, insuring their organization conditions
(the teachers’ staff, specialists in economy, foreign
collaborators, the material base, documentary sources,
etc.) and following the unity of the faculty’s
professional offer at the present and perspective
standards of the society. (Cristea S. 1996)
The teaching - learning process and the research
one are the main processes that define the objectives of
the Faculty of Economy and Business Administration.
The FES mission and objectives are subordinated to
the general mission to develop and promote education
and research, taking into consideration the
requirements of a society based on continuous
knowledge and education that are in accordance with
the European and /or world norms and principles.
The didactic mission of the faculty is to prepare
specialists for the Romanian economic life, to improve
their insertion degree (transforming them into civically
active citizens, who are able to work in a team,
innovative, responsible, able to solve different practical
problems as a result of their interaction with the social
– economic environment) to contribute to the
development of the human resources by means of
continuous education, to promote a high education in
the spirit of the academic and European Union’s
exigencies which rise in front of the Romanian
economic education the challenge the train the future
economists, able to face the new professional requests
imposed by the European standards (knowing the
difficulties the students of the Romanian faculties of
economy face when they request the recognition of
some subjects or studies graduated in universities in
Europe or vice versa because of the incompatibility of
the education plans.
The main objective is represented by the tendency
for a performing university and post university
education, able to give necessary specialists on the
present and future market of the labor force.
3.2. The design of an efficient promotion policy
In the contemporary world, the importance and
necessity of the school and professional guidance in
accordance with the social requests represent an
indisputable truth that doesn’t create controversies and
requests the co-operation of the economic, social and
cultural factors.
FES applies a transparent policy of the students’
recruitment, publically announced at least four months
before the development of the file contests.
Actually, a FES promotion campaign can be
extremely useful both on a short term and on a long
term, bringing the new students or master candidates
who choose this institution of education being fully
acquainted with it, by their identification with the
values and principles promoted by it.
3.2.1. Techniques of promotion adopted by FES
The Faculty of Economic Sciences promotes a
marketing specific to high education, using different
means, methods and specific techniques, such as: the
student’s guide, printed didactic means and materials,
the Fes website, methods of promotion by means of
some local televisions; organizing academic bids fairs
or promotion activities of the faculty during the
guiding classes. In the same time, the FES students and
graduates are an important factor in the promotion of
the faculty image both informally and formally on the
work market.
The promotion by means of the printed didactic
means and materials was made by delivering brochures
in the institutions of high school education in the
districts of Galati, Braila, Vrancea and Tulcea.
The brochures and the posters had and still have a
big impact on the teenagers who are interested in the
future plans. They capture their attention and make
them curious.
The FES website was mentioned on all the printed
didactic materials of promotion in order to guide the
Promotion Techniques Adopted by The Faculty of Economic Sciences Within The Lower Danube University in Galati To
Reach The Target
pupils (the potential students of FES) interested in
much more complete information that couldn’t be
presented in brochures or folders. The maintenance of
the website presupposed the use of some much more
reduced costs unlike the printed materials, even if an
up- dating and permanent checking of the existent
information were required.
The participation to the academic bids fairs
represents another opportunity of promoting FES by
means of which, it was facilitated the students, the
parents’ direct contact with the faculties’
representatives. The faculty had to present at these bids
fairs different materials such as: posters, folders and
brochures. The faculty’s stand had both students and
one or two professors who offered the necessary
information for the potential students’ guiding.
3.2.1.1. The design of the questionnaires and the
promotion
The promotion policy of the faculty has in view the
maintenance of the present attractiveness on some very
requested specializations and the increase of the
attractiveness manifested for some specializations
directed to application, being foreseen a balance of the
report between the three cycles: (license, master, PhD)
so that a large number of graduates have access to a
full university education.
Besides, FES applies in the present a promotion
policy of an academic education focused on the student
in order to attract candidates for admission, thus,
giving them the opportunity to choose consciously the
faculty they will pursue after high school graduation.
Certain promotion actions of the faculty develop
during the guiding classes and contain more stages
which presuppose: the development of the
questionnaires application activities before informing
the pupils regarding their school and professional
direction; the promotion of the faculty and in the end,
the evaluation of the newly acquired information after
the campaign by means of the questionnaires. The
questionnaires used both before and after the proper
action of promotion, adopted by FES, were applied to a
sample of 294 pupils and were used to determine both
the teenagers’ information level and their attitude
towards this faculty.
The questionnaire made before the proper
promotion is of the funnel type which presupposes it
starts with general questions and continues with more
specific questions (see appendix 2) and has a total of
21 questions, different from a typological point of view
(only one question was open, 4 were questions with
multiple variants of answer, 16 were close questions,
two with hierarchical classification and one question
was with attitude scale).
As the purpose of the research was to establish the
school and professional direction of the pupils in the
high school final classes, the questionnaire had in
view: the determination of the degree in which pupils
want to pursue college; the establishment of the
institution of education which was initially selected;
185
the mentioning of the essential factors in making
decisions; the ticking of the favorite type of education
(public or private); the identification of the degree in
which tradition was kept in the family of the
interviewed pupil regarding the faculty chosen; the
determination of the favorite form of education
(frequent or long distance learning); the mentioning of
the domains the pupils would like to be specialized in
and also their order; the ticking of the economy faculty
in the well-known university centers where he / she
would like to finish the studies; the determination of
the way in which pupils perceive the position of the
faculty within the Romanian high education system;
the degree in which the admission information, present
in the previous year were enough; the ticking of the
favorite admission variant; finding out the components
the pupils consider necessary to calculate the
admission final average mark; the mentioning of the
favorite admission method; the determination of the
favorite specialization; the mentioning of the
specializations for which the pupils knew what
profession or employment possibilities they would
have by graduating them; the presentation of the
information sources used and the favorite one; the
necessity of some supplementary information sources;
the mentioning of the school period when the
information received are the most useful; the necessity
to obtain additional information.
The second stage consisted in the proper promotion
of the faculty carried out both by the students involved
in volunteering projects and the coordinators and it
started with the distribution of some brochures and /or
flyers and which continued with a more detailed
presentation of FES educational offer, the pupils
having the opportunity to ask different questions.
Particular / concrete cases of the pupil participants
were approached within these free discussions
concerning their school – professional direction. In the
same time, this dialogue actually represented a way of
extending the information amount initially received
which had to be adapted to the degree of understanding
and interest game so that in the end, a feed-back
mechanism is drawn, which could have as an effect the
waking up of the implicit aspiration and the increase of
the request of new information.
The next step in the promotion policy was the
presentation of the educational offer of the Faculty of
Economic Sciences with the departments it contains;
the presentation of the way in which the courses take
place, but also a short general presentation of the
faculty (images of the classrooms, library, conferences
organized by FES). Thus, FES is presented as an
institution of high education which customizes the
educational offer according to the students’ necessities
and adapts to the present socio-political and economic
context.
At the end of the promotion activity, the pupils
were offered questionnaires (made of questions
connected to the faculty and the expectations they have
from this activity domain) in order to develop an
186 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
analysis of their present vision on the faculty and the
future job.
The questionnaire made after the development of
the promotion activity is of the turned (reversed) funnel
type which contains ordered questions, starting from
particular to general. This questionnaire contained 15
questions, addressed to a sample of 294 persons: only
one question has multiple variants of answer, 6 are
close questions and 8 are open, the purpose being for
example, to mention the interviewed person’s name
and surname, the respondent’s sex, feminine or
masculine; the age; the specification of the
provenience; the type of high school and profile
graduated; the determination of the economy faculty
popularity among pupils; the mentioning of the
information sources; the ticking of the admission
methods; the different specializations they could
choose within the faculty; finding the way in which
FES is seen in the pupils’ eyes; the necessity to obtain
supplementary information; the listing of the different
expectations, suggestions concerning FES and in the
same time, the degree in which the information
transmitted is useful.
3.2.1.2. The analysis of the questionnaires,
conclusions and recommendations
At the end of the evaluation of the two types of
questionnaires, we can state that the pupils between 17-
18 years old are well informed regarding the choice of
a future faculty and in the same time, they have enough
information referring to FES.
In what concerns the admission method, most of the
interviewed pupils chose an exam based on files,
preferring the average mark during the high school
years to have a significant weight in the calculation of
the admission final average mark plus the BAC exam
average mark.
As a result of the pupils’ answers analysis, we can
say that FES is relatively well known by them, most of
them knowing about its existence from colleagues,
teachers, friends or parents who also influence them in
making decisions about the educational offer. The
eventual growing up, observed in the answers of the
potential students and the approach of the moment of
decision make them more responsible and also more
careful in choosing a faculty, being very receptive in
the selection of the information.
In conclusion, after analyzing and classifying the
answers offered by pupils, we can state that the high
school’s profile has an important role in the choices
regarding the school and professional direction because
there are obvious differences between the professions
chosen by the subjects who graduated theoretical high
schools and those chosen by the ones who graduated
industrial or vocational high schools. We can also state
that there are obvious differences both between
feminine subjects and the masculine ones regarding the
importance they give to the different professions.
This promotional action which had the stages and
the development way previously presented, takes place
because high schools don’t prepare the pupils maturely
and practically enough to make the right decisions in
what concerns the faculty they will choose later and the
domain they will work as future professionals. During
a period of 6 years, the number of pupils registered at
the Faculty of Economic Sciences had a decreasing
trend (1157 pupils were registered in 2004, 999 in
2005; 1050 in 2006; their number decreased to 960 in
2007; 878 in 2008; 828 pupils in 2009), this is the
reason why it will be necessary an improvement, a
multiplication and also a diversity of the techniques of
promotion.
An improvement of the questionnaires applied is
suggested, by adding new questions which should emphasize
the pupils’ wish to be admitted to other faculties such as:
‘What are the institutions of high education you want to opt
for at the end of the high school education cycle? Why?’;
questions that should emphasize the reasons why a pupil
studies or he /she prefers a certain subject etc..
The promotion policy adopted had as a purpose the
attraction of some future students that should choose
FES deliberately, the reinforcement of this institution’s
reputation and also generating funds by the admission
taxes. More than that, the promotion campaign adopted
had as an objective FES right positioning in the pupils,
parents and high school teachers’ minds, presenting a
general image, promoting the multiple options a
graduate has at the end of the faculty.
In conclusion, we can say that the educational
marketing approach presupposes a good mastering of
the information concerning the socio-economic and
educational environment, so that the information
support of the decisions should be insured by the
marketing research, defined as a systematic activity of
gathering, analysis and interpretation of the
information necessary for the design, development and
accomplishment of the marketing policies.
References
1. Amerein P., Barczyk D., Ecrarad R., Rohard F., Sibaud B.,
Weber P.; „Manual de Marketing strategic şi operaţional”, Editura
Teora, Bucureşti, 2002
2. Cătoiu Iacob , „Cercetări de marketing - probleme şi studii de
caz”, Ed. Uranus Bucureşti, 1997.
3. Geissler E.E., „Mijloace educaţionale”, Editura Didactică şi
pedagogică, Bucureşti, 1977
4. Korka Mihai, „Reforma învăţământului de la opţiuni strategice
la acţiune”, Editura PUNCT, Bucureşti, 2000
5. Kotler Ph., Armstrong G., „Principiile marketingului”, Editura
Teora, 2004
6. Olteanu Valerica, „Marketingul serviciilor”, Editura URANUS,
Bucureşti, 2001
7. Thomas J. Michael, „Manual de Marketing”, Editura Codecs,
Bucureşti, 1998
 NEEDS VERSUS REALITIES REGARDING THE EDUCATIONAL AND
OCCUPATIONAL SYSTEM FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

Eva MILITARU1, Silvia Florina POPESCU2, Cristina STROE3

1, 2, 3
National Institute of Scientific Research in Labor and Social Protection, NISRLSP, Bucharest, Romania,
email: militaru@incsmps.ro; email: silvia_florina2004@yahoo.com; email: cristinaradu@incsmps.ro

The situation of disabled is not yet a fully solved in terms of educational and occupational integration. Needs and realities presented
in the light of two major predictors of quality of life highlighted some positive aspect that should be continued and some negative
aspects that should be improved through specific measures, presented here.

The various problematic for disabled people caused
by the type and the degree of disability requires a
complex analysis. Identifying the needs of the disabled,
in all its forms, is particularly important, both in general
aspect and in the individual one. It is well-known the
difficulty in identifying all the needs of disabled people,
even if there are some generic needs, or individual ones,
regardless of type and degree of disability. However,
identifying these needs is very important, especially in
terms of design, adjust and adopt the most appropriate
measures to support the improvement of the quality of
life for persons with disabilities, to ensure equal
opportunities and access and also a social integration of
this group.
There are many needs of disabled people: health
needs, physical, educational, occupational, social,
economic, psychological, and so. These special needs
must always be considered when talking about the better
social and economic integration of persons with
disabilities. And often, these needs overlap and are
added to the multiple disadvantaged status, and the
success stories in educational or occupational level are
not frequent enough (a small percentage of disabled
have higher education, a small percentage of disabled
have a job, up in a fifth of the disabled employees have
higher education, and so).
The present topic deals with the main needs of
disabled in terms of education and employment,
although there are plenty of other needs. There are
required quantitative and qualitative analysis or some
perceptions, to know these needs, and their results must
be included in a grid with general and individual needs
to guide the educational and occupational integration,
for the improvement the situation of persons with
disabilities. In addition, although there is not legislation
with the needs of disabled, other vulnerable groups are
covered (elderly needs), and there is a specific grid for
them, according to the law. This situation can be an
example of good practice and these aspects can be
considered when talking about people with disabilities.
The main key data and information that contributed
to quantify these needs have been deducted from some
surveys which have focused on the problems of
disabled, whereas the existing statistical data and
information especially in terms of higher education for
disabled are very limited. To identify the needs of
disabled we used the following method of research:
exploratory research based by questionnaire, which was
conducted by the Center for Urban and Regional
Sociology CURS in the second part of the year 2006.
The main target groups are: people with disabilities (47
people) personal assistants looking after disabled (30
persons), families looking after disabled (23 people),
and families looking after children with disabilities (11
persons). In addition, some questionnaires have been
applied to some college students with disabilities in
public and private universities and to the some teaching
staff of these universities, where these college students
with disabilities attend. The sample size does not ensure
national representativeness, the research having an
exploratory nature, offering some perceptions in terms
of people/college students with disabilities face a variety
of special needs.
Education needs of disabled
Integrated education and special education.
Although the present theme focuses on higher
education, it is important to have an overview of the
preceding levels of education, to see the school quotas,
to know their needs, to prepare the context of access to
the higher education. In exploratory research on the
educational needs of the disabled were interviewed 11
families who have students/children with disabilities,
and nearly half of them were integrated into special
schools, one third were in schools integrated mass,
while which only 2 were not included in any form of
education by reason of the severity of disability.
The main educational issues raised in the survey,
which took into account the needs of disabled have
particular reference to:
-related to the need for acceptance, tolerance of others,
we noted the negative attitude of the colleagues,
discriminatory against people with disabilities, and the
lack of training teachers who work in mass education to
meet the needs of the disabled.
-related to the accessibility needs, the existence of
specific facilities regarding the access, the parents who
have children enrolled in special education were
dissatisfied with the lack of facilities to support the
adjustment of disabled, and also the lack of adequate
training of staff working in these special schools.
-related to the educational services that benefit
students/children with disabilities: there are only a few
188 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
centers of information for parents relating to the
disability problem and the educational needs of
student/child with disabilities, there are some of these
centers in non-governmental organizations; sources of
information for parents on legal provisions relating to
disability and especially in special education are not so
easy to obtain; parents feel deprived of power to be
involved in decisions about the educational process
which benefits their children.
In terms of reality, according to educational
statistics, most of those with disabilities who are
enrolled receive special education services provided in
schools. In early 2004, the total of those employed
framed into a degree of disability, which were integrated
into education system were 28%, while two years later,
their share increased to 42%. This gap is due to the
decreasing from year to year of the number of those
who are enrolled in a degree of disability and also due to
the increasing of the number of disabled who are
attending some form of education. At the beginning of
2006 compared with the beginning of 2004, the number
enrolled in special education was more than double that
those enrolled in integrated education, given that the
quotas of both school educations knew an important
increase with 30% in these two years.
These aspects highlight once again the need for
disabled to attend special education, which is more
suitable to the type and the degree of disability due than
the integrated education. On the other hand, the number
of disabled who attend integrated education is growing
from a year to the year, with about 11-20%. Regarding
the home schooling, this form of education has seen
significant increases in those seeking this type of
education. Thus, if in early 2004, the disabled need to
follow this type of education, it distinguished the
relatively low number (159 persons, which represented
about 1% of those employed in some form of
education). Two year later, the number of those who
have turned to home education increased more than 10
times (1709 people, which represented 8.5% of those
employed in some form of education, in that year).
From these aspects, we can see, in a clearer manner,
the need of disabled to seek such educational services,
and it is very clear that these people realize the supreme
importance of education for their future. Given this
insatiable need for education and having the legislation
background area with the facilities which refer both to
the educational side and the specificities of people with
disabilities, form here we can observe the reality that
these people with special needs face. Thus, in the home
education it can be said that special education needs
overlap with existing educational realities, and this
example of good practice should be supported and
sustained to continue in the next time.
We continue to advocate (and the statistics support
these claims) for raising the number of disabled to
follow the integrated education, but also the special
education, and these two forms must continue to coexist
and to meet basic educational needs of this target group.
Concluding these special needs of disabled, it is
noted the following educational needs of integrated
education and special education:
-need to have access to education, according to the law,
disabled are currently not receiving any form of
education, although, by law, everyone has free and
equal access to any form of education, depending of his
degree and type of disability and his educational needs
(only 30-40% of people with disabilities assigned to a
degree of disability are attending some form of
education, according to the national statistics, at the
beginning of years 2004-2006).
-disabled need to get a correct diagnosis of his
functional potential and to be included in relation to this
in the educational system, for his optimal mental and
intellectual development. The assessment of the
potential of disabled must be made in a very serious
manner, to get the situation not only for a physical level
integration, without to be a real one.
-need to get a quality education process - teachers well
prepared both professionally and pedagogically,
properly equipped schools to ensure the real access and
proper conduct of the educational process. An important
role in this regard would have the school resource
centers and the itinerant teachers, who can bring
important information to carry out the educational
process and to develop a good relationship between the
teacher and the disabled.
-need to get a non-discriminatory treatment in relation
to both school staff students and the relationship with
teachers.
-parents need to play an important role in education of
their children with disabilities, this means their access to
information sources on education needs of persons with
disabilities, but also for a greater decision power of the
parents in relation to the school. The Act 448 of 2006
establishes that the disabled person or, where
appropriate, his family or legal representative, is the
main decision maker in choosing the shape and type of
schooling and choosing the proper school for them child
with disabilities. Also, by law, the public authorities
must develop and support the collaborative programs
between parents and disability specialists. However,
parents of the disabled more often not exercise these
rights and what is worse, they do not even know their
rights provided by law.
Higher education. For highlighting the situation of
higher education, both in terms of college students and
teachers, we realized some case studies, and although
these case studies cannot be generalized and cannot
ensure representativeness, they give some views on
these issues in terms of those with disabled who are the
direct beneficiaries of the higher education system.
Perceptions of college students with disabilities were
generally unanimous in their access to the higher
education; they attend either distance learning courses,
part-time or with reduced frequency, either, mostly day
classes of state and private universities.
Promotion Techniques Adopted by The Faculty of Economic Sciences Within The Lower Danube University in Galati To
Reach The Target
All college students with disabilities that were
investigated believe that the disability did not affect
their integration in higher education, while the disability
influenced the integration in education system over time
(school, college), issues also were expected.
Regarding the facilities of the universities where
these college student with disabilities are attending,
there are differing views in the sense that some
universities have appropriate facilities/equipments
specific to the type/level of disability (such as ramps,
elevators, computers on the ground floor of buildings,
libraries, and so), while some respondents argued that
the universities where they are students have not
specific equipments.
Unfortunately, according to opinions of the
respondents, there are still some higher education
institutions which are not accessible for persons with
disabilities and as future course of action, from this
point of view, are the physical environment
accessibilities. In addition to this accessibility, a special
emphasis could be put on e-learning activities to
facilitate the educational integration of disabled persons
in the university system.
From many elements that would hinder the college
students’ participation in the higher education system,
students with disabilities have identified the following:
barriers of physical environment (ramps), environmental
barriers (lack of specific facilities), higher costs and the
presence of severe disability. Regarding the attitudes,
students with disabilities were fully agree that there is
not a reserved attitude from others, teachers or students
colleagues, which means that at this level, the
understanding, the tolerance, the acceptance, even the
education level differ substantially from the similar
situation of the other levels of education and in terms of
employment side, we see, these aspects are placed in the
other pole, unfortunately.
Employment needs of disabled
There are many papers who present the difficult
situations of persons with disabilities, who face many
problems in their attempt to integrate on the labor
market. Although the need for employment is
indisputable, not only for disabled, but for the entire
population, these groups of people face real problems
when referring to get a job and statistics are highlighting
the hard situation for the employment aspects of
disabled. Here is a great difference found between the
needs and realities, meaning that in our country,
according to very limited statistics on employment of
disabled, a small percentage (7-10% of people with
disabilities) who have the capacity to work are active on
the labor market.
Field surveys were conducted by the Center for
Urban and Regional Sociology CURS in 2006 revealed
the following aspects of the needs and realities faced by
disabled: only 28% of disabled adults were interviewed
have a job in the investigation moment. Of these, 77%
obtained the job on the free labor market, while 23%
189
worked at home. Most respondents, 68% believed that
the existing legislation does not encourage people with
disabilities to access on the labor market.
In order to increase employment rate for disabled
people, it should be kept in mind the following: creating
more jobs specific, more frequent jobs market for
disabled, legislative changes where employers have an
incentive to employ disabled by providing some
incentives. Respondents felt that the integration of
disabled people in the labor market is hindered by: the
mentality of people in general and employers in
particular, prejudices and poor information, limited
supply of jobs for the disabled, the current legislation,
and so.
There are many employment needs of persons with
disabilities. It is well-known the need of everyone to
have a job that generates income, which contributes to
increasing to the quality of life. Here we refer to the
need for employment, in terms of job:
-need to benefit from actions to ensure the conditions
for people with disabilities to be able to choose and
practice their profession/job/occupation, to be able to
gain and maintain their employment, but also to be able
to promote at professional level: flexible working,
usability and accessibility of space to provide the better
access for the activity of disabled, adapting the job
occupied by persons with disabilities to the
opportunities, encouraging employers to hire persons
with disabilities, programs for mediation of the
relationship of disabled to seek a job with the potential
employers, and so.
-need to receive training and vocational programs
suited to the requirements of the labor market. Public
authorities are obliged by law to provide education and
training required for occupations in the field of
disability, to link the training of disabled with the labor
market demands and to create the framework for the
access of disabled to assessment and guidance in any
profession, according the skills of these people with
disabilities.
-need to be treated without discrimination in the
workplace; discrimination is prohibited by law, and
Law 446 of 2006 establishes the obligation of public
authorities to promote the concept that the disabled
person is an added value for society and for community
to which he belongs.
-need to get a wider choice and range of protected
units for disabled who cannot have an easy access for
the free labor market - increasing the number of
protected units, information to persons with disabilities
on the existence of these protected units, development a
labor market for the products made by disabled, and so.
-need to have the opportunity through work at home
employment - supporting organizations which provide
employment for people with disabilities, development a
labor market for the products made by disabled, and so.
For highlighting the situation of occupational needs
of college students with disabilities (they attend
university courses and also they have a job), some case
studies have been made. The responses of college
190 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
students with disabilities who have a job, although they
can not be generalized and they can not ensure the
representativeness, gives some perception regarding the
access of disabled on employment, from the point of
view of the college students with disabilities.
The choice of these individuals who are included in
the higher education and also in employment field was
telling to see the perceptions of success or obstruction in
terms of educational and occupational same respondent.
Some college students from the case studies have
occasionally a job, working at home, and they believes
that the integration on the free labour market or on the
protected labor market is difficult, that the disability has
influenced largely the lack of the access to employment,
while regarding the access of disabled to the higher
education has no negative influence.
The main negative aspects were noted by the lack of
mobility, lack of independence and lack of equipment
assist in this regard, lack of employment opportunities,
poor link between education / training and employment.
On a low position on the scale values that affect their
lives, they include the lack of information, the lack of
independence, and people's mentality and the attitude of
the authorities. Furthermore, over time, the respondents
have faced with some discrimination in the labor
market, arguing that they had not access to an interview
for a job or that they had not obtained a job over them
searches work or that in this job some of them received
fewer responsibilities than other persons who have
similar jobs or training. However, in the higher
educational level the respondents were not faced with
situations of discrimination, not identified barriers that
prevent the participation of those students with
disabilities in education, while their participation in the
occupational system has shown some evidence
obstructed. In terms of employment, it appears some
problems like the lack of access, being accused the
mentality of people regarding the disabled, many
barriers of physical environment (lack of accessibility,
access ramps, so on), environmental barriers (the lack of
specific facilities), the reluctant attitude from those who
come into contact, the lack of suitable cover, and so.
In conclusion, if in the educational system there are
not barriers that hinder the access of disabled people to
the higher education, the disability does not affected and
influenced the integration of people with disability on
the higher education, some universities have developed
largely accessibility (ramps, special features, and so),
regarding the occupational system from the disabled’s
point of view, these issues are exactly on the opposite
place, being identified numerous factors impeding the
access of disabled people in employment. And,
fortunately, if a person with disability has a job, there
are other problems such as the lack of accessibility
(which falls on the employer duties), the thinking of
others, the reluctant attitudes, and so.
Concluding, in the light of these two determinants,
such as the education and the employment key
predictors for the quality of life, both of them
considered in terms of basic needs, but also in terms of
reality, the situation of persons with disabilities is not
yet fully resolved.
There are some positive elements that support the
social integration of persons with disabilities, and these
issues must be pursued and promoted as examples of
good practice. But, in the same time, there are some
significant barriers, and these factors that are impeding
the social inclusion of disabled should be deeply
studied, from the point of view of special needs and of
the current reality. The alarm signals are very important
to outline the proper directions for improving the
educational and employment situation of persons with
disabilities.
Although the legislation for disabled gives them
some special rights trying to meet their needs, the reality
shows that the concrete situation of disabled people is
much more difficult. Disabled people should know their
rights and their voice must to be heard, their needs must
to be known. However, in the present time there are still
significant delays in the community to accept and treat
the person with disabilities as some individual that has
the same rights and needs, he must be considered a part
of society with their peers. The reluctance of the
community about the understanding and the acceptance
of the disabled is a direct result of discriminatory
attitudes and also of the lack of information. The role of
informant that owns the media in a democratic country
is, on the Romanian scene, widowed by the lack of the
interest in social affairs, especially compared to that of
disability problems. Changing the attitudes is possible in
time, with special efforts, through awareness of society
that disabled persons have potential and are not simple
participants of the sphere of social protection.
References
1. Popescu, S., 2008, Main elements for evaluation of the
disabled’s degree of social inclusion/participation, paper
„Identifying the needs of the disabled”, Universitara
Publishing, ISBN code 978-973-749-428-3, Bucharest, pg. 110.
2. Stroe, C., 2008, Main elements for evaluation of the disabled’s
degree of social inclusion/participation, paper „Quantitative
aspects regarding the employment of the disabled persons”,
Universitara Publishing, ISBN code 978-973-749-428-3,
Bucharest, pg. 201.
3. Tone, T., 2008, Main elements for evaluation of the disabled’s
degree of social inclusion/participation, paper „Qualitative
aspects regarding the social integration of disabled persons.
Results of the qualitative research on the target groups adults
with disabilities, institutions”, Universitara Publishing, ISBN
code 978-973-749-428-3, Bucharest, pg. 156.
4. Web pages: NAPD, National Authority for People with
Disabilities www.anph.ro; NACRP, National Agency for Child
Rights Protection www.anpdc.ro; MLFSP, Ministry of Labour,
Family and Social Protection www.mmuncii.ro.
 OPPORTUNITIES AND LIMITATIONS OF SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IN HIGHER
EDUCATION: ROMANIAN CASE

Gheorghe MILITARU1, Sorin IONESCU2

1
“Politehnica” University of Bucharest, Romania, gh.militaru@gmail.com
2
“Politehnica” University of Bucharest, Romania, sc.ionescu@gmail.com

This paper attempts to describe the social responsibility initiatives of Romanian universities and the way they embody these initiatives
as part of their strategies. The major objective is to determine the opportunities and limitations in which a university could capitalize
on its role as social developer to promote sustainable development. The efforts of universities focus on creating and implementing new
and innovative academic programs, increasing education quality via course offerings and the reaching of methodology, and preparing
students for their future careers. Universities, faced with competition, have realized the role of social responsibility as a powerful
source of competitive advantage. However, in the literature there is little agreement and a few information sources available to
analyze the extent to which a university is engaged in social responsibility initiatives. The authors present in this paper the results of
an exploratory research based on both literature and also the authors experiences through observing and participating Romanian
higher education system. This paper is limited in terms of the experimental data. The future research should examine the exploratory
factors and the correlation between them by experimental research. Our findings illustrate that a university can take a competitive
advantage from maximizing their contributions to social causes and to have a more visible, long-term engagement with the
community. The contribution of this paper is to aid academics and researchers to better understand how Romanian universities may
differentiate on the education market and thus generate a competitive position through a combination of high quality education and
social responsibility in order to integrate the practices of social responsibility. The authors propose in this paper a simple framework
to rank for socially responsible universities because universities are agents what remain in interactive dialogue with society.
Key words: Social responsibility, ethics, competitive advantages, higher education, Romania

universities because universities are agents what remain

INTRODUCTION
The authors present in this paper the results of an
exploratory research based on both literature and also
the authors experiences through observing and
participating Romanian higher education system.
This paper attempts to describe the social
responsibility initiatives of Romanian universities and
the way embody then initiatives as part of their
strategies. The major objective is to determine the
opportunities and limitations in which a university could
capitalize on its role as social developer to promote
sustainable development.
For Romanian universities, the Bologna Process
requires changing the university system. The
technically-oriented universities such as “Politehnica”
University of Bucharest (UPB) have seen this process as
a chance to improve the quality of their degree courses
within the framework of the European Higher Education
Area. The authors think that for Romanian students is of
fundamental importance to strengthen graduates ‘ability
to compete on the international labour markets.
The fact that universities in Romanian have been
underfunded for decades have become huge obstacles in
implementation of Bologna Process requires. In
addition, it is essential that this state of affairs have to
be improved, in particular the quality of teaching.
The contribution of the this paper is to aid academics
and researchers to better understand how Romania
universities may differentiate on the education market
and thus generate a competitive position through a
combination of high quality education and social
responsibility in order to integrate the practices of social
responsibility in their actions.
In addition, the authors propose in this paper a
simple framework to rank for socially responsible
in interactive dialogue with society.
Thus, the first section of the paper is based on the
values and principles that the universities aimed to
embody and develop in their main functions.
Before turning our attention to exploratory research,
this paper first reviews the literature on social
responsibility in higher education. The last part of the
paper outlines how a university can take competitive
advantage from maximizing its contribution to social
cause and to have a more visible, long-term engagement
with the community. The paper concludes with a
discussion of the implications of the social
responsibility in higher education.
LITERATURE REVIEW AND HYPOTHESES
The effort of universities focus on creating and
implementing new and innovative academic programs,
increasing education quality via course offering and the
reaching of methodology, and preparing students for
their future careers. Universities, faced with
competition, have realized the role of social
responsibility as a powerful source of competitive
advantages. However, in the literature there is little
agreement and a few information sources available to
analyze the extent to which a university is engaged in
social responsibility initiatives (Nicolescu, 2007).
Universities, faced with competition, have realized
the role of social responsibility as a powerful source of
competitive advantage. However, in the literature there
is little agreement and a few information sources
available to analyze the extent to which a university is
engaged in social responsibility initiatives (Atakan and
Eker, 2007).
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a concept
whereby companies integrate social and environmental
192 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
concerns in their operations on a voluntary basis. CSR
practices play a key role in contributing to sustainable
development while enhancing Europe’s innovation
potential and competitiveness.
We can define the social responsibility of
universities as the capacity to disseminate and put into
practice a series of principles and values, by means of
from key processes such as management, teaching,
research and extension activities in community.
Universities faced with competition have realized
the role of corporate identity as a powerful source of
competitive advantage. Reputation is used by to justify
CSR initiatives on the grounds that universities will
improve their image, strengthen its brand, enliven
morale, and raise their value. These universities have to
differentiate and thus generate a competitive position
through a combination of high quality education and
social responsibility. Figure 1 illustrates four directions
of socially-responsive university change: organizational,
environment, educational, social and cognitive impact
(Militaru and Ionescu, 2008).
CSR initially emerged in the Romanian economic
environment through the multinational companies, such
as Cocoa-Cola, Lafarge, Orange, Vodafone, Petrom-
OMV and so on, which are still its main promoters at
the national level. CSR in Romania was initially
imposed more as a fashion rather than the result of the
full awareness of all economic and social actors.
In Romania, as in many transition countries this was
primarily the result of multinationals introducing ethical
business principles. Even though, the standard CSR
terminology and language is not universally understood
in Romania, issues such as health and safety, fair
working conditions, environmental protection and
community engagement are common public concerns.
At organizational level, a management ethic to
which values are central should be applied. This ethic
should be expressed between employees – both
academics and administrative staff – and students.
Universities have effects on environment, in the
form of waste and pollutants, indiscriminate use of
water and energy, annoying noise and waste. In turn,
universities can raise students’ awareness of the
environmental problems facing society and contribute
actively to overcoming them (Porter and Kramer, 2006).
This arises when students are educated in values and
in an understanding of the society that they are part of.
The university community can participate actively in
projects that serve the community. When they commit
themselves voluntarily to service projects or when there
is interdisciplinary work on projects that serve the
community.
Social impact is generated when the university opens
its doors to receive students from the most
disadvantaged sectors of the population. When the
university takes responsibility for its students and keeps
them in the education system with good results or when
the university has agreements with social agents to
develop joint projects.
Social impact Organizational
*Identifying local impact
social needs * Ethics
*Social intervention *Values
projects *Creates a positive
image
* Reputation
Cognitive impact
Environment impact
*Sustainable
development
*Raise students’
awareness of the
*Knowledge
environmental
*Learning
problems
*Innovative
*Environmental
academic programs
protection
University strategies
COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
Figure 1: The role of social responsibility as a powerful source of competitive
advantages
Cognitive impact is created when research areas
open up to sustainable human development issues, when
research projects address them related to gender,
poverty and disability, when learning is shared with
other community actors, when the knowledge generated
meets standards of quality and relevance established by
the university. For example, in nanotechnology field,
university spin-offs play important but not dominant
roles in the development of these new technologies.
This leads to the following hypothesis:
H1: Knowledge generated by universities has a
positive impact on the integrate teaching, research, and
social needs in the same area where the university has
accomplishes the research and attract its students
A university’s social responsibility has an obvious
cost translated into money, human resources, time and
expertise. Yet, through the development of an efficient
social responsibility programme, universities can gain
significant advantages, such as improved image,
keeping and motivating employees (Porter and Kramer,
2002).
CSR education appears as “a dynamic platform for
teaching a number of current societal issues. Flexibility
and quality are the essential criteria for an effective
transition from bachelor’s to master’s degree. In this
case, the social protection of students through the
financial assistance programs must improve and
continue. Most of the Romanian universities are not
using instruments for transparency and credibility in
their CSR initiatives. Building on these arguments, we
hypothesize the following:
H2: The more closely tied a social issue is to a
university’s strategy, the greater the opportunity to
leverage the university’s resources, and benefit society
Opportunities and limitations of social responsibility in higher education: Romanian case
Universities are the main actors having the means to
produce such change, but Romania universities are not
able to successfully deal with such challenges. There is
a high degree of criticism by students of the quality of
the educational service provided by such universities
(Şerbănică and Militaru, 2008).
EXPLORATORY RESEARCH
In this study, qualitative research is undertaken and a
descriptive research design is employed in order to gain
a deeper understanding of how Romanian universities
integrates its social responsibility initiatives into their
strategies to obtain a competitive advantage on the
education market.
The basic rationale behind this study stems from the
fact that social responsibility of universities helps the
university to improve its image, strengthen its brand,
raise the value, and enliven morale. Universities must
balancing long-term objectives against the short-term
costs they incur. Moral principles do not tell a university
how to allocate its resources to avoid behaviours that are
socially detrimental or environmentally wasteful. In
Romania, the sustainability high education raises
questions about these trades-offs without offering a
framework to answer them.
In order to collect the primary data for this study, in
depth interviews were conducted with the students,
academic staff for the social responsibility projects.
Different instruments were used in collecting this
data: questionnaires, interviews with key actors within
the universities, analysis of public documentation, and a
study of internal documents which are not in the public
domain. The interviewees were five managers, eight
academic staff and 18 students from the Faculty of
Marketing of the Bucharest Academy of Economic
Studies, the Faculty of Power Engineering, and the
Department of Management of the “Politehnica”
University. These semi-structured were undertaken by
the authors. The interviews also covered identification
of social responsibility initiatives of the universities,
their implementation, and their outcomes in terms of the
benefits to the local community, to the university and to
the departments as well as to the students.
Data analysis is inextricably intertwined with the
data collection. We assessed the quality of interviewees
based on their organization positions. We also relied
more on those data that could be endorsed by authors’
personal experience.
Results
Romanian has the highest proportion of young
volunteers. Out of a total number of volunteers, 78
percent are students. The need to have professional
contacts in real working environment is the most
important relationship for a student to do voluntary
work.
193
The most widespread motivation for Romanian
companies to donate to a cause (70 percent) is
humanitarian (including helping children and/or the
poor). This could explain why areas like environment
protection, civic education are not among the most
favoured donation areas for Romanian companies.
One of the academic of UPB states that “a university
cannot operate as an institution isolated from its social
environment and should commit itself to reinvest in
society. A university has to integrate with the social
community to create a synergy for social development
and generating a knowledge-based society”.
Another important element that resulted from the
survey is that Romanian’ students, teaching staff don’t
perceive universities as being socially responsible.
However, the interview with management findings
reveals that a university may contribute in terms of
teaching ethics to its students. The knowledge has to be
accessible to all. For example, in Table 1 there are
presented the motives for social responsibility
involvement.
Table 1: The motives for social responsibility involvement
Items Results
1. Universities are forced by external pressure 35%
2. It increases the university’s reputation 30%
3. It is fashionable 15%
4. To obtain a competitive advantage 5%
5. Attracts and maintain good students 3%
6. Attracts and maintain good academic staff 8%
7. Reduced operating costs 2%
Talking with students many of them are
disappointment once they enter into higher education
system either because the specialization offers or
because the amount of memory – work required greatly
outweighs the degree of practical skills and abilities
developed within formal curricula.
At question “To what extent do you think the
graduates of your faculty are familiar with the CSR
concept and practices as a result of the formal education
programs being offered by your faculty”, a large
percentage of students and professors from Romanian
universities has answered that the subject is mentioned
marginally and there is no formal discipline focusing on
CSR.
Only 30 percent of survey respondents declared
themselves familiar with the CSR concept. An
overwhelming 60 percent of respondents had very little
knowledge of CSR. An assistant professor from UPB
has answered “the subject is mentioned marginally and
there is no formal discipline focusing on CSR”.
For UPB, the education of engineers with worldwide
competency has failed to keep pace with the complex
and highly dynamic development processes of
globalization. Study programs are not sufficiently
international and cross disciplinary. Mutual recognition
of degrees and curriculum modules is still poorly.
In Romania, CSR reaching is almost non-existent, at
least not explicitly, there are no course/classes explicitly
referred to as CSR. Talking with students many of them
are disappointment once they enter into higher
194 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
education system because the specialization offers or
because the amount of memory-work required greatly
outweighs the degree of practical skills and abilities
developed within formal curricula.
The purpose of CSR course is to familiarize the
students and the teaching staff of the universities with
the basic elements of the CSR. The advantages of this
course consist in the fact that it allows the students to
develop a series of basic abilities in the CSR field and to
form a logical thinking.
Finally, social responsibility includes both ethical
and discretionary, but not economic, and legal,
responsibilities. A university can fulfil its ethical
responsibilities by taking actions that society tends to
value but has not yet put into low. Discretionary
responsibilities are the purely voluntary obligations a
university assumes.
The framework to rank for socially responsibility
Social responsibility of universities is a framework
that defines institutional impacts on society and the
environment. A framework to rank for socially
responsibility the universities is presented in Table 2.
Table 2: A framework to rank of universities for social responsibility
Primary Secondary criteria
criteria
Educational The quality of teaching and research
Ethics/moral principles
Organizational Values
Reputation
Receive students from population
poverty and with disability
Health, safety and fair working
conditions
Environment Reductions in pollution, waste, carbon
emissions, or energy
Social Long-term engagement with the
community
Improving graduates’ ability to
compete on the labour markets
Tolerance and respect for a diversity of
individuals
Cognitive Sustainable development
Knowledge
Innovative academic programs
This framework reflects the extent to which a
university is involved in CSR initiatives. The rows
contain criteria necessary to assessment a university
from CSR point of view. Criteria are broken down into
primary and secondary levels of details. A column
contains the relative importance of each criterion. These
weights on a scale of 0 to 9 could be determined by a
survey. For each university, the relative importance will
be multiplied by the score of the criterion. Finally, a
weighted score for each university may be calculated.
Based on weighted scores, a relative ranking of the
universities may be realized.
CONCLUSIONS AND DISCUSSION
We have found that students during faculty are
rarely engaged in applied projects that require
teamwork, although companies require exactly this.
Teaching techniques, method and tools should be
adapted to current societal changes, and curricula should
be adjusted continually to equip students with relevant
theoretical and practical skills and knowledge.
Integrating CSR into business and curricula will
transform universities into triggers of social change,
acting as engaged and socially responsible actors within
the community.
Even if in Romania the most important social
responsibility initiatives are focused on the
environmental field, we may observe also a modest
consolidation of social responsibility in case of the
social and educational areas.
University need to take the lead in transforming
Romanian society and take on the difficult role of
beginning such changes, so that they become visible,
responsible and involved in community. There is a need
for a service-oriented approach.
Our findings illustrate that a university can take a
competitive advantage form maximizing their
contributions to social causes and to have a more
visible, long-term engagement with the community.
Another conclusion of the study is that Romanian
universities focus more on the internal dimension of
CSR, most of them considering that their social
responsibility actions are directed towards their
employees. However, some companies increase their
collaboration with universities and high-schools in order
to select their future employees, for example, CISCO,
SAP and Microsoft.
This paper is limited in terms of the experimental
data. The future research should examine the
exploratory factors and the correlation between them by
experimental research.
References
1. Atakan, S. and Eker, T. (2007), “Corporate Identity of a
Socially Responsibility University”, Journal of Business Ethics,
76, pages 55-65.
2. Militaru, Gh. and Ionescu, S.(2008). “The corporate social
responsibility and the supply chain: an empirical investigation”,
Proceeding of the 19th International DAAAM Symposium, 22-
25th October, Trnava, Slovakia.
3. Nicolescu, C. (2007), “Business and Economics Graduates in
Romania: Socially responsible or Socially Alienated?”,
International Policy Fellowships, http://www.soros.org/inistives.
4. Porter, M. and Kramer, M. (2002), “The Competitive
Advantage of Corporate Philanthropy”, Harvard Business
Review, 12, pages 57-68.
5. Porter, M. and Kramer, M. (2006), “Strategy and Society: The
link between Competitive Advantage and Corporate social
responsibility”, Harvard Business review, December, pages 78-
92.
6. Serbănică, D. and Militaru, Gh. (2008), “Corporate Social
Responsibility and Competitiveness”, Revista Amfiteatru
Economic, no. 23.
 CAPTURING REFLECTIVE COMPETENCE IN BUSINESS STUDENTS: TARGETING
LEARNING OUTCOMES VIA TEAM PROJECTS

I. Richard G. MILTER1, Alexei V. MATVEEV2

1
Johns Hopkins University, milter@jhu.edu
2
City University of New York, amatveevcuny@hotmail.com

This article provides rationale for developing a learning outcome approach to business education, one that makes use of reflective
activity by students as they track their individual learning in a final submission of a Documentation of Learning (DOL). Although the
lessons reported in this article apply to academic program design, the implementation of these innovative principles can be applied on
a course by course basis by faculty willing to take the initiative to enhance the learning potential of their students.

evidence and reflection regarding 1) what they learned,

INTRODUCTION
Students in undergraduate and graduate business
programs tend to become fixated on following the rules
and using algorithms sanctioned by their professors.
Such behavior is propagated and even rewarded by the
educational institutions charged with developing the
requisite business skills to support the emergence of
new business endeavors and the sustainability of current
business entities. A lesson learned from the current
economic strife is that many of the decisions made by
graduates of such programs tended to be rather
suboptimal. Clearly, there are some shortcomings in the
previously projected set of learning objectives. It is
time for business educators to take another look at what
is being presented to students who hope to become
future business leaders. It is also critical that educators
do not become fixated on the content of what is
presented but also pay close attention to the outcomes of
our processes, and to the processes themselves
(Matveev & Milter, 2010; Milter, 2000).
As business schools adjust to refined referent points
for what needs to be taught and how it should best be
learned, the authors of this article challenge business
educators to 1) target specific learning outcomes and 2)
reinforce learning by holding students accountable for
documenting what they have learned. A key element to
learning that endures is that some reflective attention is
paid to the experience by the learner. This reflective
activity with foundation and reinforcement in works of
Dewey (1933), Kolb (1984), Pennebaker (1990), and
Dunlap (2006), is integrated in a specific final
individual assignment for business students, the
Documentation of Learning (DOL).
THE DOCUMENTATION OF LEARNING
A final individual assignment for the students
enrolled in several specific management classes across
three institutions, a large public state university, a small
city college, and an elite private university, is the
Documentation of Learning (DOL). This final
individual assignment challenges students to “provide
2) how they learned,” and an added component by one
of the authors… 3) how they will use their new
knowledge/skills into the future. Keeping a journal or
process notes during the course is advised (Milter,
2010). No other instructions are provided students and
the actual substance for these reports remains open to
each student’s conception.
VALUE OF REFLECTIVE WRITING
The DOL provides an opportunity for students to
both provide substance on their learning and to provide
reflective accounts of their learning. The value of
reflection, originally introduced in education circles by
Dewey (1933), has been solidified in business and
professional contexts by Schön (1983) in a landmark
book that evidences high correlation between key
leadership ability and reflective behavior. Schön (1987)
also developed a framework for educators to include
“reflection-in-action” approaches to their learning
models. More recent literature highlights the value and
challenges associated with reflective learning in
management education (Ecclestone, 1996; Smyth, 1989;
Yost, Sentner, & Florlenza-Bailey, 2000).
FINDINGS
This article provides the key results of a preliminary
investigative inquiry into the use of the DOL to
substantiate learning across targeted learning outcomes
as used at several US business schools. Student
compilations of DOLs across both undergraduate and
graduate courses are compared. Correlations are drawn
between successful DOLs and success across the
targeted learning outcomes. Contrasts are presented
between learner success in courses that did or did not
require knowledge tracking assignments as a precursor
to the DOLs. The use of the added component that
solicits how the learning will be used into the future is
analyzed. Several conclusions are drawn that support
the introduction of both knowledge tracking and DOLs
in the curriculum mix at business schools. We found
that both education and experience add to the ability to
provide relevant reflections on learning.
196 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
Education matters
The depth of insights and salient impressions of
learning experiences by graduate students outweighed
those from the undergraduate ranks. Most of the DOLs
submitted by undergraduate students did not exhibit
significant reflection on their learning processes. Most
of them provided a simple summary of the key topics
they chose to exhibit in the report. They did not provide
much detail regarding the learning process nor did they
provide specific examples to document their growth.
The graduate students, on the other hand, tended to
provide specific examples to support their learning
claims. They also were better able to connect their
learning experiences to prior knowledge and assess the
value of the new knowledge and/or skills gained via the
recent experience in the course.
Experience matters
The level of work experience of the students across
the classes and institutions ranged from less than a year
to 30 years. The difference between very little
experience (less than 2 years) and at least 2 years plus
was noticeable in the level of detail provided in the
DOL reports. There was not found significant
difference, however, between the DOLs of individuals
having at least 2 years experience and those having
much greater experience. Students with greater
experience tended to link their learning and their job
situations. An example of this is where one student
explained he had become more tolerant of change in his
workplace as a result of dealing with change techniques
in the course.
Prompting helps, within reason
Although some earlier DOLs did include statements
that provided suggestions for how they planned to use
their new knowledge and skills into the future, the
incidence of such reports was clearly increased after
placing the third requirement in the DOL instructions.
There still needs to be leeway permitted, however, in the
instructions for fulfilling the DOL requirements.
Otherwise, the assignment could become a “paint-by-
numbers” task with little expression of individual
observation or reflection. One type of response by
undergraduate students following the “keep a journal”
suggestion was to include the journal notes as the DOL
complete with dates and headings for each class session.
This, of course, displayed the ability to take notes and
record events but did little to provide the substance of
individual learning and even less to demonstrate
personal reflection on the learning. A few examples of
the level of input regarding the request for
implementation of learning follow. One student
proclaimed “One of the most important things that I can
do—and, admittedly, one of the most difficult—is to
learn how to reserve time in my schedule for reflection.
I suffer from what Collin’s describes as “confusing
activity with productivity” and look to change this habit
to make better use of my time.” Another student
statement that connotes implementation …”I am
pleased to have further developed my intercultural
competence with a greater understanding of the factors
that are important to intercultural communications and
interactions. This is very important as I lead
multicultural teams and participate in multicultural
committees and councils.”
Focus on learning by doing
The purpose of a DOL is imbedded in a rationale for
placing and keeping the responsibility for learning
clearing with the learner. It is the actions of the learner
that drive the learning. This follows a constructivist
approach to a learning model (Savery & Duffy, 1995).
Such an approach is grounded in the principles of
Dewey’s (1933) “school of pragmatism” and Schön’s
(1983) “reflection-in-action” where learning is built into
a discovery process by individuals engaged in inquiry.
This approach has been more recently aligned with
leadership development and business education under
such labels as problem-based learning, project-based
learning, and inquiry based learning (DeFillippi &
Milter, 2009; Duffy & Raymer, 2010).
Another perspective on this learning methodology is
referred to as action learning. Action learning is a
powerful organizational, team, and individual learning
process pioneered by Reg Revans in the early 1950s. A
key premise of action learning is that “managers learn
best by taking action and reflecting on the action”
(Revans, 1998). Action learning involves a team
working on urgent problems through an inquiry mode.
A facilitator keeps the action learning team on task.
Someone on the team must have authority to implement
the solutions identified through the process. That
person takes action on the problem and reports the
results back to the team and focuses on their learning.
This process may go through numerous cycles and
sometimes the very problem itself becomes reframed or
changed as the understanding of the problem increases
and solutions are implemented (Milter & Matveev,
2006).
Marquardt (1999, 2004) distilled this process into
six key elements: 1) an action learning team of four to
eight people; 2) an urgent problem; 3) a
facilitator/coach; 4) a commitment to learning by all
team members; 5) a commitment to taking action on the
problem; 6) questioning and reflection (reflective
inquiry) approach. What is perhaps most pertinent from
a teacher’s standpoint is the third element above that
depicts the teacher as a facilitator or coach. To quote
Revans in Mumford (1995) “Action learning attacks the
inveterate hankering of the teacher to be the center of
attention” (p. 2). This role modification aligns with the
constructivist role of the instructor as facilitator or
coach in the learning environment. The action learning
process satisfies constructivist learning goals. The
Capturing Reflective Competence in Business Students: Targeting Learning Outcomes Via Team Projects
reflective inquiry process, critical to action learning,
surfaces multiple perspectives on a problem. Diversity
of thinking is paramount as the teams grapple with
complex problems. The problem-solving reflective
inquiry process enables collaboration and is the
foundation for embracing multiple perspectives
(Honebein, 1996; Reynolds & Vince, 2004).
Since action learning requires the use of authentic
and urgent organizational problems, the learning is
optimal. Because the problem is embedded in a
realistic, work environment, this encourages transfer of
learning to the workplace (Raelin, 1999). Students learn
through the research and action that is motivated by the
questioning process. Additionally, the use of current
authentic problems enables transfer of knowledge
gained in the action-learning context. Individuals take
ownership of the learning process through their
commitment to learn and the fact that they are
encouraged to take action to address their own problem
(Marquardt, 1999, 2004). Whether the problem is
oriented within the classroom environment or developed
outside those parameters, the students are required to
produce a reflective analysis of their learning
accomplishments via the DOL.
Examples of such statements in the DOLs follow.
One student highlighted … “as a result of what I have
learned in this course, I was able to think outside of the
box and develop an innovative Educational Partnership
Strategy that has the potential to greatly increase LMI’s
value by generating brand/product awareness, creating
long-term brand loyalty, providing LMI with access to a
sizeable zero-cost workforce, and the creation of
additional revenue generation stemming from additional
student membership dues.” Another student illustrates
in their DOL the ability for a team to cope within the
problem situation… “Due to the large undefined scope
of the organization’s mission, we found that breaking
things down into manageable pieces was critical. Even
then the client was not always forthcoming with
information. Therefore, we were forced to be flexible
and creative in our research and investigation. We
found that relying on our own experience provided vital
insight in helping us to uncover useful information with
the client and build our recommendations.”
Alignment with Learning Methods
All classes across the various programs and
institutions where the DOL has been applied have made
use of a constructivist approach to learning. In these
classes, the DOL has typically replaced the final exam
as the single most heavily weighted individual
assignment for the course. The classes have also
targeted stated learning outcomes from the outset.
Students are permitted to add their own individual goals
and learning outcomes to the list, but the specific
course-based outcomes are provided in the syllabus at
the start of the course. An example of a list of learning
outcomes follows. The first set represents “meta”
learning outcomes that are approached via most
197
assignments and elements of the course. The second set
contains outcomes that are more specific to individual
elements and assignments.
Meta learning outcomes
1. Understand the holistic, dynamic, global and
often ambiguous business environment.
2. Assess and manage oneself, taking personal
responsibility for learning.
3. Evaluate the mission and mission statement of
an organization to analyze its alignment to
current business practice.
4. Act as a change agent and transforming leader.
5. Perform an internal/external leadership audit
on an organization.
6. Create novel approaches to business as a
participant in an extended learning community.
7. A proactive orientation with the ability and
self-confidence to take initiative and function
independently demonstrating both creativity
and responsibility.
8. The ability to tolerate ambiguity and the ability
and self-confidence to clarify own role through
normal interaction with others, internal and
external to the organization.
9. The ability to manage self - time, resources,
priorities, stress and function with reliability.
10. Communication skills, with particular
emphasis on the ability to communicate ideas
succinctly in oral form and electronically.
While traditional report writing remains
important, it will be less so in the future.
11. The ability to collaborate effectively - the
ability to influence others and be influenced, to
listen and understand, to work out differences
so they do not become destructive conflicts, to
use diverse perspectives, cultures, and
expertise to maximize effectiveness.
Course specific learning outcomes
These are the learning outcomes that are unique to
this course.
Table 1: Learning outcomes: Bringing content to action
Learning outcome
1 Demonstrate leadership and organizational ability
2 Provide appropriate assessment and feedback of
individual performance for purposes of development
3 Manage projects – develop, implement,
monitor/control, and evaluate
4 Demonstrate sensitivity to the disparate cultures,
values, and behaviors of global business
5 Perform basic business research using primary and
secondary sources
6 Communicate a clearly articulated position in
writing and orally
The syllabus also contains the assigned weight for
each of the assignments, both individual and team, in
order to provide students some form of road map to
198 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
navigate through the course. This reveals that not only
does the DOL command the highest weight of any
individual assignment; it also provides an opportunity to
target each of the course specific learning outcomes. To
follow is an example of this information as it is
provided within the course syllabus.
These are the learning outcomes that are unique to
this course.
Table 2: Weightings on assignments and related learning outcomes
Assignment Learning
outcome
Individual assessment and personal 2, 6
vision statement
Individual HPT learning module 1, 6
Individual discovery research postings 4, 6
Team project – text highlights 3, 4, 5, 6
Team project – leadership audit 3, 6
Individual peer evaluations 2, 6
Individual documentation of learning 1, 2, 3, 4,
(DOL) 5, 6
CONCLUSION
At the conclusion of Jim Collins’ keynote at
Educause (2009) he provided the audience with a list of
ten “to do’s” that follow.
1. Perform a diagnostic of your team to identify
or develop “packets of greatness”
2. Surround yourself with disciplined people (are
the right people in the right seats on the bus?)
3. Build a “personal board of directors”
4. Get young people in your face
5. Turn off your electronic gadgets and create
time (“whitespace”) for disciplined thought
6. Double your “questions-to-statements ratio” in
the next year; know what questions to ask
7. Decide what not to do: work is infinite, time is
finite
8. Suspend titles and define responsibilities
9. Identify and eliminate “waterline risks”
10. Set a BHAG (“big, hairy audacious goal”)
Notice that the in the center of the list are two items
that target disciplined thought and inquiry. These are
the pertinent and critical skills for a business leader to
continually enhance as they take strides to deepen their
ability to lead and tackle problems. As business schools
enhance their offerings to include development
opportunities in areas of leadership, problem solving,
and social responsibility, the purposeful implementation
of knowledge tracking and DOLs can support such
enhancement. Such tracking and reflective components
should be woven into the natural fabric of any
professional school curriculum. It is our hope that this
article has encourages educators to develop a curriculum
plan that incorporates such tools to improve and sustain
lifelong learning skills necessary to lead our
organizations into the future.
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 NEW APPROACHES TO QUALITY ASSURANCE.
THE PERSPECTIVE OF ARACIS
Adrian MIROIU1
1
National School of Political Studies and Public Administration, admiroiu@snspa.ro
The paper discusses a series of processes that characterized Romanian higher education system in the past decade and resulted in a strong
homogeneity of the higher education institutions. It is argued that, while these processes were not necessarily accompanied by an increase
in the quality of the study programmes, diversification may be a solution. The paper discusses the role of ARACIS in creating incentives to
an institutional isomorphism, as well as possible actions to promote diversification.
1. introduction: current procedures of The
Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in
Higher Education (ARACIS)
The Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance
in Higher Education (ARACIS) based its activities on
regulations concerning the standards to be fulfilled by
Romanian universities. The law on quality assurance
(Law no. 87/2006 on the approval of the Government
Emergency Ordinance No. 75/2005 regarding quality
assurance in education) described the main processes to
be observed: a) planning and effectively achieving the
expected training output; b) monitoring the results; c)
internally reviewing the results; d) externally reviewing
the results. Managing these processes required the
appeal to the following four components: a) criteria; b)
standards and reference standards; c) performance
indicators; d) qualifications. More specifically, these
rules have been codified in two types of documents. The
main types of standards, standards of reference, and
performance indicators were introduced by The
Methodology for external evaluation of ARACIS
(approved by the Cabinet Decision no. 1418 / 2006).
The Quality evaluation activities guide for university
study programmes and for higher education institutions,
issued by the Board of ARACIS, includes minute
descriptions of the standards and indicators, and provide
the basis for the work of both internal and external
evaluators.
The evaluation activities started with the
academic year 2006/2007, and normally a period of at
least five years is required to complete a first cycle: in
fact, the procedures employed by ARACIS require that
all and each university study programmes be reviewed
after a period of five years. Moreover, the procedures
clearly specify that academic quality assurance
evaluation must be completed for each accredited higher
education institution after a period of five years. So at
this moment we are still in the middle of the first cycle.
Therefore, attempts to derive rigorous and fully
informative conclusions on the state of the art in the
Romanian higher education can only be partial.
However, while ARACIS succeeded to
evaluate nearly four thousand study programmes and
more than sixty higher education institutions, an
immense amount of information is yet available. It is
quite tempting to draw some conclusions. What is the
quality of the Romanian higher education? Did the
activity of ARACIS make a difference? What is to be
done in the coming period?
One important product of the current activity of
ARACIS is the delivery of a yearly Quality Barometer
(2009). The Barometer presents interpretations of the
existing information as well as of the results of social
studies carried by the experts of the Agency. However,
even though the Barometer may provide a picture of the
quality of higher education, the second of the questions
raised above, did the activity of ARACIS made a
difference, got no answer.
The aim of this paper is to delineate the main lines
that would help us formulate such an answer. The
approach I follow is an institutional one. Although the
general framework I have in mind can be traced to a
rational choice, or economic, approach (North: 1990,
Ostrom: 2005), I shall also appeal to the influential
institutional analysis put forth by DiMaggio and Powell
(1991) to explain important processes in organizational
behavior.
Given the space limitations of this presentation, I
shall concentrate on only a few issues. In the next
section I shall introduce the idea that a series of
processes in the Romanian higher education resulted in
a strong institutional isomorphism. I shall, in this
respect, argue that, to a large extend, this evolution was
not necessarily correlated with a higher quality of the
education provided by the Romanian universities. In the
third section I argue that the objective of increasing the
quality of the study programmes can be reached by
creating a number of specific incentives and appealing
to a more diversified set of policy instruments. To
exemplify my analysis, I shall refer to the role of
ARACIS in both the present homogenization process,
and the desired diversification evolution.
2. THE IMPACT OF QUALITY ASSURANCE
PROCEDURES ON INSTITUTIONAL
ISOMORPHISM
One of the striking characteristics of the Romanian
higher education system is its homogeneity, or at least
the existence of a powerful process of weakening the
differences between state and public universities,
200 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
between old and new ones, between large and small
universities, between comprehensive and highly
specialized universities. Their mission (as codified in
the university Charts) are quasi-identical, their
organizational structures, types of study programmes
and their organization, as well as content, the
procedures and the practices concerning teaching and
research activities, the internal regulations, are similar
(if not simply copied from one another) and at most
incrementally different. (The process of institutional
isomorphism also characterizes other educational
systems. Probably the most famous work in this respect
is Birnbaum (1983); see also Morphew (2009). A
similar process can be met when we move across
national boundaries. As argued by Dobbins and Knill
(2009), the Bologna process brings about institutional
isomorphism when we compare educational systems.)
For institutionalist scholars, the process which
resulted in these consequences should be no surprise. As
DiMaggio and Powell (1990) argue, in highly structured
organizational fields like higher education, incentives
exist to produce homogeneity. According to DiMaggio
and Powell (1991), isomorphic forces are so powerful in
the field of higher education mainly due to three of its
characteristics. First, its objectives (like getting
knowledge or producing educated graduates) are
difficult to measure. Secondly, the technology used
(teaching activities) is largely unclear. And third, the
organizational actors are extremely professionalized.
The two authors identify three mechanisms
through which institutional organizational change
occurs: mimetic, normative, and coercive. First, mimetic
mechanisms express a propensity of some universities
characterized by a lack of legitimacy to imitate
universities perceived as traditional and highly
performing. In Romania the establishment of new
universities in the past decade, as well as the appearance
of private universities provided a strong impetus in this
direction. Institutional mimetism consisted in adapting
the organizational structure to existing traditional
patterns, in developing new study programmes similar
to those existing in prestigious universities, etc. The
result is the increase of legitimacy on the part of the new
(and private) universities, although not necessarily
correlated with an effective better quality.
ARACIS should not be forgotten in this
process. It performed evaluations of a large number of
study programmes; most of its evaluators come from
old, more prestigious universities. These factors
contributed to creating incentives that new universities
try to derive their own legitimacy from an isomorphism
with structures, and activities of the old, and prestigious
ones.
Normative mechanisms had an important role:
in the past decades the impact of the norms defined at
the national level concerning the access to faculty
positions was quite extensive. The process of
professionalization of the persons who populate both old
and new universities resulted in their tendency to be
more and more similar in the activities carried on in the
universities employing them. The evaluation
committees organized in all universities included people
who belonged to different universities. In this way
professional networks were developed, if not simply
created: largely shared standards were designed and
disseminated.
ARACIS contributed to this process by its peer
evaluation procedures. ARACIS established a pool of
nearly fifteen hundred evaluators, and actually appealed
to more than seven hundred. Their joint activities
impacted the way in which standards of quality
assurance are defined and applied in Romanian
universities.
However, the most important mechanisms that
led to institutional isomorphism were the coercive ones.
Regulations issued by the state authorities played a core
role. Laws, cabinet decisions, decisions of the ministers
of education brought about stricter requirements on the
organization and the structure of the universities, on the
types of study programmes offered, on the human
resources policies. In the entire period following the fall
in December 1989 of the socialist regime the Romanian
state was a weak one. Its narrow capacity to govern
determined the adoption of regulations that in many
cases required simplification, and even over-
simplification. A clear example is that of the types of
the study programmes: the state was never able to
manage a large diversity and therefore issued
regulations that dramatically reduced the option of the
universities (and, consequently, of the candidates). We
all know that today universities are compelled to offer
only one type of first cycle diploma, only one type of
master diploma, but no intermediary diplomas or
certificates.
The coercive isomorphism was also stimulated
in a number of more specific ways. The financial
incentives provided by the National Council for the
Financing of Higher Education (CNFIS) pressed the
Romanian universities to adopt similar policies and
structures. The example of the so-called quality
indicators, which currently account for 30% of the core
financing of the state universities, is quite relevant: state
universities are bound to become similar, if they wish to
fulfill these indicators. In my view, the main reason why
the universities try to satisfy the quality indicators as
well as possible is not that they get larger funds in this
way; for the differences resulting by taking into account
the indicators are small, even negligible. But by better
satisfying the performance indicators the universities
enjoy a higher legitimacy and a better external
perception of the quality of their activities.
Accreditation and quality assurance procedures
developed and implemented formerly by the National
Council for Evaluation and Academic Accreditation
(CNEAA) and since 2006 by ARACIS produced even
more profound consequences. They concern both state
and private universities, and all types of study
programmes offered. To have its study programmes
accredited, or to be highly evaluated as an institution, an
university has a clear option: to mimic the most
New Approaches to Quality Assurance
prestigious institutions in its field. ARACIS may also be
mentioned with respect to a different form of coercive
isomorphism: non-formal pressures can be exerted
cultural expectations in the society. I hope I do not
exaggerate too much when I claim that ARACIS opened
the way to strong expectations for a culture of quality
assurance in the Romanian higher education. In turn,
these expectations determined universities to be
increasingly organized around rituals of conformity.
To conclude, the ongoing process of
homogenization is enforced by structural characteristics
of the Romanian higher education system. While it
contributed to an increased conformity with regulations
and good practices, to a higher legitimacy of many,
especially new, universities, the process had also a
negative side. The race for conformity is not necessarily
a move toward greater efficiency and higher and higher
quality standards. On the contrary, in an institutional
framework, the propensity to align to a median position
is accompanied by the downwards shift of this position.
On a medium term, homogenization is strongly
correlated with lower quality standards. The reason is
simple: homogenization, as well as the legitimacy it
displays, is a public good. Therefore, if they attain a
certain level, organizational actors have strong
incentives to free-ride. And free-riding brings about
worse result for all the actors involved.
3. THE MOVE TO EFFICIENCY
A main objective of the quality assurance
mechanisms is to provide incentives for increasing the
quality of all the activities of the universities. The
question naturally arises, how can this objective be
reached?
I do not believe that we need to give up the
instruments already in use. For they helped obtaining
desired results. It can be argued that maintaining a
minimum level of quality of the study programmes is a
means of ensuring that each member of the society will
get an education appropriate to her abilities, interests
and ideals. But I think that, in view of the perverse
consequences of the institutional isomorphism, those
instruments need to be supplemented with new, and
different, instruments and mechanisms.
Let me consider an analogy. It is well-known
that the financial incentives are crucial in the attempt to
change the behavior of the organizational actors like
universities. These incentives may consist in general
rules for funding universities, such as funding formulas
(as used by CNFIS to allocate budgetary resources), or
even more specific procedures. A standard example is
provided by the Higher Education Funding Council for
England (HEFCE). The Council developed an
impressive number of types of incentives used to induce
the differentiation of the higher education organizations
(HEFCE: 2000; see also Taylor: 2003). Among them we
may note: institutional flexibility in the use of block
grant funding, with freedom to determine resource
allocation internally; dual support for research, enabling
universities to plan their own research profiles;
201
institutions are freedom in determining the form of
engagements with business and the community; student
premiums, which recognize differing costs between
levels and modes of study; specialist institution
premiums, especially for small and mono-subject
institutions; special funding incentives for particular
purposes; supporting institutions in developing their
own missions and strategies, by taking into account
performance indicators which recognize the variety of
institutional types and allow benchmark comparisons to
be made, etc.
The instruments appealed to by HEFCE are
intended to help increase the quality of the activities in
the higher education organizations. We can immediately
notice that this objective is mediated by a quite
extensive, multidimensional differentiation of the
institutions. Differentiation, as opposed to
homogenization, is much closer connected with
efficiency; but, as the example of HEFCE shows, this
may happen in a context in which the issue of
legitimacy lost its core role, in that the higher education
organizations have reached a satisficient (to use H.A.
Simon’s famous phrase) level of legitimacy.
ARACIS can also stimulate a higher efficiency
by appealing to different tools or instruments. I shall
shortly mention two of them. The first is developed in
analogy to the financing differentiation incentives. The
second is more indebted to the main theses of the
institutional approach, and focuses on the role of
creation and internalization of rules and norms of trust
and reciprocity.
First, it has been argued by many scholars that
the differentiation of the universities is multi-
dimensional, and that the reductionist approaches
(which usually focus exclusively on research and
teaching) induce, on the one hand, a theoretical
inadequate picture and, on the other hand, misguided
policy recommendations. I believe that one of the most
important trends in the activity of ARACIS in the
coming period will be the development of procedures to
stimulate the universities to differentiate their activities.
To be effective and stable, differentiation should in my
view satisfy a number of properties: it should be 1)
multi-dimensional; 2) inclusive; 3) non-hierarchical; 4)
flexible, and 5) non-compulsory (see also van Vught:
2007). Inclusiveness implies that it should apply to all
the Romanian universities. Non-hierarchical character is
required in order to attract the positive action of the
universities: for any differentiation that ends with top-
positioned and bottom-positioned universities creates
frustrations and perverse actions to undermine the
criteria proposed and the effects of the resulting
hierarchy. Non-compulsory differentiation means that
the university themselves have the crucial role in
defining their position as members of one or another
cluster; and flexibility entails that differentiation is not
static, but dynamic.
Differentiation can be stimulated by using a
variety of policy instruments. For example, the
performance indicators can be grouped according to
202 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

alternative dimensions, and be taken as essential P.J. DiMaggio (eds.), The new institutionalism in organizational
analysis, The University of Chicago Press, Chicago.
according to the mission of the university. This analysis
[5] Birnbaum, R. (1983). Maintaining institutional diversity, San
can be done a priori or a posteriori. This means that by Francisco, Jossey-Bass.
appealing to the data ARACIS acquires it can provide [6] Morphew, C.C. (2009). Conceptualizing Change in the
information to the universities concerning the type of Institutional Diversity of U.S. Colleges and Universities, The Journal
of Higher Education, Vol. 80, No. 3, pp. 243 – 269.
clusters they are most likely to be included in.
[7] Dobbins, M., Knill, C. (2009). Higher Education Policies in
Secondly, in an institutional setting the role of Central and Eastern Europe: Convergence toward a Common Model?,
the new institutions like, e.g., the formal and shared Governance: An International Journal of Policy, Administration, and
rules, norms, and practices associated to quality Institutions, 22, 3, pp. 397–430.
[8] HEFCE (2000). Diversity in higher education: HEFCE policy
assurance in universities can be analyzed only if a long
statement.
enough time horizon is assumed. As I have already [9] Taylor, J. (2003). Institutional Diversity in UK Higher Education:
mentioned, ARACIS started its activity only four years Policy and Outcomes Since the End of the Binary Divide, Higher
ago, and the first cycle of evaluations performed by it is Education Quarterly, Vol. 57, No. 3, pp. 266 - 293.
[10] Van Vught, F. (2007). Diversity and Differentiation in Higher
not yet completed. But effective institutions require
Education Systems. Challenges for the Knowledge Society,
iterated interactions and cooperation between the www.uhr.no/documents/Fran_van_Vught_text.pdf.
organizational actors involved over a long period of
time. It is only in this way that trust emerges. Therefore,
evaluations can be regarded as elements in a process in
which reciprocity is essential for attaining a superior
state of equilibrium.
It would be pointless to claim that quality
assurance procedure and instruments in place in our
higher education system, and specifically the
mechanisms and activities of ARACIS should already
have succeeded in producing efficient and long-
enduring results. The effects can only be effective on a
medium or a long term period. We can of course see the
seeds. My general conclusion is that we always need
stability, we need to be patient. Enduring, and therefore
efficient, institutions are those that are 1) well designed,
and 2) consistently implemented. I believe that the
former condition holds for the present procedures of
quality assurance. I hope ARACIS will also succeed to
accomplish the later.

AKNOWLEDGMENTS

This work was accomplished under the project:” Quality

Assurance in Higher Education in Romania within
European Context. Development of Academic Quality
Management at System and Institutional Level” –
ACADEMIS, POSDRU/2/1.2/S/1, Project Manager
Prof. Ioan CURTU, Ph. D, Romanian Agency for
Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ARACIS).

References

[1] Quality Barometer 2009: Statistical Distributions, Interpretations

and Options on The State of Quality in the Romanian Higher
Education; at
http://proiecte.aracis.ro/fileadmin/Academis/A2/Engleza_-
_Interior.pdf.
[2] North, D. C. (1990). Institutions, Institutional Change and
Economic Performance. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press,
Cambridge.
[3] Ostrom, E. (2005). Understanding Institutional Analysis, Princeton
University Press, Princeton.
[4] DiMaggio, P.J., Powell, W.W. (1991). The iron cage revisited:
Institutional isomorphism and collective rationality. În W.W. Powell,
 LEADERSHIP IN HIGHER EDUCATION BY DEVELOPMENT OF POLES OF
EXCELLENCE IN RESEARCH

Mihai Stelian MUNTEANU 1, Radu Adrian MUNTEANU 2

Technical University of Cluj Napoca, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

email: mihaimunteanu@mas.utcluj.ro

Abstract. The paper presents the possibility to achieve leadership in higher education by development of poles of excellence in
research. In this way research results are obtained in a project for excellence that allows the formation of leadership in the field
studied, while increasing the educational process and quality by developing skills in the study of complex technological systems. There
are present mainly the possibility of introducing on process distributed and decentralized modular structures which use
programmable logical automates, thereby offering all the facilities for real time control and additionally the possibility of interactive
interfacing with a PC by integrating an open architecture system. A modular structure in open architecture system is developed, based
on the SCADA concept of control in complex automations. Economic analyses reveal that in comparison with a centralized structure
the presented system with modularized and decentralized structure significantly reduces efforts of conceiving, designing and
controlling the technological flux. Finally, it offers a modern solution for developing of new complex automation installations and
updating existing ones, in order to gain new skills in the study of complex automation systems, targeting the students in their last years
of college, master students and PhD students.

Keywords: leadership in higher education and quality insurance, knowledge bases innovation, complex automation, innovation-
transfer of technology-creativity, intelligent management.

communication buses for high level communication.

1. INTRODUCTION
Development of poles of excellence in research can
benefit through the results of scientific research itself,
but also by the quality assurance and achieve leadership
in higher education. An example of this is shown below,
where it presented a modular structure in open
architecture system, based on the SCADA concept of
control in complex automations, with modularized and
decentralized structure for designing and controlling the
technological flux. The basic elements for obtaining
performance for these systems are:
Distributed intelligence. Using the distributed
automation technology allows the division of the
process activity within a system on disjunctive
components, each in part controlled by a compact
processor. This leads to a distributed architecture with
intelligent terminals by using a central microcontroller
which controls the data flux for remote processors and
ensures correct execution of the instructions [1,2].
Decentralized intelligence simplifies the design and
assembling activities, reduces the time allocated to
programming and the commissioning time. By
developing a system with distributed intelligence
modifications or extensions are easily attainable and the
efficient diagnosis options minimize the search times.
Realization of simple connections. Classically, the
connection between the central unit, the input/output
models and the decentralized processing modules is
done through the system bus which contains signals for
module addressing, control signals and data. This leads
to extensive connections of measurement and control
cables which are complex and vulnerable to errors. The
presence of bus microcontrollers offers the possibility
of connecting the central unit to the PDnet, ARCNET,
RCOM, MODBUS, CAN Open, and Ethernet
Clear structuring. It is another advantage obtained by
using high level microcontrollers which can be
interconnected in a network for designing extensive
configurations [3]. Depending on the user requirements,
different types of networks are available to this goal.
The system thus structured allows the designers and the
user to plan, design, mount and action the autarchic
system components independently.
2. Development of poles of excellence in research
As an example for development of poles of
excellence in research is presented a modular structure
in an open architecture system for the technological flux
control, which represents a grant coordinated by the
authors in framework of grants of the CNCSIS Program
“Exploratory Research -IDEI” , the research projects
no. 263/207-2010, ID 005/2007 and , grant of the
Excellence Research Program INOVARE 2007 – 2010.
One may observe the approach method for a complex
automation by modulating the control system to account
for the technological flux on 6 modules [4,5],
respectively: Receiving Module, Dry-Store Module,
Dosing Module, Finishing Module, Packing-Delivery
Module, Grinding-Sifting Module. Depending on the
distribution of the controlled I/O modules and on the
grouping of field elements: transducers, limitators,
actuators, etc. the corresponding design methods for
PLC control systems with distributed and decentralized
structure or for control systems with local PLC have
been applied. The local PLC module architecture used
for the distributed and decentralized process control
system for automation of dry-store module and dosing
module are presented in figure 1. The module can
regulate both the temperature of hot air through a fast
control loop, having as input signal a temperature
transducer and a current PID regulator for burner
204 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

temperature as well as a slow control loop for dryer
temperature, having as input signals 10 temperature
transducers and a current PID regulator calculated with
a fuzzy regulator law. To monitor the process of
weighing are generated the following signals: dosing
products on high speed, dosing products on low speed,
emptying, pause dosing, upper limit scale, lower limit
scale, dosing in progress, value measured of weight.
Additionally, add the control signals of the frequency
converter in correlation with the weighing system:
selecting the speed of the frequency converter high /
low, running on Auto / Manual, alarm signal exceeded
the nominal current, exceeding the power, resetting the
alarm of the frequency converter, signal reference that
measure the speed of frequency converter, a
measurement signal of the motor nominal current. The
system for acquisition and control PLC, provides 336
inputs/outputs analog, 384 inputs / outputs digital and
720 inputs/outputs digital/ analog.

PLC - Local control

ETH ETH
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CP513 COM COM PLC 1 COM

RS485 ETH I/O D I/O A RS485
UC

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PROCESS

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Parameters Weighting I/O D I/O A Converter
P, W, I, cos KE

n n

3xI 3xU Field Elements,

PROCESS Transducers,
Weighing Motor
Transducers Switches, etc.

Fig. 1. Architecture with a maximum number of components necessary for the automation of corn mills
In modulating the flux the physical repartition of the
tools has been taken into account in order to reduce the
length of cable between the PLC I/O module and the
field elements (confirmations, command relays,
transducers, etc.). With this in mind part of the
pneumatic transport and de-dusting has been assigned
locally to each technological module. This was made
possible by the concept of decentralized and distributed
structure of the command and control system.
Communication between the central units allotted to
each technological module can be achieved through
system buses: Ethernet, MODBUS, PROFIBUS,
ARCNET, MODBUS, etc. A central PLC unit is
allocated for communication with all central units on
technological modules and will represent the interface
with the local monitoring and dispatch system. The
latter works similar to a server enabling data
transmission for the Internet through tunneling. Thus the
possibility is ensured of monitoring the entire
technological process by connecting to the Internet, all
the while visualizing the technological process from
wherever there are authorized operators for data access.
3. Conclusion.
Theoretical results and design concepts presented
have led to a system of modular complex automation,
with remote dispatching flow control technology with
the graphical interface flow control technology
presented in figure 2.
The main innovative elements that have the basis for
achieving this control system are presented below,
namely:
 Introduction of modular structures of
decentralized and distributed on process,
Leadership in Higher Education by Development of Poles of Excellence in Research 205

carried out with PLC's, with all facilities

provided by them and the possibility of
interactive interface systems with a PC;
.

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Fig. 2. Graphical interface to monitor and dispatch from a distance

 Ensure the introduction of leading edge
technology as a solution to increase reliability,
 Connecting to a centralized dispatching flexibility in design and safety in operation ;
system, with monitoring of process parameters in the
upper hierarchy of management and control process
by a supervisor PC;
 Develop a modular system to automatically
dispatch the distance of the coordinate flows of
technology to mills and grain maize;  Control of complex processing reduce human
 The technological process control using effort ;
programmable logic in the decentralized and  The product made by such equipment is
distributed implementation of mathematical competitive with any product made worldwide.
models in modular management, coordination in Opens prospects for market penetration in adjacent
real-time of the technological flow and counties.
interconnection between modules of the It is worth mentioning that the studies and researches
technological process; conducted in the project have contributed to the
 The system is built with latest generation development of a national patent and a European patent
equipment worldwide; no. EPO8464013, awarded prizes and medals in
 The system was designed so that to obtain a international competitions, namely: EUREKA
reduction of electricity between 20% - 25%. To International Prize 2007 to the 56-th International
obtain specific costs; Competition of Brussels EUREKA dedicated to
 The system and installation, have been inventions, 22-25 November 2007, Belgium, and the
completed so that it won't pollute; gold medal “ Salon International des Inventions “ , 36th
Edition, 4-8 April 2008, Geneva Economic effects
estimated by applying the control system presented here
206 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

have lead to increasing the running period by 200%,

decreasing the running costs by 70%, increasing
productivity by 10%, reducing specific energy
consumption by 20%, reducing maintenance costs by
80% and reducing negative impact on the environment.
In conclusion, the research results obtained in projects
for excellence may lead to formation of leadership in
higher education, and may contribute to increasing the
educational process and quality by developing skills in
the study of complex technological systems.
Acknowledgements. The authors wish to express
their gratitude to the Research and Educational Ministry
(MEC) and Romanian Academy for its support of the
program of work reported herein. The work took place
as part of the research projects no. 263/207-2010, ID
005/2007, in framework of Grants of CNCSIS Program
IDEI and project no. 127/2007-2010 in the framework
of Grants of AMSCIT Program INOVARE, PN II
(National Program for Scientific Research and
Innovation Technologies).

References

1. Vinay Kariwala, J. Fraser Forbes, Sigurd Skogestad , µ-Interaction

measure for unstable systems, International Journal of Automation
and Control (IJAAC), Volume 1 – Issue 4 – 2007, pp. 295 – 313,
ISSN (Online): 1740-7524 - ISSN (Print): 1740-7516.
2. Luige Vladareanu, Adrian Curaj, Modular Structures in Open
Architecture Systems, Proceedings of the 9th WSEAS International
Conferenc: THEORY & APPLICATIONS (AMTA `08), Bucharest,
Romania, June 24-26, 2008, Published by WSEAS Press, pg.100-105,
ISBN: 978-960-6766-74-9, ISSN: 1790-5095.
3. Luige Vladareanu, Mihai S. Munteanu et. all, A New Method for
Real Time Control of Actuators in Continuos Flux, Proceedings of the
9th WSEAS International Conference on AUTOMATION and
INFORMATION (ICAI `08), Bucharest, Romania, June 24-26, 2008,
Published by WSEAS Press, pg.303-308, ISBN: 978-960-6766-77-0,
ISSN: 1790-5117
4. S.I. Chien and J. Luo , Optimization of Dynamic Ramp Metering
Control with Simultaneous Perturbation Stochastic Approximation,
Control and Intelligent Systems, 2008 Issue 1, volume 36/2008, pg.
1808-1820, ISSN: 1480-1752
5. Luige Vladareanu, Top technologies in Solid Mechanics, cap.7,
Advanced Engineering in Applied Mechanics, Published by Ed.
Academiei 2006, pp.29, pg. 397-434, ISBN-13 978-973-27-1370-9;
ISBN-10 973-27-1370-4
 KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES OF HEALTHCARE ETHICS AMONG YOUNG
DENTISTS

Alice Mirela MURARIU1, Carmen Stela HANGANU2

1
Assistant Professor, Department Community Dentistry, Faculty of Dental Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Gr.
T. Popa” Iasi, murariu_alice@yahoo.com
2
Associate Professor, Department Community Dentistry, Faculty of Dental Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Gr.
T. Popa” Iasi, carmenhanganu1957@yahoo.com

Abstract t The aim of the study is to assess the knowledge and attitudes among young healthcare dentist professionals, like young doctors,
residents and master students in dentistry, in relation to healthcare ethics and law, in order to improve the ethical and moral aspects in higher
education in dental Medicine.
Prior work: There has been growing public concern regarding the ethical conduct of healthcare professionals. This is often reflected as
complaints about poor ethical conduct and an increasing use of litigation against healthcare practitioners. In the relationships with their patients,
doctors have some moral obligations: confidentiality, respect for patient autonomy and consent for treating infected patients.
There are many recommendations to strategize the teaching of medical ethics, incorporating ethical and legal issues into medical curricula. In
this case, the first step may be to determine the current basic knowledge and attitudes of the healthcare young practitioners.
Methodology: A questionnaire concerning knowledge of healthcare ethics was distributed to 65 young dentists who graduated 2009 the Faculty of
Dental Medicine, of Iasi, Romania. The questionnaire consists of 16 items regarding code of ethics in dentistry: responsibility to patients,
responsibility to the public, responsibility to the profession, responsibility to colleagues.
Results: All doctors responded that ethic attitude is very important, 34% recognized they had minor ethical problems. There are significant
statistical differences between subjects: 79% of doctors had a stronger opinion than 35% of master students concerning treating infected patients.
56% did not know about the ethics committee in our university.
Implication: A very important implication of our study is improving curricula in dental medicine with the ethical and moral aspects in higher
education. It is necessary and helpful to make ethical conferences and the proceedings of the case conferences must be published to be available
for all healthcare professionals.
Originality values: There are no studies in our region regarding ethical and moral aspects in higher education in Dentistry. For the first time,
dentists have the moral obligation to continuously update their knowledge. In addition, they must always ascertain that they are doing their very
best in each diagnostic and clinical procedure.
KEY WORDS: KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES, ETHICS, YOUNG DENTISTS

INTRODUCTION: dentistry, in relation to healthcare ethics and law, in

The health concept has acquired new values, WHO
defining health as the complete state of bio-psycho-
social wellbeing of the individual and not as just the
absence of illness or infirmity [1]. Numerous
discoveries have determined important progresses in the
diagnosis and treatment of diseases, and also in
developing surgical interventions. These progresses of
the medicine have generated also a series of medical
ethics problems, most of them controversial.
To carry out correctly the health care, and, implicitly
dental care, means to respond promptly, honestly and
comprehensive to the different needs and requests
towards the medical act, that will have to be
accompanied always by ethical conscience.
The relationship with the sick person attracts many
responsibilities, but disregarding social status and
disease nature, the physician has the obligation to
examine and treat the patients with the same care,
attention and conscientiousness [2].
Thus are regulated the rules of behavior towards the
patient and society, by adapting to the medical ethics. In
every dental college’s curricula there must not only be
medical ethics programs, but also classes, conferences
or case presentations for the young practitioners to
assume these rules for themselves [3].
AIM:
The aim of the study is to assess the knowledge and
attitudes among young healthcare dentist professionals,
like young doctors, residents and master students in
order to improve the ethical and moral aspects in higher
education in dental Medicine.
PRIOR WORK:
In the last years, the interest towards the ethical
problems in daily life has increased, this leading to an
introduction into the medical schools’ curricula of the
study of ethics, meaning the study of the code of moral
principles that must govern the doctors behavior
towards the patient, his/hers relatives and towards ones
colleagues. Even though there are found more and more
negative aspects determined by not respecting the
medical ethics code, there have been no specific actions
at medical education level to clarify these problems.
To this purpose, the literature cites numerous studies
that try, either to change the curricula, or to improve it.
In a study conducted in 125 medical colleges from the
USA and 16 from Canada, Lehmann et al. discovered
that 52% of them didn’t have in the medical curricula,
the bioethics discipline [4]. Deficiencies in medical
ethics teaching were described also by Eckless et al. in a
study conducted between 1978 and 2004 in the USA.
[5].
Other studies have evaluated the level of knowledge of
students, doctors and nurses with regard to the attitude
and behavior towards the medical ethics’ principles. By
example, at the medical college of New Mexico, 83
students, who had filled-out a questionnaire on this
theme, suggested the necessity of further studying these
notions during their terms. [6] Studies with similar
208 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

themes are found in countries in Asia, such as India, or dentistry

even Latin America, in Barbados [7, 8]. 7. Dentist dentists 15 85 3.1 p=0.045*
The rules existing now in Romania appeared under the have master 32 68
influence of legislative norms valid for the European obligation students
Union. [9] to treat
violent
The small number of specialist in the bioethics field patients
brings another important contribution to the lack of 8.Dentist dentists 21 79 5.4 p=0.017*
education of the medical staff and of the researchers that have master 65 35
conduct clinical studies, and not the least to the health obligation students
care needing population or to those who decide to take to treat
part in a research study [10]. infected
patients
9.Patient dentists 87 13 0.55 p=0.75
METHODOLOGY should be master 82 18
always students
The study was conducted in the year 2009, on a sample
informed of
of 65 dentists: 22 (34%) residents and master students wrongdoing
and 43 (66%) specialists in the private practice, young 10. Close dentists 56 44 0.81 p=0.64
graduates of the Dental Medicine School of Iasi. relatives master 51 49
To find out what is their knowledge about the bioethics should students
and medical law in Romania, a questionnaire was always
created, with 16 questions that involve the following informed of
areas: 1. Doctor-patient relationship, 2. Mistakes and wrongdoing
errors in the dental practice, 3.Protection of those 11.Children dentists 91 9 0.07 p=0.89
involved in medical research, 4. Medical law. should master 89 11
never be students
The answers were coded as such: 1= agree, 2= disagree
treated
for 13 questions or 1= yes, 2= no, for 3 questions. The without
data was analyzed with SPSS 14 program. To test the consent of
difference between the answers the Chi square test was parents
used, with a statistical significance threshold of 0.05. 12. Ethical dentists 78 22 0.05 p=0.92
problems master 80 20
RESULTS: must be students
The answers given by the subjects to the questions are reported to
exhibited in table 1: medical
staff
Table 1: The dentist’s and master student’s respondents 13.If dentists 76 24 0.12 p=0.07
p-value patients master 67 34
Occupa Agr Disa Chi refused students
tion ee gree squ treatment,
(%) (%) are they should
be
1. Ethic dentists 100 0 instructed
attitude is master 100 0 to find
important in students another
dentistry doctor
2. Patient’s dentists 67 33 0.23 p=0.17
wishes master 73 27
must students Chi p-value
always be Occupa Yes No squ
adhered to tion (%) (%) are
3. Consent dentists 89 11 0.65 p=0.34
for every master 85 15 14. Had you dentists 30 70 2.4 p=0.023*
dental students ethical master 4 96
treatment problems in students
4. Consent dentists 100 0 your
for test and master 100 0 activity?
new students
medications 15. Do you dentists 56 44 3.2 p=0.028*
5.Consent dentists 100 0 know about master 88 12
for medical master 100 0 the students
research students existence of
6.Confident dentists 95 5 0.76 p=0.61 the ethics
iality- master 92 8 committee
important in students in the
Knowledge and attitudes of healthcare ethics among young dentists 209

university? family (item 10), to which only 56% dentists and 51%
16. Is it dentists 77 23 0.12 p=0.56 master students answered affirmatively.
necessary to master 73 27 The answers to question 16, “Is it necessary to make
make students ethical conferences?” demonstrate that most of the
ethical subjects, 77% dentists, respectively, 73% master
conferences
?
students agree with conferences, classes and case
presentations.
*=statistical significance (p<0.05)

Can be observed that all the subjects that filled-out the

IMPLICATIONS:
questionnaire have answered 100% to the following
Although medical ethic problems are part of the
questions:
curricula of the Dental School of Iasi, this study
- Question 1 – the importance of ethical aspects in
demonstrates that many graduates are confronted in
dental practice;
their daily activity with different medical problems
- Questions 4 and 5 that reference to patient consent to
whose medical and human resolving need a more
take part in research studies and studies that test new
profound approach to the medical ethic notions. If it is
dental products.
taken into account the fact that the Medical Bioethics
Confidentiality is an important concept in the dental
subject is found in the curricula of the first year, when
practice for 95% of the dentists and 92% of the master
the students don’t come into contact with the clinical
students (item 6).
subjects, the possible lack of edification or the lack of
The same understanding was not found regarding the
knowledge in this area become explainable.
treatment of violent patients (item 7) and of those HIV
Because of that, the need for conducting post-graduate
infected (item 8).
classes or even just conferences with case presentations
Thus, for question 7, the differences found between the
becomes a needed activity, and the obligation is to the
answers are statistical significant, χ²=3.1, p=0.045: 85%
field specialists and to the teachers.
of the dentists and 68% of the master students think that
it is not he doctors obligation to treat violent patients.
The same aspect is found for the answers to question 8,
CONCLUSIONS:
which refer to the treatment of HIV infected patients:
1. Medical ethics represent a moral values system
79% of the dentists and 35% of the master students do
that must govern the behavior and the attitude
not agree with this statement. Form the Chi-square
of both the dentists, residents and masters
analysis, results that these differences have statistical
students, but also of those responsible for
significance, χ²=5.4, p=0.017. This might be explained
medical education.
because the master students don’t have dental activity
yet and don’t come in contact with unforeseen events
2. The aspects that create medical ethics problems
such as unresponsive, aggressive patients or those
in the activity of private practice dentists,
infected by HIV.
refers to the obligation to inform the patient
The same explanation is found also in the case of the
and his/her family about complications
constant differences between the two categories of
emerged during surgery, and also regarding the
subjects questioned about ethical problems that they
existence of ethics committees close to
encountered in their daily activity (item 14), 4% of the
colleges or hospitals.
master students and 30% of the dentists (χ²=2.4,
p=0.023).
The ratio inverts in the case of the answers given to
3. In exchange, the young master students don’t
question 15: “Do you know about the existence of the
consider as a moral duty the obligation to treat
ethics committee in the university?”, where 88% of the
violent or HIV infected patients.
master students did know this aspect, explained by the
fact that they conduct a research activity that involved
4. Most of those asked consider as necessary the
the contact with this committee, as opposed to 56% of
conducting of classes that would stimulate the
the private practice dentists (χ²=3.2, p=0.028).
ethical values’, duty and responsibilities’ role
A situation that can appear in dental practice is
for the medical ethics principles.
determined by unforeseen complications during
different dental activities, the most frequent being the
breakage of endodontic reamers or of burrs, appearance
of post-anesthetic hematoma or post-extraction
complications. The ethic code supports the need to
inform the patient and his/her family about such events.
The answers given suggest that patient informing (item
9) is more important for 87% of the dentists,
respectively 82% of the master students, than that of the
 210 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

REFERENCES:

1. World Health Organization, 2004, European health for all. Data

base, World Health Organization: Geneva.
2. Cowley C, 2005, The dangers of medical ethics, J Med Ethics, 31:
739-742.
3. Mattick K, Bligh J, 2006, Teaching and assessing medical ethics:
where are we now? J Med Ethics, 32:181-185.
4. Lehmann LS, Kassoff WS, 2004, A survey of medical ethics
education at US and Canadian medical school, Acad Med, 79 (7),
682-9.
5. Eckles RE, Meslin EM, et al, 2005, Where should we be going?,
Acad Med, (80)12: 1143-52.
6. Lehrmann, JA, Hoop J, et al, 2001, Teaching medical ethics to
experienced staff: participants, teachers and method, J Med
Ethics, 27: 409-412.
7. 7.Akoijam S B, Bishwalata R, et al, 2009, Knowledge and
attitudes of doctors on medical ethics in a teaching hospital,
Manipur, Indian J of medical ethics, 6, 194 -197.
8. Hariharan S, Jonnalagadda R, et al, 2006, Knowledge, attitudes
and practice of healthcare ethics
9. and law among doctors and nurses in Barbados, BMC Medical
ethics, 7, 16-19.
10. Bauman Z, 2000, Post-modern ethic, Ed. Amarcord, Bucuresti,.
11. Astarastoae V, Trif BA, 1998, Essentialia in bioetica, Ed Cantes,
Iasi.
 TEACHING DENTAL STUDENTS CONCERNING SPECIFIC ASPECTS ON SOCIAL
RESPONSIBILITY

Alice Mirela MURARIU1, Carmen Stela HANGANU2

1
Assistant Professor, Department Community Dentistry, Faculty of Dental Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Gr.
T. Popa” Iasi, murariu_alice@yahoo.com
2
Associate Professor, Department Community Dentistry, Faculty of Dental Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Gr.
T. Popa” Iasi, carmenhanganu1957@yahoo.com

Abstract: The objectives of this study are to evaluate the oral health related quality of life in older people and to increase the perceptions and
roles of dental education in serving communities, in promoting oral health, providing access to care, and conducting relevant research as a
strong sense of social responsibility. Prior work: Research about the relationship between quality of life and oral health is realized on the basis of
socio-dental indices, defined as evaluation the way in which oral health disturbs social function. The 12-item of Geriatric Oral Health Assessment
Index (GOHAI) was developed to evaluate three dimensions of oral health-related quality of life which includes: physical function, psychosocial
function and pain or discomfort. In order to use this index our team validated in a research project the Romanian version of GOHAI. In this way
higher education in dental medicine serves society through its missions of teaching, research, and service the communities.
Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted in ‘’St. Parascheva” Centre from Iasi, Romania, in 2009 by a team composed by the
authors of this study and 46 students in Dental Medicine. The 75 subjects were clinically examined and interviewed in order to assess their
quality of life using GOHAI Romanian version.
Results: The most affected quality of life dimension was avoidance of certain food, reported by 73.3 % subjects, and the least affected was social
limitation, 6.6 %.Significant correlations were found between oral health indicators “denture used” and items like “functional limitation” (r=
0.62), and "avoidance of foot" (r=0.56).
Implications: Improving quality of life for older people is an important activity that involves not only doctors, but also teachers and students.
Dental Medicine Schools must include in their curricula design better integration with institutions partnerships/interdisciplinary collaborations
as means to better serve the needs of the public health dentistry.
Originality value:The Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) has been adapted for general use and tested on adult samples, according
with language, cultural norms and the health care system for the first time in Romania before it receives widespread use.
KEY WORDS: QUALITY LIFE, SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, STUDENTS, DENTAL MEDICINE

INTRODUCTION: way in which the oral health status affects social

Population’s life quality study in relationship with
health status is a fundamental objective of the modern
medical and social sciences. Life quality compared to
health covers many domains, like signs and symptoms,
physical dimension, social interactions and treatment
side-effects [1].
The elderly represent a special category in the
population, not only because of the effects determined
by specific afflictions, but also by the restrained access
to medical care, including dental care [2].
Also, this pathology involves certain restrictions that
modify life style and psychic status, intervening in
interpersonal relationships, in other words, affecting the
quality of life.
AIMS:
The objectives of this study are to evaluate the oral
health related quality of life in older people and to
increase the perceptions and roles of dental education in
serving communities, in promoting oral health,
providing access to care, and conducting relevant
research as a strong sense of social responsibility.
PRIOR WORK:
The health status of a population, including oral and
dental health, correlates with multiple dimensions of life
quality (job place, equity and quality in health care,
education) [3].
In Romania, the subjective evaluation of oral health
impact is a less explored domain, but it is important to
develop in perspective of lining up Romanian research
to today’s European standards [4]. Research in the field
of life quality – oral health relationship is based on
social-dental indicators, defined as evaluations of the
functioning [5]. There are cited in the literature over 300
indicators for appreciating life quality in dental care, but
the most used are: Oral Impact on Daily Performances
Index (Adulyanon et al), Oral Health Impact Profile (G.
Slade), Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index
(Atchison et al.) and Oral Health-Related Quality of
Life (Kressin et al.) [6,7,8,9].
These indicators have been used in numerous
international, transversal and longitudinal, studies, and
also in comparative studies between different countries,
allowing valid comparisons between the oral health
status of the population, evaluated not only objectively,
but also subjectively, via standardized criteria [10]. The
Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index Questionnaire
(Atchison et al.) hasn’t been validated yet for Romania,
and because of this cannot be used as a working
instrument in life quality research studies. The
validation of this indicator represents the subject of a
research project being conducted at the Medicine and
Pharmacy University “Gr. T. Popa” Iasi, by the authors
of this study.
In the present paper, the impact determined by the oral
health status on the quality of life of a group of
institutionalized elders is observed, with the purpose to
teach dental students the different ethical and social and
medical responsibility aspects.
METHODOLOGY:
The cross-sectional study was conducted at the “Sf.
Parascheva” Retirement Centre of Iasi in the year 2009
by a team consisting of 2 calibrated dentists and 46
dental students. Seventy-five elderly patients were
chosen to come for dental care at the office inside the
social institution. Thus, was established a connection
212 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

between the oral health and the quality of life with the RESULTS:
help of the GOHAI-Ro questionnaire, especially Table 2 shows the responses to the GOHAI-Ro items
adapted for this purpose. Oral status evaluation was from the participants and the most serious problems
conducted with the help of the World Health (responses with always) were reported as it follows:
Organization methodology, based on clinical -55% of the participants for question GOHAI 2 –
considerations, without resorting to other type of chewing problems for hard foods,
examinations [11]. -53.3% of the elderly subjects reported hard foods
The demographic and clinical characteristics of the limitations (GOHAI 1);
subjects from the study group, including sex -42.2% of the subjects felt discomfort when chewing
distribution, general health status, age, denture status certain foods (GOHAI 5);
and prosthetic treatment needs, are present in table 1. - 7.6% used drugs for oral pain very often, (GOHAI 8),
and only 4.4% are unsatisfied with the esthetics of their
Table 1. Overview of respondents’ characteristics teeth, gums and dentures, (GOHAI 7);
Variables n (%) -social dimensions are much less affected (GOHAI 11):
Gender only 2.2% of the subjects felt uncomfortable when
Male 22 29.3 eating in public.
Female 53 70.7
Related to quality of life dimensions, the most affected
General health status
Cardiovascular disease 31 45.3 dimension (responses with often and always) was
Diabetes mellitus 13 17.3 physical dimension- avoidance of food, (GOHAI 1) for
Other diseases 31 41.3 73.3% subjects, and the least affected was social
limitation (GOHAI 6), reported only by 6.6%
Age
60-64 11 14.7 Table 2. Negative item responses (%)
65-74 35 46.7 GOHAI-Ro Items 4 5
>75 29 38.7 Often Always

Denture status 1.Limit the kinds of food 20 53.3

No denture 13 17.3
Crown and fixed restoration 8 10.7
Denture used 30 40 2.Trouble biting or chewing 17 55
Incomplete prosthodontic treatment 14 18.7
Fixed and removable restoration 10 13.3 3. Problems to swallow comfortably 4 6.2
4. Problems to speak clearly 8.9 8.9
Denture need
No denture need 39 52 5. Discomfort to eating any kind of 31.1 42.2
Fixed restoration need 3 4 food
Removable treatment need 20 26.7 6. Limit contact with people 2.5 4.1
Fixed and removable restoration 13 17.3
7. Unsatisfied with look of teeth 33.3 4.4

8. Used medication to relieve pain 0 7.6

The data was analyzed with the help of the SPSS.14 9. Worried about teeth, gums or 35.6 15.6
program, at a statistic significance level of 0.5. With the dentures
help of the Spearman correlation, the relationship 10. Self-conscious of teeth, gums or 28.9 4.4
dentures
between the clinical and the socio-demographic
11. Uncomfortable eating in front of 11.1 2.2
variables was tested, using the questions of the GOHAI- other
Ro questionnaire. 12. Sensitive to hot, cold or sweet 13.3 6.7
The Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index foods
(GOHAI) questionnaire was described by Atchinson
and Dolan in 1990 and consists of 12 questions that
reflect aspects considered as having an impact over the To check the association between life quality, evaluated
life quality of the elderly population, such as: functional through the GOHAI-Ro questions and the oral status,
limitation, chewing discomfort and avoidance of certain we made a Spearman bivaried correlation analysis
foods, avoidance of social contact, self medication for concerning: on one side, the physical, psychological and
dental pain, unsatisfied with look of teeth. The answers social dimensions of the quality of life and, on the other
are arranges as such: 1=never, 2=seldom, 3=sometimes, side, the clinical and socio-demographic indicators. The
4=often, 5=always [6]. results are exhibited in table 3 and table 4.
Teaching dental students concerning specific aspects on social responsibility 213

Table 3- Spearman correlation between GOHAI-Ro and clinical Table 4- Spearman correlation between GOHAI-Ro and social
indicators indicators
GOHAI-Ro dimensions Clinical indicators GOHAI-Ro dimensions Social indicators
Denture Removable Age Gender
used treatment
need
PHYSICAL DIMENSION PHYSICAL DIMENSION
Limit the kinds of food (GOHAI r= 0.561 r= 0.445 Limit the kinds of food r= 0.240 r= 0.374
1) p=0.000* p=0.000* (GOHAI 1) p=0.001**
p=0.002**

Discomfort to eating any kind of r= 0.624 r= 0.420 Discomfort to eating any r= 0.120 r= 0.313
food (GOHAI 5) p=0.000* p=0.000* kind of food (GOHAI 5) p=0.453 p=0.006**

PSYCHOLOGICAL PSYCHOLOGICAL
DIMENSION r= 0.042 r = 0.200 DIMENSION r = 0.325 r = 0.141
Self-conscious of teeth, gums or p=0.722 p=0.867 Self-conscious of teeth, p=0.004** p=0.226
dentures gums or dentures
(GOHAI 10) (GOHAI 10)

SOCIAL DIMENSION SOCIAL DIMENSION

r= 0.116 r = 0.113
Unsatisfied with look of teeth p=0.321 p=0.0211
(GOHAI 7)
* statistical significance at the level 0.001
** statistical significance at the level 0.01
The analyzed clinical indicators were: denture used and
removable treatment need (table 3).
The higher values of the association were encountered
for the GOHAI 1 (avoidance of food), r=0.561 and
GOHAI 5 (functional limitation), r=0.624, questions,
with the denture used indicator. Significant statistic
correlations were observed also for the removable
treatment need indicator, with its two items, but at a
weaker associations, r=0.445, and respectively, r=0.420.
The link between these two clinical variables and the
questions that evaluate the social (GOHAI 7) and
psychological dimensions (GOHAI 10) hasn’t registered
significant statistical values.
From the socio-demographic variables, in the statistic
analysis, were used the following two: age and gender
distribution (table 4).
The stronger correlation for the age variable was
registered for the GOHAI 10 question, that reflects the
psychological dimension of the quality of life, r=0.325.
The gender distribution social indicator has significant
statistic associations only with the GOHAI 1, r=0.374
and GOHAI 2 questions, r=0.312, that correspond to the
functional side of the quality of life.
r = 0.298 r = 0.038
Unsatisfied with look of p=0.009** p=0.738
teeth
(GOHAI 7)
* statistical significance at the level 0.001
** statistical significance at the level 0.01
IMPLICATIONS
Creating this valid work instrument for the quality of
life studies has the following medical, social and
educational implications:
1. Improvement the quality of life for this population
group, through improvement the oral status; thus, the
students who attended the study had the motivation and
also the responsibility to conduct during the clinical
stages, dental treatments for balancing the oral status;
2. Conducting actions with educational purpose, with
the oral diseases prevention in the elders and the
prevention of the complications determined by the
general pathology as a subject; these must be conducted
not only by dental specialists, but also, by
psychologists, students, graduates and post-graduates;
3. Promotion oral health in institutionalized elderly
communities represents a priority of public health,
because of the fact that the motor and physiological
particularities are bound to affect differently their
quality of life, as opposed to a young patient.
214 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

CONCLUSIONS 5. Brennan, D., Spencer, 2005, Comparison of the generic and

1. The most affected dimensions of the quality of life
for institutionalized elders were the physical ones,
expressed through avoidance of hard foods and
chewing discomfort.
2. These have determined powerful associations with
the clinical indicators that evaluate the oral status,
in comparison with the social and demographic
ones.
3. The least affected dimensions of the quality of life
for this population group have been tied to social
and psychological integrations.
4. Involving the students in the health promotion
actions has a true educational role of awareness to
the effects determined by the medical act over the
multiple dimensions of the quality of the social,
physical and psychological life.
specific measures oral health related quality of life, Community
Dental Health, 22, 11-18.
6. Adulyanon, S, Sheiham,A, 1997, Oral impacts on daily
performances, In: Measuring oral health and quality of life, ed
Slade G D Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina,
Department of Dental Ecology.
7. Slade, G.D. 1997, Derivation and validation of a short-form
oral health impact profile, Community Dent Oral Epidemiol,
25: 284 -290.
8. Atchinson, K.A. and Dolan, T. A., 1990, Development of the
Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index, J Dent Educ, 54, 680-
686.
9. Skaret E, Nordrehang A, Hongejorden O, 2003, Oral health
related quality of life: Revue of existing instruments and
suggestions for use in oral health research in Europe, In:
European Global Oral health Indicators, Development Project,
Report Proceedings.
10. McGrath C., Bedi, R., Gilthorpe, M. S.2000 Oral health
related quality of life- view of public in the United Kingdom,
Community Dent Health, 17: 3-7.
11. World Health Organization, 1997, Oral Health Surveys:
Basic Methods. ed. Geneva: OMS.

REFERENCES
1. Alice Murariu, 2008, Oral health and quality of life in adult
population, Editura Junimea, Iasi.
2. Mac Entee M I, 2007, Quality of life as an indicator of oral
health in older people, J Am Dent Assoc, 138, 47-52
3. Inglehart M.R., Bagramian R.A. 2002, Oral Health – Related
Quality of Life. Quintessence Publishing Co. Inc.
4. Lupu, I, 2006, Quality of life in health, J. Quality of life, XVII,
nr.1-2, 73-9.
 ASPECTS OF GREEN SUSTAINABILITY OF HIGHER EDUCATION

Liviu Catalin MORARU1, Corina Ionela DUMITRESCU2

1
Academy of Economc Studies, Bucharest, lmoraru2000@yahoo.com
2
“Politehnica” University of Bucharest, cordumitrescu@yahoo.com

This paper tries to identify the aspects which make a mass higher educational system a green sustainable one: curriculum, recyicling
aspects in universities, energy issues, etc. The number of students enrolled in universities all over the world has increased drastically
in the last 10 – 15 years. The massive increase of this number became a notion which is found in the special literature as mass higher
education (massification). It has been noticed a shift from elite towards mass higher education. Moreover, The Council of the EU
described a situation in which Europe becomes “the most competitive and dynamic knowledge – based economy capable of
sustainable economic growth with better jobs and greater social cohesion”. Green sustainability in higher education is a subject at an
incipient phase in Romania. The approach used in this paper is a practical one, based on observations, comparisons and case studies.
In fact, the paper is a case study for identifying the possibilities for Romania to become a green sustainable higher education system.
The authors have as starting point the progress made by developed countries on this way and try to identify the opportunities and
challenges for green sustainability in Romanian higher educational system. All universities need to define green sustainability for
teaching, research and community activities. The economy of Europe will become a knowledge based of economy only if green
sustainability purposes are included in the educational curricula in all universities, no matter what profile a university has. In
Romania there are a lot of studies dedicated to sustainability and sustainable development. But there is a less focus on sustainability
in higher education which put the accent on the green part of it. We consider that this paper is one of the first steps in the field of
green sustainability in education system.

necessary for them a presentation of different aproaches.

INTRODUCTION
The issues of industrialized societies and the
implications of these kinds of developments on
enveronment and sustainable development became more
and more pressing. According to the reports of UN
Division for Sustainable Development, European
Commission and World Watch Institute for the first
time in human history, human beings became an
widespread and dominant force which influences by its
actions the health and the welfare of Planet Earth. We
are the first generation which can make the Earth
uninhabitable for human beings and other species.
This society which is aimed to be knowledge based
one needs specialists, engineers and economists who are
able to design and apply technologies and economic
techniques which can sustain rather than degrade the
environment. Each of us wants knowledge based
economy and society to be characterized by as many
activities which promote and protect human health and
welfare.
This paper begins with the belief that a new type of
education should be promoted, an education which will
provide professionals who are aware of what is
happening within and with our society. Our opinion is
that the sustainability of development has as a central
point both the education and the abilities necessary for
dealing with the urgent social aspects of technology.
Within this context the resposnibility of higher
education institutions is to train graduates for a
integralist vision which is able to promote the
knowledge for promoting life quality for future
generations.
Because of the concept complexity a pedagogical
reflection related to both the content and limits of such
an educational programme is needed. In order to help
students to form a holistic vision about this concept it is
But the transmission and the assimilation of knowledge
is not sufficient. It is vital that our students to use their
theoretical knowledge into both professional abilities
and current activities. Sustainable development in and
through education doesn’t need only the mobilization of
different disciplines. It should open new horizons and
promote research. The degradation of the environment
made its protection to get higher and higher importance.
It is now necessary to define new concepts
(environmental costs and benefits), to tackle with new
kind of relations between human being and biosphere, to
develop new environmental protection policies and
strategies. Ecodevelopment and Environmental
Economics emphasize that sustainable development is
the only solution through which future generation can
live and develop their activities in a naural healthy
environment.
Curriculum in Technical Universities
Due to the complexity of the sustainable
development concept a pedagogical reflection upon the
content and the limits of such educational programme in
universities. The key questions we have to answer
should be about: the way of implementing of such
courses (should they be integrated within curricula or it
would be better to be a supplementary one?), the
purposes which have to be achieved through such a
course, the difficulty of the integration of
multidisciplinary course in a curricula so specifically
divided, the way of approaching of such wide and
practical subject.
At international level there is a rich literature which
addresses to the theme we proposed. There are current
concerns regarding the introduction of sustainable
development issues in higher education system
curricula, specially in higher education technical
216 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
system. An important contribution has the article What
do engineering students learn in sustainability
courses? The effect o pedagogical approach (2010), J
Seagalas, D Ferrer-Balas, KF Mulder) in which the
authors make a study in more European prestigious
universities regarding the impact of pedagogical
teaching methods for certain sustainable development
courses upon both students’ knowledge and perception.
The article is very important through both its proposed
evaluation method and the results presented in the end
of the article. The authors propose a complex
methodology: the evaluation of knowledge through:
conceptual maps, methodology applied both for students
who attended the courses about sustainable development
and a group of experts, members of Engineering
Education in Sustainable Development and their results
were considered reference points in the evaluation of
students’ answers. Two indexes were defined in order to
evaluate the results of conceptual maps: an index of
relevance and an index regarding the distribution of the
importance of sustainable development concept. The
main conclusions of the study emphasize that the
applied methodology was adequate for the proposed
puropose – the cognitive learning of the sustainable
development concept. After this course students will be
aware of the negative influences of the bad technologies
on the environment. Concerning the technological
development, this will have to take into account the
implications on the environment. The authors emphasize
that teaching methodology has to be placed between
social and institutional zones.
H.T. Odum predicted the necessity of a sustainable
approach in the design of technologies. He referred to
this process as one of ecological engineering and
suggested that practitioners should get a green education
beyond the necessary technical knowledge and abilities.
(Odum, 1973) In order to understand the natural
processes necessary for the design, development and
restoration of the natural systems, Odum suggested that
engineers should have wider knowledge of
environmental and ecological systems. Beitz, W.,
Blessing, L., Grote, K.H., (2007. Engineering Design:
A Systematic Approach ) propose a vision as critical as
possible about the necessity of understanding the basic
elements of a technical system orriented towards human
being and environment which became the main reason
for designing, building and implementation of new
technologies. Other authors propose a very interesting
study with students in which they used a questionaire
regarding the importance and implications of
sustainable development for the technical domain.
(Diemonta, Lawrence, Endreny, 2010), The authors are
directly interested in both the perception about the place
of the courses within the university curriculum and the
comparison of results with H.T. Odum’s statements.
The field of sustainable engineering needs new
pedagogical methods which might be used by both
practioners and theoreticians who must think and
behave in a way of reconciliation with natural
processes, who must interlink the nature and human
being in a different way. The study proposed by the
authors is a pleading for sustainable development in
university curriculum. The results of this study
demonstrate an obvious support for the implementation
of sustainable engineering in university curriculum
(authors’ opinion is that this implementation is
imperative).
Environmental engineers were formally trained only
in a framework of standard academic disciplines. The
academic disciplines are orriented towards sustainable
engineering and implicitly towards agriculture
engineering, civil engineering, environmental
engineering, ecology, environmental sciences,
management of natural resources. Our opinion is that
these parts of different disciplines give information and
practical experience linked to sustainable engineering
but they are not totally subjects of ecological
engineering. The impact of university studies is higher
for the students who are within a training process than
for the students who attend postgraduate programmes
and who mostly are actively envolved on the labour
market.
We have to analyze sustainable development issues
from the perspective of the formation of knowledge and
competences both for becoming engineers and future
practitioners. It is necessary to make connections
between engineering projects and environmental and
social components. The curriculum in higher education
has to creat the framework for the importance and
existence of multi and interdisciplinary training of the
students engineers in the context of sustainable
development.
At the international level, most programmes of
sustainable engineering include a compulsory course
regarding the assimilation of knowledge and general
competences and an optional course for graduates.
In Romania, in the programmes of technical training,
general aspects of sustainable development (as concept
and trend) are presented without accents on implications
of nonrespecting certain basic principles and without
viable solutions for environmental protection. In
contrast to the environmental engineering
specializations, the university curriculum has a more
exhaustive approach, providing individual courses for
one ore more semesters, based on previous knowledge
about special issues. Nevertheless, coordinators of
educational programmes (course coordinator) will
understand that for certain domains (such as chemical
engineering, mechanical engineering, biotechnical
engineering) the environmental disciplines are very
appropriate and adequate in the context of ascending
resource consumption. Exemples of courses such as
environmental audit, the management of biotechnical
systems, the evaluation of the life cycle of the industrial
products, technologies for less pollutant products will be
much more adequate in certain cases if the approach of
environmental engineering issues is desired.
(Hansmann, 2009)
Unfortunately few institutions dedicated to the
technical training have made major updates regarding
Aspects of Green Sustainability in Higher Education
the courses and educational programmes concerning
sustainable development and training of environmental
engineers during the last decades.
Sustainable engineering is a new and integrator
concept which has as a fundament a mix of theoretical
and practical components. There is a certain
controversial discussion about the notions of sustainable
engineering and green engineering.
We propose an integrating approach for the concepts
of environmental engineering and green engineering.
Authors’ opinion is that green engineering will
transform technical disciplines and practices into ones
which promote sustainability. Green engineering
includes both development and implementation of
certain economically and technically viable processes
and systems which promote social welfare increasing
the protection of human health and biosphere protection
as a main criterium for technical solutions.
The strategic management of sustainable
development implies the implementation of a mix of
principles and criteria validated at international level.
These criteria generally appeal to: an integrated vision
about the management of sustainable development,
equity between generations, precautionary principle in
using the scarce resources, the approach of the life cycle
of the products, the prevention of wasting the resources
and investments in new modern production capacities,
the substitution as a compulsory condition for keeping
the environmental equilibrium, punitive aspects such as
“polluter pays principle” or the internalization of
negative externalizations, the development of the public
– private partnership and the cooperation between
states.
An interesting classification of the criteria is
provided by Daniel Loucks, at Universitatea Cornell,
Ithaca, SUA:
1) from the sociological perspective: the involvement of
the public sector, social mobility, social cohesion,
cultural identity, institutional development;
2) from the ecological perspective: the integrity of
ecosystem, environmental capacity of resoration, the
reduction of global implications;
3) from the economic perspective: efficiency, growth,
equity;
4) from the engineering perspective: the efficient use of
energy and natural resources, the waste minimization,
recycling and reusing, economic and environmental
comprehensive evaluation using the analysis for the
whole life cycle.
The principles and criterium approaches of the
strategic management of the economic sustainable
development of Romania are according to the
recommendations of Rio Declaration, Agend 21,
Millenium Development Goals and other documents
approved during the world summits of sustainable
development.
Turning back to the importance of sustainable
development in the context of promoting certain
measures for supporting the technical sustainable
education we have to say that such updates of
217
disciplines and curriculum are difficult to be done
because of both long working time for this process and a
fully filled curriculum. The biggest difficulties with the
most direct implications refer to the challenge of
introduction of new theories and examples which need a
total update of the content of the courses and the lack of
prioritization for these changes. (Boyle, 1999)
Recently technical universities and colleges have
started to introduce the issues of sustainable engineering
in the disciplines of their curriculum. But unfortunately
the themes are not presented in a integrator manner, but
fragmented with respect to the specificity of each and
every technical discipline. For example, profesors teach
concepts such as: the evaluation of the life cycle,
concepts in the field of renewable energy, methods of
diminishing the quantity of waste. The need for change
is urgent because today graduates who enter the labour
market do not understand the constraints of resource
scarcity and the negative effects of the waste produced
by nonecological technologies. Their colleagues with
longer experience on the labour market are used to solve
the technical problems in a conventional manner which
is no longer used in the context of sustainable
engineering.
RRR in Universities
“Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.” It has to be not only a
slogan with not content. It has to be a compulsory
behaviour in universities.
The practice of developed countries in this field of
actions proves very efficient recycling programs based
on partnerships between students and administration.
University of Colorado at Boulder has one
of the oldest campus recycling programs in the country.
It operates as a partnership between students and
administration. A campus guide details locations to
recycle everything from paper to office products and a
Green Products Guide helps students and staff in finding
recycled and environmentally friendly products. In
West Chester University, The Recycling
Department encourages recycling. Collections of
various materials exceed 260 tons per year, as indicated
in the University Recycling Report. All organic waste
from grounds maintenance is composted on-site.
Middlebury College has one of the most extensive
recycling programs focused on composting. The
program also is built as as a mean for education and
research. A goal of this program has been to teach
students that it is easy to recycle everything from paper
products and plastics to electronics and hazardous
materials. Construction materials are recycled and green
certified. Michigan State University has a
comprehensive recycling program with an emphasis on
paper products and reduction of waste. The "Pack Up
Pitch In" program encourages students to donate usable
items or recycle materials at the end of school years.
University of North Carolina has an aggressive
218 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
recycling program and around 40% of the total daily
trash is recycled. That saves the university hundreds of
thousands of dollars annually in landfill fees.
And the examples can go on. Unfortunately, in
Romania as we know there is no recycling program in
universities. Our teachers teach our students about
environmental audit, sustainable development, polluter
pays principle, products life cycle, etc, but there is no
practical step towards sustainability in campuses.
Maybe we should begin with putting into practice the
slogan Reduce, reuse, recycle.
Energy issues in universities
Students can be helped in higher education system to
understand the complex connections between the
environment, energy sources, and the economy. These
connections have to be understood in this direction:
cleaner and cleaner energy goes to a greener and greener
economy.
Each year, higher education gives the labour market
millions of graduates. They may behave in two different
ways: either using their attitudes, skills and knowledge
in the direction of clean energy and green economy or
continuing acting in a usual manner.
In United States of America, Obama administration
gives a high priority to these aspects. Literate citizens
have to make this transition towards greener economy.
650 college and university presidents have signed the
American College and University Presidents Climate
Commitment and they are trying to develop action plans
to make their campuses climate-neutral. In USA, the
higher education sector is he largest purchaser of wind
energy in the United States.
In Romanian Universities, the energy issues are
taught in academic disciplines such as: renewable
energy, sustainable environmental technologies,
sustainable development, etc. There is no report in
Romanian universities about energy consumption or
reuse.
Conclusions
In developed countries we may say there are
incipient steps towards implementing sustainability
principles in higher education. Beginning with a
curriculum which contains sustainability subjects
integrated in a transdisciplinary manner, continuing with
practical steps which make students reduce, reuse and
recycle universities in developed countries are on their
own greener way. We think that in Romania public
engagement in the transition towards greener economy
is essential: top-down solutions, such as regulating
carbon emissions, will not be enough. We need a bottom
– up approach which begins with small practical steps
such as: putting into practice the slogan “Reduce, reuse,
recycle!” in campuses, reducing energy consumption in
universities and teaching sustainability subjects in an
integrator manner.
All universities need to define green sustainability
for teaching, research and community activities. The
economy of Europe will become a knowledge based of
economy only if green sustainability purposes are
included in the educational curricula in all universities,
no matter what profile a university has. In Romania
there are a lot of studies dedicated to sustainability and
sustainable development. But there is a less focus on
sustainability in higher education which put the accent
on the green part of it. We consider that this paper is one
of the first steps in the field of green sustainability in
education system.
References
1. Boyle, C., (1999), “Education, Sustainability and Cleaner
Production”, Journal of Cleaner Production, volume 7, issue 1,
83 – 87.
2. Segalas., J., Ferrer-Balas, D., Mulder, K.F., (2010), “What do
engineering students learn in sustainability courses? The effect
of the pedagogical approach”, Journal of Cleaner Production,
18, 275 – 284.
3. Odum, H.T., (1973),” Energy, ecology and economics”, Royal
Swedish Academy of Science, in: AMBIO, 2 (6), 220 – 227.
4. Beitz, W., Blessing, L., Grote, K.H., (2007), Engineering
Design: A Systematic Approach, Springer, Berlin.
5. Diemonta, S.A.W., Lawrence, T.J., Endreny, T.A., (2010),
“Envisioning ecological engineering education: An
international survey of the educational and professional
community”, Ecological Engineering, Volume 36, Issue 4, 570-
578.
6. Hansmann, R., (2009), “Linking the Components of a
University Program to the Qualification Profile of Graduates:
The Case of a Sustainability-Oriented Environmental Science
Curriculum”, Journal of Research in Science Teaching, volume
46, no. 5, 537 – 569.
7. http://www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org/
 THE EFFECTS OF BOLOGNA DECLARATION

Liviu- Cătălin MORARU1, Corina – Ionela DUMITRESCU2

1
Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, lmoraru2000@yahoo.com
2
"Politehnica" University of Bucharest, cordumitrescu@yahoo.com

The starting point of this paper is Bologna Declaration and tries to highlight progress made by Romania and EU countries following
the adoption of this treaty. Special attention will be given to analyze the situation in Romania; this is accomplished primarily through
quantitative indicators. Although Bologna Declaration contains mostly qualitative objectives, the authors have tried to capture
quantifiable phenomena, which can be measured accurately without subjective interpretation.

I. BACKGROUND market, European Higher Education Area in a global

On June 19, 1999, a year after the Sorbonne
Declaration, Ministers responsible for higher education
from 29 European countries signed Bologna Declaration
(BD) and agreed on six common targets important for
coherent and harmonious development in higher
education for 2010. Romania signed Bologna
Declaration in 1999, committing itself to include such
targets in Romanian higher education priorities.
The six original objectives, according to Bologna
Declaration are: 1) adopting a system of diplomas easily
readable and comparable; 2) adopting a system based on
two main cycles, undergraduate and postgraduate; 3) a
system of credits - like in the ECTS system - as an
appropriate tool of promoting student mobility, 4)
promoting mobility by the right of free movement; 5)
promoting European cooperation in the field of quality
assurance; 6) promoting the European dimension in
higher education.
At the next conference held in Prague on May 19,
2001, the number of targets increased from 6 to 9, and
signatory States reaffirmed their obligations to create
the European Higher Education Area until 2010. The
three new objectives are: 7) lifelong learning; 8)
involving higher education institutions and students in
establishing and shaping a European Higher Education;
9) promoting the attractiveness of European Higher
Education Area.
Afterwards there was Berlin Conference in 2003
and the 10th goal was established: European Higher
Education Area and European Research Area - two
pillars of the knowledge based society. Here it was
agreed that the education system based on two cycles to
be replaced with one based on three cycles (university,
Masters and PhD) since 2005.
Conference in Bergen in 2005 established a series
of intermediate targets, such as: * Implementation of
standards and guidelines for quality assurance as in the
ENQA report; * Implementation of national
qualifications frameworks; * joint diplomas and their
recognition, including those for doctoral level; *
Creating opportunities for flexible learning paths in
higher education, including procedures for recognition
of prior learning.
The conference from London in 2007 established
several priorities for 2009, as: mobility, social
dimension, data collection, employability in the labour
context and mapping progress.
The most recent conference on this topic took place in
Leuven and Louvain-la-Neuve, April 2009. Participants
confirmed here besides the old priorities and discussed
about: transparent multidimensional instruments (which
provide detailed information on higher education in the
EHEA by which they can compare their strengths),
providing public funds (which guarantee equitable
access in universities and their autonomous
development), and the Open Universities. They have
also settled that by 2020 at least 20 % of those
graduating in the EHEA should have had a study or
training period abroad.
On 12 March 2010, the Minsters of the now 47
countries participating in the Bologna Process adopted
the Budapest-Vienna Declaration and officially
launched the European Higher Education Area.
Romania was among the 29 countries that initially
signed the Bologna Declaration in 1999. Now there are
48 states which have signed this Declaration.
The main issue that has been identified by the
author is that for more than 10 years since the signing of
the Bologna Declaration, the objectives established in
the treaty haven’t been accomplished.
II. IMPLEMENTATION STAGE OF
BOLOGNA DECLARATION
The accomplishment of Bologna Declaration goals
is followed using the Stocktaking Report by the
Bologna Follow-up Group - BFUG on biennial national
reports.
According to the latest document (Bologna
Process Stocktaking Report 2009) most indicators had a
negative evolution (is not as "green") comparing to their
level of 2007 or even 2005. The authors of this report
believe that this trend is caused by two factors: firstly,
new action lines and activities have been added over the
years, not least with the change of paradigm has to shift
towards qualifications frameworks based outcomes,
secondly, the countries have started reform process at
different times depending on when they joined the
process. “The result is that not all the goals of the
Bologna process will be achieved by 2010.
The European Union has access rates to higher
education lower than other world regions according to
the data presented by the European Commission, The
220 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
Directorate General responsible for Education and
Culture.
Gross enrolment rates (all Students irrespective of
age as a % of student-age population) in tertiary
education in 2003 show that the EU-25 is only 57%
comparing to the USA where is 81% (All Students as %
of population in age group 20-24).
To increase participation rates in higher education,
there must be more modular structures which allow a
flexible learning program for people. Most signatory
countries (75% according Stocktaking Report) of
Bologna Declaration have implemented flexible
methods of learning consisting of Open Universities and
part-time, distance e-learning and blended learning
approaches.
The most important goal, according to the authors,
is student mobility, the opportunity to study at any
European university. This will lead firstly, to a stronger
competition among faculties to attract as many and
better students as possible and among students to get
access to top universities. Secondly, the most powerful
and prestigious universities will try to attract prestigious
teachers and thereby developing the research process.
But this would be possible if the other objectives
were included in it. If a student wants to transfer from
one university in one country at a university in another
country, it is necessary to be assured an easily readable
and comparable credit transfer system (ECTS is an
example very good). European Credit Transfer and
accumulation System (ECTS) - European credit
accumulation and transfer was established to make
"teaching and learning more transparent and recognition
of education easier (formal, non-formal and informal).
The system is used throughout Europe for credit transfer
(student mobility) and credit accumulation (learning
path towards a higher degree). It will also design the
curriculum and quality assurance".
(http://ec.europa.eu/education) But according to the
same report "Although ECTS has been part of the
Bologna process since 1999, it is still not fully
implemented across all the countries" which constitutes
a barrier to student mobility. It is a positive fact that
only few signatory countries of Bologna Declaration (3
countries) have no credit system or have a not
compatible system with ECTS.
Student mobility (students studying in other euro
zone countries or candidate countries) increased from
280.9 thousand students in 1998 to 487.9 thousand in
2007. Although the trend is upward, growth rates
suggest that student mobility was not driven by
administrative measures in BD but rather by increasing
the number of countries participating in the EU, which
led to the removal of barriers related to labour mobility.
As you can see, in the next year after Bologna
Declaration was signed (2000) the number of students
studying in other European countries declined by 6200
students. Moreover, student mobility is among the few
indicators that had an ascending evolution in 2009
compared to 2007. In 2009 Stocktaking Report authors
mention some barriers to mobility: "The main obstacles
to mobility, often mentioned countries lacking or
Limited Funding, Issues Visa and work permit, failure
to recognize courses studied abroad and the difficulties
related to studying in the Foreign Language”.
One way to increase student mobility should be
portability of grants and loans, but only about 40% of
countries participating in the Bologna Declaration offer
both portable grants and portable loans. However 80%
have some kind of portable support for mobile students.
Although countries participating in Bologna
Declaration have implemented programs to stimulate
learning a foreign language (usually English) statistics
indicate that these efforts had rather modest success. On
an average 1,3 pupils teach foreign languages in 1999,
and this average rose to 1.5 in 2007, but the 27
European Union have very few countries in which
students learned at least 2 foreign languages (only 5
countries, including Romania have this performance).
Regarding the reduction of the mobility caused by
lack of money it should be noticed that in the EU
countries public spending for R&D increased as both
absolute volume (from an average of 476.0023 billion
euro PPS (Purchasing Power Standard) in 2001 to PPS
583.2663 billion euro in 2006) and share of GDP (from
4.86% in 1999 to 5.04% in 2006). R & D expenditure
from private sources also increased from 0.63% of GDP
in 2000 to 0.67% of GDP, but this increase is rather
modest.
Using Diploma Supplement for qualification
recognition serves the principal purpose of the learning
process: entering the labour market (Employability of
graduates - another goal of the Bologna Declaration).
Bologna Declaration states the issue of the
Diploma Supplement in the EU / CoE / UNESCO
Diploma Supplement format and in a widely spoken
European language to make it easier to read and
recognize by the participating States. However, around
one third of these countries fail to issue Diploma
Supplement to ALL graduates, or to issue automatically
(some of them have fee for this Diploma Supplement or
issue it only upon request). The statistics show that this
system is implemented in 35 countries and 13 of them
have some problems.
Since many students have no knowledge of the
existence of the Diploma Supplement while studying
and the Diploma Supplement is issued on request,
students might not receive it when they graduate. There
are some country were Diploma Supplement is issued
automatically in your native language, and students
must make an application for the Diploma Supplement
in English version.
To facilitate the entrance or the mobility on labour
market, recognition of prior learning is extremely
important for individuals. According to Stocktaking
Report only a relatively small number of countries have
well-established a systems for recognition of prior
learning and most of them have no recognition of prior
learning including non-formal and informal learning. In
the end of Stocktaking Report are stated the main future
challenges identified by the participating countries to
The Effects of Bologna Declaration
Bologna Declaration. An important place is given to
innovation and technology transfer, seen as a balance
between learning and research. Analyzing the share of
research-development expenditure in the EU, we see
that there is a reduction in the share of expenditure
made by the government sector from 34.9% in 1999 to
33.5% in 2008. Unfortunately, this reduction was not
accompanied by the increasing of business enterprise
sector, whose share decreased too, but on behalf of
higher education sector expenditure which increased
from 0.6 in 1999 to 0.9 in 2008, and in particular, on
behalf of abroad sector which increased its share of
expenditure from 7.3% in 1999 to 8.9% in 2008.
Studying statistics provided by Eurostat we see a
negative and undesirable quantitative increase to the
detriment of quality: increasing number of researchers
led to the reduction of the number of patents and
innovations! Patents granted by the United States Patent
and Trademark Office (USPTO) decreased from 64.34
patents per one million inhabitants in 1999 to 33.98
patents per one million inhabitants in 2004 for EU
countries.
A recent study by the Education International Pan-
European Structure (Enhancing Quality: Academics’
Perceptions of the Bologna Process, 2010) about the
impact of Bologna on teaching and research conditions
reveal that in seven countries respondents consider both
teaching and research conditions to be deteriorating
simultaneously (Austria, Denmark, Hungary, Norway,
Romania, Serbia and Slovakia). Additionally, in another
seven countries, academics have suffered deterioration
only in teaching conditions (Georgia, Germany, Ireland,
the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, and Sweden) and in
one country academics have suffered deterioration only
in research conditions (Croatia).
III. ROMANIA'S SITUATION
Regarding the performance of the 10 objectives of
the Bologna Declaration, Romania is one of the
performers. She met not less than 9 of them as
Stocktaking Report (9 is "green"). The only criterion
that needs to be improved is the implementation of
national qualifications framework (which is yellow).
But studying statistics we find that reality is not as green
as is in the national reports.
Thus, the share of public expenditure for R&D in
Romania was 3.37% of GDP in 1999 and rise to 4.2%
of GDP in 2006, but in EU the average is 5.04% of
GDP.
Analyzing the structure of expenditure on R&D in
Romania, we find that though the expenditure with R &
D from private sources increased from 0.31% in 1999,
to 0.4% in 2005, but it is still at a very low level. This is
because there are no incentives for companies to
provide sponsorship (under Law no. 32/1994 discounts
for all taxable base for sponsorship made arising from
acts of patronage, can not exceed 10% of the income or
taxable income, if necessary).
The importance of the source of funding has been
recognized in one of the Barcelona targets of the Lisbon
221
Agenda where it is said that the appropriate split for R
& D is 1 / 3 financed by public funds and 2 / 3 by
private, according to Eurostat.
Unfortunately Romania does not follow this trend
of EU countries because the share of government
expenditure increased from 46.7% in 1999 to 70.1% in
2008. Moreover, this increase in government spending
has led, logically, to the decrease of spending of
business enterprise sector from 50.2% in 1999 to 23.3%
in 2008.
As in the EU, the total number of patents granted
decreased from 817 in 2002 to 684 in 2007 this fact
showing the disparity between quantitative growth and
economic efficiency.
Romania has a Procedural Guidelines for the
recognition of prior learning competences acquired in
other contexts than formal education which was adopted
in 2004 in form of a Common Order of the Ministers of
Education and of Labour (article 32 of Ordinance
129/2000 approved with amendments by Law 375 /
2002). Recognition and validation of professional skills
acquired in non-formal education is done in formal
assessment centres authorized by the National Council
for Adult Vocational Training (Consiliul Naţional de
Formare Profesională a Adulţilor), according to the
evaluation and certification of professional skills
obtained by other means than formal learning as was
approved by Ministry of Labour, Family and Social
Protection.
Authors’ opinion is that even if there is a
procedure of the recognition of non-formal learning this
is not sufficiently promoted so individuals cannot
benefit from the accumulation of non-formal
knowledge. A national awareness campaign could be
the solution to this problem.
Romania has also developed flexible learning
methods and this is reflected by the evolution of the
number of students enrolled in various forms of
education. The number of students who attended part-
time education form increased by 73%, from 51625
students in 1999 to 89335 students in 2007. The number
of students enrolled in distance learning courses
increased dramatically from 9946 students in 1999 to
260911 students in 2007 (i.e. an increase of 2623.3%!).
Only in the evening education form, number of students
enrolled decreased by 65.5% from 3281 in 1999 to 1132
in 2007.
Using Diploma Supplement for qualification
recognition serves to the main purpose of the learning
process: entering the labour market. But in Romania, the
increase of the number of students with higher
education was to meet some administrative criteria but it
was not based on economic principles. This is
emphasized by the evolution of the structure of
employment and unemployment. Share of individuals
with higher education in total employment increased
from 9.1% in 2000 to 13.8% in 2007. But the big
number of graduates led to an increasing share of
highly educated individuals in unemployment rate from
2.9% in 1999 to 5.7% in 2007 (a top of 7% in 2004).
222 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

8. TOWARDS THE EUROPEAN HIGHER EDUCATION

AREA Communiqué of the meeting of European Ministers in
IV. CONCLUSIONS charge of Higher Education in Prague on May 19th 2001
According to the 2009 Stocktaking Report 9. "Realising the European Higher Education Area"
situation in participating countries to the Bologna Communiqué of the Conference of Ministers responsible for
Declaration is not as "green" comparing to their level of Higher Education in Berlin on 19 September 2003
10. The European Higher Education Area -Achieving the
2007 or even 2005. There are two factors which caused
Goals Communiqué of the Conference of European Ministers
this situation: firstly, new action lines and activities Responsible for Higher Education, Bergen, 19-20 May 2005
have been added over the years, and secondly, countries 11. COMUNICATUL DE LA LONDRA Spre un Spaţiu
have started the reform process at different times European al Învăţământului Superior: răspunsuri la
provocările unei lumi globalizate, Londra 2007
depending on the date they joined the process. The
12. The Bologna Process 2020 -The European Higher
result is that not all the goals of the Bologna Process Education Area in the new decade Communiqué of the
will be achieved by 2010. Conference of European Ministers Responsible for Higher
In our opinion, in order to be an efficient treaty, it Education, Leuven and Louvain-la-Neuve, 28-29 April 2009
13. Budapest-Vienna Declaration on the European Higher
should focus on the mobility of the students and the
Education Area, March 12, 2010
teachers/researchers. This would trigger the competition 14. Eurostat, http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/
between colleges that would engage to attract the best 15. Institutul National de Statistica, http://www.insse.ro/
professors and/or students. Thus the evaluation of the
universities could be accomplished by the market,
because the students will choose the best colleges (now
they have benefit mobility).
For Romania, the process of nominal convergence
is good, but if we are looking deeper we find that
nominal performance criteria were achieved in most
cases to the detriment of economic efficiency. Thus, the
increase of the number of students led to an increase in
their share among the unemployed persons, and the
increase of the number of researchers was accompanied
by reducing the number of patents and inventions. There
are a number of institutions designed to implement the
measures contained in Bologna Declaration, but in our
opinion they are not promoted and therefore we
encourage a national information and awareness
campaign. Government also should promote a favorable
framework for private donations in the R&D and
education sector.

References
1. Andrejs Rauhvargers, Cynthia Deane & Wilfried Pauwels
(2009) - Bologna Process Stocktaking Report - Report from
working groups appointed by the Bologna Follow-up Group to
the Ministerial Conference in Leuven/Louvain-la-Neuve 28-29
April 2009
2. Enhancing Quality: Academics’ Perceptions of the
Bologna Process - A Study by the Education International
Pan-European Structure, On the Occasion of the Bologna
Process Celebration Conference, March 2010,
http://www.ond.vlaanderen.be
3. Focus on Higher Education in Europe 2010: The Impact of
the Bologna Process - published by the Education, Audiovisual
and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA P9 Eurydice), February
2010, http://www.eurydice.org
4. Legea nr. 32/1994, lege privind sponsorizarea, modificata
si completata prin: Ordonanta Guvernului nr. 36/1998, Legea
nr. 204/2001 si Legea nr. 394/2006 - M.Of. nr. 129/25 mai.
1994
5. Legea 375 din 11 iunie 2002 (Legea 375/2002) pentru
aprobarea Ordonantei Guvernului nr. 129/2000 privind
formarea profesionala a adultilor Publicat in Monitorul Oficial
436 din 21 iunie 2002 (M. Of. 436/2002)
6. Romania National Reports 2007-2009 - BOLOGNA
PROCESS
7. THE EUROPEAN HIGHER EDUCATION AREA Joint
Declaration of the European Ministers of Education Convened
in Bologna on the 19th of June 1999
 SOME CONSIDERATIONS ABOUT THE SUSTAINABILITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION
IN TECHNICAL UNIVERSITIES

Mircea Liviu NEGRUT1, Alan PAUN2, Ana Andreea MIHARTESCU3

1
“Politehnica” University of Timisoara, m_negrut@yahoo.com
2
“Politehnica” University of Timisoara, consult.pl@gmail.com
3 “Politehnica” University of Timisoara, andreea.mihartescu@mpt.upt.ro

This paper reviews definitions and frameworks for sustainability in higher education by examining a few national and international
institutional policies related to sustainability higher education in technical universities. The engineering specializations have been
among the most active in seeking to integrate issues of sustainability into professional education courses. Much research on the
resultant innovations has focused on descriptions of course structures, learning experiences and curriculum change processes. The
paper highlights a fundamental research that consists of analysis, processing and assimilation of bases knowledge found in
international used. We add to this new knowledge with specific and particularity for Romania. In the paper is a comparative analysis
about the sustainability in higher education in technical universities, from Romania and abroad. One of the results following
completion of comparative analysis is that between technical universities and companies abroad exist in a solid working relationship
for practical training of students and to establish competencies and skills that graduates must have higher education. Companies have
a critical role in financing research and development programs with the Technical University. This paper presents various aspects of
implementation of sustainability in higher education in Romania and the European Union.

Key words: sustainability, higher education, technical universities

Research methodology for developing the study is

INTRODUCTION
Since the 1990s, universities worldwide have
increasingly embraced the sustainable development
movement. More than 1000 academic institutions
worldwide have signed international declarations toward
implementing sustainability through environmental
literacy initiatives; curriculum development; research;
partnering with government, non-governmental
organizations and industry in developing sustainability
initiatives; and ‘greening’ physical operations (Wright,
2004; Barlett and Chase, 2004) and/or many included
their sustainability engagement in the institution’s
mission statement.
Sustainability in higher education must be addressed
based on the content of any course, to the conditions of
accommodation offered to students. For example The
University of Bradford - England, the world’s first eco-
university, built new student village, to provide living
spaces whose maintenance has no negative effect on the
environment, but also to eliminate social inclusion. Old
apartment blocks provides accommodation to be used as
a kitchen for 12 people, new residential housing plan
was structured so as to prepare young people for the
type of housing they will "buy" after they complete their
studies.
Campus accommodation in Romania are organized
differently ... a kitchen (if any) for at least 50 students,
toilets are mixed; sometimes students are forced to live
six people in a room, dressed for four. In Romania, in
2008 was adopted National Strategy for Sustainable
Development and in Lithuania was implemented in
2003. The National Strategy for Sustainable
Development presents principles and overall objectives
which are not specific about sustainability in higher
education.
based on observation (as research method) and is shown
in Figure 1.
START
The Research Method (Observation)
Comparative Analysis
Statistical processing and interpretation
STOP
Figure 1: Research methodology
Research methodology used in this paper, is based
on fundamental research that is analyzing, processing
and assimilating existing realities at the national and
international level in education field. In this paper we
made a comparative analysis between what sustainable
development means in Romanian technical universities
and abroad.
The paper discusses sustainable development of
higher education in Romania in conjunction with:
- 2009 G8 University Summit Torino Declaration
on Education and Research for Sustainable and
Responsible Development, Section III -
Recommendations/Proposals to the G8 Leaders:
d) “Develop partnerships with the private and
the non-profit sectors to transfer knowledge and
commercialize new technologies that advance
sustainable development”;
- 2009 G8 University Students' Summit Palermo
Declaration on Education for Sustainable
Development, a) Education for Sustainable
224 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
development, A3- Universities need to lead the
progress of the community:
“Universities should continue to expand their
role of investors in young people, who are
fundamental actors of change and can greatly
contribute to disseminating new socio-economic
awareness. Universities should also serve as a
forum for the discussion of new solutions, take a
lead in the community and contribute towards
its progress. Universities must be capable of
connecting young people with other people and
groups (the academia, the local society, the
private sector, governmental institutions,
students and universities of other countries) and
of actively engaging them not only in curricular
learning programs, but also in innovative
activities and research.”
Analysis on sustainable development of higher
technical education in Romania is based on the
comparison: investment and active involvement of
representatives of economic and social environment in
the educational system and the organization of
specialized practice in Romania and abroad. We
analyzed the problem of sustainable development of
higher education in Romania in terms of the two
approaches: higher education in Romania will become
sustainable when they will develop a strong link
between universities and the business environment and
when students will be prepared in conjunction with
labor market demands and company need. For students
to meet labor market demands, must acquire practical
skills that can only gain during internships. They should
have a longer duration and be conducted in the company
with strict rules established between the university and
company.
For technical higher education in Romania to be
sustainable, the courses script need to be updated
regularly, and sometimes radically change, correlated
with technical, technological, scientific or otherwise
arising from national and international level.
COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS
One measure that should be urgently implemented
for sustainable development of higher education in
Romania would be those to create a symbiosis between
academia and economics. Currently, the private funding
of universities is at average of 1.1% of GDP for EU
countries, while in U.S. it reached 2.3% of GDP (Gross
Domestic Product). In these circumstances, both the
Bologna and Lisbon Strategy stresses the need to
increase private funding in European universities, to
strengthen their competitiveness in the global market. In
Romania, private investment in universities and
educational system are generally much lower than the
European average.
Private investment in public universities in Romania
are limited to isolated actions, consisting of upgrading
and / or equipping of laboratories / classrooms, such as
Alcatel and ZOPPAS Industries in “Politehnica”
University of Timisoara, Siemens-Continental to
“Transylvania“ University of Brasov, etc. In the
technical universities from abroad business
representatives are heavily involved in academia. A
concrete example of this is the Technical University of
Munich, where 50% of Senate members are business
representatives. Staff members of the Academic Senate
has been given that have invested in education and
research programs, as they acquired the right to
participate in decisions. Because different educational
programs and research funding, and actively
participating in decisions, can provide suggestions and
impose conditions that curricula to be developed in
conjunction with labor market requirements. Also, due
to the involvement of business representatives in the
educational system, students are connected to technical
and social-economic realities through specialty practice
programs. In accordance with rules and regulations of
foreign universities, students are required to perform
professional internships in companies. These stages can
be run over several weeks or months (20 weeks in
Germany), depending on the scope of training and is
made by each university.
During the course of internship students have the
status of an employee being paid and having a well-
established work program. Remuneration of university
students abroad during the course of practical training is
the specialty of a few hundred euros, and in some cases
exceeding 1,000 euros.
Not the same can be said about university students in
Romania. Organization and professional practice in
educational institutions in Romania, is made according
to law 278/2007. “Practice time is included in the
curriculum. “ (Conf. Art. 7 of Law 278/2007). On a
theoretical level, the number of hours of professional
internships which a student from technical
specialization must perform during the license cycle
varies between 90 and 270 hours (Figure 2). Values
shown in Figure 2 were extracted from the curricula of
the 4 technical universities specified. We choose the
number of hours of professional internships set out in
the curricula in order to have a uniform basis for
comparison (number of hours per semester allocation
varies from one university to another).
In reality things are different, in most cases even the
number of hours of professional practice, provided the
curricula are not met. Professional internships is often
performed in university laboratories that simulate a
technical and economic activity.
This is due to several causes, such as:
- lack of interest by business representatives to
work with educational institutions (in some
cases because of poor organization and lack of
professionalism in some companies);
- students disinterest to practical internships,
because in some universities in Romania, this
work is evaluated with ratings Admitted /
Rejected („Politehnica” University of
Timişoara), while in others the notes (Technical
University of Civil Engineering of Bucharest,
Some Considerations About The Sustainability in Higher Education inn Technical Universities
Technical University of Cluj-Napoca,
Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iasi)
Iasi
and this are obtained relatively easily. Most
students promote practical internships with
minimal effort over a period of professional
involvement as low. Technical University
U of
Cluj-Napoca
Napoca decided that the internships notes
to be assessed after a period in which it was
evaluated with pass / desire to assess accurately
how students work and increase their interest.
Figure 2 is developed based on educational plans
published
ished on the websites of four technical universities
analyzed, which shows the transparency of these
institutions. Transparency is one of the principles of
sustainable development.
300
270
240
250
200 180
150
90
100
50
0 academic environment.
Technical University of Civil Engineering of Bucharest
Technical University of Cluj-Napoca
Napoca
Ghe. Asachi Technical University of Iasi
Politehnica University of Timisoara
Figure 2: Number of hours of professional internship
In Figure 2 we can see ee that the highest number of
hours of practice is „Politehnica” University of
Timişoara
oara with a total of 270 hours per licensing cycle,
equivalent to 9 weeks. In Germany at the Hochschule
Konstanz (HTWG) University of Applied Sciences,
internships practice takes place in one stage during the
20 weeks.
By comparing the number of hours of practice made
by students of the largest technical universities in
Romania and its assessment way, we wanted to show
the degree of importance given to acquiring the practical
skills. Figure 2 shows that the “Politehnica” University
of Timisoara has the highest number of hours of
practice, provided by the license cycle, but the
assessment form accepted / rejected has generated little
interest from students to acquire practical skills.
By comparing the length of practical training in
Romania and Germany, we see that the Romanian
universities (270h = 9 weeks) are much lower than
abroad (20 weeks) reported to the license cycle of
technical universities:
- In Romania, 4 years;
225
- In Europe (France, Germany, Italy), 3 years.
Students from technical university in Germany
G must
find themselves a company where they have to make the
internships (20 weeks), and during its time, they have
employed status (being paid) in accordance with the
country labor laws. Internships made by students of
technical universities in Germany
Germa are not appreciated
either grades or with notes.
In Romania, according to Article 172, paragraph 2
of Law 84/1995 “pupils and students can receive
scholarships based on contract with businesses”. This
happens on a small scale, few companies are willing to
allocate funds to finance student scholarships. A
concrete example is the company "Automobile Dacia
SA", which granted in 2010, 99 scholarships for
students in the fourth year, from Faculty of Mechanical
Engineering from Romanian University, to achieve the
Diploma Project. Scholarships are awarded for a period
of 3 months, in which students are provided
accommodation, one meal daily, free shipping and a
remuneration of 500 lei/month. After the final
evaluation at the end of internships, some students
scholars,
olars, will be hired as engineers within the company.
Student recruitment is done in 3 phases, namely:
selection of candidates, two telephone interviews and
one face-to-face,
face, at the "Automobile Dacia SA".
Educational program developed by the company
"Automobile
obile Dacia SA" was developed by French
companies model, which are actively involved in the
Another example is the company SC Mondial SA
from Lugoj which award (at a time) 3-53 scholarships for
final year students from the Faculty of Industrial
I
Chemistry of Timisoara, under certain conditions, such
as: student scholarship from the SC Mondial SA from
Lugoj company is required that after leaving school to
work 3 years for that company, to be without remaining
exams while enjoying the fellowship
fell and to conduct a
number of hours of professional practice during student
vacations. Unfortunately, such cases are isolated.
SUGGESTIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT IN HIGHER EDUCATION
After the Higher Education Research Centre models
for sustainablee development in education, described
above, we propose the development of such
organizations in addition to technical universities in
Romania, with the following educational principles and
requirements.
For a sustainable development of higher education in
Romania it must eliminate a number of deficiencies
including:
- Poor or inefficient use laboratory features of the
upgraded lack of skilled personnel with little
practical skills;
- At some universities / faculties / departments,
the conservative administration
administrati is not willing to
change;
226 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
- Oriented courses and number of hours
depending on interests not related to students'
needs in terms of their knowledge and aptitude;
- Resistance to change;
- Staff with limited knowledge (especially in
practical terms) in sustainable development;
- Lack of discipline in the curriculum to address
sustainable development;
- Packages of optional disciplines must offer a
variety of alternatives to provide training
correlated with students needed skills;
- The Syllabus contains more theoretical and less
practical knowledge.
These deficiencies can be reduced by a strong
influence of civil society and business environment on
the Romanian Technical Universities.
Education Research
University
Civil Business
Society Environment
Figure 3: University = Engine of Sustainable Development
Universities must become more efficient as well,
and ensure to civil society and business environment
graduates with high professional training, thus
becoming the engine of sustainable development.
We suggest the establishment of research centers of
higher education for sustainable development besides
the Romanian universities, after the model of other
European universities such as:
- Italian Centre for Research and Environmental
Education of the University of Parma (C.I.R.E.A.)
(Bachiorri, A. and Puglisi, A., 2007)
- Center for Cooperation in Sustainable
Development and Environmental Management
between the Saint-Petersburg State University and
Beahrs Environmental Leadership Program,
University of California, Berkeley. (Chernikova, S.
and Voropaeva, G., 2007)
CONCLUSIONS
Upon completion of basic research on sustainable
development of higher education we see that this
concept applies to low level, more theoretical and
practically very little.
Professional practice is particularly important for
acquiring knowledge of practical knowledge and skills
training in the specialty field in which the student is
formed. Whatever form of assessment: ratings (accepted
/rejected) or grades, internships are treated lightly in
Romanian universities, which leads to a weak
development of practical skills, not in conjunction with
business requirements. Therefore this creates a gap
between business needs and skills of graduates, which
leads to a less sustainable education.
By carrying out this work we have shown the role
that business plays in academia, in developed countries
in the European Union. Supported by collaboration
between educational institutions and companies,
graduates of universities in developed countries have
solid knowledge and practical skills. Unfortunately, we
can not say the same about university graduates in
Romania, who when leaving school, have only
theoretical knowledge.
In the future we plan that the research on
sustainable development of higher technical
education to be based on finding answers to these
questions:
- What Sustainable Development competences
should engineers have when graduating?
- How should Sustainable Development
competences be taught/learned at technological
universities?
- Which curriculum structure is more suitable to
facilitate the acquisition of Sustainable
Development competences?
References
7. Bachiorri, A. and Puglisi, A., (2007), “Promoting education for
sustainability: A challenge for the University system”, Higher
Education and the Challenge of Sustainability: Problems, Promises
and Good Practice, Published by: Environmental Education Center of
Soufli, GREECE, pages 7-16.
8. Chernikova, S. and Voropaeva, G. (2007), “Approaches in
education for sustainable development at St. Petersburg State
University, Russia”, Higher Education and the Challenge of
Sustainability: Problems, Promises and Good Practice, Published by:
Environmental Education Center of Soufli, GREECE, pages 23-34.
9. Low 258/2007 - Professional internship for pupils and students,
http://cis01.ucv.ro/dfc-mesc/files/L_258_2007.pdf
10. Low 84/1995 – Education Law,
http://www.cepes.ro/hed/policy/legislation/pdf/Romania/Legea%20inv
atamantului_1995.pdf
11. 2009 G8 University Summit Torino Declaration on Education
and Research for Sustainable and Responsible Development,
http://www.g8university.com/pagine/pagina.aspx?ID=Reports001&L
=EN
12. 2009 G8 University Students' Summit Palermo Declaration on
Education for Sustainable Development,
http://www.g8universitystudent.com/pagine/pagina.aspx?ID=Declarati
on001&L=EN
13. http://civile.utcb.ro/
14. http://constructii.utcluj.ro/planuri_invatamant.php
15. http://www.tuiasi.ro/facultati/ci/index.php?page=205
16. http://www.upt.ro/licenta.php
17. http://www.htwg-konstanz.de
UNIVERSITY MARKETING – DO THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT WE SAY?

DR. M. NICOLAE1, DR. R. MARINESCU2

1
ASE, Bucharest, mariana.nicolae@rei.ase.ro
2
ASE, Bucharest, roxana.marinescu@rei.ase.ro

The present paper explores the importance of identity building for a coherent communication process meant to ensure the adaptability
of Romanian universities to the needs of both their Romanian public, and also to those of an international audience. The research
focuses on research made in The Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies on the way it succeeds in identity building and marketing its
image. Keywords: university marketing, organisational identity, organisational communication, globalisation, educational markets

developing better communication channels between the

ACADEMIC SUSTAINABILITY AND
GLOBALISATION
In the so-called “global village” which also
characterises the academic world nowadays, it is
imperative for universities to increase the quality of
their services in order for them to ensure sustainability
of an enhanced educational process. This process starts
from the redefinition of their identity building strategies
in order to produce a more attractive public image,
while at the same time they innovate their marketing
tools for a better communication with all their
stakeholders. Positioning of universities on different
educational markets is critical for academic survival,
role definition and status clarification on the present
education markets. The latter are defined by the
globalization of educational services, an increased
number of players and their almost fierce competition to
attract students and funding. The ever increasing
competitiveness all over the world, the new missions
that universities have to assume due to pressures from
stakeholders, and also from global processes (among
which demographics and technology are ever more
uncomfortable) are important issues that call for clear
organisational communication, as well as for an
effective inter-organisations information exchange.
In his 1994 book, Liberation Management with
the intriguing subtitle Necessary Disorganization for the
Nanosecond Nineties (Peters, 1992), one of the very
successful management US gurus, Tom Peters,
describes the economy of post-industrial societies. He
claims we live in the age of data bases, performance
indicators, customer value, proving its importance only
if it adds value to the company balance sheet. While at
one end of the spectrum, there are consumerism,
massification, material culture, and we endlessly search
for increased productivity, increased earnings and
consequently consumption, at the other end, we find
globalization, democratization, complexity, defining the
search for empowerment, equal opportunities, better
living to lead to an ever elusive happiness. We can also
discuss the role of universities from this double-fold
perspective, and examine their sustainability from the
point of view of both material and spiritual perspectives.
This paper aims to analyse the university marketing
tools employed after Romania’s accession to the
European Union and to emphasise the necessity of
academic world and all their stakeholders. We propose
coherent action to be taken in order to improve the
quality of the Romanian education services in the
increased competition of the academia.
Our research builds on the large international
literature in the field (such as, among others, Dan
Harrison or the Australian academics Antony Stella and
David Woodhouse) and on Romanian researchers and
authors’ work, including the ones from The Bucharest
Academy of Economic Studies, such as professors
Constantin, Dragan, Suciu and Zaharia’s work on
quality assurance of the Romanian higher education
within the European context. Moreover, this research
shows the authors’ constant preoccupation with new
developments in the areas of quality assurance,
intercultural communication in business, academic and
business leadership and academic marketing and
communication. The research is based on the analysis of
identity formation of The Bucharest Academy of
Economic Studies (BAES), as well as the ways through
which it is marketed to its stakeholders. It analyses a
survey conducted within the university, which includes
a formal questionnaire distributed to academic and
administrative staff, students in bachelor and master’s
programmes, as well as informal meeting and personal
discussions. The possible results and implications of this
process consist in a blueprint for creating a clear
institutional identity and a strong and coherent
organisational culture in a university. Although our
research mainly addresses BAES academic community,
the lessons drawn can be generalised to the larger
academic community in Romania, and they add value to
the field of university marketing in a sustainable
educational field.
Post EU accession – Romanian universities and their
educational market share
In the post-accession context (Romania joined
the EU in January 2007), there followed complex
discussions about developing a competitive education
system through a set of elements, including quality
standards, and also about the role of universities in the
knowledge-based society (Constantin et al., 2006).
Responsibility for human resources necessary for social
progress belongs to educational institutions, as
”progress test-tubes, which allow every nation to better
228 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
and more profitably connect to the global economy”
(our translation, Constantin et al., 2006, p. 11).
Therefore, universities clearly need to redefine their
role, to reformulate their mission and to redirect towards
developing long-term strategies which should allow
them to become dynamic organisations, capable of
permanently and constantly offering education and
training to society in an increasing competitive market.
In what concerns Romanian universities, they face the
imperative of restructuring their institutional discourse
from a purely declarative to a demonstrative and
transparent one. One of the difficulties arises from the
fact that the actors on the Romanian educational market
are more and more numerous, as now competition for
students is open for the European universities as well.
Unfortunately, although the Romanian education system
has been constantly restructuring and reforming, with
the aim of attaining recognised quality standards, which
should make it competitive on the international market
of educational services, the general impression is that it
continues to be relatively inadequate. (Bogdan et al.,
2007, p. 4).
University marketing through classifications and
rankings
One of the ways in which universities nowadays on
the one hand justify their activity to their stakeholders
and on the other hand try to attract more money from
them is to make themselves visible in different
classifications and rankings available worldwide. As
Nicolae points out (Nicolae, 2002, p.2) the discussion
about educational markets and their clients changed
from a decade ago, when universities were not
competitors in the business world, but were after a
relatively ideal profit, difficult to quantify, of
knowledge and science.
Thus in order to better market themselves,
universities nowadays have to comply to these rankings,
which are highly attractive for their clients and working
as a risk reduction factor for them. By choosing a
university placed high in the rankings, stakeholders are
made to believe they will obtain the best return on their
investment with the least liabilities possible. As an
example, a study undergone in The Bucharest Academy
of Economic Studies on the Efficiency of Evaluation in
The Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies in 2006
showed that 60% of the 1,008 candidates of the Faculty
of International Business and Economics (FIBE) who
took part in the survey had opted for this academic
specialty because of the perspectives it offers after
graduation. These perspectives are connected especially
with the career the candidate will have after graduation,
many people considering that university studies are a
means of earning more money or following a diplomatic
career. Only 20% of the sample in discussion chose
FIBE due to the high level of knowledge and skills
available in the respective faculty.
However there are also critics of these classifications
and rankings. One of their main arguments is that the
classification process has become a very profitable
business, the proof being that these classifications are
published usually right before admission procedures in
higher education institutions. One of the most important
criticisms is that classifications are based more on
elements that can be quantified and less on the truly
relevant criteria, i.e. criteria that mirror the quality of
education. Academics themselves believe that an
indicator for the quality of teaching would be very
important, but it is difficult to define and quantify, it is
cost-ineffective and time consuming. Therefore it is
only used in three out of ten classification systems.
(Stella and Woodhouse, 2006, p. 10).
We should emphasise though the classifications’
potentially positive effect, as they are expected to
trigger quality assurance procedures, as now in
Romania. A visible effect is founding The Romanian
Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education
(ARACIS), as an independent public institution of
national interest, a legal entity, with financial
independence. Its general mission is to externally
evaluate the quality of education in higher education
institutions and other providers of programmes of
studies and life-long learning specific to tertiary
education in Romania (HG 1257/2005).
University sites: information, mission and vision
The lack of clear, transparent, procedures,
available in other languages is the first criticism of
Romanian university sites. The difficulty of accessing
information, the lack of dynamism in bringing
information up-to-date on universities’ internet sites is
another problem of Romanian universities.
For example, The Bucharest Academy of
Economic Studies (BAES) with approximately 40 000
(Strategia ASE 2008-2014, p. 2) students in all
education programmes, has a concise English and
French version of its internet site. When we accessed
the site on 19 March 2010, we noticed the reference to
the celebrations of the 95 anniversary of BAES from
2008, while under the button “Conferences and
Symposia” the information is from 2007. Otherwise the
versions in English and French are a good attempt at
providing international students with some practical
information on life in Bucharest.
The mission and vision of universities should
be clear, concise and all-inclusive, such as for example
the mission of the Harvard Business School “We
educate leaders who make a difference in the world”.
(http://www.hbs.edu/about/ ) or of the London School
of Economics, which uses 48 words: “Combining
academic excellence with practical learning and cutting
edge research. Working with businesses and
practitioners around the world” (http://www.se.ac.uk/).
If we compare them with the mission of BAES (to take
only an example), which contains 248 words
(http://www.ase.ro/site/Baza%20legislativa/Strategia%2
0de%20dezvoltare%202007-2014/index.htm), we can
say that Romanian universities still use a difficult,
Some Considerations About The Sustainability in Higher Education in Technical Universities
highly digressive language (sometimes even confusing
for their public), clearly not to their advantage.
IDENTITY BUILDING – STAKEHOLDERS’
PERCEPTIONS
According to a study made in The Bucharest
Academy of Economic Studies in October 2009 –
March 2010 (Nicolae, M., Marinescu, R.), the
perception stakeholders have on the identity of BAES is
still unclear to most of them, although the conclusion is
somewhat optimistic regarding the public’s high interest
in the organisational image of the institution they belong
to. A questionnaire distributed in the period November –
December shows a higher interest from the part of the
students (at both bachelor and masters programmes),
with 243 responses (160 from bachelor students and 83
from masters students) compared to only 10 responses
from BAES employees (6 from the academic staff and
only 4 from the administrative staff), as can be seen in
Figure 1. We can only speculate on the much higher rate
of students’ responses, but possibly we should include a
greater confidence in clarifying the identity and
organisational culture of their university and in
implementing quality standards, together with a desire
to contribute to academic change from the students’
part. At the same time, the teaching and secretarial staff,
although willing to clarify their position in informal
meetings and peer discussions, seem to be less
interested in stating their position in writing, which is
considered a much more officialised way of expressing
points of view.
160
160
140
120
100
83
80
60
40
20 6
0
4
acad. staff admin. staff bachelor st. master st.
Figure 1: Responses of questionnaire on BAES identity
Another important finding is the obvious
discrepancy between the extent to which BAES
stakeholders believe they know the identity of this
institution and its visibility: if 80 % of the respondents
think they know the university identity (with answers 3
and above), only 52 % think institutional identity is
visible enough (again 3 and above). The differences
between those who marked number 5 (extremely well
and extremely visible) is even more emphatic: 52 % and
38 %, whereas at the other end, those who marked 1
(not at all and not at all visible) stays the same, at 2 %.
Although it was not our intention to see who of the
stakeholders gave these answers, given that the numbers
of members of the teaching and administrative staff was
229
so small, we can say that the students’ answers were
comparable (bachelor vs. masters).
Moreover when asked to correctly express how
BAES would like to be identified by 2014, only 248
respondents out of 253 (who as we have seen in great
majority believe they know the identity of the institution
they study in) answered this question. As can be seen
from Figure 2, most of them (137, that is 55 %)
correctly identified that as “a research and teaching
university”, with 60 respondents (24 %) saying that they
are both in equal measure). Only 38 respondents (15 %)
believe that BAES would like to become a teaching
university by 2014, and 9 respondents (4 %), a research
university. Only 4 respondents (2 %) believe that BAES
would not like to assume either of the two roles
mentioned, but without mentioning any other role!
According to BAES development strategy 2007 – 2014,
the identity is to be “a university for research and
teaching, which organises higher and scientific
education in the areas of economics and administrative
sciences” (pg. 5, our translation).
140
137
120
100
80
60
60
38
40
20
9 4
0
1 2 3 4 5
Figure 2: Role of BAES by 2014 as perceived by stakeholders
When asked to specify whether they know the
mission of BAES, 106 plainly answered no, out of them
six admitted having read it, but were unable to
remember it! We are not surprised, as we noted above,
the mission being a long and confusing paragraph. The
rest of the respondents tried to explain the mission in
their own words, so they give a large variety of answers,
some of them showing the confusion they are in. We
note here some in the respondents’ own words:
- to be the first economic university in Romania;
- to help students develop necessary cognitive
and behavioural competences as to become
specialist in an ever more complex and
dynamic national and international business
environment;
- to prepare its students for an international
economic environment;
- to form professionals with high level of
knowledge, etc.
Twenty-five of the respondents more or less gave
versions or summarised the correct mission statement:
“To remain the most prestigious institution of higher
economic education and public administration in
Romania and to qualify among the first universities in
Europe”.
230
Only 219 people answered the next question:
“Have you read the documents that define the strategy
of BAES for the following years?”, out of whom, the
great majority, 201 (92%, all of them students) honestly
answer they haven’t. Only 18 (8%, all of the professors
and administrative staff and some of the students from
both bachelor and master degrees) say they have. When
asked to enumerate some of their main points, the
answers received vary quite a lot. Here are some of
them:
- to remain the most prestigious institution of
tertiary economic and public administration
education in Romania;
- to rank among the leading universities in
Europe, etc.
As seen in Figure 3, the website is clearly
considered by most (90 %, 216) respondents to be the
best means of communication of this strategy, followed
by meetings (16 respondents, 1 %) and hard-copy
newsletters (only 6 respondents). It becomes thus
evident that the website has to be updated regularly and
to include concise and easy to obtain information in a
reader-friendly layout.
6; 3% 16; 7% 0; 0%
216; 90%
Figure 3: Visibility of communication methods: 1 the website; 2 meetings; 3
hard-copy letters; 4 other
As regards the identity of BAES as perceived by the
respondents, the results are the following (Figure 4):
most of the answers were divided between those who
believe that BAES is a higher education institution
(110) and a university (108), whereas 24 believe there is
no difference between the two, and 14 think there is a
difference, only they don’t know which. Suffice it to
mention at this point that the Strategy mentioned above
and all the institutional documents identify BAES with a
university. True, its name (Academy) can create
confusions.
120 110 108
100
80
60
40
21
20
0
1 2 3 4
The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
Figure 4: Identity of BAES by 2014. 1 a university; 2 a higher education
institution; 3 there is no difference between the two; 4 there is a difference,
but I don’t know which.
Conclusion
In this original study we analysed the way Romanian
universities try to market themselves on the global
educational market. As our research points out, the first
steps should include identifying university market share,
re-shaping their academic and professional identity and
trying to address the target audience through clear
communication channels. Although there is a long and
difficult road ahead, some universities, such as The
Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies, are trying to
find the Unique Selling Point that differentiates them
from their competitors, so as to attract more students
and, ultimately, more prestige and investment.
References
1.Agachi, P. Ş. and Nica, P. (2006) Ierarhizarea universităţilor din
România. Metodologie de aplicare, Raport interimar decembrie 2006,
BAES Publishing House, Bucharest.
2.Bogdan, A., Prejmerean, M. and Vasilache, S., “Research Activity
as an Indicator of Market Competitiveness. The Case of Post-
Adhesion Romanian Business Education”, International Symposium
The Path Of Internationalisation and Integration in The Europe of
1 Region, 25 – 28 aprilie 2007, Curtea de Argeş.
2 3.Constantin, D. L., Dragan, G., Suciu, C. M. and Zaharia, R. M.
3
(2006), Asigurarea calitătii în interiorul spaţiului european al
4
învăţământului superior. Acreditare, evaluare, ierarhizare, Raport
interimar decembrie 2006, BAES Publishing House, Bucharest.
4. Harrison, D., Website to compare universities on quality, The Age,
3.03.2010, http://www.theage.com.au/national/education/website-to-
compare-universities-on-quality-20100302-pgfu.html
5..Nicolae, M.(2002), “Explorări ale unor posibile oferte educaţionale
în administrarea afacerilor”, The International Conference
Globalisation and university economic education, vol III, Libris
Publishing House, Iaşi.
6.Nicolae, M. (2007), “Integrarea europeanǎ – economie, instituţii şi
comunicare”, European Institutions and Economic trends in the
20th century, BAES Publishing House, Bucharest.
7. Nicolae, M. and Enache, M. (2007), “Romanian Higher Education
– the First Lessons as a European Union Member State”, BAES
Publishing House, Bucharest.
8.Peters, T. (1992), Liberation Management, Necessary
Disorganization for the Nanosecond Nineties, BCA, London.
9.Stella, A. and Woodhouse, D. (2006), Ranking of Higher Education
Institutions, AUSTRALIAN UNIVERSITIES QUALITY AGENCY,
Occasional Publications Number 6.
10. Strategia de dezvoltare a Academiei de Studii Economice din
Bucureşti pentru perioada 2008-2012, cu extensii până în 2014,
http://www.ase.ro/site/Baza%20legislativa/Strategia%20de%20dezvol
tare%202008-2012/index.htm
11. Hotărâre nr. 1257/2005, din 18/10/2005, privind aprobarea
Regulamentului de organizare şi funcţionare al Agenţiei Române de
Asigurare a Calităţii în Învăţământul Superior (ARACIS).
12. Harvard Business School http://www.hbs.edu/about/
13. London School of Economics (http://www.se.ac.uk/
14
 LEADING WITH SPIRITUALITY – WHAT THE MASTER STUDENTS MUST
LEARN ABOUT THE IMPACT OF SPIRITUALITY AT WORK
Valentin NIŢĂ 1, Daniela Tatiana CORODEANU AGHEORGHIESEI 2
1
FULL PROFESSOR Universitatea Alexandru Ioan Cuza valnit@uai.ro, valnit2003@yahoo.com,
2
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR Universitatea Alexandru Ioan Cuza, dtc@uaic.ro, d_corodeanu@yahoo.com
Abstract
The research presented in our article aims to illustrate how future or current managers studying currently in the Masters in Economics consider
spirituality an important element in the workplace and exercise leadership. Concerns for studying the implications of spirituality in the workplace
are increasingly older, but Master’s Students do not have enough knowledge on this subject. They only partially accept the fact that it influences
the well being, organizational climate or leadership at work. Studying the impact of spirituality at work can demonstrate that it is a value that is
useful / applicable to individuals and organizations, but at the same time, it is not addressed properly, or it may be problematic, from an ethical
and practical perspective.

Key words: leadership, spirituality at work

This would be more appropriate for the “Eastern style”

SPIRITUALITY IN BUSINESS – “THE ESCAPE management, characterized by the above mentioned
TO FREEDOM” author as laying more emphasis on cooperation and
interior harmony.
The new preoccupations for spirituality in business
throughout the world, and maybe even more so in ex- Literature review
communist countries, appear on the background of a
Spirituality in business or in organizations is the new
strong battle for profit, of news about great corruption
paradigm approached in studies of leaderships,
scandals, of local or global economic crisis and of the
educational management, organizational behavior and
globalization itself. This is the time when “incongruence
between personal ideals and values and the traditional business ethics.
exploitation process in the world of business” is Many of the problems that appear in the study of
spirituality are born because of the confusion between
manifested, and people find themselves asking more
religion and spirituality, or because of an ambiguous
often about past behaviors and approaches and reflect
delimitation, given the fact that a great part of our vales
on their own self respect and their own integrity.
are based on religious sources, which may contribute to
(Renesch&Harman, 1992: x) This is the time for
the fact that the two concepts are considered equal.
spiritual movement.
Religion is part of our spirituality, but if a person does
At the same time, we talk about spirituality in business
no confirm its religion that does not mean it totally lacks
as of an “escape” to freedom and harmony, but not far
spirituality. Spirituality is perceived as the most
from “the raged world” of business or our work place,
personalized factor of belief, and religion as the
but based on returning to authentic values, in both
formalized and institutionalized shape of faith (Zinbauer
personal and professional life. The preoccupation for
and others, quoted by Kale, 2004).
spirituality is approached at individual level, as the
The definition chosen for spirituality, after
personal exploration of one’s own spiritual voyage and
Canda&Smith (2001: 6) studied the opinion of several
the individual’s battle for what it represents at the work
authors - “experientially knowing a person and the
place, but also at conceptual level, studied by theorists
relationship with the transcendent and the ultimate
and practitioners in its quality of factor bringing
source of reality and the creation” demonstrates the fact
significance, purpose and increased performance in the
that the relationship with the transcendent may be
life of the organization.
developed through religious means in order to express
In the opinion of Das Gupta (2004: xxii) the solution
one’s own beliefs about its spiritual nature, but it is not
will be found in the new forces or factors that will shape
compulsory. Religion includes beliefs, norms, rules,
the future: the emergency of the arrival of a new
dogma, spirituality signifies immediate experience.
synthesis in thought and action, at the level of the
Without criticizing, we consider that the approaches
exterior world, the development of science and
vary not only due to personal view and experience, but
technology at the interior level – foreseeing a new future
also due to the profession or the professional training in
for the development of the human conscience.
the field of these authors, many carrying on their
However, according to Porth (1997: 34), the world of
activity in the sphere of religious institutions, and also
the managers educated in the theories and practices of
due to each one’s cultural vein (see Indian or Japanese
the West will not be the one opening the gates to the
culture). Spirituality is an interior state of the human
new world of spirituality at the work place and in
being, the heart or the force inside a person (Kale,
business (“a largely undocumented revolution at the
2004:93).
work place”), considering the strong emphasis on
We may say that spirituality goes beyond the basic
competition coming from traditional management
needs of the individual, going up to the final steps of
models, oriented towards control, ambition and a high
Abraham Maslow’s pyramid (the need of esteem and
individualism level, which do not seem to leave any
the need of self fulfillment).
room for the spirit, the human values and the meaning.
232 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
In the opinion of Fairholm (2001: 40-41), spirituality
“defines the emotional, physical and intellectual self…it
is the source of the general perception of the world,
truth, beauty and kindness…it is what separates the
human being from other creatures”. Talking about
spirituality means talking about values, such as
“harmony, trust, good communication, cooperation,
transparence and honesty” (Dorr, 2007: 155).
In business and management, it signifies any form of
moral, religious, social and psychological fulfillment,
such as creativity, self expression, participating/sharing
with others, charity and service to the community (Das
Gupta, 2004, xxii).
(Chu, 2007: 62) proposes the spiritual market capital
model, whose foundations are spiritual actives, and
which includes as classes of actives the talents and
abilities that form multiple intelligences, as well as
positively affective personality traits. The spiritual
actives of an individual are his interior qualities and
abilities, “of his divine energy”, highly superior to
material actives, and their “bringing to life” brings about
welfare, peace and openness to the flux of the greatest
power in his life.
Srinivasan (2003: 71) justifies the interest for
spirituality in business “because of all social organisms,
these have the potential to become the evolutionary
laboratory for collective experimentation of the spiritual
transformation”, being at the same time the spirit of our
modern age.
Although he concludes that more study is needed in
order to identify the role of spirituality in business,
Gibbons (2000, quoted by Pielstick, 2005:161-162) he
first of all considers it a dimension of leadership in the
organization; it brings welfare, positively modifies the
organizational culture and ensures a beneficial
organizational climate; it motivates the individual and
contributes to the effectiveness of fulfilling tasks; it will
influence the organizations ability to acquire resources
and it will improve its ethical behavior.
The idea of the connection between leadership and
spirituality may also be found in Neal (2009: 481) who
claims that lately there have been changes in the
personal and professional lives of leaders, as they
became deeply concerned with integrating their own
spirituality in their work.
Fairholm (1997: 91-92) considers that leaders interested
in spirituality lay emphasis on the security of the
employees and their families, healthy working
environment, welfare and friendship in promoting
values in their organization, thus responding to the
spiritual needs of their followers; it represents a service
to others (to help them discover their power in the
service of improvements); it means obeying the golden
rule “do not inflict on another that which you dislike”.
Spirituality promoted by the leader helps employees
better understand themselves and the others, ensures the
sharing of values, because they know in their heart that
what they are doing is good, correct, true; it motivates
the others to act by sharing belief (trust); it adds a vital
source of force and inspiration; gives employees the
possibility to understand the values of the others, the
beliefs, it further motivates them and increases
effectiveness.
In the opinion of Pruzan (2004: 195-196, quoted by
Zsolnai), the organizational orientation towards
spirituality is taking place because of the manifestation
of a new phenomenon: leadership based on values
(shared with the stakeholders of the organization, which
constitutes corporative identity and self reference land
mark), social and ethical responsibility (extra report,
aside the financial one, about how the corporation
serves multi stakeholders and brings multi value to the
society), corporatist social responsibility (responsibility
to all categories of stakeholders, from employees to the
local community, the role of “citizenship”),
preoccupation for corporatist reputation and identity (in
face of consumer “critics” also preoccupied about who,
how and when the products are made, but also in the
face of employees who search for meaning in their
work, in an organization they are proud of), investments
that consider ethics (which are the products, services,
and/or production methods that should be chosen or
should be rejected).
Corporations, through their leaders, are called to
participate in a global spirituality, next to governments
and leaders of the local communities, in ensuring work
mechanisms which should help solve intergovernmental
disputes regarding the usage of water and land
resources, access, security and pollution. Leaders are
challenged to integrate six values in their daily
decisions: “our development and investment politics,
self determination, management style, cross cultural
understandings, commercial practices or current loans,
political crises between countries and within the
countries, and international conflicts”
(Barrentine&Eisler,1993: 128).
With an approach based on religion, Pierce (2001: 19)
defines spirituality at the work place as: “an organized
attempt to align ourselves and our environment with
God, to embody the spirit of God in the world and to try
and make the world a better place through all our efforts
(paid or unpaid), somewhat closer to the way God
would make it”. To make it applicable, we must look for
a set of “work spirituality disciplines”, which will help
discover the meaning of our work, of working with
others, of balancing our responsibilities and deciding
what is good and what is bad, and to maintain and
change the institution we work in. Hayakawa
(2003:189) considers work spirituality “the energy of
the team…, the collective energy of all individuals in a
team”, energy that can be resonant, harmonious, focused
and thus power generating. Team work helps increase
conscience, by sharing “awareness, knowledge and
beliefs” and influences the values and ethics of
individuals and of the whole working community (idem,
2003: 194).
An example of spirituality management is the one
successfully presented by the leader manager J. Robert
Ouimet (2008: 75-88) who changes his attitude towards
employees following a religious experience, by giving
Leading with Spirituality – What Master’s Students Must Learn About The Impact of Spirituality at Work
them the impulse (and the financial support) for several
spiritual activities: social and communitarian activities
(donations, etc.), the prize of the heart, bonus
participation to the organization’s benefits, subsequent
meetings with employees that have left the company for
various reasons, mentorship for new comers, annual
bilateral meetings, weekly meetings for conversations
with randomly chosen subjects, of at least an hour,
between the manger and the employees, inner peace
moment during the meetings, monthly support group,
quiet room, mural illustrations and advice posters, etc.
Gupta (1996: 155) points out the fact that in many
organizations the manifestation of spirituality may be
strictly forbidden or trivialized by: denials, suppressions
and repressions, isolation, ridicule, unfair judgment,
minimizing it by interpreting spirituality as “the spirit of
the company” or “enthusiasm”.
A study by Mitroff&Denton (1999, quoted by Piestick,
2005:163), regarding the spiritual practices in a
company, pointed out, among others, that their
respondents “felt the lack of role models in practicing
spirituality at the work place without offending their
colleagues or giving way to sarcasm”; “often, they even
avoided using words such as spirituality and soul at the
work place”.
The problems mentioned above bring us to the
statement that although the time for spirituality “has
come”, it is not an activity easily manageable in the life
of a leader or in organizations’ management, without
considering the ethical and practical aspects that appear
inherently in such cases within groups or teams.
Research design
The steps we took in identifying the position of the
spirituality at the work place (and implicitly its
characterization as a dimension of leadership), is based
on the analysis of the perception of this relationship by
the students from the Masters of the Economics and
Business Administration Faculty, future leaders and
specialists, who have studied the Business Ethics
discipline, starting from the premise hat spirituality
essentially means referring to values, the self and the
like.
Objectives of the research
The objective was evaluating the position taken by the
students regarding the practicing of spirituality at the
work place, the association they make with this concept,
the positive effects they consider may be generated by
spirituality in organizational activity.
Work methodology
The research is based on a questionnaire distributed to
students from all the Masters previously mentioned
during the exam session. The data has been analyzed
from 374 students, given the fact that the number of
students varies from one Master to another, that some of
them were not present at the respective exams or that
some questionnaires were filled in incorrectly.
Structure of the questionnaire
The questionnaire is part of a more ample investigation
regarding the perception of the ethical behavior in the
Romanian society, the second part with reference to
233
spirituality being the object of our present analysis. The
questionnaires were distributed during the exam session,
depending on the period set for each exam (2009 and
2010), on 374 subjects. The number of questionnaires
from each Master differs due to the number of students
subscribed/present during the session, but also because
some questionnaires have been taken out of the analysis,
where the data was incorrect or the answers given
contradictory. The distribution on participating subjects
came out as follows: Human Resources Management
(HRM) – 156; Organizations Management (OM) – 84;
Tourism and Hotel Management (THM) – 54; Human
Resources Development Management (HRDM) – 35;
Marketing Planning and Strategy (MPS postgraduate) –
29; Public Relations Negotiations (SCOP 2M) - 16. The
data has been analyzed with the help of the statistic
program Sfinx Plus.
Starting from the advantages presented by Gibbons
(2000) regarding the promotion of spirituality in
leadership and at the work place, 35 questions have
been formulated on a Likert scale with 5 predefined
answers (1 – total disagreement, 2 – partial
disagreement , 3 – neuter, 4 – partial agreement, 5 –
total agreement). To interpret the information obtained,
we applied the uni-variate statistic analysis (frequency
analysis, contribution to Hi square) and the bi-variate
statistic analysis (the Hi square independence test).
The coefficient α Cronbach has the value 0,93 which
ensures the internal consistency of the questionnaire.
Research results
From the analysis of the answers we reached the
conclusion that the Romanian Master students do not
consider spirituality a common denominator for all
employees; it may be important for some and less
important for others. However, spirituality is
considered to improve the ethical behavior of the
organization, to influence and bring welfare to the
organization, to have a positive role on the individual
and the organization, and it can be managed through
different instruments by the managers.
Very low scores have been obtained for the items
referring to a potentially higher level of spirituality
within Romanian organizations, compared to
organizations from other countries and, naturally, for
two control items (low impact on the work climate and
the fact that spirituality is related to practicing a
religious cult, with which the students do not agree).
The results of the averages obtained for each item are
presented onwards.
- some employees are interested in spirituality, some
aren’t (4); spirituality improves the ethical behavior of
the organization (3,98); influences welfare (3,93); has a
positive role on the individual and the organization
(3,87); brings welfare to the organization (3,86);
contributes to the modification of the organizational
culture (3,81); can be managed by the managers through
the help of various instruments (3,76); stimulates
employees’ motivation (3,72); influences the
organizational climate (3,66); is a managerial instrument
for consolidating the organizational culture (3,55); has a
234 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
positive impact on the organization’s ability to acquire
resources (3,41); in organizations where work
spirituality is emphasized, the employees are more
loyal, they work better (3,40); is a dimension of
leadership (3,35); is an issue for each employee (3,24);
certain religions have more support for spirituality at the
work place (Islamism (3,20), Christianity (3,16),
Buddhism (2,98)); contributes to the effectiveness of
tasks (3,19); is related to religion, but not to practicing a
religious cult (3,14), employees interested in spirituality
perform better (3,08), has no negative impact on
performance (3), is practiced by naives, “sectarians”
(2,96), the level of spirituality is higher in organizations
where the employees are generally part of the same
religious cult (2,87), in Romanian organizations there is
more emphasis on spirituality than in other countries
(2,74), has no impact on the work climate (2,71), is
related to practicing a certain religious cult (2,56).
Identifying spirituality as a dimension of leadership is
not among the first ten averages of the characteristics
associated with it. Still, 36,6% of the students partially
agree with this affirmation.
Table 1: Spirituality, a dimension of leadership
Spirituality-leadership No. cit.
total disagreement 26
7,0%
partial disagreement 48
12,8%
neuter 116
31,0%
partial agreement 137
36,6%
total agreement 47
12,6%
TOTAL OBS 374 100%
Note 2: the difference with the reference repartition is very significant
(chi2 = 126,19, ddl = 4, 1-p = >99,99%).
Cross-tabling this variable with the Master type, leading
factor, the status of the respondent (employee/non
employee), the sex of the respondent, the age shows no
significant dependence.
Conclusions
Although in specialized literature it is considered that
spirituality is the new paradigm in the organizational
management and leadership, the economic higher
education in Romania has few disciplines covering this
topic and that is the main cause why the answers are not
uniform when this aspect is considered. Though it is
positively evaluated (it influences the ethical climate,
the organizational climate, brings welfare), it is not
considered to be directly related to the performance of
the employee at the work place.
The present study is the first research of the type in
business schools in Romania and it may be an
opportunity for improving the content of management
disciplines, organizational behavior, human resources
management, leadership and ethics, which have a
significant role in shaping the future organizational
leaders. For this, we must first of all shape authentic
leaders, who will know how “to lead with their soul”.
Still, the lack of studies in the field, but also the “frailty”
of the topic in a world consumed by conflicts based on
different spiritual and religious values, make it difficult
to enforce the practices of this new theory in the life of
organizations, from an ethical and practical point of
view.
References
1. Barrentine, P. şi Eisler, R. T. (1993), When the canary stops
singing: women's perspectives on transforming business,
Berrett-Koehler Publishers, San Francisco, page 128
2. Canda,R. E., Smith, E. D. (2001), Transpersonal perspectives
on spirituality in social work, The Haworth Press, Inc.,SUA,
page 6
3. Chu, E. (2007), Spiritual Capitalism: The Achievement of
Flow in Entrepreneurial Enterprises, Journal of Human Values;
13; 61, http://jhv.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/13/1/61,
page 62
4. Das Gupta, A. (2004), Human values in management,
Ashgate , Aldershot, England , page xxii
5. Dorr, D. (2007) , Faith at Work: A Spirituality of Leadership,
Liturgical Press, Collegeville, Minn., page 155
6. Fairholm, G. W. (1997), Capturing the heart of leadership:
spirituality and community in the new American workplace,
Praeger, Westport, pages 91-92
Freq
7. Fairholm, G. W. (2001), Mastering inner leadership, Quorum
Books, Westport, pages 40-41
8. Gupta, R. K. (1996), Is there a Place for the Sacred in
Organizations and their Development, Journal of Human
Values 1996; 2; 149,
http://jhv.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/2/2/149, page 155
9. Hayakawa, E. (2003), The Inspired Organization: Spirituality
and Energy at Work, B.C. Spirit Unlimited, Bowen Island,
pages 189, 194
10. Kale, S. H. (2004), Spirituality, Religion, and
Globalization, Journal of Macromarketing 2004; 24; 92,
http://jmk.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/24/2/92, page 93
11. Neal, J. A. (2009), “Leadership and spirituality in the
workplace”, în Robert N. Lussier, Christopher F. Achua
(2009), Leadership: Theory, Application, & Skill Development,
South-Western Pub, Mason, Ohio, SUA, page 481
12. Ouimet, J. R (2008), Tout vous a été confié, Presse de la
Renaissance, Paris, pages 75-88
13. Porth, S. J. (1997), Spirit, Religion and Business Ethics: A
Crossroads?, Journal of Human Values; 3; 33,
http://jhv.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/3/1/33, page 34
14. Pierce, G. F. (2001), Spirituality @ work: 10 ways to
balance your life on-the-job, LoyolaPress, Chicago,: page 19
15. Pielstick, C. D.(2005), Teaching Spiritual Synchronicity in
a Business Leadership Class, Journal of Management
Education, 29;153,
http://jme.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/29/1/153, pages
161,162 163
16. Renesch, J. şi Harman W. W. (1992), New traditions in
business: spirit and leadership in the 21st century, Berrett-
Koehler Publishers, San Francisco, page x
17. Srinivasan, M.S. (2003), The Meeting of Business and
Spirituality: Its Evolutionary Significance, Journal of Human
Values; 9; 65, page 71,
http://jhv.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/9/1/65
18. Zsolnai, L. (2004), Spirituality and ethics in management,
Dordrecht [u.a.] Kluwer Acad. Publ., pages 195-196
 ANALYSIS OF THE ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE COMPONENTS IN A HIGHER
EDUCATION INSTITUTION FROM ROMANIA

Adriana OLARU1, Alexandru CAPATINA2

1
University “Lower Danube” of Galati, email: adrianaolaru2003@yahoo.com
2
University “Lower Danube” of Galati, email: acapatana@ugal.ro

Abstract: The main objectives of our research that we undertook in the "Lower Danube" University of Galati were the analysis of the
organizational culture features, based on sample of 60 employees, and its positioning in the "Competing Values Framework" designed
by K. Cameron and R. Quinn. Our paper is focused on a research that we planned and implemented in "Lower Danube" University of
Galati in the period October December 2009. The research tool was a questionnaire that we presented to a sample of 60 employees
from different positions and hierarchical levels of this higher education institution. The answers received from these persons
emphasized the values, behaviors, rituals, perceptions, expectations, work relationships which facilitated the analysis of the
organizational culture of this institution. We consider that a practical approach associated to an organizational culture project is
appropriate in view to achieve the goals of our research. The main method was a survey based on a questionnaire conceived after the
analysis of several models used in the organizational culture audit processes, in order to outline the main characteristics of the higher
education values system. The answers received from the participants to our research provide significant results concerning the
adhesion degree of the employees to the organizational culture values system of "Lower Danube" University. As a future research, we
intend to enlarge the survey by the means of the inclusion of another questionnaire section, which will be focused on the "ideal"
projection of the organizational culture of this higher education institution. In this way, we will be able to make a comparative
approach between the "real" organizational culture and the "ideal" one.

negotiator or coalition-builder. Finally, through the

I. LITTERATURE REVIEW
The Competing Values Framework (CVF) has been
named as one of the fifty most important models in the
history of business. In brief, the Competing Values
Framework has been found to have a high degree of
congruence with well-known categorical schemas that
organize the way people think, their values and
assumptions and the ways they process information.
(Cameron and Quinn, 2006)
The higher education institutions are currently
undergoing the most significant challenges. Rising
costs, increased competition from for-profit providers,
the impact of technology, and the changing desires and
needs of the students have combined to create a
dynamic tension for those who work in, and study, in
higher education. (Tierney, 2008)
In this context, higher education institutions are
made up of complex networks of individuals and groups
with diverse orientations, perceptions, values, goals and
aspirations. Getting all such individuals or groups
committed to a pursuit of the quality standards represent
the main challenge for the leaders of higher education.
According to Bolman and Deal (1991) and Hauck
(2002), there are four frames for viewing an
organizational culture specific to a higher education
institution: the structural frame, the human resource
frame, the political frame and the symbolic frame.
Through the structural frame, en educational
institution may view itself as a rational hierarchy, with
its leader as a rational problem-solver. Through the
human resource frame, we may view a higher education
institution as an opportunity for self-actualization, and
the leader as empowering democratic decisions.
Through the political frame, an academic culture may be
viewed as a conflict arena battling over scarce
resources, with the leader serving as a mediator,
symbolic frame, some institutions could be viewed as
organizations with the leader as a maker of meaning.
Bergquist and Pawlak (2008) consider that there are
six key cultures operating in higher education
institutions: the collegial culture, the managerial culture,
the developmental culture, the culture of advocacy, the
virtual culture and the tangible culture. Each one has
much to say about the educational mission, vision,
values and purposes and about roles to be played by the
academic staff, students, or administrators.
II. ANALYSIS OF THE CULTURAL VALUES
SURVEY UNDERTAKEN TO“LOWER DANUBE”
UNIVERSITY
Organizational culture in higher education
institutions is a topic that has become embedded in
research pertaining to the universities’ values systems.
Our survey implemented in "Lower Danube" University
of Galati in the period October December 2009 outlines
the norms, values and ideologies that are created,
shaped, and sustained in this higher education
institution.
The main goal of our research was to find the
positioning of "Lower Danube" University
organizational culture in Competing Values Framework
designed by K. Cameron and R. Quinn, by taking into
account two strategic dimensions: internal vs. external
focus and flexibility vs. stability.
The research tool was a questionnaire that we
presented to a sample of 60 employees from different
positions and hierarchical levels of this higher education
institution. We consider the sample of persons which
participated in the research as being representative, as
we selected both academic staff from all the faculties
from "Lower Danube" University and administrative
staff which has the role to sustain the university
236 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
activities. The questions were submitted by the means of
the university Intranet system and the answers were
analyzed by having in mind the Competing Values
Framework strategic dimensions.
First question from the questionnaire has in view to
underline if the "Lower Danube" University employees
focus on discipline and consistency to the detriment of
experimentation and innovation. (figure 1)
focus on order and
36,6% consistency
focus on
63,4% experimentation and
innovation
Figure 1 – The analysis of the cultural values: order and consistency
vs. experimentation and innovation
The answers reflect the fact that the "Lower
Danube" University is concerned itself about the
innovations, motivating the staff to participate to
research projects and improving constantly the quality
of the educational services offer.
The employees are receptive to innovation, able to
learn new teaching methods facilitated by the
information technology.
The "Lower Danube" University management
concentrates its strategy on training and career
development activities in view to make loyal the
academic and administrative staff.
The second question is focused on the way in which
the "Lower Danube" University managers and the
employees’ approach of the problems (they make plans
before or they solve the problems in the order they
appear). (figure 2)
planning of the
21,7%
activities in view to
solve them
solving the problems
in the order they
78,3% appear
Figure 2 – Ways to approach the problems’ solving according to the
"Lower Danube" University managers and the employees’
In the conditions of the academic autonomy, the
planning represents a strategic management problem.
The university must emphasize its targeting within
the educational offer and the concrete measures
undertaken in view to achieve this goal.
The planning can be also a proof of risk avoidance,
but in the same time, we mustn’t neglect the fact that the
university’s activity domain involves this important
management task.
The answers to the third question reveal the main
factor which determines the influence of a person within
the university (its abilities and contribution to the
performances or its position and its authority). (figure 3)
the influence of a
person is based on
its abilities and
35,0% contribution to the
performance
the influence of a
65,0% person is based on
its position and
authority
Figure 3 – Emphasis of the main factor which determines the
influence of a person within the university
We consider that the University top management
must involve more actively in the promotion of a values
system which assures the acknowledgement and reward
of individual and collective accomplishments. We can
mention the devotion towards profession and study,
institution and academic community members,
creativity and talent, efficiency and performance.
The fourth question has in view if the university
managers (no matter the hierarchical level) encourage
the loyalty towards the group, even if the individual
goals are affected. (figure 4)
Do the University managers
encourage the loyalty towards the
group?
to a little extent
23,3%
45,10% to a medium
extent
31,6% to a large extent
Figure 4 – Determination of the degree in which the loyalty
towards the group is encouraged within the University
We remark the concentration of the answers on the
the loyalty towards the group encouragement, fact that
outlines the orientation towards the collectivism as
cultural value.
The team spirit is concretized, due to the trust of the
persons involved in administrative, didactic or research
activities, on the participation to the decisional
processes and the high level of group motivation.
The fifth question has the role to observe if the
wage policy from this higher education institution is
Analysis of The Organizational Culture Components in A Higher Education Institution from Romania 237

conceived in view to maximize the individual interests The high percent of answers registered in the total
or collective interests. (figure 5) disagreement (55%) and partial disagreement (25%)
categories indicates the fact that, in most of the cases,
the subordinates are satisfied in what concerns the
access they have to the persons with leading positions in
order to express some ideas or requests, a specific
maximization of
individual
feature to an organization in which a small distance
45,0% interests towards power is manifested, although we have to
55,0% maximization of
collective
observe the fact that the some respondents’ answers that
interests claim the access to the University management staff is
limited, indicate the existence of some contrary cases,
that may determine conflict situations.
The eighth question refers to the correlation
Figure 5 – Determination of the wage policy orientation within
the university Your values system is correlated with the
University values system?
The university attempt to correlate the rewards
system with group performances diminishes the risk
associated to the apparition of conflict states as a result
of the internal competition in the career development. 8,3% 5,1% Total agreement
The sixth question analyses the situation in which 10,0%
45,0% Partial agreement

the main reason of the hierarchical structure is the one Neuter opinion
Partial disagreement
that every manager should know on which group of 31,6% Total disagreement
employees he has authority. (figure 6)

In your organization, the main reason of the

hierarchical structure supposes that every
manager know exactly the group of employees
which he coordinates ?
15%
5%
Total agreement
40% Partial agreement
Neuter opinion
10% Partial disagreement
30%
Total disagreement
Figure 6 – The analysis of the cultural value: the authority
exercised by the university managers
According to the answers given, it was observed that
a significant percentage from the total number of
respondents is registered in the total agreement (40%)
and partial agreement (30%) categories, which allows us
to notice that within “Lower Danube” University, the
hierarchy underlines an inequality of roles that proves
that a small distance towards power is manifested.
This observation is also confirmed by the answers to
the seventh question regarding the way in which the
subordinates’ access to the management staff is done.
In your organization, the access of the employees
Figure 8 – The correspondence between the University values
system and the employees’ values system
between the University values system declared in its
mission and the employees’ values system. (figure 8)
The results reveal the integration of the majority of
respondents within the University values system, with
positive consequences on the work climate and the
performances achievement.
The employees’ behaviors are influenced by the
organizational culture. The mutual cultural influences
were acquired to such an extent that they are no longer
perceived.
The ninth question has in view the extent in which
the University top management proves trust in the
employees and their expertise and knowledge. (figure 9)
In your organization, the mangers have trust in
the employees' expertise and knowledge?
11,6% 6,8% Total agreement
8,3% 43,3% Partial agreement
Neuter opinion
Partial disagreement

to the managers is limited ? 30,0% Total disagreement

5% 5%
10% Total agreement Figure 9 – The analysis of the University managers trust degree in
Partial agreement the employees’ expertise and knowledge
Neuter opinion
55% Partial disagreement
25%
Total disagreement The distribution of the answers on this scale
emphasizes the trust accorded by the “Lower Danube”
University to the experts from different domains and
Figure 7 – The analysis of the distance towards power from
their knowledge.
managers-employees relationships perspective
238 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
The leaders from higher education institutions
influence the organizational culture in order to generate
the employees’ commitment. They must be responsible
for their objectives concerning the actions focused on
the limitation of brain-drain phenomenon and value the
employees in a credible way.
The last question from the questionnaire is focused
on the extents in which the employees feel loyal to the
university. (figure 10)
To what extent do you feel loyal to the
university where you develop the
activities?
in a large extent
15,0%
in a medium
25,0% 60,0% extent
in a small extent
Figure 10 – The determination of the loyalty degree of
the employees from “Lower Danube” University
The main consequences (positive effects) of the
“Lower Danube” University employees’ loyalty are:
higher quality of work, teamwork spirit, stability to the
workplace, group cohesion.
The features frequently observed to the loyal
employee in higher education institutions are:
responsibility, identification with the group, interest for
the development of the group status, own interest
subordinated to the group interest.
These answers allow the positioning of “Lower
Danube” University organizational culture in
„Competing Values Framework”, in accordance with
the strategic dimension revealed by this model.
Figure 11 – Competing Values Framework map
Even if we can find some features associated to
innovational culture (adhocracy oriented institution) or
rational culture (market oriented institution) in “Lower
Danube” University, the results of our survey reveal a
combination of the features associated to group culture
(clan oriented institution) and hierarchical culture in this
higher education institution. We arrived to this
positioning in the organizational cultures matrix as we
consider that this academic institution culture is focused
on stability, continuity, application of rules and
procedures, order, discipline, continuous assessment of
the activities (values specific to a hierarchical culture),
but in the same time we mustn’t neglect the efforts of
“Lower Danube” University top management in view to
build a group culture, focused on tradition, social
cohesion, trust, loyalty, orientation towards the
development of human resources development.
III. CONCLUSIONS
The results of our survey reflect the orientation of
the “Lower Danube” University organizational culture
on values like teamwork, collaboration, talent
management, empowerment or efficient inter-personal
relationships, but in the same time we remark the
preoccupation of the top management on assessing and
measuring activities, controlling processes, structuring,
efficiency improvement or quality enhancement. We
propose the implementation of techniques focused on
innovation, creativity, in view to articulate the future
vision of this higher education institution.
In our opinion, there are relevant implications of our
research both on the administrators and quality assessors
of the university and on the practitioners and
researchers. For the first group of stakeholders, the
results report can be considered as a guide that can
contribute to the improvement of the academic strategy
focused on the organizational culture. From the second
group, we are waiting for proposals in order to develop
together new researches in this field, taking into account
their expertise and experience.
The originality of our approach consists in the
analysis of the values system implemented in a higher
education institution that reveals the relationships
among the organizational culture, opinions about quality
of research and performances measures.
References
1. Bergquist W., Pawlak K. – “Engaging the Six Cultures of the
Academy”, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, 2008
2. Bolman, L. G. and Deal, T. E. "Leading and Managing: Effects of
Context, Culture and Gender." Education Administration Quarterly,
1992, 28, p. 314-329
3. Cameron K. S., Quinn R.E.- “Diagnosing and Changing
Organizational Culture – Based on Competing Values Framework ”,
John Willey & Sons, San Francisco, 2006
4. Farmer, D.W. – “Strategies for change. Managing change in
higher education (pp. 7-18). New directions for higher education, Vol.
71. San Francisco, Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1990
5. Hauck G. - “Organizational Transformation In Higher
Education”, Writers Club Press, iUniverse Inc., Lincoln, 2002
6. Hofstede, G., „Cultures and Organizations: Software of the
Mind”, Mc. Graw-Hill Publishing, New York, 1994
7. Olaru A. – “Organizational Culture”, Ed. Academica, Galati,
2003
8. Tierney W.G. - “The Impact of Culture on Organizational
Decision-Making Theory and Practice in Higher Education”, Stylus
Publishing, 2008
 THE ROLE OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN CHANGING ATTITUDES AND
PERCEPTIONS TOWARDS WOMEN MANAGERS

Angela ON
“Petru Maior” University of Tîrgu-Mureş
email: angelaon67@yahoo.com

Some practical implication for higher education are pointed out by the results of this longitudinal investigation, in order to influence
attitudes of young generation regarding women’s careers. This educational institutions should deal more with the subject of female
management and leadership, bring to the surface the vast amount of literature dealing with gender studies, equality in the workplace
etc., to create a real nondiscriminatory environment for everyone..

Changing social, economic and educational trends, instrument is the Women As Managers Scale (WAMS),
the impact of legislation and the policy on equal designed and used by professors Nancy Papalexandris
opportunities have undoubtedly made some and Dimitris Bourantas, from Athens University,
improvements in the way women are perceived in our Greece. They also conduct several studies on this topic
society. Still, Romanian society has always been, and with interesting results.
continues today, to be a patriarchal one. Many surveys The scale includes ten positive and ten negative
had already shown that women still participate to a very statements to which respondents had to reply by using a
limited extent in positions of high managerial seven-point Likert-type scale. The maximum point 7 in
responsibility. This isn’t the unique and particular the scale expresses the total acceptance of the statement
situation of our country. Almost all over the world and the minimum point 1 – total disagreement. For an
women are underrepresented in decision making easy evaluation and interpreting of the data we treated
processes, especially at the high level, either in public the WAMS scale in a different manner than Greek
sector, or in the private one. The reasons for this lack of professors, by splitting it in two halves: the ten positive
representation have to be found in every country or statements which express the most positive attitudes
geographical region, due to the cultural roots or specific when receive maximum score (10x7), and the other ten
background of each nation. Therefore we cannot import negative statements which express the favorable
theories or practices from abroad in such a sensitive, attitudes when receive minimum score (10x1).
and often controversial issue about sharing power The students’ samples were structured as follows:
between men and women; instead, we must find the
particular characteristics of our social life, the way 2003/2004 2008-2009
power is divided between men and women in Romanian (N = 322) (N = 258)
households, the impact of education on perceptions, Frequency Percent Frequency Percent
attitudes and behaviors of young generation or learn Men 162 50,3 95 36,8
more about traditions and cultural aspects of our lives. It
is necessary to do so before implementing any Women 160 49,7 163 63,2
inappropriate politics or actions that later can have 19-24
unexpected effects. 212 65,8 213 82,6
years
Looking for an explanation for the gendered Group 25-30
65 20,2 26 10,1
uneven participation in top management and leadership, age years
in politics, modern organizations or even 31-40
45 14 19 7,4
years
entrepreneurship, we explore the attitudes of young
generation towards women managers. We assume as a Table 1: Samples structures, by gender and age group
plausible cause of this situation the way women are The two elder groups of ages (25-30 years old and
perceived in our society and their lack of self- 31-40, respective) were represented by master degree
confidence. students and by those who follow a reduced frequency
or distance form of studies.
LONGITUDINAL INVESTIGATION ON Although some differences in attitudes towards
STUDENT’S ATTITUDES TOWARDS WOMEN women managers, by groups of ages were found, they
MANAGERS didn’t show statistical relevance. Variance analysis with
One-way ANOVA shows no significance between the
Two periods of investigation were considered, 2003- three groups of ages. Still, as a general aspect of
2004 and 2008-2009, for gathering data on attitudinal respondents attitudes we note a more favorable
pattern. A twenty items questionnaire was used to perceptions about female management of the elder
measure the attitudes of more than 550 students of group of respondents (31-40 years old). We appreciate
„Petru Maior” University of Tîrgu-Mureş. This this as a proof of life experience wisdom and a more
240 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

accurate opinion on feminine issue of those who reveal that they see now most of the obstacles, once
possible encountered biased or discriminating situations, impossible to surmount, reduced to the challenges level
who had had experience with female supervisors or of developing their own careers. Possibilities are
simply know more about the challenges of women’s practically unlimited for those who posses knowledge or
careers. critical abilities for management.
This situation is somehow the opposite we normally
expect because of the fact that we assume younger confidence
respondents have been raised in a different environment,
with low degree of prejudice and stereotypes and where femininity
sex equality was discussed more. This is a prime emotions
unconfirmed hypothesis that leads us to the conclusion
that Romanian school should do more about improving pregnancy
attitudes of young generation. compete
The ten positive statements out of the twenty items
of WAMS questionnaire were coded as follows: recognize
evaluation, instruction, skills, accept, recognize, accept
compete, pregnancy, emotions, femininity and
confidence. This group of statements generally refers to skills
the equality of opportunities for men and women and to
instruction
the relationship between certain female characteristics
(pregnancy, femininity, emotional feelings) and evaluation
managerial career. As mean scores of the respondents
on these items are getting near maximum score 7, 1
2008-2009
3 5
2003-2004
7

demonstrates more favorable attitude towards women Figure 2: Differences of opinions – positive items -women
managers.
Regarding lower mean scores of men in the second
confidence
investigation, a possible explanation could be the
absence of any important public female leader, playing
femininity the role of a model in our society. The impact of a very
emotions
small number of Romanian successful women managers
on people was so poor that perceptions were rather
pregnancy insignificant or negative.
compete
Really competent female managers remain
somewhere hidden, avoiding publicity, aiming low
recognize objectives and small successes which all mean
accept
reinforcing stereotypical perceptions about their lack of
managerial capabilities.
skills

instruction
agressive
evaluation
succes
1 3 5 7
2008-2009 2003-2004 asertive
Figure 1: Differences of opinions – positive items - men ambition

Comparing mean scores of the students responses of matem

the two investigations, separately for the two sexes, it is mama
evident the more favorable situation of the first
investigation (2003-2004), in the case of men, with roles
mean scores significantly more close to the highest note capable
7. They practically inverse their overall attitudes being
less favorable towards women managers in the 2008- import
2009 study (Figure 1). resp
On the contrary, the female respondents improved
their attitudes from the first to the second investigation. 1 2 3 4 5
Their opinions were getting near maximum mean score
2003-2004 2008-2009
in five out of the ten positive statements (Figure 2).
As expected, women respondents were more
favorably disposed towards other women in managerial Figure 3: Differences of opinions – negative items -men
positions. Positive differences regarding selected items
Analysis of The Organizational Culture Components in A Higher Education Institution from Romania
The negative statements were coded as follows:
responsibility, importance, capable, roles, mama,
mathematics, ambition, assertive, success and
aggressive. Maximum overall mean score to this
statements (70) demonstrate hostile attitudes towards
women managers, and minimum score (10) is for
complete disagreement with negative statements about
women managers, which is the most favorable situation.
Close examination of the content of these statements
reveals that they generally refer to women’s ability and
motivation to respond effectively to the role of manager
or to women’s possession of the characteristics which
are considered necessary in order to succeed in
managerial positions.
As shown in Figure 3 and Figure 4 the tendency of
changing opinions and attitudes of the two sexes from
the first study to the second is confirmed, with more
dramatic figures. The sense of those changes is also the
same: half of the negative statements get worse mean
scores (with differences about more than 1 point), in
case of male respondents, while 8 out of 10 negative
statements get better mean scores, in case of female
subjects (also with important differences).
aggresive
success
assertive
ambition
mathemat
mama
roles
capable
import
resp
1 2 3 4
2008-2009 2003-2004
Figure 4: Differences of opinions – negative items -women
Unfortunately, evaluating these changing attitudes
we can say that mental barriers still exist at individual
level of perceptions. We could expect more
heterogeneous changes of responses of both male and
female subjects from one investigation to the other.
Some items normally could receive better answers and
some items worse. Instead, data reveal homogenous
improvements for all items in case of female subjects
and again homogenous worse responses, for all items in
case of men respondents. And this is a very interesting
fact from our point of view.
241
We consider that conformism or the social
desirability effect is partially responsible for the results
of our investigations. Identity with what is considered
correct, good or acceptable responses is fairly high
when using questionnaire like WAMS. When
expressing opinions in writings on men/women issue,
individuals tend to avoid categorical opinions, choosing
a neutral position where they cannot be considered
neither feminists or extreme liberals, nor sexists. Almost
everyone tends to choose a global trendy path, accepting
that modern societies means diversity in all kind of
aspects.
In 2008-2009 investigation female respondents
weren’t so timid about having a favorable attitude
towards other female in managerial position and men
weren’t so generous in opinions, embracing more
neutral, cautious positions.
As described before, the positive statements
generally refers to the equality of opportunities for men
and women and to the relationship between certain
female characteristics and managerial career. We called
them independent, external factors and the differences
between mean overall scores (MOS), resulted in our
studies and maximum favorable scores, (MFS) which is
70, are included in Table 2. We also include the
differences between minimum mean score (most
favorable score – MFS – which is 10) of the ten
negative statements, and mean overall scores (MOS)
that result from our investigations. We also called the
negative statements internal factors, because of their
content, revealing women’s ability and motivation to
respond effectively to the role of manager.
2003-2004 (N= 322) 2008-2009 (N= 258)
Items Mean MFS/ Mean MFS/
category overall MOS overall MOS
score difference score difference
(MOS) (%) (MOS) (%)
Internal factors
28,00 + 180% 28,01 +180%
(negative items)
5 External factors
60,22 -13,9% 58,95 -15,79%
(positive items)
Table 2: The influence of internal and external factors on respondents’
attitudes towards women
As we can see, the gap between the most favorable
situation and the scores from the two investigations is
much more important in case of negative items (180%),
compared with external factors (positive items). The
most important conclusion is that respondents have little
confidence in women’s abilities to respond effectively
to the role of manager. On the other hand, all subjects
believe that women are generally accepted as managers
in Romania so they don’t see the need for more
opportunities for women and their careers. This means
in Romanian society exists a friendly overall
environment for women managers, but those internal
factors explained before, revealed by the negative
statements are influencing more their low presence in
242 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
top positions. Of course, we can also consider here the
important influence of gender stereotypes, which still
represent real barriers in women’s advancement.
Neutrality or partially reserved opinions expressed
by the respondents shows a tendency to treat men more
favorable than women (for instance in hiring or
promoting), when other factors are equal. This is also
due to the fact that those responsible for hiring and
promoting decisions are usually men.
In addition, if we examine the mean scores assigned
to various statements concerning the perceived self-
confidence and career aspirations of women, we shall
see that they rank low in the scale. Lack of self-
confidence and assertiveness and lower expectations
may dramatically restrain women from seeking
promotion and posts of high responsibility.
That is why is important for educational institutions
to bring further light in this subject. Despite the high
percentage of women in universities, higher education
has not succeeded in controlling sex stereotypes and in
influencing attitudinal change.
Women should be allowed to know how they are
performing and given the chance to assume
responsibilities; attitudinal stereotypes can be eliminate
only with greater exposure of people to female
leadership and with quantitative and qualitative data on
the effectiveness of women managers. Opportunities for
promotion, training and salary administration should be
treated on an equal basis in order to offer positive career
prospects to women and enhance their self-confidence.
According to the research results, attitudes towards
women managers of young respondents are somehow
volatile or instable in part because of the conformism
influence, and because educational institutions have not
so far been able to influence these attitudes. Higher
education should deal more with the subject of female
leadership and expose students to the vast amount of
literature on sex equality in society and in the
workplace. For instance, inviting successful women
managers in university may enable female students to
identify themselves with female models and male
students to develop more favorable attitudes towards
women managers.
Conclusion
Globalizing process essentially contributes to a more
dramatic competition on labor markets, all over the
world. That is why being competitive became a
fundamental principle of globalization that rules in
every domain, including education, especially in higher
education, due to its direct connections with labor
markets. A spectacular speed-up of knowledge transfer
is taking place, talking about quantity, quality and
density of knowledge. In this context education became
a regular service that can be (already is)
commercialized.
A university is seen today as a service organization
that is trying to find the most suitable answers to the
society needs. From a marketing point of view, the issue
here is matching universities offer with the demand
expectations. Furthermore, due to the globalization
process, the university final product (the graduate), must
fit the global workforce market and its need for a
diverse kind of knowledge.
In this situation higher education must put a greater
accent on students, not only by transferring to them
large amounts of knowledge but also by identifying and
developing students’ abilities, designing attitudes,
teaching more about modernity or democracy,
celebrating and promoting diversity etc. Talent is a gift
equally distributed between the two sexes and, if women
are going to build self-confidence, to develop more
ambitious careers, to enhance their talents and to be
treated on meritocratic basis, they will bring new
solutions into the way society is led. Furthermore,
global development may critically depend on the
utilization of untapped managerial talents.
References
1. Brătianu, C. (2002), Paradigmele managementului universitar,
Editura Economică, Bucureşti.
2. De Anca Celia, Vàsquez A. V. (2005), La gestion de la
diversidad, Edit. Prentice Hall Financial Times;
3. Fagan, C. and Burchell, B. (2002), Gender, jobs and working
conditions in the European Union, European Foundation for the
Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, Ireland.
4. Lipovetsky G. (2000), A treia femeie, Editura Univers, Bucureşti.
5. Nordström K., Ridderstråle J. (2003), Funky Business. Talent
Makes Capital Dance, BookHouse Publishing Sweden.
5. Papalexandris N. and Bourantas D. (1991), Atitudes towards
women as managers: the case of Greece, International Journal of
Human Resource Management, Vol.2, No.2, p.133-148.
6. Peters T. (2005), La esencia. Liderazgo, Pearson Educación,
Madrid. (original title Essentials.Leadership).
 THE ROLE OF DIDACTIC MANAGEMENT IN THE MOTIVATION AND EXPRESSION
OF THE ATTITUDES FOR THE PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND SPORT AT THE
STUDENTS OF THE PETROLEUM AND GAS UNIVERSITY OF PLOIESTI
Viorel OPREA1, Marius VAIDA2
1
Petroleum – Gas University of Ploieşti, e-mail:vopreaefs@yahoo.com
2
Petroleum – Gas University of Ploieşti, e-mail:vaidamarius@yahoo.com

Abstract

The present study wants an addition to the made studies in the domain until now and it started from the premise that by the clear
determination of the motivations and attitudes that are at the base of the physical education and sport didactical process a qualitative
increase of the reminded process can be made having as result the active implication at the superior level of students in practicing the
physical education and sport.
The research has been made at the Petroleum and Gas University of Ploiesti on a pattern of 240 students, the used research method in the
attitudes and motivation evaluation being the questionnaire. From the experiment we noticed that the intrinsic motivation given by the
nature of the activity specific to the physical education and sport advances the extrinsic motivation.
Reporting the data obtained from the study at the ones aimed in the educational process, completed by the analysis of the actual level of the
physical education and sport perception at the students’ level and also of the means to see the development of the motivation and attitudes
favourable for the practice of these activities.
This present study can be used as an argument in implementing the physical education in the educational plans in universities existing the
availability from the students for movement and physical education and sport, knowing that physical education besides the intellectual,
moral, aesthetic and technical-professional education is a component of the general education.

Key words: didactical management, motivation, attitude, physical education, sport

Introduction
In elaborating the present paper I started from the
premise that the didactical management is susceptible
to be perfecting by the continuous study of its main
components. Motivation, students and teaching staff’s
attitude towards the didactic process have rather
important role in its good development.
The didactical management has at its base the
interdisciplinary approach, very important in the educational fact that the attitudes and motivation for the
phenomenon and studies the different events that show up in
the multitude of organizational decisions during a
pedagogical activity such as in following up the educational
programs. This management type is based on a methodology
type of strategic approach of the aimed educational
phenomenon having a very important role in achieving the
specific objectives.
This paper wants an addition to the made studies
until now in this domain and we consider that
approaching at a very serious level the mentioned
theme above we realize a progress in what concerns the
didactical management reported at the physical
education and sport classes, by understanding the
researched phenomenon and the possibility to ulterior
identify the ways and means for the development of the
motivation and attitudes favourable to the practice of
these activities knowing that the previous studies like
this one are at a relative low level at the students from
nowadays due to the multitude of existing
complementary activities.
This paper’s authenticity consists in the scientific
approach of the treated problem also of the reported
data resulted from the study at the ones that are aimed
in the educational process, completed by the analysis
of the actual level of the physical education and sport
perception at the students’ level, debated through their
motivation and attitudes respect towards this study.
The main purposes that were at the base of making
this study were the following: analysing the concept of
motivation in the management psychology, identifying
the motivation in the activity of physical education at
students, evaluating the attitudes in the sport activity,
analysing the attitudes and motivation for the physical
education and sport classes at university.
In the modern didactic, the attitudinal valences are
associated with the report modality that starts from the
subject. I chose this theme because I have noticed the
participation in the physical education and sport classes
and for practicing physical exercise, in general, are
lower at students in comparison with the pupils.
Materials and methods
The hypothesis from which we started realizing
this study was the one that if we identify and delimit
correctly the motivations, the motivational ways and
the manifestation level of the attitudes that are at the
base of the didactical process then we will realize its
qualitative increase having as result the active
implication at a superior level of the students in
practicing the physical education and sport in general
through a didactic management correspondent to the
motivations and the existing attitude level.
This study was made at the Petroleum and Gas
University of Ploiesti in the university year 2009-1020
and was made on a pattern of 240 students from the
first and second years.
The used research method in the attitudes and
motivation evaluation for practicing physical education
and sport during classes was the questionnaire with
answer from choosing 3 possibilities of answers (yes,
no, I do not know), after which we passed to the
analysis and data processing, the answers being able to
244 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
help us at the improvement of the didactic activity and
eventually in establishing certain methodological and
functional parameters for the physical education and
sport classes.
The objectives that were at the base of this
research were the following:
• elaborating certain questionnaires on the two
evaluation directions – of the motivation towards the
practice of the physical education at a university level
and expressing the attitudes as a way of reporting at the
debated phenomenon and through which the subjects
can selectively orientate and preferentially auto-adjust;
• research analysis of questionnaire type;
• drawing the research conclusions.
In the questionnaire type research we made two
types of questionnaires, the first one having 14 items
and it was referring to the motivational factors that are
reported to the physical education activity, being
comprised both the intrinsic factors and the extrinsic
ones, and the second one having 10 items and referring
to the attitudinal level of the subjects in report with the
researched phenomenon.
In the first questionnaire we used in our research
the following 14 items:
1. Do you consider physical education a
motivational form for realizing a harmonious physical
development?
2. Do you consider that you can reach an
acceptable performance level in different sport
branches with the help of physical education and sport?
3. Do you appreciate the sport activity as an
attractive form of maintaining health?
4. Do you think that a weak contribution at the
physical education and sport class has a negative
influence in the relations with the colleagues?
5. Do you trust your own strength to realize
progresses in what concerns the physical education and
sport?
6. Do you consider that physical education and
sport activity has a benefic role in the integration
process in a group of the student?
7. Do you appreciate that the physical education
and sport stimulates the tendency of the individual’s
affirmation?
8. Do you appreciate the teacher’s attitude as an
argument in favour of the practice of the physical
education and sport?
9. Do you consider communication (verbal, non-
verbal, para-verbal or combined) between the teacher
and the student as an important element in the physical
education and sport activity?
10. Creating an affective climate can have a
positive impact over the physical education perception
at students?
11. Do you consider that a varied lesson’s content
increases the lesson’s interest among students?
12. Using the competition as a mean of the
physical education represents an important factor in
stimulating the student towards the performance sport
and the physical education at a university level?
13. Do you consider the sport norms as a factor
that decreases the interest of the physical education and
sport classes?
14. In obtaining sport performances and achieving
the specific objectives, do you think that the material
conditions (installations, equipments, etc.) have a great
importance?
In the second questionnaire we used in our
research the following 10 items:
1. Do you consider the professional deontology an
important factor in the development of the physical
education and sport activity?
2. Do you appreciate the attitudinal consistency of
the teacher as being an essential condition in
optimizing the physical education and sport activity?
3. Do you consider the teacher’s availability a
trump for the increase of the interest in the physical
education and sport class?
4. Do you think the level of interest of the classes
is directly proportional with the level of empathy
manifested by the teaching staff?
5. Do you appreciate the authenticity, “the
openness” of the teaching staff towards the activity that
you undertake an important condition in the optimum
development of an activity?
6. Does the impartial attitude of the teacher
facilitate the team work?
7. Do you consider that the didactic interaction
based on respect and appreciation is an important
component of the teaching staff?
8. Does the creativity of the teaching staff
stimulate you to be spontaneous, exigent in what you
do?
9. Do you consider that the observation spirit of
the teaching staff changes positively the instructive-
educational process?
10. Is the fact that the teacher manifests an open
spirit in understanding different opinions of the
students an important element in the classes’
development?
The obtained results
The obtained results in the made experiment are
presented in the tables 1 and 2, in which we can
distinguish both the number of answers at the three
variants – “yes”, “no” and “I do not know” on each
researched item, also the percentage on each variant of
answer. The first table refers to the motivational factors
that are aimed through the physical education and sport
point of view, and the second one expressed the study
of attitudes reported to the physical education and
sport.
The Role of Didactic Management in The Motivation and Expression of The Attitudes for The Physical 245
Education and Sport at The Students of The Petroleum and Gas University of Ploiesti

Table 1. The resulted values from the study of the motivational factors have a similar percentage (45%), at the same time
reported to the physical education and sport activity
9,5% of the questioned persons answering “I do not
I do not know”.
Item Yes No
know At the same time, the material conditions are not
Nr. % Nr. % Nr. % considered of high importance in reaching the
1. 188 78.33 46 19.17 6 2.50 objectives specific to the physical education and sport
2. 212 88.33 18 7.50 10 4.17 at a university level, the percentage between “yes” and
162 67.50 46 19.17 32 13.33
“no” being relatively similar, slightly superior for the
3.
ones that answered with “yes”. The use of the
4. 84 35.00 120 50.00 36 15.00
competition as a mean of the physical education does
5. 194 80.83 14 5.83 36 15.00 not represent an important factor in stimulating the
6. 136 56.67 100 41.67 4 1.67 students towards the performance sport and the
7. 154 64.17 84 35.00 2 0.83 physical education at a university level, the ones that
8. 169 70.42 61 25.42 10 4.17 answered “yes” being of 41,67% from the total of 240
9. 146 60.83 76 31.67 18 7.50 students questioned.
10. 109 45.42 108 45.00 23 9.58
100
11. 178 74.17 18 7.50 44 18.33 90
12. 100 41.67 116 48.33 24 10.00 80
70
13. 176 73.33 30 12.50 34 14.17
60
14. 112 46.67 108 45.00 20 8.33 50
40
After we can notice in table 1 also in the figure 1, 30
20
the physical education and sport is considered by the 10
large majority (78.33%) as being a motivational form 0
for realizing a harmonious physical development, this 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
tendency being able to be noticed also at the item 2,
having the highest percentage from the questionnaire
yes no I do not know
(88.33%) where the subjects consider that through the
specific means of the physical education an acceptable Figure 1. The values of the percentages of the motivational factors reported
at items
performance level can be reached – superior in the
different sport branches contained in the curriculum. Table 2. The values resulted from the study of the attitudes reported at the
physical education and sport activity
High percentages (over 60%) have been also
obtained at the items 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11 and 13, fact that
I do not
denotes that the students consider physical education Item Yes No
know
and sport as an attractive form of maintaining the
Nr. % Nr. % Nr. %
health that stimulates the tendency of affirmation of the
individual. 1. 146 60.8 48 20.0 46 19.2
Also it is considered that the teacher’s attitude, the 2. 136 56.7 98 40.8 6 2.5
communication under its different forms, the varied 3. 196 81.7 20 8.3 24 10.0
lesson content have a role in the increase of the 4. 153 63.8 52 21.7 35 14.6
lesson’s interest, being considered important in what
5. 178 74.2 24 10.0 38 15.8
concerns the lesson’s management.
In this tendency with very high percentages 6. 144 60.0 44 18.3 52 21.7
(80,83%) the confidence in one’s own strength was 7. 226 94.2 10 4.2 4 1.7
enclosed for realizing progresses in what concerns the 8. 110 45.8 124 51.7 6 2.5
physical education and sport, that is a positive thing. 9. 140 58.3 69 28.8 31 12.9
In what concerns the sport norms 77.33% from the
questioned subjects have answered that this represents 10. 106 44.2 103 42.9 31 12.9
a factor that decreases the interest in the physical
education and sport. At the same time, only 35% from From the study of the attitudes reported at the
the subjects consider as a weak performance at the physical education and sport activity the results that
physical education and sport would influence were centralized in table 2 have been obtained, being
negatively the relations with the other colleagues, 56% presented also in figure 2, both as number of obtained
considering that the interest in the physical education results and as percentage.
and sport has a benefic role in the integration process The highest percentage in what concerns the
in the student’s group. positive answer (94,2%) at having item 7, the subjects
In what concerns the connection between the considering that the didactic interaction based on
perception of the physical education at students and the respect and appreciation is very important in the
affective climate the answers between “yes” and “no” didactical process. Also, it is considered that the
246 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
teacher’s availability has a high role in the increase of
the interest in the physical education and sport classes,
the percentage of those that have answered with “yes”
being of 81,7%, but also the authenticity, “the
openness” of the teaching staff towards the specific
activity is considered by the large majority of the
subjects (74,2%) as being important.
At the same time, 63,8% from the subjects have
considered that the interest level of the classes is
directly reported with the empathy level manifested by
the teaching staff. Also, the similar positive percentage,
60% from the total of subjects, considers that the
professional deontology is an important factor in the
development of the activity of the physical education
and sport and that the impartial attitude of the teacher
has a role of stimulating the team work.
The observation spirit of the teaching staff and the
attitudinal consistency have had positive answers
above the medium, of 58,3% and respectively of
56,7%, being appreciated that it could modify
positively the instructive-educational process.
From the obtained answers in the questionnaires at
the item 8 has resulted that, the creativity of the
teaching staff does not stimulate the subjects to be
spontaneous. Under the medium value (44,2%) was
also item 10 from where it resulted the fact that the
manifestation of an open spirit of the teaching staff and
understanding the different opinions of the students can
be a relatively important element in the development of
the classes.
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0 level at a university level we can realize an adaptation
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
yes no I do not know
Figure 2. The percentages values of the attitudes reported at items
From the ones mentioned above, we can point out
that this study can be used as an argument in
implementing the physical education in the educational
curriculum in universities, existing the availability
from the students for movement and physical education
and sport, knowing that the physical education, beside
the intellectual, moral, aesthetic and technical-
professional education is the component of the general
education, physical education being physiologic by its
nature, pedagogical through method, biological
through its effects and social through organization and
activity.
Conclusions
1. From the obtained results we noticed that,
broadly speaking, the intrinsic motivation given by the
nature specific to the physical education and sport
activity goes beyond the extrinsic motivation, from the
positive percentages superior obtained by the first one.
2. The students consider physical education and
sport as an attractive form of maintaining health that
simulated the tendency to affirmation of the individual.
3. The teacher’s attitude, the varied lesson content,
the communication under its different forms are
considered important from the point of view of the
lesson’s management.
4. The sport norms are appreciated as a factor that
decreases the interest in the physical education and
sport classes, the subjects considering that a weak
performance at the physical education and sport would
not influence negatively the relations with the other
colleagues, the physical education having a benefic
role in the integration process in a group of the
students.
5. The material conditions and the competition are
not considered of very high importance in the lesson’s
management.
6. The didactic interaction based on respect and
appreciation, the teacher’s availability, the authenticity
and his “openness” towards the specific activity is
considered very important in the didactic process and
the didactic management.
7. The professional deontology, the empathy level
manifested by the teaching staff is considered
important by the students.
8. The observation spirit of the teaching staff and
the attitudinal consistency are appreciated as factors
that could change positively the instructive-educational
process.
9. By determining the motivational and attitudinal
of the didactic management in what concerns the
instructive-educational process of the physical
education and sport, this being able to be an applied
research direction in which the results of this study can
be the premises of certain ulterior researches.
References
1. Bîltac, Gh. şi Călin, D., (2008), The inter-human
communication in the physical education, Universitaria Publishing
House, Craiova.
2. Colibaba-Evulet, D. (2007), Praxeology and curriculum
design in physical education and sport, Universitaria Publishing
House, Craiova.
3. Ilut, P., (2004), Values, attitudes and social behaviours,
Polirom Publishing House, Bucharest.
4. Joita, E., (2000), Educational management. Teacher –
manager: roles and methodology, Polirom Publishing House, Iasi.
5. Mihailescu, L,. (2006), Experiments on measuring
motivation in performance sport, Journal of Sport Science, no.55,
Bucharest.
 STUDY CONCERNING THE QUALITY OF TEACHING SPORT THROUGH THE POINT
OF VIEW OF THE DEFINING CONDUCTS OF THE COMMUNICATION ACT DURING
THE UNIVERSITY EDUCATION
Viorel OPREA1, Marius VAIDA2
1
Petroleum – Gas University of Ploiesti, e-mail:vopreaefs@yahoo.com
2
Petroleum – Gas University of Ploiesti, e-mail:vaidamarius@yahoo.com

This study is intended to be a complement to studies conducted so far in this area and we believe that, approaching the topic from a
scientific point of view, we can make a breakthrough in terms of didactic communication relative to physical education and sport at
the university level by understanding the phenomenon and the possibility of subsequent identification of ways and means conducive to
practicing these activities. The study was conducted on a sample of 10 teachers and 100 students, the research being based on the
relationship between teacher-student, the first as a leader and coordinator of activities that stimulate, initiate and maintain
communication with students and the second as a receiver.
We believe that, in terms of improving the quality of teaching in university education in physical education, this can be done as well by
studying and analyzing the different behaviors defining the act of communication, and more.
This study was based on a scientific approach to the mentioned problem, completed by the analysis of the current perception of
physical education and sports of the students, in order to increase the quality of teaching.
Successful communication between teacher and student is very important in learning activities, consolidation or improvement of motor
actions taught to the student, the teacher being the catalyst of the students’ activities and the trailblazer for communication channels.
Successful communication between teacher and student is strongly related to the success in learning, consolidation or perfection of the
motor actions taught to the student.
Keywords. quality, conducts, communication

Introduction

In the present work we started from the premise
that the act of communication can be continuously
improved. The educational process is essentially a
process of communication between teacher and student
having a permanent exchange of messages whose main
purpose is to achieve educational objectives, in optimal
conditions.
The communication process specific to physical
education and sport is less treated in literature and very
little approached by scientific research with
pedagogical character. Pedagogical communication
represents the major structural element of the common
repertoire between the subject and the object of
teaching, materialized by preparing the didactic
message specific to the teaching activity and the
receiving of the message specific to the learning
activity.
This research aimed at identifying the types of
communication and the specific structural elements
used within relational area specific to physical
education and sport, identifying behaviors, their role
and the measure in which they are used in the
educational process and the implementation of methods
and measures for increasing efficiency of
communication at university level.
The research is based on the relationship between
teacher-student, the first as a leader and coordinator of
activities that stimulate, initiate and maintain
communication with students and the second as a
receiver.
We aimed to highlight behaviors and
communication flows, knowing that an unsatisfactory
communication makes the two factors (teacher /
student) not have the didactic relationship needed for a
proper activity, eventually leading to failure in
achieving the educational objectives.
Normally, the two specific didactic activities
(teaching, learning) are also monitored (controlled,
optimized, consciously and objectively) through the
assessment activity that provides feedback to the
training process. And therefore the assessment process
plays an important role in improving the quality of
instruction.
Materials and methods
The study was conducted in physical education
and sports classes during the 2009-2010 academic year
on a sample of 10 teachers and 100 students from
Petroleum-Gas University of Ploiesti, and took as its
starting point the assumption that, if we identify and
define the main behaviors defining the communication
act that underpin the teaching process in physical
education at university, then quality of teaching at this
level increases.
Research methods used in assessing behaviors
and the communication acts were the following:
• bibliographic study method to identify the
current state of topic knowledge
• direct and indirect observation of the act of
communication used in teaching-learning-assessing the
physical exercises and the sport
• protocols for observation of the act of
communication and reception of the message
• study of the common repertoire that
establishes between teacher and student during the
different ways of practicing physical exercises,
identifying the teaching style of teacher and the
learning style of student
• statistical-mathematical method
• graphic method
The observation protocols no.1 and no. 2 were
made by authors, the protocol no. 3 having been
completed by the surveyed teachers, while the
248 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

interpretation of 3 the protocols of observation being 3. Demonstrates 9,168

made by the authors. Makes corrections
rrections
4. 4,269
(gives details)
The results obtained Verbal
5. 14,477
communication
Non-verbal
The observation
bservation protocols were made at the 6.
communication
5,875
suggestion and with the help of professor
rofessor dr. Colibaba-
Colibaba Paraverbal
Evulet Dumitru. 7. 5,963
communication
Combined
8. 5,984
Table 1. Observation protocol no. 1 on identifying
entifying the teachers’ behaviors communication
during the physical education lesson
9. Stimulates sudents 6,033
10. Team discipline 3,219
No. Reactions to
P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 11.
unit feedback
2,213
1. 3,50 6,15 4,68 5,46 4,5 Assesement of the
12. 2,459
2. 7,89 5,38 5,46 5,46 3,6 student’s behavior
3. 10,52 11,53 9,37 3,12 13,51 Guaranteed
13. 1,824
4. 6,14 3,84 4,68 4,47 2,7 retention
The quality of the
5. 12,28 13,07 14,06 16,41 16,21 14. 2,657
relayed message
6. 5,26 4,61 5,46 5,97 7,2
7. 3,50 7,69 4,68 7,46 6,3
8. 3,50 8,46 3,9 4,41 5,4
9. 4,38 6,92 7,03 8,95 7,2 15
10. 3,50 2,3 4,68 2,23 1,8
13
11. 1,75 2,3 3,12 3,12 1,8
12. 3,50 1,53 2,34 4,47 2,7 11

13. 1,75 1,53 2,34 3,12 1,8 9

14. 2,63 2,3 3,12 3,73 1,8 7
5
Table 2. Observation
servation protocol no. 1 on identifying the teachers’ behaviors
during the physical education lesson
3

No. 1
P6 P7 P8 P9 P10
Unit -1
1. 6,06 7,81 6,4 6,9 4,95 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
2. 4,54 5,46 8 4,16 6,61
3. 13,63 8,59 4 8,32 9,09
Average
4. 6,06 4,68 2,4 2,77 4,95
5. 15,15 11,71 16 16,66
,66 13,22 Figure 1. The average values obtained after identifying the teachers’ conduct
during the physical education lesson
6. 4,54 5,46 6,4 9,72 4,13
7. 3,03 7,81 4 6,9 8,26
From the above mentioned we can say that the
8. 3,03 6,25 5,6 6,9 12,39
verbal communication together with non-verbal, the
9. 7,57 5,46 4,8 5,55 2,47
paraverbal and the combined have an important role in
10. 4,54 3,12 5,6 2,77 1,65
the teachers’ conduct in the physical education and
11. 3,03 1,56 1,6 1,38 2,47
12. 1,51 2,34 4 1,38 0,82
sport lesson. Also, the demonstration showed a high
13. 1,51 1,56 1,6 1,38 1,65
score of 9.14, while the opposite pole was represented
14. 3,03 2,34 3,2 2,77 1,65 by the reactions to feedback, the assessment of
students’ behavior, ensuring retention and quality of
the message.

Table 3. Average obtained on identifying the teachers’ behaviors during the Table 4. Observation protocol no. 2 on the distribution of the students’
physical education lesson behaviors as a response
se to the teacher’s types of communication
No. Types of Aver
P1 P2 P3 P4 P5
No. Unit behavior age
Behavior Average
unit Ready to
Responsive to 1. 46 47,36 53,06 33,33 40,32 44,01
1. 5,641 receive message
student behavior Unprepared,
Takes measures for 2. inattentive, 16 8,77 6,12 11,12 8,06 10,01
2. 5,656
mistakes indifferent
Bologna Process in Romania – Achievements and Failures 249

Positive No. P
P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 P6 P7 P8 P9 Average
reaction in Unit 10
3. 10 10,52 4,1 9,24 3,23 7,41
taking 1. 5 4 3 5 5 5 4 5 4 5 4,5
messages 2. 4 3 3 4 4 4 4 5 4 5 4
Often expects
4. 4 3,54 6,12 7,41 9,68 6,15 3. 5 3 3 5 5 5 5 5 4 5 4,5
explanations
Expects 4. 4 3 3 5 5 4 5 5 4 5 4,3
5. 4 8,77 8,16 14,82 9,68 9,08
corrections 5. 5 3 3 5 5 4 5 5 5 5 4,5
Ask for 6. 5 3 3 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 4,6
6. additional 8 8,77 8,16 11,12 9,68 9,14
explanations 7. 4 3 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 4,6
7. Careless run 4 5,26 8,16 7,41 8,06 6,57 8. 3 3 3 5 5 5 4 4 4 5 4,1
9. 5 4 4 5 5 5 5 4 5 5 4,7
Motor self-
8. 8 7,01 6,12 5,55 9,68 7,27 10. 3 3 3 5 5 5 4 4 5 5 4,2
corrections
Manifestations 11. 3 3 3 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 4,3
9. 0 0 0 0 1,61 0,32
of indiscipline 12. 4 4 4 5 4 5 5 5 4 5 4,5
Total percentage 100 100 100 100 100 100 13. 3 3 3 4 4 5 5 4 5 5 4,1
14. 4 3 3 5 5 5 4 4 5 5 4,3
50 Table 6. Types of behavior appeard in protocol no. 3 on self-asseseement
self of
teachers’
chers’ behavior
40
No.
30 Types of behavior
Unit.
20 1. Communication behavior
Conduct of the request (interrogative) and
10 2.
orientation
0 3. Explanatory Conduct
-10 Reasoning
easoning techniques and explanatory self-
4.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 reasoning
5. Psycho-motor
motor behavior
average 6. Non-verbal behaviorvior
Figure 2. Averages obtained after identifying the students’ behavior as a
7. Decisional - driving behavior
response to teacher’s types of communication 8. Awareness of students’
student behavior
Legend Organizational behavior, management and
1. Ready to receive message 9.
control of activities
2. Unprepared, inattentive, indifferent Conduct of positive reinforcement and
3. Positive reaction in taking messages 10.
motivation
4. Often expects explanations 11. Socio-emotional
emotional behavior
5. Expects corrections 12. Creative behavior
6. Ask for additional explanations
13. Conduct of training individualization
7. Careless run
8. Manifestations of indiscipline 14. Assessing and self-assessing
assessing behavior
9. Motor self-corrections
Observation protocol number 2 shows show that
students are ready to receive the message - 44.014% , 4.7
4.6
only 10.014% being unprepared or inattentive.
inattentive In 4.5
response to the teacher’s type of communication only a 4.4
rate of 6.15% waiting for additional explanations. A 4.3
rate of 7.272% shows Motric Autocorrections,
Autoc and 4.2
what is gratifying is that the smallest proportion is 4.1
4
found in manifestations of indiscipline - 0.322%.
3.9
Table 5. Observation protocol no. 3 on self-asseseement
asseseement of teachers’ 3.8
behavior 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

average

Figure 3. Averages
ges obtained after self-assessment
self of teaching behavior

Regarding the values obtained from the teachers’

self-assessing
assessing behavior in protocol no. 3, we notice that
on a scale from 1 to 5, the values obtained are high, the
250 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
highest value being represented by the organizational
behavior, management and control of activity - 4.7 and
the driving behavior with 4.6, the lowest values being
recorded to the conduct of request (interrogative) and
orientation -4, awareness of the student - 4.1 and
regarding the conduct of training individualization we
got the value of 4.1.
Discussions
Successful communication between teacher and
student is strongly related to the success in learning,
consolidation or perfection of the motor actions taught
to the student.
The way in which the teacher communicates has
an important role in the educational process, because
its purpose is to adjust the student’s so that it can
establish the setting in which the message is relayed.
The relay of messages by teachers to students
should be made in the same time with observing them,
creating the possibility of controlling the team,
avoiding the situation of a simple receiver.
Using inadequate communication techniques
brings to the lack of confidence in teachers as well as
the appearance of improper relations to a smooth
specific activity. The teacher must realize that it is a
catalyst for student activities and the trailblazer of
communication channels.
Any communication transmitted from teacher to
student may be damaged by disturbance factors that
appear either on the communication channel (which are
the qualities and capacities of teachers and students to
send and receive information), or factors in the
environment (land location, sports misuse of devices).
In modern education, the teacher’s issuing role is
more relaxed as long as the student has unlimited
access to other sources of information (especially
television and internet). The teacher is obliged to use
often the role of receiver to enhance the role of issuing
and develop communication.
As it is known, each of the two factors of
communication has systems of projection-
identification operating in the teaching process. Both
student and teacher send and receive images of each
other. The student has an additional role in this
relationship, he must constantly adapt to the controls
and actions proposed by the teacher and to permanently
display his knowledge and drivability at a higher level.
Quality communication has a very important role
in maintaining a proper relationship between teacher
and student, this relationship being maintained between
the two by performing joint actions undertaken during
the lesson.
Conclusions
This study completes the various studies
conducted so far in this field; the scientific approach of
the above mentioned topic eventually leads to a
breakthrough in terms of didactic communication
relative to physical education and sports classes. The
results of this study can be implemented both at
university and collegial level, secondary and primary.
From this study, we can draw the following
conclusions:
1. The quality and efficiency of pedagogical
communication specific to physical education and sport
can be improved if the messages to be sent to students
and the conditions of reception (coding-decoding) are
optimized.
2. If we introduce modern technologies for
teaching-learning-assessment inside the message
content and the teaching scenarios, then the effects of
the above processes will increase significantly.
3. If we are to improve the didactic activities of
teaching-learning-assessment, they must be addressed
in a triptych systemic in which the act of
communication plays a leading role in optimizing the
students’ educational process.
4. In physical education and sport, there are more
types of communication. They can be taken as
independent variables manipulated so that the targeted
instructional objectives are always achieved. This
requires substantial improvements in the
communicative act.
5. It is necessary for the specific types of
communication used in physical education and sport to
be treated in a systemic-cybernetic vision. Thus the
three elements (subject-object-process) make up a
group where the message is being prepared,
transmitted, and checked during the teaching-learning-
assessment activities.
References
1. Andersen, P., (2007), Body language, Teora Publishing
House, Bucharest.
2. Anghel, P.,(2003), Styles and communication methods,
Aramis Publishing House, Bucharest.
3. Biltac, Gh. and Calin, D., (2008), Interhuman
communication in physical education, Universitaria
Publishing House, Craiova.
4. Colibaba-Evulet, D. (2007), Praxeology and curriculum
design in physical education and sport, Universitaria
Publishing House, Craiova.
5. Condrill, Jo. and Bough, B., (2005), Learn fast,
communicate efficiently, Curtea Veche Publishing House,
Bucharest.
6. Rozakis, L. (2007), How we speak in public, Curtea Veche
Publishing House, Bucharest.
7. Oprea, V., (2010), Research Report No. II, Optimization of
the joint repertoire of action between teacher - student by
improving the operations of transmission and reception of
messages, Piteşti.
 INNOVATION – VECTOR OF HIGHER EDUCATION SUSTAINABILITY

C. OPREAN1, A. BUCUR2, M.A. VANU3, E.N. BURDUȘEL4

1
Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, email rector@ulbsibiu.ro
2
Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, email amelia.bucur@ulbsibiu.ro
3
Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, email alina.vanu@ulbsibiu.ro
4
Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, email eva.burdusel@ulbsibiu.ro

ABSTRACT: The aim of the present paper is to set forth a mathematical model for the indicator of higher education innovation. In
this respect, we are going to study and measure the complex process of innovation. The model set forth may be applied to universities,
faculties and departments of any field, as well as research centres. We have already presented a similar study in the paper [3]. The
present model may also be applied in the context of the current global economic crisis. Mention should also be made that the model
requires certain fundamental logical and arithmetic operations that may be performed by scholars other than mathematicians.

Key words: innovation, sustainability, entrepreneurship, higher education

Genuine entrepreneurship, that may be defined as a

INTRODUCTION
In the context of a knowledge-based economy,
innovation represents an essential component of
increasing productivity and the efficacy of industrial or
non-industrial organizations (including universities).
Hence the innovation strategy should be a priority both
for the country leaders and organization management.
The quality of their activities and sustainable
development can only be achieved provided they rely on
a mathematical model of innovation that identifies the
measurement of the innovation process and efficacy.
Entrepreneurship, regarded as an action meant to
promote innovation, is the safest means to thrive in a
continuously changing world subject to ever faster
rhythms. Contemporary society has become a global
information-based and knowledge-based society
therefore education, at all levels, including higher
education should keep up with the challenges of this
world. It is a must for everyone to acquire skills and
competencies for continuous learning and capitalizing
certain acquisitions entailed by the development of
scientific knowledge so that each individual is able to
efficiently contribute to the sustainable development of
economy, education, innovation and social welfare.
The strengthening, expansion and renewal of the
relationship between some industrial, non-industrial
(including universities) organizations and the socio-
human communities and society at large, represent
fields of learning.
A thorough partnership of the organization / university /
society as well as a permanent adaptation to the alert
and unique evolution dynamics of the requirements of
socially sustainable development, entail a continuous
redesigning of academic innovation, research and social
actions.
characteristic and component of excellence, aims at
encouraging risk taking, tolerating failure and
stimulating innovators to defend their ongoing projects
before their completion. Entrepreneurship creates a
flexible structure enabling the creative/innovative e
employees to accomplish successful projects [4,5].
MODELLING HIGHER EDUCATION
INNOVATION
The technique of mathematical modelling is
indispensable to all fields of science. Suffice it to say
that a qualitative description of a studied phenomenon
accompanied by setting forth of some laws will not
provide a complete picture unless there is an in-depth
analysis of the quantitative laws governing that
phenomenon. The purpose is to measure whatever can
be measured, as well as to make measurable whatever
has not been measured yet.
Mathematical models are the result of a thorough,
continuous and interdisciplinary study. There is no
general method for drawing up a mathematical model
[1].
The aim of the present mathematical model is to foster
an innovation model that helps establish hierarchies as
well as account for the selection of indicators that
defined that innovation process in the higher education
system.
The analysis of innovation influence will take into
account the following indicators:
qualified and trained staff, considered to be an essential
component of innovation;
- indicator reflecting the state of innovative project
funding; it refers to the degree that innovative projects
and activities are supported by the European Union,
countries, ministries, various authorities, companies;
252 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

regarding the faculties graduated by their employees.

- indicator expressing the investments undertaken by This is a highly relevant indicator considering the
universities (or its components: chairs, departments, impact of the educational product (graduates) on
research centres), their effort in supporting innovation, business competitiveness. So much so that professional
their investment aimed at generating new products as prestige does not refer to the image promoted by the
well as new curricula meant to attain the higher university but rather the recognition it enjoys, the degree
education reform; of graduate assimilation to the labour market as well as
- entrepreneurship indicator including the efficacy evinced by graduates (from a certain
entrepreneurial efforts, partnerships among universities university/faculty) in solving specific work-related
and between universities and organizations; problems, the efficiency in performing work-related
tasks and activities, innovative ideas and creativity
- indicator reflecting performances, measuring displayed at the workplace. The afore-mentioned study
intellectual property rights resulted from the innovation ranked the Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu on the fifth
process; place in the hierarchy of the most prestigious Romanian
- indicator expressing performance criteria of universities.
universities (or their components); it is calculated as a
weighted average of the following values: number of At the national or university (and its components)
scientific papers published in ISI, BDI or B+, C, D or levels, each indicator may be expressed on a
other specialized journals; number of patents; number of Likert scale thus generating a matrix with the
products and technologies resulted from research/
innovation activities, based on patents, homologation or elements, where: represents the number of
personal innovation, scientific papers delivered at local, universities (or its components) from the country
national or international conferences; number of whose parameter is placed at the
physical, experimental and functional models, level, for a given time interval.
prototypes, technical norms, procedures, methodologies
and regulations; number of citations; number of We may define the innovation indicator for the
scientific events organized by the institution; number of country, university ( faculty, etc.) as follows:
periodical publications;
- indicator expressing professional prestige of higher
education institutions (or their components); it is
calculated as a weighted average of the following
values: number of international awards; number of (partial innovation indicator).
national prizes awarded by the Romanian Academy; The innovation indicator average for the country
number of doctoral advisors affiliated to the respective where r universities are subject to analysis (respectively,
institution; number of PhD holders in a specific field, similar components) is:
affiliated to the respective institution;
- indicator of data regarding the continuous training
of human resource in higher education institutions (or (global innovation indicator)
their components); it is calculated as a weighted average We may calculate a median value of the innovation
of the following values: number of doctoral students
indicators for all countries, (or all or
affiliated to the respective institution + number of
doctoral dissertations; ).
- indicator of the innovation infrastructure (number
of innovation centres and laboratories)
minimum value:
- feed-back indicator, i.e. measurement of the
degree of trust and satisfaction regarding the educational
offer of Romanian universities maximum value:
Note: The degree of trust and satisfaction regarding the
academic educational offer can be measured by market
studies. For instance, the “University Ranking” study and the result is the following scale:
performed in 2009 by the German company, Kienbaum
Management Consultants [6]. The assessment focused m1 N3 m2
on the answers provided by companies and university N1 N2 N4 N5
graduates. Faculty assessment focused on the following
criteria: theoretical knowledge, practical skills,
A B C D E F
linguistic competences and international experience.
The employers were requested to perform assessments M
on the basis of the information provided by managers
Bologna Process in Romania – Achievements and Failures
The AB interval includes universities (or their
components) with unsatisfactory innovation
performance;
The BC interval includes universities (or their
components) with satisfactory innovation performance;
The CD interval includes universities (or their
components) with average innovation performance;
The DE interval includes universities (or their
components) with good innovation performance;
The EF interval includes universities (or their
components) with very good innovation performance;
It is obvious that:
where: t is the time, for instance expressed in years. We
may consider 2010 as reference year.
On the basis of the following formulas:
or
we may calculate the rate of the indicator in the
or which proves a useful tool for comparisons,
interpretations, predictions.
OPEN TASKS
• real and accurate hierarchy or universities,
faculties, chairs, departments, research centres
on the given scale, which is considered a
thorough one, the study of their yearly
evolution on this scale;
• making correlations among indicators (e.g. in
SPSS);
• identifying new indicators;
• comparisons among the innovation indicators
calculated according to age and gender groups,
as well as chairs, departments, faculties, the
university as a whole accompanied by
conclusions regarding the dissemination of
results and setting forth solutions for further
optimization and dissemination of results (case
studies);
CONCLUDING REMARKS
The mathematical model set forth in the present paper
contributes to the attainment of an accurate, thorough
measurement of innovation, performing real reports on
253
the degrees of innovation evinced by universities,
faculties, departments, chairs, or research centres; it
proves relevant for a comparative approach to
universities, faculties, chairs, departments or research
centres related to the innovation indicator.
Therefore, it is essential to promote genuine academic
values, to focus on strategies aimed at educational
management, sustainable development management,
quality management, research management and quality,
as well as to encourage entrepreneurship and
innovation. Academic entrepreneurship may be defined
as applied intelligence and intellectual mobility in the
management of all the essential tools for the attainment
of the major objective of training future generations
with professional competencies, entrepreneurial abilities
and aptitudes, in view of achieving innovation [2, 4, 5].
The authors would like to conclude that the innovation
model set forth in the present paper is worth being
implemented given the high demand for:
• a measurement of higher education innovation
• scientific basis for hierarchy processes
• sustainable development of higher education,
based on thorough scientific foundation.
References
1. Bucur A., (2007), Modelare socială, Ed.ULBS, Sibiu;
2. Clark R. B. (2000). Crearea universităţilor antreprenoriale:
direcţii de transformare organizaţională, Ed. Paideia, Bucureşti;
3. Oprean C., Bucur A.,Vanu M.A., (2009), A mathematical model
for innovation indicator, In Proceedings: 5 Balkan Region Conference
on Engineering and Business Education & 2nd International
Conference on Engineering and Business Education, 15 - 17 October,
Sibiu, Romania, 194-198;
4. Oprean C., Vanu M. A., Considerations regarding the academic
entrepreneurship In Proceedings: 16th International Economic
Conference IECS 7-8 May 2009, Sibiu, Romania;
5. Ropke J. (1998). The entrepreneurial university: innovation,
academic knowledge creation and regional development in a
globalized economy, Philipps-Universitat Marburg, Germany;
6. ***Studiul Kienbaum Management Consultants și Capital,
University Ranking România, September 14th 2009.
254 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
 EXPECTATIONS FROM HIGHER EDUCATION FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

Maria OROIAN1, Elena-Adriana TOMULEŢIU2

1
Dimitrie Cantemir University, Târgu-Mureş, Romania, oroianmaria@yahoo,com
2
Dimitrie Cantemir University, Târgu-Mureş, Romania, adriana_cimpean@yahoo,com

The purpose of this paper is to highlight the main problems facing higher education as well as expectations for it in the 21st century,
the importance of sustainability in this context. This paper takes into account many of international agreements regarding human
rights, sustainability and development, sustainable human settlements, the impact of the Bologna principles but also clarify the
concept of sustainability in universities from Talloires Declaration. Given the general framework and context analysis, as the good
results of the organizations for the study of sustainability in higher education in the U.S., we considered reasonable to extend some
dimensions of it in Europe too. Research for this paper consists of an extensive documentary on sustainability in higher education and
shaping courses of action for the possibility of its implementation and development in Romania. The main methods of study were
observation and some case studies of U.S. and E.U. The results of this work highlight what is and what you can expect from a
sustainable higher education, interest to both academics and social and political environment. The paper shows that the greatest
evidence of the need to transform education is the state of the world and the tremendous effort being made by thousands of
nongovernmental organizations and schools in environmental and sustainability education to “fix” the traditional educational system.

A significant attempt to define the sustainable

PURPOSE OF THE RESEARCH
The purpose of this paper is to highlight the main
problems facing higher education as well as
expectations for it in the 21st century, the importance of
sustainability in this context.
This work try to answer at the question what is and
what you can expect from a sustainable higher
education, interest to both academics and social and
political environment.
In an attempt to answer at this question, the paper
takes into account many of international agreements
regarding human rights, sustainability and development,
sustainable human settlements, the impact of the
Bologna principles but also clarify the concept of
sustainability in universities from Talloires Declaration.
PRIOR WORK
Sustainability, as used in modern economics and
business, refers to the ability of systems and
organizations to continue indefinitely without depletion
or diminished profits. This definition of sustainability,
however, does not encompass strategies and
perspectives of economic development that reduce
societal strife and stress, as well as the adverse effects of
commerce on the environment.
The U.N. World Commission on Environment and
Development, in a book entitled Our Common Future
(1987), articulated a broader meaning of sustainability.
It defined sustainability as the ability of the present
generation to meet its needs without compromising the
needs of future generations. In addition, other
definitions of sustainability give emphasis to efforts
toward regeneration and the harmonious co-existence of
all forms of life. In this context, higher educational
institutions are being asked to become leaders and role
models in the adoption and communication of
sustainable practices.
university was made in 1990 with the Talloires
Declaration. Jean Mayer, the President of Tufts,
convened twenty-two university leaders in Talloires,
France, to voice their concerns about the state of the
world and create a document that spelled out key actions
universities must take to create a sustainable future.
From lack of specialists in environmental management
and related fields, from lack of understanding of
professionals on public health and environmental
effects, the role of universities has been defined as:
"Universities educate most of the people who develop
and manage society's institutions. For this reason,
universities bear profound responsibilities to increase
the awareness, knowledge, technologies, and tools to
create an environmentally sustainable future". (Report
and Declaration of The Presidents Conference, 1990).
The Talloires Declaration has been signed by more
than 265 university presidents and chancellors at
institutions in over 40 countries across five continents.
An academic institution committed to sustainability
would help students understand the roots of
environmental degradation and motivate them to seek
environmentally sustainable practices while also
teaching the roots of today’s injustices in full integration
with modeling justice and humaneness.
While the manner in which academic institutions
and programs define and approach sustainability varies,
we would expect a genuine commitment to creating a
sustainable future to be evidenced in the critical
dimensions of institutional life. Though approaches to
"greening" higher education vary considerably, the
institution must be implementing practices in following
seven areas to be very far along the path to
sustainability (Richard M. Clugston and Wynn Calder,
1999):
1. The written statements of the mission and purpose
of the institution and its various units express their
philosophies and commitments. The descriptions of
learning objectives and public relations materials of the
various schools, departments, programs or offices thus
256 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
would express prominent and explicit concern for
sustainability.
2. The college or university appropriately
incorporates the concepts of sustainability into all
academic disciplines and in liberal arts and professional
education requirements, as well as into faculty and
student research (e.g. Globalization and Sustainable
Development; Environmental Philosophy; Nature
Writing; Land Ethics and Sustainable Agriculture;
Urban Ecology and Social Justice; Population, Women
and Development).
3. A major shift from the current academic paradigm
lies in a conscious reflection of the role of the institution
in its social and ecological systems. Students learn about
the institutional values and practices in this context.
4. Since research and teaching are the fundamental
purposes of academic institutions, knowledge of
sustainability is a critical concern in the hiring, tenure
and promotion systems.
5. The institution has an "ecological footprint." In its
production and consumption the institution follows
sustainable policies and practices: for example, CO2
reduction practices and the use of emission control
devices; sustainable building construction and
renovation; energy conservation practices; local food
purchasing program; purchasing and investment in
environmentally and socially responsible products; and
many others.
6. Institutional support and campus student life
services that emphasize certain practices, such as:
a. new student orientation, scholarships, internships
and job placement counseling related to community
service, sustainability and/or justice issues;
b. an Environmental or Sustainability Council or
Task Force, an Environmental Coordinator or
Curriculum Greening Officer;
c. regularly conducted environmental audits;
d. prominent public, student and staff celebrations of
sustainability on campus (for example, lectures,
conferences, Earth Day celebrations, etc).
7. The institution is engaged in outreach and forming
partnerships both locally and globally to enhance
sustainability. The college or university supports
sustainable communities in the surrounding region and
relationships with local businesses that foster
sustainable practices.
This list is an abbreviated version of the questions
found in ULSF’s Sustainability Assessment
Questionnaire, 1999 (ULSF - The Association of
University Leaders for a Sustainable Future - was
established to promote and support academic leadership
for the advancement of global environmental literacy.
ULSF is working in partnership with more than 270
institutions in 40 countries to further the goals and
recommendations of the Talloires Declaration).
In literature were identified the most important
successful factors that can influence the change process
in higher education for implement the sustainability.
Table 1
Factors of Successful Change Efforts in Higher Education
Factors Characteristics of the Factors
Identified
Internal - Solid infrastructure, sense of goodwill
Conditions and mutual trust (Eckel et al., 1999)
External - Exerted some pressure, encouraged
Environments change (Eckel et al.)
- Source of support, advocacy and funding
(Stanton et al., 1999)
Leadership - Leaders perceived to be credible and have
Characteristics personality needed to promote the initiative
(Corcoran & Wals, 2004)
- Leaders displayed attitudes and used
approaches that facilitated change (Eckel et
al.)
Change - Long term, planned and balanced
Process approach
- A sense of urgency and appropriate
deadlines existed
- Investments of funding, time, and training
were made (Eckel et al.)
- Emphasis on incremental changes
(Stanton et al.)
- Sufficient publicity to generate awareness
of the program’s progress, successes, and
failures (Calder and Clugston, 2003)
Engagement - Leaders involved and listened to the
of institution’s constituents (Eckel et al.)
Constituents
Facilitated - New ideas were invited
Learning - Ongoing and widespread conversations
were fostered
- Actions were adjusted in response to
learning (Eckel et al.)
- Debate was encouraged as community
sought best principles, practices and
outcomes (Stanton et al.)
Change - Academically legitimate, grounded in
Characteristics recognized body of knowledge, and
documented academic rigor and validity
(Stanton et al.)
- Endorsed by key administrative leaders at
the institution
- Perceived to benefit many programs and
departments
- Fit with institution’s ethos, saga, and/or
culture
- Brought in critical resources and/or
produced cost savings (Calder and
Clugston)
The Bologna process aims at creating a European
Higher Education Area where inter-country mobility of
students and staff, as well as workers holding a degree,
is facilitated. While several aspects of the process
deserve wide public support, the reduction of the length
of the first cycle of studies to three years, in several
continental European countries where it used to last for
four or five years, is less consensual.
The European higher education reform process is
having an impact way beyond its borders.
In June 1999, ministers of education from 29
countries gathered in Bologna, the birthplace of
Europe’s oldest university, to sign a declaration aimed
at harmonizing degree structures and quality assurance
procedures across their diverse higher education
systems by 2010.
Expectations from Higher Education for The 21st Century
Almost eight years later and membership has grown
beyond the geographic borders of Europe to include a
total of 46 nations. This expanded membership has
prompted questions as to how far the borders of the
European Higher Education Area (EHEA) might grow.
And beyond the geographical profile of the new EHEA,
the Bologna Process is having an impact on higher
education reform in countries and regions as far away as
Australia, Latin America and Africa.
As Bologna framers look to expand their horizons,
so higher education professionals in other parts of the
world are beginning to look at Bologna as a potential
model for educational reform. Globalization presents
many challenges and opportunities for higher education
systems and institutions around the world. Increased
student and faculty mobility offers new and exciting
opportunities for international academic collaboration
and cultural exchange, while advancements in
information and communication technology allow for
faster exchanges of knowledge and greater flexibility in
the creation of joint study programs. However, this new
spirit of international cooperation in higher education
represents a host of challenges related to issues such as
academic recognition, quality assurance standards, and
compatibility of qualification frameworks.
There appear to be two distinct ways in which
Bologna is impacting reform beyond Europe. In some
countries, Bologna tools and action areas, such as the
Diploma Supplement and the harmonization of quality
assessment procedures, are being piloted on an 'a-la
carte' basis, while in other countries, more wholesale
efforts are being adopted as countries restructure higher
education in terms of the three-cycle Bologna model.
Many centuries after European nations imposed their
systems of education on foreign shores through imperial
conquest, and half a century after the US model was
adopted in parts of Asia, it might be argued that a new
“Euro model” is beginning to emerge as an influence on
education systems around the world via the more
collaborative means of cross-border cooperation.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Given the general framework and context analysis,
as the good results of the organizations for the study of
sustainability in higher education in the U.S., we
considered reasonable to extend some dimensions of it
in Europe too. Research for this paper consists of an
extensive documentary on sustainability in higher
education and shaping courses of action for the
possibility of its implementation and development in
Romania. The main methods of study were observation
and some case studies of U.S. and E.U.
A very interesting work in the field (McNamara, K.
H., 2008), tried to answer at two fundamental questions:
• What factors are essential for initiating and
leading a successful change effort to foster
sustainability in higher education?
257
• What processes guide higher education
institutions in efforts to deeply and comprehensively
implement sustainable changes?
A sequential mixed-methods research design was
used to gather data from questionnaires administered to
86 colleges and universities in the United States
implementing sustainability programs, from interviews
with 20 individuals who are guiding the change
processes at ten different institutions, and from archival
records documenting the initiatives and outcomes at
these colleges and universities. After the data had been
analyzed to identify common themes, factors and
change process strategies, the results of the analyses
were examined in relationship to existing models of
change in higher education. Significant correlations
were found between the change strategies used and the
support systems provided by these institutions and the
level of progress achieved on the sustainability
initiatives.
RESULTS AND IMPLICATIONS
Research study conducted by McNamara, open
questions that have been made respondents, there led to
a comprehensive collection of good practices in this
field, practices which may take into account by
Romanian universities. The collection summarizes most
of the key themes that were addressed in this study and
offers valuable words of advice to those who seek to
foster sustainability initiatives at their own institutions
of higher education. We mention the most important
actions:

Obtain backing of the president's office as a
champion of the initiative.

Institutionalize the sustainability initiative.

Empower the committee with the authority to make
decisions and the power to enforce them.

Develop, formally adopt and implement a
sustainability plan.

Allocate resources necessary to achieve the plan.

Foster greater and more active participation of the
faculty in promoting sustainable efforts.

Build a strong student commitment.

Engage more people; try to get everyone to be part
of a continuing effort.

Adopt a holistic approach to sustainability.

Stay the course - maintain the forward movement
and the enthusiasm into the future.
We believe that recommendations from this list
should be able to solve many of the problems facing
universities worldwide, not just those in the U.S. On the
other hand, many of these recommendations we found
to European guidelines in trying to harmonize the
Bologna principles with sustainable development.
Since over 600 universities worldwide have
committed themselves towards sustainability by signing
international agreements and convention such as the
Bologna Charter, The Halifax Declaration, the Talloires
Declaration and the Copernicus Charter for Sustainable
Development (signed to date by over 240 European
258 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
universities), however proving the importance of
international academic collaboration.
Since its inception by the former European Rector’s
Conference (CRE) in 1993, 328 universities and higher
education institutions from 38 countries across Europe
(as of 31 December 2006) have signed the University
Charter for Sustainable Development, thereby declaring
that they will give sustainable development an important
place in their activities. This implies that in curricula,
institutional management and services to the
local/regional society, a responsible balance between
economical, ecological and social/cultural aspects has to
be worked out. Due to this broad acceptance in daily
university life, the COPERNICUS Charter constitutes
today principle guidance for the majority of higher
education institutions in Europe in their efforts to
contribute to sustainable development.
To achieve these aims and fulfil their basic mission,
universities are urged to make every effort to subscribe
to and implement the ten principles of actions set out
below (principles of action -COPERNICUS Charter):
1. Institutional commitment: Universities shall
demonstrate real commitment to the principle and
practice of environmental protection and sustainable
development within the academic milieu.
2. Environmental ethics: Universities shall promote
among teaching staff, students and the public at large
sustainable consumption patterns and an ecological
lifestyle, while fostering programmes to develop the
capacities of the academic staff to teach environmental
literacy.
3. Education of university employees: Universities
shall provide education, training and encouragement to
their employees on environmental issues, so that they
can pursue their work in an environmentally responsible
manner.
4. Programmes in environmental education:
Universities shall incorporate an environmental
perspective in all their work and set up environmental
education programmes involving both teachers and
researchers as well as students - all of whom should be
exposed to the global challenges of environment and
development, irrespective of their field of study.
5. Interdisciplinarity: Universities shall encourage
interdisciplinary and collaborative education and
research programmes related to sustainable development
as part of the institution's central mission.
6. Dissemination of knowledge: Universities shall
support efforts to fill in the gaps in the present literature
available for students, professionals, decision-makers
and the general public by preparing information didactic
material, organizing public lectures, and establishing
training programmes. They should also be prepared to
participate in environmental audits.
7. Networking: Universities shall promote
interdisciplinary networks of environmental experts at
the local, national, regional and international levels,
with the aim of collaborating on common environmental
projects in both research and education. For this, the
mobility of students and scholars should be encouraged.
8. Partnerships: Universities shall take the initiative
in forging partnerships with other concerned sectors of
society, in order to design and implement coordinated
approaches, strategies and action plans.
9. Continuing education programmes: Universities
shall devise environmental educational programmes on
these issues for different target groups: e.g. business,
governmental agencies, non-governmental
organizations, the media.
10. Technology transfer: Universities shall
contribute to educational programmes designed to
transfer educationally sound and innovative
technologies and advanced management methods.
The principles of action listed above are general and
open-ended. It is left to each individual institution and
its students and staff to give them substance compatible
with local circumstances.
In Romania, only 8 universities have signed the
University Charter for Sustainable Development
(COPERNICUS Charter). It is expected that other
universities in Romania to participate in this process
and, slowly, the concept of sustainability to be
implemented in academia area too. The fact that have
signed and acceded to this document does not mean that
sustainability was already implemented in the
universities, but is a first step towards achievement.
Ideally it is that other Romanian universities to follow
the example above, to realize the importance of this
concept and the benefits that its implementation would
bring both academic and local communities, human
society generally.
References
1. Calder, W., Clugston, R. (2003). Progress toward
sustainability in higher education. Environmental Law
Review, News & Analysis, 33, 10003-10023.
2. Clugston, R. M., Calder, W., (1999), Critical Dimensions
of Sustainability in Higher Education, This chapter
appeared originally in Sustainability and University Life,
Walter Leal Filho ed., published by Peter Lang, pages 1-
5
3. Corcoran, P., Wals, A. (Eds.) (2004). Higher education
and the challenge of sustainability: Problematics,
promise, and practice. Dordrecht, The Netherlands:
Kluwer Academic.
4. Eckel, P., Hill, B., Green, M. & Mallon, B. (1999). On
Change III, Taking charge of change: a primer for
colleges and universities. Washington, DC: American
Council on Education.
5. McNamara, K. H., (2008), Fostering Sustainability In
Higher Education: A Mixed-Methods Study Of
Transformative Leadership And Change Strategies, A
Dissertation, Submitted to the Ph.D. in Leadership &
Change Program of Antioch University in partial
fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor
of Philosophy
6. Stanton, T., Giles, D. & Cruz, N. (1999). Service-
learning: A movement’s pioneers reflect on its origins,
practice and future. San Franciso, CA: Jossey-Bass.
7. COPERNICUS-Guidelines for Sustainable Development
in the European Higher Education Area, How to
incorporate the principles of sustainable development
into the Bologna Process,
(www.unece.org/env/esd/information/COPERNICUS%2
0Guidelines.pdf)
 QUALITY ASSURANCE APPROACHES IN THE ROMANIAN HIGHER EDUCATION:
ACTORS, OPINIONS, PROCESSES

Mihai PAUNESCU
1
ARACIS, paunescu.mihai@gmail.com

This paper aims to unveil the different meanings of quality assurance in the Romanian higher education system. It thus addresses the topic of
culture and quality in higher education. The paper is the result of researches undertaken in the framework of two projects developed and
implemented by ARACIS in 2009. The two researches focused on investigating the opinions and perceptions of various stakeholders, university
teachers, managers, students, employers, recruiters, professional associations’ representatives. The study hypothesis is that various stakeholders
hold different views of quality in higher education that differ from the legal prescriptions and that determine different approaches and attitudes
towards quality assurance. The study tries to explain the puzzling finding that most stakeholders have a positive perception of the higher
education in general, but are quite critical when it comes to aspects such as labor market insertion of graduates and/or competences that higher
education produces. One possible answer to be explored is that there are various meanings and cultures of what is quality in higher education
that depart from the legal prescriptions. The research is original as it tries to develop a grounded approach to quality assurance, unpacking the
meanings of the concept and the approach for various stakeholders as these diverge from the legalistic ones. The research has implications on the
policies and politics of quality assurance in higher education, on the way the society perceives the higher educational services; it has implications
on the sustainability of higher education in the actual society as it identifies what is valued and what is expected from the higher education
institutions. The research is original as it tries to develop a grounded approach to quality assurance, being based on empirical evidence about the
opinions of various stakeholders as well as opinions and procedures employed by decision-makers at faculty and university levels. Sustainability
in higher education is thus seen from a different perspective, as a gap between the opinions and practices of internal actors, the expectations of
the external actors, namely the beneficiaries of the education, and objective the needs of the labor market in particular and society in general

QUALITY – A MULTIFACETED CONCEPT

The three mostly used concepts in relation to higher

education are probably quality, autonomy and
responsibility. Further, the concept of governance is
supposed to be all-embracing. However, we are far from
having a common usage and understanding of these
terms. Rather, they are quite versatile in grounding
different views and approaches of the higher education
system, its institutions and missions. Of them all, maybe
the concept of quality is the most controversial and
fiercely debated. There are several dimensions along
which the concept of quality is considered: however,
despite the fact that each is important, the options inside
the dimensions are in general non-exclusive – there is
only a shift of emphasis without completely replacing
one option in favor of the other. Here are a few
examples:
• academic quality versus employability
(professional training);
• compliance with legal standards and
procedures versus market-driven approach;
• input-based versus learning outcomes
based;
• objectively measured versus subjectively
appraised (consumer satisfaction);
• good-practice benchmarking versus fitness
for purpose in respect to strategic
institutional goals.
Furthermore, ”among the quality concepts of higher
education are […] (a) the exceptional or excellence,
which bears an element of elitism; (b) perfection or
consistency, which is linked to notion of reliability and
to conformity through compliance with set standards;
(c) fitness for purpose, often linked to the need to
address fitness of purpose as the required reference
point; (d) value for money, which is sometimes linked
to the notion of value for time invested, both of which
relate more closely than other definitions of quality
to the quality concept of – partly rational and partly
emotional – customer satisfaction; (e) transformation,
considering the individual gain accrued in the course of
a learning experience.” (Kohler, 2009, p.13)
The versatility of the concept of quality is even more
pronounced in the context of a drift away from the old
academic culture of traditional universities and blurring
the distinctions between academic, research-driven
education and vocational training. The university itself,
as a learning organization, becomes the object of
different representations as its missions are continuingly
challenged and redesigned. From the traditional
humboldtian view of universities placing heavy
emphasis on the academic research capabilities to the
current emphasis on marketising competencies, abilities
and certifications for the labor market there is a
tremendous change in the way the mission of university
is conceived. The public provision of the higher
education services is more justified in the traditional
view, as the research benefits span across the entire
society thus the services provided by universities
constituting public goods3. Alternatively, the
3
Public goods have the properties of non-excludability
(no one can be excluded from consuming/benefiting the
good or service) and non-rivalry (when one benefits
260 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
massification and commodification of universities turn
their services into private educational investments
through which student beneficiaries and their families
raise their employability and earning prospects by
acquiring competences and certificates. The approach
to quality as compliance with legal standards and
procedures applies mostly to the traditional view of
university, more in line with the public good approach
of university services. Alternatively, the market-driven
approach applies mostly the second view as autonomous
actors-clients make rational choices in a liberalized
market thus choosing among the educational services
offered according to their preferences. However, the
mission of universities is always larger than raising
employability and providing private educational
services. Since the London Communiqué of 2007
additional aims of the HE institutions have been
identified: preparing students for life as active citizens
in a democratic society, enabling their personal
development, creating and maintaining a broad,
advanced knowledge base. At least these would require
stronger regulations and centralized quality
enforcement.
QUALITY – SUBJECTIVE VIEWS IN THE
ROMANIAN CONTEXT
In the researches undertaken by ARACIS in 2009,
quality was mainly subjectively considered in multiple
contexts: the views and perceptions of various
stakeholders regarding higher education and its results.
We have thus investigated the opinions of employers,
students, university teachers and managers as well as
professional associations’ representatives and recruiters.
The questionnaires’ dimensions were grouped around
input, process, output and feedback. This paper sets to
explain the varying references the subjects use when
considering the quality of the higher education. While
most think positively about the general level of quality
of higher education institutions, the opinions become
much less favorable when considering particular aspects
of higher education such as employability and other
output elements. These apparent inconsistencies stem
from the different perspectives the actors employ when
judging the quality of higher education in general as
compared to analytic aspects as provision of certain
competences required by the labor market.
Table 1: Caption
Input elements
Students’ motivations to continue their education at
tertiary level.
Students’ reasons for choosing the faculty.
Process elements
Quality of the educational process.
Students’ representations on the course contents.
Students’ perceptions of the assessment process.
Teachers’ representations on the factors that lead to high
from good or service does not decrease the chances of
another one to consume the respective good or service)
quality courses.
Differences between teachers and students’ views.
Output elements
Views on the responsibility for acquiring the competences
necessary to perform the job.
Perceived relation between university and labor market.
Perception of the acquired competences and abilities.
Feedback elements
Students’ perceptions of the general level of higher
education.
Employers’ perceptions of the general level of higher
education.
Perceptions about the role and activity of ARACIS (the
Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher
Education).
METHODOLOGY
This paper is based on the results of three surveys
conducted in May – June 2009 on nationally
representative samples of higher education students,
teachers and respectively employers. Additionally, in
April – June 2009, several interviews were conducted
with employers, professional associations’
representatives and graduates. These have targeted the
input, process and outcome elements mentioned above.
The first survey addressed a sample of 1500 students
from 40 universities and 135 faculties. The selection of
subjects was probabilistic, stratified, multi-layered, the
criteria for selecting the universities being the size and
geographical location. The faculties were chosen
randomly inside the universities. The results from the
students sample have a margin of error of ±2,31% and a
confidence level of 95%.
The second survey addressed a sample of 1540
teachers from 130 faculties similarly chosen. The
margin of error ±2,27%, guaranteed with a probability
of 95%.
The third survey addressed a sample of 1256
employers’ representatives out of which 1001 private
employers. The sample has been selected by a multi-
layered and stratified technique. The stratification
criteria were the ownership, size of the firm, type of
activity (only for the public institutions) and
geographical coverage. At each level, the selection has
been random. Inside each firm, the interviews have
targeted the persons responsible in recruiting and
employing human resources; these could be either:
administrators/managers, representatives of human
resources departments, chief of departments or, in small
enterprises, owners. .The sample has a margin of error
of ±2,71%, guaranteed by a probability of 95%.
RESULTS
As a general conclusion, the main actors of the higher
education system, the students and teachers are
generally satisfied with the quality of the educational
process. The overall image of their university/faculty is
also positive. However, when it comes to outputs,
Quality Assurance and Trans-National Education 261

though not unsatisfied, employers tend to be less completion of the studies” is sought. Though the
optimistic about the competences of the graduates when majority agrees with the statement, 37% rather disagree,
entering the labor market. while 17% cannot answer the questions. On the contrary
However, the students tend to be relatively more critical teachers agree with this statement in 60% and tend to
than their teachers when it comes to the evaluating the disagree in 33%.
quality of the teaching process. Asked to rate on a scale When it comes to evaluating the output, students’
from 1 to 10 where 1 means total disagreement and 10 opinions are more pessimistic than their teachers’. 29%
total agreement different aspects of the teaching of the students rather disagree with the statement the
process, Table 2 presents the means scores for students faculty I’m enrolled in offers me all competences
and respectively teachers. The satisfaction level for the necessary to become a good specialist in this field,
students group vary lightly with the year of study, the while 69% agree. The teachers agree with the statement
status of the student (paying fees or bursary) and the faculty I’m teaching in offers students all
command of a foreign language. As the year of study competences necessary to become a good specialist in
increases, the students’ level of satisfaction with the this field in 90%, while only 8% disagree.
teaching process decreases. Also, students paying fees When asked about the quality of the Romanian
tend to be more exigent as they see their education as a higher education system, students agree and
private investment and require more value for money. respectively disagree in 41% that the Romanian HE
Also, students in command of a foreign language tend to system is at least as good as the Western European
be more critical as they have a higher probability of ones, while 18% don’t know or don’t answer the
having been exposed to other education systems, but question. The dichotomous trend is thus continued for
also as an indicator of their own level of knowledge and students, while teachers agree in 61% and tend to
capacity to make informed judgements. This also disagree in 33%.
applies to students enrolled in higher years of study.
Turning to employers’ opinions, in Table 3
comparative appraisals of necessity and satisfaction are
Students Teachers presented in relation to various competences. Necessity
of the specific competence has been evaluated from 1
Teaching not important to 5 very important. Satisfaction with the
level graduates hold when entering the company was
The teaching is 7,4 8,5 The students find measured on a scale from 1 totally disatisfied to 5 very
very clear for the teaching very satisfied. Table 3 entries represent means from
our clear to understand employers’ sample.
understanding
Employers’ opinions Satisfaction Necessity
Teachers know 7,0 8,5 The students
how to make the consider the Specialist in the field 3,7 4,6
teaching teaching interesting
interesting Capacity to convincingly 3,6 4,4
argue a point of view
The courses are 7,3 8,8 The courses are Capacity to work in teams 4,0 4,8
mentally mentally
challenging challenging Capacity to lead a team 3,5 4,6

The faculty in 8,1 8,9 The faculty in Capacity to organize 3,8 4,8
which you learn which you teach is a herself at the workplace
is a very good very good one Analythic thinking 3,6 4,5
one
Creativity 3,5 4,4
Table 2: Students and teachers opinions regarding the teaching process
Table 3: Employers opinions regarding the output of higher education
Alternatively, when it comes to evaluating the
competences and abilities needed at the workplace, the Though generally not dissatisfied with the level of
students are less positive. Without being pessimistic, competence of the graduates, there is an important
40% consider in small and very small measure that the discrepancy between average levels of employers’
faculty helps them acquire all competences and abilities satisfaction and average levels of perceived necessity
required on the labor market. Though the majority for each of the competences listed.
considers the faculty does provide these competences, When asked about the agreement with the statement
the two halves distribute almost evenly. The distribution the graduates have a good theoretical background in
presents the same dichotomy when the field, on a scale from 1 (totally agree) to 10 (totally
agreement/disagreement with the statement “I don’t disagree), the employers’ mean score is 6,2. Even
think I will have difficulties finding the desired job after worse, when asked about the graduates’ practical
262 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
abilities in the field, the average score is 4,8!
Furthermore, the 40% of the employers declare that they
prefer graduates that worked part-time during their
studies, 26% prefer graduates that worked full-time,
11% prefer those who did not have a job and 17% do
not consider this as an employment criterion. The
relatively high proportion of employers who prefer
graduates that worked during their studies show a lack
of confidence in the appropriateness of the study
contents and consider that for a good professional
insertion it is necessary complementing the academic
training with independent work experience.
CONCLUSIONS
The data presented show important discrepancies
between the fairly positive general evaluation of the
higher education system by the students and teachers
and to an important degree also employers and the
considerably less optimistic evaluation of the outputs of
higher education on the part of students and more
importantly of employers. The differences stem from
the reference employed in judging the quality of the
higher education system and its institutions, on the one
hand, and the particular outputs investigated on the
other hand.
The general appraisal of higher education, especially
when it comes to actors from the system, teachers and
students is not independent from the legal prescriptions
about quality which overwhelmingly emphasize input
indicators and are largely administrative. However,
considering the employability mission of the higher
education, in addition to academic training, the overly
optimistic view is not sustainable. The dominant culture
of complacency and of considering the universities’
processes and outcomes as good enough cannot lead to
a shift towards a culture of quality, of questioning the
current assumptions and reforming the higher education.
The image of elitist university, addressing the brightest
in field and producing a handful of excellent specialists
is very much spread to the disadvantage of a model of
university promoting even standards and striving for the
average or lowest level graduate. Thus not the
excellence standard is important but the passing
standard that ensures a minimal acceptable level for all
graduates entering the labor market in special and
society in general.
According to current standards and methodology, as
well as general public opinion, the level of quality is
quite high, yet when it comes to satisfaction regarding
the professional insertion of graduates, Romanian
universities fail to an important extent. The market-
approach to quality assurance could be a sustainable
model in the long run. Yet, without market regulations
to ensure a fair competition, asymmetries of information
prevent an optimal allocation of resources. The round-
tables held in September 2009 in various faculty
councils revealed the concern of faculty members that
due to competition pressures they are forced to lower
the costs and thus quality. As long as the most important
transaction is not that of competences, but of
certificates, the universities that are most efficient at
issuing certificates gain market share. Issuing
certificates without a serious quality enforcer is a
common pool problem. In the long run, it decreases the
credibility of the entire system and not only of the
issuing university. In order to keep up with less quality
concerned competitors, even more prestigious
universities need to lower costs and consequently
quality. The market is thus not enough for assuring a
sustainable quality for society’s needs; at least not an
asymmetric market where consumers are much less
informed than the providers in terms of the quality of
the service delivered.
The solution some of the university representatives
proposed is a typical hobbesian one: to increase the
powers of a quality enforcer (particularly ARACIS) that
would prevent less quality concerned universities to
issue certificates at an inflationary rate. This would be a
top-down approach. Conversely a bottom-up approach
is one that fosters the emergence of quality cultures
within the universities and then partnerships between
universities and employers’ representatives as well as
professional associations. By expanding the academic
community into society, the focal group of interests
becomes encompassing including student, employers
and thus more able to promote a sustainable culture of
quality. Sustainable governance of higher education
institutions shall effectively include not only teachers’
representatives, but also, students’, employers’, civil
society’s. Reaching a larger, all-encompassing interest
community would be an olsonian solution to a
fragmented system characterized by a mainly traditional
view of a non-externally questioned academic
environment.
AKNOWLEDGMENTS
This work was accomplished under the project:” Quality
Assurance in Higher Education in Romania within
European Context. Development of Academic Quality
Management at System and Institutional Level” –
ACADEMIS, POSDRU/2/1.2/S/1, Project Manager
Prof. Ioan CURTU, Ph. D, Romanian Agency for
Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ARACIS).
References
1. Kohler, J.(2009), „Quality“ in European Higher
Education, Paper prepared for the UNESCO Forum on
Higher Education in the Europe Region: Access, Values,
Quality and Competitiveness, 21-24 May 2009,
Bucharest, Romania
2. Van Damme, D. (2001), “Higher Education In The Age
Of Globalisation: The need for a new regulatory
framework for recognition, quality assurance and
accreditation”, Introductory Paper for the UNESCO
Expert Meeting Paris, 10-11 September 2001.
3. Vlăsceanu, L., Hâncean G.M., Voicu, B., Tufiș C. (2009),
Starea Calității în Învățământul Superior. Barometrul
Calității 2009, QualMedia, București.
 BOLOGNA PROCESS IN ROMANIA – ACHIEVEMENTS AND FAILURES

Iuliana PÂRVU1, Dragoş Mihai IPATE2

1
„Spiru Haret” University, iulia.parvu@yahoo.com
2
„Spiru Haret” University, dragosmihaiipate@yahoo.com

Abstract. This paper aims to highlight the achievements and the failures of the Romanian higher education institutions in their challenge to
participate at the creation of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) based on international cooperation and academic exchange.
Because 2010 is the year initially established to be the end of the Bologna Process, we find important to critically analyze the way that our
country has assimilated the principles of the process comparing with the experience of the other European countries. The main approach
used was comparison between the initially goals of the Bologna Process (as they were determined at 19th of June 1999) and the results of
the Romanian higher education activity as they are in 2010. In the same time, we made comparisons between the European higher
education systems in order to highlight which are the futures challenges for Romanian universities to become an integrated part of the
EHEA. We have determined the achievements and the failures of the higher education system in our country, in the main areas envisaged
by the EHEA. We consider the results of the study are useful for all educational stake-holders like managers in higher education at national
level, managers of higher education institutions, academic staff and students. Our work originality is due to the fact that we realize a
synthetic image of the higher education system in the European context and we also critically analyze this layout from the managerial point
of view.
Keywords: Bologna Process, higher education management, European Higher Education Area.

1. Social dimension – involves improving the

INTRODUCTION
The general principles stated in the Declaration of
Sorbonne were the basis for Bologna Declaration of
European Ministers of Education, signed on June 19,
1999 by 29 European countries, including Romania. The
document signed in Bologna provides a set of specific
objectives in order to create a European Higher
Education Area (The European Higher Education Area
- EHEA) and an initial given deadline for 2010. During
meetings held between 1999 to 2007 in Prague, Berlin,
Bergen, London, Leuven, there have been established
courses of action regarding European higher education
systems and monitorizing the performance of Member
states in complying with the these courses.
The most recent meeting of the Bologna Process
was held in April 2009 in Leuven, Belgium. During this
meeting were reviewed the achievements considered to
be made so far and have been stated priorities for the
decade 2010 – 2020.
Achievements:
- permanent cooperation between governments,
higher education institutions, students, staff, employers
and other stakeholders;
- a great compatibility and comparability of the
systems of higher education, as well as a greater
mobility for learners;
- a three-cycle structure including, within
national contexts, the possibility of intermediate
qualifications linked to the first cycle and with the
adoption of the European Standards and Guidelines for
quality assurance;
- the creation of a European register for quality
assurance agencies and the establishment of national
qualifications frameworks linked to the overarching
European Higher Education Area framework, based on
learning outcomes and workload;
Priorities:
learning environment, removing all barriers to study,
and creating the appropriate economic conditions for
students to be able to benefit from the study
opportunities at all levels.
2. Lifelong Learning
3. Employability - higher education should equip
students with the advanced knowledge, skills and
competences they need throughout their professional
lives;
4. Student-centered learning - requires empowering
individual learners, new approaches to teaching and
learning, effective support and guidance structures and a
curriculum focused more clearly on the learner in all
three cycles.
5. Education, research and innovation - the number
of people with research competences should increase.
6. Mobility – it is important for personal
development and employability, it fosters respect for
diversity and a capacity to deal with other cultures.
7. Multidimensional transparency tools - These
transparency tools need to relate closely to the
principles of the Bologna Process, in particular quality
assurance and recognition, which will remain our
priority, and should be based on comparable data and
adequate indicators to describe the diverse profiles of
higher education institutions and their programmes.
8. Funding - Greater attention should be paid to
seeking new and diversified funding sources and
methods.
The analysis made within this paper deals with how
the Romanian higher education system has responded
until now to the above mentioned priorities.
SOCIAL DIMENSION
The social dimension of higher education presents a
significant challenge to European cooperation as it is
understood so differently from one country to another.
264 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
For Romania no comparable data was found to enable
us to explore socioeconomic background or ethnic
origin, so we focused on gender and age inequalities.
Regarding access to tertiary education by gender, the
statistics show that in most European countries there are
a higher proportion of females than males accessing
ISCED levels 5 and 6, and Romania is not an exception.
In 2007, females were 56% of population enrolled in
higher education. More, during the period 1999 -2007,
all countries except Bulgaria have seen an increase in
the proportion of women among tertiary education
students.
Regarding inter-group inequalities by age, the
status of it is somehow ambiguous. Nevertheless we
present the average age of the Romanian population
enrolled in higher education as being 21.8 years face
with an European average as 22.2 years. Yet, these data
do not let as to conclude about potential iniquities
regarding aging.
As a whole, it can be concluded that in terms of the
social dimension of European higher education, the
indicators used by European countries are not enough,
data collection is not done systematically, which does
not allow obtaining enough relevant results for make
relevant conclusions. So, the challenge at this level
consists in formulating a methodology and a set of
relevant indicators to measure the social dimension of
European higher education.
LIFE LONG LEARNING
Lifelong learning has become a recognized mission
of higher education institutions during the Bologna
decade, but nevertheless remains a peripheral concern in
many countries. The Lifelong Learning indicator refers
to persons aged 25 to 64 who stated that they received
education or training in the four weeks preceding the
survey, whilst the denominator consists of the total
population of the same age group, excluding those who
did not answer the question 'participation in education
and training'.
In terms of Romania, our country is on the
penultimate place in Europe, followed only by Bulgaria.
Thus, in the year 2005 the proportion of people aged
between 25 and 64 years involved in educational
programs of any kind was 1.6%, compared to the
European average of 9.7%. Very high rates of this
indicator were in Sweden (32.1%), Denmark (27.4%),
and Great Britain (27.5%).
Therefore, Romania is far below the European
average and far from the "target" set for 2010 on this
indicator, during the meetings of the Bologna Process,
that of 12.5%. To improve the value of this indicator the
existing studies emphasize the need to implement two
categories of measures. The first category follows the
example of Anglo-Saxon and Nordic countries, which
have shown that by supporting the development of
structures for non-formal and informal learning, in
addition to the formal education system, there can be
obtained higher values of the LLL indicator. The second
category of measures consists of strategic measures at
the national level, which may cause changes to factors
which were shown to influence that indicator, namely:
the ratio of urban population / rural population (people
living in rural areas had higher non-participation rates in
training than people living in semi-urban or urban
areas); previous level of educational attainment (on
average, around one in three people in the EU who has a
high educational level takes part in non-formal
education per year); occupational status (participation in
adult education is lower for the unemployed and
inactive than the employed); occupation (amongst the
employed, different occupations provide different rates
of access to adult learning); firm size (small firms are
less likely to provide training for their workers).
EMPLOYABILITY
Employability has been one of the main goals to be
achieved with the creation of the European Higher
Education Area (EHEA) from the very start.
As regards Romania, the situation of assimilation of
highly qualified labor force in the labor market is
characterized by the following:
- In the worldwide top of labor competitiveness,
developed by the World Economic Forum, Romania
ranks 68;
- A Manpower study on recruitment difficulties
shows that Romania ranks 1 in the world, with 73% of
employers reporting that they are encountering
difficulties in covering the needs of personnel;
- According to the INS about 80% of higher
education graduates are working in other professional
specialty than the one for which were trained;
- A study of the Ministry of Labor shows the
following: the involvement of relevant employers and
social partners is very limited in terms of planning the
university education, the connection between
universities and industry / employers are very weak; the
biggest problem facing university graduates is related to
the "lack of experience", but companies are beginning,
however, to waive this condition and provide
employment for as long as young people are going
through several stages of practice during the years of
college;
- The forecast for higher education graduates in
2009 shows that at most 10% of them will be able to
find an employment.
Solving these problems requires implementation of
measures which have in view adapting the university
curricula to labor market needs. Of course, these
measures, in terms of university autonomy, may be
initiated only in the higher education institutions. At
national level, in order to determine the universities to
leave their inertia in this problem, we propose an
increased importance, as indicator of quality
measurement, given to the ratio of graduates assimilated
in the labor market, namely to the existence of
Quality Assurance and Trans-National Education
organizational structures that demonstrates collaboration
of university with representatives of labor market.
STUDENT-CENTERED LEARNING
Student – centered learning describes ways of
thinking about learning and teaching that emphasize
student responsibility for such activities as planning
learning, interacting with teachers and other students,
researching and assessing learning. A study, regarding
deficiencies of the Romanian higher education learning
system, developed by authors allows the formulation of
the following conclusions:
- A major part of the teaching staff has not
assimilated the instruments which the modern
technology accommodates to facilitate the teacher-
student frame communication;
- The teaching methods that determine the
creative, personal intervention of the student have a
relatively reduced significance;
- A major part of the students don’t have a clear
image over the objectives of all the studied classes,
learn only during the examination session and use as
bibliography material solely the lecture and the book of
the professor;
- The students appreciate of the teaching staff
the raised relational capacity and the extent to which the
teachers use efficient teaching methods, but consider
that less than half of the teaching staff are willing to
discuss informally;
- The students learn first in order to find a job,
and a relatively major part of them don’t find any
motivation for learning;
- It is observed a growth tendency of the rapid
examination forms proportion as based on open
questions or the written one based on the grid type
questions, as opposed to the verbal examination as
based on subjects or projects; also it is noticed the fact
that the students’ examination, in many cases is
exclusively focused during the examination session.
- Only a third of the students choose to study
because they „like” it and upon admission, as a rule, the
students are not guided according to their aptitudes;
- The students are not informed about the fact
that their interests are represented in the leading corps of
the university/faculty.
All the above conclusions, in the global context of
the study, sustain the idea that the Romanian learning-
teaching system is still not centered on the student.
EDUCATION, RESEARCH, INNOVATION
According with the European strategies, higher
education should be based at all levels on state of the art
research and development thus fostering innovation and
creativity in society.
No university in Romania does enter in Shanghai
rankings (which classifies universities according to their
scientific performance). A first explanation of this
265
situation is that for research in our country are allocated
minimum financial resources (0.04% of GDP, in 2004,
year for which we have data available, compared to a
European average of 0.41% and to a goal of 3% under
the Lisbon Strategy). Other causes that determine the
situation of research in Romanian universities have been
identified by authors during the study mentioned above
and refer to:
- Teachers on the upper level of academic hierarchy
are not motivated to continue to get involved in such
projects and share from their experience with less
experienced teachers;
- Insufficient subsidies for research (apparatuses,
laboratories, software, subscriptions to well-known
international publications, on-line subscriptions);
- Excessive inflexible bureaucracy and a weak
organization from the logistic point of view of the
research activity within universities;
- There is not an adequate mentality to achieve
performance and excellence within scientific research,
since there is still the habit of unrecognized contribution
that does not fit into the evaluation process and this is
compromising the entire research system.
MOBILITY
Student mobility has been an over-arching goal of
the Bologna process since its inception, and the drive to
promote mobility has been consistent throughout the
last decade. But, while most countries have some
financial measures in place to support student mobility,
the economic disparity between countries in the
European Higher Education Area creates major
problems for the less wealthy countries and citizens. So,
despite the ministerial agreement of a target that 20 %
of graduates should have experienced a study or training
period abroad by 2020, few countries have so far
adopted this goal as a part of a national higher education
strategy.
As regards Romanians citizens studying abroad,
existing data show that their number is increasing year
by year and, by late 2007, Romania was in the first half
of the European ranking EUROSTAT on the number of
students studying in another European country. (20300,
number which represents approximately 2.5%). At the
same time, in terms of foreign students coming to study
in Romania, the situation is unsatisfactory, so the
position of Romania in the European rankings (which is
placed behind Bulgaria, Czech Republic, and Hungary)
and the fact that, according to EUROSTAT, the number
of Europeans students coming to study in Romania is in
constant decline (in 2006 it represented 1.5% of overall
number of students), demonstrates that the Romanian
higher education is still unattractive to European
partners.
FUNDING
266 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
In recent decades, public funding for HE has not
adequately reflected the massive growth in student
numbers, resulting in a gap in financial resources. The
funding gap is a priority issue of both national and
international concern, and has
never been as present as it is today. The main funding
sources for the Romanian higher education are:
- public funds – In 2005 Romania allocated
0.08% of GDP which placed our country on the last
places among European countries;
- tuition fees - the introduction or rising of
tuition fees becomes an easy solution to a complex
problem, when the money
available within the higher education sector remains
insufficient in order for there to be an adequate level of
quality. In our opinion the argument of disciplining
students by burdening them
financially is superficial and not worth any serious
consideration. Tuition fees negatively affect poorer
students, while those from a financially
well-off background will still be able to afford
irresponsible behavior.
The question which arises in connection with this
issue is to attract financing of higher education from
various sources and of course, to ensure the efficiency
of this action from the social, economic and pedagogical
point of view.
CONCLUSIONS
Bologna process is far from being complete and
from achieving its goals. A good part of its objectives,
as developing a certification system of higher education
comparable and understandable to all EU countries,
organizing university studies in three cycles, providing a
European dimension to higher education quality,
promoting the European dimension of higher education
in terms of curricular development and inter-
institutional cooperation, increasing participation of
student organizations in creating EHEA (The European
Higher Education Area), though perfectible, can be
considered as being in substantial progress during 1999
- 2009. However, a number of important issues remain
to be solved, such as:
 social dimension of higher education -
eliminating inequity in terms of access to higher
education is still in the stage of goal. More than that: the
instruments and methodologies for expressing this
indicator refers to access to higher education according
to age and gender, other factors, potential determinants
of inequity, being not assessed;
 lifelong learning - the value of the indicator set
as "target", namely 12.5%, was exceeded by an
important part of European states, mainly the Nordic
and Anglo-Saxon countries. Romania, with a value of
1.6% of this indicator, takes the penultimate place in
Europe and is still far from the aimed target;
 employability - statistics show that Romania
occupies a weak position in the ranking of European
countries in terms of professional relevance of
university graduates
 student-centered learning - educational systems
oriented to the student remains a goal for the Romanian
educational system;
 education, research and innovation -
performance in scientific research obtained from
Romanian universities are very few quoted on the
European level and this situation has two major causes,
one being financing, the other being related to the
organization of this activity.
 mobility - is another target far from being
reached by European countries. Romania occupies a
relatively satisfactory position in terms of Romanian
students studying in other countries, instead, the number
of foreign students coming to study here is continuously
decreasing;
 funding - the diversification of financing
sources of higher education is a challenge for European
countries to the extent in which the increasing students’
number makes it impossible their financial support, only
from public funds.
References
1. Heinze, T. and Knill, C., (2008), “Analysing the differential
impact of the Bologna Process: Theoretical considerations on
national conditions for internal policy convergence”, Higher
Education, (2008) 56: pp. 493 – 510
2. Orosz, A., (2008), “The Bologna Process in Croatia”, European
Education, vol. 40, no. 2: pp. 66 - 84
3. Pusztai, G. and Szabo, P. (2008), “The Bologna Process as a
Trojan Horse”, European Education, vol. 40, no. 2, Summer
2008: pp. 85 - 103
4. Reinalda, B., (2008), “The Bologna Process and Its
Achievements in Europe 1999 – 2007”, Journal of Political
Science Education, 4/2008: pp. 463 – 476
5. Tauch, C., (2004), “Almost Half-time in the Bologna Process –
Where Do We Stand?”, European Journal of Education, vol. 39,
no. 3: pp. 275 – 288
6. The Bologna Process 2020- The European Higher Education
Area in the New Decade – Communiqué of the Conference of
European Ministers Responsible for Higher Education, Leuven,
28 – 29 April 2009
7. Veiga, A. and Amaral, A., (2009), “Survey on the
implementation of the Bologna Process in Portugal”, Higher
Education 57/2009: pp. 57 – 69
8. Wiepcke, C., (2009), “Employability in the Bologna Process: An
Area of Tension between Society, Businesses and Students”, The
International Journal of Learning, vol. 16, no. 4: pp. 435 – 445
 IMPLEMENTING EUROPEAN DIMENSION IN CURRICULA DESING FOR HIGHER
EDUCATION

Iuliana PÂRVU1, Dragoş Mihai IPATE2

1
„Spiru Haret” University, iulia.parvu@yahoo.com
2
„Spiru Haret” University, dragosmihaiipate@yahoo.com

Abstract. This study aims to highlight the importance and necessity of implementing an European designed curricula for universities, as a
guarantee of a high quality education process in the context of the knowledge society such is the world in which we live in. In the same time the
study offers a model for action in order, the Romanian universities to face this challenge. In the context of Bologna Process, the higher education
ministers assert, since 1999, the necessity of developing a common frame for qualifications in higher education, consistent with the present
requirements of labor market. Nevertheless, in Romania, the absorption of universities’ graduates as a work force and the correspondence
between their knowledge and the needs of the employers is still a real problem, and probably the most important, for the higher education
managers. This paper offers a new perspective and a point of discussions over the change which must to be made in curricula design of economic
higher education institutions; the paper reveals the advantage and limits of some of the models used worldwide, and most of all affirms the
necessity of the implication of the business’ environment in designing curricula for higher education. We consider the results of the study are an
important contribution to develop a strategically management of higher education institutions able to offer graduates compatible with the present
requirements of labor market.
THE ROMANIAN GRADUATES’ SKILLS FACE
INTRODUCTION TO LABOUR MARKET

In March 2000 in Lisbon, the European Council set
an ambitious and strategic goal for the EU for the next
decade: Realizing the European Higher Education Area
for making Europe the most competitive and dynamic
knowledge-based economy in the world, capable of
sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs
and greater social cohesion. In that context the
European Council stressed the importance of
‘‘establishing a European Area of Research and
Innovation’’ and of ‘‘education and training for living
and working in the knowledge society.’’ The pillars on
which is founded the new society are: European Higher
Education Area (EHEA), European Research &
Innovation Area (ERIA) and European Research Area
(ERA).
So, the higher education institutions gain a central
role in the society and one of them major aim is to
“produce” the so-called knowledge workers, meaning
individuals with the types of knowledge, skill and
creative potential who can meet the challenges of a
global economy characterized by rapid change. They
have to elaborate an overarching framework of
qualifications, comprising generic descriptions for each
of three cycles, based on learning outcomes and
competences. But, the employability literature still
points out the existent gap between the skills graduates
presents to their employers on career entry and the skills
employers expect from these graduates, that means there
is a general need among employers for graduates to
possess and demonstrate skills that are relevant and
applicable to working in their organizations, but this
need is not being met. It is obvious that, in order to
reach this goal it needs a coherent strategy at national
and institutional education management level and a
major point of this, to be a higher education curriculum
designed to meet knowledge-driven economy
requirements.
Nowadays, the developed economies come to rely
on knowledge-driven business and the national
prosperity depends on upgrading the knowledge, skills
and entrepreneurial zeal of the workforce. The nature
and the structure of work is changing - the labor market
needs “knowledge workers” able to meet the challenges
of a global economy characterized by rapid change. The
societal response to this shift is the dramatically
increase of the demand for higher education in order to
“produce” high-qualified workforce. Consequently
widening participation in higher education has become a
global policy objective, worldwide. Now, more than
ever, in a globalize world the responsibility of the
higher education institutions is to provide its graduates
with the skills to be able to operate professionally within
the environment required for the “learning age” or
learning society.
As regards Romanian higher education graduates,
there are some representatives studies and statistics
which emphasis their lack of competitiveness on labor
market and the lack of correspondence with employers
expectations. So, in the worldwide top of labor
competitiveness, developed by the World Economic
Forum, Romania ranks 68; a Manpower study on
recruitment difficulties shows that Romania ranks 1 in
the world, with 73% of employers reporting that they
are encountering difficulties in covering the needs of
personnel; according to the INS about 80% of higher
education graduates are working in other professional
specialty than the one for which were trained; the
forecast for higher education graduates in 2009 shows
that at most 10% of them will be able to find an
employment.
More, a study developed by authors suggests some
important features of the teaching – learning process in
the Romanian universities, which will be synthesized as
it follows. Our study is based on the application of a
questionnaire to a number of 377 students and 263
teachers in order to identify the deficiencies of the
educational process. In this paper we will presents only
268 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
those results which can sustain the aim of our present
work.
 a quarter of the students do not know the
learning objectives of the most part of the taught
courses, and only 39% affirm they are familiarized with
these objectives for all courses they attend. Studying the
teachers’ educational documents also demonstrate an
inappropriate manner to formulate the learning
objectives;
 as an average, 80% of the time a student uses
for individual learning is concentrated during the
session, a cause being also the fact that for a major
portion of the classes the students consider that they are
not evaluated until the moment of the examination.
More, only 18% of the students using supplementary
bibliography, the rest of the students resume strictly to
studying what is taught by the teachers during classes;
 the teaching methods that determine the
creative, personal intervention of the student have a
relatively reduced significance;
 the examination forms which presume the
teacher-student direct contact (respectively the verbal
examination or the one based on practical test) have a
more and more reduced significance (18% for the verbal
examination and the practical tests even less – 8%), for
many occasions being preferred the rapid examination
forms, such as grill tests (38%) or written examination
based on open questions (36%). In the same time, the
most part of the teachers (60%) appreciates that their
students have difficulties to express their opinions;
 most of the students (45%) have as learning
motivation the hope that thus they will find a job easier.
Interesting is the fact that a significant segment of them,
respectively 20%, can’t find any learning motivation,
except the immediate one of passing all examinations;
 more than half of the students (53%) have
never been involved in a scientific activity (scientific
communications sessions, students’ scientific
workshops, contracts, research projects etc.) as
developed within the university;
 most of the students choose a higher education
institution as opposed to others, after less academic
criteria, however very pragmatic, such as the admission
method (45%); this criteria is followed by the prestige
of the institution, with a ratio of 33%. For what
concerns the specialty of choice, this is mainly selected
after the potential chances of the future graduates to
hire, stating by this the importance which the future
graduates give to their chances on the labour market
(38% of the persons answering have used this criteria
for choosing the specialty). A rather reduced
significance, for the case when the students’ aptitudes
for a certain profession are not verified, has, for the
selection of the specialty, the fact that the students are
attracted towards a certain specialty, considering they
have aptitudes for it (only 30% of the persons answering
choose the specialty which they „like”);
 it is noticed a fairly large distrust of the
students with regards to their chances of finding a job
according to their academically education within the
first year after graduation. Only 33% of them think
positively about this issue, while 36% of the students
tend to consider they will not find such a job, situation
which can have a powerful demotivating effect over the
efforts they must undertake during the study years;
 as a rule, the students do not engage together in
other activities than the ones strictly related to the
didactical activity;
 there is not a scientific correlation between the
time allocate for learning and the learning objectives in
the courses’ planning;
 a major part of the teaching staff has not
assimilated the instruments which the modern
technology accommodates to facilitate the teacher-
student frame communication;
Each of the above conclusions and all together
affect the future performance of the graduates on the
labor market. The connections are complex, both direct
and indirect and it is not so complicate to observe.
However, the aim of the present paper is not to reveal
these connections but to offer a solution to correct them.
NEW CURRICULA FOR A NEW ECONOMY
As long as higher education should seek to enable
the individual to better fulfill their role in society, the
curriculum should seek to enhance the employability.
Matters related to curriculum development have
traditionally been mainly determined at the national
level. Recently, however, matters of curriculum
development are increasingly being influenced by an
agenda defined by the emerging global economy rather
than by locally perceived problems. Harvey and
Bowers-Brown (2004) have pointed out that, with
increased mobility across national borders, there is a
growing need for a model of generic skills that is
recognized worldwide. It means that what is expected of
higher education graduate to be similar throughout the
world, obtaining a “global competency” defined as the
set of skills that enables the professional to operate with
confidence, comfort, and competence in the global
arena.
Reaching this goal implies a conjugate effort of all
the educational stake-holders to develop an coherent
process of designing an European curriculum. This kind
of curriculum should be theoretically grounded,
organized and methodologically consistent. In our
opinion, this process embedding three logically
sequential stages:
Stage I – Identifying the learning outcomes for
qualification recognition and employability
Learning outcomes provide comprehensive
information about knowledge, understanding and skills
that the graduate should have acquired after successful
completion of studies or a certain study level. Clear
defined study outcomes form an important starting point
in designing and developing the plan of the curriculum.
Implementing European Dimension in Curricula Design for Higher Education
Application of the study outcome principle in the
curriculum planning design and realization creates
conditions for studying at various higher education
institutions, with different systems of education and
ensure possibilities for receiving full recognition of
academic degrees and qualifications.
The learning outcomes must to be close with the
employers’ expectations. While the full integration of
common European learning outcomes into national
qualification frameworks still appears to be something
of a distant goal, the Dublin Descriptors offer a window
into the direction that curriculum design is headed in the
European Higher Education Area.
In the same time, it is of great importance for
universities to have a perspective over the expectations
of the national employers, to create a “skills map” for
the Romanian graduates in order to fit the curriculum
with the national employment market. For reaching this
goal the higher education system needs, on the one
hand, scientific researches to show which characteristics
are of utmost importance for businesses with regard to
employees and, on the other hand it needs a set of
organizational measures to integrate the employers in
the academic life and not only with a consultative role,
but a decision-making one. This fact should be of much
importance within higher education institutions and
formal approach has to be avoided. Organizational
structure within university would be useful in order to
manage partnership between university and economic
agents. Management of this structure does not have to
be conditioned to academic titles but to results and
commitment of practical activity of coordinator, who,
under the circumstances of subordination to academic
authorities, may be representative of business
environment and not teacher.
Unfortunately these kinds of studies are just
isolated in our educational landscape, do not have a
scientific foundation and can not be expended at
national level. More, employers do not have an essential
participation in the academic life.
Stage II – Developing an efficient teaching-learning
process
Starting with clear and relevant learning objectives,
the next step in creating an efficient teaching – learning
process is to set the most appropriate teaching-learning
methods, as well as the time required to reach the
objectives using scientific methods. It is also important
to talk, in this context, about the examination activity.
This represents the basic condition for an efficient
teaching-learning process, with all the advantages
coming from it. In the measure that the idea of building
educational systems based on learning is accepted, we
must act firstly on the way on which the examination
activity is organized and is running. Thus, the goal of
the students’ evaluation must be rather to sustain the
learning than the simple assessment of the performance
level reached at a given moment by the subject.
Practically, who learns defines for himself what is
269
important to him/her in the whole process of teaching-
learning, with all thing implied by this, through the
elements which will be evaluated. Therefore, for a
student the objectives of a course are not those initially
fixed by the teacher (these can only attract him/her to a
certain discipline of study), but the objectives will be
expressed through what he/she will have to know to
pass the exam.
Another notice which can be done for explaining
this situation is that from the point of view of the
teacher the evaluation is the final stage of the teaching-
learning process, but for the students this is in fact the
first stage, and around it they organize their whole
activity.
Teacher’s perspective:
Establishes the objectives
Establishes the teaching methods
Evaluates
Student’s perspective:
Knows the aspects for which he/she is evaluated
Chooses the learning methods
Reaches or not the objectives established by the
teacher
Stage III – Performances’ evaluation
For a durable success of the process it needs a
periodically evaluation of its performances. It is
customary for many ranking systems to calculate the
employment rate (as a proportion of graduates which
find a job according with their qualification in a certain
period of time after graduation) and to use it as an
expression of an educational system that works well.
Without denying the relevance of this indicator we
appreciate that it is primarily determined by the labor
market and the economic conditions rather than the
capabilities of individuals. So it is not a guarantee that
one educational system will produce permanently
satisfactory results. Consequently, it needs more
elaborated methodologies for evaluation the
performance of higher education institutions, regarding
their graduates, methodologies that will have to
appreciate the followings:
- the capacity of creation of framework
conditions and enlargement of the choice at universities,
which facilitate the necessary acquisition of
competencies in addition to knowledge and science
transfer;
- creation of a new attitude and mentality with
respect to job (in)security, in order to reduce fears
270 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
concerning uncertainty and helplessness with regard to
the future occupational situation of university graduates;
- creation of a new self-conception that is not
standard employment but employability;
- creation of a mentality of lifelong learning,
flexibility and mobility, so that continuous learning
processes do not turn into a “situation of pressure” and
cause fears of overstress or burn-out syndrome.
CONCLUSIONS
The Romanian higher education system does not
offer to the labor market the graduates capable of
acquiring and maintaining different kinds of
employment, according to their qualification, more to be
competitive as a workforce. European statistics and
studies sustain this idea. Analyzing the causes that
determine this situation, the authors have revealed some
important features of the Romanian higher – education
teaching – learning process, and concluded that changes
have to be made into curriculum design. For this reason
we proposed a three stages process focused on the next
main ideas:
- elaborating learning objectives very close to
the actual labor market expectations;
- organizing the teaching – learning –
examination process as being a coherent one;
- the implication of employers in the teaching –
learning process as well as in the organizational
structure of the higher education institutions;
- promoting, at national level, a methodology of
ranking universities according with their capacity of
offering employable graduates rather than having a great
employment rate.
References
1. Baker, C.M., (2000), “Education for International
Understanding and Global Competence”, Professional meeting
by the Carnegie Corporation in New York
2. Brown, P., Lauder, H., (1996), “Education, globalisation and
economic development”, Journal of Education Policy, 11(1), pp.
1–24.
3. Cranmer, S., (2006), “Enhancing graduate employability:
best intentions and mixed outcomes”, Studies in Higher
Education, vol. 31, No.2, pp. 169 - 184
4. Dale, R., (2000), “Globalization and education:
Demonstrating a Common World Educational Culture or
locating a globally structured educational agenda?”,
Educational Theory 50 (4), pp. 442 - 448
5. Presidency Conclusions Lisbon European Council, 23 and 24
March 2000: Numbers 12–13 and 25–27
6. Pukelis, K., Pileicikiene, N. (2005), “The Quality of Higher
Education:Paradigm of Study Outcomes”, The Quality of
Higher Education, 2005/2, pp. 96 – 107
7. Pukelis, K., (2009), “Ability, Competency, Learning/Study
Outcome, Qualification and Competence: Theoretical
Dimension”, The Quality of Higher Education, 2009/6, pp. 12 –
34
8. Rauhvargers, A. (2004), “Improving the Recognition of
Qualifications in the Framework of the Bologna Process”,
European Journal of Education, vol. 39, no.3, pp. 331 – 347
9. Terrence, T., Gunden, C., Faulkner, P., (2008), “Exploratory
Study of Ege University School of Agriculture Students’ Opinion
of Globalization and Curricula Design for Related Instruction”,
IJAES, vol. 6, no. 1, pp. 1 – 15
10. Young, M., (2007), “Qualifications Frameworks: some
conceptual issues”, European Journal of Education, vol. 42, no.
4, pp. 445 - 457
 MANAGING CHANGE IN HIGHER EDUCATION ORGANIZATIONS BY QUASI-
CONTINUOUS ADAPTATION TO THE EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT

V. PERSIDEANU1, V. RĂŞCANU2, A.A. PURCĂREA3, A.C. STERIU4, N.C. COCONU5

1
Politehnica University of Bucharest, vpersid@yahoo.com
2
SC Amerilex SRL, Bucharest, vrascanu@yahoo.com
3
Politehnica University of Bucharest, apurcarea@gmail.ro
4
Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, lexulet@yahoo.com
5
SNSPA Bucharest, crisrascanu@yahoo.com

The way an organization adapts to the changes of its external environment depends on the change model adopted by the management
and is expresssed by the values of its performance indicators. The paper is based on the previous work of the authors that was focused
on a change model having the human resistance to change as a central risk. The conclusion of their work was that the change model
has to be complemented with a mechanism that supports the change at the organizational level. The organizational model used in this
paper is based on the Balanced Scorecard concept of „cause-and-effect” relationship and is expressed as a system with two feedback
loops. The authors additionally describe the steps that must be met in order to make the model operational. As a case study, the paper
analyses the posibility of the use of the model for a higher education organization in the context of the present Romanian higher
education market. In this respect, the authors formulated and proved a number of hypotheses which stated that most of the students
who have to pay for their education perceive themselves as customers on a market where they are buying a product.
Key words: organizational model, change management, process maturity, performance indicators.

In order to analyze the adaptation process of an

organization to its market, this paper uses a two-
feedback loops model based on the Balanced Scorecard
INTRODUCTION
concept of „cause-and-effect” relationship. The
proposed model is presented in Figure 1.
The way an organization behaves on a market is by The Balanced Scorecard system is based on four
monitoring the market trends and by adapting its perspectives (views) that drives the organization and
business processes to these trends. Under ideal provides a framework for measurement. This
circumstances, this adaption process should be a framework stimulates the continuous improvement and
continous one, so that the material and informational innovation -activities demanded by a competitive
exchanges between the actor and the market will take environment (Kaplan, 1992). The four perspectives are
place with minimal losses. the Financial (outcomes) view, the Customer view, the
Actually, there is a delay between the changes of Internal Processes view and the Learn & Growth of the
the market and the reaction of the organization, due to Employees view.
the fact that the market trends are either neglected until
they accumulate and cannot be overseen or aren’t
analyzed as often as the market process dynamic would
require it. This delay will produce a jump change in the
organization, this type of change being usually
connected to important risks.
This paper presents a method of analysis of the way
an organization adapts itself to its market. The method
uses a model that depicts the organization as a system
with two feedback loops. The use of this paradigm
enables us to analyse the process of market monitoring
used by an organization and the way the organization
adapts its strategic objectives to the market trends. In
this respect, the paper is based on the work done by the
authors during the last couple of years and focused on
the organizational change management. Figure 1: The two-feedback loops model of the organization

As a case study, the paper analyses the possible use

of the model for a private higher education
organization seen as an actor on a market where it
supplies services to clients who want to obtain graduate
academic degrees.
THE TWO-FEEDBACK LOOP MODEL OF AN
ORGANIZATION
The functioning of the model with the internal
feedback loop closed has the advantage of allowing the
organization to have a predictable relationship between
its objectives and its behavior. Another advantage of
the model is that it allows the achievement of a global
optimum at the organization level and not of local
optima at the process level.
The second feedback loop, the external one, gives
the management information about the market trends.
When the market conditions change, the existence of
272 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
this loop allows the organization to deal with these
changes before an internal crisis appear.
The sampling frequency at the market interface
level must be adapted to the dynamic of the monitored
market processes. Practically, this loop allows the
dynamic adaptation of the organization strategy to the
market.
A closed feedback loop means that the information
is traveling between the loop ends. The closing of the
internal feedback loop does not take place
automatically. In order for this thing to happen, we
need the existence at the organization level of a
number of support processes like those used by the
quality management system. These processes allow the
incremental improvement of the quality of the core
business processes and of the quality of the
products/services offered by the organization. In the
case of the external feedback loop, the marketing
process plays the role of the closing mechanism.
We have to stress that the inclusion of the
management under the external feedback loop is a
mandatory condition for the closed loop functioning of
the system. One of the roles of the managers is the one
of ensuring that the implemented quality management
system (e.g. CMM (SA-CMM, 2002) or ISO
9001:2008) does not deviate from its initial purpose
and becomes in time more bureaucratic.
ORGANIZATIONAL PROCESS CHANGE AND
ITS ASSOCIATED RISKS
When the organization fails to adapt itself to the
market changes, the external change pressure
accumulates. Therefore, this process will eventually
lead to a jump change in the organization.
The practice has shown that an organization
behaves much better when the changes take place
incrementally. When this thing happens, the
organization finds itself in a so-called virtuous cycle
(O’Connor, 1996) where the continuous improvement
of its business processes increases the capacity of the
organization to cope with the external change.
The achievement of the incremental improvement
of the organizational business processes is only
possible if these processes have reached a certain
maturity level.
A model that depicts maturity level of the processes
of an organization is the one developed by the
Software Engineering Institute (SEI), which is called
Capability Maturity Model (CMM) (SA-CMM, 2002).
The model shows that we will be able to collect
data about the business processes only after these
processes are defined, approved and documented at
organizational level. In this way, the processes and the
products of the organization are controlled
quantitatively and qualitatively.
Only after this stage has been reached, the
organization can achieve a continuous improvement by
using the quantitative information at hand.
Based on the model presented in this paper, the
authors propose a five-level process that will allow an
organization to reach the continuous improvement
stage:
Level 0: The organization has the capability to
analyze the data regarding the quality of its processes
and to establish a cause-effect relationship between the
perturbations of these processes and their causes.
Level 1: The organization has implemented a
quality monitoring system that ensures the traceability
of its processes.
Level 2: The organization operates at stable values
of its performance indicators by maintaining a
controlled variation around their target values.
Level 3: The organization continuously improves
the quality of its processes based on the analysis of the
data acquired during the continuous monitoring of its
operations.
Level 4: The organization continuously monitors
its external environment (e.g. by means of market
researches), replacing the reactive attitude by a pro-
active one.
Practically, at the levels zero and one the
organization works with both feedback loops open.
Only when it has reached the second level, the internal
feedback loop can be closed. This happens because, in
order to be able to set the target performance indicators
to meaningful values, the organization must first know
the current values of its performance indicators.
After performing in a stable way for a while, the
organization may go to the third level where it can
detect and remove the common causes of variation of
the performance indicators.
Reaching the fourth level allows the closing of the
external loop, which will permit the organization to
adapt dynamically its strategy to the market. By
reaching the fourth level, the organization becomes a
“learning company” (Senge, 1990).
The activities performed at each level must be
established as solid practices throughout the
organization. They must not to be perceived only as
means to emulate a model. The purpose of this
performance measures must be to help the organization
to align the daily activities with its strategic objectives.
The performance indicators of an organization may
be expressed by means of a Balanced Scorecard (BSC)
(Niculescu, 2009). The advantage of using a Balanced
Scorecard system is that it mirrors in an optimal way,
by means of its four views, the two-feedback loops
model: the organizational processes and the quality of
its employees (the internal loop) and the financial
performances of the organization and its clients (the
external loop).
CASE STUDY: THE USE OF THE TWO-
FEEDBACK LOOPS MODEL FOR A
ROMANIAN HIGHER EDUCATION
ORGANIZATION
Managing Change in Higher Education Organizations by Quasi-Continuous Adaptation to The External Environment
273

After the year 1990, Romania was confronted with several economic faculties of a private university. The
an increased demand for human resources having an students were randomly selected while they arrived to
academic degree, a demand that the public higher the finals (every seventh arrived student was chosen).
education system was not able to satisfy due to the lack In order to verify the research hypotheses, the
of funding. authors set up a number of four higher-tail test using
This increased demand was a good thing in the long the significance level α=0.05 (95% confidence). To this
run for Romania, taking into account that one of the end, they formulated two hypotheses about the
performance indicators of a country today is the proportion p of the students that perceive the obtaining
number of its citizens that have a bachelor, master or of the academic degree similar to the acquisition of a
PhD academic degree (e.g.: in England, in 2009, 40% product:
of its young people were university students, the - the null hypothesis H0: p=0.5 (the equilibrium
government target being of 50% (Hussey, 2010)). condition)
The classic model of the higher education market - the alternative (research) hypothesis Ha: p >0.5
used at the beginning of the ‘90s was the integrated The questions contained by the interview, the
one, where the student is the product of a higher proportion of positive and negative answers received
education organization and the clients are the private and the values of the z score are presented in the Table
and public companies. 1.
Yet the increased demand for higher education Table 1: The results of the survey organized by the authors
services created the conditions for the appearance of a in the winter 2009-2010
new parallel market where the students acted as clients
(Hussey, 2010) and the higher education organizations Yes No z
as suppliers of undifferentiated academic degrees. No. Question
(%) (%) (z.05=1.645)
Typical for such students is that they work for a
living and that they need flexible hours for the study.
If such a market exists, we will try to find out later Did you apply for
in this chapter under what conditions might a higher admission at more than
1 75 25 3.5
one faculty with
education organization utilize the two-feedback loops different specialties?
model for adapting its strategy to the requirement of
this new market.
By means of a qualitative research of the Romanian Do you perceive the
higher education market, the authors reached several essays and the finals
2 67 33 2.3
conclusions. The first one was that (1) the higher mere as costs of getting
education service became undifferentiated, being the academic degree?
practically transformed in a commodity. The students
are applying for admission simultaneously at more than Did you choose the
one higher education organization, with different faculty due to the
3 prospects of a higher 79 21 2.6
specialties, in order to be sure that they will be
gain after you would get
admitted. This is especially true for the economic the academic degree?
specialties.
On the other side, (2) the essays and the finals are
Did the amount of
perceived by the students as mere costs of the scholarship taxes
academic degree and not as means of accumulating 4 65 35 2.11
influence you decision of
knowledge. This perception is caused by the belated or choosing the faculty?
inexistent feedback received from the teachers to the
results of these examinations.
Last but not least, (3) we witness the existence of From the Table 1 we can see that the null
an instrumental view of the academic degree, the hypothesis was rejected each time. We can conclude,
student trying to obtain the degree not for its intrinsic with 95% confidence, that the majority of the students
value (the acquired knowledge) but for its use value who have been interviewed perceived the academic
(what can he get after he possess the degree). degree as an undifferentiated product, obtained on a
On the other side, we witness a number of measures competitive market.
taken by the universities in order to increase the We must point out from the beginning that the two
solvable demand on the market. Among other things, feedback loops model can be used by a Romanian
we can mention here (4) the decrease of the taxes for higher education organization both in the case of the
the education services. integrated higher education market and in the case of
As a conclusion of this qualitative research, the the competitive education market. The difference
authors formulated four research hypotheses. They between the two cases consists of the used performance
organized a sample experiment consisting of a survey indicators.
that took place in the winter 2009-2010 on a number of The performance indicators used in the case of the
50 students in the third year of study, belonging to integrated higher education market are:
274 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
a. the indicators that measure the satisfaction of the
public and private companies that hired the graduates;
b. the indicators that measure the degree of
competence and inventiveness of the university
teachers.
As one can see, these indicators give us an image of
the quality of the education process.
In order to use the model in the case of the
competitive education market, we must express the
performance of the higher education organization by a
number of additional performance indicators that
reflect the four perspectives (views) of the model: (a)
financial, (b) clients, (c) education process and (d)
teaching personal.
In this respect, the authors propose the following
performance indicators: (a) the ratio between the
tuition and the expenses for one student, (b) the market
share of the higher education organization, (c) the ratio
between the students who get the academic degrees and
the ones that were initially admitted and (d) the amount
of money that come from the research activities.
CONCLUSIONS
In order to survive, an organization must
continuously adapt itself to the changes of its market.
Adapting to the market means that the organization
delivers to the client the best possible products and/or
services while it continuously improves its business
processes.
In order to analyze the adaptation process of an
organization to its market, the authors used a two-
feedback loops model based on the Balanced Scorecard
concept of „cause-and-effect” relationship.
In order to work properly, both feedback loops
must be closed. In this respect, the authors proposed a
five-level process that provides for the orderly closing
of the two feedback loops.
The authors further studied if the two feedback
loops model may be used for a higher education
organization under the present situation on the
Romanian higher education market.
Following a qualitative research, the authors
formulated the hypothesis that a new competitive
education market has appeared. On this market, the
students act as clients and the higher education
organizations act as suppliers of undifferentiated
academic degrees.
After proving the research hypothesis, the authors
evaluated if the two feedback loops model might be
used by a private higher education organization in the
process of adapting its strategy to this new market.
The conclusion was that, in the case of the
competitive education market, the higher education
organization can use the model but has to express the
efficiency of its education processes by means of a
number of additional performance indicators.
These new performance indicators are: a) the ratio
between the tuition and the expenses for one student,
(b) the market share of the higher education
organization, (c) the ratio between the students who get
the academic degrees and the ones that were initially
admitted and (d) the amount of money that come from
the research activities.
These indicators came to complement the
performance indicators used in the case of the
integrated higher education market such as the ones
that express the satisfaction of the public and private
companies that hired the graduates and the ones that
express the degree of competence and inventiveness of
the university teachers.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. *** Software Acquisition Capability Maturity Model (SA-
CMM) (2002), Version 1.03, Software Engineering Institute
2. *** SR EN ISO 9001:2008 – Sisteme de management al
calităţii. Cerinţe
3. Hussey, T., Smith P. (2010), The Trouble with the Higher
Education, Routledge, ISBN 0-203-86634-7
4. Kaplan, R, Norton D. (1992), The Balanced Scorecard-Measures
that Drive Performance, Harvard Busisnes Review, Reprint 92105
5. Niculescu, C. et al. (2009), “ISO 9001 vs. CMMI and their
contribution to organization development”, The Fourth International
Conference of Management and Industrial Engineering, ICMIE 2009,
University Politehnica of Bucharest, Management Department,
Industrial Management Chair, Romania, ISBN 978-973-748-468-0,
pp. 42-49
6. O’Connor, J. (1997) – The Art of Systems Thinking: Essential
Skills for Creativity and Problem Solving, Thorsons
7. Prisecaru, B. et al (2009), “The Change of Organizational
Culture for Performance Improvement”, Proc. 6th Int. Conf.
Management of Technological Changes, ISBN (vol. I) 978-960-
89832-7-4, Book. I, pp. 397-400
8. Senge, P. (1990), The fifth discipline, Doubleday, ISBN 0-385-
26095
 CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION
CASE STUDY: ROMANIAN HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM

Dalia PETCU1, Vasile GHERHEŞ1, Sorin F. SUCIU2, Ciprian OBRAD3

1
Tibiscus University of Timișoara - Romania, daliapetcu@yahoo.com,
1
Tibiscus University of Timișoara - Romania, vgherhes@yahoo.com
2
Politehnica University of Timișoara - Romania, sorisuciu@gmail.com,
3
West University of Timișoara – Romania, ciprian.obrad@yahoo.com

This paper aims to analyze the educational offer of the Romanian universities, concerning the specialists’ training in the field of
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). It starts from the premise that Corporate Social Responsibility is an indispensable factor of
sustainable development in a society with global economy. In order to reach the set objective, the research team used document
analysis (curricula, syllabus etc.) to identify the educational offer of the Romanian universities and conducted a survey in order to
emphasize the way the expertise is obtained by those who work in the field of CSR. This research was developed by a heterogeneous
team (sociologists, an ethicist and a philosopher) of specialists from three major universities of Timisoara, Romania. In the
final part, some conclusions and final remarks are inserted. Through its results, the study propose a turn in the educational policies of
the Romanian universities in order to improve the training of the future professionals in CSR, the build-up and development of the
expertise in this field.

community in which they operate. At the same time,

INTRODUCTION
The concept of Corporate Social Responsibility
(CSR) is a relatively recent acquisition of Romanian
academics although it enjoys a long tradition in
economic literature. Much more responsive, the
economic field took over and developed, particularly
through multinational companies, practices and
activities involving social responsibility. According to
literature, CSR is a commitment to improve community
well-being through discretionary business practices and
contributions of corporate resources. (Kotler, P. and
Lee, N., 2005). Or, rephrasing, CSR, as a definitional
construct, aims at describing the relationship between
business and the larger society surrounding it, and at
redefining the role and obligations of private business
within that society, if deemed necessary (Keinert C.,
2008).
World Business Council for Sustainable
Development (WBCSD) considers CSR as an ongoing
commitment of companies to behave ethically and
contribute to economic development improving, in the
same time, both the employees quality of life and their
families’ and that of local communities and of the whole
society. (World Business Council for Sustainable
Development, 1999).
In European Union documents, CSR is a concept
whereby companies decide voluntarily to contribute to a
better society and a cleaner environment. A concept
whereby companies integrate social and environmental
concerns in their business operations and in their
interaction with their stakeholders on a voluntary basis.
(European Union, 2004).
Beyond the multitude of definitions it has, CSR is a
constant concern of companies, being an essential
component of economic performance and success,
which reflects the company’s commitment to the
CSR describes more and more a well-configured
expectation horizon from today’s society, a society
interested both in companies’ financial results and in the
way they do their business.
Corporate Social Responsibility implies business
involvement in solving social problems of the
community where it operates. Today’s companies are
not only concerned about getting profit but also about
the involvement in social activities to create a healthy
social environment in which to conduct business. A
culture of corporate involvement in community started
to develop.
In Romania the concept of social responsibility
originates in the 1990s when many NGOs were founded
with the assistance of international public or private
institutions. The major involvement of both, large and
small companies in CSR activities started after 2000.
The private sector’s involvement in CSR was mainly
fostered by the engagement of multinational companies
active in CSR. (Mandl I., Dorr A., 2007).
Although at the beginning, the CSR activities
undertaken in Romanian economic environment
increase and their budgets are more significant,
Corporate Social Responsibility has become a major
concern of the management of an increasing number of
companies, more as social auditing is one of the
important indicators for assessment in the economic
sphere.
Given the increasing share of social responsibility
activities and the accession of their social impact, the
need for specialists is natural in designing and
implementing CSR projects. In a globalized society and
economy where knowledge has become the main agent
of economic growth and social development, the
university’s mission is to provide an education adjusted
to individual and community needs. The university
plays a central role in reshaping the economy and
society, is an open door to knowledge and personal
276 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
development, and acts as a real vector of knowledge and
development. ”University as a key actor in the
knowledge society, it is meant to contribute to
individual welfare and socio-economic environment
generating and transferring knowledge through
education, research and innovation”, say the documents
produced in the process of setting the strategy for
Romanian higher education for the horizon of 2025
(Munteanu, R., coord., Popescu, S., rapporteur, 2009).
In the context of its mission adapted to the paradigm
of the contemporary society, the roles of the university
in relation to economic environment redefine
themselves. University plays the role of forming
competent human resources, of being the generator
of new in knowledge, and, not least, of “the
institutional citizen”. Through the latter role it takes,
the university actively contributes to community
development both by cultural intervention – education
for social paradigm of the future – and by institutional
intervention – involving of the university as institutional
actor in construction and development efforts of the
society. In such a context, it may be included the
provision of educational social opened practices,
orientation to knowledge transfer to contribute to the
formation of professional elites connected to the values
of society.
1. OBJECTIVES AND METHODOLOGY
Our research has considered the following
objectives:
O1 Identifying the educational offer of Romanian
universities regarding the training of the graduates in the
field of CSR..
O2 Highlighting the situation of integration of CSR
into the curricula of the university degrees and master
degree programs and, where this occurred, the manner
in which this adjustment was made.
O3 Determining how Romanian CSR professionals
have acquired and developed their professional
expertise.
To achieve the first two goals O1 and O2, we
conducted a research on the websites of the accredited
higher education institutions in Romania. The 84
universities were evaluated to determine if CSR exists
as an independent specialization in the university and
master studies. Noting the rarity of this phenomenon,
our study focused on the curricula of the faculties to
identify if CSR exists as discipline or if its theme is
present in the context of other disciplines such as
Business Ethics and Sustainable Development. From a
methodological point of view, achieving the two
objectives was possible by analyzing the content of
curricula aiming at specific ways in which each
university understood (or not) to provide a place to
CSR’s problems in training young people from different
specialties or different profiles.
The third objective, O3, was achieved though a
sociological survey which targeted the companies that
state they develop CSR activities. The basic population
was represented by 25 companies with Romanian or
foreign capital which develop their activity in our
country. For this purpose an enquiry was developed
including 27 items which was sent to the CSR
responsible from the companies concerned. The
intention of this investigation was to capture experts’
opinions on how skills in this area are acquired and
ways in which companies in Romania implement
specific activities of the sector. The enquiry also
revealed the perceptions of those working in Romanian
companies on the offer of training in the field, the
relationship between academia and economics, and their
views about the benefits that CSR brings to
communities and to the society at large but also the
difficulties that the introduction of a culture of CSR
meets in a country currently under development.
2. OVERVIEW OF THE UNIVERSITY
EDUCATIONAL OFFER IN CSR
An important component of our research was the
analysis of information about the specializations and
plans of academic curricula to identify the educational
offer in the field of CSR. In the latter we refer especially
to official documents found on the accredited higher
education institutions’ websites in Romania. The survey
pointed the following:
• The presence, in the university degrees, of
the specialization Corporate Social
Responsibility, as independent specialization.
• The existence of masters or postgraduate
studies with the specialization Corporate
Social Responsibility.
• The existence, in the university studies, of
the discipline Corporate Social
Responsibility and Business Ethics in the
context of various specializations, mainly in
economic sciences, agriculture sciences,
environmental sciences, or communication
sciences.
• The existence, in master studies or
postgraduate studies, of the discipline
Corporate Social Responsibility.
• The analysis of analytical programs of
Business Ethics to identify in their theme, the
issue of Corporate Social Responsibility.
The main difficulty that we faced was the absence,
in many cases, of the information related to the matters
covered. The main source of documentation was
represented by the university curricula, or they are not
posted, in many cases, on the faculties’ pages.
Therefore, the analysis of the universities’ websites tend
to say something about transparency regarding the
research papers and about the concern of the education
providers towards offering training in the field of CSR.
However, there were plenty of situations where the
education curricula and the necessary information were
made public.
Corporate Social Responsibility in Higher Education. Case Study: Romanian Higher Education System
A first conclusion that emerges is that there is not, in
university degrees, Corporate Social Responsibility as
independent specialisation. Moreover, we have not
identified in the curricula examined in any of the
specializations offered by the accredited universities in
Romania an independent course of Corporate Social
Responsibility. A small number of courses offer lectures
of Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility and
others, also in a small number propose lectures of
Business Ethics where we meet corporate responsibility
issue as one of the many topics offered, therefore having
a modest space.
Most specializations whose curriculum has Business
Ethics as discipline are part of economic sciences:
Management Marketing, Accounting and Commercial
Data Processing, Business Administration. Usually, the
course stretches over a semester, has assigned an hour
or two of lectures and seminars, it is a compulsory
discipline and has a number between 3 and 5 credits.
Some specialties offer the Business Ethics as optional
discipline. Where present, this discipline is included in
the curricula of Ist, IInd and IIIrd, year which shows a
different understanding of the volume of specialized
knowledge expected from the students for covering and
assimilation of this subject. Fixed in the first year, the
discipline seems to be placed in the category of those
which are rather introductory and do not imply a great
deal of specialized knowledge while its inclusion in the
third year curricula implies the fact that the students
already possess a significant amount of knowledge to
use in the assimilation of the business ethics.
Ethics appears also in the curriculum of the faculties
with a different specialization that economy, but both
the content and title of the discipline are suitable to that
profile. Thus, we meet disciplines named Ecological
Ethics in the specialization Engineering and
Environmental Protection in Agriculture, Legislation,
Ethics and Professional Deontology in the
specialization Expertise and Food Control.
In the educational offer of the accredited universities
in Romania are not included master degrees in
Corporate Social Responsibility as an independent
specialization.
In master studies, a single specialization –
Management and Business Communication – has
provided, in the curriculum the discipline Corporate
Social Responsibility (CSR), which has allocated, in the
IVth semester two hours of lectures and one hour of
seminar and for which are provided 7 credits. Also in
the master studies, some specializations have courses
that refer to social responsibility. Thus, in the
specialization Management and Governance is the
course of Corporate Governance and Management of
Transnational Corporations in whose syllabus is
provided the topic Corporate Social Responsibility. Or,
in European Politics and Economy specialization, is
included the discipline Global Capitalism and
Transnational Corporations, in whose syllabus is
prescribed the theme Ethics and Corporate Social
Responsibility.
277
A distinct educational offer in the field of CSR, at
postgraduate level, is proposed by the Center for
Corporate Citizenship in Romania in partnership with
the University of Applied Sciences in Vienna. The
postgraduate course, CSR Management, is a one-year
English language program with units taken in Bucharest
(11 units) and Vienna (2 units). The course gives 60
ECTS points. The resulting qualification is the
Academic CSR Manager title given and administered by
the University in Vienna.
3. EXPERTISE IN CSR IN ROMANIAN
COMPANIES
For capturing the views of CSR managers on how
to acquire skills in this area and ways in which
companies in Romania implement specific activities of
this sector, a sociological survey has been carried out
which covered 25 companies operating in our country
and which declare that they unfold CSR activities..
The data analysis revealed a wide range of issues
which we present, in summary, below. Thus, CSR
activities are conducted in most analyzed cases in a
service within a department, usually the Department of
Communication, or Department of Public Relations. In
isolated cases, this activity is conducted in the
Department of Sustainable Development or an
independent CSR department. In most cases, CSR
activity is coordinated by a department manager, and in
one case this function was taken over by the General
Manager or a member of the board. Interviewed CSR
managers consider that their information level in
relation to their sphere of activity is good, an
exceptionally small number considers that this level is
very good, either medium or low. Regarding the
information sources of CSR, the respondents state in
majority that the websites are favorite followed by
newsletters, magazines, newspapers, and books. Other
mentioned sources are meetings with experts and
internal company resources. During the past year, CSR
respondents state in a large number that they have
participated in conferences and workshops on issues of
CSR, a number somewhat lower in seminars and
trainings and totally isolated in CSR sources organized
by universities. Asked if they consider appropriate, at
the university level, the presence of specializations in
CSR, in most cases the respondents consider that such
specialization is needed in master studies. Almost half
the respondents consider useful to have a CSR
specialization in university and/or PhD. It was identified
a small number of cases in which the respondents
consider that such specialization is not needed in
university.
Regarding the collaboration with academia, as it
can be noticed in the figure below, in more than half of
the cases it does not exist. Ways in which collaboration
is reflected when it exists, are usually sponsorship,
internship, educational projects. In only one case the
collaboration consisted in consulting on writing CSR
278 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education
reports. Less than one quarter of companies surveyed
provide traineeships
ships for students in CSR departments.
Yes
(Interns
hip, Don't
Sponsorknow, No, 54%
ship,… 8%
Figure 1. Collaboration between academia and companies that carry on CSR
activities in Romania
Analysis of training of CSR managers of the companies
surveyed reveal that the university specialties they
graduated are very diverse, from social assistance,
media, law, international relations or engineering to
foreign languages and literatures, public relations,
political sciences and communication. This wide range
of specializations overlaps the difficulty of the
requirements
uirements the CSR activities entail. In the absence of
specializations in the field of CSR and of training
courses meant to develop specific skills, it is necessary
for Romanian academia to adapt the educational offer to
the requirements of the moment.
4. CONCLUSIONS
CSR is an essential element of European social
model, of Europe’s strategy, for sustainable
development, allowing the solving of social problems
generated by economic globalization. European
Commission undertakes a series of steps, embodied in
resolutions, recommendations, and community policies
designed to boost the social responsibility. This
European organization declares that the CSR dimension
should become a priority in the development of the
companies and also as a value to instill in young
you people
who study in order to become part of corporate business
environment. The European Commission even does,
since 2006, the following recommendation: “For CSR to
become a mainstream business practice, the right
knowledge and skills need to be developed
develop among
future entrepreneurs, business leaders, company
managers and employees. CSR is also a lifelong
learning issue. The Commission invites business
schools, universities and other education institutions to
incorporate CSR into education, as a cross--cutting issue,
in particular into the curricula of future managers and
graduate students” (European Commission, 2006).
Edu – QMHE2010
By organizing university degrees or masters with
specialization in Corporate Social Responsibility or at
least by introducing into the curriculum
cur of some
specialization of CSR courses, Romanian universities
can help train and develop the necessary expertise in
this area, assuming the status of key player in the field
of education by promoting high quality services adapted
to the needs of the society.
References
1. European Commission, (2001), “Green Paper Promoting a
European Framework for Corporate Social Responsibility”, Brussels
(COM (2001) 366 Final).
2. European Union, (2004), “Euroabstract: Corporate social
responsibility”, Vol. 42–1,, February. European Commission:
Directorate-General for Enterprise.
3. European Commission, (2006), “Implementing The Partnership
For Growth And Jobs: Making Europe A Pole Of Excellence On
Corporate Social Responsibility”
4. Keinert, C. (2008), Corporate Social Responsibility as an
International Strategy, Physica-Werlag
Werlag A Springer Company,
Heidelberg, p.38.
5. Kotler, P. and Lee, N. (2005), Corporate Responsibility: Doing the
Most Good for Your Company and Your Cause,Cause Wiley, Hoboken, New
Jersey, p.3.
6. Mandl I., Dorr A., (2007), ”CSRCSR and Competitiveness European
SMEs’ Good Practice. Consolidated European Report”, Vienna, in
Mainstreaming Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Among SMEs,
Grant Programme Financed by European Commission, p. 12.
7. Munteanu, R., coord., Popescu, S., rapporteur,
rapporteur (2009) ”Universities
and Socio-Economic Environment”, in the Project Quality and
Leadership for Romanian Higher Education, p.4,
http://www.edu2025.ro/UserFiles/File/PR1/Panel3/diagnostic_panel3
.pdf, 06.04.2010.
8. Nicolescu C., (2006), “Corporate Social Responsibility in the
Romanian Higher Education”, International Policy Fellowship
Program Open Society Institute, Budapest, Hungary.
9 .World Business Council for Sustainable Development, (1999),
“Corporate Social Responsibility:
nsibility: Meeting Changing Expectations”,
Expectations”
World Business Council for Sustainable Development, Geneva.
 ASPECTS OF IMPLEMENTATION AND OPERATION OF THE QUALITY
MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
IN PETROLEUM-GAS UNIVERSITY OF PLOIESTI

Marius Gabriel PETRESCU, Rodica BUCUROIU, Anca DOBRIŢĂ*

*Petroleum – Gas University of Ploieşti, email: pmarius@upg-ploiesti.ro

In this paper there is presented the experience of the Petroleum-Gas University of Ploiesti management staff and of the services with
responsibilities in the implementation, supervision and development of quality management system in accordance with standards and regulations.
The actions mentioned in this paper allow the location of the Petroleum – Gas University of Ploiesti in the regional economic and social life’s
plan in order to promote the collaboration relation with the economic agents interested in the improvement of the competences developed by the
university.
Keywords: Petroleum-Gas University of Ploieşti; higher education; quality; development
INTRODUCTION
The higher Romanian education is still to the beginning
of developing a new culture of the academic quality,
but these beginnings is under the pressure of four
negative convergent forces: a. the ineptness of the
approaches and previous practices is stronger than the
engagement on a new way, already dominant in the
states partners in the European Union (EU); b. thin
receptivity of the higher education managers and the
didactic and research staff toward new approaches; c.
methodologies and other instruments with
practicability at the system level and in universities
need substantial improvements; d. the interests and the
implication of the students and especially of the
employers in the development of a new quality are still
in a state of circumscription being still poor as
intensity. Instituting a new culture of the academic
quality supposes not only the counterpoise of such
tendencies but also that approach which has to be
based on: a. the harmonization of the higher education
institutes initiatives with the strategies of the economic
and social agents; b. the development and the
improvements of the culture and quality management
as parameters of an efficient institutional management
and these public responsibility; c. the existence of a
serried relation between the universities and the
economic, social and cultural environment in which it
functions, thus the universities tend to become agents
of the communitarian and regional development by
cognitive, technological and innovation transfers
[Petrescu (2009)]. The quality assurance supposes the
existence of an institutional and procedural frame at the
systemic level but the financing is on the account of the
universities. The resources necessary to the consequent
and durable transformation of the higher education into
one based on quality are considerable. Thus, for the
moment the market can not sustain, by the taxes
increasing, the supply of a quality education; this is a
public good because it is in the interest of the bachelor
and also of the economic agents and of the formation
suppliers, but any of these and even the universities can
not act unilaterally.
STATEMENT OF MISSION
AND OBJECTIVES OF PETROLEUM-GAS
UNIVERSITY OF PLOIEŞTI
The mission of the Petroleum – Gas University of
Ploieşti (PGU) focuses on three dimensions:
(1) The educational and training mission refers to the
professional training of graduates in the fields of oil
production and refining and gas industries in all
educational cycles stipulated by law (Bachelor’s
Degree, Master’s Degree, Doctoral Studies), as well as
the training of specialists through Bachelor courses and
master courses in Economy, sciences and humanities,
education and administrative sciences which are legally
accredited or authorized.
(2) The scientific research mission refers to the
organization and development of core research,
applicative and technological development, as well as
supplying services in designing, consultancy and
expertise activities in order to put into use the scientific
research as a means of dissemination of knowledge and
training of the forthcoming generations of specialists
through master and Doctoral programmes.
(3) The civic/ public and cultural dimension, including
the organization of the cultural artistic, sports life
within and outside the university campus so that the
University gain, apart from its implied status of
didactic centre for professional training and scientific
research, the quality of an educational, civilization and
culture community centre.
In order to accomplish its mission, the PGU makes use
and develops the resources and necessary tools to
ensure the adequate development of the didactic and
research processes, on the one hand and on the other
hand it focuses on the
public, civic and social dimension observing the high
quality standards required by the EU Space for Higher
Education and Research, stipulated in the Romanian
Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education
(ARACIS) methodology.
Having these points in mind, the main strategic
objectives (found in the University Strategic Plan for
2007-2011) are the following:
- increasing the effectiveness of the university
management in order to use in an efficient manner the
available material resources, to improve the
functioning of the institutional structures and to orient
towards the improving of transparency of the
decisional acts;
- development of the scientific research so that the
PGU become one of the top universities in Romania in
all the top-rankings made by CNCSIS;
280 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education –
QMHE2010
- development of collaboration relations with the
commercial companies from the oil and gas industry
enabling the University to become their main partner in
the field of scientific research;
- continuation of the implementation process of those
institutions and mechanisms that may guarantee high
quality educational services according to ARACIS
benchmarks and performance indicators, having also as
the main aim the development of active training
methods of students and their involvement in the
managerial policy of the University;
- increasing the effectiveness of the Quality
Management System (QMS) through the Commission
of Evaluation and Quality Certification from PGU
(CEQCU) and the Quality Management Department
(QMD) which have as their objectives the adequate
integration of standards, of the reference standards, and
performance indicators stipulated in the ARACIS
methodology in the University’s activity.
EVALUATION OF THE EDUCATIONAL AND
RESEARCH PROCESSES
The activities by which there is realized the evaluation
of the educational and research processes may be
analyzed from two points of view: from the individual
point of view (of the teaching staff) – proves to be a
continuous process based on self-evaluation and
continuous improvement of the work methods and
didactic material; from the global point of view
(institutional) – is an intermittent process and it is
made every time it is necessary [Niculiţă (2005)].
Accumulating the two aspects, the educational and
research processes monitoring activities assure:
- The updating of the educational curricula and it’s
adaptation with the labor market demands;
- The identification of the place and role of each
object in the educational plan;
- The quantitative and qualitative appreciation of
transmitting knowledge modalities;
- The identification of the economic partners
demands about the technologies development and the
solving of the economic applications.
The accurate development of the evaluation activity
and the objective monitoring of the results guarantee
the continuous improvements of the educational and
research processes in correlation with the knowledge
level and labor market demands [Petrescu, Bucuroiu
(2008)].
The promotion of the didactic staff self-evaluation
contributes to the increasing of the responsibilities, to
the improvement of the teaching and exam methods, to
the equilibration of the knowledge volume, knowledge
transmitted guaranteeing the development at the
student of the competences declared by the objects’
cards, the scientific activity orientation to practical
aspects of the economic agents, the research
integration in the social and economic context of the
region in which is the university [Niculiţă (2005,
Petrescu (2009)].
Taking into account the actual social and economic
context, the management of the PGU recommends the
utilization, in the educational process, of the modern
didactic technologies and techniques with accent on the
each object applicative side, emphasizing the economic
components, of the quality control, of the personnel
and environment protection measures, of the
management activities. In what it concerns the
scientific research process, the managerial actions are
oriented to the consolidation of the existent research
structures, encouraging the scientific production of the
didactic staff and the development of the
multidisciplinary research staffs. An important role in
assuring the success of such initiative has the
evaluation activity of the clients’ demands and of the
feed-back assurance instruments [Petrescu (2009)].
LIMITS OF THE ACTIVITIES DEVELOPED IN
PETROLEUM – GAS UNIVERSITY OF
PLOIESTI
Even if, on the whole, the processes developed in the
university are carried on adequate conditions according
to the specifications from the documentation of the
Quality Management System, their monitoring offers
the possibility of identification of some technical and
organizational limits and their solving it may
contribute to the system improvement.
Among the problems that the university has there are:
a. the absence/insufficiency of the knowledge/skills in
the quality management field to persons involved in the
quality assurance; b. the absence of experience in the
identification of the problems/non-conformities and
their correction/solving putting in close-up the
preventive actions. It is still accepted the more
comfortable practice of corrective actions; c.
Mentalities/ behaviors/contra-productive attitudes
(instead of these proactive); d. Absence of a quality
culture, insufficient/inadequate education of the higher
education personnel; e. Perception according to which
the quality assurance and improvement are the duties
exclusively of the execution personnel (formal
implication of the managers); f. Formal evaluation of
client’s satisfaction (student, employer, society); g.
Inefficiency communication with interest partners
(especially in hierarchic pyramid and between the
compartments of the same entity); h. Passing – by of
the reticence and resistance to change and the
decreasing techniques and methods; i.
Insufficiency/inadequate of the material resources
allocated to quality assurance in education. These
aspects are favored also by the evaluation system
applied to the education and especially to the higher
education. It must be recognized the fact that, at this
moment, the qualitative level of an education
institution is appreciated on the basis of an indicators’
set, mostly quantitative ones. In these conditions it has
to be more attentive in reaching the indicators’ values
demands by the standards, than in developing the
competences validated by the labor market.
Practical placement system as a sustainability factor in higher education
These aspects are probably specific to the great
majority universities of Romania. In what it concerns
the PGU, the disorders of the quality management
system derive from the following aspects:
- At present the university has not an informatics
application dedicated to assure an evidence of the
students, bachelors and it is not able to assure a
connection with the business environment or with other
social partners in order to administrate better the
educational and research activities for reducing the
time between the research activity and the application
of the results in practice. The result is an overcharging
of the secretariats and of the dean’s offices and of other
management structures in charge with the evidence and
surveillance activities manually realized. Beyond this
disadvantage and maybe it is more important, there is
connection with the bachelors and with the business
environment or with the social partners as main
beneficiaries of the ˝products˝ delivered by the
university: the student and the results of the research
activity. The university may hardly adapt the curricula
and the research activities to the true demands of the
labor market for which it has not a very well shaped
feedback from the part of its activities beneficiaries.
The consequences of this state are extremely serious
and with effects on long term and there are translated
by the useless waste of the resources [Petrescu,
Bucuroiu (2008), Petrescu (2009)].
- Another problem that the university has is an
insufficient designing of its image in the local
community or even at the national level. One of the
ways for realizing this thing is the designing and the
maintaining of an attractive site et especially updated
and with multiple interactivity facilities not only in
order to attract the young people but to allow also to
feel they can interact with the institution.
- On the other hand, a problem that affects the
management at the institutional level is the
communication and the synchronization between the
management factors of the institution. Only the e-mail
and the telephone are not sufficient for assuring a
permanent contact between the management staff from
the university. It is needed an informatics application
in order to assure the possibility of accessing each
program, the activities’ synchronization, meetings’
appointment, documents spreading etc. All these
problems are translated in a series of specific
symptoms such:
- Meetings of long standing;
- The big interval of time between taking the
decisions and their putting into practice;
- Too much time that teaching staff has to consume
for realizing activities with administrative character
(time consumed in the detriment of the research and
educational activities);
- Inadequate curricula and research themes that are
not in accordance with the beneficiaries expectations
that contain many redundancies and that are not
correlated with the labor market demands or with the
recent scientific realizations.
281
UNDERTAKEN ACTIONS
In the PGU there is a wide developing and
implementing process of an analyze and diagnostic
efficient system of the economic partners applications
in order to adapt the curricula, to plan the research and
to improve of the managerial system at all levels. Thus,
it is assured the development of the quality active
promotion capacity in all the activities specific to the
higher education environment at the institutional level
by implementing some communication efficient
modalities between the higher education environment
and the society, by realizing the good practices
transfer, by the consolidation of an analyze and
evaluation methodology set of the labor market
according to the European standards and also by
creating an expert nucleus in the diagnosis field of the
social and economic environment. This system
implementation supposes a set of activities that should
contribute to the realization of the following
objectives: 1.Reinforcement of the managerial and
administrative capacity at the institutional level;
2.Improvement of the quality assurance system in the
university; 3.Increasing of the university capacity for
supplying higher qualifications and technical solutions
adapted to the demands in change of the social and
economic environment; 4.Promotion of the university
image [Petrescu (2009)].
The implication of the approach that it is proposed is
fundamental according to three aspects: A. the
activities are thus designed in order to guarantee the
efficient configuration and the administration of a data
base concerning the evidence of the bachelors and of
the economic partners, of their demands, the promotion
and the multiplication of the academic and scientific
research activities results, the collection of initiatives
and propositions concerning the higher education
curricula horizon and the scientific innovation, the
promotion of the university image, the consolidation of
the partnership relations and the initiation of new
multilateral accords. B. the implementation of a data
administration system may assure the synergy of the
university action and of the economic agents on
convergent trajectory, in the sense of correlation the
curricular packets and strategies concerning the
scientific research with the managerial strategies based
on an efficient academic administration; C. the
qualifications based on competences and scientific
research aiming getting results with immediate
applicability are directly involved in the management
of that quality culture implemented on an
administrative structure adapted to the internal and
international social and economic conditions; D. the
institutional autonomy and the public responsibility of
the university missions qualitative realization are the
faces of the same coin. The implementation of the
activities planned by the development of this system
will assure the logistic support for the implementation
of a new quality culture and will contribute to the
university affirmation as an active actor on the scene of
282 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education –
QMHE2010
the communitarian, national and international
development in the economic, social and cultural plan.
RESULTS
The mentioned actions allow the location of the PGU
in the regional economic and social life’s plan in order
to promote the collaboration relation with the
economic agents interested in the improvement of the
competences developed by the university [fig. 1].
Economics competences
Technical competences
competences
Managerial
The profile of basic competences
developed by the university
Educational competences
CONCLUSIONS
The quality assurance supposes the existence of the
institutional and procedural frame at the systemic level
but the financing is on the account of the universities.
The resources needed for the consistent and durable
transformation of the higher education in one based on
quality are considerable.
The results of the educational and research processes
monitoring determine:
- The updating of the educational curricula and it’s
adaptation with the labor market demands;
- The identification of the place and role of each
object in the educational plan;
- The quantitative and qualitative appreciation of
transmitting knowledge modalities;
- The identification of the economic partners
demands about the technologies development and the
solving of the economic applications.
The developing and implementing process of an
analyze and diagnostic efficient system of the
economic partners
Figure 1. Interaction between university and economic
environment
applications in order to adapt the curricula, to plan the
research and to improve of the managerial system at all
levels is assured by the development of the active
The improved profile of the economic agent
competences
COMPANY
The initial profile of the economic agent competences
economic
MANAGERIAL ACTIONS
The implementation of an university – economic environment
interaction analyze and diagnostic system
IMPROVEMENT
UNIVERSITY
Scientific competences
The profile of the competences developed by
the university as a result of an analyze
quality promotion capacity in all the activities specific
to the higher education environment. The
implementation of some communication efficient
modalities between the higher education environment
and the society guarantees the good practices transfer,
the consolidation of an analyze and evaluation
methodology set of the labor market according to the
European standards and the creation of an expert
nucleus in the social and economic environment
diagnosis field.
REFERENCES
1. Niculita, L. (2005), Managementul si ingineria calitatii, Ed.
Academiei Romane, Bucuresti
2. Petrescu, M.G., Bucuroiu, R. (2008), Managementul calitatii –
mic dictionary de termeni, Ed. Universitatii Petrol-Gaze din
Ploiesti, Ploiesti
3. Petrescu, M.G. (2009), “Implementation of quality management
system and institutional accreditation in the Petroleum-Gas
University of Ploiesti”, The 1 st Joint Romanian-Turkish
Workshop on Quality Management in Higher Education,
Ovidius University of Constanta
 PRACTICAL PLACEMENT SYSTEM AS A SUSTAINABILITY FACTOR IN HIGHER
EDUCATION

Magdalena PLATIS1, Oana IUCU2

1
University of Bucharest, magdalena.iordache-platis@drept.unibuc.ro
2
University of Bucharest, oanaiucu@yahoo.com

This paper reveals the importance of the students’ placement in developing the cooperation between universities and industry. The
main objectives are the following: to reveal the need of new and effective placement system, to explain the features of the efficient
placement system and to reflect the impact of the placement quality on all the actors involved in educational process.

• research activity → from occasional projects to

I INTRODUCTION: Features of the Practical new and many opportunities for all domains;
Placement System in the Romanian Universities • practical placement → from formal and effective
to formal and short, more or less effective.
The Bologna process has entirely restructured the
university curriculum for every domain. Many changes Students Interested parts Graduates
have taken place regarding the formal, informal and
non-formal education.
At the European Commission level, some major Employers
reasons have been identified for the gap between what is
included in the curriculum and what is effectively
• Clients of the • Visit-cards for the
achieved from the cooperation between schools and university supply • Partners in defining entire university
enterprises point of view. These reasons include the • Members in different
decision-making
competences when enter the labour
market
• Beneficiaries of
following: process academic knowledge • Potential sponsors
• Subjects in defining • Partners in research of different activities
• students’ participation is limited; the university’s needs contracts of the • Examples for
• teaching methods are inefficient; • Controllers of the
quality in academic
interested parts students regarding
their evolution and
• Partners in organising
• the practical aspect of the entrepreneurship is process when they practical placements for career development
judge the activities students • Participants in
ignored; alumni associations
• business people are not sufficiently involved;
Source: authors
• practical placement is not connected to specific
subjects. Figure 1: Features of the interested parts
One of the most important feature of the academic Practical placement system in the Romanian
environment consists of general management orientation Universities is different organized from one domain to
toward quality assurance. In other words, quality another. If, for the technical and medical domains, the
management system applied to university has made the practical activities are compulsory part of the
faculties to get a different view on students, graduates, curriculum, even more important than ordinary
employers and on the educational process. teaching, for the social-economical domains, the
According to the quality standards, the students and practical activities, even they are included in the
graduates on one hand and the employers on another curriculum, they are not well developed according to the
hand are considered interested parts, like the needs of the real life.
stakeholders in the economic environment. At present, the organization of the practical
The current features of the interested parts can be placement in the Romanian Universities reveals the
observed in the figure no. 1. following:
Many processes in higher education institutions are • Practical stage is most included in the curriculum
more or less modified even restructured according to the in one of the two final years of studies or in both
features of the contemporary dynamic environment, of them: II and/or III year for bachelor duration
such as: of three years and III and/or IV year for bachelor
• process of teaching → from classical to duration of four years.
interactive; • Number of hours that is included every year is
• learning process → from few sources to many between 80-120 years which means in a compact
library facilities; time, 2-3 weeks.
• evaluation process → from strict and simple to • Number of credits is between 3-12 credits/year.
continuous and final, different methods; • Type of evaluation is, many times, a colloquium
• curriculum content → from fixed and stable to or verification.
continuing improving;
284 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
• Every academic year, the Faculty Council
confirms the responsible person for practical
stage which is a professor in charge with the
student distribution to companies.
• When sending the students to companies, the
responsible professor takes into account such
criteria as their preferences and decreasing
results of the studies one year before.
• A contract usually named Practical Convention is
signed by the Faculty and the Company which
regulate in a very formal way the placement
process – especially regarding the number of
students and the duration of the placement.
• Many times, the Faculty asks the companies to
accept some students for the next semester and
they face one of the following answers:
− Yes, the company agrees with a certain
number of students;
− Maybe, and the companies ask some
questions or require some conditions;
− No, not for the moment, the companies
mentioning something about their other
priorities;
− No, the companies have already contracts
with other universities and faculties;
− No, since the companies declare they are
too small or not preoccupied of this kind
of cooperation.
• The student evaluation for the practical stage
many times, is made only on the basis of a proof
from the company mentioning that the students
had worked in the company during a period or
some number of hours.
• More effective placement evaluations regard
some of the following situations:
− Students make a report which is evaluated
by the professor responsible in the
faculty;
− Students create a portfolio which is
evaluated by both professor and tutor
from the company;
− Students present their practical results and
experience to a Commission with
members from the University and
Company.
• Sometimes, when the number of the placement
for the academic year is less than the number of
students, the faculty accept the individual
involvement of the students to find their
placements by themselves, which almost all the
time is going to be less effective.
II Effective placement system
The need for an effective placement system for the
Romanian Universities is a current priority since the
formal aspect of it does not mean skills and
competences for the students.
The behavior of the companies is different, being
unsatisfied or satisfied.
• Is a learning process → students have the
possibility to learn by doing things in a real
environment, to complete their knowledge and to
gain new skills;
• Is an informational process → students must be
informed before starting the placement regarding
the meaning of the placement, the role and
advantages and most of all, about the
possibilities to get an effective placement;
• Is a responsibility generator for young
generation, because students are expected to
behave like real employees, following the rules
and procedures of the working place;
• Is a stimulating process for entrepreneurship →
students learn more about the labor market and
the business environment and get impulse for
starting a business and becoming entrepreneurial;
• Is a continuing process → students should be
accepted for placement year by year, by active
companies, while the relationship between
university and company become a long therm
one.
An effective placement system reveals the following
types and competences:
• Internship/Placement:
− Moving the student across various departments
in order to achieve specific skills and gain
relevant professional experience;
− Adequate implementation of science-specific
concepts (using them in identifying subjective
phenomena in the professional environment);
− Explaining and interpreting ideas, projects,
processes and manifestations of the professional
life);
− Assessing examination of professional ideas,
projects and processes;
− Developing, managing and assessing
professional activities;
− Innovating and improving professional
processes; implementing and using new
informational and communication technologies;
• Voluntariate:
− Building a realistic image of the future career;
− Developing specific skills and gaining relevant
professional experience;
− Showing a positive and responsible attitude
towards the respective profession;
− Building connections between what is gained
throughout the academic study of the respective
discipline and other fields of human knowledge
and practice;
• Visits in organizations:
− Building a realistic image of the future career;
− Developing specific skills and gaining relevant
professional experience;
− Understanding the professional environment
focused on democratic values and relations;
Practical placement system as a sustainability factor in higher education 285

• Work shadowing: • An institutional structure should be established in

− Building a realistic image of the future career;
− Developing specific skills and gaining relevant
professional experience;
− Developing and using intra- and interdisciplinary
correlations in order to improve professional
practice;
− Showing a positive and responsible attitude
towards the respective profession;
− Building connections between what is gained
throughout the academic study of the respective
discipline and other fields of human knowledge
and practice;
• Training courses:
− Developing and training professional by specific
skills, both general and detailed;
− Building an open and motivating attitude towards
professional development;
− Training learning skills through cooperation;
− Stimulating students to embrace a “lifelong
learning” process;
• Part time work:
− Developing and training both general and
detailed professional skills;
− Building an open and motivating attitude towards
professional growth;
• Pedagogical practice:
− Psycho-pedagogical skills, useful in planning,
managing and assessing the educational process,
in counseling and assisting the development of
students’ personality;
− Social skills, which develop social interactions
between students and school groups;
− Managing skills, that are used when a class of
students is organized;
order to explain and help student to get a proper
placement and to better integrate on the labor
market.
Such proposals can easily be developed and detailed
into others, but as long as a practical stage is limited to
few weeks, not much can be achieved by young
generation. In addition, a longer time of at least three
months stage can be the normal improvement for an
effective placement system, qualitative and efficient.
Therefore, by the time the regulations will officially
stipulate the compulsory compact and longer time
practical stage, the only solution is the voluntary
involvement of the students, during the summer holiday.
More than their willingness is the task of the trainers to
explain the students their benefits and career
development perspectives. A special center or
department within the university may deal with this
objectives regarding orientation in choosing a placement
and a job, counseling and developing other activities in
preparing young generations for real life.
References
1. *** (2009), Enterprise and Industry, “Entrepreneurship
in Vocational Education and Training”, Final report of
the Expert Group, European Commission.
2. *** (2008), “Improving Competences for the 21st
Century”, European Communities.
3. *** (2009), “Key figures on Europe”, European
Commission.
4. Kotler, Philip (1998), Managementul marketingului,
Editura Teora, Bucharest.
5. Popescu, Constantin, Taşnadi, Alexandru (2007),
Respiritualizarea educaţiei din perspectiva sănătăţii
întregului viu comun, Conferinţa internaţională, UB-
UNT, Bucharest.
6. Trevor, L. Young (2007), Managementul proiectelor de
succes, Editura Rentrop& Straton, Bucharest

III Conclusions. Changes and Opportunities

The key figures on Europe show that the education

expenditures have increased for all levels of education
combined during the past years: expenditure on
educational institutions from public sources and from
private sources, as well as annual expenditure on public
and private educational institutions per student.
In order to develop a better practical placement
system in the Romanian Universities, some proposals
should be considered, such as:
• The discipline description for every course
should include a clearer practical part which can
be presented during the course and then
implemented during the placement.
• The relationship between faculties and
companies should be based on mutual advantage
and long term cooperation.
• Some professionals should be invited to lecture
practical tips for effective of the student’s
behavior during the placement.
 ORGANIZATIONAL AND MANAGERIAL CULTURE IN HIGHER EDUCATION
INSTITUTIONS
Magdalena PLATIS1, Christina SUCIU2
1
University of Bucharest, magdalena.iordache-platis@drept.unibuc.ro
2
Academy of Economic Studies, christinasuciu@gmail.com
The purpose of the paper is to reveal the features of the organizational and managerial culture in universities. The main objectives
are: to clarify the correlations between the organizations and universities and to specify ways of culture development in higher
education institutions. This comparative analyze is made in order to find possible improvement directions for the university activities.
I INTRODUCTION: Management and
Leadership in Universities
Most of the management theories consider
management not only a science, but an art and a set of
practical tools to plan, organize, coordinate, make
decisions and control elements of a system in a specific
area. Management in Higher Education Institutions
means more than this since it deals with human
resources as trainers who create and modify
personalities of other human resources.
Higher Education Institutions act like economic
agents on a competitive market. They have objectives
on long and short terms, create and implement
strategies, deal with resource scarcity and many more
requirements from the interested parts. In addition, the
universities have a mission and a vision and run projects
with specific deadlines. Therefore, the management in
universities, although it seems to be a general
management, it has specific features since a university is
a special and different type of economic agent.
In addition, while management is looking for results
through the administration of resources, leadership
focuses on human resources through motivation. For
higher education institution this distinction is very
important for reasons such as the following:
• results of a qualitative process may not be
observed immediately, but after some years of
practice on the labor market;
• for educational reasons, some study programs
may not be judged according to the cost-benefit
analysis, but according to the demand for them,
which means that the educational supply is
considered a public good;
• leadership in universities is more visible than
in other area because professors are or should
be mentors to same students and teach them
especially through the power of the self
behavior.
Some of the most important features of the
management are entirely observed in the educational
area, such as:
• continuous process → in higher education
institutions all programs have to be part of a
long term strategy;
• cyclic process → each academic year means a
starting point for a generation of a three years
programs (or four) for a bachelor;
• dynamic process → the teaching and research
activities may not be the same, since each time
the audience is different, with a higher or lower
level of motivation.
At the same time, some of the most relevant features
of the leadership are specifically observed in higher
education institutions:
• communication process → in higher education
institution, communication is most important
between different parties: professor-professor,
student-student and of course, professor-
student, as well as professor and student on one
hand and business community on the other
hand;
• enthusiasm-oriented process → the most
attractive activities are those that get things
done through the ability of a leader, mentor to
encourage the people (students or colleagues)
to act having a positive attitude and an active
position in the team, with confidence and
toughness;
• leadership-behavioral process → real leaders
set the directions and make the people to
follow them. The behavior that is stimulated is
an inspiring one to achieve a desired result.
Therefore, the requirements for leadership behavior
in universities may be observed in the table 1.
Table 1: Factors of leadership behavior in Universities
Factors of Comments for higher education institution
leadership
behavior
Enthusiastic An enthusiastic professor make the whole
action atmosphere a pleasant time and the students get
involved in the educational process.
Support In higher education systems there is always a
giving need for a moral or effective support;
sometimes a very shy student may be a
completely different person if he or she is
encouraged by a professor with a nice word or
a smile; of course, in addition, the support may
be financial or learning one in different groups
or extra-activities.
Listening In universities, the leader professor knows to
listen the others and know to make other people
to listen to him or her.
288 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

Direction The leadership behavior contribute and determine the performance and
providing substantially to define the task of the institution functionality of the university.
or structure, as well as to help the team to In the business environment, an organizational
achieve the task and maintain effective culture for an enterprise is influenced by factors, such as
relationships.
Other A real leader is not afraid of being replaced in
the following:
people this or her position and the information known • employers;
developing in disseminated with pleasure to other people • managers;
who are not considered competitors on the • owners;
labor market. • history;
• size of the company;
The examples may continue. What is relevant for • technology used;
the relation management – leadership is that in normal • informational capacity;
organizations, a leader is a visible and effective
• economic situation of the enterprise;
presence that is followed in a certain period, while in
• phase of the life/cycle of the company;
higher education institution a leader-professor is more
than that (as seen in figure no. 1). • objectives;
• management system, legislation.
In the academic environment, an organizational
Leadership in culture in university is influenced by such factors as the
universities
following:
He/she is a
mentor for the
• professors;
He/she
student’s contributes to • students;
Leader-professor
the career
development for
• potential employers for the graduates;
He/she remains a
the graduates • history;
even if only
nice-memory for through the self • research dimension;
the whole example
student’s life He/she neglects the real • prevailed domains of studies;
age and behaves
accordingly with his/her
• free of tuition – tuition paid students relation;
spirit which remains • mission, vision and objectives;
always young
• quality management system;
• economic environment;
• European and national legislation.
In universities, the concrete manifestations of the
Figure 1: A leader professor role organizational culture consist of specific elements:
symbols, behaviors, rituals and ceremonies, status and
II Organizational and Managerial Culture in roles, stories and myths.
Universities 1) Symbols
a) These are elements that offer universities
common understandings to some
In every country, several types of cultures may be organizational aspects such an object, an event
distinguished: national, economical, sectorial and or message;
organizational. b) Such a symbol may be considered the name of
The national culture is based on a huge diversity of the university if it shows an essence aspect of
historical data regarding the evolution of the society, the its activity;
economical one refers to economic variables that c) When the name itself of a university is a
express the economic development and the sectorial symbol, it may refer either to the aspect of
culture is based on specific processes and activities in relevant research, or to the qualitative
the field of current operations. More profound, the processes;
organizational culture expresses the functionality and d) Sometimes, the symbolic value is referred to
performances of the University reflecting the whole details from the way of the furniture
context: national, economical and sectorial. arrangement to the paintings on the wall;
The organizational culture of the university is e) Cultural symbols are meant to express certain
considered: conceptions and to promote certain values an
• a set of beliefs of the academic personnel behaviors in the university which contribute to
regarding the way people should behave during the academic personnel’s thinking and to the
the educational and administrative activities in actions of the employers.
university; 2) Behaviors
• a bundle of values and major senses defined by a) In practice, there are recognized formal rules
the interested parts in university; which follow official requirements from an
• a huge variety of values, beliefs, hopes, organizational point of view such as: university
expectations and behaviors that are prevailed carta, evaluation procedure, quality manual,
Organizational and Managerial Culture in Higher Education Institutions
position descriptions etc. Here are included
many behavioral features which include
relations between professors and students,
students and dean and vice-deans, professors
and colleagues etc.
b) In universities, like in all business company,
there are informal behaviors which are not part
of any official description, but influence
significantly the organizational behavior. Such
informal behaviors may include some social
events and the way they are organized on
different promotions, dates birth, Christmas
time etc.
3) Rituals and Ceremonies
a) These rituals contribute to programming some
events in order to achieve important objectives
for university;
b) Rituals may regard situations of passing,
degradation, performance, renewal, conflict
management and integration (see table no 2)
Table 2: Rituals in universities
Rituals Description
Passing Regards the changing of positions and roles
and status of some persons; for example,
promotion from associate professor to full
professor or from a professor position to a dean
position
Degradation Regards the situation of loosing the
organizational position and power in the
context of a negative output
Performance Reflects the employer’s performance which as
a consequence get rewards like a financial
bonus or an appreciation during a festivity
Renewal Consists of new contents to some relations and
processes in university; for instance a new
curriculum development, a new extra
curriculum activity, a new diploma festivity
Conflict Reveals a set of procedures when interested
management parties are involved with divergent interests;
for instance, the dialog between professors
who teach connected disciplines
Integration Develops collective feeling and living, all
participants being favorable impressed and
understanding the fact that they belong to a
group in the university.
4) Status and roles
a) Refers to the position and prestige a professor
has in university as it is understood by his/her
colleagues;
b) The status shows that a person is considered
better or more performant or influent than
another.
c) Usually, a status has a triple determination:
functional, hierarchical and personal;
d) A professor’s impact in the university is
higher, the higher his/her status is.
5) Stories and myths
a) Comment a chronological set of events in
University which has a symbolic sense;
b) Reveal some common expectations of people;
289
c) Are said several times, a past story being told
with additional new real or fictive details;
d) Typically, the history proves uncertainty or
temptation in different activities or
departments;
e) Myths refer to prestigious leaders or managers
such as deans or rectors that worked in the
university.
Managerial culture in university refers to a system of
values, beliefs, expectations and behaviors for the
managers in the higher education institution which is
reflected in the management style used in the university.
III Conclusions. Premises for Organizational
Culture Change
At present, universities face many difficulties from
financial restrictions to curriculum design process.
Therefore, a need of adapting the organizational culture
must be observed.
The premises for changes in the organizational
culture in universities take into consideration the
following aspects:
• Diversity of organizing processes and activities
in higher education institutions;
• Need of strategic orientation when defining the
changes;
• Correlation between organizational culture and
phase of the life-cycle of different study
programs;
• Understanding the organizational learning as the
base of organizational change;
• Need of considering the ethical dimension in the
change of the organizational culture;
• Management tendency to belong to leaders able
to understand and protect the organizational
culture of the university.
References
1. Kitchin Duncan(2010), “Organizational Behavior for
Managers and Engineers”, Elsevier Publishing House.
2. Popescu, Constantin, Taşnadi, Alexandru (2007),
Respiritualizarea educaţiei din perspectiva sănătăţii
întregului viu comun, Conferinţa internaţională, UB-
UNT, Bucharest.
3. Trevor, L. Young (2007), Managementul proiectelor de
succes, Editura Rentrop& Straton, Bucharest
4. Tudorica, Roxana (2007), “Managementul educatiei in
context European”, Editura Meronia.
5. Verboncu, Ion, Nicolescu, Ovidiu (1999),
“Management”, Editura Ecomica
6. Armstrong, Michael, Stephens, Tina (2005),
“Management and leadership, A guide to managing for
results”, Kogan Page, London
7. *** (2008), “Improving Competences for the 21st
Century”, European Communities.
8. *** (2005), “Strategy. Create and Implement the Best
Strategy for Your Business”, Harvard Business School
Press.
9. Kotler, Philip (1998), Managementul marketingului,
Editura Teora, Bucharest.
10. Mihalcea, R., Androniceanu, A. (2000), „Management”,
290 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
Economic Publishing House, Bucharest.
11. Nastase, M (2004), „Cultura organizationala si
manageriala”, ASE Publishing House, Bucharest.
12. Nica, P. (1994), „Managementul firmei”, Condor
Publishing House, Chisinau.
13. Bontas, D. (2003), „Managementul general al firmei”,
Moldavia Publishing House.
14. State, O (2004), „Cultura organizatiei si
managementul”, ASE Publishing House, Bucharest.
15. Rosca, Ion (2006), „Societatea cunoasterii”, Editura
Economica.
16. Zlate, Mielu (2007), „Tratat de psihologie
organizational manageriala”, Vol II.
17. Sucala, V.I., „Scientific Debate on Hifstede model”,
http://www.revist.amier.org/19engleza.htm
18. Sucala, V.I. (2006), „Organizational Culture in a Time
of Great Change, in the International Journal of
Knowledge, Culture and Change Management”, Vol 6,
Issue 4, pag 75-79, Common Ground Publishing,
Melbourne,
http://ijm.cgpublisher.com/product/pub.28/prod.451
 ENFORCING QUALITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION IN BRAZIL

Nelio D. PIZZOLATO1,. Jose Alberto R. PARISE2 Nival Nunes DE ALMEIDA3

1
Department of Industrial Engineering, PUC/Rio, Brazil
ndp@puc-rio.br
2
Department of Mechanical Engineering, PUC/Rio, Brazil
parise@puc-rio.br
3
Faculty of Engineering, UERJ, Brazil
nival@yahoo.com

As part of the development effort, higher education is being disseminated in all regions of Brazil, more notably along the last few
decades. In all state capitals and in all the largest cities higher education establishments and universities, managed by either the
Federal Government, by State Agencies, by religious institutions, or by the private sector, have been opened. Due to a large series of
historical, regional, economical, and cultural factors, the quality of such university degrees is not uniform and has been the object of
generalized criticism. In order to initially evaluate and later to enforce quality, the federal government has since long introduced
periodical evaluation of all institutions, culminating in 1996 with the introduction of a mandatory National Exam for all of the
graduating students. These have reacted strongly and have organized a boycott fearing some sort of downgrade of their diplomas. The
federal authorities have modified somehow the rules and objectives stating that no student had the risk of invalidating his degree, but
rather the Exam would signal the institutions that should improve their standards or face the risk of being closed. In order to
overcome resistances, the government created an elaborate and comprehensive evaluation system, which included an exam of
performance improvement, called ENADE. This exam has some original conception and it is applied to an oriented sample of
students, extracted from the first year and the last one. Although only part of the process, the exam receives most publicity. This paper
overviews the historical developments of the education processes in the country, and discusses the present periodical evaluation
instruments, all subject to criticism and continuous improvement.

extremely limited, even among the upper classes,

INTRODUCTION
In contrast with countries that have a few thousand
years long history, Brazil has only five hundred years of
existence, since its discovery by Portuguese navigators
in 1500. Under colonial rule, human, cultural and
economical progress was limited since European
occupation was mostly concerned with the exploitation
of the natural resources rather than any systematic and
civilized occupation. Old economical cycles include the
exports of Brazil’s wood, the introduction of sugar
plantations, and the exploitation of gold mines,
diamonds, and other precious stones. Fights against
Dutch and French, that occurred during the first two
centuries, have stimulated the outcome of some kind of
national identity. For three hundred years nothing
important seemed to happen until 1808 when the
Portuguese prince, and later king D. João VI, fleeing the
French army and protected by English ships came to
Brazil. This event was a turning point in history, since
the fact brought a sudden sense of universality and
modernity. Shortly after his departure, came the
independence, in 1822, in the hands of his son. The
republic arrived in 1889, when the country was getting
socially more complex, with thousands of European
immigrants that came to work in the coffee plantations
and to attend specialized demands of consumers and
aristocrats of the time. The wealth brought by the coffee
cycle and the participation of new immigrants
determined a fast change in the society’s aspirations. On
the other hand, due to the lack of schools and
universities, the general levels of education were
according to dispersed accounts.
The sequence makes an overview of the basic
education problems from a historical point of view.
Next, there is a survey of the introduction of the higher
education in the country, and points out its fast
evolution along the last decades. By the end of the 60’s,
post graduate programs, especially on scientific and
technological disciplines have been introduced as a
political decision to accelerate the integration of the
country to the capitalist world. These programs were
created together with evaluation methods that intended
to certify if they were fitting international standards.
Despite strong criticism expressed by many, the
evaluation system is being continuously improved
(Bezerra and Pizzolato, 2004). By the same token, the
evaluation processes are being introduced in all
university levels and the next section discusses such
evolution which basically started in 1996 when the
graduate students were submitted to a National Exam
before getting their degrees. Facing widespread
resistance which included partial boycott, the Exam was
cancelled but alternative evaluation procedures
generated by the National Higher Education Evaluation
System (SINAES) have led to a General Index for
university programs. This Index includes, for each
institution, an evaluation of its infrastructure, its
teaching resources, the qualification of the faculty, and
also an exam, ENADE. This exam is applied to two
samples of the students: the beginners and the
graduating. The interesting idea is to measure the
educational value added (IDD) by each institution. The
final section sketches some conclusions
292 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
A BRIEF HISTORICAL EDUCATION ORIGIN
The country is racially composed by local Indians,
slaves brought from Africa, and voluntary immigrants
from Europe, Middle East and Asia. By a number of
reasons, since the start of the colonization there was an
intensive racial miscegenation, giving rise to a
dominating mixed population and justifying the
currently asserted lack of racial conflicts.
From an education perspective, at the very
beginning a part of the Indian population received
education from the Jesuits who learned their
predominating language and elaborated its written
expression. Roughly, one million Indians were
estimated to be living at the moment of discovery, a
number comparable to the Portuguese population at the
same time, but they were culturally living far behind
their counter parts in Mexico, Peru and other Central
American populations. Divided in small tribes and
sparse groups, the Indians used to walk naked and were
living in a surprising purity suggesting, as some would
call it, a kind of pre Adam paradise. Since most of them
were inquisitive and receptive towards the newcomers
the integration turned out to be easy. However, these
male newcomers lack families and wifes, and were
mostly rough, adventurers and uneducated, with
differing cultural and moral conceptions. The result was
anarchical marriages and the fast reproduction of the
mixed population. Later on, with the beginning of the
economical development, Indians, although unused to
disciplined work, started to be recruited as slaves, or
devastated by diseases brought by the white European
made more likely due to their concentrations in villages
or Jesuit missions. In any case, the critical position of
the Jesuits in favor of the Indians’ freedom and their
acceptance as human beings has irritated the white
settlers and ultimately the Portuguese Crown that
decided to expel them from the country. With their
absence all education efforts were abandoned.
No regular education has been provided to the black
slaves who started to arrive in the XVII century, whose
flow, however, persisted for more than 200 years up to
the mid XIX century. Five million blacks are roughly
estimated to have been received in the country. These
slaves have been spread around the country according to
regional working demands. They were extremely
important for the formation of the Brazilian people,
starting from the diffusion of the language. Many assert
that Brazil today would speak tupi/guarani as happened
to Paraguay, were it not for the blacks who were only
able to speak the language of their masters.
Along the last two centuries, the European
immigration has certainly outnumbered Indians, slaves
or colonizers. The strong waves of immigration have
started immediately after the ban on the slavery traffic
and lasted for more than a century. Briefly, the German
immigration, officially sponsored by the Brazilian
emperor, started in the early XIX century. By the end of
the same century, large numbers of Italians came to
work in coffee plantations, together with a smaller
numbers of other Europeans and a steady and vigorous
number of Portuguese, who always enjoyed
distinguished treatment and family relationships.
Regarding education, these immigrants have constructed
schools in their settlements providing education that
would otherwise be non-existent.
Also very significant was the subsequent arrival of
Arabs, specially from Lebanon, Turkey and Syria.
Thanks to their familiarity with commercial activities
most of them soon started to accumulate power
and prosperity. These people were settled all around the
country and were rapidly mixed and assimilated by the
local population. Finally, around 1920, another flow of
foreigners came from Asia. About a few hundred
thousand Japanese arrived and their descendents
numbered more than two millions by the end of the
century. Again, their tendency as a race was for full
integration with the local population. A distinguishing
feature among the Japanese was their competence to
deal with the agricultural techniques, specially fruits and
vegetables. Newer generations tend to work hard to
arrive at universities and to reach higher social levels.
Mostly rural the Japanese have also developed their own
education system.
Considering this brief colonization history, it is
reasonable to conclude that education was no priority
and only the more educated, more affluent and wealthier
would have access to it. Many factors, especially the
industrialization and urbanization of the country noticed
in the post war, imposed a new trend to the popular
education and today it is both a requirement for local
governments to offer the fundamental school to every
young person, as well as a crime for a citizen not to
enroll his child in one. Thanks to such evolution, near
100% of the population attend the basic school.
However, many public administrators limit their action
to public school constructions and to statistics
satisfaction, and largely disregard the operation of the
system, notably its quality.
A BRIEF HIGH EDUCATION HISTORY
The history of the higher education in Brazil starts
with the Jesuits who have organized higher level
courses on arts, that is, philosophy and sciences.
Students willing to get further education would go to
Coimbra to specialize on Law studies or to Montpelier
to study Medicin. In addition, the Jesuits entertained
research activities, such as the astronomy observatory in
Rio de Janeiro. These organizations remained until the
eradication of the order in 1759. By 1792, the Royal
Academy of Artillery, Fortification, and Drawing was
created to prepare civil engineers. The important
evolution occurred after the arrival of D. João VI, in
1808. Among his celebrated initiatives that remain
active up to these days, the first building to host an
engineering school was built in 1812. Much later, 1920,
appears the first university in the country, then called
the University of Brazil. Along the same lines, the by-
law governing the Brazilian universities was created in
Enforcing Quality in Higher Education in Brazil
1931; the Ministry of Education and Health appeared in
1937; the first Guide for Education in Brazil is dated of
1961; the basic curricula for engineering programs was
defined in 1976 (Almeida and Borges, 2007).
The first doctoral program appeared in 1931, but its
use was very limited. Although several institutions used
to produce research there was no regular admission’s
program for preparing researchers’ candidates. The
same might be said about the master’s programs. The
first regular master appeared within the Air Force in
1961. But, by the end of the 60’s the National
Development Bank, a state agency, has included among
his financing activities a number of technological
master’s programs in two selected universities. Along
the following decades, the Federal Government decided
for the generalized creation of master’s programs in all
federal universities.
The evaluation of the post graduate programs started
in 1976, for which a specific agency (CAPES) under the
Ministry of Education was in charge. Since then, this
agency is responsible for funding but also for evaluating
the operations of all post graduate programs. Every post
graduate program in the country is evaluated and
receives a grade which allows comparisons with similar
institutions in developed countries. Some of these
procedures have been presented in the 4th QMHE,
(Pizzolato et al., 2006). In the year 2007, there were
2211 masters programs and 1246 doctoral programs in
the country, all being periodically graded, i.e, every
three years. Although the agency has its own staff, most
of the work is done by invited but distinguished
professors, in a pair evaluation process.
Also to register is the National Council for
Technological and Scientific Development (CNPq),
created in 1951, under the Science and Technology
Ministry, responsible for supporting individuals, both
academic and researchers. Although there is some
overlap, CAPES deals with programs, while CNPq
deals with individuals.
THE GRADUATE PROGRAMS EVALUATION
Certainly, the recognized efforts and long
accumulated experience developed by CAPES for the
post graduate programs has moved into the
undergraduate programs.
From the above presentation it is certainly correct to
conclude that the country development is unequal, not
only demographically, but also economically and
culturally. In particular, the basic education is excellent
for some that can afford enrollment in expensive private
schools, but is critical for most of the others that get
enrolled in substandard schools. All such inequalities
compose a big challenge for the country whose
immediate consequence lies on the quality of the
students that are admitted to the university programs
and the subsequent quality of the graduated.
In order to measure the quality of the bachelors, the
first national exam was organized in 1996 but as noted
293
before, this exam met strong opposition from the
students. The general criticism has imposed changes to
the objectives of the exam and has imposed the
development of more comprehensive evaluation
instruments. These are discussed in the next section.
Incidentally, politically oriented corrective measures
have been intensively put in place, all subject to strong
controversies and disputes, such as racial quotas for
indians and blacks, privileged funding for certain areas
of the country and so on.
THE GENERAL INDEX FOR PROGRAMS
The General Index for Programs (IGC) is a recent
indicator adopted by the Brazilian federal agencies that
evaluate the higher education institutions. This index
seeks to express in a single number the quality of all
undergraduate programs. The IGC as presented below
depends strongly on the Courses Preliminary Concept
(CPC) and marginally on the post graduate programs,
masters and doctors, when they exist, whose grades are
established by CAPES in a range 1 through 7: one if it is
very poor and ought to be closed down; seven if it is
comparable to similar top international institutions.
The CPC is based on evaluations related to several
aspects of the institution such as infrastructure, teaching
resources and faculty qualification, and it is made public
annually. As a consequence, it is a controversial tool
since it becomes an important element to influence the
public opinion and to favor the publicity of some
institutions against others.
In order to reach the CPC, for each program, the
following six elements are considered with their
corresponding weights:
I. ENADE (40%);
II. IDD (30%);
III. Infrastructure (3%);
IV. Teaching resources (8%);
V. Percentage of doctors (12%);
VI. Percentage of full time professors (7%).
The ENADE means simply the result of the exam as
applied to a selected sample of students, and the IDD, or
Index of Difference in Development, is quite interesting.
It is an evaluation of the improvement a student
accomplishes during the program. Its implementation is
made in the following way: the exam evaluates an
average starting student and his performance is
compared with the one of an average student which is
completing the course. Supposedly, the more advanced
student has a better performance than the starting one.
Such difference is exactly the IDD or the improvement
the average student has experienced thanks to the
effectiveness of the institution. The ENADE is applied
every year, but after three years, the results of the
graduating students might be compared with their
results three years before, when he was a beginner, and
provide some statistics adjustments.
Other than the exam, the quantitative elements cited
above are obtained, some by visiting the institution
294 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

others by inspection, and others by checking their
annual reports. CPCs are then obtained for each
undergraduate program and a weighted average for all
programs offered by the institution, denoted by G, is
calculated. If the institution has postgraduate programs,
with grades M for masters’ and D for doctors’, in the
range 1 through 7, according to CAPES evaluation, all
elements are available for calculating the IGC. The
numbers collected are weighted in order to obtain the
IGC, according to the expression below.
Research; Proceedings of the 4th International Seminar on
the Quality in Higher Education; Sinaia, Romênia; 9-10
June, 2006, pp. 115-120.
3. Bittencourt, H. R., A. O. Casarteli, and A. C. de M.
Rodrigues ; Sobre o índice geral de cursos (IGC) ;
Avaliação: Revista da Avaliação da Educação Superior
(Campinas; Vol. 14, No. 3, Nov 2009, pp. 1-12.
4. Pizzolato, Nelio D., José Alberto R. Parisi and Marlene J.
S. Bezerra; A Few Remarks on the Individual and
Institutional Aspects of the Evaluation of Post-Graduate
Programs; Nelio D. Proceedings of the 4th International
Seminar on the Quality in Higher Education; Sinaia,
Romênia; 9-10 June, 2006, pp. 235-240

IGC = {[ PGrad xG] + [ PMast x( M + 5) / 2] +

PDoc x( D + 10) / 3]}x100

In this formula, PGrad, PMest, and PDout are the

percentages of graduate, masters’ and doctors’ students.
The resulting IGC varies in a scale from 0 through 500,
although the extreme values are uncommon. The
continuous numbers are converted into a discrete scale
ranging from 1 through 5. Subsequently, such grade is
then made public, (Bittencourt et al. 2009).

CONCLUSIONS

This paper reports on the evaluation procedures that

are being implemented in Brazil as part of the effort to
identify weaknesses in some programs around the
country. The task is certainly challenging and full of
criticism since the country is geographically huge and
there are historical differences in cultural and
economical development that explain for some areas the
scarcity of good teaching professionals in all grades of
study, as well as strong deficiencies on infrastructure in
several areas of the country. In particular, rural and
metropolitan areas, and also the North and Northeast
regions tend to lay behind the standards set by the more
central areas in the South and Southeast regions.
In any case, the federal funding policy for scientific
and technological institutions enforces preference to
investments that might help to reduce differences among
regions of the country, and recommends, although does
not enforce, the higher education institutions to establish
quotas for minority groups and to students that come
from public basic schools. For this last goal, students
from the public schools are invited to participate in an
admission exam, the PROUNI, whose results are passed
to the universities which are encouraged to accept the
best ranked students.

References:

1. Almeida, Nival N. and M. N. Borges; A pós-graduação em

engenharia no Brasil: uma perspectiva histórica no âmbito
das políticas públicas; Ensaio; Rio de Janeiro, Vol. 15, No.
56, July/Sept 2007, pp. 323-340.
2. Bezerra, Marlene J. S. and Nelio D. Pizzolato; Methodology
Proposal for Evaluating Grants for Initiation to Scientific
 SURVEY REGARDING THE DOCTORAL STUDIES SYSTEM BASED ON NEW
EUROPEAN REGULATIONS AND COMPARISON WITH THE PREVIOUS SYSTEM

Anca Alexandra PURCAREA1, Elena FLEACA2, Dan DUMITRIU3, Adrian Valentin MOISE4, Octav Ion NEGOITA5
1
Politehnica University of Bucharest, Management Department, Industrial Management Chair, apurcarea@gmail.com
2
Politehnica University of Bucharest, Management Department, Industrial Management Chair, elenafleaca@yahoo.com
3
Politehnica University of Bucharest, Management Department, Industrial Management Chair, dumitriud@gmail.com
4
Romanian Broadcasting Company, aesiom@yahoo.com
5
One Advertising Business, octav.negoita@oneadvertising.ro

This paper aims to achieve a comparative study between the doctoral system based on the new European regulations and the doctoral
system that was used before. In a market increasingly competitive, globalized, people are subject to new challenges which they must
deal with through appropriate training. By joining the European Union, Romania has had to adapt its educational programs under
the new rules. The authors conducted a survey of documents produced by decision factors in the education system after meetings in
Bologna, Berlin and Lisbon, which established a new system of training in "Higher Education" on three cycles. A comparative study
has been made using utilities theory between the doctoral system based on the new European regulations and the previous system.
Specific aspects of the new doctoral system have been identified, highlighting the advantages and disadvantages. Highlighting the
positive aspects of the new system may result in attracting new candidates and increasing interest in this form of training. This paper
contributes to a better understanding by those concerned of the fact that doctoral programs contributes to their professional
development and increase their ability to face new challenges in the labor market. Keywords: higher education, doctoral studies,
comparative study, professional development.

correlation between labor supply and labor market needs

INTRODUCTION and increase and improve investment in Research-
Development, particularly from the businesses field.
Since the inclusion of doctoral studies as the third
In the last 20 years we have witnessed in Romania
Bologna cycle, European universities have engaged in a
an unprecedented expansion of higher education and an
far-reaching reform of their doctoral programs. We find
increase of the student numbers in public or private
ourselves at a time when the ideas of reform are being
universities. Doctorate was not an exception to this
trend, regarding the number of doctoral students, the implemented within the individual institutions, raising
doctoral supervisors, the areas that can offer a PhD many questions about structures and quality, but also
providing a wealth of practices and experiences.
diploma and of the doctoral institutions.
The new national doctoral reformed system should
Increasing the quantity recorded should be weighted
theoretically be capable to reach the stage where it
in terms of quality assessment of progress, responding
with rigor to questions like: is there any direct meets the needs generated by the latest national and
proportionality between the number of PhDs and international changes and is capable of preventing,
where possible, the challenges that will arise in future.
publishing achievements and technological or cognitive
Due to the new requests of the labor market, the
innovations [1]? The international visibility and
need for a better training of human resources can be
economic relevance of scientific knowledge produced in
achieved mainly by master studies and doctoral studies.
PhD has increased? Have doctorate studies adequate
financial and logistical resources compared with their Developing efficient and highly competitive doctoral
counterparts in other European countries? programs is a priority for both the European and
Romanian universities in the European context. Training
Increasing public interest in higher education and in
a new generation of researchers and academics,
particular for doctoral studies can be explained by the
increasing creative, constructive and competitive
changes triggered by the transition to a knowledge
capacities from public and private sectors, industrial,
society. Achieving sustainable development, enabling
satisfying today's needs without compromising the commercial or services are dependent on the doctoral
chances of future generations is possible only through programs’ performance. Consequently, the Romanian
universities orientated predominantly toward research,
the coordination of scientific innovation and increase
will have to deal with increasing responsibilities
production so that results can be exploited to the
regarding organization of doctoral system and
maximum, minimizing negative consequences.
consecration of more efficient structures and activities.
Achieving these goals requires professionals trained in
the spirit of the knowledge society [2]. By entering the European Union and joining the
integration process, Romania had to start aligning with
Thus, the aim should be to create an institutional
the European legislation that led to adopting the cycle
framework conducive to the accumulation of knowledge
3+2+3 years.
and research skills, with direct economic consequences
through increasing quality and productivity, improving
296 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
Doctoral programs meet the third cycle of university
studies in the Bologna process [3] and at the same time,
represent the first phase in constructing the careers of
young researchers.
In concordance to the latest legislative initiatives
Romanian higher education reform plan should cover
both legislative and especially the strategic and
operational level so that the university can truly become
a key element of economic, social and cultural progress.
To fulfill the role outlined in the Lisbon Strategy [4, 5]
and the face the challenge of interacting on a rapidly
globalizing market, with limited resources, the
university must take into account also the competition
as the fundamental rule of its management.
Orientation capacity and managerial skills determine
the real progress, beneficial for the university as a whole
but also for the whole higher education system. The
management team of each university is being directly
responsible for the institution stand out in a society that
has opted for a market economy, international opening
and for global competition.
In the development of a new society in which
education is recognized as a key factor in competitive
success of the nation, the traditional model of the
university must know deep changes.
According to the Lisbon Strategy, one of the
priorities of the EU countries is developing a knowledge
economy based on resources of highly skilled and
specialized labor force [6]. In this context, Romania has
to pass from thinking and planning at a local level, to a
European and global one. It must, therefore, reform the
doctoral system according to European doctoral schools
and organize a new form that might be more flexible
and able to respond to contemporary needs.
PURPOSE OF THE PAPER
The purpose of the paper is to create a comparative
study of the old and new doctoral system, based on
European regulations.
For this, there has been made a research of the
methodology used in the two systems, the authors
identifying a set of criteria for use in the comparison
process.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The two types of doctoral systems, the previous (D1)
and current system (D2), were analyzed considering the
following criteria:
- C1 is the period of the training program, where
the program D1 had 4-6 years and D2 is of only
3 years
- C2 shows the quantity of knowledge gained
during the program, considered by the authors
to be directly proportional to the duration of
studies
- C3 refers to a set of benefits which the holder of
the PhD scientific title can obtain, such as:
additional pay, promotion opportunities,
increase of the professional skills, occupying a
highly skilled post etc. These benefits are
obtained faster in the second doctoral system, as
the PhD is obtained sooner
- C4 quantifies the level of stress induced by the
tests that the PhD student has to promote:
exams, writing and presentation of scientific
research reports, disseminating research results
etc. This level is higher or lower depending on
the requirements imposed
- C5 shows the recognition of the professional
prestige
- C6 states what are the PhD students’ obligations
in order to obtain a doctoral degree:
- D1 system does not specify the amount
of information to be disseminated, nor
a certain quality
- D2 system is explicitly requiring the
dissemination of scientific articles in
internationally recognized conferences
(indexed in international databases) of
which at least two must be indexed in
the ISI (Thomson) database, public
presentation of the reports and of the
thesis; for graduates of higher
education under the Bologna Process
(Bologna Accords), completion of a
master program is required
Given all these differences between the two doctoral
systems, the authors have tried to identify the opinion of
competent persons regarding which is the most
appropriate program that meets the new labor market
requirements.
The comparative study was based on utility theory
applied under deterministic conditions (certainty),
taking into account the criteria set presented above.
The formula used, to show which is the preferred
system, is:
n
D preferred = max ∑ u ij ⋅K j
j =1
(i )
where:
- Di – represents all the doctoral systems being
analyzed, i = 1,…, m (i = 1,2)
- Cj – all the criteria, j=1,…, n (j = 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
- uij – the utility given to an “i” type of program,
take in consideration the “j” criterion
- Kj – priority coefficient
For overcoming subjectivism, there has been made a
research based on a questionnaire that has been
deployed to a number of PhDs and PhD Students, in
order to give notes for the two doctoral systems on each
criterion (nijr), which expressed the utility given by the
respondent “r” to the type of program “i”, according to
the criterion “j”.
The formula used to calculate is:
Survey Regarding The Doctoral Studies System Based on New European Regulations and Comparison with The Previous
System 297

∑n ijr ⋅ k jr Table 2 - PhD students’ responses

Program type “i”

u ij = r =1
, with r = 1,…, p Nj1 (D1) Nj2 (D2) Kj
p Criterion “j”

All the persons who completed the questionnaire C1 0,53 0,43 0,16
were asked to establish the priority of the criteria in
such way that the coefficients sum should be equal to 1. C2 0,95 0,80 0,24
In other words, kjr represents the weighted score given
by the respondent “r” to the criterion “j”, with the
following condition: C3 0,43 0,59 0,12

n C4 0,36 0,62 0,15

∑ k jr =1
j =1 C5 0,62 0,65 0,15

The utility theory will be used in the consequences C6 0,46 0,63 0,16
matrix, and the weighted score for each criterion from
each variant was calculated. n
Kj is being calculated using the following formula: ∑N
j =1
ij ⋅Kj 0,5850 0,6229 -

∑r =1
k jr In Table 3, there have been taken into account the
K j = responses of both groups.
p
Table 3 – Both groups’ responses

There have been interviewed 160 persons, from Program type “i”
which 80 are PhDs, and 80 are PhD Students. The Nj1 (D1) Nj2 (D2) Kj
Criterion “j”
results after questionnaire completion are presented in
Table 1 and Table 2. C1 0,49 0,40 0,13

Table 1 – PhDs’ responses

C2 0,98 0,83 0,25
Program type “i”
Nj1 (D1) Nj2 (D2) Kj
Criterion “j” C3 0,44 0,44 0,13

C1 0,43 0,37 0,11

C4 0,39 0,58 0,14

C2 0,99 0,86 0,26

C5 0,63 0,54 0,16

C3 0,45 0,45 0,14

C6 0,48 0,57 0,14

C4 0,42 0,52 0,13 n

∑N
j =1
ij ⋅Kj 0,5641 0,5885 -

C5 0,64 0,52 0,18

C6 0,51 0,49 0,13 RESULTS INTERPRETATION

n
The group of PhDs preferred the D1 program, as
∑N
j =1
ij ⋅Kj 0,6038 0,5522 -
expected, as they followed this type of doctoral
program.
298 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

The group of PhD Students preferred the D2 3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bologna_Process#Romania

program, that proves that this new system is their
favorite because it allows a faster insertion on a
qualified market and a faster obtaining of all the
benefits.
It is rather hard to draw an absolutely and
thoroughly conclusion regarding which doctoral system
is best, as both systems have their advantages and
disadvantages. This is due also to the fact that the period
since the new system was introduced is relatively short,
but still, the new system seems to be preferred over the
old one, but only with a small advance in comparison to
the previous one.
4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisbon_Recognition_Conve
ntion
5. http://www.eng.unibo.it/PortaleEn/University/Bologna+
Process/default.htm
6. Anca-Alexandra Purcarea, Elena Fleaca (2009),
Connecting engineering education to the business
community requirements based on the actual
understanding of the managerial competences, The 5th
Balkan Conference on Engineering Education, Sibiu,
Romania
7. C. Scarlat, A.A., Purcărea (2005)., Higher education
research for Engineering Education in Romania, The
3th Balkan Region Conference on Engineering
Education, Sibiu, Romania

CONCLUSIONS

Changes in higher education in Romania [7], also

across Europe and elsewhere, were quite numerous and
radical, and imposed an essential transformation of the
educational process. Initiation and implementation of
various reforms and processes in European or
international level are particularly relevant for Romania,
as the national education system is still in a process of
profound reform.
The higher education policy agenda had
considerably evolved in the past two decades and
mostly since 1998 and the sector is more than ever a
priority for tomorrow. Higher education faces many
challenges – recurrent and more recent ones – whose in-
depth understanding will help to shape action at the
global, regional, national and institutional level.
It would be desirable for the new adopted system to
increase the quality of PhDs, and also would be
desirable for the PhD student to acquire skills to help
him build upon his doctorate, and his own research. Of
course, rational organization of doctoral schools will
bring an important contribution to increasing the
relevance of university research.
Highlighting the positive aspects of the new adopted
doctoral system may result in attracting new candidates
and increasing interest in this form of training.
The content and completion of doctoral programs
occupy a central position in building a knowledge
society, providing a close relationship between
academic area, research area and the area of cognitive
and technological innovation. Development and
affirmation of our society in a European context can be
successfully achieved only with a major reconstruction
and improvement of university doctoral cycle.

References

1. L. Sandovici, D. Dumitriu (2003), Calitatea serviciilor în

procesul educaţional universitar, Academia Română,
Institutul Naţional de Cercetãri Economice, Centrul de
Economia Industriei şi Serviciilor, Sesiunea Naţională
de Comunicări Ştiinţifice CEIS, Bucureşti
2. S. Ciurea, D. Dumitriu (2008), Services Management in
European Integration Process, QIEI - International
Conference on Quality – Innovation – European
Integration, ISBN 3-901888-41-3, Sibiu
 THE ANALYSIS OF THE QUALITY ASSURANCE SYSTEM AT THE FACULTY OF
COMMERCE WITHIN BUCHAREST ACADEMY OF ECONOMIC STUDIES, IN THE
VIEW OF THE QUALITY CULTURE

Anca PURCAREA1, Irina PURCAREA2 , Smaranda VISAN3

1
Academy of Economic Studies, anca.purcarea@com.ase.ro
2
Academy of Economic Studies, irina_ius@yahoo.com
3
Academy of Economic Studies, visan_sma@yahoo.com

Abstract. Most faculties around the world are planning to develop the integral quality culture system which will be a prerequisite for
institutional evaluation and accreditation. The diversity of European higher education emphasizes the harmonization and convergence of
quality assurance processes, based on common principles. The paper’s main objective is to analyze students’ perception regarding the
effectiveness of the Bachelor’s program and Master’s program within the Faculty of Commerce and to provide initiatives for improvement
of the quality assurance system at the Faculty of Commerce, Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies. The paper is based on the research
and data collected and interpreted using documents obtained from the Faculty dean, academic affairs division head and assistant head,
student activities division head, and 10 instructors. The findings of the research constitute a reference for internal quality assurance by
constructing a system and mechanisms to assess the conformity of the educational institution to be in with established quality standards.
The process is to contribute to a common frame of reference for the provision of higher education and the assurance of quality. As a result
of the research, the internal quality assurance system for the Faculty of Commerce is analyzed and improved. The implementation will be
carried out across certain dimensions such as organizing a committee for Education quality assurance for the Faculty of Commerce, to
enhance confidence to education service receivers, both direct service receivers: students and parents and indirect service receivers such as
the people and the society. By introducing a research methodology that comprises the construction of a research conceptual framework and
an internal education quality assurance system, a research based on an interview with the personnel from the Faculty of Commerce was
also carried out, which represents the degree of novelty associated with this type of research methodology.
Key words: Bachelor’s program, Master’s Program, quality assurance, research methodology, student perception

1. HIGHER EDUCATION WITHIN THE

INTRODUCTION
Quality culture refers to an organizational culture that
intends to enhance quality permanently and is
characterized by two distinct elements: on the one
hand, a cultural/psychological element of shared values,
beliefs, expectations and commitment towards quality
and, on the other hand, a structural/managerial element
with defined processes that enhance quality and aim at
coordinating individual efforts. Higher education
institutions can support a quality culture by providing
appropriate structures within their organization in order
to facilitate and maintain the quality commitment of its
members. All over the world there is an increasing
interest in quality and standards, reflecting both the
rapid growth of higher education. As higher education
moves beyond national borders, efforts in international
cooperation in quality assurance have increased. Our
work takes into consideration that the European
approach related to quality will lead to positive changes
in the Romanian higher education. The research carried
out was based on the analysis of students’ satisfaction
regarding the quality of the teaching process. The
research was undertaken on two levels: the Bachelor’s
program and the Master’s program at the Faculty of
Commerce within Bucharest Academy of Economic
Studies, in the first semester of 2009-2010. The main
objective of this paper is to provide, based on the
research results, directions regarding improving the
quality management system in relation to the quality
culture within the Faculty of Commerce.
FRAMEWORK OF THE BOLOGNA
PROCESS
Now more than ever before, the quality concern has
been internationalized. Important initiatives for the
European context have been advanced under the agenda
of the Bologna Process. Quality and quality assurance
is based on the”philosophy, aspirations, political
concerns, contemporary socio-economic, such as trust in
education as a means of rescue” (Lisbon Agenda).
One of the main objectives of the Bologna Process is the
promotion of European cooperation in quality
assurance. As part of this objective the European
Association for Quality Assurance (ENQA), through its
members and in cooperation with key European higher
education bodies, developed the European Standard for
Quality Assurance. The Bologna Process now includes
actions to be implemented under a range of policy areas,
including quality assurance, credit transfer and
accumulation, lifelong learning and, more recently,
doctoral-level qualifications and joint degrees. After
signing the Bologna Declaration 1999, Romania became
a member of the Bologna Process which aims to set up,
by 2010, Higher Education Area by new changes and
transformations. Academic quality assurance is one of
the central objectives of the Bologna Process.
Performance is dependent on the correspondence
established between the meanings of academic quality
and transformations taking place in higher education. In
ensuring the quality of education three key areas are
considered, areas of organization and functioning of an
organization that wants to become or is already a higher
education institution. Areas of quality set by OUG no.
75/2005 art. 10 are the following: institutional capacity,
educational effectiveness, quality management. The
300 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
three areas are complementary and their use is
mandatory. Criteria, standards and performance
indicators are applied in quality assurance and
accreditation. The vision of ARACIS (Romanian
Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education)
regarding the quality culture refers to values, norms and
activities conducted within an institution, for initiating,
approving, evaluating and monitoring the quality of
teaching and research. Structures, policies and strategies
create the institutional framework for effective
development and monitoring of quality, for promoting a
culture of quality and continuous improvement of
quality standards.
2. QUALITY ASSURANCE WITHIN THE
BUCHAREST ACADEMY OF
ECONOMIC STUDIES
After the Bologna Declaration (1999),
Romanian higher education can be seen as a
process of implementation of practices and
procedures defined at European level (quality
law, the set up of ARACIS (Romanian Agency
for Quality Assurance in Romanian
Education), ARACIS external evaluation,
introduction of ECTS, etc. European Credit
Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) is
a standard for comparing the study attainment
and performance of students of higher
education across the European Union and other
collaborating European countries. Quality
assurance (services of education and scientific
research), is part of quality management which
refers to all activities aimed at developing the
Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies
capacity to develop, plan and research
programs studies to give customers and other
stakeholders confidence that such services will
be at the level of quality standards and their
expectations.
The structure of the quality assurance system
of ASE at the level of the University is the
following:
• The Quality Council, that has an
advisory role in establishing decisions
regarding ASEs quality policies and
objectives, comprising 19 members;
• Quality assurance and evaluation
commission, in charge with the
application of quality assurance and
evaluation procedures and activities,
elaboration of the annual self-
assessment process of the quality of
education and formulating proposals
for improvement of all the activities
carried out in ASE; it comprises 5
members
• Quality management department
coordinating and ensuring the logistic
support for ensuring the quality
management system’s conformity
with the standards and the conformity
of the quality assurance system with
the European and national normative
documents applicable and elaborates
the „Annual program of initiatives for
improving the quality of educational
and research processes” within ASE;
• Own professional body of internal
auditors – 45 members of the teaching
staff and researchers – to carry out the
internal audits.
3. STUDENTS PERCEPTION OF THE
QUALITY OF THE BACHELOR’S
PROGRAM AND MASTER’S PROGRAM
PROVIDED BY THE FACULTY OF
COMMERCE
In higher education institutions the challenge in
terms of implementing a quality culture is two-fold:
• To systematize standards and operations across
an institution while taking account of
differences among disciplines or between the
administrative and academic units.
• To develop a set of criteria and measures that
captures successes and failures in a
constructive and transparent manner
Five conditions that ensure that internally driven
evaluation procedures support and enhance quality
culture include:
• Integrating the evaluation process into a
broader process of quality management and
development.
• Introducing transparent rules and procedures
which are discussed and then clearly
documented and communicated to the
institutional community
• Involving academic and administrative staff,
students and external stakeholders in internal
procedures.
• Implementing follow-up procedures linked to
the outcomes of the evaluation.
3.1 Methodology employed
Teaching evaluations are widely regarded as an
important tool to ensure the feedback of students on the
teaching process. In order to assess the effectiveness of
a Bachelor’s program delivered by our faculty, a
thorough assessment was carried out. To conduct our
evaluation, we used a questionnaire administered to
students in order to investigate their perception with
respect to the effectiveness of the Master’s Program
“Quality management, merchandise expertise and
consumer protection”. The findings led to designing a
SWOT analysis in order to identify the strengths and
The analysis of the quality assurance system at the Faculty of Commerce within Bucharest Academy of
Economic Studies, in the view of the quality culture 301

weaknesses of the program along with business environment.

recommendations for improvement. In order to gain an Regarding the first component, teaching process, the
insight into students perception regarding the most common strengths and weaknesses identified
effectiveness of the program and the relation established were:
between the knowledge acquired by students and the trained teaching staff, able to
• Strengths: well-trained
skills needed on the labor market, an interview was enhance studentnt interest for the subject taught
carried out on a sample of 80 studentsstu within the • Weaknesses: teachers not able to encourage
Master’s program “Quality management, merchandise students to study harder, gain new knowledge;
expertise and consumer protection”. In what concerns teachers’ lack of motivation; bad
the Bachelor’s program, the research methodology was communication between teachers and students.
based on the evaluation of students’ satisfaction in With respect to the topics taught, the main aspects
relation to the quality of the teaching materials provided pointed out by students were the interesting courses
and the evaluation of teaching staff. A total number of provided, although some students emphasized that 80%
3375 students were interviewed using a questionnaire of subjects were already taught in previous years and the
that covered several aspects (Table 1). fact that the focus is on theory rather than on practical
aspects.
Tabel 1: Structure of the questionnaire Students perception on the activities carried out during
No. Question Possible answers* seminars showed that there are no initiatives oriented
1 Overall,
rall, I find this 1/2/3/4/5
towards employing teaching methods to provide classes
course/seminar:
with a more practical approach to learning.
2 The structure of this 1/2/3/4/5
course/seminar is: One of the negative aspects emphasized by the majority
3 The books/audio-visual
visual 1/2/3/4/5 of students interviewed
nterviewed was the schedule of classes, the
materials/course support was: problem for most of them being in coping with both
4 In comparison with other 1/2/3/4/5 attending classes as well as going to work. Another
courses/seminars, the degree of weakness was related to the way the secretary’s office
strain for me was: communicates with students.
5 The usefulness of this 1/2/3/4/5 A very important aspect thathat was mentioned was the fact
course/seminar in relation to my that there is no possibility to conduct practice within
career: this program and most views pointed out the need for a
6 I consider er the teaching skills of 1/2/3/4/5 better collaboration with the business environment to
the instructor as being:
benefit students in gaining practical skills.
7 The instructor’s ’s knowledge 1/2/3/4/5
related to the subject taught is:
8 The instructor’s ’s ability to 1/2/3/4/5
stimulate
late interest for this 6000 5104 5155
4592
course/seminar was: Evaluation
9 The instructor’s ’s collaboration 1/2/3/4/5 4000 3067 3466 teaching
with the students seems: 2116 materials
10 I consider that I have attended 1/2/3/4/5 2000
the course/seminar: 262 771 Evaluation
244 463
teaching staff
0
*1- very weak; 2- weak; 3 –acceptable;
acceptable; 4-
4 good; 5-
excellent 1 2 3 4 5
3.2 The main findings on students’
perception of the effectiveness of the graduate
program Figure 2: Measuring student satisfaction concerning the
quality of the teaching process
The paper’s findings seek to emphasize the role - as
perceived by students - played by the Faculty of As a result of processing the data in the questionnaires
Commerce in providing the skills and competences administered within the Bachelor’s program selected, it
required on the labor abor market and the way they are can be easily noticed (fig.2) that students’ perception
supplied to students. For the Master’s program regarding
ng the quality of the teaching process has the
assessment, the questionnaire covered certain area at the highest value, higher than students’ perception on the
level of which students identified both strong points as quality of the teaching materials provided. The number
well as weak points, namely teaching process – of students that considered the low quality of the
competence off teaching staff, their ability to stimulate teaching process and materials provided is much lower
student interest -;; the quality of the seminars and classes compared to the number of students that considered the
provided; the topics studied within the program; quality of these factors as acceptable, good and
timetabling; administrative issues including the activity excellent.
of the secretary’s office as well as the relationship
rel Students’ perception of the overall knowledge provided
between the faculty and other stakeholders such as the pointed out two important aspects:
302 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
• Overall, the course content should be updated
and strongly connected with acquiring the
competences required on the labor market
• The knowledge supplied should be relevant
and applicable in real work settings
Conclusions and recommendations
The goals of the Lisbon Strategy and their implications
for higher education are closely linked with the
objectives of the Bologna Process, and the drive to
create a European Higher Education Area by 2010. At
the same time, high quality development of education
policies can only happen when the ones concerned – the
students – are intensively involved in all steps of the
process.
At the level of the Faculty of Commerce, within the
Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies, the quality
assurance system should continually seek to improve
itself through designing new ways to evaluate the
effectiveness of the graduate programs delivered. In the
case of the Master’s program “Quality management,
merchandise expertise and consumer protection”,
students revealed many aspects that need further
improvement that the quality assurance system should
consider while designing and implementing
improvement initiatives for graduate programs. We
recommend that, in order to address the weaknesses
identified by students corresponding to the components
of the Master’s program, a Committee is to be organized
at the level of the Faculty of Commerce, under the
supervision of the faculty dean, in order to conduct an
outcome assessment that can be applied to all the
graduate programs offered. The main objective is to
determine how effective the graduate programs enable
students to achieve the knowledge, skills and other
attributes the faculty expects their graduates to attain.
The assessment should cover three important areas:
• The faculty should decide upon the objectives
(related to students’ professional development,
the ability to perform research in their fields)
and outcomes (the program’s expectations for
students’ professional development and ability
to perform research in their field) for each
program.
• The faculty should generate plans for assessing
the programs’ outcomes, assessments
conducted on a continuous basis and involving
both students and teaching staff. Meetings
with staff and representatives of graduate
students should take place to provide input on
creating and implementing assessment plans
which are to be posted on the Faculty’s
website.
• The goal of outcome assessment is improving
graduate programs delivered. The assessments
help the faculty in identifying aspects of the
program that do not meet the expectations and
make decisions for improvement. The changes
implemented should be evaluated in relation to
their impact on improving outcomes. Also,
reports should be provided on the assessments
conducted, with an emphasis on methods
employed as well as changes implemented
along with results on the effectiveness of the
changes and impact on the overall progress.
The reports should also be made available to
all stakeholders, via the faculty’s website.
References
1. European University Association (2006), Quality Culture
in European Universities: A Bottom-Up Approach, Report
on the Three Rounds of the Quality Culture Project 2002 –
2006, EUA Publications, Brussels
2. Introduction of Outcome Assessment of Graduate
Programs at NC State, [Online],
http://www.ncsu.edu/grad/faculty-and-
staff/docs/pe/introduction_to_outcomes_assessment_at_nc
_state.pdf
3. Quality secures the future of the university, [Online],
http://www.helsinki.fi/evaluation/
4. Raport de autoevaluare a calitatii academice din
Academia de Studii Economice din Bucuresti, an
universitar 2007-2008, [Online],
http://www.ase.ro/site/Managementul%20calitatii/Raport
%20de%20autoevaluare%20a%20calitatii%202007-
2008/index.htm
5. The Students’ Opinion on the Lisbon Strategy of the
European Union, [Online],
http://www.esib.org/index.php/documents/policy-
papers/293-pp-lisbon
6. Unesco Forum on Higher Education in the Europe Region:
Access, Values, Quality and Competitiveness (2009),
[Online], http://www.cepes.ro/Forum/pdf/outline.pdf
7. Vlasceanu,L.,Hancean,M.,Voicu,B. (2009, Starea calitatii
in invatamantul superior, Barometrul calitatii – 2009,
QualMedia, Buchares).
8. Ward,J. (2008), Measuring student satisfaction with
vocational education and training services…and getting it
right!, National Center for Vocational Educational
Research, Australia
9. http://www.europeunit.ac.uk/eu_policy_education/lisbon_s
trategy.cfm
10. Documents provided by the Quality Department within
A.S.E.
 CONNECTING HIGHER EDUCATION TO THE WORKFORCE MARKET
REQUIREMENTS BASED ON THE ACTUAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE
INFORMATION SECURITY COMPETENCES

Anca Alexandra PURCAREA1, Bogdan TIGANOAIA2, Octavian Ion NEGOITA3 , Elena FLEACA4
1
Politehnica University of Bucharest, Management Department, Industrial Management Chair, apurcarea@gmail.com
2
Politehnica University of Bucharest, Management Department, Industrial Management Chair, bogdantiganoaia@gmail.com
3
One Advertising Business, octav.negoita@oneadvertising.ro
4
Politehnica University of Bucharest, Management Department, Industrial Management Chair, elenafleaca@yahoo.com

This paper aims to identify student expectations for disciplines that concern information security, to provide specific skills required for
further development and specialization of the business community. Bologna process has brought significant changes in the Romanian
higher education system creating both opportunities and challenges. In addition, accession to the European Union meant the
continuous need to adapt educational programs to the new requirements resulting from a globalized, competitive, and increasingly
specialized market. Increased interaction within the business community involved changes in the nature of university curricula to meet
the need of highly qualified specialists in the market. Research methodology is based on questionnaire which was answered by 300
students and determines the need for development the information security disciplines in university curricula. The research has
identified the degree of interest that the students have on information security, the need for new disciplines that provides them with
specific competences required of higher degree qualifications. Results will be used by the faculties management in order to bring up-
to-date the curricula. Adapting the university curricula to the current requirements, according to the degree of specialization, is a
determinant of development. In the same context, adaption leads to increased interest in this form of training, information security.
Considering the research results, the authors have developed recommendations for enhancing the curricula of the engineering higher
education. By redesigning the engineering curricula, the technical universities should seek to enable students to develop the
information security competences required by the workforce market.

the term competence has paid attention to a lot of

INTRODUCTION
The structural reform within Romanian framework
aims to accomplish its commitments to the European
Area of Higher Education through the initiations of a
series of transformations and new approaches in the
provision of higher education qualifications. In this
context, it is worth to be pointed to the Bologna Process,
launched in 1999, with the aim to create greater
consistency and compatibility within European Higher
Education and enhance its international transparency
and attractiveness.
As a "new entry" country in European Union,
Romania is facing with a very competitive educational
environment at the national and the international level.
In such an environment, the business and managerial
approach at all levels is no longer a useful
recommendation and it is rapidly becoming an
important requirement of higher education systems.
Today, more and more employers are looking for
graduates trained in information security skills. This
subject is of increasing interest especially for
engineering students who are encountering a highly
exposure to managerial responsibilities.
THEORETICAL CONTEXT
Competences represent a dynamic combination of
knowledge, understanding, skills and abilities. The use
of competences provides reference points for curriculum
design and evaluation, allowing flexibility and
autonomy in the construction of the curriculum. Thus,
researchers.
Some researchers have viewed the competency as
″an underlying characteristic of people that is causally
related to criterion-referenced effective and/or superior
performance in a job or situation″ [1]. The background
idea emphasizes the underlying, unseen structures and
processes inside a person that explains why each
person′s behavior tends to be relatively similar across
different situations, yet also different from another
person′s behavior.
Another valuable contribution to exploring the
competency concept has defined competency as both the
possession of knowledge and the behavioral capacity to
act appropriately [2]. The scholars proposed an
interesting concept, named behavioral complexity, as
the ability to act out a cognitively complex strategy by
playing multiple roles in an integrated and
complementary way.
In today’s context where technology, globalization,
and frequent changes combined create a highly complex
and challenging environment, the significance of
information security knowledge is substantially
increasing. Thus, evaluating the competences in this
area has focused on two key aspects: information
knowledge and specific abilities. Only in this way, the
individual can integrate different perspectives and
disciplines into a cohesive whole in order to accomplish
working requirements, successfully.
Mankind is today in front of the most dynamic
evolution where information means power. All over the
world, information security plays an important role. The
necessity of information security comes from the
analysis of the actual international security medium
304 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

which is in a continuously transformation. The • To develop recommendations for enhancing the

September 11 attacks, the terrorist acts in the world, curricula of the engineering higher education.
international military context, the fight against weapons
of mass destruction, etc are the evidences that Variables Measurement
emphasize the importance of information security in the
world. We have set out three types of variables: nominal,
According to EU policy, information security is one specialized knowledge and attitude. The nominally
of the European priorities. In this context, the academic scaled variables are consisted of demographic and
sector, which is one of the sectors involved in IS, must educational information. Addressing the problem of
assure new information security competences required measuring engineers needs for disciplines that concern
by the workforce market. Information security information security involves designing multiple-item
importance comes from the actual society: scales. As a summary, Table 1 shows the structure of
a) The evolution of the cyber crime. relevant variables of the research.
b) Globalization phenomenon.
c) Informational society (virtual shops, e-commerce,
online transactions, etc). Table 1. The map of research variables
d) Information protection as a consequence of the Research variables Conceptual
NATO entrance in 2004 and Romanian adhesion to EU description
in 2007. Gender
In this context, the formation of new specialists in
Age
the field of information security and management
represents a national priority required both by the Nominally Time from
private and public sectors. Some objectives that must be Demographic graduation
Scaled
achieved by the new specialists in information security variables
Variables University
are:
a) Knowledge of the security risks, vulnerabilities Professional
and treats regarding the informational systems. status
b) Knowledge of the actual technologies and Information
systems used for information security security
c) Knowledge of the information security Specialized
Educational knowledge
management systems Knowledge
variables
d) Knowledge of the actual international Variables Acquisition of
standards and settlements in the field of information knowledge
security
e) The ability to use secure systems for Attitude Rating Skills dimension
communication and exchange of information Scaled Information
Variables security Attitudes
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY dimension

The authors have conducted a pilot study in an

attempt to investigate which information security
competencies are currently being possessed by
engineers as part of their working activities. The target
group was consisted of graduates of technical higher
education which are involved in the post-university
management programs at the Management Department
from ″Politehnica″ University of Bucharest (UPB).
Since many of the master students were employed as
engineers with managerial functions within a variety of
local organizations, it was felt that these students and
their perspectives would provide a suitable sample for a
pilot study.
Under these circumstances, the empirical research
has addressed the following objectives:
• To investigate the degree of interest that the students
have on information security.
• To investigate the need for new disciplines in order
to train engineers in the field of information
security.
The qualitative questions were measured using a five-
point Likert scale, whereby 1 - Strongly Disagree, 2 -
Disagree, 3 - Tend to Agree, 4 - Agree, 5 - Strongly
Agree [3]. Each respondent was asked about his/her
degree of agreement or disagreement concerning the
items designed to assess the competences in the field of
information security.
Thus, the attitudes dimension was measured by asking
respondents to express their general opinion regarding
the following items: information security projects
management, security technical problems, up-to-date in
information security, the use of management systems
and the use of secure communication systems [4].
The items show if abilities such as the use of secured
systems for communication, creativity in solving
problems regarding systems security, the capacity to
diagnose security systems, the use of the newest security
systems, the use of systems for information security
management are evolved by the actual curricula. To
The analysis of the quality assurance system at the Faculty of Commerce within Bucharest Academy of
Economic Studies, in the view of the quality culture
measure the degree to which these abilities are
developed through academic training has been used a
scale where 1 - Unsatisfactory, 2 - Satisfactory, 3 - High
4 - Excellent. For those respondents with knowledge of
cryptography, databases security, information security
management, risk management, the questionnaire points
out the way in which these acquaintances were achieved
and the importance given by the respondents for this
type of knowledge.
Developing the items aiming at assessing the skills
dimension has been taken into account a hybrid four-
point Likert scale, whereby 1 – Unsatisfactory Skills, 2-
Satisfactory Skills, 3 – Good Skills, 4 – Great Skills.
DATA ANALYSIS
The questionnaire had an adequate pattern, starting
with questions to evaluate the information security
knowledge and skills and finishing with questions for
respondents′ demographic characteristics. The
questionnaire was distributed to 320 postgraduate
engineering students. Only 282 respondents have filled
the questionnaire.
Overall, the structure of the sample in terms of gender
was rather balanced (45.83% women and 54.17% men).
Respondents’ age was mostly of 20-25 years (68.11 %);
19.44% were of 26 - 30 years; 12.45 % were older than
30 years.
From the university degree standpoint, 77.78% of the
respondents had a technical degree, 16.67% had an
economical degree and other 5.56% had a university
degree.
Most of the respondents graduated less than 1 years ago
(62.5 %), 26.39% graduated 2-5 years ago and only
11.12% of the sample graduated 6–10 years ago.
From the professional standpoint, 76.39 % of the
respondents were employed and other 23.61% were
unemployed.
From the theoretical point of view regarding
information security, 65.28% of the respondents have a
medium level of knowledge in the field of informatics,
13.89 % have a high level of knowledge in the same
field. 56.94% of the respondents have not computational
cryptographic knowledge and only 13.89% have a
medium level in the same area.
If we refer to the databases security, 44.44% of the
respondents have a low level of knowledge, 33.33% a
medium level and 5.56% a high level.
Networks security knowledge is at high level only for
6.94% of respondents, but 29.17% of them do not have
knowledge in this field. 30.56% of the respondents have
a low level of knowledge and 33.33% a medium level.
(Figure 1)
305
6,94%
no knowledge expert level
29,17% 33,33%
medium level
beginner level
30,56%
Figure 1: Computer Networks Security Knowledge
If we refer to the information security management, we
can conclude the following : 70,83 % don’t have or have
a low level of knowledge in this field, 27.78% have a
medium level of knowledge (Figure 2). 82% don’t have
or have some knowledge in the area of risk
management and only 18.06 % have a medium level of
knowledge in the same field.
expert level, 1.39% medium level, 27.78%
36,11%, no Knowledge
beginner level, 34.72%
Figure 2: Information Security Management Knowledge
After graduation, 54.17% of the respondents think that
they are not prepared for the use of secured systems for
communication and 54.09% of them think that they are
not prepared for solving security problems. Only 6.09%
of the respondents think that they have competences in
information security projects management, but 62% of
them think that they can not administrate such projects.
RESEARCH FINDINGS
Data analysis results show that a majority of those who
have completed technical education do not have
computer knowledge at high level (86,11%) to develop
skills in terms of information security.
The analysis of data regarding the level of knowledge in
important fields of information security points out that
the level of knowledge comes from a particular, not
from a higher engineering education. Thus, only 10% of
the respondents with high level of knowledge in
databases security have information security
management knowledge and 46% of those with a
medium level of knowledge in the field of risk
management don’t have computational cryptographic
knowledge.
Another important aspect is that of analyzing how this
knowledge has been gained. Only 26% of respondents
with knowledge in the area of cryptography have
306 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
obtained these acquaintances (at a medium or low level)
in university.
50% of those with a medium or high level of knowledge
in the field of databases security have obtained these
acquaintances from other educational courses, not from
university.
The importance given by the respondents to the
disciplines from the information security domain points
out the necessity to redesign the engineering
curricula.78% of the respondents think that the study of
databases security has an important role in their
education, 69% think that networks security is also
important and 61% think that knowledge in the fields
such as risk management, information security
management has a major role.
All these results show the importance of redesigning the
engineering curricula by introducing the disciplines
from information security domain. It is also important to
point out the interest of the respondents regarding the
disciplines from the field of information security.
The results of data analysis point out that respondents
place great importance on the following domains:
databases security, networks security, information
security management, risk management. Obviously, the
attitude and knowledge are important parts in achieving
competences, but most respondents consider that skills –
the ability to act effectively are more important. In the
field of information security, the focus point is on skills.
The data analysis reveals a serious lack of knowledge
in the following domains: networks security, risk
management, information security management.
CONCLUSIONS
Even though, starting with the academic year 2005-
2006, the engineering curricula and syllabi have evolved
in accordance with the new requirements, the research
results highlight the need for further improvements.
From an educational point of view, the new
competences in the field of information security are a
priority for the actual students. Thus, the actual
engineering education should be based on topics on top
importance such as risk management, information
security management, networks security, database
security.
Based on these, the technical higher education
should be more oriented to practical approaches that
enable engineering students to practice information
security skills. A practical oriented educational
environment assures students to learn the skills and
capabilities to shape their own attitude and to acquire
the attributes needed to become good engineers in the
field of information security. It is very important to
change the methods of teaching and promote new
methods that stimulate teamwork.
Even though, this research has several shortcomings
such as sample selection and number of respondents,
there are several conclusions:
1) There is a gap between the demand and offer
regarding information security competences
ensured by the engineering higher education.
2) There is a lack of the systematic research of
information security environment in order to find
out the changing requirements and provide
feedback to the higher education environment.
In order to overcome these challenges, the authors
propose several recommendations based on the research
findings:
1) The higher education of engineering students has
to complement technology education by
adequately consider new courses in information
security area such as: risk management, networks
security, databases security, information security
management. By redesigning the engineering
curricula, the technical universities should seek
to enable students to develop the information
security competences required by the workforce
market.
2) New teaching methods must be incorporated (the
use of case studies, practical courses, interactive
courses, etc.).
3) The technical universities should carefully take
into account the development of innovative
networks between the academic environment and
business community. These networks provide an
excellent context for exchanging ideas, projects
and learning by sharing information and
experience.
References
1. Spencer, L.M. & Spencer, S.M. (1993), Competence at work.
Models for Superior Performance, New York: John Wiley &
Sons, 1993.
2. Quin, R.E., Faerman, S.R., Thompson, M.P. & McGrath,
M.R. (1996), Becoming a Master Manager: A Competency
Framework, New York: John Wiley & Sons.
3. Naresh, K. and Birks, D. (2007), Marketing Research. An
Applied Approach, Third European Edition, Prentice Hall,
London.
4. Aaker, A. D., Kumar, V., & Day, S. G. (2001), Marketing
research: Attitude measurement (7th ed), New York: John Wiley
& Sons.
 SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY - THE ESSENTIAL CHARACTERISTIC OF SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Rodica ROHAN1, Gheorghe SINDILĂ2
1
rodica.rohan@gmail.com
2
sindila@yahoo.com

Abstract: This paper aims to highlight the importance of social responsibility initiatives in the current socio-economic conjuncture,
characterized by dynamism and uncertainty, and by the expansion of globalization. It is necessary for the universities to adopt these
initiatives to serve their long-term development interest, distinguished by complying with the law, assuming ethical behavior, paying
special attention to environment and taking into account the needs and interests of all partners.

I. GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS - taking into account the interests of all groups

sharing a joint interest (stakeholders), employees,
The European Commission defines the students, graduates and their families, employers of
organizational social responsibility as “a concept graduates, etc., the community;
whereby companies integrate social and environmental - development of a strategy for social involvement,
aspects in their business and the interaction with those integrated in the medium and long term development
interested, relying on voluntary effort”. strategy of the university and in the corporate
Organizational social responsibility does not refer communication strategy; CSR programs may not be
strictly to compliance with a set of conditions or rules designed separately, outside of a vision which integrates
imposed by certain legislative norms, but it involves the them in management and marketing objectives of the
overcoming of such compliance with positive effects company.
and additional investments in human capital, The aim of corporate social responsibility is to
organizational environment and human relationships. In define, understand and improve the balance
this context specific social responsibility practices may between entrepreneurship and ethical practices.
open the way to reconciliation between organizational
social development and continuous improvement of the 2.2 Directions of the concept - university social
competitiveness. responsibility
Socially responsible practices are initiatives that an
organization voluntarily improve their operating mode Social responsibility of the university is a
internally and externally, so as to contribute to the fundamental concept, in a continuous process of
general good of the community and to protect the redefinition, which assigns a new attitude to the
environment, fig.1. university, with the purpose to establish a long
partnership with the society. Corporate Social
Responsibility brings benefits, such as:
Internal External • improves working relations with the community;
• influences target groups;
-Human Resource -Local communities • positive, credible and sustainable image;
Management
-Health and safety at Social - Partners, suppliers
• positioning to a higher level in society;
work responsability and consumers • increases loyalty of its customers;
-Adapting to change • increases the motivation of employees.
-Environmental -Concern about The concept of social responsibility implies new
impact and environmental
management of directions, fig.2, with the expansion of
natural resources - Human Rights globalization, increasing awareness of social and
environmental issues and increasing
communication efficiency.
Figure 1: Social responsibility dimensions
Universities must understand that social
II. UNIVERSITY SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY responsibility means not only doing good, but also
knowing how to do good, to follow-up on a social
2.1 Elements of Corporate Social Responsibility project and to be open towards community causes.
Universities can and should structure the learning
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) deviates environment to encourage analysis and development of
significantly from other forms of social involvement, by measures necessary to build a healthy society.
certain specific elements:
308 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
Involvement in
community (attitude
toward society’s needs)
University
Sustainable ethics
development Social
responsibility
in higher
education Workplace
Health& Safety
Relationship with
customers and other Relationship
stakeholders with
employees
Figure 2: Directions of the concept – university social responsibility
This conception and management approach has
proved most productive, not only because it ensures
success, but also because it provides a competitive
advantage due to winning the confidence of people both
inside and outside of it and by achieving a good
reputation (goodwill).
Along with the alignment of the Romanian
educational system to the requirements imposed by the
EU, teachers must face some major changes of the
traditional teaching methods, which are replaced by new
methodologies. Teacher training programs aim to yield
the specific competences of the XXI century,
developing collaboration among teachers for obtaining
significant results and increasing the efficiency of
teaching.
2.3 The necessity for universities to adopt social
responsibility initiatives
In an economy where knowledge begins to be a real
capital and the most important driver of development,
the educational system is facing new challenges, in
terms of performance and accountability.
Higher Education as a public good is the
responsibility of all stakeholders.
Higher education must not only give solid skills for
the present and future world but must also contribute to
the education of ethical citizens committed to peace
building, human rights and democratic values.
Autonomy is a necessary requirement for fulfilling
institutional missions through quality, relevance,
efficiency, transparency and social responsibility.
The Romanian education both at pre-university
and university levels, underwent a series of major
changes that led to the need for radical measures
in terms of defining new horizons, goals and
responsibilities which the education must provide
for a XXI century society.
The quality education means interdependence
between suppliers and recipients involved in the
educational process, while the mutual benefit
strengthens the institutional capacity to create
value.
Quality education is achieved through dialogue
and partnership with institutions, organizations,
direct and indirect beneficiaries of education. As a
result, educational dialogue among all
stakeholders will create the base for education
development locally and nationally.
Higher education institutions, through their core
functions (research, teaching and services to the
community) carried out in the context of institutional
autonomy and academic freedom, should increase their
interdisciplinary focus and promote critical thinking and
active citizenship. This would contribute to sustainable
development, peace, wellbeing and the accomplishment
of human rights.
By teaching CSR, universities, and, specifically
business and economics faculties, will contribute to
educating future, socially responsible business elites.
The necessity of ethics in the engineering education
was corroborated by the problems faced by engineers.
Faced with the complexity of current and future
global challenges, higher education has the social
responsibility to advance our understanding of
multifaceted issues, which involve social, economic,
scientific and cultural dimensions and our ability to
respond to them. It should lead society in generating
global knowledge to address global challenges, such as:
food security, climate change, water management,
intercultural dialogue, renewable energy and public
health, ao.
Indigenous knowledge systems can expand our
understanding of emerging challenges; higher education
should create mutually beneficial partnerships with
communities and civil societies to facilitate the sharing
and transmission of appropriate knowledge.
Having this start point at the base, social
responsibility has been included in the basic educational
strategy, in the management tools and in the general
attitude of performing universities’ activities,
understanding that socially responsible practices can
pave the way to "reconciliation" between social
development and improved competitiveness.
The course content should give a direction of thinking
that would make graduates more aware of their actions.
They should act in a socially responsible manner both as
individuals and also as members of their respective
professional communities.
III. THE IMPORTANCE OF TRAINING
SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE FUTURE
ENGINEERS
3.1 Education engineering - an essential tool for
achieving sustainability
Producing more in order to earn more will no longer
be the sole paradigm of industry. The threats to quality
of life resulting from unrestrained environmental
depredations and the depletion of nonrenewable
resources are sources of growing concern, even within
industry. In addition to quality and productivity,
Social responsibility - the essential characteristic of sustainable development strategy in higher education
industry will require that profitability be achieved
within a context of not harming people or their habitat.
Industrial engineering is one of the main fields of
engineering that endeavor to improve the quality of life
in society; ironically, actual production and services
patterns have created unintended side effects such as
environmental pollution and human health problems.
The emergence of the concept of corporate social
responsibility led to a change in the organizations
management. Unlike the classical paradigm that
emphasizes efficiency, productivity, profits, the new
paradigm, socio-economic and ecological, stresses the
importance to be given to quality of life, conserving
natural resources, community and society.
Corporate social responsibility addresses three major
impacts on the environment, as follows:
• economical impact;
• social impact;
• environmental impact.
Technology is responsible for much of what we value
about our society and our way of life, but it must also
take responsibility for the threats to public health and
depletion of nonrenewable natural resources that now
endanger that way of life.
Acceptance of this social responsibility by industry and
individual engineers is a necessary step for the survival
of our society in the next century.
The future engineers must understand that the
transition to a sustainable society requires not only
changes of the way in which resources are managed, but
also changes in attitude from "me, now", specific to
traditional economy, to considerations such as "others,
now and later”.
The circumstances facing practicing engineers today
are considerably different from those of the past, and the
circumstances of the future will be even more different.
Future engineers, in their capacity as creators of
products must be aware that potential consumers are not
only interested in purchasing good quality and
reliability, but also whether the production is a socially
responsible one.
Significant changes in engineering education will be
required if we are to meet the needs of our graduates in
preparing them for the challenges of the coming
century. Let us consider in somewhat greater detail the
knowledge, skills, and values that will be necessary for
engineers to deal successfully with new challenges.
The skills required to address the challenges to
future engineers may be divided into seven categories:
1. independent, interdependent and lifetime learning
skills;
2. problem solving, critical thinking, and creative
thinking skills;
3. interpersonal and teamwork skills;
4. communication skills;
5. self-assessment skills;
6. integrative and global thinking skills;
7. change management skills.
Active adaptation of university education to the
needs of the job market yielded centering the
309
educational offer on developing skills of future
graduates, for successful insertion in the labor market.
The primary values of engineering practice at the
time were functionality and profits. Both the
engineering curriculum and faculty reinforced these
values.
Improving quality management in study programs
will allow future graduates to work as engineers in
companies whose technological characteristics we have
previously outlined.
The key to better technological development lies in
cooperation among the previously separate disciplines
to attack problems that have no recognizable
disciplinary boundaries.
1. Specific objectives for students:
a) Socially:
• develop social responsibility and civic skills;
• development of appropriate attitudes towards work;
• active involvement in solving social problems.
b) For individuals:
• develop confidence and self esteem;
• developing the skills of teamwork and the
communication;
• develop skills to analyze social problems and to
develop strategies intervention;
• develop intellectual capacities.
2. Specific objectives of the institution:
• motivating students for learning;
• developing the students the spirit of civic
responsibility;
• improving the education / curriculum.
3. Point to the community:
• ensuring relevant services;
• playing a sense of social utility.
Scientists and engineers could contribute positively to
make any changes to these social democratic
institutions. A necessary condition for this is that they
should be informed of relevant and well founded
knowledge that exists on these institutions and their
functioning.
3.2 Initiatives related to managing and monitoring
the supply of university education in relation to the
demands of the society
The transformation of a passive university in a
dynamic one can be done only with a strategic
management, which can plan development in the
long term. The introduction of this new notion in
management imposed a functional adaptation of
dimensions, so that the interface between the
university and the social environment is in dynamic
balance.
Transparency in corporate responsibility
policies is a prerequisite for effective
communication with interested groups and it
requires the definition of a university code of
ethics. More than transparency in communication,
credibility requires an agreement between the
statements and actions of the university.
310 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

The values and principles of this code of ethics,
which is especially promoted and whose
development one tries to perform exclusively in the
university, are: academic freedom, personal
autonomy, justice and equity, merit,
professionalism, intellectual honesty and fairness,
transparency, respect and tolerance, responsibility,
kindness and care.
University “Politehnica” of Bucharest encourages
members of the academic community to stand up
through collegiality and civic attitude, to be actively
involved in professional and public issues. Some
initiatives worth mentioning are:
- institutionalization of a working committee that will
represent the interested parties in the activity of the
university (financiers, students, suppliers, beneficiaries,
local community, etc.) with the objective to offer
consultation in development of the educational and
research offer of the faculty;
- adjustment of the academic offer to the labor market
needs, by involving all parties mentioned, thus ensuring
long term sustainability;
- providing feed-back by liaising with college members
in all preparation levels (bachelor, master, doctoral and
post-graduate);
- modernization of the communication process of
projects, initiatives and actions related to social
responsibility in the university and with other
structures of academia;
- implementation of applications like CRM (Customer
Relationship Management), marketing software to
manage a database of graduates, beneficiaries, clients,
employers, suppliers, business partners, internal and
external academic contacts, which permits building
relationships in real-time, customized to each
stakeholder, in order to intensify the collaboration on
the labor market.
the development of critical skills needed to make
appropriate use of it.
The education that succeeds will be the one that
facilitates lifelong learning, equipping students with the
skills they will need to adapt to change.
The implications of introducing social responsibility
in the university are analyzed in terms of costs and
benefits.
Corporate social responsibility must be considered a
smart long term investment that benefits both the
university and the large society.
References
1. Nicolescu C.(2005/06) “Corporate Social Responsibility
In The Romanian Higher Education“, CPS /
international policy fellowship program.
2. Rohan R. (2007),“Responsabilitatea Socială - element
de dezvoltare strategică a organizaţiei“, Conferinţa
Ştiinţifică Cu Participare Internaţională “TEHNOMUS
XIV”, Suceava.
3. Rugarcía A .and Felder R. (2000), “The future of
engineering education i. A vision for a new Century“,
Chem. Engr. Education, 34(1), 16–25.
4. Toma S. G. (2006), “De la calitate la responsabilitatea
socială corporatistă“, Amfiteatru economic v. 8, nr. 20,
Bucureşti.

CONCLUSION

The contributions and solutions proposed in this

paper are based on a thorough analysis of the internal
environment, of the initiatives used voluntarily by the
organization to improve the method of operating and
monitoring the educational offer in relation to the
requirements of the society.
The results of this work are important in
implementing the principles of social responsibility in
the academic environment and in making management
aware that universities can and should structure the
learning environment to encourage analysis and
necessary action to build a healthy society.
The important contributions and their original value
consist in specifying the main tools which can be used
to improve performance of social responsibility in
higher education and management ethics.
In other words, the focus in engineering education
must shift away from the simple presentation of
knowledge and toward the integration of knowledge and
 WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR HUMAN CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT? CHALLENGES
FACED BY ROMANIAN HIGHER EDUCATION

I. GH. ROŞCA1, C. PĂUNESCU2

1
Academy of Economic Studies Bucharest, rosca@ase.ro
2
Academy of Economic Studies Bucharest, carmen.paunescu@com.ase.ro

The paper summarizes the main challenges that the Romanian higher education will be facing during the years to come, in terms of its
responsibilities for human capital development and community evolvement. These challenges are revealed as gaps against European
and international tertiary education system, opportunities as well as threats. Individual interviews were employed and focus groups
sessions were conducted with professionals and experts from both the academia and the socio-economic environment to learn more
about their demands and expectations. A diagnosis analysis performed discusses the current status of Romanian higher education and
its priorities for the human capital development. The challenges described in the paper predict but also determine the future of
Romanian higher education, and help to create successful strategies for universities, taking into consideration their particularities
and available resources. Also, a high impact of universities on solving local community issues is expected.

connections and generate significance in the learner’s

EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM PARADIGM
There is a high uncertainty about the future of
Romanian higher education institutions when it comes
to discuss about: relevancy of the competences
acquired, quality of the research & development output,
relevant bond to the demands of the work force market,
responsiveness to the needs of labor market, and
competition from other EU universities. An inefficient
dialogue between the actors involved in the educational
market (university management, students, alumni,
Ministry of Education, companies, civil society, etc.)
still persists in our country and this leads to increasing
the gap between what the universities offer and what
labour market demands.
Currently, there is an increased interest for carrying
out the knowledge in a context of application, trans-
disciplinary, heterogeneity, but also a more socially
accountable and reflexive way. It includes a wider, more
temporary and heterogeneous set of practitioners (from
academia, companies, research institutes, NGOs, etc.)
collaborating on a problem defined in a specific and
localised context (Akrich and Miller, 2007; Miller,
2006).
The paradigmatic shift of the current educational
system is moving away from educational institutions
towards learning environments where individuals are
encouraged to liberate themselves from the “self-
incurred tutelage” (Benkler, 2006) and to develop an
internal locus of control, thus making free choices about
who they want to become (Senges, Brown and
Rheingold, 2008). These learning environments sustain
what is called creation of one’s own identity and help
building a community that offers each individual a
better life.
Nowadays, learning becomes simultaneously:
individual and collective, a means and an end, a stock
and a flow, active and reflective (Akrich and Miller,
2007). And, critically, learning is defined by its context:
the why, how, when, and where of acquiring knowledge
– at a particular point in history (Miller, 2006). As all
information is available, the educator’s challenge is to
identify and select materials that make meaningful
life.
Everyone learns differently and in different ways
and rhythms at different times about different things.
Higher education needs to be able to nurture this
diversity and make it easy for learners to discover the
best way for each person or group to learn in any
circumstance (European Commission, 2007 and 2008).
New skills and competences related to changes in
specialisation, collaboration, and improved tools,
continue to emerge in the public as well as in the private
sector. From a macro-level perspective, this ongoing
process of skill reallocation and the development of new
competences signal potentially disruptive changes in the
context for learning (Becker, 1993; Miller, Shapiro and
Hilding-Hamann 2007).
In this context, by using the expertise provided by a
team of knowledgeable experts from academia,
government and various business fields, the paper
explores the future challenges that universities should
address to help individual develop and create his/ her
own identity in society, as well as in order for them to
be sustainable and increase their impact on local
community.
The article is organized in four parts. The
introduction part offers a brief overview of the
paradigmatic shift that the current educational system is
facing. It also states the problem which is investigated,
and what the authors want to achieve. The second
section presents the methodology used in the research.
The third section discusses the challenges for
universities concerning their important role in human
capital development and community involvement. Last
part offers a few concluding observations regarding the
future of Romanian higher education and its
implications.
RESEARCH APPROACH
Individual interviews were employed and focus
groups sessions were conducted with professionals and
experts from both the academia and socio-economic
environment to diagnose the current status of Romanian
higher education and learn more about/ understand
better the stakeholders’ demands and expectations. The
312 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
group’s work adhered to a precise, predefined
framework established by research coordinator, which
consisted of: an introduction that defined the object of
analysis and the main concepts used; a description of the
present situation of the educational system; an analysis
of the key developments as they appear today; an
identification of the major forces (changing factors)
likely to impact on future developments; and, finally,
challenges for the future of higher education. The aim of
these group sessions was to provide a rich and well-
documented presentation of the main challenges
considered pertinent to the evolution of each educational
actor, its missions, its values, its competencies, and its
relations with the other actors of the higher education
system.
The sample consisted of 53 research actors from
universities, companies, research institutes, student
organizations, NGOs, ministries, and other
organizations, who hold managerial positions in their
institutions. The interviews (face-to-face meetings) were
conducted between June 2009 and December 2009.
Four focus group sessions were organized during the
same period of time.
The main research questions raised during the
various phases of the analysis were referring to:
 Diagnosis phase: Currentely, how relevant are the
qualifications and competences acquired by
individuals in the formal education (both public and
private education) to the society they live in? What
is the current impact of those individuals on the
community they live in?
 Exploration phase: What are the needs for
competences development that the community
requires at local, regional or national level? What are
the existing actors, institutions, decision-making
centers, committees, policies, programs, projects and
activities?
 Prescription phase: How to enhance human capital
development and knowledge transfer? Who is
responsible for human capital development in the
near future?
One additional point that is worth mentioning is that
although the focus groups followed a set pattern, the
authors were free to choose their own hypotheses and
frames of analysis.
CHALLENGES FOR HIGHER EDUCATION
The challenges discussed below refer mainly to the
role of the universities in the human capital
development and their contribution to the progress of
community at local, regional, and/or national level.
These challenges are revealed as gaps against the
European and international tertiary education system,
but also as opportunities as well as threats for Romanian
educational market.
The anticipated correlation between the educational
offer of universities and the structure and dynamic
demands of the labour market
Adapting the educational offer of universities to the
need of durable socio-economic development on a local,
regional and national level, and to the needs and
interests of educating and training students represents an
essential requirement for encouraging the
competitiveness and economic growth of a nation
(Machin and McNally, 2007). In our country, the
situations in which universities train under or over-
qualified work force with no adequate place on the
current labour market are the ones that occur most often.
Not always are the qualifications needed on the current
labour market created and the competences necessary
for obtaining and keeping a job are not all the time
generated, even if we are talking about one’s first job.
At the moment, the labour market does not hold
sufficient information (or the legislative framework
does not offer the needed support) to make the
distinction, for example, between undergraduates and
graduates. The postgraduate level of preparation is also
questioned (doctorate studies, cycle 3 of the Bologna
System) in the sense that the persons that obtained this
degree are over-qualified, they are not able to find
enough appropriate jobs (given the fact that the
scientific research institutions are struggling,
universities hire only a very small percentage of them
and companies/ organizations with a research and
development orientation are scarce in Romania) (see
Gonzalez and Wagenaar, eds. 2003).
The adverse, incomplete, non-accurate and
permanently reconstructed character of the legislation
and its current deficits has led to a very low level of
adaptation of the educational offers to the real demands
of the labour market, and has led to sustaining a
nonoperational qualification system for the Romanian
labour market. Also, the low degree of involvement and
the lack of professionalism of the political decision-
makers have resulted in the deficient correlation
between the levels of education and its forms with
respect to the educational process content, its
competences and the qualifications it offers.
Increasing the relevancy of education, validating its
results and lifelong learning
Extending the private higher education in the
detriment of the public higher education, the invention
of new forms of graduate training (100% on-line
universities) and the appearance of equivalent
educational programs offered by companies or local
(regional) organizations will lead to an increase in
competitiveness on the educational services market, but
not necessarily to an increase in the quality of the
educational services offered. This is possible due to the
lack of efficient structures on a national level and due to
lack of counselling and orientation procedures for
persons towards finding the study programs which are
the most adequate for the development of their
individual and professional competences at the level of
the society in which we live in.
Who is responsible for Human Capital Development? Challenges Faced by Romanian Higher Education
Also, the discrepancies between the relevance of the
results obtained in the private and public educational
system will persist due to the inexistence of a unitary set
of indicators for the evaluation of the study programs,
which would serve the purpose of determining the
measure in which the competences declared by the
universities and those acquired by the students are real.
Moreover, this discrepancy occurs as a consequence of
the lack of an integrative approach towards all the study
cycles, made possible through the development of a
unitary set of indicators for the evaluation of the
competences acquired by students in high school and
then, successively, in the undergraduate correlated with
the graduate and postgraduate education. In addition, it
is necessary to draft and adopt systems which will
recognise the level of knowledge acquired in the formal
educational system through the activity of the persons at
their work place.
Even more so, because of the globalization of the
labour force market, the necessity of developing new
competences will determine an increase in the demand
of ongoing training programs in different areas of
specialization (lifelong learning programs). The need for
the educational process to include everyone, to include
individual integrality and to include all the forms of
education determine the planning and organizing of
education to proceed through the perspective of it
spanning over an entire lifetime.
Developing alternative programs for the traditional
educational system
The rise in the number of universities which offer
on-line and off-campus educational programs (there are
even universities which offer only on-line study
programs), and the increasing competitiveness of the
foreign universities which offer the programs help
diversify the educational offers and the types of
preparation in the higher education system in Romania,
but they can as well contribute to the decrease of the
will to study and the interest in learning.
The quality of the educational system and the
relevance of the learning outcomes are also put to
question. It is known that the employer does not
appreciate the quality of an off-campus or on-line
preparation as much as it appreciates that of a traditional
one. On the other hand, the simultaneous access to
several information means (libraries, internet, TV,
international databases, etc.), including the use of
electronic devices (IPod, cell phones, MP3, electronic
agendas, etc.) determine an increase in the individual’s
capacity to learn and quicker assimilation of data and
information. In case of absence of innovative means for
teaching/ learning and absence of the necessary
logistical support, the educational personnel will
encounter difficulties and they will be forced to
overcome these challenges.
The policy of the decentralization of the educational
system imposes the necessity of regulating new forms of
education (off-campus, on-line) accessible to those who
313
work, and new methods of teaching/ learning adequate
to these forms of preparation. Thus, the necessity of
assuring alternatives of studying to all those interested is
highlighted.
The development of university networks and
creation of career opportunities
The consolidation of university cooperation
(internal, European and international) through the
creation of university networks, including the
partnership development with companies (as an integral
part of these networks) will facilitate informational,
technological and “good practice” transfers but will also
intensify the mobilization of teachers/ students/
researchers regarding experience exchanges. The
grouping (fusion) of universities will allow the creation
of administrative, organizational and financial structures
that will facilitate the development of educational
programs between partner universities, with the proper
acknowledgement of graduated studies, respectively the
skills and qualifications acquired at the level of the
created structures (for example: such a fusion between
universities is already functioning in the northern
countries, in the UK).
The absence of formal structures for periodical
consultation and for direct involvement in the
universities activity by all economic and social partners
for the creation of universities networks, as well as the
lack of institutionalized communication between
universities and the business environment, lead to the
increase of imbalance between what the universities
offer and what the employers need. Also, at present, as a
reaction to the intensification of globalization, the
Romanian universities do not have the capacity to train
the required work force, whose skills and abilities could
answer to the global economy's current and future
problems (skills that would allow the graduates to think
and act in a global environment).
The increase of the importance of entrepreneurial
education in universities attracts/ demands the increase
in the efforts made for creating structural changes in the
higher education system regarding: the development of
the internship programs, the integration of applications
and experiments, simulations in/from the business
environment, offering extra-curricular classes and also
identifying financing solutions for optional courses
(other way they will remain at a statement level in the
curriculum, without being actually implemented).
The low level of adjustment of the Romanian
universities’ educational offer in compliance with the
current reality in our country, more specifically, offering
a limited number of entrepreneurial education courses
that focus on real life and concentrating them mainly in
universities with an economic or business profile,
doesn’t favour student entrepreneurial initiatives, nor
the professor’s, that can be quantified in creating spin-
offs or start-ups and the creation of new jobs.
314 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
The demographic decrease, population ageing and
exodus from the rural to the urban environment
Statistical research shows that the active population
of Romania has experienced a sharp downward
tendency in the past few years, and that the school
eligible population will diminish dramatically towards
2025. The population numerical decline, as a
consequence of the decrease in the birth rate, will
determine a decline in the number of students,
regardless of their academic degree (bachelor, master,
Ph.D.), who are involved in the continuous education
and lifelong learning process. The phenomena of active
population emigration will continue in the following
period as well, and will lead to the diminution of the
activity rate in our country (approximately 2-3 million
Romanians – active population – have emigrated
between 2000 and 2009).
Furthermore, the population ageing and the
depopulation of the rural areas and small towns, through
the exodus of population to more socially and
economically developed areas, lead to the
transformation of the rural environment and small towns
in underdeveloped areas (some of those have already
fell back to their previous status of villages).
RESULTS AND IMPLICATIONS
The diagnosis analysis performed, using a
knowledgeable team of professionals and experts from
academia, government and various business fields,
revealed five main challenges for the future of
Romanian universities that should be carefully
considered by their management: the anticipated
correlation between the educational offer of universities
and the structure and dynamic demands of the labour
market; increasing the relevancy of education,
validating its results and lifelong learning; developing
alternative programs for the traditional educational
system; development of university networks and
creation of career opportunities; and demographic
decrease, population ageing and exodus from the rural
to the urban environment.
These challenges predict but also determine the
future of Romanian higher education and help to create
successful strategies for universities taking into
consideration their particularities and available
resources. Also, a high impact of universities on solving
local community issues is expected. Some of the
potential benefits for the both universities and
community are listed below:
 Stimulating dialogue between stakeholders
(university management, students’ organizations,
companies, national agencies, NGOs, etc.);
 Contributing to improving financial and strategic
management of universities’ human resources,
innovating support, academic cooperation and
partnership, including the business environment and
the research centers, towards the Romanian
knowledge society development;
 An educational offer of universities better adapted to
the labor force market requirements;
 Anticipatory studies regarding the labor force
market dynamics and trends;
 A unitary set of indicators for the evaluation of the
study programs offered by both private and public
universities, which would serve the purpose of
determining the measure in which the competences
declared by the universities and those acquired by
the students are real.
Acknowledgements
The contribution was prepared under the support of
the ESF project QLHE 2684, run by UEFISCSU in
Romania.
References
1. Akrich, M.; Miller, R. (2007). The Future of Key Research Actors
in the European Research Area – Synthesis Paper. European
Commission, Directorate-General for Research, Directorate C –
European Research Area: Knowledge-based economy
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3. European Commission (2007). Improving knowledge transfer
between research institutions and industry across Europe,
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4. European Commission (2007). Progress towards the Lisbon
Objectives in Education and Training Indicators and
Benchmarks, SEC(2007)1284, pp. 149-151
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Europe’s competitiveness in a global knowledge economy,
COM(2008)680 din 30.10.2008
6. Gonzalez, J., Wagenaar, R. eds. (2003). Tuning Educational
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7. Machin, S., McNally, S. (2007). Tertiary Education Systems and
Labour Markets, Education and Training Policy Division, OECD
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Intensive Society: Is Schooling Part of the Solution? Foresight,
Vol. 8 No. 4, pp. 13-22
9. Miller, M.; Shapiro, H. and Hilding-Hamann, K.E. (2007).
School’s Over: the Rise of Learning Spaces. Final Report,
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in 2020: A rigorous imagining exercise
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pentru societatea cunoaşterii
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learning in the networked age. How new learning environments
foster entrepreneurship and innovation. Paradigmes, Issue no. 1,
December 2008, pp. 125-140
 UNIVERSITY LEADERSHIP AND QUALITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION

C. RUSU1
1
PhD Professor Technical University “Gheorghe Asachi” of Iaşi, Romania crusu@cetex.tuiasi.ro

Objectives. How the university leaders see the reality in their universities; to establish the university leadership capability to establish
the solutions for university development; how the university leaders could energize, mobilize people (staff) to fight with the reality, to
implement theirs solution.
Prior work. The concepts of leader and leadership are used in other organizations in Romania and in the world; for increasing the
competitiveness of the universities from Romania, the concepts of leader and leadership should be transferred and implemented in
universities from Romania; the managers of universities from Romania to make performance/quality, to turn into leaders should be
another policy of recruitment, selection and training them.
Approach. The main methods we used were: questionnaires, structured interview, literature research, own experience.
Results. The results of research show us: the ability of management to recognize the problems facing nowadays; the solutions they
discern for raising quality in higher education; the possibilities of mobilization/training by the university management staff of
universities to implement the proposed solutions.
Implication. The paper will help university staff and the politicians: to change their attitude related to the leadership in the Romanian
university; to offer some principles, methods, procedures and techniques; to be used for a better management in the Romanian
Universities development, to choose the right leaders for Romanian University.
Value. The characterization of the leaders in Romanian higher education where does not exist research in the aria.
Keywords. University leader, quality in higher education

departments, subsystem support: libraries, social

INTRODUCTION services for students, etc.) and these subsystems do not
The leader need to be able to see the reality as a change in the same speed. What is the solution? The
designer sees the reality and each leaders see different solution is INTEGRATION.
the reality. Why? Because the reality organizational
culture. The reality knowing and understanding the
environment (E) (Fig.1)
The reality of quality input in the university (XQI)
• Student applicants (S)
• Professors and administration staff (S)
• Material resources assets (A)
• Information – resources (I)
• Finance resources (F)
The reality of quality HE process (HEP)
• Educational process technology
• Motivation system in the university
• The university discipline, procedures
• Procedures and process assessment
• Students’ evaluation and the process The problem is not out of university, it is within us.
• Staff evaluation When universities are healthy and used to change,
• Assets utilization change is invigorating. But if university immune system
The reality output result of the university is weak, a change will get university possible into a
• Practical competences of students trouble. Not every university has problems in time of
• Theoretical competences of students change. It depends on how healthy the system is. The
• Quality of research projects university system is healthy when it can deal with
• Customer satisfaction change without falling apart.
• Student satisfaction Do you have the courage to see what is doing in our
• University management integrity (your) school?
The leader keep seeing for a diagnostic result
• Decision transparency of university
The rates lag far behind in socio-economic realities.
management
There are teachers who only attend the changes and
• The compare the quality output of the
teach always the past courses.
university with: internal standards, external
HE diagnosis need to solve: dilemma of grow,
standards, internal objectives – indicative –
dilemma of power, dilemma of profit, self-interest and
measurable, competitors, history date etc. (B)
community, materials versus quality.
University change causes disintegration, which is
The leaders need to be able to do comparative
manifested in what we call problem, because university
analysis.
system is composed of subsystems (faculties,
316 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management inn Higher Education

External forces for change in the HE are: • the quality of the educational process
deregulations, technology, analysis the reality, SWOT • the quality of the results
analysis, discover the crisis. • solutions for improving the quality of the
The leaders need to be able to ground the solution. management solutions
lutions from universities
Service for university development • methods used by university leaders for
The leader need to evaluate: vision, mission and training / involvement / motivation of staff
strategies from the university in universities, for implementation of the
Ground the new objectives and strategies for solution proposed by the leaders
university For reasons of space we refer only to the analysis of
Creating new university programs some aspects off staff training by the leaders.
Assuming the risk of the solution promoted The questionnaire was applied to 186 educators from
Assessing, controlling, coordinating
inating quality of state and private universities from Romania. The
educational process structure of the respondents is:
Search new needs of competence Tab.1: Respondents teaching positions
Curricula design by customer competence needs Valid Cumulative
Search university customer satisfaction Frequency % % %
Making ground the new internal quality standards Valid Assistant 11 5,1 5,3 5,3
Innovating solution for quality input improving in Instructor 37 17,1 18,0 23,3
HE Conferential 49 22,6 23,8 47,1
These are not political decision, only sound business Professor 101 46,5 49,0 96,1
decision. The most important DRIVER of performances Research
8 3,7 3,9 100,0
in the universities is Leadership. We are all the time in a professor
Total 206 94,9 100,0
change management business.
Missing System 11 5,1
The biggest challenge, today, in HE: to develop,
Total 217 100
mature and spread leadership through University.
A University leader is a thumb. What does a thumb
do? It work with all different to create a leader knows miss
Missi 25- ing
how to help people disagree without being ng, 34,
55- fema 4%
disagreeable. A leader is able to build and enrich a 70, 2.8 13.4
culture of mutual trust and respect – a culture in which le
29.5 35-
people are not afraid to speak their minds. 36%
44, male
Without a thumb, you will not have a hand. 27.2 60%
Without a leader there is not teamwork, and without
teamwork, the cast will be stuck in the mind. 45-
54,
The leaders need to mobilize, energize, empower 27.2
people to fight with reality, to implement his solution
(morally – ethical – social response) Fig.2: Respondents age distribution Fig.3: Respondents distribution by
Fig.
gender
Will be necessary to develop a new generation of
higher managers which have to pay attention to: social
responsibility, ethics and moral aspects, ects, individual
versus cooperation, business orientation, degree
curricula change, balance between tradition and modern
new teaching technology, cross disciplinary teaching, Tab.2: Leadership position* Age Crosstabulation
risk aversion, communication with the internal and Count
external environment, interpersonal
rsonal staff cooperation age
Passion (responds) of the staff: developing the
25-34 35-44 45-54 55-70 Total
competition to all the level, university management as a
Position Prodean 0 5 10 1 16
team, management by performance, green sustainability,
cloth relation with HR corporate sector and alumni, Dean 1 4 3 9 17
value added by training - new competences (knowledge) Prorector 0 3 7 3 13
theoretical and practical, opportunity
pportunity costs in HE,HE Rector 0 0 1 6 7
selectiveness. No-
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 26 45 36 43 150
function
The main methods used for this research was – the Total 27 57 57 62 203
questioner, structured interview, literature research and
own experience. Tab.3: Leadership position* Leadership experience
experien
The questionnaire was related to: Crosstabulation
Count
• how respondents perceived the reality from
universities regarding Management position experience
• the quality of entries in the system 1-5 6-10 11- 16- > 20 Total
 University Leader and Quality inn Higher Education 317

ani ani 15 20 ani We continued our analysis to identify what

ani ani respondentss have to say about university transformation
Position Prodean 8 7 1 0 0 16 processes: teaching and research (fig. 4).
Dean 7 3 0 5 2 17 We appreciate that there is an important debate
Prorector 2 4 3 1 3 13 about variables where weaker frequency is more than
Rector better frequency because it is not what we expect to be a
0 1 0 3 3 7
normal state.
ate. So, normal state variable are: education
No-
function
26 8 9 8 7 58 technology, student assessment, university discipline,
Total 43 23 13 17 15 111 and academic staff evaluation. Not normal state
47.7 47.2 45.8 44.4
41.6 40.6
RESEARCH 34.1 35.4

University system inputs quality

We investigate (fig. 4) university
inputs quality in order to appreciate if
there are any differences between
universities. According to our
respondents, more than 50% say that students students research graduate employer quality of transparency management
the inputs quality of: candidates, practical theoretical papers satisfaction satisfaction university of staff
professor and administrative staff is skills skills quality change management integrity
approximately the same. About these decisions
much weaker 7 1.9 4.7 3.7 4.2 2.4 5.7 6.3
three variables we may say that
respondents ascending hierarchy of weaker 20.1 12.6 22.9 22.9 18.7 22.3 16.3 6.3
quality is: studentsadministrative
administrative approximately the same 47.7 47.2 41.6 45.8 44.4 34.1 35.4 40.6
staffprofessors. better 23.4 34.6 24.8 22.9 28 32.7 31.6 32.9
About three other variables that much better 1.9 3.7 6.1 4.2 4.7 8.1 11 14
describe university
iversity resources capacity
we may say that they obey the normal curve and Fig.6: University system outputs quality
identify three comparable values: weak, same, better. variables are: information resources, student motivation
These facts show that there is a problem with university and professors’ motivation.
resources. It is reasonably to say
ay that there are problems in
areas described by not normal state variables
52.6 55.8 54 distribution. There is a problem about student and
36 39.5 37.4 professors motivation that seems to be responsible for
the lack of external recognition of Romanian
universities transformation processes.
p
We also investigate what respondents want to say
about university outputs quality.
candidates
professors
administrati material information
As funded All variable obey the normal curve and the expected
admited ve staff resources resources
right asymmetry that we expected. We identify three
much weaker 3.7 0.5 4.2 7 3.3 11.7 groups of variables. First, variables with approximately
weaker 23.3 8.8 20 25.2 20 36 weak=better which we appreciate to be variables with
approximately the same 52.6 55.8 54 36 39.5 37.4 problematic issues: student’s practical skills, research
better 17.2 29.3 20.5 23.8 27 13.6
satisfaction Secondly,
papers quality, graduate satisfaction.
variables with weak vs. better great difference: student
much better 3.3 5.6 1.4 7.9 10.2 1.4
theoretical skills, transparency of managementmanage
Fig. 4: University system inputs quality distribution
decisions, and management staff integrity. Third,
intermediate weak vs. better difference variables:
48.1 48.1 43.7
39 43.1 43.2 employer satisfaction and quality of university change
33.5 First group of variables describe the actual problems
of university system outputs quality: practical
pra skills,
weak research, and weak graduate satisfaction which
demonstrate that there is a weak functionality of
educational student university academic information student professor university system.
technology assesment discipline staff resources motivation motivation Second group of variables is normal so it presents
evaluation what we expected: theoretical skill, transparency of
much weaker 1.9 1.4 3.3 3.3 2.4 6.6 10.8 decisions and management
nagement integrity. From first and
weaker 17.3 18.7 16.4 17.4 23.7 25.8 35.4 second group of variables we may conclude that there is
approximately the same 48.1 48.1 43.7 39 43.1 43.2 33.5 a problem between student’s theoretical skills (better)
better
and graduate’s practical skills (weak).
26.6 27.1 32.4 31 23.7 21.1 16
much better 6.1 4.7 4.2 9.4 7.1 3.3 4.2

Fig.5: University system

ystem transformation process quality
318 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education
Third group of variables: employer satisfaction and
quality of university change are very critical because
these issues address a evolutionary problem: Is actually
university system capable of adaptation?
CONCLUSION
To bring about and implement new solution in
the university you need leaders and strong
leadership
In this period some university managers do not
realize that the employees are an asset, not just an
expense. The employees can tell managers what is going
on in the university better that anybody else. There are
open-door policies, but how many assistants have you
seen walk through the open-door of the university
rector, president office to talk to him/her.
Generally speaking, it is an elitist managers in the
university system, who are not listen to the people they
manage. Energy flow from top to bottom based by
reports.
To achieve change, which is essential for a
successful university, we need a university that can
change easily. University needs teamwork, cooperation
and mutual trust and respect. Managers need to talk
more, share more, be open with each other more, and
respect each other more.
Teach managers how a leader behaves; teach
managers to resolve a conflict.
Universities are like a fish tank. Unless we supply
them with oxygen from top to bottom – management of
the university, the fish, and organization will die. We
have in the university to change what and how we teach.
Teach future leadership to listen to university personnel
and to each other, to manage more by pride of teamwork
and less by worshipping numbers. We have to be
“together”. Integration is the secret of healthy
organization, and that is how we will turn a crisis into
an opportunity and succeed in the future, and leave
behind those that are fighting among themselves to
catch the cold.
The limits of the proposed questionnaire analysis are
related to:
The standard of "other prestigious universities”, we
believe that it was differed from one respondent to
another;
Retaining teachers to talk about "home things". Even
one respondent told us that because he was raised and
trained in that university he can only grant votes to the
maximum limit.
Some respondents considered that some terms are
not unambiguously defined; there are situations in
which respondents could understand a concept in
different ways.
The purpose of the questionnaire was to raise
awareness, alert forces within the university that some
colleagues have the courage to see reality from within
the system, they see reality, but not to recognize it. The
questionnaire we wanted to emphasize the questions
some of the big problems, important to Romanian
education that university leaders should tackle. I also
received many thanks for the content of this
questionnaire.
I am convinced that reforming the higher education
system and other systems that can come only from
within the system, but from "outside forces". Until now
in Romania it have been proposed 6-7 reforms which
partially overlapped and who have more disrupt than
helped. "Outside forces", in our case, is constituted from
the members of the academic community from Romania
who have received our questionnaires (over 600) and
who are present here, in Tulcea.
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3. Deselnicu D.C., Rusu C., Swiger JA - Leadership performance
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5. Gopal K. Kanji – Can total quality management help innovation?
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6. Morgan H., Harkins P. & Goldsmith M. – The art and practice of
leadership coaching: 131-137, NY: John Wilwy & Sons, 2005
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Management, Teaching Staff, Level of Students Satisfaction -
Proceedings of 1st International Conference European Dimension
in Quality Assurance. Technical University “Gh. Asachi” Iasi,
Romania, 2001 pg.276 ISBN 973-590-581-7
8. Rusu,C. - The modernisation of engineering education in Romania
in the process of transition towards a free market economy -
International Congress of Engineering Deans – Industry leaders,
Melbourne, Australia, 3 – 6 July 1995
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invatamantul superior -Quality Assurance in the Romanian
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of Teaching Staff, The Dynamics of Quality in Learning
Universities -Quality Management in Higher Education,
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Management in Higher Education, Iaşi, România, June 14-15,
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 THE IMPLEMENTING
OF THE CONCEPT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
IN THE EDUCATIONAL MANAGEMENT

TIBERIU RUSU, LIA, CHIOREAN

PROF. ENG. Technical University of Cluj-Napoca
No. 15, Constantin Daicoviciu Street, 400020 Cluj-Napoca
Fax:0264-401280, e-mail: Chiorean.Lia@staff.utcluj.ro

Key words: sustainable development, education, environment protection.

Abstract: The concept of Sustainable Development should be analyzed from multiple perspectives, out of which the human resources
training is defined as the central aspect, and its lacking involves the implementing of the above mentioned concept in an unsuccessful way.
Implementing the concept of Sustainable Development initially engages changes of perspective for the business environment, secondly the
development of legislation with facilities for the economic agents who want to be involved in this concept’s implementation, and thirdly the
assuring of the labor force able to implement the concept. Higher education, and mostly the technical field, has a large experience in the training
of the human resources to implement this concept, guiding specialists to be able to find the best solutions for the optimal use of the local, material
and human resources, under the purpose of increasing the living
standard and the environment protection. "How the impact of long-term economic and social
activities should be evaluated?"
1. Defining the concept of sustainable
development 2. Socio-economic implications of implementing
The concept of "Sustainable Development" has the concept of Sustainable Development
several definitions, among which the most usual one is: Socio-economic implications of this concept’s
"that development which ensures the needs of the implementation can be withdrawn on two action
present times without compromising the chances of the directions, namely:
future generations to meet their own needs". Promoting the economic growth and environmental
Reported to a country, the concept of "Sustainable management, actions that include the subsidies
Development" is defined as the ability of that country elimination when using the resources, clarifying the
to achieve at national level the balance between property rights, accelerating the training and education
economic-social development and environment, taking process of the population;
into account the natural resources, social conditions in Ceasing the altering process of the environmental
the view of insuring economic and social prosperity for through laws, sanctions and incentives.
the future generations. Studies undertaken in the field of stimulating this
This concept has emerged as the result of the fact concept have revealed that the administrative tools
that currently the world is facing serious issues based on market criteria, and also generating financial
generated by the insufficient resources, the modality of obligations to those who pollute are more efficient than
distributing the resources on continents, and the fact setting up quantitative restrictions or quota of materials
that a large proportion of population is disadvantaged or products.
and suffers of poverty. In many countries, the intentions of Sustainable
The concept of sustainable development can be Implementation’s concept have failed due to the fact
defined in concrete terms by at least four major that there had been no institutional capacity for
objectives: coordinating and tracking of the implementation of the
Setting up programs for stimulating personal concept. It should be noted that the World Bank
development through education, social ethics, provides technical assistance for supporting the states
developing practical abilities, stimulating intellectual in strengthening institutional capacity for tracking the
creativity, etc. implementation concept.
Conceiving a universal awareness - environmental The environmental approach of the concept of
and social, by encouraging the respect for nature, by Sustainable Development or the so-called eco-
avoiding the environmental pollution, increasing development must directly ensure the protection of the
quality of life for everyone; biosphere, the biodiversity and the normal sequence of
Implementing and respecting the universal laws on the phenomena and bio-geo-chemical cycles.
environment protection; If by the end of last century the issue of exhaustion
Preserving the natural capital by reducing of resources was not closely approached, today this
consumption of materials and energy by recycling problem is more and more of an issue, mainly in the
materials and using renewable energy. field of energy, fossil energy resources, coal, oil and
If today's environmental assessment is difficult, gas.
then assessing the future is at least as difficult. People As it was previously said, the natural resources
are still looking to find answers to questions like: were considered "inexhaustible goods" and one could
320 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
foreseen in these circumstances a continuous economic
development based on resources.
Economic environment, as a relatively new field of
study, now seeks solutions to establish environmental
and social criteria in taking some economic decisions.
The economic approach of the concept of
Sustainable Development may influence important
decisions regarding the concept of economic and social
life.
Economic environment, as field of study, is not
new. In the past decades, the existent economic
principles were built on and extended mainly to assess
the impact of economic activity on the environment
and biodiversity, more recently, especially in the case
of developing countries. In the case of these countries,
taking major decisions on economic development takes
into account the impact of future economic activities
on the environment and biodiversity.
Sustainable economic development (sustainable) is
now interpreted as a process of maintaining the welfare
projected indefinitely into the future.
Economists have introduced a new concept, namely
economic optimality defined as maximizing the
present value of consumption. This concept is
antagonistic to that of continuous and sustainable
development. Moreover, some economists consider
that the concept of economic optimality is synonymous
with non-sustainability.
Therefore today one is trying to combine the
optimality with sustainability, looking to resolve the
desire of maximum profit at any cost, with the concept
of environmental protection, especially non-renewable
resources.
Sociological approach of the Sustainable
Development is quite new.
Sustainable social development means avoiding
major problems, such as:
tensions generated by the major discrepancies
between rich and poor;
dividing society on the basis of culture;
dividing society on ethnic criteria;
systematic breaching of the human rights.
All these, as history has shown, are sources of
conflict, sometimes even violent and wars generators.
In this context, one should not neglect the slogan
"consider human the priority" within the framework of
investments oriented towards sustainable and equitable
development for all.
3. Strategies and options in implementing the
concept of Sustainable Development in training the
human resources
During 17-18 of March 2005, in Vilnius
(Lithuania), was adopted, under the auspices of the
Economic Commission for Europe United Nations
(UNECE), the Strategy in the Field of Education for
Sustainable Development. The main objective is to
incorporate in all the educational systems of the key
themes of sustainable development, such as poverty
diminution, peace, ethics, democracy, cultural diversity
and the management of natural resources.
In terms of education, sustainable development
involves the acquisition of key skills universally valid
in the context of globalization and the need of easing
labor market. "Education for a sustainable development
develops and improves the ability of individuals,
groups, communities, organizations and countries to
think and act in favor of the continuous development. It
can generate a change in people’s mentalities,
increasing their ability to create a safer healthier and
more prosperous world, improving in this manner the
quality of life [5].
Romania has underlined the importance of adopting
this strategy, fact that means "the formalizing the
concern for future generations and promoting the
balance between progress and economic development
on the one hand, and social cohesion and
environmental protection, on the other hand." The
conclusion of the participants was: "We must take steps
today to maintain for the future the fragile balance
between the economic, social and environmental
aspects and the challenge of this century is to learn
how to live on a limited planet [7].
Responding to the efforts of promoting a
development of the human society accepted socially,
economically viable and environmentally sustainable,
the General Council of the United Nations adopted on
20 December 2002, a resolution that sets the period
2005-2014 "Decade of Education for Sustainable
Development", which shows the importance of
education for the sustainable development in the world.
The resolution indicates the need of integrating the
sustainable development into the educational systems
at all known levels.
In this context, both academic and administrative
staff, and also the management decision makers for
education, must improve themselves in terms of
knowledge on education for sustainable development
so that they can provide their advice and support in this
area.
Education is seen as a path to sustainable
development being a process of social learning and in
search of innovative solutions [6].
In this international context, the Technical
University of Cluj-Napoca is continuously and
intensively involved in applying this concept at
national level.
Technical University of Cluj-Napoca has acted on
two main directions, namely:
Training human resource to implement the concept;
Opening new lines of research in the field.
Regarding human resource training, the old
specializations that only tangential approached this
concept, respectively "Engineering and Environmental
Protection in Industry” and the postgraduate course of
study" Special Procedures of Control and Pollution
Reduction for Environment ", have been analyzed and
adapted the new concept, and in parallel new master
courses have been organized, among which:
Central Dimensions of Socio-Professional Integration of Persons with Disabilities – The Binomial
Education/Professional Training – Employment System for The Future of Disabled
"Sustainable Development and Biodiversity
Protection”, “Sustainable Development and
Environment Protection”, “Environmental
Management of Natural Resources and Wastes
Recycling”.
All these forms of education include a series of
basic disciplines that approaches the implementation of
the concept of sustainable development, such as:
Fundamentals of the Concept of Sustainable
Development, Strategies and Policies for Sustainable
Development and Protection of Biodiversity,
Sustainable Development and Arrangement of
Planning, Environmental Management of Natural
Resources, etc..
The themes of Bachelor and Master Final Projects
have topics of applicative research character, such as:
Use of Indigenous Materials to the Development of Ion
Exchange Filters, Biomass Use for Energy Obtaining,
Alternative Energy Sources, Recovery of Useful
Materials out of Wastes, Development of New
Composite Materials from Wastes, Energy Recovery
from Wastes, etc. There are themes that approach the
issue of using local resources and protection of limited
natural resources and environmental protection and
biodiversity.
When finalizing the curricula, one of the aspects
that were taken into consideration was establishing the
competencies a graduate must acquire as a result of
attending these courses. In this purpose, a form of
competencies has been drawn up and distributed to
over a hundred business agents, research institutes,
agencies, municipalities, etc. The completed forms
were synthesized and afterwards were defined the
minimum mandatory competencies required by the
labor market. These skills have been covered by the
compulsory disciplines, which were foreseen in the
curricula.
Regarding the research direction in the field of
"Sustainable Development", new research directions
that have been approached are:
321
the use of local resources to produce new products,
eco-design of products;
protection of natural resources by obtaining new
materials and waste products;
alternative sources of energy,
increasing energy efficiency of industrial processes,
sustainable spatial planning;
BAT technology implementation in SMEs.
Teaching and research staff of the Technical
University of Cluj-Napoca are aware that
implementing the concept of "Sustainable
Development" will be beneficial, especially for future
generations.
We must change our mentality and think more of
future generations. We have a duty to take all the
necessary steps to ensure future generations a cleaner
and more prosperous environment.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Baboianu, G., Cornelia Benea, Rusu, T., Strategies and
European Policies in Sustainable Development and
Biodiversity Protection - UTPRESS Publishing Office,
Cluj-Napoca, 2008, ISBN 978 - 973-662-430-8.
2. Cândea, Melinda and others- Organization, Planning and
Sustainable Development of the Geographic Area,
University’s Publishing Office, ISBN-973-749-022-3.
3. Munteanu, R., Alternative Energy Sources - UTPRESS
Publishing Office, Cluj-Napoca, 2008, ISBN 978 - 973-
713-245-1.
4. Rusu, T., Fundamentals of the Concept of Sustainable
Development, UTPRESS Publishing Office, Cluj-Napoca,
2008, ISBN 978 - 973-662-407-0
5. Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development
1. UN-Economic Commission for Europe, Vilnius 17-18 March
2005.
6. National Strategy for Sustainable Development of Romania.
Horizons, 2013-2020-2030 - National Center for
Sustainable Development, Bucharest, 2008
7. www.edu.ro - Synopsis Education for Sustainable
Development, Press Release - 21 March 2005.
TRANSPARENCY IN CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY APPLIED PROJECTS IN
HIGHER EDUCATION

Daniela -Veronica SABĂU1, Constantin SABĂU2, Domniţa ZACHARIAS3

1
Universitatea Tehnică “GHEORGHE ASACHI” IAŞI, Romania, sabaudanielaveronica@yahoo.com
2
Universitatea Tehnică “GHEORGHE ASACHI” IAŞI, Romania, costelsabau@gmail.com
3
Universitatea Tehnică “GHEORGHE ASACHI” IAŞI, Romania, doina.zacharias@yahoo.com

Abstract. There are authors who prefer the term corporate responsibility (CR) to avoid limiting the concept only social issues
(strategic philanthropy and community relations). Others use the term social responsibility to delete the link this issue with corporate
affairs. Those who prefer this approach will expand the concept and the non-profit organizations and government agencies. Any time I
choose, one thing is certain: the interests of organizations and the common good can not resonate over a long period of time. Results.
At this time we have a complete knowledge of corporate social responsibility in higher education in Romania. There is partial
information on programs of social investment takes the form of donations or sponsorship and corporate philanthropy. We, however,
little information about CSR strategies, organizations on policies to groups involved in or affected by the actions lor.Implications.
Importance of corporate social responsibility is the same length as the organization itself. Central question has always been this:
manages an organization, as it tends to build their mission and vision, adding value to society and facilitates its existence?
Originality. Corporate social responsibility strategies (the CSR) of the Romanian organizations could be improved by a more
analytical, communication, in a word by research.

Keywords: corporate social responsibility, CSR strategy, transparency, credibility

INTRODUCTION four aspects are always present in discussions about

After endless debates, the issue came to be
addressed in serious discussion and adopted
management policies in the '50s, especially in countries
with large corporations. In the '60s, interest in CSR has
become more feverish as the activists of all ideological
and geographic areas have higher standards demanded
by government and business performance. Nonprofit
sector require a fair distribution of profits, while
academics debated the issue of differences between
modern and postmodern organizations. As noted Basu
and Plazzo (2008): "The last three decades have
testified to a lively debate regarding the role of
corporations in society." This examination has revealed
how CSR standards defined by the ideology of each
society. PR practitioners contributing to this ideology,
as people discuss business performance both internally
and externally. Critics have noted the danger that
CSR is becoming isolated, to come to herself and to
use only autoafirme - often to the detriment of society
which should be of benefit to social, political, technical
and financial. Public relations can help organizations to
establish standards and implement them and through
actions and statements they make.
One of the main participants in this debate was
Freeman. Freeman and Liedtka (1991) observed years
ago: "The idea of corporate social responsibility has
failed to help create a better society. Looked time by
academics and managers as the missing link of
capitalism, the concept of Corporate social
responsibility has not kept his word. " Being convinced
of its failure, they realized that this is a "dangerous
idea"
that led to agree in principle but not in detail, with
Friedman.
No matter how trivial it may seem different
definitions of corporate social responsibility, at least
management and strategic planning:
-Each organization operating in an arena of multi-
stakeholders and each stakeholder has different
expectations of how the organization should operate;
-There are no absolute standards of corporate
responsibility, they are defined by each generation.
-Managers are scandalized by allegations that it
would prefer unethical business practices. Therefore,
the way discussions are held within an organization is
essential to convince management to integrate
stakeholder groups in policy expectations and business
practices.
-The decision to operate in the interest of the
community often requires a complex analysis of the
factors that define this interest. Details of the
discussion moves beyond platitudes. "God is in little
things."
TRANSPARENCY AND CREDIBILITY OF CSR
PROJECTS
In recent decades, the Western business
environment have forced some tools to improve
transparency and credibility in CSR: social and
environmental auditing, reporting social and ethical
codes. The survey aims to reveal how institutions in
Romania using three instruments.
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) deviating
significantly from other forms of social involvement,
and corporate philanthropy or sponsorship by some
specific elements;
-Taking into account the interests of all interested
groups (stakeholders), the managers and teachers to
students;
-Developing a strategy for social involvement,
strategy to integrate medium and long term
324 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
development strategy of the institution and the
corporate communications strategy;
-CSR can not be designed separately, outside of a
vision which aims to integrate the management and
marketing.
Transparency is a prerequisite for effective
communication between the institution and interested
groups. Furthermore communication transparency,
credibility requires an agreement between statements
and actions.
In short, transparency in corporate responsibility
policies mean:
-To define a code of ethics, principles that guide the
organization in its actions or a set of ethical standards
to establish rights and obligations which the institution
is to interested groups;
-To publicize and promote the ethical code for
teachers and students
-To prepare periodic reports reflecting the social as
the institution complies with its obligations assumed;
- To make the reporting standards used and the
auditor who prepared the reports;
Assess the social investment programs, their impact
on social groups concerned;
-To publish the results of social investment
programs.
CSR STRATEGIES
One may speak of three strategies that companies
use, combined or separated in the communication
process social responsibility: social performance
reporting, marketing and public relations,
implementation of international standards.
1. Social performance reporting:
Practices of social and environmental reporting has
evolved rapidly over the past 10-15 years. In countries
like France, Denmark, Sweden, Holland, Australia and,
recently, Britain proposed or already has imposed
mandatory reporting of certain aspects of the field of
sustainability. But they are exceptions. Generally,
social reporting is voluntary.
2. Marketing and PR:
Companies have always used marketing resources
to achieve competitive advantages in a given situation.
The concept of sustainability is no exception to the
rule.
If there is disagreement between the campaigns of
the companies image and behavior in relation to
community and environment, public opinion reacts
spontaneously. Companies affecting the environment
or community, while searching, through marketing to
maintain and expand the market, promoting the
environment as friends and leaders in the fight to
eradicate poverty are classified "green" or "tinsmith
green (greenwash). "Tinsmiths blue (bluewash) are
firms that are appropriate for their commitment to
humanitarian causes such as fighting poverty, helping
people affected by natural disasters, human rights or
sustainable development, while their actions contradict
this commitment. Finally, companies' sweat washed
(sweatwash) are known for their difficult working
conditions offered to employees, but also trying to
deflect public attention from these practices.
3. International standards and guidelines for social
reporting:
One way that companies interested groups shows
that take seriously the issue of social responsibility is
on adherence to local and international standards and
reporting guidelines.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Despite the enthusiasm enjoyed the concept of CSR
still remains vulnerable in front of those who deny the
strategic role and pleads in case of recession, reducing
costs of social investments. To face critically examined
the concept of CSR and promoted in terms of tangible
economic benefits they bring. This involves passing the
most difficult test, that of value added and profit. Need
to test CSR policies in terms of profit stressed the need
to measure their impact on quantitative and qualitative
indicators. Opinion polls and social and environmental
audits are the best ways to measure social opportunity
and environmental policies.
Communication is an important element of CSR
policies, as a way to ensure dialogue and transparency
for interested groups. But social programs should not
be seen solely in terms of PR and marketing benefits
they bring. When he established the CSR strategies,
companies must start to real community needs to
define its objectives and measurable and honest, and
then to be concerned with promoting social programs.
Research goal is to see the opinions of managers,
teachers and students in higher education with regard
to two of the most controversial issues in the field of
CSR: corporate responsibility policy transparency and
credibility of companies engaged in social programs.
Transparent criteria defining the questions were
covered. The questionnaire was conducted from
January to March 2010. The study was conducted
online on a sample of 32 representatives of the four
higher education institutions involved in CSR. The
research had two phases, the first quantitative and
qualitative second, the latter consisted of analyzing
responses to a set of questions to those who answered
the questionnaire.
DATA ANALYSIS
1. Presentation of overall results of research:
Structure of surveyed organizations by:
-field of activity: education;
 Measuring the innovation process 325

-position in university of respondents: 18,8 %

teachers, 15,6% managers and 65,6 % students,
-university location: 1 - Bucharest 1 - Iasi 2 - Targu
Mures.
2. Analysis and interpretaion of the relevant data
for the research:
Once the questionnaires recovered from the
subjects, they are processed and interpreted.
Below are tables and graphs that illustrate our
research objectives:
Quantitative research findings .
Questionnaire answered by 32 persons from the
four
Romanian universities. Questions addressed issues:
-social and environmental audits (social auditing Figure 2: Is published social reports with audit findings
and auditing matters under consideration);
-social reporting (publication of reports, their
credibility, the target envisaged in the report);
-the code of ethics (code of ethics there, its
publication);
-social investments (evaluation and publication of
the assessment, the assessment methods used, the areas
of social investment, investment target groups).

Figure 3: There credibility in CSR policy

Figure 1:Social audits are conducted in university

Respondents argue that reducing energy

consumption is the main environmental problem that
should be concerned about their university.
According to the results, 33% of universities are Figure 4: These is transparency in CSR policy

audited office. Note that while dealing with the CSR
field, 28.1% of students say they do not know if the
institutions are audited social learners (Figure1).
In a significant proportion, 68.8% of respondents
say their institutions publish social reports. However,
the vast majority of institutions have published reports
on social sites (Figure 2).
Of respondents, 15.6% have not heard of Romanian
institutions of social reporting, 37.5% said that social
reports are not credible, 62.5% claim that social reports
seem credible (Figure 3).
56.2% of respondents say that there are social
transparency in CSR policies (Figure 4).
50% of respondents claim that their university
social investing. In contrast, 50% of respondents admit
that their institution does not evaluate social
investment programs (Figure 5).
The main methods for evaluating social
investments are, in order of importance:
-investment budget (70%);
-newspaper articles (55.6%);
-reports of universities, partner in social projects
(48%).
-preferred areas of social investment companies
are:
a training and professional development opportunities
for employees (94%);
-education (70%);
326 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
-a working conditions for employees (69%);
- culture and art (63%) .
Finally, social investment fields preferred by
employees are:
- training and professional development opportunities
for employees (69%);
- education (69%)
- working conditions for employees (63%).
In a large proportion, 76% respondents stated
that their institutions have codes of ethics. Also, the
main way in promoting ethical code are:
- internal communication channels (74%);
- traning (46%);
- corporate website (43%).
According to research, codes of ethics is primarily
addressed to students (81%), teachers (46%) and
managers (41%).
Figure 5: Social investind in university
Qualitative research results
Qualitative research was to identify answers to
some questions suggested by the first part of the
research. Largely transparent CSR policies and
corporate credibility are determined by how companies
make their results public social programs. Ie, the
evaluation of social investment programs, how social
reporting, the publication of reports to be aware of
CSR by companies.
1. Why is social reporting:
-social reports are evidence of transparency and
accountability needs.
2. Why not credible social reports:
-tend to exaggerate the results;
-are unduly optimistic;
almost exclusively aimed at attracting the benefits
of image;
-lack of a tradition in CSR can determine the
existence of a state of disbelief about investment
institutions;
-their use for advertising purposes to decrease in
value.
3. Arguments for social reporting transparency:
-to be credible, a social report must show in a
transparent manner which is the company's strategy;
-must be clear objectives and measurable;
-transparency is key to confidence.
4. CSR policy issues:
- must be based on clear principles reflect the extent
. to which objectives are achieved;- real experience in
the field of Romanian companies is much smaller than
: we tend to believe;- if the CSR community are
addressed, but not meet it, they have no future.
; 5. Assessment of social investment programs:
; - in Romania, the CSR is far from being understood
. as a management practice. It is a discipline being cared
PR department, when in fact it should be a concern of
management. It is a cosmetic tool ("May we make a
donation", "May sponsor something" more plant a tree
", etc.) and not planning a long-term development.
There are few effective CSR programs in Romania,
programs that have objectives, budgets, evaluation
methods, performance indicators;
- CSR assessment should be a quite natural
approach for companies involved in CSR projects that
are oriented in their work on results. This type of audit
- conducted in all stages of action - to establish the
objectives, priorities, target audience, the steps
themselves - with specific tasks within the team
involved, but the prosecution of partial and final
results.
CONCLUSIONS
It is important for companies to release information
regarding the practices and performance in social
responsibility and sustainability. This requirement will
become increasingly necessary. Companies will earn
their credibility not preoccupied with their create a
better image. Credibility is achieved through several
steps to be traveled.
First of all, companies must assess their real image
they have, taking into account public opinion. And
identifying and analyzing problems and the
organization need to redefine strategies for social
responsibility so that they are in agreement with the
desired image. This must be done in spite of short-term
costs.
Therefore, companies must constantly ensure that
there is an agreement between their actions and desired
image.
This agreement is created by:
- defining a coherent strategy for social
responsibility appropriate company specific;
- sending the company's leading social
commitments undertaken by the organization;
- development of criteria and benchmarks against
which it can be appreciated CSR practices;
- social performance reporting and publication of
reports;
References:
1.Basu, K., & Palazzo, G.,(2008), Corporate Social
Responsibility: A process model of sensemaking. Academy of
Management Review.
2.Freeman, R. E., & Liedtka, J.,(1991), Corporate Social
Responsibility: A critical approach.
3.Black, L. D., & Hartel, C. E. J.,(2004), The Five Capabilities
of socially responsible organizations.
4.Bowie, N.,(1991), New Directions in Corporate Social
Responsibility.
TEACHING OF SUSTAINABILITY BY AN INTERNATIONAL MASTER COURSE
Michael SCHLAAK1,
1
University of Applied Sciences FH-Emden/Leer, Germany
(schlaak@fho-emden.de)

To aim for a sustainable future the human activities and the human behaviour have to change drastically. To achieve these
changes an understanding of the situation and the needs for a sustainable future has to be taught in all levels of education,
especially in the university education before the young people start their working life. The European MSc in Environmental
Technologies and Management gives an understanding of the situation, the complex interaction between different spheres of the
environment and an overview on the technologies and tools needed to achieve a sustainable future.
the situation. The idea of sustainability has to be
integrated in all levels of human activities: at home, in
education, in economy and industry, in policy, .. An
essential part will be the education, therefore the UN
Introduction
has announced the decade of sustainability in education
2005- 2014.
Human development shows three important transition
steps (revolutions):
Objectives
- from hunting towards agriculture (about
8000 a ago),
We need to incorporate
- towards industrialization (about 150 a
- the understanding of the ecological
ago),
situation on the earth
- towards sustainability (now).
- the necessary changes towards
As a consequence of the industrial revolution, using
sustainability
new energy resources, new scientific knowledge about
in our education. This will need a basic understanding
nature and its resources, the life style of humans
- of the ecological situation
changed drastically (at least in the northern
- of the economical functions
hemisphere) leading finally to the actual situation. It
- of the human behavior.
might me characterized by some highlights:
We need to develop a teaching method to increase the
- the life style
creativity of coming generations to develop
- the depletion of resources and its
- a new thinking
consequences as for instance the climate
- a new life style with new values and
change [IPCC, 2007]
- new technologies.
- the number of human beings on the earth
(Fig.1).
Result: The European Master in Environmental
The situation and its consequences were analyzed by
Technologies and Management
the “Club of Rome” and published by Maedows et al.:
“The Limits of Growth” [Maedows 1972]. In a difficult
This Master program is a one year full time European
but necessary third revolution humanity has to develop
course in Environmental Technology and Management
towards a sustainable future, which
suitable for graduates in Chemistry, Chemical
…”may not go beyond the ecological
Engineering, Biotechnology or similar subjects. It is
limits of the earth” and
running at 3 locations:
… is a “development that meets the needs
- Esbjerk, DK, 4 months,
of the present without compromising the
ability of future generations to meet their - Emden, G, 4 months,
own needs” [Brundtland report, 1987] - Leicester, UK, 4 months,
In the sustainable future there must be an equilibrium The course has 3 trimesters in one year (in total 12
between the consumption and the renewability of months compact teaching), the course language is
resources, limiting finally also the number of human English. Admission is twice a year: Sept. 1st in Esbjerg
beings on the earth. or January 3rd in Emden.

Based on this knowledge the global policy has decided
to aim for a sustainable future by the Agenda 21 of the
UN Conference of Rio in 1992. It is stated that the
sustainable future only can be achieved by integrating
- ecology
- economy and
- social and cultural aspects
in a future development. The necessary changes will
not be obtained if there is no general understanding of
Aim of the Master Course
• Understanding of industrial and political
developments in Europe and worldwide in
relation to environmental questions
• Profound knowledge of environmental
technologies
• Knowledge of environmental law and
management in Europe
328 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

• Better career chances in multinational
companies and in international political
organisations
• Environmental consciousness and experienced
behaviour on an international level.
The students come from countries all over the world:
Mexico, Nigeria, Ghana, Iraq,
Poland, Finland, China, India, Germany, …(Fg.2).

Content
The content of the course is delivered in 11 modules:
1. Environmental Field: Water
2. Toxicology
3. Environmental Field: Soil
4. Energy
5. Raw Materials and Waste
6. Environmental Field: Air
7. Technology, Economy, Environment and Man
8. Economy, Process-Control and Management
in Industry
9. Environmental Protection and Laws in the
Different Countries of Europe
10. Research and Communication Methodology
11. Master's Thesis / final project
Teaching Method
The teaching style incorporates Project Oriented
Problem Based Learning (POPBL) and fits to the aim
of the course (interdisciplinary approaches to
environmental global problems), the structure of the
course (different universities in Europe) and the
participants (from all over the world with different
background):
- lectures / seminars
- project work
- lab work
- excursions
An essential element of the course is the POPBL
teaching: The students get a project (for instance the
remediation of a contaminated site or the energy
concept of an isolated island) to be treated by a group
of students. They work like a team in an engineering
company. The basic knowledge is given by lectures.
The detailed knowledge for the project has to be
Conclusion
This Master course
- develops the creativity by Project
Oriented Problem Based Learning
(POPBL)
- leads to an understanding of the situation
and the complex interactions between
different spheres of environment and
human behavior and an understanding for
the needs to develop a sustainable future
- gives a basic knowledge on
environmental techniques in the different
environmental fields (toxicology, water,
air, soil , waste, resources, economy,..)
- develops the social skills of the
participants by working in an
international team
Future development
Further European universities may participate in
teaching modules or teaching a whole section of this
course with the given content, thus participating in this
master course.
For the environmental impact China is an essential
country with a high and increasing industrialization.
To establish more knowledge and more acceptance for
the environmental situation, it is discussed to establish
a similar course in co-operation with a Chinese
University.
world population
7,00

elaborated by the students themselves. By this method 6,00

the students learn to develop creativity in an
population in billion

5,00
international team, where all members have different
background and different working methods 4,00

experienced in their education. 3,00

2,00
Teaching staff 1,00
The teaching staff is selected as specialists coming
0,00
from 6 different institutions participating in the course, 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500
from industry and economy. time / years

EU – Dimension
The course is running at three locations within Europe,
the teaching staff is coming from 6 European countries. Fig.1: Development of human population [UN]
The students will experience the different European
cultures during their stays at the different locations

The International dimension

Strengthening Achieved Competences by Demand-Oriented Further Education 329

Fig. 2: The course group of 2004 with students from all

over the world (America, Nigeria, Ghana, Malta,
France, Finland, Poland, Germany, Greece, China)

References

1. Maedows, D.H., Maedows D.L., Randers, J., Behrens, W.W.;

The Limits of Growth; N.Y., Universe Book, 1972

2. IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), 2007, via

http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/publications_and_d
ata.htm (24.04. 2010)

3. Brundtland report; “Report of the World Commission on

Environment and Development: Our Common Future”,
Transmitted to the General Assembly as an Annex to document
A/42/427 (1987), via http://www.un-documents.net/wced-
ocf.htm (24.4.2010)

4. UN; The world at six billion; via

http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/sixbillion/sixbil
part1.pdf (8.5.2010)
330 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
 GENDER AND PERSONALITY IN THE VISION OF STUDENTS

Alexandra SILVAŞ, Emilia ALBU

LECTURER DR. University « Petru Maior » Tg. Mures, email adela_silvas@yahoo.com
PROF. DR. University « Petru Maior » Tg. Mures, email albuem@upm.ro

Abstract: The psychological perspective on the study of gender offers the possibility of knowing the
differences between the personality of men and women concerning communication, affective needs and reaction to
stress.
Modern psychosocial research highlights the plurifactorial type of gender identity and the importance of
socialization in ownership of gender roles and the development of personality.

identity, the main component of social-spychologic

I. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GENDER
IDENTITY AND PERSONALITY
The complexity of gender identity and its basic
character in the structure of the human individual’s
identities explain its given importance in education.
Therewith, the social changes have a big influence on
gender identity, alleging new models of behaviour and a
new self-consciouness.
The modern androgynous model, presently
accepted by society, presupposes a general tendency
towards the approach and deletion of behavioural
differences between genders, which consequently
creates a state of ambiguity and discomfort in assuming
the socially expected roles. The young and teenagers
nowadays are not completely masculine or feminine a
reality that raises some issues regarding their social
acceptance and even self-acceptance. In the collective
mentality, social negative stereotypes are dominating,
such as the inferiority of women towards men, higher
requirements from men etc., these presumptive and
wrong ideas influencing the behaviour of men and
women. Oriented towards traditional models, members
of both sexes are frustrated when they can’t face the
generally accepted gender role.
In the opinion of some specialists, gender identity is
a complex formation, determined by the social
influences of stereotypes, social roles and rules, and by
the sexual-biological predisposition. Thus, gender
identity is influenced by many factors: native
predispositions determined by sexual identity, social
rules, normative pressure, behaviours, gender roles,
gender stereotypes and gender scheme.
Research in this field has brought to light the
influence of gender identity on psychic state. The
determining factors have been identified – main
components – for the group of subjects with feminine
and non-differenced gender identity – anxiety,
masculine gender identity – aggressiveness, and
androgynous – aggressiveness and rigidity. The same
calculation was made for the parameters of psycho-
social adaptation. For the subjects with feminine gender
adaptation is the acceptance by others, followed by
emotional confort. For the young with masculine gender
identity, the main components of psycho-social
adaptation are self-affirmation and domination
tendencies. The subjects with androgynous identity
choose adaptation and emotional confort, ant the ones
having non-differenced gender identity choose
domination tendencies. In this manner we can conclude
that the young with androgynous gender identity have a
high adaptability to social role changes.
I.1. Study regarding the students’ opinion referring
to the gender-personality relationship
One of the methods used for getting to know the
students’ opinion regarding the gender-personality
relationship was carrying out a survey based on a
questionnaire. The test specimen consisted in 276
students from the Faculty of Science and Lettres, 192 of
which students at philology and 94 at sciences
(informatics). We structured the problems we were
interested according to 5 criteria, and the students’
answers underlined very important aspects regarding the
subject of discussion. We present below each of the
questions addressed to the students, and the answers we
obtained from them.
When requesting their opinion concerning the
particularity of the concept of gender and sex, we could
observe that a relatively small number of subjects (32%
of the science students, 26% of philology students) can
make a difference between the two concepts. We
consider that one of the factors that have an influence on
the manner of interpreting the content of the two
concepts by the philology students would be the nature
of their field of education, from which derives the
confusion between the concept of gender with the
connotations of personality and behaviour, and the
grammatical concept of gender. Likewise, an
explanation can be connected to the lack of information
about these concepts in general, of the subjects from the
test epecimen and probably of other students too.
332 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
The second question was demanding to point out
the differences between the feminine and masculine
gender. The majority of the questioned subjects (87%)
referred to the differences from the point of view of the
two sexes.
To the third question, that demanded their opinion
about the exclusive assuming by men or women of
certain activities, a total of 81.3% of the subjects
support the possibility of carrying out different activities
or occupations “because men as well as women can
learn and get familiar to any occupation”, or “consider
that there shouldn’t be any attributions exclusive for
men or women, and there has to be a possibility in both
cases to try out anything without discrimination”, or
“nowadays I don’t think this problem will arise. While
lately women joined the army, proving physical and
mental resistance, it seems like men do things that
require a higher degree of sensitivity, like taking care of
children”.
While the gender category as a concept is quite
hard to define, to the question that asked to specify at
least three behaviors specific to each gender in the
context of interpersonal relationships, the subjects
responded and pointed out clearly the significant
characteristics. A total of 73.4% mention for the
feminine gender: “sensibility, sociability,
communication skills” and for the masculine gender an
amount of 71.6% mention: “power, pragmatism, less
communicative”.
Based on studies and on the analysis of the
students’ opinion, we were very interested in the
influence of the academic activities have upon the
information about gender from a psychological and
pedagogical perspective. When asking them to suggest
ways of initiation and training in this aspect, 82.5%
consider that discussions about this problem are
necessary “because one’s preconceived ideas regarding
gender could be reshaped and changed. Thus, women
can benefit from the same privileges as men do, and
men can become more communicative and sensitive”.
We consider that the disciplines in the psycho
pedagogical study program, as well as the disciplines
studied at faculties of letters, law, economics
(management), can offer the frame of thematic approach
referring to gender and personality.
The conclusions of the studies regarding the
cognition and acceptance of gender identity consider
that it is appropriate to apply a psycho pedagogical
training program, that would contribute to self-
discovery, to knowing the personal gender identity, to
its acceptance and finally to the creation of a state of
harmony with self and with the social environment.
The psycho pedagogical program regarding gender
education of the young (students) includes promoting
activities like seminaries and discussions that follow the
objectives of gender education among students in
universities.
II. GENDER AND COMMUNICATION
II.1. Communication from the perspective of women
In a different way from the man, who needs
confrontation to set his own value, the woman needs to
feel loved, appreciated, desired, that is she needs to be
appreciated before doing something, not for doing
something.
Women feel motivated and mobilized when
they feel appreciated. They feel they deserve affection,
they don’t feel they have to earn it. The fundamental
affective necessities of women are: care, compassion,
respect, devotion, recognition, assurance. For fully
expressing their feelings, women go to superlatives,
generalization and metaphors.
The self esteem of women grows and
decreases, as well as the capacity of loving the others
and of self-loving. She mustn’t be obstructed in this
movement, but accompanied and sustained
sentimentally with understanding and patience. Women
contest for the right to be upset, they demand
understanding. Arguments can’t change the original
sentimental state, this can only be understood.
To forget its own suffering, a woman can
involve in other’s problems. They consider that
attention and care towards others make them worthy of
respect and consideration. A woman proves her love by
concerning.
For women, in relationships, all gestures have the
same importance. There aren’t any big gestures or small
unimportant gestures.
II.2. Communication from the perspective of men
Men avoid asking or demanding for advice
from someone else, they tend to consider the advice or
suggestions coming from women as critics to them or to
their performances and abilities. A man accepts to
change if the change appears as the solution to a
problem, and not if he appears as a problem himself. To
evolve, the man mustn’t feel like the woman wants to
change him.
Men feel motivated and mobilized when they
feel useful. If he is given the possibility to reveal his
potential, the man evidences the most beautiful features.
Otherwise, he comes back to his egocentric tendencies.
A man is defined in terms of competence, power and
accomplishments. The fundamental affective necessities
of men are acceptance, confidence, appreciation,
admiration, approval and encouragement.
Men feel good if, when trying to solve their
problems by themselves, they can take refuge in
themselves. Men talk to themselves especially in their
own thoughts, and get angry if they are interrupted from
this interior communication. This is a reason why
women consider men distant, they see the man’s refusal
to talk as a refusal to the relationship. When a man
wants to take refuge in himself, and the woman does not
understanding this, when seeking the solution to a
problem, he is either stressed or upset, or wants to find
himself. He has to be left to recover quietly, and his
Gender and Personality in The Vision of Students 333

monosyllabic answers must be accepted. Men prove References

their love by not concerning for someone they admire or
have confidence in, giving minor importance to 1. Baban, A., (1998), Stres şi personalitate, Ed. Presa Universitară
problems. For him, too much care is suffocating. Clujeană, Cluj
2. Bogatu, N., (2002), Conduita de rol, sine şi personalitate, Ed.
Granada, Bucureşti
3. Sarafino, E., (1990) Health Psychology: Biopsychosocial
III. GENDER AND SOCIABILITY interactions, New York: Wiley
4. Tudose, C., (2005 ), Gen şi personalitate, Ed. Tritonic, Bucureşti
Studies concerning differences between sexes
regarding sociability, self esteem, intellectual abilities
and preferential sensitive processing highlight the
following aspects:
• Women are more sociable, easier to
influence, have a less pronounced self
esteem, learn by heart and have
superior performances in simple,
repetitive tasks, are less motivated by
social success, are visual and their
verbal skills are more developed;

• Men are more aggressive than

women, are visual and have superior
performances in tests of visual-spatial
and mathematical skills.

Regarding social competence and gender

membership, Michael Argyle (apud Tudose, 2005)
concluded that women are more empathic, more
cooperative, more gratifying, have a superior verbal
competence and prove a higher competence in non-
verbal communication compared to men.
Linda Carli (apud Tudose, 2005) affirms that
during colloquial conversations men act like persons
who have the power, they address in an assertive
manner, interrupt the companion speakers, touch them
with the hand, smile rarely, as opposed to women who
usually interrupt their co-speakers much more rarely,
are more sensible and polite.
Regarding the reaction to stress of women and
men, notable differences can be observed. Men become
more and more concentrated and closed in themselves,
while women are more and more overwhelmed and
spiritually involved. In such moments, men’s emotional
needs and ways of action are much different than
women’s. Men feel better solving problems, while
women feel relieved when talking about them.
There are differences between men and
women, but this doesn’t mean that there are hierarchies
or disadvantages. When referring to personality and
gender, it is preferable to have in mind at the same time
the differences and similarities from the point of view of
communication, affective needs and reaction to stress, to
reduce the stereotypes of gender and role behavior.
Gender differences exist ant must be accepted, to
achieve a proper assuming of gender roles for the
development of personality in a social context in which
we need to accept differentiation and plurality,
formulating universal and differential criteria.
 VALUES OF TEACHERS AND STUDENTS AND QUALITY OF HIGHER EDUCATION

Marjana Merkač SKOK

Faculty of Commercial and Business Science, Slovenia, marjana.merkac@guest.arnes.si

The aim of this paper is to research the possible connection between values of teachers, students and staff on one hand and quality of the
teaching process that is evaluated with students’ grades upon the completion of each course on the other. The author would like to find out,
if there are any connections between the main values of teachers and students and their perception of the quality of the higher education
institution. Several researches have been made on values, organizational culture, the quality of higher education recently all over the EU and
beyond, especially after the Bologna reforms. In this paper, the author presents a case study that was made at a certain higher educational
institution, which provides undergraduate and graduate programmes for around 3000 students in business sciences. It suggested a Code of
ethics for participants, based on the main values of respondents. One of the main research questions was, why do students enrol in this
specific institution, what do they expect? Quantitative approach was used to get responses about values and quality. A representative sample
of students was asked to fill in a questionnaire about values. Also the results of quality assurance questionnaires, which are going on each
year, were used as a base of secondary data. This enabled us to compare both results and to compare some specific variables with statistical
methods. We used those variables to design some hypotheses and tested them during the research. Also, some qualitative methods with
structured interviews for a group of teachers and students were introduced. Results of the research showed that in this specific case study,
interests and values of students and teachers are not always similar. When expectations are very different, quality or perception of quality
may have many different outcomes. Results of this case study will enable the management of this particular institution to prepare
evaluations and to adjust the processes in order to ensure quality.

staff) who take part in implementing the pedagogical

INTRODUCTION
An increasing number of young people do not
conclude their studies after secondary school, but
continue studying until obtaining a Bachelor’s of even
Master’s degree. This trend can be ascribed to the
increasingly demanding work in the global knowledge-
based society, as well as to at least two factors. In
some countries of the European Union the legislation
in the field of higher education has changed
significantly in recent years and, among other things,
enabled the development and financing of private, not
only public higher education. This increased the
number of programmes and institutions accredited by
the Quality Assurance Agency in Higher Education,
from which students can choose. The variety of choice
was also influenced by the Bologna process, which
reformed the higher education system and promoted
the formation of new undergraduate and postgraduate
programmes.
The choice of possible fields and tracks of study at
various institutions of higher education has expanded
and with it the number of enrolment slots. Thus, an
increasing share of young people has the opportunity
to continue their education process after completing
secondary education. At the biggest private institution
of higher education in Slovenia (Faculty of
Commercial and Business Science - FKPV) we
decided to examine whether the motives for studying
correspond to the desires of the authors of the
programme and the teaching staff, whether the values
of enrolled students correspond to the values of
teachers and the staff at this institution. The perception
of the quality of the study process, expressed by
students in regular evaluation at the end of each
course, was also examined.
We expected to gain a clearer insight into the
research question: “Which values are important for
individual participants – groups (students, teachers,
process at the relevant institution of higher
education?” Which are the values of students who
enrolled in this faculty? Are their values linked to the
result – competences they are expected to acquire?
Was their choice based on the wish to be employable
or on the values, knowledge and references of teachers
who will help them acquire knowledge, i.e. on the fact
that they will learn from the leading experts? Did the
fact that the costs of study (accommodation, tuition
fee) are among the lowest on the market prevail? How
important were the values which are not connected to
hard work, study and effort, but have to do with the
impression that the relevant programme is not
demanding and will allow a lot of free time for fun and
socialising?
Aims and objectives were in connection with the
quality of the study programme and the study process
we deal with individual factors of quality assurance of
the study process: students, teachers and staff at the
relevant institution of higher education. In this case
study we wish to establish whether the basic values of
students and their teachers are connected to the
perception of quality of the institution they belong to
in the context of its vision and values. Our assumption
was that we would be able to propose a draft Code of
Ethics on the basis of the basic values of the institution
and participants in the survey.
In the prior work section we have to point out, that
quality in higher education is the responsibility of all
workers, but mainly of teachers. How they are bound
to maintain this quality and to what extent they strive
to achieve it, is related also to the values of the
institution and its staff. Ethics derives from the values
of people, from the things that mean most to them.
Values are closely connected to people’s
comprehension of the world and their place in it.
Values mean the most to people and they do not easily
give them up. The prevailing forms of behaviour are
cultures – groups, organizations, countries (Beck
336 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
Jørgensen, 2009). Acting in accordance with values,
which form a particular culture, is in that particular
culture regarded as appropriate, agreeable, ethical and
moral. Usually, there are differences between the
morality of their actual behaviour and the way and
reason why they should behave morally (Kavčič 2007,
145, Beck Jørgensen, 2007). Ethics can be peeled into
many layers, one containing the other. This does not
mean that everyone, individuals, groups, organizations
and countries adhere to the same values (Maio et al.,
2009). Results from a study on teacher-student
behaviour and on teaching skills reveal that teachers
with more advanced types of behaviour have better
student outcomes (Kyriakides, 2009). In many higher
education environments, especially the younger and
private ones, as well as the ones under the auspices of
older public universities, the situation regarding
teachers is similar. Faculties strive to collaborate with
the best experts with the highest academic
qualifications and with practical experience (Kovač,
2008). However, many university teachers are only
part-time workers, duly appointed in some other
environments (economy, consulting, public
administration etc.). How to ensure that both full-time
teachers at the faculty and part-time teachers have the
same level of awareness, competence, affiliation and
attitude towards the values defined by the relevant
faculty? There are several possible ways of acquiring
and recognizing values, one of which is definitely the
learning process, not only formal learning (Dolinšek,
2008), but learning in the sense of life long learning.
Willemse et al. (2005) reports about a research study
on the preparation of students and teachers for moral
education and results showed, that this couold be one
good way for values evaluation.
Ethics and values need to be addressed already
when introducing employees (and other groups i.e.
students) to their work. It is very stimulating if the
organization mentions ethics in its manuals, thus
joining an increasing number of organizations who are
already aware of the importance of ethics and values in
the working environment (Tierney 1997, 16–19). It is
important that ethics and morals are addressed more
frequently in companies, as well as in the economy
and society. (Donaldson 1992, 2).
MATERIALS AND METHODS
In examining the problem and in searching for the
answer to our research question we used the case study
method. This was a combination of a qualitative and
quantitative approach, where various methods were
used, from the study of literature and examination of
the background of the problem, to the compilation,
comparison and analysis of primary and secondary
sources and data, as well as observation, survey and
implementation of workshops with the respondents.
We used the triangulation to ensure a wide variety of
various sources for the acquisition of data on the
situation regarding values at the relevant faculty, from
normative records in the Statute, visions, missions, to
workshops with various groups, surveys on the values
and evaluations of the quality of courses. The research
question led us to develop several hypotheses, which
we examined in the research: Hypothesis 1: The things
students value most in teachers is their competence
and impartial assessment of exam papers. Hypothesis
2: In other workers at the Faculty, student value
responsibility and being up to date. Hypothesis 3: The
most important values for students are respect and
honesty. Hypothesis 4: The most important values for
teachers are honesty and knowledge. Hypothesis 5:
The most important values for other faculty staff is
good organization of work and good human relations
(Seme, 2008).
As the basis for our research we took the visions
and mission of the Faculty and its study programmes
as well as the facts that we are searching for
competitive advantages, which must be based on
comprehensive quality. We acquired our data by using
various, mainly primary sources, sources for students,
for teachers and for the staff. We also used data from
student surveys and from surveys among graduates on
the satisfaction with the study. The data was then
statistically processed. Values were divided according
to individual groups and according to the frequency of
occurrence.
RESULTS
Information on the values of an institution and its
components were gathered from several sources both,
primary and secondary. At the organisational level the
guidelines are specified in the vision and mission as
well as study programmes which are all well known to
both, the participants in the process and the process
facilitators. The values of students expressed through
answers in regular anonymous student surveys,
conducted upon the completion of each subject,
academic year or study programme are also important,
since they reflect what was important to students in the
light of implementation of the programme. Third and
key source of information on the values was the
gathering of information on the values of individual
groups of elements of the education process at the
Faculty.
a) In its mission the Faculty states that it wishes to
provide the business, public and the third sector with
staff, highly educated in the field of economics
suitable for important positions within organisations.
With its work in the local environment the Faculty
wishes to offer students in the region the possibility to
acquire higher professional education and attract them
with its unique programme orientation. In order to
provide for a suitable programme orientation the
Faculty systematically and continuously develops
cooperation of the highest quality with potential
employers of its graduates. The latter also applies to its
research work. In its vision the Faculty states that it
aims to become one of the best private faculties in
Values of Teachers and Students and Quality of Higher Education
Slovenia, as well as Europe. Its links with practice
allows for training of graduates of the highest quality
with applicable knowledge for the business and the
public sector at the European level. Its appeal for
students and employers is based on the highest
standard of quality. Faculty study programmes are
designed according to criteria laid down in the
Bologna declaration, comply with the national
legislation in the field of higher education and are
evaluated with ECTS. Study programmes state on the
basis of knowledge of their fields of work. Graduates
shall acquire competencies from the field of planning,
organisation, management and controlling of
organisation as a whole, its individual units and its
functions.
b) Each academic year upon the completion of a
subject approximately 2500 students of the Faculty
take the survey on their satisfaction with the subject,
their progress in knowledge, the importance of
individual components of implementation, including
study materials, methods and lecturers. The average
grades at the organisational level are improving
slightly each year by a tenth or two percentage points.
On the scale from 1 to 5 the most common average
grade, which reflects the satisfaction of students, is
approximately 4. Normally the programme subjects
are not graded as too demanding or too extensive.
Graduates, who already completed the programme and
are already employed, participate in the survey on their
satisfaction with competences acquired during the
programme. Their grade for year 2009 was 4.2 on a 5-
level scale from 1 to 5.
c) We examined which values are considered the
most important for each group and which values each
group considers the most important for the other two
groups on three groups of participants in the process at
the Faculty. We summarised and showed the five most
common values for individual groups according to the
range of repetition. We analysed the information
which was submitted by students (generation
2008/2009) during tutorials for the subject
Organisational Culture. Students from 9 units were
divided into groups of five. Consequently 60 groups of
part-time and 11 groups of full-time students were
formed. Approximately 300 part-time students and 60
full time students participated in this part of the
research. We also analysed sources which we acquired
at the regular annual meeting of the Academic
Assembly of the Faculty and questionnaires submitted
by teaching and other staff. Other staff of the Faculty
comprises entire administrative staff, technical staff of
the student’s registrar, library, computer lab and
professional services (ten employees). At the Faculty
there are ten higher education teachers with full-time
employment, and approximately 70 higher education
teachers with part-time employment or other forms of
agreement. The participants at the Academic
Assembly meeting were divided into 5 groups of 8
members. After the completed workshop and the
Academic Assembly meeting the questionnaires were
337
filled by 17 members of teaching staff and 9 other
employees - since they were not present at the
Academic Assembly Meeting, (Seme, 2008).
Results submitted by students:
1. Students on the values of higher education
teachers:
Competence: 57.7 %, Righteousness: 33.8 %,
Respect: 32.4 %, Responsibility: 25.4 %,
Accessibility: 23.9 %. 2. Students on the values of
students: Friendship and good interpersonal relations:
54.9 %, Respect: 49.3 %, Responsibility: 43.7 %,
Work habits and diligence: 36.6 %, Integrity: 33.8 %.
3. Students on the values of other staff: Responsibility:
54.9 %, Competence: 46.5 %, Being up-to-date: 42.3
%, Good organisation: 36.6 %, Good inter-personal
relations: 33.8 %.
Results submitted by higher education teaching
staff:
1. Higher education teachers on the values of
students: Solidarity: 68.4 %, Knowledge: 52.6 %,
Respect: 52.6 %, Responsibility: 42.1 %, Work habits:
36.8 %. 2. Higher education teachers on the values of
higher education teachers: Competence: 100.0 %,
Respect: 73.7 %, Integrity: 63.2 %, Solidarity: 52.6
%, Responsibility: 42.1 %. 3. Higher education
teachers on the values of other Faculty staff: Good
inter-personal relations: 88.2 %, Success at work: 52.9
%, Competence: 47.1 %, Responsibility: 41.2 %,
Integrity: 35.3 %.
Results submitted by other Faculty staff
(professional staff):
1. Professional staff on the values of students:
Knowledge: 72.7 %, Friendship: 63.6 %, Attitude to
work: 45.5 %, Respect: 36.4 %, Honesty: 27.3 %.
2. Professional staff on the values of higher education
teachers: Good relations: 63.6 %, Competence: 54.5
%, Integrity: 45.5 %, Respect: 36.4 %, Success: 36.4
%. 3. Professional staff on the values of professional
staff: Good inter-personal relations: 81.8 %, Good
organisation of work: 72.7 %, Professionalism: 63.6
%, Honesty: 27.3 %, Respect: 27.3 %.
DISCUSSION
In its mission and vision the faculty emphasizes
that it shall provide employers with highly qualified
staff for important positions and tasks within
organizations. Thus, we can conclude that the latter
applies to the following values: competence and
knowledge. Appeal to employers and students must be
based on the high quality standards, reflected in the
competence, knowledge and responsibility. The
anticipated competences of individual study
programmes emphasize the development of skills and
knowledge for the successful management of change
and solution of professional challenges. The values of
the institution recognized in all long-term documents
and formal contents are therefore competence,
knowledge and responsibility. The research among
students, higher education teachers ad professional
338 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
staff of the Faculty and the comparison of results
uncovers that according to self-evaluation of each
group the highest importance is attributed to
“expertise” in the group of higher education teachers
only – the same result for teachers were submitted also
by students and professional staff. According to self-
evaluation of students the highest ranking value among
students is friendship and good relations – the same
results for students were submitted also by
professional staff and higher education teaching staff,
which emphasize solidarity among students. These
results therefore mean that expertise and knowledge as
one of fundamental values of the institution is
attributed and acknowledged to higher education
teachers only. The second surprising fact is that
students did not rank knowledge among their top five
values – although higher education teachers considered
knowledge as important to students, while other
professional Faculty staff believe that knowledge is the
highest ranking value among students. Perception of
these two groups of the importance of knowledge
among students is therefore highly discrepant with the
actual state presented by students in the research.
Another unpleasant fact is also that students ranked
integrity as the last of five values, while higher
education teachers did not even place integrity among
the five values which are the most important to
students and professional staff placed it on last place.
We can conclude that all three groups assess that
students consider the way in which they complete their
study requirements of lesser significance, since
integrity also applies to testing of knowledge,
especially if dealt with in the context of another
important value – solidarity among students.
When we check the set hypotheses on the basis of
analysis and comparison of results from primary and
secondary sources we can establish that Hypothesis 1:
‘The things students value most in teachers is their
competence and impartial assessment of exam papers’
is confirmed. Hypothesis 2: ‘In other workers at the
Faculty, student value responsibility and being up to
date’ is confirmed, since both values were placed by
students among the top three that apply to professional
staff. Hypothesis 3: ‘The most important values for
students are respect and honesty’ has been rejected.
Hypothesis 4: ‘The most important values for teachers
are honesty and knowledge has been confirmed’ since
both values were placed among the three most
common among higher education teachers. Hypothesis
5: ‘The most important values of other faculty staff are
good organization of work and good human relations’
has been confirmed.
CONCLUSION
The research has shown that there are certain links
between values of students and values of higher
education teachers and professional staff which
support the implementation of the teaching process.
Competence as one of the fundamental guiding values
of the institution all groups attribute only to higher
education teachers. Students do not attribute enough
importance to knowledge and competence as well as
integrity. Results show that other potential measures
for changing the latter include the adoption of a code
of ethics for all participants in the education process,
which would present fundamental values, their
meaning and acceptable conduct in order to ensure
values, which are important to the institution. At
present, the Faculty with its way of operation does not
provide for the latter since competence as a value is
attributed to higher education teachers only and not to
the group for which the process is intended – the
students. If the Faculty wishes to acquire students who
shall value a high level of training for important
positions and tasks within organization it shall have to
complete a couple of systematic steps towards internal
and external reputation as a school, which considers
ethical conduct during acquisition of knowledge of
significant importance. Otherwise, objectives in the
mission and vision shall remain only at a formal level.
References
1. Beck Jørgensen, T. (2007),”Public Values – their Nature,
Stability and Change. The Case of Denmark”, Public Administration
Quarterly, vol. 30, nr. 4, 2007, pp. 363-396
2. Beck Jørgensen, T. (2009), “Value dynamics and infrastructure
reform” I: International Journal of Public Policy. 2009 ; vol. 4, nr.
5, s. 449-457
3. Crittenden, K. S., Norr, J. L. (1973), “Student values and
teacher evaluation”, Sociometry, Vol. 36, No. 2, 143 – 151
4. Donaldson John. 1992. Business Ethics. San Diego: Academia
pressing.
5. Dolinšek, Tatjana. (2008). Delovanje učnih podjetij v Republiki
Sloveniji (Operation of practice firms in Slovenia). V: Rajkovič,
Vladislav (ed.), Proceedings of the 27th International Conference on
Organizational Science Development, Slovenia, Portorož, March,
19th-21th, 2008. Kranj: Moderna organizacija, 2008, str. 584-588.
6. Gregory R. Maio, Ulrike Hahn, John-Mark Frost and Wing-Yee
Cheung, (2009), »Applying the Value of Equality Unequally: Effects
of Value Instantiations That Vary in Typicality«, Journal of
Personality and Social Psychology, Volume 97, Issue 4, October
2009, Pages 598-614
7. Kavčič, Bogdan. 2007. Organizacijska kultura. 3. dopolnjena
izd. Celje: Visoka komercialna šola Celje
8. Kovač, Tatjana. (2008). Izzivi za merjenje kakovosti v šoli. V:
Žargi, Darinka (ur.). Slovensko združenje za kakovost, 17. letna
konferenca, Bernardin, 6. in 7. novembra 2008. Biti boljši na poti do
boljšega: zbornik referatov. Ljubljana: Slovensko združenje za
kakovost, 2008, str. 199-202.
9. Kyriakides, L., B.P.M. Creemers B, P. Antoniou (2009)
Teaching and Teacher Education 25 ( 12–234)
10. Lovat, T., Toomey, R., Clement, N. (2010), International
Research Kandbook on Values Education and Student Wellbeing,
Springer
11. Seme, Slavica (2008), Osnutek etičnega kodeksa Fakultete za
komercialne in poslovne vede, FKPV, Celje, Slovenija
12. Sorell, Tom in Hendry, John. (1994). Business Ethics. Oxford:
Butterworth Heinemann. Teacher behaviour and student outcomes:
Suggestions for research on teachertraining and professional
development
13. Martijn Willems, Mieke Lunenberg, Fred Korthagen.(2005),
Teaching and Teacher Education 21 (2005) 205–21
 ALUMNI – A UNIVERSITY’S RESOURCE FOR COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

Rodica STEFANESCU1, Dan CANDEA2, Rodica M. CANDEA3

1
Ph.D. Student at the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Romania, stefanescu.rodica@yahoo.com
2
Professor at the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Romania, dcandea@alum.mit.edu
3
Adjunct Professor at the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Romania, rcandea@gmail.com

The paper introduces a new approach to considering the relationship between a university and its Alumni. Alumni are looked upon as a strategic
resource that can be capitalized on in pursuit of raising the quality of higher education through adding to the university’s social capital. Building
tight ties with Alumni is a matter of organizational culture and an essential item on the academic management agenda. Based on the perspective
advanced in the paper, visionary academic management can provide for a continuous organizational learning process and innovative ways to
building competitiveness through closer community integration.The main intended beneficiary of our viewpoints is the management of Romanian
universities.
Conference Topic: Sustainability in Higher Education/ Organizational culture and quality of higher education
Key words: university organizational culture, academic competitiveness, academic management, alumni associations
In order to conduct a first analysis of the current
INTRODUCTION practices and tools in building and maintaining the
University - Alumni relationships we have resorted to
An alumnus (pl. alumni)/ alumna (pl. alumnae) is researching the websites of higher education institutions
and alumni associations. From our direct experience and
a man/ woman graduate or former student of a school,
as confirmed by our Internet search, Romanian
college or university or their community [1]. The noun
universities interrelate rather feebly with their alumni. It
"alumnus" is a Latin word, originally meaning "ward"
is apparent that fostering the relationship with alumni
or "protégé", as a hint at the metaphoric meaning of the
student’s relationship with the Alma mater – any has not become a part of the culture prevailing in
learning institution viewed as the Mother of Learning Romanian universities. Therefore, we ended up focusing
on foreign educational institutions and researched the
(nourishing studies)/ an educational establishment [2].
sites of about 70 universities on all continents. Our
An Alumni Association [3] is an organized group of
research will be continued with running a survey of the
graduates – Alumni, of former students of a form or
opinions of Romanian alumni and senior academic
structure of learning/ education/ training/ instruction.
Such groups can be organized officially, as legally leaders about the issue. Our purpose is to systematize
registered associations, or can function informally, as the information we gather and turn it into guidelines
useful to Romanian academic management.
circumstantial group relationships. Most of the alumni
In selecting the websites to investigate, we
associations are formed around universities or university
followed three directions:
departments, around groups sharing a certain pursuit (a
- We chose universities in the world’s top 500 [5],
certain sport, art, science etc.) or a certain defining
feature (nationality, race, faith, geographical area etc.). considering that the highest ranking universities
have significant alumni communities;
At a minimal level, the relationship between a
- We had in view to cover geographically all
university and its graduates can boil down to recording
continents; for this purpose we resorted to the lists
the alumni in the annals of the university or in the
of the top 3/ top 10 universities by countries [6];
databases of department secretariats. Thus, setting up
alumni associations is an independent initiative based on - We identified certain Alumni Associations that
the will of the alumni. World experience shows, stand alone and have their own websites
independent of their alma mater.
however, that there is benefit in universities’ orientation
Based on this study we present some of our
to maintaining and nurturing the relationship with their
findings.
alumni, either directly or through Alumni Associations.
In a cumulative but not exhaustive listing, the
That relationship, in turn, can be mutually beneficial,
fostering the evolution and gain of both sides up to prevailing ordinary objectives and actions of Alumni
synergy and sustainability [4]. Associations are related to:
- Organizing events (reunions, conferences, social
For this to be so, each side must invest some
activities, documentary trips) [7];
involvement in this undertaking, be it only of time,
- Fund-raising (methods and purposes) [8];
thought, organizational work, attention or training.
- Talents and personnel recruitment [9];
Basically, as will be seen further on, creating the
university – alumni relationship and making it work can - Evidencing personalities (VIPs) – in terms of
be only a matter of attitude and management, such as positions and hierarchy or of scientific titles [10];
- Issuing newsletters, books, other publications [11];
would lay the foundation for and institute an
- Facilitating networking/ communication forms [12];
organizational culture. And, as will be seen below, this
- Providing a framework for creativity, scientific
process basically depends on the university leadership’s
conceptual approach and strategic managerial support, improvement of learning, career support
orientation. (ideas, case studies, thematic projects) [13];
- Launching and conducting evaluations/ studies
CURRENT APPROACHES TO THE
based on opinion surveys/ questionnaires [14];
UNIVERSITY-ALUMNI RELATIONSHIP
340 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
- Granting support to students, including scholarships
and prizes for excellence, as well as assistance for
retirement plans, memory boosting, facilitating
travel, fitness, visiting, recreation, hobbies, etc [15];
- Motivating the community toward involvement in
support of the respective university/ its campus and
the values, standards and principles defining it [16].
Although most Alumni Associations are self-
reliant, they essentially aim to be an interface between
the university and the community, alumni helping to
maintain ties and to facilitate interaction in a smooth,
harmonious manner. Thus, beyond all the other specific
sections, the website of an Alumni Association features
a number of links to various other resources of interest:
- Websites of all Alumni Associations, related to all
branches and representations of the university in
the country and abroad [17];
- Websites of all alumni clubs (by specific area of
interest: hobby, graduation year, research group,
geographical area, nationality, faith etc.), including
clubs or associations of parents and students [18];
- Networks of associative partnering membership;
- Long-term plans and statistical analyses regarding
the association’s activities and their results [19].
The management practices evident in the case of
universities fostering networking with alumni stress the
benefits and services the alma mater may offer to its
alumni. The range of benefits and opportunities is very
diverse – this probably depending on both creativity and
resources. However they obviously differ from one
university to another, and/ or from country to country.
Summing up, these practices include:
- Providing all alumni with an e-mail address for life,
and other IT/ Internet facilities;
- Enrolling them at cut-rate costs or with a privileged
status in all activities on the campus; access to
publications, to certain hotel networks, to buying
books, to sports grounds/ specialized clubs (e.g.
golf), or to restaurants, libraries, shops or clubs
other than those on the campus, to participation in
conferences, expeditions, contests [20];
- Free or privileged online access to certain scientific
articles or journals, or data-basis [21];
- Career assistance, guidance, improvement either
through dedicated bureaux, including the testing of
abilities, finding jobs, post-graduate specialization
opportunities, as well as cooperation contracts [22];
- Access to thematic forums (climate change, stock
market, retirement homes and communities) [23];
- Providing credit cards or privileged access (to all
alumni) to certain chain stores, hotels, restaurants,
travel agencies, hospitals, bookstores, libraries [24];
- Facilitating travel arrangements and holiday trips,
stays, field studies, educational conferences [25];
- Acquisition of goods/ products with the logo and
colors of the alma mater: pens, caps, bags, neckties,
calendars, jackets, T-shirts, umbrellas, watches etc.;
- Supplying various information through the E-
Bulletin/ Newsletter, and the Events & News page;
- Cut-rates for car, home, health and travel insurance;
- Sometimes even help with moving or renting [26];
- Retirement assistance programs (pension plan,
fitness classes, information on cures & travel) [27];
- Official granting of a class ring as a token of
recognition anywhere in the world, ensuring access
to all the benefits going with the alumni status [28].
ALUMNI – ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE
As evidenced on the university sites we
investigated, current practices highlight the services a
university offers to its alumni, stressing out alumni
benefits. Universities do not mention or only imply the
benefits they can derive from interrelating with alumni.
The “other perspective” we adopt calls for improved
transparency on the side of the university. We trust that
alumni can be motivated to support their alma mater by
the discloser of: the benefits the university draws from
their contributions, and the furthered objectives the
university can pursue with the help of alumni.
We highlight the major benefits a university can
derive from building a lasting relationship with alumni:
1. Financial/ in-kind contributions: alumni contribute
money (donations, sponsorship, scholarships and
prizes, grants, projects, commercial activities,
collaborative actions, a share of revenue, etc) and/ or
goods (property transfer, equipment endowment,
facilities investments) and/ or services (volunteering,
promotion).
The university obtains supplementary income (and
goods) enabling it to support excellence in higher
education (by providing equipment, facilities, good
professionals, confortable conditions for learning,
granting scholarships and prizes, diversified assistance,
research programs, innovation). In fact, the university
can thus secure some of its independence and financial
autonomy, which in turn secure its freedom of action to
provide quality academic services. Harvard University
[29], for instance, which appears to have a very good
strategic plan and method of attracting and managing
funds from alumni (in various ways), also has the
biggest budget of all universities in the world – hence
the excellent endowment and educational standards,
handsom rewards for teaching and research staff, all of
which account for Harvard being the world’s highest
rated university.
The fact that alumni can contribute financially to
supporting the univerisities, also entails other aspects:
- Pressure on the national budget to provide for a
quality educational system is diminished; and
- Alumni Associations can exist and function as
increasingly strong organizations, by having their
own management and ensuring all the benefits that
can only come from a well organized system [30].
2. Informational/ professional benefits: maintaining the
interaction with alumni, the university will have
permanent contact and access to data and information
originating in the practical realities and specific needs
of society, which can serve as sources of inspiration
both for adapting and modernizing the university
curricula and for new research projects or assistance
services.
Alumni – The University Resource For Competitive Advantages
One of the missions of the university is to train
professionals in keeping with the changing needs of
society; as well, to foresee the evolution of society and
provide scientific and technological feedback; such as it
would prepare the society to cope with or determine the
global changes. Such desiderata can be attained
precisely by maintaining the grip on practical reality and
resorting to alumni as agents of innovation and suppliers
of feedback to the academic institution from the
concrete context of their functioning in society.
Concurrently, the alumni returning to the university
either to continue their training or for collaboration in
research or assistance services offer the alma mater
their creativity and innovative spirit, while also acting as
a supplementary human resource, both for renewing the
syllabi and enriching the portfolio of university
competencies and services. Subsidiarily:
- The alumni – university relationship may also offer
the opportunity for undergraduates to be trained for their
chosen professions also through interaction with alumni
(by consulting with the latter, in actions on campus, or
by being selected by the latter for joint research
programs, being offered the opportunity of practice at
the workplace of alumni, or being recruited to be
trained, while still at university, for jobs in the
companies owned by alumni etc.) [31].
3. Social support/ networking:
- Alumni represent the university, be it even
indirectly, in the community; the professional
services they render justify the role and institutional
purpose of the university, which thus fulfils its
mission; at the same time, however, alumni’s work
can win community support for the university in
recognition of its merits, contributions and quality
of the provided educational services;
- Alumni can act as marketers for the university,
directly or simply through their socially and
professionally proven quality, thus attracting new
students and/ or collaborative actions;
- With alumni throughout the world, the alma mater
acquires international networking advantages,
including specific projects and cooperation actions,
and/ or luring students from foreign countries.
Subsidiarily:
- Connections with alumni, notably based on
networks assisted by Alumni Associations and the
services they provide, foster a feeling of
membership and the awareness that wherever you
are, wherever you go, you can anytime count on
your alma mater and its assistance, on the ties with
fellow alumni, even if not of the same class, but of
the same community, at large;
- At least in virtual space, through Web 2.0 means,
the community of your university belongs to you
and can permanently grow.
To note, however, that this university – alumni
relationship implies mutual advantages as well:
- Lifelong training: the alma mater can assist its alumni
throughout their life, but alumni in their turn support the
alma mater, by their return to study and their practical
341
contributions that enhance the university’s topical
relevance. It is the alma mater, after all, that is thus
advantaged, as it has the opportunity to become an
organization that is learning through its alumni. In fact,
the alma mater and its alumni can evolve together,
synergetically, thereby helping to advance the
community they serve and represent. Consequently, the
community in turn gets to better understand, appreciate
and support more substantially the role of academia, the
need for and value of quality education and training and
for investment in this area.
- The brand: the relationship between the alma mater
and alumni – to which each side contributes and in
which both sides evolve, individually and together –
improves the university’s image, its fame, reputation
and recognition expanding and being institutionalized;
alumni’s pride in their alma mater is boosted and so is
the university’s pride in its alumni and their
acknowledged worth, based on the excellence of studies.
These aspects of the relationship and its impact create a
brand for the university and that in turn acts as an
incentive for furthering that mutually beneficial
relationship. The power of one side therefore influences
and determines the power of the other side, in a mutual
and synergic interconditioning.
A corollary of the above, the conclusion is that
alumni are a strategic resource for their university, a
permanent source of competitive advantages, based on
renewal and differentiation [32]. Alumni and their
community contribute to the university’s: Financial,
Human, Material, Technological, Social, Informational,
Reputation, Innovation and Creativity capitals [33].
Therefore, in our opinion, capitalizing on the alumni
potential in the service of the university should be a
strategic concern of academic management [34].
INVESTING IN ALUMNI
As is known, both in theory and in the practice of
managing any resource in any field, solid, lasting results
cannot be obtained without investing strategically. As
far as building and maintaining the university - alumni
relationship is concerned, the examples above have
already evidenced the fact that both elements of the
relationship are involved in the investment effort.
Obviously, on either side the main investment is in
communication technology, organization of services,
and in the application it takes to activate the relationship
and make it work. In our view, permanently cultivating
and consolidating this relationship pertains to and
transfers into the grounding and institutionalization of
an organizational culture. And it is at this level that
academic management responsibility steps in.
In this respect, international experience shows
there is a tendency to increasingly use corporate
management levers and instruments for vertical and
horizontal organizational integration, and the policy of
pursuing financial self-reliance in order to ensure
quality education and research. Practical examples attest
that there are universities where the concern to arouse
342 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
interest in academic activities and in backing the role
and mission of higher education ranges from opening
kindergartens, programs for high school students or
setting up colleges, supporting a wide array of activities
for students, teachers and alumni – culminating with the
setting up of institutes providing specialized assistance
to support their creativity, to introducing networking
with parents, retired alumni, or the community as such.
Likewise, there are more and more examples of
universities beginning to institutionalize partnership
relations such as that of academia – business – public
administration – civic organizations, precisely in order
to foster the best possible integration of higher
education in the community.
As a more recent occurrence, at the level of higher
education, too, more and more attention is given to
internationalization and globalization. Universities are
extending their coverage from branches in the country
to representations abroad; from courses in foreign
languages to attracting foreign students; from updating
the university curricula by introducing the latest themes
of interest in the world, to creating new programs,
summer schools included, approaching globalization
aspects as such. Worth mentioning in this line is the
Asian way of linking up with world education through
the shift from sending students to study abroad to luring
foreign students to their institutions. Alumni are given
special attention in this connection, as messengers and
mentors likely to attract foreign students to exotic places
and novel educational offers.
All these examples prove that universities are
increasingly aware of the need to ensure the support for
their institutional existence, by cultivating the human
resource of all kinds, at any level and in all possible
ways. Moreover, emphasis is being given to developing
alumni loyalty: by contributing you will find yourself in
what is achieved, your name will be recorded in the
history of the university, and your descendants can be
proud of what you did for everyone’s future.
CONCLUSIONS
As we see it, the most important conclusions are:
- Alumni can be a major source and resource
universities can capitalize on; and
- International experience is a wealthy source of
information and inspiration in this respect.
And, in our view, all these stand for objectives and
actions that can also be transposed and adapted in
Romania, too. The experience others have accumulated
can be a useful lesson to be learned so should not have
to necessarly invent anything. It can be adopted
creatively, but innovation on that basis is also possible.
We see no impediment to this valuable resource which
alumni make up to be managed in Romania, too, in the
service of the university and of the local and/ or national
community. All the more so as it costs almost nothing,
except attention and organization, and it is at the disposal
of the university already in the undergraduate stage. After
all, it is a matter of improving the management of such
readily available human resources.
Last but not least, all these aspects make up a way
of creating and investing in an academic organizational
culture and in university branding, which in turn would
entail, in our opinion, many advantages, chiefly for the
university but also for the community, thas is, for us all.
It is all just a matter of awareness, attitude and
involvement – at the level of academic management and
also of each individual, in relation to the importance of
higher education and the need to capitalize on all
resources available to it; therefore it all depends on us!
References
Note: Because of space limitations we had to keep references at
a minimum. Readers interested in pursuing the topic are welcomed to
e-mail the first author for a fully documented version of this paper.
1
. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language:
Fourth Edition. 2000; Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009
2.
Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by
Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio
3.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language:
Fourth Edition. 2000 – viewed on January13th, 2007
4. Candea, D. (2006),“From Sustainable Development to The
Sustainable Corporation” – în Candea D. (coord.) Întreprinderea
sustenabilă – Studii şi cercetări, Vol. 1, UTPRES, Cluj-Napoca
5. http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-
university-rankings/2009/results - (12/12/2009)
6. QS Quacquarelli Symonds <http://www.topuniversities.com>
7. http://www.wsu.edu/ - Washington State University, (08/06/08)
8. http://www.anu.edu.au/alumni - Australian National University
9. http://www.en.uni-muenchen.de/index - Ludwig-Maximilians-
Universität München, (03/14/2009)
10. http://www.alumni.cam.ac.uk/ - Cambridge University, (01/29/09)
11. http://www.ufl.edu/friends/ - University of Florida, (03/14/2008)
12. http://www.eui.eu/ - European University Institute, (01/07/2009)
13. http://www.kyoto-u.ac.jp/en/alumni - Kyoto (07/28/2008)
14. http://www.alumni.ox.ac.uk/ - Oxford University (04/21/2008)
15. http://www.stanford.edu/gateways/alumni.html - (12/03/2008)
16. http://www.alumni.auckland.ac.nz/uoa - University of Auckland
17. http://umalumni.um.edu.my/ - Malaesya, (06/23/2009)
18. http://www.alumni.berlkeley/edu/community/alumni-groups/all
19. http://www.useoul.edu/ - Seoul National University (06/18/2009)
20. http://alumni.utoronto.ca/s/731/index.aspx - Toronto(11/13/2009)
21. http://www.yale.edu/gateways/alumni.html - Yale (10/15/2009)
22. http://www.alumni.u-tokyo.ac.jp/ - Tokyo University (11/02/2009)
23. http://www.wpi.edu/alumni/index.html - Worcester Polytechnics
24. http://www.isualum.org/en/retirees_association/ -Yowa(01/08/07)
25. http://www.wmalumni.com/?travel_08 –William&Mary (10/07/08
26. http://www.buffalo.edu/members-only-benefits/ - (03/21/2009)
27. http://www.cornell.edu/ - Cornell University, (12/02/2007)
28. http://web.mit.edu/life/ - Massachusetts Institute of Technology
29. http://www.alumni.harvard.edu/haa - (01/02/2008)
30. http://aoc.mcgill.ca/ - McGill, California, (04/25/2008)
31. http://alumni.indiana.edu/membership/ - (04/24/2007)
32. Porter, M. (1998) “On Competition”, Ed. HBS Publishing
33. Bochniarz, Z. (2001) “Executive Management Education in
CEE”, LKAEM, Warsaw, pg. 28-54
34. Stefanescu, R., Candea, D., Candea, R. (2009) „Alumni – A
Strategic Resource for Universities”, BRCEE – LBU Sibiu
Conference Proceedings, Volume 2, pg. 557-561
CENTRAL DIMENSIONS OF SOCIO-PROFFESIONAL INTEGRATION OF PERSONS
WITH DISABILITIES – THE BINOMIAL EDUCATION / PROFFESIONAL TRAINING –
EMPLOYMENT SYSTEM FOR THE FUTURE OF DISABLED

Cristina STROE1, Eva MILITARU2, Silvia Florina POPESCU3

1, 2, 3
National Institute of Scientific Research in Labor and Social Protection, NISRLSP, Bucharest, Romania,
email: cristinaradu@incsmps.ro; email: militaru@incsmps.ro; email: silvia_florina2004@yahoo.com

The paper described the educational and occupational system which includes disabled, issues that are supported by statistics. For the
middle of this education-employment binomial, that related to the higher education for disabled, there is no statistical data, these
issues can be taken either part of the two extreme sides of the binomial (special education and occupation), or by surveys. Following
these analyses, some lines of action were proposed to improve educational and occupational inclusion of persons with disabilities.

Persons with disabilities form a very diverse group,
which often have to face some very different barriers,
thus facing a multiple disadvantage state. As such, it is
particularly important to ensure equal opportunities to
participate in social life - specific objective for an
inclusive society, by developing training services /
vocational training, creating employment opportunities,
strengthening the role of the community and of the civil
society in general, through the awareness of
accountability to the disabled person at the level of
society, target group or family, for enhancing the
integration and social participation of this population
segment. Since 2003, the number of people with
disabilities has taken a continuing and significant
upward trajectory, with more than 64% in 2009
compared with 2003. In the evolution of the number of
disabled has experienced both the effects of increasing
awareness of people with disabilities and of their
families and the effects of Law no. 448/2006 regarding
the protection and promotion of persons with handicap.
Reporting the total number of disabled to the total
population, the resulting rate ranges between 2÷3%,
well below the average of 10% estimated as existing in
the EU countries, according to the international
statistics. On the one hand, it is true that these values are
not very big, and even much lower than the EU average,
but emphases that, numerical, people with disabilities
are on a continuous upward slope. Thus, serious
consideration should be given to disabled’ issues and to
the encompass issues (education, employment, and so),
starting from an accurate sizing and down to the lines of
action, with related feedback. The two main interrelated
issues regarding the integration of disabled are provided
by the educational and occupational level - major
elements for the enhancement of the quality of life,
equal opportunities and greater social inclusion of this
population segment, according to European and national
strategies in the field.
Access to education for persons with disabilities
The following issues are considered: the situation of
the special education in the schools and the students
enrolled; the situation of the professional special schools
and the students enrolled per training profiles; the
situation of the special post-secondary schools and
students enrolled per the training profiles. Dynamics of
persons with disabilities included in special education
(ISCED 3) is particularly eloquent and underlying panel
on higher education of persons with disabilities (ISCED
5A, 5B), as essential, leading up and mandatory steps, to
higher education, while without a high- school diploma
the enrollment for admission to higher education it not
allowed.
Highlighting the situation of persons with
disabilities in special education (secondary / high
school) is crucial to see how many of them could
theoretically go on and get access to higher educational
level (it is true, is not the only requirement to access to
the higher education or to graduate), but showing some
important signs for highlighting the educational system
for disabled, including higher education system and also
the employment for a specific job.
For highliting the situation of disabled in educational
and occupational system, the research methodology was
based on this research method: analysis of secondary
sources (specific literature, legal documents, official
statistics available, position papers and documents of
various non-governmental organizations), and some
results of a study made by the Academic Society of
Romania, published in 2009, because there are no
statistical date related to the higher education of
disabled.
It is well known that there are no statistical data
about the number of college students with disabilities
enrolled in higher education, but considering the data of
education for the persons with disabilities in special
education, and taking into account the employment
statistics which include disabled, this represents a first
step for highlighting the level of education of persons
with disabilities. From the both structures can be
obtained relevant information concerning: the level of
education, the employment rates, the linkage between
education and employment, in a word – the integration
into educational and employment systems of the
disabled people.
Thus, except for persons with disabilities included in
the primary and secondary special education,
considering the following levels for special education,
namely secondary (ISCED 2 and 3), vocational and
apprenticeship and post-secondary and foremen (ISCED
344 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
3 and 4), it appears that there is a predominant
orientation to vocational schools and apprentice, with a
majority number of registered disabled people (30%) as
opposed to the secondary and post secondary education.
Over the years, due to the decreasing of the overall
number of students enrolled, the number of persons
enrolled in the primary and secondary schools and those
in vocational and apprentice, decreases also. In the same
time, the number of students enrolled in secondary
education decreases, and the number of students
enrolled in secondary education and apprenticeship
increases slightly, marginally.
This picture entails the following signals: the
number of special schools is declining (except in
secondary / high school, but not significantly) due to
weaker overall number of people with disabilities
enrolled in special schools, in almost all levels number
of people decreases (primary, secondary and vocational
education).
Doing a simple correlation with the number of
disabled in the same age group, it is noted that although
the total number of persons with disabilities is
increasing from year to year, including those for the
respectively age groups, the number of those enrolled in
special education system is still very low (about 40-50%
of disabled can be found enrolled in special education
system), which means that most of them are found in the
integrated education system, which can be a positive
aspect. But, in the same time, while it is possible that a
number of disabled in this age group might not be found
in the special education nor in the integrated one,
because of the type and/or increased degree of
disability, the lack of accessibility, transport and other
determinants of household (income, education, and so),
which would subsequently increase their placement into
the social protection system.
It is also important that disabled people who can
really benefit from integrated educational services to be
integrated and there should not exist situations where
special education for disabled is based on other
arguments besides their functional gap and the
remaining gap to be properly assessed.
By type of disability, for the year 2005-2006,
students with mental deficiency predominates, while
most people with hearing impairment (43%) and vision
deficiencies (3%) are found in a form of special
vocational education type, high school and colleges, as
these types of disabilities are less disabling in terms of
access to education for persons with disabilities.
Thus, it can be noticed some progress in the special
education system, in the direction of adapting it to the
disabled’ needs: decreased number of students in special
schools, so there is an increased downward trend: if in
the 2000/2001 school year were enrolled in special
schools 50,826 children and students with disabilities, in
the school year 2007/2008 were included 28,828 in
special education (data of the National Institute of
Statistics, NIS); the number of students with disabilities
integrated into mass schools (integrated education) has
increased (the Ministry of Education, Research, Youth
and Sports, MERYS); there are open schools, meaning
that in some special and integrated schools there are
classes with students with disabilities and with students
without disabilities - in the 2005/2006 school year
operate 16 such schools (MERYS data); there are
special schools - resource centers - in the 2005/2006
school year there are 2 units of this type; the number of
special compact classes in mass school (integrated
education) increased, as a first step towards integration
of students with learning difficulties – in 2005-2006
school year, at national level, 3,957 disabled were
integrated into the mass school in compact groups (data
MERYS); some type of alternative education at home
education have developed (according to the Law
448/2006, till the age of 26 for the disabled) and the
number of beneficiaries of such type of education has
increased over 10 times in 2003-2005.
Education for students with disabilities shall be in
segregated form, although there are some trends towards
inclusion into integrated education. Education emerges
as a decisive element in the social valuing of people
with disabilities, as well as a segment prior to further
social integration. To avoid polarization in education
between those with disabilities and all people of the
same age group, it is necessary to support the
integration of mass education. Integration policies are
relevant to achieving sustainable results over time and
focuses on their involvement in special education and in
integrated education, on increasing the opportunities for
their access to medium-high education, vocational
education and higher education.
Even in the special education, there are official
statistics in dynamic, for higher education system which
includes people with disabilities, there are not statistics
showing the rates of enrollment. Any higher education
institution and statistics in this field do not reveals such
data for higher education, being neither differences
between disabled nor other students. As such, some
information may be obtained from specific field surveys
conducted. One such report was of the Academic
Society of Romania made over the 1,555 persons with
disabilities, non-institutionalized, with aged between 18
and 55 years. The results of this field survey showed the
following: from the total persons with disabilities, only
8.3% have higher education. From the number of
disabled who have higher education, 62% live in cities,
50% have an increased degree of disability, and 40%
have physical disabilities. The distribution by age and
gender is relatively uniform by subgroup of people with
the same level of education. However, from the group of
those who have higher education, less than 10% attend
at one time special school’s courses.
Given two main chapters of this paper related to the
equal opportunities and inclusion for disabled in special
education and in employment, which are supported by
statistical data in the dynamic, the middle link in this
highly interconnected binomial education-employment
system, respectively that related to the higher education
system, is not supported by official statistics.
Alumni – The University Resource For Competitive Advantages
So, these issues for the higher education can be
taken from the two extreme sides of the binomial
system, or by some field investigations with these two
large structures that are made occasionally and are not
highlighting these issues every time. Thus, although the
exact size for inclusion of disabled in higher education
is unknown (the number of persons with disabilities
included in higher education or the number of graduates,
and so), it is well known that, although a small
proportion of people with disabilities have a workplace,
only a part of the disabled employees have higher
education (16-20%). But in these conditions it should be
provided measures of equal opportunity and access, to
promote the social inclusion of disabled, including
especially the education and the employment of this
population group.
The access to employment for disabled
The following issues are considered: the situation of
disabled in employment, according to the statistics of
NAPD (National Authority for Persons with Disability);
the situation of disabled in employment and those who
participate in active measures programs of NAE
(National Agency for Employment); the situation of
protected units and of disabled placed in these units.
There is a few information concerning the
employment of disabled, official statistics is being
mentioned on 31st of March 2003, 31st of December
2005, and on the 4 quarters of 2009. According to
statistics of NAPD on 31st of March 2003, only 12,183
people were employed, which represented 2.93% of
total number of persons with disabilities. In only 2
years, there were no significant differences between
these indicators, so the number of disabled employed
was 13,684, which represented a total of 2.98%, while
the share of persons with disabilities and for adults with
disabilities in the total population increased. Then, for
2009 (when it begins to calculate the quarterly number
of disabled employed), these rates have increased from
3% to 4.1-4.2%. It is true that employment rates are
very low, but they are calculated to the total persons
with disabilities, regardless of age groups, type and
degree of disability.
The situation of disabled in employment and those
who participate in active measures of NAE programs.
By the support of NAE, by applying the complex active
employment measures for people with disabilities, the
number of disabled in employment was on an upward
trend, from 874 persons in 2004 to 1,061 in 2008.
However, the small number of disabled employed by
NAE support compared to the number of disabled
recorded in NAE agency reflects the difficulties of
disabled’s integration which are very different: the
availability/accessibility that should be ensured by the
community and employers, the adjustments of
workplace made by employers, the attitudes about the
working of these persons in practical activities, rather
employers are willing to pay the penalties provided by
law than to employ persons with disabilities. It remains
disturbing that, although in the NAE agency records
345
were quite many disabled of working age, only about
14% of them are disabled who were employed in the
years 2005-2006 and 23.63% in 2008.
Labor mediation activity was boosted by the
organization at national level of a few jobs market for
all categories of persons seeking employment, but also
for target groups, as disabled. Over time, there have
been no requests from people with disabilities to these
mediation activities in the labor market, so if at first
NAE annual organized such a jobs market (in 2003,
2004, 2005), after they were held occasionally, only on
request, whenever such requirement exists, so it may be
only on a single county level, not necessarily at the
national level and not necessarily every year. Although
the state provides, according by the laws in force, some
employers facilities, employers often refuse to hire
people with disabilities. Unjustified refusal entails
penalty for that company, but this is not an
insurmountable obstacle for employers.
The small number of disabled people in employment
is due to order psychological barriers and the physical
ones. The difficulties of integrating people with
disabilities are very diverse, they are mainly related to:
the availability ensured by the community and
employers, the adjustments of workplace ensured by
employers, the attitudes about the employment of such
persons in activities, more soon the employers are
willing to pay the penalties provided by law that to hire
these persons with special needs.
The protected units represent another real possibility
for employment of disabled. If in 2003 there are 28 of
these units, since 2007 their number increased
significantly from year to year (150 protected units
authorized by NAPD in 2007, 340 in the first semester
2009). Number of disabled employed in the protected
unit saw a significant increase since 2006 until now.
The correlation between the demand and the supply
of labor for persons with disabilities. By the frequencies
based on statistical data from 1st January 2007, we can
conclude that the greatest employment opportunities
have the disabled with increased handicap (78.4%), with
somatic handicap (27.3%) or persons who have
graduated from high school (35.84%), regardless of type
and degree of disability. A structural analysis of
disabled people employed according to their educational
level, indicates a majority share for those who graduated
last school, and 78% of those employed have at least
secondary education. In the higher education they have
employed people with disabilities, according to the
NAPD, the estimated number of such persons is very
low, till 16%, the largest share being held by those with
secondary education 35%. Unfortunately, higher levels
of education (ISCED 5) has not a relevant share in the
total persons with disabilities employed at that time
(16%), which persist to this day (about 20% of disabled
employees have higher education).
To analyze the parts of labor demand, respectively
the unmet supply of labor market, we have as a starting
point the structure of professions/occupations of
disabled in employment, respectively the share of main
346 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
occupations/occupations required by disabled for
employment. Basically should be a structural correlation
between vacancies for disabled and people with
disabilities looking for a job. Job vacancies will be
considered to satisfy the occupational structure of jobs
that were classified disabled and for persons with
disabilities looking for employment, we consider the
main structure of these occupations required targeting
only those occupations seeking higher education
(ISCED 5), respectively (COR means the classification
of occupations in Romania): group 1 COR - Members
of the legislature, executive, senior government leaders,
managers and senior officials of political and socio-
economic units and group 2 COR - Experts with
intellectual occupations and scientific. If in Group 1 it is
found very few disabled in employment (0.68%), while
at that time there were no specific request, in Group 2,
the number of disabled from the perspective of those
who are already employed, is quite important (14.46%).
Regarding job applications from disabled, most are
found in those groups of occupations that do not require
higher education (groups 7 and 3), limited to lower
levels of education (secondary, post-secondary level,
and so). Persons with disabilities do not want to work as
members of the legislature, executive, senior
government leaders and to a lesser extent as specialist
intellectual occupations (3.96%).
Courses of action. It is desirable that people with
disabilities do not remain in the shadow of education
and occupational system or face a stigma, prejudice and
significant barriers. The efforts should continue in the
education system where there have been positive: the
number of disabled enrolled in special schools
decreased, due to the rising of the number of disabled
which were integrated in mass education; there are open
schools that have together classes with students with
and without disabilities; the number of special compact
classes in integrated schools increased; some
educational alternatives such as home schooling have
developed.
Another course of action that would be pursued
would be to integrate students with learning disabilities
into special classes in school compact mass, given that
these special classes and the number of these disabled
were growing.
Another course of action that should be pursued
would be the further development of alternative
educational systems such as the education at home, and
this proposal is supported by the growing requirement
of those who benefit from this type of schooling.
Meanwhile, the image of the disabled have negative
connotations, this assumption that parents, peers and
even teachers in regular exhibits quite hostile attitude
towards their integration into mass classes.
For the special education, it must be adapted the
curricula, training teachers to work with these students,
information campaigns and training of social actors
involved in this change, the development of tolerance
towards them, support information centers for parents
with students / children with disability and them
educational needs, particularly in non-governmental
organizations, and so.
Under current legislation, MERYS sets out measures
on equal opportunities for disabled people, ensuring,
where necessary, additional support tailored to the needs
of this segment, supporting access to the higher
education establishments. However, MERYS initiates
continuing education programs to adults with
disabilities and provides additional support tailored to
their needs.
As a proposal aimed at higher education for people
with disabilities, given international experience, some
university departments from EU have special programs
to support college students with disabilities, tailored to
their specific needs (e.g., students with Asperger
syndrome, dyslexia, and so). Universities in Romania
does not yet have such a department, and from here it
follows that, after a SWOT analyze (weaknesses,
strengths, facilities and barriers), to be considered this
opportunity.
In the idea of national strategies aimed at
emphasizing the need for continuing education for all, it
should be considered disabled, and the system of
lifelong learning for adults with disabilities to be
developed and continuously improved in line with labor
market requirements, to enable them to acquire,
continuously update and adapt the knowledge, skills and
specific competences.
References
1. Academic Society of Romania, 2009, Diagnostic Report:
Excluded from the labour market. Barriers to employment for
people with disabilities in Romania, pg. 28.
2. Stroe, C., 2008, Main elements for evaluation of the disabled’s
degree of social inclusion/participation, paper “Distribution of
the disabled. Dimensional structure. Dynamics”, Universitara
Publishing, ISBN code 978-973-749-428-3, Bucharest, pg. 90.
3. Stroe, C., 2008, Main elements for evaluation of the disabled’s
degree of social inclusion/participation, paper „Quantitative
aspects regarding the employment of the disabled persons”,
Universitara Publishing, ISBN code 978-973-749-428-3,
Bucharest, pg. 201.
4. Stroe, C., 2008, Main elements for evaluation of the disabled’s
degree of social inclusion/participation, paper „Employment
situation of the disabled persons included in active measures
programmes of the National Agency for Employment”,
Universitara Publishing, ISBN code 978-973-749-428-3,
Bucharest, pg. 229.
5. Militaru E., 2008, Main elements for evaluation of the
disabled’s degree of social inclusion/participation, paper „The
employment of people with disabilities”, Universitara Publishing,
ISBN code 978-973-749-428-3, Bucharest, pg. 209.
6. Web pages for: NAPD, National Authority for People with
Disabilities www.anph.ro; MLFSP, Ministry of Labour, Family
and Social Protection www.mmuncii.ro; NIS, National Institute of
Statistics www.insse.ro; MERYS, Ministry of Education,
Research, Youth and Sports www.edu.ro; NAE, National Agency
for Employment www.anofm.ro.
 ETHICS AND MORAL ISSUES IN A MULTICULTURAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.
INTERCULTURAL DIALOGUE, INTERCULTURAL SENSITIVITY AND
INTERCULTURAL EFFECTIVENESS
Marta-Christina SUCIU 1, Ana- Maria NEAGU 2, Mina IVANOVICI3
1
Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies, christina.suciu@gmail.com
2
Politehnica University from Bucharest, amineagu@yahoo.com
3
Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies, mina.ivanovici@ase.ro

This paper is aimed at debating ethics and moral issues in a multicultural learning environment. It promotes the idea of organizational culture
and quality in higher education with a focus on intercultural dialogue, intercultural sensitivity and intercultural effectiveness. The paper disseminates
a part of the research results obtained by the team of “Idei 1224” & "Parteneriate 92116" National Research Programmes. The two research
projects take into account ethical and moral issues in higher education with special reference to equality of chances, management of diversity and
intercultural dialogue-as prerequisites for higher education sustainability. The methodology consists in case studies, interviews and questionnaires
applied both to the Faculty of Business Administration (with subjects taught in foreign languages) at the Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies and
the Faculty of Engineering in Foreign Languages at “Politehnica” University of Bucharest. The qualitative interpretation refers to students’ opinion
regarding intercultural sensitivity at the two faculties that function as multinational learning environments. The team members support the idea that
moral and ethical issues are very important in order to better understand and interpret the dynamics of competences in a global knowledge-based
society and economy. Intercultural competence and effectiveness can make the difference for the quality and sustainability of higher education. In
Romania the previous studies concerning intercultural sensitivity focused on the ethnic dimension. The originality of our research consists in its focus
on intercultural dialogue, ethics, moral and intercultural effectiveness when students interact learning the same topic in a foreign language.

norms are cultural creations, then they can also be

INTERCULTURAL DIALOGUE AND ETHICS
PRINCIPLES. BRIEF LITERATURE REVIEW
This paper argues for an alternative view on cross-
cultural dialogue and ethics. This certain combination
may lead to the creation of new ideas in the field of
dynamics of competences in a global knowledge-based
society and economy. In today’s economic context the
globalization process implies not only the reallocation of
traditional resources but also that of human resources.
The process of reallocating human resources implies
not only moving from one place to another but also
adapting and integrating these resources into the
national and international context. Such integration and
adaptation policies need specific measures in order to
encourage and make the most of the intercultural contact
between new-comers and locals.
The lack of specific policies for supporting
intercultural dialogue may lead to acculturation.
Acculturation as a concept represents a dual process of
culture, psychological and behavioral changes.
Berry J. (2005) states that diversity and cultural
diversity in particular have a major impact on behavior,
attitudes and personality of individuals in situations of
intercultural contact.
Cross-cultural dialogue is not only becoming an
adaptation problem but also a problem of ethics. Ethics
is possible because ethical principles, as well as all other
forms of culture, are humanly produced and culturally
transmitted.
By engaging in intercultural contact with different
cultures, we gain a more objective view than if we only
lived and promoted our own. The same process can
work in reverse: people from other cultures may learn
from our experiences and in the dialogue process
different traditions and beliefs are likely to be adopted
or assimilated.
Evanoff R. (2006) pleads for a synergetic view of
“third cultures”, which integrates the positive aspects of
each of the original cultures in novel ways. “If ethical
revised in response both to newly emerging problems
and to new perspectives gained through cross-cultural
contact” (Evanoff, R., 2006, page 427).
Cross-cultural interactions offer the framework for
new contexts of dialogue in which the norms that will
govern interactions do not yet exist and hence must be
created. Bouville M. (2008) considers that diversity and
intercultural dialogue are also problems of ethics in the
context of respecting equality of opportunities.
Pless, N. M. and Maak, T (2004) plead for the theory
that diversity is first and foremost a cultural problem
and therefore a matter of norms, values, beliefs and
expectations (ethics and moral issues).
Bennett’s (1993) developmental model of
intercultural sensitivity delineates six stages that
individuals typically go through in the process of
acquiring an integrated perspective. The ethnocentric
stage assumes that differences are not recognized
(denial), or differences are perceived but individuals
believe that one culture is superior to another (defense),
or differences are neglected or minimized
(minimization). In the ethnorelative stage differences are
recognized in a relativist way (acceptance), differences
are slightly becoming adopted (adoption), or individuals
plead for a bicultural perspective which utilizes multiple
frames of reference (integration).
Individuals acquire a bicultural perspective by
integrating some of the ideas and values of the other
culture into their own way of thinking.
INTERCULTURAL DIALOGUE AND
INTERCULTURAL EDUCATION
Diversity and intercultural management becomes
more important for almost all multinational and national
organizations. In today’s world a lot of important
companies such as Deutsche Bank, Motorola, Ford,
Lufthansa, have introduced specific policies for
managing diversity. Diversity management should be
viewed as an investment rather than a cost; therefore it
348 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

becomes a social obligation and more of an economic The open questions: (1) provide solutions for
imperative. respecting and promoting an equal opportunities climate
Nowadays universities must have a specific behavior in universities; (2) provide suggestions for universities
like organizations to remain competitive and to as to how sustain intercultural dialogue and cultural
permanently upgrade their curricula to the necessities of diversity in the learning environment and (3) identify
the labor market. Research indicates that participation in what kind of competences are important resources for
intercultural education can result, in the short-term, in the potential employer.
changes to individual attitudes and cross-group Multicultural training is considered as an
relationships (Dessel, Rogge, and Garlington 2006; opportunity to stimulate students' ability to work
Rozas 2007; Vasques Scalera 1999). effectively with various cultural identities. The table
While there are studies (Halualani, 2008) that reflect below presents students’ characteristics
how culturally different students define, make sense of, Table 1. Main characteristics of students involved within our survey
and experience intercultural interaction at a Faculty of Business Faculty of Engineering in
multicultural university in the US, they are not centered Administration (FBA) Foreign Languages (FEFL)
on intercultural competencies. Stier J (2006) argues that Mainly first year business Mainly fourth year and first year
intercultural communication must be seen as an undergraduate students undergraduates
academic discipline and that the education system must Students mainly of Students mainly of Romanian
be Education for Intercultural Communication. Romanian nationality nationality (70.9%)
The goal of intercultural dialogue – a hallmark of (94%)
intercultural education - is to promote the idea of Foreign students’ Foreign students’ participation in
organizational culture and quality in higher education participation in our our survey: Nigerian (8.33%),
survey: Kuwaiti (3%), French (12.5%), Iranian (4.16%);
with a focus on intercultural dialogue, intercultural
Moldavian (3%) Cameroonian (4.16%)
sensitivity and intercultural effectiveness.
Their citizenship is the Their citizenship is the same as
With the aim of understanding the implication of same as their nationality their nationality with no
intercultural dialogue and intercultural capabilities in the with no exception exception
context of equal learning opportunities and ethics among
We started our survey by asking if students had
students and being able to provide a correct and accurate
interactions with students of other nationalities and
interpretation of results we have decided to do a
citizenships than Romanian. All respondents confirmed
qualitative research in two prestigious universities in our
that they had interaction with foreign students. Thus,
country.
42% said that they interacted with a number of 1 to 10
We focused our research on the Faculty of Business
foreign students, 26% interacted with 11 to 20 foreign
Administration (FBA) that offers courses taught in
students, 22% with more than 30 and 10% with 21 to
foreign languages (English, French and German) and
30. The interactions have been with various nationalities
functions within the Bucharest Academy of Economic
such as Nigerian, Spanish, Pakistanis, Taiwanese,
Studies. In order to discover if the subjects taught make
French, German, American, Russian, Dutch, Turkish,
any difference we also considered the Faculty of
Greeks, Portuguese, Austrian, Italian, Arabs, Egyptian,
Engineering in Foreign Languages (FEFL), the English
Iranian etc. The circumstances under which the FBA
section, at “Politehnica” University of Bucharest. We
students declared that they interacted with foreign
applied the questionnaire method for both universities
students were university activities.
on 35 students from FBA and 56 students from FEFL.
For the FBA students university activities represent a
We present briefly some of the results of our survey.
large proportion - 57%, while 5% is on job experience
The assumptions of the research methodology are:
and 38% personal experience – Figure 1.
1. equality of chance is respected;
2. intercultural education implies intercultural contact Circumstances of interaction

for both faculties;

3. intercultural sensitivity & intercultural competences
can be achieved for both faculties.
The primary source of data was a 28-question survey 38%

that focuses on students' knowledge, attitudes and

experiences regarding multicultural education. The
questionnaire had two parts: the first part took into 57%

account the characteristics of our respondents (such as: 5%

faculty, year of study, nationality, age), while the second

part was centered on the students’ opinion and
perception on intercultural dialogue and intercultural school, job experience personal experience

competences accumulated in university. Figure 1: The circumstances of interaction with foreign students

Twenty-five of these survey questions were multiple Regarding the engineering students, 39% declared
choice questions and three of them were open questions. that they interacted with foreign students in university
One of the 28 questions is interpreted through the Likert activities, while 34% indicated personal experience and
scale. 26% job experience.
Ethics and Moral Issues Within A Multicultural Learning Environment. Intercultural Dialogue, Intercultural Sensitivity
and Intercultural Effectiveness Contributing to Higher Education Sustainability
The circumstances presented offer a broader range of
information regarding their experience, their openness to
intercultural dialogue, their interaction preferences and
their native inclination to be open to such intercultural
communication through different experiences.
When asked to identify the main difficulties that
foreign students faced within the educational
environment, the answers were: “understanding the
language” (18% FBA and 33% FEFL); “adapting”
(18% FBA and 13% for FEFL); “socializing” (10%
FBA and 4% FEFL) “getting used to the Romanian
academic environment” (31% FBA and 26% FEFL) and
“different level of knowledge concerning different
topics” (23% FBA and 24% FEFL).
Around 60% of students from both universities
agreed on the fact that the equal opportunities climate is
not affected; the other 40% considered that equality
climate is affected mainly by students’ difficulties.
Although this percentage is lower than 60%, it shows
that there is still much to do in order to ensure equality
climate in both universities. When asked how these
difficulties perturb equality climate students
exemplified: different competencies achieved, not all the
materials are in English, different levels of knowledge
so different chances, there might be conferences or
workshops in Romanian which they do not understand.
Different countries request different skills and levels of
knowledge. It seems that sometimes it is quite hard to
adapt to team work; their results at school are influenced
by their emotional well-being which in turn is
influenced by the problems of socializing and
understanding the language.
When asked to provide solutions, students
suggested: socializing programs, extra learning classes
for foreign students, mandatory lessons of Romanian,
being part of a team, guiding councils. Asked which are
the policies or measures taken by universities or
faculties to help improve or solve such difficulties the
responses were: 36% from FBA and 29% from FEFL
felt that “special preparation programs are necessary”;
28% from FBA and 36% from FEFL identified as
solution “promoting courses to boost intercultural
dialogue and intercultural competence and sensitivity
focusing on the cultural specificity of each student”,
21% FBA and 16% FEFL chose “disseminating
materials with useful information” 20% form FBA and
14% FEFL thought that “organizing workshops” will be
the solution.
For the question “How much does your
university/faculty focus on supporting management of
diversity and equal opportunities?” the answers were:
“a lot” (14% FBA, 4% FEFL), “to some extent” (46%
FBA and 22% FEFL), “have no knowledge of it” (26%
FBA, 39% FEFL), and “not enough” (14% FBA and
35% FEFL).
Asked to identify in which situation students
consider that they are equally treated, most of
respondents chose exams (FBA 27%, FEFL 23%) and
teaching methods (FBA 27%, FEFL 25%).
349
There were also other available responses such as:
university support, teacher attitude at seminars or
laboratories and university facilities (dorm, cafeteria,
library) the number of answers reflect a certain degree
of inequality. We should mention here that foreign
students identified unequal treatment most of all in
university support (FBA 13%, FEFL 20%) and
university facilities (FBA 14%, FEFL 14%) while some
of them also chose teacher attitudes at laboratories or
seminars (FBA19%, FEFL14%). This situation reflects
the fact that until now there have been unnecessary
policies and involvement to encourage equal treatment.
Students were asked to rate to what extent teachers
and university management encourage intercultural
collaboration for ensuring equal treatment in homework
projects; the results are presented in Figure 2.
Do teachers and university management encourage
intercultural collaboration in order to ensure equal treatment in
homework’s, projects or other activities?
11% 16%
28%
45%
a lot to some extent not enough I have no knowledge of it.
Figure 2.Students’ opinion on encouraging intercultural collaboration for
ensuring equal opportunities by teachers and university
Asked about their opinion on intercultural
collaboration in homework and projects students felt
that: “each of them have to learn from others”
(63%FBA, 52% FEFL), “they will do all their best so
that foreign colleagues feel integrated” (37% FBA, 33%
FEFL), “they will have to work harder to cover for the
foreign colleague’s part” (0%FBA, 15%FEFL), or “they
do not enjoy working in multicultural teams” (0% FBA,
0% FEFL). Respondents added communication
difficulties encountered in the relationship with foreign
students, 20% FBA and 31% FEFL identified the
“language”, 45% FBA and 34% FEFL identified
“different perception on things”, 15% FBA and 16%
FEFL identified “prejudice”, 20% FBA and 13% FEFL
identified the “culture”.
Asked about the importance of studying all the
subjects in a foreign language for intercultural
communication students rated the following: “university
studies in a foreign language help us socialize more
easily” (28%FBA, 28% FEFL), “we are much more
open to communication” (26%FBA, 21% FEFL), “we
feel better prepared to face any future challenges
related to intercultural dialogue” (35%FBA, 33%
FEFL), “university studies in a foreign language help us
only to improve our language skill” (11% FBA, 16%
FEFL).
350
The next question reflects the importance of certain
components of intercultural competence. Students were
asked to rate from 1 to 4 (where 1 represents least
important and 4 most important) the following
components of intercultural competence: cultural
empathy, cross-cultural awareness, flexibility, foreign
language, adaptability to intercultural environments,
respect for other cultures, interpersonal skills, cross-
cultural communication skills, cooperation between
people from other cultures, appropriate and effective
behavior. Results are presented in figure 3.
Please rate each of the following components of intercultural
competence as follows
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0 open-minded, tolerant and open to diversity. We
em pa th y
flex ib ility
c ros s -c u ltural
lang uage
a dap ta bility
o th er c u ltu res
aw are nes s
interc ultural
foreign
res pec t for
w ithin
c u ltu ral
1=least important 2=somewhat important
Figure 3.Students’ perception on intercultural competence components
This question is interpreted through Likert scale. Most
of the responses centered on “important” 39% , “most
important” 33%, “somewhat important” 22% and
“least important” 4%. The highest score was achieved
by “respect for other cultures” (34 times rated 4),
followed by foreign language (29 times rated 4) and
flexibility (22 times rated 4). The 2, 3 and 4 categories
were considered positive attitudes towards intercultural
competencies, 93% of respondents rated components
using these three values.
When asked about the possible positive impact of
studying in a foreign language on students’ future
career, respondents from both faculties felt in a
proportion of 94% FBA and 96% FEFL that their future
career will be positively influenced by studying all
subjects in a foreign language.
The importance of studies in a foreign language for
intercultural communication in the university was
assessed as follows: 30% FBA and 32% FEFL identified
“better communication skills adapted to global markets
and to intercultural environment”, 27% FBA and 28%
FEFL identified “better skills in the field of study due to
the international content of the academic curricula”,
17% FBA and 23% FEFL chose “high level of
knowledge and skills acquired due to international
content of the academic curricula”, 15% FBA and 12%
FEFL felt that “professors’ international experience
will be translated into better knowledge and skills”,
11% FBA and 5% FEFL considered that “professors’
international experience will be translated into better
teaching methods”.
Around 83% of the students in FBA and 92% of the
students in FEFL said they identified differences in
attitude, mentality and behavior at students of other
nationalities.
The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
Those having identified differences said that these
differences consisted in “attitude and mentality” (45%
for FBA and 36% for FEFL), “system of values” (33%
for FBA and 32 % for FEFL) and “self-expression
capacity” (22% for FBA and 32% for FEFL). According
to the respondents’ opinion, working and studying in a
culturally diverse environment favorable to intercultural
dialogue can lead to: “more opportunities to manifest in
a creative way” (30% for FBA and 32% for FEFL);
“use of the innovation and creativity potential in a more
operational way” (28% for FBA and 36% FEFL);
“resourceful work outcomes, including career and
personal development” (42% for FBA and 32% FEFL).
CONCLUSIONS
Our research suggests that students are open to support
intercultural competence & sensitivity. They argued
their answers mostly based on the fact that multinational
companies prefer experienced employees, who are more
s k ills
c om m un ic ation
pceop
c oop era tio n
a nd effec tiv e
app ropr iate
in tesrper
suggest the following measures to be taken in
b etw ee n
ros le
beha v io r
s -cfrultural
k illss on al
universities: promoting intercultural collaboration
om
between students, especially during academic activities,
3=important 4=most important
assigning a person or a fellow student to guide and help
foreign students, ensuring equal treatment in all
university facilities, being more involved and open
towards solving students’ difficulties, promoting the
Ombudsman institution, implementing a Code of
Practice for intercultural communication and
intercultural sensitivity.
References
1. Bennett M. (1993, “Towards ethnorelativism: A developmental
model of intercultural sensitivity”, in R.M. Paige Editor
Education for the intercultural experience pp 21-71Yarmouth
Intercultural Press
2. Berry J., (2005) “Acculturation: Living successfully in two
cultures”, International Journal of Intercultural Relations vol 29,
pp 697-712.
3. Bouville, M. (2008) “Is Diversity Good? Six Possible Conceptions
of Diversity and six Possible Answers”, Science and Engineering
Ethics, Vol 14, Issue 1 pp 51-63
4. Dessel, A., M.E. Rogge, and S.B. Garlington. (2006) “Using
intergroup dialogue to promote social justice and change”,
Social Work Journal Vol 51, no. 4 pp 303–15
5. Evanoff R. (2006), “Integration in intercultural ethics”,
International Journal of Intercultural Relations, Vol 30 pp 421-
437
6. Halualani, R. T. (2008), “How Do Multicultural University
Students Define and Make Sense of Intercultural Contact? A
Qualitative Study” International Journal of Intercultural
Relations Vol 32, pp 1-16
7. Pless, N. M. and Maak, T (2004) “Building an inclusive diversity
culture: Principles, processes and practice” Journal of Business
Ethics, Vol 54,pp 129–147
8. Rozas, L. (2007) “Engaging dialogue in our diverse social work
student body: A multilevel theoretical process model” Journal of
Social Work Education Vol. 43, no. 1, pp 5–29.
9. Stier, Jonas (2006), “Intercultural communication and
intercultural competence”, Journal of Intercultural
Communication, Issue 11, pp 1-12.
10. Vasques Scalera, C.M. (1999) Democracy, diversity, dialogue:
Education for critical multicultural citizenship. Unpublished
doctoral dissertation, University of Michigan
 THE IMPROVING OF THE RELATIONS BETWEEN DOCTORAL STUDENTS

Gianina-Madalina TIMOFTE1, Marius CHIRUGU1 , Dragos PARASCHIV1

1
The "Gheorghe Asachi" Technical University of Iasi , chirugu.gianina@yahoo.com
1
The "Gheorghe Asachi" Technical University of Iasi , mariuschirugu@yahoo.com
1
The "Gheorghe Asachi" Technical University of Iasi , ddparasc@yahoo.com

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to present the relations which are established between doctoral students and how these
relationships can be improved. General objectives are: the typology of the relationships established between doctoral students and
identifying the methods to improve these relations. The previous researchs on this issue are not very high because there were not large
groups of graduate students but by implementing the european financed projects has increased the number of doctoral students in
romanian universities and therefore the formation of the groups. The research carried out have watched the identification and
classification of relationships can be established between doctoral students and also identification and application that lead to the
improvement of relations between doctoral students. To achieve the research was chosen a group of doctoral students and as
methodology was used as interview, questionnaires and group meetings. Results: a the typology of relationship between graduate
students are social and professional relationship b. improving relationships can be achieved by participating in school and
extracurricular activities. The results contribute to improving the university policies on the establishment of their psychosocial
climate. The originality of the work consists of both the theme and the results.

2. Subgroups formed, from doctoral students to attend

GENERAL INFORMATIONS
In the literature we found many definitions of
concepts: group, social relationships and psychosocial
environment. The group is defined as two or more
people who interact on a regular basis for achieving a
goal (Tripon, A.,2003). Social relationship is a system
of social interaction between two or more individuals,
groups, classes, categories, based on a particular social
platform and / or psychological platform (Sandu, D.,
2003). Psycho-social climate is an essential component
of organizational life, which is manifested in the general
atmosphere of team members that the subjective attitude
towards the specific problems given group operation,
with decisive goals: working conditions, relations
between subjects and personalities of each member. A
social group with his psychosocial climate and specific
relations, it is and that composed by doctoral students
from Technical University of Iasi.
EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH
Object of research
The purpose of this research is to analyze the
psychosocial climate of the group, composed by
doctoral students which attending the second year from
the Technical University of Iasi, to analyze the
relationships established within the group and to
identify solutions for improving these relationships.
Research objectives are:
-Analyzing the relationship between group members.
-Identifing solutions for improving the relationship
between graduate students.
Following assumptions have been established:
1. The group consists of PhD students to attend the
second year at the Technical University of Iasi
interpersonal relationships are poorly shaped.
the second year, at doctoral schools level the
relationships are well outlined.
3. Psychosocial climate of the group is carrying out
appropriate research.
4. Formal and informal meetings among the group
members leads to better relationships between them.
Research methodology
The research was conducted during March-
December 2009 at the Technical University of Iasi in
two phases, namely: stage of diagnosis and intervention
phase. Sociological investigation that the method used
and the tools were used interview, questionnaire and
group meetings.
Operationalization of concepts was achieved through
two questionnaires were designed to test working
hypotheses and to highlight the research results. It was
elected as a working tool questionnaire because it offers
advice, one image of the object investigated. The
diagnostic phase was conducted radiography of the
existing situation and an inventory of favorable factors
that can lead to better relationships in the frame of the
group analyzed. At this stage of the research interview
was used, which contains four themes that relate to
interpersonal relationships within the group,
communication, experience group stuff and actions
needed to improve relationships within the group. The
diagnostic phase was used and the type A questionnaire
which is divided into sixteen questions, that define the
relationship between graduate students, group cohesion,
and opportunities to improve relationships within the
group and is intended to make an analysis on existing
relationships between graduate students. Establishing
this type of questionnaire items was based on responses
from interviews applied previously. Intervention phase
were held formal and informal meetings between
members of a subgroup (consisting of fourteen doctoral
frequency, the second year, at CMMI doctoral school).
352 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management
Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

Type B questionnaire has five items and aims to analyze 3. Participate in activities 80% 20%
the impact of the meetings of graduate students on organized for doctoral students in
improving relations between them and was applied at a the doctoral school?
single doctoral school (CMMI). The target population
populatio of 4. But to those organized by the 70% 30%
the present research is composed from: the frequency of university?
5. Communicate with colleagues 40% 60%
second-year
year doctoral students from the Technical
in the doctoral school?
University of Iasi, where two samples were extracted: 6. But with your colleagues from 30% 70%
- X sample consists of thirty graduate students, of the university?
second-year,
year, from doctoral various schools
schoo of the 7. Discuss your research with 30% 70%
Technical University of Iasi, who agreed to participate colleagues from the doctoral al
as volunteers in this research. school?
- Y sample was extracted from the sample X consists 8. But with your colleagues from 20% 80%
of fourteen doctoral students from CMMI doctoral the university?
school . 9. In carrying out research you 20% 80%
The Y sample was used for application interviews
interview are working in a team with your
and questionnaires B and X sample for the colleagues in the doctoral school?
10. But with your colleagues from 10% 90%
questionnaires type A.
the university?
Effective implementation of research was done by 11. Do you think the meetings 70% 30%
following plan: organized for PhD students, at
I. Diagnostic phase doctoral school level, would help
1. Setting the investigated object you interact with colleagues?
2. Setting goals and assumptions 12. But those organized at 50% 50%
3. Choice the samples university level would help you
4. Making the interview guide interact with colleagues?
5. Application interviews 13. Think trips organized for PhD 90% 10%
6. Making A questionnaires students, at doctoral level
7. Application A questionnaires school,would help you interact
with colleagues?
8. Collate the results
14. But the trips organized for 80% 20%
9. Analysis and interpretation of results PhD students at university level
II. Intervention phase would help you interact with
10. Establishment problems colleagues?
11. Identifying solutions
12.Establish intervention plan at CMMI level By analyzing the answers to each question is
doctoral school revealed some interesting things. First, university
13.Providing
Providing a room with necessary equipment, colleges at all unknown among them. Also, at the
where doctoral students are making their activities.
activities doctoral schools level,, PhD students very little
14.Organization the seven meetings, held once every communication between them as shown in item five
fi
two weeks, during which the doctoral students presented percentages.
their researchs.
15.Organizing a trip where attended the all fourteen
Ph.D. students.
16. Making B questionnaires
17. Application B questionnaires
18. Collate the results
19. Analysis and interpretation the final results

RESULTS

Partial results:

Summarizing
rizing the answers to the A questionnaire
items were obtained Table 1 and Table 2: Figure 1 :Achieving research tem in doctoral school?

Table 1: Questionnaire A- Part I Analyzing responses to items: one (Figure 1) and ten
Question YES NO (Figure 2), notice that doctoral students do not
collaborate with their colleagues in achieving the
1. You know all two year colleges 100% 0% research, which shows that, psychosocial
psych climate is not
to attend doctoral school that suitable exhibition of research and thus refute the three
belong? hypothesis of this study.
2. But those from the university? 0% 100%
The
he Improving The Relations Between Doctoral Students 353

attend the second year at the Technical University of

Iasi interpersonal relationships are poorly shaped.

Figure 2 : Achieving research tem in university?

Table 2 is exclusively for fifteen and sixteen items of

the A questionnaire: Figure 4 : The typology of relationship in university
universit

Table
able 2: Questionnaire A- Part II After interpreting the results obtained through
Question Friendly Competition Conflict None interviews and A questionnaires have identified
identifi the
following major problems. At university level
15. What 30% 20% 0% 50%- interpersonal relationships between group members are
kind of very poorly shaped, hence the fact that the psychosocial
psychosoci
relationship climate is not a suitable for research activities, because
you have group members interact less between them..
them. At doctoral
with your
schools level, it was identified, a communication
colleagues
from
failure,, caused by insufficient knowledge of all
doctoral members, by tend to turn dialogue into monologue,
school that stereotypes in the mode of transmission and presentation
you of information, using high tone, lack of attention or skill
belong? in directing and controlling the dialogue (Panisoara,
( I.,
16. But 20% 10% 10% 60% 2003) and relationship difficulties between group
with your members due to the difference
ifference between skills and habits,
colleagues difference of opinions, preferences, aspirations
from the (Nedelcea, C.,1999).
university?

Analyzing responses
sponses of fifteen item and Figure 3, we
see that the doctoral schools, half by doctoral students
have no type of relationship with their colleagues,
leading to refute the second hypothesis : Subgroups
formed, from doctoral students to attend the second
year,
ear, at doctoral schools level the relationships are well
outlined.
Implemented solutions:
To improving the relations it was proposed
organization of meetings and carry out joint activities
between group members
At CMMI doctoral school level were applied
following solutions: providing
roviding a room with necessary
equipment, where doctoral students are making their
activities; organization the seven meetings, held once
every two weeks, during which the doctoral students
presented
ented their researchs and organizing a trip where
attended the all fourteen Ph.D. students.
Following implementation of these actions was
applied B questionnaire for Y sample.

Final results:

Both the partial and final results were represented

using Microsoft
osoft Excel graphics.
graphic Summarizing the
answers to all five questions of the questionnaire B
Figure 3 :The typology of relationship in doctoral school were obtained results presented in table 3:

Table 3: B Questionnaire
Figure 4 and responses to the sixteen item, indicates that
at university level, 60% of doctoral students, dont have Question Variant Variant b)
b Variant Variant
any relationship
hip with their colleagues, such a hypothesis a) c) d)
is confirmed: the group consistss of PhD students to
354 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management
Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

1 You know Yes No - - school had a positive effect on the group. Thus the
all two year 100% 0% hypothesis is confirmed that: formal and informal
colleges to meetings between members of the group lead to better
attend relationships between them. Research has made a
doctoral
number of methodological limitations that have affected
school that
belong? the validity of results.
2. Yes No - -
Communicate 100% 0% PERSONAL CONTRIBUTIONS
with
colleagues all First personal contribution consists in choosing a
you know? research topic, and achieving a thorough study of
3. Discuss Yes No - - previous researchs, made de especially for this research
your research 70% 30%
field. Is a personal contribution and achievement of the
with
colleagues? interview guide and questionnaires. Gathering,
4.Made Yes No - - interpreting, identifying and implementing solutions are
researches 60% 40% personal contributions brought to the development of
with researchs in the chosen field.
colleagues?
5. What kind Friendly Competition Conflict None
of 50% 40% 0% 10%
DIRECTION FOR FUTURE RESEARCHS
relationship
you have
with your Even if the study was limited by some factors,
factor has
colleagues contributed to the identification of solutions aimed at
from doctoral improving the psychosocial climate of the group of
school that docotoral students. Implemented solutions may m be
you belong? applied to the entire university. The research opens the
Analyzing Figure 5 we see that doctoral students, possibility of other types relationships of analysis such
accept and work in teams to achieve their research as relationships between PhD student and supervisor, or
leading to the formation of an optimal psychosocial other university professors and doctoral students.
environment for stimulating creativity and achievement
of quality research.
CONCLUSIONS

1. The group consistss of PhD students of the Technical

University of Iasi ,the interpersonal relationships are
poorly shaped.
3. Psychosocial climate of the group is not suitable for
best research.
4. Formal and informal meetings among the group
members leads to better relationships
lationships between them.
Figure 5 : Achieving research tem in doctoral school?

In Figure 6 are the percentages of each response ACKNOLDGEMENTS

option to question five of the questionnaire B.
This paper was realized with the support of BRAIN
“Doctoral scholarships as an investment in intelligence”
project, financed by the European Social Found and
Romanian Government.

References

1. Nedelcea, C. (1999), Optimizarea mizarea comportamentului

Figure 6 : The typology of relationship in doctoral school
Comparing Figure 6 with Figure 3 we see that better
relations between graduate students are outlined in the
doctoral school, which proves that increased group
cohesion, relationships within the
he group have improved
and thus proves that the meeting organized by doctoral
professional,, Editura Sper, Bucuresti, pages 2-34.
2
2. Panisoara, I. (2003), Comunicarea eficienta.Metode de
interactiune eficienta,, Editura Polirom , Iasi, page 25.
Sociabilitatea in spatiul dezvoltarii,
3. Sandu, D. (2003),Sociabilitatea dezvoltarii Editura
Polirom, Iasi, page 131.
4. Tripon, A. (2003), Management operational, performanta in
echipa,, Editura Universitatii,, Petru Maior’’,Targu Mures,page 3
 TEACHER - MANAGER
Elena TIRON1
1
“Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iasi, Department for Teacher Training, elnorit@yahoo.com
The work is structured on several parts: introduction, roles of teachers-managers, teacher’s managerial obstacles, managerial personality.The goals of the work are:
becoming aware of the necessity of the managerial professionalism of the teacher, the increase of the teacher’s creativity and independence in the educational process,
assuming responsibility of the teacher - manager. 1. In the introduction, there are compared the education and the management system with the purpose of emphasizing
their interaction and the necessity of the teacher to become a true professional manager. 2. The roles of the teachers have been modified according to the changes occurred
in the society. This is the reason why we have classified these roles by multiple criteria as it follows: - the environment the teacher comes from – the type of educational
activity he practices – the interactivity of the roles: the information, the persons he interacts with, the decision 3. The managerial obstacles of the teachers that we
processed are: perceptive, cognitive, emotional, cultural nature. In order to go over these difficulties, there is always necessary the teacher’s managerial professionalism 4.
The managerial personality is structured on a new pattern: - the basic personality – the psycho-pedagogical fields – the psycho-pedagogical representations - the psycho-
pedagogical beliefs and the convictions – the crystallized personality – the educational style – the managerial style. The methods used in the work are: the documentation,
the longitudinal observation and the use of patterns.The development of all their personality structures and their interaction give an unique character to the teacher’s
managerial personality. In conclusion, the teacher’s managerial personality is an important factor of the increase of the managerial professionalism level and of the
efficiency of the Romanian teaching system. The teachers’ training in the field of the class and education management has positive effects on all the teachers of the pre-
university and university education system. The originality of the work is given by the new structuring of the managerial personality and mainly by the focus on the
systemic – situational managerial personality. The key words are: the roles, the personality and rendering professional the teacher - manager.
statute leads to the shaping of a hidden informal résumé
1. Introduction The definition of education itself seen as that can have a positive, but also a negative influence
an aware, organized activity planned for personality upon the trainees. As a member of a certain family, of a
training and development involves essential managerial political party, of a social and cultural group, he is
elements. The education process was defined by I. tempted to orientate the students towards the types of
Nicola, in 1996 as a managerial process. The instruction choices he made, towards the representations, beliefs
methods of the modern pedagogy – mainly participative and mentalities of his groups he belongs to. The teacher-
are specific to the present managerial and systemic and manager’s auto control just like his becoming a
situational orientations in which the concrete educational managerial professional are modalities to reduce the
situation reports itself to the wider educational context, negative influences and to stimulate the students’
of the students’ class, of the school, of the social and orientation to their own opinion, beliefs and mentality
economical development area, to the educational system formation, by processing the received information. 2.
as a whole. The education decentralization principle is a according to the activity type that he unfolds in these
defining principle both of the present educational reform environments, the teacher-manager is: receptor,
and of the present management. The conception of transmitter, participant, organizer, responsible, designer,
educational partnership between teacher-student-parent- initiator, solution agent, counselor, mediator,progress
local social and economical community that takes shapes agent, researcher,user, etc. The teacher’s activity from a
more and more in the educational practice from managerial point of view, distributes itself on general-
Romania is a systemic and participative managerial managerial sub-activities of designing, planning,
conception. All these are arguments not only of the organization, management, counseling, coordination of
teacher’s possibility to become a real manager, but also every activity having though an educational specific as
of the implicit necessity by the nature of his activity in knowledge transmitter-receptor, skill and ability trainer,
itself. S. Iosifescu, in 2000 enumerates some of the problem mediator, educational counselor. D.Davitz,
teacher-manager’s characteristics: rationality, 1978 and Neacşu, 1999 emphasize the teacher-
replacement of control with participation, students’ manager’s inter-active roles: provokes interactions,
stimulation, strategic option for communication, organizes activities, decides, stages various roles
training, motivation. But all these characteristics are not E.Woolfolk, 1990 refers to the functions of: expert of the
genetic and they are trained, learned, developed by teaching-learning act, motivator agent, leader, counselor,
becoming professional and specialized. 2. Roles of the model, reflexive-professional. Interactivity, pro-activity,
teacher-manager. D’ Hainaut, in 1981 identifies several creativity, high decisional capacity are both features of
common roles of the teacher as educator and manager: 1. the modern pedagogy and of the present contextual and
according to the environment he belongs, the teacher- systemic management. In the educational Romanian
manager is member of an environment: professional, system, there can be asked the questions whether the
familial, political, cultural, social. From the point of teacher accepts his new managerial roles, at what level
view of the environment he belongs to, the teacher of acceptance is the teacher-manager, what barriers faces
reports himself aware or less aware to the family where in the transformation process of the teacher in teacher -
he grew up, to the models of the parents, friends and manager? The Romanian teachers are naturally divided
colleagues he had, to the personalities he admired. As a in several categories as it follows: teachers who deny the
teacher-manager at present, he has a certain family, necessity of becoming managers for various reasons, -
social, cultural and professional statute that mediates his teachers who consider that they comply the managerial
managerial relationships with the students and the class. conditions, - teachers who are at different acceptance
Social learning, based on models, as main managerial stages: take notice of the problem, postpone the
training modality in these environments needs to be problem, accept the problem in itself, practical probing,
completed with the teacher’s specialization in the field introversion as educational approach, generalization,
of educational management. The teacher’s multiple system building. As he passes faster and more mature
from noticing the necessity of the teacher-manager in
356 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

schools to the building of the integrated managerial haven’t heard about the teacher -manager at other
system, the managerial problem solving of the schools, why should I complicate myself?” there are as
Romanian school is more efficient. Henry Mintzberg many negative cognitions, that prevents the receptivity
identifies 10 different manager roles that he groups in for innovation, information, learning the managerial
three big categories: A. Informational roles: monitor, behaviors. The teacher’s rigidity in his classical roles of
distributor, spokesman B.Interpersonal roles: specialized person in transmitting knowledge, already
representative figure, leader, connection C. Decisional elaborated, to be in the center of the educational process
roles: Initiator, perturbation solving factor, resource (dixit magister), to decide and to evaluate excludes the
allotment factor student from knowledge discovery, from his location at
the center of personality formation and development
space, from living the mobilizing satisfaction for
learning and evolution.- emotional: a.whim, b. habitude
c. preference for what is familiar, d. risk fear, e.
dogmatism, f. strict observance of standards, g. affective
certainty. The already known trodden path, the change
risks, the anxious or conformist personality type are
examples of obstacles that from emotional point of view
can prevent the teacher’s transformation into teacher-
Figure no 1 – Manager’s Rolesurce: Henry Mintzberg: The Nature of manager. Are there whimsical teachers, lacking
Managerial Work, Englewood Clifs, NJ, Prentice Hall, 1980
receptivity for change, do they prefer the already known
Applying these managerial roles in education and
situations, that offers them a state of high certainty? The
instruction we can make the following observations: 1.
affirmative answers to these questions are non-
the teacher-manager is the center of the information
pedagogical in their essence and preserve the teacher’s
network only from the didactic point of view, he by the
statute in a stage outrun by the modern pedagogy. 4. of
nature of his profession the one who selects the didactic
environment: a. homeostasis, b. lack of support from
information, he organizes it in didactic contents,
the group, c. non-acceptance of critics, d. head masters’
transmits them to the students, assesses them. From
domination, e. affirmation of some auto-accomplishable
other points of view, the teacher-manager can delegate
prophecies. Preserving the given balance, a non-
these informational roles or even give them to some
receptive teachers’ staff, a dominating head master,
informal group leaders: colleagues or students.2. the
negative auto-programming at the level of an entire staff
inter-personal roles are fulfilled by the teacher-manager
can constitute environment obstacles that block the
also in official situations where he is the representative
teacher’s managerial transformation. The teacher-
group figure, the leader and the connection person with
manager is an actor of the educational – class, school
other groups. 3. the decisional roles are in the case of the
scene, but each time he has to play the role in an
teacher-manager valid in all their hypostases. The
innovative, creative and decisional way not only in the
modern teacher-manager has to have initiative, motivate
relationship with his stage partners – the students. 5.
the students for the activity, get involved in the financial
cultural: a. intellectualist pre-suppositions, b. respect
resources allocation, in the material endowment of the
traditions, c. thinking through power-of-attorney The
class, prevent conflicts, solve them when they show up,
teacher has to remain teacher, by tradition he doesn’t
negotiate for the group. All these teacher-manager’s
deal only with teaching-learning-evaluation, things have
roles are grafted on a certain type of vivid and concrete
to remain the way they are - here are a few of the
personality that introverts them in a way of his own. But
cultural obstacles of the educational management. The
staging all these roles, the teacher faces many obstacles:
Romanian school intellectualism developed on French
3. Teacher’s managerial obstacles S. Iosifescu, 2000
channel, the coercive conceptions according to which
considers that most of the obstacles that prevent the
the students don’t learn unless they are forced, by
Romanian teacher to become teacher-manager are: -
authoritarian methods can be fought by the new
perceptive: a. saturation b. stereotypy, c. false target,
conceptions of the interactive, pragmatic and creative
The teachers of a certain age, but not only them, can
pedagogy. All these change obstacles can be outrun by
enter a stereotypical teaching-learning-evaluation
what it is called teacher’s becoming managerial
process crystallized, inertial, stuck where they don’t
professional. The present fashion stage in which the
leave space for change, innovation, improvement. This
management is perceived in education will transform in
is one of the most dangerous stages in the educational
a managerial trend that will determine the teachers’
process evolution, stage in which the teacher is not
managerial training. But these conception changes have
interested in the managerial perspective of his activity; -
to be gradually, coherently, stimulatingly introduced so
cognitive: a. ignorance, b. precedence, c. inflexibility, d.
that they lead to the superior valorizing of human
selective retention. The lack of information about
resources. The teacher himself has to be both the one
educational management, the fact that in that class or
who accepts as well as the one who determines the
school there was not formulated the teacher-manager
change management. He has to understand the teachers’
issue, the selective retention of some difficult aspects or
new managerial mission, to approach the educational
less important, constitute as many cognitive obstacles of
process on long term, abut also on medium and short
the managerial process. “I don’t know about this, I
The Implementation of the European Credit Transfer System in Romanian Higher Technical Universities
term. Gradually the teacher has to develop a managerial
culture that should contain the following components: -
general and specific managerial knowledge to education,
pedagogical, psychological, sociological, ethical,
juridical, ergonomic, axiological, computer science
knowledge referring to the education and instruction
process, flexible intellectual capacities, operational
competences for applying this knowledge in concrete
educational situations, in strategic projects and
programs, render professional the managerial activity by
theoretical and practical training, by the passage from
the managerial occupational concept to the one of
managerial profession. Thus, there can be defined the
teacher’s managerial roles, in interdisciplinary manner,
there can develop his managerial personality. 4. The
teacher’s managerial personality was structured in a
new model (R. Iucu, 2000) starting from the known
acquisitions about the personality in: 1.basic
personality (Kardiner) 2.psycho-pedagogic field 3.
psycho-pedagogic representations 4.psycho-
pedagogic beliefs and convictions 5.crystallized
personality (Cattell) 6.educational style 7. managerial
style. 1.Basic personality represents the internal
personality structure flexible, partially polyvalent with
which the teacher enters in the professional psycho-
pedagogic field. This contains the two big dimensions: -
the real personality made up of representative functions,
processes, trends, interests for education psycho-
pedagogic aptitudes represented by the elements:
temperamental, intellectual-cognitive (sensorial,
language related, intellectual capacities), affective-
motivational, instrumental, stylistic, regulatory
(attention, will), relational-valoric (character, self
image). Referring to the psycho-pedagogic aptitude – we
consider that there is no predetermined temperament for
education, but, there can be modeled those
temperamental features as : balance, force, mobility,
effort and stress resistance, sociability, activity,
dynamism, that would constitute the fundamentals for
efficient educational-managerial personality
development.The intellectual-cognitive features from the
psycho-pedagogic aptitude structure are: fluidity,
flexibility, sensitivity to problems, originality,
productivity, convergent-heuristic, explicative thinking
that can ease knowledge comprehension, consolidation
and process for students. The affective-motivational
components refer to the positive, optimist and balanced
coloring of affectivity and motivation, to the modeling
and development capacity of the students’ intrinsic
motivation, to the emotion control, to the superior
humanist sensitivity development. The efficient
instrumental components are pedagogic skills, habits and
socio-educational abilities. The relational-value
component synthetically represented by character is one
of the most important components of the psycho-
pedagogic aptitude –we consider its core. The attitudes
towards the self, the attitudes towards others and the
attitudes towards the activity are taxed by the value
element, of auto-appreciation and inter-appreciation.
Unfortunately the character is neglected both in
357
rendering the teachers professionals as well as in the
students’ initial training and educational process. 2. The
psycho-pedagogic field is defined according to the field
theory elaborated by K. Lewin by the teacher-manager’s
subjective life environment. It is represented by: -
teacher’s socio-economic statute in society, external
influences on him: social (society expectations),
political (attitudes towards educational policy), familial
(relationships with his parents), ergonomic factors, that
constitute the school material goods, deontological
norms, interactive communication, at macro-educational
level – with the teaching staff and at micro-educational
level with the students. 3. The psycho-pedagogic
representations as ideas, perceptions, images, attitudes
were classified by R. Iucu in several categories: didactic
of: design, strategy, interactive, evaluation, socio-
educational, parents’ status, family position, sex, race,
ethnic, deontological, of professional ethics. What are
the teachers’ ideas about the didactic design, what
importance is conferred to this activity, how do they
practically do it, do they have a strategic conception on
long term that they combine with the tactic one or on
short term? What are the teachers’ perspectives about
the ethnic role in the educational activity, about the sex
and race criteria in the educational process, what about
their professional ethics behavior? 4. Psycho-pedagogic
beliefs and convictions According to Kaes, the belief
represents a durable organization of relative perceptions
and knowledge, from a specific field of our daily life.
The belief has a complex structure: axiological,
objective, psychological (cognitive, affective, will
related), experiential. The psycho-pedagogic beliefs and
convictions, relatively little researched have an
important psycho-value core due to which they take
more time to get formed, they are strongly interiorized
and difficult to change. Their knowledge and self-
knowledge is a managerial efficiency condition. The
beliefs, with which a child grew up in a family, the rules
imposed by his parents remain at the personal
unconsciousness level for a long period of time, if not
for the rest of his life. The rules imposed by school
assimilated at various degrees by the child are gradually
metamorphosed, becoming belief or even convictions
about education. Becoming a professional in the field of
education involves non only theoretical and practical
knowledge, capacities formation, educational attitudes
development, but also the rooting of beliefs and
convictions more or less aware, more or less
determining. The models the children had, in the family,
at school, in the society, that resonate more or less with
their own to be formed personality are decisive in the
formation of beliefs and educational convictions. At the
level of beliefs and convictions the combination among
cognitive, affective and will is stronger that at other
psychic phenomena, that is why they are more inertial
and more difficult to change. The beliefs and the
convictions have not only a complex structure, but also
an ambivalent one: positive-negative. The belief in truth,
right, beautiful, decency is doubled by the belief in lie,
unfairness, ugly, impudence, shamelessness, that can be
358 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
as active and strong as the first one. The dissociation
between them is difficult, it is made in different stages of
the students’ personality and morality development
(Kohlberg, Piaget). Katz (1970) elaborated a model of
the managerial abilities mix that highlights the
interaction among the various types of cognitive,
interpersonal and technical abilities.
5. The crystallized personality is made of: scientific
competence: abilities of knowledge processing, selected
and real scientific information, knowledge transmission
capacity, intelligence, wisdom, flexible didactic
experience, aptitudes for research, creative capacities
and strategies, transfer and application capacities
psycho-social competence: capacities to relate to the
students, adapt to various roles, group communication,
authority-freedom relationship, enthusiasm,
comprehension, authority managerial competence:
capacity to influence the class, design and planning
abilities, decisional force and opportunity , organization
and coordination of class activity, correct management
of reward and punishment, supportability in conditions
of stress psycho-pedagogic competence: capacity to
access the information, capacity to understand the
students, empathic capacity, educational work capacity,
stimulating attitude, methodic clairvoyant spirit. After
this exhaustive presentation of the teacher-manager’s
personality we can formulate a few questions: can any
teacher become a manager? can the teacher’s necessity
of managerial training become of obligatory character?
does becoming didactic professional involve also
training in managerial field? will the perspective vision
of the didactic training allow the existence of the non-
manager teacher? At these questions as well as at others
of this kind will answer by underlining the vocational
character of the teacher profession. You get trained as a
teacher, and you become a teacher if you have certain
pedagogic abilities, you like it, you are passionate about
the educational field, you are dedicated to the
personality formation and modeling. Becoming a
psycho-pedagogic professional involves also managerial
training, but this is not enough, the specialization in the
field of educational management being stringent, mainly
during this development period of the Romanian
education system. 6. Educational style was defined by
R. Iucu as a set of constant associated elements
behaviorally set in the contact region with beliefs and
convictions, directly perceptible. The educational style is
made of: -non-operational personality components,-
organizational variables,- directional, directivity and
permittivity variables,- socio-affective variables 7.
Teacher’s managerial style can be rendered according
to various patterns. According to Vroom, there were
identified several managerial styles as it follows:
autocrat I, where the manager takes the decision by
himself according to the information had up to that
moment, autocrat II - the manager gets supplementary
information and only afterwards takes the decision
consultative I – the manager presents the problem to
some relevant members and takes the decision by
himself, consultative II - the group members take the
decision, group II – the manager implements the
decision taken by the group. Likert identifies 4
government and leading systems: authoritarian-
exploiting: has the power, control, monopolizes the
decision, it the top of the hierarchy authoritarian -
benevolent: develops opportunities for consultation,
consultative: develops deep interactions, reward
system, a great degree of responsibility assumption,
participative: the lateral communication is
encouraged, a favorable climate based on respect is
set. Of all these managerial styles, consultative I and II,
according to Vroom and consultative and participative –
according to Likert can be considered the most efficient
in the educational process, for the teacher-manager. The
systemic situational management as managerial
orientation and the democratic, consultative,
participative, motivating styles or that are differently
called but that lead at the group taking decisions, to the
students’ stimulation, but also to assuming their
responsibility, are the most efficient in the didactic and
educational process. The managerial style of the
consultative-teacher or participative – applied to the
educational context represents desirable educational
styles that have of course the personality profiles of
those teachers.
References
1. Cattell, R.,H.,(1967), The scientific Analysis of Personality,
Harmonsworth, Penquin Books
2. Constantin-Stoica, A.,(2004), Interpersonal Conflict, Polirom
Publishing House, Iaşi
3. Davitz, S., J., Ball, S.,(1978), Psychology of the educational
process, Didactic and Pedagogic Publishing House, Bucharest
4. Iucu, R.,(2000), Class Management and Administration, Polirom
Publishing House, Iaşi
5. d,Hainaut, L., D.,( 1981) Instruction and Education Programs,
E.D.P., Bucharest
6. Iosifescu, S.,(2001), Educational Management. Methodological
Guide for trainers’ training, MEC, Institute of education
sciences, Bucharest
7. Katz, D, Robert., L, (1970), The social Psychology of
Organizations, Wiley Eastern Private Limited, New Delhi
8. Kolberg, L.,( 1968), The Child as a moral Philosopher,
„Psychology Today”
9. Likert, R.(1976), New Ways of Management Conflict
10. Mintzberg, H., (1980), The Nature of Management Work,
Englewood, Clifs, N.J.:Prentice Haull,
11. Neacşu, I.,(1990), Instruction and Learning, Scientific Publishing
House, Bucharest
 THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EUROPEAN CREDIT TRANSFER SYSTEM IN
ROMANIAN HIGHER TECHNICAL UNIVERSITIES

Liliana-Luminiţa TODORESCU1, Gabriel Mugurel DRAGOMIR2, Anca GRECULESCU³

1
University ,,Politehnica” of Timișoara, lilitodorescu@yahoo.com
2
University ,,Politehnica” of Timișoara, mugur_dgm@yahoo.co.uk
³University ,,Politehnica” of Bucharest, ancagreculescu@yahoo.com

The present research aims at analyzing how the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) (set as an objective by the Bologna Process),
has been implemented within the Romanian technical higher education, between 2005-2008. An assessment grid has been elaborated
and applied to 28 Romanian technical universities. The results of our research show significant progress made by some universities
within the Romanian technical higher education with regard to the implementation of ECTS. Nevertheless, some universities, subject to
our research, must undertake a thorough understanding of the ECTS implementation methodology so that they could streamline its
application within the institution.
Key words: Bologna Process, transfer credits, higher education, technical universities, implementation.

summer courses, courses attended by means of

RATIONALE
The European Credit Transfer System (ECTS)
represents one of the ten major action lines that
delineate the reform of the higher education system at
the European level, known as the Bologna Process.
ECTS defines itself as „the main transparency tool
for studies recognition, based on the overall effort
required so as to achieve the objectives of a certain
educational program in terms of learning outcomes and
competences acquired” (Vlăsceanu, Grűnberg and
Pârlea, 2007, p. 48). The learning outcomes are, in fact,
competences whereas competences represent a dynamic
combination of knowledge, traits of character, abilities
and attitudes. ECTS is a mechanism ensuring
comparability between the quality and quantity of the
educational offer made by the institutions and the results
achieved by the students. It is noteworthy that this
adjusting mechanism ensures the quality of education.
ECTS covers self study and work experience, it is used
for both the mobile and stable students who will remain
within or be transferred to other institutions.
According to the ECTS, a credit represents a
conventional unit used to calculate the student’s
workload over a certain period of time. A credit does
not assess competences, it is not a grade and does not
assess the importance of the educational subjects. It
results from the work assigned to it and the correct
evaluation. A credit covers 25-30 contact hours
provided by classess, seminars, self-study, projects,
examinations, hands-on activities, lab activities. The
European Union recommends an equivalent number of
credits per calendaristic year in order to facilitate the
credit transfer: 30 credits for one academic semester and
60 credits for one academic year altogether. Thus, the
credits granted for one academic year include 1.500 -
1.800 hours of study. The credits are granted to all
educational subjects (obligatory, optional and
facultative), to training programs, planning activities,
partnerships with other universities and various
economic agents.
The main researches on the process of monitoring
each European higher educational system, conducted on
all ten action lines set by the Bologna Process, reveal
some important aspects regarding the implementation of
the ECTS within the European Union, as the major
objectiv of the reform in European higher education.
Hence, the report drawn up by the EUA (European
University Association) TRENDS V (2007) highlights
the widely spread use of the ECTS within the European
universities. As a consequence, “75% of the 908
institutions investigated claim the use of the ECTS for
transfer regarding both the Bachelor of Science and
Master of Science graduate degree programs (in
comparison with 68% in 2003), and 66% for
accumulation. Although most of the institutions use the
ECTS, there is still a need to work on its correct
implementation, since an incorrect or superficial use is
still widely spread and, thus, mobility and recognition
prove difficult to achieve” (TRENDS V: Universities
shaping the European Higher Education Area. A
European University Association Report, 2007, p.8, p.
37).
The report on Higher Education in Europe 2009:
Developments in the Bologna Process, elaborated by
Eurydice (The Information Network on Education in
Europe) shows that “for most of the countries
participant in the Bologna Process, the ECTS was
enforced by national legislation and specific regulations.
Moreover, a limited number of countries, universities
and programs use the ECTS at its full capacity, granting
credits according to the student’s workload and learning
outcomes. In most of the cases, the terms – student’s
workload and learning outcomes – are not properly
understood, and thus, not appropriately used” (Higher
Education in Europe 2009: Developments in the
Bologna Process , 2009, p.10).
In compliance with the Report on Bologna Process
Stocktaking Leuven/Louvain–la Neuve 2009, drawn up
by teams appointed at the Conference of European
360 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
Ministers of Education, “efforts must be made in view
of granting credits according to workload and
achievement of a connection between credits and
learning outcomes” (Bologna Process Stocktaking
Report Leuven/Louvain–la Neuve, 2009, p.10).
The study The Black Book of the Bologna Process,
2005, carried out by the ESIB (The National Unions of
Student in Europe)- delineates the ECTS as a
„champion” of a misimplementation or malpractice
within the European universities that have adhered to
the Bologna Process. Credits computation and granting
for programs of study still raise problems in countries
such as Macedonia, Croatia, Serbia, Slovakia, Bosnia-
Herzegovina, Belgium, Poland. The educational
subjects are overloaded and the credits are granted
according to their importance or to the number of
contact hours, except the student’s workload needed to
achieve the corresponding results. Nevertheless, there is
no students’ involvement in the implementation of
transfer credits (The Black Book of the Bologna
Process, 2005, pp. 8-16).
The Study Bologna With Student Eyes, 2009,
conducted by the ESIB, ascertains a low progress
regarding the assurance of the ECTS so that it could
fully reveal the student’s undertaken efforts.
The researches conducted at the national level on the
implementation of the Bologna Process within the
Romanian universities show outcomes similar to other
European studies on the same topic. The study tilted The
Bologna Process in România: an initial outline (2006)
carried out by a group of specialists (Mihaela Singer,
Ligia Sarivan, Cornelia Novak, Nicoleta Bercu and
Simona Velea), affiliated to the Institute of Educational
Studies (ISE), Bucharest, points out a series of limits of
the implementation process within the Romanian
universities. Furthermore, there is a tendency to grant a
certain number of credits to a particular educational
subject according to its importance to the detriment of
highlighting student’s achievements or undertaken
efforts (Singer, Sarivan, Novak, Bercu and Velea, 2006,
p. 32).
The study The Black Book of the Bologna Process
within the Romanian Universities, 2006, conducted by
the National Association of the Student Organizations in
Romania (ANOSR) underlines how heterogeneous and
ambiguous the granting of credits is. “Credits are
generally granted according to the importance of the
respective course as well as to the number of contact
hours so that the credits would assess the professor’s
rather than the students’ workload through put, as it
would normally be expected. Likewise, there is no
unanimously acknowledged view on how student’s
workload throughput could be assessed” (The Black
Book of the Bologna Process within the Romanian
Universities, 2006, p.10).
The study The implementation of the Bologna
Process in Romania: from a student’s perspective,
2009, carried out by the ANOSR illustrates the
misunderstanding of the ECTS as well as its mis-
implementation within the 23 Romanian state
universities subject to our research .
Taking stock of the European and Romanian
researches conducted in order to monitor and analyze
the implementation of the Bologna Process within the
European higher educational sytem, it becomes worth
mentioning that our research has proved a pathbreaker
in the field at both the European and Romanian levels.
All studies mentioned aim at providing an outline of this
issue, making no discrimination among institutions in
terms of their line of educational activity.
The aim of the study, methodology, research findings
and outcomes
The present study, part of an in-depth research on
how the Bologna provisions have been implemented
within the Romanian higher technical education system,
between 2005-2008, depicts the way ECTS has been
applied to our national education system.
This study is a pioneering national undertaking on
the implementation of ECTS according to the provisions
set by the Bologna Process, displaying the outcomes of
the implementation of ECTS within Romanian higher
technical institutions, at the end of the first Bologna
graduation session.
Our research has been conducted by means of a
survey covering 28 technical universities or technical
faculties within the Romanian higher education system.
There has been elaborated a tool based on the
questionnaire method – a self-assessment grid of the
university, regarding the implementation of the Bologna
Process within the respective institution. This research
tool provides a holistic overview of all the European
requirements for the implementation of the ECTS
within higher education institutions, in line with the
Bologna Process. The self-assessment grid has been
applied to vice-deans of technical universities,
responsible for both educational system and
implementation of the Bologna Process altogether.
The dimensions subject to our research focused on:
ECTS implementation within the university and transfer
credits internal policies. For each of the dimensions
researched, the variables to be analyzed were identified
and thus, minimal and reference descriptors were
formulated.
The minimal descriptors indicate the minimum
compulsory achievement level of an activity, the
simplest, less costly and most accessible form enforced
by law or current policies to fulfill a task or assignment
(on a grading scale, this level corresponds to
„satisfactory” or the minimal requirement).
The reference descriptors indicate the value added or
the ideal level, the desirable situation, improved
execution of that particular activity (on a grading scale,
this means „very well”).
The research data point out the implementation of
the ECTS –at least, at a minimum requirement level, in
compliance with the data as shown in Figure 1., by
97,6 % of the universities targeted (cumulative high
The Implementation of the European Credit Transfer System in Romanian Higher Technical Universities
percentage based on the sum of percentages provided by
the universities that have opted for satisfactory, well and
very well regarding the descriptors for the
implementation of the ECTS).
Consequently, most of the universities targeted
implemented the ECTS in conformity with the
European and national policies; elaborated internal
regulations concerning the transfer credit system in
view of ensuring internal and external student mobility.
68.5%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
17.9%
20%
11.2%
10% 2.4%
0%
Unsatisfactory Satisfactory Well Very w ell
Figure 1: The implementation of ECTS within the Romanian technical
higher education
2,4% of the targeted universities opted for
unsatisfactory. This means they have not managed to
implement the ECTS; 11,2% have fulfilled the minimal
descriptors, thus, meeting only the obligatory
corresponding requirement; 17,9% have made a
progress in the minimal descriptors, yet without
considering the reference ones and 68,5% have
efficiently implemented the ECTS, fulfilling the
reference descriptors.
It is noteworthy that half of the universities targeted
(more precisely 68,5%) have fulfilled reference
descriptors, which reveals a strong tendency of technical
higher education towards unfolding quality activities.
In an attempt to figure out this percentage - 68,5% of
the universities targeted, that have fulfilled the reference
descriptors regarding the ECTS, we could ascertain the
tendency for the universities to implement the ECTS, to
comply with the corresponding methodology as well as
with the national requirements concerning the transfer
credits system. Likewise, universities insist that the
ECTS should be correctly understood by the academic
community and applied for both transfer and
accumultation as well as that each student accumulates
at least 30% of the total number of credits when
attending optional disciplines. There is a growing
interest across universities in the constant setting and
applying of student promotion norms, proving that their
educational path is well organized. What is more, there
is focus on the elaboration of internal regulations meant
to ensure credit transfer across the faculties of the
respective institution and across similar institutions in
361
and outside the country; on the building of cross
partnerships in view of mutual credit recognition as well
as on the existence of some records within the
university of the way transfer credits are used; of laying
out the grounds against which students are allowed to
transfer their credits obtained by passing a certain
discipline with different universities/faculties even if
they make up the program of study and of proving by
means of records (if need be) the recognition of credits
granted as a result of passing disciplines in the
education syllabus by other faculties/universities.
By way of a conclusion, all this derives from
awareness of the ECTS role within a higher education
institution, on one hand, functioning as a management
system for the learning time and curriculum elaboration
and, on the other hand, as a system of standards and
measurement units that will allow mutual recognition
and comparability of the learning periods and credit
transfer so as to foster internal and external student
mobility. Since more than half of the universities
subject to our research have set up and applied the
necessary means (internal guidebooks, external and
internal agreements/partnerships across universities) in
order to provide some real internal mobility paths (both
inside the origin university and across universities) as
well as external ones. This reflects the constant interest,
within technical higher education, in promoting,
sustaining and motivating student mobility. Hence,
judging by the progress made so far, the universities
targeted have managed to achieve three main goals set
by the Bologna Process: make use of the ECTS,
promote internal and external student mobility and
focus on their needs.
Nevertheless, 2,4% of the target group has not
managed to implement it, thus, ascertaining some
pitfalls. These pitfalls lead to the following aspects: one
of the 28 universities analyzed takes into consideration
not only the workload but also additional factors such as
the importance granted to the discipline by that program
of study, professor’s credentials, the contact hours or
professor’s workload throughput etc. Similarly, a
university that has not managed to set up an internal
guidbook on credits tarnsfer across the faculties of the
same university as well as across similar institutions in
the country or abroad. It is likely that, within this
university, internal and external student mobility be low
for there is no guidebook nor data its students can
„benefit” from; two universities answered negatively
when asked about the existence of promotion norms for
students, be it from one academic year to another, two
academic years in one or three academic years in two
calendaristic ones according to the number of credits
accumulated. We are of the opinion that the inexistence
of such internal guidebooks and norms is to the
detriment of students and quality of the study programs
since it undermines the student’s right to information as
well as the so much desired flexible educational path the
student must be able to take according to his needs.
Limits of research and conclusions
362 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
The present research has taken into account the
following limits: difficulties in developing the research
instrument since there is no team of experts in the field
of educational studies that will assist in its elaboration
(mainly, difficulties in identifying the dimensions and
variables of the Bologna Process contained in the
definition of minimal and reference descriptors); the
unequal report between public and private universities;
refusal on the part of some universities to cooperate and
the failure in conducting the study on a target group of
at least 30 universities; social desirability claimed by the
represenatives of the universities.
The application of the self-assessment grid to
technical higher education has proved that the objective
set by the Bologna Process regarding the ECTS has
been. Despite the high percentage of universities that
have managed to implement ECTS, 2,4% of them have
not implemented ECTS, which proves difficulties.
Therefore, there is a growing need to better understand
the ECTS implementation methodology across
universities.
References
1.*** Agenţia Naţională a Studenţilor din România (2006), Cartea
Neagră a Procesului Bologna: Exemple de implementare greşită în
universităţile
România,.[Online],Available:http://www.bologna.ro/index.php?scree
n2=data/_pr_ca&screen=data/prop_cn, [2007, August 25].
2.***Alianţa Naţională a Organizaţiilor Studenţeşti din România
(2009), Implementarea Procesului Bologna în România: Perspectiva
Studenţilor, [Online],
Available:http://www.anosr.ro/index.php/Publicatii-ANOSR/ [2009,
June 28].
3.The Conference of the European Ministers of Education, Bologna
Process Stocktaking Reports (2009), [Online], Available:
http://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/hogeronderwijs/bologna/documents
[2008, June 26; 2009, May 17].
4.*** European University Association, Trends in Higher
Education, (2007), [Online], Available: http://www.eua.be/ [2007,
August 27].
5.*** Eurydice report (2009), Higher Education in Europe 2009:
Developments in the Bologna Process, [Online], Available:
http://www.edu.ro/index.php/articles/12051 [2009, June 18].
6.Vlăsceanu, L. and Grunberg, L and, Pârlea, D. (2007), Quality
Assurance and Acreditation: A Glossary of Basic Terms and
Definitions, UNESCO-CEPES, Bucureşti.
7.Singer, M. and Sarivan, L. and Novak, C. and Bercu, N. and
Velea, S. (2006), Procesul Bologna în România: o radiografie de
etapă, Agenţia Naţională Socrates, Bucureşti.
8.*** The National Unions of Student in Europe (2005), The Black
Book of the Bologna Proces, [Online], Available:
http://www.bologna-bergen 2005.no [2006, August 26].
9.*** The National Unions of Student in Europe (2009). Bologna
With Student Eyes, [Online], Available:
http://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/ [2009, June 24].
10.Todorescu L. L. (2009), Implementarea Procesului Bologna în
România: Cercetare privind învăţământul universitar tehnic,
Unpublished PhD thesis, defended in 2009 at the Faculty of
Psychology and Educational Studies, The Doctoral School of
din
Psychology and Educational Studies, University of Bucharest. Thesis
supervisor: Professor R. Iucu Bumbu, PhD.
 ASPECTS CONCERNING THE GROWTH PROCESS OF STUDENTS PREPARING BY
USING THE COMPUTER-ASSISTED INSTRUCTION

Cornelia Elena TUREAC1, Georgeta DRAGOMIR2, Stefan DRAGOMIR3, Anca Garbiela TURTUREANU4, Bogdan
Constantin ANDRONIC5, Gabriela PĂDURE 6
1
“Danubius” University of Galati, cornelia_tureac @yahoo.com
2
“Danubius” University of Galati, gretadragomir@yahoo.com
3
“Dunarea de Jos” University of Galati, dormomir_dragomi@yahoo.com
4
“Danubius” University of Galati, ankterra@yahoo.com
5
“Danubius” University of Galati, bandronic67@yahoo.com
6
“Dunarea de Jos” University of Galati, gpadure@yahoo.com

The efficiency of training and learning activities depend, undoubtedly, by the mane in which the teacher manipulates the different
elements of the education process or in other words, how they establish the educational goals, the way in which thinks the
presentation of the training content, the way of how selects the methods and means of education and integrates them in different
teaching strategies, by the way that design the educational activities, of the didactic behaviors which they constantly display them, by
the way of how conceive the didactic projection, etc.
The computer will generalize the human dialogue in a contemporary form, but especially, in forms of the communication future. As
well as the platonic dialogues, maybe won’t draw conclusions and will keep with care the beauty and richness of natural language, as
well as the opera of the ancient philosopher’s work became the ideal of the classical Greek language. The information technology will
give birth to a new reality, artificially existent. By its codes and languages, it will aspire not only at the safety and relaxation of
univocal meanings, but also at participating to the boarder participation in the process of democratization of social life.
The paper tries to improve the training of the students and at the same time to be better used their unique qualities that distinguish
them from other environments: interactivity, accuracy of performed operations, the ability to provide multiple and dynamic
representations of the phenomena and, especially the fact that may consistent and differently interact with each student separately.
If the first achievements in the computer assisted instruction domain they were focusing more on learning by checking the knowledge,
then began to appear complex software, which encourages the active construction of knowledge, provides meaningful contexts for
learning, promotes the reflection, frees the student from many routine activities and stimulates the intellectual activity similar to that
made by adults in the work process. All these elements change the area of teacher’s activities both quantitatively and qualitatively

Key words: computer assisted, training, training, education, education, teaching, method

the accounting domain and on the capitalization of the

METHODOLOGY
The computer offers real opportunities of
individualization of training. He is not only a means of
communication (transmission) of information, but can
provide learning programs adapted to the behavior and
knowledge of the student.
Achieving a methodology to make effective the
assisting of learning process with the computer has
required using the psycho-pedagogy instruments.
The concept of “assisting the educational process
with the computer” includes:
 teaching some communication courses of new
knowledge;
 application, consolidation, systematization of
new knowledge;
 automated verification of a course or of a
group of courses;
 automated verification of an academic
discipline or of a particular program
Computer assisted training (IAC) is a didactic
method that capitalizes the principles of modeling and
cybernetic analysis of the training activity in the context
of new informatics and communication technologies.
The work provides an overview of the students on what
happens in the informational accounting system of the
modern enterprise, on using the informatics products in
systems and informatics’ products.
For this we chose to develop more both the principal
modules of the WinMENTOR program, and the
secondary ones (one of them being the development
stage), making a study of 32 economic entities, to find
the satisfaction level of each entity in part concerning
the informatics’ product. Regarding the composition of
WinMENTOR program, we found that it has evolved
and expanded more and more lately, it constituting a
positive aspect for both users of the program, and the
holders of this program.
Computerization can occur in all the accounting
works in different ways, leading to shortening the
accounting cycle. It is known that elaborating the
drawing sheet+ and other documents of synthesis, which
are the main sources of information of the different
categories of users, can take 3-4 months after closing
the calendar year. This deficiency can be largely
eliminated by the integrating the accounting within a
informatics system, in real time, based on conditioning
of „online type” and renouncing at the conditionings of
„batch” type. WinMENTOR can keep records for an
unlimited number of companies. For each company in
part it can be configured the way of caring out the
accountancy records, so that they comply with its
specific activity.
WinMENTOR ensure the possibility of introducing
the accounts plan specific to each type of company.
With these adjustments we can use analytical on an
364 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

unlimited number of levels. The program calculates (Instructor-Led Training). The Computer Assisted
automatically the coefficient of price differences at Instruction is a didactic method or an educational
materials, closes automatically the income and method that leverages the principles of modeling and
expenditure counts, the VAT counts. cybernetic analysis of the activity of training in the
For the joint venture companies, the program context of new informatics’ and of communications
provides the percentage distribution of income and technologies, characteristics of the contemporary
expenditure. Since the accounting records are made society.
automatically, the program composes and their
explanations, detailed according to the user’s choice.
The accountancy entries made automatically by
program can be completed, eventually, with various
accounting notes (ex: for formation expenses, profit
sharing, and tax on dividends). It is possible and
obtaining of a cumulative balance for the companies
within a group.

WinMENTOR varations

The “Standard” variant of the WinMENTOR

package offers the possibility of highlighting the stocks
both value and quantitative. To have the access to all
facilities that WinMENTOR can provide, is
recommended the “extended” variant.
Excepting the accountancy evidence (presented in
the both WinMENTOR variants), the global-value
evidence and of that quantitative-value (in “Standard”
variant), the “extended” variant gives access at:
generation of new reports “(with automatic integration
in the menu of lists), managerial reports in foreign
currency and increases of delay, orders from clients,
internal orders of fabrication, specific consumptions,
automatic discounts on billing, limiting the sales based
on credits granted to clients, the evidence of stocks with
series, expiration terms, quality certificates, sharing the
articles from the stock, partners, administration on
characterization classes, differentiation of the articles
from stocks after specific attributes, billing the
subscriptions, reporting the debts to the state budget, the
access at the budget module and objective projects,
graphics, etc
Involving the personal computers to assisting the
educational process is reflected in the specialty literature
under acronyms such as IAC (Computer Assisted
Instruction), CAI (Computer Assisted Instruction), CAL
(Computer Assisted Learning), CBT (Computer Based
Training), CBL (Computer Based Learning), ILT
Figure 16. Computer assisted model
Using the computer in the education process is
becoming increasingly important (even essential) for
two reasons:
1. there is having place a computerization of society;
2. the averages of instruction based on informatics’
provides a strong educational potential
Case study concerning the assessment of the
informatics product in MENTOR base
The case study concerning the assessment of the
informatics products for accounting and administration
was developed by making a sample of presentation of
the degree of satisfaction of the users concerning the
informatics product in MENTOR base. For this, we
randomly selected a total of 32 companies using
WinMENTOR, at which we did a assessment grille of
the informatics product.This study was made on a
period of 7 months (respectively October 2007 – April
2008) on all the offered modules by this program.The
assessment grille was completed by providing notes fro
each module separately on months.
RESULTS

Table 2. Monthly assessment of the WinMENTIR product modules (at 100 points)
Suppl Collect
Lists DOC-
iers ions Cash Com Stocks,
Bookkee Fixed Produc and Exp Resta IMP-
Period Stocks and and Wages regist merci online
ping assets tion report ert urants SERVE
client payme er al orders
s R
s nts
Oct.
92.81 91.25 93 91.25 92.97 93.12 91.94 85 88.93 100 89.29 91.25 92.5 90
2007
Nov. 2007 93.75 90.94 91.8 90.93 92.97 88.75 88.71 89 88.57 100 87.14 86.25 92.5 86.67
Dec. 2007 90.31 90.31 92.1 88.44 91.1 91.25 87.74 86 92.5 100 90 88.75 90 83.33
Ian.
92.81 89.38 92.9 90 91.86 92.5 88.44 76 90 95 78.57 85 95 90
2008
Febr. 2008 93.44 90.94 91.4 90.63 90.63 81.88 90 82 88.21 95 78.57 92.5 97.5 80
Aspects Concerning The Growth Process of Students Preparing by Using The Computer-Assisted Instruction 365

Mart. 2008 93.75 92.19 90.4 90 92.5 91.25 91.56 82

88.21 100 76.43 87.5 100 96.97
Apr. 2008 93.44 92.81 92.5 91.56 87.5 90.63 91.25 82
88.93 100 78.57 91.25 100 90
Average per 98.
92.9 91.12 92 90.4 91.36 89.91 89.95 83.14 89.34 82.65 88.93 95.36 88.14
module 57

From the analysis made to the 32 companies’ participant - is a complete program

at this study made by us, results that, the informatics Con Argument:
product analyzed is rated favorably on the Romanian The only thing that hasn’t yet been made by
market at percentage of 90.27%. WinMENTOR is that of automatically save of the data
Having in view that our assessment grille points the in the case in which the current will be interrupted. The
informatics products with 100 for very god satisfaction, group of specific users of the product WinMENTOR is
with 70 for good, with 40 for satisfying; a percentage of very numerous. Enters in the category of users the
90.27% indicates a fairly high degree of appreciation of personnel dealing with the evidence operative-
the user, approaching to the 100%. This situation accounting (managers, cashiers, heads of work teams,
determines placing the software package WinMENTOR gauger, Sector economists, etc), the personnel involved
in the top of the classification of the informatics product in the accounting evidence at synthetic and analytical
for accountancy and administration, making abstraction level, the managers from different levels, specialists in
from the programs made by companies in their effort managing the form. At all this users is added the
concerning the accountancy evidence by specialists education users from educational institutions of state
If we make a ranking per modules, on the first place and private.
would be placed the Expert module with a percentage of
98.57%; CONCLUSIONS
II place – Restaurants;
III place – Accounting;
Following this study we can conclude that there are
IV place - Stocks;
positive aspects (working interface of the software
V place – Receipts and payments; package for administration and accounting is friendly
VI place – Fixed assets; and particular; after saving if can be viewed the
VII place – Suppliers and clients;
previous completed articles, doesn’t allow introducing
VIII place – Wages;
of data entry errors. Is a complete program), but and
IX place – Production;
negative (automatic data saving) of the Win MENTOR
X place – Lists and reports;
program. It must be specified that per-whole the
XI place – Stocks, online orders; respective program has been considered favorably,
XII place – DOC-IMP-SERVER; achieving an average of 90.27 points out of 100
XIII place – Cash register;
possible. In conclusion, WinMENTOR – product –
XIV place – Commercial
program for accounting and administration can be used
To summarize this conclusion results a clear and
with success and fully satisfactory by any small and
constant trend of evolution concerning:
medium company whatever would be the object of
1. Cash register had a satisfactory development which activity of it.
led to the idea that this module was poorly appreciated The students will know thus the advantages of using
by users;
computer simulation activities: increasing the
2. DOC-IMP-SERVER also and this module was
motivation, transfer of knowledge through teaching;
considered weak by the users having a evolution almost
effective learning; control over multiple variables;
constant in each month;
dynamic presentations; the control over time, the basic
3. Expert was, throughout the study the most well structure of the simulations.
appreciated by the users with a percentage of 100%,
exception making the January and February when it
obtained only 95%.
In addition to this study which consisted in completing
the assessment grille, we asked and some pros and cons
of the product – program WinMENTOR namely:
Pros Arguments:
- working interface of the software package for
administration and accounting is friendly and particular;
Figure 17. Smiulation activity
- after saving it can be viewed the previously
completed articles;
- doesn’t allow introducing data entry errors;

Table 3. Advantages of computer assisted instruction

366 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

Training components Traditional training Systematic training

Setting the target objectives
Objectives
Knowledge of training
objectives by students
 Traditional Curriculum
 Course Manual
 Internal referent
• Formulated according to the global
way of presentation o the subject by
the teacher
• The same objectives for all the
students
• Students aren’t informed
• Must understand and discern from
lessons and manuals
• Establishing and Capitalization of the knowledge
and skills necessary
• Analyzing the activities of a certain function (post,
job)
• External referent
• Formulated considering the Capitalization of the
Necessary of Knowledge and Skill/ Analyzing the
Task Services formulate considering the Performance
level of the student
• Are chosen based on the student’s initial
competences
• Are specifically informed before beginning the
learning process

Proposed result (estimated) • Normal curve • High and uniform level of training

Grading and Promotion

• Based on comparison with other
• Based on mastering the objectives
results by other students

Reviewing the process of • Takes place according to the results

• Based on data assessment
training and of course obtained by the students and by the
• It is a routine procedure
didactic materials emerging materials

The systematic and methodical training process is
advantageous because: supports the instruction centered
on learning; maintains an effective and attracting
training; sustain the communication and collaboration
between designers, teachers, applied computer
specialists (computer networks) and users; facilitates the
diffusion and dissemination of pedagogical knowledge
by the professional educators; provides practical
solution, possible and acceptable for the training
problems; the analysis stage also supports the further
development of other educational materials; ensures that
what is taught is necessary to achieve the learning
objectives of the students; facilitates affair anc accurate
assessment of the training process.
The computer-assisted instruction is a important method
of teaching-learning, as well as and of assessment of the
students activities, with high formative-educative
valences developing their thinking capacities, of
imagination, of operationalization the theoretical
knowledge in different practiced contexts, of learning
the rules of activity and living in a group of their job
satisfaction, etc.
This is a method of training, in which the student learns
in self rhythm, the educational material is divided into
small sequences of study, followed by questionnaires,
the instructed and instructor being able to immediately
observe the evolution of the training process.
The Informatics’ Systems of Training believes that the
teaching/learning process is an activity that takes place
within the learners. In this sense in the future is
necessary to be studied and resolved several key
elements of designing these training systems:
• Functional principles and methods for teaching
structure and presenting the courses
• Correcting the errors made by student and
ensuring the feedback on the student;
• Creating a system of assessment and grading;
• Development of a system of self-control and
self-assessment to increase the student’s motivation
If the first achievements in the computer-assisted
instruction focused more on learning through
knowledge verification, then began to appear complex
software, which encourages the active construction of
the knowledge, provides meaningful contexts for
learning, promotes reflection, frees the student of many
routine activities and stimulates the intellectual activity
similar to the made by adults in the work process. All
these elements change the area of teacher’s activities
both quantitatively and qualitatively
REFERENCES
1. Adascalitei, Adrian – Computer Assisted training . Didactica
informatica, Editura Polirom, Iasi, 2007;
2. Airinei, D. s.a., Programing Environments , Editura Sedcom
Libris, Iasi, 2002;
3. Galea & Adascalitei . The Strategy to Adopt Open and Distance
Education in Romania. In: Proceedings of the 17th, World
Conference for Distance Education “One World Many Voices.
Quality in Open and Distance Learning”; Session: European
Focus, pp.493-496, 26-30 June 1995, Birmingham, UK
4. Ionescu, Miron – Education and its dynamici, Editura Tribuna
Invatamantului, Bucuresti, 1998;
5. Moise, Gabriela – Models of computer assisted instruction from
the fifth generation.
TRENDS OF GLOBALIZATION
GLOBALIZAT IN THE ACADEMIC AND POSTGRADUATE EDUCATION
EDU
IN THE TOURISTIC DOMAIN

Anca Gabriela TURTUREANU1, Georgeta DRAGORMIR2, Cornelia Elena TUREAC3, Ioan BORDEAN4, Georgeta
MODIGA5, Gabriela PADURE6
1
“Danubius” University of Galati, , ankterra@yahoo.com
2
“Danubius” University of Galati,
Galati gretadragomir@yahoo.com
3
“Danubius” University of Galati, , cornelia_tureac @yahoo.com
4
“Danubius” University of Galati, ioanbordean@yahoo.com
5
“Danubius” University of Galati, georgeta.modiga@univ-danubius.ro
6
” Dunarea De Jos” University
U of Galati, gpadure@yahoo.com

This paper aims to reflect some concernments concerning the training at academic level from the touristic domain and highlighting
highligh of its
peculiarities. To highlight these features
features were studied the educational offerings of some European, American, Asiatic and Australian
universities, both public and private. The methods used such as the statistical analysis, comparative studies, the historical evolutionary
method allowed the authorsrs to include in its totality the globalization phenomenon manifested and in the touristic education domain.
This work is a systematic research of the phenomenon on the part of the authors and are is one of the first attempts of analysis
analy of the
advantage off intervened changes after the accentuation of globalization and of the reforms from the academic and postgraduate academic
domain.
The effectuated analysis revealed the multitude of similarities within the curriculum, but also the emphasis of the globalization
globali
phenomenon in the academic education domain. The international tourism is facing with serious problems: the growth rhythm is
decreasing, is reduced the share of the branch in the system of global commerce, is worsening the global tourism state becausebecau of the
global economic crisis.

Key words: higher education, tourism, globalization, curriculum, economic crisis.

relating to sustainable tourism. Second a new wave of

INTRODUCTION tourism research is gathering momentum concentrating
on “studies” rather than “business”. The increasing
We can say that we talk of globalization when the interest in such approaches is signaled by new journal
available goods and services, or the social and cultural titles such ass Tourist Studies and the Journal of Tourism
and Cultural Change and new approaches include those
influences, tendd to gradually become similar in all parts
using interpretive and critical methodologies by
of the world. In this century when the touristic activities
researchers working in for example gender studies and
are present all around the world, is being imposed that
cultural
and the touristic education, regardless of the level, to
align to a standardization.
At the successful
ssful development of the tourism
participates as an important factor and the providing of
an appropriate education. Meanwhile, the needs of
touristic development must be reflected in the
curriculum. This paper explores the relationship
between education andd development. The tourism
development is a complex process which requires a
wide range of knowledge.

PRIOR WORK

Turning to tourism knowledge, Tribe (1997)

suggests that knowledge about tourism is organized
through the established disciplines (e.g. economics,
economi
Figure 1: Tourism, knowledge and the curriculum
curri
anthropology), through interdisciplinary approaches
(e.g. environmental studies, marketing) and through
extra-disciplinary
disciplinary approaches (e.g. customer service). MATERIAL AND METHODS
Tribe further postulated that a coalition of approaches
(mainly interdisciplinary and extra-disciplinary)
extra under The methods used such as the statistical analysis,
the banner of tourism business studies had established a comparative studies, the historical evolutionary method
substantial inroad and major presence in the study of allowed the authors to include in its totality the
tourism. However, things have changed somewhat since globalization phenomenon manifested and in the
Tribe’s 1997 analysis. First there has been an touristic education domain.
in.
extraordinary burst of research
earch activity and articles Benefits of globalization for higher education
368 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

First it must be emphasized the standardization. The growing number of students, with the labor market but
terminology, measurement instruments, research also with the needs of quality and with the trends of
methodology in all the fields of study must be curriculum globalization. In the same time the
standardized to ensure efficient communication. international tourism is confronting with serious
Secondly, the easiness of the quality evaluation - it problems: decrease the growth rate, is reduced the share
requires landmarks and a set of measurable quality of the branch in the world trade system, is worsen the
indicators. The university web pages and printed global tourism state because of the global economic
materials create access to information and allow the crisis.
observers accessing from outside to appreciate the This situation requires a multilateral and
quality of the academic programs, facilities and the comprehensive research of the perspectives and trends
research activities. of further development, as well as and the elaboration of
Thirdly, the intellectual understanding - some measures to restore the branch location and role in
globalization has great potential for strengthening the the international commerce with goods and services.
intercultural understanding. In addition to the Table 4. Enrolments in 1970 and 2007
understanding of own culture, the students, masters,
doctoral students must learn that are and other cultures Ratio of upper
and other beliefs. Upper secondary secondary gross
In fourth place, the reasonableness - if the students, education, gross enrolment ratio
are studying the same learning materials, regardless of enrolment ratio over tertiary gross
Region enrolment ratio
where they get the education and the quality of training
is of the same quality, and then the graduates from
institutions around the world will have more equal 1970 2007
1970 2007
opportunities to have success in all domains.

Arab States 46,5 52,1 2,4 2,4

Global trends in tertiary education
Central and
Eastern 80,1 85,4 2,1 1,4
The number of students who follow a higher Europe
education learning form has increased greatly in the past Central
decades, is about a fivefold increase from 28,6 million 82,8 89,2 4,7 3,7
Asia
in 1970 to 152.5 million in 2007. This is translated into East Asia
an average annual increase of 4.6%, with a doubling of and the 46,3 62,9 3,3 2,4
students of the student’s number at every 15 years. But Pacific
following closely the data it can be seen that students’ Latin
boom number is registered since 2000, with 51.7 America
61,6 73,5 2,9 2,1
millions of new enrolled students. and the
Since 2000, in the East Asia and Pacific the number Caribbean
North
grew by an average of 10% each year, compared with
America
6% for the period between 1970 and 2000. After 2000 and 98,2 97,7 1,6 1,4
the region has become a world leader in terms of student Western
numbers, surpassing North America and Western Europe
Europe. This is due primarily to China. South and
30,6 39,3 4,2 3,4
The expansion was significantly slower in the West Asia
Southern Europe and West Asia, with an annual average Sub-
growth rate pf 5.2%. The region has witnessed a Saharan 19,4 26,3 5,3 4,7
maximum increase of 7% during the 1990’s, but in fact, Africa
the rates have decreased since 2000 – in contrast to the WORLD 45,5 54,3 2,6 2,1
trends from other regions. In ensemble, the total number Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics, Statistical
of students increased almost six-fold from 2.8 to 18.5 Table 5 for 2007; UIS Data Centre (http://stats.uis.unesco.org)
million between 1970 and 2007. for 1999.
By analyzing the growth or decline trends of the
students worldwide, we can better assess the changes in Knowledge and tourism development
the size of higher education systems. This perspective is
essential to approach the issues of funding or personnel,
for example, in parallel with the explosive development For the development of the knowledge and touristic
of the touristic industry. Obviously, a further study is curriculum are required four interdisciplinary groups.
needed to understand the new opportunities and The first can be made up of finance, marketing and the
challenges that arise with this rapid growth of both human resources development, geography. The second
sectors: education and tourism. and third refer to the micro and macro levels of the
Perhaps mist important would be to ask ourselves to development process itself, namely, the projects
what extent the university systems can match the assessment and policies and of planning. The fourth
Trends of Globalization in The Academic And Postgraduate Education in The Touristic Domain 369

extends into a broader context of sustainability, ethic. profile benefit by the curriculum with specific skills and
Ultimately, the development decisions require a competences.
combination of knowledge, both theoretical and The interested parties have two main roles in the
practical. Successful tourist development depends in educational process: firstly to influence the strategic
part upon appropriate education provision. At the same leading of education through curriculum planning; and
time, the needs of tourist development must inform the secondly, of performance measurement, especially
education curriculum. through the quality management process. From the
historical point of view, knowledge, extra-disciplinary
played an important role in the tourism curricula. This is
not surprising, given the relatively recent origin of
tourism as a field of study. It was developed, based on
subject like, economy, geography, planning,
environmental studies to name a few, and allowed the
tourism to expand into a wider field of expertise.
Table 5 Curriculum Content
Vocational Action Liberal Action
· Tourism Marketing · Tourism and the
· HR Management Environment
· Business Development · Planning and
· Foreign Languages Development
· Entrepreneurship · Sustainable Tourism
· Quality Service
· Information Technology

Reflective Vocational Reflective Liberal

· Problem Solving · Tourism and Politics
· Creative Thinking · Culture and Heritage

Source: Adapted from David Aiery, 2007 RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

Figure 2: Tourism development
The effectuated analysis revealed the multitude of
Tourism knowledge and curriculum similarities within the curriculum, but also the emphasis
of the globalization phenomenon in the academic
education domain. The international tourism is facing
with serious problems: the growth rhythm is decreasing,
The curriculum term has several meanings over time
is reduced the share of the branch in the system of
and initially focused on clarifying its various meanings
global commerce, is worsening the global tourism state
and on its boundaries. A simple definition of the
because of the global economic crisis.
curriculum can be found in Taylor and Richards (1985)
The contemporary development of the civilization is
who define the curriculum as being what is taught.
characterized by principled and radical changes that are
A more complex definitions, is given by Kerr
observed in all spheres of society. But these changes
(1968), who includes a much wider experience in the
bear a contradictory character. The global partnership,
classroom time. There is also a literature that reveals a
globalization as phenomenon, has its theoretical basis,
hidden side of the curriculum (Snyder, 1971, Combleth
indicators (the population increase, of GDP, commerce,
1984, Graves 1983). Here the accent doesn’t fall only on
and migration), components (international production,
the explicit goals and objectives of the curriculum, but
reformed political relations), and promoting mechanism
on the default values that accompany it.
(economic, political, technical, social) consequences. In
In fact, the term curriculum is more widely used and
the advancement of globalization, often are used
accepted in the compulsory education, then in higher
imposition mechanisms in their various combinations.
education and, there still exist universities globally
There were formulated postulates of globalization.
where is traditional that the discipline dictate what
However, real, the globalization is yet in early stages of
should be taught.
its development. In world it hasn’t constituted a unitary
Currently, is used the following concept for
social and economical system. The propagation of the
curriculum as being a program of educational
European and American culture us accompanied by the
experiences that is packaged as in a program of high
revival of the autochthon civilized religious and cultural
quality, and its component parts are a series of modules
values. The international tourism has become the
or courses, which, in turns can specify the course
permanent “generator” of development of the global
content. A core curriculum is a mandatory element. The
integration processes in the last decades.
curriculum content includes knowledge, skills and
Today’s tourism is one of the driving forces of
attitudes. The students from the education with touristic
global economy. It is increasing the number of
370 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

international tourist arrivals and the tourism revenues. to explain the patterns and characteristics of the
The tourism industry produces over 10% of global touristic demand and the influences on the demand;
GDP. In Europe, the tourism produces directly 5% of - to know how the tourist behave at destinations
European GDP and another 10% indirectly.
The tourism industry based on the principles on the REFERENCES
Global Code of Tourism Ethics is a tool for achieving
the objectives of millennium development of ONU. The 1. Airey D (2008) ‘Tourism Education: life begins at 40’, Teoros,
tourism plays a key role in the balance of payments of 27(1) pp 27-32.
many countries, especially, of the smallest states in 2. Airey, D. (2008) In Search of a Mature Subject, Journal of
development, for which, this often is the only mean of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport and Tourism Education, 7(2)
3. Braslavsky, C. (eds) School Curricula for Global Citizenship.
competitive fighting in the global dynamic industry of Hong Kong: University of Hong Kong.
services. 4. Ayikoru M, Tribe J and Airey D (2009) ‘Reading Tourism
The jobs in the touristic companies are created Education: Neoliberalism Unveiled’ Annals of Tourism R
frequently in the regions less developed, thus opening 5. Cornbleth, C., 1984, Beyond Hidden Curriculum, Journal of
Curriculum Studies, 16(1).
economic opportunities in front of the inhabitants from 6. Council for National Academic Awards, 1993, Review of
the most various parts of the worlds and improving the Tourism Studies Degree Courses, London, CNAA.
social life in the rural areas. 7. Graves, D. (ed), 1983, The Hidden Curriculum in Business
Studies, Chichester, Higher Education Foundation.
8. Kerr, L. (ed), 1968, Changing the Curriculum, London,
CONCLUSIONS University of London Press
9. Marshall, H. & Arnot, M. (2007). The gender agenda: the limits
and possibilities of global and national citizenship education. World
All those who are concerned about the university Studies in Education,
curricula in the field of tourism studies, are following, 10. Meyer, J. (2006). World models, national curricula, and the
largely, the same principles. They consider, under the centrality of the individual. In Benavot, A. & Taylor, P., and Richards,
C., 1985, An Introduction to Curriculum Studies, Windsor, NEFR-
sign of globalization, as a graduate regardless of the
Nelson.
country in which follows the toruistic studies to 11. Snyder, B., (1971), The Hidden Curriculum, Cambridge Mass.
demonstrate an understanding of: and London, MIT Press
- the concepts and characteristics of tourism as a field 12. Stevenson N, Airey D and Miller G, (2009) ‘Complexity Theory
and Tourism Policy Research’ International Journal of Tourism Policy
of academic study;
13. Tribe, J. (1997), "The indiscipline of tourism", Annals of
- inter-cultural dimensions of the tourism; Tourism Research, Vol. 24 No.3, pp.628-57.
- can use a range of source materials in the tourism
investigation;
- to understand and appreciate the potential
contributions of discipline, which helps at
explaining and the development of the tourism,
explain and may change the tourism operations;
- to demonstrate and understanding of the internal
and international tourism dimensions;
- to understand the inter-cultural dimensions of the
tourism, the products, structure and interactions
from the tourism industry;
- to demonstrate an understanding of the structure,
operation and organization of the activities from the
public, private, and from the nonprofit sectors of
tourism domain;
- to assess the factors that influence the development
of the organizations working in the tourism domain;
- knowledge of the complex relationship that are
established between the consumers of tourism and
the tourism service providers;
- understanding the role of tourism in the
communities, that organize touristic activities and
receive tourists;
- to be able to asses the contribution and the tourism
impact from social, economical, political, cultural
and environmental point of view;
- to understand and be able to asses management
strategies to develop the tourism, through concepts
of policy and planning;
- asses the ethical issues associated with the
operation and development of the tourism to be able
IMPROVEMENT OF RESEARCH QUALITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION IN RENEWABLE
ENERGY FIELD BY APPLYING A PROPER MANAGEMENT

Mihaela VARTOLOMEI1, Teodor MILOȘ2, Daniela CIOBOTARU3, Dorin MUNTEANU4, Cornel JUPĂNEANT5
1
Politehnica University of Timisoara, email mihaelavartolomei@yahoo.com
2
Politehnica University of Timisoara, email teodor.milos@gmail.com
3
Politehnica University of Timisoara, email daniela.ciobotaru@rectorat.upt.ro
4
SC CLAGI-Romania SRL, email dorin.munteanu@clagi.ro
5
Medical Christian Association “Izvorul Tamaduirii”, email jupaneant_cornel@yahoo.com

Paper’s aims and objectives are stated by economic and social impact of renewable energy exploitation in sustainable development
field. Paper studies ways to achieve real implication of Romanian universities in researches that are meant to settle the new industrial
revolution. This care is very important even for European or national decision-makers because of energy European consumption
security. This field research approach is very used lately, because of more and more scarce fossil resources and more and more
sophisticated energetic needs. The priority of this research is to find global trends and challenges in energetic field. Also it studies
European Union energetic policy and promotes renewable energetic sources (according to EU’s White Book). Other important aspect
is to compute the investments’ costs, the energy’s cost, the competitivity of renewable sources. The paper subject is much related both
with European Union preoccupations and with Romanian Energetic Strategy for 2007-2020. This paper presents some research
results that were obtained during authors’ implication in the Partnership Project MAVA: "Energetic Supplying of a Local Community
Using Air Streams", contract no. 21-036/2007. The project is financed by the National Authority for Scientific Research – The
National Center for Programs' Management. Issues debated refer to various energetic entrepreneurial researches, also to knowledge
transfer activities between universities themselves but especially between university and business environment or other actors
implicated in energetic question in order to respond to the local/national/regional/European environment's energetic needs and
challenges. This results' transfer is approached from the perspectives that the possibilities for cooperation on the provided activities
has impact upon the all implicated organization’s performance. The evolution of technique and technologies area, the globalization
and internationalization of higher education, but also the various expectations in learning and research interests give new purposes
and challenges to the universities. The fundamental question is how higher education institutions could quickly adapt and react to
nowadays challenges.

HOW TO MANAGE SCARCED RESOURCE AND

UNLIMITED NEEDS ISSUE IN SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT?
ERS versus ENRS
It can say that is difficult to imagine a life without
electricity, a life without energy use, furthermore, even
life itself means energy. Energy sources represent all
that allow producing utile energy directly or by
transformation. There are two kind of energy sources:
non-fossil or energy renewable sources (ERS) and fossil
or energy nonrenewable sources of energy (ENRS).
Electricity is generated from both renewable and
nonrenewable energy sources (Ayres, 1997).
ERS are regenerating continuously or with certain
periodicity and their consumption doesn’t lead to a
possible depletion, such as: sun (solar), internal heat of
the earth (geothermal energy), wind (wind power),
vegetation (biomass), falling water, tides, and wave
motion (hydropower). A clear feature of ERS is their
independent existence by any man’s consistently
activity.
ENRS are represented by natural resources, by
material reserves, such as fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas),
shale, uranium and so on. The energy of fossil sources,
unlike the ERS’ energy, is incorporated and it can be
engaged only after human activity.
The main differences between the two kinds of
energy sources are illustrated in figure 1.
Environment
ENRS
ERS
Energetic
4 equipment
1 4
2 5 Consumer 5
6
3 6
Environment Environment
Figure 1: Differences between the energies: a) renewable and b) nonrenewable
(fossil); 1-2-3 – unused energy flux; 4-5-6 – used energy flux
Sustainable development and the new industrial
revolution
Sustainable development must respond to nowadays
needs without compromise the capacity of future
generations to satisfy their needs. To respect solidarity
between generations represents a real constraint for the
economic actors. It enforces, in particular, a special way
to manage the natural resources and settlement good
methods for environment protection (Klarer et all,
1999).
Energetic industry is influenced by many of the
technologic and economic forces that impel the
372 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
revolution from telecommunication field and has a more
impact over life, health and environment quality.
The energetic industry (with its basic components:
resources, production, transport, distribution,
consumption) represents a strategic sector of any
nations, it is a vital sector for rational economic and
social development and these depends by the rationality
the limited resources are exploited by humans.
It seems more and more clear that Romania has to
find proper ways to achieve real implication of
Romanian universities in researches that are meant to
settle the new industrial revolution. This care is very
important even for European or national decision-
makers because of energy European consumption
security.
A major objective is to deliver a maximum protected
patrimony, both quantitative and qualitative ground.
Thus, it allows forecasting, in good conditions, the
future development, in order to help the social,
economic or political decision makers to manage the
environment protection.
WHY IS IT NECESSSARY TO DEVELOP
ENVIRONMENT PROJECTS IN ROMANIAN
UNIVERSITIES?
Environment projects’ necessity
To conserve the energy and to give the possibility
for future generation to have access to natural resources
as we had, it is very important to conserve our current
supply, our damaging habits or to use renewable sources
(Rojanschi et all., 2005), because of a high degree of
nonrenewable energy sources’ limitation on Earth.
Moreover, energy conservation is important because
consumption of nonrenewable sources have impact on
the environment. Thus, the use of fossil fuels leads to air
and water pollution. For instance, carbon dioxide is
produced when oil, coal, and gas is combusting (in
industry systems, or car engines), and it acts in the
atmosphere as a transparent blanket, that contributes to
the global warming of the earth, or "greenhouse effect".
There is the possibility that this global warming could
significantly influence our weather with major impact
on human health, environment (rising sea levels can
damage coastal areas, also the vegetation can support
more changes and could cause some plant and animal
species to become extinct). Another effect of pollution
is the reaction of water and oxygen and sulfur dioxide
(emitted into the air when coal is burned, also) in the
clouds and form precipitation known as "acid rain" with
grave effects: killing fish and trees and damage
limestone buildings and statues.
The lack of accord in strategies for conserve the
environment, in technique and economic solutions are
the main obstacles in integration the specified objective.
It is necessary to establish some strategies to resolve
unitarily the economic, social and environment
problems, changing or enforcing the values, knowledge,
technologies and institutions in order to preserve the
inheritance and have what to give to our offspring.
Project management draft
The purposes of project management is planning,
organizing and controlling activities, so that the project
can be completed as good as possible, without
neglecting the risks.
Project management is proved to have many
components, also from the point of view of process
management as well as process modeling, in the special
conditions of the project.
In figure 2, the authors make a briefly presentation
of the project management’s components:
Evaluation Opportunity
and Strategy Complaint
Risk Management
Management
Team
Methods/ evolution
Control instruments
Organization Quality
Management
Exterior Balance/Survey of
Environment the project
Figure 2: Project management components
Energy project management in Romanian University
The process of preparing the project starts from the
idea of the project and ends with writing it down,
actually with a precise plan of the project. It always
starts from an objective. Our objective as coordinator
has resulted from an existing necessity of helping the
Medical Christian Association "Izvorul Tămăduirii” to
become energetically independent (Vartolomei, Milos,
Vartolomei-M, 2008).
The project manager’s tasks are not easy at all:
reaching the settled objective, building an Aeolian
turbine with horizontal axis of 3.5 KW - which will
serve a human community, along with all the risks
which may come up during the project work.
In the initial study phase, which started in 2007, the
coordinator decided that the Aeolian turbine should be
of the horizontal type, because it suits best to the
weather conditions at the designated location (wind
minimum 2 m/s), depending on the optimum efficiency
of the wind turbines and the building possibilities of the
manufacture plant, CLAGI SRL.
Our project does not take place in an isolated area.
Its objective is liable to influences of individuals,
institutions, regulations. The development of the project
Trends of Globalization in The Academic And Postgraduate Education in The Touristic Domain 373

is determined in a decisive way by the interaction with

influence factors from the extern environment. Due to
the changes emerged along the project development,
both in legislation as well as financial problems, a high
flexibility level were necessary as well as precise
control mechanisms and a permanent flow of
information. This leads to an excellent managing force,
a very high professional competence of the entire team
which concurred to the project’s realization and also a
high social competence.
This project will be completed in 2010, but during
the entire project, there were a feed-back between the Figure 3: Wind velocity 14.09.2007 – 31.03.2010
consortium entities about each problem that occurred.
The authors are very convinced they could offer any By procuring the latest measurement devices, the
time consultancy regarding the problems of this type of data needed to build the database will be able to be
complex investment project, even if every project has its determined very precisely.
own particularities, as it was mentioned in this paper.
Further information is posted on the project website.

HOW TO MANAGE RESEARCH QUALITY IN

ROMANIAN HIGHER EDUCATION IN
RENEWABLE ENERGY FIELD?

At national level, there are several achievements in

this field: Tihuta (Bistrita), Ploiesti (Prahova), Baia and
also recently in Topolog (Tulcea) and Corbu
(Constanta).
Several years ago, there has been an attempt to build
an eolian turbine on the Semenic Mountain, however Figure 4: Curve of velocity frequency
this is currently not functional. That project has been
coordinated by the "Politehnica" University of Figure no 3 reflects the velocity of the wind, figure
Timisoara, in cooperation with RENK Resita, no 4 reflects the curve of velocity frequency, and figure
ICEMENERG and ELECTROMONTAJ. no 5 reflects the curve of velocity insurance from
The team from Timisoara has exclusively focused on 14.09.2007 12:12 o’clock to 31.03.2010 12:12 o’clock.
aggregates equipped with horizontal axis turbines and The dates are obtained from the project website
they have promoted, from the beginning, a multi- monitoring tab.
disciplinary approach by involving teachers, specialists
in the projection of hidro-energetic equipments, and
those from the energetic development area. This way,
on the Semenic Mountain, there were four aeroelectrical
aggregates, in different testing phases, with an installed
power of 1,200 kW. The main conclusions of the
experience gathered on Semenic showed that the
location can be compared with other European locations
of this type, classified as good and very good.
Currently, at S.C. CLAGI SRL, following a research
project between a team from "Politehnica" University of
Timisoara and the beneficiary, a Canadian company,
another horizontal axis eolian turbine has also been
Figure 5: Curve of velocity insurance
developed.
The meteorological conditions belonging to
The novelty and the complexity of the solutions
atmospheric fronts, are know at national level, due to
proposed to finalize the project will be based on the
this advanced meteorological supervision, that is the
specific determinations that will be made. It is estimated
most advanced at European level.
that the methods, used technologies as well as the
The studies that will be done as part of the project
generated software product, will be the subject of a
will contribute to the knowledge and centralization of
patent request.
parameters that are specific to the Marga village,
Eolian turbine of Tihuta, the first of this type that
respectively to the development of a large database
provides national energy, has an installed capacity of
linked to the local climatic variations.
250 kW. The investment for building it was around
374 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
260,000 EUR, and the production was about 186,000
kWh in 2005. The manufacturer also owns green
certificates (a system that promotes the production of
energy from regenerable sources), that are added to the
incomes earned by selling the electric energy.
The controversies regarding the eolian turbines are
linked to the landscape impact and the impact on birds.
At an international level, fields of eolian turbines are
known in the following countries: Canada, The
Netherlands, Germany, Austria, respectively the areas
from Island and Denmark or the areas from Italy, Czech
Republic sau Slovakia.
The trend of contributing with eolian energy to
satisfy the worldwide necessities is in continuous
growth, based on the latest research. It is estimated that
in 2010 it will reach about 500 TW/h/year, and in 2020
it will reach 1,000 TW/h/year. Also, it is estimated that
the requests for eolian electric energy will go beyond
the classic method of energy produced from fosile fuels
(coal, oil, gas), respectively hidro or nuclear. Only the
energy produced using biogas, solar and geotermal will
go beyond it.
Higher education institutions (especially engineering
higher education) are based on knowledge, with
research and dissemination objectives in this field. The
evolution of technique and technologies area, the
globalization and internationalization of higher
education, but also the various expectations in learning
and research interests give new purposes and challenges
to the universities. The fundamental question is how
higher education institutions could quickly adapt and
react to nowadays challenges.
The originality of this subject consists in a real
improvement of local/European governance, realization
energetic consumption behavior that lead to the new
industrial revolution: technological system that keep and
stock carbon dioxide, find higher potential for bio
combustible production/exploitation, produce
combustible oil from biomass with high productivity on
sustainable and ecological way promoting social
inclusion, chose optimum solution using Aeolian
turbine along a region.
CONCLUSIONS
The paper subject is much related both with
European Union preoccupations and with Romanian
Energetic Strategy for 2007-2020. The general objective
of the Romanian strategy for energy field is represented
by satisfying the energy necessity both for present and
for future, at a lower price according to market economy
and a civilized living level, in quality conditions, safe
and respecting sustainable development principles.
To not neglect sustainable development it
determines to increase the human welfare and the
ecosystems conservation. These suppose the integration
of economic, social and environment objectives. These
objectives cannot be achieved until the people will
understand to enhance the mutual relationships and their
relation with the ecosystem they live. To discover
sources of energy (Aeolian, solar, hydro energetic,
biomass) and to develop methods for their settlement
(wind-mill, Aeolian turbines, solar light and warmth
catching, hydro-electric power station, solar-electric
power station) have become a real necessity of
nowadays world challenges. Furthermore, the authors
consider that these objectives cannot be achieved until
people will understand the importance to enhance
mutual relationships and their relation with ecosystem
they live.
Both technical and socio-economic impact of this
paper is to emphasize Romanian universities potential
regarding solutions and spread the results in order to
settle some clean processes and technologies (without
wastage) in areas where it can be possible (flow air
presence, for instance) with the respect of sustainable
development principles. Issues debated refer to various
energetic entrepreneurial researches, also to knowledge
transfer activities between universities themselves but
especially between university and business environment
or other actors implicated in energetic question in order
to respond to the local/national/regional/European
environment's energetic needs and challenges. This
results' transfer is approached from the perspectives that
the possibilities for cooperation on the provided
activities has impact upon all implicated organization’s
performance.
Subsequently, it is necessary for Romanian
researchers to find and develop local or international
collaboration in present research fields in order to find
solutions for the mankind’s energy needs.
People must be educated in this spirit. Thus, it is
very necessary to engage a proper education on this and
Romanian universities are directly and especially aimed.
References
1. Ayres, R., et. (1997), Natural Capital, Human Capital, and
Sustainable Economic Growth, Boston University, Boston.
2. Klarer, J., Francis, P, Jim McNicholas, Mihaela Popovici
(1999), Pentru un mediu mai bun si o economie mai buna,
Centrul Regional de Protectia Mediului, Bucuresti.
3. Rojanschi, V.; Bran, F.; Diaconu, S.; Grigore, F. (2005),
Abordari economice in protectia mediului, Editura ASE,
Bucuresti.
4. Vartolomei, M, Milos, T. & Vartolomei-M, S. (2008),
Economic Engineering Study Regarding Aeolian Installation
Manufacturing System Using CPM and PERT Methods,
Annals of DAAAM for 2008 & Proceeding of The 19th
INTERNATIONAL DAAAM SYMPOSIUM Intelligent
Manufacturing & Automation: Focus on Next Generation of
Intelligent Systems and Solutions, Katalinic, B. (Ed.), pp.1447-
1448, ISSN 1726-9679, Trnava, Slovakia, 22-25th October
2008
5. www.proiectmava.org
 STRENGTHENING ACHIEVED COMPETENCES BY
DEMAND-ORIENTED FURTHER EDUCATION

Teresa WERNER1, Gökhan AKKASOGLU2, Albert WECKENMANN3

1
Chair Quality Management and Manufacturing Metrology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany,
teresa.werner@qfm.uni-erlangen.de
2
Chair Quality Management and Manufacturing Metrology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany,
goekhan.akkasoglu@qfm.uni-erlangen.de
2
Chair Quality Management and Manufacturing Metrology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany,
albert.weckenmann@qfm.uni-erlangen.de

Due to the rapid development of methods and technologies in many fields, vocational qualification is not finished when a student
graduates. Measures of further education have to be chosen adapted to the individual demand, in order to allow for an efficient
achievement of required additional competences. But for most interested persons, it is very difficult to find courses suitable for
their specific learning aims as well as for their individual state of existing competences. Therefore, an assistance system is being
developed which enables the description of existing competences as well as of a target profile. Based on observed differences, a
schedule optimized toward the individual demand will be proposed where available course offers are used as components in
modular set-up.

further education and the imparting of personal

INTRODUCTION competences required to use these offers.

The aim of higher education is to enable students to REQUIREMENTS ON FURTHER EDUCATION

participate successfully in vocational life and thus
contribute to the sustainable development of society and
welfare. The performance of an employee depends on
the one hand on his ability to execute his tasks,
described by skills and competences, on the other hand
on his readiness and willingness. Thus, basic and higher
education have to orient towards the establishing of
these two properties.
In a traditional view, it is assumed that employees
gather the competences required for the execution of
their tasks during education in school and a following
specific vocational training for the intended profession
in higher education. During vocational life, it is desired
that this basic qualification is amended by broadening
experiences in the chosen field of work, resulting in a
deepened understanding and a honing of necessary skills
towards higher efficiency and finally mastery or
expertise of the specific area. Yet, nowadays this
concept of improvement by growing experiences based
upon a once given fundamental qualification is not any
more applicable for most areas of work. Rather,
especially in areas with strong relation to technology,
there is such rapid a development of methods and tools
that knowledge once gathered during basic vocational
training may be obsolete after only a few years. Also,
there is a need for all employees to gather additional
competences in order to apply newly developed
methods correctly in their tasks.
Resulting from this situation, the focus of imparting
required vocational competences has to be broadened
from a concentration on basic training towards the
concept of Life Long Learning and measures of
continuous qualification throughout the whole
professional life of employees, in order to strengthen the
competences gathered during basic and higher education
and enhance the achievement of additional required
competences. This demands both adequate offers of
In modern companies, it is well known that the
quality of products and thus the success of the company
is not only dependent on the implemented processes and
machines, but mainly on the performance of the
employees, who have to work in a system of increasing
complexity [1, 2]. A one-sided focus of development on
technical aspects will accordingly lead to dissatisfying
results [3]. Moreover, the creativity and ideas of the
employees form the most important resource of
development and success for a company [4]. Activities
of quality management and development accordingly
have to consider not only technical aspects but have to
focus on the human beings involved with their specific
needs and requirements, implementing the idea of Total
Quality Management which includes all elements and
areas of a company [5].
Thus, the adequate continuous qualification of all
employees is a core task of sustainable quality
management in nowadays knowledge based economy.
Nevertheless, economical requirements have to be
considered during the establishing of measures of
qualification, regarding costs and required time.
Development of new methods for qualification
Out of this overall situation, a huge and ever
growing market for further education has developed. To
impart required competences, a huge variety of
qualification offers is provided, focusing on different
kinds of competences (topical, social or personal). Yet,
regarding the implemented method of teaching and
learning, continuous training is mainly done via
conventional face-to-face seminaries for theoretic
knowledge or hands-on training for operational
competencies such as the use of specific software.
Especially if more complex subjects are concerned,
the necessity to be absent from the workplace during the
376 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
training and the costs arising for the course as well as
for travel and subsistence constitute a severe drawback
for many companies and also for the participant himself.
The readiness to send an employee to such a training
offer is considerably reduced by these constraints of
presence-based courses. To ease this situation and
enable a proper vocational qualification, new methods
for qualification have to be developed adapted to the
specific demands of employees under the current
conditions of modern industry. Out of the huge number
of different approaches, some major trends in
continuous qualification become evident [6]:
• Self-controlled learning
• Integration of working and learning
• Cooperative learning and knowledge management
• Informal learning
Based on these new methods, offers of vocational
training can be provided that are more fitting for the
demands of Life Long Learning under the constraints of
modern industry. Yet, to achieve an optimal result of
qualification with minimum effort, it usually is
necessary to combine several activities to a holistic
learning scenario.
Adaptation to individual demands
In order to enable an efficient and sustainable
impartment of competences, the provided measures of
qualification have to be of high quality, i.e. they have to
fulfil the requirements of customers on the qualification.
To express the quality of an educational activity, on the
one hand the impact on competences of the participants
has to be regarded. They shall on short term be able to
apply their newly gathered skills efficiently to their
actual tasks, on long term maintain and deepen their
knowledge and thus improve the quality of their work.
On the other hand, the satisfaction of learners has to be
considered which depends not only on the outcome but
also on the proceeding of a course regarding contents,
implemented methods of teaching and learning and
general circumstances.
Yet, the required content and method of any measure
of qualification depends strongly on individual
constraints. Each learner needs to achieve the
competences required for his very specific task, starting
from his already existing knowledge. To achieve a high
efficiency of qualification, the choice of methods and
courses has to be optimally adapted to the individual
demands of each concerned employee to close the gaps
between desired and available qualification. Here, both
the determination of needed competences and of
actually available competences as well as the adequate
planning of training forms major challenges.
Regarding the determination of needed competences,
it is often difficult to define the desired state. For this, a
good overview of the subject at hand and the intended
tasks therein is needed. This can be supported by facility
for structured determination of required competences
for existing and future tasks.
Regarding the estimation of existing knowledge and
skills of an employee, the most common and easy
method is to judge based on certificates of previous
education. Yet, once gathered knowledge of higher
education is lost or obsolete if it has not been used for
some time. On the other hand, a person fit for self-
driven learning may have achieved a variety of
additional competences during professional life which
are not certified.
Therefore, even if the aspect of insufficient
correlation between high marks on a topic and high
working performance is neglected, existing
competencies of an employee can not at all be judged
satisfyingly based on certificates of formal education.
In order to fulfil an individual demand, it is possible
either to create a personalised training or, to combine
ready-made training offers in a modularised way to
form an individual training concept best fitting the
actual demand. With individually designed courses, the
comparability of gathered competences is reduced
considerably and also the arising costs usually are quite
high. Yet, regarding the election of standardised training
offers, it is very difficult for the learner to identify
adequate courses in order to define an optimal training
concept.
Thus, to support the learner with the determination
of target and existing profile of competences and the
subsequent selection of appropriate training offers to
enable the definition of an individual training concept,
an adequate facility for assistance is developed.
ASSISTANCE TOOL FOR INDIVIDUALISED
FURTHER QUALIFICATION
Regarding advanced vocational qualification, the
never ending demand for continuous improvement
usually is envisioned as a staff development cycle rather
than as a unique event. To describe the phases of this
development cycle, different models are used [e. g.
3, 7]. They can be summarized in a seven step model:
1. Analysis of required competences
2. Assessment of available competences
3. Identification of demand for qualification
4. Election of adept training offers
5. Participation in training
6. Utilisation of gained knowledge in tasks
7. Assessment of training success
Based on the results of the assessment as well as
driven by new requirements, the cycle will start all over
again. The success of a measure of qualification does
not only depend on the training itself, but also on the
preceding phases of planning and selection of
appropriate training offers as well as on the subsequent
transfer of newly gained knowledge and skills to the
performance of actual tasks. Therefore, an assistance
tool for the planning of qualification has to support the
whole cycle of staff development in order to allow for a
holistic approach.
Requirements on properties
Strengthening Achieved Competences by Demand-Oriented Further Education
As a basis for the further development, requirements
for the assistance tool have to be specified, regarding
both functionalities and overall properties [8].
Regarding properties, especially user friendliness has to
be considered. The system has to be easy to handle,
robust against possible user mistakes and self-
explaining. The imparted information has to aim for
completeness regarding trainings on the market and for
correct descriptions, covering contents as well as results
of quality assessment for each course offer.
Preferably the tool shall be accessible by all
interested employees in order to enable target-oriented
advanced training. It is important for the success of Life
Long Learning that the initiative for advanced training
may come from the learner himself and not only from a
superior or a clerk in human resource department
following fixed procedures. Often, the employee
himself has a much better recognition of existing gaps
of knowledge than any other person, as he will notice if
questions arise during his work which cannot be
answered satisfyingly. If there is no possibility to
consider the opinion of the learner himself, the
willingness to participate in any activities of further
education will considerably be decreased. To enable a
broad accessibility, an easy integration into any existing
system environment and low requirements on a user’s
computer are desirable.
Requirements on functionalities
In order to define the intended functionalities of the
tool, based on the seven stepped model for each phase it
has to be analysed, in which way a person trying to find
suitable measures of qualification could be supported.
During the first two steps, analyses of competences
have to be executed. On the one hand, the target profile
of competences has to be identified, focusing on
knowledge and skills required to fulfil the given or
future tasks correctly and efficiently but considering
also demand of future development. On the other hand,
the current competence profile of a specific person
intended to perform this task has to be measured.
Herein, it is necessary to provide a possibility for the
comparable description of the intended or available
competences, adapted to the considered area of tasks.
This has to include a comprehensive portfolio of
relevant skills as well as an adequate set of categories
for rating desired and current state against it. For both
steps, the same scheme for assessment has to be used in
order to provide comparability between the two
recorded profiles. This information also can be used as
subject-specific input for describing job characteristics
respectively for performance appraisal of employees or
as a tool to support accreditation of competences
gathered via informal learning processes or former, non-
standardised measures of training.
For the following identification of the actual demand
for qualification, targeted and current competence
profile have to be compared and occurring deficits have
to be highlighted. Depending on the size of the
377
identified gaps, a recommendation has to be provided, if
additional training is necessary or if identified deficits
are likely to be easily smoothed out by ways of informal
learning, e.g. by increasing experience in the execution
of tasks or by exchange among co-workers.
In order to schedule measures of qualification
adequately for the specific situation of the intended
learner, besides the content of training specified by the
identified deviations of competence profiles also other
constraints have to be considered. Thus, requirements
regarding disposable time, acceptable costs, formal
specifications such as the employee’s level of education
and previous training with accredited certificates,
available technical infrastructure, preferred method of
learning and other constraints, e.g. maximum travel time
for seminars, have to be collected.
Based on this comprehensive analysis of user
requirements, possible qualification offers can be
identified that fit the gaps in competences as well as the
learner’s constraints. It has to be checked if preparative
or integrative methods should be preferred and to which
extent they may be used, considering available time and
infrastructure. Then, out of the identified possibilities
qualification concepts have to be defined and evaluated
according to their fulfilment of the requirements.
Finally, one or several suitable plans adapted to the
individual demands are derived. As a prerequisite for
this recommendation, a data base of generally available
training offers is required, where contents and
circumstances are described. The results are displayed
to the user, who selects one of the suggestions. If no
suitable offers are to be found, the collected data may be
used as specifications for an individually developed
training.
For the actual participation in the qualification
program, no support from the tool is required. Yet,
afterwards a possibility for assessing the training should
be offered. The gathered results can be included in the
data base and thus enable a fine-tuning of
recommendations.
Also, suitable methods to support the transfer of
newly gained competences to the performance of actual
tasks and enhance activities of knowledge sharing with
co-workers should be proposed and as an integral part of
the qualification concept to increase the effect of
training for the actual participant as well as for the
whole surrounding. By that, each individual employee
can contribute to the knowledge network in his
company or even in a larger context [9].
Finally, after a certain time to assure an unbiased
assessment, the now available competences should be
measured and compared with the target profile. Here
again a standardised set of categories and observed
skills is needed, where the same criteria are used as
during the first assessment of competences and the
definition of target competences. Based on these results,
the cycle eventually can be started all over again.
PREREQUESITES FOR SUCCESFUL FURTHER
QUALIFICATION
378 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
The successful participation in Life Long Learning
and thus the sustainment of value for the labour market
require ability and motivation to use offered facilities
for learning and self-improvement. Virtual courses
provide some specific advantages and disadvantages
compared to conventional face-to-face teaching to the
participant, resulting from the higher degree of freedom.
But this choice of possibilities causes also a high self-
responsibility for the learning progress and thus
demands sufficient organisational and self-motivational
skills of the learner. But so far, during university
education most students do not experience any courses
based on self-controlled learning.
Usually, participants rate the high degree of freedom
very positive and thus approve of the provided courses,
as observed by the HISBUS study, which was
conducted to measure the view of students in German
universities on eLearning [10]. But as virtual courses
mainly establish an additional offer – amending but not
replacing conventional lectures or seminaries – it has to
be considered that the positive results are biased by the
fact that only those students participate, who are
exceptionally motivated and comply with the
requirements of a successful participation better than the
average student.
This assumption fits well with the observed quite
low quote of acceptance and usage of purely virtual
lectures, courses or seminaries. The ratio of acceptance
describes the percentage of students that use an offer out
of those knowing about the offer, and amounts to about
36-48%, depending on the kind of offer and the course
of studies. The ratio of participation describes the
percentage of students that use an offer out of all
possible users, and amounts to about 4-8%. [10]
The data of the HISBUS study suggests strongly
that, although it is commonly assumed that graduates
are fit to use eLearning based offers of vocational
training without problems, most of them do not have
any experience with this. By studying the reactions of
students obliged to join a virtual course as a compulsory
subject, it was gathered, that although all students had
been able to participate and rated the course itself quite
positively, they experienced severe difficulties to adjust
to self-controlled learning [11].
Theses experiences show that it is necessary to
introduce all students to new forms of learning, in order
to prepare them for a vocational life requiring Life Long
Learning by an increasing number of self-directed,
computer-based offers. Therefore it would be useful to
emphasize the inclusion of eLearning-based offers in the
regular course of study for all engineering students.
Yet, to enhance a successful participation in such
unfamiliar courses, the students have to be thoroughly
prepared and informed. Also, eLearning should not be
regarded as a possibility to decrease academic staff, as
the opportunity to contact a tutor when required has to
be considered as a key component of success for all
learning offers.
CONCLUSION AND OUTLOOK
In nowadays knowledge based economy,
employees’ capability and willingness to perform make
up a main influence on success in vocational life. Life
Long Learning for vocational qualification is necessary
to assure the sustainable use and improvement of
competences gathered in basic and higher education.
To enhance a proper adjustment to the individual
requirements and target competences of the specific
learner, a concept for an assistance system has been
developed which provides holistic support during the
whole staff development cycle. This concept can be
used for all subjects by adapting the observed
competences to the specific demands and accordingly
registering courses on related topics in the data base.
Additionally, it is necessary to prepare students for
Life Long Learning during higher education by
introducing them to modern learning methods. Thus,
competences gathered in higher education later on can
strengthened and amended by adequate further
qualification.
References
1. Geiger, W (1994), Qualitätslehre, Vieweg, Braunschweig.
2. Pfeifer, T. (2001), Qualitätsmanagement - Strategien,
Methoden, Techniken, Carl Hanser, München.
3. Weinert, A. (1998), Organisationspsychologie,
Psychologie Verlagsunion, Weinheim.
4. Lubit, R. (2001), “Tacit knowledge and knowledge
management - The keys to sustainable competitive
advantage”, Organizational Dynamics, 29(3), 164-178.
5. Wilkinson, A. and Brown, A. (2007), “Managing People”,
in: B. G. Dale et al. (eds.), Managing Quality, Blackwell
Publishing, Manston, 200-233.
6. Weckenmann, A. and Werner, T. (2009), “Quality
Management for Sustainability in Manufacturing”, in:
M.S. Shunmugan, N. Ramesh Babu (eds.), Proceedings of
the 7th Global Conference on Sustainable Manufacturing
(GCSM) "Sustainable Product Development and Life
Cycle Engineering", IITM, Chennai, 19-25.
7. Wood, F.H. and McQuarrie, F.O. and Thomson, S.R.
(1982), “Practitioners and Professors Agree on Effective
Staff Development Practices”, Educational Leadership,
40(1), 28-31.
8. Werner, T. and Weckenmann, A. (2010), “Computer-
assisted generation of individual training concepts for
advanced education in manufacturing metrology”,
Measurement Science and Technology, 21(5), 6pp.
9. Mazzola, A. and Bruccoleri, M. and Perrone, G. (2009),
“A strategic framework for firm networks in
manufacturing industry: An empirical survey”, CIRP
Annals – Manufacturing Technology, 58(1), 387-390.
10. Kleimann, B. and Weber, S. and Willige, J. (2005), “E-
Learning aus Sicht der Studierenden“, Kurzbericht Nr.
10, HIS GmbH, Hannover.
11. Weckenmann, A. and Werner, T. (2008), “Introducing
Engineering Students to Open Distance Learning – a case
study on the acceptance of a virtual course as compulsory
subject”, in: F. Fink (ed.), SEFI 2008 36th Annual
Conference – Book of Abstracts, Sense Publishers,
Rotterdam, 50 and CD-ROM.
SECTION II: CURRICULA DESIGN
380 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
 MODEL FOR DEVELOPING PROGRAMS OF STUDY BUILT ON STANDARDS OF
PREPARATION AND PROFESSIONAL TRAINING BASED ON COMPETENCES
Doinita ARITON, Carmen G. SIRBU, Alina B. RAILEANU, Florian M NUTA., Viorel ARITON, Alina C NUTA.1
1
Danubius University of Galati, research@univ-danubius.ro

Abstract: This paper aims to offer a practical model construction for developing programs of study for any specialization. Case Study
included in this paper is the elaboration of the curriculum Finance-Banks based on competencies identified as necessary in specific activities of
banks. The concept of competencies is meaning of "organizing" against which are selected and organized learning content, training methods,
assessment procedures. Competence is "red thread" that crosses all training courses, from primary school to university. Identification of training
needs is an important first step of any training course, but, however, often overlooks it. This paper is based on educational research carried out
within the Leonardo da Vinci program, Certiskills project.
Key Words: standards, competencies, interview, qualifications, training

 Information To describe their competences and working

gathering and knowledge sequence, taking necessary action verbs
1. COMPETENCIES AND SKILLS - KEY interpretation; with additional descriptive elements on:
 preparing and  Identifying the main core issues;
ELEMENTS OF HIGH EDUCATION TRAINING

Work Preparation
arranging  To that end, gathering all necessary information
materials, and the correct interpretation in terms of expected
equipment, tools results;
Form of "Knowledge Society", as traditional and appliances,  Identify the various possible solutions and thus
organization - mainly emphasized on bureaucracy,  estimate of identifying and choosing the most appropriate
work and action solutions;
hierarchy, specialization, standardization and control. sequences to be  Fitting basic criteria that should be identified,
It's would leaving the area of organizational pattern performed; found and combined resources on the problem
based on the concepts linked, partially smoothing  ... solution.
To describe their competences and working
hierarchies, disseminate horizontal communication,  Implement knowledge sequence, taking necessary action verbs
decentralization of responsibilities, strict separation procedures with additional descriptive on:
Work performance

considered;  implementation - sometimes individually and in

between sectors of the same organization. Professional
monitoring

 Monitoring groups - the procedures, according to what was

competences ensure effective and efficient support for process and considered in the given plane;
product;  detect biases arising in various stages of work;
managing complex processes, introducing significant  adjustments;  adjustment required to bring the process under
innovation in human resources development and their  ... control;
evaluation. The employees of Knowledge Society have  management of working groups.

the professional performances evaluated through their implementation
To describe their competences and working
skills directly to work in organizational processes and review results;
knowledge sequence, taking necessary action verbs
 detect their
by providing outcomes both tangible and intangible, as incidence on
with additional descriptive on:
Final  relevance biases emerged in the final result;
the integration, coordination and innovation. control
other productive
 contribution to the plan change also established
Such competences belong to a professional profile stages,
strategic issues relating to settlement
customers,
and refer to results/outcomes of activities which are not  Management techniques and group control
colleagues;
technicians.
only diverse but also require responsibility, autonomy  recording
results.
and sometimes control and training others. Description  implement
To describe their competences and working
of professional profile must offer descriptions of corrective action
Improvements

knowledge sequence, taking necessary action verbs

and improvement,
activities in any times of a specific process and or communication
with additional descriptive elements on:
 assess the deviation;
indicators of performance tasks. If we consider the abnormalities
 definition/proposal-in the presence of relevant
individual skills to cope with the task to be carried out, relevant figure;
bias - the improvement actions and strategies for
 recording
it is to recognize recurring elements, which s/he will results.
business.

apply their skills to support the work efficiently and
effectively: diagnosing of tasks; drafting an action
plan; preparing for what is absolutely necessary;
considered implementation plan / prepared; final
monitoring and control work in progress; actions to be
taken in case of error. The Table 1 below facilitates a
description of timely importance/complexity of
competences given by their articulation of knowledge
applied in sequence (always introduced by the phrase
"participants should know how").
Table.1. Competence-results relations in the fields Finance-
Banks specialization [5]
Internships
Typical operations Useful guidelines to describe a sequence of applied
typical
traineeship knowledge
workflow
2. LEARNING RESULTS
The reform of high education system process ask
the identification of professional profiles, needs of
society and the objectives set by the academic
community who will play an important role in national
and regional sustainable development. It is very
important to define the each level of
education/professional training what are the learning
outcomes and competences acquired. Learning
outcomes can be applied throughout a course of study
in first or second cycle (degree, teaching degree) or a
single course (module or course unit). It is clear that
the results of education and skills should be the final
qualification of a course of study. Skills and learning
outcomes allows for flexibility and independence in
building the curriculum and at the same time offer the
fundamental indicators at each education system level,
382 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
accepted by all actors on the labour market and
especially by employers.
The analyze of labour market necessities focused
on learning outcomes and competences stresses that
there is a substantial change in the paradigm of
teaching that focus on student learning is itself
increasing importance. Need to give importance and
recognition aspect of learning has an impact on the
classification and construction of educational programs
leading to professional qualifications. This requires a
transition from an educational system focused on
teaching to one focused on learning.
Reflecting on the various aspects that characterize
this trend becomes clear focus on the competences;
previous paradigm emphasizes the acquisition and
transfer of knowledge. The paradigm shift involved the
following elements: an education that focuses more on
students, a different role of the teacher, a redefinition
of objectives, even a change in the approach of
education, a shift from input to output a change in
organization learning. Interest in developing skills in
educational programs is under an educational approach
centred mainly on himself/herself as student and the
ability of his/her to learn. This requires greater
involvement from the teacher because the student must
develop the capacity to deal new information and to
find and evaluate sources of information in their
various forms (from teachers, libraries, Internet etc).
This approach emphasizes that the student is the central
point of this paradigm.
Considering that the university's traditional role has
been seen as limited to the development and transfer of
knowledge is not surprising that many academics are
not accustomed to consider methods of teaching and
learning based on competencies and thus are
unfamiliar with the vocabulary and concepts used to
describe classify those methods (or are even hostile to
them). The changing paradigm is that the university
should not be limited to enhanced knowledge transfer
and evolving - a traditional area of specialization - but
also a variety of skills (general skills and competence
matter). This implies as particular universities to
develop a new method of teaching and learning to
encourage, enable and promote student skills, such as
analysis and synthesis, independent opinions, curiosity,
ability to work in teams and communication skills.
Changes in methods and objectives of teaching and
learning involve further changes to the methods and
criteria for assessing appropriate profile. They should
not only consider the subject knowledge but also the
capacity and competence (general skills and
competence matter). In the ways of development of
ensuring the quality at European level of professional
profile it is essential to assure transparency and the
ability to compare systems training and assessment
criteria of a professional profile. As a summary of the
results of education and skills it can be used in the
European Qualifications Framework (EQF). A formal
proposal on the EQF was presented by the Commission
in spring 2006 and was the objective of a Council
Recommendation to Member States. So now, the EQF
proposal covers all types of education (including
university) and is characterized by three basic
principles: 1) Should be a core set of common
reference points - referring to the results of education
located in an 8-levels structure; 2) These reference
levels would be supported by a number of means and
tools to address its application to individual citizens (a
system of credit accumulation and transfer of European
life education, the Europass instrument, Ploteus
database for educational opportunities); 3) EQF
included a set of common principles and procedures to
provide rules for cooperation between participants at
different levels - in particular emphasized quality
assurance, validation, guidance and key competences.
As shown in the EQF are eight levels of the results of
education and they are described - as is illustrated
below - in terms of knowledge, skills and personal and
professional skills (which they are divided into four
types). For each level there are three types of learning
outcomes - see Table 2.
Table 2. Professional competences and skills interconnection [6]
Professional competences and abilities
Knowledge
Abilities
Autonomy Study Social
Level
and Competences competences Professional
responsibility and competences
communication
The qualifications framework presented in THE
EUROPEAN STUDY OF A LIFE, from July 8, 2005,
stated that "key skills were partly integrated into the
common reference levels and descriptors of the EQF;
this is particularly true for 'learning to learn',
'interpersonal and civic competences',' entrepreneurship
'and' cultural expression 'which were merged into one
category' personal and professional skills.” Other key
skills, e.g. language skills, digital skills and
mathematics, science and technology are brought to an
appropriate level of detail in national and sector
frameworks. "The main importance of learning
outcomes is emphasized in such a way that the
questionnaire used by the Commission for consultation
with Member States is the following question: "How
and when could the national certification bodies to
adjust your approach based on the results of
education?”
3. CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY
FOR SPECIALIZATION FINANCE – BANKS
The investigation in the frame of banks concerning
the identification of professional competencies by
results/outcomes in specific activities had two
important parts: 1) definitions of competencies in
banks specific activities – Part A; 2) define of Units of
Competence – Part B.
The first part of investigation: "participant should
demonstrate ...", descriptors should be formulated - at
least for each activity analyzed "... The participant is
able..." – the situations should make explicit the
results/outcomes expected, verifiable and indicator of
professional performances. What matters is that they
Choosing the Academic Program: An Exploratory Research on the Dynamics of Students’ Decision-
making Process
383
are considered suitable situations and as a "test review"
in a training situation. As a case in particular for
enabling the identification of technical and professional
skills - to obtain a description "uniform and concise" -
is one where the participant is asked: a) What is the
most similar to current activity of processes (the same
technology, same procedures, same consumption etc.),
the better if it is implemented in the same technical and
social contexts of employment; b) What is the most
significant result in the critical field of activity and
relevant current employment situation process? The
answer of many boarding banks at these questions
allowed us to update curricula of master degree
programs in this field. An example of a concise
description of the unit in a situation where a person is
asked a result (output) is illustrated in Table 3.
Table 3. List of specific banks activities related to results.
Person should be able to:
1…
2…
3. to determine the client reliability and repayment capacity of the request
credit
The result (output) describe the most important
objective competence-based learning because it is the
least exposed to risk of emotional interference or
pollution from other variables (empathy,
communication skills, etc.) which would make the
other test. From this perspective, it is suggested that - if
it is considered possible - to describe the situations
where the result is required should be extended and
enriched by adding information to guide the evaluation
of those elements which - although not valued on the
result/outcome itself and its inside - are still valued by
other means (e.g. by indicating the criteria and
procedures useful to illustrate the solutions
incorporated in the product, etc.). Below are two
examples of different rich descriptions, on the same
situation in the example above. The first description
indicates as such participant is in a situation where, in
addition to elaborating the result, he / she could explain
the reason of the professional choices of project
completed as result – Table 4.
Table 4. Results expected as professional competencies in
Finance-Banks field
Participant should be able to:
1…
2…
3.
 to identify all documents necessary for a complete credit dossier
 to determine the client reliability and repayment capacity of the request
credit
The second description gives details of results of
competencies as product specification by incorporating
a draft report of the reasons elections met, and by
detailing the "field" (based :...), be related to the
reasons – Table 5.
Table 5 – Results specification as product of professional
competencies in Finance-Banks field
Participant should demonstrate:
1…
2…
3. to identify all documents necessary for a complete credit dossier
With the view of approval of application for credit, should be analysed a
series of documents that certify the reliability of the client and assure
minimizing of risks for cooperative. In this sense, the credit inspector, to the
dossier reception should verify the existence of all requested documents and
their correctness.
In the second part of investigation shall formulate
indicators that are needed to express their assessment skills
and detail level. Some guidelines are explored below for the
definition of indicators. Recommendation is the limiting the
number of indicators for each descriptor defined by taking
into account the criteria for making revisions of skills:
selected indicators must be most relevant for the current
competence and can be used as factors of the competence
predictor. The important aspects of identifying of
competences needs in banks are : 1) each Unit of
Competence must not necessarily be a review unit;
summarize tests could be envisaged to ascertain (by
grouping, summarizing, etc.) competences (and related
situations and indicators) for more than one Unit of
Competence; 2) similarly to the review of a single Unit of
Competence, it may verify (by grouping, summarizing, etc.)
more competences (and related situations and indicators) of
the same Unit of Competence.
In the second part of investigation (Part B) descriptions
should be formulated and produced for, and the participants,
to assess those aspects of competence, though not appreciable
in the product itself, can be assessed in other ways: the
following example, dealing with the previous one – Table 6.
Table 6. Product (Result) descriptions in Finance-Banks field
Participant Indicators:
should
demonstrate:
1…  ...
2…  ...
3. [Examples of product descriptions (= project) and choose the
 to most significant "predictors"]
identify all oinput data necessary for planning (plan features available
documents locations, types and standards of service, etc..) Are made
necessary for explicit and examined.
a complete o(and / or) are identified faultless service areas required to
credit dossier implement defined standards.
o(and / or) ...
 to oKnow how to describe the main distinguishing features of a
determine the "loan repayment mode;
client o(and / or) knowledge of how to illustrate the logic behind the
reliability and correct application of the criterion of "guaranteeing"
repayment o(and / or) knowledge of how to rebuild guide planning etc.
capacity of
the request
credit
This kind of investigation of juridical entity can be
chosen to formulate indicators necessary of human
resources development and it is a way which entails a
"technology" complex, which is characterized by an
increased content of "objectivity", while requiring
relatively sophisticated processes and tools. This
method will be illustrated in any case that could be
used in some Unit of Competence's, also illustrated in
combination with the first paragraph - Table 1.
There is a general consensus on the definition of
"indicator”. "Indicator" is defined differently
depending on context. For example, we can see that the
same words that are used to indicate some different
concepts (for example, some authors use the term
"parameters" to define what others call it "index"). In
384 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
this context, the term "indicator" is used as described
below. An indicator showing: a) Quantitative measures
of phenomena and features subject to detection /
measurement; b) Qualitative phenomena private
functions subject to review.
The values indicators have provided clues that
define limits of quantitative values, or to specify
requirements and conditions for qualitative
phenomena. It has stressed the importance of defining
indicators and indices in a way around that there is a
consensus among experts in the field of labour market
and training and education. The first step of curricula
updating is the identification of activities and
indicators measurement and/or review.
Descriptor of professional profile must demonstrate
is "field" of phenomena subject detection/measurement
or review. If appropriate descriptor was made,
phenomena are easily detectable by analysis using
verbs, objects / complements on and syntactic
structure: the set of "control" language might warn us
of the situation relevant features subject to review. It
must remind that the expected results may take
different forms in each case, they can be grouped into
two main categories: 1) It could take the form of a
tangible product, whether manufactured physical (e.g.
a mechanical device) or the result of follow up on, and
tangible items (e.g. if a technician management,
product equipment maintained: the lubricating oil
lubricated condition items, cleaning machine parts,
etc...); 2) It could take the form of an intangible
product or consisting of one or more documents (e.g. a
project) or completely intangible, such as an activity
performed coincident with the interface between
supplier and customer, and do not expect any
transaction with a / on the physical elements, and not
involving documentation (e.g. describing a work of art
to a credit guide).
Now consider the result formulated in the example
above: "... A person should demonstrate: to identify all
documents necessary for a complete credit dossier
In order to obtain the approval of application for
credit, should be analysed a series of documents that
certify the reliability of the client and assure
minimizing of risks for cooperative. The credit
inspector, to the dossier reception should verify the
existence of all requested documents and their
correctness".
Analysis of verbs, objects and syntactic structure
that outlines the three processes are essentially subject
of investigation / measuring and / or review: 1)
Planning appropriate inputs ("Drafting ... based on”);
2) Optimizing connections and deployment bodies
("Drafting ... on the optimal deployment of connections
and bodies ...»); 3) Election Motivation Project
("Project preparation, a report containing the choices
made during the project"). For each identified
processes, we need to understand that, whether criteria
quantitative or qualitative, taking into consideration,
sometimes result in the formulation, may be present
margin of ambiguity / complexity, which cannot easily
be grouped into one classification. For example, we
could see how the first phenomenon as "appropriate
planning inputs" should be considered qualitative
because it is impossible to identify a unit able of
"planning consistency measure. It may be reviewed
only by qualitative variables. In general, the same can
be said for other processes during investigation of
professional competences required.
4. CONCLUSIONS
Each training program has as input different
contextual elements and limitations of various types
that must be carefully analyzed and evaluated. For
starters, the objective of the plan must be clearly
understood: suppose you have to do with brief but
continuing intervention training - has to do with a
complicated surgery and should be articulated as an
educational process designed to achieve a final grade
of the original course subject? Organization or person
is responsible for planning its own models of
instruction (teaching methods), planning and
assessment methods so that the scheme intends to
incorporate the plan? Planning the training program to
provide a degree, an official document that records the
certification competencies developed? Skills course
will be certified at the end of individual segments of
the program important? There are rules to be followed?
In a hypothetical situation planning principles are
obviously competences and standards of training that
works very realistic as a compass for orientation
training program, ensuring transparency, providing
recognition of diplomas and the expected results after
learning. These standards are so "reference point" for
the program schedule learning (formal, non-formal,
informal) to determine the final state, e.g. learning
outcomes expected after completion of learning. They
are effective factor for the program, represents a
strategic dimension and the main source of
legitimization of the proposed training. Result of
analysis of competences of a professional profile
represent the training needs of a person must obtain, in
whole or in part, identified skills during an
investigation in labour market as we have brief
presented in this paper. When a training program is
designed to obtain a professional profile it must contain
the entire Unit of Competence (and Unit of Training)
that are relevant.
References
1. Andragogy, Encyclopedia of Informal Education. Explore
informal education, lifelong and social action,
http://www.infed.org/lifelonglearning/b-andra.htm,
2. Simmonds, D. (2008). Proiectarea si livrarea programelor de
training. Bucuresti : Codecs.
3. Vaughn, R.H. (2008). Manualul trainerului profesionist. Bucuresti
: Codecs
4. Train the Trainer. Training Fundamentals. Instructor’s Reference
Manual. Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific,
United Nation, New York, 2001
5. http://www.certiskills.net/Vproduct/certiskills-pub1-ENG.pdf
6.
http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/education_culture/publ/pdf/eqf/broch_en.pdf
 CHOOSING THE ACADEMIC PROGRAM: AN EXPLORATORY RESEARCH ON THE
DYNAMICS OF STUDENTS’ DECISION-MAKING PROCESS
Rodica BOIER1
1
"Gh. Asachi" Technical University of Iaşi, Rodica_Boier@yahoo.com
The paper summarizes the outcomes of a complex exploratory research, planned and conducted in the last five years. The results of the research
describe the distinct dynamic of the decision process involving prospective students: the specific way in which they became aware of the need to
continue their studies; the manner in which they collect information about available education programs; the methods of evaluating each
program; the final choice decision; the assessment of satisfaction levels during the studies, at their completion and, later on, during the process of
insertion in the labor market.
The objective of the research is to provide an insight into the internal dynamic of the decision process involved in the adoption of an academic
program and to explore the changes that Romanian prospective students have experienced in terms of how they manage this process, from the
initial recognition of the need to pursue higher education training to the post-graduation self-assessment.

INTRODUCTION to 2009, on a continuous basis, combining the use of

The decision to choose a specific higher education
program is reflected in the sequence of actions that
student undertakes, from the moment the student
recognizes of the need to acquire certain competencies
through formal education up to the choice decision
itself, followed by its assessment during the studies and
after their completion. In that decision, the prospective
student undertakes five essential steps: need recognition,
collection of information that may be instrumental in the
decision-making, assessment of available options, the
decision itself and, finally, the assessment of the higher
education program, during studies and after their
completion.
Several major contemporary phenomena, specific to
the global higher education environment and to the
Romanian one in particular, have led to fundamental or
minor transformations in the decision process involved
in selecting specific offerings. This paper is intended to
develop former high-performance educational
marketing approaches centered on the university’s effort
to design, communicate and deliver value to students,
stakeholders and society at large [Boier, 2000; Boier,
2010; Boier et al. 2008].
The speciality literature refers to a large number of
investigations, each of which seek to elucidate one
aspect or another of the process that a student undergoes
in his/her more or less successful attempt to decide on a
particular university, faculty, specialization, type of
course, etc. [Bennett and Ali-Choudhury, 2009; Bennett
and Ali-Choudhury, 2006; Blasco and Saura, 2006;
Brennan et al., 2008; Bruce and Edgington, 2008;
Clemes et al., 2008; Edmiston-Strasser, 2009; Ghosh et
al., 2008; Hayes et al., 2009; Helgesen, 2008; McClung
and Werner, 2008; Mansfield and Warwick, 2006;
Maringe and Gibbs, 2008; Paswan and Ganesh, 2009;
Prugsamatz et al., 2007; Sauer and O'Donnell, 2007;
Yang et al., 2008].
The universities’ educational marketing efforts,
aimed at increasing the recruitment rate, coupled with
the use of information technology and communication
increasingly enable the deciders to make informed
choices. These issues are equally relevant for
prospective students at all levels of higher education, yet
apparently more so to undergraduates.
The paper summarizes the outcomes of a complex
exploratory research, planned and conducted from 2005
three qualitative methods. The focus group examination
was carried out on successive series of students for a
total of 11 specialized sessions. In-depth individual
interviews were aimed particularly at respondents from
three categories relevant for the research: those with
considerable experience in making specific decisions,
those who had obviously succeeded and those who had
failed in their decision. The focus group sessions were
conducted at Gh. Asachi Technical University of Iasi,
Romania and organized separately in accordance with
the profiles of participants: students in high school final
years, as future university admission candidates; current
students of technical higher education courses; past or
recent graduates; parents of prospective and enrolled
students; teaching professionals involved in the
promotion activities; members of academic and
administrative staff.
The objective of the research was to provide an
insight into the internal dynamic of the decision process
involved in the adoption of an academic program and to
explore the changes that Romanian prospective students
have experienced in terms of how they manage this
process, from the initial awareness of the need for
higher education training to the post-graduation self-
assessment.
The observation method was used in conducting the
research, analyzing the amount and quality of
information materials provided to the stakeholders
interested in the activity of universities/faculties
(websites, brochures, leaflets, fliers, posters, etc.).
The results of the research describe the distinct
dynamic of the decision process involving prospective
students: the specific way in which they recognized the
need to continue their studies; how they collect
information about available education programs; the
methods of evaluating each program; the final decision
to choose; the assessment of satisfaction levels during
the studies, on their completion and, later on, during the
process of insertion in the labor market.
The research describes the changes that the
prospective student has experienced over time, from the
decision to choose an academic program based on
criteria that, quite often, disregarded the student’s own
potential for performance, the intrinsic capacity of the
program of study itself to generate competence and the
realities of the labor market, which is also undergoing
386 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
dramatic transformations. The main findings, selected
for presentation in this paper, are about the dramatic
shift of information sources for the prospective students
toward the virtual space, and the process to gather
information in order to lower the involved risk. These
aspects will be approached in detail below.
Information search on the Internet
Both for the established academic programs of
prestigious universities and for newly introduced
programs, prospective students resort to information
from university and/or personal sources. Typically,
personal sources – perceptions resulting from the
personal experience of persons who the student trusts –
tend to convey greater confidence, compared to
university sources, which are perceived from the start in
terms of the intrinsic interest to promote the offered
service.
Prospective students filter the collected information
through the prism of their own values and convictions.
Their reaction to the information acquired may vary in
relation to the joint influence of such factors as: the
degree of prospect involvement of the higher education
program; the complexity and value of the offering for
the prospect; the support received from others (parents,
professors, friends, peers); the perception of entailed
risks and the concrete ways of managing the risks
involved; the urgency of the decision, etc.
The internet is increasingly the preferred information
source, even for prospects from rural areas. Internet
ranked as the first source in 80% of cases, the difference
between the two residence areas (i.e. urban and rural)
being insignificant in this respect. The percentage is
even higher for MA prospective students compared with
BA prospects.
The main cited internet addresses were the official
site of the Romanian Ministry of Education, Research,
Youth and Sports (www.edu.ro) and the sites of
universities and faculties, respectively. As regards the
favorite information sources of prospective MA
students, the site www.postuniversitar.ro was at the top
of the list, indicated by 87% of respondents.
Reducing enrollment decision risk
With varying degrees of intensity, risk is
permanently present in the decision process involved in
the adoption of a higher education program of study.
The student will decide on a field of study,
specialization, geographical area, city, faculty in
addition to other extra-curricular aspects such as
accommodation and meal services, transportation,
entertainment opportunities, etc. The questions of what,
how much, how, where and when related to a preferred
academic program confront the prospective student who
is about to decide on a higher education course.
University marketing has the capacity to determine the
student’s needs, wants and interests and to provide
solutions which will deliver satisfaction in the long run.
Marketing itself will benefit of the anticipated
performance: increased enrollment in admission
contests, a more favorable university / faculty image and
greater students’ loyalty, and the additional positive
long-term effects that these will produce.
Risk perception differs from one prospect to another,
due to the main aspects that risk correlates with, i.e. the
program category; the type of prospect; and the nature
of the enrollment situation.
The program category influences the perceived risk
in terms of both its level and extent. Thus, the more
involving the higher education program is for the
prospect, the more elevated the perceived risk will be
for the student in a process of evaluating the enrollment
decision. The degree of involvement increases if the
program is more complex in content terms and more
relevant for the acquisition of specific knowledge;
likewise, if the costs involved are high; if the necessary
time expenditure is hard to make up; if the
specialization contributes to a greater extent to the
student/graduate’s public image.
The type of prospective student refers to a wide
range of typologies, extending between two extremes:
prospects who take on risks impulsively, at one end, and
prospects who avoid risk completely, at the other end.
Various possible situations occur within this range, as
individuals blend to varying degrees risk acceptance and
risk aversion, depending on their proximity to one or the
other the said extremities. Age, gender, education, level
of information, residence environment etc. are variables
which influence the inclusion of the prospective student
into a particular category of attitudes to purchasing risk.
Based on the findings of our research, the decision
situation – a segment of the standard decision process –
does not exert considerable influence on the prospective
student’s perception of the risk entailed, because
information, evaluation and deliberation generally
extend over a longer period and enrollment follows the
classical pattern.
Risk means the state of uncertainty, which the
prospective student faces when he cannot accurately
foresee the consequences of his projected enrollment.
Risk therefore anticipates the loss that the student may
incur in case he fails to make the optimal choice.
In an attempt at a thorough investigation, by
dissecting the global risk perceived by the prospective
student, we may observe that risk includes following
dimensions: performance risk, financial risk, physical
risk, psychological risk, social risk and time risk. Most
frequently, one risk element entails another in a
sequential manner, therefore the whole chain must be
considered when examining global risk.
Performance risk refers to the fact that the offering
may not achieve the expected level of performance and
deliver the promised solutions and benefits, or that it
will quickly become outdated due to the sudden shifts in
the market place demands for specialists. In terms of the
performance risk, the study indicates a rather weak
connection between the prospective student’s decision
to choose a higher education program of study, on the
one hand, and the competence level (i.e. information,
Choosing the Academic Program: An Exploratory Research on the Dynamics of Students’ Decision-making
Process
knowledge, skills and attitudes) which the program is
certainly capable to provide, on the other hand.
Physical risk occurs when the product endangers
the prospects’ health or even their life. The study
suggests an extremely low perception by prospects of
such physical risks (e.g. the lack of proper comfort that
can cause illnesses; violence on student campuses, etc.).
Financial risk raises the possibility that the prospect
may be wrong in deciding on a program of study which
is too theoretical, disconnected from reality or outdated
in terms of the information provided. Additionally, the
prospect’s failure to carry out thorough market research
in advance may cause him to miss the most
advantageous offerings, in terms of the costs incurred.
Psychological risk is connected to the prospect’s
self, self-image and self-confidence and refers to
embarrassing, traumatizing and even damaging social
consequences that he may incur in case of a wrong
choice of academic program. From this point of view,
the perception of psychological risk has a perverse
effect, confirmed by the study: quite a lot of high school
graduates decide on a specialization without assessing
its contribution to providing skills that will be in
demand on the market place, but rather based on criteria
such as “I’ll see what people, colleagues etc. say”. This
actually explains the increased enrollment level for
specializations viewed as fashionable.
Social risk is possibly the most related to
psychological risk, among the several listed risk types,
because it involves the prospective student’s reference
groups in the assessments he conducts. The choice of a
particular program or university/faculty can cause
admiration, envy, imitation or, conversely, disapproval,
irony or even contempt.
Time risk is more keenly felt by the prospective
student who is aware of this limited resource. The ways
in which the student’s time may be wasted include: the
difficult access to information about the offering, the
lack of available places in labs or libraries, long waiting
lines at the university’s administrative office, etc.
Reviewing these aspects is not an objective in itself.
The marketing professional operating in the area of
university services constantly seeks to know: the risk
sources anticipated by the prospective student; the
extent of each risk source identified; the student’s
approach to reducing risk entailed in the decision on a
particular program of study; the solutions the marketer
may come up with to ensure that the prospect is
recruited, enrollment goes through and it ultimately
leads to the student’s/graduate’s satisfaction.
It must be emphasized that, spontaneously or
deliberately, and with more or less inspiration, the
prospective student will produce personal strategies to
confront the risk involved in the enrollment decision.
Such strategies enable the prospect to increase his
confidence in the favorable consequences of his
decision. Nevertheless, one of the tasks of marketing is
to diminish cognitive dissonance, i.e. that state of
uncertainty and therefore anxiety and stress that the
prospective student experiences prior to the decision to
387
choose an academic program. Cognitive dissonance is
also often experienced after the decision has been made,
sometimes for a long period of time, throughout the
program duration or even after graduation.
Risk management in the enrollment decision
Marketing must not ignore or underestimate the risk
involved in choosing a particular academic program,
because prospective students themselves are aware of it
and their own perception will influence the selection
pool that the university / faculty will eventually tap. The
chapter ‘student risk’ must be thoroughly considered in
marketing planning. Below we provide a checklist of
actions that marketers must take into account, in
agreement with the requirements of research-based risk
management in the decision process to adopt an
academic program (Figure 1).
………………………………………………………….
1. Identify all the risk sources involved in the decision
to adopt a program of study, as perceived by the following
categories: current own students, students of competing
universities/faculties/programs, potential students, prospective
students.
2. Classify the identified risk sources involved in the
adoption decision in terms of their type (extent).
3. Measure the prospective students’ and separately,
the parents’ perception of the intensity of each risk source;
rank the identified risk sources in reverse order of severity to
produce a list based on urgency of action
4. Examine the current strategies that prospective
students’ employ to reduce their own perceived risk.
5. Design solutions to meet the prospects’
expectations, to reduce the potential risks entailed by selecting
a program in the university offering.
6. Test the identified solutions on current and potential
students.
7. Implement the validated solutions, to the extent that
they also serve the need to secure the financing needs of the
university/faculty.
8. Monitor the implementation of the solutions and
potential changes in the promotion process of the academic
offer, which can impact risk perception among prospective
and enrolled students.
9. Apply corrections whenever required by specific
developments.
…………………………………………………………………
Figure 1: Risk management for the prospective student’s decision to adopt an
academic program.
Opportunities for future research
The complexity of the issue means that the field of
investigation of the dynamic of the students’ decision-
making process involved in choosing an academic
program is highly fertile and favorable to further
research. The suggestions for future research relate to
topics such as: the marketing environment for
educational services in higher education; ways to
increase recruitment levels, by analyzing the structre of
the university services offering; aspects of the
perception of the risk involved in choosing a particular
388 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

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12. Hayes, T.J., D. Ruschman; M.M. Walker (2009), "Social
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 CURRICULUM DESIGN IN NETWORK

Livia Dana BEJU1, Paul Dan BRINDASU2

1
“Lucian Blaga” University of Sibiu, livia.beju@ulbsibiu.ro
2
“Lucian Blaga” University of Sibiu, dan.brindasu@ulbsibiu.ro

Abstract: The paper presents a method of designing new curriculum at university level (engineering area) and improving the existing
ones in accordance with the human resource market needs. After a current approach to the curriculum on a global level and in
Romania, a modern approach of curriculum design in terms of market needs is presented. This last approach has three main parts:
research of the human resource market needs, establishing connection between competences and the curricular units, and establishing
the reasons for which competences will be of use to a student. Finally, a structure of a software platform for curriculum development
is presented.

Barnett, Parry, and Elbow (2001) propose a model

INTRODUCTION
Today's realities are economic globalization, the
explosion of high-level knowledge, increasing interest
of the beneficiary. All these determine the need for
increased training of workers who must respond to ever
growing challenges. In this situation the universities
conduct educational programs based on curriculum to
meet growing needs and changing market. This paper
develops a method to study the labor market needs, the
legislation related to trades classification, skills and
competences required by various trades to develop
comprehensive and modern curriculum which shapes
specialists required on the labor market. All this activity
is thought to be developed on the basic structure of a
software platform.
CURRENT APPROACH TO CURRICULUM ON A
GLOBAL LEVEL
Research related to curriculum development and
improvement of education has concerned scientists
since the middle of the last century [3]. One of the first
papers was written by Ralph Tyler in 1949, who
structured the issue around four questions:
• What educational purposes should the school seek to
attain?
• How can learning experiences that are likely to be
useful in attaining these objectives be selected?
• How can learning experiences be organized for
effective instruction?
• How can the effectiveness of learning experiences
be evaluated?
This approach to curriculum, which is named
product approach, was the accepted approach to
curriculum development for almost 30 years, and it is
still applied, although other ideas have been developed
to extend or reinterpret his principles.
Another approach called the process approach was
developed by Lawrence Stenhouse (1974). This
approach develops principles for selecting content,
teaching strategies, sequencing learning experiences,
and assessing student strengths and weaknesses.
of curriculum that involves three domains: knowledge,
action, and self. The knowledge component is obtained
through studying the specific subject matter of different
disciplines; the action component includes the necessary
skills of the discipline and the self component includes
identifying oneself with the competencies of the
discipline.
Jan Parker (2003) considers that students should
design their own interacting aspects of knowledge,
action, and self. Such a curriculum aims to develop the
love for knowledge. This curriculum approach is
focused on metacognition, self-direction, and
transformation.
Wiggins and McTighe say that a curriculum must
start with the end, with the desired results, and work
backward developing a curriculum based on acceptable
evidence of learning. The stages in the backward design
process comprise identifying desired results,
determining acceptable evidence, planning learning
experiences and instruction. Up to date several
techniques have been developed to ease the curriculum
development: curriculum apping (Jacobs, 1997),
curricular scope-and-sequences in K-12 settings and
concept maps, developed by Novak in 1972.
CURRENT APPROACH TO CURRICULUM IN
ROMANIA
In Romania, at macroeconomic level, there is an
effort of redesigning the nomenclature of trades and
defining specific competences in accordance with the
international standards ISCO-88-COM and ONU ISCO-
88.
Nowadays, the Romanian university education
system in industrial engineering is aligned to Bologna
European directives. University curriculum is currently
being designed in universities, faculties and
departments. There is a correlation on national level
under the aegis of ARACIS (The Romanian Agency for
Quality Assurance in Higher Education)[2].
The original part of a specific curriculum of
universities and specializations is about 20%. Skills and
competencies were developed on the basis of existing
subjects.
390 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
Select
curricular
Speciali units for
Human resources st leveling
market (Σ Km+ students’
Σ An+ skills
ΣC) Σ SG U +Σ
Human resources Deep understanding of the
market research connection between knowledge,
abilities and competences and the
curricular units
Figure 1: The logic behind developing a curriculum (Km- Knowledges, An – abilities, Cp – competences, SGiUj - curricular units of general subjects, SBiUj - curricular
units of basic subjects, SGiUj - curricular units of specialized subjects)
The studies are structured along four years for
Undergraduate Studies and two years for Master. The
latter are grouped into three categories (professional
studies, complementary studies and research studies) but
there are proposals for only two categories (professional
and research studies). Considering their content, these
disciplines are grouped in the following categories:
general engineering subjects (SG), basic engineering
subjects (SB), specialized engineering subjects (SS) and
complementary subjects (CS). Taking into account the
possibility for students to access them, subjects are
grouped into mandatory, optional and non-mandatory. If
the original part of the curricular training program is
20% compared to similar license programs of other
faculties in the country, each university curricular
master program can be originally developed.
MODERN APPROACH TO CURRICULUM
DESIGN IN TERMS OF MARKET NEEDS
The best way would be to start from the market from
the request of customers (companies) and to construct
curriculum to meet the general competencies specified
in the classification of trades, but also to respond to
specific requests made by companies regarding specific
skills of graduates. The heterogeneity of the education
of candidates who have different backgrounds and
specific native capabilities must also be taken into
account.
To achieve this goal, a first idea was to organize
each teaching unit into several modules to deepen
concepts, namely:
• Curricular unit I: connects with previous subjects
and defines general notions of the subject, provides
basic knowledge.
• Curricular unit II: develops general concepts,
describes phenomena, provides knowledge and
competences needed by engineers.
• Curricular unit III: provides detailed knowledge of
aspects regarding the latest research, develops
research skills and optimizes this processes. It is
dedicated to master and PhD students.
Of course there may be several curricular units, each
being a longer-term, theme-based learning experience
composed of many lessons and/or activities. Each
module provides knowledge and skills and creates
Select curricular
units for
developing new
skills Define a curriculum
Σ SGiUj +Σ
SBiUj +Σ SSiUj
Deep understanding of the logic in
which knowledge, abilities and
competences can be created.
This logic determines the precedence
between the curricular units
specific competences. Some of these are necessary for
covering other subjects, but they are required in training
specialists in a particular area.
Analyzing in a simplified manner, the relationship
between labor market and the curriculum, we can say
that the market defines its need for specialists
(graduates) who have a specific amount of
competencies. Knowing what curricular units develop
desired competencies, we may create optimal
curriculum by summing (concatenating) selected
curricular units (fig.1)[1].
Analyzing the logical way to create a curriculum we
see that there are three knowledge modules, namely:
• Research of the Human Resource Market needs;
• The connection between competences and the
curricular units;
• The logic in which competences can be added to a
student, a logic that determines the precedence
between the curricular units.
Research of the Human Resource Market needs
The organization of marketing research is necessary
to have a very "dynamic" nature aiming to identify
market needs. It is very important to know the types of
specialists needed and their number, to identify
competences that every type of specialist should have.
To gather up to date realistic data, a close cooperation
with the companies is required. The information may be
collected through questionnaires that need to be
prepared, submitted and collected; after that the data
analysis and interpretation is necessary. The information
obtained is the basis on which educational programs are
created. This information will be the basis for
establishing the topic of the program studies and the
sizes of the study groups.
Establishing connection between competences and
the curricular units
Each study program must define the necessary skills
and competences required by the specialist to cover the
newly formed job (occupation). Skills will be defined
for new license and master studies, reviewed and refined
for the existing programs.
Curriculum Design in Network
Table 1: Competencies developed by each curricular unit
ENGINEERING CURRICULUM
Subject areas
S1 S2
Compe- Curricular units of Curricular units of a
tences a subject area subject area
S1U1 … S1Ui S2U1 … S2Ui
C1 X X
C2 X
… …
A hierarchy of skills and competences is required.
They must be divided according to market demand
which will lead to mandatory learning modules
(required for all beneficiaries), optional (required by
some important beneficiaries) and non-mandatory
(restricted demand). Hierarchy of subjects will also
enable and optimize the allocation of credits.
Establishing the link between competences and the
curricular units is a complex one, both in volume (large
number of competences and curricular units) and the
number of persons called upon structuring this
information (every teacher is required to structure these
curricular units and to define competences that will be
gained at the end of the course). To achieve this, we
proposed to structure the information in tables as shown
in Table 1.
Establishing the reasons for which competences will
be of use to a student
The reasons for which competences will be of use to
a student, reasons that determine the precedence
between the curricular units, are another very complex
task involving the description of many competences and
subjects by a large number of professors.
For example, in engineering, a student cannot design
before knowing how to draw.
We propose the use of a matrix table as presented in
table 2. For each desired competence (that will be
developed in a curricular unit) all the necessary
competencies that a student must have at the beginning
of the curricular unit we speak about must be
underlined.
Using this matrix analysis, the next step is to build
the curriculum. For this we propose the use of the
Project Management methodology and Microsoft
Project software because a student education can be
seen as a human project in which competences are
acquired in a certain logic.
Table 2: Necessary competences that a student must have before
developing a new competence
Necessary competences
C1 C2 … Cn
Obtained C1
competences C2 X The functional structure of the platform is shown in
… figure 3. It should be noted that it must be structured
Cn X into three major modules.
391
…
…
Figure 2: Curriculum Development in Microsoft Project software
In this analysis activities will be considered as
competences and resources will be considered as
curriculum units that create these skills and
competences. In Figure 2 are presented several skills
whose logic precedence can be established based on
information obtained from structured information as in
Table 2.
Applying these principles the bachelor’s, master’s
and postgraduate teaching programs can be designed in
accordance with the achievement of the desired
competencies.
In this analysis we can see that the volume of
information is extremely high. On the other hand it
would be ideal that the curriculum design would bring
together not only specialists from universities
(professors) but also specialists from companies - the
beneficiaries of the product (curriculum graduates).
Such an approach can be successfully achieved through
networking.
PLATFORM DEVELOPMENT
The idea of designing a platform to establish
curricula appeared first in the Mechanical Science
Department from the Engineering Faculty of Sibiu, in
response to market demands of having specialists
trained in certain areas: Computer Aided Design - CAD,
Computer Aided Manufacturing - CAM, Lean
Manufacturing, Product Lifecycle Management - PLM,
Digital Factory, Logistics, etc.
The mission of the software platform is to help the
development or improvement of curriculum and syllabi.
The Strategic Objectives of the platform are:
1. Platform development;
2. Creating the database, tables and links between them;
3. Using platform for development and improvement
of curricula and syllabi.
In order to design an educational platform model for
monitoring diploma project activities, the entities that
will use the system will be presented first. These are
university and faculty leadership (head of department,
curriculum directors, vice-deans, deans, vice-rector on
educational activities), teachers, human resource
executives from various companies.
392 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
Figure 3: Functional structure of a software platform for curriculum development
The first module refers to the opportunity of a
marketing study in human resources. For this purpose,
human resource directors from various companies are
invited to complete questionnaires. The information
retrieved is processed in the SPSS software. The
analysis results will be posted on the platform.
Another module of the platform refers to the
creation of a complex database. It will contain
structured information in related tables: trades
classification, skills and competences necessary for
various trades, the engineering fundamental subjects in
the industrial engineering area; the engineering
curricular units of the fundamental subject areas, the
engineering curricular units of the fundamental subject
areas and the competences created by them, the reasons
for which competences can be of use to a student,
syllabi for each curricular unit, professors who teach
different curricular units. The software application will
be based on a classic relational database model.
The third module of the platform is about building a
curriculum starting from the market and database
information. The used software is Microsoft Project.
Activities will be considered as student’s skills obtained
in the educational process. Resources will be considered
as curricular units of the fundamental subject areas.
Actual construction of curriculum is done based on the
Gantt chart (displacement - activities) in conditions that
follow the precedents of activities.
The great advantage of the platform is to benefit
from knowledge and experience of various specialists.
For this, many activities can be accomplished in
synchronous or asynchronous networking sessions.
Depending on the issues investigated, the team may
have the following structure:
• To identify appropriate type and number of the
professional team members, the team consists of
representative of the program study and representatives
of companies.
• To determine the skills and competences necessary
for a specialist and their hierarchy depending on the
expert, the team includes ARACIS moderators,
curricula representatives (head of department,
curriculum directors), company specialists (Human
Resources Manager, Technical Department Manager)
.• To build the curriculum, the team is composed of
representatives of educational programs (head of
department, curriculum directors) and professors.
CONCLUSIONS
The paper presents a method of curriculum
development and improvement based on human
resources market needs. The originality of the method
consists of the way in which information is structured in
different stages, the idea of building a platform for
curriculum development and the use of Microsoft
Project software in order to elaborate the curriculum
based on abilities and competences.
References
1. Beju,L.D., Brindasu ,P.D. (2008) Methodology for
Organizing E-creative Research and E-creative Design Sessions,
Annals of DAAAM for 2008 & Proceedings of the 19th
International DAAAM Symposium “Intelligent Manufacturing &
Automation: Focus on Next Generation of Intelligent Systems and
Solution” Trnava, Slovakia pg. 83-84.
2. Brindasu,P.D., BejuL.D., Borza, S.(2008) Research
Methodology for the National Knowledge Network INPRO-
Romania, Proceedings of the 5th WSEAS/IASME International
Conference on Engineering Education, Heraklion Greece , pg.
67-72.
3. Howard,J., Curriculum Development, Centre for the
Advancement of Teaching and Learning, Elon University
4. http://org.elon.edu/catl/documents/curriculum%20developme
nt.pdf
 TEAM LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION:
A MULTIDIMENTIONAL COMPARATIVE RESEARCH

Hong T. M. BUI1, Yehuda BARUCH2

1
Bournemouth University, hongbui76@yahoo.co.uk
2
University of East Anglia, Y.Baruch@uea.ac.uk

A model of team learning (TL) within the context of higher education (HE) was developed and tested, and its validity was
examined within a global context. Quantitative data from 687 respondents of two well-established universities in the UK and
Vietnam were used to test the hypotheses of the model. Most of the hypotheses were confirmed, providing overall support for the
validity of the model. Statistically significant differences were found in team learning between the two countries, but no strong
differences between academic and non-academic employees, or between science and non-science employees. The research
provides an innovative perspective of TL relating to its antecedents, moderators, and outcomes. It also shows that TL tends to
work better in a collectivist culture; and universities should pay attention to development and training to have effective TL.

HYPOTHESIS DEVELOPMENT ‘relatively unbiased’ (Fink, 1995, p. 10). 1391

Based on the framework that we developed
in the conceptual papers, we propose the following
hypotheses.
Hypothesis 1. Team commitment (TC), goal
setting (G), leadership (L), organizational culture
(CT), development & training (D&T), and individual
learning (IL) are positively associated with team
learning.
Hypothesis 2. Team learning is positively
associated with individual performance and
knowledge sharing (KS).
In combination with hypotheses 1 and 2 the
following hypothesis will be tested.
Hypothesis 3. Team learning mediates the
relationship between the antecedents and outcomes.
Hypothesis 4. Communication systems (CM)
and learning environment (LE) moderate the
relationship between team learning and the outcomes.
Hypothesis 5. The components of the
learning organization model are expected to have
higher values in Vietnam than in the UK, with
academics than non-academics, with science than
non-science employees.
We depict the model based on the
combination of the hypotheses in Figure 1 below:
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
-5% dec.08 ian.09 feb.09 mar.09 apr.09 mai.09
-10%
-15%
-20%
-25%
Figure 1: Model of team learning
METHODS
Data and Sample
Stratified random sampling was adopted for
the research to ensure the equality and representation
of the sample (Wiersma & Jurs, 2005), and as it is
questionnaires were sent out in Vietnam and in the
UK. 687 completed questionnaires.
Measures
Development and training (DT). A four-item
scale was created to measure development and
training in organizations.
Team commitment (TC). Four items of team
commitment were adopted (from West, 2004).
Goal setting (G). Three items of goal setting
for teams were adopted (from Ivancevich &
McMahon, 1977).
Individual learning (IL). This is a four-item
measure. Two items were taken from Baruch and
Peiperl (2000). Another item was borrowed from
Kanfer and Ackerman (2000). One more item was
created to measure individual learning. It was ‘I am
committed to life-long learning’.
Leadership (L): Six items to measure
leadership were taken from Marsick and Watkins’s
(2003) the Dimensions of the Learning Organization
Questionnaire (DLOQ).
Organizational culture (CT): Employees’
perceptions of organizational culture were measured
by asking them to indicate how they describe the
culture within the working organization on six scales
(adopted from Baruch & Peiperl, 2000).
Team learning (TL): A five-item construct of
team learning was adapted from Reed (2001) and
adjusted to fit the research intention.
Performance appraisal: Two different sets of
performance appraisal were used for academic and
non-academic staff separately. One-item scale for
measuring non-academic staff was based on Baruch
(1996). A two-item scale was used for academic staff,
one item was for teaching performance, ranking from
1 (unacceptable) to 7 (outstanding), and the other is
for research performance based on RAE score (in
terms of the 2001 Research Assessment Exercise).
Knowledge sharing (KS): Four of the five
items measuring knowledge sharing were adopted
from Bock, Zmud, Kim & Lee (2005).
394 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
The prediction of team learning shows a
significant increase in R2 = .28, significant Fchange =
29.35*** and coefficients in the respective regression.
The coefficients were significant with CT, L, TC, IL,
and G, but not with DT. It means that organizational
culture, leadership, team commitment, individual
learning, and goal setting were positively associated
with team learning. Hypothesis 1 was mainly
supported.
The predictions of the outcomes show
positive results with teaching performance (PA1) (R2
= .12) and knowledge sharing (R2 = .12), but not with
administration and research performance (PA0 and
PA2). In other words, team learning is positively
associated with teaching performance and knowledge
sharing, but not with administration and research
performance. Hypothesis 2 was partially supported.
With the mediating effect of team learning, a
significant increase in R2 = .38, significant Fchange =
7.97** and coefficients in the respective regression
was shown in the analysis. Though the coefficient
team learning in model 3s was not reduced to non-
significant, most of the coefficients of the antecedent
showed a reduction from model 2s to model 3s. They
show that team learning partially mediated the
relationship between the antecedents and the
outcomes. Hypothesis 3 was partially supported.
The results show significant coefficients on
the predictions of moderating effects of CM (β =
.069*) and LE (β = .075*) on the relationship between
TL and KS, but not much with the relationship
between TL and PA1. Hypothesis 4 was partially
supported.
Independent sample t-test
The test showed all significant results when
comparing all the component of the model in two
countries. The UK University had lower scores in
most of the components than the Vietnam University,
except teaching performance and research
performance.
No statistically significant difference was
found when an independent sample t-test was
employed to detect comparisons between academic
and non-academic employees, except individual
learning. Not many statistically significant differences
were found between science and non-science
employees, except teaching performance and goal
setting. Science employees were better at goal setting
while social science and humanity employees blamed
better teaching performance. In general, independent
sample t-test results did not lend support to hypothesis
5.
DISCUSSION & CONCLUSION
Based on the developed framework, this is
the first known empirical study that utilizes
quantitative measures to analyse team learning model
RESULTS
within an international context. We discuss the results
as follows.
First, a number of methods were employed to
minimize research bias in this research including
stratified random sampling, cross-check and
Harman’s one-factor test. Thus, the quantitative data
in this research are reliable and valid for
generalization.
Second, most of the suggested antecedents
were significantly positively associated with team
learning. In details, team commitment, individual
learning, goal setting, organizational culture and
leadership are positively associated with team
learning. Unlike what has been raised in literature,
development & training were not significantly
positively associated with team learning. This finding
contrasts with Prichard et al (2006) argument that
development & training enhance team learning, at
least in HE. There are two possible explanations for
this. Well-qualified employees may find development
& training at their universities inadequate compared to
their demand of life-long learning. In contrast, it may
be the neglect of universities, which supposed their
employees to obtain all necessary skills before joining
them.
Third, knowledge sharing and teaching
performance showed evidence to be the outcomes of
team learning. Team learning will promote the spread
of knowledge and high teaching quality, which are the
primary functions of HE. However, team learning was
not significantly positively associated with
administration performance and research
performance. This shows team learning is still weak
with both academic and non-academic employees in
HE. Administrators appear to work individually based
on job requirements. Researchers tend to collaborate
with colleagues outside the universities more often
than with their colleagues within their universities.
Fourth, team learning partially mediates the
relationship between the antecedents and the
outcomes. It shows that the proposed sets of
antecedents and outcomes are highly correlated with
team learning. In other words, the proposed model
demonstrates applicability in the reality.
Fifth, communication and learning
environment do moderate the relationships between
team learning and teaching performance, and team
learning and knowledge sharing. They have a vital a
role in promoting these relationships. Sixth, the
geographic factors such as qualifications, working
span and jobs’ roles did not really have strong impacts
on the model. This may be because most of them had
high qualifications and work in academia. Thus, they
had high confidence in their work regardless of how
long they had been working.
Finally, an interesting and unexpected
finding of this research is that all the components of
the team learning model, except teaching
performance, in Vietnam had higher values than in the
Team Learning in Higher Education: A Multidimentional Comparative Research
UK. While the UK has a long reputation of high
quality education export to the world (Marginson,
2006), including to Vietnam, Vietnam is a developing
economy with a developing HE systems under the
transformation and innovation (Ca, Chuong, Mai, &
Tuan, 2006). The answer to these differences must be
in cultural difference. Vietnamese respondents tended
to agree that their organizational culture is dynamic,
interactive, proactive, group-oriented, accommodating
and friendly. These indicators were lower with UK
respondents. The answer to these differences must be
in cultural difference. The university in Vietnam is
located in a collective culture where people appreciate
the harmony and relationships with others (Thêm,
1999; Vượng, 2001; Vuong, Thanh, Ben, Dzung, &
Anh, 1999), whereas the University in the in the UK
is located in an individualistic culture where people
tend to have strong individual autonomy (Hofstede,
1993, 2001), especially in academia (Dearlove, 2002;
Woodfield & Kennie, 2008).
It is challenging to explain the higher scores
in communication and learning environment. UK is a
developed country and a major HE exporter to the
world. Vietnam, in contrast, is a developing country,
which is currently importing HE from developed
countries, including the UK. Therefore, it is hard to
say that the communication and learning environment
in Vietnam were better than in the UK. The possible
explanation is that people in Vietnam, again,
embedded in collectivistic culture, found it easy to be
satisfied with the conditions that they had while their
UK counterparts were more demanding on these
issues.
In general, there is not much difference between the
proposed model and the tested model in this study. It
shows the applicability of the team learning model in
HE. Further conclusions presented are in the
theoretical and managerial implications, and
limitations.
Theoretical implications
Under the changing ecology of teams,
teamwork tends to be replaced by team learning. In
nature, team learning, which includes teamwork,
shows a higher development of team. This research
strongly validates the proposed model of team
learning. We identified five antecedents, two
moderators and two outcomes for team learning.
Organizational culture, team commitment, and
leadership have particularly significant impacts on
team learning.
In order to expand teams’ ‘capacity to create
the results they truly desire’, to promote ‘collective
aspiration’ and learning together (Senge, 2006),
organizational culture must be group oriented,
proactive, interactive, dynamic, and accommodating.
More than ever, organizational culture has become
more critical to team learning, formulating a culture of
collective learning. Societal culture also affects
organizational culture. Organizations, which are
embedded in collectivist culture, tend to obtain team
395
learning more easily than those in individualist
cultures because their employees appear to be more
committed to their teams and organizations.
Team commitment in team learning mainly
depends on individual intrinsic motivation to teams.
Like a circle, this factor is affected by the culture of
the organization in which people are working.
That leadership is associated with ‘designers,
teachers, and stewards’ of learning organization in
general, team learning in particular is not new (Fullan,
1993; Senge, 1990). However, in reality, leaders can
be very good designers and teachers of team learning,
but not stewards. Successful team learning requires
leadership of all team members, not only with those
who are entitled leaders, demanding all the team
members to act as designers, teachers and stewards of
the learning processes. In other words, team learning
requires new perception of leadership, i.e., the
leadership from and within each individual.
Managerial implications
Apart from the theoretical implications
mentioned above, this research has a number of
relevant findings for HE managers. Below are some of
these important implications.
First, HE recruiters should be aware that
employees who come from collectivistic cultures
often have a more positive attitude towards their
teams and organizations than those who come from
individualistic cultures, while those coming from
individualism tend to perform better because of their
better education systems. This is one of the benefits of
diversity.
Second, team learning does not get as much
benefit from development & training as individual
learning. Thus, universities should revisit
development & training in order to achieve better
team learning.
Third, timely, accurate, adequate, complete
and credible communication systems really positively
affect the process of team learning. They help to share
knowledge across the organization and promote better
teaching. Supportive learning environment has a
similar impact on team learning.
Finally, qualifications, tenure, and job’s roles
do not have any special impact on team learning in
HE. In addition, there is no myth about differences
related to team learning between academics and non-
academics, between science and non-science
employees. The separations among academics and
non-academics, science and non-science are not
necessary in team learning.
Though the research was conducted in HE,
the model can be applied outside HE. Thus, the
findings can be generalizable to other contexts where
team learning is appreciated, for example
organizations which are on the process of becoming
learning organizations (Pedler, Burgoyne, & Boydell,
1991; Senge, 1990, 2006; Watkins & Marsick, 1993).
Limitations and future research
396 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

The research is subject to some limitations.
From literature, team performance can be another
outcome of team learning (Chan, Lim, & Keasberry,
2003; Senge, 1990). However, team performance is
not merely an outcome of the internal functioning of
teams (Ancona, 1990; Joshi, Pandey, & Han, 2009).
Employees in HE institutions may belong to an
internal team(s), or external team(s), to both internal
and external teams, to mixed teams, or no team at all.
Hence, measuring team performance in two separate
universities in two different countries would be
beyond the scope of this paper. This explains why
team performance was not one of the outcomes of LO
model.
Most of the above limitation is expected to
be resolved in future research where the newly
developed team learning model, as used in this
research, can be applied and tested in other sectors.
18. Vuong, T. Q., Thanh, T. N., Ben, N. C., Dzung, L. M., &
Anh, T. T. (1999). Fundamental Vietnamese Culture.
Hanoi: Education Publishing.
19. Watkins, K. E., & Marsick, V. J. (1993). Sculpting the
Learning Organization: Lessons in the Art of Systemic
Change. San Francisco, Calif.: Jossey-Bass.
20. West, M. A. (2004). Effective Teamwork: Practical
Lessons from Organizational Research (2nd ed.).
Oxford: BPS Blackwell.
21. Wiersma, W., & Jurs, S. G. (2005). Research Methods in
Education (8th ed.). New York: Allyn & Bacon.
22. Woodfield, S., & Kennie, T. (2008). 'Teamwork' or
'working as a team'? The theory and practice of top
team working in UK Higher Education. Higher
Education Quarterly, 62(4), 397-415.

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39(4), 347-366.
3. Ca, T. N., Chuong, L. V., Mai, N. P., & Tuan, N. D. A.
(2006). Universities as drivers of the urban economies
in Asia: The case of Vietnam. Hanoi: National Institute
for Science and Technology Policy and Strategy Studies.
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Examining the linkage between team learning behavior
and team performance. The Learning Organization,
10(4/5), 228-236.
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the governance of UK universities in the post-Dearing
era. Higher Education Quarterly, 56(3), 257-275.
6. Fink, A. (1995). How to Sample in Surveys. London:
SAGE.
7. Fullan, M. (1993). Change Forces Probing the Depths
of Educational Reform. G.B: Burgess Science Press.
8. Hofstede, G. (1993). Cultural constraints in
management theories. The Executive, 7(1), 81-93.
9. Hofstede, G. (2001). Culture's Consequences. Thousand
Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
10. Ivancevich, J. M., & McMahon, J. T. (1977). Education
as a moderator of goal setting effectiveness. Journal of
Vocational Behavior, 11, 83-94.
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team boundary spanning: an examination of task-based,
team-level, and contextual antecedents. Journal of
Organizational Behavior, 30(6), 731-159.
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competition in higher education. Higher Education,
52(1), 1-39.
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Learning Company: A Strategy for Sustainable
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 ONTOLOGY SERVER FOR COMPETENCE CREATION AND MANAGEMENT IN
HIGHER EDUCATION

Al. CICORTAS1, V. IORDAN2

1
The West University of Timisoara, Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, cico@info.uvt.ro
2
The West University of Timisoara, Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, iordan@info.uvt.ro

Competence is widely used and in higher education plays an important role. The tools for managing competence are created in a
specified context. Based on a deep analysis we found the similarities between the ontology management and competence management.
Due to the fact that for ontology management is many frameworks we propose a model for competence management based on the
above similarity. The features of the model are inspired from current actions done on the competence.

Keywords: competence management, competence construction, multi-agent, ontology management

- global competence is used to describe the

BASICS CONCEPTS OF COMPETENCE
Knowledge intensive activities like product design
will be more historically and logically concerned by the
management of knowledge, skill and competence;
however, in the current environment of higher
innovation and reactivity, its appears nowadays that
most business processes can utilize skills and
competences as efficient performance drivers. The
scientific area of competence and human resources
modeling bridges all business processes and requires
generic concepts, distinct types of applications.
Many domains require competence and adequate
tools for managing it. Competence is conceived by
every entity that is interested to present the basic
requirements concerning the knowledge, skills and
capabilities in order to fulfill some activity. There are
definitions of competence that outline the view on it,
two forms these are the following. The competence is a
set of personal characteristics (knowledge, skills, and
abilities) which are relatively stable across different
situations Tobias, L. and Dietrich, A., (2003). The
competence is the mobilization and dynamic
organization of a set of heterogeneous cognitive
resources that leads to the production of an
acknowledged performance, in relation to a given
situation and in the context of a finalized activity.
Thanks to his competence, an actor performs a task with
which he has been entrusted through a successful flow
of action that will achieve the results expected. Was
conceived an approach based on the system theory to
define and model an actor competency. The model
includes, on the one hand the nomenclature of the
constitutive elements and, on the other hand, the
structure of interactions between elements are presented
in Bonjour, E., Dulmet, M.and Lhote, F. (2002).
Another competence specific definitions concern the
following:
- individual competence is used to deal with the
competence of a person;
- collective competence is used to deal with the
competence emerging from a group of persons;
organizational ability of an enterprise.
The competence model a new way to consider the
relationships between the workforce, the enterprise and
the managers, associated with a new vision of the
performance and the organization of work, as well as
new forms of management and decision-making
Zarifian, P. (2001).
In the field of industrial engineering, several models
have been developed to provide a systematic and
objective evaluation of levels of competencies in a firm,
for example in Anaya, V. et al. (2010). Such
information on competence levels is used in industrial
engineering methods as raw data needing to be
processed by decision support systems, in Lin, H.K. and
Harding, J.A. (2007).
Referring to a structural model of competence, a
multi-criteria decision tool to aggregate the various
factors considered within the competence level is used
in Franchini, L. (2000). The added value is to provide
several evaluations depending on the user point of view.
A fuzzy approach for the evaluation of competences is
also proposed in Pepiot, G. et al. (2005). An aggregated
competence indicator is evaluated by a fuzzy-
aggregation of several evaluation criteria.
The global model of competence modeled
competences in an UML class diagram from Belkadi, F.,
Bonjour, E. and Dulmet, M. (2007) considers that the
competence is either acquired by an actor and then
supported by a scheme, or required by a task and
described by the mission. The competence components
can be grouped in: technical knowledge, cognitive
capacities and action rules.
The following remarks can be made about
competence and its connections to knowledge and
situation:
- competence can be differentiated from qualification
as it cannot be identified independently from
performance in a finalized activity. Consequently,
the understanding of competence will come from
analyzing the activity that has activated it.
- knowledge is one of the resources of competence.
The process of competence development is always
linked to the process of learning and the acquisition
398 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

of different types of new knowledge, while the - search retrieval and reasoning: Once the ontologies
process of putting a specific competence into have been created, they can be used to realize
practice is accompanied by the activation of a certain information access in the application, for example
amount of acquired knowledge. This includes via search and retrieval;
knowledge concerning key entities (e.g. type of task, - Ontology Population: To populate the knowledge
type of resource) that allow the actor to link the base (KB), instances may be collected from the user,
current situation to situations in the past, as well as e.g. via forms;
knowledge such as action rules. - Cleansing and Fusion: Automatically extracted
- aspect concerns the close link between the knowledge cannot be assumed to have the desired
competence and the work situation in which this quality.
competence will be used. The scheme activation COMPETENCE
aims at achieving goals related to a class of MANAGEMENT USAGE
situations and results in a relatively stable
organization of the associated action plan for such TOOLS APPLICATIONS
similar situations. This aspect means that signatures
specific to each competence can be elaborated Editor Browser Portal Search
through their underlying scheme.
Management Services Usage Services
The competence characterization can be done using
work situations from Belkadi, F., Bonjour, E. and Use Case Modeling Retrieval/Reasoning Related
Dulmet, M. (2007). Due to the specific interest of the Mapping Services
Visualization
entities, companies or education institutes, the Functional Evaluation Loading
competences are treated in a particular manner, and Performance Evaluation Fusion
these outline the goals of the entities. In the field of
engineering design, companies are becoming more
aware of the strong connection between competence
management and knowledge management in Belkadi, Core Competence Services
F., Bonjour, E. and Dulmet, M. (2007), Pepiot, G. et al. Querying Reasoning Repository Registry
(2007).
Data Source Abstraction
DBMS File System Competence Repository Service
ONTOLOGY MANAGEMENT Registry

Ontologies are understood as means to share and
reuse knowledge. Ontologies provide knowledge
engineering and artificial intelligence support for
modeling some domain of the world in terms of labeled
concepts, attributes and relationships, usually classified
in specialization/generalization hierarchies.
They are at the core of a new strategy for the
development of knowledge-based systems, in which
application or domain knowledge is strictly separated
from software implementations and can thus be
efficiently reused across heterogeneous software
platforms Guarino, N. (1998).
One of the main problems concerning the ontology
is their reuse presented in Simperl, E. (2009). Based on
Perez, A., Fernendez-Lopez, M. and Corcho, O. (2003)
in Tran, T. et al. (2008) is presented the life-cycle not
only the engineering, but also the usage of ontologies at
runtime as well as the interplay between usage and
engineering activities. All the methodologies for
ontology engineering contain main lifecycle activities,
namely requirement analysis, development, evaluation,
maintenance and integration. Ontology usage
encompasses all activities performed with ontology after
it has been engineered.
Current lifecycle models however do not incorporate
activities involved in the actual usage of ontologies. In
Tran, T. et al. (2008) were elaborated the activities and
based on them, was showed that the lifecycle can be
dynamic:
Figure 1: A Generic OIS Architecture with Lifecycle Support
COMPETENCE IN HIGHER EDUCATION
The competence in higher education is considered of
major importance. In Chi, Y-L. (2009) the consideration
on competence in the context of e-learning is complex.
Learning is a complex cognitive activity; a course
generally has a learning goal that comprises listed
competence items to facilitate learning assessment.
A feature of learning, must allow to the users to
interact with the system for obtaining a learning route
based on their curriculum competences. It is necessary
to use competence items as the mapping medium.
Additionally, both the course materials and competence
items must be abstracted to create a knowledge model.
The performance assessments can be represented
using Competence Indicators (summarize the
assessment methods used to determine whether students
have reached the corresponding competence levels) and
Specific Details (are more in-depth and detailed
descriptions of the competence indicators, which can be
mapped by learning units of course materials).
The Competence Indicators are considered high
level concepts. The Specific Details are mapped to
corresponding concepts that are subordinate to super
concepts. The individuals are instances of the concepts.
Ontology Server for Competence Creation and Management 399

For practical implementation, learning goals can be

represented via several competence assessments such as
competence indicators for validating student progress. It
is recommended that the course publishers edit their
material contents based on competence requirements. Competence
Using curricula the competence can be constructed Management
but it is a tedious effort. A solution is to conceive a Ontology
multi-agent system that allows to: discover analyze and
construct the competence.
Our previous works Cicortas, A. and Iordan, V.
Information retrieval and Data
(2007), Cicortas, A., Iordan, V. and Naaji, A. (2008), mining
Iordan, V. and Cicortas, A. (2008), (2008 a) dialed with Internal Documents and Data
competence construction using a multi-agent system in External Documents and Data
the context of higher education.

Individuals Enterprise
COMPETENCE MANAGEMENT Aspects

Acquire
Based on the fact that the competence is used in Domain Require
many domains as the ontology we consider that the Competence
competence management can be done and can be treated Ontology
as the ontology is.
For competence management the main lifecycle
activities are: requirement analysis, development, Define
evaluation, and maintenance.
The competence usage comprises some similar Resources
aspects like the ontology usage: search retrieval and
reasoning, competence population and we can add Figure 2: Integrating architecture for competence management
comparisons between different competences (like those
offered by the universities and those of the future The life cycle model proposed is illustrated in Figure 3.
students).
The management of competence concerns the
design, development and implementation of competence
being specific to the domain. Between the goals that the
competence management deals are: identification,
allocation, acquisition, mobilization, development,
characterization and evaluation (assessment), all are
presented in Belkadi, F., Bonjour, E. and Dulmet,
M.,(2007).
In Boucher, X. and Burlat, P. (2003) was proposed a
method to evaluate the performance of competence
management processes through the development of
specific indicators. It aims at giving managers a decision
support system by assessing the results of different
action plans to obtain the appropriate development of
competences. This approach is based on a fuzzy
modeling of competence, linked to professional
situations, actors and resources.
Figure 3: Life cycle model for competence
SERVER
Our proposed model will allow the following:
Concerning the competence management many - query access to competences;
models were proposed. In Berio, G. and Harzallah, M. - generation of competence views;
(2007) was proposed an integrated architecture for - management of multiple competences;
competence managements. Due to the space constraints - reasoning on competences.
we illustrate it in the Figure 2. As was stated in our previous work Cicortas, A. and
Iordan, V. (2007), Cicortas, A., Iordan, V. and Naaji, A.
(2008), Iordan, V. and Cicortas, A. (2008), (2008 a), the
agents allow to discover (search and retrieve) the
appropriate information that is analyzed, and treated in
order to construct the competence. One of the sources is
400 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

the curricula. Another source can be information that
specifies directly the competence from web pages of the
universities.
The server model allows placing the competences in
a repository and furnishing services that allow searching
competences and their components based on appropriate
queries. In order to facilitate the friendly access of the
human user are generated different views of the
competence and their components.
Due to the complexity of different domains for
encompass many competences the model allow to
manage multiple competences. Reasoning on
competences is a model feature that is in turn to be
refined, due to the challenges in the domain.
The architecture of the model is illustrated in Figure 4.
Distributed
Ontology Database
Server system
- Application
Ontology Computer
- Generic Web software
Ontology Services agents
- Data Internet
Storage Search
Navigate
Internet
Browse
browser
human
ERP operator
system
Figure 4. The generic architecture of the model
CONCLUSIONS
Competences are widely used in many domains. It is
representative it the higher education. The competence
definition and its details can be done in different ways.
The proposed model offers a solution for
constructing and managing competence in a frame that
can be a step in the standardization effort.
The future effort concentrates on the refinement of
the reasoning on competences and in extending the
overall features of our model.
ACKNOWLEGNMENTS
The work is partially supported form the PNII 91-
047/2007-2010.
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R., Opdahl, A.L., Paneto, H., Verdecho,M.J.,(2010),”The Unified
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architecture for competence management”, Computers in Industry
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3. Belkadi, F., Bonjour, E. and Dulmet, M.,(2007), “Competency
characterisation by means of work situation modeling”, Computers
in Industry, Volume 58, Issue 2, pp. 164-178
4. Boucher, X. and Burlat, P., (2003), “Vers l’integration des
competences dans le systeme de performances de l’entreprise”,
Journal Europeen des Systemes Automatises, Vol. 37 Iss. 3, pp.
363–390
5. Bonjour, E., Dulmet, M.and Lhote, F.(2002), “ An internal
modeling of competency, based on a systemic approach, with socio-
technical systems management in view”, IEEE Conference on
Systems, Man and Cybernetics, Hammamet, Tunisia, October 6–9,
2002
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Competences Using Agents”, Proceedings SACI 2007, 4th
International Symposium on Applied Computational Intelligence
and Informatics, Timisoara, Romania, May 17-18, 2007, IEEE
Catalog Number: 07EX1788, ISBN:1-4244-1234-X, pag.225-230.
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Compentence Description in Multi-agent Systems”, Procs. of the
10-th WSEAS Intl. Conf. Mathematical Methods and
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117, ISBN: 978-9606766-002, pp. 100-107, ISI Thompson Procs,
2008.
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system with semantic rules”, Expert Systems with Applications,
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des operateurs en production: modelisation, planification et
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O.(2003), “ Ontological Engineering. Advanced Information and
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Gomez-Perez, A., Studer, R. (2008), “Lifecycle-Support in
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Liaisons, Paris.
 UNIVERSITY COURSES DESIGN USING FMEA METHOD. A POSSIBLE APPROACH
Alina CRIŞAN1, Radu A. MUNTEANU2, Liviu CRIŞAN3
1
Techical University of Cluj Napoca, Alina.Crisan@dppd.utcluj.ro
2
Techical University of Cluj Napoca, Radu.A.Munteanu@mas.utcluj.ro
3
Techical University of Cluj Napoca, Liviu.Crisan@muri.utcluj.ro

Universities are leading providers of human capital for higher skilled employment. The quality of human resources, considered being essential for
the economy and progress of society as a system depends crucially on the quality of educational services offered by tertiary education institutions.
Starting from the premise that anything “well done” was previously “well-thought” believe that, above all, quality of university products (knowledge
and competence achieved through teaching-learning-evaluation processes) is determined by quality of educational design, both at macro,
intermediate and micro level. This paper aims to present a possible design model of university courses using, beside consecrated methods from
educational sciences, specific quality management tools, techniques and methods.
Key words: quality of curricular design, FMEA, course design, specific and transversal competences

planning process are:

OVERVIEW
Universities are the main suppliers of highly
qualified work force. The quality of their educational
offer decisively influences the quality of the
professional status of their graduates and, thus, their
capacity to enter the labour market. The knowledge
and competence of students seen as internal and at
the same time, as external customers are the result of
precise teaching-learning-evaluation processes within
the university.
Considering that something well done is
something that has been previously pondered upon,
and that is wiser to prevent than to cure/repair, a fair
educational design, based on a holistic approach in
order to avoid any “flaw” is a first step towards
quality learning outcomes.
Curricular products (curriculum, analytical
programs, discipline chart, course content, didactical
resources, etc.) must be perceived as university
products that the institution offers to internal
customers as well as to external ones and that need to
satisfy them or even exceed their expectations.
The paper’s aim is to approach intermediate
level (course) curricular design from an original
perspective, by using a method found in quality
design within the industrial domain, FMEA.
EDUCATIONAL DESIGN
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
• saving up time;
• directing efforts towards fulfilling clearly
stipulated objectives;
• a better organization of activities by not allowing
randomness and improvisation.
But what does the design of educational activities
really mean? In terms of defining the design activity, the
Anglo-Saxon literature mentions terms such as planning and
programming, and the French literature ingenierie de
formation/ingenierie pedagogique.
Formation engineering is a comprehensive notion that
refers to all activities that allow an educational project to
unfold, meaning (Freynet, 2001, p. 212):
• analysis of learning needs;
• defining the objectives of preparation, like
expected outcomes after learning sessions in terms of
knowledge, practice and attitude;
• defining the objectives of learning, like expected
specific outcomes of learning that the student will obtain at
the end of each stage of the course;
• general design of the learning project, like for
example, organizing the learning objectives through a
coherent progression, defining the appropriate content,
choosing the methods, the learning instruments and the
additional material (outlining the didactical strategy);
• establishing the project;
• supervising the activity;
• continuous and general evaluation;
• assessing the evaluation conclusions for a new
project schedule.
– A

Course design implies a mental complex

identification process of the results of an action and
the steps that need to be followed in order to THE FMEA METHOD
accomplish the prerequisites.
The advantages of any activity undergoing a In this new globalised dynamic era, universities like
any other organization from various fields of activity are
confronted with phenomena, such as, the increase of
customer/stakeholder expectations regarding quality,
increase of product complexity, reduction of time allotted for
the design and launch of new products. In this context, a
systematic plan of quality, for a very simple reason, the
402 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

failures/problems that can be avoided initially, do

not need an ulterior readjustment.
The new methods of systematic design of
quality represent the answers to the new needs. These
methods must allow the analysis and elimination of
potential failure from the design and implementation
stage.
FMEA is exactly that type of method.
Failure Modes and Effects Analysis
(FMEA) is methodology for analyzing
potential reliability problems early in the
development cycle where it is easier to take
actions to overcome these issues, thereby
enhancing reliability through design. FMEA
is used to identify potential failure modes,
determine their effect on the operation of the
product, and identify actions to mitigate the
failures. A crucial step is anticipating what
might go wrong with a product. While
anticipating every failure mode is not
possible, the development team should
formulate as extensive a list of potential
failure modes as possible.
The early and consistent use of FMEAs in
the design process allows to design out
failures and produce reliable, safe, and
customer pleasing products. FMEAs also
capture historical information for use in
future product improvement.
There are several types of FMEAs, some are
used much more often than others. FMEAs
should always be done whenever failures
would mean potential harm or injury to the
user of the end item being designed. The
types of FMEA are:
• System - focuses on global system functions
• Design - focuses on components and
subsystems
• Process - focuses on manufacturing and
assembly processes
• Service - focuses on service functions
• Software - focuses on software functions.
The principal FMEA steps consist in:
• Component description;
• Component function;
• Failure mode;
• Failure causes;
• Failure effects;
FMEA is designed to improve the quality and
reliability of design. Properly used the FMEA
provides several benefits. Among others, these
benefits include:
• Improve product/process reliability and quality;
• Increase customer satisfaction;
• Early identification and elimination of potential
product/process failure modes;
• Prioritize product/process deficiencies;
• Capture organization knowledge;
• Emphasizes problem prevention;
• Documents risk and actions taken to reduce risk ;
• Provide focus for improved testing and
development;
• Minimizes late changes and associated cost;
• Catalyst for teamwork and idea exchange between
functions.
THE RESEARCH
This paper’s aim is to put forward a design
algorithm for a course (seen as a university product), based
on the FMEA method, in order to erase potential failures that
can influence its quality from the first phase of its life cycle,
the design.
Thus, several actions have been undertaken:
• Selection of a team (internal and external clients of
the TLE process – teachers and masters students);
• Short training of the team, by presenting the
expected outcomes, short briefing of methods used (FMEA,
brainstorming, morphologic analysis, etc.);
• Developing of FMEA ;
• Conclusions.
Due to space constraints, only crucial points shall be
presented in this paper.
1. So, in the first phase, in order to save up time and channel
participants’ attention towards key points, the course has
been approached holistically and its main components have
been unfolded in a morphologic matrix, as one can see in the
image below (table 1).
2. Then, each defining element of the course has been
unfolded into subcomponents and, by using the brainstorm
method, potential failures which may appear within the
performance stage have been identified (figure 1).
Table 1 :Course morphological analysis
HUMAN Teachers ...
RESORCES Students ...
MATERIAL Infrastructure ...
COURSE ELEMENTS

RESOURCES Equipments and tools ...

• Failure detection method (sometimes Consumable ...
“detectability”); TIME RESOURCES ... ...
• Severity of failure; COURSE CONTENT ...
• Probability of failure; FINALITIES ... ...
• Corrective action; TL METHODS ... ...
• Risk level after corrective action. CLASSROOM ... ...
University Courses Design. A Possible Model 403

ORGANIZATION Figure 2: FMEA form

MODALITIES
ASSESMENT ... ...
Ex. FAILURE 1: Students lack of interest or
motivation (category: human resources-
3. The main causes of each failure has been identified students)
by using “the 5 why’s” method; it was noticed that a
possible effect can be determined by several reasons Potential effects:
(e.g. student repeated absence from classes can be - absents;
determined by a complex of causes: lack of - misunderstanding of scientific content;
motivation, lack of course appeal, overlapping of - low level of learning acquisitions;
other activities that are considered to be more - failure at the exams;
important etc.) that can also be the cause of several - reduced capacity to apply the knowledge;
elements within the course structure. Potential causes of failure:
As a consequence, several filters have been • different goals working at the same time;
performed in order to identify the overlaps. • decrease in motivation;
• attempts to balance several goals.
4. Each failure was assigned a RPN, risk priority Current controls: assessments, class observation
number, and, in what the gravity of failures in a Probability: 8
course is concerned, level 9 and 10 failures are Severity: 7
extremely rare. Detection: 3
RPN: 8x7x3=168
Possible solutions
- Assign a reasonable amount of work;
- Hold students accountable;
- Highlight your course’s value so students prioritize it;
- Give students adequate notice for assignments etc.

Ex. FAILURE 2: Students see little value in the course or

its content (category: course didactic strategy)
Potential effects:
- absents;
- low level of motivation;
- failure at the exams;
- studies abandon etc.
Figure 1 : Brainstorming results Potential causes of failures
5. Within this stage, the focus-group method was - objective value of an activity not assessed by students;
used (the group is made up of teachers with different - lack to understand and agree with the coursework and
specialties, including psycho-pedagogy) so as to to invest effort and time.
identify possible reduction solutions for the RPN. Current controls: assessments, class observation
Afterwards, in order to identify the most valid ones, Probability: 7
these scenarios have been analysed and hierarchized Severity: 8
too. Detection: 3
In the following, we shall explain a part of RPN: 8x7x3=168
the FMEA application which has been applied on a Possible solutions:
possible failure/flaw that can influence the quality of - Clearly articulate learning goals;
a course and its outcomes. - Show relevance to students’ academic lives;
- Demonstrate relevance to students’ professional lives;
- Highlight real-world applications of knowledge and skills;
- Connect to students’ personal interests;
- Allow students some degree of choice;
- Show your own passion and enthusiasm.
Failure Mode

Probability

The above mentioned solutions are purely for guidance and

Detection
causes of
Potential

Potential

Potential

Controls
Current

Severity

have a general character. They should be adapted to the

Effects

failure

specificity of each course in order to find a practical

outcome.
Failure 1 The implementation of these solutions and the recalculation
of the RPN used to establish their efficiency shall be
Failure 2 discussed in another paper.
…
…
404 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
CONCLUDING REMARKS
Course quality responsibility devolves to the
teacher which cumulates a triple role: that of
designer, supplier, and the user of the course facilities
along with his students. Starting from the idea that it
is better to prevent rather than to correct, utilization
of the minimizing methods of the possible course
failures (such as FMEA), since the design stage can
increase the effectiveness and efficiency of TLE
processes.
REFERENCES
1. Popescu, S., Crişan, A., Crişan, L., Algorithm and Premises of the
Design of a Master Program in Quality Engineering, 2006,
Sinaia, The 4th International Seminar on the Quality Management
in Higher Education, ISBN 978-973-730-496-4, pag. 31-36
2. Crişan A., Răcăşan R., Codre C., Ţirfea D. - Developing
Innovative Methods for Delivering Transferable Competences in
The Scientific Field of Metrology, The 13th National & 4th
International Conference „Metrology in Production Engineering”,
Poznan, 23-25 sept., 2009, ISBN 978-83-89333-30-8, pag. 71.
3. J. Biggs, C. Tang (2007)- Teaching for Quality Learning at
University, Open University Press,, ISBN 9780335221264
4. Crişan, L., Popescu, S., Brad, S., Lemeni, L. - Tehnici, instrumente
şi metode ale managementului calităţii – Editura Casa Cărţii de
Ştiinţă, Cluj Napoca, 1999, ISBN 973-9404-59-6.
 QUALITY ASSURANCE AND TRANS-NATIONAL EDUCATION

Ioan CURTU1, Mihai FLOROIU2, Flavius BAIAS3, Mariana STANCIU4,

1
PROF. DR. Transilvania University of Brasov, curtui@unitbv.ro
2
LECT.DR. University of Craiova, mihai.floroiu@gmail.com
3
PROF. DR. University of Bucharest, baias.flavius@yahoo.com
4
DR. ARACIS, mariana.stanciu@aracis.ro

The aim of this study is to analyse the implication of trans-national (cross-border) education from the perspective of the quality of the education
process and see how Quality Assurance mechanisms can be implemented and how those mechanisms apply.
This paper will try to analyse the concept of trans-national education, as well as the already existing mechanisms applicable in quality assurance
and diverse national and international approaches on the matter.
Amongst the methods used, are the analysis of extisting documents, as well as presentation of some study cases from Europe and other continents,
as well as a clear point of view both from Higher Education institution and Quality Assurance Agency perspectives.
The paper will highlight the real implications (both positive and negative) of the globalisation process and cross-border cooperation in the higher
education area.
The main people directly interested by this document are, at the same level of importance, all major stakeholders in the education process -
students, academics (teachers, researchers), management structures at university level, as well as quality evaluators and policy makers.
As the globalisation process opens new possibilities for the service providers, the education systems are not yet well protected against the risks of
un-ethical or misleading attitudes. Therefore, as quality assurance, at national level, is of great importance for the general society, a trans-
national approach of the concept is paramount.

Provision of Transnational Education as follows : “All

QUALITY MECHANISMS FOR TRANS-
NATIONAL EDUCATION
Education has been considered, for many years, as a
national attribute, bearing in mind the fact that
education is the main motor of social development.
Higher Education have been considered a public good,
with huge social responsibility, of training the main
stakeholders acting within society, quality assurance of
the study programs being of major importance for the
system, as it should help universities and other higher
education institutions in their quest for perfection, thus
allowing them to reflect the purposes and promote
inovation and diversity. However, during the last tow
decades, since globalization has virtually erased borders
and boundaries, we assisted to huge evolutions of study-
programs offered on a cross-border approach.
The mobility of students, academic staff,
programmes/institutions and professionals, within a
globalized and globalizing world was the key factor that
allowed, during the 80’s and the 90’s, the massive
development of cross-border higher education, allowing
thus new delivery modes and cross-border providers to
appear, such as campuses abroad, electronic delivery of
higher education and for-profit education providers
This phenomena is knownd under the name of Trans-
National Education – TNE and represents today one of
the major challenges of the quality approach in higher
education, as it needs to correlate two major aspects –
the need of qualitative education offer and freedom of
establishment. People need to be able both to establish
wherever they need or like and, at the same time, the
need to be able to chose where and how to learn, as
people, services and merchandise are object to free
circulation around the world and more specially in
Europe.
An accurate definition of TNE is given by the Council
of Europe, in the Code of Good Practice in the
types of higher education study programmes, or sets of
courses of study, or educational services( including
those of distance education) in which the learners are
located in a country different from the one where the
awarding institution is based. Such programmes may
belong to the education system of a State different
from the State in which it operates, or may operate
independently of any national education system”
There are some major challenges that neet to be
articulated in order to be able to speak of a quality TNE
in the context of gloablization, as the providers must
prove their institutional capacities in offering such
programs, in order to be able to manage wide acces to
TNE process, thus gaining international prestige and
assuring a high level of quality, avoiding the risk of
being transformed in “diploma mills”.
At this moment, there are several general guidelines and
other mechanisms aiming at the quality assurance of the
higher education in Europe, that should be analyzed in a
proactive and mixed manner, namely the ESG –
European Standards and Guidelines, the
UNESCO/OECD guidelines for Trans-National
Education and the Observatory on Borderless Higher
Education.
MECHANISMS OF QUALITY ASSURANCE OF
TRANSNATIONAL EDUCATION
The European Standards and Guidelines
The Ministers of the Bologna Process signatory States
asked the European Network for Quality Assurance in
Higher Education (ENQA), in the Berlin communiqué
of 19 September 2003), to establish “an agreed set of
standards, procedures and guidelines on quality
406 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
assurance” and to “explore ways of ensuring an
adequate peer review system for quality assurance
and/or accreditation agencies or bodies”. The Ministers
asked ENQA to realize those Guidelines via its
members and in thorough consultation and co-operation
with the EUA, ESIB, EURASHE and other relevant
stakeholders.
Once drafted and accepted by all Parties, the ESG were
adopted in 2005 at the Bergen conference of the
Ministers of Education, the ESG entered into force and
are now at the core of the quality assurance process,
becoming a species of “soft law” within this area of
expertise. The main objectives of the Ministers were to
establish a clear set of European standards, both for
internal and external quality assurance and for external
quality assurance agencies, which are expected to
submit themselves to a cyclical review every five years
and to apply for listing within the EQAR – the European
register of quality assurance agencies.
The ESG are structured into three main parts, each one
dealing with specific items, as follows :
- Part 1 - European standards and guidelines for
internal quality assurance within higher education
institutions, that state general principles for quality of
the higher education institutions and their respective
study programmes, including the cross-border ones –
“specific needs of different modes of delivery” under
standard 1.2 dealing with approval, periodic review and
monitoring of the study programmes and degrees. Other
applicable standards are related to the existence of
general quality assurance procedures and mechanisms,
student assesment criteria, training of teachers, student
support, transparency;
- Part 2 - European standards and guidelines for the
external quality assurance of higher education, that
establish general criteria related to quality assurance
processes within the higher education system as a
whole, being of general application, both by higher
education institutions and evaluation agencies in
organizing their respective activities. Those indicators
state concepts such as fitness for purpose, cyclical
reviews, internal and external quality assurance
procedures, reporting and follow-up procedures,
introducing, thus the most important items, such as
systemic analysis and accountability;
- Part 3 - European standards and guidelines for the
external quality assurance agencies, that present
criteria that agencies must comply with, in order for
their decisions to be considered fit to their purpose and
to really contribute to quality assurance. Those are
general concepts such as independence and official
status, existence of sufficient resources to guarantee full
autonomy from other stakeholders, especially higher
education institutions. Items suchy as use of external
quality assurance criteria and processes and
accountability guarantee quality assurance and quality
enhancement of such agencies.
UNESCO-OECD guidelines for quality provision in
cross-border Education
Based on a follow-up to a resolution adopted by the
General Conference of UNESCO in 2003, OECD and
UNESCO had a separate initiative, in order to elaborate
specific guidelines for quality assurance of trans-
national (cross-border) higher education, “as an
educational response to the growing commercialization
of higher education”.
Those standards, known under the general name of
“OECD-UNESCO Guidelines” were finalized also in
2005, being adopted by the resolution of the 33rd
session of the General Conference (October 2005) and
issued as a Secretariat document. They represent the
work of many UNESCO and OECD Member States
experts and stakeholders (students, teachers, higher
education institutions, quality assurance agencies,
professional bodies, which rapidly realized, during the
the conception process, the existing differences between
the needs to regulate the ever-growing
internationalisation of higher education and the fact that
national quality assurance agencies ususlly analyzed
only internal, domestic processes, offered soley by
national institutions, based on the principle under which
education is one of the State’s priorities and the
evaluation of a foreign/external study programme would
not reveal of it’s competence.
The Guidelines are voluntary and nonbinding, as they
only give general orientation to six categories of main
stakeholders within the higher education system
(governments, higher education institutions/providers
including academic staff, student bodies, quality
assurance and accreditation bodies, academic
recognition bodies, and professional bodies) for
developing their own national capacities and
international cooperation with the scope to an useful
instrument and a set of general good practice that can
help those stakeholders in evaluating the quality of
higher education programmes provided in a cross-
border approach and to protect the major beneficiaries,
mainly students, from low-quality higher education
programmes and unlawful providers.
This was the main challenge for the national quality
assurance systems, that had to be albe to develop
appropriate methodologies and mechanisms to cover
also the foreign providers and programmes in addition
to domestic ones, both to assure the real advantages of
this experience and to timit the potential risks and
disadvantages of the internationalisation of higher
education via the development of institutions aiming
more at simply delivering a degree than real higher
education.
Quality Assurance and Trans-National Education
Those OECD-UNESCO guidelines recommend thus
that external quality assurance agencies should ensure
that their quality assurance processes are applicable also
to foreign and commercial providers, as well as all other
forms of modern education – distance and other non-
traditional ways of delivering higher education.
The major inconvenient of this concept, recognized by
the authors of the guidelines, is the fact that, in order for
national agencies to be able to of national agencies will
in most cases require changes in national legislation and
administrative procedures, in order to allow an
institution depending of the authority of one State, to be
able to control and eventually sanction institutions
depending of the authority of another State.
Those guidelines are of major importance, as they were
also mentioned by the Report to the European Ministers
of Education (which confirmed the importance and
implications of internationalisation on the quality
assurance process of higher education institutions),
based on which the ESG were drafted, one major aspect
confirming this being the fact that despite the fact it has
been considered to be too soon some specific references
to TNE within the ESG, the the proposal and now the
existence of an European register implies that both
agencies from outside Europe and the European ones
could and should be able to analyse cross-border higher
education operations. The main instrument through
which the European quality assurance process would
meet the objectives of OECD-UNESCO
recommendations is via strengthening the already
existing regional and international networks in quality
assurance, until one quality assurance agency would be
able, from all points of view, to asses an entire
mechanism of TNE, both in the national country of the
provider and in the host one, wothin the entire European
Higher Education Area.
From the general principles stated by those guidelines
one could highlight the following :
- Competence of evaluation for national quality
assurance bodies within the receiving State, as well as
obligation for the provider of ensuring the same quality
level for study programmes offered both on it’s own
State system and in the receiving one, as well as for the
teaching staff qualifications;
- Transparency of the registration and licensing
processes;
- Obligation for the cross-border higher education
providers to permanently cooperate and consult the
quality assurance and accredditing bodies within the
receiving country.
In conclusion, one could state that the main goal of
those Guidelines is both to prevent stakeholders from
low-quality and unlawfull providers and also to
encourage the development of real quality cross-border
higher education that could attend to ever-growing
407
human, social, economic and cultural needs of the
globalized society.
The Observatory on Borderless Higher Education -
OBHE
The Observatory, created in 2002, started initially as a
collaborative initiative within the Association of the
Commonwealth Universities (ACU) and some UK
universities, with the scope to gather international
strategic data, by investigating how, why and where
education crosses geographical, political, economic and
intellectual borders, through massive collaboration with
and between key stakeholders in the higher education
area. This structure is presently formed by 180 various
educational entities, from more than 55 countries.
The Observatory has a small team of core staff,
supported by an Advisory Board, many of it’s reports
being undertaken by external experts all projects being
implemented with associate consultants from around
the world. The Observatory benefits from management,
editorial, database and website support from ACU staff.
The main objectives of the Observatory could be
summed-up as follows :
- Engage international quality assurance experts on
current and emerging issues in transnational higher
education;
- Organize international conferences for it’s members
to exchange ideas and strategies, thus providing best
practice guidelines on specific areas of cross-border
higher education to all interested parties;
- Cooperation with global higher education
stakeholders (education institutions and agencies) in
order to facilitate greater knowledge and understanding
of the key issues related to cross-border higher
education.
Council of Europe Code of Good Practice in
the Provision of Transnational Education
The Code, drafted under the auspices of the
Council of Europe and adopted by the Lisbon
Recognition Convention Committee in Rīga,
on June 6th, 2001, gives a very clear
definition of TNE (see above) and is intended
to promote good practice in the area of
transnational education - with particular
reference to the quality assurance of study
programmes and the standards of
qualifications. Thus, the Code tries to align
expectations of all major stakeholders with
regard to transnational arrangements in higher
education and to provide a source of reference
on issues relating to the quality assurance and
evaluation of transnational education
programmes, in order to guarantee “consumer
408 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
protection” for students, employers and other
stakeholders that may be concerned with
qualifications awarded through transnational
education. Therefore, the Code drafts a set of
guidelines with normative value that should be
respected by institutions involved in
transnational educational services.
PRO AND CONS OF TNE
Transnational higher education offerings are definitely
needed, in all the countries of Central and Eastern
Europe as the existing national higher education
systems and institutions are considered to be not
sufficiently developed to cope with increasing
enrolment pressures. However, it is important for the
European Higher Education System to provide adequate
safeguards against fraudulent offerings, debased
standards and other such problems, as within the context
of actual international growth of TNE, the “franchise”
or the the joint venture campuses are perhaps the most
intrusive yet un- assessed forms of cross-border
education. Generally designed as a satellite or antenna
of a Western university, those branch campuses are
located all over Central and Eastern Europe, where they
charg full fee from international students who complete
their studies in those branches, many time with very
little or even without any instruction by academics from
the "mother" university.
This is very important to shortliste some of the real
benefits, as well as some of the true handicaps of this
“franchised” form of higher education
Under advantages, we could quote the principle of
transparence, as TNE provisions should comply with
national standards of the receiving country. At the same
time, TNE could be seen as a positive and pro-active
social tool, as it allows wider acces to higher education
that the national system it comes to complete.
Moreover, throughout TNE arrangements, student
mobility and qualifications recognition are favorized.
In the specific field of quality assurance, the real
advantage of TNE is the fact that, should the quality
provisions really be respected, this would allow a
greater exchange of good practices in that specific
area leading thus to better quality provisions and more
adequate solutions to different issues, having in mind
the cultural diversity and the international expertise with
respect to specific educational demands and
expectations.
Unfortunately, there are also major risks related to
TNE, should this be offered by unlawful providers.
Such risks can be summed-up as increase of diploma
mills, leading to an inflation of under-qualified degree
holders, un-adequate educational offer with respect to
the social needs of the receiving State, lack of quality
assurance provisions and lack of quality in general
and, last but not least, risk of disolving the State’s
inter alia function to preserve it’s own cultural,
social and philosophical heritage.
ROMANIAN EXEMPLE OF GOOD PRACTICE
One of Romania’s first exemples of well succeeded
cross-border higher education is the Franco-Romanian
Legal College, created within the law faculty of the
University of Bucharest and started to function in 1995.
The enrolment procedure is transparent and implies,
first of all, an administrative enrolment within the
Faculty of Law, then, the interested students have to
pass a written test. Only 100 students per year can be
admitted to attend this university college and be, from
an administrative point of view, enrolled also within the
Paris I Pantheon-Sorbonne University.
The College is supported by the French Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, the Universities of Bucharest and ParisI
Pantheon Sorbonne, being managed by specialized
french teachers. All courses are deliveder in French, in
parallel with courses delivered by the Faculty of Law, at
the end, graduates being given two degrees, a French
and a Romanian one.
From the quality assurance aspect, this College is
submitted to a double system of evaluation, as it has to
fulfill both Romanian and French regulations in this
area. The French study programme was evaluated by the
Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher
Education, at the same moment with the first cycle
study programme delivered by this university, obtaining
a confidence degree. At the same time, the same study
programme have been successfully submitted to the
evaluation by the French authority, under french rules,
in order to be granted re-accreditation.
AKNOWLEDGMENTS
This work was accomplished under the project “Quality
Assurance in Higher Education in Romania within
European Context. Development of Academic Quality
Management at System and Institutional Level” –
ACADEMIS, POSDRU/2/1.2/S/1, Project Manager
Prof. Dr. Ioan CURTU, Romanian Agency for Quality
Assurance in Higher Education (ARACIS).
References
1. -Quality Assurance in Transnational Education
Coleman Journal of Studies in International Education
2003; pages 354-378;
2. European Standards and Guidelines for quality assurance of
higher education;
3. UNESCO-OECD guidelines for quality provision in cross-
border Education;
4. Council of Europe Code of Good Practice in the Provision
of Transnational Education;
5. Report from the European Commission on the progress in
quality assurance in higher education, september 2009;
6. - Antunes, Fatima - O ESPAÇO EUROPEU DE ENSINO
SUPERIOR PARA UMA NOVA ORDEM
EDUCACIONAL? 2009;
7. Bologna Declaration (1999);
8. -Documents of the ENQA/QAA conference organized in
London on December 1st and 2nd,2008, TNE-From words to
action
 CONTINUING VOCATIONAL TRAINING FOR THE CONSTRUCTION ENTERPRISES
PROF. Julietta DOMŞA PH.D
Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, E-mail: Julietta.Domsa@bmt.utcluj.ro

Abstract: The paper is integrated in the objective of promoting the vocational training on the basis of the research and technological
development programs, especially by the means of the cooperation between universities and enterprises to prepare and apply technology
transfer.
Construction sector, even if it is a traditional one, is weak considering the aspect of the technological innovation, has low productivity in
comparison with the industrial activity, a wrong organization of production and administration of human resources. Universities, training
organizations and professional associations identified the sector needs by their contacts with construction enterprises (by consulting,
evaluation, expertise, design).
Through international seminars has collected data and information about sectoral continuing training needs connected to: new
technologies (procedures, materials, equipment/tools) for a new constructions and rehabilitation; technological innovation and
management; construction quality and environment protection, and has developed models for short-term courses.
Concrete results was: identification, definition on the training needs in the construction sector and conceiving a methodology to anticipate
the necessities and development of models for short term courses for continuing vocational training with the final purpose to increase the
competence in construction enterprises.
The study covered in the paper is based on a research of the universities, professional training institute, construction enterprises, public
authority and professional associations from five countries: Greece, Hungary, Italy, Romania and Spain.
The originality is by the innovative didactic products (manuals, bulletins, information files, papers etc.), from methods to learning tools and
by the creation of two centers for continuing vocational training at the university from Cluj-Napoca (RO) and Györ (HU).
Key Words: construction sector, short-term courses, vocational training, enterprises, universities..

INTRODUCTION
Nowadays, construction enterprises have to face an
increasingly competition. Therefore, enterprises are
obliged to engage in activities in adapting/restructuring
and innovation, in order to improve their competence on
the European market.
The paper is integrated in the objective of promoting the
vocational training of the research and technological
development programs, especially by the means of the
cooperation between universities and enterprises in
order to prepare and apply technological transfer. The
concrete objectives are:
- the identification and definition of the training needs
of construction enterprises to increase their competence;
- curricula design and creation of short term courses
for continuing vocational training of the young
graduates, managers from enterprises and personnel of
the organizations from the construction sector;
- creation of trainers for seminars, meetings, visits to
competitive companies;
- development of innovative educational product, from
teaching method to learning tools using the consulting
structure of open university system;
- testing of the innovative products like short term
courses (at the universities from Romania and Hungary)
for continuing training with groups of apprentices, in
order to increase the competence of the construction
enterprises.
PRIOR WORK
In present-day conditions, companies (the construction
enterprises included, too) must be diagnosed to identify
their activities’ strengths and weaknesses, to study and
analyse facts and responsibilities, to highlight causes
and propose measures that could lead to an improved
use of the opportunities provided by the economic
environment or to the diminishing of risks due to the
economic environment where the company operates.
Diagnosis is, then, a management instrument favouring
present and future action by getting to know the present
and the past and which is based upon more types of
analysis, such as:
a) the external analysis of the environment by
interpreting the state of the market, of the actions of the
competitors, of the technological, economic, political
and legal, social and cultural factors, and
b) the internal analysis of the material means, human
resources and financial resources available for the
enterprise, of the managerial competence, of the
strategies and policies adopted by the company, of its
organisation, control methods, management and
administration methods used.
Diagnosis constitutes a stage in the evaluation of an
enterprise and can be either global or partial
(functional), the latter being used in this specific case
with respect to the diagnosis of the function human
resources.
Among the objectives related to the function staff, one
of the most significant is”the development of individual
and group competences”, an objective approached in the
VICCE pilot project [5].
410 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

In the project (Figure 1), there were involved the METHODOLOGY

coordinator and nine other partners (universities from
Romania, Hungary and Spain, representative
construction enterprises from Romania and Hungary,
professional associations from Romania, professional
technical institutes from Italy, public authority from
Italy and Vocational training Institution from Greece).
Coordinator :
Technical
University
of Cluj-Napoca
Universities : Enterprises :
- University of - Integral Hexa
Granada (E) Gyor (H)
- Szechenyi Istvan - Mova s.r.l Alba
College Gyor (H) Iulia (Ro)
Others :
- Professional
association (Ro)
- Public authority (I)
- Vocational
Training - Institution
(Greece)
- Professional
technical institutes (I)
Figure 1: Coordinator and partners in the VICCE pilot project
This objective was also analysed by CEREQ (Centre
d'études et de recherche sur les qualifications)[1], in the
framework of the comparative study in Europe on
industrial structures and workforce management in the
construction and civil engineering sector in France,
Italy, Germany and the United Kingdom on essential
aspects like vocational training.
The motivation of the research resulted mainly from the
specific features of the construction sector:
- low productivity as compared to other sectors;
- weak penetration of technological innovations;
- regionalised activities with traditional work
techniques;
- poorly capitalised production processes
(investment per worker);
- high ratio of small and medium enterprises;
- constant moving of the site of production;
- in the coordination through the market of the
construction process, the predominant orientation to
the financial strategy -based in the search for quick
return on low capital investment- and not to the
industrial strategy -with long term return of
investment-;
In the international seminars organized in the frame of
the pilot project, information and data were collected
regarding the continuing training necessities in the
construction sector. Themes given below were found to
be of interest:
- new technologies (procedures, materials, equipment
tools) for constructions;
- technological innovation and management;
- constructions quality and environment protection.
The research method used was that of the questionnaire,
that was sent out in five countries, in hundreds of
companies belonging to the construction sector.
Questionnaires were conceived with the goal of
identifying of the continuing training needs of young
graduates, managers, directors of human resources,
representatives of sectorial organizations,
managers/owners of small and medium sized enterprises
and of large enterprises etc.
Trainers of the organizations from the five countries
implied in the pilot project created Informational Files
[3] on the ground given by the answers to the
questionnaires. Questionnaires were distributed to the
construction enterprises with activity in the regions were
these organizations perform their activity.
The estimation of necessities is performed starting from
the collected information. By the improvement of the
educational system at transnational level, it is
anticipated that, in future stages, the competence in
construction enterprises will increase.
Trainers formed in three groups originating from:
Romania, Hungary and (Italy, Spain, Greece)
respectively have developed the curriculum and themes
in a manual, produced at a high scientific level and
aiming at the internationalization of the knowledge
market from this field. The manual became a course
support for the short term courses in vocational training.
The designed curriculum comprised: New Technologies
for constructions, Technologies for rehabilitation works,
Technological innovation, Management of
constructions, Quality of constructions and Environment
protection.
In order to fulfil this purpose, the project promoted the
creation of centres for continuing vocational training in
the domain of constructions. The centres organized in
the Open University system are set at the Technical
University of Cluj-Napoca (Romania) and Széchenyi
István University of Applied Sciences Györ (Hungary).
A flowchart was designed (Figure 2) to produce a
support for highly technological education and which
complies with the present-day demands in the
construction sector.

- fluctuating demand;
- variability of the process linked to a dissimilarity
in products.
Continuing Vocational Training for The Construction Enterprises 411

Table1: Content of the manual

1.NEW TECHNOLOGIE FOR

CONSTRUCTIONS
ROMANIA:
-Floors with composite structure
make up and putting into operation design
principles
HUNGARY:
-Trapezoidal steel sheets and liner trays
acting as a diaphragm
ITALY:
-Most common types of tile blocks
-Reinforced concrete and hollow tile
mixed floors
-Glulam timber roofing
-Overlapped tile roofing
-New materials in building restoration –
coating materials plastering
2.TECHNOLOGIES FOR
REHABILITATION WORKS
ROMANIA:
-Technology for building relocation
-The rehabilitation of buildings
HUNGARY:
-New building diagnostic method and
failure analysis in the service of the
building maintenance and reconstruction
ITALY:
Figure 2: The flowchart for continuing vocational training
-New technologies for restoration and
rehabilitation works
3.TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION
RESULTS AND IMPLICATIONS ROMANIA:
-A necessity to increase the competence
The results of the research were finalised by: of construction enterprises
- Informational files [3] that made a synthesis of the HUNGARY:
answers to questionnaires, for each theme approached, -A new approach of frameworks made of
in the three groups of countries: Romania, Hungary and reinforced or prestressed concrete
(Spain, Greece, Italy) and which constituted a GREECE:
methodology to anticipate the training needs in the -Innovation of information technology in
construction sector. the field of construction works
- Bulletins presenting a model for the specificity of 4.MANAGEMENT OF
universities, enterprises, training organisations, public CONSTRUCTIONS
authority, professional association and a trainer’s ROMANIA:
qualification. -The managerial strategies of the building
- Manuals [4] in Romanian, English, and Hungarian companies
produced on the basis of the curriculum designed, HUNGARY:
according to the themes defined as of interest in the -Negotiation and negotiation technique
construction sector, by 26 authors from the five -Company management, possibilities of
countries (Table 1). influencing by power and motivational
Development of the models for short term courses for mechanisms
continuing vocational training at the university from -Training and development
Cluj-Napoca and Györ with the final purpose to increase -Stimulation and performance evaluation
the competence in construction enterprises. and its effective means
The training needs and the trainers’ instruction were -Tender and making an offer
made in public seminars, followed by visits in
companies and by exchanges of experience.
412 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
5.QUALITY OF
CONSTRUCTIONS &
ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION
ROMANIA:
-A new approach to quality assurance
in building issues upon integrating
construction businesses with
environment protection
HUNGARY:
-Satisfying the requirements of the
industrial floor covering with new
technologies
-Possibilities for development of the
quality system
-Personal responsibility in the mirror
of the ISO standards
SPAIN:
-Systems of quality in construction
enterprises
ITALY:
-Environment protection in the
building sites.
The trainers were professors, experts, researchers,
management personnel from the enterprises.
The free access to these seminars for all specialists in
the field initiated cooperation and information
exchanges related to technological innovation in the
construction sector.
The partnership was founded on the cooperation core
made up by universities and enterprises from Romania
and Hungary aiming the some objectives. It was
extended on training organization from Italy, Greece
and Spain, a professional association from Romania and
a public authority (the mayoralty) from Italy.
Based on the identification of the training needs, the
curriculum was designed and then short term courses
were developed, the beneficiaries being young
graduates, supervisors, managers, directors of human
resources, representatives of sectorial organizations,
medium size enterprises and large enterprises, training
experts, vocational training policy makers/decision
makers etc.
CONCLUSIONS
The originality of this paper lies in the identification and
anticipation method of the training needs in the
construction sector by involving hundreds of companies
working in this field, from the five different in traditions
and customs European countries participating in the
pilot project VICCE.
The curricula design based on data collected and
innovative teaching products are also original
(manuals, bulletins, informational files, papers etc.)
from methods to learning tools, and so is the
development of models for short term courses by the
creation of two centres for continuing training at the
university from Cluj-Napoca (Romania) and Györ
(Hungary).
References
1. Ansidéi, M. ( 1992), ″EUROPE ET CHANTIERS le BTP en
Europe: structures industrielles et marché du travail″, Cahier
Thématique, mai 1992, Plan Construction et Architecture,
emploi-qualification-formation, Paris.
2. Berceanu, D., Ciurezu, T. (2003), “Evaluarea întreprinderii”,
Editura UNIVERSITARIA Craiova.
3. Domşa, J., coordinator (2000), “Informational files”, printed by
SZIF and INTEGRAL-H, Györ.
4. Domşa, J., coordinator (2000), “New technologies and present-
day management of constructions”, printed by STE s.a.s. S.Polo-
Piacenza, Italy.
5. Leonardo da Vinci Pilot project VICCE (1998/2001),
RO/98/2/06169/PI/II.1.1.c/FPC.
 POST GRADUATE COURSES IN NATIONAL AND TRANS-NATIONAL SYSTEM

PROF. Julietta DOMŞA PH.D1, SENIOR LECT. Livia ANASTASIU PH.D2

1
Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, E-mail: Julietta.Domsa@bmt.utcluj.ro
2
Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, E-mail: livia.anastasiu@cif.utcluj.ro

Abstract: European Construction Market development requires cooperation at European level in the construction industry on various
issues, such as Construction Practice Within this context the paper presents the development of certain models of Post Graduate courses in
civil engineering in the national and trans-national system.
The work was conceived in terms of a quality Post Graduate teaching system, in order to meet the needs of the construction industry. Under
those requirements, we studied the models involving the trans-national and national approach of the courses, work in multinational groups,
drafting projects/essays, curricula and the examination method.
The method used in the study was the direct participation with teachers and students in Post Graduate national and trans-national courses,
beginning with drafting the model and ending the development of teaching materials related to the curricula.
Concrete results refer to: the model and the curricula design for the Post Graduate courses with multinational participation (areas from
southern, central and northern Europe) and national participation (Romania) along with the particularities and the implication of each
model. The study presented in the paper refers to models of Post Graduate courses in civil engineering designed for students to win the
European experience in the construction field and to develop qualities to facilitate their future entrance in free competition on the European
market.
The originality of this paper consist in the model of Post Graduate courses designed for multinational groups, the development of the
curricula that is suitable to present the area’s particularities, the participating countries and the comparison with the model of the national
courses belonging in the Civil Engineering Faculty, Cluj-Napoca.
Key Words: Post Graduate courses, Construction market, multinational groups, students.

financing channels and the ever-changing conditions on

INTRODUCTION
In the construction field, one of the main requirements
id increasing the level of professional training in order
to facilitate the entry into a free competition in the
european and world markets.
Construction sector perspectives are given by a number
of factors, such as: demographic, economic, related to
the built environment, quality/quantity and
implementation techniques of execution that occur in
the life cycle of the building, that is the time to succeed
the stages of conception, design,
implementation/execution, use/maintenance and after
use if necessary.
The variety of the factors, processes and phenomena
encountered in the international changes give the
external markets some features, as [3]: a) the
heterogeneity due to the variety of products that are the
subject of the purchase, the many participants in the acts
of change, the specific conditions of the trade; b) the
uncontrollable character of the external markets
referring to the external partners of that markets; c) the
competition with different intensity and forms
depending on the type of the markets, the subject of the
market activity, the circumstances of each period; d) the
dynamic, due to the depending of the global division of
labor and the global output growth.
Along with these common features, different from one
market to another, each country has a certain specific,
depending on the social-economic structure, the level of
development, the nature of the market’s
products/services. In this general context, everyone
working in the construction field [4] must be connected
to the technology, the products, the processes, the
the contemporary market. Three main directions of
action must not be forgotten for a future succes: to be
fully informed and to be masters of their specific
domain of knowledge; to have communication
techniques required to deliver these knowledges; to
develop skills in presentation in order to transmit the
knowledge to others. These action directions were basis
for the Post Gradutare teaching system, in order to meet
the needs of the Construction market.
METHODOLOGY
The design of the curricula in a working system, in
multinational groups, led to the understanding of the
implication of the cultural and environmental
background situation and the benefits of sharing
experience. One basic aim of the Post Graduate courses
is to harmonize the European construction practice and
regulation to increase the free trade and labor
movement.
Curriculum design for the Post Graduated courses was
developed by teachers participating in Project Intensive
Programme (IP) by using the distance learning and
preparatory methods. Within each program there was a
general theme for which the curricula was design and
includes the chapters to be developed on predetermined
durations; the teachers involved in multinational groups
had to prepare teaching materials. Post Graduated
courses were planned during two weeks at a university
considered host, chosen from the universities in
participating countries.
The students were selected according to their
applications among the post-graduated students. Very
414 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

experienced under-graduate students with adequate Construction Practice”; “Urban Space and Tourism”
study background had also possibility to apply for the (table 1) and “Construction with Quality and Safety”
courses. (table 2).
The proposed curricula had to be known by the future The participating countries were chosen to cover such a
students; therefore it was sent in advance to every wide geographical area, namely the northern and
university involved in the programme. southern Europe to ensure that the courses and projects
Table 1: Post-Graduate course: Urban Space and Tourism to be able to highlight the specificity of each area.
Partners Subjects to be taught Post Graduate courses were conducted intensively
Technological Education *The Importance of Urban during two weeks, totaling daily schedule by 8-9 hours:
Institute of Piraeus, tourism in E.U. Political, - Presentation of courses by teachers grouped in
Greece Social, Economic & Urban thematically multinational teams;
University of Applied planning Aspects - Training students` multinational groups (about 5-6
Science, Holzminden, *Urban Space and Tourism students/group);
Germany the recent trends worldwide - Group work for project presentation on topics thought;
ISEL- Technical Institute, *Architecture and Tourism
- Presentation/evaluation of the project by teachers.
Higher Institute of Need for Change
Engineering Lisbon, *Urban Design and its Role At the end of the courses, the students received a
Portugal in the Changing of diploma in header having all the participating
Technical University of Touristic Urban Space universities, signed by all the teachers involved, the host
Cluj-Napoca, Romania *Design Visual Communic. university seal and with totally 5 to 7.5 ETCS.
University of Applied System for Chosen, Post Graduate national courses have the designed
Science, Stuttgart, Particular Tourist & Cultural curricula similar to that in the multinational system, but
Germany Events based on Local Area the latter makes a major contribution to preparing the
University of Applied *Construction Methods of students because they understand the relationship
Science, Neubrandenburg, Pavements at Historical Sites
between the different local environmental effect in the
Germany *Urban Regeneration of
Technical University of Industrial Territories and building projects; they acquire their knowledge about
Koszalin, Poland Revitalization of Buildings the different environmental conditions effect on the
University of for Cultural Tourism building constructions; they understand the basic
Architecture, Civil *The City Structure and the differences that affect the free trade in Europe and the
Engineering and Geodesy, Tourism emphasis placed on the contracts` terms in each country;
Sofia, Bulgaria *Systematization of the they know what relationships exist between companies
Urban Zones without in European countries, etc.
Building Demolition
*Historical Building and
Urban Tourism CONCLUSIONS
Table 2: Post-Graduate course: Construction with Quality and Safety
Partners Subjects to be taught Post Graduate courses designed for multinational groups
Oulu University of *Construction Project and perform an opportunity to work with colleagues from
Applied Science, Finland Informational Flow different countries and acquire all European perspective
University of Applied *Quality Management, on the discipline, understanding the implication of
Science, Holzminden, Quality Assurance, Quality cultural and environmental background and situation
Germany Control and the benefits of sharing experience. The idea of the
Technological Education *European regulations and curricula is to provide the participants with opportunity
Institute of Piraeus, design codes
to build up a firm network which enables them to share
Greece (Euro codes)
Kingston University, U.K. *National regulations, norms
the information, to further train themselves, enhance the
Technical university of and national practices in mobility of trained labor and to find solutions for
Cluj-Napoca, Romania construction breaking the obstacles of free competition and human
Technical University of *Safety in Construction, equivality.
Koszalin, Poland from Design to Use
University of Granada, *Construction Environment References
Spain and Technology
*Benefits and barriers to free
trade and 1. Chemillier, P. (1992), “La construction à l’horizon 2025”, CSTB,
Plan Construction et Architecture, Paris, 13-40.
labor movement 2. ERASMUS-EUC-1 Intensive Programmes (IP) (2001-2007),
*Benchmarking and Best “European Construction Practice”, “Urban Space and Tourism”,
Practice “Construction with Quality and Safety”.
*Excursion to demanding 3. Gîrboveanu, S.,R. (2002), „Marketingul exportului de
construction project construcţii”, Editura Universitaria, Craiova
4. Pryor, P. (2005), „Marketingul serviciilor de construcţii”, Editura
CODECS, Bucureşti
The students of the Technical University of Cluj-
Napoca Romania participated along with the students
from other European countries over several years, to
three such programmes [2] as follow: “European
 NEEDS OF HIGHER EDUCATION FOR FUTURE POWER ENGINEERS

Mihai GAVRILAS1, Gilda GAVRILAS2

1
« Gh. Asachi » Technical University of Iasi, Romania, email : mgavril@ee.tuiasi.ro
2
« Gh. Asachi » Technical University of Iasi, Romania, email :gildagavrilas@yahoo.com

The paper approaches the need of higher education for the future power engineers based on the analysis of the major directions
imposed by the Smart Grid concept. A comparison of a MSc program in the Management of Electric Power Systems (MEPS) offered
by the “Gh. Asachi” Technical University of Iasi with similar programs at other universities worldwide, and with the Smart Grid –
oriented curriculum, shows good compatibility. At the same time, a SWOT analysis applied to the MSc program in the MEPS has
shown its opportunity, but also the need for continuous curriculum updating to reflect most recent changes in the power industry.

science and technology. Report IEEE – PES (2009) also

INTRODUCTION
Today, electricity is not only the most common and
effective form of energy used, but is ubiquitous in
nature, being used in homes, industry, commerce,
communications, transport, medicine, science, media
and in many other areas. Thus, report EURELECTRIC
(2007) recognizes the electricity as a critical leverage of
the economic and social progress and a solid bridge
between the global energy needs and the sustainable
development of society.
The need for new concepts for education and
research in the electric power industry is not a new
concern, but its importance is strengthened nowadays by
the urgent need to redefine the global energy policies. In
EU-nited (2009) and Fatabo (2004), European
Engineering Industries Association and CIGRE draw
attention to problems that all engineers in Europe are
facing with. The need to adapt curricula and university
research programs to the new challenges facing the
electric power industries worldwide has been described
in numerous works dedicated to this subject, such as
EURELECTRIC (2007), Khan et al. (2006), Montoya
(2008), Ilic et al. (2004) and Heydt et al. (2009).
This paper presents an original approach to the
analysis and design of power engineering (PE)
curriculum for a MSc program at the Electrical
Engineering Faculty, from “Gh. Asachi” Technical
University of Iasi, Romania, based on comparisons with
other curricula from similar programs worldwide.
PRESENT AND FUTURE CONTEXTS
It is generally recognized that courses within
engineering academic programs require a higher degree
of analytical skills and the ability to handle abstract
concepts and models associated to physical phenomena.
At the same time, as shown in Fatabo (2004) and IEEE
(2010), after admission in a power engineering program,
students will usually take more mathematics and science
courses than for other academic programs.
In terms of workforce, report “Europe@Risk”
(2008) draws attention to the risk of declining
competitiveness in world economies due to the lack of
skilled and highly trained people, especially in areas of
has identified two major aspects of the workforce needs
in the U.S. over the next 5 years, namely: approximately
45% of present day engineers in PE industry will choose
retirement, while other 40% of the teaching staff from
power engineering faculties will become eligible for
retirement, too. Moreover, Heydt et al. (2009) observed
that the above report does not consider the
implementation of Smart Grid (SG) technologies, whose
influence will contribute to an even greater demand for
highly skilled and trained power engineers.
The future power engineers need to master both
basic power engineering components, such as design,
construction and operation of the power system, as well
as the new energy and information technologies and
their impact on the environment. Fatabo (2004) and Ilic
et al. (2004) identified the following challenges for the
future power engineer: (a) impact of dispersed
generation over the existent grid; (b) an increasingly
active role of consumers and promotion of real-time
pricing; (c) increasing competition on electricity
markets, asking for new legislative and regulatory
frameworks; (d) decisions based increasingly on the
principle of costs and expected revenues.
On the other hand, Heydt G.T. et al. (2009)
identified three major trends of development in electric
networks: (i) development of existing grid to integrate
Renewable Energy Sources (RES); (ii) penetration of
information technology for widespread implementation
of digital control and (iii) development of new software
applications. To integrate these trends, the concept of
Smart Grid (SG) has been proposed. This concept has
the merit to answer, not only to the scientific context,
but also to political and public demands for RES
implementation and carbon dioxide emissions reduction.
THE ROLE OF UNIVERSITIES IN PREPARING
THE FUTURE ELECTRIC POWER ENGINEERS
The future power engineer will need to develop
competencies and skills in a wide range of disciplines or
fields of interest, such as: energy technology,
information and communication technology, economics,
system theory, energy markets, environmental sciences
and other. On the other hand, the student must receive a
comprehensive education covering levels of
understanding, analysis, synthesis and evaluation, based
416 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
on the accumulation of solid knowledge of engineering
sciences, and with positive attitude towards
development by continuing education.
Beyond these, cooperation between universities and
the power industry can be fundamental in creating the
new type of power engineer. A partnership between
universities and industry exposes both parts to benefits:
students will meet current industry practices, while
practicing engineers from industry will discover new
options for continuing education.
The role of universities in preparing the future
power engineers could be clearly revealed using
Bloom’s taxonomy, Bloom (1956), which intuitively
describe how students learn and how the knowledge
they acquired would be applied to solve practical
problems or to create new concepts or products.
The best representation of the Bloom’s taxonomy is
the pyramidal structure from Fig. 1.a. A revised
taxonomy of the cognitive domain was proposed in
Andersin and Krathwohl (2001). The new pyramidal
structure is shown in Fig. 1.b. A comparison between
Fig. 1.a. and b shows that the major changes are at the
bottom and top levels of the pyramid. Thus, at the
bottom, the “knowledge” level is replaced by the
“remembering” level, while at the top, the ‘synthesis”
and “evaluation” levels are replaced by “evaluating” and
“creating” levels. The revised version in Andersin and
Krathwohl (2001) introduces also the “product”
concept, which offers the possibility to represent the
new taxonomy in a two-dimensional matrix.
MASTER PROGRAMS AND THE FUTURE
POWER ENGINEERS
With respect to the Bloom’s taxonomy from Fig. 1,
Heydt et al. (2009) estimates that for most
undergraduate programs in PE, only the most qualified
graduates successfully meet the requirements associated
to the “analysis” level. On the other hand, the idea of
SG is based on concepts like innovation and integration
of a mix of modern methodologies, technologies and
solutions, as they were defined in Smart Grid (2009):
self-healing; demand response; security against cyber
attacks; power quality; mixed generation and storage
options; enabling new products, services and markets;
and optimizing assets and operating efficiency.
It is clear that these goals cannot be achieved based
only on the “analysis” level from the Bloom’s
taxonomy, and a transition to the “synthesis” /
“evaluating” level is needed. In terms of the academic
programs in PE, this type of performances corresponds
to the level of master programs, which by definition are
designed to allow students to focus on design and
integration of a mix of complex technologies (energy,
information, communication, environment etc) and
methods (monitoring, control, optimization etc),
considered to represent key points on the path towards
achieving the objectives of the SG.
Evalu- Crea-
ation ting
Synthesis Evaluating
Analysis Analysing
Application Applying
Comprehension Understanding
Knowledge Remembering
(a) (b)
Figure 1: Bloom’ taxonomy: original (a) and revised (b) forms.
CURRICULAR APPROACH
An early approach to modernizing PE curriculum
was proposed in Ilic M. et al. (2004) and consists in a
multidisciplinary approach. However, this type of
curriculum uses modules outside the core without a
clear definition of their relationship with the power
engineering domain. Recent studies and approaches,
with a better perspective on the electric systems
evolution, such as Heydt G.T. et al. (2009), offer a
curriculum approach that focuses on the future
electricity networks, the Smart Grids, and take into
consideration Bloom’s taxonomy at the “analysis” and
“synthesis” levels, based on three types of disciplines:
(a) core-disciplines, that define the fundamental
components of a present or future MSc program in
power engineering; (b) boundary-disciplines, that define
links with other science and engineering fields and (c)
concurrent-disciplines, that come from outside the core-
area to connect core-disciplines or core-disciplines with
boundary-disciplines. Disciplines that fall into one of
these categories, considered also as SG directions, are
represented as black-boxes in Figure 2.
Beginning with the academic year 2009-2010, the
Faculty of Electrical Engineering from “Gh. Asachi”
Technical University of Iasi organizes a 3-semesters
MSc program in Management of Electric Power
Systems (MEPS), under the framework of the Bologna
academic system. This program was designed to
continue the undergraduate studies in the field of Power
Systems Engineering (PSE) for a master degree, with
focus on most recent trends and developments in this
field, including the major directions of the SG concept.
The basic content of the MSc program in MEPS is
presented in Table 1, along with similar courses from
curricula for PE master programs from other four
universities worldwide. The bottom row from Table 1
shows the number of credits (ECTS - European Credit
Transfer and Accumulation System) for similar courses,
as absolute and percentage values.
Most disciplines from the MEPS curriculum can be
found under the same or similar names in the other
master programs considered in the present analysis. On
the other hand, considering the ECTS system, three out
of the four similar MSc programs have more than 70%
credits in similar disciplines with the MEPS program.
In terms of the SG – oriented curriculum, a
comparison with the MEPS program is presented in Fig.
2. As one can see, twelve out of the thirteen courses in
Needs of Higher Education for Future Power Engineers 417

Figure 2: Parallel between the MSc program in MEPS (white boxes) and the Smart Grid – oriented curriculum as in Heydt G.T. et al. (2009) (black boxes).

Table 1: Curricula for the MSc program in Management of Electric Power Systems and other similar programs in Europe and North America.
MEPS - RO EPE - SW PES - CA EECEPE - PL EPE - NO
PS Transients PS Transients Analysis of PS Transients
PS Stability and Control PS Control and Operation Power Systems PS Operation and Control Electric PS Stability
Dynamics and Control of
Power Stations Dynamics
AC/DC Drives
Switching Techniques and Advanced Substation and
FACTS and HVDC in PS DC and FACTS Power Electronics
FACTS Electrical Equipment
Project Management
Distrib. Systems Planning System Planning Planning of Electric PS
High Voltage Insulation High Voltage High Voltage Advanced High Voltage
High Voltage Insulation
Coordination Engineering Engineering Applications Technology
Integrated Protection and
PS Protection PS Protection Protective Relaying
Automation
Electrotechnical Selected Problems of
Nonlinear Analysis
Modeling Circuit Theory
Energy Markets and Electricity Markets Operation of
Power Markets
Policies Analysis Restructured PS
Modern Management PS Computer Electric Power Systems
Techniques Applications Management
Computational Intelligence Applications of AI to PS AI Techniques
Energy – Society -
Selected Courses (Hum.) Energy and Environment
Environment
ECTS (credits, max.120 /%) 83 / 70% 90 / 75% 69 / 58% 90 / 75%
MEPS – RO: MSc in Management of Electric Power Systems – “Gh. Asachi” Technical University of Iasi, Romania.; EPE – SW: MSc in Electric Power Engineering
– Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden; PES – CA: MSc in Power and Energy Systems – Waterloo University, Ontario, Canada; EECEPE – PL: MSc in
Electrical Engineering Control in Electric Power Engineering, Wroclaw University of Technology, Poland; EPE – NO: MSc in Electric Power Engineering –
Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; EPE – GE: MSc in Electrical Power Engineering – RWTH Aachen University, Germany.

Table 2: A SWOT analysis applied to the MSc program in MEPS.

Strengths Weaknesses
• Compatibility with other similar programs worldwide • Needs of young human resources
• Compatibility with the needs of high technologies in industry • Needs for a better update of curriculum content
• Experience, resources, people • Lack of a solid financial support for research
• Qualifications, accreditations, certifications
• Location and geographic coverage
• Innovation capabilities
Opportunities Threats
• Energy is a priority and a preferential subject worldwide • Dissipation and inefficient use of the academic human resource
• Workforce markets ask for high qualified power engineers • Internal obstacles
• Establishment of university – industry partnerships • Lack of present students interest for engineering
• Start research projects with students in MSc programs • Risk of a chronic underfunding
• Development of energy markets is a source of new jobs • the MEPS
Delayed curriculum
insertion of modernrespond to seven
technologies out of the nine
in industry
• Competition with other universities in the region. major directions of the SG curriculum. However, this
418 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
correspondence is not always univocal. Computational
Intelligence course was introduced in the MEPS
curriculum as a carrier of modern computational
technologies (expert systems, neural networks, fuzzy
systems, evolutionary algorithms, swarm intelligence,
immune algorithm, intelligent agents etc) to applications
in all directions of the future SG. Finally, for two SG
directions (Reliability & Risk Assessment and Direct
Digital Control) no correspondence has been
established to existent courses in the MEPS program.
To complete the above comparison, a SWOT
analysis of the force and opportunity of the MSc
program in MEPS, was conducted. The results of this
analysis are summarized in Table 2.
Strengths. Compatibility of the MEPS program with
other similar MSc programs worldwide and with the
needs for high technologies in power industry are two
major positive benchmarks. The faculty of Electrical
Engineering offers accredited academic programs for
two undergraduate directions (PSE and Energy
Management) and two MSc directions (MEPS and
Management for Energy and Environment). Its location
offers an appropriate geographic coverage for training
potential future engineers at different academic levels.
Academic and research staff, laboratories and the
library, partnerships with power industry are valuable
resources and assets that ensure a high professional and
efficient educational process.
Weaknesses. The comparative analysis of the MEPS
program revealed that the main concern of curricula
managers must be the continuous updating and
upgrading process necessary to keep the educational
process in line with most recent trends and
developments in the power industry and in society, as a
whole. A solid financial support must exist to achieve
these goals. Unfortunately, a constant drop of this
support was observed in the last few years.
Opportunities. It is obvious that, during these times,
energy is a main priority. At the same time, a constant
drop in the number of active professionals in power
engineering was encountered worldwide, which clearly
indicate the need of new, high qualified power
engineers. Meanwhile, the development of energy
markets offers the opportunity for new jobs, mainly as
niches for outsourcing services with energy
management. On the other hand, new university –
industry partnerships, with dual objectives could be
established: training future engineers by academia to
respond to industry need, and funding academic
research projects by industry.
Threats. Threats coming from environments close to
the university can address a dissipative and inefficient
use of human resources and assets by applying a
“dispersed education policy” or internal obstacles
related to organizational or managerial issues. A threat
that must be treated with most intelligent recruitment
and marketing strategies is the present lack of interest
among future students for engineering, in general, and
power engineering, in particular. An institutional threat
is the risk of a chronic underfunding by public policies
based on other interests than promoting education and
development through education.
The results of the SWOT analysis synthetically
presented in Table 2 emphasize the opportunity to
continue to offer MSc programs in MEPS.
CONCLUSIONS
The paper approached the need of higher education
for the future power engineers. Based on the above
analysis, the authors consider that, updating and
upgrading the MEPS program based on the major
directions of the SG concept, taking also into account
the opportunities offered by the present day
development of the power industry, can be considered a
guarantee for the training of future high qualified power
engineers and the development of academic research in
the faculty at international standards. On the other hand,
we believe that a poor financing policy, both at
governmental an industry partnership levels, will
represent a serious threat not only for future power
engineering education programs, but also for the
professionalism of the future engineers trained to
design, implement and operate the future smart grid.
References
1. Andersin, L.W., and Krathwohl, D.R., (2001), A Taxonomy for
Learning, Teaching, and Assessing: A Revision of Bloom's
Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, Longman, New York.
2. Bloom B. (1956), Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, Handbook
1: The Cognitive Domain, David McKay Co., New York.
3. EU-nited (2009), “The future of engineering in Europe”, www.eu-
nited.net.
4. EURELECTRIC (2007),”The Role of Electricity – A New Path to
Secure an Competitive Energy in a Carbon-Constrained World”,
Summary Report, EURELECTRIC, March 2007.
5. Europe@Risk (2008), “Europe@Risk - A Global Risk Network
Briefing”, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Rep. World Economic Forum.
6. Fatabo, N. (2004), “Needs of Education and Research in the
Electricity Supply Industry and Manufacturing Industry”, Report of
the CIGRE - EPEE Panel of 30th August 2004.
7. Heydt, G.T. et al. (2009), “Professional Resources to Implement the
Smart Grid”, Proc. North American Power Symposium, Oct. 2009.
8. IEEE (2010), Power and Energy Society Discussion Forum:
www.ieeecommunities.org/power (available June 2010).
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Workforce Collaborative – Preparing the U.S. Foundation for
Future Electric Energy Systems: A Strong Power and Energy
Engineering Workforce”, Report IEEE – PES.
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Multi-Disciplinary Curriculum for Network Industries”, IEEE
Transactions on Power Systems, Vol. 19, Issue 1, pp. 9-16.
11. Khan, N. et al. (2006), “Power Engineering Education
Scenario”, Proc. IEEE Power Engineering Society General
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Industry: Opportunities for Power Engineering Education”, Proc. of
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“Smart Grid”, available at http://www.oe.energy.gov/smartgrid.htm
ROMANIAN LEGAL EDUCATION AT THE CROSSROADS: DESIGNING RESPONSIBLE
LAW CURRICULA
Brindusa Camelia GOREA1, Elena-Adriana TOMULETIU2, Elena PUHA3, Mugur GOREA4
1
“Dimitrie Cantemir” University of Targu-Mures, brindusa@amph.ro
2
“Dimitrie Cantemir” University of Targu-Mures, adriana.tomuletiu@gmail.com
3
“Dimitrie Cantemir” University of Targu-Mures, elenapuha@yahoo.co.uk
4 The Institute for Culture and Political Culture, mugur gorea@
_ tvmures.ro

Abstract
Is the Romanian law graduate ready to fulfill his/her social mission, after 20 years of democracy? To find the answer, we asked law students and
law graduates from several law schools in Romania to fill in a questionnaire. Judging by the answers, nowadays law graduates do not consider
themselves ready for a juridical life. The experience of twelve years of law teaching, law practice and law scientific research tells us the same
thing. Even if they know the law very well, they are not able to operate with it the beginning of their career. One of the purposes of our study is to
identify the causes of this situation. We discovered that the law graduates are not ready for a juridical life because they need a proper training.
The Romanian law teaching lacks the practical training and the social human education. In this respect, the aim of the study is to recommend
some solutions.

Keywords: Romanian legal education; Civic education, culture; Academic responsibility; Law curricula
.
1. THE CIVIC EFFECTIVENESS OF
THE LEGAL EDUCATION
The legal profession is not just a challenging,
beautiful occupation, but it is also a vocation. A jurist,
a lawyer, an attorney, a law-professor – they all have a
social mission too: to preserve and to defend the social
peace and harmony. Obviously, legal education is an
important part of Social Sciences Teaching.
All academic training should follow four axes: (1)
learning to learn, as a condition to your future
independent work; (2) learning to put into practice
what you have learned; (3) learning to be yourself; (4)
learning to live with your fellows, to cooperate and to
work together [Nicolesco, (1999)].
The traditional values of academia (rigorous
research skills, evidence based practice, understanding
of the nature of discretion, consciousness of the
complexity of decision making and the habits of
critical reflection) [Johnson (2009), p. 46] are critical
in legal education, but not enough nowadays. It has to
engage with the real world. It has to deal with the
needs of the legal market. Moreover, it has to fulfill its
social mission. In South America, for instance, popular
lawyers engage in fighting on behalf of the oppressed,
which links both legal and political action [Johnson
(2009), p. 46].
Within the European communitarian context, we
may notice a mitigation of law and a contest of its
“regalities”, of which the state for a long time drew
advantage [Alexandru (2004), p.52]. Until recently, “to
administrate” used to mean to maintain the existing
social relationship, focusing on stability. The law itself
was created and interpreted according to social realities
that rejected transformations, rapid changes. It
preserved, on the contrary, the small progress steps,
with the focus on regularity and long term plans.
According to Pan-European concept, changes shall
emerge to make the juridical concept possible for the
rapid long term transformations, even if sometimes less
predictable [Alexandru (2004), pp. 40-41].
Is the Romanian law graduate ready to confront
themselves with these transformations, after 20 years
of democracy? We hardly think so. Twelve years of
law teaching, law practice and law scientific research is
what made us question the civic effectiveness of the
legal education we have in Romania. On the other
hand, law students, law graduates and young lawyers
are unhappy with the practical knowledge they
obtained in law departments. Apart from these younger
students, high school or gymnasium graduates in
Romania are not provided with an opportunity to
become acquainted to a basic juridical education, or at
least proper civic education.
2. ROMANIAN LEGAL EDUCATION
AT THE CROSSROADS
Starting from these empirical observations, we tried
to find out what is missing in the Romanian legal
education system and to recommend some solutions.
How can we help our law students develop their civic
spirit?
In the last years of democracy, Romania adopted –
at least in theory - the world ideal of academic self-
determination and responsibility. Which way should
we take at this crossroad, where the government is no
longer supposed to guide law schools on their
educational politics, yet we cannot afford to raise
lawyers who are irresponsible in the face of community
or unequipped for a healthy social life?
In order to obtain a proper answer to these
questions, we started by asking 100 law students and
law graduates from several law schools in Romania to
fill in a questionnaire, using a Likert scale. We also
conducted a comparative analysis of law curricula in
the eight main Romanian public and private law
faculties.
420 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
3. DESIGNING RESPONSIBLE LAW
CURRICULA
Both the interviewees` answers evaluation and the
comparativee study we conducted on the legal education
curricula revealed that the law graduates are not ready
for a responsible legal life because they are not entirely
trained. There are three main components that are
missing / underestimated in Romanian legal education:
educ
the social human education, the practical training and
the teaching of alternative dispute resolution
techniques.
Hereinafter we will analyze these three coordinates
of any whole legal education system, by bringing to
light the Romanian current statee of fact and trying to
suggest some reasons for a more responsible academic
attitude.
3.1. The social human education
The first main component we consider defective in
Romanian legal education is the social human
education.
aw students and law
More than 50 percent of the law
graduates we interrogated disagree (40%) or strongly
disagree (12%) with the statement “My legal studies
made me a better citizen”:
Strongly disagree
40
35
30 Disagree
25
20 Neither agree nor
disagree
15
10 Agree
5 The interrelation
0
Strongly agree
% Djuvara: “The ultimate idea standing at the fundament
Question 1: My legal studies made me a better citizen.
In Romania, the legal academic education has a
duration of four years, that is eight semesters, and there
are approximately 8 courses / semester. How the
approximately 60 courses a Romanian law student
takes are distributed, and what is the ration between
general courses and strictly specialized ones?
Of the eight main law faculties we chose for our
comparative study, only one includes in its curriculum
legal Philosophy, Legal Sociology, Politology, Legal
Logic and Legal Rhetoric as compulsory courses. At
the other seven Faculties, if these particular courses
happen to be part of the curriculum, it is the law
students’ option whether to attend them or not.
Is this situation a normal one? Should we understate
these social human disciplines` importance in favor of
the ones we call “specialized law courses”?
course Is four
years enough time to inculcate in our law students
cultural, moral and civic values too, besides the
indisputable important professional knowledge?
This kind of dilemma concerning the content of law
curriculum can be found elsewhere too, not only o in
Romania. For instance, a number of law faculties from
Turkish private universities add to their curriculum
general courses such as Legal Philosophy, Sociology,
and Economics, which are studied for one year, before
students take up their legal courses
course [Hacimahmutoglu
(2008)]. As it is the case in Romania, Turkey has a four
year legal education system and it seems to have
encountered the same difficulties in deciding upon
what is the best way to design the lawyers’ academic
training.
Why should we consider social human education so
important for a lawyer? Does he/her really need to
understand the philosophical, sociological or
psychological bases of the law, justice,
j equity, fairness
or truthfulness? We plead for an affirmative answer to
this question..
We are often invited by the social human scientists
to watch the Juridical Life in order to understand the
changes in our society. But the field of law scientific
research is still tributary to a positivistic technical
view. This view implicitly or explicitly
expli rejects the
complex relationship between law and philosophy.
It is beyond all questions that law has both
philosophical origins and philosophical contents. Any
historical analysis tells us so. Plato is one of the first
thinkers who meditated on Justice Just and Injustice.
Aristotle, Cicero, St. Augustine, Rousseau, Locke,
Hobbes, Kant, Hegel and Marx, Ernst Bloch and John
Rawls are only the best known names of philosophers
preoccupied by law [Gorea and Puha (2009), pp. 1-8, 1
39-49, 53-60, 83-138].
rrelation between underlying values of
Philosophy and Law is clearly expressed by Mircea
of Law is […] to respect the human dignity, to respect
the human being, to be sympathetic with all human
kind, therefore
erefore to respect human being’s legitimate
rights, the ones which do not challenge the liberties of
others” [Djuvara (1995), p. 78].
In addition to this philosophical approach, the social
human education has a practical dimension too. Does
the law student ent need logical knowledge such as
concepts, syllogisms and paralogisms, reasoning,
demonstration and argument? It is certain that he/she
does! A lawyer operates with these concepts even if
he/she is not fully aware of it, so it is much more
helpful if he/she does it properly. Legal Logic is about
proper thinking and proper acting within the law
[Gorea (2009), p.32].
What about Rhetoric?
hetoric? No one questions
question its
importance for a law student, but few understand
understan that
Rhetoric
hetoric is not only about speaking nicely nice and
convincingly;; in legal matters, where nothing can be
demonstrated (in a mathematical way), but everything
can be argued [Gorea (2009, p. 44], it is about good
reasoning.
Romanian Legal Education at the Crossroads: designing responsible Law Curricula 421

compensation for damages and so on.

3.2. The practical training Knowing what the law says is not enough for a
The second coordinate of an effective legal young lawyer.. It is critical to know what to do, and to
education is the practical training. do it fast and well. A more or less formal professional
A worrying number of law students and law practice is not enough for a law student, to
t be able to
graduates strongly disagree with the idea of getting understand the nature of his/ her future legal
enough practical training during the academic legal occupation.
studies: 29%. 35 percent disagreed with it and only 14
percent agreed (11%) or strongly
rongly agreed (3%): 3.3. The non-judiciary
judiciary conflict resolution
Finally, we believe that a responsible legal
35 Strongly disagree education system must include teaching
t of alternative
30 dispute resolution methods.
25
Disagree Only 13 percentcent of the law students and law
20
graduates we asked to fill in the questionnaire consider
Neither agree nor them properly (8%) or very properly (5%) equipped for
15 disagree settling a dispute outside the court of justice, thanks to
10 the legal courses they took:
Agree
5
0
Strongly agree Strongly disagree
% 50
45
Question 2: During my academic studies, I have obtained enough practical 40 Disagree
training. 35
30
25
The Romanian law teaching lacks not only Neither agree nor
20 disagree
theoretical knowledge of social human values, but - 15
paradoxical as it may be for a positivistic technical 10 Agree
legall education system, it also lacks the practical 5
training.. Even if all eight law faculties we analyzed 0
Strongly agree
included in their curriculum a discipline called %
“professional practice”, the questionnaire we applied to Question 3: I consider
er myself properly equipped for settling a dispute outside
law students and law graduates tells us otherwise.
otherwi the court of justice, thanks to the legal courses I took.
Nowadays law graduates do not consider themselves
ready for a juridical life. Even if they know the law At the intersection of practical training and social
very well, they are not able to operate with it at the human education stands the teaching of dispute
beginning of their career. resolution techniques: negotiation, conciliation,
co
Over 80 percent of them complain about the fact mediation and arbitration.
that the professional
onal practice they ought to get during Judging from both the interviewees` answers and
their studies was purely formal or totally missing. the comparative analysis we conducted, we can hardly
More than 90 percent of Romanian law students were speak about a culture of non-judiciary
non conflict
never involved in a role-play
play or a legal simulation resolution in Romania. Even if our legal system allows
process. arbitration, conciliation and mediation as alternative
Again, the problem is not exclusively characteristic dispute resolution methods, these techniques are rarely
to Romanian education. Not only Romanian legal included in legal curriculum.
education system has a legacy of academic isolation It has now been 50 years since negotiating skills
from practice. “The role of the Jurist is one more were introduced into legal education in the USA.
established in civil law jurisdiction than in common However, a course of negotiation
negoti or mediation is still
law but the profession does recognize and value – on uncommon in Romanian law faculties.
one level at least – the rigorous, disinterested Only “Dimitrie Cantemir” University of Targu- Targu
commentary of the legal academic. The busy Mures has a mediation course at the first legal training
practitioner working directly with the client often takes level. In those rare cases in which Romanian law
a different and less positive view of academics”, says faculties offer alternative dispute resolution
reso courses,
British Professor Nick Johnson [Johnson (2009), p.44].
p. they are on the Master Degree level. More frequently,
The importance of the practical training coordinate such Master Degree courses are offered not by law
in law teaching is beyond questioning: being a lawyer departments, but by psychology or sociology ones.
means being a practical man, who deals with practical Conflict management skills are crucial for a lawyer
social situations every day – conflicts between real who is also a responsible citizen.
citi Not only from this
people,, deals and contracts, claims
cla and injuries, perspective has a lawyer had everything to gain from
422 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
learning how to constructively deal with a dispute.
Active listening, reformulation, identifying the first
signals of a conflict and so on, are valuable skills to be
used in the relation with the clients, with the judges
and with the colleagues.
“The major goal of the negotiation course is to give
our students a general idea about the impact of
negotiation in society, and especially about the role
lawyers play in avoiding and settling disputes through
negotiation”, says Lionel Bobot, a law professor at
Sorbonne University [Bobot (2009), p. 13].
Furthermore, sometimes the law does not help
figuring out how to solve a social conflict with
minimum costs, time and pain. Sometimes, a conflict is
better solved by appealing to the parties’ interests
instead of their rights. The key presumption underlying
all interest-based processes for resolving conflict is
likely to provide a better resolution to the conflict than
a decision imposed by a third party [Picard, Bishop and
Sargent (2004), p. 41].
4. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
According to the Bologna process, the professional
specialization is reserved to master and doctoral degree
level. The first cycle of juridical studies aims at
providing law students with general knowledge.
Therefore, there is no need, in our opinion, to overload
the legal curriculum with an excessive number of
strictly specialized courses. It is preferable to teach
students the law principles, how to think accurately in
juridical matters and, last but not least, to be aware of
the lawyer’s social mission.
There is a need for reconsidering the social role a
law graduate ought to play. “Nowadays a basic
transformation is seen for lawyers. Their class position
is changing with the world’s changing economic
system”, says Kasim Akbas in a paper presented at the
annual meeting of the Law and Society Association,
which took place in 2007 at Berlin, Germany [Akbas
(2007)].
To conclude, in our opinion, the law curriculum is
incomplete without both the social human education
and the practical training, including non-judiciary
conflict resolution methods.
In the last twenty years, Romania made a long quest
from the Communist centralized learning system to the
world ideal of academic self-determination and
responsibility. This odyssey has not ended yet, even if
the Romanian Government tried to make a step
forward, by assuming responsibility for a new Code of
Education. Unfortunately, the Romanian Constitutional
Court recently declared this new Code of Education
unconstitutional, which allows much more
management discretion for the scientific boards of
universities.
We need to make sure that our law students are fully
aware of the fact that a lawyer ought to be much more
than a law technician who deals with the machine of
justice. Otherwise, we do not make justice. We only
make law enforcement. We do not obtain social peace
and harmony; we only obtain a fragile quietness,
underneath which social conflicts smolder.
After 50 years of Communism and another 20 years
of searching our ways, it is the duty of each law
department in Romania to make sure that we educate
not only good lawyers, but also good citizens.
References
1. Akbas, Kasim (2007). A Frame For The Features of Legal
Profession in Turkey. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the
Law and Society Association, TBA, Berlin, Germany, Jul 25, 2007.
Available on: http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p177360_index.html..
Accessed: 2009-10-10.
2. Alexandru, I. (2004), The Law and the Management, “All
Beck” Publishing House, Bucharest
3. Bobot, Lionel (2009). Teaching Negotiation at the Faculty of
Law of the Sorbonne University. European Journal of Legal
Education, Volume 5, Number 1, March 2009, 13-20.
4. Commission of the European Communities (2005),
Communication to the Spring European Council. Working Together
for Growth and Jobs. A New Start for the Lisbon Strategy, pp. 26-28.
Available on: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/lexuriserv/site /en/ com/ 2005/
com2005_0024en01.pdf, Accessed: 2009-11-20
5. Djuvara, Mircea (1995). General Theory of Law. Bucharest:
All.
6. Gorea, Brindusa & Puha, Elena (2009). Philosophy, Justice
and Law. Targu-Mures: Zethus.
7. Gorea, Brindusa (2009). Legal Rhetoric. Targu-Mures:
Zethus.
8. Gorea, Brindusa (2009). Legal Logic. Targu-Mures: Zethus.
9. Government of Romania (2005). The National Plan of
Development, 2007-2013. Available on: http://eufinantare.info/
Documente/Sinteza_PND2007_2013.pdf, Accessed: 2009-11-20
10. Hacimahmutoglu, Sibel (2008). Effective Techniques for
Teaching Anglo-American Legal System in Turkish Legal Education,
paper presented at Effective Teaching Techniques About Other
Cultures and Legal Systems, The General Assembly of International
Association of Law Schools, 29-30 May 2008, Montreal, Canada.
11. Johnson, Nick (2009). Coming Out: Legal Education and the
Wider World. European Journal of Legal Education, Volume 5,
Number 1, March 2009, 42-46.
12. Nicolesco, Basarab (1999). The transdisciplinarity. Iasi:
Polirom.
13. Picard, Cheryl Ann & Picard, Bishop & Sargent, Ramkay
(2004). The Art and Science of Mediation. Toronto: Emond
Montgomery Publication.
14. Tomuletiu, A., Oroian, M., Lupu, A. (2008). Building Human
Capital in Romania: Practices and Opportunities. In B. Katalinic
(eds.) Annals of DAAAM for 2008&Proceedings of the 19th
International DAAAM Symposium Inteligent Manufacturing &
Automation: Focus on Next Generation on Intelligent System and
Solutions. Vienna: DAAAM International, 1405-1406.
 THE IMPACT OF EUROPEAN AND INTERNATIONAL REQUIREMENTS ON
ROMANIAN MARITIME TRAINING CURRICULA

R. HANZU-PAZARA1, E. BARSAN2, P. ARSENIE3

1
Constanta Maritime University, hanzu@imc.ro
2
Constanta Maritime University, ebirsan@inbox.com
3
Constanta Maritime University, arseniep@imc.ro

Last years has appears new requirements for maritime academic studies expressed by the European Union and by the International
Maritime Organization. To put in practice these new recommendations is necessary to change almost completely the present curricula
and to align the graduates’ competences to the present workforce market needs. At European level are many examples of transition
from national curricula to international one in the maritime study field. Some of these experiences had disastrous results for the
applicant universities, but many of them was a real success and is seen in the last years development of these universities. All
Romanian academic system pass in the present through a changing process of curricula and competencies to come more closer to the
present European requirements and inside of this process is necessary to have an earlier model applied successfully by others.
Changing of present curricula have impact on the graduates, especially on their competencies acquires. The evaluation of this impact
is based on practical methods like graduates opinions and reactions, results of examinations based on new curricula and most
important the feed back from maritime companies on competencies. The results presents in the present paper are based on only one
graduates generation evaluation, are interim results. To have an ample view of the changes impact are necessary more than one
generation to be evaluated. But, anyway, over 50 percents of the graduates considered as useful and necessary these changes
according with their future career. Changing of curricula, or in some cases just an update of this have produced changes in all
maritime study system, starting from development of new teaching material and finishing with designing of competencies more
appropriate to the actual maritime industry requirements. The present paper will show a way to bring the Romanian academic
training closer to the European and international requirements, maritime training in particular, and how this effort can affect the
beneficiary of changes, the graduates and how influence their future career development.

graduates have competencies for deck or engine officer

INTRODUCTION
Today, Constanta Maritime University is the
principal academic training institution in Romania. This
position has acquired through a continue effort to offer
to future deck and engine officers best training and
knowledge in the interest field. In this way, has made a
number of changes, starting with re-evaluation of
curricula, bringing it more closely to the present
requirements of STCW Convention and shipping
industry, continuing with improvements of teaching
methods, usage of high technology and newest
simulators in this process.
Starting from consideration of necessity to organize
and create competencies according with an international
convention, the STCW Convention, and beside of this,
according with the latest requirements expressed by the
European Maritime Safety Agency, the maritime
department of European Council, most difficult has
been to make changes to applicable curricula, mainly
due to the differences between maritime academic
training at world level and the Romanian one.
The maritime academic training at the world level is
based on requirements of STCW Convention and their
amendments and is organized and conducted
accordingly. This means that the main elements of
curricula are dedicated exclusively to these
requirements and other components represent just a few
percents of this. In this context, the maritime training is
considered a particular system, being conducted under
previsions of an international regulation and national
rules just can adjust the requirements, but not to change
it or modified in content. At the end of study cycle, the
and can proceed directly to their job, neither needed a
reconfirmation from other authority, as national naval
authority or other governmental institution empowered
in this way.
On the other side, the Romanian maritime training
system is included in the engineering academic training
and curricula has a great part allocated to disciplines
dedicated to this formation. In order to subordinate the
study cycle to Bologna process is necessary to complete
the curricula with specialized disciplines, but is not
enough quantity to satisfy also the particular
requirements for this field. For the satisfaction of both
requirements was necessary to create new curricula
where, some disciplines lost study hours and others
received number of study hours. In this economy of
study hours most affected had been the complementary
disciplines, which lost the great part of study hours,
some of them disappearing completely.
With all of these changes, at the end of study, the
graduates are considered engineers and must prove their
competencies and knowledge in maritime field to a third
party, in this case, the naval authority.
We will see below if these changes help the
graduates to increase their competencies and become
more competitive on the international maritime
workforce market or it was just a change without any
remarkable results.
The purpose of this study is to see if any changes are
able to bring closer to the European maritime training
systems concepts and visions and don’t want to see if is
possible to change the present system of training applied
at national level.
424 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
CHANGING OF CURRICULA – CHANGING OF
THE TRAINING CONCEPTS?
During time many of the European maritime
academies and universities have changed their curricula,
partly due to new regulation implemented in the field,
partly due to evolution of the technology and
requirements for training in accordance with these
evolutions.
The new technologies uses today for the purpose of
training in the maritime academic field are various, as
simulators, computerized programs and all types of
virtual learning.
Today, the computerized technology is part of the
life for many people. The computerized technologies are
becoming indispensable for many activity fields,
computers being part of the educational processes, or
even the essence of these.
It seems that the new technologies have power to
change, maybe just to upgrade, the concepts regarding
the way of training and these have been proved by
many books and articles.
Hensen explained that simulator-based training
courses were introduced primarily to train the skills of
passage planning and the importance of the Master/Pilot
relationship. (Hensen, 1999).
In 2002 other two authors have observed that many
types of simulators as bridge, engine and cargo control
room have tended to emphasis a physically realistic
environment in which specialized exercises occurs,
although of the PC-based simulators for training some
tasks is increasingly widespread (Peterson, 2002) and
the use of simulation in providing solutions to the
problems of risk and crisis management and the optimal
use of crew resources has a long established pedigree in
maritime training (Barnett at al., 2002).
These opinions and points of views expressed by
persons who have been acting in the system or have
been in direct contact with it, show the evolution of
present technology and the revolution made in the
classically concepts about a well training for a duty in
the maritime field.
The only mandatory requirements in the maritime
domain for the development of the non-technical skills
of crisis management are those of the International
Maritime Organization’s in the Seafarer’s Training,
Certification and Watchkeeping Code, where is specify
the minimum standard of competence in crisis
management and human behavior skills for those senior
officers who have responsibility in emergency situations
(Barsan at al., 2007).
To introduce these new technologies in the training
programs means to reevaluate the in use curricula and to
find where is possible and normal to apply theoretical
knowledge on these.
In the field of maritime academics introduction of
latest technologies for training had made for few years,
even before to start changing of curricula, and results
started to appear from the beginning.
Maybe, the most important aspect of this revolution
in training has marked by the changes of graduates
opinion about their future career and what really
supposed this.
Other changes, this time on concepts of training and
teachers approach to the new training system has
produced slowly, mainly due to the retention in usage of
these and very important, due rejection of idea of
necessity to change the training process according with
the new requirements and trends.
Today, at almost ten years from this revolution in
training, the problems are fixed, especially due to
changing of lecturers generation and capacity to react
more positively to technological provocations.
Besides all of these, the influences create by the
regulations changes, mostly after integration of
Romania in European Union and from here, the
obligation to realign the maritime training to European
context and in this way to facilitate access of Romanian
maritime younger officers to European workforce
market.
All these changes, made on curricula, technology for
training and training itself, lead to change of the older
concepts about how the training must be done, what
materials are necessary and how to be used and produce
changes of trainers concepts and visions about their
meaning in the entirely process of learning.
In some cases was necessary to study how others
made these changes in their yard and what difficulties
they met and, most important how fix them.
Anyway, some of these changes continue today also
and produce effects daily, especially on students
attitudes and behavior.
The curricula in the maritime academic training field
suffers modifications continuously due to speed of
evolution in the technological domain, ships becoming
daily more advanced as endowment, more suitable for a
safer and secured activity.
Even if all these new technological advances are
covered by the training curricula, remains also the
question if this is capable to offer the best solution for
formation of future maritime officers and they are able
to complete the requirements for daily duties.
It is important to mention that not only the maritime
academic passed through a changing process of
curricula in order to become more competitive in the
world context of education and training, also other
national academic institutions have passed through this
process, a very important one according with the new
position of Romania in the European space.
THE IMPACT OF CURRICULA CHANGES ON
GRADUATE’S EVOLUTION
In order to realize and quantify the impact of
curricula changes on graduate’s of one or other
education domain is necessary some time and a few
generations to graduate, applying their knowledge in
activity and receive feedbacks about their level of
training.
The Impact of European and International Requirements on Romanian Maritime Training Curricula
In the context of present curricular changes made by
our University is early to have a complete image of the
impact produced by these on the graduates and more
concluding on their duties on board ships, where the
process of assessment is made by persons without
contacts with the training system.
The actual changes produce effects only on one
generation complete and partially on the second
generation of graduates.
Anyway, to have a view of impact and implications
of changes made to the curricula, our University
initiates some studies which involve graduates, present
students, teachers and beneficiaries of the training
process, the shipping companies.
Interviews and discussions with involved entities
have made on subjects related to these changes, like the
opportunity to modify number of training hours for
specialized disciplines, especially to those where have
been remarked lacks of knowledge and skills due to
insufficient training, if increasing of practical periods
and simulated trainings have lead to a satisfactory level
of competence and which are their opinion and ideas for
future changes in this way.
The answers received are very various, starting with
positive remarks about the present level of skills
acquired through these new concepts, but also with
retains about the possibility to keep the standards of
training due to increasing of work volume for some
disciplines.
Have to be mention that this new vision about the
future of maritime academic training has produced on
an increasing trend of recruitment of students interests
to become maritime officers. Maybe, this increasing was
favoured by the option changes in the national social
structure, where population, especially young one, is
interested to access to a better paid job, been known that
the maritime jobs are some of these.
According with the partial results of the study made
by our university on the subject of curricula change and
presented by categories of participants we are able to
show the present opinions and reactions of these.
According with the answers received from
interviewers, from students group, 45 percents of them
considered as more usefully the actual changes, 20
percents considered that a curricula more based on
engineer qualification was better, 20 percents have been
considered as not affected by the curricula changes and
15 percents had no opinions about.
Teachers position about this problem, as resulted
from their answer was more than strikingly. In our
opinion, many teachers have been expected to been
against these changes and more attracted by the older
version of curricula. Results shown an acceptance rate
of new curricula of more than 50 percents of than, many
of them emphasized the step forward made by the
maritime academics through these changes to a more
competitive training in European space of maritime
training.
As a personal opinion, we consider that students will
have anytime a positive attitude about the changes
425
which involve an increased use of highest technology
and reduce the use of classically teaching methods.
Graduates, on the other side, salute these changes, in
principal after they find that are very usefully in their
daily duties, duties which suppose a great use of
practical skills and high technology. The accent put in
the last years on use of electronic devices in the
navigation and engine activities show now the results
and are positive ones.
The present stage of technological endowment of
ships, where almost all actions are based on computers
and control of vital equipments is made electronically,
request to have knowledge and good skills in use of
them.
Other aspect related to change of curricula and
appreciate after as a good result is represented by
introduction as compulsory of specialized training for
operations on board ships like oil carriers, liquefied gas
carriers and bulk chemicals tankers. These
specializations help graduates to access to this type of
ships, considered to be most well paid jobs on sea and
also offering possibility to work in an environment
based exclusively on higher technology.
After the introduction of these specialization courses
the percentage of graduates who had started their career
directly on board of these ships increased with around
40 percents than before.
Other introduced concepts considered as usefully in
the future career, mostly due to necessity to work daily
with these equipments, is represented by deeply study of
electronically navigational and engine devices, like GPS
receivers and their functions, Anti-Collision Radar,
Electronic Charts for navigation graduates and
integrated operational systems and computer controlled
processes for engine graduates.
Objectively, the older curricula allocated a number
of 1200 hours for specialization disciplines, the present
one have more than 1500 hours for these, changes
which permitted to came closer than European stage,
where, during three years of study, are covered 1700
hours of specialization disciplines. To reach the
European level regarding number of hours, in Romanian
system, the future maritime officers must to pass other
two years of master degree.
Studying the teachers and trainers reactions to the
new situation has observed a division in two groups of
opinions about. One of them, mainly the experienced
teachers, with years of activity in the field of maritime
education, considers as necessary these changes, but still
have considerations about necessity of classically
teaching methods where the teacher has the main role in
training and technology was only for complementary
use. These considerations appear mostly due to the
“fear” to change the attitudes and teaching styles and
also to use new technology, maybe more difficulty than
we believes.
In opposite situation are the younger lecturers and
those for whom the new and revolutionary processes
represent the sense of their lives. Here we find teacher
who base their activity on use of computers and
426 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
multimedia equipment, aspirant lecturers more common
with the new technologically trends and conceptions,
like internet, intranet, e-learning and virtual
environments.
Changes of teaching curricula has received as an
opportunity to develop new states of training and to use
equipments and technology considered more accessible
and convenient than classically teaching methods.
Taking account that the change of curricula and
courses structure involves also acquiring of modern
technology like multimedia, superior video and audio
systems, computerized training programs and
simulators, it seems to touch the needs of the younger
generation of teachers, increasing the entire quality of
teaching methods and bring closer the system to the
European considerations about training methodology.
In the line of new trends in teaching and
requirements for the future teachers, our University
initiates a number of projects dedicated to formation and
increasing of competency level of our lecturers. Inside
of this initiative, at this moment are developed three
projects, one national and two with international
collaborators from European countries.
The national project developed, called MARCON is
based on the necessity of increasing the competency of
younger lecturers according to the actual requirements
for debutants in the maritime academic education and in
the same time to help experienced teachers to add to
their activity the new technology and changes made.
The international projects are structured also on
problems of the maritime education system, differences
are given by the subjects developed.
One of them is in collaboration between Romanian
and Norwegian governments on subjects related to
maritime training and after study activities. Inside of
these points have made visits in both countries maritime
academic institutions with intention to evaluate
similarities and differences between both systems and
also to exchange teachers in order to create possibility to
act in other teaching system than they are familiar.
These exchanges of lecturers facilitate the
possibilities to know and understand how are made
curricular changes and structural adjustments in other
countries and how is possible to import these to our
curricula and training structure.
The second project is a European “Leonardo
daVinci” project and has the main purpose to create
electronic teaching material as an internet platform with
large accessibility of teachers and students also. Also
inside of this project had been possible to take contact
with other maritime academics views about the present
stage of training in the field and how to stimulate
lecturers to step to the future generation of teaching,
based on internet and distant communication, but as an
integral and unique system.
Regarding to teachers attitudes about curricula
changes, following our study we considered that is
received as a new provocation which make them to
reconsider their position about the future of maritime
academic education.
The last, but maybe the most important actor in the
evaluation of curricula changes on maritime
professional competencies and skills, is represents by
the shipping companies and ship owners.
Here is revealed if our efforts have reached the
expected results and our graduates have acquired the
international and European requirements for duty.
Discussing with some of the companies which take
on board cadets and younger officers, we realize that
they are much closer to the European and international
maritime field, mostly due to relation with companies
from these areas, and offers us possibility to get contact
with general opinion about training level of our students
and graduates.
The impact of curricula changes, the passing to a
more based on professional knowledge and skills, is
materialized in higher accessibility inside of European
companies and recognition of their capacities.
These opinions gave us certitudes to continue the
process of changes and to try to become a real European
maritime university, with European concepts and ideas
and also recognized by the European economic space as
a veritable “producer” of good trained maritime officers.
CONCLUSIONS
For the moment, the situation in Romanian maritime
academic, through latest curricular changes, is closer to
the actual European and international requirements. Is
still need to continue the process in order to keep the
level and adjust some deficient aspects, like use of
simulators and computerized programs where is
obviously necessary, to update teaching materials and
internationalized them and other things particular to the
training system.
Studying other similar European maritime academic
system and comparing with ours we found that are not
so far by the actual stage of specialized maritime
training and we have possibilities and opportunities to
bring new elements from there and apply in our teaching
methodology.
References
1. Barnett, M.L., Gatfield,D, and Habberley, J. (2002),
“Shipboard Crisis Management: A Case Study”, in:
Proceedings International Conference Human Factors in
Ship Design and Operation, 131-145.
2. Barsan, E., Hanzu-Pazara, R., and Arsenie, P. (2007),
“New navigation competencies required for an updated
STCW Convention”, Journal of Maritime Studies, volume
21 (issue 2/2007), 151-161.
3. Hansen, H. (1999), Ship Bridge Simulators: A Project
Handbook, Nautical Institute, London.
4. Peterson, A.M.M. (2002), “Simulation and Modeling in
Innovation”, in: Proceedings of the 29th Annual General
Meeting of the International Marine Simulator Forum
 IMPLEMENTATION OF THE HIGHER EDUCATION QUALIFICATIONS NATIONAL
FRAMEWORK IN INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING
N. IONESCU1, A. VIŞAN2
1
POLITEHNICA University of Bucharest, ionescu_upb@yahoo.com
2
POLITEHNICA University of Bucharest, aurelianvisan2003@yahoo.com
This article contains the principal contributions of the authors to the defining of competences that are included in the eleven Industrial
Engineering study programmes. The authors’ contributions focus on the definition of professional and transversal competences, the
determining of both the minimal performance standards for each competence, and the common competences in the domain of Industrial
Engineering, as well as on preparing the grid of competences in this domain.
INTRODUCTION
The implementation of Bologna Qualifications
Framework is already a fact in many member countries
and a process to be continued, in accordance with the
Bergen 2005 agreement. The preliminary results show
that almost all member countries have started
developing national qualifications frameworks and all
member countries, including Romania have undertaken
to implement until 2012 the framework that brings to
the fore the competence-based educational process
(Zaharia, 2008).
The object of this paper is to provide a description of
expected graduates’ competences and practical skills in
the domain of Industrial Engineering, in general, and of
associated study programmes, in particular. The authors
consider this kind of approach to be most important for
the successful implementation of the Higher Education
Qualifications National Framework in Romania, as a
prerequisite of successful work under Bologna system in
Romanian universities.
METHODOLOGY APPLIED IN THIS ARTICLE
The authors’ work is grounded on the Methodology
for the realisation of the National Qualification
Framework for Higher Education - CNCIS (Zaharia et
al., 2009), approved through Order of Ministry (OM)
no. 4430/2009 (Andronescu, 2009) and currently
implemented under DOCIS Project in Romania. The
authors have been working under this project as
Industrial Engineering experts. This work is also meant
to continue other prior work of the authors regarding
competences of higher education graduates based on
employers’ satisfaction (Ionescu et al., 2009).
The methodology used in this paper basically relies
on consulting university representatives as trainers and
employers considered as beneficiaries of the graduates’
acquired competences, in a specific approach for each
individual study programme.
Figure 1 shows the team and the organisation for the
implementation of the National Framework of
Qualifications in Industrial Engineering Studies. The
POSDRU Project no. 2/1.2/S/2 entitled „Developing of
Higher Education Qualifications Operational System in
Romania” (DOCIS) has been in progress under the
leadership of the National Agency for Qualifications in
Higher Education and in Partnership with the Economic
and Social Environment (ACPART) in collaboration
with POLITEHNICA University of Bucharest, the
National Committee of Professional Qualifications
(CNCP) of France and the University of Bucharest.
Management team of
DOCIS
Long Term Expert (LTE) 1 LTE 2 LTE n
Industrial Engineering - Assoc. Prof.
PhD. Eng. Nicolae IONESCU
Sh o rt T erm E x pe rt 1
Machines Building Technologies (TCM)– Prof. PhD. Eng.
Marius BULGARU, Technical University of Cluj Napoca
Sh o rt T erm E x pe rt 2
Machines – Tools and Production Systems (MUSP)– Prof. PhD. Eng.
Eugen PĂMÎNTAŞ, POLITEHNICA University of Timişoara
Sh o rt T erm E x pe rt 3
Welding Engineering (IS)– Assoc. Prof. PhD. Eng.
Vasile MERTICARU, Technical University Gh. Asachi of Iaşi
Short Term Expert 4
Industrial Design (DI)– Prof. PhD. Eng. Ioan BLEBEA,
Technical University of Cluj Napoca
Sh o rt T erm E x pe rt 5
Quality Engeneering and Management (IMC)– Prof. Dr. Ing.
Gheorghe AMZA, POLITEHNICA University of Bucharest
Sh o rt T erm E x pe rt 6
Engineering of Industrial Security (ISI)– Prof. PhD. Eng.
Gheorghe SOLOMON, Politehnica University of Bucharest
Sh o rt T erm E x pe rt 7
Nanotechnologies and Non-conventional Systems (NSN)–
Prof. PhD. Eng. Aurelian VIŞAN,
POLITEHNICA University of Bucharest
Sh o rt T erm E x pe rt 8
Renewable Energies Systems Engineering (ISER) –
Assoc. Prof. PhD. Eng. Tiberiu DOBRESCU,
POLITEHNICA University of Bucharest
Sh o rt T erm E x pe rt 9
Technology and Design of the Textile Products (TDPT)–
Assoc. Prof. PhD. Eng. Sabina MARIAN, Technical University
Gh. Asachi of Iaşi
Sh o rt T erm E x pe rt 1 0
Technology and Design of Leather and Leather Substitutes
Products (TDCPI)– Prof. PhD. Eng. Antoanela CURTEZA
Technical University Gh. Asachi of Iaşi
Sh o rt T erm E x pe rt 1 1
Knitting and Garment Technology (TTC)– Assoc. Prof. PhD.
Eng. Alexandru POPA, Aurel VLAICU University of Arad
Figure 1: Team structure for the implementation of
National Framework of Qualifications in Industrial
Engineering
The management team under the DOCIS Project
within ACPART framework comprises higher education
professionals highly experienced in different domains,
including education science experts who have joined for
several years in preparing of CNCIS Methodology
428 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
(Zaharia et al., 2009) and its promoting in view of
approval as an Order of Ministry (Andronescu, 2009).
The DOCIS management team is the coordinator of
several long term experts (LTE), one for each domain of
study. Each LTE provides the coordination of several
Short-Term Experts (STEs), corresponding to the
number of study programmes in a particular domain of
study. The domain of Industrial Engineering Studies
comprises eleven study programmes, in conformity with
the detailed structure provided in figure 1.
To determine the graduates’ competences for the
eleven study programmes, each STE proceeded by
consulting minimum five representative employers with
extended experience in the employment of a significant
number of graduates, as well as all universities offering
a selected study programme. Thus, consulting was
performed mostly by direct work sessions, of 56
employees and several universities/faculties for each
study programme that is: TCM – 16, MUSP – 9, IS – 9,
DI – 6, IMC – 5, ISI – 1, NSN –1, ISER – 1, TDPT – 4,
TDCPI – 3 and TTC – 3.
Based on the consulting of these employers and
universities, each STE has prepared the competence grid
1
Figure 2: Structure of grid G1 (Zaharia et al., 2009, Andronescu, 2009)
When a first grid alternative was prepared by STEs,
iterative improvement followed through consulting
sessions with LTE, based on several original
contributions of the authors presented in what follows in
this article. After approval by LTE, the grid was
forwarded for approval to the DOCIS management
team. After grid solution analysis by professionals of
education sciences, further iterative improvement
followed provided by the DOCIS management team
working together with LTE and STEs.
This article aims at presenting the most significant
and interesting of the above mentioned ideas of the
specific for the study programme in its domain of
activity, called grid G1, in conformity with the structure
in figure 2, based on the CNCIS methodology (Zaharia
et al., 2008, Andronescu, 2009). The grid structure of
G1 is that shown in figure 2: (1) Qualification –
identical with the study programme title, in conformity
with the current regulations in force and the level of
qualification – University graduation diploma
(Bachelor); (2) Possible occupations in conformity with
the Catalogue of Occupations in Romania (COR) and
new occupations recommended to be introduced in
COR; (3) Level descriptors of competences based on the
framework matrix of CNCIS Methodology for the
graduation diploma level; (4) the six professional
competences (C), of which two general – common to
the study domain, and four that are specific to the study
programme; (5) detailed definition of each competence
through level descriptors; (6) minimal standards of
performance for each competence and (7) transversal
competences (CT) and minimal corresponding
performance standards.
2
authors proposed to be incorporated for the
implementation of G1 grids of competences, which have
gained already extensive support.
At this moment all the eleven grids for the Industrial
Engineering domain have received the approval of the
DOCIS management team and are to be submitted for
approval to a consortium including LTE, STEs, twenty
two representatives of employers, representatives of all
the above mentioned universities, students’
representatives, representatives of sector committees
and ACPART representatives. When the grids receive
the consortium approval, they shall be incorporated in
Implementation of the Higher Education Qualifications National Framework in Industrial Engineering
the National Register of Qualifications in Higher
Education - RNCIS and become compulsory for all
universities/faculties organising the eleven study
programmes. They will be accessible on-line by all
interested parties – employers, students, high school
pupils, parents etc.
CNCIS methodology contains the grid G1 bis, where
each university/faculty can register several professional
competences, which they are capable to cover in
addition to the six ones in grid G1, on the basis of its
own practice and acquired experience.
After consortium approval of the grid G1 and its
registration in RNCIS, following a similar model,
CNCP Franţa (Charraud, 2008), each university /faculty
shall prepare grid G2 (figure 2). This grid contains: (1)
data concerning the university, faculty, qualification,
study level etc.; (2) professional competences, with their
explicit description through level descriptors, as well as
transversal competences from grid G1; (3) contents and
subjects of study; (4) credits per each subject and per
competence. On the basis of G2, each faculty shall
prepare their curricula and subjects of study.
2 3
Figure 3: Structure of grid G2 (Zaharia et al., 2009, Andronescu,
2009)
Thus, the curricula will stem out naturally from the
need to ensure competences at the required level, as
determined by investigations. By enforcement of grid
G1 at RNCIS level and by giving the possibility that
each faculty fills in the grid G1bis and grid G2, there are
ensured the prerequisites of wider university autonomy,
and therefore increased responsibility in providing
higher graduates’ educational standards.
RESULTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS
Considering the most relevant contributions of the
authors relating to the implementation of the higher
education qualifications national framework in
industrial engineering, this article focuses on the
following issues.
Competence statement
During the consulting sessions held with the
participation of Universities that have been organising
study programmes in Industrial Engineering and the 56
429
representative employers, as well as during several
working meetings organised by ACPART in the period
2006 to 2010, the authors have identified several points
of view relating to competence statement.
First, the „extent” of the competence statement: in
certain cases, simple and short definitions were
suggested of competences, to make them easy to
understand for the employers, students and pupils, also
having in view the fact that these will be recorded on the
Diploma Attachment Document and integrated in
RNCIS, which is accessible on-line. Others recommend
more detailed definitions, which should allow making
the difference between competences of individual study
programmes. Considering that both points of view were
equally supported by the investigated parties, the
authors have recommended and implemented a double
grid description that is simple and more elaborate, as
detailed in the examples below.
Example 1 – Professional competence (NSN grid,
competence C4): design of manufacturing technological
flow, including mainly nanotechnologies and non-
conventional methods and processes, defined as „good
designer of technological flow”.
Mention should be made here that this synthetic
1 formulation provides the short definition of the
competence.
Other aspect is the structure of competence
definitions. Starting from the definition of the
competence concept (Zaharia, 2009), it has been
recommended that one competence is described in Grid
1 as “The capacity to perform...”. To avoid repetition of
the phrase “The capacity to perform …”, for each
competence, the definition structure was adopted as
shown in example 1, which shall read as “The capacity
to design technological processes...”, in conformity with
the competence definition.
Definition of minimal performance standards,
in view of competence assessment
The approach to this issue, as set forth by the
DOCIS management team, is that at position (6) of
4
figure 2, only minimal performance standards are
indicated. For more adequacy, the authors
recommended to indicate, both the standard, and the
minimal standard level.
Example 2 – Competence C4 (NSN grid):
Standard: design of optimum manufacturing
technological flow, including mainly nanotechnologies
and non-conventional methods and processes.
Minimal level: design of manufacturing
technological flow, including mainly nanotechnologies
and non-conventional methods and processes of
medium complexity, based on specified data.
Example 3 – transversal competence CT1, for all
study programmes:
Standard: preparing annual projects and the
graduation diploma project.
Minimal level: preparing annual projects of medium
complexity and the graduation diploma project
comprising minimum two sections (technological
process and equipment) with correct utilisation of
430 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
bibliography, norms, standards and specialist methods,
under the conditions of limited autonomy and qualified
assistance, as well as oral presentation of the projects,
while providing a demonstration of graduate’s own
qualitative and quantitative assessment capacity of
technical solutions in this domain, and work results.
Determining Industrial Engineering competences
and preparing of grid
Two common professional competences specific to
the eleven study programmes are defined below.
C1. Utilisation of fundamental engineering
knowledge that allows the student to develop the
capability to produce calculations, demonstrations and
applications, to solve specific industrial engineering
tasks: good user of theoretical knowledge.
C2. Selecting, combining and using of knowledge,
principles and methods of basic sciences in industrial
engineering, as well as their association with graphical
representations - technical drawing, to solve specific
industrial engineering tasks: good user of theoretical
knowledge associated with graphical representation.
The third professional competence refers to the
computer skills and is individualised for each of the
eleven Industrial Engineering study programmes.
C3. Utilisation of software and digital technologies
to solve specific industrial engineering tasks in general
and study programme tasks in particular: good user of
computer.
Transversal competences, required mainly by top
employers, have been determined with almost identical
formulations for the eleven study programmes, as
follows:
CT1. Responsibility in performing of professional
task, respect of the values and ethics of engineering, as a
profession, under the conditions of limited autonomy
and qualified assistance, on the basis of documentation,
convergent and divergent logical thinking, practical
applications, evaluation, self evaluation, and optimum
decision: responsible accomplisher of the professional
tasks.
CT2. Carry out activities and develop roles that are
specific for team work with different responsibilities,
and task assignation to the subordinate line employees
on the basis of communication and dialogue,
cooperation, while showing positive attitudes and
respect to others, acknowledge diversity and
multicultural societies, using feed-back for self-
improvement, initiative spirit and awareness of
limitations set forth by the managerial staff: good
communication skills and team work abilities.
CT3. Objective self-evaluation of the need for
continuous professional formation, continuous learning,
efficient use of linguistic skills, ICT knowledge for
personal and professional development, for insertion on
the labour market and adapting to the dynamics of its
demands: continuous learning awareness.
Based on the definition of competence and
competence assessment standards, eleven grids G1 have
been prepared by STEs and one Industrial Engineering
grid by the authors, according to the model specified in
figure 2.
CONCLUSIONS
Based on the aspects presented in this paper, we may
conclude as follows.
The originality of this work resides in the
description of competences, the definition of similar
competences in Industrial Engineering, the statement of
performance standards for the evaluation of
competences and the definition of the competence grid
for Industrial Engineering graduates competences.
The results of this work are most relevant for the
successful implementation of the national framework of
higher education qualifications in Romania. The
outcome of this work is useful for all universities
specialising in Industrial Engineering, to help them run
their study programmes and prepare their own curricula,
with the aim of setting Romania in line to European
Union standards related to the competence-based higher
education approach.
References
1. Andronescu E. (2009), Order regarding the Utilisation of the
National Qualifications Framework, Official Monitory of Romania,
Part I, Year 177 (XXI)–no. 545, 5.08.2009, pages 23-42.
2. Charraud A.M. (2008), L’Application du Cadre Europeen des
Certifications en France – un Demarche visant la Dissemination de
l’approche “competences” pour l’ensemble des Diplomes Relevant du
Cadre National Francais, Proceedings of International Conference
“Universite dans la Societe – UNISO”, 16 – 20 July, Iaşi, Romania,
pages 45-49.
3. Ionescu N., Vişan, A. and Hîncu D. (2009), A New Approach
Regarding the Competences of Higher Education Graduates Based on
Employers Satisfaction, Proceedings of the 6th International
Conference on Management of Technological Changes, September
3rd – 5th, 2009, Alexandropoulis, Greece, pages 271 - 274.
4. Zaharia S. (2008), Role of the National Qualifications
Framework in the Development of a Competence-Based Higher
Education, Proceedings of International Conference “Universite dans
la Societe – UNISO”, 16 – 20 July, Iaşi, Romania, pages 13-31.
5. Zaharia S. et al. (2009), Implementation Methodology of the
Higher Education Qualifications National Framework in Industrial
Engineering-Implementation Guide, ACPART, Bucharest,
www.acpart.ro/docis.
 EDUCATION OF UNIVERSITIES PROFESSORS IN THE PERSPECTIVE OF
INSTRUCTIONAL QUALITY CULTURE

- The Curricular Design In Higher Education Focused On Competences And Learning

Outcomes -

Romita IUCU 1 Cosmina MIRONOV2, Anca BORZEA 3

1
ARACIS, iucu@unibuc.eu
2
University of Bucharest, cosminamironov@gmail.com
3
University of Bucharest, ancaborzea@gmail.com

This study represents a contribution to the design and development of a training model for higher education teachers (mainly for
young professors) and to the substantiation of a curricular projection model based on specific skills and on learning outcomes; the
model proposed represents a balance between the main curricular variables: general competences, specific skills, learning outcomes.

GENERAL GUIDELINES SYSTEMIC APPROACH OF EDUCATIONAL

The issue of educational design / projection focused
on competences in the European universities must
represent a condition for the development of an
instructional quality culture. The ongoing training of the
higher education didactic staff cannot be reassessed in
the lack of a curricular substantiation of the projection
and preparation processes.
Contemporary higher education system, and
especially the Romanian one, was subjected to various
paradigm changes and to the shift in social and political
interpretation.
Efforts to develop and assimilate the European
Higher Education Area triggered particularly prompt
and relevant adaptive reactions. In a context influenced
by the nature of quality assurance processes, the
elements pointed out are: the development and
implementation of ongoing training programs for
university teachers, setting up projects of professional
development and training for young university teachers.
Thus, it is absolutely necessary to propose
institutionalized formulae of initial training for
university teachers at the level of educational policies.
One of the most representative blockages in building
a real culture of quality, especially if we refer to
instructional quality, is represented by bureaucracy as
routine. Angela Sort, Dundalk Institute of Technology,
Republic of Ireland, shows that professional
bureaucracy, as opposed to traditional bureaucracy,
delegates authority based on knowledge. The result is
superior autonomy and self-governing among university
teachers, by assimilated professional standards that
efficiently replace external rules and control authority
systems specific to automatic traditional bureaucracy.
Therefore, what makes the practices that support the
professional bureaucracy model in higher education to
be contrary to the ideals of a culture of quality and what
can be done to have a positive orientation of teachers’
efforts to reform the curricula?
CHANGES IN HIGHER EDUCATION /
CONTINUITY OF EDUCATIONAL CHANGES IN
HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
“Bologna Process” brought a series of changes that
led to a variety of challenges to develop and implement
educational policies in higher education. European
Higher Education Area and European Research Area –
goals that a successful undertaking must reach:
 at the level of educational policies, a constant and
a term of latency for the implementation and
acceptance of proposed educational changes;
 at a social-economic level, constant and adequate
financing (focusing on postgraduate types of
programs);
 at the institutional level, training teachers for the
culture of quality in higher education.
Training and professionalisation needs, differently
experienced by future candidates to a university career.
Customization of university training and focus on
student, but also develop a differentiated academic
offer. Cognitive skills related to critical thinking,
reflexive thinking, creativity and social-relational,
related to cooperation, involvement and participation –
standards of social-professional insertion of future
graduates in the labor market. Accordance to requests in
the labor market, expressed at the public space level by
the European Qualifications Framework (EQF), one of
the most important European documents on social
policy with implications on educational policies.
European Qualifications Framework / EQF –
Bologna Process
For EQF universities the discussion on the National
Framework is also appropriate since it takes place
alongside with the shift to the Bologna System. The
goal of “Bologna Process” is not to restructure studies,
but to differentiate qualification levels. Restructuring
university domains and specializations must be based on
432 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
the definition of qualifications, assuring a direct relation
between the level of studies and the labor market.
Qualifications – competencies – learning
outcomes
Each domain must explicitly define qualifications
(in the lack of a national framework, the EQF may be
taken as a reference point). The definition of
qualifications in terms of competencies should lead to a
significant reorganization of the curricula. The curricula
will have to answer defined competencies, enhancing
relevance and focusing on the end results of learning.
One of the highly important problems is the
adequate definition of qualifications in the three
university study cycles (BA, MA and PhD). In the same
field / specialization it is necessary to define BA level
skills, MA level skills and PhD level skills. Develop
curricular tools (domain records, specialization records,
field of study records as mentioned above: skills / end
results of learning / assessment criteria).
INSTRUCTION AND QUALITY
Specific Dimensions of Quality
Making instructional academic management an
efficient one
Build skills specific to the management of
academic processes – instructional and curricular –
for all structures of higher education.
Reorganize the training system for the group of
student’s management as to assure consistency and
efficiency of decision-making processes.
The training system must support all actions to
improve institutional quality, while the quality of
educational services offered by the university is a
sine qua non condition to improve professional
occupation and European competitiveness.
Quality of educational processes / educational
services
Improve teaching and learning processes by
defining educational standards and promote
teaching focused on the student.
Develop a counseling and orientation system for
students.
Revised curricula should focus on general and
specific skills, on long-term results and not on
performance relevant only in the academic field.
Duration and transfer of information represents an
indicator of transversal, interdisciplinary skills that
are highly required from a graduate of a
contemporary university.
Reestablish institutional performance standards of
study programs, by assessing them and building a
hierarchy.
University teachers’ training from the perspective of
a culture of quality
The condition to successfully develop, implement
and assess study programs specific to Bologna Process
is represented by the development of specialized
programs, with differentiated curricular lines to train
teachers in higher education.
Initial training and professional growth
programs
After analyzing studies in this field and after
analyzing needs, a series of educational dimensions
were identified, all converging towards building a
culture of instructional quality (main source of the
presented data is professor Dan Potolea’s study for the
University of Bucharest Senate):
Create and develop curricular products
Realize lecture syllabus; the bigger record of the
studied domain.
Write thematic modules (speech sets, learning
support from the structure of the course).
Elaborate study support for
seminaries/laboratory/pedagogical practice etc.
Making didactic processes more efficient /
Teaching – learning practice
Develop and communicate the course’s / seminar’s
goals, intentions.
Present and organize a debate regarding the content
of the domain.
Teaching strategies focused on the student.
Structure and organization of didactic activity.
Psycho-social climate of teaching.
Assessment practice
The envisioned assessment system.
Assessment methods and tools used.
Alternative assessment techniques.
Knowledge of assessment deontology.
Use assessment results in order to improve didactic
activities.
Teachers’ relational skills
Relational behavior.
Interpersonal and group communication relations.
Develop abilities of class / aula management.
Functional behavior / knowledge and counseling
Know and differently counsel students.
Counsel students through realizing research
projects.
Coordinate BA papers and MA dissertations.
Support participation to activities organized by
student communities.
Tutor activities: meetings with students on learning
problems, on professional orientation, social
assistance etc.
During the end of the last year was developed a
longitudinal research 2000-2010 about teachers training
needs and priorities. The methodology which have been
used was a complex one. The sample have been
multilayered and the strategy a comprehensive one:
quantitative by using a questionnaire-based survey. This
strategy represents the assurance of fidelity and validity
by controlling variables. (Iucu Romita, Panisoara Ion
Education of Universities Professor
rofessors in the Perspective of Instructional Quality Culture
ulture - The Curricular
Design in Higher Education Focused on Competences and Learning Outcomes - 433

Ovidiu, Formarea cadrelor didactice – cercetare argumentation regarding overexposure as a factor in the
longitudinala 2000-2010,
2010, Centrul National pentru diminishing training necessities in the area of
Formarea Personalului din Invatamantul Superior – assessment, since didactic communication evolves
Proiectul POSDRU/3/1.3/S/2 „Restructurarea completely differently, although it starts from similar
sistemului de formare continuăă a personalului din premises. Thus, although training courses regarding
învăţământul
mântul preuniversitar prin generalizarea didactic communication were very significant too,
sistemului de credite profesionale transferabile”, nevertheless didactic communication remains on second
place when it comes to preferences of ongoing training
Cod/ID proiect: 3777, Bucuresti, 2010).
2010)
programs. Here we can offer a more important
We selected only two items in order to be integrated
guarantee to the second reason, the importance of the
on this topic.
study field and the fact that it answers direct necessities
On which dimensions of the educational activity
of training for teachers, since didactic communication is
should training programs focus? (Rank each of the eight
a development space consistent with an efficient
statements below, taking into consideration that rank 1
learning process.
represents the most important statement)

How should be focus training for professors …

Table 1: Specific dimensions
ensions of quality

2000 2010 2000 2010

a Curriculum – design and a. Practical 25,24 51,7
evaluation
4 3

b. Instructional design 3 6 b. Theoretical 1,01 1

c. Instructional / Educational c. Mixt 73,75 47,3
strategies and methods
2 1
d. Organization and instructional
conseling - Functional behavior / 5 5 73.75
knowledge and counseling 80
70 51.7 47.3
e. Assessment principals and 60
50 Practical

techniques
1 7 40
30
25.24
Theoretically
20
f. Special needs in aula – relational 10
1.01 1
Mixted

skills
6 8 0

Accents to continue trainingAccents to continue training

g. Aula / classrom management 4
h. Communication 2 “practical” (in the disadvantage of the mix one, which in
As to the dimensions of the educational activity on
which the training programs should ld focus, in the decade
that elapsed from one investigation to another we must
observe both constant features as well as extreme
changes. The greatest change we see in the case of
“Assessment principles and techniques”, which ranks
number 1 in the research in 2000 and number 7 in the
research in 2010. Such a significant transformation can
be partly explained by the specific offer of ongoing
training programs (that oversaturated the training
market with courses in the field of assessment), but on
the other handand we notice that important elements
become class management, communication and
involvement of students in different activities using
didactic methods and proceedings.
Another argument is that, where “Assessment theory
and practice” loses 4%, from first place
p in the research
in 2000 to fifth place in the research in 2010. We find a
similar situation in the case of other item and in the case
of “instructional design”, which loses three places
landing on sixth place in the research in 2010, after
having reached
hed the third place in the research in 2000.
On the other hand, the research in 2000 lacks didactic
communication which ranks number 2 in the research in
2010. We stated earlier that this is a partial
processes (2000) processes (2010)
As noticed before, the fact that the variable
2000 was of 73,75%, while in 2010 it represents only
47,3%) demonstrates the necessity acknowledged
acknowledg by
teachers that ongoing training processes should keep a
more consistent practice determinant. The extremely
reduced percentage of the variable “theoretical” in 2000
(1,01%), as well as in 2010 (1%) shows that things
haven’t changed dramatically in the 10 years between
the two researches. Still, the need of practical is so great
in training that teachers feel that they must exclude the
theoretical aspect from the mix answer variant and thus
opted mainly for the “practical” answer.
This trend can be sustained
sust by the fact that at
another item correlated with the crisis in teaching
career, teachers placed on second position in 2010
“Difficulties in managing a class of students” (aspect
which in the 2000 research came on sixth place); having
to deal with students
dents that are harder to control, and in
whose case the motivational attempt and the effort to
see school as an attractive place is more consistent with
the teacher who feels the need of practical elements in
the learning courses more sharply, so that the student
can develop certain skills and not only to receive
information.
Building training programs for teachers in
higher education cannot avoid any of the above
mentioned dimensions, whose synthesis leads to a
434 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
harmonious construction of educational / didactic
quality.
CONCLUSIONS
The analysis of educational projection models
in universities in the context of teaching principles
focused on the student, the derivation of the theoretical
model is done according to the requirements of
university professors’ training from the perspective of
instructional quality culture.
The issue of educational projection focused on
competences in the European universities must
represent a condition for the development of an
instructional quality culture. The ongoing training of the
higher education didactic staff cannot be reassessed in
the lack of a curricular substantiation of the projection
and preparation processes.
Unfortunately the quality culture have not been
mentioned in this list both from the point of view of
training needs or as a component of the educational /
instructional design. Should be our future task to
motivate teacher to be more sensitive and aware that
quality culture of the instructional process can be a
condition of the teaching career succes.
Analysis repport of curricular projection
practices in higher education objectified in centralised
statistical data / develop a set of indicators for the
projection of educational content in higher education
based on specific skills / substantiate a set of proposals
for improving the projection processes of university
curricula / develop a system of initial and ongoing
training for the higher education didactic staff.
The concluding remarks drawn in this study
may have some implications on the following groups:
professors, researchers, administrators of the university,
practitioners, students, becoming objective through a set
of indicators for assessing and surveying the joung or
junior professor specific activity in the direct
professional relationship. The same set of indicators
may have an important role in the development of the
university curricula design connected with the
educational student’s competencies according to the
specifique universities structures and particularities.
AKNOWLEDGMENTS
This work was accomplished under the project:” Quality
Assurance in Higher Education in Romania within
European Context. Development of Academic Quality
Management at System and Institutional Level” –
ACADEMIS, POSDRU/2/1.2/S/1, Project Manager
Prof. Ioan CURTU, Ph. D, Romanian Agency for
Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ARACIS).
References
1. * * * Procesul Bologna – documente, fapte, consecinte,
prioritati, Agentia Nationala Socrates, ianuarie 2005
2. * * * Strategia Universitatii din Bucuresti privitorare la
construirea Ariei Europene a Invatamantului Superior,
Bucuresti, 2004
3. * * * Materiale referitoare la Declaraţia de la Bologna si
modalitatea de aplicare a prevederilor acesteia la
Universitatea Babeş Bolyai, Cluj Napoca, 2004
4. Iucu, Romita, “Formarea personalului didactic – sisteme,
politici, strategii”, Editura Humanitas, Bucuresti, 2005
5. Iucu Romita, Panisoara Ion Ovidiu, Formarea cadrelor
didactice – cercetare longitudinala 2000-2010, Centrul
National pentru Formarea Personalului din Invatamantul
Superior - Proiectul POSDRU/3/1.3/S/2 „Restructurarea
sistemului de formare continuă a personalului din
învăţământul preuniversitar prin generalizarea sistemului
de credite profesionale transferabile”, Cod/ID proiect:
3777, Bucuresti, 2010
6. Mihăilescu, Ioan, „Analiza diagnostic – Universitatea din
Bucuresti”, Bucuresti, 2005
7. Neacsu, Ioan, „Invatarea academica independenta”,
Editura Universitatii din Bucuresti, 2006
8. Panisoara, Ion, Ovidiu, „Comunicarea eficienta” (editia a
III-a), Editura Polirom, Iasi, 2004
9. Potolea, Dan, „Evaluarea personalului didactic din
invatamantul superior”, (document intern privind
asigurarea calitatii proceselor educationale in Universitatea
din Bucuresti), Universitatea din Bucuresti, 2006
10. Sort, Angela, Quality culture, Dundalk Institute of
Technology, Republic of Ireland
DETERMINING THE SKILLS NECESSARY FOR MANAGEMENT AND ENGINEERING
GRADUATES IN ROMANIA

Monica IZVERCIANU, Monica TION2, Anca DRAGHICI3

1
University Politehnica of Timisoara, monica.izvercianu@mpt.upt.ro
2
University Politehnica of Timisoara, tionmonica@yahoo.com
3
University Politehnica of Timisoara, adraghici@eng.upt.ro

This paper aims to establish the skills necessary in the labor market that engineering and management graduates must master. The objectives
derived from the above-mentioned aim are: interviewing management and engineering graduates from several Romanian universities,
interviewing skill developers (technical-economic universities) and potential employers of the graduates.
The paper highlights the coordinates of the research programs conducted in order to set up a National Qualifications Framework for Higher
Education in the Engineering and Management fields. The research is meant to establish a structure for qualifications and ensure national
recognition, as well as the international compatibility and comparability of the qualifications obtained within the higher education system.
Keywords: competences, Human Resources, graduates, Engineering and Management
requirements form an integral part to the engineering
profession and
1. INTRODUCTION  the entrepreneurial activities. Izvercianu et al.
(2007)
The increased competition one faces when seeking
employment makes it necessary for both the suppliers 2.2. Competency
of skill formation services and their beneficiaries to
approach skill formation in a responsible manner. In order to develop the employees’ skills, increase their
Thus, in order to determine what skills the engineering professionalism, and essentially improve the overall
and management graduates must possess, one must efficiency of the business enterprise, all managers
establish the employers’ needs. Only then can higher (100% according to the survey) demand that
education centers prepare their graduates in accordance employees have varied and multiple professional skills,
to actual job requirements. skills that “economist engineers” must obtain while
The educational offer, as it appears in the context of studying for their degree.
the Reform of the Romanian training-educational The skills refer to a minimum standard for carrying out
system, must be adapted to the national and professional activities successfully. At the same time,
international labor market requirements. Individual these skills revolve around the individual’s ability to
competitiveness will appear as a result of both the high analyze situations in which complex problems arise,
standards in professional formation, and one’s ability and to develop solutions that can be used in these
to adapt to ever-changing job requirements. situations.
The interest in analyzing and solving difficult
2. WHAT ARE THE CONCEPTS OF situations involves several dimensions of one’s
PROFESSION AND PROFESSIONAL SKILL? personality, and is not restricted to the recall and
activation of professional knowledge. In order to
2.1. “Profession” and Activities determine the skills that graduates must develop one
In general, a “profession” is comprised of a set of must take into account the graduates’ professional
permanent responsibilities and temporary goals, and development, which presupposes the existence of a
each component can be described through functional genuine “engineering of their professional formation”
analysis. through skill development, which, in its turn, implies
The “engineering” profession is connected to several innovation, planning, achievement and assessment. We
types of activities: suggest that the engineering of skill formation be built
 activities specific to the engineering profession at the level of two axes: an axis representing the
(managing technical projects) individual and the organization, and another
 activities relevant for a technical profession representing education and production (Fig. 1).
(performing calculations related to elements, Note that, in order to pass from the sphere of the
structures and systems) university curriculum into the professional sphere, one
 activities relevant for non-technological professions must make a practical move and begin by studying the
(assessing budgets, coordinating collaborators’ activities related to the job, then analyze the skills
careers, etc.) necessary and, finally, obtain a formation referential
Furthermore, the “economist engineer” who has that allows for the acquirement of the new skills
graduated in the “Engineering and Management” field necessary in order to achieve professional
must be able to verify, on all levels, the “economic advancement, all in accordance with individual
feasibility” of the projects, processes and decisions, requirements and personal traits.
and to manage their integration into the socio-
economic environment of the organization, as all these
 436 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

Education
Socio-economic, cultural, legislative environment

University
HR policies of the enterprise
formation policies
- University
- Individual curriculum
requirement - Skill
- Personal formation
traits - Target group
Analysis of the Analysis of the Analysis of the
Analysis

Assessment

Assessment
Individual Organization expectations professional university
of the
situation educational
- Job analysis demand
offer
- Professional - Assessment and
adaptability based on application of
skills, experience, professional skills
formation according to the needs
- Professional of the actual Diagnosis of skill formation
advancement technical-economic
system

Outline, development and assessment of the skill prototype for the

“Engineering and Management” graduate
Production

Figure 1: The engineering of skill formation Figure 2: General Framework for Determining
3. RESEARCH RATIONALE the Skills

Determining the skills necessary for the university graduate in 4.2. Research Methods and Techniques.
the field of “Engineering and Management”, in close Target Groups.
connection with the entrepreneurial and organizational needs
that arise from the requirements of the economic, technical, Three target groups (A, B, C) were analyzed, according
cultural, social and legislative environments. to the objectives pursued.
The research aims to address the following: Group A
 the analysis of entrepreneurial needs in human resource -Work sample: 31 potential employers, companies
policies (qualifications, positions); that operate in several fields: industrial, mechanical,
 the analysis of the expectations of enterprises as electrical, chemical, transport and agriculture, whose
concerns “the “Engineering and Management” graduate’s characteristics are shown in Table 1.
competence”;
Table 1: The Sample characteristics
 the analysis of the educational offers supplied by
Profile of Number of Size of Enterprise
universities;
Enterprise enterprises
 the needs of recent university graduates, who master
the skills acquired during their university studies and who are SMEs Big
struggling to obtain their first job. Enterprise
Based on these analyses, we proceeded to suggest the a) industrial 6 2 4
necessary skills for the “Engineering and Management”
graduate. b) mechanical 4 2 2

c)electrical, 6 2 4
4. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
electronic,
energetic
Based on the objectives pursued, we suggested a general
framework for the establishment of the skills necessary for the d) construction 9 6 3
engineer in the “Engineering and Management” field (Fig. 2) e) chemical, 2 2 -
and we chose to employ a qualitative research method in
f) agricultural 2 2 -
order to reach the above-mentioned objectives, namely the
phenomenological group analysis, while the techniques used g) transportation 2 1 1
were the “centered non-direct group interview” and the
questionnaire technique. Total number 31 17 14

4.1. General Framework for Determining the Skills
The analysis used in determining the skills was structured
according to the flow chart suggested by the authors (Fig. 2).
The flow chart starts by deducing professional skills from the
human resource policies of the enterprise and the university
skill formation policy, which are anchored in the economic,
social, cultural and legislative environment.
-Research method: phenomenological group analysis.
The technique used was the “centered non-direct group
interview”, in which a group interview is organized.
Each respondent participates willingly in the interview
and is faced with a real or imaginary situation, then
encouraged to express their opinions on the given
situation. The most common comments are registered.
-Research topic:
o the needs of the enterprise in HR policies
(qualifications, jobs)
Education of Universities Professors in the Perspective of Instructional Quality Culture - The Curricular
Design in Higher Education Focused on Competences and Learning Outcomes - 437

o the expectations of the enterprises as concerns “the main skills pertaining to the profession of an
“Engineering and Management” graduate’s skills” “Engineering and Management” graduate engineer.
Group B  The engineer plays an active part in the economy;
-Work sample: 10 universities, developers of  The engineer employs knowledge and skills from the
engineering and management skills, which offer 6 fields of science, technology and management;
types of specializations according to the technical field  The engineer must respond to the “needs” of the
studied (industrial, mechanical, electrical, construction, customer and the system by optimizing technological
chemical, agriculture) and 23 university curricula and managerial solutions using rational, scientific
(Table 2). criteria;
 The engineer is closely involved in and assumes
Table 2: The Sample characteristics
Crt. University Specialization responsibility for the research, design, construction,
No. management, maintenance and exploitation of
organized systems (comprising people, material assets,
a b c d e f
technical and technological assets, abstract data, etc.);
 The engineer must assume responsibility for the
1. A X - X X X -
sustainability of the system.
2. B - - - - - X
6. THE MAIN SKILLS SUGGESTED FOR THE
3. C X - - X - - “ENGINEERING AND MANAGEMENT”
4. D X - - - - - GRADUATE
5. E X - X - - -
Main Competency Areas
6. F X - - - - - a) Fundamental knowledge - engineering science
and basic principles
7. G X - X - - -
C1 - Applying theoretical and practical knowledge of
science, mathematics, as well as basic engineering
8. H X X X X X X principles, when performing calculations, making
9. I - X X - - - demonstrations and developing practical applications
in order to solve engineering and management
10. J X - - X - - problems.
Total = 23 8 2 5 4 2 2 C1.1 - Sound knowledge of the basic mathematical
principles and fundamental scientific concepts and
procedures used in order to design and build systems,
Observation: the specialization marked with
structures, processes and products.
a, b, c, d, e, f in table 2 correspond with the
C1.2 - Sound knowledge of the basic engineering
Enterprise’s profile a, b, c, d, e, f in table 1.
concepts and procedures used in order to design and
-Research method: analysis of the curricula in a group
build systems, structures, processes and products.
consisting of six specialists.
C1.3 - Understanding the properties, applications
-Research topic: skill formation in the educational
and limitations of the instruments and materials
offers supplied by universities in their curricula, for the
employed when designing and building systems,
field of “Engineering and Management”.
structures, processes or products, and solving errors
Group C
related to the correct usage of resources and
-Work sample: 80 university graduates in the field of
instruments.
“Engineering and Management”, Bologna cycle,
C1.4 - The ability to use modeling techniques in
coming from several Romanian universities.
order to solve problems specific to the field.
-Research method: the “questionnaire” technique
C1.5 - Basic understanding of the concept framework
comprising a quantitative synthesis of the respondents’
and of the part that different study disciplines play in
answers, which subsequently formed the basis of a
the field, in order to assess the work involving complex
qualitative analysis within the “phenomenological
systems from a multidisciplinary approach.
group analysis”.
C1.6 - Laboratory work proficiency
-Research topic: the needs of recent university
graduates, who master the skills acquired during their
b) Knowledge and technical abilities acquired
university studies and who are struggling to obtain
through specific engineering study disciplines
their first job. Forcrest Project, Leonardo da Vinci
C2 - Knowledge and application of the concepts,
Program (2007)
principles and techniques related to specific economic-
engineering study disciplines necessary for the
5. INVESTIGATION CONCLUSIONS
expertise in and the design of engineering issues
through the efficient use of computers.
The conclusions we reached after processing the data
C2.1 - Knowledge of the instruments and materials
obtained from three distinct target groups (A, B, C) led
specific to the area of the engineering disciplines in
to the following criteria used in order to establish the
438 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
question, necessary in order to interpret and explain
situations, events, processes, and projects related to the
field.
C2.2 - Keeping up-to-date with topics in the area of
the specific engineering disciplines in order to solve
problems/ situations that can be encountered when
providing qualified assistance.
C2.3 - Using assessment criteria and standard methods
properly, in order to evaluate the quality, merits and
limitations of processes, programs, structures, systems
and products.
C2.4 - Having advanced knowledge of a least one
module in the area of engineering disciplines, as well
as the expertise necessary in order to make corrections
to calculations, projects and other components specific
to the disciplines.
Entrepreneurial Knowledge and Abilities
C3 - Knowledge relating to the planning, programming
and self management of enterprises with emphasis on
SMEs and the associated logistics networks: planning,
programming, management and production tracking.
C3.1 - Using basic knowledge in the planning,
programming and the management of production in
order to explain and interpret the processes and
projects related to the field of Engineering and
Management.
C3.2 - Applying basic methods and principles for
planning, programming and self-management of
SMEs when providing qualified assistance.
C3.3 - Using standard assessment criteria and
methods properly in order to evaluate the quality, the
limitations and the benefits of certain methods for
planning, programming and self-management of small
and medium enterprises and the associated logistics
networks.
C3.4 - Planning of professional projects in terms of
scheduling, programming and self-management of
small and medium enterprises and associated logistics
networks, while using the principles and methods
recognized in the field.
Design and Problem-Solving
C4 - Knowledge and abilities necessary in order to
creatively and systematically solve complex problems
in the field of Engineering and Management, using
sustainable solutions.
C4.1 - The ability to assume investigations on
complex problems, to formulate these problems and to
solve them at system, structure, process or product
level.
C4.2 - The ability to develop creative design ideas
based on creative assessments and existing practices.
C4.3 - Knowledge related to the systemic approach
to engineering and management activities based on the
cost and time considerations that affect the design.
c)Communication and Continuous Development
C5 - The skills necessary in order to be able to
communicate in different professional and social
environments and make proper use of the resources
related to continuous development.
C5.1 - The ability to compile correct documents, in
accordance with specific procedures.
C5.2 - The ability to discuss and negotiate effectively
and productively.
C5.3 - Using all the resources and learning techniques
properly in order to aim for lifelong personal and
professional development, as well as objective self-
assessment in order to be integrated into the labor
market in a timely manner. DOCIS Project (2009)
7. CONCLUSIONS
The present paper represents a continuation of the
research developed by the work team, in the
framework of Leonardo da Vinci Program -
”Entrepreneurship & Sustainable Development”
(Forcrest) Project, augmented with the new premises of
current research, during which were studied the
Universities offers for the “Engineering and
Management” field, the enterprises needs in their
Human Resources policy, as well as their expectations
regarding “the competences of Engineers in the
Engineering and Management field.
In the paper were established, as a consequence of the
results obtained from the research, the professional
competencies of “Engineering and Management” field
graduates.
The originality (novelty) of paper is the establishment
of professional competences at higher education level
(“Engineering and Management”) and that is the first
complex investigation in which worked together the
competences providers, universities, competences
beneficiaries, graduates and the employer enterprises.
8. REFERENCES
1. Izvercianu, M. and Mocan, M.and Staicu, F. – (2007),
University of Johannesburg, Faculty of Management,
Proceedings of SAIMS Conference, 19-21 September 2007-
ISBN 978-0-620-38527-5;
2. Project DOCIS "Development of an operational system of
qualifications in Romanian High Education”, Contract no.
POSDRU/2/1.2/S/2
3. Project “Forcrest” , No ES/03/B/F/PP-149101, Leonardo da
Vinci Program.
THE NECESSITY TO USE COMPETENCES IN ORDER TO SUSTAIN THE REFORM OF
CURRICULA IN ROMANIAN HIGHER EDUCATION
Mariana JUGANARU1, Ion-Danut JUGANARU2, Andreea MORARU3, Kamer AIVAZ4
1
Ovidius University of Constanta, mjuganaru@univ-ovidius.ro
2
Ovidius University of Constanta, juganaru@ccina.ro
3
Ovidius University of Constanta, andreea_aad@yahoo.com
4
Ovidius University of Constanta, kamer_aivaz@yahoo.com

Topic: Curricula Design

Objectives: The study analyzes the present stage of preoccupations and achievements in Europe and in Romania at an institutional and legislative
level, being centred on the skills’ importance within the curricula’s structure for the elaboration of the Qualifications Framework for the
Romanian higher education and its harmonization with the European Qualifications Framework.
Prior Work: This paper is based on the comparative analysis of European and Romanian tendencies and preoccupations regarding the role of
competences in curricula design and what has been accomplished up to the present moment in the Romanian high education. It also makes
reference to the results of the “New Hospitality” project – the Leonardo da Vinci program; the AFER (The Romanian Association of Faculties of
Economics) intercessions; the experience of the first author as an ARACIS (Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education) expert
and evaluator.
Approach: Desk research, case study and observation are the methods that facilitate the accomplishment of study objectives.
Results: The curricula reform which is based on the “key-competences for new jobs” should ensure the persons who study both knowledge and
relevant abilities that are meant to increase the level of creativity and innovation and to assure the career success within society.
Implications: The study may be useful for the university staff, quality evaluators and the practitioners.
Originality Value: The study contains a comparative analysis between the action strategies of some organizations/National and European
institutions and the presentation of accomplishments’ level within the Romanian higher education.
Key Words: competence, qualifications, curricula, institutional quality.

Signing the Bologna Declaration has meant the
beginning of a new European higher education reform,
its main purposes being to ensure the European higher
education system consistency and compatibility, and to
increase both transparency and its international
attractiveness. Within this context, at the Berlin
Conference in 2003, there have been established (by 46
ministers responsible of the higher education) the
following priorities: the introduction of curricula
structured on three main cycles; the more efficient
recognition of titles and the study periods; the
promotion of an advanced corresponding system of
quality assurance; the implementation of the European
Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS); the
issue of bilingual language supplement.
A crucial moment in the accomplishment of a
“Europe of knowledge” has been represented by the
European Commission meeting in May 2006, an
opportunity to stress the necessity for intensification of
efforts to reach the main reforms of the Bologna process
until 2010. It was especially aimed the assurance of a
compatible and comparable qualifications system
(bachelor, master, PhD), as well as the formulation of
flexible and modernized curricula that would meet the
constantly changing needs of the European labour
market.
The Diploma Supplement stands for the document
attached to the higher education diploma and has as
main objectives the increase of transparency at an
international level and the facilitation of professional
and academic recognition of qualifications. Being issued
by the European Commission, the European Council
and the UNESCO/CEPES, the Diploma Supplement
contains eight sections which are described in a
European language and offers additional information
about the higher education national system from a
country, aiming at diploma recognition within another
academic context.
At the meeting with the ministers responsible for
the higher education system in the signatory countries of
the Bologna Declaration, on May, 2007 at London, it is
presented in the press release the progress made for the
creation of a European Higher Education Area (EHEA).
Therefore, is has been laid great emphasis on the
necessity of creation of a curricular reform within the
higher education in order to become compatible with the
European labour market’s requests, as well as on the
access possibilities at other study programs, by
implementing programs that use the ECTS system
which is concerned with learning outcomes and
competences.
A special importance is given by the Tuning Project
on the educational structures in Europe. Intending to
offer a concrete approach of the Bologna Process
implementation, this project comprises a methodology
of redefinition, elaboration, implementation and
assessment of curricula for each and every Bologna
cycles. Therefore, the Tuning Project is comprehended
as a development platform of some reference points at a
study area level. These are relevant for the elaboration
process of some comparable, compatible and transparent
study programs. Characteristic to the Tuning Project is
the fact that these reference points are defined or
expressed by learning outcomes and skills. Therefore,
this project has also emphasized the importance of
utilizing at a large scale in Europe the concept of
‘volume of work’ which must be submitted by
student/workload, being based on the ECTS system.
One must know that the ETCS system can
contribute to the curricula’s projection and development
by offering optimal use planning solutions of student’s
time by offering credits only when skills are acquired.
The utilization of learning outcomes and skills should
440 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
bring changes in the teaching and learning process and
in the assessment methods that are utilized within a
curriculum. The Tuning Project methodology has
identified five points that are to be taken into
consideration when defining curricula: (1) general
competencies and transferable abilities; (2)
competencies that are specific to study disciplines; (3)
the ECTS role; (4) new teaching/learning and
assessment approaches; (5) the role of improving quality
during the educational process.
The implementation of a three cycle system
enforces the necessity to re-examine curricula in such a
way that the first two cycles may offer access both to
the labour market and to the next cycle. This aspect
shows the skills concept utilization’s importance as a
basis for the learning outcomes. For this reason, we are
able to make some conceptual clarification. The
learning outcomes should describe what a student
should know, comprehend and/or to be capable to
demonstrate after the teaching process is over.
Competences stand for the dynamic combination of
knowledge, understanding, skills and abilities. The
utilization of skills provides reference points for the
curricular projection and it is important in the
assessment process due to the fact that offers the
curriculum’s structure flexibility and autonomy. At the
same time, they offer a common language for the
curricula’s objectives description.
European Level Actions Started by the Bologna
Process
The accomplishment of a “knowledge triangle”
comprised of education, research and innovation,
capable of functioning correspondingly in such a way to
help all European citizens to improve their skills, stands
for a crucial condition for the assurance of
competitiveness, development and work places, as well
as for equity and social inclusion.
Starting with 2002, the cooperation at a European
level regarding the politics of professional building and
educational domain has stood for a valuable support not
only for the national reforms, but also for the increasing
mobility of students and teachers in Europe.
At the informal meeting of the European Council in
October 2005 it has been emphasized the need of
European universities’ modernization regarding their
training mission, research and innovation, recognizing
the fact that they represent essential factors of the
European competitiveness. Thereafter, the Council in
the spring of 2006 has formulated the idea of
accelerating the implementation of the necessary
reforms in the academic sector in order to assure
development and jobs at a European level.
It has been observed that within the National
Reform Programs that were issued through the
integrated directive for jobs and development, the
member states have generally mentioned these aspects,
but they are too numerous to be considered national
priorities. The reform of national education systems is
of great value for the increase of universities’ social role
within a multicultural and multilingual Europe. Having
4000 universities, 17 million students and almost 1,5
million teachers, the European Universities have a huge
potential which is unfortunately insufficiently exploited
for the increase of jobs and development.
Reforming the Qualifications Framework Based on
Skills
The signatory countries of the Bologna Declaration
have engaged in the initiation of some transformations
and in the acceptance of some new approaches in regard
to the national qualifications within higher education
and its harmonization with the European Qualifications
Framework (EQF) until 2010.
In the Berlin Communiqué (2003) the ministers of
education have made recommendations for developing a
framework which includes all qualifications within the
European Higher Education Area (EHEA) and have
offered good practice examples regarding the
elaboration of qualifications’ national frameworks
within higher education. The member states have been
encouraged to launch a qualifications framework that is
comparable and compatible with their higher education
system and that should describe qualifications in terms
of study hours, level, learning outcomes, skills and
profile.
The qualifications systems in Europe are quite
different, being created depending on the local and
national circumstances and for this reason it is pretty
difficult to understand how a qualification acquired in
one country should be interpreted in another country.
In May 2007, the European Commission has
showed the need of a divisional qualifications
frameworks correlation which is specific to disciplines
or professional fields of activity, having the
qualifications’ National Frameworks within the
European Qualifications Framework (EQF).
The European Qualifications Framework (EQF)
shows where qualifications should be placed, no matter
which is the country where they have been acquired and
specifies what kind of skills an employer should expect
from a graduate who has a certain level qualification.
EQF stands for a voluntary and transparent system and
does not imply any obligation for the EU member states.
EQF has eight reference levels, the last three of
them corresponding with the Bologna cycles (thus the
sixth level in EQF corresponds with the bachelor cycle,
the seventh level with the MA cycle and the eighth level
with the PhD one).
Nowadays, the qualifications frameworks in every
country are structured on levels and each level
corresponds to some results and skills of the learning
process. As some good practice examples, we can
mention the qualifications frameworks in Ireland,
Scotland, England, Wales, North Ireland, as well as in
Denmark.
The importance of the qualifications framework lies
in the following aspects: (1) it gives information for
The Necessity to Use Competences in Order to Sustain the Reform of Curricula in Romanian Higher Education
employers and the public regarding the certification
structures and the graduates’ gained competences; (2)
helps orientate students in choosing their way and
ensures progress within the educational system; (3)
recognizes a previous study, ensures credit transfer and
the lifelong study; (4) offers higher education
institutions an instrument for curricula planning and for
the programs’ elaboration; (5) ensures equalization and
mobility by recognizing qualifications offered by
foreign higher education institutions, and (6) gives
reference points for quality assurance and for
assessment.
The Achievements Level of Romanian Higher
Education Given the Bologna Process Requirements
By Law no. 288/2004 the Romanian higher
education system has been organized on three cycles.
Starting with the 2005-2006 academic year, the
Government Decision no. 1175/2006 has readjusted a
new structure of the first academic cycle (bachelor
studies as according to the Bologna Process). The
Minister Order no. 3235/2005 ensures a precise
definition of knowledge and skills gained by bachelor
graduates. The Government Decisions no. 404/2006 and
576/2005 define the main objectives and the
organization of the MA and PhD cycles. The MER
(Ministry of Education and Research) order no.
361/2005 stipulates the generalized application of
ECTS, which allows student mobility within and
between Romanian universities. The MER order no.
4868/2006 introduces the issue of Diploma Supplement
for all graduates.
To ensure compliance with Romanian regulations
and EU Directives on higher education, at the request of
the Ministry of Education and Research (MER) there
have been approved by the Government Decision no.
1357/2005 the expansion of responsibilities of the
National Agency for Universities Partnership with the
Social-Economic Environment (APART) in order to
include the responsibility for the qualifications national
framework within higher education. The new agency
has been renamed the National Agency for
Qualifications in Higher Education and Partnership with
the Economic and Social Environment (ACPART).
Therefore, preoccupations concerning skills definition
within higher education and their correlation with the
Qualifications National Framework have been
considered agenda priorities of the Romanian Economic
Faculties Association. Thanks to numerous meetings
between the leaders of Business Faculties, there have
been established the competencies for the undergraduate
and master education. Participation at different
European projects has meant great progress in the
development of qualifications frameworks. The Faculty
of Economics from the Ovidius University of Constanta
has been partner of the Leonardo da Vinci program-
New Hospitality “Analysis and implementation of a
European system of qualifications and standards in the
hospitality industry for transparency and knowledge
441
without borders”. This project has reunited partners
from numerous European countries who have made a
study concerning the necessities and the importance of
skills harmonization within the hospitality industry for
increasing the workforce mobility at a European level.
New Hospitality Project has been developed
between October 2006 and October 2008, and the
research activities were aimed at describing, comparing
and promoting qualifications and competences in the
hotel sector, in order to support the transparency,
recognition and transferability in the European area. The
direct targets and potential users of the results of this
project are the European education institutions (the
proposed tools for the competences analysis being
important for curricula design) as well as graduates and
workers in the hospitality industry, for whom the formal
recognition and transparency of competences and
knowledge represent a warranty for European mobility
of professional qualifications.
The dissemination of this project results has
contributed to the restructuring of courses so as the
graduates achieve the new competences, identified as
necessary within the New Hospitality project research
(13,14).
ARACIS (Romanian Agency for Quality
Assurance in Higher Education) was established in 2005
and has the mission to externally evaluate the quality of
university education in Romania, both at study program
level and from an institutional point of view. Starting
September 2009, ARACIS is a member of the European
Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education
(ENQA) and is stated in the European Quality
Assurance Registry for Higher Education (EQAR).
Through its two departments (of external
evaluation of quality and accreditation), ARACIS aims
at ensuring and improvement of quality in the Romanian
higher education, as well as creating a quality culture of
the Romanian higher education.
Through the external evaluation of quality and
accreditation, ARACIS aims at accomplishing the
Bologna objectives, especially as far as the curricula
reform, the focus on results and competences, the
modernization of teaching-learning-evaluation system,
the application of ECTS, the issue of Diploma
Supplement, the recognition of qualifications,
correlation of national qualification framework with
EQF are concerned, all these in order to ensure
compatibility with higher education systems in Europe
and to raise the attractiveness in the European labour
market.
Key-Skills in a Changing World
The European Communities Commission
communication in November 2009, in Brussels,
presented the Council’s and Commission’s joint project
activity report for the year 2010 regarding the
implementation of the “Education and professional
training 2010” program. This program emphasizes the
fact that the educational systems should become more
442 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
open and more relevant for the citizens’ needs, for the
labour market demand and for the society’s
requirements in general. There is also specified that the
education’s skills oriented approach aims at the attitudes
and the abilities that are necessary for an adequate
application of knowledge and for a positive attitude
development in favour of continuing studies, critical
thinking and creativity. These stand for a true challenge
to organize the learning process.
Another important discussed subject was concerned
with the universities-enterprises partnerships. They can
create adequate conditions for the increase of
enterprises’ contribution to the higher education
financing, and according to the “New skills for new
jobs” initiative, the enterprises may support universities
in the elaboration of qualifications and study programs
that are more relevant to students’ and labour market’s
needed competencies.
The conclusion that emerges from this context is
that the role of education and professional training
should be consolidated within the knowledge triangle
framework. The innovation and the development would
remain at a low level in the absence of solid knowledge,
skills and aptitudes that are updated by learning
throughout life.
There is more to be done for the Romanian higher
education regarding the clarity of the acquired skills,
their correlation with the organization of education on
cycles and with the National Qualifications Framework.
It is of utmost importance to pass from a theoretical
approach to the effective applicability of skills
utilization to ensure curriculum reform.
References
1. *** Studies regarding “Qualifications framework development
within Romanian higher education” ACPART – WYG
International-2007
2. *** European Communities Commission Communication –
Brussels 11.25.2009, COM(2009)640 final
3. L’enseignement supérieur eu Europe 2009: les avancées du
processus de Bologne, Brussels: Eurydice 2009
4. *** European Communities Commission Communication –
Brussels 04.02.2009, COM (2009)158 final
5. *** European Communities Commission Communication –
Brussels 05.10.2009, COM (2009)208 final
6. *** European Communities Commission Communication –
Brussels 11.25.2009, COM(2009)200 final
7. *** COM(2008)865 final
8. *** COM(2008)868 final
9. *** COM(2006)36 final
10. *** The Directive no. 2005/36/EC
11. http://www.responsible-partenering.org/
12. www.aracis.ro
13. *** Leonardo da Vinci – New Hospitality Desk Research
14. ***Leonardo da Vinci New Hospitality, work sessions Malta
2007, Perugia 2008, Ljubljiana 2008
15. *** Starea Calitatii in Invatamantul Superior-Barometrul
calitatii 2009, www.aracis.ro
 THE ANALYSIS OF THE CREATIVITY DETERMINANTS – CASE STUDY ON
ROMANIAN AND ITALIAN STUDENTS

Elisabeta JABA1, Alina BOTEZAT2, Christiana BALAN3

1
Al. I. Cuza University of Iasi, ejaba@uaic.ro
2
ICES "Gh. Zane" Iasi, botezat.alina@yahoo.com
3
Al. I. Cuza University of Iasi, christiana.balan@uaic.ro

This paper is a comparative study on the creativity of the students in economics, in Romania and Italy. Creativity is most explained
through personal characteristics that are assessed using the concept of Big Five personality traits. The researchers proposed this
concept to group the personality dimensions into five categories: Conscientiousness, Openness, Extraversion, Neuroticism and
Agreeableness. Using the probit model, we explore the main effects of different factors that could influence the probability of being
creative. Appling the method developed by Ai and Norton (2003), we although compute interaction terms between different factors and
explore their impact on the creativity. Data were obtained through two sample surveys in Romania and Italy and they were analyzed
using Stata and SPSS. The main results of the show that from all personality dimensions, Conscientiousness and Openness have the
highest impact on being creative. But the interaction effect between these two factors is negative and statistically significant only for
some Romanian students. The results also revealed significant differences in the Romanian and Italian students’ opinion regarding the
meanings of being creative: the Romanian students agree significantly more strongly than the Italian students that being creative
means solving different issues in an original way; while the Italian students are significantly more convinced than the Romanian
students that being creative means having a surplus of energy; having a critical mind; being unprejudiced; being sunk in his/her own
thoughts and being deviant.
Keywords: creativity, big five personality traits, probit model, interaction terms

are also features specific to high creative persons

1. INTRODUCTION
Creativity represents the specific human capacity to
produce something new and valuable. Creativity always
implies an element of novelty and it is the starting point
for innovation (Băloiu, L. and Frăsineanu, I. (2001)).
Creativity is also defined as the ability of producing
new solutions, without using a logical process, but
establishing far-order relationships between facts
(Aznar, G. (1971)). It means the capacity to identify
new connections between seemingly unrelated items.
Everyone has a creative potential that can be
expressed either through artistic and scientific creativity,
or by realizing something new: an idea, a plan, a
friendship etc. (Herrmann, N., (1992)).
Therefore, the creative process often starts with the
existence of a problem that needs solving, a stimulus,
respectively. For succeeding in the creative approach, it
is particularly important to clearly define the problem
and its objectives.
For an individual, creativity is a source of personal
satisfactions; it is the main way of acquiring self-
achievement feelings. By creativity, one person projects
and recognizes his/her own identity.
Creative persons have a range of features that
distinguish them from those less creative: they are
inventive, independent, unconventional, showing
interest and openness to new experiences, curiosity and
a greater acceptance of risks.
Also, a creative person has a considerable baggage
of knowledge, skills and experience, a strong intrinsic
motivation, abilities to look at situations from many
perspectives, to find problems, to make connections and
assumptions. In the same time, non-conformity, low
respect for authority or procedures, and lack of patience
(Mitran, D. (2006)).
Creativity is a profound personal act, which differs
significantly among persons and in time. The
differences are due to a large number of factors such as:
individual personality, previous experience, knowledge,
motivation and interest.
From the organizational approach on creativity, the
group has a central role as its dynamics increases the
potential of the interactions with others, motivate,
incites the interest, adds complexity and introduces
competition, all of which are likely to enhance
individual creativity and group creativity.
The purpose of this study is to disentangle the
factors that could have an impact on the creativity.
Though creativity is difficult to analyze because of
the complexity of the phenomenon, in the paper we
assumed the following hypotheses regarding creativity:
• There are specific traits of the individuals that
determine one person to be more or less
creative;
• There are specific determinants that influence
the individual creativity, such as: psychological,
social, demographic, cultural, and geographic
determinants. The determinants that we
considered in our study are different personality
traits, gender, area of residence and other factors
that describe the level of innovation and the
spillovers generated by the human
interrelations. The analysis is performed by
country of residence (Italy and Romania), which
is an important factor related to institutional and
cultural determinants of creativity.
2. DATA AND METHOD
444 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
We analyze the data obtained by a sample survey on
students’ creativity. The questionnaire was applied on
two samples of students in economics from two
different countries, Italy (118 students) and Romania
(159 students). Data from Italy were collected by a
working group of the Faculty of Economics, Seat of
Terni, Università degli Studi di Perugia, under the
supervision of Mario G.R. Pagliacci. We focus our
analysis on students because they represent, as future
employees, a potential source of creativity for the
business environment accelerating the progress and the
innovation.
The students’ creativity is defined by assessing the
students’ opinion regarding the specific features of a
creative person: solving different issues in an original
way; having many ideas; having an ampler vision on
situations; doing things differently than others; having a
better understanding of problematic situations;
establishing new connections based on experience;
having a surplus of energy; having a critical mind; doing
odd and fanciful things; being unprejudiced; being sunk
in his/her own thoughts; being deviant. According to
these defining elements, one person can be
characterized as a creative or non-creative person. On a
scale from 1 to 5, the students responded to what extent
a given factor is a potential determinant of the
creativity.
To determine the influence of different factors on the
creativity, we use the concept of Big Five personality
traits. The researchers (McCrae, R.R. and Costa, P.T.
(1987)) proposed this concept to group the personality
dimensions into five categories: Conscientiousness,
Openness, Extraversion, Neuroticism and
Agreeableness.
Conscientiousness (reverse: lack of direction) refers
to self-control and self-discipline. The conscientious
person is very organized, competent and determined.
The individual has a strong willpower and is
achievement oriented. Those, who have the opposite
form of Conscientiousness, don’t work very hard, are
lazy, couldn’t motivate themselves and are not very
carefully in thinking and acting. In our data set, we use
the following variables to measure the
Conscientiousness: the need for order, the aim of
affirmation, self-discipline and tenacity.
Openness (reverse: conservative to experience)
refers to openness for new experiences. The person who
has this facet of personality is curios and has a broad
imagination, has wide interests and is unconventional,
being open to new ideas and experiences. The
individuals scoring low on Openness tend to be more
conservative and accept very easy the authority. In order
to measure the Openness, we use the following
variables: curiosity, critical spirit, independence of
judgment, ability to play, sense of challenge and ability
to abstract.
Extraversion (reverse: introversion) includes
activity, assertiveness, positive emotions and
excitement-seeking. Individuals with these traits are
optimistic, warm and friendly. People with low scores
on Extraversion are more distant, independent and
peaceful. We use the following variables to measure
Extraversion: availability to effort and courage.
Neuroticism (reverse: emotional stability) refers to
anxiety, depression, vulnerability and impulsiveness.
Individuals with low score on Neuroticism are calm,
relaxed, and face easier the stressful situations. To
measure Neuroticism we use the following variables:
self-confidence and dissatisfaction.
Agreeableness (reverse: antagonism) is a dimension
of personality indicating the tendency to be altruistic,
able to help, honest and cooperative. People scoring low
on Agreeableness are self-centers, competitive and
suspicious. We use cooperation and errors acceptance to
measure in our study Agreeableness.
We use the probit analysis in order to model the
relationship between creativity (the dependent variable
Y – a binary variable, with two possible outcomes:
creative and non-creative) and the determinants of
creativity (independent variables X). The variables take
the value 1 if the students responded with “Very agree”
to the questions if a certain factor is a determinant of the
creativity. In this way we construct the following
variables: Conscientiousness, Openness, Extraversion,
Neuroticism and Agreeableness. Table 1 presents the
descriptive statistics of the data used in this paper.
Besides the five dimensions of personality, we also
include in our analysis other factors that could have on
impact on being creative, as gender, innovation, attitude
towards rules, human interrelations. The variable
“Gender” takes the value 1 if the student is a male. The
variable “Innovation” takes the value 1 if the student
responded with “Very agree” to the question if the
ability to put in practice an idea could have an impact on
the creativity. The dummy variable “Interacting with
others” is 1 if the students responded with “Agree” or
“Very agree” to three questions. They ask if the factors
as the mobility of the persons, the presence in the same
group of people with different skills and the contacts
with other persons have an influence on the level of
creativity. The analysis is performed using Stata.
Table 6: Descriptive statistics
Italy Romania
Male 0.43 0.21
Urban area 0.63 0.83
Conscientiousness 0.68 0.75
Openness 0.73 0.74
Extraversion 0.47 0.53
Neuroticism 0.36 0.35
Agreeableness 0.32 0.27
Innovation 0.37 0.28
Rules
encourages 0.41 0.36
limit 0.37 0.35
let indifferent 0.22 0.30
N 118 159
Own calculation
As Table 1 shows, “Openness” and
“Conscientiousness” are the factors that are considered
by the most of the students (almost 70 percent of the
The Analysis of the Creativity Determinants – Case Study on Romanian and Italian Students 445

Italian students and 75 percent from the Romanian points. Being openness to new experience increases the
students) to have an impact on the creativity. probability of being creative by 21 percentage points.
“Innovation” is considered only by 37 percent of the For Romanian students, only the Conscientiousness
Italian students and 28 percent of the Romanian students and Neuroticism have a statistically significant impact
to influence the creativity. An interesting result is the on creativity. Compared to Italian students, the
fact that the existing of the rules rather encourages than Openness has no effect on being creative. Having
limiting the creative potential. In the sample, 43 percent Conscientiousness as a personality trait increases the
from the Italian students and 21 percent from the probability of being creative by 22 percentage points.
Romanian students are male. The most of the students The impact of Neuroticism is lower, increasing the
who participated at this study live in an urban area (63 probability only by 7 percentage points.
percent from the Italian students and 83 percent from When we perform the regression for both countries,
the Romanian students). only Conscientiousness and Openness are statistically
The next section focuses on the estimation significant and have a positive effect on the probability
procedure. of being creative.
For all estimations, the magnitude of the coefficients
3. EMPIRICAL APPROACH AND RESULTS is rather low, except for Conscientiousness and
Openness.
In order to reduce unobserved heterogeneity likely to
Our goal is to determine the factors that influence
the creativity. We first estimate a probit model for being affect the estimates of β1 to β5 , we include in the
creative including only the measures of the Big Five regression other factors that could have an impact on the
personality traits: creativity. We introduce as covariate the “Innovation” –
a variable that measures one’s capacity to put in practice
P(creativityi ) = Θ(α + β1Ci +β2Oi + β3Ei + β4 Ni + β5 Ai ) a new idea. We include also two variables that describe
the attitude toward rules (being encouraged, limited or
where P is the probability of being creative, C i , Oi , being indifferent to the rules regarding the creativity).
Table 8: Probit estimation being creative
Ei , Ni , and Ai represent the five categories of
Italy Romania Pooled
personality traits and Θ the cumulative distribution samples
function of the standard normal distribution. Male 0.04 -0.05 -0.03
We perform the regression both for pooled data as (0.06) (0.05) (0.04)
well as separately for each country. Urban area -0.04 0.04 -0.01
Table 2 reports the marginal effects. (0.06) (0.05) (0.04)
Conscientiousness 0.24*** 0.15** 0.19***
Table 7: Probit estimation being creative
(0.09) (0.07) (0.06)
Italy Romania Pooled Openness 0.19* 0.05 0.14**
samples (0.10) (0.04) (0.05)
Conscientiousness 0.19** 0.22*** 0.21*** Extraversion 0.004 -0.06 -0.03
(0.09) (0.08) (0.06) (0.07) (0.04) (0.04)
Openness 0.21** 0.09 0.13** Neuroticism 0.02 0.06** 0.05
(0.10) (0.06) (0.05) (0.06) (0.03) (0.04)
Extraversion 0.004 -0.06 -0.03 Agreeableness 0.02 0.02 0.04
(0.07) (0.04) (0.04) (0.07) (0.03) (0.04)
Neuroticism 0.03 0.07* 0.05 Innovation -0.08 0.05** -0.004
(0.07) (0.04) (0.04) (0.07) (0.03) (0.04)
Agreeableness 0.01 0.04 0.03 Rules (reference category: Rules limit)
(0.08) (0.04) (0.04) encourages 0.05 -0.06 -0.004
N 118 159 277 (0.06) (0.05) (0.04)
Log lik. -41.56 -43.17 -86.56 let indifferent 0.09 -0.12* -0.04
Chi-squared 21.04 21.79 40.91 (0.05) (0.08) (0.05)
Standard errors in parentheses Interacting with 0.38 -0.09 -0.03
*p<.10, ** p<.05, *** p<.001 others (0.29) (0.10) (0.04)
Own calculation N 118 159 277
Log lik. -38.15 -37.00 -85.54
We observe that except Extraversion, all domains of Chi-squared 27.87 33.89 42.65
the personality have a positive impact on the probability Standard errors in parentheses
*p<.10, ** p<.05, *** p<.001
of being creative. In case of Italy, Conscientiousness Own calculation.
and Openness have even a statistically significant effect.
Having Conscientiousness as personality trait increases We control also for the existing of groups, which have
the probability of being creative by 19 percentage an influence on the creativity through the spillovers that
446 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
they generate. Other variables, as gender or urban
location, are also included. Table 3 provides the results.
Introducing all these variables we get some
interesting results. The coefficient of Conscientiousness
increases in the case of Italian students and decreases to
a greater extent for the Romanian students. Also for the
Openness the effect is lower in both samples. From the
new variables that were introduced as covariates, only
the variable “Innovation” and one regarding the rules
are statistically significant and only for the Romanian
students. Being innovative has a positive impact only
for Romanian students. For them, being able to put in
practice a new idea increases the probability of being
creative by 5 percentage points. For those who declared
that the existing of rules let them indifferent, the
probability of being creative is lower than for the
students who argued that the rules limit them in being
creative.
A possible explanation for the significant decrease
of the coefficient of the Conscientiousness in case of
Romanian students could be the fact that the magnitude
of this effect depends on the two variables discussed
above: innovation and the existing of rules. When we
control also for these variables, the influence of the
Conscientiousness on the creativity is much lower.
As Table 3 also shows, the existing of groups that
could generate spillovers effects have no impact on
creativity. Being male or living in an urban area plays
also no role of being creative or not.
4. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS
We have investigated the determinants of being
creative using a sample of Italian and Romanian
students.
The first main result of this study is that
Conscientiousness and Openness have a higher impact
on creativity. These results are similar with those found
in the papers of Helson (1985), McCrae (1987) and
Costa and McCrae (1992). For example, McCrae argued
that Conscientiousness is correlated to creativity
because “conscientious individual may complete their
creative projects more often” (p. 1264). In their study,
McCrae and Costa (1987) show that individuals with
high levels of Openness to Experience are imaginative,
broad-minded and original, properties that describe
creativity. Some authors have defined this personality
trait (Openness to Experience) with creativity himself:
Johnson (1994) found that Openness represents Creative
Mentality, while Hofstee (1994) labeled this factor
Creative Imagination.
The students’ opinion on creativity relieve that being
a creative person is most likely to mean solving
different issues in an original way; having many ideas,
and having an ampler vision on situations, both for
Romanian and Italian students.
However, there are significant differences in the
Romanian and Italian students’ opinion regarding the
meanings of being creative: the Romanian students
agree significantly more strongly than the Italian
students that being creative means solving different
issues in an original way; while the Italian students are
significantly more convinced than the Romanian
students that being creative means having a surplus of
energy; having a critical mind; being unprejudiced;
being sunk in his/her own thoughts and being deviant.
Future research should be extended to analyze more
other factors that could have on impact on the creativity.
Furthermore, the analysis should be performed also for
other ages of the individuals, enabling thus the platform
for comparison.
REFERENCES
1. Aznar, G. (1971), G., La créativité dans l’entreprise, Les
Editions ď Organisation, Paris.
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 A NEW PROMISING MASTER PROGRAMME IN THE FIELD OF ENVIRONMENTAL
ENGINEERING EDUCATION ORGANIZED AT A ROMANIAN TECHNICAL
UNIVERSITY

Luminita Mihaela LUPU1 , Daniela SUTEU2

1
“Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iasi, Faculty of Textile, Leather Engineering and Industrial Management, Iasi-
700050,29 D.Mangeron Blvd, 700050, Iasi, Romania; e-mail:luminitalupu@yahoo.co.uk
2
„Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iasi, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Protection, 71A
D.Mangeron Blvd, 700050, Iasi, Romania; danasuteu67@yahoo.com

The paper presents an aspect of technical higher education in the field of environmental engineering: a promising master program at Technical
University of Iasi-Romania, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Environment Protection. The target of this program implementation is to
assure a possibility for Bachelor students to get the necessary specific skills and competencies in order to be implicated into solving of
environmental protection problems and also to acquire news ones.

creativity); ● communication skills (the communication

INTRODUCTION
At this moment it can be remark that the human life
development involves not only intensive
industrialization and informational explosion but also
awareness about the actual environmental problems that
requires development of new waste water treatment
technologies, waste recovery, improved atmosphere and
soil depollution technologies, development of new
“clean” or “environmental friendly” technologies,
natural resources conservation using energy sources.
These aspects including environmental protection
demands must fulfill the sustainable development
implementation and also prevention of climate change
and its consequences. These directions involve
interdisciplinary aspects and need a dynamic specialized
research teams. In this context new specialists as
environmental engineering trained into a technical
higher education institute must be formed.
This paper presents an aspect of technical
higher education in the field of environmental
engineering: a promising master program at Technical
University of Iasi-Romania, Faculty of Chemical
Engineering and Environmental Protection. The target
of this program implementation is to assure a possibility
for Bachelor students to get the necessary specific skills
and competencies in order to be implicated into solving
of environmental protection problems and also to
acquire news ones.
2. SKILLS AND COMPETENCES NEEDED BY
AN ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER
Due the Bachelor cycle education the environmental
engineer is an engineer that must have general skills and
competences, specific to this profession [Rusu, 2006;
Suteu, 2007]: ● professional skills and competences,
materialized in fundamental knowledge in relation with
the field they will activate and the understanding of the
interdisciplinary of the occupation of engineer; ●
intellectual skills (easy learning, the information
collection and organization in order to formulate correct
conclusions, the data interpretation, finding solutions in
every circumstance, the conceptualization, judgment,
of proper ideas and values in written or oral form); ●
space perception, visual memory, concentrated and
distributive attention, resistance to monotony, emotional
stability, conscientiousness, imagination and creativity,
perceptive faculty and attention, neurophysical effort
(supervision, control, decision), sensory acuity (hearing,
sight, smell); ● continuous learning desire and capacity
in the competence field; ● knowledge in the
management of company, business and organizational
culture;● familiarization with the information
technology and its application in the competence field.
There are also added a series of specific skills:
spontaneity, capacity to take decisions in conditions of
pressure, rational and systemic thinking, responsibility
undertaking, creativity, capacity to think a new
technology for different types of waste with various
composition. At the present time, the employers have
been asking the graduates transferable aptitudes, namely
those qualities that confer the graduate adaptability and
flexibility to the environment in which carried out their
activity under the conditions of achieving a maximum
profit [Suteu, 2009].Looking at all of these skills and
competences it can be concluded that environmental
engineering becomes a profession that combines
knowledge from several fields with experience and
intensiveness in order to ensure the solving of a project
or problem, which emphasizes its multidisciplinary
character. The modern environmental engineering is
formed through the development of native, latent
capacities of the students in the sense of forming the
capacity of synthesis and sustained team work,
acquiring communication abilities and becoming aware
of the necessity to assimilate multidisciplinary
knowledge and the continuous learning in order to keep
up with the rhythm of technological changes that are
permanently produced with an amazing speed [Suteu,
2007]. Many of these types of skills and competences
must be acquired by graduating the university curricula
for the university degree and for the others the proposed
master study assures the possibility to complete and also
to acquire new ones.
448 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
3. WORK HYPOTHESES. METHODOLOGY
This study programme was based on the investigations
made during various projects made by the research
teams conducted by or with the participation of the
authors. Four research hypotheses have been
established, and they were verified according the
investigations, in companies from the North of the
country: I1: The waste management, treatment and
recovery need an educational process; I2: Romanian
companies practice the waste management; I3: The
organizations have trained human resources, able of a
high-level waste management; I4: The context and the
organizational management establish the features of the
waste management in the Romanian companies.
Investigation for the hypotheses verification
Establishing the objectives and the information/the
purposes of the research:● The research of the
educational process in the field of the waste
management ;● The research of the waste management
done in the Romanian companies ;● The research of the
influence of the waste management on the performance
of the Romanian companies.
As method for analysis, the investigation through
questionnaire was used. Thus, the questionnaires were
structured on the following issues: ▲ Questionnaires on
the educational process necessary in the field of the
waste management; ▲ Questionnaires regarding the
waste management in the Romanian companies; ▲
Questionnaires regarding the human resources –
competences, abilities and skills which are necessary for
the waste management; ▲ Questionnaires regarding the
context and the management for the determination of
the peculiarities of the waste management in the
Romanian companies.
The population studied in this research consists of
companies and institutions in the north east of the
country having different profiles: textiles, mechanical
industry and public institutions.
4. RESULT AND DISCUSSIONS
The research results will be selected under the form of
validation or invalidation of the proposed research
hypotheses.
I1: waste management, treatment and recovery
require an educational process
Pro-event issues - The vast majority of participants did
not benefit from any type of education in waste
management; the participants were not aware of the
training possibilities but they want to train in waste
management and they consider training as essential.
They increasingly want to gain more theoretical
information but mostly practical with respect to the
waste management. Few respondents (47%) have said
that they have knowledge concerning the offered study
programs, therefore access to training in waste
management. Approximately 50% of respondents
consider that the educational offer from the consulted
source does not contain enough information. It is
noteworthy that regardless of age, training and concerns
the majority of respondents (89%) declare their
willingness to learn and improve their knowledge.
Issues against the event - Relatively few respondents
consider that training in waste management contribute
to business development and increase business quality.
Hypotheses validation or invalidation: Valid
I2: Romanian companies practice the waste
management;
Pro-event issues - The vast majority of respondents
indicate the existence of the concerns for the waste
management, without indicating how this type of
management is practiced. Managers are open about the
waste management, but they do not identify the
managerial component of this process. Issues against
the event - The practiced waste management is done
without prior training, but only with the help of
company’s internal human and material resources.
Subjects (77%) show that in the business or in the
activity of an institution, the main impact belongs to the
basic activity, without being able to correctly identify
the impact of the waste management on its economic
performance.
Hypotheses validation or invalidation: Invalid
I3: the organizations have trained human resources,
able of a high-level waste management;
Pro-event issues - The participants to the selective
investigation considered the assessment of the personal
qualities as: the ability to face the permanent challenges
of the business environment - 54%; in conditions of the
performing processes which should assure the
environmental protection, they have personal skills and
qualities which enable them acquire new knowledge -
79%; perseverance - 89%; determining what is essential
- 45%; identifying favorable moments 87%. The vast
majority (64%) have found that they can initiate and
implement innovative solutions in their work and 79%
can stimulate and use opportunities that arise in
business. Issues against the event – The participants to
the study do not assume qualities, capabilities, skills in
the field of the waste management, which is mainly due
to the lack of training in this field.
Hypotheses validation or invalidation: Invalid
I4: The context and the organizational management
establish the features of the waste management in
the Romanian companies.
Pro-event issues – The main information about the
waste management is taken from the technical literature
(26 %) and from the internet (34 %), most of the people
do not use any of the information sources in this field
(40 %). The vast majority of respondents consider that
the waste management in their companies is typical to
them (56%), or they do not realize the connection
between the organizational context and the waste
management (30 %). The respondents, however, cannot
identify this peculiarity. The vast majority of the
respondents consider that the waste management
constitutes an element of the organizational
management 76 %. Issues against the event – As for
the organizational context, most of them are not aware
of these problems (56 %), saying they do not know.
A New Promising Master Programme in The Field of Environmental Engineering Education Organized at A Romanian
Technical University
Hypotheses validation or invalidation: Valid
In this context, the design of the curricula of the new
master specialization, Management, Treatment and
Valorization of Wastes - organized at the ‘Gheorghe
Asachi’ Technical University of Iasi and recognized by
the Ministry of Education and Research (National
Agency of High Education Quality - ARACIS, in
accordance with the Council Decision no 6539 from 09
April 2009), wants to assure an interdisciplinary
preparation of the master students, focused upon the
approach of the specific issues regarding the waste
integrated management according to the principles of
the concept of sustainable development. Starting from
the information and documents offered by the
Romanian Agency for Qualifications from Higher
Education and Partnership with Economic and Social
Fields (ACPART) the designed master curricula aimed
the accomplishment of the general objectives of the
study program: 1.The developement of specific skills
and competencies in the engineering field, waste
management respectively: cognitive and professional
abilities in the field of the waste management,
functional-acting abilities, and competencies for the
professional and personal development, by involving
the master students in solving various projects of
highly-complex fundamental and/or applicative
research, as well as by involving them in the
department’s research activity; cross skills by using
student-centered teaching techniques, able to encourage
the initiative and to develop creativity, and by
stimulating the participation in complex projects, meant
to establish relationships with important companies in
the field and/or the research teams, for the developing of
the communication and managerial abilities, as well as
of the ability to integrate into /adapt to different
contexts. 2. Communication of information, problems
and solutions by experts in engineering, environmental
management, waste management and continuous
education. 3. The knowledge of ever-changing
technologies, and of the new techniques as part of
lifelong learning and self-perfection. 4. Use of
information technology. 5. Participation to individual or
collective special projects resulted from the team work;
6. Understanding the influence of the engineering
activities upon life and environment and demonstrating
an ethical and moral approach to the engineering and
managerial tasks.7. Design and manage the specific
processes to the studied field. 8. Critical evaluation of
reasoning, hypotheses, abstract concepts and data to
create their own judgments which should contribute to
the solving of the complex issued of a creative process.
9. Development of the ability to elaborate
environmental strategies on a long or short term from
the point of view of the integrated waste management.
10. The achievement of an interdisciplinary preparation
to enable the flexible and adaptive approach to the
correlations between engineering and managerial issues
in waste management. The overall goals are achieved by
pursuing specific objectives: ●Knowledge of financial
systems and economic mechanisms for waste
449
management and the accomplishment of general
principles, especially the principle of "polluter pays";●
Knowledge of environmental legislation / regulations
and waste management at both national and European
Union level; ● Promoting and applying the principle of
waste management by the producer; ● Creative and
innovative instruction in finding solution for the waste
recovery; ● Developing technical abilities necessary for
the management of the waste recovery processes
(biological or energetic);● Conception and design of
waste recovery processes and ensure the functioning of
the specific production systems; ● Finding solutions for
the efficacy of the technological processes regarding the
waste treatment and recovery, considering aspects
regarding the analysis, the synthesis, the optimization
and automation of the processes; ● Design of
equipment, using unitary operations knowledge; ●
Sustainable industrial production and reduction of the
pollutants at the source; ● Assessment of the waste
impact upon the environment for sustainable
development. The following phases were passed for the
elaboration of the educational plan of the master entitled
Management, Treatment and Valorization of Wastes [*]
(Fig.1).
1 – initiation and analysis of the opportunity to elaborate the project of the
Educational Plan (EP), making up of the committee and electing a coordinator
2 – objectives established EP
3 – consultation of the experts in the economic and social environment
regarding the competencies which should be achieved in the process of
training of the specialization for which the EP is being elaborated
4 – consultation of national, European and worldwide educational plans and
study programmes.
5 – PI project elaboration
6 – EP project review and approval by the originators
7 – EP project review and approval by the Faculty / Department Council
office
8 – EP draft project approval in the Faculty / Department Council office.
9 – EP project compliance checking by the didactic Prorectorate.
10 – diffusion and approval of the project of the EP by the University Senate
11 – diffusion and approval of the project of the EP by the University Senate
12 – publication of the education plans associated to a study programme.
Figure 1: The phases for the elaboration of the educational plan of the
master studies
The set of curricula subjects was established with
focused on the achievement of the specific skills in
450 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

conformity with the requirements of the National established and regulated in a unitary way, thus
Agency for Qualifications in High Education and contributing to the increase of the quality of the
Partnership with Economic and Social Environment educational process for the second study cycle; ♦
[**]. The curricula wanted to be structured according to Moreover, the methodological approach may constitute
the related specializations from the field of the the working instrument when approaching other master
graduation studies, but it is different because of its specialization.
nature and of the type of the suggested disciplines, Table 1: The disciplines from PI contribution to realization the master
competencies
representing in fact a thorough knowledge in the field of Master competencies Corelations Proposed disciplines
the Management, Treatment and Valorization of Wastes 1. Knowledge, understanding
and use of the specific language 1. Management, treatment and
(Table 1). From the analysis of the correlation master- The deep knowledge of a valorization of wastes
specialization field and, inside it, 2. Environmental legislation
subjects, (Table 1) the following issues resulted, which of the theoretical, methodological of wastes regime
were taken into consideration for the curricula: to assure and practical development
specific to the programme; the
3. Economic analyses of
wastes treatment and
the achievement of all the set of competencies which proper use of the language in valorization
communicating with different 4. Environmental impact
must be assured during the master studies; refering professional environments assessment of different
mainly to the following competences: Problem 2. Explanation
interpretation
and activities involved in waste
management
application, transfer and solving, and Critical and The use of the technical 5. Life cycle assessment into
knowledge for explaining and wastes management
constructive reflection, which supports the applicative interpreting new situations, in 6. Pollution reduction at
and analytical role of the master which may provide broader contexts related to this
field;
source
minimization
and wastes

useful information to those who want to apply in their 3. Application, transfer and 7. Biotechnologies for wastes
problem solving treatment and valorization
activities the acquired information; the three-ways Integrated use of the conceptual 8. Unitary processes and
approach of the competences: technical, managerial and and methodological device, in equipments into technologies
of wastes treatment and
completely defined situations, in
legislative; the development of the ability of creativity order to solve new theoretical valorization
and practical knowledge 9. Audit of preventive
and innovation by performing specific research in the 4. Critical and constructive pollution
field of the subject and at the end of the master studies, reflection 10. Management of wastes
packaging
Nuanced and relevant use of
etc. assessment criteria and methods 11. Management of industrial
wastes
The suggested master program has 2 semesters, 14 to make valuable judgements and
to fundament constructive 12. Valorization of building
weeks each, and a total number of 1456 teaching and decisions wastes
13. Sustainable consuption
5. Creativity and innovation
research hours. The subjects introduced in the education Elaboration of professional
14. Management of
plan can be classified as follows: 1.according to the and/or research projects, using in
an innovative manner a wide municipal wastes
optional character: obligatory – 89.42% and optional range of quantity and quality
15. Treatment and
methods
– 10.58%; 2. according to the formation category: 6. Autonomy and responsibility valorization of plastics
wastes
synthesis - 66.35%; thoroughness - 33.65%; advanced Executing complex professional
tasks, under the conditions of
knowledge - 85.58%; complementation - 14.42% ; 3. professional autonomy and 16. Hazard wastes treatment
(medical and radioactive
independency
according to the type of activities: courses (34.61%), 7. Social interaction
wastes)
seminars (3.85%), laboratories (4.81%); research Assuming guiding roles/functions
17. Energetic recovery of
for the activities of the
activities (44.23%). professional groups or
wastes
institutions
18. Monitorization of
8. Personal and professional
controlled wastes storage
development
5. CONCLUSIONS The self-controlled studying
systems
process, the diagnosis of the
19. Scientific research
formation needs, the reflective
♦ Our analysis allowed the design of an education plan analysis of its own professional
20. Elaboration and public
activity
based on the results of the study the hypotheses presentation of Master thesis

formulated during the research. ♦The methodology for

the design of the education plan was made according to
the training necessity resulted from the survey. ♦ By
participating in this program, the graduates will achieve
the abilities and the competencies which are
characteristic to this field, requested by the actual
dynamics of the labor market and mentioned in the
ACPART document, so that they can be employed as:
engineers in industrial economic units for the waste
recovery and processing; engineers in the field of the
environment engineering (abilities in the control of the
efficient waste management activities); to found private
companies activating in the field of waste management;
to develop their activities in the field of education and in
scientific research; to continue the studies through
doctoral programs; ♦ The elaboration of the educational
plans has to be based on the analysis of the options of
the potential candidates, involved in various economic
and institutional activities, following a methodology
References
1. Rusu, C .and Voicu, M. (2006), Methods regarding
competence- based curriculum drafting, Proceedings of The
4thInternational Seminar on the Quality Management in Higher
Education- 2006, Sinaia, Romania, June 9-10,37-42
2. Suteu, D. and Voicu, M. (2007), Designing the university
curriculum in correlation with the technological changes,
Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on the Management
of Technological Changes, Alexandroupolis, Greece, 25-26.aug.
2007, vol.1., 241 – 246
3. Suteu D., Horoba E. ans Voicu M., Designing the university
curricula between ARACIS requirements and economical field
needs, Proceeding of The 5th International Seminar Quality
Management in Higher Education, June 12 – 14, 2008 - Tulcea,
Romania, 85-92
4. * U.T.I. POB.02, Procedures Manuals of Technical University
“Gh. Asachi” Iasi, Romania (www.tuiasi.ro)
5. ** ACPART documents (www.acpart.ro)
THE PROTECTION OF THE RIGHT TO PRIVACY IN ROMANIAN EDUCATION

Liliana MÂŢĂ1, Cristi ONU2, Roxana Maria GHIAŢĂU3, Camelia ONU4

1
“Vasile Alecsandri” University of Bacău, liliana.mata@ub.ro
2
“Gheorghe Asachi” University of Iaşi, cristi_onu@yahoo.com
3
“Al.I. Cuza” Iaşi, vasiloiuroxana@yahoo.com
4
Al.I. Cuza” Iaşi, onu_cami@yahoo.com

The aim of this research is to analyze the protection of the right to privacy in Romanian educational system. Our study focuses on the
following of two objectives: the content analyze of the scholar documents and the identification of the juridical dimensions that deal
with the aspects of this study. The rights of privacy must become priorities of defining policies and strategies in the schools.

I. Privacy in education
In terms of the normative dimension of the
education for private life, the representatives of school
organizations intend to elaborate the school rules
regarding the respect towards the privacy rights of
students and the teaching staff.
Today’s multidisciplinary debates regarding privacy
also influence the educational steps for transmitting the
information which is needed at the level of educational
contents and for developing the competences for life (H.
Farstad, 2004). P. Chambat (2002) highlights the
changes that determine the propagation techniques of
communication in everyday life: intellectualization of
private life, weaken privacy protection, creating a
private space hypertrophied. Although this invasion of
privacy can come from many sources, the main concern
of scientists in recent years is linked to what is called
“informational intimacy”. The concept is defined by
Westin and Schweder (1985) as the right individual,
group or institution to choose how, where and by whom
will be provided or disclosed personal information. In
the conception of authors, information privacy is the
most significant problem arising frequently in debates
on the “intimacy right” subject.
Ohrimenco and Cernei (2005) highlights the causes
which determine rules for privacy protection in terms of
technology. This occurred because of computer
technology (information) ensure the availability and
simplicity of processes of accumulation, storage,
modification, manipulation and transmission. Another
issue that has resulted in the production of these changes
is the fact that personal data set (or documented) are, on
the one hand, more valuable, large, and secondly, more
accessible.
Colleges and universities now find themselves in the
spotlight as they grapple with an increasingly complex
legal and regulatory environment relating to information
privacy and security (Steinfeld and Sutherland
Archuleta, 2006). It is not surprising, then, that a recent
survey of college and university attorneys identified the
proliferation of privacy regulations and technology to be
among the most important issues and trends emerging
for higher education in the next five to ten years
(National Association of College and University
Attorneys (NACUA) Survey Report, 2006).
Privacy abuses can range from grades bandied about
in hallways to the non-consensual exposure of student
information and photos on the Internet. In today’s
climate of heightened security, it is more important than
ever for parents and adult-age students to be vigilant
about who has access to their education records. There
are many reasons why educators feel so strongly about
this ethical code and therefore choose to incorporate it
into school (Bates et all). One reason is due to the
amount of information that schools possess about their
students that could leave their students vulnerable if the
information was to fall into the hands of the wrong
person. Another issue is the liability of the school
district's own staff. Just like the corporate world,
schools deal with information that should only be seen
by certain personnel. Steps must be taken to insure that
this type of information is only made accessible to those
individuals. Computer hacking is another key issue.
Hackers don't usually hack just for the fun of it, most
have more devious motives. With the sensitive nature of
school records and the advances in technology, the
threat of computer hacking has become a concern.
Rapid advances in technology have stretched privacy
laws to the limit. The Internet, now in use in nearly all
schools, opens the door for instantaneous and
widespread dissemination of student information.
Incidents of school violence in recent years have
prompted school administrators and parents to debate
the issue of privacy versus security (Privacy in
Education: A Guide for Parents and Adult-Age
Students, 2006). The privacy of students and faculty
must be protected against this threat. To address this
challenge, institutions of education have begun to look
to the private sector for lessons on creating
comprehensive data privacy programs that mitigate risk
while building trust with key stakeholders (Steinfeld
and Sutherland Archuleta, 2006).
Schools must take the initiative of defining policies
and strategies that best serve children, parents and staff
(Goodman, 2000, p. 52). They must continue to assure
the collection, flow, validation, and dissemination of
data. You need to know what data are leaving your
school, who receive that information, and how it is
being used. The Internet does not eliminate the
responsibility to live up to the privacy information
requirements of the law, or to the expectations of staff,
452 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
students and parents. The interests and rights of parents
and young people must become priorities in the school
politics. School records contain highly sensitive
information, even information about the family. The
contents of student files are likely to have an impact on
the overall educational experience of students. That is
why it is wise for parents and adult-age students to be
informed about laws and policies that govern student
information.
Consulting the international policies about the
regulation of the right to privacy in schools, we
observed specific strategies. Governmental laws and
school regulation protect, to some extent, school
records. The United States, for example, have a market-
dominated policy for the protection of the right to
privacy in education (Rainsberger, Baker, Hicks, Myers,
Noe, Weese, 2001). In contrast, European norms reflect
a rights-dominated approach and the European Union
now requires each of its Member States to have
comprehensive statutory protections for schools. There
are also many programs and strategies designed to deal
with this problem. Integrating cyber safety into the
curriculum and offering training sessions to educate
families and students on safeguards are also important
strategies for protecting young people from
embarrassment or other harmful acts. To ensure that
schools receive the best internet connection, that is safe
both for the school and parents and students, school
managers must seek out companies that are responsive
to their unique needs.
In the U.S., there are several state laws which
provide the confidentiality of school records (Privacy in
Education: A Guide for Parents and Adult-Age
Students, 2006): Family Educational Rights and Privacy
Act (FERPA) 20 USC 1232g (1974), Protection of
Pupil's Rights Amendments (PPRA) 20 USC 1232h
(1978); No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, Pub. L. 107-
110, 115 STAT. 1425 (January 2002); USA Patriot Act,
P.L. 107-56 (October 26, 2001); Privacy Act of 1974, 5
USC Part I, Ch. 5, Subch. 11, Sec. 552. FERPA is the
most known and used law dealing with the right to
privacy of the student. FERPA is the best-known and
most used law which deals with the students’ right to
privacy.
Respecting the right to privacy in school covers a
number of characteristic elements: respecting
confidentiality in matters related to the privacy of
students, teachers and auxiliary teaching staff; the
representatives of the educational institutions let parents
know, at least once a year, about the existence of
regulations specifying when and how parents are
informed about the surveys and evaluations involving
students; adopting a regulation regarding the rights and
responsibilities of students, teachers and school staff
which regulates privacy and safety, whether there are
any cameras installed; formulating rules for filming and
taking photographs in schools where consent is also
taken into consideration, schools’ obligation to allow
parents to request the non-disclosure of the information
from school documents.
II. The right to private life in the Romanian
educational system
The Romanian educational system has no rules
stipulating the right to privacy in school. The authors of
the study “Romanian educational system today”, note
that private life training is missing not only from the
curriculum, but also from the normative acts (Miroiu et.
all, 1998, p. 68). We can grasp just a few items related
to the respect for confidentiality in the academia.
University ethic codes have been developed and adapted
after the project of the Ethic Code of the Ministry of
Education and Research, whose coordinators are M.
Miroiu, A. Bulai, D. Cutaş, L. Andreescu, D. Ion
(2005). In the explanatory memorandum, the authors
introduce the protection of the right to privacy under the
heading of academic freedom. According to this right,
the teaching and administrative staff must respect
confidentiality in matters related to privacy of students,
they will not give away information unless authorized
by the Rector and Deans or only when there are
legitimate reasons. This rule also applies in respect to
personal requests concerning the maintaining of
confidentiality regarding marital status, sexual
orientation or hidden disability, address, political,
religious affiliation etc.
The personnel who have access to documents and
information must take care to maintain confidentiality
and privacy of such information and protect people who
do not want this information to become public.
University members must maintain the privacy of
confidentiality requests. The personal files are
confidential and breach of confidentiality is punished.
Confidentiality represents one of the ten key values of
the Code of Professional Ethics for quality insurance
and accreditation in higher education in Romania, with
legality, independence, objectivity, impartiality,
transparency, personal responsibility, professionalism,
openness to new dialogue and consensus.
The principle of confidentiality is characterized by
faithfulness in providing, expanding, using and
providing access to information in accordance with
accepted rules and procedures. It means proceeding with
discretion and protecting personal data and data related
to intellectual property in activities of self-evaluation,
external evaluation and accreditation. In the process of
external evaluation and accreditation, the display,
distribution or publication of information is realized
only after the ARACIS Council formulates and
approves an official position or statement, a clear
definition of the space of information of public interest
and only by meeting with the privacy conditions
previously determined and agreed upon with the
acceptance of this Code by signing a confidentiality
declaration.
III. Educational research
The Protection of The Right to Privacy in Romanian Education 453

III.1 The Objectives and the Hypothesis of the Table 1: One Sample T test statistics test for comparison with the
average value of neutral 3 teachers assessments on regulatory aspects of
Investigation education for private life
III.1.1. The Objectives of the Investigation Test Value = 3
The objective of this study is to grasp the openness t df Sig. (2- Mean 95% Confidence
tailed) Diffe- Interval of the
level of teachers and students towards issues concerning Difference
rence
the compliance with the school rules related to private Lower Upper
life. 1 53,378 889 ,000 1,49 1,44 1,54
2 30,400 889 ,000 1,09 1,02 1,16
III.1.2. The Hypothesis of the Investigation 3 33,210 889 ,000 1,10 1,03 1,16
The first general hypothesis 4 15,150 889 ,000 ,65 ,56 ,73
Teachers consider that some school rules taken from 5 29,975 889 ,000 1,11 1,04 1,18
specific documents facilitate the respect of privacy in 6 46,392 889 ,000 1,40 1,34 1,46
school. 7 60,348 889 ,000 1,54 1,49 1,59
The second general hypothesis
Students consider that some school rules taken from Table 2: One Sample T test statistics test for comparison with the
average value of neutral 3 students assessments on regulatory aspects of
specific documents facilitate the respect of privacy in education for private life
school. Test Value = 3
The third general hypothesis t df Sig. (2- Mean 95% Confidence
There are significant differences between the teachers’ tailed) Diffe- Interval of the
rence Difference
and students’ perception of the normative aspects of Lower Upper
education for privacy.
1 37,979 1455 ,000 1,13 1,07 1,19
III.2 Variables 2 27,363 1455 ,000 ,87 ,81 ,93
The concept of school rules was developed in 7 3 24,922 1455 ,000 ,78 ,72 ,85
main categories, according to specific regulations 4 17,659 1455 ,000 ,64 ,57 ,72
stipulating the protection of private life in school: 5 10,341 1455 ,000 ,39 ,31 ,46
respect of confidentiality and privacy of students and 6 23,874 1455 ,000 ,83 ,76 ,90
teachers (1), parents may request the nondisclosure of 7 16,688 1455 ,000 ,60 ,53 ,67
personal information (2), representatives of school let
parents know about the information that may be made
In order to verify the third hypothesis, we have
public (3), compliance to professional results
applied the Independent-Samples T test. The test results
confidentiality (4), adoption of rules for filming and
indicate that there are significant differences between
taking photographs (5), developing a regulation with the
the perceptions of teachers and students concerning the
rights and responsibilities of students and staff in the
normative aspects of education for privacy. Teachers
case of installing cameras (6), informing parents about
appreciate, more than students do, the following
the surveys and assessments which involve students (7).
normative aspects: respect of confidentiality [t (2344) =
8,112, p < 0,05], parents’ right to request nondisclosure
III.5 Data presentation and analysis of personal data [t (2344) = 4,527, p < 0,05],
In order to verify the first and second hypothesis, representatives of school let parents know about the
we have applied One Sample T test, comparing the information that may be made public [t (2344) = 6,552,
average of teachers’ or students’ assessment of the p < 0,05], adoption of rules for filming and taking
extent to which some rules are important to respecting photographs [t (2344) = 12,998, p < 0,05], developing a
privacy in school with the value 3 (neutral). regulation with the rights and responsibilities of
Hypothesis 1 is confirmed, because all school rules students and staff in the case of installing cameras [t
extracted from the specific regulations are seen by (2344) = 11,376, p < 0,05], informing parents about the
teachers as important for the respect to privacy in surveys and assessments which involve students [t
schools. The most appreciated issues are those relating (2344) = 18,813, p < 0,05].
to informing parents about surveys involving students
(M7 = 4,54) and those concerning the respect of
confidential personal data (M1 = 4,49) (Table 1). 5
4,5 4,49 4,4 4,54
4,13 4,11
Hypothesis 2 is confirmed, because all school rules 4
3,5
43,87 4,1
3,78 3,65
3,64
3,39
3,83
3,6

extracted from the specific regulations are seen by 3

teachers as important for the respect to privacy in Means 2,5

2
Teachers

schools. The most appreciated issue is that related to 1,5

Students

1
respect of personal data confidentiality (M1 = 4,13) 0,5

(Table 2). 0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Categories

Graph 1: The graphic representation of the means of categories of school rules

specific to protecting privacy in school, at the level of the teachers and students’
perceptions
454 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
Conclusions
Following the analysis of the educational policies
from the perspective of the right to privacy of students
and teachers, an increasingly acute need to formulate
specific regulations was found. If at the international
level, there are such regulations, such as FERPA in the
USA, in the Romanian educational system there are
only some premises in the University Ethic Code.
In terms of research results, it is clear that both
students and teachers from the Romanian educational
system appreciate the normative aspects drawn from
international regulations. However, the comparative
analysis indicates that the school rules relating to
privacy are valued more highly by teachers as compared
to students.
The results of this ascertained study highlights the
importance and the necessity of formulating and adapting
specific rules to ensure the protection of privacy of all
educational actors.
References
1. Bates, Jason, Code of Computer Ethics for Educators,
http://lrs.ed.uiuc.edu/students/mickley/ethicsnew.htm.
2. Chambat, P. (2002), „Spaţiu public, spaţiu privat: rolul medierii
tehnice”, in: I. Pailliart (coord.), Spaţiul public şi comunicarea,
Editura Polirom, Iaşi.
3. Farstad, H. (2004), “Competences pour la vie: certaines
incidences pour l’education”, UNESCO – Quarante-septieme
session de la Conference internationale de l’education Une
education de qualite pour les jeunes: defie, tendances et priorites,
Geneve.
4. Goodman, Chip (2000), “The Home-School Connection: Making
the Right Choice for Students, Parents and Schools”, T H E
Journal, Volume: 28. Issue: 2, p. 52.
5. Kizza, Joseph Migga (1998), "Ethical and social issues in the
information age", Springer, New York.
6. Miroiu, A. (1998), Învăţământul românesc azi, Editura Polirom,
Iaşi.
7. Miroiu, M. (coord.) (2005), Etica în universităţi, Proiect realizat
în parteneriat educaţional,
http://www.edu.ro/index.php/rap_rez_desc_sitstat/?sort=title&lett
er=E.
8. Ohrimenco, S., Cernei, Gh. (2005), Informatizarea societăţii şi
drepturile omului, http://www.ase.md/~osa/publ/ro/pubro05.html.
9. Rainsberger, R., Baker, E., Hicks, D., Myers, B., Noe, J., Weese,
F. (2001), AACRAO 2001 FERPA Guide, AACRAO, American
Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers.,
Washington, DC.
10. Steinfeld, Laura and Sutherland Archuleta, Kathleen
(2006), “Privacy Protection and Compliance in Higher Education:
The Role of the CPO”, EDUCAUSE Review, vol. 41, no. 5
(September/October 2006), 62–71.
11. Westin, A. F., Schweder, H. A. (1985), Changing workplace: a
guide to managing the people, organizational and, The regulatory
aspects of office technology, Knowledge Industry, White Plains.
12. *** (2006), Privacy in Education: A Guide for Parents and
Adult-Age Students, http://www.privacyrights. org/ fs/fs29-
education.htm#3.
13. *** (2006), National Association of College and University
Attorneys (NACUA) Survey Report: “Summary of Responses to
the Survey of NACUA Committee Members and Higher
Education Associations”, March 21.
 ROLE OF CONTINUING EDUCATION ORGANIZATIONS IN GLOBAL SOCIETY

Ana Andreea MIHARTESCU1, Mircea Liviu NEGRUT2, Pavel Ernest DUPTA3

1
“Politehnica” University of Timisoara, andreea.mihartescu@mpt.upt.ro
2
“Politehnica” University of Timisoara, mircea.negrut@mpt.upt.ro
3
“Politehnica” University of Timisoara, pavel.dupta@mpt.upt.ro

This paper presents an analysis of the activities pattern of Continuing Education Organizations (CEO) that addresses a large number
of students, and their role in a global and dynamic society. Continuing Education Organizations have particularly important role in
present economic and social context, globally focusing on continuous training of human resources. Through the Organizations of a
Continuing Education a student has the opportunity to refine the area that he studied in the initial training program and to specialize
in a new sphere of activity, in a determined period, without his professional life is affected. The paper highlights a fundamental
research that consists of analysis, processing and assimilation of bases knowledge found in international used. In the first part of
paper are presented the types of permanent training services offered and in the second part a SWOT analysis (case study) on an
Organization for Continuing Education. CEO operating like a company, in conditions of economic efficiency and the ultimate goal
being profit-driven. Demand for continuing education services is increasing. Following completion of this work resulted some
conclusions based on which a CEO must fundament its decisions, promote and publicize the programs in as many fields.

Key words: continuing education, global society, competences

INTRODUCTION
Continuing Education Organizations offer support
for those stakeholders interested to continue training
after graduation from initial training. These
organizations provide services in various fields, from
training to the teachers in secondary school to ongoing
training programs for the following fields of interest:
audit, management, marketing, human resources, IT,
engineering, etc.
ACTIVITY FIELDS, THE WAY TO CARRY OUT
THE ACTIVITIES
Continuing Education Organizations have structured
their activity depending on the type of course offered,
area that is addressed, duration of the course
development, and the number of persons interested to
continue training. Types of courses offered by
Continuing Education Organizations:
- ACADEMIC COURSE developed in two
segments: the exposition, which may be
attended by a large number of students, the
application - the number of participants is
limited, approximately 15 participants
- INFORMATION COURSE consisting of an
exposition (consultation) on a field of activity
number of participants is limited, up to 25
people.
- TRAINING, this course is specialized for a
field of activity and consists of practical
training for students; the number of people
participating can be no more than 15.
Running of courses offered by Continuing Education
Organisations is as follows:
-
Compact Programs – specialized on a specific
segment and providing complex information
about the considered field
- Courses on subjects (disciplines) - they address
a particular activity sector and can be broken
down into specialties. To understand how the
course progress, is considered the following
example: The audit is a vast field, and students
may be uninterested in all aspects, in that case
was appealed to the specialization and such
exposition occurred on Internal Audit, Financial
Audit, Energy Audit, etc.
- A modular program, each subject (discipline) is
regarded as an independent course, finalised
after getting over all modules and obtaining a
Certification Diploma.
Types of courses, and the organization and
deployment, are the common one, frequently offered by
Continuing Education Organizations (Action Plan on
Adult Learning).
Those who getting over Continuing Education
courses have a certain typology that is correlated with
the type of program they participate. This correlation is
shown in Table 1.
Table 1: Correlation type - lector
Crt.
Course Type Lector
No.
1 Academic Course Academics (professors) at home
and abroad
2 Information People with charisma, have
Course positive influence on students
3 Training Trainer, specialized in a narrow
applications segment
Continuing Education Organizations promotes
courses, voluntary, that address a wide audience, from
different spheres of interest and similar programs at the
request of certain Commercial Companies that are
specialized in certain activities and who want their
available human resources to be better informed /
456 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

trained on the segment (Memorandum on lifelong Continuing

ng Education Organizations should
learning, 2001). provide to attract students?
2. What should do an Organization of Continuing
CASE STUDY: Education to emphasize its performances and
quality?
3. Identify which were the decisive factors in the
In Romania, before 1989, maybe more than in most
choice of domain where you decide to follow
European countries, Organizations of Continuing
Education were almost non-existent.
existent. The explanation is continuing
ontinuing education courses?
simple: the economy was planned, the number of jobs 4. Identify which were the decisive factors in
choosing the organization you have decided to
was planned for each enterprise, the number of places in
refine?
Universities was centrally planned, being significantly
5. Based on previous answers, recommend to the
lower than the number who wanted to pursue higher
Organisation where you have been / are
education. More, the specializations and professions
number was limited. This situation led to the need for students the best ways to attract new students?
student
selecting candidates through tough tests, before the 6. List sources of information that you used for
the selection of Continuing Education
candidates be able to make a picture about their chosen
Organisation?
field.
…
After 1989 was noted ed a significant increase in the
n
number of specializations required by the labour market, START
and this led to the emergence and expansion of
Continuing Education Organisations. With The Research Method (Investigation)
decentralization occurred Continuing Education
Organizations which have developed ped in addition to The Research Instrument (Questionnaire)
public universities, others have been developed based
on research and development programs, others have Statistical processing and interpretation
emerged as private companies offering continuing
education services. Regardless of how these
organizations have developed, their number numb grew STOP
rapidly and so emerged the competition between them,
and now supply exceeds demand. The large number of Figure 1: The Research Methodology
Continuing Education Organizations, but also that of
specialization, has made some of them have problems in After completion of the market study were obtained
recruiting students. Therefore, promotion
otion requirements on these results, which are outlined in the following
of supply for each institution, its image position, graphs:
highlighting the competitive advantages are becoming - 51% of investigated subjects (Figure 2) seeking
bigger. It emerged specialized means and actions of explicit information about the professional benefits they
communication such as: exhibitions, fairs, specialty obtain after following a training program and 35% are
publications, websites that promote lifelong learning interested in the subjects studied.
services.
Based on these considerations, we conducted a Professional
market survey, using questionnaire as a research tool, 5% opportunities
consisting of 15 open questions. Market survey was 9%
Subjects studied
conducted on a sample of 60 subjects (not ( totally
descriptive of thee whole market for continuing 51%
education), current or former students of a Continuing 35%
Material basis
Education Organizations.. Investigated subjects have
funded training from their own resources. Research International
methodology for developing the study is shown in recognition
Figure 1.
Traditionally the information it provides an
Organization of Continuing Education are: identification Figure 2: Additional information provided by students
studen
data, specialisations offered, number of places available
for a course / number, duration of courses, registration - 50% of subjects (Figure 3) believe that the services of
modality, admission documents required for enrolment,
enro Continuing Education Organization are qualitative if
tuition fees, types of candidates that can apply for a former students have registered professional
specific type of training programs. performance.
Some of the questions included in the questionnaire
are given below:
1. Indicate which other information (other than
those mentioned above) consider the
Role of Continuing Education Organizations in Global Society 457

Internet
Professional
advantages
50% 41% Trainers
25%
Syllabus 45%
18% 20% Leaflets
Opinion of former
students Other
10% students

Figure 3: Emphasising Continuing Education Organizations Performances

Figure 6:: Information sources used for selection of Continuing Education
Organization
- 50% of those
hose investigated (Figure 4) turned to the need
for continuing education courses for training, training in
a specific area, while 28% want to go through new SWOT ANALYSIS FOR A CONTINUING
courses in conjunction with the initial training. EDUCATION ORGANIZATION

SWOT analysis is to study the opportunities and

threats, advantages and disadvantages, which support or
Training need interfere with ongoing activities of organizations of
22% Continuing Education.
SWOT Analysis was conducted based on
50% Initial Training information obtained following realization of the case
28% study presented above, and by studying an
organization's Continuing Education of Timisoara
Other persons
influence
(ItalyPoint –Formazione
Formazione per l’impresa).

SWOT analysis:
STRENGTHS
Figure 4: Decisive factors for the choice of continuing
co education
Performance programs and courses,courses useful for
- 66% of those market surveyed (Figure 5) opted for current and future activities. These programs reach a
services of certain Continuing Education Organization vast audience in various fields.
because of its reputation and 18% were influenced by Qualified Personal.
l. Continuing Education
other people who have attended courses in this Organizations
rganizations have arisen from the international
organization. collaborations, which is an advantage in terms of staff
skills to organize and support courses. People who teach
permanent training participate in training courses and
international conferences on various topics.
Granting related services.
services Continuing Education
18%
Awareness Organizations have also in their activities portfolio
organization
brokerage contracts abroad, books publishing under its
16% Courses quality
own brand, offering facilities for conferences, symposia,
round tables.
66%
Infrastructures offered by the organizers.
organizers To
Other persons conduct programs in good conditions is essential to
ensure the adequate infrastructure, which includes the
creation of optimal conditions in space conducting the
course.
Figure 5: The deciding
eciding factors for choosing the Continuing Education
Organization WEAKNESSES
Excessive range of courses.
courses Continuing Education
- 45% of students (Figure 6) were informed online about Organizations
rganizations have a large portfolio of courses in
continuing education programs offered on the market various fields. Organizations
anizations develop current and
and 25% from other students. required courses at a time, but it depreciates over time
and if not recovered amounts invested,
invested failures may
occur in the programs.
Small promotional budget. Such organizations
have limited budgets for promotion and then they have
458 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
to turn to another kind of advertising (hidden): to launch
a new type of program mass-media is invited to present
the moment as an event.
OPORTUNITIES
Economic climate. Labour market is in a
continuous process of change, individuals are forced to
constantly improve training, to adapt to the
requirements of the employer. Most typical example is
the labour market in Romania: in the early 1990 was a
severe shortage of people trained in economics, law;
currently in the labour market in these sectors of activity
reached saturation which can be seen as an opportunity
for Continuing Education Organizations to launch
training programs, retraining, specialization.
Demographic changes. Increasing the number of
families with one child and two income sources may be
perceived as opportunities for Continuing Education
Organizations. Such families will be willing to invest in
ongoing training process.
Technology. Communication Technology facilitates
link between program participants and organizers in this
regard can be considered the Internet that provides
possibilities for distance learning. Another opportunity
in terms of technological developments is that new
methods and production techniques occurring that
require additional expertise and staff when operating in
these sectors need continuing training courses in this
respect specialization.
Political conjuncture. Legislative framework that
provides some ongoing training opportunities for those
interested. In support of Continuing Education
Organizations comes also the European Union law
which financing programs in different fields for
different social groups. In this respect there are
programs for women managers. Due to globalization
occurred courses held by University or
nongovernmental organizations in different countries.
Another institution that supports continuous training
programs is the World Bank that provides grants
(Dupta, P., Ruset, V. and Mihartescu, A., 2003).
THREATS
Competition activity. A competitor launches on
market a new course with a different structure, with a
different content. Launch will be accompanied by an
aggressive campaign to promote the courses.
Competitor activity can be regarded as a threat when
they promote a higher rate and by whom it is offered -
an organization under the aegis of local and foreign
University, in collaboration with the organization
publicly acknowledged.
Demographic changes. Aging population and
increasing number of elderly people is a threat, because
this audience is not interested in continuing education
courses. These people may be concerned that much of
information programs. Another threat is the annual birth
rate lower and number of students, a growing number of
children drop out of education programs, regardless of
the initial training phase in which they are located.
Fluctuations in the number of participants. There are
times when the number of students is too large or, on
the contrary, is reduced.
CONCLUSION
Upon completion of this work were the following
conclusions:
- Continuing Education Organizations operate
like a business, the ultimate goal being the
profit.
- Continuing Education Organizations activity is
influenced by supply and demand in the market.
- Continuing Education Organizations programs
must promote and make known to as many
fields as possible.
Continuing Education Organizations have dual role
in the labour market, current economic conditions,
human resource training and retraining. Eg: Under
European Union legislation in force any housing should
be assessed in terms of energy. This can be done by an
energy audit.
A person can be energy auditor if he go through a
training course and obtain a certificate of professional
certification granted by the Ministry of Tourism and
Regional Development. The course can be done by any
graduate of a technical university, but professional
certificate holders get only the one who has a civil
engineer diploma. For this reason some Continuing
Education Organizations accepts only graduates of the
Faculty of Civil Engineering. By obtaining a certified
professional energy auditor a person receives an
additional specialization or in some cases retraining.
Upon completion of this work we have highlighted the
role that continuing education has in adult life and in
future we will track and analyze trends and changes
emerging on educational services market.
References
1. Dupta, P., Ruset, V. and Mihartescu, A. (2003), “Aspects
of management of Services Organizations providing
continuing education in”, Scientific Proceedings for 6 th
International Symposium in Management, Mirton
Publishing, Timisoara, pages 400-408
2. Dupta, P., Ruset, V. and Mihartescu, A. (2003),
“Guidelines on promoting strategic marketing services
provided by Continuing Education Organizations”,
Scientific Proceedings for 6 th International Symposium in
Management, Mirton Publishing, Timisoara, pages 179-
191
3. Memorandum on lifelong learning (2001), National Centre
Leonardo da Vinci.
4. Action Plan on Adult Learning, Communication from the
Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the
European Economic and Social Committee and the
Committee of the Regions, Brussels, 2007,
5. http://ec.europa.eu/education/policies/adult/com558_en.pd
f
 COMPARATIVE STUDY OF KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS ACQUIRED IN HIGHER
EDUCATION IN THE FIELD OF CONSTRUCTION PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Mircea Liviu NEGRUT1, Gheorghe IONESCU2

1
“Politehnica” University of Timisoara, m_negrut@yahoo.com
2
West University of Timisoara, ghghionescu@yahoo.com

This paper presents a comparative study of knowledge and skills acquired by students in various universities in the country and
abroad. The study is focused on the knowledge of project management in construction field as a constant concern, both budgetary and
private sector, for development of the new projects. Project management in construction is an important issue for the project
developer. Due to low level of implementation of the concept of project management in construction companies in Romania is the
question of the project manager skills and graduates competencies received in the Romanian university, towards EU standards. The
paper highlights a fundamental research that consists of analysis, processing and assimilation of bases knowledge found in
international used. We collect data from educational curricula of various universities from Romania and abroad for realized a
qualitative and quantitative comparison of skills and knowledge in the field of project management in construction. There is a direct
link between the level of knowledge and skills received in the university and the degree of implementation of project management
concept in construction companies, the efficiency and control in running the project. The paper emphasizes the differences between
skills required and received by graduates in the field of construction project management.

Key words: Project management, curricula, competencies.

INTRODUCTION A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON THE

Development of a country is achieved through
investments and investments by their nature means
building construction. Thus, in Romania, construction
industry remained at high levels after 1989; it hadn’t a
dramatic drop as was in the industrial production case.
Construction sector projects are generally complex
and require coordination by a team headed by a person
with a good technical and managerial training called
project manager.
On the local labor market and in construction
companies, has proved that people are less well trained
enough to face the demands of foreign investors which
have focused on efficiency, low costs and quality. In
front of these requirements construction companies face
problems in monitoring projects particularly in terms of
resource control, cost control and efficiency.
Project management of the investor is more easily
accomplished than the construction company project
management, who should be more detailed to frame the
contract requirements in terms of time, cost and quality.
Now in the period of economic crisis when the
number of investments has fallen so much in all sectors,
the issue of efficiency and cost control is paramount.
Unfortunately in this sector is seen a great lack of
training of project managers of construction companies.
This is a remanent of the centralized work way of
communist regime.
Currently Note, this lack of training and results in
the field of project control persist in fairly large
proportions, even if they appeared new generation of
professionals. We intend now, to review whether today's
graduates have received in the university educational
system, enough knowledge to implement them in
practice and whether the “resistance” of the organization
makes it difficult to implement new control methods
and increase work efficiency.
EDUCATION PLANS AND KNOWLEDGE OF
CONSTRUCTION PROJECT MANAGEMENT IN
SEVERAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITIES FOR
BACHELOR AND MASTER PROGRAMS
Research methodology for the developing the study
is based on observation (as research method) and is
shown in Figure 1.
START
The Research Method
(Investigation)
Comparative Analysis
Statistical processing and
interpretation
STOP
Figure 1: Research methodology
To implement the method of research we conducted
a comparative analysis between the four curricula of
technical universities in the country and two abroad. For
this research we chose six technical universities with a
faculty comprised of their specialization in construction
engineering or economy engineering in construction.
From Romania, we chose university from the largest
universities centers, Polytechnic University of
Timisoara, Gheorghe Asachi Technical University Iasi,
Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, and Technical
University of Civil Engineering Bucharest. From
Europe we chose, Technical University Munich
(Germany) and Technical University Graz (Austria).
From curricula of these universities, we have
selected courses which provide training in project
460 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

management. For those we have taken in analyzing the
number of teaching hours and number of ECTS-credits
for the Bachelor Degree programs.
To highlight research results, we used statistical
processing, to have a real basis and uniform use and
interpretation of available data.
According to Construction Extension to the
PMBOK® Guide (2007), there are thirteen Process
groups and Knowledge Areas applicable for
construction projects: Project integration management,
Project scope management, Project time management,
Project cost management, Project quality management,
Project human resources management, Project
communications management, Project risk management,
Project procurement management, Project safety
management, Project environmental management,
Project financial management, Project claim
management. The last for are specific for construction
unique project management.
From curricula of the universities studied, these
courses were considered relevant for training in project
management at Bachelors Programs:
Economy and legislation in construction;
Management of Construction Works;
Project Management;
Quality Management;
Computer Aided Project Management;
Special problems in construction work.
We notice a difference in the duration of studies for
Bachelor’s degree, at universities in Romania the study
duration is eight semesters and for those in Germany
and Austria are six semesters. Thus, the total number of
credits according to the Bologna agreement is 240
ECTS-credits for eight semesters and 180 ECTS-credits
for six semesters.
In Table 1, we centralized data collected from the
studied universities curriculum. These data include the
number of hours for lecture and seminar / project, total
hours completed and credits earned at these disciplines.

Table 1: Hours and ETCS-credits for selected lecture from different Technical University at Bachelor degree
Total Total %
No. Technical University – Faculty / Specializations # Sem. C S/P Credits
hours credits Credits
“Politehnica” University of Timisoara - FMPT / Economy 8 119 84 203 15 240 6,3%
1 engineering in constructions
“Politehnica” University of Timisoara -Faculty of Civil
8 42 42 84 7 240 2,9%
2 Engineering / Civil Engineering
“Politehnica” University of Timisoara - Faculty of Civil
8 42 42 84 7 240 2,9%
3 Engineering / Civil Engineering in German/English leanguage
Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iasi - Faculty of Civil
8 98 56 154 11 240 4,6%
5 Engineering and Building Services / Civil Engineering
Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iasi - Faculty of Civil 8 98 56 154 11 240 4,6%
6 Engineering and Building Services / Civil Engineer in English
Technical University of Cluj-Napoca - Faculty of Civil 8 182 168 350 30 240 12,5%
7 Engineering / Economy engineering in constructions
Technical University of Cluj-Napoca - Faculty of Civil 8 70 56 126 12 240 5,0%
8 Engineering / Civil Engineering
Technical University of Cluj-Napoca - Faculty of Civil 8 84 42 126 10 240 4,2%
9 Engineering / Civil Engineering in English language
Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest - Faculty of
8 86 58 144 12 240 5,0%
10 Civil , Industrial and Agricultural Buildings / Civil Engineering
TU Munchen - Faculty of Civil Engineering and Surveying /
6 84 56 140 12,5 180 6,9%
11 Civil Engineering

12 TU Gratz - Faculty for Civil Engineering / Civil Engineering 6 91 70 161 12 180 6,7%

In the last column is calculated the share of credits
in total credits of these selected courses to obtain
Bachelor degree.
Figure 2 present a graphical comparison for all
training hours with training in the field of Construction
Project Management at various universities, for Civil
Engineering or Economy engineering in constructions
specialization.
Following the analysis, results that the greatest
number of hours for training in Construction Project
Management is for specialization of Engineering
Economy in constructions, with the largest number of
hours at the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca - 350
hours. At Civil Engineering specialization the number
of hours in the field of Construction Project
Management varies between 84 and 161 hours, this is
much reduced compared to specialization Economy
Engineering in constructions.
Also notice that the number of those hours at the
Technical University of Munich and Graz is similar or
even higher than those in Romania, although the
bachelor study program is 6 semesters and not as in
Romania 8 semesters.
Comparative Study of Knowledge And Skills Acquired in Higher Education in The Field of Construction Project
Management 461

Total training hours for specialisation in PM Share credit for the PM training, of total
for Bachelor's degree credits for Bachelor's degree

400 14,0%

12,5%
350
350 12,0%

300
10,0%

250
8,0%

Percent
Hours

203 6,9% 6,7%

200 6,3%
161
154 154 6,0%
144 140 5,0% 5,0%
150 4,6% 4,6%
126 126 4,2%
4,0% 2,9%
100
84 84 2,9%

2,0%
50

0 0,0%

University University

“Politehnica” University of Timisoara - FMPT / Economical
Engineering in Construction
“Politehnica” University of Timisoara -Faculty of Civil
Engineering / Civil Engineer
“Politehnica” University of Timisoara - Faculty of Civil
Engineering / Civil Engineer in German/English
Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iasi - Faculty of Civil
Engineering and Building Services / Civil Engineer
Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iasi - Faculty of Civil
Engineering and Building Services / Civil Engineer in English
Technical University of Cluj-Napoca - Faculty of Civil
Engineering / Economical Engineering in Construction
Technical University of Cluj-Napoca - Faculty of Civil
Engineering / Civil Engineer
Technical University of Cluj-Napoca - Faculty of Civil
Engineering / Civil Engineer in English
Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest - Faculty of
Civil , Industrial and Agricultural Buildings / Civil Engineer
TU Munchen - Faculty of Civil Engineering and Surveying / Civil
Engineer
TU Gratz - Faculty for Civil Engineering / Civil Engineer
“Politehnica” University of Timisoara - FMPT / Economical
Engineering in Construction
“Politehnica” University of Timisoara -Faculty of Civil
Engineering / Civil Engineering
“Politehnica” University of Timisoara - Faculty of Civil
Engineering / Civil Engineering in German/English
Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iasi - Faculty of Civil
Engineering and Building Services / Civil Engineering
Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iasi - Faculty of Civil
Engineering and Building Services / Civil Engineering in English
Technical University of Cluj-Napoca - Faculty of Civil
Engineering / Economy engineering in constructions
Technical University of Cluj-Napoca - Faculty of Civil
Engineering / Civil Engineering
Technical University of Cluj-Napoca - Faculty of Civil
Engineering / Civil Engineering in English
Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest - Faculty of
Civil , Industrial and Agricultural Buildings / Civil Engineering
TU Munchen - Faculty of Civil Engineering and Surveying / Civil
Engineering
TU Gratz - Faculty for Civil Engineering / Civil Engineering

Figure 2: Total training hours of specialization in PM for Bachelor Degree Figure 3: Share credit for the PM training, of total credits for Bachelor's
Degree

In Figure 3, we present the share of credits obtained Table 2: Hours and ETCS-credits for selected lecture from different Technical
at these courses of the total number of credits for the University at Master Programs
Bachelor study program. We found that this ratio varies # Total Cred Total %
MASTER PROGRAMS C S/P
between 2.9% and 6.9% for foreign universities for Sem hours its credits Credits
Civil Engineering specialization. In Romania, Economy Gheorghe Asachi
Engineering in constructions specialization put more Technical University of
Iasi - Construction 3 168 168 336 29 100 29,0%
emphasis on training in Project Management Management and Special
Construction, reaching a maximum of 12.5%. 1 Technology
Analysis of education plans, it follows that training Technical University of
is mainly in construction management, law and Civil Engineering
Bucharest - Technology 4 112 84 196 19 120 15,8%
legislation and information systems for project and construction
management. These are the basic disciplines of 2 management
construction management but covers only part of the Technical University of
Project Management area. Civil Engineering
4 420 392 812 85 120 70,8%
Bucharest - Construction
Courses such as, Cost planning & time scheduling, 3 Project Management
Project management, Project controlling in construction TU Gratz - Construction
works, Staff Management, Cost Accounting, etc. are Management and Civil 4 329 301 630 65 120 54,2%
generally conducted in the Masters degree programs, 4 Engineering
focused on construction management.
For comparative research Master Programs, we Table 2 shows four Master Programs in Construction
analyzed four specialized Master's programs in Management or Construction Project Management
construction management from three universities, two specialization. The Master Programs are organized into
from Romania and one in Austria. 3 or 4 semesters and is seen a high share of training
courses in project management.
462 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

“Politehnica” University of Timisoara has no such a The quantitative and qualitative comparative
Master Program. analysis, performed between curricula for educational
Figure 4 shows the quantitative analysis of the programs for Bachelor and Master degree can draw the
number of hours of specialization in Construction following conclusions:
Project Management Master at these four programs.  For Bachelor’s degree, at Civil Engineering
specialization, in Romania the number of hours for
Total training hours for specialisation in
PM for Masters degree Project Management knowledge is less than or about
Hours
1000 equal to that of aboard universities in Europe, although
812 the duration of study is increased by 2 semesters;
800
630  Knowledge received in these courses have a
600 restricted area knew enough in terms of knowledge of
400
336
Project Management. This has significant effects on the
196 professional skills of the graduates in the coordination
200
of construction projects;
0
 For Master Programs, note that not all universities
Masters programs in Romania have specialized programs in Construction
Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iasi - Management or Project Management;
Construction Management and Special Technology
 The Masters Programs analyzed from Romania
Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest - correspond quantitatively but with the exception of
Technology and construction management
Construction Project Management Program from the
Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest -
Construction Project Management Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest,
TU Gratz - Construction Management and Civil
offers no solid theoretical and practical knowledge in
Engineering the field of Project Controlling, Cost Management.
 These shortcomings of the educational system are
Figure 4: Total training hours of specialization in PM for Master Degree evident in construction companies in Romania by the
lack of project control phase;
It shows a variation between 196 hours and 812  Successful implementation of the concept of project
hours. The maximum number of hours is at the management in construction companies requires a major
Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest - change of work and financial accounting system on
Master Program: Construction Project Management. projects for Romanian companies, especially for cost
Share credit for the PM training, of total management and project controlling.
credits for Masters degree  These fundamental changes in the system of work,
80,0%
70,8% often with additional cost to change software systems,
70,0%
superior training and a higher workload of the
54,2%
60,0%
employees. For this reason there is a rejection of the
Percent

50,0%
employees for increased efficiency based on a
40,0%

30,0%
29,0% rigorously controlling.
20,0%
15,8%  For increased competitiveness in Construction field
10,0% is required to improve basic and specialized training in
0,0% universities by increasing the level of professional
Masters programs practices in Project Controlling. This can be done
Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iasi - including the translation of reference works in the field,
Construction Management and Special Technology
which in Romania is not yet known.
Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest -
Technology and construction management

Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest -

References
Construction Project Management

TU Gratz - Construction Management and Civil 1. PMI (2007), Construction Extension to the PMBOK®
Engineering Guide Third Edition, Project Management Institute,Inc. ,
Penssylvania.
Figure 5: Share credit for the PM training, of total credits for Master Degree 2. Harris, F. and McCaffer, R. (2003). “Modern
Construction Management”, Blackwell Science Ltd,
ISBN 0-632-05513-8, Malden, MA 02148-5020, USA
Figure 5 shows the percentage share of credits obtained 3. http://www.bv.tum.de/index.php/studium/studiengaenge/
from these courses in total credits for Master Program. bauingenieurwesen
4. http://portal.tugraz.at/portal/page/portal/f2000/lehre/co
Fro Bachelor's Programs, where the share is between nt_lehre_bachelor
2.9% and 12.5%, Master Programs with Management
specialization, have values between 15.8% and 70.8%
of total credits.

CONCLUSIONS
 IMPLEMENTING INTERNATIONAL SUMMER SCHOOLS AS A CURRICULAR
REFORM
Olimpiu Aurelian SABAU POP1, Ioan SABAU POP2
1
Universitatea Petru Maior, RO, oly_sab@yahoo.com
2
Universitatea Petru Maior, RO, cabinet.sabau_pop@yahoo.com
The paper demonstrates the importance of the International Summer Schools organized by the universities in the field of
curricular reform and internationalizing curricula. The paper is based on the experience of “Petru Maior” University in organizing
International Summer Schools. The progress realized with these summer schools determined the University to equate the courses of
the school with practical activity from curricular courses
1. Introduction
During the summer holiday, students have to make,
according to the university curriculum 2 or 3 weeks of
practice. In the case of the students from the area of law,
this practice takes place at different judicial organs
(courts, prosecutions), or within the offices of free-
lancers (lawyers, notaries, executors). At the license
program of Public Administration, the practice takes
place at the public authorities of the executive power
system, in order to familiarize with the practical aspects
regarding the work of public servants from the public
administration. During the stage of practice the student
has to acquire a series of skills, typical to a certain
juridical profession.
The practice is provided as a curriculum activity,
which is evaluated upon a practice file (folder), by
colloquy by a teacher holder and rated as such in the
matriculation form of the student. By the standard and
specific criteria of RAQAHE (The Romanian Agency
for Quality Assurance in Higher Education), the practice
gains a more realistic and implicated configuration in
the curriculum, being established for the thoroughgoing
profile masters, which are based on the system known
as the “Bologna Program”.
At the end of this stage, the student has to prepare a
practice report, where to present the experience from
this period and to present a certificate issued by one of
the institutions presented before, which certificates the
conducting of the practice. Under these documents a
teacher declares the student-candidate that he graduated
or not the practice exam.
The issue of the linkage of actions by the summer
schools with the specialty practice, through a unique
system of reference is more significant for the
correlation with the model of diploma which will be
released in the future, by the filling in of the supplement
of the diploma, in which appear the two columns:
general competences and specific competences acquired
by the graduate. With the customary to specify that
each university institution can issue its own model of
supplement of diploma and through this we are in the
presence of a variety of issued diplomas by each
university, which is in fact what we are going to call the
vocational model.
As an alternative at this module, two international
summer schools were organized during the year 2008
and 2009. The objectives of these summer schools
consisted in the accumulation by the students of
experiences similar to the practice within the institutions
with juridical specific but at a considerable higher level.
In those which follow we will present the selection of
the students, the program of the summer schools (the
program), the results obtained and the implications that
can have the summer schools in the formation of
students and of the curriculum reform in the higher
education.
2. The program of the summer schools
The Summer School (ISLS 2008) had as theme
“The reform of the liberal professions on the European
plan”. The participant students represented the next
institutions of higher education: “Alecu Russo” State
University (Bălţi, Moldova), “Babeş Bolyai” University
(Cluj-Napoca), “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” Police Academy
(Bucharest), “Lucian Blaga” University (Sibiu), “1st
December 1918” University (Alba Iulia) and “Petru
Maior” University (Tg. Mureş).
The selection of the participants was made by
the organizers on the basis of the articles sent by the
candidates upon the theme of the summer school, and
after the evaluation, 25 of the students were declared
admitted.
During the summer school, for one week there
have been organized a serial of workshops, such as:
Actor’s Art- Lawyer’s Art, The reform of the liberal
professions on the European plan, The accession of
European funds. The workshops were moderated by
practitioners who are by profession judges, executors,
lawyers, representatives of the public institutions and
authorities.
There was held a simulated trial as well, in
which the students received the role of the participants
of the criminal trial.
The Summer School (ISLS 2009) had as theme
“The European legislative harmonization in the field of
the liability of the legal person”. The participant
students represented the next institutions of higher
education: “Petru Maior” University (Tg. Mureş),
“Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines” University (Versailles,
464 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
France), “Alecu Russo” State University (Bălţi,
Moldova), “Babes Bolyai” University (Cluj Napoca),
“Alexandru Ioan Cuza” Police Academy (Bucharest),
“Lucian Blaga” University (Sibiu), “1st December 1918”
University (Alba Iulia), University from Oradea,
“Ştefan cel Mare” University (Suceava). The selection
of the participants was made similar to the one of the
summer school from 2008, on the basis of the articles
sent by the candidates upon the theme of the summer
school, so there were declared admitted a number of 25
students.
On the period of the venue of the courses of the
summer school there were organized the following
workshops: “Responsibility and liability in the area of
rural development”, “The impact of the economic
environment on the quality of the academic system”,
“The liability of the legal person in the context of
codification activity of law”, “The liability of the public
institutions and public authorities regarding the
treatment of personal data”, “Responsibility and liability
in the European Romania”.
3. Creating a climate of reform in the field of
practical courses
In order to answer at the challenge that we
proposed since the title of the article, we begin from a
definition of the curriculum, “the learning experiences
of students, in so far as they are expressed or anticipated
in educational goals and objectives, plans and designs
for learning and the implementation of these plans and
designs in school environments” (Skilbeck, 2005).
3.1. The traditional curriculum discourses
In the case of higher education we have two
curriculum models: disciplinary model and vocational /
professional model. The vocational model is more often
to be found in the courses of master and rarely in the
modules for the license.
The disciplinary model is principally based on
the vertical pedagogic between teachers and students,
with the rules of selection of curriculum content and of
evaluation residing in the hands of the teacher (Karseth,
2006). Tony Becher (1989) presented the importance of
this study model which principally resides on the
research and researcher more than on the preparation of
the students.
The advantage of this model is to be found in
two important characteristics. Firstly, it transmits
specialized knowledge, in an ordered and
comprehensive way, usually in format of textbooks.
Secondly, the student gains a serial of basic knowledge,
usually theoretic knowledge. So, the activity of the
student resumes at learning these information structured
by the teacher and possibly making some kind of
exercises (seminars) of interpretation.
The vocational model consists in gaining by
the students of knowledge specific to a certain domain
in order to develop specific skills relevant for specific
professions (Stark and Latuka, 1997).
These two dominant models, which were
adopted in the past, are a mirror of the traditional
separation between the technical and the humanist
profiles. In the same order of ideas, the goal of the non-
university institutions has been to offer a wide specter of
vocational education, either to qualify students for a
specific occupation or to prepare them for a profession,
the purpose of the university has been to provide
education at a boarder and more general academic level
(Kyvic and Skodvin, 2003).
Meanwhile, this evident delimitation between
the disciplinary model, principally adopted by the
universities, and the vocational model applied in the
area of non-university institutions has been blurred;
practically every category of entities applies, more or
less from both models. This option was generated by the
need that existed within the universities to prepare or at
least to guide the students in the future career and not
just on the theoretical field.
3.2. The discourse of Bologna
The Bologna Declaration is based on a clearly
defined common goal: “to create a European space for
higher education in order to enhance the employability
and mobility of citizens and to increase the international
competitiveness of European higher education” (The
Bologna Declaration on the European space for higher
education).
Regarding the theme of the present article the
Declaration has two principal implications.
Firstly, the emphasis on the individual choice
undermines the traditional assumption that learning best
takes place within an institution, within a fixed period of
time defined by academic staff (Trowler, 1998).
Secondly, the focus should be on competence
and general skills more than on acknowledge and the
skills of reproduction of the didactic material put at the
reach of the student. The restructuring of the curriculum
will impose the change of teaching from subject-based
teaching to student – based teaching, where the teacher
is a “facilitator rather than expert” (Ensor, 2004).
4. The outcomes of the International Summer
Schools
4.1 The outcomes of the International Summer
Schools for the students
Summer schools held in a non-university
facility provide ideal opportunities for the students to
master new skills and renew, refresh and enrich their
interest in the fields of law. These types of programs
have a positive impact on a student’s understanding of
the abilities and can open a youngster’s eyes on the
many possible career opportunities in law.
Implementing International Summer Schools as A Curricular Reform
Students` interaction with juridical
practitioners and theoreticians created a positive impact
in pursuing a career in law.
The students gained a serial of general
competences:
- Shaping a professional profile of the graduate
comprising the development of thorough knowledge,
competencies and cognitive abilities in the area of law
- Acquiring the knowledge of fundamental
theoretical and applicative methods (Konx, Moynihan
and Markowitz, 2003)
- Acquiring and developing managerial skills
in the area of national and European public
administration
- Mastering the legislative technique and the
quick access to law
- Acquiring the practical competencies and
abilities necessary in courts
- Promoting the interdisciplinary of those
subjects that overlap or intervene in the activity of
lawyers
- Knowledge of fundamental comparative law
concepts
The students gained also specific competences:
- Ability to work as a team
- Acquiring practical knowledge for building a
good human resource
- Promoting and evaluating applicative
researches
- The efficient use of information, data
processing and the knowledge of the work technologies
provided and processed on the computer (Markowitz,
2004)
- Drafting studies, reports, projects and
learning the methodologies for an objective evaluation
followed by the creation of the applicative frame
The graduates of the courses showed an
important interest in the performing of other mobility,
so 30% of the students were also admitted within the
project of Erasmus mobility.
Also, 25% of the graduates of the summer
school were hired in positions of juridical specialty and
the ones who didn’t graduate yet in Law Offices.
4.2. The outcomes of the International Summer
Schools for the University
Encouraging the mobility of students in the
European space helped the participating teachers from
different universities to interchange experiences and to
concentrate their attention on the common points
necessary to the professional formation of students.
Thanks to the great results obtained by the
students that followed the courses of the summer school,
“Petru Maior” University assimilated the performing of
the summer school with the mandatory practice within
the year. This situation was encountered at “Babes-
Bolyai” University as well.
465
The implementation of the summer schools is,
in our opinion, a very good solution in the reformation
of the curriculum because it answers to the directives of
the Bologna Declaration regarding the encouraging of
mobility, employability and achieving of general
competences in the career that the student will choose.
We consider that the element of novelty and
the arguments that we brought to support the content of
the implementation of summer schools as a
componential element of the university curriculum,
should represent a preoccupation of lege ferenda even in
the project of the Law of the national education, which
is in this period in public debate.
The novelty that asserts consists in the
particularity that links the knowledge of the student
gained in a creative and voluntary form in symbiosis
with the future professional evolution which is wanted
to be a real success. Even if the eligibility and the
participative form are not mass phenomena, on the
contrary, a restrained one, through attitude and
selection, it has the goal to select elites or at least
leaders of a certain profession. Through the renunciation
at a rigid frame in the favor of a creative one it selects
for itself the most acclimatized ones through a
continuous self-discovery and the harmonization with
the professional challenges which interfere at a time in
the system. The quest and the discovery come by itself
and thereby the innovator spirit is stimulated.
5. Conclusions
Summer schools stimulate the creativity and
the involvement of the students in activities that can
help to their professional forming. The advantages that
this form of schooling produces represent a form of the
students` practice with obvious better results.
All these advantages represent sufficient
arguments in order of the implementation of the summer
schools as a curricular reform.
An illustration of the model proposed by an
international summer school:
Transfer curriculum:
Driving force
International Universal
Competiti-veness Employabi-lity
mobility participation
Content
Multi-disciplinary
Market relevance
knowledge
466 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

Pedagogy

The promotion of Provider-

Student-based
the new kind of consumer
teaching
courses relations

Aims

Competence driven Generic/transferable

(learning outcome) skills

References

1. Ensor, P. (2004), “Contesting discourses in higher

education curriculum restructuring in South Africa”,
Higher Education, 48, 339-359.
2. Karsetf, B. (2006), “Curriculum restructuring in higher
education after the Bologna process: A new pedagogic
regime?”, Revista Espanola de Educacion Comparada, 12,
255-284.
3. Knox, K.L., Moynihan, J.A. and Markowitz, D.G (2003),
“Evaluation of short impact of a high school summer
science program on students perceived knowledge and
skills”, Journal of Science and Technology, Vol. 12, 4, p.
472.
4. Kyvik, S and Skodvik, O.J. (2003), “Research in the non-
university higher education sector”, Higher Education, 45,
203-222.
5. Markowitz, D.G. (2004), “Evaluation of the long-term
impact of a university high school summer science
program on students interest and perceived abilities in
science”, Journal of Science Education and Technology,
Vol. 13, 3, 395.
6. Skilbeck, M. (2005), “School-based curriculum
development, The Roots of Educational Change, 118.
7. Stark, J and Lattuca, L.R. (1997), “Shaping the college
curriculum”, Academic Plans in Action, Ally and Bacon,
Boston.
8. Trowler, P. (1998), “Academics responding to change :
new higher education frameworks and academic cultures”,
Society for Research into Higher Educational & Open
University Press, Buckingam.
 CONTROLLING – REALITY IN PRACTICE AND NECESSITY IN ECONOMIC HIGHER
EDUCATION IN ROMANIA

ASSOC. PROF. Valentina OARGA PH.D., ASSOC. PROF. Valentin MUNTEANU PH.D.
1
West University of Timişoara, Romania, Economics and Business School, valentina.oarga@yahoo.com
2
West University of Timişoara, Romania, Economics and Business School, valentin.munteanu@feaa.uvt.ro

The aim of the paper is to present arguments regarding the necessity of teaching controlling in economic higher education in Romania
and the controller’s competences and importance within a company and the courses offered in this field. The paper is significant
because is presents an absolute novelty, the West University of Timişoara being the only university in Romania teaching controlling.
Controlling is a management instrument. The controlling activity is performed by the controller, together with the manager. The
controller provides the manager information necessary for making decisions, participates to planning and elaborates controlling
reports. The paper’s theoretical and practical basis is represented by the approaches of the specialists Horvath, Eschenbach, Mann
and Mayer. In addition, it is linked to my doctoral thesis (Oargă), among the first ones in Romania on controlling. By presenting the
essence of practical controlling, this paper is also connected to our recent paper (Bibu, Oargă - MTC 2009 - Greece) – Operative
controlling in Romania – practical aspects. The approach is practical and the procedure comparative. The research method is the
interview taken to practicing controllers and to the coordinator of the postgraduate course project. The interview is conducted
through a free answers questionnaire. This method is the most appropriate because information is obtained directly from the source.
Results: the importance of controlling activity and the need to elaborate controlling courses. Paper development plans: the
elaboration of operative and strategic controlling courses and cooperation with foreign universities. Limits: the absence of controlling
tradition in Romania and the confidentiality of controllers. Importance for professors and researchers: the paper is among the first
papers which offer information regarding the controller’s role and competences. Importance for students: the motivation to become a
controller. Importance for practitioners: highlighting their role within the company. Progress: pioneering activity in controlling
research in Romania. The paper is original, the first one in Romania where the existing controlling courses and the controller’s
competences are studied in parallel, aimed at the correlation with the Romanian job market. This paper offers a vision in an
absolutely new field for Romania: controlling. Key words: controlling, controller, competence, planning, reports.

field.” (Kurt Weber – the representative of the Horvath

ARGUMENTS THAT SUPPORT THE
IMPORTANCE OF CONTROLLING
Many economic sectors in Romania were strongly
influenced by the penetration on the Romanian market
of multinational companies which set-up subsidiaries.
For example, in the industry sector, the changes
imposed by a foreign management entail significant
internal changes for the other companies which conduct
their activity in the same field. This is where the role of
controlling begins. It is an extremely efficient
instrument, which offers competitive advantages, helps
find market opportunities and supports management
decisions, strengthening the position of the company.
Controlling is not a management control function, it is a
management instrument of utmost importance (Mann,
Mayer, 2006). Through controlling, the decisions taken
by the management team are based on information
related to the past activity of the company, as well as to
its future plans (in terms of budget, investments etc.).
Controlling is an optimum performance management
system, an opportunity for companies which compete
with large corporations in a certain field. Seeing that
Romania has a very active business environment,
companies must consider immediate activity and cost
optimisation, in order to be able to withstand the
competition. Therefore, controlling becomes a
necessity. It has to be implemented both by corporation
subsidiaries set-up in Romania and Romanian
companies, if they want to survive and develop.
Specialists in the field state that: “each company will
have to implement controlling practices. If they want to
stay on the market and withstand the competition,
Romanian companies will be forced to invest in this
& Partners management consultancy and controlling
company – National Courier, 18.10.2007).
In June 2007, the management consultancy and
controlling companies Ensight Management Consulting
and Horvath & Partners organised the Bucharest
Controlling Forum, an event which was attended by
over 100 CEOs (Chief Executive Officers), CFOs
(Chief Financial Officers) and financial managers from
Romanian and foreign companies operating in Romania.
This second edition of the event was designed as a work
meeting and an exchange of experience between the
leaders of the most important companies in the energy,
financial services and industry fields, as well as of
companies belonging to fields in which advanced
technology is essential: automotive and electronics.
Those invited to present the challenges of the emerging
Romanian market were top managers from companies
such as ABB/Conesec, Audi AG, Bosch Siemens
Hausgerate, Microsoft, UNIQUA Financial Services and
Petrom. Together with the Romanian managers which
attended the forum, they debated on issues which were
fundamental for Romanian companies at that moment:
successful implementation of company strategy,
management and controlling based on ERP solutions.
Martin Jochen, the head of the Audi AG central
controlling department, agreed to sketch the portrait of
the controller candidate. “First, he needs to have basic
specialty training. He needs to know the concepts,
methods and instruments used in this delicate sector. An
extensive work experience is also important, because
many of the instruments he will use are not new
concepts, they derive from the acquired work
experience. But, in my opinion, what is essential for the
member of the controlling team is to have very good
468 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
communication skills, because his daily activity
involves talking to people, to the top management
members, with the sales department, the design
department or with the production staff. The controller
must be able to understand the real dynamics of the
entire company, not just one activity sector. This is
necessary because he will develop a global solution, not
a specific one.” (National Courier - 18.10.2007).
Although some perceive the controlling department
as being focused on restructuring, layoffs and cost
reduction, it does not have a negative role in any
company, on the contrary. Although the solutions
developed following audits sometimes involve
unpopular measures – personnel or cost reductions, the
activity of this department is actually focused on finding
the appropriate measures which can be taken in order to
avoid situations with severe negative effects for the
company in question. In fact, the task of controlling is to
identify solutions to company problems and present
them to the management, which takes the final decision
(Eschenbach, 1996).
These arguments lead us to the conclusion that it is
essential for Romanian higher education institutions in
the economic field to train controlling specialists, in
order to meet the requirements of the Romanian job
market. Although this profession is not yet listed in the
COR (Romanian Occupational Classification), the
controlling position exists on the Romanian job market
since 1990.
CONTROLLING COURSES OFFERED BY THE
WEST UNIVERSITY OF TIMISOARA -
ROMANIA
Based on the results of the interviews I conducted
personally with practicing controllers from companies
in Romania, we have managed to sketch the portrait of
the Romanian controller, including its tasks,
competencies and responsibilities. The postgraduate
courses and master programmes offered by the West
University of Timisoara – Romania are based on this
portrait. The interest for controlling started in 2002.
This is the only university in the country where
controlling is studied as a discipline imposed by the
requirements of the Romanian job market.
The disciplines are entitled “Controlling – Profitable
Business Management” and “Controlling in SMEs”, and
they are part of the master programmes “Business
Financial Administration” and “Entrepreneurial
Management”. Moreover, since 2006, the Faculty of
Economics and Business Administration within the
West University of Timisoara, through the CECIDD
(the Continuous Education and Distance Learning
Centre) has been coordinating the postgraduate
specialisation course entitled “Controlling – A Modern
Management Sub-system”. The course has a duration of
four months and is addressed to all those who want to
learn about this new field, but also to specialists in the
field. The course was already completed three times, in
the periods November 2006 – March 2007, November
2007 – March 2008 and December 2008 – March 2009.
The average number of students was 25, and all of them
completed and graduated the course. The diploma
issued at the end of the course is granted under the aegis
of the competent minister.
A comparative analysis of the number of practicing
controllers from the total number of the students
revealed the fact that, out of a total number of 25
students, 4-6 were already practicing controllers in
various multinational companies with subsidiaries in
Timisoara or in other cities from Romania. Therefore,
20% - 25% of the students are controllers, which
demonstrates both the existence of this profession on the
job market in our country and the need for their training,
for the development and extension of the courses
offered in this domain.
The portrait of the controller, drawn up based on the
discussions with 13 controllers from Timisoara, Sfantu-
Gheorghe – Covasna County, Lugoj – Timis County,
Oradea, Deta – Timis County, Arad and Bucharest,
revealed the following aspects:
• from the point of view of training, the controllers
need a theoretical basis in this field;
• another necessity is the presence of specialist-
practicing controllers, who can complete the
necessary theoretical basis with knowledge,
examples and solutions taken from the practical
experience of the companies;
• teaching general management elements is also
justified, because the manager and the controller
form the team which performs the controlling
activity;
• other disciplines which need to be taught are
economic analysis and economic-financial analysis,
cost management, operational management.
During the period of the three postgraduate courses,
between 2006 - 2009, the structure of the course was
continually improved and adapted to the specific
requirements of this profession. The development and
systematisation of the courses offered was assisted by
specialists in the field – practicing controllers and
consultants working in this field, from Romania and
abroad: Vienna and Budapest, as well as by professors
from the Faculty of Economics and Business
Administration – West University of Timisoara –
Romania, with extensive experience in this field.
We mention below some of the companies which
have a controlling position or department: Continental
from Timisoara, Duna Pack Rambox from Sfantu
Gheorghe – Covasna County (Oarga, 2001), Plastor
from Oradea, Draexlmaier from Timisoara, Alcatel from
Timisoara, Novar and Mondial from Lugoj, Braun
Union and Contor Group from Arad, E-On Gaz from
Timisoara, Zoppas Industries from Timisoara etc.
(Oarga, 2006). There are also consultancy companies in
this field, in particular in Bucharest. Some of these are:
Contrast, Horvath & Partners, Ensight, which conduct
project-based activity and focus mainly on the
implementation of controlling in large companies. The
implementation is preceded by a series of courses in the
Controlling – Reality in Practice and Necessity in Economic Higher Education in Romania
field, aimed at facilitating the access of those involved
to the controlling activity, of specialists and employees,
to the basic controlling elements. As far as we now,
only operative controlling is implemented in Romania,
with a few rare exceptions. Therefore, the structure of
the postgraduate courses focuses mainly on the
characteristics of operative controlling.
Those employed in the position of controller must
have a university diploma in economics, as well as good
knowledge of management, accounting, familiar with
the use of controlling instruments, methods and
techniques; they must have good English skills (German
is considered an advantage, because most of the
companies which have implemented a controlling
system come from the German area); good computer
skills (Word, Excel), as well as communication skills;
diplomacy, seriousness, discipline, resistance to stress,
adaptability, focus on target achievement, synthesis
capacity and analytical thinking (Oarga, 2003). After
employment, the controller is sent to specialisation
courses in the country where the head office of the
company is located. He receives a controlling manual,
which helps him assimilate the organisation and
development of the controlling activity. The software
system used is SAP, which includes a controlling
module. The controlling activity is based on the
elaboration of controlling reports, which entails the use
of the SAP software system.
Taking into account all these aspects, the structure of
the postgraduate course organised by the West
University of Timisoara focused on the following
disciplines: introduction to controlling, operative
controlling, strategic controlling, cost calculation,
controlling implementation, controlling in the practice
of corporation subsidiaries – practical simulation,
organisational management, cost management,
economic analysis, economic-financial analysis,
operational management.
As you can see, 50% of the course is represented by
theoretical and practical aspects of controlling. Besides
experienced professors from the Faculty of Economics
and Business Administration, the course was also taught
by two specialists: a controller - consultant, manager of
a consultancy company based in Vienna, who graduated
specialised courses in Vienna, and a controller -
specialist with experience abroad, in Italy and in various
companies from Romania, who was asked by various
head-hunting companies to occupy controlling positions
abroad. We benefited from the support of these
specialists, which we consider to be a strong point of the
courses offered by our university, since practical
knowledge is absolutely vital in this field. In addition,
the exiting logistic support facilitated the
implementation of the practical courses, through the
469
study and analysis of controlling reports in specially
designed amphitheatres, where each student was able to
see the documents in the SAP system.
PLANS FOR THE FUTURE
The Faculty of Economics and Business Administration
of the West University of Timisoara, and in particular
the Management Department, intends to:
• develop an educational grant – research project, in
order to create a master programme in the field of
controlling;
• extend the existing postgraduate course to one
year, to include operative and strategic controlling
courses in the syllabus and invite more practicing
controllers to share their knowledge;
• collaborate with renowned universities in the field,
such as the Economic University in Vienna, the
Austrian Institute of Controllers and the Corvinus
University in Budapest, in order to correlate the
curriculum of the West University with that of
renowned foreign universities;
• taking into account the fact that the professors with
experience in the field from the Faculty of
Economics and Business Administration are
members of the International Controllers'
Association, we intend to create a working group of
controllers in Timisoara, in order to connect young
Romanian practitioners, which activate in
multinational companies, with Romanian and
foreign professors;
• collaborate with the “Controller Magazin”
magazine from Germany.
The West University in Timisoara is the only one in
Romania which teaches controlling at the level of
postgraduate and master courses. We believe that this
discipline is absolutely necessary in the Romanian
economic higher education, one strong reason being the
fact that the university curriculum of the Romanian
economic higher education must be correlated with that
of foreign universities.
References
1. Eschenbach, R. (1996), Controlling, Schäffer – Poeschel Verlag,
Stuttgart.
2. Mann, R. and Mayer, E. (1996), Controlling. Profitable enterprise
management, All, Bucharest.
3. National Courier, 18.10.2007
4. Oargă, V. (2006), Controlling – A Management Tool. Controlling
in Romania, Augusta, Timişoara.
5. Oargă, V., Molnar, R. (2001), Controlling – Introduction to
Controlling, Brumar, Timişoara.
6. Oargă, V. (2003), Controlling, Mirton, Timişoara.
 THE EFFECTS OF THE EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY

Ion POPA2 , Claudiu CICEA1 , Cosmin DOBRIN3

1
Academy of Economic Studies Bucharest, 2 READER PHD. PHD., PROFESSOR Academy of Economic
Studies Bucharest, 3 Academy of Economic Studies Bucharest

Abstract
The classic vision assumes the evaluation of an activity based on the effects registered by it alone. This modality is used mostly in the socio-cultural
area where the human lays in the centre of the activity, being both object and subject. In this paper we will try to present some of the most important
effects of the education activity. The authors are professors of management and economics for years, one of them having his Ph.D. thesis on
educational systems. We evaluate the results of changes induced by educational activity on individual as: to consider any expenses made for the
educational system as a measure of its usefulness, to evaluate the effects is to take into consideration the potential value growths of the human capital
as a result of the higher education, to study the economical growth registered by a country in a well determined period and how much is education
responsible for this growth, to evaluate the investments’ profitableness rates evaluation in the higher educational system and to to quantify the
education effects. There are used statistical methods resulting in much more accurate results, allowing higher education institutions to draw more
realistic conclusions regarding the actual perception of the higher education market. A first social effect has been attested by several studies and
specialty researches over fertility. So, it was determined that education strongly influences the fertility in a family. Another social effect of education
is related to the labour force market. The labour conditions are usually more convenient for a higher education graduate meaning that his
relationship with the superiors is based on a greater trust than in the situation of an uneducated person. The third type of educational social effects
refers to the individual’s behaviour improvement. More specific, education can improve the individual’s abilities to make decisions, to be more
innovative, to quickly adapt himself to the technological and social changes, to encourage technical progress etc. Another type of educational social
effects is related to the healthier behaviour of the higher education graduates. The fifth type of social effect is represented by the dimension of inter-
human relationships. Such effects are represented by the satisfaction offered by the participation to different activities together with the colleagues,
by the encounter with the eventual life partner etc. In our opinion, this paper is definitely important for higher education practitioners and policy
makers because it is a unique study based on the effects of education activity.

Keywords : education, effects, efficiency

Introduction
The problematic of the educational activity’s
effects is very complex. Traditionally, the idea that the
education is advantageous has been accepted as a
generally valid truth. Starting with the ‘80s the
problem of quantifying the unseen effects of the
educational activity was raised. In that moment, the
difficulty of such an evaluation, due to many
methodological and conceptual problems, as well as
the amplitude and diversity of the effects resulted from
the educational activity have became obvious.
There is an observation from which the
evaluation of the educational activity must start. It
refers to the fact that educated people (who benefited
more or less over the educational system) are different
from those who did not. Therefore, the individuals
change, as they gain more knowledge. Such changes
can be met in different situations: at the individual’s
working place, in his behaviour, in his health level, in
his home activities, in his economical life. Without any
doubt, we can ask the following question: where are
these changes the exclusive result of education and not
of other conjugated factors (maturation, experience
etc.). Ideally, we can consider two groups that do not
differ but through different educational levels (an
educated one and an uneducated one). According to
different advantages (economical, social etc.) regarding
the educated group in comparison with the uneducated
one, we can appreciate whether these benefits are the
effect of the educational activity. M. Blaug said the
following: „ ... we start by presenting an incontestable
fact: from any two groups of individuals of the same
age and sex, one which has a higher education, will
have an average income greater than that of the less
educated group even if the two groups belong to the
same professional category of the same industry...”. In
real life, it is impossible to find such identical groups,
an educated one and an uneducated one. First of all,
this impossibility resides in the fact that people are
different, they have different intellectual levels; they
live in different familial environments with different
habits and skills. Secondly, in all the civilized
countries (that discussed the issue of studying social
efficiency) the education, or at least the primary
education, is compulsory. Therefore, there are no
individuals or groups that have no education at all.
That is why in these places (U.S.A., Canada, Europe
and Australia) there came into discussion the issue of
studying the different advantages registered by persons
who benefited of different educational levels.
Obviously, any discussion referring to the
effects of the educational activity must be
differentiated according to the educational level. The
benefit a graduate of primary education gains will be
different from that gained by the graduate of a higher
education institution. Still, the immediate benefit
gained by a primary education graduate is the
possibility to reach the higher education level.
The education and its effects behave as
economical goods, their value being determined by the
offer/request law. So, according as almost all the
persons belonging to the society already have
information provided by the primary education (or
else, they graduated this type of education level) the
value of the benefits will be smaller than when a
reduced number of persons from the society would
possess this information. For example, the Romanian
citizens cannot gain great wages only because they
know Romanian (a language they assimilated during
472 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
the primary educational cycle). Contrariwise, they will
gain great wages if they know English or if they know
how to use a PC (knowledge they learned during the
high-school or university). This is why the effects of
the educational activity will differ accordingly to the
considered educational level, as long as the percentages
of people who are able to reach superior educational
levels diminish.
The analysis of the educational effects must
be made according to several aspects. In the following
we will concentrate our attention on the typology of the
educational effects and the evaluation mode.
1. The typology of the educational effects
According to the specialty literature, there
are more types of effects (benefits) of the educational
activity: cognitive or affective, quantifiable or non-
quantifiable, economical or social.
Obviously, some of these types of effects are
easier to identify than others. The economists, from
their wish to judge everything from the cost-benefit
point of view, tend to observe only the economical
effects. That is why they see education as an
investment in the human capital where time and
financial expenses are made in order to gain education
that will grow the individual value on the labour
market and eventually, the income.
The human capital theory starts from the
idea that the quality and quantity of education gained
by an individual contribute to the increase of its value
and its working productivity; in the end, this
productivity growth leads to greater incomes. Of
course, the human capital of an individual also depends
on other, extra-educational factors. For example, the
fact that a higher education graduate has a bigger wage
than a high-school graduate does not have to lead us to
the idea that by graduating a faculty we will
necessarily have a greater wage.
It is possible for a faculty graduate to be
more motivated than the high-school graduate and
thanks to these qualities he could obtain a greater
income even if he did not graduate a higher education
institution. That is why the evaluation of education
from the income point of view was made given the
ideal conditions where the other factors that affect the
incomes were considered as constant. These conditions
given, from the older analysis made by G.S. Becker to
the most recent made by F. Palafox, we reached the
same result: if any other factors remain constant, the
higher educated persons will earn more during their
lifetime.
Even so, in real life, the income-education
correlation presents certain lacks. These lacks are
represented exactly by the extra-educational factors
that influence the incomes level. Among these, we can
mention:
- The conjuncture on the
labour market that can influence the incomes earned by
different persons, no matter their level of education. It
is possible for a technical faculty graduate (for
example, Constructions) trained for an adverse job on
the labour market to have at a certain moment a greater
wage than a humanist faculty graduate (for example,
Philology), trained for an occupation for which there is
always an extra labour force.
- The graduate’s future job.
This can generate various effects, both financial
(incomes) and non-financial. It is possible for a higher
education to lead to a very willable job, that does not
provide special incomes, but it offers another type of
satisfaction (social status, prestige etc.). For example,
the Governmental or academic positions are often
occupied by persons who earn money from other
activities and therefore they are not interested of the
incomes provided by these positions.
- Discrimination or
subjectivism, which does not allow the productivity to
reflect in the high incomes. The affinity of some
employers towards a certain kind of employee can
generate different effects, at the same higher education
level. This way, the less favoured ones will have to
work harder in order to obtain the same incomes or
they will have to accept smaller salaries at the same
productivity level.
- Other factors that influence
the incomes belong to the individual area: health,
motivation, ability, social status, intelligence etc. It is
quite obvious that a healthy individual will obtain
during his life a greater income than another individual
with a lower health stage, given the conditions of the
same superior educational level.
Besides these quantifiable effects (that adopt
the form of incomes), there are several other social
effects that are hard to identify and once identified,
harder to evaluate.
These effects are complementary to the
economical ones and, as Adam Smith said, they
contribute to the understanding of the “private life’s
daily duties” by all the members of the society. The
social effects (and generally speaking, the non-
quantifiable effects) manifest at two levels: the
individual level and the society level as a whole. We
have to notice that the effects at the collectivity level
are the synergetic result of the individual effects.
A first social effect has been attested by
several studies and specialty researches over fertility.
So, it was determined that education strongly
influences the fertility in a family. More precisely,
education can increase the age of marriage or of the
first birth.
This is due to the action of at least three
factors:
- The increase of the opportunity
cost of the time meant to child
care;
- More efficient contraceptive
methods;
- Changes in the life style.
Still, a bigger income means that the family
can allow more children maybe with a greater attention
 The Effects of The Educational Activity
for their growth. Although they may seem distinct, the
social life offers various examples for each of the two
arguments. At a worldwide level in a family with a
high income there is a reduced number of children but
with a great level of the care expenses for each of
them. Such studies have been made by D.H. Sullivan
and T.M. Smeedling (1997) for the developing
countries as well as by R. Herrnstein and C. Murray
(1994) and R. Haveman and B. Wolfe (1995) for the
U.S.A.
Another social effect of education is related
to the labour force market. The labour conditions are
usually more convenient for a higher education
graduate meaning that his relationship with the
superiors is based on a greater trust than in the
situation of an uneducated person (Meer and Weilers,
1996). This kind of non-salary benefits (work
conditions and climate, personal status, promoting
possibilities) has a greater importance for the higher
education graduate, sometimes as big as that of the
wage.
The third type of educational social effects
refers to the individual’s behaviour improvement. More
specific, education can improve the individual’s
abilities to make decisions, to be more innovative, to
quickly adapt himself to the technological and social
changes, to encourage technical progress etc. To
support this, we can point out a study realized in the
U.S.A. in 1987 by G.D. Wozniak, referring to farmers.
This way we got to the conclusion that the quick
adoption of modern technologies in this area is
influenced by the educational level.
Another type of educational social effects is
related to the healthier behaviour of the higher
education graduates. Therefore, Sander (1995)
observed a decrease of drugs and cigarettes
consumption in the case of higher educated persons.
These effects are especially attributed to education
because people tend to consume various goods when
they have great incomes obtained as a result of their
higher education level. At the same time, according
J.R. Behrman, the effects of education are also benefic
over criminality, environment protection and family
structure. Indeed, the amplitude of the educational
social effects is very high; an idea also suggested G.S.
Becker.
The fifth type of social effect is represented
by the dimension of inter-human relationships. Such
effects are represented by the satisfaction offered by
the participation to different activities together with the
colleagues, by the encounter with the eventual life
partner etc.
Lastly, another type of social effects is
represented by those directly encountered by the
society in its whole. These effects refer to the impact of
the higher educated persons over the social welfare and
work productivity of all the members of the society,
including those who did not benefit of education, a fact
that is admitted by the American economist Alfred
Marshall : „We may then conclude that the wisdom of
473
expending public and private funds on education is not
to be measured by its direct fruits alone. It will be
profitable as a mere investment (on. in human capital)
to give the masses of the people much greater
opportunities than they can generally avail themselves
of… And the economic value of one great industrial
genius is sufficient to cover the expenses of the
education of a whole town … One new idea adds as
much to England's productive power as the labour of a
hundred thousand men.” Other social effects of
education refer to corruption, bureaucracy, society
division, society development and inequality etc. All
these areas can be ameliorated with a superior
education level.
After an analysis of these social
effects, we can conclude that life satisfaction can
possibly grow given the conditions of a superior
education level. Still, the reality is much more complex
and controversial. This way, J. Hartog and H.
Oosterbeek, by separating the intelligence level from
the education level, discovered the education’s benefic
effects over the health, happiness and welfare degree
for different persons from Holland. In the health area,
the less educated persons had almost six times greater
chances to have a precarious health, in comparison
with the higher-educated persons. The situation was
almost the same in the case of the happiness degree,
and the persons who did not benefit of a higher
education had almost five times more chances to be
unhappy. In spite of all these, the conclusions of the
two authors do not match A. Clark’s. The latter
realized a similar study in Great Britain and he
concluded that the higher educated persons are not
necessarily happier, healthier or richer than the
uneducated persons. In his opinion, over a certain level
of education, school can have adverse effects over the
analyzed dimensions (health, happiness and welfare).
2. Evaluation modality of the educational
effects
Another important aspect referring to the
educational effects is their evaluation modality. A
first quantification modality is known as “the
incidental method”. As we have already mentioned, the
differences among the individuals having identical or
different education levels are not exclusively due to the
educational system. The real problem, from the point
of view of the education benefits, is represented by the
measure in which the changes of an individual are due
to the educational system. This involves a certain
evaluation before and after the graduation of an
educational institution, so that the changes that
occurred can be identified and evaluated. In essence,
the “incidental method” represents the evaluation of an
individual’s qualities and abilities before an
educational experience and at the end of it. By
comparing the final level with the initial one can easily
notice the effect (benefit) of the educational system
over the individual. Despite all these, the observed
effect can still not be completely the result of the
educational system. This way, significant changes can
474 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
appear at the individual level as follow the normal
maturation process (a process which takes place both
when the education exists and when it doesn’t), some
special family conditions or as a result of the economic
life. That is why we have to take into account some
other extra-educational factors as well, factors that
influence the changes occurred at the individual level.
Starting from this idea and having another
evaluation optic for the education effects, H.R. Bowen,
in his work „Investment in Learning”, discussed the
issue regarding the changes suffered by an individual,
as a result of the educational process. H.R. Bowen
presents five different modalities to evaluate these
changes:
- the first quantification
modality is that to consider any expenses made for the
educational system as a measure of its usefulness
(„...the expenses made in the university education must
not be made but in the measure that the students, their
families and the civil society as a whole consider that
the results will justify the efforts made”);
- Another modality to
evaluate the effects is to take into consideration the
potential value growths of the human capital as a result
of the higher education. Although it may seem quite
disgusting, the individuals are evaluated through their
lost in case of death or incapacity. Bowen describes the
quantification modality of the individuals lives by
suggesting that if it is possible to determine the point
from which the lives of the higher education system
graduates are more “valuable” than the high-school
graduates’, then, by summing up all the faculty
graduates one can establish the incidental value of the
graduates’ lives, thanks to the higher educational
system;
- A third evaluation modality
of the higher education’s effects presented by H.R.
Bowen is represented by the study of the economical
growth registered by the U.S.A. in a well determined
period and how much is education responsible for this
growth;
- The fourth modality refers
to the evaluation of the investments’ profitableness
rates evaluation in the higher educational system. The
disadvantage of this method is represented by the fact
that it only takes into consideration the individuals’
incomes or incomes growth as a result of graduating a
higher educational institute;
- The fifth modality to
quantify the education effects presented H.R. Bowen is
to find the subjects’ opinion regarding their own
university experience. He concluded that “experience
is far from generating a point of view, especially that
the subjects did not entirely pay the educational costs.
The favourable reaction of the analyzed subjects can
be explained only through the fact that something
valuable (the education) was assimilated by a great
majority of”.
Each of these methods can be applied both
at pre-university and university level. The problem is
that although some benefits are hard to evaluate, this
doesn’t have to lead to the idea that they cannot be
measurable and therefore that they are not important
from the social and economical life point of view.
The effects regarding the social-cultural area
(and especially the educational area) are very complex
in comparison with those from the economical area.
This is due to their very different typology, the
multitude of plans they manifest on, the great time
interval they are registered on etc. In the future works,
it will be interesting to analyze some of the aspects that
regard the education effects: the contribution of
education to the economical growth, the relationship
between education-economical growth and the
interdependence of education with the society’s
modernization process.
References :
1. Bates A.W., Poole G. (2003) – „Effective Teaching
with Technology in Higher Education : Foundations
for Success”, Jossey-Bass
2. Becker G.S. (1964) – „Human Capital : A
Theoretical and Empirical Analysis, with Special
Reference to Education”, Colombia University
Press, New York
3. Behrman J.R., Stacey N. (1997) – „The Social
Benefits of Education”, Ann Arbor, Michigan
University Press
4. Jeffrey B., Woods P., Hannay A. (2003) –
„Successful School: A Framework for Creativity,
Quality and Effectiveness”, RoutledgeFalmer
5. Paton R. (2003) – „Managing and Measuring
Social Enterprises”, Sage Publications
6. Sullivan D.H., Smeeding T.M. (1997) –
„Educational Attainment and Earnings Inequality in
Eight Nations”, Luxembourg Income Study Working
Paper nr 164. Luxembourg
7. Wankat Philip (2001) – „The Effective, Efficient
Professor: Teaching Scholarship and Service”,
Pearson Allyn & Bacon
 ASPECTS OF METHODOLOGY APPLIED IN PROJECT PRESENTATION IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Ramona RATIU1, Cristina BERARIU2, Mihai VODĂ3

1
Faculty of Geography ,Dimitrie Cantemir University,Targu Mures, Bodoni Sandor 3-5, 540545,ROMANIA,ratiuflavia@yahoo.com,
2
Faculty of Geography ,Dimitrie Cantemir University,Targu Mures, Bodoni Sandor 3-5,540545,ROMANIA,cristina.berariu@gmail.com,
3
Faculty of Geography ,Dimitrie Cantemir University,Targu Mures, Bodoni Sandor 3-5, 540545,ROMANIA, mmvoda@yahoo.com

The paper deals with the necessity of introducing new methodologies and materials in project presentation in higher education to facilitate the
development of new competences in the area of tourism. This has been an area of interest for many researchers such as Gheorghilas A. (2005), Pelpel
(1993), who were aware of the importance of good management skills. The methodology involved the observation of the management used by
students in the presentations of their projects relating to tourism potential of certain areas. We considered the following aspects: the use of multimedia
technologies, the quality and management of materials used, the discourse etc.The methodology involved the observation of the management used by
students in the presentations of their projects relating to tourism potential of certain areas. We considered the following aspects: the use of multimedia
technologies, the quality and management of materials used, the discourse etc. We concluded that the students who implemented in the management
of their presentations modern technologies and materials are capable of dealing with more complex projects as opposed to those who approach the
same task traditionally. They can apply for projects related to the assessment of product potential, design and sale of product. These results will
encourage us to implement this methodology in other specialty areas that students study.
This research has been applied on a number of students at Dimitrie Cantemir University in Târgu.Mures, Faculty of Geography, Specialty – Tourism.
Its results will help teachers emphasize not only on knowledge but also on skills that will enable students become better professionals in their future
jobs.
Key-words: methodology, management, project presentation, skills

1. DEFINING CONCEPTS The project is an applicative plan or a paper

Pedagogic assessment represents a managerial
action specific to sociohuman systems that refers the
results obtained during a certain activity to specific
criteria so as to reach optimal decisions (Dictionnaire
encyclopedique de l'education et de la formation,
1994).
Assessment can be focused on various aspects:
assessment of the place where the activity unfolds
(office, geographic area or classroom); assessment of
learning methodologies; assessment of teachers or
students, etc.
The term assessment has several layers of
meaning as follows: designing an assessment
procedure; applying the assessment; verifying results –
by comparing quantity and quality of products
(knowledge, skills, attitudes) with the characteristics of
the learning objective; assessing results by formulating
judgments values; assessment of product quality
(knowledge, skills, attitudes).
Assessment of students’ results traditionally
involves different methods: written assessment
(periodic assessment through tests) and oral assessment
(questioning, examining), each meant to evaluate
students’ progress or difficulties encountered during
the learning process, quantity and quality of the
knowledge and skills required by the curricula, the
degree of understanding, the capacity to analyze and
synthesize the information obtained during a specific
period of time. The project represents an interactive
teaching method for educational purposes, an
alternative assessment method.
This method causes students to involve
themselves into activities they would differently
approach if traditional methods were applied; they
interact, answer, anticipate, plan, solve problems, etc.
The project is a cause and a training engine, as well as
a training method (Pelpel, 1993).
elaborated on a given topic and comprises the analysis
– causal, chronological and spatial- of a problem as
well as a clear approach to solving it. This method
determines students to deal with a complex, authentic
problem, which they analyze and try to solve. The
project thus represents an adequate challenge for
students as it implies a research activity developed
within time boundaries.
Students involved in project work develop the
following skills: designing a plan; identifying
information from various sources (library, specialized
institutions or field research); selecting information
according to various criteria; preparing materials using
different techniques and languages ; elaborating a
scientific text; using quotations within a text;
expressing personal opinions about the various
information on the subject; sustaining personal opinion
with clear arguments; arranging information in graphs,
charts or tables.
Project presentation facilitates the acquisition of
other skills such as: presentation of personal work to an
audience using various communication techniques;
formulation of questions on a subject; presentation of
for and against arguments, self-evaluation and
evaluation of other students’ work.
2. THE PROJECT – AN ALTERNATIVE
ASSESSMENT METHOD
The activity during the seminar can be
centered on students’ elaboration of a semester project
that will synthesize the activity normally unfolding
during the seminar. The structure of such a project, its
content, completes the knowledge acquired during the
course, the students thus being able to practically deal
with the information regarding certain processes and
phenomena unfolding in the geographical area.
476 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
2.1. Types of projects according to achieved
objectives
• constructive project type, involving the following:
elaboration of a poster, photograph presentation, herbs,
rocks, minerals, seeds collection, prototype model or
mould construction, article writing or magazine
editing, etc.
• problem-solving project type, involving the
following: solving a problem (preventing landslide,
management works on an eroded, polluted or flooded
area, protecting an endangered species of plant or
animal, etc.)
• learning project type, involving the following:
improve a technique or learning procedure (use of
dictionary, search for a bibliography on a certain topic,
etc.)
2.2. Stages of project work
• establishing area of interest: the teacher
suggests a topic for the project and the
students choose subjects within the area of the
topic. It would be ideal for students to identify
the problem-solving situations in the
environment and propose projects to solve
them
• establishing working teams: an ideal working
team comprises 2-5 members, according to
the topic of the project, participants’
experience or type of objective. The higher
the number of members, the less actively
involved they are; however, the quality of the
project might increase.
• establishing initial premises – theoretic
framework, methodology, general data
regarding the research;
• • programming work stages and
responsibility distribution according to
objectives, time boundaries, space, available
means, degree of project difficulty; students
decide on sequence, length and content of
each stage;
• identifying and selecting material resources:
identifying documentation (course books,
maps, magazines, people or institutions),
situation analysis (problem, material
preparation, proposals, selection of optimal
solution, etc.).
• Actual research-Material and project building
Each student has to go through the above-
mentioned stages to finally finish the project.
When the area of interest and the specific
topic has been established, students have to
consider the type of information they want to
focus on in order to provide solutions to the
problem selected; students should set a
number of key questions on which to focus
the content of the project. The answers to
these questions help students clarify the
general framework as well as the approach on
the topic.
• Assessment of results.
2.3. Assessment of results
This stage contains the following: presentation,
analysis, comparison, project assessment
The stages of a project aim to guide students in
two directions, equally important from a
methodological and a practical point of view: data
collection and project completion.
Special attention should be given to content, as
the constitutive elements should be approached in a
logical sequence specific to geographical studies.
The project is assessed as a whole, then the
approach, the presentation and the final achievements
are assessed. Project assessment depends on content of
presentation, scientific accuracy and management of
presentation.
Content of project
The tourist phenomenon in a certain area
(country, region, physical and geographical unit, etc.)
chosen by a students for their project should be closely
related to the elements of the geographical space
(natural and social environment). Furthermore,
students should choose specific topics such as: analysis
of tourist potential (types of tourist resources and
categories of resources), tourist infrastructure
(accommodation, recreation treatment), tourist
circulation (tourist numbers, hotel occupancy or tourist
season), types and forms of tourism, certain strategies
for promoting and optimizing the tourist product.
The management of presentation should
consider the efficiency of the oratorical style as well as
the use of auxiliary material. These aspects can be
approached by considering a set of three indexes
relating to the following: content (reaching objectives,
organizing and selecting essential elements of the
content), action (knowledge of content, quality of
methods, techniques and procedures, adequate
sequencing of activities, adequate organizing of the
work space, presentation skills such as drawing and
keeping audience attention, accessibility of discourse,
scientific accuracy, quality of auxiliary materials,
management of auxiliary materials and keeping within
time boundaries) and assessment (self- evaluation
during class debate, positive response to group
observations and suggestions).
Each of the indexes mentioned is graded and the final
quality of the project is assessed by summing the
results obtained.
3. CASE STUDY
The activity during the seminar is centered in
certain cases on students’ elaboration of a semester
project that will synthesize the activities developed
during the seminars as well as the acquired knowledge.
Project assessment relies on elements of content,
adequate sequencing of the specific stages a
Aspects of Methodology Applied in Project Presentation in Higher Education
geographical study requires (document gathering, field
data) and management of presentation. The following
methods were used in project presentation: oral
presentation accompanied by teaching materials in
electronic format or paper based format (maps,
sketches, brochures, posters) aided by adequate
computer programmers.
The assessment of project management is
based on an observation sheet completed by the
teacher, the teaching assistant who works with students
during the practical applications (seminar or
workshops) and students. The observation sheet
contains elements referring to the content of the
project, the methods and the auxiliary materials used in
presentation.
Table 1: Observation sheet – Management of presentation
Observations
Methods used
Expository methods
Methods of reality exploration and its
substitutes
Methods based on action
Efficiency of oratorical style
Logic of presentation
Addressing content elements
Use of adequate language
Stating clear objectives
Detailing
Time boundaries
Argumentation
Auxiliary material used
Teaching techniques and applicability
Expressivity of teaching techniques
Management of visual material
The importance and necessity of adequate
assessment has become so obvious that one frequently
mentions ‘evaluation assisted learning’ (Bernard
Maccario, 1996). Project work helps students develop
reproduction and production skills on the basis of
known information and a certain algorithm (creating a
tourist advertisement, a brochure, a tourist product
etc.). Observation and analysis of presentations place
students in a new context where they need to appeal to
a set of resources such as declarative knowledge,
procedure knowledge, attitude, automations or
schemes, all being integrated and not juxtaposed
(Dulamă Maria Eliza, 2007).
What makes the methodology of project work
even more effective is its applicability to any subject
477
matter that students have in their curricula, including a
foreign language. In that case, however, more attention
will be given to language aspects and style.
In order to evaluate the methodological
approach in project elaboration and presentation, the
observation sheets were applied to a number of 56
students at the Faculty of Tourism Geography,
‘Dimitrie Cantemir’ University of Tg.Mures, Romania.
Project evaluation was based on a pre-
determined scoring comprising a maximum of 30
points, the largest share of 20 points being assigned to
action, while the assessment and content each got 5
points.
The projects were classified into 4 categories
according to the score obtained as follows:
unsatisfactory (below 9 points), satisfactory (9-14
points), good (15-24 points) and very good (25-30
points).
CONCLUSIONS
Teaching methodologies are characterised by
an accelerated transition from what some people all
traditional teaching towards modern teaching. The
project represents a teaching technique as well as a
self-education technique that enables students to
engage into a research activity based on practical
objectives resulting into a concrete final product:
models, materials, objects, equipment, installations,
theme albums, etc. These products are the result of
research and planning activities, practical individual or
group activities characterised by originality and utility.
The project, which is considered to be a time-
consuming activity, combines scientific research with
practical activities. For students, it represents an
efficient way of integrating research in everyday life.
References
1. Champy, P. et Étevé, C. (dir.) (1994). Dictionnaire
encyclopédique de l’éducation et de la formation, Éditions Nathan,
Paris.
2. Dulamă Maria Eliza (2000), Strategii didactice, Editura
Clusium, Cluj Napoca.
3. Dulamă Maria, Roşcovan Serafima ( 2007), Didactica
Geografiei, Bons Office, Chişinău.
4. Gheorghilaş, A., (2005), Geografia turismului internaţional,
Editura Universitară, Bucureşti.
5. P. Pelpel, P.,(1993), Se former pour enseigner, Dunod, Paris.
6. Radu, I.T. (1981), Teorie si practica în evaluarea eficientei
învatamântului, Editura Didactica si Pedagogica, Bucuresti.
 CURRICULA DESIGN BASED ON COMPETENCIES IN ROMANIAN HIGHER
EDUCATION

Mihai ROMAN1 , Elisabeta JABA2, Dumitru MARIN3

1
Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania, mroman@ase.ro
2
Al. I. Cuza University, Iasi, Romania, ejaba@uaic.ro
3
Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania, dmarin@hotmail.com

Abstract: With the Bologna Declaration, educational systems of a great number of European countries are living a changing process,
with the common goal to create a European space for higher education in order to enhance the employability and mobility of citizen
and to increase the international competitiveness of European higher education. In our paper we propose a new vision on
competencies system design in Romanian higher education. We explain how educational system can be transformed and adapted
based on companies’ requests and also on European educational requirements. Other objectives of our paper are to define the basic
competencies of graduated students after Bologna process, to define the competencies required by employers to graduated students
and to classify general competencies for each year of study. This new vision and competencies design are able to harmonize academic
requirements and labour market demands in Romania with European space in the context of labour migration in Europe.
Keywords: educational system, competence, higher education, curricula design, companies’ competencies demand, labour migration

competitiveness in the labour market, as well as to

1. INTRODUCTION develop his or her initiative and an enterprising and
creative approach.
The knowledge society calls for educated citizens
With the Bologna Declaration [1] educational
who can learn during life, and who can manage the
systems of a great number of European countries are
work diversity. Schools have basically two basic goals:
living a changing process, with the common goal to
develop the children social and intellectual capital. The
“create a European space for higher education in order
to enhance the employability and mobility of citizen and first is related with the school contribution in helping to
produce citizens who have the commitment, skills, and
to increase the international competitiveness of
disposition to foster norms of civility, compassion,
European higher education”. This process seeks an
fairness, trust, collaborative engagement, and
educational model more effective, in answer to the
constructive critics under conditions of great social
current challenges. One of the basic pillars of that
educational model is the definition of professional diversity. The second is related to the problem - solving
profiles and desirable outcomes in different degrees development competence in an increasingly
technological world.
through specific competences and the design of
In this context, the term “competences” gains a great
appropriate training projects for the profiles
importance in the new educational paradigm, but no
development. Another remarkable point is the definition
consensus in its definition has been achieve. In the
of the generic competences in the degrees, as a common
background of the higher education. The active learning Tuning General Brochure (2006) it “represents a
methodologies, the design and programming of the dynamic combination of cognitive and meta-cognitive
skills, knowledge and understanding, interpersonal,
topics depending on the student's work (namely the
intellectual and practical skills, and ethical values”. For
European credit) and the evaluation systems for the
Lizzio and Keithia (2004), in a wider definition, a
results of learning are also characteristic features of this
competence is “much more than simply “being
new model. In this sense, it is necessary to develop a
higher education system focusing on a high value-added competent” in designated tasks and the routine
product and to build a knowledge-based society. Also, application of previously acquired knowledge and
skill”; while in a more specific context, other definitions
the educational system must provide qualitative
of competence are provided.
education and its compliance with the labour market, as
The main objectives of our paper are to define
well as to provide integration of higher education,
science and innovations. graduated students basic competencies after Bologna
In knowledge-based society, qualitative basic and process, to define employers' required competencies on
graduated students and to classify general competencies
secondary general or vocational education is the
for each year of study.
minimum starting capital without which person’s full
In our study we start describing competencies
and successful inclusion in the labour market and the
system designed after Bologna educational reform in
everyday life is not possible.
If the knowledge and skills offered by programmes Europe and we compare this system with Romanian
in basic, secondary vocational and higher educational competencies system that was elaborated in last years.
In the final part of the paper we propose a new vision on
establishments are designed to meet the needs of the
aggregated higher educational system of competencies
economy, it will be easier for young people to enter the
based on 8-years study period (from licence level to
labour market, and the return on resources invested in
master level and doctoral level of study).
education will increase. The task of the education
system is to foster an educated individual’s
480 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
2. LITERATURE
The European Parliament and European
Commission (2008) in the proposal of
“Recommendation of the European Parliament and of
the Council” on key competencies for lifelong learning
accepts a widespread definition of “competence” a
combination of knowledge, skills and attitudes
appropriate to a particular situation. Tuning project
(2006) (Tuning Educational Structures in Europe)
accepts the idea of abilities and skills as structure of
competences and distinguish the specific and generic
ones.
In this vision there are three dimensions in
competence design:
a) Instrumental competences – cognitive
abilities, methodological abilities, technological
abilities and linguistic abilities;
b) Interpersonal competences: individual abilities
like social skills (social interaction and co-
operation);
c) Systemic competences: abilities and skills
concerning whole systems (combination of
understanding, sensibility and knowledge.
In this case generic competences refer to abilities
that students have to have to perform better in their
future role in the society as professionals and citizens.
Tuning II establishes three types of generic
competences: instrumental, interpersonal and systemic.
The subject related skills are the relevant methods and
techniques pertaining to the various discipline areas.
Each country can develop the specific competences that
better fits in their educational system.
The well-known Canadian educationalist Michael
Fullan (1990) promotes the idea about multidimensional
character of change. It is necessary to develop the
central idea and the presentation of the meaning of the
change. What does the change statement mean for the
individual person, how does person see his/her place in
this change pattern? Those questions correspond to what
M. Fullan names the „subjective dimension”. The
second aspect of the change or „objective dimension” is
the specific competencies, which ones person wants to
develop in order to actively be engaged into the change
pattern. We understand necessity to develop relevant
meanings about any change project before, during
studies and teacher training courses. Any training is to
be profitable and lead to transformation of professional
practice.
D. Hopkins (2007) in his work “Sustaining leaders
for systemic change” says about large scale change
efforts during working on the educational reform agenda
in England, and “”this implies a transition from an era
of prescription to an era of professionalism”. The well-
known educationalist sees four drivers system as
potential to deliver every school a great school. These
are personalized learning, professionalized teaching,
networks and collaboration, and intelligent
accountability. Together these key trends provide a core
strategy for educational improvement.
Educational management and general management
literature gives several examples of classifying the skills
and competencies. On another vision, the competence is
based on and formed by several skills, there are some
groups:
1) Academic competencies (ability to think, speak,
learn, write, work in team);
2) Professional competencies (ability work at
school, at educational institution, lead and guide the
educational process, to achieve educational
standards, to ensure quality of education);
3) Organisational competencies (ability make
vision, plan, organise, coordinate, motivate,
control);
4) Leadership or personal competencies (creativity,
responsibility, honesty, ability to work in
changeable world).
Last years many researchers and educationalists –
B.Davies, B.J.Caldwell, K.Leithwood, M.Fullan and
others around the world are writing about sustainable
leadership. The improvement of educational leadership
is dedicated to student achievements through
professional development of educational leaders. A
well-skilled and competent leader of educational
institution is ready for applying in practice strategic and
development plans of the whole country.
G. Southworth (2007), for example, writes about
professional context for school leaders in England, he
speaks about challenge to identify tomorrow’s school
leaders. Growing leaders is an educational task affected
by the challenges of the accountability, complexity and
relentlessness. Many heads signalize about great weight
of responsibility as a heavy load and there are
perceptions that the job is difficult. G.Southworth
(2007) states: “in the next few years we will see a drive
towards workforce remodelling with a more flexible and
varied workforce. Schools will be more open to the
community and have more members of the community
working in them.”
Next paragraph is dedicated to analyze how are
defined in Western Europe countries the competencies
system after Bologna process implementation.
3. EUROPEAN SPACE OF COMPETENCIES
Allen and van der Velden (2005) remark that higher
education graduates are expected to be more or less
competent in at least the following five areas:
professional expertise, functional flexibility, innovation
and knowledge management, mobilisation of human
resources and international orientation.
 Professional expertise: higher education graduates
are to become experts in their professional field.
 Functional flexibility: higher education graduates
have to be able to take up challenges and quickly
acquire new knowledge. Graduates must be broadly
employable and possess the ability to cope with
various changes: in the job content, mobility within
the organization to another job, mobility to other
organizations, and etc.
Curricula Design Based on Competencies in Romanian Higher Education
 Innovation and knowledge management: higher
education graduates are expected to do more than
just the prescribed tasks. It takes into account not
only to the innovation capacity of a person, but also
his/her ability to create an environment in which
knowledge production and diffusion is optimized,
and to implement innovation in their own job as well
as in the organization as a whole.
 Mobilisation of human resources: higher education
graduates are expected to have the ability to
effectively mobilize their own competencies and
actively steer and direct one’s own work as well as
that of others.
 International orientation: due to globalization
processes, higher education graduate should possess
strong international orientation.
In Western European countries the higher education
system are designed in order to overcome mismatches
between graduates’ qualifications and the needs of the
labour market. Higher education programs are
permanently restructured focusing on employability and
support to the workforce. But one of the greatest
challenges for tertiary education institutions still
remains to offer innovative curriculum, teaching
methods and training/study programs which include
broader employment-related skills along with the more
discipline-oriented specific skills.
Even in an educational system market-oriented there
exist different problems about graduated insertion on
labour market.
According to Polo-Garrido et all. (2008) the main
competencies demanded in practice, especially in
economic field (and not satisfied completely in
educational system), are:
 Tolerance to pressure;
 Fluent communication in their job and the ability to
work in a team;
 Organizational capacity;
 Personal firmness;
 Availability;
 Skills for obtaining and analyzing information;
 Mental flexibility;
 Client orientation;
 Synthesis capacity;
 To use IT technologies in their job;
 Leadership;
 Negotiation skills;
 Strategic perspective.
Regarding formative aspects not receiving during
studies but necessary for the labour market insertion
they found as absolute necessary to improve:
 Professional knowledge;
 Skills for professional exercise;
 Knowledge of foreign languages (English
especially);
 Practical formation.
Educational system is a dynamic one and it is in a
permanent change according to labour market
necessities and according to science evolution.
481
4. A NEW DESING IN ROMANIAN HIGHER
EDUCATION COMPETENCIES SYSTEM
In Romania there exists a national organization,
National Qualifications Framework for Higher
Education, NQFHE, as the single tool that determines
the qualifications structure and the international
compatibility and comparability of qualifications
acquired within the higher education system. During the
last years, NQFHE has developed a research program
that define, by intermediary of a complex matrix
qualification levels, learning results described as
knowledge, abilities and competencies and also
descriptor’s level for higher education qualifications.
There are two different competencies types:
professional competencies and transversal
competencies.
Analyzing learning results and there descriptors we
found:
a) Professional competencies, as aggregated system
of knowledge and abilities;
Knowledge is described by:
1) To know, to understand and to use specific
language;
2) To explain and to interpret.
Abilities, as structural element of competence, are
described by:
3) Applications, knowledge transfer and problem
solving;
4) Think critically and reflectively
5) Creativity and innovation
b) Transversal competencies, that are over an
specific program, are described by:
6) Autonomy and responsibility;
7) Social interaction:
8) Personal and professional development.
This descriptor’ system developed by NQFHE is
applied across the whole academic curricula, with
specifying the particular competencies for each cycle of
study.
Starting from this point, we propose a different
vision, which describes for each year of study and for
each cycle of studies a new descriptor’s system, that
combine the existent one in Romania with the European
approach.
We design, for each study year, some necessary
competencies, for different levels of knowledge and
understanding, so that at the graduating student should
obtain the necessary abilities, knowledge and
competencies required by the labour market.
Also we include in this scheme the doctoral studies
(5th to 8th study years) with necessary competencies,
based especially on international experience and also on
Romanian experience.
Competence development scheme in 8-year study
program:
Licence program
1st year: cognitive and academic competence
(ability to think, speak, learn, write in specific field) and
organizational competence (to plan and to organize)
482 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
2nd year: cognitive competence (level 2), personal
competence (communication and social behaviour),
professional competencies (ability work at school, at
educational institution, lead and guide the educational
process, to achieve educational standards, to ensure
quality of education);
3rd year: creative competencies and personal
competence (communication and social behaviour –
level 2);
Master program
4th year: action competence, personal competence
(communication and social behaviour – level 3) and
assessment competence
5th year: personal competence (creativity,
responsibility, honesty, ability to work in changeable
world), assessment competence (level 2), organizational
competence (ability make vision, plan, organise,
coordinate, motivate, control)
Doctoral program
6th year: Teaching competence (Communicate
Knowledge, Synthesize Knowledge, Apply Engineering
Education Principles to the Solution of Instructional or
Curricular Problems); Counselling competence:
(Engage in Professional Development, Think Critically
and Reflectively)
7th year: Supervision competence (Think Critically
and Reflectively, Participate Actively in Professional
Community, Engage in Professional Development),
Scholarship competence (Research, Publications
(conceptual, quantitative, qualitative), Presentations,
and Grant Work)
8th year: Scholarship competence (Research,
Publications (conceptual, quantitative, qualitative),
Presentations, and Grant Work), Leadership and
Professional Involvement competence (Explain and
Critique Education Policy)
Labour migration became more and more
important in Romania and also in whole Europe. The
existence of a common competencies system can insure
a free mobility and equal chances to hair for any
graduated student in Europe.
Also Romanian academic system does not
respond adequate to labour market needs and
requirements.
A survey organized in 2010 on Romanians
employer show that the main problems on curricula
design in higher education system (especially in
economics) are:
 A diminishing of theoretical knowledge for 3-
years graduated students, due on reduction of
study years number from 4 or 5 years to 3
years;
 The level of practical knowledge are even
worst for 3-years graduated students, due on
very low periods allocated in higher education
curricula for practical stages;
 A low ability to work in condition of
pressure;
 An orientation of Romanian higher education
system to memorize instead of independent
work;
 Low abilities on communication and
presentation;
 Actual curricula on higher education system
are not oriented on actual labour market
problems.
A new curricula re-design in all higher education
system must take account on this problems derived from
labour market requirements and to improve Romanian
educational system.
5. CONCLUSIONS
Romanian educational system faces new challenges
and requirements due on labour market demands, on
side, and another side due on Romania integration in
European Union. Free labour mobility in Europe
requires a common knowledge base and common
competencies for all educational system graduated
students.
In our paper we propose a new vision on
competencies description, based on study-cycle (licence,
master and doctoral studies) and inside every cycle a
competence description for every study year, which
should be applied in Romanian higher education system.
References
1. Allen, J. and Ramaekers, G. and van der Velden, R., (2005),
Measuring competencies of higher education
graduates,Open Access publications from Maastricht
University urn:nbn:nl:ui:27-13568, Maastricht University
2. Fullan, M. and Stiegelbauer, S.(1990), The new meaning of
educational change. Teachers College Press, New York:
3. Hopkins D., (2007), Sustaining leaders for systemic change
in Developing Sustainable Leadership, ed.by B.Davies
4. Lizzio, A. and Keithia, W. (2004), “Action Learning in
Higher Education: an investigation of its potential to
develop professional capability”. Studies in Higher
Education, Vol. 29, No. 4, pp. 469-488
5. Polo-Garrido F.and Sarasa C. P and Seguí-Mas E., (2008)
- Competencies And Knowledge’s Evaluation In Accounting
And Audit: A Study On The Business Administration’s
Bachelors Of The Universidad Politécnica De Valencia,
ICERI Proceedings, IATED, Madrid, p. 367-376
6. Roman, M. (2008), Romanian Higher Education: Present
and Perspectives, Synergy, Vol.4, no 2, pp. 9-27
7. Southworth G., (2007), Leadership succession in
Developing Sustainable Leadership, ed. By B. Davies
8. *** Tuning Educational Structures in Europe, (2006),
(General_Brochure_final_version_EN(1).pdf)
9. *** Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the
Council (2008)
10. *** European Commission (1999), Bologna Declaration,
Brussels, Belgium.Author, A. and Author, B. (year), Book
Title, Publisher, City.
Acknowledgements:
This research was supported by grant no. 1829 / 2008, “The effects of
labour force migration and of the demographical structures changes
on the dynamic of economics” Financed by National University
Research Council (CNCSIS).
 COMPETENCE BASED CURRICULA DESIGN FOR HIGHER EDUCATION

B. RUSU1, G. CONDURACHE, C. RUSU, S. AVASILCAI,

1
„Gh. Asachi” Technical University of Iasi - Romania, email bmcrusu@cetex.tuiasi.ro

Abstract: The main objective of the research is to improve the quality of graduates’ education through better correlation of the
curricula with employers needs. Prior work: the paper continues the work as part of “Techniques of Comparative Evaluation of
University Qualifications in Romania” PN2 Contract number 91/047/2007 coordinated by ASE Bucharest. Design: Data was collected
based on semi-structured interviews through direct discussions, over the phone and e-mail. The sample consists of 22 professors from
two Faculties (that teach both technical and economic subjects), and 23 employers. Results: based on interviews content analysis we
identified the competences perceived by the professors and required by employers. Most of the employers carefully select competent
graduates that exhibit both attitude and will to get involved in the organization. During the apprenticeship period, these candidates are
trained by the organization on specific tasks and procedures. Implications: the comparative analysis revealed a series of differences
and the need to harmonize and adapt the curricula to market requirement through the development of existing collaborative and
cooperation mechanisms between University and Industry. Value: the paper highlights the main differences between the competences
perceived by the professors, required by employers, and proposes a series of recommendations towards the harmonization of such
discrepancies to the academic staff and top management of Faculties and University.
Key words: Transformational leader, university

an ability to identify, formulate and solve

INTRODUCTION
The main objective of the research is to improve the
quality of graduates’ education through better
correlation of the curricula with employers needs.
It continues previous investigation as part of
“Techniques of Comparative Evaluation of University
Qualifications in Romania” PN2 Contract number
91/047/2007 coordinated by ASE Bucharest.
The European Qualification Framework (EQF 2008)
recognises that Europe’s education and training systems
are so diverse that a shift to learning outcomes is
necessary to make comparison and cooperation between
countries and institutions possible. It aims to facilitate
the transformation of national qualifications in EU
countries to the European Qualification Framework
(EQF 2008) in 2010 and ensure that individual
qualification certificates will bear a reference to the
appropriate EQF level by 2012.
COMPETENCES
Curriculum content is no longer the key as the
accreditation agencies in many countries have
transformed their accreditation criteria and standards in
terms of core competencies. A major shift has taken place
from input-based criteria to outcome-based approach.
In United States, EC2000 criteria defined by
Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of
Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology
(ABET), United States (ABET, 2009, pp. 3) state that
Engineering programs must demonstrate that their
students and graduates must attain the following
outcomes:
an ability to apply knowledge of math, science, and
engineering;
an ability to design and conduct experiments, as well
as analyze and interpret data;
an ability to design a system, component or process
to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as
economic, environmental, social, political, ethical,
health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability;
an ability to function in multidisciplinary team;
engineering problems;
an understanding professional and ethical
responsibilities;
an ability to communicate effectively;
the broad education necessary to understand the
impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic,
environmental, and societal context.
a recognition of need and ability to engage in life-
long learning;
a knowledge of contemporary issues; and
an ability to use the techniques, skills and modern
engineering tools necessary for engineering practice.
In Romania, as an instrument for the promotion of
lifelong learning, the EQF encompasses all levels of
qualifications acquired in general, vocational as well as
academic education and training. Additionally, the
framework addresses qualifications acquired in initial,
continuing education, and training.
EQF (2008) defines competences as “proven ability to
use knowledge, skills and personal, social and/ or
methodological abilities, in work or study situations and
in professional and personal development. In the context
of the European Qualifications Framework, competence
is described in terms of responsibility and autonomy.”
METHODOLOGY
In order to understand which competences would the
employer benefit mostly from the graduate, a data
collection form was designed to structure the interviews.
For consistency and ease of comparison reasons, the
same structure was used to interview the members of
staff from the University, and it includes:
General data regarding the company
Positions opened for graduates within the firm
The competences required by the employer
Employer’s comments regarding the level of
competences acquired by the graduates
Employer’s comments regarding the adequacy of the
Curricula to the job market requirements
Employer’s interest and involvement in graduate
employment
 484 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

Training means used by the employer performance products, services and production systems
Data was collected based on semi-structured GC6 – Ability to understand, use, and correlate basic
interviews through direct discussions, over the phone knowledge within the context of production and business
and e-mail. systems
DATA ANALYSIS Longitudinal Competences
The sample consists of 22 members of staff from LC1 – Self-assessment, critical thinking, creativity and
two Faculties (that teach both technical and economic system thinking ability (ability for personal and professional
subjects), and 23 employers. development)
Table 1 exhibits the name, activity classification, LC2 – Communication, moral, ethic and effective behaviour
location and number of employees for some of the within team and interpersonal relations (role competences)
Companies employing graduates. LC3 – Ability to learn and develop independently and
Table 1: Distribution of Responding Companies assume responsibility (role competences)
CA No.
Locat The employers’ answers regarding perceived
Name EN of
ion required competences is summarised based on the
code employees
E-on Distribution 1 Iaşi 4 interview structure exhibited previously.
Moldova 0 Cerna 1 Positions opened for graduates within the firm
ELECTROALFA 2 vodă 0 The main positions opened by the employers for
INTERNATIONAL SRL 7 Botoşa 5 graduates of engineering economics specialization
Italprint SRL 3 ni 0 include a wide array of jobs:
CocaCola HBC 5 Roma 7 Engineer in several departments such as Sales,
PETRA SRL 1 n 7
Purchasing, Maintenance, Production, Marketing
Infinity Mode 330 Baia 2
PRESTIGE 1 Mare 00
Key account executive
RESIDENCE 413 4 Power Engineer
Electra SRL 00 Personal assistant, coordinating production,
5 purchasing, logistic
Iaşi 80 Production planning, Product Design, quality
2 8 control, Technology Design
640 00 Production Manager
2 Engineering Economist for Production planning
000
Engineering Economist for Cost Calculation and
SIRETUL Pascani 1 Paşcan 3
Aurora Tg. Frumos 391 i 84
Analysis
ANGELA International 1 Tg.Fru 4 The competences required by the employer
Confectii Integrate 520 mos 00 During the interviews, many employers’
Moldova 1 Iaşi 2 representatives complained that they perceived a
IaşiTex 520 Iaşi 5 constant decrease of the graduate’s knowledge and
1 Iaşi 5 abilities, across most of Romanian Universities.
413 46 Whilst various employers required specific
1 6 competences that would best serve their company, many
413 00
complained that most of the graduates they interviewed
do not have the willingness and desire to work.
The members of staff that were interviewed consist There are basically two groups of competences
of professors and associate professors, from two required from the graduates of engineering economics
Faculties, that teach both engineering and economic specialization:
subjects to Engineering Economics specialization. Soft skills (working with the computer, use of MS
Table 2 exhibits a summary of competences Office software, reasonable command of a foreign
expressed by the academic staff from the sample. language – especially English or German – stress
management, time management, promptness in solving
Table 2: Required competences, as perceived by the academic
staff tasks and problems, adaptability and flexibility) and,
General Professional Competences
Managerial skills – required for the daily operation
of the business. These can be further learned and honed
GC1 – Ability to identify target customers and their needs
GC2 – Ability to design entire or parts of business and
“on site” on a continuous basis if the graduate has
production systems making full use of the graduate’s technical, reasonable knowledge and willingness to work, and
technological, economic and managerial knowledge include:
GC3 – Ability to organize and manage production and Teamwork and ability to negotiate
business systems through integrative use of the graduate’s Ability to make decisions and flexibility
technical, technological, economic and managerial knowledge Networking and relational ability
GC4 – Ability to generate and maintain the ensemble of Administration of human and material resources
relationships that connect the productive and business systems to Focus for work improvement
the Romanian and international technologic, socio-economic,
Ability to organize, coordinate and lead
informational dynamic environment
GC5 – Ability to innovate in order to develop high
Exploratory Study of Students’ Satisfaction Regarding Acquired Competences
Excellent knowledge of specific technological
processes
Ability to lead specific technological processes
General technical knowledge, which also includes a
good understanding of diagrams and schema, technical
documentation and applicable prescriptions
Quality control, process measurement, testing, data
gathering and analysis, interpretation of results and
information reporting to management
Ability to learn the use of new specialized software
such Technical Design, LECTRA, ERP, SAP, etc.
Basic knowledge in accounting and finance
Basic knowledge of specific legislation
Knowledge of international trade.
Employer’s comments regarding the level of
competences acquired by the graduates
The overall message that came from employers is
that the graduates’ acquired competences are about
average. There is also an acute lack of proper “In
company practice” during university training, especially
for engineers. However, those that get a job according to
their speciality pursue a constant positive evolution
based on their willingness to improve and learn on the
job and beyond. It all depends on attitude, personal
involvement, ambition, and ability to seek information,
the courage to make quick decisions and take
responsibility for the results.
Whilst having an average positive bias, the
comments from different employers vary according to
the specific evolution of the graduate on the job.
Acquired knowledge is sufficient for the “apprentice”
position, and subsequently he or she must work hard
and learn specific information and skills for the
company, such as design software, working procedures,
legislation, etc. It would take for a good candidate about
3 to 6 months on the job to learn and specialize in order
to blend in the company culture.
Employer’s comments regarding the adequacy of
the Curricula to the job market requirements
Overall comments stated that curricula provide a
good theoretical coverage. However, all employers
stated that the learning process should be restructured as
it will not resume to teaching, taking notes and making
summaries and abstracts followed by learning and
assessment. Whilst the subjects are updated and
interesting, most of them lack the practical part where
the student learn how to apply it in a real company.
Most of the recommendations refers to the practical
side of learning, and include:
The laboratories and practical training on the
technical side should use the same equipments that exist
in the industry now. Even if most of the graduates have
a good theoretical knowledge that allows them to learn
quickly the practical skills required for the job, the use
of same or very similar equipments and software would
ease the integration and adaptation process from
graduate to employee.
The university curricula should be restructured as to
provide a further increase of practical applications.
The double specialization provide especially for the
ambitious and perseverant students sufficient
485
information and knowledge for the graduate to be able
to find a job in either technical or business side of the
enterprise.
Whilst the curriculum is very good and well
balanced, including all the important courses, the
difference is made by the way information is
transmitted. Teaching should focus on case studies and
practical projects that would require critical thinking,
because many graduates do not know how to put into
practice the knowledge acquired.
Curricula should include more practical applications
from sales, law, quality control and certification such as
ISO 9000, ISO 18000, etc.
Teaching should include practical simulations on
production planning, scheduling, specific materials
consumption, cost calculations and analysis.
The universities should balance the provision and
demand of specific qualifications of graduates on the
job market.
A former student form 8 years ago, now working in
top management said
“Talking about me, the fact that for 5 years I learned
very hard and graduated with excellent good grades, in
the end I did not feel that I’ve got many things left. I do
feel very sorry regarding the practice. If I had gone and
seriously involve myself during the in-company practice,
I would have learned much more than theory that you
may forget in a couple of weeks after you passed the
exam”.
Employer’s interest and involvement in graduate
employment
Many employers provided practice places for some
graduates and provide them access to the production
line. They consider that only thus they would really
work on the production line, show interest and take
responsibility for their work. Thus, they will acquire and
improve their practical experience on technical and
managerial issues.
Companies also reported:
Employment of engineering economist graduates for
Marketing, Design and Quality Control Departments.
Invitation for interviews with the best graduates
from Bucharest and Iasi Universities on Power
Engineers. However, a multinational company rarely
hires young graduates, because it does not want to
invest in their initial formation and training.
Sponsors of various Exhibitions, Conferences and
Student Competitions, scholarships, allowances for
internships, and bursaries based on contract granted to
selected students from the final years of study
Cooperation with AJOFM (County Agency for
Finding Employment) to facilitate employee jobs
Training means used by the employer
Most companies recognised that they seek people
that have experience, because training implies
consumption of resources and a low efficiency and
effectiveness of the employee during the
accommodation period. It would also implies that an
experience worker would have to invest time and energy
during the “apprenticeship” of the graduate.
486 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
All companies have training programs specific for
the job. On a yearly basis, the companies plan and
budget the training needs that will be approved by the
HRM Department.
Some companies reported a recruitment program
where young graduates accepted for training will pass
through several departments in order to understand the
company and decide with their superior / HRM
specialist which position would best fit in.
Most of the training is in house and addresses
specific technical or technological subjects, working
procedures, etc. Among the training events outside the
company, there are short courses, seminars and
attendance to exhibitions and fares.
Another employer declared that did not required
experience from the graduate, but he/she must declare
and exhibit willingness and perseverance in learning.
Selected candidates were supported financially for 2 or
3 months, time required to accommodate and “gear up”
to the job.
RESULTS
Whilst there is a good overlap of the required
competences as perceived by the academic staff and
those expressed by the employers, the comparative
analysis of the revealed a series of differences.
First, there is a slight difference in the “categories”
used to describe the competences. The “academics” use
“General Professional Competences” and “Longitudinal
Competences”, and the employers use “Soft Skills” and
“Managerial Skills”. We must notice that “Managerial
skills” include beyond pure management (such as
teamwork and ability to negotiate, ability to make
decisions, ability to organize, coordinate and lead, etc.)
specific engineering knowledge such as “Excellent
knowledge of specific processes”, “use of specialized
software such as for Technical Design, LECTRA, ERP”.
Second, the competences formulated by the
academics, are more broad and general, in order to
express a comprehensive training of the graduates as
compared with the employers, that expressed a much
narrower view, which resides from their particular
context of the business and industry of their company.
The third important difference dwells in some implicit
requirements of the employers regarding moral and
ethical behaviour of the graduate, and therefore not
explicitly expressing such requirements. However, they
specifically required language competences, which
academics implicitly assumed as existing in graduates, as
they have language classes during university training.
Another key difference regards the practical skills of
the graduate. As implicitly resulting from the “General
Professional Competence” list, it is consistently required
by all employers.
All these differences need to be harmonized through
the adaptation of the curricula to market requirements
and use of collaborative and cooperation mechanisms
between University and Industry. The key
recommendations made by the employers are under the
heading “Employer’s comments regarding the adequacy
of the Curricula to the job market requirements” and
should be carefully analysed by the academic staff and
top management of Faculties and University.
References
1. ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology).
(2009). ACCREDITATION POLICY AND PROCEDURE
MANUAL: Effective for Evaluations During the 2010-2011
Accreditation Cycle, 2010-2011 Accreditation Policy and
Procedure Manual, Retreived February 26, 2010, from
http://www.abet.org/Linked%20Documents-
UPDATE/Criteria%20and%20PP/A004%2010-
11%20Accredition%20Policy%20and%20Procedure%20Manual
%2011-05-09.pdf
2. EQF, (2008), „The European Qualifications Framework for
Lifelong Learning (EQF)”, European Qualifications Framework,
ISBN 978-92-79-08474-4, Retreived February 26, 2010, from
http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/education_culture/publ/pdf/eqf/broch_en.p
df,
3. Condurache Gh., Rusu B., Ciobanu Romeo-Mihai, Agafiţei Iuliana
Gerogiana, (2009), “Comparison of Importance – Intensity of
Competences Received of Graduates Terms of Employer”, in
Proceedings of the 6th International Conference of Management of
Technological Changes, Alexandroupolis, pp 223-226
4. Rusu B., Condurache Gh., Giurma D., (2009), “Exploratory Study
of Student’s Satisfaction Regarding Acquired Competences”, in
Proceedings of the 6th International Conference of Management of
Technological Changes, Alexandroupolis, pp.347-350
5. Rusu,B., Rusu,C., Condurache,G., R. M. Ciobanu,R.M. (2008)
“The efficiency of engineering economics higher education as
perceived by its graduates” , in Proceedings of The 5th
International Seminar on the Quality Management in Higher
Education, Tulcea, Romania, Ed. Performantica, Iasi, pp.57-62.
6. Rusu B., Condurache G.,(2006) “Graduate performance in finding
employment preliminary findings”, Proceedings of The 4th
Innational seminar on the Quality management in higher
education, Sinaia, pp.103 – 108.
7. Spircu L., Bănescu M., (2008a), “A Statistical Analysis on the
Competences Gathered by Students During the Educational
Stage”, in C. Rusu (editor), Proceedings of The 5th International
Seminar on the Quality Management in Higher Education, Tulcea
Romania, pp. 75-80.
8. Spircu L., Spircu T., Albu C., Bujor M., (2008b), “A Model of
Acquired Competences”, in C. Rusu (editor), Proceedings of The
5th International Seminar on the Quality Management in Higher
Education, Tulcea Romania, Ed. Performantica, pp. 367-372.
9. Spircu, L. and al. (2009), “Competence-Oriented Approach of
Academic Education, Practical Aspects”, in C. Rusu (editor),
Proceedings of The 6th International Conference on Management of
Technological Changes, Ed. Performantica, Vol. II, pp. 363-366.
 METHODOLOGY OF DRAWING UP THE CURRICULA BASED ON THE
EDUCATIONAL SKILLS
Tiberiu RUSU 1, Lia CHIOREAN 1
1
. Technical University of Cluj-Napoca
No. 15, Constantin Daicoviciu Street, 400020 Cluj-Napoca
Fax:0264-401280, e-mail: Chiorean.Lia@staff.utcluj.ro

Abstract: In the Bologna vision, the curricula must develop new skills for the bachelor graduates. In favor of establishing the skills a
graduate should have, the Department of Environmental Engineering within the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca has drawn up
and distributed to the business agents a questionnaire in which the activities a graduate should carry on are highlighted..The practical
application has been made for the specialization of Engineering and Environmental Protection in Industry. The questionnaire has
been completed by 28 businesses agents and the Environmental Protection Agency in Cluj. The results have been centralized and
processed, establishing the minimum skills required on the labor market. Finally, these skills have been included in the subjects
foreseen in the curricula, in accordance with the ARACIS rules regarding the quality of education

1. The need to develop specializations in the up documentation in the field of environment

field of environmental protection
Romania has inherited from the previous regime a
disastrous situation in terms of environmental quality.
The managers of the companies were more concerned
with the production progress than the environmental
issues. In fact, before 1989 the law referring to the
environmental protection was very permissive.
After 1989, after the Ministry of Environment was
founded, a legislation regarding the environmental
protection was voted. It was afterwards amended and
adopted according to the European Community
requirements. Therefore, the legislation has become
more severe, and if it repeatedly exceeds the amount of
pollution emissions, Environmental Guard may interrupt
the company’s activity.
Proactive operators were put in a difficult position,
meaning that they had to respect the environmental
legislation, but on the other hand there were no
specialists in environmental protection. Therefore it
became a need for the labor market to have specialists in
the environmental field.
2. The premises of setting up the specialization
Engineering and Environment Protection
The opening of the Romanian higher studies
towards the European Universities through the
European programs Tempus or Erasmus has offered the
possibility to benefit from training mobility in
prestigious universities from west-European countries.
The Technical University of Cluj-Napoca has
benefit from such programs. The academic staffs from
the university have had the privilege to see the
specializations and the strategies applied for training
students, the equipments and the libraries of prestigious
universities from England, France, Spain, Germany,
Italy, Greece, etc.
During a training mobility in the framework a
Tempus program, a group of academic staff have drawn
protection, with the intention of setting up the
specialization Engineering and Environment protection.
In that period of time, respective 1994-1995, the
ARACIS was not yet founded, therefore no official list
of the specializations of general culture, specializations
in specific fields or the complementary specializations
existed, therefore it became compulsory to establish the
necessary domains in order to define a new
specialization.
3. Establishing the competencies and curricula of
the specialization.
The main issue, which is in fact the starting point of
this step is establishing the competencies of the future
graduates of the specialization Engineering and
Industrial Environment Protection.
- Establishing the competencies in this field of
specialization meant an effort which was
materialized in:
- creating a list of skills required for the
specialization;
- choosing the economic agents, the
environmental agencies, the city halls and
county councils in order to complete the drawn
up form;
- distributing the drawn up forms and explaining
the process of completing them;
- collecting and processing the forms.
Among the economic agents, agencies, city halls
and county councils favorably met the request: The
Agency for Environment Protection for the region of
North West, Company of Water Somes SA, Romanian
Waters Agency, drainage area Somes Tisa, Cluj-Napoca
City Hall, Turda, Dej and Huedin, The County Council
of Cluj, SC Somesul SA Dej (cellulose and paper), The
Integrated Iron and Steel Work from Campia Turzii, SC
CASIROM SA (silicium carbide), SC CUG Cluj-
Napoca (The Integrated heavy utolaj Cluj), SC Terapia
SA (medicines), SC Armatura SA (machine buildings),
488 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
SC Hidroconstructia SA (hydrotermic constructions),
SC Napolact SA Cluj-Napoca (milk processing).
The questionnaire contains a guiding text, in which
we present the purpose of this survey, followed by
questions referring to the activities which a specialist
should undertake in the field of engineering and
environment protection and if possible to specify the
necessary skills.
After collecting the questionnaires, staffs from the
Faculty Council have analyzed the 27 received
questionnaires and they have grouped the activities on
each domain, to each domain the competencies have
been established, and the skills were covered through
the afferent curricula. Therefore, the curricula were
grouped as it follows:
- disciplines of cultural technique: mathematics,
chemistry, phisics, informatics, etc.
- engineering disciplines: electrotechnics,
machines, material resistance, etc.
- specific disciplines such as: equipments for
atmosphere protection, technologies and water
purging, environmental legislation,
management of the activities for environment
protection;
- complementary disciplines: foreign languages,
sport, psychology- pedagogy , etc.
After establishing the disciplines for the Curricula,
it was discussed with specialists among the Regional
Agency for Environment Protection from the Region of
North-West.
The curricula was discussed in the faculty council and
approved. After ARACIS was founded and it
established the classification of the disciplines in the
field of environment engineering, after the analysis of
the curricula it was noticeable that the curricula and the
disciplines proposed mainly correspond with the new
normative of ARACIS.
The basic mission of the study program
„Engineering and Environment Protection in Industry” is
that of training engineers in the field of environment
protection, having an information basis on many levels.
The strategic objectives of training the engineers in the
field of environment protection consist in:
- Creating the engineering potential able to
contribute to the sustainable development of
the Romanian industry according to the
European norms of environment protection.
- Creating the development premises of the
national potential for the research-development
in the field of the environment protection.
- Creating the human potential necessary to the
development of the technical undergraduate
studies and continuing the formation of
specialists for research development through a
process of continuing the bachelor, master and
PhD studies in the field of environment
engineering.
- Assuring the potential of specialists in the field
of environment protection for the local
administration and the decentralized agencies
with responsibilities in the field of environment
protection.
- Hiring specialists having the necessary
knowledge to drawn up programs for gathering
European funds in the field of environment
protection;
- Creating the premises of the small and medium
private companies for consultancy/expertise in
the field of environment protection.
- The program of study “Engineering and
Environment Protection in Industry” assures
the development of general engineering
competencies and specific/ professional
competencies.
4. Conclusions:
Drawing up a curricula plan to correspond the
market economy requests is a compulsory process for
having the insurance that the graduates have the
necessary skills and that they will find a job in the field
of the specialization. We must remark that the curricula
ought to be periodically revised according to the new
market requests and the competencies imposed by the
job.
In this purpose, we are currently in touch with the
graduates which have obtained remarkable results in
order to find out the evolution of the skills and requests
that come from the economic agents.
References
1. Baboianu, G., Cornelia Benea, Rusu, T., Strategies and
European Policies in Sustainable Development and
Biodiversity Protection - UTPRESS Publishing Office, Cluj-
Napoca, 2008, ISBN 978 - 973-662-430-8.
2. Avram Simona Elena , Rusu T., Management Ecologic -
UTPRESS Publishing Office, Cluj-Napoca, 2008, ISBN 978 -
973-662-505-8.
3. Munteanu, R., Alternative Energy Sources - UTPRESS
Publishing Office, Cluj-Napoca, 2008, ISBN 978 - 973-713-
245-1.
4. Rusu, T., Fundamentals of the Concept of Sustainable
Development, UTPRESS Publishing Office, Cluj-Napoca,
2008, ISBN 978 - 973-662-407-0
5. Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development - UN-
Economic Commission for Europe, Vilnius 17-18 March
2005.
6. National Strategy for Sustainable Development of Romania.
Horizons, 2013-2020-2030 - National Center for Sustainable
Development, Bucharest, 2008
7. www.edu.ro - Synopsis Education for Sustainable
Development, Press Release - 21 March 2005.
 IDENTIFICATION OF A MIXTURE OF COMPETENCIES IN HIGHER EDUCATION
SPECIALIZATIONS
Liliana SPIRCU 1, Tiberiu SPIRCU 2, Crisan ALBU 3, Mihaela MAFTEI 4
1
Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania, liliana@ase.ro
2
“C. Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania, spircut@yahoo.com
3
Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania, crisan@ase.ro
4
Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania, mmaftei@ase.ro

Abstract: Studies aimed to identify degrees of necessary competencies in different educational domains have been performed in the last decade. We
continue the attempts to identify acquired competencies needed in the B.A. cycle, inside several faculties and specializations from Romanian
universities. The opinions of teachers involved in the educational process, along with those of their students, are analyzed together; from their
opinion, classifications of educational units, and also of acquired competencies, are obtained. For the economic B.A. studies in the Romanian higher
education system, a mixture of necessary competencies is identified.
Keywords: acquired competencies, mixture, satisfaction index

INTRODUCTION finishing B.A. year (3rd year of studies, except for the
Medical faculty) have been investigated.
At the European level, studies aimed to identify degrees
Another objective was to investigate a panel of teachers
of necessary competencies in different educational
from several Romanian universities, about:
domains have been conducted in the last decade (as for
a) The existence of specific goals concerning realizing
example in the framework of TUNING Project [1], [2]).
competencies during the educational process;
In the past years we studied the satisfaction level
b) The correlation between the disciplines of study and
attained by the graduates of several specialties in
the labor market demands;
Romania [3], [4], [5], [6], [7]. The opinions of teachers
c) The evaluation of time proportion allotted to
are now confronted with the opinions of students from
practical knowledge transmission;
the finishing year of the B.A. cycle.
d) The opinion about dynamicity of the taught
We present below some of the activities performed in
discipline and its adaptability to “new” appeared
2009 in the framework of the research grant PN II 91-
knowledge.
047/18.09.2007, under the supervision of the National
This investigation was performed in five major
Committee for Programs Management.
Romanian universities. Only in the Academy of
OBJECTIVES Economic Studies a number of 217 teachers covering 91
disciplines of study have been asked for their opinion.
This work continues the attempts to identify acquired
competencies needed in the B.A. cycle, inside several METHODS
faculties and specializations from Romanian
The data processed were obtained from two special
universities. The opinions of teachers involved in the
designed questionnaires, called “Student” res.
educational process, along with those of their students,
“Teacher”. Both contain questions related to 15
are then analyzed together.
particular competences.
The main objective is to identify a mixture of
In the “Student” questionnaire the respondent is asked
competencies resulting after comparing the opinions of
to rate the importance that he/she is attaching to the
the two interviewed populations.
acquisition of the respective competence for the
Under scrutiny are the opinions of students and teachers
profession, according to the scale:
about necessary/acquired competencies from the three
main groups: Extremely Impor- So and Poor Not at all Cannot
1) Instrumental, which refer to those cognitive abilities important tant so import. important evaluate
that suppose: a) the capacity of understanding and 1 2 3 4 5 6
manipulating ideas and concepts, b) methodological Another information obtained from this questionnaire is
capacities of time organization, learning, decision an evaluation made by the student concerning the level
making, and solving practical problems, c) technical attained due to faculty activities, according to the scale:
abilities, d) informing and linguistic abilities;
2) Inter-personal, which suppose: a) capacities of Very High Very Cannot
high enough Medium Low low evaluate
expressing personal opinions, and of critical analysis,
1 2 3 4 5 6
and b) abilities concerning teamwork (interdisciplinary
included); For a pair of responses given by the same student to the
3) Systemic, which refer to: a) knowledge of system questions regarding a particular competence c, a
analysis techniques, b) capacity of managing projects, c) satisfaction value in the range [0, 1] could be attached,
capacity of adapting to new situations, and d) rapid according – for example – to the rules specified in Table
insertion on the labor market. 1 below.
This investigation was performed in 35 faculties from
nine major Romanian universities, covering the
economic, the technical, the pedagogical and also the
medical domain. A number of 2207 students from the
490 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

Table 1. Values of the satisfaction index In Figures 1 and 2 below we present, as examples for
Very High Very the first stage, the evaluated importance given by
Medium Low
high enough low
students from different educational units to the
Extremely competence “Capacity for applying acquired knowledge
important 1 0.75 0.5 0.25 0
in practice”, res. the satisfaction index computed for the
Impor-
tant 0.75 0.75 0.5 0.25 0 same competence. In the same figures the ordinate axis
is reserved for the ordinal dispersion of the responses,
So and so 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.25 0
allowing a better visual comparison.
Poor
import. 0.25 0.25 0.25 0.25 0 Figure 1. Importance attached to “Capacity for applying acquired
knowledge in practice” by students
Not at all
important 0 0 0 0 0 0.6

Hence, for a given faculty f and a competence c, from

the two distributions of responses an index S fc could 0.5

be defined as a weighted average (with weights in Table

Dispersion
1 above). This will be called the satisfaction index. 0.4

Thus, from the “Student” questionnaire the following UM_MED

information regarding each competence is extracted: 0.3

AS_CIG
TI_CHI AS_FAB

- Evaluated importance,
CI_MRK

- Level attained due to the faculty activity, OC_REI BB_MRK

UB_PSY
- Satisfaction felt by the subject. 0.2

The teachers were asked, by the “Teacher” question- 0.40 0.50 0.60
Importance
0.70 0.80 0.90

naire, to evaluate the necessity of creating these

competences inside the discipline of study, using a Of course, for almost all units the importance of
similar ordinal scale: acquiring this particular competence is evaluated at high
Extremely Medium Barely Not at all levels. The units for which the highest importance and
Necessary
necessary level necessary necessary the lowest dispersion are obtained are emphasized.
1 2 3 4 5 Figure 2. Satisfaction declared by students relatively to “Capacity for
applying acquired knowledge in practice” during the faculty
Thus, from this questionnaire for each competence is
extracted: 0.7

- The evaluated necessity. 0.65

CI_I_E

The mathematical statistics instruments adapted for 0.6

treating ordinal qualitative variables [8] that are

associated to the questions included in the “Student” 0.55
OC_CIG
Dispersion

and in the “Teacher” questionnaire are used. The results

AS_CIG
0.5

were obtained by uni- and bi-variate analysis applied on 0.45

UM_MED
VT_INF

all variables resulting from questionnaires.

For each variable, a measure of the relevance of the 0.4

obtained responses is the proportion of the “between”

LB_INE
0.35

component of the ordinal dispersion. (It is known – see 0.3

e.g. [8] – that the ordinal dispersion decomposes into a -0.50 -0.40 -0.30 -0.20 -0.10 0.00
Satisfaction
0.10 0.20 0.30 0.40

“within” and a “between” component.)

When comparing two different ordinal variables, in
order to detect possible concordance of values, the
Somer index ([9], see also [10]) is adopted.
Specific processing forms in SPSS and in Microsoft
Excel have been designed.
RESULTS
By comparing and contrasting the opinions of the two
populations under scrutiny, important results are
obtained. In a first stage tables containing relevance
indexes attached to competencies – treated as separate
items or in three natural groups – obtained after proces-
sing the answers given to the “Student” questionnaires
were computed. These tables are compared, in a second
stage, to those obtained after processing the “Teacher”
questionnaires and therefore concordant answers are
emphasized and common conclusions drawn.
Most of the satisfaction values corresponding to the
educational units are negative, the general satisfaction
value is –0.22 on a scale from –1 to 1. We remark only
three units having “positive” satisfaction values, one
from the technical domain (LB_INE = “Lucian Blaga”
University Sibiu, Faculty of Economic Engineering) and
two from the economic domain (Cl_I_E = “Babes-
Bolyai” University Cluj-Napoca, Faculty of Economic
Informatics, and OC_CIG = “Ovidius” University
Constanta, Faculty of Accounting). However, for the
unit Cl_I_E the high dispersion makes less relevant the
conclusion.
The statistical analysis of the answers (provided by the
2207 students) leads to the following satisfaction values
attached to the three main educational domains
(economic, technical, and pedagogical) and to different
The development of a unitary indicators system for academic quality evaluation, between desideratum and necessity 491

competencies acquired during the higher education Use of a second natural Is of medium importance and
process presented in Table 2 below. (Negative values language in profession should be medium stimulated
Table 3 (continued)
are emphasized.) Use of computer and other Is very important and should be
Table 2. Satisfaction values on educational domains IT&C devices stimulated
Domain Capacity of using information Is very important and should be
Competence c from alternative sources stimulated
Econ. Techn. Pedag.
INSTRUMENTAL TYPE Capacity of making Should be highly stimulated
Capacity for analysis and independent decisions
synthesis 0.14 0.14 0.06 INTERPERSONAL TYPE
Capacity for organizing and Teamwork in profession Should be medium stimulated
planning activities 0.05 0.06 -0.09 Interdisciplinary teamwork Should be weakly stimulated
Capacity of acquiring SYSTEMIC TYPE
fundamental knowledge 0.15 0.16 0.07 Capacity for applying acquired Should be highly stimulated
Use of a second natural knowledge in practice
language in profession -0.12 -0.34 -0.23 Ability to learn and to do Should be highly stimulated
Use of computer and other research independently
IT&C devices 0.15 0.02 0.14 Ability to adapt to new context Should be highly stimulated
Capacity of using information Is highly necessary and should
from alternative sources 0.23 0.13 0.21 Ability to work independently be stimulated
Capacity of making Capacity to respect high Is very important and should be
independent decisions 0.08 0.15 0.03 standards stimulated
INTERPERSONAL TYPE Capacity to elaborate and Should be medium stimulated
Teamwork in profession 0.26 0.43 0.11 manage projects
Interdisciplinary teamwork -0.04 0.09 -0.21
SYSTEMIC TYPE
Similar mixtures of competencies that should be
Capacity for applying acquired developed for a particular faculty can be obtained.
knowledge in practice -0.24 -0.13 -0.15
Ability to learn and to do The opinion of teachers about the dynamicity of their
research independently 0.11 0.05 0.12 discipline of study and its adaptability to “new”
Ability to adapt to new context -0.01 0.04 -0.06 appeared knowledge is presented in Figure 3.
Ability to work independently 0.06 0.06 0.05
Figure 3. Dynamicity of the discipline
Capacity to respect high
standards 0.06 0.07 -0.02
Capacity to elaborate and
manage projects 0.11 0.20 -0.01

The data in the Table 2 above reveals that there is

relatively major dissatisfaction – in all the three
educational domains – regarding the foreign language
study during the B.A. cycle, apart from learning how to
apply acquired knowledge in practice.
In the economic domain, the students are most satisfied
with the way they are trained to work in teams, and to
use alternative sources of information. Over 90% of the teachers consider that their discipline
In the technical domain, the students are most satisfied of study has a degree of dynamicity that makes
with the way they are trained to work in teams, and also mandatory periodic changes in the analytic programs.
to elaborate/manage projects. Only about 9% have the impression of stability of the
In the pedagogical domain the students are satisfied content of knowledge that should be transmitted to
with the way they are trained to use alternative sources students.
of information. However, there are many points of dis- The opinion of teachers about how much their discipline
satisfaction, regarding the interdisciplinary teamwork, of study is affected by the technological changes is
the adaptation to new contexts, etc. presented in Figure 4.
Figure 4 Affectation by technological changes
The statistical analysis of the answers provided by the
1157 students and the 217 teachers from the Academy
of Economic Studies leads to the following strategy (see
Table 3).
Table 3. Mixture of competencies for economic B. A. studies

Competence c Main conclusion

INSTRUMENTAL TYPE
Capacity for analysis and
synthesis
Capacity for organizing and
planning activities
Capacity of acquiring
fundamental knowledge
Is highly necessary and should
be stimulated
Is only medium necessary
About 62% of the teachers consider that their disciplines
Is highly necessary and should of study were affected at some extent by the
be stimulated technological changes that we witnessed in the last
492 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

decades. This is an indication of how much new

technology, and in particular the World Wide Web
instruments such as the e-commerce [11], influenced the
Romanian economic higher education.
CONCLUSIONS
A mixture of necessary/acquired competencies for the
economic higher education, commonly agreed by the
students and the staff of the Academy of Economic
Studies, is identified. The obtained results are useful – at
faculty level – when designing new curricula [12]. Next
stage will consist in completion of data – in the
economic domain – taking into account the opinions of
other economic faculties in Romania and also the
opinions of the employers.
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Structures in Europe, Part II Universities’ contribution to the
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3. Spircu, L. and al. (2007), “Educational Offer Evaluation in
Romanian Universities by Efficiency Techniques”. Tenth
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4. Spircu, L. and al. (2007), “Educational Process, a Multi Inputs
and Multi Outputs Process”, Econ. Comp. Econ. Cybern. Stud.
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5. Spircu, L. and al. (2007), “Ordering Educational Offers Using a
Model of Acquired Competencies, Econ. Comp. Econ. Cybern.
Stud. Res., Vol.41 (3- 4), pp. 43-54.
6. Spircu, L. and al. (2008), “Competence-Oriented Approach of
Academic Education, Practical Aspects”, in C. Rusu (editor),
Proceedings of The 6th International Conference on Management
of Technological Changes, Vol. II, pp. 363-366.
7. Spircu, L. et al. (2009), “Descriptive and Multidimensional
Indicators for Ordering Educational Offer”. Econ. Comp. Econ.
Cybern. Stud. Res., 43, pp. 135-146.
8. Rampichini C. et al. (2004), “Analysis of university course
evaluations: from descriptive measures to multilevel models”,
Statistical Methods & Applications, 13, pp. 357-373.
9. Somer, R.H. (1962), “A New Asymmetric Measure of Association
of Ordinal Variables”. Am. Sociol. Rev., 27, 799-811.
10. Piccarreta, R. (2001), “A new measure of nominal-ordinal
association”, Journal of Applied Statistics, 28, 107-120.
11. Schneckenberg, D. and Wildt, J. (2006), “New Competences for
Academic Staff – An International Investigation on eCompetence
in Higher Education”. CELT Webcast, January 2006. Available
from: URL: http://videostream.nuigalway.ie/dortmund.
12. Rullmann, P.M.M. and al. (2005), “Criteria for Academic
Bachelor’s and Master’s Curricula”. 2nd Ed. Delft: Drukkerij
Lecturis.
13. B. Rusu, G. Condurache, C. Rusu, M. Voicu , (2008)
Competences of higher education – survey of final year students
of engineering – economics specialization , The 5th International
Seminar on theQuality Management in Higher Education, 12th–
14th of June, 2008, Tulcea, Romania, Ed.Performantica, Iasi,
ISBN : 978-973-730-496-4; pg.1-6.
14. Condurache, Gh., C. Rusu, B. Rusu, Rodica Boier, (2009)
,Student satisfaction regarding acquired competences- ,
Procedings of the 6th International Conference on the
Management of technological changes, Alexandroupolis, Greece,
2009,Book 2, pg.227-230.
 INTERNATIONALISATION OF CURRICULA

Marta-Christina SUCIU 1, Magdalena PLATIS2, Mina IVANOVICI3, Ana-Maria NEAGU4

1
Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies, christina.suciu@gmail.com
2
University of Bucharest, magdalena platis magdalena.iordache-platis@drept.unibuc.ro
3
Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies, mina.ivanovici@ase.ro
4
Politehnica University from Bucharest, amineagu@yahoo.com

This paper is aimed at discussing the modern concept of curriculum internationalisation in the context of an increasingly global
world, including an increasingly global academic environment. The curriculum internationalisation regards the process of integrating
an international, intercultural or global dimension into the purpose, functions or delivery of higher education. In Romania curriculum
internationalization is still a debated subject. The paper disseminate a part of “IDEI 1224”& “Parteneraite 92116” national research
projects dedicated to a more enlarge vision of learning environments including equality of chance, management of diversity,
intercultural dialogue and sustainable higher education development. Within this framework we plan to focus also on the idea of
curricula design with a possible application on the Faculty of Business Administration where all the topics are taught in foreign
language (SELS/FABIZ). The first two authors are teaching at this faculty. We intend to do an analysis of what curriculum
internationalization is for the students at the Faculty of Business Administration from the Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies
and how this is applied European faculties and worldwide. The purpose behind this study is to see to what extent curriculum
internationalisation is put into practice. Internationalisation of curriculum is somehow linked to transnational education.
Transnational education, on the other hand, means getting a foreign qualification without leaving the residence country. Both these
educational realities are on the increase in today’s globalising environment. All universities need to define it for teaching, research
and community activities. Internationalization is needed to prepare graduates for the international labour market. An
internationalized curriculum could provide a means to develop global perspectives and skills in the home country, while making the
teaching-learning process more relevant for international purposes. According to our knowledge Romanian studies dedicated to
curricula design have focused on the internalization of curricula and on transnational education. So from this point of view our
approach has an originality value.

Most of the cooperation agreements regard exchange

AN OVERVIEW OF CURRICULA
INTERNATIONALISATION FOR TWO MAIN
ROMANIAN UNIVERSITIES
Romanian universities, like many other universities
in Europe, have been concerned with the idea that the
activities they offer should meet society’s needs within
the various existing disciplines. However,
internationalization of curricula is a lengthy complex
and difficult-to-achieve process. Recent efforts either
copied or inspired from abroad, have focused on the
financial and human resources for internationalised
curricula. Funding for such projects in the last years has
been grouped under larger schemes, which also included
mobility programmes. There has been a growing need to
distinguish between individually and institutionally
oriented programmes and funding.
For instance, Academy of Economic Studies
Bucharest has been involved in European Exchange
Programmes for more years now, as well as in other
types of cooperation projects with European institutions
and not only. The main destinations for students
exchange (mainly Erasmus programmes) are: Austria,
Belgium, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Lithuania,
Great Britain, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden,
Hungary. Besides Erasmus programmes, which are the
most popular among students, this university has
cooperation agreements with universities from many
countries (Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic,
Egypt, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Moldova,
Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Serbia, South Korea,
Switzerland, Turkey, USA etc.).
of students and academic staff, joint research activities
and exchange of scientific research journals.
Politehnica University of Bucharest currently hosts
183 foreign students enrolled in FILS (Faculty of
Engineering in Foreign Languages), from 33 countries
and 3 continents. The University also has a number of
151 cooperation agreements from 22 European
countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus,
Germany, Denmark, Spain, Estonia, Finland, France,
Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, The
Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, Slovenia,
Slovakia, Turkey, United Kingdom. Additionally, most
of the foreign students benefit from Erasmus study
mobility programs. In 2009/2010 academic year, 34 first
year students from France, Germany, Portugal, Spain,
Turkey have participated in Erasmus study mobility
programmes, and are attending FILS courses.
The faculties of Academy of Economic Studies
Bucharest offer a growing number of programmes
taught in English. The number of English-taught
programmes and courses has increased in the past ten
years, following an increasing need for
internationalization and for being part of international
cooperation programmes (mobilities & research
programmes etc.). More than 100 individual courses are
taught in English, French and German.
Moreover, there is one faculty in this university
where all courses are taught in foreign languages.
However, not all faculties have clear language
policies, but some other faculties organise bachelor or
master programmes in foreign languages in order to
meet the increasing demand in the market.
494 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
Nevertheless, there is great variation in the size and
number of the programmes from one higher education
institution to another. Politehnica University of
Bucharest offers courses in foreign languages only in
the above-mentioned specially-designed faculty.
There are no tuition fees for foreign students of
Romanian origin and this has helped to attract a
significant number of them to the faculties of Academy
of Economic Studies and Politehnica University from
Bucharest. Moreover, there are many scholarships
offered to such students. This is the case, for instance of
students from the Republic of Moldova, who are of
Romanian ethnicity, but not only. Foreign students now
account for about 4% of the university student
population in the Academy of Economic Studies.
Similarly, and 3% in Politehnica University of
Bucharest. These figures are very important in finding
out the dynamics of the number of foreign students
choosing the Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies
and Politehnica University of Bucharest for higher
education studies, but also for assessing the needs for
curricula internationalisation in such institutions.
A CASE STUDY ON CURRICULA
INTERNATIONALISATION IN ROMANIA
A survey comprising 35 students coming from the
Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies (BAES) and 25
students from Politehnica University of Bucharest was
conducted in the first quarter of 2010. The average age
for the respondents coming from BAES is 19.5 years.
All respondents are first year students and their studies
take place in English. The average age for the
respondents coming from PUB is 22.7 years.
Respondents are first year students (16%) and fourth
year students (84%) and their studies take place in
English.
Asked whether the academic curricula in their
university are designed in order to be compatible with
those of similar universities in Europe, 34% said they
are, 37% said they are not, while the remaining 29% did
not know what to answer. For PUB, the shares were
30%, 40% and 30%.
The items, in the students’ opinion, that different
universities across Europe should provide in their
academic offer in order to ensure comparability and
compatibility are:
• the same subjects taught and the same teaching
techniques
• use of internationally recognized books
• development of business, management, marketing,
accounting, mathematics, law, political science,
finance and economics skills
• leveling of the education system in Europe
• the use of a foreign language for teaching
• the same information should be presented, but the
teaching methods should be adapted to the
environment and mentalities of that country
• better established education standards
• more practical classes;
• questionnaire regarding the subjects to be studied;
• elective courses.
Asked whether they believed that universities of the
same type in Europe (e.g. Business Administration,
Economics, Engineering etc.) provide the same basic
qualification, the respondents gave a positive answer
(43%) to the same extent to which they gave a negative
answer (43%) at BAES. The remaining 14% declared
they have no knowledge on that. For PUB, the 41%
were positive answers, 38% were negative, the
remaining meaning they do not know 21%.
Asked whether the differences in the academic
curricula across different European universities are
generated by the local culture differences, 43%
respondents from BAES gave a positive answer, 37%
gave a negative answer, while the remaining 20% did
not know what to say. For PUB, 70% were positive
answers, and 13% negative, while 17% did not know
what to say.
Around 89% of the BAES respondents and 90% of
the PUB respondents agreed that universities of the
same type should award equivalent degrees and
diplomas that are acknowledged everywhere in Europe
and in other parts of the world. Those who did not agree
(6% for BAES and 5% for PUB) said that such degrees
and diplomas should be awarded provided that the level
of preparation is the same.
Surprisingly, 57% of BAES respondents and 50% of
the PUB respondents have not heard of
internationalization of curriculum/curricula, which gives
an idea of how this concept is being promoted in our
country and/or university. Approximately 31% BAES
and 25% PUB have come across this concept, while
11% BAES and 25% PUB do not remember whether or
not the concept is familiar to them. Those who said they
have come across the concept gave different
interpretations of it:
• comparing and analysing a certain subject in
various institutions
• standardisation, uniformisation including however
cultural differences
• the same curricula for all countries in order to make
it easier for students to go study abroad
• offering perspectives for studying abroad, teaching
in foreign languages etc.
• including international information and examples in
the curricula
• the same curricula around the world
• a set of common subjects and examinations.
Asked whether these meanings can be found among
the educational offer of their university, an amazing
share of 63% of the BAES respondents said they do not
know, while 26% admitted that the university offers
indeed curricula internationalisation as seen through
Internationalisation of Curricula
their eyes, while 11% said they cannot find such
features in their university.
For PUB 45% had no knowledge, 20% knew about
such measures in the university and the remaining 35%
could not find such features in the university.
Those giving a negative answer justified it as
follows:
• countries and particular experiences of universities
are too much different to make them adopt the same
standards;
• it is technically too difficult to make all universities
change their curricula for a standardised one;
• no update of curricula and no similarities;
• too many constraints for certain subjects.
Analysing the results obtained in BAES and in PUB
we can state that internationalization of Romanian
higher education curricula has been particularly
successful in the disciplines of business and economics
and engineering so far, but there is much more to be
done.
Moreover, a stronger promotion of benefits to study
in our country plus a more active recruitment of foreign
students need to be implemented alongside with
curricula internationalisation efforts. Curricula
internationalization should meet the needs of Romanian
and foreign students alike. In this respect, both
universities are active promoting their studies abroad.
They both attend international educational fairs and
exhibitions.
CURRICULA INTERNATIONALISATION.
EXAMPLES OF BEST PRACTICES
The world economies are facing other challenges,
particularly those pertaining to whether a country can
attract and retain qualified knowledge workers for a
rapidly changing knowledge industry. Universities are
seeking to develop better connections and relationships
with society and the economy while maintaining at the
same time the quality level of the academic offer. This
is a reality for Romania and for other countries as well.
The process of curricula internationalization is
underway in most of the countries of the world,
especially in developed and developing countries.
Poland will establish a private medical institute in
Israel in order for students to study there for 3 years
before moving to the Medical University in Gdansk for
3 more years of clinical study. At the end of the studies,
the students then return to Israel for an internship.
There are major economic reforms undergoing in
Russia and they have important implications for the
higher education sector as well. Many higher education
institutions operate programmes abroad.
It is the case of the Moscow International Slavonic
Institute and the Moscow State University of Industry.
Moreover, Russia is the country where joint and double
degree programmes, twinning, and franchise
arrangements have been established and operate well.
For instance, The Higher School of Economics and the
495
London School of Economics have a double degree
programme in Russia.
The Stockholm School of Economics has a branch in
St. Petersburg and the University of Oslo’s Centre for
Medical Studies is based in Moscow. The British Open
University has 80 business-training centers in Russia.
The University of Southern Queensland and Far
Eastern National University in Vladivostok have a
partnership relation for program delivery. The Pune-
based International Institute of Information Technology
(India) plans to offer its master and doctoral courses
within the newly established Russian-Indian Centre for
Advanced Computer Research in Moscow.
The University of Indianapolis has been active in
Greece for more than thirteen years. Its educational
offer ranged in the beginning of its functioning from an
articulation arrangement whereby students can start
their studies in Athens to programmes completed in the
United States of America. Later on, the cooperation
evolved into a campus based in Greece, called the
University of Indianapolis, Athens.
Laureate Education (formerly Sylvan), a private
company, owns part or all of the Universidad Europa de
Madrid in Spain, Les Roches and Glion Hotel School in
Switzerland, and the L’ecole Superieur du Commerce
Exterieur de Paris in France.
Apollo International offers courses in the
Netherlands, and Raffles La Salle (Singapore) signed an
agreement with Middlesex University to offer bachelor’s
and master’s programmes in the fields of fashion and
design.
In Bahrain, the University of Hanover (Germany)
has been planning an affiliation with a new Euro
University.
An American University was been established in
Egypt more than 80 years ago. However, there are other
newer cooperation programmes such as the German
University in Cairo and the L’Université Française
d’Egypte, which have been established in the past 6
years, and a new British University is under
development.
Such partnerships, be them local or foreign, differ as
far as their types as concerned. This is the best proof
illustrating the creativity and diversity of new
collaborations. For instance, the American University in
Egypt is franchised to offer the distance MBA program
of Heriot-Watt University from the United Kingdom.
U.S. colleges and universities as well as private
companies are undertaking hundreds of initiatives and
partnerships, whose purposes are the delivery of cross-
border education courses and programmess. Probably, it
is the most active and innovative nation in worldwide
programme and mobility provider.
George Washington University has seriously been
considering a South Korean branch because the
government of the latter has changed its regulations to
permit foreign education providers. There are many
other U.S. universities that established cooperation
relations with Korean institutions and companies.
Syracuse University and Sejong University in Seoul
496 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
offer an MBA programme that was specifically
designed for Korean students.
Duke and Purdue Universities are other examples of
MBA programmes providers in Korea. Also, Stanford
University delivers online graduate and postgraduate
courses, using alumni as local tutors. Other U.S. higher
education institutions finance similar cross-border
activities many other countries like China, India,
Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam,
and the Middle East. For example, the University of
Missouri at St. Louis helped to establish the Gulf
University of Science and Technology, the first private
university in Kuwait, and the Modern College of
Business and Science in Oman.
CONCLUSIONS
Curricula internationalisation may refer to various
items: study abroad programmes; foreign languages
courses; interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary or cross
disciplinary programmes; delivery of programmes or
courses with an international, intercultural or
comparative focus etc.
Irrespective of the form under which this concept is
analysed, there is still need for improvement in the
Romanian higher education practices in this respect.
There are examples galore of how such practices exist in
other countries and they can represent starting points for
more such projects in our academic environment.
References
1. Altbach, P.G. and Knight, J. (2007), “Internationalization of
Higher Education”, Journal of Studies in International
Education, fall-winter, 290-305.
2. Adams, M. (1992),” Cultural inclusion in the American college
classroom”, in: L. L. B. Border and N. Van Note Chism (eds.),
Teaching for diversity: New directions for teaching and learning:
Vol. 49, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco 5-17
3. Bremer, L. and van der Wende, M. (1995). Internationalizing the
curriculum in higher education: Experiences in the Netherlands.
The Netherlands: Nuffic, Amsterdam.
 PRIORITIZING DIGITAL COMPETENCES IN ENGINEERING STUDENTS’ FOREIGN
LANGUAGE CURRICULUM
Delia TĂNASE-ROBESCU1
1
“Politehnica” University of Timişoara, Department of Foreign Languages, delia.tanase@cls.upt.ro
The present paper gives primacy to digital competences regarded as crucial competences that mediate overlapping of both discipline-
specific competences and linguistic competences in dynamic learning environments, capable of empowering future engineers with
valuable functional/transversal competences that successfully help them face the currently emerging socio-professional challenges.
INTRODUCTION
Acknowledging that in order “to ensure the best
match of skills, individuals should acquire combination
of transversal core skills with the specific skills needed
for a job as soon as possible and develop them further
throughout life (Skills supply and demand in Europe:
medium-term forecast up to 2020 (2010)), the present
research argues in favour of embracing a refreshed
perspective on the engineering students’ foreign
language curriculum in terms of digital competences
viewed as effective enablers of mergeable competences
(engineering field-specific competences, linguistic
competences, cross-curricular competences) in more
enriched and outcome-oriented learning settings.
The paper is structured in two broad sections, of
which the first gives several insights into the author’s
previous theoretical and empirical research in foreign
language curricular design customized for engineering
students and ICT-based foreign language instruction,
justifying the digital competence prioritization, whereas
the second section deals with the proper delineation of
those digital competences that showcase overlapping of
engineering discipline-specific competences and
linguistic competences, and, implicitly, generation of
genuinely productive blended learning environments.
Equal attention is paid to highlighting the main
advantages of integrating specific e-competences in the
engineering students' foreign language curriculum.
RESEARCH BACKGROUND
The importance of including ICT in the foreign
language curriculum has long been emphasized by both
researchers and practitioners (Chester, 1987; Levy,
1997; Davison, 2005), whereas its core application to
foreign language teaching for specific purposes (LSP
teaching), is twofold, as remarked by Arnó Macià et al.
(2006), inasmuch as ICT has significantly changed the
language learning context and manner. Firstly,
irrespective of their geographical location, field of
activity and linguistic background, professionals are
nowadays networking via English, regarded as the
lingua franca of professional settings, or internationally
influential languages such as French, Spanish, German,
whose deployment is vital for career development and
internationalization. Secondly, the ICT rapid progress
and availability have provided language speakers with
enhanced language immersions, undoubtedly superior to
those provided by traditional learning materials, in
which professionals as speakers of a certain foreign
language “must enter into not just a general linguistic
community (e.g., of English speakers) but rather a
highly specialized one (e.g., of English-speaking
mechanical engineers)” (Arnó Macià et al. 2006: 14).
The author’s current interest comes naturally as a
further step in a research work focused on the
development of a foreign language curriculum
customized for engineering students within a rather
chaotic academic context characterised by the absence
of some specialised reference tools or unanimously-
accepted practices among technical university language
teachers. So far this endeavour has materialized in two
articles whose findings have established specific criteria
for foreign language curricular design customised for
the engineering field (cf Pop & Tănase-Robescu (2009))
and have envisioned a common reference framework for
foreign language teaching in Romanian technical
universities (cf Tănase-Robescu & Pop (2010)).
Featuring both an external dimension imprinted by
the educational policies currently enforced at the
European level as well as an internal dimension derived
from the internal documents issued by the university
decision-makers and the quality standards enforced at
the national level, foreign language curricular design
customized for the engineering field entails at least three
overriding criteria:
- the modularity criterion whose adoption enables
the structuring of the content according to the varying
stages of linguistic training ;
- the criterion of specificity of curricular objectives
and related competences, implying that there should
be a higher degree of specificity in the formulation of
curricular objectives so that they are oriented to job-
specificity related competences and their actual and
tangible acquisition;
- the flexibility criterion pointing to a three-fold
flexibility embedding linguistic training programs
which should flexibilize and turn secondary education-
acquired competences into transversal and transferable
competences applicable in the subsequent study of the
language(s) provided by the university programme,
498 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
especially when the secondary education language is
different from the higher education language; secondly,
university language programs should be flexible enough
to showcase intra-disciplinary competence transfer and
integrated learning experiences (task conception and
assignment should give students the opportunity to
deploy intra-disciplinary competences with a view to
enhancing their flexibility in balancing and mixing
discipline-specific competences and linguistic
competences so that the target language becomes a
mediating tool for the accomplishment of specialism-
specific tasks); thirdly, the flexibility of foreign
language curricula in terms of learning support
upgradability is vital given the short ‘life expectancy’ of
the learning materials used in LSP seminars (foreign
language curricula should be flexibile enough to allow a
regular insertion of updated learning supports that keep
up with the rapid technological changes characterizing
our globalised work environments).
The above criteria have further shaped a fertile
mindset for the conception of a matrix-shaped common
framework for foreign language teaching in Romanian
technical universities in terms of three touchstones: the
context of language use (specifying the professional
area in which the user will function, analysing the
learning/teaching situation), formulating more specific
engineering student-oriented language competences and
identifying possible stages in the linguistic training
program and describing the content of each stage.
Briefly put, the observations of the Common
European Framework of Reference for Languages
(CEFR, 2001) with respect to the occupational domain
(cf. CEFR, 2001: 48) are also applicable in the special
purpose language teaching, whereas the identified
engineering student-oriented competences fall into
specific linguistic competences (e.g. adjectives
describing shapes, dimensions, verbs describing stages
of a process, faults, equipment maintenance),
sociolinguistic competences realizing work-generated
socio-cultural interactions (e.g. business etiquette, non-
discriminating and non-sexist language, establishing
international contacts), functional competences
overlapping discipline-specific competences (e.g.
expressing numerical information in percentages,
assessing equipment reliability), generic competences
(problem-solving skills) and digital skills (e.g.
widgetizing, podcasting) and enabling achievement or
simulation of practical actions characteristic of
engineering environments.
Equally important in the advanced common
framework is the stage-based framework for the
engineering students’ linguistic training consisting of
the stage of general training (intended to homogenize
the group level, with specific emphasis on general
communication), the stage of specialised training with
two components: the stage of initiation into specialised
communication (vocabulary/structures characteristic of
the general technical discourse) and the stage of further
development of the technical and specialized domain-
related communication in close relation to the
specialism specificity and the stage of socio-
professional training oriented towards the
development of techniques of written and oral
communication required by the current professions.
At this stage of research the author’s interest is
focused on pinning down engineering students’
functional competences in relation to the stage of
specialised training which requires most customized
input.
Similarly with the previous research, the principles
underlying the author’s view build on the currently
emerging approach to foreign language teaching – the
action-oriented approach (the Common European
Framework of Reference for Languages 2001) –
centred on the development of the language user’s
functional competences in a given field of activity and
on the user’s social interaction, the European
employment strategy advocating European citizens'
increased employability through acquisition of mixed-
nature functional competences (cf New Skills for New
Jobs: Anticipating and matching labour market and
skills needs, (2008), acknowledging that “across sectors,
generic skills such as problem-solving and analytical
skills, self-management and communication skills,
ability to work in a team, linguistic skills and digital
competences are more and more valued on the labour
market”), last but not least awareness of idiosyncrasies
of the Romanian higher education as emphasised by
Vasiu et al. (2006), such as the Romanian students’
increased interest in e-learning and preferred topics for
online delivery.
Three sensitive issues related to language teaching
for specific purposes, namely the rapid outdatedness of
traditional LSP learning materials, students’ insufficient
exposure to quality LSP instruction in traditional
learning environments and students’ insufficient
motivation, or even worse, demotivation, which is a
cross-curricular teaching challenge nowadays, and the
outcomes of an interuniversity cooperation project – the
LLP project ViCaDis, (http://www.vicadis.net/) – have
sparked and empirically validated the prioritization of
digital competences.
Emphasizing students' digital literacy in achieving
better academic performance and advancing information
and communication technologies as well as social
software as instructional methods, the ViCaDis virtual
learning campus has showcased the piloting of a web-
based Technical English Course designed as an add-on
e-learning support envisioned to tackle and overcome
the above-mentioned LSP pitfalls. Students were
assigned both individual tasks (creating one’s own entry
blog to speak about technical problems/faults, uploading
newly-encountered technical terms and their definitions
in the Technical English Glossary, uploading recordings
of one’s own web-based interaction in a distinct blog)
and team tasks (creating wikipages on topics such as
IPhones - advantages and disadvantages, GPS accuracy
enhancement, Deutsche Telekom’s acquisition of
Greece’s OTE, etc., preparing PowerPoint presentations
on subjects related to company structure, development
Prioritizing Digital Competences in Engineering Students' Foreign Language Curriculum
and research projects), which were successfully carried
out with various (a)synchronous e-learning tools.
Students’ achievements, active involvement, and
feedback retrieved in pre and post-piloting
questionnaires have clearly pointed to blogging, wiki-
page and glossary developing as effective enablers of
mixed-nature competences merging engineering field-
specific competences, linguistic competences and
generic competences. The blogging creation, for
instance, has generated a genuinely meaningful learning
network whose content was built, upgraded, owned and
shared by students and only ‘shadowed’ by the teacher
in terms of content, language accuracy and space
constraints and has provided a stimulating and thought-
provoking content (ViCaDis’ Technical faults blog has
had 299 total visits) in which students developed,
upgraded and exchanged technical fault-related
knowledge and concepts, practised and developed
technical fault-related language and applied and
developed analytical and on-line research skills. The
screenshot below extracted from a long chain of blog
entries providing pertinent explanations/solutions to a
large variety of technical faults (browsers, smartphones,
operating systems, hardware, software bugs, backup
issues, credit card cloning, car manufacturing, aviation,
naval disasters, etc.) is a case in point:
Figure 1
The next section suggests five digital competences
(blogging, wikipage creation, glossary creation,
widgetizing, podcasting) and discusses their major
advantages in terms of language proficiency,
specialism-related knowledge development and
functional competence development
DIGITAL COMPETENCES IN THE
ENGINEERING STUDENTS’ FOREIGN
LANGUAGE CURRICULUM
Blogging
499
Built by students, therefore quite time-saving for
teachers, who can allot more time on students’
monitoring and ensuring that functional competences
such as online research skills, linguistic skills, analytical
skills, and problem-solving skills are thoroughly
practised, blogging creation showcases permanent
language immersion that students cannot enjoy in
traditional learning environments. Furthermore, it
allows them to choose the research content according to
their language proficiency, therefore it is more effective
than a mixed-ability-oriented traditional lesson.
Blogging creation also comes as the perfect
incentive for students demotivated by the content
suggested by teachers or for internet-addicted students
who have forgotten the pleasure of book reading,
turning their addiction into a positive goal-oriented
action.
Wikipage creation
Wikipage creation stands as a highly effective
alternative to traditional learning supports whose
upgradability cannot keep pace with the rapid
technological progress and economic changes
characterizing current socio-professional environments
whereas such environments feature real-time
upgradability with easily-upgradable web-based content.
Supporting real-time upgradability, ease of content
adjustment according to engineering students’ actual
interests, wikipages not only overcome this major pitfall
of paper-printed learning supports but they also enable
“active, social, contextual, engaging and
‐
student owned” learning experiences (Wikis in Higher
Education, an exploratory report issued by the
University of Delaware (2008)) and, more importantly,
they are highly interactive and collaborative learning
facilitators. Additionally, wikis are team work-
supporting environments that allow teachers a better
supervision of each team member’s contribution to the
final output.
Figure 2
Glossary creation
500 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
Glossary creation and updating goes hand in hand
with wikipage creation and can be envisioned as a
vocabulary preview/simultaneous/follow up activity that
forces students to record and make available technical
terms and concepts encountered before or while
searching ideas and arguments to shape wikipage
content.
Their main advantage is the wealth of information
available to and upgradable by all students enrolled in
the course, whose collaborative work requiring
individual contributions is highly productive and time-
saving. If a group of 20 students is required to create a
glossary of computer engineering terms with each
student inserting 20 terms, then a 400-word glossary is
born within a very short time interval and with
minimum efforts.
Widgetizing
The wealth of technical concepts can be
complemented by widgets as regular providers of
updated specialism-related knowledge. In terms of
knowledge updatedness and easy access, they seem to
be the most efficacious tools given the high number of
technical sites providing widgetizing facilities.
Additionally, widgetizing literacy can be exploited as a
steady authentic technical language immersion-tool and
reading skill-consolidator as widgets can easily incite
users to access original informational resources. Their
attractiveness is increased by the fact that they can be
personalised thus students are given enforced control
over their learning content and interests.
Podcasting
Podcasting displays similar advantages as
widgetizing, the only difference being the different
skills practised, i.e. speaking and listening. Getting
students accustomed to listening but also producing
podcasts is very productive. On the one hand, the lack
of insufficient exposure to quality authentic language
can be overcome by assigning students podcast-listening
tasks outside the classroom given their extensive
availability, whereas creating podcasts can be a very
attractive form of project-based learning in which
students review various recording software programs
and retrieve online information for the proper podcast
content.
Overall, it is essential to point out that all of the
above-mentioned digital competences develop students’
ability to get informed and expand specialism-related
knowledge while performing various tasks which points
to a further research step regarding the exploration of
their potential in terms of building learner’s autonomy
and teacher-independence as lifelong-learning assets.
Such a perspective envisions a long-term learning
outcome which involves the student’s taking
responsibility for managing his/her own professional
development.
CONCLUSION
On the whole, all the advanced digital skills exploit
the incentives of experiential, learn-by-doing learning
which seems very appealing and motivating for today’s
generation of engineering students who are prone to
assess learning program efficiency in terms of the
opposition ‘invested time vs. achieved amount of
knowledge/competences’. All of them showcase
integrated learning experiences that facilitate cross-
curricula competence transfer, yet, in varying degrees
(e.g. wikipage creation maximizes consolidation of
technical knowledge and analytical and team-working
skills) which points to the necessity of combining and
complementing them, generating thus more enriched
and productive learning settings.
References
1. Arnó Macià, E., Soler Cervera, A. & Rueda Ramos, C. (2006),
Information Technology in Languages for Specific Purposes:
Issues and Prospects, Springer, New York.
2. Chester, S. (1987), Use of Computers in the Teaching of
Language, Athelstan Publications, Houston.
3. Common European Framework of Reference for Languages:
Learning, Teaching, Assessment. (2001). Electronic document
available at:
http://www.coe.int/T/DG4/Linguistic/Source/Framework
_EN.pdf .
4. Davison, C. (2005), Information Technology and Innovation in
Language Education, Hong Kong University Press, Hong Kong.
5. Levy, M. (1997), Computer-Assisted Language Learning:
Context and Conceptualization, Oxford University Press, New
York.
6. New Skills for New Jobs: Anticipating and matching labour
market and skills needs. (2008). Electronic document available
at:
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEM
O/08/791&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLangua
ge=en.
7. Pop, M., & Tănase-Robescu, D. (2009). “Towards a New
Curricular Design for Foreign Language Teaching in Romanian
Technical Universities” in C. Oprean, N. Grünwald, V. Kifor
(Eds.), conference proceedings “Balkan Region Conference on
Engineering and Business Education”, Lucian Blaga University
Press, Sibiu, pp. 326-329.
8. Skills supply and demand in Europe: medium-term forecast up to
2020 (2010). Electronic document available at:
http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/EN/Files/3052_en.pdf.
9. Tănase-Robescu, D. & Pop, M. (2010). “Developing a Common
Framework for Foreign Language Teaching in Romanian
Technical Universities” in Uzunboylu, H. (Ed.), conference
proceedings “World Conference on Educational Sciences”,
Bahcesehir University Press, Istanbul, (forthcoming).
10. Vasiu, R., Robu, N., Andone, D., Bucos, M. & Onita, M.
(2006). “Integration of eLearning in Romanian Technical
Universities” in E. Pearson & P. Bohman (Eds.), Proceedings of
World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Association for
the Advancement of Computing in Education, Orlando, pp. 121-
126
11. ViCaDis (Virtual Campus for Digital Students)
http://www.vicadis.net/
12. Wikis in Higher Education (exploratory report issued by
the University of Delaware) (2008). Electronic document
available at: http://copland.udel.edu/~mathieu/
wiki/resources/2008-5-23_Wikis_in_Higher_Education_UD.pdf
WORKPLACE ORGANIZATION OBJECT OF STUDY FOR STUDENTS OF INDUSTRIAL
ENGINEERING

Gianina-Madalina TIMOFTE1 Marius CHIRUGU1 ,

1
The "Gheorghe Asachi" Technical University of Iasi , chirugu.gianina@yahoo.com
1
The "Gheorghe Asachi" Technical University of Iasi , mariuschirugu@yahoo.com
1
The "Gheorghe Asachi" Technical University of Iasi , ddparasc@yahoo.com

The purpose of this paper is to present the importance of introducing the discipline of study ,,Workplace organization'' for students
who study in industrial engineering field. Given the experience of overseas universities regarding the introduction of the discipline of
study in the curriculum for industrial engineering and the results of researchs for this paper are the foundations to achieve the
structure of ,,Workplace organization’’ university course. This paper is framed in the curricula design topic because it highlights the
change curricula for industrial engineering. The researchs for this paper are made with the aid of students and teachers from
Technical University of Iasi and University of Galati,also with aid to ten companies from our country. The main method used is
questionnaire. The results were processed using Microsoft Excel program. Following the interpretation of the questionnaires were
obtained the results: 70% of students want to learn more about workplace organization and 90% of teachers believe it would be useful
to introduce such a discipline of study in industrial engineering curricula. By introducing this universitary course, the universities are
preparing specialists in workplace organization domain and will be made new researchs, that may lead to optimization of production
processes, so it has applicability in industry. With results this paper is original and in this way are open new research directions for
placing the workplace organization as a subject of study in technical universities.

INTRODUCTION
In recent years, the romanian higher education
system adapts to the type Bologna and produce various
changes in the curricular areas including specific
engineering studies (Lixandru B., 2005).
Contemporary society requires a reform of
engineering education to keep pace with the market
economy (Zajda, J.and Macleans, A. 2010).
GENERAL INFORMATION
Fundamentals of engineering education will not
change but the skill set of engineering graduates must be
more comprehensive than it is today ( Galloway P.,
2005).
Engineer exceeds the technology boundaries and
must give up at his narrow specialization which
becomes dangerous and need to acquire knowledge in
various fields (Stefan I.,2008)
One of these fields of study is also the workplace
organization, that gathers information from other fields
such as ergonomics, economics, sociology, anatomy,
science systems and central object of study is human-
machine-environment system (Timofte G.,2009)
Departments and research centers in foreign
universities are focused on the workplace study.
Analysing the romanian university courses which
prepare the future engineers concluded that there are
few chapters which refer to concepts in this area, but
when the young engineers coming in factory encounter
specific problems of labor organization.
From this idea started this work and to demonstrate
the need the introduction of this new discipline in the
curriculum of technical universities have done the next
research.
Object of research
This research highlights the need to introduce a
course with the object of study organization of the
workplace and aims to end development of program that
underpin to this. course.
Research objectives are:
- highlighting the need for introduction of a
technical university curriculum, an orderly with object
centered on the organization of the workplace.
- presentation of students desire to obtain
information on the organization of the workplace
- highlighting the effectiveness of teaching a course
about workplace organization
- developing a program that underlies teaching this
course
Based on the following objectives were formulated
the following general hypothesis: organization of the
workplace as a discipline is an area of interest for
students of industrial engineering and contribute to
complete a twenty one century engineer.
Were established following secondary hypotheses:
1. Industrial engineering students have basic
knowledge about concepts specific to the study of
workplace organization.
2. Industrial engineering students want to attend a
course on workplace organization.
3. Teachers say the effectiveness of teaching a
course on workplace organization.
4. Employers recruiting engineers beginners who
have knowledge in various fields including in the field
of labor organizing.
5. Employers believe that engineers are trained in
organizing the workplace.
Research methodology

EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH
502 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

The research was conducted during March- 8. Choice items and prepare A questionnaires
December 2009 to Technical University of Iasi and 9. Choice items and prepare B questionnaires
University of Galati. 10. Choice items and prepare C questionnaires
Methodology used : documentary analysis method in 11. Sending by e mail B questionnaires to firms
preparation of research and investigation by chosen for implementation research.
questionnaire method. 12. Organizing a meeting with students from
The tools used: questionnaire, mini grid test Technical University Iasi: application of knowledge
anonymous with the aim to check secondary hypothes verification test, film presentation and application A
with number one and informal meetings. questionnaires.
It was elected as a working tool questionnaire 13. Organizing a meeting with teachers from
because it offers advice, one image of the object Technical University Iasi: the C questionnaires
investigated. application.
Operationalization of concepts was achieved through 14. Organizing a meeting with students from Galati
three questionnaires were designed to test the University: application of knowledge verification test,
assumptions and highlight research results. film presentation and application A questionnaires.
The first questionnaire is designed to emphasize 15. Organizing a meeting with teachers from Galati
students' desire to meet new information on workplace University: the C questionnaires application.
organization and has been applied to a group of 50 16. Collate the results after application of A, B, C
students from industrial engineering after prior questionnaires .
presentation of a film with ten minutes during which has 17. Analysis and verification of final results
presented that can study a course on workplace 18. Organizing informal meeting with the twenty
organization. teachers: development of programs that underpin to
The second questionnaire B is designed for course support and vote for it.
companies from our country, who are recruiting
engineers specialized in industrial engineering and is RESULTS
designed to highlight if specialization in organizing the
workplace is important for them.
The results were processed using Microsoft Excel
These questionnaires were sent to 50 companies in
program.
the country by e mail but only ten were returned.
After applying the test to check students basic
The third questionnaire C is for teachers who teach
knowledge about the organization of the workplace
specific subjects of industrial engineering and is following results were obtained - Figure 1.: -80%
intended to present the opinion of teachers on the obtained marks between 1 and 5; 18% have obtained
introduction to this subject in university curricula.
marks between 6 and 8 and 2% were obtained marks
To establish course program has made an informal
between 9 and 10.
meeting at the Technical University of Iasi, where
Analyzing these results it is concluded that the
participating teachers who completed and C
nomber one the secondary hypothesis was disproven, so
questionnaires. students have not a basic knowledge about the
The target population of the present research is the organization of the workplace.
people and legal persons and consists of three samples:
- Sample 1 consists of fifty industrial engineering
students at four-year study, which thirty of the
Technical University of Iasi and twenty at the
University of Galati.
- Sample 2 consists of ten companies in our country,
which recruits engineers specialized in industrial
engineering.
- Sample 3 consists of twenty teachers who teach
specific industrial engineering objects, fifteen from the
Technical University of Iasi and five from the
University of Galati .
Effective implementation of research was done after
the next project:
1. Choice of research topic
2. Documentary analysis of the area of workplace
organization characteristic study
3. Identify research objectives
4. Formulating hypotheses
Figure 1: Marks obtained by students test of knowledg
5. Practical research planing
e in the field of workplace organization
6. Developing tests for students
7. Preparing students film presentation
Workplace organization object of study for students of industrial engineering 503

After applying thee questionnaire type A in sample 1 3. Engineer

must have a
yes 60% no 40% - -

were obtained the results presented in Table 1 rich stock of

knowledge
from various
fields
Table 1: Percentage
ercentage responses to the A questionnaire including
labor
Question a) The b) The c) The organization?
Version percentag Version percentag Version percentag 4. yes 20% no 80% - -
of e for a) of e for b) of e for c) Employment
response respons response engineers
e have basic
1. You yes 80% no 20% - - knowledge
previously about the
thought it organization
was of the
interesting workplace
movie?
2. You think yes 30% no 70% - -
you know
about the
Analyzing the results presented in Table 2 and
area shown
in the
Figure 3 is observed that 60% of companies want
movie?
3. Want to yes 90% no 10% - -
engineers to have a rich knowledge in as many areas
learn new
information
including the labor organization.
about this
area?
This percentage lead to confirm hypothesis number
4. Want to
attend a
yes 70% no 30% - - four: employers
oyers recruiting engineers beginners who
course on
organizatio
have knowledge in various fields including in the field
n of the
workplace?
of labor organizing.
5. Prefer theoretica 30% practical 30% theoretica 60%
that way of l l
teaching and
such a practical
course:

Analyzing the results obtained and presented in

Table 1 and Figure 2 shows that 70% of students want
to attend a course on workplace organization which
confirms the research assumption number two:
industrial engineering students want to attend a course
on workplace organization.

Want to attend a course on

organization of the workplace?
p
e
Figure 3:The companies want trained engineers
r 80%
in many areas
c
e 60%
n
40% The results presented in Figure 4 lead to rule out the
t hypothesis numberr five, namely 80% of employees do
a 20% not agree with the idea that engineers have basic
g knowledge on the organization of the workplace.
e 0%
YES NO

Figure 2: industrial engineering students

studen want
to attend a course on workplace organization.

After applying the questionnaire type B in sample 2

were obtained the results presented in Table 2:

Table 2: Percentage
ercentage responses to the B questionnaire
Question a) The b) The c) The
Version percentage Version percentage Version percentage
of for a) of for b) of for c)
response response response
1. Engineers yes 90% no 10% - -
will be
recruited
from
graduates of
famous
universities
in Romania?
2.At theoretical 20% practical 20% both 60%
employment Figure 4: Beginer: engineers have basic knowledge
young
engineer on the workplace.organization
should have
knowledge:
504 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

After applying the questionnaire type C in sample Sometimes formulating questionnaire items is not
3were obtained the results presented in Table 3: very clear, which is why it is possible that subjects not
Table 3: Percentage responses to the C questionnaire have understood exactly the each item.
Question a) Version
of response
The
percentage
b) Version
of response
The
percentage
Another source of error for the present research can
1. Workplace organization yes
for a)
60% no
for b)
40%
be and how the data were collected, some subjects
occupies an important place in
industrial engineering?
initially refusing to participate in research, which may
2. Research in this field opens yes 70% no 30% lead to complete questionnaires at random without
new horizons?
3. Believe that students have yes 20% no 80% reading the items carefully and especially without
knowledge about organization
of the workplace? understand it.
4. Are useful for students yes 100% no 0%
informations about workplace
organization? DIRECTION FOR FUTURE RESEARCHS
5. Agree to introducing a yes 90% no 10%
workplace organization
course in the technical
universitary curriculum Even if the study was limited by certain factors,
achieved the main aim and opened new horizons for
The results represented in Figure 5 confirm research field.
hypothesis number three, namely that 90% of teachers Researchs can be extended to all technical
agree to introducing a workplace organization course in universities in our country, or may conduct a study on
the technical universitary curriculum the introduction of a master form focused on workplace
organization domain.

CONCLUSIONS

1.The engineer of twentione century beyond the role

of a machinist and is transformed into an entirely new
social phenomenon.
2. Organization of the workplace as a discipline is an
area of interest for students of industrial engineering and
contribute to complete a twenty one century engineer.
3.The most important results of study:70% of
students want to attend a course on workplace
organization and 90% of teachers agree to introducing a
workplace organization course in the technical
universitary curriculum
Figure 5: Teachers agree to introducing a workplace organization
course in the technical universitary curriculum
ACKNOLDGEMENTS

Following the discussions were at a meeting of
teachers from two technical universities to set up this
discipline as to have the status of the optional subject
and have the following structure:
1. Generalities about the workplace organization
2. Analysis workplace organization in ergonomic,
economic and systemic terms.
3. Serving workplace organization
4. Workload
5. Specific methods of organizing the workplace
6. General elements of work protection and safety.
Following the analysis and interpretation of results,
the general conclusion is that this study confirmed the
general assumption.
Research has made a number of methodological
limitations that have affected the validity of results
which will be presented in the following rows.
First it was noted that a small number of subjects
used, making the results may not be representative of
the population from which were extracted the samples.
This paper was realized with the support of BRAIN
“Doctoral scholarships as an investment in intelligence”
project, financed by the European Social Found and
Romanian Government.
References
1. Galloway ,P. (2008), Inginerul secolului XXI.Reforma educatiei
in domeniul ingineriei, Editura Agir, Bucuresti, ISBN: 978-973-
720-161-4, pages 91-102.
2. Lixandru, B. (2005), Curriculum scolar si strategie didactica,
Editura Augusta, Timisoara ,ISBN: 973-695-150-2, pages 15-20.
3. Stefan, I. (2007), Inginerul de la roata la inteligenta artificiala,
Editura Performantica, Iasi, ISBN: 978-973-730-425-4,pages 120-
124
4. Timofte, G. (2009), Organizarea locului de munca in industria
constructoare de masini, Editura Tehnica-Info, Chisinau, ISBN:
978-9975-63-298-0, page 3.
5. Zajda, J.and Macleans, A. (2010),The politics of education
reforms, Publisher: SPNL, Dordrecht –Netherlands, page 132.
 TARGETED CURRICULA FOR FOODSERVICE MANAGEMENT BS DEGREE IN
ROMANIAN UNIVERSITIES

Iuliana VINTILA1
1
Dunarea de Jos University Galati, email vintilaiuliana @yahoo.com

The objectives of the present paper research are to identify the core competencies cluster correlated with the professional skills
criteria for the different level of BS Certification in the Hospitality Industry, Food Service Management, Art Culinary Program. The
research investigate the competencies level achieved from the employer and educational services provider point of view, with a 4-
point Likert scale and formulate a improved targeted curricula for the 3 BS certifications in the framework of Food Service
Management Specialisation. Hotel and restaurant management education provided by the Romanian colleges and universities must be
adapted at the international requirements and the present study research has a theoretical implication generated by the original
model of experimental protocol in the competencies investigation. The practical implication of the present research has multiple
targets– academics, researchers, and heads of the Foodservice Management specialisation, National quality assessors of Educational
Ministry and Romanian Food Service Industry Federation. The personal contribution is related with the main expertise of the author
and the key results issue by the multi-factorial research conducted in the framework of the AMPOSDRU Project DOCIS. The
originality of the paper is generated by the novel vision in the formulation of the competencies based on a multiskill professional
cluster, adapted to the actual Romanian Educational Standards, validated in the National Consortium both by the academics and
professionals of the hospitality industry.
Key Words: Curricula, Competencies, Skills, Foodservice Management BS, Educational Standards

PRIOR WORK important part in the cluster of hospitality services and

Competencies are described in terms of results to be
achieved, whereas earlier methodologies prescribed
tasks, abilities and professional attitudes. The European
Working Group involved in the process of improving
EU Foodservices Management education recommend
the developing of individuals’ capacity to use general,
technical and personal skills. The “soft skills” make use
of the basic skills to combine the competencies of
individuals in the team-working concept: Barr and Tagg
(1995). The new concept of competencies can therefore
be introduced speedily to satisfy an increasing need for
certification arising from more flexible employment
relationships. Whilst employers’ offer “earning with
learning” to encourage multiskilling, professional
associations observe that the acquisition of various
competencies by workers who occupy jobs outside
conventional job classifications tends not to be
remunerated appropriately: Beer (2000). In the recent
years, the certification of skills has also been debated as
a means of improving the functioning, transparency and
permeability of the international labor markets:
Burbules and Callister (2000). Certification of skills is
therefore not endorsed as a substitute for formal initial
training but only as a new way of presenting its results:
Briggs (2006).
DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROCH
Present state and perspective of the research
questions
The construction of complete and valuable curricula
as a tool in education and correct assessment of the
learning results is the actual necessity in the BS
Universities with Foodservices Specialisation.
In the last 10 years a very fast spreading of
specialisation occur because of the great and important
Romanian tourist potential. Foodservices take a very
Romanian Universities must adapted the actual curricula
to the new international standards and national
requirements & specifics. A scientifically validation of
the targeted curricula constructed in the present paper
research is preview after 3 year of BS cycle by 2
methods: Student’s t-test and two-way ANOVA
statistical analysis.
Overall Research Objectives is the construction of
Targeted Curricula for Romanian BS in
Foodservices Management.
The employer requirement regarding the professional
portfolio can be modelled with 2 methods: quantitative
and qualitative. In the present paper research we
conduct a qualitative investigation with a BS Graduate
Student Questionnaire (BSGSQ) and 10 professional
skills criteria related with the 6 basic competencies
involved by the BS certification, as following:
(1) Effective Communication Skills as an Employee;
(2) Employability and Career Development Skills;
(3) Computers, Telecommunications tools and
Databases using skill;
(4) Practice Skill to ensure a Safe and Healthy Work
Environment;
(5) Ethics Principles in the Work Place;
(6) Cost Controls abilities;
(7) Professional Food Service Industry Knowledge;
(8) Safety and Hygiene Techniques skills;
(9) Basic Food Preparation Skills;
(10) Basic Principles of Nutrition Skills.
10 major employees nominated by Romanian Hotel
Industry Federation fulfilled the BSGSQ including
qualitative appreciation and evaluate the
qualification level on a 4-points Likert scale of
occupation skill, as following:
506 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

1: Not Yet Meeting the Standard. Did not achieve the The results revealed an important lack of performance in the
basic professional skills and abilities due to inadequate curricula
minimal required competency.
at the actual requirements of the Romanian Food Service
2: Progressing. Additional training needed. Requires Industry. The most part of the competencies best evaluated are
close supervision. not constructed and correct defined in the higher study cycle and
3: Proficient Achieved competency. Considerable skill. are based on the personal education received in family (skills 4,
5, 8) or as a result of personal hobbies (skill 3). In this
Can perform task with limited supervision.
circumstance, the performance of the education BS cycle must
4: Exemplary. Excellent skills. Can perform task be improved in the near future in order to provide an adequate
with no supervision level of competencies requirements by the Food Service
The same rating scale were used by 5 educational Industry.
service providers of the specialization, in order to The present paper research create an example of
evaluate the level of graduating student’s competencies Food Service Management Curricula, based on the
portfolio. Data are presented as average points for each results of the conducted BSGSQ, which might be
10 criteria of basic competencies evaluation. Correlation validated by the national consortium and the
between the two evaluations systems was performed autonomic universities with specialization in this
using Pearson’s product moment correlation. The model field.
analysis of variance was carried out in order to compare
the perception of competency degree of the graduating Food Services Management Curricula
students from the employee and the educational
provider point of view. As the results of p-Value under Restaurant (Food Service) Management
0.8 targeted curricula with new defined 6 competencies Program (Table 2) provides students with targeted
were described and an e-database for BS candidates’ use management skills including cost control,
was presented. The validation of the improved curricula restaurant operations, guest services, leadership,
was realized by consensus procedure in the National legal regulations, catering, technology and
Consortium created with the participation of the personal development to pursue a career in the
academics and professionals of the industry. food service industry. The food service industry
includes careers in restaurants, hotels, resorts,
KEY RESULTS cruise ships, schools, hospitals, festivals, meetings
and special events.
The evaluation of the BSGSQ results showed a 2.92
mean level of the competencies portfolio (Table 1),
which reflect a mediocre quality of the professional
qualification of the BS Romanian Graduate Students. Table 2 Skills Certificates in Food
The standard deviation on the appreciation Likert scale Services Management
of 4-point have the highest value in the case of 2, 7 and
9 occupational skills, which are view as the most Skill Certificate – Dining Room Educational
important professional qualities in the food service Manager (Maitre d’hotel) Standard in
industry career. The best levels of competencies are Credits Unit
achieved for the Computers, Telecommunications and Introduction to Hospitality Industry 1
Databases using Skills, followed by the Safety and Hygiene and Food Safety 3
Hygiene skills. Restaurant and Events 4
Management
Table 1 Means and standard deviations of the occupation skill evaluation on the Managing Guest Relations 4
4-points Likert scale
Professional skills criteria Mean S.D. Total Credits Required: 12
(1)Communication Skills as an 3.1 1.1 Skill Certificate – Chef Manager
Employee Food Safety in Catering 1
(2)Employability and Career 2.9 1.2 Basic Gastronomy 3
Development Skills
Front Office Operations 3
(3)Computers, Telecommunications 3.7 0.5
and Databases using Skills Managing Guest Relations 3
(4)Practice Skill to ensure a Safe and 3.6 0.6 Principles of Promotion and Selling 3
Healthy Work Environment Event Catering Management 3
(5)Ethics Principles in the Work Place 3.6 0.9
Total Credits Required: 16
(6)Cost Controls abilities 3.2 1.0
(7)Professional Food Service Industry 2.8 1.2 Skill Certificate – Special Event
Knowledge Manager
(8)Safety and Hygiene Techniques 3.6 0.5 Introduction to Hospitality Careers 1
skills Restaurant and Banquet 4
Management
(9)Basic Food Preparation Skills 3.1 1.2 Catering and Event Management 4
Principles of Marketing 3
Principles of Promotion and Selling 3
Targeted Curricula for Food Services Management BS Degree in Romanian Universities 507

Total Credits Required: 15 organizational structure, potential career paths and

industry information sources.
Abilities and skills criteria:
1) Food service career opportunities;
2) Types of foodservice operations;
3) The professional foodservice industry traditions,
history and current trends;
4) Major international cuisine’s and ethnical
influences;
Culinary Arts 5) Current culinary terminology;
6) Information gathering resources related to the food
Culinary Arts Program provides students with BS service industry;
competencies in the methods of food handling, 7) Professional organizations within the Foodservice
cooking, and culinary management (Table 3). Industry.
Competency 2 Hygiene and Safety Management
Table 3 Skill Certificates in Culinary art
General Objective: Assure the health of consumers and
Academic Options Educational employees by applying the safety policies of foods,
Standard in preventing accidents and injuries.
Credits Unit Abilities and skills criteria:
Skill Certificate – Basic Baking 12 1) HAACP and food safety;
Skill Certificate – Basic Cooking 12 2) Conditions related to food spoilage and food borne
Vocational Certificate – Culinary 42 illnesses;
Arts 3) Symptoms of common food borne illnesses;
Skill Certificate – Basic Baking
4) Critical Control Points Management;
Introduction to Hospitality Industry 1
Hygiene and Food Safety 3
5) Personal hygiene;
Basic Gastronomy 4 6) The proper use and storage of chemicals used for
Baking and Pastry 4 cleaning and sanitizing;
Total Credits Required: 12 7) Material Safety Data Sheets;
Skill Certificate – Basic Cooking 8) Methods of waste disposal and recycling;
Introduction to Hospitality Industry 1 9) Procedures to prevent accidents and injuries;
Hygiene and Food Safety 3 10) The function, safe use, and care of food service
Basic Gastronomy 4 equipment, tools, and knives;
The Art of Menu Planning and 4 11) Fire safety in the kitchen;
Serving
12) Basic first aids procedures.
Total Credits Required: 12
Vocational Certificate –Culinary
Competency 3 Basic Food Preparation
Arts General Purpose: Demonstrate knowledge and skill in
Nutrition 3 basic cooking and baking methods, use of kitchen tools,
Introduction to Hospitality Industry 1 equipment, recipe items and standardized recipes.
Hygiene and Food Safety 3 Abilities and skills criteria:
Restaurant and Events 3 1) Identify and demonstrate proper use of knives, tools,
Management and equipment;
Basic Gastronomy 4 2) Demonstrate precision knife cutting skills (julienne,
Baking and Pastry 3 batonette, brunoise, etc.);
Cooking Techniques 3
3) Demonstrate a basic knowledge of food
Menu Planning/ Kitchen Layout 3
and Design characteristics and cooking transformations;
Cost Management 3 4) Identify properly handling and store condition of
Catering and Event Management 3 food commodities;
International Gastronomy 3 5) Demonstrate abilities to design and execute a
Strategy of Menu Planning and 4 standard recipe;
Serving 6) Demonstrate proper mise en place execution ;
Advanced Cooking Techniques 3 7) Demonstrate abilities to use the proper dry, moist,
Hospitality Management Software 3 and combination cooking methods (poaching
Total Credits Required: 42
steaming, broiling, grilling, sautéing, frying, stir
frying, deep frying, braising, stewing and blanching);
Culinary Arts proposed competencies are as
8) Identify and properly use common herbs, spices,
followings:
oils, vinegar and other flavoring ingredients;
Competency1 Knowledge of the Professional
9) Prepare specific stocks and soups;
Foodservice Industry
10) Prepare all five basic sauces and a variety of
General Objective: To develop a general understanding
smaller sauces
of the foodservice industry, including history,
508 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
11) Prepare a variety of meats, fish, poultry, and
shellfish using a variety of cooking methods;
12) Prepare a variety of typical breakfast foods
including cheese and dairy;
13) Demonstrate abilities of portion control in
preparation, plating and service;
14) Prepare specific salads and salad dressings;
15) Prepare specific hot and cold sandwiches;
16) Demonstrate efficient food product preparation
techniques.
Competency 4 Baking and Pastry Production
General Objective: Demonstrate knowledge and skill
in basic baking and pastry production including
knowledge of ingredients, methods, tools, equipment,
ability to execute standardized baking formulas.
Abilities and skills criteria:
1) Demonstrate knowledge about baking ingredients
characteristics;
2) Demonstrate an understanding of the functions of
common bakery ingredients;
3) Demonstrate an understanding of basic mixing
methods for dough and batters (Straight dough,
Creaming, Blending, Sponge, Rub-in or Cut-in);
4) Demonstrate the ability to follow instructions on a
standardized bakery formula;
5) Prepare a variety of baked products to include: Yeast
Products and Breads, Quick Breads, Cakes and Icings,
Cookies, Pies and tarts (crusts and fillings), Custards
and Creams.
Competency 5 Food Service Cost Control
General Objective: Perform abilities to adjust and
execute recipes, calculate the cooking yield, cost
components, total cost, and performance indicators.
Abilities and skills criteria:
1) Demonstrate accurate use of standard weights and
measures;
2) Demonstrate accurate use of standard recipes;
3) Demonstrate correct use of professional kitchen
measure (scales, volume measures, portion scoop, can
sizes);
4) Demonstrate a basic understanding of food
costing(ingredient cost, unit cost, cost per recipe, and
cost per serving);
5) Demonstrate the correct use of a simple cash register
and performance indicators relevance.
Competency 6 Menu Nutritional Control
General Objective: Apply principles of nutrition to
menu planning and selection of food preparation
methods.
Abilities and skills criteria:
1) Identify the basic nutrients in food;
2) Modify recipes to achieve nutritional goals;
3) Calculate the basic nutritional value of menu items;
4) Select the appropriate food preparation method in
order to achieve nutritional goals;
5) Handle and prepare food product for maximum
retention of nutrients.
CONCLUSIONS
Hotel and restaurant management education
provided by the Romanian colleges and universities
must be adapted at the international requirements and
the present study research has a theoretical implication
generated by the original model of experimental
protocol in the competencies investigation. The practical
implication of the present research has multiple targets–
academics, researchers, and heads of the Foodservice
Management specialisation, National quality assessors
of Educational Ministry and Romanian Food Service
Industry Federation.
The personal experience as scientific coordinator for
the college professors first degree certification as well
as for BS and MS students could offer me the practical
solution for the improvement of the Romanian
educational reality reveled in the present scientifically
research:
(i) Reconstruction of the curricula at all level of
education based on the certification obtained by the
cluster of competencies validated in a public-private
consortium.
(ii) Reconstruction of the handbooks based on the
improved curricula agreed in the national consortium.
(iii) Educational Staff with minimum BS degree
obtained in Universities with Foodservice Management
Specialization CNCSIS accredited.
(iv) A strong implication of the Romanian
professional organizations, in the framework of a
correct educational policy, to provide regular
practical stages in all year of the study cycles, with
de veto importance in the final certification and
employability evaluation.
REFERENCES
1. Barr, R.B. and Tagg, J. (1995), “From Teaching to Learning”
Change, 27(6), 13-25.
2. Beer, D., Busse, T., Hamburg, I., Mill, U. Paul, H. (2006), “E-
learning in European SMEs. Observations, Analyses &
Forecasting”, in: Proceedings of the ARIEL final Conference,
Brussel, 222-224.
3. Briggs, J. (2006), Teaching for Quality Learning at University,
Wiltshire, UK.
4. Burbules, N. C.and Callister, T. A. (2000), Watch IT. The risks
and promises of information technologies for education, Westview
Press,Colorado.
 IMPACT OF THE COMPETENCES OBTAINED THROUGH HIGHER EDUCATION
SYSTEM – ORGANIZATIONAL STRESS, POTENTIAL CAUSE OF THE RESISTANCE
TO CHANGE IN ORGANIZATIONS

Gabriela ZVÂNCĂ1, Anca COBZARU 2, Gabriela TIMU3

1
PHD STUDENT « Gheorghe Asachi » Technical University of Iasi, gabriela_zvanca@yahoo.com
2
PHD STUDENT « Gheorghe Asachi » Technical University of Iasi, anca.cobzaru@yahoo.com
3
PHD STUDENT « Gheorghe Asachi » Technical University of Iasi, gabriela_timu@yahoo.com

Objectives/Purpose:
The paper wants to investigate if there is a direct relation between organizational stress as a cause of resistance to technological
change and the level of education of the interrogated respondents in order to find different methods for overcoming resistance to
change. A part of the survey will analyze if the persons with post university degree are less resistance to technological change than the
ordinary university graduates.
Prior work:
Previous studies, published in international conferences ISI indexed, with following theme:
- “Project Orientated Problem Based Learning – School Science Teaching by Project Orientation - Improving the Transition to
University and Labor Market for Boys and Girls - POPBL Implementation in Romanian Schools”;
- “Overcoming Resistance to Technological Changes in Romanian Organizations”.
Design/Methodology/Approach:
The research methodology contains a survey applied to 57 respondents from 43 Romanian companies that are dealing with
technological change. The questionnaire is applied to top and middle management from functional departments from organization
directly involved in technological change. The questionnaire information is quantitatively analyzed in SPSS, and qualitatively in
MAXQDA.
Results:
Development a curricula design in higher education, by better understanding of resistance to technological change in organization,
from top and middle management involved.
Implications:
The quality of higher educational system has important implications in development of future top and middle managers that will be
facing with technological changes during their professional activity after graduation. Resistance to change, an implicit effect that
might occur in every change, can be overcome by proper educational programs.
Originality/Value:
Research methodology applied to a new identified challenge.
Keywords:
higher education, competences, resistance to change, change management, post university degree, organizational stress.
Acknowledgements:
This paper was realised with the support of BRAIN “Doctoral scholarships as an investment in intelligence”, project financed by the
European Social Found and Romanian Government.

INTRODUCTION described by Selye. He also pointed to an "alarm

There is a wide variety of articles related to topics state", a "resistance state", and an "exhaustion state",
like organizational stress, development of university’s largely referring to glandular states. Later he developed
and post university’s curricula, and even on resistance the idea of two "reservoirs" of stress resistance, or
to change. alternatively stress energy4 (see figure 1).
We all agree that, if the stress exceeds a particular
level considered even absolute to stimulate an
action/change and reach dangerous levels, this has
negative effects on individuals’ health and activity,
with direct results in organizations.
In psychology, the stress is defined “as how the
body reacts to a stressor, real or imagined, a stimulus
that causes stress. Acute stressors affect an organism in
the short term; chronic stressors over the longer term”.
Hans Hugo Bruno Selye researched the effects of
stress. He developed GAS theory of stress (General
Adaptation Syndrome). Selye discovered and
documented that stress differs from other physical
responses in that stress is stressful whether one receives
good or bad news, whether the impulse is positive or
Figure 1 – Selye’ GAS theory of stress
negative. He called negative stress "distress" and
The research from this paper is part of a bigger
positive stress "eustress". The system whereby the
investigation that analyze the potential causes of
body copes with stress, the hypothalamic-pituitary-
adrenal axis (HPA axis) system, was also first
4
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_Selye
510 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

resistance to change of key persons involved in a new

Education_type
technological equipment implementation in Romanian

top management
economics
companies, identification of change reactions and 12.5
engineering

Count
10.0
overview feasible ways to overcome negative effects of 7.5 1 economical
resistance to new equipment implementation. 5.0
7
engineering
others
The purpose of the present paper is to investigate all 2.5

Respondent position in organization

3
0.0
this aspects impact on organizational stress as an university Postgraduate
Education
important potential cause of resistance to change from

middle management
the educational point of view, how the competences
gained through educational system influence the 12.5
1

Count
10.0
resistance to change of the graduates, that finally 7.5 5
2
4
makes the difference between success and failure of a 5.0
2.5
change, especially in these days when it is very 0.0 2 1
important to find the proper solutions in crisis situation. university Postgraduate
Education
Competences, defined by American Heritage
Dictionary of the English Language as “the state or

employee
12.5
quality of being adequately or well qualified; ability” 4

Count
10.0
or “a specific range of skill, knowledge, or ability” 7.5 6 7
5.0
might have a direct influence on stress in organization, 2.5 4
with direct impact on resistance to change, important 0.0 1
university Postgraduate
element in the success or failure of a change process in
organizations and this what we want to investigate Figure 3 – Structure of the sample by education type, respondent position in
organization and education level
through this survey.
The objectives of this survey are:
METHODOLOGY 1. Investigation of a direct relation between
organizational stress as a potential cause of resistance
The survey is based on a questionnaire, applied to 57 to technological change and the level of education of
respondents from 43 small, middle and large the interrogated respondents, directly involved in
companies from Romania (12,28% of respondents are change;
from small firms, 45,61% from middle organizations, 2. Overview feasible ways to overcome negative
42,11% from large organizations). The respondents effects of resistance to technological change, including
have different position in their organizations (top organizational stress;
managers – 21,05%, middle managers –36,84% and 3. Drawing suggestion for educational system to
supervisors – 42,11%). improve curricula according to the requirements from
As organization type, 64,91% of the companies have organizations.
production activities, 26,32% have commerce activity
and 8,77% services. The survey has been simultaneous analyzed under
The sample is balanced if we consider the educational two aspects:
level and educational background of the respondents (see - At personal level, importance granted from the
figure 2). respondent when he/she is confronted with a new
Education_type
equipment implementation - on a scale from 1 to 5 (1
economics = the least important, 5 = very important);
engineering
economical
- At organizational level, importance observed by the
engineering
others
respondent inside the company when a new equipment
is implemented, on a scale from 1 to 10 (1 = the least
30

6 3 important, 10 = very important).

Note: the data were collected in May and June 2009, while the world
20 financial crisis effects could be experienced in Romania.
Count

14 18 QUANTITATIVE & QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS

10
Hypothesis 1:
Persons with post university degrees are less
7
5 resistance to technological change than the ordinary
2 2
university graduates, if we analyze the stress
component of the resistance.
0
university Postgraduate
Education
As figure 4 and 5 shows, persons how have
Figure 2 – Structure of the sample by level of education and education type postgraduate studies give more importance to the fear
The structure of the analyzed sample can be observed of stress associated with change, meaning that, due to
in figure 3 (clusters by respondent position in the knowledge acquired by following postgraduate
organization with a panel by education level, structured studies, they understand better the change mechanism,
by education type). the possible traps and dangers of the process, the stress
Impact of the Competences Obtained Through Higher Education System – Organizational Stress, Potential Cause of the
Resistance to Change in Organizations 511

being one of them. This affirmation is available both at If we analyze the answers after educational
personal and organizational level. background of the respondents, we notice that those
how have both economical and engineering studies feel
less stressed out about the technological change than
the other categories, with significant differences.
4.5
4.5

Mean of Fear of stress associated with change

4

Figure 4 – Fear of stress associated Figure 5 – Fear of stress associated

with change – case weighted by with change – case weighted by
Education level – personal opinion Education level – opinion at 3.5 3.44
organizational level 3.28

If we want to analyze deeper, we see that persons

who followed postgraduate studies and have a technical 3

background as engineers, give a bigger importantance

to this issue (see fig 6).
2.5
2.5

economics engineering economical others

engineering
Education_type

Figure 8 – Fear of stress associated with change (personal respondent opinion)

by education type

WAYS TO OVERCOME NEGATIVE EFFECTS

OF RESISTANCE TO TECHNOLOGICAL
CHANGE

When the questioned people were asked to say what

are the most appropriate measure to be taken in
organization in order to increase the level of
organizational stress generated by the technological
change, they answered:
Figure 6 – Fear of stress associated with change – case weighted by Education • Training programs on:
level and educational type – personal opinion - Using new technologies
In the same time, the persons with postgraduate - Team work
studies are less stressed out about the change, if we - Efficient communication
compare the mean values from One-Way ANOVA
analysis, where graduates register a level of 6.9 - Conflict management
comparing with postgraduates 5.7, on a scale from 1 to - Project management
10 (with a significant difference, sig. 0.037). • Participation and involvement of team
members
7
6.931
• Efficient communication between leader and
Mean of Fear of stress associated with change -

6.8
team members change
• Facilitation and support
6.6
• Negotiation
importance quotient

• Cooperation
6.4
• Cooptation
6.2 • Manipulation
• Coercion
6
• Financial stimulation
5.786
SUGGESTIONS FOR CURRICULA IMPROVEMENT
5.8

University Postgraduate
Education Taking into consideration the measures that the
Figure 7 – Fear of stress associated with change (opinion about respondents consider that are appropriate to be
organization) by education level implemented in their organization in order to increase
512 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
the level of stress generated by the technological
change, we suggest that:
- Introduction in university curricula of more
practical classes, especially on fields requested by the
companies and this curricula to be updated
periodically;
- Students should be involved in projects where
they are encouraged to work as a team, developing in
this way abilities like team work, communication,
conflict management, cooperation, negotiation;
- Periodical visits of the students in different
organization in order to be familiarized with
companies’ environment, reducing in this way the great
stress generated by the graduation and the difficulty of
finding a proper job, according to their education
background;
- Internships in different organization;
- Permanent communication between universities
and business environment / civil society about the job
necessity from the market and forming the future
graduates according to those needs.
CONCLUSIONS
The answers from personal level are according with
the answers registered at organizational level (with
small exceptions), meaning that the respondent have a
pretty objective view on what is happening in their
organization.
Persons with postgraduate studies registered a lower
level of stress generated by the technological change,
so we might conclude that the resistance to change has
lower level from the stress point of view.
Also, those with both economical and engineering
background have complex knowledge on change
process, so they don’t feel frightened when the change
must be implemented in organization.
Even if these categories register a resistance to
change, we may consider it a positive resistance, an
alarm signal that announce that there is a problem in a
change phase and the data must be reconsidered.
References
1. Bovey, Wayne H.; Hede, Andy – “Resistance to
organizational change - the role of cognitive and
affective processes”, Leadership & Organization
Development Journal, MCB University Press Ltd, 2001
Publisher, Volume 22, Issue 8, Page: 372 – 382, DOI:
10.1108/01437730110410099, ISSN 0143-7739
2. Bovey, Wayne H. ; Hede, Andrew - “Resistance to
organizational change - the role of defense
mechanisms”, Journal of Managerial Psychology,
MCB University Press Ltd Publisher, 2001, Volume
16, Issue 7, Page: 534 – 548, DOI:
10.1108/EUM0000000006166, ISSN 0268-3946
3. Brenner E., Niehs, J. – “Curricula Development based
on Learning Outcomes – An Austrian Case”,
Implementing Competence Orientation and Learning
Outcomes in Higher Education, © Krems, July 2008
4. Bruckman, John C. – “Overcoming Resistance to
Change: Causal Factors, Interventions, and Critical
Values”, The Psychologist-Manager Journal, Volume
11, Issue 2 July 2008, pages 211 – 219
5. Cobzaru, A. – “Organizational stress on crisis”,
“Organization needs towards master curricula”,
„Modern Approaches In Organisational Management
And Economy 2009 – Third Edition” International
Conference, 12-13 November 2009, Bucharest,
Romania
6. Cobzaru, A. – “Dealing with stress at work on crisis”
Conference on Management of Technological Changes
MTC 2009, 3rd-5th September 2009, Alexandroupolis,
Greece, Volume I1, pg. 437-440;
7. Jaba, E., Grama A. – Statistical Analysis with SPSS
for Windows, Polirom Publisher, 2004;
8. Rusu, B.; Teodoreanu, M; Zvâncă, G; Rusu, C.;
Carcalete, P.; Voinea, D.– “Quantitative Analysis of
the Results of POPBL Project Implementation in
Romania” – QMHE2008, Tulcea, Romania, IDS
Number: BIK04, ISBN 978-973-730-496-4, pg. 271-
276.
9. Rusu, C. – Change management, Economic Publisher,
2003
10. Selye (1975). Confusion and controversy in the stress
field. 1. pp. 37–44.
11. Timu, G. – “Organization needs towards master
curricula”, „Modern Approaches In Organisational
Management And Economy 2009 – Third Edition”
International Conference, 12-13 November 2009,
Bucharest, Romania
12. Timu, G. – “The Role Of Non Formal Education:
Case Study MBA” Conference on Management of
Technological Changes MTC 2009, 3rd-5th September
2009, Alexandroupolis, Greece, Volume I1, pg. 383-
386;
13. Waddell, Dianne; Sohal, Amrik S. – “Resistance: a
constructive tool for change management”,
Management Decision Journal, MCB University Press
Ltd. Publisher, 1998, Volume 36, Issue 8, Page 543 –
548, DOI: 10.1108/00251749810232628, ISSN 0025-
1747
14. Zvâncă, G. – “Change Resistance to New
Technological Equipment Implementation in
Romanian Organizations”, Conference on
Management of Technological Changes MTC 2009,
3rd-5th September 2009, Alexandroupolis, Greece,
Volume 1, IDS Number: BMO93, ISBN: 978-960-
89832-7-4, pg. 557-560;
15. Zvâncă, G; Rusu, B.; Rusu, C.; Teodoreanu, M;,
Voinea, D.; Carcalete, P.; Condurache, Gh. – “POPBL
Implementation in Romanian Schools” – QMHE2008,
Tulcea, Romania, IDS Number: BIK04, ISBN: 978-973-
730-496-4, pg. 303-308;
16. Zvâncă, G. - “Overcoming Resistance to
Technological Changes in Romanian Organizations”,
„Modern Approaches In Organisational Management
And Economy 2009 – Third Edition” International
Conference, 12-13 November 2009, Bucharest,
Romania.
17. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English
Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by
Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company
18. www.change-management.com
19. www.changingminds.com
20. www.maxqda.com
21. www.prosci.com
22. www.spss.com
23. www.wikipedia.com
SECTION V: ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION AND RESEARCH
514 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
Business Games and the Training of Master Students
BUSINESS GAMES AND THE TRAINING OF MASTER STUDENTS
Dana Cristina ANTONOAIE1, Niculaie ANTONOAIE2
1
“Transylvania” University of Brasov, cristina.antonoaie@unitbv.ro
2
“Transylvania” University of Brasov, niculaie.antonoaie@unitbv.ro
The analysis of the perception of managers of small and medium-sized business on the usefulness of business games in their professional
training. A presentation of the way in which business games can contribute to the high level training of students participating in the
masters programme “Management and Business Strategies”.
INTRODUCTION
Several studies developed by Feinstein (2001),
Posch, Rosemann and Bielski (2001), Ellington (2001),
Feinstein and others (2002), Grisoni (2002), Armstrong
(2003), Faria and Wellington (2004), Euler and Hahn
(2004), with Sloane and Dilger (2005), Eysenck and
Keane (2005), Selten, Abbink and Cox (2005) show that
the use of business games has taken an unmatched
proportion.
This is teaching and training method (that has
already entered routine) for future managers who are
currently enrolled in universities. All Faculties of
Economics organize training sessions through business
simulations.
Bennis and O'Toole (2006), Peach, Mukherjee, and
Hornyak (2007), Greenberg and others (2007) and
Whetten (2007), Lainema & Lainema (2007), Yourstone
and others (2008), Tempel & Walgenbach (2008 )
Adekola and Sergi (2008), Thompson and Fandt Purdy
(2008), Gomes De Oliveira Lisboa, and Yasin (2008) –
point out that management simulations were extended
worldwide. They are especially preferred by the
Chinese, who have repeatedly won international
competitions.
Today, worldwide, there are thousands of business
games. Most of them are used in universities to prepare
students for future job requirements. Other games are
used by large companies, especially multinationals, as a
form of employee training and as recruitment tool for
selecting future quality managers.
OBJECTIVES
The main objectives of the paper are:
a. a presentation of key data of both quantitative
researches [Antonoaie, DC 2009] on games promoting
SME business in the county of Brasov;
b. an analysis on how the business game "Global
Management Challenge (GMC)” has been
implemented in companies whose staff attended the
game and how efficient this was.
Therefore, based on these analysis, the paper
presents how the course will introduce a special
"business games" (or "business simulation") subject in
the curricula of students in the Masters course
515
"Management and Business Strategy" of the Faculty of
Economics, University of Braşov.
DATA OBTAINED FROM RESEARCH ON SMEs
IN BRAŞOV COUNTY
The research was based on a number of 15
hypotheses.
Hypothesis No. 1: "Employees of companies in
Brasov county know “very little” or “little”
terminology of specialized computer systems for
business management." The most common response
was "unknown" or "little known" for simulation
management concepts simulator business, global
competition, management, expert system, MIS, MRP,
DSS, ISS, ERP, SAP, SOA.
There were three exceptions, the most common
response was "known" for: dashboard, ICT and CRM.
Hypothesis No. 2: "Businesses in Brasov county
employees know "very little" about the concept of
business games" was confirmed, as the most common
response (rate of 32, 53%) was "very little known
about”.
Hypothesis No. 3: "Very few companies in Brasov
county have used a business game." Hypothesis was
confirmed: 89.91% of employees inquired answered
"NO" (the company where they work) never used a
business game.
Hypothesis No. 4: "Businesses in Brasov county do
not use a specialized computer system for business
management as they consider it unnecessary."
Hypothesis was confirmed (the most common response
was "unnecessary" rate of 15.82%).
Hypothesis No. 5: "Most employees of companies
from Brasov county want to change / improve existing
computer system." 60.12% of employees surveyed have
responded positively and thus hypothesis was
confirmed.
Hypothesis No. 6: "There is a "very low" chance that
in the near future companies in Brasov will use a
business game." Hypothesis was confirmed because the
question "On a scale of 1 to 5, what are the chances that
your company will employ a business game in the near
future?" the highest number of points was obtained by
"very small chance” (98 points).
Hypothesis No. 7: "In general, employees from
Brasov county businesses do not know what amount
516 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
would be allocated for participation in a business
game." Hypothesis has been confirmed (most
respondents did not answer or had answers like "I would
not allocate any amount", "not necessary", "I am not
part of management", "zero lei", "I have no idea", “do
not know ").
Hypothesis No. 8: "In general, employees from
Brasov county businesses know the benefits of
participation in a business game." Hypothesis has been
confirmed as follows [figure 1]:
a. "It is a good method of training" - "agree":
56.72% of respondents, "total agreement": 18.69%.
b. “Participants will develop their ability to make
decisions under pressure" -"agree": 49.17% of
respondents, "total agreement": 16.61%.
c. "It combines theory and practice very well" -
"agree": 50.65% of respondents, "total agreement":
20.92%.
d. "Participants will be able to identify more easily
current business issues" - "agree": 52.00% of
respondents, "total agreement" 18.33%.
e. "Participants will work better as a team" -
"agree": 52.13% of respondents, "total agreement":
23.93%.
f. "Participants will better understand the functional
relations within the firm" - "agree": 59.20% of
respondents, "total agreement": 14.05%.
g. "Participants will develop their analytical and
planning skills" - "agree": 52.33% of respondents, "total
agreement": 15.33%.
h. "It is interesting / motivating" - "agree": 55.12%
of respondents, "total agreement": 17.49%.
i. "Develop competitive skills" - "agree": 55.52% of
respondents, "total agreement": 22.74%.
Hypothesis no. 8
70
60
50
40
[%]
30
20
10
0
a b c d e f
"agree" "total agreement"
Figure 1: Hypothesis no. 8. The Answers.
Hypothesis No. 9: "Employees from Brasov county
businesses, identify several reasons, in general, for not
participating in a business game", has been confirmed
as [figure 2]:
a. "costs too much" - 38.69% of respondents agreed.
b. "There are other training methods" - 43.70% of
respondents agreed.
c. "I consider it an unrealistic simulations" - 14.79%
of respondents agreed.
d. "I do not know the concept" - 17.32% of
respondents agreed.
e. "I have never thought about it until now" - 12.55%
of respondents agreed.
f. "It is not easily accessible" - 32.03% of
respondents agreed.
g. "It is not relevant to my current tasks" - 28.74% of
respondents agreed.
h. "No concrete results / concrete application" -
12.55% of respondents agreed.
i. "Too much time" - 30.38% of respondents agreed.
j. "It's not relevant to the accumulation of
knowledge" - 12.05% of respondents agreed.
k. "I believe it is unnecessary for me to attend” -
19.92% of respondents agreed.
l. "There is no specialty technical support" - 34.51%
of respondents agreed.
m. "Poor quality simulation" - agreed 19.43% of
respondents agreed.
Hypothesis no. 9
50
40
30
20
10
0
a b c d e f g h i j k l m
"agre"
Figure 2: Hypothesis no. 9. The Answers.
Hypothesis No. 10: "In general, Brasov County
businesses are up to date with the latest releases in
information technology."
Hypothesis was confirmed because for the question
"Your company is up to date with the latest in
information technology?" the dominant response was
"YES” given by 55.56% of companies.
Hypothesis No. 11: "In general, Brasov County
businesses are in constant connection with the company
supplying the software" was confirmed: 58.81% of
businesses have given a positive response.
Hypothesis No. 12: "Brasov County businesses
improve their overall computer system once a year or
less."
g h i
Hypothesis was confirmed, as for the question "How
often does your company improve computer systems
(hardware and software)?" the most common responses
were: "once a year - 33.43% and "rarely "- 32.22%.
Hypothesis No. 13: “Brasov County businesses
employees would generally prefer to take part in
business strategy oriented business games".
Hypothesis was confirmed: on the question "If you
ever consider using a business game, you would like it
to focus mainly on ...” the most common response was
"business strategies"(28.06%), followed by
"marketing"(26.87%) and "all functions of a business”
(25.07%).
Hypothesis No. 14: "In general, the employees of
Brasov County businesses would like to participate in a
business game". Hypothesis was confirmed. When
asked "Did you attend a game company?" the most
common answer was "yes" rate of 62.76%.
Business Games and the Training of Master Students
Hypothesis No. 15: "The main reason why
employees of Brasov County businesses have not
attended a business game is the general lack of
information."
Hypothesis was confirmed.
When asked "Have you ever considered participating
in a business game, yet you have not participated, what
was the reason?", the most common answer was "no
information" at a rate of 29.85%, followed by lack of
time "- 28.06% and" other reasons "- 25.37%.
We guarantee the results of research, conducted on
sample of 335 businesses, with a probability of 95%,
according to statistical assumptions.
DATA OBTAINED FROM THE RESEARCH
CONDUCTED ON PARTICIPANTS IN THE GMC
BUSINESS GAME
Four primary efficiency indicators were constructed
for each item separately, as "effect / effort. All reports
have shown effectiveness and the maximum efficiency
of activities performed.
Four efficiency indicators were calculated, using the
formulas below:
item_response
Indicator 1: = 0.638334667 ∈
time_reading_manual
(0.6000 to 0.6500] ⇒ effective activity
item_response
Indicator 2: = 0.656650889 ∈
time_readi ng_materia ls
(0.6500 to 0.7000] ⇒ effective activity
item_response
Indicator 3: = 0.664302444 ∈
time_decis ion_making
(0.6500 to 0.7000] ⇒ effective activity
item_response
Indicator 4: = 0.624575111 ∈
number_stages_played
(0.6000 to 0.6500] ⇒ effective activity
Economic efficiency of the implementation of a
business game in SMEs in Romania is illustrated,
firstly, by the results obtained by participants in the
game.
At the same time it should also be noted that such
businesses have better trained and motivated employees
and their managers are more in contact with reality, as
companies become more competitive on the market.
Regarding the results (effects) obtained by the
participants, and as such the companies participating in
the “Global Management Challenge (Euromanager
Romania)”, employees and / or managers:
- have become better organized;
- have more diverse knowledge;
- work better as a team;
- have a better understanding of current tasks;
517
- have a better understanding of management
functions;
- make decisions faster;
- plan their day to day activities more effectively;
- have a better understanding of the processes within
the organization and their role in the organization is
better defined.
Among the companies participating in the GMC,
43% participated once, 35% twice, 12% - 3 times and
10% - 4 times.
Which means that the business game is very
interesting and worthwhile to attend several times (each
time it is a new experience and an opportunity for
acquiring knowledge and new capabilities).
Regarding the time participants have spent reading
the competition manual, averaged over a week (time
available for providing the decisions necessary to
conduct a 66-stage game) results are as follows: 27%
spent between 1 to 1.5 h, 26% < 0.5 h, 25% between 0.5
- 1 hour, 12% between 1.5 - 2 h and 10% over 2h. This
means that 51% of players have spent less than one hour
per week reading the manual.
On reading other materials accompanying the
competition, which could help participants in making
decisions (e.g., work management, marketing, business
strategy etc.), 30% of people allocated to this activity
under 0, 5h, 21% between 0.5 h - 1h, 24% between 1 h -
1.5 h, 25% between 1.5 h - 2h.
In conclusion 49% of respondents spent over an hour
for additional reading materials, which means that they
were aware that the game is complex and requires
expertise in various fields.
12% of the businesses that have participated in less
than 5 stages of competition, 31% between 5 to 10
stages (2 phases or 2 participations), 24% from 10 to 15
stages (3 phases or 3 participations), 16% from 15 to 20
stages ( 3 phases or 4 participations) and 17% over 20
stages (3 phases or 5 participations) [figure 3].
35
30
25
20
[%]
15
10
5
0
[<5] [5-10] [10-15] [15-20] [>20]
Participations
Figure 3: Participations at GMC.
We have to mention that a phase has 5 stages and a
full game over a year at national level has 3 phases.
We note that in Romania there are only 3 teams that
have managed to travel more than 3 national stages, one
ranking 7th in the international final.
If we analyze the effects produced by participants
from involvement in the competition "Global
Management Challenge" there is as follows (in order of
the degree of agreement including full agreement):
518 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
1. "I have more varied knowledge” - 69%
2. "Make decisions faster” - 68%
3. "I plan ordinary activities better” - 64%
4. "I work better in a team" - 63%
5. "Better understand current tasks - 55%
6. "My role is better defined in the organization -
53%
7. "I am better organized" - 53%
8. "Better understand the functions of management”
- 45%
9. "Better understand the processes within the
organization” - 33%
Note that the highest percentage of "total agreement"
(33%) was for the statement, "I have more varied
knowledge", which shows that business games are a
good way of training.
Also, the questionnaire asked respondents to express
their degree of agreement / disagreement on the reasons
for no longer participating in future business games, 13
items were proposed for examination.
Rating reasons, in order to express the degree of
agreement (including total agreement) is as follows:
- other reasons - 85%;
- lack of funds - 76%;
- cost too much - 69%;
- requesting game too - 69%;
- there are other training methods - 65%;
- lack of time - 55%;
- consume too much time - 46%;
- is not relevant to current tasks - 37%;
- I never thought until now - 35%;
- no concrete results / apply - 21%;
- it is not easily accessible - 17%;
- not obtain satisfactory results - 13%.
CONCLUSIONS: BUSINESSES, THE BUSINESS
GAME AND THE TRAINING OF MASTER
STUDENTS
We believe that implementation of business games
for SMEs in Romania is a requirement for businesses to
adapt to modern training methods.
This will clearly lead to increased efficiency in small
and medium enterprises in the future.
Moreover, it is imperative for SMEs to improve their
system and have specialized business management
software, to keep up with the changing competitive
environment.
The results from both surveys will serve as teaching
material for a course entitled "Business Game and Free
enterprise", which we want to introduce in the
curriculum of the Faculty of Economics, University
Transylvania of Brasov, initially as an optional course
for students for "Management and Business Strategies
(Masters level)".
To analyze the data gathered, over the course of a
semester, from the students participating in the
"Business games" course, we will employ forms that
will be filled out at the end of every lecture. The
observations students make during the game itself will
also be recorded. Similar studies carried out in
American universities will form the basis for the forms.
By participating in the games, the students will gain
important abilities, skills and knowledge to help them
perform better at their future employment. At a global
level, business games are considered a very good
training method, the most modern, and managing to
combine theory and practical application. Participants
will develop their ability to make decisions under
pressure, be more competitive, perform better in a team
environment and will generally be more motivated to
improve their activity.
After analyzing the results over 3 years (and
analyzing feedback from the students) are convinced
that this course, with the necessary modifications and
improvements will become mandatory and can be
introduced even in the third year (for the bachelor
degree).
Also, we are considering developing a software
independently from the GMC, more specifically, to
create a business game, with our colleagues from the
Faculty of Mathematics-Informatics, University
Transilvania of Brasov. All the prerequisites for this
endeavor exist.
References
1. Antonoaie, C. (2009), Contributions to the improvement of
enterprise management using games. PhD thesis, Faculty of
Economics and Business Administration, Babes-Bolyai University in
Cluj-Napoca.
2. Aldrich, C. (2008), Learning by Doing. A Guide to
Comprehensive Simulations, Computer Games, and Pedagogy in e-
Learning and Other Educational Experiences, Pfeiffer Wiley, New
York, p. 43-45.
3. Eckerson, W. (2003), Smart Companies in the 21st Century: The
Secrets of Creating Successful Intelligent Business Solutions, WA:
The Data Warehousing Institute, Seattle.
4. Elgood, C. (2009), Using Management Games, Gower Press,
Vermont, USA, p. 36-38.
5. Ivan I. Visoiu, A. (2005), Economic Base Models, Ed ASE
Bucharest.
6. Kankaanranta, M., Neittaanmaki, P. (2006), Design and Use of
Serious Games, Springer Finland, University of Jyvaskyla, p. 47-49.
7. Kerr, A. (2006), The Business and Culture of Digital Games.
Work Game and Play Game, John Wiley and Sons, Brussels, p. 24-28.
8. Kreitner, R. (2001), Management, Houghton Mifflin, 8th Edition,
New York, p. 98-99.
9. Laudon K., Laudon, J. (2007), Management Information
Systems. Managing the Digital Firm, 10th Edition, Pearson Prentice
Hal, New York, p. 103-106.
10. Noran, O.S. (1997), Business Modeling, Griffith University
Press, New York (http://www.cit.gu.edu.au/).
11. Turban, E., Aronson, J., Liang, TP., Sharda, R. (2007),
Decision Support and Business Intelligence Systems, 8th Edition,
Pearson Prentice Hall, Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River,
New Jersey, p. 92-98, 139-150, 165-170.
12. Turban, E., Leidner, D., McLean E., Wetherbe, J. (2008),
Information Technology for Management. Transforming
Organizations in the Digital Economy, 6th Edition, John Wiley and
Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey, p. 457-462.
 COUNSELING PROGRAM PREPARATION FOR ENTREPRENEURS AND MANAGERS ON THE SMES
CENTER REGION – ROMANIA

G. BOARESCU1
“Petru Maior” University of Tirgu – Mures, ROMANIA email: geta@upm.ro

More then ever, during the economical crisis, the entrepreneurs should to be more inventive, more flexible and they should fight for
their companies in order to increase the competitiveness, as a condition to survive. The (entrepreneurial) education doesn’t mean only
curricula development, but an entire Educational Plan that should comprise - beyond the curriculum - a compulsory training and
counseling module dedicated to the self-development. This paper aims to point out the entrepreneurial educational and training needs
in order to create an adequate counseling program for selected groups of the entrepreneurs and managers on the Romanian SMEs of
Center Region. Many people are not aware about the extent of their entrepreneurial potential (they can only guess, based on their
thoughts, behavior or results), so an assessment phase is absolutely necessary. The entrepreneurial development training has to be
based on the diagnosis of the entrepreneurial personality characteristics. The psycho-sociological approach is the most accurate way
to investigate the educational and training needs for the managers and entrepreneurs, according to the nature of the psycho-
pedagogical intervention used in training and counseling. The research is based on surveys and multiple case studies on over 250
managers and/or entrepreneurs of Romanian SMEs of Center Region. The major part of the investigated entrepreneurs has bachelor
or master degree. In despite of their instruction level, they have serious personal development needs. They also demonstrate a certain
necessities for education, information and entrepreneurial / managerial skills and competences development. The study results are
useful in order to create an efficient and targeted training and counseling program. Also, might be a resource for the subjects in order
to improve their self knowledge about own entrepreneurial personality and to act accordingly regarding the necessary attitude
modification, creativity, innovation capacity and competitiveness. There are many assistance programs for entrepreneurs, but often
the curriculum does not match all and/or real educational needs. The study aims to create the basis of necessary, sufficient
educational and development support, in order to supplement the individual missing skills, knowledge, abilities, competences or
information on the entrepreneurial and/or managerial activity.

Counterfactual thinking; decision making and risk taking; entrepreneurial personality; locus of control

multiple case studies on over 250 managers and/or

SHORT OVERVIEW ON ROMANIA’S CENTRAL entrepreneurs of Romania’s SMEs established on Center
REGION SMEs’ Region, within the period 2000-2008.

This paper represents a part of an extended research The target group description
within the “ASIC” project that aims to improve the
adaptability and the competitiveness of the employers / The target group has the following characteristics:
employees of 254 SMEs of Romanian Central Region Gender:
(Mures, Harghita and Covasna counties). 78,54% - mail;
In order to identify the most appropriate way to 21,46% - female
assist them, an important preliminary research Position: 94% - managers as well as entrepreneurs;
intercession was made, aimed to find out the real Age:
assistance needs for the SMEs and for entrepreneurs / 35,45% - 41-50 years old
managers. The “assistance needs” refers to identify both 31,36% - 31-40 years old
the educational (curricula support) and counseling for 21,82 % - 51-59 years old
personal development as competitive entrepreneurs / 5,91% 25-30 years old
managers. 4,55 over 60 years old
0,91% - 18-25 years old
Objectives Residence:
85,19% urban
This paper will mainly focus on the identification of 14,81% rural
Education:
counseling needs that will substantiate the most accurate
71% - academic education and post university
counseling and assistance plan for the entrepreneurs /
graduates
managers: a counseling module dedicated to the self-
26% - high school and pre university graduates
development, based on the real needs discovered by
research. SMEs’ activity field
27% - trade
23% - industry
Design, methodology, approach 15% - general services
14% - constructions
The psycho-sociological approach was chosen to
investigate the educational and training needs for the
managers and entrepreneurs, according to the nature of
the psycho-pedagogical intervention used in training
and counseling. The research is based on surveys and Some relevant opinions of the target group
520 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

The major motive at first start of the company According to the results,
77% - independence • In spite of high level of education (over 70%
23% - area’s opportunities of the respondents have bachelor and master
21% - professional fulfillment / prosperity degree), only 30% of them have successfully
19% - financial security carried out and implemented an EU financed
4% - social prestige project;
2% - tradition • 10% - unsuccessful applications;
• over 30% have no initiative to try to apply in
The target group’s perception about the state and spite of being informed about the business
public institutions supportiveness (fig.1): opportunities behind the financing offer;
.
• only 9% are willing to learn the project
The governmental and local authorities’ supportiveness management and / or to ask for specialized
regarding SMEs in your opinion is:
60.00 assistance on the field of EU financing.
52.34
50.00
42.99

40.00 COUNSELING, CONSULTANCY, PERSONAL

30.00
DEVELOPMENT AND OPTIMIZATION NEEDS
20.00

The counseling and assistance activities should be

10.00
4.67
provided according to the real needs identified on the
0.00
negative neutral positive clients. After a short overview of target group
characteristics and companies performances, diagnoses
Figure 1: supportiveness perceived of the entrepreneurial tendencies and traits have to be
made. This objective is defined by descriptors that could
The business success level perceived (fig.2): reveal some directions regarding counseling planning
and objectives, personal development directions, lack or
deficiency of appropriate competitive attitude and
What is
.
the level of performance of your company?
. behavior in relation with the entrepreneurial personality
potential.
In order to provide any qualified assistance and
60.00

counseling, the first step is to find the personal factors

50.00
48.39
40.00
which describe the real entrepreneur and differentiate it
30.00

20.28 25.81
from the non-entrepreneurs; a class of descriptors was
20.00
used, as follow:
10.00
4.15
1.38
Initiative
0.00
Very low Low Acceptable Good Vey good Accomplishments needs
Figure 2: Own company performance level perceived Self efficacy, self confidence and locus of
control
The factors perceived as determinant for the current Risk taking
level of performance in the company. Decision making, ambiguity tolerance
Proactive attitude
What factors are determinant for the current level of performance in
your company?
Counterfactual thinking
Self perceived creativity
Poor knowledge in business administration 4.99 Necessity for Autonomy
,
No foreign language known 4.19

My risky attitude (as entrepreneur) 22.16 RESULTS AND TARGETED CONCLUSIONS

The inability to compete on the EU market 9.78

The way I administrate the HR 29.74

Individual traits related to the entrepreneurial
personality and consequently counseling guidelines
29.14
The managerial style

0.00 5.00 10.00 15.00 20.00 25.00 30.00 35.00

A number of descriptors are used on the research in
order to identify the real counseling needs. They refer to
Figure 3: Determinant factors for the current performance the abilities, competences and skills that managers and
entrepreneurs need, aiming to fit their companies in the
Some other relevant findings about the companies’ regional / national / European sustainable development
ability to adapt (or not) to the current general context policies. Also, some descriptors are designed to
will follow and mainly refers to the capacity to access emphasize the entrepreneurial personality characteristics
the EU financing programs and also to identify the of the entrepreneurs / managers related to a better
business opportunities behind the financing offer and to performance desired as business administrator end for
operate the necessary changing in the company. new, flexible and innovative entrepreneurial initiatives
Counseling Program Preparation for Entrepreneurs and Managers on The Smes Center Region – Romania 521

Initiative: at this first descriptor was ascertained a

discrepancy between the main characteristic of the real
entrepreneur and the target group responses: the real
entrepreneur has the tendency to innovate and to start up
new business instead of administrating them; only 19%
of the target group responses were affirmative on this
question; also, less then ½ of the group admits that is
equally capable to easily imagine new businesses and to
administrate them; more than 80% do not prefer to start
up a new company and to delegate somebody else to
manage it.
The explanation consists in the difference between
This kind of response reveals personal training needs
current and new problem solving: the management of
on the creativity and innovative attitude, successful
the company could be considered as a routine, by
models and some knowledge about “business angels”
comparison with a start up – that is a brand new
and other innovating techniques.
problem solving process. This is a real problem for the
Accomplishment needs:
entrepreneurs that are also managers: there is a fight
More then 90% of the respondents describe
between the two positions in the same personality and -
themselves as high-aimed persons as well as responsible
as we shall see - the manager “wins” often.
for a large amount of activities and people and
These “schizoid” situations generate counseling
controlling tendency of the events; almost 75% declare
directions in order to improve the innovative capacity of
that they take upon themselves daring goals.
our clients and to get them more flexible, daring and
willing to compete.
Risk taking: the leaning to risks taking is another
trait of the entrepreneurs’ personality. According to this
descriptor, the following diagram sows us that only 22%
of the investigated subjects would be prepared to start a
new business and to delegate the current one to another
manager. In other words, only 22% of the target group
has this entrepreneurial personality trait. By opposition,
78% are not willing to put at risk their business and
would not gladly delegate the management to somebody
else. Also, 60% vacillate between the risk taking
attitude and the need of safety for their companies.
Almost 80% postulate that they take many more risks
by comparison with others, and 86% agree that there is
Figure 4: Accomplishment needs no business without risks; 83% are strongly confident
that they take calculated risks every day and they know
Self efficacy, self confidence and locus of control “exactly” when to stop. This is the same “battle”
(LOC): between manager and entrepreneur within the same
More then 80% of respondents consistently person.
Figure 6: Risk taking
demonstrate an internal locus of control; these
parameters describe the attributional style (cause of an Decision making and ambiguity tolerance:
event as within oneself or outside oneself). This refers
to how people explain the events of their lives, is
strongly related with the optimism/pessimism, self
efficacy, self confidence and responsibility.
Self efficacy is better as a descriptor than LOC and
our respondents claim that they have the necessary
knowledge and skills to control their companies; also,
77% of them believe that the evolution of their
companies is due to themselves and the decisions they
make (internal LOC).

Nevertheless, there is a discrepancy between these

characteristics and the perceived self-efficacy and the
lack of initiative.
Figure 5: Locus of control Ambiguity tolerance is the ability to perceive the
reality and to react in a neutral and open way, to make
decisions in spite of the lack of information.
522 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
Ambiguity tolerance correlates positively with
creativity and leadership style and negatively with risk
aversion (non-entrepreneurial trait).
Almost 80% of our target group shows risk aversion,
having a strong feeling of discomfort when they have to
decide based on lack of information. Issues that 20%
tolerate the ambiguity that strongly relate to the
entrepreneurial personality.
All the same, 35% of the subjects declare that their
decisions are correct, in spite of diminished information
level. There is a 15% discrepancy here, due probably to
the same difference between new problem solving and
routine. This is a good predictor for the entrepreneurial
personality. According to this parameter, once again,
our target group contains about 20% skilled
entrepreneurs and is consistent with the risk taking
predictor previously described (fig.7).
Figure 7: Ambiguity tolerance
The main counseling direction according to this
parameter is on decision making development skills and
individual training to develop the decisional style based
on the diagnosed aptitudes and individual
characteristics. Also, a guided training for a new
informational style development - computer skills,
foreign languages and Internet resources - could be
recommended and provided to the group in order to
refine information searching, mostly for the repressive
personality types (that rejects by nature the detailed
information).
Proactively structured
At this parameter, only approximately ½ of the
subjects seem to be proactive. As a personality trait,
being proactive means that the person has the ability to
identify business opportunities and to approach the
market boldly and aggressively; this is reflected into an
entrepreneurial oriented companies, permanently
growing and developing.
This distribution of the results on our target group
leads us towards some counseling guidelines, such as:
business opportunities searching techniques and skills;
specialized information techniques
There are some guidelines also for the supporting
institutions, in order to make more transparent the
business opportunities behind the European and other
sources of financing opportunities. Presenting the EU
financing opportunities in a mach to complicated way –
with so many rules and restraining - get washed-out the
business opportunities, demobilize business people and
erase their last disposition for flexibility: the might learn
a lot of financial procedures, but thy can looses the
business that should be financed. They got scared about
“how” before knowing “what” is the money offer for.
Most part of the promoting actions on this matter is
practically in vane because doesn’t mach the real
informational and assistance needs.
Counterfactual thinking: This trait differentiates
between entrepreneurs and non entrepreneurs.
Counterfactual thinking evince that less than 50%
percent of the target group has this trait. (fig. 8). The
real entrepreneurs are not hunted by remorse or regrets
and much less ruminations for their failures by
Figure 8 Counterfactual thinking
comparison with the general population. For the non-
entrepreneur half of the target group we have identified
some leads for guidance and counseling issues from this
analysis: to help business people to redesign the shape
of entrepreneurial behavior - meaning realistic decision
making and consequences acceptance; to train them on
practicing calculated risk taking; to develop the
confidence that the past cannot be changed, but could be
useful; to train them the assertive communication style
regarding the second line of the decision makers
(associates, family etc.); to develop auto efficacy sense
and control certainty vs. control illusion.
Other personality factors ware investigated – such as
self perceived creativity and necessity for autonomy.
IMPLICATIONS
These results substantiated the counseling plan that
was included in the post university course curricula on
the “ASIC” project. The teaching and counseling are in
working process and will be final on June 2010, for the
first group (details on the web page of the project).
References
1. .Boarescu, G.”, (2010), Raport de cerecetare privind
componenta [3] activitatea [3.1] din proiectul „ASIC”-
Studiul asupra cunoştinţelor şi abilităţilor necesare
angajaţilor IMM-urilor, pentru a mări competitivitatea,
adaptabilitatea şi flexibilitatea organizaţiilor,Universitatea
„Petru Maior” din Tîrgu-Mureş
2. http://antreprenoriat.upm.ro/studii-cercetari.html
3. Pintea, S. (2007), Elemente de psiholgie
antreprenorială:Repere teoretico-experimentale, Editura
ASCR, Cluj- Napoca.
 CREATE TUTORIALS WITH MULTIMEDIA ELEMENTS, USED IN THE EDUCATION
PROCESS IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Sorin BORZA1 Ioan BONDREA2 Carmen SIMION3

1
University “Lucian Blaga” of Sibiu, sorin.borza@ulbsibiu.ro,
2
University “Lucian Blaga” of Sibiu, ioan.bondrea@ulbsibiu.ro
3
University “Lucian Blaga” of Sibiu, carmen.simion@ulbsibiu.ro

The purpose of this paper is to highlight the benefits that they generate using multimedia tutorials in the process of education and
especially higher education. One of the major objectives of the paper is to make a pertinent analysis that has a multimedia tutorial
both classical and educational process at the distance. Multimedia tutorial may seem a trivial matter. But its impact in the educational
field is very important. The paper underlines its link with distributed learning, using modern techniques of communication between
teachers and students remote from each other. It is based on how it is used in e-learning concept based multimedia elements on how
concepts can be related to Web 2.0 and Web 3.0. Another area in which the paper refers is the one related to research conducted in
training on the web or WBC. This work requires an interdisciplinary approach, the design of such works contribute to pedagogy and
computer science with other disciplines, such as systems theory and cognitive psychology. The paper refers to other achievements in
this field with customization to e-learning, but clearly distinguishable from this area both by way of achievement and by the use. The
paper is the result of a long period that was studied the impact that it presents these types of tutors both in the educational process of
education and living at a distance. This paper is based on research undertaken by the author for many years on the educational
process and its results show both in writing and graphic methods, the advantages of this technology on how to teach the students and
the impact of the multimedia tutorial to the teacher. The paper wants to have an impact on teacher-and traces suggesting some
guiding lines on the form of a multimedia tutorial so they have maximum efficiency. Areas on which work has an impact is that of
computer programming. Impact on student refers to how it uses multimedia tutorial as how to use current technologies so that it's
easier to learning. Opinion paper refers to all persons in the education process. The original sample from the solutions it proposes.
Work emphasize that learning systems via the Internet will become instruments of personality and creativity training users. The
training is personalized and distributed collaboration will streamline all human activities, including research, in the society based on
knowledge of the beginning of this century..

also look at the impact of globalization and expanding

INTRODUCTION was.

International virtual learning environments are TUTORIAL CONCEPT

emerging, and the European Community allocated
substantial funds for the educational process in the
information society. Most EU member countries have
implemented distance learning. Such programs
"Socrates" and "Leonardo" is intended for financial
support of distance learning projects. Much of the
educational process for projects, financed by the
European Commission is based on multimedia and
telematics methods and techniques. Internationally have
established various bodies that oversee the
implementation of new technologies in distance learning
in universities and also pursue its impact on
globalization and widening. In terms of research in new
technologies for education and training we mention
some directions of research: virtual learning
environments and virtual classrooms, Internet use in
schools (static electronic classrooms, electronic
classrooms mobile) based open and distance learning
the 'Hyperwave', 'structured hypermedia systems "based
on hyperlinks, designed to create hierarchical windows
and searches to support multilingual documents, user
identification and access control, integrating existing
information systems on the Internet, and to generate
consistent and documents etc. virtual interviews to
assess knowledge (tele-conferencing, email, etc..)
designed to help postgraduate education and training for
new jobs, tutorials intelligent systems, intelligent
agents, distance learning models etc. universities and
Accelerated development of new types of software
(screen capture, handling of audio / video) opened the
door to new ways of learning: multimedia tutorial. The
term "tutorial" recently arrived in the Romanian
language, not yet officially recognized in specialized
forums. In a broader context, the tutorial is a
demonstration application, of a subject / process /
software, aimed to increase awareness of the formative
aspect of the educational process. In the case of the
multimedia tutorial, it takes the form of an application
or an electronic medium rich media content can drill
almost any topic in terms of practical-applicative, like
any other educational entity, whether it is a course, a
seminar, a communication session, etc.., Tutorial aims
to introduce participants to the educational process in a
given subject, with the final goal of assimilating them to
a minimum knowledge. But there are some fundamental
differences from other educational processes[5]:
a) educational methodology rich media content
(static screenshots or in motion, animation or audio
instructions and video) to exemplify the steps described
in solving the problem;
b) focus on a particular topic, without details about
adjacent concepts focus on making the practice that is
on the use of the product;
c) A tutorial can not ever substitute for a course, so
theoretical aspects are usually ignored in favor of
524 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
practical, being mentioned only when absolutely
necessary to explain a situation applied;
d) In general, if software is permanently installed, in
the tutorial makes reference to how the elements are
using multimedia software;
e) A minimum of IT resources and documentation
(hardware / software and knowledge), time and
motivation are the only things necessary to acquire a
tutorial.
STEPS TO ACHIEVE A TUTORIAL
Usually there are several steps to be followed in creating
tutorial [5]:
1. establishment subject educational process that we
will treat in the tutorial;
2. determining the target audience, whose address
tutorial. Be determined level of difficulty of the
subject and estimated time of browsing. Although
they are not essential in terms of the tutorial itself,
they are still important because affects the degree of
motivation to learn. Preferably a short tutorial that
covers a smaller topic, a tutorial that shows many
things, but it requires an investment in effort / too
long;
3. type of technology used. Creation of a tutorial that
shows a software application requires complex IT
elements, for presentation its components;
4. compiling, structuring and placing information in
the tutorial;
5. tutorial test, and correct any mistakes conceptual
and / or implementation that may arise
MULTIMEDIA
Multimedia is everything you can hear or see: texts,
books, pictures, music, sounds, CDs, videos, DVDs,
Records, Films, and more. Multimedia comes in many
different formats. On the Internet you will find many of
these elements embedded in web pages, and today's web
browsers have support for a number of multimedia
formats. The support for sounds, animations and videos
is handled in different ways by different browsers. Some
elements can be handled inline, some requires a plug-in
and some requires an ActiveX control. Multimedia
elements (like sounds or videos) are stored in media
files. The most common way to discover the media type
is to look at the file extension. When a browser sees the
file extensions .htm or .html, it will assume that the file
is an HTML page. The .xml extension indicates an
XML file, and the .css extension indicates a style sheet.
Picture formats are recognized by extensions like
.gif and .jpg. Multimedia elements also have their own
file formats with different extensions.
Multimedia sounds format
The WAVE (waveform) format is developed by
IBM and Microsoft. It is supported by all computers
running Windows, and by all the most popular web
browsers. Sounds stored in the WAVE format have the
extension .wav.
MP3 files are actually MPEG files. But the MPEG
format was originally developed for video by the
Moving Pictures Experts Group. We can say that MP3
files are the sound part of the MPEG video format. MP3
is one of the most popular sound formats for music
recording. The MP3 encoding system combines good
compression (small files) with high quality. Expect all
your future software systems to support it. Sounds
stored in the MP3 format have the extension .mp3, or
.mpga (for MPG Audio). The AIFF (Audio Interchange
File Format) was developed by Apple. AIFF files are
not cross-platform and the format is not supported by all
web browsers. Sounds stored in the AIFF format have
the extension .aif or .aiff.
Multimedia video format
The AVI (Audio Video Interleave) format was
developed by Microsoft. The AVI format is supported
by all computers running Windows, and by all the most
popular web browsers. It is a very common format on
the Internet, but not always possible to play on non-
Windows computers. Videos stored in the AVI format
have the extension .avi.
The Windows Media format is developed by
Microsoft. Windows Media is a common format on the
Internet, but Windows Media movies cannot be played
on non-Windows computer without an extra (free)
component installed. Some later Windows Media
movies cannot play at all on non-Windows computers
because no player is available. Videos stored in the
Windows Media format have the extension .wmv.
The MPEG (Moving Pictures Expert Group) format
is the most popular format on the Internet. It is cross-
platform, and supported by all the most popular web
browsers. Videos stored in the MPEG format have the
extension .mpg or .mpeg.
The QuickTime format is developed by Apple.
QuickTime is a common format on the Internet, but
QuickTime movies cannot be played on a Windows
computer without an extra (free) component installed.
Videos stored in the QuickTime format have the
extension .mov.
To achieve multimedia tutorials we can use both
Internet or INTRANET technologies based on what I
mentioned above. We can this depending on various
software technologies used. For image processing can
use the software like: Photoshop, Corel Drow, open
source products, like GIMP. To achieve animation we
can use FLASH product or software that captures the
screen image like Camtasia. About Camtasia software
we will write some words in the section “Video
Tutorials” of this paper.
Streaming Application
Create Tutorials With Multimedia Elements, Used In The Education Process In Higher Education
Development and growth opportunities for the
acquisition of video equipment has allowed the
development of online educational resources. Making
interactive distance courses become a reality. Following
a multimedia technology developed recently, namely
streaming technology. Streaming data is transmitted in
the form of streams, referring to the ability
an application to play synchronized media data streams
in a continuous manner, while those streams are
transmitted to the client through a data network.
Streaming media data divided into packets whose size is
suitable for transmission from one server to the client.
Thus a user can view the package, uncompress the
receive the second and third, without waiting for the end
of a transmission.
Figure 1 Streaming Application
Applications that can be built using streaming
services are viewed in figure 1 and divided into:
- applications on-demand (on demand) - news,
music, movies, multimedia tutorials;
- live information - radio and TV programs directly.
On-demand streaming is based on files stored on a
server for a longer period time files are available for
customers submitted their application. Live streaming
video is based on transmission performance while
events. Streaming caused a profound change in
education, business, media and entertainment,
combining television with the interactivity of the
Internet readiness, continuing to revolutionize the
current media landscape, adding new elements.
VIDEO TUTORIAL IN THE EDUCATIONAL
PROCESS
Video tutorials are not a new concept, emerging the
late 1960s,when Bandura, first commented on the issue
of self-modeling [2]. Since then, video modeling has
been described as “instructional videos” or “video
tutorials.”Most video tutorials are produced as a strategy
to promote guidance in developing new skills and
abilities, for example, to improve teacher training [3] or
to prepare medical students for their internship
experience [4]. Also video tutorials have been used to
assess their effectiveness in improving students learning
efficacy [1].
525
Video tutorial is one of the important factors which
can improve the educational process. As we said in the
conclusions of this work, the video tutorial has a strong
impact on students. It can exist in two modes: video
tutorial can exist as a separate entity with no text. In this
case several independent tutorials treat a particular
topic. Video tutorial appears in a website or a
presentation topic is presented in the context of web
page or slide presentation. In both cases the video
tutorial is done with specialized software in this case.
By offering audio-visual demonstrations, the teacher
can employ a video tutorial to develop a particular skill
or strategy. Thus, video tutorials can be used as a
medium to encourage students to learn independently
outside the regular classroom schedule. The audio
explanation, and the visual demonstrations become
achievable goals that the learner can reach by
understanding and applying a similar process to produce
their own project. The video tutorial resources may used
to engage learners to explore their technical skills.
Exposure to software operation in the target language
might empower students to become familiar with the
target technical lexical items thus enabling them to
discuss their difficulties with their teacher or peer.
Hence the teachers’ role becomes one of facilitator or
guide when a student needs further assistance, and their
oral interaction has the potential to change from
language learning to purposeful communication
exchange whereby problem-solving is the focus.
CAMTASIA software for video tutorial
One software which can make a video tutorial is
Camtasia produced by TechSmith. Video tutorials
created with Camtasia assists in creating demonstration
videos by recording computer screen activities. For
example, I could video record this screen as I type this
text. Camtasia is user friendly however, some video
editing skills are necessary.
Figure 2 Camtasia Studio
After recording a screen activity, Camtasia stores the
production on its editing working environment. During
the editing stage it is possible to add narration or music,
photos or other movie elements. Finally the finished
video tutorial is saved either on a CD or DVD and can
also be uploaded on a website for online access (see
Figure 2).
526 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
CONCLUSIONS
Although multimedia tutorial may seem outdated
concept, it is timely for several viewpoints.
Multimedia tutorial impact on students
Research conducted by the author of several
generations of students have emphasized that there are
positive aspects and negative in its impact on students.
If tutorial gives the student as object of study in the
laboratory hours to see a boring subjects in the context
in which they react as one unit mass of people. How can
capture tutorial is made more or less attention to the
student. The main factors influencing the multimedia
tutorial are shown in Figure 3
Figure 3: Main Factors of Multimedia Tutorials
Multimedia tutorial and distance learning
New emerging technologies enable interaction
between teacher and student work. Online
communications allow interactive course in distance
learning. Media is very important element in this
context to send students a larger volume of information
in a short time. Combining methods and media
techniques, with Internet tools Web 2.0 and Web 3.0,
will lead to:
• emphasis on independent study to students;
• development of analytical thinking, structured and
depth of students;
• successive formulation of questions by students
about the knowledge they possess;
• contact between student and teacher cooperation
consists of a theme related to do, and the role of the
teacher is a collaborator;
• diversification path information search on different
channels.
Benefits of using multimedia tutorials in distance
learning are shown in figure 4
Figure 4: Benefits of using multimedia tutorials in ditance learning
In general, the methods based on educational
multimedia tutorials increase by about 30% volume of
information transmitted to students and their learning
speed (Figure 5).
Figure 5: Difference between normal learning process and multimedia
tutorial learning process
References
1. Zhang, D., Zhou, L., Briggs, R. O., & Nunamaker Jr., J.
F. (2006). Instructional video in e-learning: Assessing
the impact of interactive video on learning effectiveness.
Information and Management, 43, 15-27.
2. Hitchock, C. H., Dowrick, P. W., & Prater, M. A. (2003).
Video self-modeling intervention in school-based
settings: A review. Remedial and Special Education,
24(1), 36-45.
3. Da Silva, M. (2005). Constructing the teaching process
from inside out: How pre-service teachers make sense of
their perceptions of the teaching of the four skills.
Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language,
TESL-EJ, 9(2), 1-19.
4. Lee, M. T., Jacobs, J. L., & Kamin, C. S. (2006). Video-
enhanced problem-based learning to teach clinical skills.
Medical Education, 40, 459-489.
5. Andrei Ternauciuc, Mihai Onita, (2007)”Ghidul
tutorialului multimedia in domeniul E-Learning”, ELSE
2007 Conference Proceedings,Bucha
 ENTREPRENEURIAL EDUCATION FOR ENGINEERS

Larisa BUGAIAN
PhD, Technical University, Republic of Moldova,
lbugaian@hotmail.com

In a society based on knowledge, universities should correspond to the future needs of social and economic environment of the
country. The environment in which the university graduates will get a job is continuously changing, therefore is necessary to make an
effort in order to estimate and adjust the study programs offered by universities. A fresh engineer should get the necessary theoretical
and practical knowledge for conducting a technological process and, in the same moment, should have enough managerial knowledge.
Discussions with managers show that it is very important that a manager is developed in a universal manner. Professionals appreciate
a lot programs that develop skills for teamwork and effective communication, analytical skills and knowledge, decision making skills
and solution provision in wide range of managerial activities corresponding to business environment. Nowadays an engineer should be
educated through a combination of engineering and managerial competencies. All educational plans and university study programs
should be developed considering the social and economic requirement for the above mentioned competencies. Competencies that
reside from entrepreneurial education become very important in a society based on private property. Such questions as „What is the
content of courses that contributes to such an education? What is the best manner of lecturing such disciplines?” are actual even today
in the academic environment. It is necessary to rethink all educational plans and study programs at all university levels. In order to
perform these tasks it is necessary to explore the social and economic environment. The manner of lecturing should be made more
active and energetic by modern approaches; the method of lecturing professor-student should be avoided. The students should be
exposed to business case studies and motivated to find solutions to the problems that may occur in business practice. The study
programs for technical students should be focused toward entrepreneurial innovations. The studies should be oriented towards a
managerial career. The program designed in the proposed manner will prepare an engineer empowered with abilities for solving a
range of problems related to management, marketing, organizational behavior, communication and efficient negotiation, etc.

To achieve this objective it is necessary to re-think

PROBLEM STATEMENT
In a society based on knowledge of higher education
institutions are agents that generate wealth and society
members. They are identities that create knowledge
based on scientific research that was implemented in
society becomes practical results. This knowledge forms
the skills to be formed by university curricula.
In this context the mission of higher education
institutions must meet professional development needs
of students, such as young specialist to make the
opportunity to be within the labor market after
completing their studies. At the same time the university
must respond to the social skills necessary for the
country's economic environment. Take into account the
fact that these requirements are changing over time;
they are influenced by the dynamic conditional
accelerated by rapid evolution of the technical and
managerial paradigms. Thus the environment in which
university graduates will pursue vocational changes,
requiring an adjustment effort and foresight studies
programs offered by universities. A modern approach to
developing a training program should be based on the
occupational standards and qualifications framework
should be aimed at gaining the skills that should have a
specialist who will be treated as a dynamic social and
economic environment.
A young engineer must have the theoretical and
practical knowledge necessary for managing a
technological process, but at the same time, they must
have the necessary knowledge to address a number of
issues related to managerial and marketing,
organizational behavior, communication and negotiation
efficient, etc. It stresses that the engineering profession
today should be trained by combining engineering skills
with the management.
all plans of education and curricula at all academic
levels. To realize these tasks is needed to explore the
social environment - economically. Thus any curriculum
and program of university studies or for studies Cycle I
university degree (license) Cycle II master degree, must
be developed taking into account the following
questions:
1. Is there the social and economic demand for this
program?
2. Were there curriculum and program of studies
discussed social and economic partners, with
professionals and professional associations?
Entrepreneurial skills related to education are very
important in society based on private property.
Entrepreneurship education became the subject of
education in Moldova in 1992-1993. The first training
for entrepreneurs has been targeted mainly for adults
who were available, and then training was for all who
wanted to start a business. Typically, the training was
financially supported by international organizations
TACIS and the World Bank, it was then followed by
other international projects supported by SIDA, GTZ,
etc.
The first hours of entrepreneurship education for
higher school students were included only in the years
1995-1998. In some institutions these subjects were
called Fundamentals of business; the others were
targeted at developing of the business plan. The
entrepreneurship education had the format to study the
management, marketing, international relations subjects
at the economic specialties, etc.
Currently almost all specialties of higher education
institutions in Moldova are included in curricula
subjects oriented entrepreneurship education. But the
questions: “What is the optimal content of the course?
What is the best way of teaching this subject?”- are
present today in academia.
528 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
COURSE CONTENT
Integration of business disciplines with technical
subjects. Teaching efforts in the entrepreneurial and
managerial for masters should consider a number of
basic moments:
• What is the target to include in the curriculum,
discipline is about entrepreneurship, or is for
entrepreneurs or for those who want to start a business?
• Which target group is oriented the discipline for?
• What is the most appropriate structure of the
discipline (course report and practical hours)?
• What kind of pedagogical model and teacher is
most appropriate in order to achieve the objective of
entrepreneurship education?
Reality shows that in the majority higher
institutions are taught about entrepreneurship, teaching
methods like other academic disciplines. All understand
that this subject should be taught differently from
others, some even trying to change the principle and
mode of teaching. Teaching this subject should be
mixed with elements of active skills training and
interdisciplinary skills. At this level the aim of
discipline should be directed to training for the
entrepreneur, with the objective of putting the student to
learn about entrepreneurship.
Some top institutions have introduced the
discipline "Assistance in starting business”, which has
similar curriculum content of a business plan. But
practice shows that a student not being an economist,
technician teaching discipline-oriented just learning how
to develop a business plan is not enough. The
curriculum must include economic and commercial
disciplines, disciplines that make up business
opportunities. Explore innovative business ideas is the
most rational way for students’ technicians. They must
learn to generate different business ideas, to see and
evaluate business opportunities and plan how to convert
them into real business. Also, students must be
instructed how to activate after beginning business, how
to run the business every day.
Thus, programs of study for students’ technicians
must be focused to entrepreneurial innovation, which
would complement the entrepreneurial training of future
specialists and managers. Such studies would give a
much more practical use for entrepreneurial training
than teaching a course on "Fundamentals of
entrepreneurship" or "How to develop the business
plan”.
Unfortunately, today this approach is rarely met,
more than one discipline or two still is received as a
standard for these students are rarely kept and
interdisciplinary courses.
Specific content for different students. International
practice shows that some business training in
interdisciplinary subjects can be held jointly for students
of humanitarian and technical profiles with those of the
economic profile. This practice motivates for learning
from one another. Students better understand the
specific skills when they are exposed to these series of
mixed students; they are introduced to the logic of
thinking of different profiles of education. A
progressive experience for interdisciplinary courses is
the involving of business managers in implementing
innovative entrepreneurial training.
Abilities and skills specific to the engineering
profession should be directed to the following:
• Abilities and professional competences,
materialized in basic knowledge related field of activity
that induce interdisciplinary knowledge necessary for an
understanding of the engineering manager;
• Communication skills of their ideas, perceptions;
• Knowledge of business and organizational
culture.
As for students of technical profile should be given
special disciplines focus on specific business needs:
• Technical marketing ideas;
• Patent and protection of technical ideas;
• Financing of innovative technical ideas;
• Internationalization of high-tech ideas;
• Marketing spin-on and spin-off processes.
While for students of humanitarian profile are
relevant the following modules:
• Social entrepreneurship;
• Conceptualizing ideas for new business;
• Ways to stimulate innovation;
• Language of business;
• Communication.
Discussions with managers indicate that
contemporary is very important for managers to be
developed universally. They appreciate programs very
much that develop teamwork skills and effective
communication, skills and knowledge for analysis and
decision making, problems solving in a large spectrum
of business management, administrative management
and appropriate business situation, studies must focus
on a variety of career management.
Content disciplines for different levels of education
should be structured on the same items at different
levels, but natural that theoretical and practical
components with the advance at the same time with the
promotion from Cycle I university degree to Cycle II
master degree.
SUMMARY OF METHODS AND TECHNIQUES
USED IN TEACHING DISCIPLINES OF
BUSINESS TRAINING
Teaching methodologies and specific techniques for
non-economic studies. Learning methods to study the
profile no different from other profiles. Teaching these
subjects all be energized by activated and modern
approach, all should be avoided oriented teaching from
teacher to student. From discussions with teachers
engaged in teaching entrepreneurship, however, we can
conclude that there are differences between teaching a
technical course and economic. Being exposed to
business situations and challenges students should be
stimulated to find solutions to problems that may arise
in business practice. As many variations will occur
Entrepreneurial education for engineers
students must be encouraged to discuss and evaluate
these options. In this case the teacher must change their
traditional role which has pending the course, the role of
knowledge transfer in the role of facilitator of
discussion, so the benefit of the course is to facilitate
knowledge transfer lecturer - student and student -
student.
Methodology and teaching techniques of
entrepreneurial disciplines not differ for Cycle I and
Cycle II university, but the complexity of the issues
analyzed and discussed to advance from Cycle I to
Cycle II.
Knowledge and teacher’s experience. Unfortunately,
few teachers who take entrepreneurship courses have
practice of creating and managing businesses. It is
understandable; it is very difficult to attract teaching
persons who manage business activity. That’s why, it is
very important to stimulate the different preparation
methods involving businessmen with entrepreneurial
experience for students.
It is easier to attract people who have recently
started your business because in this case, is being
carried out a successful process of both parties. Young
entrepreneur can challenge a specific case study focused
on the issues they face, thus learning from teachers and
students. This environment may continue and if
someone of students then will have internship at the
firm.
Cooperation between universities and enterprises.
An efficient approach requires a gain of both parties:
teachers and students contribute to the transfer of
theoretical knowledge for entrepreneurs, and they in
turn - with practical knowledge transfer. For a more
positive effect of cooperation we should be geared to
long-term, involving entrepreneurs and business leaders
as leaders in the internship and individual works. Their
experience can be used to develop case studies,
enterprise data - from developing issues and practical
problems. It is very welcome when curricula are
established and discussed with experienced
entrepreneurs. The enterprise can benefit from
collaboration from students involved in research and
innovation activities, market research, marketing
activities, etc. Taking into account these basic reasons,
can create close cooperation between SMEs in different
business fields.
Mobility of teachers and researchers. Mobility of
teachers and researchers from top institutions and
companies all left to be desired. Basically very few
entrepreneurs give their consent to take courses at
university, where pay is too low compared with the
efforts that have made them. In addition, a number of
not too many teachers fail to create a successful
business. A good way is to attract entrepreneurs and
managers to take part-time courses. Another case would
be to attract teachers with appropriate knowledge and
skills in practical work to be exercised corporate
practical activities or as a trainer and consultant.
Achieving such cooperation is very important for
529
scientific and teaching activities of the business
disciplines, as well as the technical.
Network for dissemination of methodology and
teaching practices. The idea of formation of such
networks is not new, but cases of practices implemented
in Moldova are very few. We give examples only
conference of some higher institutions. This would be a
good practice organizing conferences, the workshops
under the aegis of the Development of Small and
Medium Enterprises (DSME). Creating and inter-
university projects is a very valuable experience in
improving teaching methods and techniques, change of
opinions, finding and applying the best international
practices. Such an international project TEMPUS EU-
supported current is implemented by the Technical
University of Moldova, to achieve which are 5
universities from the country: SUM, CCUM, AESM,
ASUM, and S.U. Comrat.
SUCCESS FACTORS AND BEST PRACTICES
Assessment criterion of success is the significant
involvement of students in university courses both
comprehensive training to prepare future entrepreneurs
and managers. This training would give fruit in the
formation of new enterprises, particularly of those
innovative, by gaining the skills, business management,
by contributing to the technical and managerial
innovative processes in existing companies and
organizations. Upon graduation of higher education
institutions the graduates should be permitted to enter
on businesses to manage their own company or become
a good manager in managing a business. They should
make these moments as instructed by the accumulation
of theoretical knowledge and practical business and
managerial skills. In other words they must be prepared
for future creative work, technical innovation and
management. Obviously, that this term is relevant not
only for private sector activity, but also for public. The
society needs managers with a creative approach,
innovative and to all public stations.
The number of entrepreneurial managerial-oriented
courses is important, but it is very essential quality of
training, the final product quality, theoretical and
practical knowledge that it endorses the student. An
important factor of success is essentially the extent of
learning how traditional pedagogy was substituted with
a prevalence of balanced pedagogy managed by the
creativity oriented substantially characteristic of a new
managerial culture. Tests are, but there is much to do in
this direction. Of course many barriers are present:
bureaucracy, organizational inertia, conflicts between
teaching and research work, low pay etc. In this context,
there are positive changes. More young graduates with
new visions are convinced that modern theory and
practice are not on different sides, they go together, are
combined in a modern environment that leads to
success. Many managers are convinced that they need
good school management, come to take master's degree
530 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

after several years after graduation of Cycle university master's studies necessary to have such structure of
license. Many of them studies having technical profile disciplines as masters to be convinced that they acquire
studies, come to master courses in economics and those skills and abilities needed to care profession he
management. Requirements to increase the number and desired, can tend to the managerial hierarchy in which
quality of economic and managerial disciplines come the manager dreamt coming to studies.
increasingly from the world of business is very good. Entrepreneurial and managerial training relevant to
Studies degree is just a little expensive. The quality of the proposal is:
master studies depends on the quality of tomorrow’s • In order to initiate the perspective of employment
national economy. We must learn from other countries and business Cycle I own all specialties license must be
that succeed better in this area. introduced to basics of entrepreneurship subjects;
• For Cycle II interdisciplinary masters courses
CRITERIA FOR ASSESSING OF BEST should be introduced that would generate innovative
PRACTICES FOR TEACHING MANAGEMENT business ideas, should stimulate the use of new business
COURSES opportunities;
• Interdisciplinary subjects for masters should
stimulate learning to grow their business;
There are several situations that require resolution:
• Approach to know what to do, must be
• The amount of hours with economic and
supplemented by practical actions addressing how to do;
managerial guidance in the total hours of instruction;
• Training of technical objectives must be oriented
• Expanding the staff shares would give greater
effect compared with traditional teaching? to action and forming of creative skills training;
• How to attract business and training • Teaching traditional “passive” management
disciplines of education should be changed in active
experience with specialties benefit to both parties,
training.
business and students?
• What teacher, technical or economic
discipline, takes courses in entrepreneurship and References
management education?
• How to form the professor teaching skills and 1. Torben Bager. Entrereneurship teaching and training in
Denmark: overview and policies. Erenet profile vol.II, no
entrepreneurial / management?
4, P. 3-8.
• How to merge rational training of managerial 2. Sanja Pfeifer. Report from the Harvard Business School.
and technical skills to students? Erenet profile vol.II, no 4., P. 47-50.
• How to find the optimum combination 3. Rusu B., Condurache Gh, Rusu C., Voicu M. Competences
of higher education - survey of final year students of
between the accumulation of theoretical knowledge and
engineering - economic specialization. Proceedings of the
that practice? 5th International Seminar on the Quality Management in
There are also other lines of discussion: Higher Education, 12-14 June, 2008, p.1-6.
• What is the strategy of teaching in this area?
• Understanding the need for cultural change, pass
from bureaucratic management to managerial way of
administration;
• Necessity for social responsibility in both
organizations, public institutions and in private ones;
• Developing of an action program with multiple
tasks optimum combination of traditional teaching
practice merge, teaching technical subjects involving the
accumulation of entrepreneurial skills, gaining technical
skills of traditional and new elements of innovative,
creative;
• Involvement of landowners, entrepreneurs,
managers in forming training plans and programs of
study;
• Attracting owners, entrepreneurs, managers to
contribute practical knowledge, experience and financial
resources to compensate for contacts with students,
professors and researchers.

CONCLUSIONS

To increase the efficiency of management training

programs should be directed to master the necessary
skills of an engineer training manager. To promote
 EMPLOYABILITY, ENTERPRISE AND ENTREPRENEURIAL EDUCATION OF GRADUATES IN
ECONOMIC CRISIS TIMES

Mircea-Ion BUZDUGAN1, Radu MUNTEANU2, Radu A. MUNTEANU3, Nadina NEIDONI4

1
Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, mircea.buzdugan@insta.utcluj.ro,
2
Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, radu.munteanu@mas.utcluj.ro
3
Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, radu.a.munteanu@mas.utcluj.ro
4
Rondocarton Romania Ltd., Nadina.Neidoni@rondo-ganahl.com

Abstract: Nowadays the schools are becoming more businesslike on the labor market. That is why it is very important to adapt it to the
new economic environment. We are facing a profound economic crisis and it is crucially that the return to economic growth will not
result in future shortages of enterprise educated engineers. On one hand the phenomenon might appear due to the declining interest in
mathematics and physics amongst secondary school students (which is more or less the problem of higher education institutions), but on
the other hand it might appear due to the misunderstanding of the enterprise and entrepreneurial education, and we speak here about the
technical universities in Romania in general. That is why, our first aim is to try to give a clarification of the terms involved, in order that
higher education institutes could build proper strategies; the second aim is to outline some guidelines on the ways to achieve enterprise
and entrepreneurial education to the graduates.

That is why we consider highly important to attempt

INTRODUCTION
Whether we like it or not, our schools are becoming
more businesslike, mainly on the labor market, where
“employability” represents a key issue. The
phenomenon is more acute in the nowadays turbulent
times of global economic crisis.
It appears that while universities spend much of their
time on abstract conceptualization and reflection,
industrial partners spend much of their time on the
practical aspects of experience and experiment.
In a university environment, we have theory and
abstract concepts and are able to reflect on these, but
without concrete experience and the opportunity to
experiment and test ideas, full learning is difficult to
achieve. On the other side of the divide, industry is
always under pressure to produce; they are always using
concrete experience and active testing, but have little
time for abstract conceptualization or reflection on what
has occurred so that their learning can be used in the
innovation process [1].
The purpose of this paper is to foster in Higher
Education Institutions from Romania, the concern for
graduate employability, especially in the new economic
environment which affects our country. The changing
economic context and its implications both for higher
education institutions and for graduates starting their
careers, increases the role of enterprising learning in
career-building.
Employability must remain high on the agenda for
Higher Education Institutions, because employability
represents a complex and problematic area without clear
or obvious solutions.
To override this unpleasant situation, higher
education institutions and their staffs must be prepared
and able to adapt to this environment. In the same time
students and graduates should manifest willing to
engage in career learning to adapt to this environment.
a clarification of some vital terms, like “employability”,
“enterprise” and “entrepreneurship”, which is not a
simple exercise in semantics, but a consistent message
to Higher Education Institutions staffs to implement
strategies in these areas, to students and employers as
well.
It has become increasingly evident that the word
“employability” is often used carelessly and
interchangeably with “enterprise”, which in turn is
confused with “entrepreneurship” [2].
It is important to recognize that “employability”,
“enterprise” and “entrepreneurship” represent complex
concepts each of them having a substantial literature
behind. However, this lack of clarity could become a
serious problem for those who are looking to implement
strategies in these areas. Therefore it is greatly
important that Higher Education Institutions should
establish clear definitions that are understood by all
factors involved.
Finally, the purpose of this paper is to offer a review
of these concepts, in order to resolve this confusion and
the need to separate or unbundle the terms, but in the
same time to show where the overlaps lie.
EMPLOYABILITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Current interpretations of employability range from
the use of simple measures, such as whether or not a
graduate has secured a job within six months or one
year of graduating, to in-depth scholarly books on the
subject.
But, questions need to be asked about whether or not
the graduates are using the skills, knowledge and
understanding gained in their degree studies in a
“graduate level job”.
There is so much more to employability than gaining
employment. In discussing the way the employability of
an institution is measured, the quality of employability
in an institution is most effectively measured by the
quality of the employability development opportunities
532 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

which a given High Education Institution offers to Employability – as defined by the model depicted in
students. figure 1 represents something that would be essential to
Looking at the issue of engagement in employability all graduates.
from the students’ point of view, means taking into Generic employability skills (including enterprise
account how students reason in attributing value to their skills) are [1]:
higher education experience. - imagination/creativity
The issue of student engagement in employability is - adaptability/flexibility
therefore manifold – it depends onn the effectiveness of - willingness to learn
program design, implementation and delivery,
delivery which in - independent working/autonomy
turn depends on support and agreement from both - working in a team
management and academic staff. Just as crucially, - ability to manage others
students’ perceptions of how employability is delivered - ability to work under pressure
pressur
to them, ultimately determine
mine whether they will engage - good oral communication
with the program or not. - communication in writing writin for varied
The design of teaching and learning for purposes/audiences
employability therefore needs to offer an experience for - attention to detail
students, which allows them to see their employability - time management
as part of their core activities in higher education
educat [3]. - assumption of responsibility
bility and for making
In [4] and [5] are proposed some models going some decisions
way towards including all the necessary elements to - planning, coordinating and organizing
organi ability
ensure a graduate achieves an optimum level of The
he following two skills, which employers
employ have
employability. consistently named as important in graduate recruits
The USEM account of employability [6], is probably must be also included:
the most well known and respected ted model in this field. - ability to use new technologies
USEM is an acronym for four inter-relatedrelated components - commercial awareness
of employability: understanding, skills, efficacy beliefs
and metacognition (i.e. “cognition about bout cognition", or
"knowing about knowing”, which includes knowledge
about when and where to use particular strategies for
learning or for problem solving; writings on
metacognition can be traced back at least as far as De
Anima and the Parve Naturalia of the Greek philosopher
Aristotle)..
The USEM model forms part of a large body of
research-based
based scholarly work on employability.
However, this strength could also be perceived as a
weakness, in that it does not assist in explaining to non-
non
experts in the field, particularly the students themselves
and their parents, exactly what is meant mean by
employability. Figure 1. The EDGE model for employability developed in [7]
The most recent articulation of the employability
definition incorporates two important additional new
ENTERPRISE AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN
elements: “satisfaction” and “success in the chosen
HIGHER EDUCATION
occupation. Satisfaction stems from the recognition that
from an individual’s perspective
spective a person may be
successful in his chosen occupation but not necessarily It is very important to recognize the distinction
satisfied. between “enterprise“ (or enterprise skills) and
Employability represents “a set of skills, knowledge, entrepreneurship.
understanding and personal attributes that make a In the most recent meaning of the term [8],
person more likely to choose and secure occupations in enterprise
nterprise supports the recognition of new market
which they can be satisfied and successful” [7]. opportunities as well as develops the opportunity to
This definition has been used as a starting point from change and develop at the individual, business and
which to develop a new theoretical and practical industry/sector levels.
framework for employability, called “The Key to This includes the exploration of new ideas and
Employability” model or the EDGE model, which developments from a corporate perspective (as
provides a clear,
ar, visual answer to the simple question of entrepreneurship, i.e. the term applied to describe such
what employability is, in a way that is easily accessible individuals, who are recruited
uited into or develop within
to both practitioners and students (figure 1.). existing businesses to perform the entrepreneurial role)
role
as well as the creation of new ventures, social programs
and the exploration of new opportunities.
opportunities
Entrepreneurial education for engineers
“Enterprise skills”, are defined in [8] as “the skills,
knowledge and attributes needed to apply creative ideas
and innovations to practical solutions”, which would
include skills such as “initiative, independence,
creativity, problem solving, identifying and working on
opportunities, leadership, acting resourcefully and
responding to challenges”.
Entrepreneurs want to engage in establishing new
businesses. In order to do this, they need a particular
and distinctive set of personal qualities and skills. Not
all students and graduates would need to or even want to
develop these to the same extent.
Being entrepreneurial seems to involve many of the
enterprise skills, but also something extra – the ability to
generate creative ideas, take risks in implementing them
and be motivated to get them off the ground.
However, entrepreneurship is not for everybody. In
fact, some employers would not want employees with
entrepreneurial flair – they do not want graduates,
taking risks with their businesses and ultimately their
profits.
Becoming an entrepreneur is not just about having
the right set of skills, but requires particular personal
characteristics, including risk-taking propensity, which
cannot be taught in a proper sense, but can be
encouraged and supported.
A key differentiator between entrepreneurship and
enterprise education lies in the pedagogical approach
adopted [8]. Entrepreneurship education might, for
example, use traditional didactic approaches to the
teaching and learning of business ideas generation,
business planning and the new venture creation process.
In contrast, enterprise education takes a more creative,
innovative pedagogical approach that utilizes
experiential action learning methods. The scope and
practice of enterprise education is much broader than
entrepreneurship education, which is overly focused on
how to start a business.
The role of the teacher/lecturer and the teaching
environment are of great importance when introducing
enterprise education. Unlike traditional didactic
learning, enterprise education focuses on the process.
This can often be difficult for a teacher/lecturer who has
been accustomed to directing the learning process.
The challenge for the teacher/lecturer is to develop a
teaching style that encourages learning by doing,
exchange, experiment, positive mistake-making,
calculated risk-taking, creative problem-solving and
interaction with the outside world. Students and pupils
also need to learn to adapt to this distinctive approach to
teaching and learning, which requires interaction and
independent thought.
Entrepreneurship education advocates self-
employment and promotes new business start-up. The
subliminal message is a libertarian one which argues
that the state can only do so much and that the private
sector and individuals are best placed to create wealth,
as well as to deliver innovation and change. In contrast,
the emphasis of enterprise education pedagogy is on the
freedom of the individual to change, grow, develop, act
533
on and adapt to opportunities, circumstances and
contexts [9].
WAYS TO IMPLEMENT THE CONCEPTS IN
HIGHER EDUCATION
To find the ways of implementing the employability
an the entrepreneurship is becoming enormously
important, not just because of the state administration
pressure on higher education institutes to demonstrate
their avowed commitment to these issues, but also
because of the need to respond to the demands of
students, parents and employers.
There are a number of responses that higher
education institutes can adopt in this respect.
One could be to embed employability, including
“enterprise skills” as a fundamental component of
academic provision at all levels. This clearly makes
sense as a strong case can be made of the need for all
students and graduates to have access to opportunities
that will enhance their employability. It is also possible
to identify methods by which such an objective can be
achieved: for example, through work placements,
student projects with employers and career development
related activities.
It will also be essential that Higher Education
Institutions quality review processes reflect this strategy
and that clear messages are provided to course
developers about expectations of how employability
including “enterprise skills” need to be embedded in
their programs, and how they can show where they are
embedded and which activities relate to the
development of these skills.
Enterprise education encompasses a range of
changes in educational practices as well as the nature of
the teacher-learner relationship. Enterprise educational
restructuring involves two dimensions:
- changes in the curriculum
- changes in the techniques of teaching and
learning
Compared with traditional didactic educational
methods, enterprise education shifts learner expectations
and can require teacher input to explain the processes
and issues involved.
It is important to recognize that enterprise
education is very much about reshaping and
renegotiating the terms and conditions of the whole
teaching and learning experience. The pace, methods,
tools and ways of working are changed for both teacher
and learner. Traditional techniques of teaching and ways
of working do still have a role to play. The balance of
power between teacher and learner remains a constant
zero sum co-dependent relationship of equals. Using
techniques of enterprise education in no way diminishes
teachers authority or standing and equally, nor does it
diminish students’ quest to learn.
Entrepreneurship needs to be considered separately.
Entrepreneurship will be important to some
students, and it is essential that for those students,
534 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
appropriate opportunities and support are made
available when they need it, for example modules and
workshops supporting entrepreneurial activity. It may be
that because of the nature of their subject, some courses
may feel it would be beneficial to embed opportunities
for their students to engage with this type of skill
development. But this will not apply to all courses, and
as such it would not be appropriate to recommend that
entrepreneurship development activities be embedded
across higher education institutes. Once again, “teaching
and learning” strategies need to be tailored appropriately
to the needs of particular courses in this respect, as do
quality review procedures and recommendations.
On another hand, educationalists should be aware
that as the needs of a particular industry sector change,
education should change. To do so, ensures that
entrepreneurship education focuses on areas which are
relevant for industry and for economic growth. This is
becoming increasingly important and one must be
prepared to modify courses to cope with changing
economic landscapes [10].
Given that higher education institutes are
responding with these strategies, it is especially
important that managers, practitioners and other
stakeholders involved in this process recognize the
importance of the distinctions between employability,
enterprise and entrepreneurship.
For example, if “enterprise” is used interchangeably
with “employability”, there is a danger of too much
focus on “enterprise skills” and overlooking a whole set
of issues that we have defined as elements of
employability, such as career development learning and
work experience. Equally if enterprise and
entrepreneurship are used interchangeably, students
wanting to develop “enterprise skills” as part of their
employability may be guided towards entrepreneurial
activities which may or may not be appropriate for their
needs.
CONCLUSIONS
This paper has sketched a future agenda in which
enterprise as pedagogy offers clarity for policy
developments throughout primary, secondary, further to
higher education. Of course, for being effective and
achieving maximum impact, it is important that these
different phases of education (primary, secondary and
higher) employ and utilize enterprise education in ways
that are relevant, appropriate and fit for purpose in
relation to students’ needs at these different levels.
Entrepreneurial education should not be neglected
because it gives benefits to a variety of people: to
students, educational institutions and small firm
owner/managers.
Moreover, the Romanian economic landscape is
changing, with a move from foreign direct investment to
self-employment and entrepreneurship. This is noted in
the increase in the number of individuals considering
self-employment as a career option.
Ultimately, entrepreneurship education should be
viewed as a flexible mechanism through which
important knowledge, skills and competencies can be
imparted to accommodate specific industry needs.
Entrepreneurship education programs should
stimulate creativity and innovative thinking in education
and develop a “can do” and “will do” mindset.
References
1. Meredith, S. and Burkle, M. (2008), Building bridges between
university and industry: theory and practice, Education + Training,
Vol. 50, No. 3, pp. 199-215.
2. Sewell, P. and Dacre Pool, L.(2010), Moving from conceptual
ambiguity to operational clarity Employability, enterprise and
entrepreneurship in higher education, Education + Training, Vol. 52,
No. 1, pp. 89-94.
3. Ehiyazaryan, E. and Barraclough, N. (2009) Enhancing
employability: integrating real world experience in the curriculum,
Education +Training, Vol. 51, No. 4, pp. 292-308.
4. Hillage, J. and Pollard, E. (1998), “Employability: developing a
frame work for policy analysis”, Research Brief No. 85, Department
for Education and Employment, London,
www.dfes.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/RB85.doc
5. Bennett, N., Dunne, E. and Carre´, C. (1999), “Patterns of core
and generic skill provision in higher education”, Higher Education,
Vol. 37, pp. 71-93.
6. Knight, P. and Yorke, M. (2004), Learning, Curriculum and
Employability in Higher Education, Routledge Falmer, London.
7. Dacre Pool, L. and Sewell, P. (2007), “The key to employability:
developing a practical model of graduate employability”, Education +
Training, Vol. 49 No. 4, pp. 277-289.
8. Jones, B. and Iredale, N. (2010), Enterprise education as
pedagogy, Education + Training, Vol. 52, No. 1, pp. 7-19.
9. Rae, D. (2007), Connecting enterprise and graduate employability.
Challenges to the higher education culture and curriculum, Education
+ Training, Vol. 49, Nos 8/9, pp. 605-619.
10. Richardson, I. and Hynes, B. (2008), Entrepreneurship education:
towards an industry sector approach, Education + Training, Vol. 50,
No. 3, pp. 188-198.
 THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION AND KNOWLEDGE BASED MANAGEMENT IN
ENTREPRENEURIAL ACTIVITIES

Alina CIUHUREANU 1, Liana MARCU2, Nicolae BALTES 3

1
Universitatea Romano-Germana din Sibiu, alinaciuhureanu@yahoo.com
2
Universitatea Romano-Germana din Sibiu, lianabrezai@yahoo.com
3
Unversitatea Lucian Blaga, Sibiu, baltes_n@yahoo.com

Topic: Entrepreneurship education and research / Entrepreneurship education and research

Objectives: Business and management depend on knowledge-the basis of education, in a continuously changing world. This paper presents
the state of knowledge regarding entrepreneurship, the level of influence of the main factors of change upon decision and leadership among
entrepreneurs and the categories of research methods and techniques used in entrepreneurial activities.
Prior work: The paper is based on several concepts from literature, on opinions of well known specialists but also on the reality of
international crisis which shows an obvious lack of entrepreneurial education.
Design/Methodology/Approach: The investigation is composed of two successive researches: a qualitative explorative research (interviews
among specialists, focus-groups) and a quantitative descriptive research.
Results/Acknowledgement: The results of the research show the importance of education and research in entrepreneurial activity in modern
organizations but especially an extremely low preoccupation among specialist for this type of education. An essential result reflects a weak level
of education and interest among entrepreneurs for a knowledge based management.
Implications: We consider that the results of this research have an innovative character and could be the base for new theoretical and mostly
practical study programs for entrepreneurs. Also, organizations affected by profound changes should realize that only a better preparation and a
knowledge based activity will ensure a sustainable entrepreneurship.
Originality value: The paper is original because education and research will always change its value and typology. It can be studied
theoretically but only practical research can show the impact of education upon entrepreneurs and organizations. Such research has not been
undertaken at such high level, in Romanian organizations.
Key words: education, change , research, knowledge, intellectual capital

By using the qualitative research of an exploratory

PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATIONS nature one had as aim determining the set of hypothesis
which were the object of the quantitative descriptive
research that was to follow and setting up the following
Entrepreneurship education in Europe has grown
priorities for the research. The methods used in this
significantly in the past years and strong growth is
preliminary research are the following: the analysis of
expected to continue. Entrepreneurship education seeks
to provide knowledge, skills and motivation to secondary data, which requires the usage of the
encourage entrepreneurial success in a variety of available data coming from different sources with focus
on discovering shortcomings, ideas, solutions regarding
settings. What makes entrepreneurship education
costs and the prices policy; interviews with specialists
distinctive is its focus on realization of opportunity,
with the aim of obtaining further pieces of information
where management education is focused on the best
from those relevant in the fields of risk management,
way to operate existing hierarchies.
Our survey shows an ongoing interest among all finance-accounting; group reunions or focus groups that
type of practitioners as well as students regarding deep allowed the debates regarding this subject.
entrepreneurial education and a strong interest in further
training in the teaching of entrepreneurship Table 1: Objectives and hypothesis of the research
The importance of this study is considerably
amplified by changes generated by the economical crisis
that develops deeply; process spread inevitably The actual state I1 – Most professional agree to
of knowledge of the importance of
worldwide, becoming difficult to control and affecting
entrepreneurial entrepreneurial education in
all areas of business. business development;
education and
I2 – Most respondents consider
Q1
the perspective that EE contributes decisively
on the level and to the improvement of
METHODOLGY OF RESEARCH
growth of organizational performance in
entrepreneurship changing conditions;
By this research study we intend to underline some education
existing realities in Romanian organizations regarding
entrepreneurial education and in knowledge based I3 – Most HEI don’t have EE
management. The degree in courses ;
Taking into account the set-up objectives, our which universities I4 – Most often
investigation has been made up of two consecutive Q2 include entrepreneurship is taught as
researches: a qualitative research of an exploratory entrepreneurship a stand alone subject;
nature and a quantitative research of a descriptive courses in their
nature. curricula
536 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
The degree in I7 – The level of involvement of
which universities the teaching staff is growing;
are willing to I8 – The level of expenses
Q3
form regarding an entrepreneurship is
entrepreneurs. very high especially in private
universities..
The descriptive quantitative research, the results of
which are presented in the present paper, had as purpose
to describe and evaluate the coordinates regarding the
level of knowledge of the concept of entrepreneurial
education between teaching staff as well as students.
Taking into consideration the location of
development the research has been made in the field,
and in what concerns the frequency of development, the
research has been made on occasion.
Right after setting up the objectives we aimed to
define the hypothesis of the selective scientific research
presented in table 1, respectively to anticipate the
answers to the matter under investigation.
One had into consideration when formulating the
hypothesis the pieces of information and conclusions
taken from the previous exploratory research.
In order to set the sample we used the method of
random sampling, which was based on a fixed sample
with restrictions (taking into consideration the
organizational restrictions, we decided upon a sample of
650 respondents). We can state that the sampling
method consists of a combination between the multi –
stages sampling method and that of the non-
proportional stratified random sampling. Thus, for the
purpose of our research the following steps have been
taken.
- The basis for sampling has been defined and
constituted using a number of 1200 students and 100
teaching staff.
- From the sampling basis we have eliminated all the
students that have high level of absence as well as
the associated teaching staff.
- The remaining subjects for each stratum have been
randomly selected until the size of the sample has
been reached.
A limit of the research derives from the choice made
in completing the size of the sample, namely our choice
for the non-proportional version. Regarding this aspect,
we would like to argue that, even if, by using the non-
proportional alternative the subjects of the sample do
not correspond to the statistic realities in what regards
their weight on the total number of students in Sibiu, we
started from the hypothesis that certain strata,
consequently that of the young students that have a
career ahead have a larger importance in the context of
research, each of those having its own conceptions and
perceptions.
One must also specify that the basic objective of the
selective scientific research has been to develop and test
the instrument of research and not the precision of the
estimates.
Considering the purpose of the completed selective
scientific research, that of capturing the existing realities
in the perception of students and teaching staff
regarding the need for entrepreneurial education, to
determine the level of the differences from the point of
view of needs, attitudes or opinions between different
categories of students and professors, the distributed
questionnaire was anonymous, the researchers assuring
the respondents of the confidentiality of the information
they have provided. The focus was not on a particular
category of respondents, as we tried to catch certain
realities with the purpose of identifying the causes of the
deficiencies declared at the level developing a business,
as well as to formulate proposals in this field. From this
point of view, the researchers based their opinions on
the full confidence shown by the respondents who, thus,
assured them of their full cooperation.
CONCLUSIONS AND PROPOSALS
The actual state of knowledge of entrepreneurial
education and the perspective on the level and
growth of entrepreneurship education
A first objective of our research was to obtain
information that would give us an image of the actual
state of knowledge and the need regarding
entrepreneurial education.
Within the frames of this objective we followed the
opinions of respondents that clearly state the fact that
entrepreneurship education has been growing
dramatically over the past years and is expected to
continue growing. However, entrepreneurship remains
primarily elective. Entrepreneurship still tends to be
offered in stand alone courses, rather than being
integrated across the curriculum. A greater critical mass
of entrepreneurship faculty, research and course
material is needed.
Data processing leads to the conclusion that most of
the respondents (47, 7%) agree to the fact that
entrepreneurial education is important and 33, 2%
express their total agreement towards our affirmation.
This situation would make us point out the importance
of this subject in relation to business environment, in
different ways of business development, as well as in
strategic planning of curricula. Neutral opinion have
6,5 % of the respondents, while 12, 5% expressed
disagreement and only 1 respondent (0, 9%) expressed
total disagreement towards the upper affirmation.
The average of the obtained responses (total
agreement – 5, agreement – 4, neutral – 3, disagreement
– 2, total disagreement – 1) is 4, 14 and is situated in the
„agreement” zone, so that the hypothesis advanced
before the research (I1 – Most professionals agree to the
importance of entrepreneurial education in business
development ) is confirmed. When a business is being at
start up, regardless of its type, managers need to know
the fact that being an entrepreneur is a full combination
of several factors among which is entrepreneurial
education. In order to survive as an entrepreneur one
must be able to develop a business with all its’
components. Entrepreneurial education is the only one
The Importance of Education and Knowledge Based Management in Entrepreneurial Activities
that can offer solid information, influencing the
behaviour and decisions of the ones implementing it. A
good idea is the door to success but entrepreneurial
education is the key that opens it.
In the same time, within this objective, we followed
the attitude of respondents regarding the degree in
which they consider that entrepreneurial education
contributes to the improvement of the organizational
performance in changing conditions.
The information obtained revealed the conclusion
that most respondents (50,0%) consider the fact that
entrepreneurial education and knowledge based
management sustains performance in change, 19,1%
appreciate as useful such concepts, but not
indispensable and many respondents, (over 30%),
consider such a these concepts not important. As a
conclusion, the hypothesis (I2 – Most managers consider
that EE contributes decisively to the improvement of
organizational performance in changing conditions ;) is
confirmed.
Still, we consider that this conclusion cannot be
generalized, because almost half of the respondents do
not consider as significant the level of knowledge
obtained from entrepreneurial education.
To be more detailed, we tried to establish the link
that exists between the students’ attitude regarding
entrepreneurial education and the way they have stabile
professionalized working places.
We have observed the fact that the percent of
students that consider EE sustains performance in
conditions of change - 75% in work in organizations or
run their own business and only 29, 5% only study.
As a conclusion, the research proves that most of the
students that have been working for some time or even
run their business consider entrepreneurial education
important and a factor that contributes to a better
activity.
In a competitive economy, characterized by
permanent changes, the role of entrepreneurial
education is to form entrepreneurs that gain success in
their activity, that lead great business and even create
working places.
It is true that the concept of entrepreneurship is often
mistaken with SME (small and medium size
enterprises). It is a common confusion that leads due to
the fact that SMEs’ are a visible sector of the economy
all over the world and especially all over Europe.
These are not often growth oriented and the mistake
is often due to the lack of a clear definition of
entrepreneurship.
We consider that the initial role of entrepreneurial
education, especially in change and crisis is to be
regarded as a „compass” for individuals seeking their
way, implementing their ideas and leading others.
The degree in which universities include
entrepreneurship courses in their curricula
537
The second major objective of our research refers to
certain realities in Romanian universities regarding EE.
In order to reach this objective, we have placed in our
questionnaire three questions. For starters, we intended
to identify the degree in which have or intent to include
EE courses in their curricula. The information obtained
has shocked us. Most of the organizations included in
sample (70%) do not have implemented courses of
entrepreneurship within their curricula, only 20% of
them declare they have some, and 10% consider they
cannot state whether they have or not such courses.. The
hypothesis is in this way confirmed.
Another aspect of the research is the way
entrepreneurship is taught. Even though students and
teaching staff are not able to appreciate the percent,
most of them state that entrepreneurship courses are
taught as stand alone subject, not integrated within the
curricula and with different frequency. But another
aspect is shocking: the number of respondent that show
interest for these stand alone courses – more that 50 %
of the respondents never visited the entrepreneurship
course due to facts like lack of time, lack of interest
because they don’t come with credit points or weekend
position within schedule.
As a consequence, the hypothesis we have
formulated before our research (I4– Most often
entrepreneurship is usually taught as a stand alone
subject) is again confirmed
We can also see the high percentage of those not
taking interest in concept like entrepreneurial education
and this is especially due to the way this is taught. It is
not well integrated throughout the curriculum, with the
exception of the institutions that have been teaching for
longer periods of time. Until there is enough focus and
critical mass of entrepreneurship knowledge and
material within an institution, it is difficult to leverage
into other courses. A common path of evolution appears
to be: one or more faculty teaching entrepreneurship,
growing into a small group, creation of a department
and, in some cases, a centre.
As a general conclusion, we can state the fact that
changes in business environment and competition
generate different types of business. Any decision
regarding an entrepreneurial activity must be based
especially on preparations. And this can only be
obtained through formal education. This is a sufficient
reason to deeply study this field, to undertake research
and to develop material in order to better integrate
entrepreneurial education into higher education
curricula. We simply don’t know if a great idea is
enough to survive in a changing, volatile business
environment but what we know for sure is that the
future is unpredictable and the only way to consolidate
one’s position on the market is through strong
educational background.
The general conclusion of our scientific, selective
research is that most of the questioned subjects don’t
have access to entrepreneurial education..
538 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

Entrepreneurial education in XXIst century should References.

be an integrant part of general management, promoting
operational efficiency and not bureaucracy, permanently
developing new ideas.
The degree in which universities are willing to form
entrepreneurs.
1. Farell, L, , (2008), Cum sa devii antreprenor , Editura
Curtea veche, Bucuresti
2. Henry, C .and Hill, F.,(2005) Entrepreneurship and
training – can entrepreneurship be taught?, I Journal of
Education and Training,
3. Smik, D.(2009), Lumea e rotunda. Pericolele ascunse ale
economiei globale, Editura Publica , Bucuresti
4. Wilson, K. (2004), Entrepreneurship Education at European

As we stated before, a major request of adaptation of

human resources to the business environment, refers to
training of professional that will be able to bring
knowledge and abilities to the task of their
entrepreneurial activities.
So, we have intended to follow the degree in which
the higher education institutions are willing to
implement entrepreneurship education into their
curricula. By data processing, we noticed that most of
the organizations (37, 2%) are not willing to do that,
statement that actually doesn’t wonder us considering
the low percent of courses promoted by the authorities.
Only 15.5% of organizations offer access to training
programs.
As a conclusion, the hypothesis advanced before the
research is not confirmed. Regarding the level of
expenses involved by such study, we could state that
most of these (55, 5%) appreciate that they have a are
very high and 20% have can afford to support them.
Only 2, 7 % declare that they have funds.
Almost half of all materials used in the
entrepreneurship courses in Europe are generated
locally. Faculties teach with a mix of lectures as well as
formats that don’t use conventional course materials.
Case studies could be leveraged more. Many faculties
indicated an interest for training in the case method of
teaching. Training in case writing is also need. When
cases are used, most are sourced externally.
Proposals
Where entrepreneurial education is being used
teachers of entrepreneurship are proactively seeking
more innovative, practical and hands-on methods for
teaching entrepreneurship:
- Methods & exercises
- Innovative approaches
- Action learning
Many teachers have experimented with a range of
approaches to make the teaching of entrepreneurship as
close to reality as possible. Sharing the lessons learned
and best practices from these approaches would be
valuable.
We consider that entrepreneurial education should
continuously be reevaluated and consolidated through
management policies in order to approach complex
danger entrepreneurs face nowadays. In spite of the
continuous decline of this financial crisis that we are
facing, it seems that few universities actually plan to
bring fundamental changes in their study program
structures.
 ASPECTS OF ORGANIZATIONAL PROCESS REDESIGN IN RESEARCH
INNOVATION ACTIVITY

Petrica CORĂBIERU1, Dumitru ZAIT2, Anisoara CORĂBIERU3

1
SC Procomimpex of Jassy, e-mail: pcorabieru@yahoo.com, Romania
2
University Al. I. Cuza of Jassy, e-mail: dzait@uaic.com, Romania
3
SC Procomimpex of Jassy, e-mail: acorabieru@yahoo.com, Romania

Abstract: The article highlights the aspects of organizational process redesign in research innovation activity in educational establishments and
research. Need to redesign is supported by: integration issues in European research programs and exploitation of research results at the level of
applied. Organizational process redesign in research innovation activity seeks major improvements on time, cost, quality, methods of implementation
and technology transfer. The article highlights the role of competitive analysis in decision making in research and innovation. Competitive analysis
are developed in accordance with multidimensional diagnosis. Benchmarking shows the close link between the concept of reengineering and Total
Quality Management concept. Performance evaluation of research innovation means to assess efficiency of this activity. In this sense indicators
should be indicators of process and no input / output.

Key words: organizational process redesign research innovation activity

1. INTRODUCTION
In the context of a globalized world economy and
of the transition to the informational society, the
comparative study respective the re-engineering was
included in the arsenal of the biggest companies of the
world, fact demonstrated by the statistical data of the
American company “Ernst and Young”, that performs
research in the field of the inter-organisational
processes: the greatest banks of North America have
allocated in the last period about 3 billion dollars for the
implementation of the re-engineering in branches, while
in the period 2004-2005, the USA government
conceived more than 200 re-engineering projects. /2/
Some researchers prefer the term of business re-
engineering, while some other researchers are disposed
to talk about this phenomenon only in strict connection
with business processes, i.e. they utilize the term of
companies for the considerable improvement of the
main indicators of their activity: value, quality, services
and rhythm. /6/ Studying the causes and circumstances
that conditioned the inefficiency of the management
traditional methods and starting from a new vision on
the business, they spotlighted that the passage to the
modern technologies imposes a study of the business-
processes in their assembly, not only as separate
business-functions. /5/
Reengineering imposes the transformation of the
organisational structures in dynamic economic unities,
competitive and organically integrates in the business
environment specific to a world-wide market economy.
/3/
In the last two decades, “CCS”, that means clients,
competition and radical changes, created a new world
for business, and now it becomes more and more clear
that the organisations designed to work in a certain
environment cannot be used to activate successfully in
another environment.
2. RE-DESIGNING THE ORGANISATIONAL
PROCESSES – PART OF THE INNOVATING
SYSTEM

Re-designing the organisational processes contains

Figure 1. Evolution of the concept of reengineering
business-process reengineering (BPR).
Regarded as a fundamental concept, the re-engineering
supposes the complete re-organisation of the work
process and the division of the charges in order to
reduce the time and the effort.
M. Hammer and J. Champy, in the work
„Reengineering of the corporation: manifest of the
revolution in business” underlines that the reengineering
supposes the fundamental re-interpretation and re-
designing of the business – processes of the actual
a strong innovative side. Capitalizing the cultural
differences between the members of a team by
communication remarkable results can be reached. This
way, the intense communication between the members
of a team is considerate an obvious aspect. By the
communication of the ideas, opinions, the improvement
of a product is reached or even new products are
created. A flexible organisational structure, with a high
level of freedom and risks taking, is usually a supporter
of the innovation. Certain researchers sustain that the
excessive formalization can be detrimental to the
innovation.
Nevertheless, the join between the strictness and
ideas freedom is hard to be obtained, because
concessions are necessary in order to observe a certain
plan with certain actions and to let time and place also
for exploring and creation of new ideas and solutions.
540 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

continuous improvements and ensuring individual

development.
The innovating system represents a set of
interconnected decision factors that forms a system
whose performances are determined both by the
individual performances of each actor and of the
modality of their action, as elements of a collective
system. /4/
3. STUDY OF COMPETITIVENESS –
CONNECTION BETWEEN
Figure 2. Conceptual principles of reengineering REENGINEERING AND THE SYSTEM OF
TOTAL QUALITY
The orientations drafted by Ojasalo (2008) for those
who manage the innovation process are: /11/
A study of competitiveness useful for taking
1- The leaders of an organizational structure have to
strategic decisions supposes a tri-dimensional diagnosis
sustain the innovation as lifestyle, by their example,
that takes into consideration the economic environment
by their words as well as by their actions;
and also the competition factors.
2- The organizational structure has to keep close to its
The main dimensions are:
clients, first in order to face their expressed needs,
• Situation of the field we are activating in;
but especially in order to elaborate what they want,
in the future, starting from the preferences expressed • Situation of the competition in that field,
by the clients them-selves; respectively the study of the competition forces and
3- An internal procedure must exist in order to keep of the key-competitors;
track of all innovating projects, for a continuous re- • Situation of the studied organisational structure.
consideration to simultaneous pursuit of the activity The algorithm of the complete study of
on all fronts but remaining coherent and compatible; competitiveness is shown in the table 1.
4- An innovating culture supposes freedom in action, Table 1. Competitiveness study
substantial resources for the education at all levels in Step Study elements Study methods /comments
the company in what concerns the new technologies,
as well as the utilization of small teams of 1. A. Structure of Method of strategic groups
Situation the field
employees that possess many competences;
of the B. Progress Definition: forces that can
5- In order to sustain an innovating culture it is field forces produce strategic
important that the employees who innovate activity modifications in the activity
successfully are rewarded and recognized by the field
other employees. C. Economic Common factors
The organizational structure that understands how factors and field Specific factors
to create value both for their clients and for itself can characteristics
change the fundaments of the competition in its field of D. Strategic Method „Environmental
activity. By the creation of efficient business systems problems of the scanning”
that have in view the supply of value on a new market, field
the organizational structures not only re-define the value E. Prognostic of Fields unfavourably
the field in the affected
but even block the competitors, who are not capable to
globalization Fields favourably affected
reproduce the business efficient model. /9/ perspective
The orientation toward the market has a significant 2. A. Competitive Method of the 5 forces
positive influence on the success and by consequence it Situation forces model (Porter model)
is a crucial element of innovation management. of the
The organizational structures have to detain a competiti B. Competition Competition Low cost
“desire” in innovating sustained by vision and on in the positions of advantages distinction
management in concordance with an accent on the field competitors
exploratory thinking both in products and in C. Probable Evaluations conceptions
organization. Structures have to provide equilibrium actions of regarding strategies
between the mechanistic approaches, in combination competitors capacity
with a creative climate of working. Many times, intentions
innovation must be promoted or protected by key- 3. A. Evaluation of Directions Relating to
Situations the satisfaction the firm
persons. /12/ Innovation has to be a collective effort by
of the with the actual situation
working in an efficient team, with attentively selected organisati strategy Relating to
members, based on communication extended at internal onal other
and external level, as well as with a most important structure structures
implication in the innovation domain. High implication B. SWOT study Success depends on the
means that every person is responsible to take part in selection of the elements
Aspects of organizational process redesign in research innovation activity
connected to the strategic
problems
C. Competition Comparison cumulative
relative position methods based on an
objectified scale of the key-
factors
Quality by its quality to release and get dynamic
both inside and outside the organisational structure, as
well by the importance given to the “net functioning”
(inter-organizational and inter-personal collaborations),
can contribute essentially to:
1. Identification of some advantageous “niches“;
2. Formation of synergic sustainable structures;
3. Development of innovation (to facilitate the
implementation of the innovation into utilizable and
saleable products);
4. Promoting the new technologies and the
informational society.
Facilitating the access and the adequate utilization
of the quality instruments by the organisational
structures, it is possible to develop the whole economy.
In the last time, the concept of “quality” enlarged
considerably its dimensions. In order to obtain and
maintain the quality the “quality management” has been
utilized as strategic element of the general management
of an organisational structure. This enlarged concept is
today indispensable, in the acerbic fight for surviving in
the conditions of globalized market./13/ The quality
management strategies are oriented to the satisfaction of
the client, being based on the continuous improvement
and they are always placed behind the modern re-
organizations.
Studying the process approach in the total quality
system and the characteristics and specific features of
the reengineering a strong reciprocal connection has
been established between the two concepts emphasizing
the followings connections:
• Unity between the reengineering object and the quality
system submitted to research, more specific business-
processes;
• Orientation in the same direction of the business-
processes – to the satisfaction of the client’s
necessities and requirements;
• Quality that passes through all the steps of the
enterprise’s activity and represents the fundamental
principle both of TQM (General system of quality
management) and of the business-processes
reengineering;
• Permanent changes produced both in the enterprises
submitted to the reengineering and in the enterprises
that implement the total quality system;
• Remarks on the activity of the organisational structure
are made in time;
• The “method of the added value” is utilized in the
both conceptions.
Even with all these connections, an identity between the
reengineering concepts and TQM cannot be established.
541
4. ASPECTS AND E TENDENCIES
REGARDING THE INNOVATION
MANAGEMENT OF THE
ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURES
Innovations represent a very important concept in
the new competition context. Knowledge has as basis
innovative processes and the innovation potential can be
developed by training and perfecting. Innovations are
studied from many perspectives that influence
significantly also their defining. In principle there is two
approaches, that oriented to the results, where the
innovations represent a new idea or a new procedure,
and that related to the process. Conforming to the
process approach, the difference between the macro-
economic approach and the micro-economic one
appears and the difference between the sociological
approach and of the organizational theory approach
appears. /8/
This typology can be completed depending on the
novelty degree with radical or routine innovations and,
depending on content, with product, process or social
innovations. With the expansion and upgrade of the
knowledge structure new chances of proliferation of the
radical innovation appear. The innovational pressure is
more and more accentuated following the reduction of
the innovational cycles and the innovation represents the
decisive criteria associated with the transfer of know-
how and of the rights of intellectual property./7/
At the organizational level, the innovations
management brings in the forefront the entrepreneurship
with a new orientation toward flexible structures and
toward the creation of a relaxed atmosphere oriented to
the creation, with many maneuver spaces necessary to
the development and promotion of the new ideas by the
employees. Specialty studies indicate even the existence
of a management of the ideas as a new instrument of
management into the framework of the organizational
structures. /1/ At the basis of this one there is the
process of implementation of a innovating culture in the
whole organization. /10/ Re-designing of the
organizational processes is characterized by maneuver
spaces for employees, by the possibility of the inter-
personal communication, by tolerance in case of faults,
by the delegation of the responsibility, by the orientation
to the team work.
In the organizational structure, the implementation
of the innovation strategy is facing the limited flexibility
of the big structures and of the resistance to change of
the management. These barriers can be removed by
promoting an innovating organizational culture even in
the form of „corporate venturing”.
The innovational management of the organizational
structures consists in the permanent renewing both of
the content and forms of manifestation of the
managerial processes and relations and of the managed
activities with direct and indirect effects in the
organization functionality and results. The innovation
object in management consists of the people activity, the
modality of deploying this activity and the complex
542 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
nature of the problems they face. From the multiple
forms of the innovational management we mention:
- Elaboration and application of company global
strategies and politics with a pronounced
innovational dimension – strategic options related to
the organization, renewing and modernization;
- Development to the superior management of the
approaches and behaviours with an innovative
character;
- Diversifying and application on a scale as large as
possible of the methods and techniques of
stimulation and amplification of the creativity;
- Proliferation of the partial innovative strategies
(renewing of products, technologies, knowledge,
equipment).
Innovations based on knowledge are different of
other types by the number of their beneficiaries and by
the achieving time, usually very long. There is a time
between the apparition of a new knowledge and the
technology that uses it. We have to add the time until it
arrives to be delivered on the market as products,
processes or services. Two complementary
characteristics follow from here and they need to be
mentioned:
-Innovation based on knowledge is a controllable
process because it is the result of conscientious,
consequent searches;
-Innovation based on knowledge depends on the study
of the market needs.
Motivation of innovation is justified by the fact that
this one is one of the functions specific to the initiative
in business, whether if it comes of an existing firm, a
public institution or a new business of family. When the
innovation is understood as the effort to produce an
important change, focused on a certain aspect in the
economical or social potential of an organisational
structure, we deduce the strong intrinsic raisons
maintained by the extrinsic conditions and factors which
influence it.
5. CONCLUSIONS
Re-design the organisational processes in the
research-innovation activity represents a necessity
sustained by the issues of the integration of research
programs and themes in the European research
programs and capitalization of the research results et the
level of the applicant unities. Re-design of the
organisational processes has in view to obtain major
improvements regarding the cost, quality, modalities of
implementation and technological transfer.
The decisions in research and innovation are based
the competitiveness studies elaborated in concordance
with multidimensional diagnosis. Evaluation of the
performance of the innovation –research activity means
the evaluation of the efficiency of this activity through
indicators. For the increase of the evaluation relevance it
is necessary that the process indicators weighting is
greater than the inlet/outlet indicators weighting.
The study of the evaluation of the research-
innovation activity from the perspective of the
organizational processes spotlighted the followings:
Up to a certain economical ceiling specific to each
country and organisation, the public financing of the
research and innovation is indispensable;
Over this ceiling, the private financing is essential
for the increase of the economic performances;
A second economical ceiling can be over passed
with mixed financings – public-private but into the
context of the “right place and moment”.
Comparative studies between EU countries
demonstrated that the direct values of the innovation
performance indicators, as well as the aggregate
indicator based on which the European hierarchy is
made are not enough to make an orientation toward the
most adequate specific measures necessary to a state.
Innovation comparative studies and those based on
indicators can determine the orientation toward the most
adequate measures in good practice conditions.
Re-design of the organisational processes in the
research-innovation activity redefine the value, blocking
on the market the competitors who cannot reproduce the
business efficient model.
References
1. Arnold J. , (1997), Existenzgrűndung. Von der Idee zum Erfolg, 3.
Auflage, Max Schimmel, Wűrzburg.
2. Badea Gh. , (2009), Contributions towards the application of
reengineering in the comparative study of the research – innovation
activity in Romania and European Union, Politehnica University,
Bucharesti
3. Champy J, Reengineering Management, (1995), Harper Business
Books, New York,.
4. Edquist C., (2005),Systems of Innovation. Perspectives and
challenges . In: Fagerberg J, Mowery D.C, Nelson R.R. The Oxford
handbook of innovation . Oxford University Press.
5. Hammer M., (1990),Reengineering Work:Don’t Automate,
Obliterate, Haward Business Rev., p.104-112.
6. Hammer M., Champy J., (1993),Reengineering the Corporation:
A manifesto for Business Revolution, Harper Business Books, New
York, ISBN 0-06-662112-7.
7. Hauschildt J., Chakrabarti A., (1988), Arbeitsteilung im
Innovationsmanagement – Forschungsergebrisse, Kriterien und
Modelle, in zfo, 57, 378 – 388.
8. Johansson J.H, (1994), Business Process Reengineering, Ed.
John Wiley&Sons, London.
9. Johnston, R., Bate, D., (2003),The power of strategy innovation,
Ed. American Manag. Association, U.S.A.
10. Macharzina. K., (2002), Unternehmungsführung, Das
internationale Managementwissen. Wiesbaden, S.207.
11. Ojasalo, J.,(2008), Management of innovation networks:a case
study of different approaches, European Journal of Innovation
Manag., Vol. 11, no. 1, p.51-86.
12. Per Sundström, Zika-Viktorsson, (2009), Organizing for
innovation in a product development project: Combining innovative
and result oriented ways of working, A case study, Inter. Journal of
Project Management, Vol.27, no. 8, p. 745-753.
13. Zait D., Velicu S., Corabieru P., Corabieru A., Vasilescu
D.D.,(2008),Tendences and solutions regarding the development of
the metallic products for auto-vehicles, Metalurgia International, vol.
XIII, nr. 12, Ed. Stiintifica FMR, p. 76-81, ISSN 1582-2214.
 PRACTICE – THE LINK BETWEEN EDUCATION AND PRODUCTION

Mihaela COSTIN1, Ovidiu GAVRIS2, Livia ANASTASIU3

1
Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, myha_eme@yahoo.com
2
Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, ovidiugavrilg@yahoo.com
3
Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, anastasiu.livia@yahoo.com

Objectives: This article presents some proposals on improving the productive practice of the students attending licensed university lectures and from
a questionnaire addressed to the 4th students from the Faculty of Civil Engineering from Cluj.
Prior Work: The questionnaire observed the elements regarding the students’ interest on productive practice, feedback on how the productive
practice is being done in the present, testing some of the authors’ proposals on productive practice, students’ proposals on productive practice.
Approach: The technique chosen was that of the questionnaire in order to obtain the point of view of those who benefit from this practice, as well
free discussions with the students who attended the practice hours.
Results: Creating proposals to improve the way the productive practice is being done by the student.
Implications: The proposed model will increase the chances for the students and companies to get to know each other with implications on knowing
the employability chances for the graduates.
Value: Formulation of proposals for doing the productive practice in the first 4 years of university study cycle.
made led by a tutor (practice responsible person) who
leads the works and guides the students in preparing the
plans.
INTRODUCTION
The second stage of the practice is carried out
at the end of the third year having also a total of 120
The legal framework for conducting the hours and is named Productive Practice. Students who
productive practice of students is represented by Law have completed the third year of study, have already
no. 258/2007, regarding the practice for pupils and another vision on the field of construction (as they are
students in all educational units, both undergraduate and studying a range of specialties as well implementing
university level. In the context of the law, productive methods and technologies) and, in this context,
PRACTICE is defined as the activity done by pupils and productive practice should have an important impact on
students according to the curriculum in order to verify students starting with knowing the working
the applicability of the theoretical knowledge acquired conditions and how the company is organized to
by them during the training program. Organizing and understanding the materials engineering and of the
conducting the practice is performed under a related equipment.
collaboration framework contract or under an agreement
concluded between the organizer and the practice
partner. QUESTIONNAIRE – ASSESSMENT OF
In case of universities, the organizer is the HOW PRODUCTIVE PRACTICE IS DONE BY
institution itself and practice is being done using a STUDENTS
syllabus. The curriculum includes both the number of
hours necessary to conduct the practice as well the form To get an accurate picture of traineeships and
of evaluation, grading and crediting. In the curriculum is to improve any weaknesses, a 16 questions
also specified the practice period. questionnaire was initiated at department level,
According to art. 9 of Law no. 258/2007, the questions divided into 3 sections for students. The
practice included in the curriculum is compulsory and is questionnaire addressed the fourth-year students in
a graduation condition. particular because they have already the experience of
the practice program which they attended.
The first set of questions referred the
HOW THE PRODUCTIVE PRACTICE IS DONE
importance of productive practices and how companies
TODAY
should be selected for conducting the practice.
Another set of questions referred to the
In order to propose an improvement in practice students' opinion on how the productive practice is
during the faculty years, we must start with a brief being done.
overview of how the practice is done today. And in the third part of the questionnaire, the
Practice in the Faculty of Civil Engineering questions were related to the person questioned, his/her
from Cluj-Napoca is divided into two. First stage of gender and background.
practice is carried out at the end of the first year having After the results of the questionnaire were
a total of 120 hours and is called Topographic centralized, some conclusions may be presented through
Practice. The purpose of this stage of practice is to a graphic presentation as follows:
familiarize students with the topographical equipment The first set of questions referred to the
and, furthermore, to survey and create plans with importance of the productive practice, and where and
benchmarks or contour lines of the specified areas. how students would prefer to do the practice.
In general, for this kind of practice, teams are Regarding the students’ opinion towards the
544 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
role of productive practice, the answers were divided
approximately equal between:
- It offers the opportunity to know future
potential employers
- It helps with getting familiar with the real
working environment
- It helps in understanding ng some notions
explained in classes.
Regarding the practice venue (Which is the
MAIN criterion by which you would prefer to choose
the company/institution where to do the practice?) and
the type of company where they would like to do the
practice, most of the answers were ‘at companies with a
reputation’.
The second set of questions referred to the
duration of practice and the type of practice (production,
design etc.) and, from the third set of question, it was
taken into account the students’ background (urban or
rural) in order to highlight how much the students are
informed about what awaits them after graduation,
respectively the percentage that will choose design,
execution or research. first chart from Picture 1 refers
to the results obtained from male ale individuals with an
urban background (MU), the second chart from Picture
2 refers to the female individuals with an urban
background (FU) and the third chart from Picture 3
refers to male individuals with a rural background
(MR). For two of the questionnaire
nnaire questions, students
had to choose all the options they considered to be
necessary and thus two charts were made (Picture 4 and
Picture 5) to highlight the effectiveness of their
participation in the stage of practice as well the degree
of their involvement
lvement in the activities of their host
institutions during practice. For the remaining questions
from the questionnaire, the students had to choose the
main advantage, criterion, quality etc. referring to the
stage of practice and the way this is done.
In the chart from Picture 1 and in the chart
from Picture 3, we notice that the maxima are reached to
question number 11 which refers to the practice during
the faculty years. According to the chart, the majority of
the students gave a negative answer on the duration of
practice considering that the number of practice hours
proposed in the curriculum is not enough.
MU
15
10
5
0
1 3 5
7
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 DA NU
Picture 1
The maxima from the chart in Picture 2 are
reached at question number 10 which refers to how the
practice activity is being done and
an at question number
15 which refers to the field where they would like to do
the stage of practice (production, design, research, and
education). For question
uestion 12, the option which is chosen
more often by the students is the number 3 in which
students believe
eve that during practice activity they should
participate, through visits, to as many works related to
the field they are preparing for, and for question 15 they
have chosen design as field for their practice.
FU
8
6
4
2
0
1 3
5 7
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 DA NU
Picture 2
In chart 3, the maximaima are also reached at
question number 1 which refers to the level of practical
applicability of the subjects studied during faculty, on a
scale from 1 (very low) to 5 (very high), and at question
number 12 which refers to the field the students go to
after
er graduation, production or continuation of studies,
and at question number 16 which is asking them to
specify if they know or not a certain company where
they could do their practice. In case of the first question,
the answer was rated 4 which shows that the subjects
studied during faculty have a high practical
applicability. In case of the question 12, most answers
were 1 meaning production, and the answer for question
16 was the negative one, most of them having no
knowledge of companies where they could coul do their
practice.
Practice- the Link Between Education and Production 545

situations which the students can find themselves

thems in.
MR they have to choose the situation which characterizes
4 them and to score it with values from 1 to 5 where 1 –
less likely, 3 – possibly and 5 – highly likely. We can
3 notice that the maximum for the MU category (male- (male
urban) is scored with 3, meaning
meanin possibly, which was
2 reached for question 1 (your attention is focused
exclusively on doing the practice work with the mind on
1
having all the needed information given by the tutor).
0 For the FU category, the maximum was reached for
question 2 also with the grade 3 (interested in full
1 3 5 7 involvement in the activity of the institution, including
assuming some responsibilities and observing the
rigours enforced to all employees).
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 DA NU
Întrebarea 7
Picture 3
10
8
Regarding the way practice is being done and
students’ involvement in the activity of the host of 6
practice, which are contained in questions 4 and 7, the 4
2
conclusions were the following: Picture 4 is the graphic
0
representation
on of the results obtained at question number
4 from the questionnaire which is asking the students to 1 2 3
1 2
choose the options they find necessary for an effective 3 1 2 3
participation at the stage of practice. One can see that FU
the maximum is reached for option 6 (to be carefully MU
MR
guided in the company by a responsible tutor, an
employee of the respective institution), answer given by
male individuals coming from urban areas. In case of 1 2 3 4 5
female individuals and with an urban background, the
maximum was reached for option number 5 (to be Picture 5
assisted in the training for the stage of practice by the
teachers who are in charge with the practice), and in
case of male individuals with a rural background, the CONCLUSIONS AND SOLUTIONS FOR
maximum was reached for option number 3 (to receive IMPROVING THE PRACTICE
information on the companypany where they will do the
practice). By comparing the charts c obtained, some
conclusions can be drawn on issues which should
Întrebarea 4 receive a greater attention and be improved. Among
them is the duration of practice which, based on the
8 results, proved to be insufficient for accommodation to
6 production.
The students prefer
pr to do the productive
4 practice in big companies running big investments.
They do not want to be simple observers, but to receive
2 responsibilities within their competences.
0 One way to increase the duration of the
productive practice would be to convince companies
1 2 3 accepting students for practice to collaborate with the
4 5 6 7 8 students for giving them the opportunity to be employed
during whole summer or even part-time
part during the last
academic year (4th) and the students to be able to make
FU MU MR their diploma work in the
he field they did the practice.
The degree of mutual acquaintance increases
Picture 4 this way and also the chances for the companies to
choose valuable persons.
The chart from Picture 5 refers to question In order to increase the degree of involvement
number 7 on students’ involvement in the activity of the in the practice, each student or group of students is/are
host institution during practice. This question presents 3
546 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

required, when evaluated, to present, in a PowerPoint

presentation, relevant aspects of what they did or saw in
the company’s activity.

References

1. *** Law 258/ 2007 on pupils’ and students’ practice.

2. *** ”Students’ guide for the academic year of 2008-
2009”, U.T.PRESS. Cluj-Napoca, 2008
3. *** Cod of practice for project management for
construction and development. Royal Institute of British
Architects
 RAISING STUDENTS’ PROFESSIONAL LEVEL BY DOING PRACTICE IN FIRMS

Iuliana DIMOFTE
iuliana@doipitici.ro

The aim of the present paper is to present the modality of improving the students' professional level by doing practice in firms. The main
objective is to raise the students professional level by their searching of possibilities to increase the work productivity in a clothes factory.
The possibilities of increasing the work productivity were approached within a case study.The students achieve a study , starting from the
influence framework:machines, human resources, production process, work process. The students identified ways of improving the
production and work processes in the textile factory.They estimated the increasing of the work productivity in the firm . By this study the
students will have the possibility to apply the theoretical issues learnt during the classes, to develop their creativity , to know the firm and
the workteam , and to find a job in the firm. The effects of applying the improving work measures proposed by the students to raise the
work productivity in the firm are: increasing the work productivity, improving the communication within the firm, raising the employees
professional level.
Key words:students, firm, work productivity, production process, work process
work. Figure no. 1 shows the matrix of influences:
machinery, human resources, production process, the
INTRODUCTION work process. The following abbreviations were used:
M- machinery, HR - human resources; PP - production
In the current context of Romanian education, higher process; WP - work process.
professional training of students is a necessity in order To generate new growth of labor productivity in the
to integrate them in a dynamic and competitive society. company, the students have used the following stages of
The purpose of this paper is to present how to improve research methodology: data collection necessary for the
the professional training of students through practice in research of the labor productivity growth in the clothing
companies. Raising students' training is done by their company; the analysis and interpretation of data
research of the possibilities of increasing labor collected; developing solutions for labor productivity
productivity in a clothing company where the students growth in manufacturing; implementing solutions for
went for practice and training. labor productivity growth in the company.
Following research conducted in business, students In identifying solutions to increase labor productivity
have identified measures to improve production process students have completed an analysis of the production
and working in a clothing factory. There was estimated process, labor process and identified a need for
a labor productivity growth in the manufacturing improvement and improvement measures; they have
clothing company in study. analyzed the possibilities of applying improvement
measures, implementation of improvement measures
CASE STUDY and discussed the effects of measures to improve the
“Conf” company.
The Company in question is a private clothing
company in Romania, the company’s main activity is Collecting data on technical facilities
the production of garments, especially shirts for men.
The dominant work system is lohn. Collecting data on technical facilities existing in the
Privacy considerations have led us to use a symbolic company was conducted through interviews with 8
name ‘Conf” for the company in study. heads of department and the consultation of the
Nationally and internationally there is a decrease in company’s documents of Business Technology.
production and export, particularly in the clothing Information obtained indicates an average equipment
industry. Currently, managers of companies in the company, with opportunities to increase labor
clothing industry are facing a fierce battle to maintain or productivity by increasing the degree of automation
gain markets for their products. To survive in this machinery, particularly in the production sections.
competitive climate, the company will be forced to
adopt solutions to increase labor productivity, improve Collecting data on machinery locations
communication within the company, by strengthening
team work, raising employee training. Obtaining information on machinery location was
In this company a total of 12 students from the obtained using observations and consultation of the
University Department of Textiles carry out their company’s documents of Business Technology.
productive practice. It was observed that there is a good location of
To raise the level of student training, company machinery products in the region II where assembly is
management asked them to find solutions to increase carried out on large parts of clothing products.
labor productivity in the company. It was found that the location of the machines is done in
For this task, students conducted a research on the order of technological operations. Based on
possibilities to increase productivity in the company and observations made in the company and on the
conferred the influences from matrix analysis: consultation of the technological processes for cutting,
machinery , resources, process manufacturing, process manufacturing and finishing of "the men shirt " , there
548 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
were represented the machinery locations.
The area where small parts processing is carried out
machine location was found on operation.
Based on the data obtained, a chart analysis of the
overall data of the technological process was made.
Collecting data on material flow
Data collection was conducted through interviews
with heads of departments, applying a questionnaire to
obtain information on the logistics activities of
transportation and storage of materials in
manufacturing, consulting technological documents and
observations. The questionnaire was applied to a
random sample of 20 people from business management
departments. 20 responses were obtained. Responses
validated (20) were statistically processed using
computer application Excel.
It considers that inadequate transport. Transport in
the job is done with push-chairs, between jobs using
trolleys and desks interoperable, between departments is
done by electric cars and transport trucks. It was found
that storage of raw materials is carried on the shelves
with containers. Storage of finished products shall be in
finished products warehouse on pallets, in boxes,
containers and mobile media (hangers). Due to mainly
working in the lohn system, storage within the
companies is short, stocks of finished products are
inexistent. There were identified the processes and
product flows.
Collecting data on human resources flow
Collection of information was achieved through
observation and consultation of documents of Business
Technology.
It was noted that the location of jobs in various
sections are performed in continuous flow.
It was found that an employee serves sewing machine,
except for tandem automated sewing buttons and
buttonholes, where an employee serves both machines.
Collecting data on technology flows
Data collection was done through observation and
the consultation of the ”Conf” company’s documents of
Business Technology.
There was identified a continuous stream of
production of shirts for men and blouses for women.
Although the main type of business organization of
production is wide range production, the company
produces garments in short series, too.
Collecting data on supply, delivery and internal
transport
Data collection was done by instant observation and
the consultation of the company’s documents of
Business Technology.
There was found an automatic loading machinery for
stacking of material at the borings table.
It was noted that the supply of materials at the
workplace is done manually in all production
departments.
Collecting data on machinery maintenance
Getting information was achieved through individual
interviews with 3 heads of department and head of the
company driver, observations and documents
technological research .
The most frequent causes of disturbing the sewing
machines are the small key misuse (70%) and their wear
(30%).
Collecting data on quality control
Collection of information was achieved through
individual interviews with one quality control manager
and five heads of production lines, technological
observation and the consultation of the company’s
documents of Business Technology.
It was found that in all operations of sewing
technology the technological control is carried out.
It was found that the most common manufacture
error is the failure to complete the correct stitch on
different parts of the men shirt.
Collecting data on job organization
To gather information, there were conducted
personal interviews with 5 heads of section,
observations and the consultation of the ”Conf”
company’s documents of Business Technology.
It was found that: simple automatic sewing
machines used only to achieve the hem stitching and the
inclosing of the back of the shirt in the inset; the simple
sewing machines do not have additional facilities, the
sewing head, tops sewing machines do not have
additional features (different shapes extension) to
reduce time for achieving technological operations;
there are no humidification and air conditioning systems
in the company.
Collecting data on human resources
To collect information an interview conducted with
the human resources manager of the "Conf" company,
observations and technological research of the "Conf
“company documents.
The observations showed that there was a long
period of time taken to achieve product processing
operations of the collar on men shirt (8.68 min). It was
noted that the implementation for the phase” application
back on the collar “(1.59 min) is lost for organizational
reasons. To measure time to achieve the phase
"application on the back of the neck" has used timing
process of working time(Pașa,2003).
It was found that there are fluctuations in
employment in the ”Conf” company .
Raising Students’ Professional Level by Doing Practice in Firms 549

To raise the level of training of employees, the analysis allows the identification of the following
company has organized training programs such as the improvement needs: technical facilities, circulation of
professional qualification- level 1. materials, movement of human resources, supply,
delivery and transport, equipment maintenance, job
Data collection on information management organization, human resources, production and storage
facilities, work process.
Collection of information on information
Elaborating solutions to increase labor productivity
management was achieved through observation and
consulting company documents.
Students find these solutions to increase labor
In the "Conf" company there was noted the existence
productivity in the company: acquisition of simple
of large amounts of technical information on raw
automatic sewing machines, the purchase of a
materials, control, design and technological design,
computerized transport system, buying software to store
launching in manufacturing, delivery orders,
raw materials, acquisition conveyor belt to supply jobs,
manufacturing and finishing products.
purchasing additional facilities for the sewing head , the
Observations made in the company show that there is
purchase of sewing operations, counter extensions to
an enterprise-wide computerized system.
rear inset, slit the sleeve performance on the men shirt,
improving the system of rewards and wages, purchase
Collecting data on production and storage spaces
of humidification systems and air conditioning in
departments, organizing training courses for the
Collecting data on production and storage facilities
professional training of employees.
was done by observation and consulting company
Implement identified business improvement
documents.
measures to boost productivity by 27% and labor
The technique used to gather information was by
savings of 8.5 staff as a result of time savings achieved.
using a video camera recording in the location of the
polling machine clothing companies(Pașa,2003).
Implementation of solutions to increase labor
The observations showed that the company has linear
productivity
processes of producing garments.
In the company there were identified a stock of raw
The following steps are suggested for the
materials and a warehouse for finished products.
implementation of solutions: measures to improve
planning, identifying and studying job offers, setting
Collecting data on the work process
human resources, material and financial resources
needed to implement solutions, determining the human
Data collection on the work process was done by
and economic potential available to the company,
observation and consulting the company’s documents.
preparing the workspace for implementing solutions,
In order to obtain data on time spent to achieve the
staff training for work in new conditions resulting from
sewing operations, there have been used methods of
solutions; moving from manufacturing companies, trade
recording time: the timing of working hours, working
fairs, exhibitions and similar companies that have
time and time for using the machine, instant
machinery and equipment transport systems; purchase
observations on working time and time for using the
equipment, transportation systems, humidification
machine, filming work processes(Pașa,2003). There
systems and air conditioning facilities as well as
was made a schedule for the analysis of the employee’s
additional equipment; assembly machinery, transport
work, to study the work process operations from the
system, humidification systems and air conditioning
simple sewing operations(Rusu,1980). It was noted that:
facilities in wards and additional equipment, technical
the useful operating time of the production phase of the
and organizational measures to increase labor
sewing machine for the” behind the front collar
productivity, operation of machinery, transport system,
application” means 31% of the total time of execution;
installations, conduct training courses for employees;
the share of transport time benchmarks in their
evaluation of implementation solutions; correcting
processing operations, the manufacture of shirt men,
failures reports .
representing 27% of the total stitching, time processing
Applying research methodology leads to these
about 71% and 2% during control.
effects: increased labor productivity by 27%, relative
economy of 8.5 staff, higher quality of processing their
parts and assemblies, reducing stress on the side of the
Analysis and interpretation of data collected in the
employees, raising employee motivation, reduce staff
“Conf “ company
coming and going in the company, reducing employees
To determine the need to improve production process claims, raising employee training, improving
and working in the company in order to increase labor communication within the company.
productivity, there have been identified and analyzed
the strengths and weaknesses of the company. Data Conclusions
550 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

M HR PP WP

M - location - stress - number of machines - choice of the necessary M to

- additional - work schedule - adaptability degree of the M to achieve the WP
facilities - professional training the components PP (technological - the various M types
- automatization - production process , processes of serving and - the location of the machinery
- upgrade management annexes) - the technical facilities level
- the use of - work conditions - the various M types - exploitation degree
advanced soft - specialised - location of machinery - interchangeability of the M
professional training - level of technical facilities - reliability
- the exploitation degree - maintenance degree
- interchangeability of the M - the ergonomics of the jobs
- reliability
- maintenance
- compatibility of the machinery with
the technological process.
HR -supplying of the - level of professional - projecting the technological - organizing the WP
M and personal training processes - planning
- maintenance of - communication - organizing the production flow - control
the M - motivation - planning - providing the micro- climate
- repair M - management - control - communication
- planning the - training - organizing the material flow - change
necessary M - stress - organizing the technological - motivation
-acquisitions of - conflicts process - the improvement of the PM
M - competition - organizing the information flow
- organization - mentality - creating a good work environment
- control - change - knowledge of the PP
- training

PP - the M type - stress - change of the PP - micro- climate

- the M - motivation - micro- climate - planning
complexity - instruire - communication - organizing information flow
- the M location - micro- climate - information - organizing employees’ flow
- micro- climate - mentality - organizing the material flow - control
- production - communication - organizing the technological - transport system
management - change process - work volume
- the management of - technological discipline
the HR
WP - supplying of M - stress - location of work place - communication
- maintenance - motivation - micro- climate - employee qualification
of the M - training - personnel qualification - workers’ experience
- repair of the M - micro- climate - experience of the HR - the location of the work place
- employee - mentality - communication - transport system
experience - communication - technical facilities of the M - projection of the PM
- employee - change
qualification
- the overall look
of the workplace
- micro-climate
This paper presents new ways of improving the References
training of students through the research on these
possibilities labor productivity growth in a clothing 1. Armstrong, M.(2003), Managementul resurselor umane, Editura
company. Codecs, București
This study, conducted in business, students will be 2. Băcanu, B.(2007) ,Tehnici de analiză în managementul strategic,
Editura Polirom, Iaşi
able to implement the theoretical concepts learned in 3. Papaghiuc, V.(2006), „Reconfigurarea locurilor de muncă, pentru
classes, will develop their creativity, they know the operaţiile de coasere”, Revista Dialog textil, nr.11, p.32
company and work team, will be able to engage in 4. Paşa, F., Paşa, L.(2003), Productivitatea, indicator de eficienţă a
business. muncii, Editura Polirom, Iaşi
5. Rusu,C., et al.(1980), Organizarea și conducerea întreprinderilor
Effects of proposed improvement measures to din industria ușoară, Editura Didactică și Pedagogică, București
increase labor productivity in the garment factory are:
increasing productivity, improving business
communication and strengthen team work, raising
employees’ professional training.

Figure 1: The matrix of the influences of the M, HR, PP, WP, used for the
study of the possibilities to raise labor productivity
ENTREPRENEURIAL ACTIVITY OF HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS IN THE CONTEXT OF THE
KNOWLEDGE BASED SOCIETY

Elena DOBRE1, Maria Mirela DOBRE2, Carmen COMANICIU³

1
Ph.D Professor, Ovidius University of Constanta, edobre09@gmail.com
2
Ph.D Student, Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies
Visiting researcher at University of Amsterdam, mirela_dobre@yahoo.com
³Ph.D Professor, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, carmen_comaniciu@yahoo.com
This paper focuses on steps taken and plans for turning universities into genuine business providers of education that can perform research and
develop economic activities. Innovations that universities bring, but also their entrepreneurship efforts, lead to a faster creation of knowledge
and to its transfer in economic and social practice, contributing to the concept of knowledge based society. The research starting point were the
case studies reported in the countries participating in European Universities for Entrepreneurship - their Role in the Europe of Knowledge
(EUEREK) which suggest that severe financial constraints may inhibit creative entrepreneurship because many innovations require initial
investment and some financial risks that institutions with limited resources are not willing to take. The cases of Nottingham University and
Lancaster University are analyzed, both of them illustrating efficient entrepreneurial behaviour. From their practices and activities we draw a
basis of income generation strategies, and furthermore, procedures for internal allocation of resources. We consider these to be the major
contributions of this research to prior literature. The second part of this paper focuses on Romanian universities and their evolution since 1990.
The market of consumption of higher education (learning and teaching, research and services / facilities for students) has grown intensively but is
still flawed in certain areas. Any surplus from universities’ or faculties’ own revenues (from study fees) cannot be reinvested; instead it is
redistributed, to cover financing needs of faculties with a deficit due to the low numbers of students (low income from study fees), condition that is
at least inappropriate, even morally wrong. Governments can stimulate entrepreneurial behaviour of universities by the mechanisms used for
allocating resources, and this research is aimed at raising awareness of the authorities.
Key words: "the entrepreneurial university", “academic capitalism", "intellectual entrepreneurship".

1. European and national premises regarding
knowledge based society
The European leaders have met in Lisbon in 2000,
announcing their intention to make Europe the "most
competitive and dynamic knowledge based economy in
the world" by 2010 (A. Toffler, 2006). Lisbon Strategy
highlights the current priorities at EU level: Investment
in research; Science and innovation; The development
of a competitive business environment; Labor market
adaptation according to the demographic challenges
and energy policy and climate changes. Romania's
National Strategy for CDI is set in the National
Research, Development and Innovation Plan for 2007-
2013 (PN II), approved by HG 475/2007. In PN II
vision, the role of the national system of CDI is to
develop science and technology to increase economic
competitiveness, improve social quality and knowledge
accumulation of recovery potential.
2. The university seen as an entrepreneurial
organization that provides education, research and
facilities for students
Integration of research along with education in the hard
core of academic mission was called "the first
university revolution" (Etzkowitz, 2003, quoted by
Mircea Miclea in Higher Education in Europe,
UNESCO CEPES Vol. 31, no. 2 July 2006 p. 104) .
The new universities were already moving towards the
second revolution that tends to transform universities
into genuine business providers of education that can
perform research and develop economic activities such
as facilities offers for students. These new changes are
characterized by expressions such as "the
entrepreneurial university," “academic capitalism",
"intellectual entrepreneurship". Clearly, the university
as a public utility institution with the mission to
provide education can be seen in terms of organization
and management as an enterprise with a specific
business object. The university is led by the teaching
staff, by self-management and not by professional
management. From this perspective the university is
not an entrepreneurial or management organization.
The entrepreneurial character is given by the
management style used and also by entrepreneurial
activities undertaken to fulfil the mission of education.
3. Entrepreneurship aspects in the study cases
reported in EUEREK project
The attitude and activities of entrepreneurs arise from
innovation and risk taking if we expect further
benefits. The funding is the key indicator in the
management of any business activities because any
innovation requires risks taking and has an economic
dimension. Universities are institutions that advance
their reputation and their wealth (patrimonial and
human) by creating and disseminating knowledge. If
the innovations that universities bring and the assumed
risks lead to a faster creation of knowledge and to their
transfer in economic and social practice, then their
entrepreneurship contributes towards the knowledge
based society. Any organization with adequate incomes
compared to the needs and the aspirations has a
minimal motivation to engage in risky innovations. In
this case, if a university is not authorized to retain and
manage autonomous their own generated revenues, it is
not an economic incentive to supplement the budgetary
allocations through the sale of academic services. The
financial constraints and opportunities are the key
factors of the entrepreneurial activity orientation. In
this respect, the case studies reported in the countries
participating in EUEREK suggest that severe financial
constraints may inhibit creative entrepreneurship
because many innovations require initial investment
and some financial risks that institutions with limited
resources are not willing to take. Typically, any
additional income arising from research and teaching is
cashed at the university central level and not at the
552 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
level of university’s faculties, departments or work
teams. Such arrangements do not encourage
entrepreneurial behaviour at individual level or
working group’s level in the university. Governments
can stimulate entrepreneurial behaviour of universities
by the mechanisms used for allocating resources. If
they are allocated for the academic services provided,
for the aspirations and achievements in research or for
student’s recruitment, the higher education institutions
are encouraged to be oriented to the specific market
and entrepreneurial behaviour.
The major financial indicators for assessing the
potential of the business activities of the universities
are: the source of incomes (public represented by
budgetary allocations and private represented by for
their own incomes), the mechanisms by which incomes
are received, the procedures for allocating resources
within the institutions.
The entrepreneurship dimension in universities can be
measured by their entrepreneurial behaviour. Five
different categories of entrepreneurial behaviour can be
observed in the EUEREK project
- private universities that have the advantage of the
new entrants into higher education (English
universities have private profile and are similar to the
U.S. universities where governing organisms are
similar to corporate management boards);
- institutions highly involved in terms of
entrepreneurship stimulated by government initiatives;
- major independent institutions involved from the
entrepreneurial perspective but not directly stimulated
by government initiatives;
- small departments, faculties and research centres;
- education with the help of associate teaching staff,
research and counselling by involving each individual
academic staff.
In 2004, the institutional case studies had very different
income profiles. Budget income reached rates of 70%
in universities in Finland, Poland, Spain to 0% in
private universities from Moldova, Poland, Spain and
UK. Study fees are complementary to state budget
funding in these extreme cases ranging from over 90
per cent in the private universities in Poland and Spain
to zero in Finland and Sweden. The percentage of non-
government source of income from research ranges
from over 60 per cent in one of the UK (Nottingham)
institutions to zero in some Moldovan and Polish
universities. These differences depend on the different
legal and political situation of universities in these
countries. For example, in Finland and Sweden the
educational activities of universities are still regarded
as a public service and they are not allowed to charge
fees for any of their regular teaching activities,
although recent changes in their legal status now
permit universities to charge some fees for courses that
are not part of their mainstream academic work. At the
other extreme, the private universities in England,
Poland, Spain and Moldova are almost entirely
dependent on student fees. The financial strategy of
private university in Nottingham (characterized as
being research oriented) has led to permanently
financial balance, despite the constraints of public
financing and entrepreneurial activities which are
assumed. This, in part because of the reserve held from
the income surplus obtained following the variety of
income generating activities. In 2004, the accumulated
reserves held attained almost 40% of revenues. Even
so, the university could not afford taking significant
risks. In Nottingham University the financial strategy
and the internal allocation of resources are closely
aligned with the management strategic objectives. The
strategic objectives to increase disposable incomes for
Nottingham University leads to initiate the following
entrepreneurial activities:
- funding of voluntary in advance retirement plan of
staff who contribute less significantly to revenues
growth of university;
- initial funding of those teaching positions that can be
auto-financed through results of educational processes
and through research findings;
- the coverage of at least the costs of providing
research services to sponsors and other customers;
- use of a part of university invested capital in projects
associated with the process of teaching, research and
social facilities in order to improve and maintain the
pace of development in the future.
- increasing the proportion of foreign students who pay
full school fees.
- finding and developing opportunities for exploitation
through government authorities and organisms the
research results obtained by teaching staff;
- funding allocations to departments based on the gains
made by these for university, meaning practicing an
incentive funding at departmental level, depending on
the incomes generated.
These income generation strategies are accompanied
by procedures for internal allocation of resources
including:
- The installation of a new integrated funding and
acquisitions system for university to streamline the
financial processes;
- Registration of all facilities at direct costs of
acquisition, including cost of long-term maintenance;
- The distribution of equipment obtained through
grants based on a formula (proportional);
- The selective limitation of cover vacancies ensuring a
balance between the need to reduce costs and finding
the source of financing by the academic staff and
related activities (through self-funding or other explicit
resources);
- The consideration of internal model for allocation
functions of the available resources.
In their own/internal model of resources allocation at
the University of Nottingham, the departments
(faculties) receive their gross income from which they
have to pay their costs proportionally to: (1) their
consumption of utilities (energy, maintenance, library
and other important services), (2) their own share in the
strategic budget managed by university. The purpose of
this work style is to increase transparency of costs for
Entrpreneurial Activity of Higher Education Institutions in The Context of Knowledge Based Society
the education services provided, so that the
individualized services for departments and faculties to
be more effective and efficient. Nottingham University
is recognized as a research-oriented university always
trying to transfer innovations into commercial products
by investing in selling of intellectual property rights
obtained. Basic strategy is to create and transfer
knowledge to students and commercial exploitation of
their intellectual property. The importance of research
is demonstrated by creating the Office for Research
and Innovation Services, which has 45 employees. The
entire entrepreneurial activity research is valued at 222
million per year which is approximately half of total
revenues. About 15-20 million of the revenues from
entrepreneurial research are from industry. University
holds equity capital or is a partner in 27 satellite
companies (spin-out companies). This holding of
corporate shares expresses explicitly an entrepreneurial
behaviour.
Lancaster University, which represents an illustrative
case study for entrepreneurial behaviour, has
announced plans to refinance its 1995 Debenture
Stock. The redemption will be effected through a new
facility agreement with the Royal Bank of Scotland
(RBS). The University has also secured credit
approved terms from RBS for a revolving credit
facility to support its ongoing Capital programme.
Officials of university (Professor Paul Wellings, Vice
Chancellor of Lancaster University
http://domino.lancs.ac.uk/info/lunews.nsf/r/8cf2)
commented that the refinancing would give Lancaster
greater flexibility to pursue its strategic plan. It seams
that this refinancing will give Lancaster opportunities
to invest further in exciting new projects to improve
the student experience, boost research and maintain
excellent teaching. On the other hand, executive
directors (Sarah Randall-Paley, Lancaster’s Director of
Finance
http://domino.lancs.ac.uk/info/lunews.nsf/r/8cf2) said
that the timing of the refinancing was a prudent move
for the University. Current rates of interest are
currently low, much lower than when the University
issued its bond 14 years ago so it makes sense for
Lancaster to make an arrangement which will result in
both better terms and in greater flexibility to realise its
strategic objectives. Lancaster’s financial security
places the institution in the top group of UK
universities. Over the past 7 years the University’s
compound annual growth rate has averaged 9.3%,
research income has increased by 68% and dependence
on HEFCE funds has fallen to 29% as income streams
have diversified. In 2007, the University’s credit rating
was raised to 'A' from 'A-' by Standard & Poor's
Ratings Services. The new rating reflects the
University's underlying strengths especially its
reputation for teaching and research, consistent overall
student demand and strong financial performance
relative to its peers. Lancaster is one of only a few UK
Universities to have a public credit rating. More than
£300m has been invested into the estate over the last 5
561
years, transforming the campus. Key developments
include new academic centres of excellence, student
social facilities, and improved teaching spaces and one
of the largest student residences project in the UK with
3385 new rooms. The latest phase of building has
resulted in a further 963 ‘eco friendly’ rooms which
have won a number of environmental awards. The
revolving credit facility (together with the University’s
own resources) will be used to drive the next cycle of
capital investment at Lancaster. Future plans include:
further development of the Lancaster University
Management School, new facilities for the Lancaster
Institute of Contemporary Arts, new facilities for the
School of Health & Medicine, new sporting facilities.
Lancaster University was the first UK University to
float a Debenture on the stock exchange and launched
its £35 million First Mortgage Debenture Stock in
April 1995. This was to fund capital investments on
the campus which included an extension to the existing
Library and the creation of the Ruskin Library. Around
£45 million will be spent on redeeming the outstanding
9.875% debenture, including compensation to the bond
holders for redeeming the bond early. The existing
bond is due to mature in 2025.
4. Financing and entrepreneurial activity aspects of
universities in Romania
Nowadays, in order to be considered prestigious
universities, they should be aggressive, innovative,
proactive and responsive to the needs of individuals
with interest in education (students, employers, local
communities etc.). This means that along with
education and research, an entrepreneurial university
should be deeply involved in economic and social
development of the region and country becoming an
agent for promoting the concept of knowledge based
economy. University entrepreneurship has promoters
both inside and outside the university. Outside the
university: first, the government imposes, using public
funding, the involvement of universities in the
economic and social development and on the other part
the economy expects knowledge profit-making to
increase its competitiveness on market. Within the
university: first, students as customers or consumers of
services of higher education requires a better quality of
the educational process and a greater awareness of their
social and learning needs, and on the other hand,
academic departments and colleges have become more
aware than ever that their reputation depends on the
relevance of their work in the eyes of those who have
interest in the educations mission (stakeholders). In this
context, universities are focused on the following
aspects: the reaction of universities on the specific
markets in which they operate; the diversification of
financial resources types; the expansion of
entrepreneurial activities and the stimulation of
entrepreneurial attitude in the academic departments;
encouragement of an entrepreneurial culture within the
organizational culture; promoting academic
entrepreneurial governance. The three specific and
554 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

interrelated markets in which universities operate and be followed through legislative changes concerning the
in which academic competition occurs are: A market of rules of the universities and faculties own
consumption of higher education (learning and incomes. Investing in corporate ownership could be a
teaching, research and services / facilities for first entrepreneurial activity.
students); A market of universities prestige reflected
by ratings and rankings; An academic labour market 5. Conclusion
in which academic staff competes. If a university is not authorized to retain and manage
The competition is manifested more strongly on the autonomously its own generated revenues, it does not
higher education consumption market. In post- have an economic incentive to supplement the
revolutionary Romania this may be analyzed on the budgetary allocations through the sale of academic
universities entrepreneurial feedback. To the culminant services. Governments can stimulate entrepreneurial
rising demand for higher education recorded behaviour of universities by the mechanisms used for
immediately after 1990, universities reactions were: allocating resources, and this research is aimed at
• Growing number of new universities and raising awareness of the authorities.
increasing the number of faculties and departments
under their control. If in 1990 there were no private REFERENCES
1 Baunol, W., Litan, R. and Schrann, C. (2009) Capitalismul bun,
universities, at the end of 2005 were registered and capitalismul rău şi economia dezvoltării şi a prosperităţii,
accredited 49 private universities where the number of Editura Polirom, Iasi
state-funded ones has doubled. On average, annually, 2 HEFCE (2007) Funding higher education în England: How
they were set up about 4 public and private HEFCE allocates its funds.
http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/hefce/2007/07_20/
universities. For example, Babes-Bolyai University 3 Lancaster University
(BBU), Cluj grew departments and faculty from 7 in http://domino.lancs.ac.uk/info/lunews.nsf/r/8cf2
1990 to 20 in 2005. 4 Miclea, M. (2006) Institutional Approaches to
Entrepreneurialism: Reflection on the Case of Babes – Bolyai
• The Exponential growth of the number of University in Cluj – Napoca, Higher Education in Europe
university programs of study (specialization). For Review, UNESCO CEPES Vol. 31, no. 2 July 2006
example, the BBU has seen an increase of the 5 Sandgren, A. and Stromqvist, G. (2006), Human Resources and
specializations from 19 in 1990 to over 100 in 2005. Entrepreneurial University: The cases of Finland, Spain,
Sweden and the UK-, 14 December 2006 European Universities
• Diversification of ways of knowledge for Entrepreneurship – their role în the Europe of Knowledge
delivery. Thus, by 2005, new methods such as distance (EUEREK)
education (distance-learning courses), e-learning 6 Shattock, M. (2008), Entrepreneurialism in Universities and
the Knowledge Economy, Maidenhead: SRHE/Open University
(combined web-based learning) and interactive Press.
learning in front (face to face interactions) were 7 Toffler, A. and Toffler, H. (2006) Revolutionary Wealth,
applied for 26 specializations on more than 4,000 Knopf, New York
university students. 8 Williams, G. (2008) Finance and entrepreneurial activity in
higher education in a knowledge society
In conclusion, at the institutional level the
entrepreneurial response to increasing social need for
academic education in Romania was the establishment
of new universities, the establishment of new faculties,
developing new specializations and diversification of
teaching-learning methods and assessments. Another
aspect characterizing the situation of state-funded
universities in Romania is the employment of budget
allocations procedures also for university own revenues
derived primarily from tuition fees. This limits the
eagerness for entrepreneurial behaviour and creative
allocate limited resources to cover the needs of
students in the educational process line (techniques and
methods of learning), research (research centres) and
institution facilities (sports, leisure, accommodation
facilities). Any surplus from universities or faculties
own revenues (from study fees) can not be recovered
even by saving instruments and are allocated by
redistribution to cover financing needs of faculty with a
deficit due to the low number of students. In these
conditions is at least inappropriate even morally wrong
that the income-generating faculties cover the deficits
of those faculties without any income from study
fees. The example of strategy for internal allocation of
financial resources at the University Nottingham may
 THE THEORETICAL AND THE EMPIRICAL. A SUSTAINABLE JOINT OPTION IN
TRAINING THE ECONOMISTS OF THE FUTURE
Teodora DOGARU,
1
Assist. ph.d student “Ioan Slavici” University Timisoara, ddteo@yahoo.com
The main objective of our study is improving economic teaching features by combining training empirical aspects with
theoretical ones. Therefore, introducing small restricted key elements from research and business in higher education is necessary.
INTRODUCTION
The key issue regarding the socio-economic
education – business – research triangle is the
sustainable implementation of a joint theoretical and
empirical approach. The lifelong learning concept is one
side of a long term strategy for achieving high quality
results in the socio-economic environment. In order to
use this view a balance between the degree of the
theoretic elements and the empirical ones is required.
Therefore, a specific qualitative analysis over the use of
such attributes in the educational and business
environment is a possible solution for the elaboration of
a relevant action plan.
The central point of the education – business –
research triangle is represented by the people,
representing students (future generation) – human
resources (the labor force as main resource of
entrepreneurship) – source of innovation (researchers).
The level of quality information (knowledge) possessed
by the human factor, when continuously influencing the
economic environment, is giving the leading course
taken by the society in which we are living in. The way
in which present and future generations are prepared to
enter the economic environment will influence the
degree of sustainability of the development of the
society.
The three analyzed elements – education, business
and research – are strongly connected and their balanced
combination is one of the main concerns of the Bologna
process. From our point of view, their pursuit should
mainly aim the educational systems from EU, as this
training stage of one’s life is the main brick of one’s
influence over the socio-economic environment. Future
economists represent a valuable innovation resource
who can improve positively the research and business
fields of activity. Furthermore, they represent a bridge
between research and business, both fields of activity
being considered here theoretical and empirical.
Last but not least, a most debated issue nowadays
regarding research is creating elements with practical
application in the economic environment. In addition,
large amounts of structural funding are distributed to
European funding programs at national level or at
European and global level. To obtain such results in the
economic area, we consider the main source of
innovation to be the future economists, as they are
facing a complex and continuously changing economic
system which, together with the works of their ancestors
(eg. Nicholas Georgescu-Roegen, Mihail Manoilescu
etc) and a proper training (theoretical and practical) can
improve the economic environment with new innovative
results.
THE ACTUAL RESEARCH
The socio-economic environment and exchange of
best practices between different high education systems
– main development source of the academic training of
future economists
From our point of view, there is an urge for a strong
interdependent relation between the requirements of
certain skills and/or entrepreneurial opportunities on the
labor market and higher economic education. Future
economists – in extension, young researchers – need a
specific theoretical and empirical balance in the
methodology of their academic training. The
correspondent curricula must be created as a response to
their final objective of improving the present economic
status and, in the end, satisfying their own needs in a
sustainable manner. Also, considering the fact that the
complexity of the economic environment is
continuously changing and the number of people with
higher studies is consistently decreasing in less
developed regions, the curricula must be improved in an
appropriate rhythm with such changes and the teaching
methodologies and methods require innovative and
attractive improvements.
Quoting Eisenhower, “In preparing a battle, plans
are useless but planning is indispensable”, it is essential
the planning of the entire sustainable development
process starting from its actual roots, the way in which
one prepares its resources (human resources) and not
only remain at the initial stage of defining objectives. In
this view, it is our belief that a preliminary stage of this
investment is a necessary step to fulfill.
According to our studies, one possibility of
methodological approach for the improvement of higher
economic education curricula is the elaboration of the
preliminary analyses of a feasibility study adapted to the
development of higher economic education. Therefore,
an opportunity study for the investment perspective and
a pre-feasibility study regarding the attractiveness of the
investment would be an appropriate choice in
556 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
establishing innovative and interactive approaches for
the enrichment of higher economic education.
Our analyses on this matter regards a comparison
within EU Member States between a state developed
strongly on structural funding, Spain (joined EU in
1986), and a less developed country in process of
building its economy with European funds, Romania.
The study regarded two regions, Galicia (one of the less
developed regions of Spain) and 5West Region of
Romania (one of the strong economic developed regions
of Romania). The two types of studies: opportunity and
pre-feasibility were made in parallel for the two regions.
Certain aspects of the conclusions regarding the higher
economic education were used in order to formulate
possible ideas for a sustainable development of the
higher education for future economists.
The comparison between the two general
opportunity studies for the higher economic education
of the Spanish and Romanian regions analyzed for 2007
revealed similarities for the subjects studied in the first
two years. Disciplines, considered to be one of the
available resources, such as Accounting, Mathematics,
Microeconomics, Introduction in Law or Statistics, were
included in both curricula with similar approaches, yet
different methodologies and teaching methods.
Conclusions formulated were suggesting an
exchange of best practices between the two systems by
exploiting their curricula’s strengths of interactive
empirical teaching methods and practical methodologies
that allow the students to develop an independent
approach of studying (the Spanish curricula) and strong
theoretical bases of the subjects (the Romanian
curricula). The estimated efficient results would be the
establishment of a basic entrepreneurial sense of future
economists.
Another comparison between the analyzed subjects
was the use of material resources such as infrastructure,
and the provenience of the funds (European funding),
their use and efficiency.
The two type of studies made in the view of
establishing possible sustainable ideas for innovative
approaches of the higher economic education for both
regions, revealed a high investment possibility for
5West region in educational infrastructure which could
also constitute an interactive environment for the raise
of efficiency in implementing new elements concerning
methodologies and methods. Adequate infrastructure
elements developed for the academic needs of the
beneficiaries could raise the efficiency of the empirical
study. Also, for Galicia, there is a medium level interest
for internationalization of this higher education branch
which could enrich the cooperation level of the
European educational systems. This last matter could
benefit at raising the education level of the mass labor
force, the immigrants, leading to higher qualifications.
According to our labor market research, on a sample
of thirty different European job descriptions, concerning
the main competences required for future economists, it
has been shown that most employment possibilities are
referring to managerial knowledge, know-how,
industrialized activities, programming or secretarial
aptitudes. Also, judging the European funding
possibilities, especially for less developed regions,
entrepreneurial initiatives and research activities are
strongly supported for a sustainable development of the
socio-economic environment. Therefore, in our opinion,
restricted research elements and managerial aspects are
a priority in the improvement of present higher
economic education of future economists.
Future economists – a necessary human resource for
economic development
In the context of a complex economic system and an
urge for sustainable development entrepreneurship is
one of the key elements of present economic
environment. New innovative efficient economic
activities together with strong structural investment are
required. The EU promotes cooperation between the
Member States and the future ones in order to enhance
the sustainable development and achieve a higher
regional cohesion between powerful economies and
less developed ones. In addition to these issues, an
investment in human resources – such as future
economists – is required in tight connection to efficient
financial support.
The EU distributes the European budget for its main
objectives through European project funding. One of
these structural funds orientations is towards
entrepreneurship, seen as a main opportunity for
innovation and sustainable investment. Studies upon
different European economies show an urge for new
innovative and feasible business ideas which not only
are contributing to the sustainable development but also
create strong cooperation roots between countries.
Also, there must be considered a connection
between business opportunity cooperation and the
required economic skills and competencies. These
business possibilities must be seen as a source of
orientation for the higher economic education curricula
as well.
According to European reports over the successful
implementation of European projects, cross border
cooperation is a solid effective way to develop
entrepreneurial actions and enhance European
cooperation. Our study over the Romanian-Serbian
cross border cooperation potential, cooperation between
SMEs and new entrepreneurial activity ideas constitute
a high qualitative source for the development of both
regional economies. Extrapolating, future economists
and their empirical training are the key element of such
actions. The economic development status of the two
considered regions, Timis County and South Banat
District represented the starting point of successful
practices of entrepreneurial opportunities for future
economists. Also, it is necessary to consider previous
cooperation actions as well, as past European project in
fields such as education, business and research are the
groundings of strong cooperation roots between the two
countries, which led to successful practices.
The Theoretical and The Empirical. A Sustainable Joint Option in Training The Economists of The Future
The economic status of Timis County between 2004
and 2006 has been characterized by a growth tendency
of gross investments in secondary and tertiary fields. In
2004 they amounted 2 908 million USD while in 2006
they reached a threshold of 4 538 million EUR. One of
the main factors that contributed to this development
was the European funding, in extension PHARE funds.
These funding sources developed mainly the
regional industrial level, where the main investments are
in manufacturing, which represents about 50% of total
investments in 2004. This amount increased by
approximately 16% in 2005 followed by a slight
downward trend. The following volume investments are
those in transport, storage and communications. They
fluctuate from one year to another, falling to 470 million
USD in 2005 and increased unexpectedly with 609
million RON in 2006. An interest in the development of
transport and communications infrastructure can be
observed as well. A final matter concerns the wholesale
and retail. Investments in this area are increasing
vigorously during the period. Thus, in 2004 they were
estimated at approximately 421 million USD following
in 2005 the amount of 547 million USD and in 2006
reached 874 million USD. Therefore, investments
represent one of the main areas of activity propitious to
the development of SMEs
Moreover, in manufacturing it can be observed an
increase of approximately 28% from 2004 to 2006, from
EUR 6.767 billion to 8.086 billion USD in 2006. In the
investment area is highlighted a sharp increase in the
regional turnover by 60% in 2006, reaching 2.277
billion USD, up from 1.422 billion USD in 2004. In
addition, the wholesale trade and retail growth is about
27% in 2004 from a total of 5.982 billion USD,
amounting to 8.594 billion USD in 2006. This increase
aims in particular SMEs, their development and
organization manner in Timis County, in extension 5
West region.
Related to the mentioned above analysis on the
SME’s structure there is a tendency of segmentation of
the services and industrial sectors through majority
presence on the SME market in the three areas of
activity covered by this study. Thus, in the
manufacturing sector we amount a number of 3910
SMEs of which 2329 up to 1581 with 9 employees and
a maximum of 49 employees.
In the infrastructure area there is the same tendency
of division, the SMEs are reaching a total of 904, in
comparison with middle enterprises that only reach the
threshold of 763. In the trade area there can be
highlighted a number of 7423 micro enterprises, 6654
middle enterprises and about 766 large enterprises, idea
that supports the fact that the trade area can be one of
the main cooperation lines between the two regions
analyzed in the study.
At educational level, overall there is a supported
downward tendency of the training level, the only stage
of education with a number of pupils / students in
relative increase being special education and higher
education. In extension, in high school there can be
557
noticed a constant number of students. Therefore, it can
be stated that the tendency strongly influence the
economic system by a drop in competences and the
level of employment and training.
In South Banat District the main economic sectors of
development are: industry, agriculture, constructions,
manufacturing, commerce, catering, tourism,
communications, local residence services, financial
services. The major party of economic development is
made of industry and agriculture, while the priority is
the development of the tourism.
At territorial level there is 8232 registered firms, of
which 6 089, and 73, 97% work at economic level, with
an infrastructure of 12 093 shops. Registered firms can
also develop private companies – 88, 13%.
According to the information recorded in the
Companies register of Information Unique System of
Chamber, in the active companies structure, most are
small enterprises 93,95%, then middle enterprises
4,98% and large enterprises 1,07%.
Most of companies are focused on activities of
commerce 56%, industry 14,52%, financial services,
and only 10,21%, agriculture 7,23%, constructions
3,56%, communications 3,22%, Human resources
services 2,51% and other areas 2,72%.
In the structure of total income of the region,
industry is 56, 17%, then agriculture with a percentage
of 16, 4% and commerce with 15, 4%.
Of a total of 74 492 employees, in economic and
non-economic areas there are 78, 4% employees and
21,6% independent shops. The biggest number of
employees is in manufacturing 22068, agriculture 7 192
and commerce 4875. Pancevo town employs the biggest
number of employees in economy 22685, then follows
Vrsac town 9 311 and Kovin 3 471, Alibunar 2 701,
Kovačica 2.369, Bela Crkva 1.883, Plandište 1.743 and
Opovo 571.
In the register of National Labor Service, Pancevo
office has 41 938 unemployed persons and 47 102
persons looking for a job.
In agriculture the SWOT analysis made revealed
several conclusions that indirectly affect the economic
training. The strengths concern satisfactory quality of
the products, excellent offer, market information
systems, origin products, trade experience and
productive capacity. Yet, weaknesses connected
indirectly to the lack of managerial knowledge stressed
disorganized production, lack of standards in
production, poor storage facilities for agricultural
products, inadequate ways of distribution, uncontrolled
production, lack of classification in quality and deficient
trade marks.
Through innovative entrepreneurial activities and
adequate economic training certain opportunities can be
used: promotion (fairs, exhibitions), EU market entry,
export of finished products than raw materials,
satisfactory transport facilities for products, existence of
subsidiaries, record producer conveniences, society – in
close relationships with major markets, possibility of
exportation, specific supply, reintegration of economy,
558 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
connecting all actors in production and barometer of
prices.
Also, a strong cooperation and empirical business
related academic training can contribute in preventing
from a microeconomic level the main threats considered
by the analysis: import of agricultural products, unstable
market relations (weak currency) and low prices, as well
as purchasing power of consumers and harmonization of
tariff rates.
As a result of the analyses of the economies of the
two regions most entrepreneurial cooperation lines
might regard the primary sector and the industrial field
of activity. Extrapolating these results in higher
economic education and connecting them to the
statistics regarding higher education level in the two
regions, the study concluded the need for the
improvement of the methodologies and teaching
methods and the elaboration of new innovative and
interactive ideas to increase the level of participation in
higher economic education. Also, the studied curricula
revealed a requirement for a higher balance in the
theoretical and empirical aspects of the subjects
approached.
Joint research and business elements for high
economic education
At Lisbon Summit in March 2000, EU leaders
agreed upon the fact that the European Union should
aim at becoming world’s most competitive economy by
2010. Development of new technologies plays a vital
role in achieving this goal and in guaranteeing the future
prosperity of Europeans. These types of strategic actions
are influencing also the achievement of the European
sustainable educational environment. In this view, new
innovative interactive teaching methods are an urge for
the training of present and future generations. They
represent the actual investment of the European
Community for the horizontal objectives and
development of a sustainable socio-economic
environment. There is a special need of transfers of best
educational practices and know-how. At the cooperation
level, previous European collaborations opened the way
for fruitful future ones between Member States in order
to improve the socio-economic environment and by
extrapolation, the educational system. Also, the
regulations specifically stipulated by Bologna process
regarding the homogeneity and coherence of the higher
education and the European matter of multiculturalism
is a major issue that require special attention and must
be included as a strong influence factor of the
education-business-research triangle.
Small restricted research elements such as
methodologies or economic methods can create, in our
view, an added value for the higher economic education,
as helps in the development of a strategic and organized
economic behavior and reasoning of future economists.
CONCLUSIONS
The education-business-research triangle is a
theoretical and empirical approach for the contribution
at the sustainable development. Higher economic
education represents present investment in future
generations that must be achieved in a most feasible and
documented manner. Future economists are one of the
main resources and their academic training must
correspond to the long term economic requirements and
their own needs. Therefore, a joint effort at European,
and global, level represents a successful way to
establishing that goal. The transfer of best practices not
only enriches the European cooperation but also raises
the quality level of education systems.
European policies regarding education support an
interdisciplinary approach of the matter which
establishes a strong empirical connection between the
three elements of the triangle above mentioned. In our
opinion, the balance between theoretical and empirical
creates cohesion between the different fields of activity
of the society.
The European funding is also a support element for
three fields and the opportunities given at regional level
increases the level of innovation and efficiency of the
financial resources. Specific required matters to be
developed within European projects are creating
possibilities for future economists to benefit from
multiple interactive and empirical academic training
such as round tables, workshops, summer academies,
teaching methods that could create a real potential in
higher economic education as well.
Moreover, from a theoretical point of view, a
modernization in an interactive, innovative and effective
way of the methodology and teaching methods
represents an added value for the education system, and
indirectly for the economic environment. Less
developed countries have decreased high education
levels, fact that affects the business environment as
well. Development of entrepreneurship through
adequate quality education is an urge for the present
economies and their required long term results.
References
1. Boardman, Anthony, Greenberg, H. David, Vining, R.
Aidan and Weimer, L. David (2004), “Cost-benefit
analysis”, Arc Publishing House, Bucharest.
2. Didier, Michel (1992), “Regulile Jocului”, Humanitas
Publishing House, Bucharest.
3. European Commission, (2009), “European figures fact
and figures”, ISSN 1830-8147
4. Directorate-General XVI (2007), “Indicators for
monitoring and evaluation: an indicative methodology”,
Working Paper “The New Programming period 2000-
2006: methodological working papers” number 3, The
European Commission, Brussels.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION BY LEARNING ORGANIZATION ENVIRONMENT

Anca DRAGHICI1, Sorin Florin SUCIU1, Monica TION1, Richard MESSNARZ2

1
Politehnica University of Timisoara, Romania,{adraghici, ssuciu, mtion}@eng.upt.ro,
2
International Software Consulting Network Ltd. Wicklow, Ireland, rmess@iscn.com

The paper objective is to describe the context, advantages and potential of entrepreneurship education using the learning organization
environment in technical universities. After a short overview of the learning organization concept we formulate its main advantages
for the entrepreneurship education by the description of a particular skill unit that consist of: principles of openness and team
learning enabling the empowerment of new ideas, principles of leadership and team motivation factors and social skills development.
An education marketing research is presented (research scenario and results). This skill unit consistency was determined by
considering students positions/arguments (market research with master students) and also, the trainers ideas (from the master
program and from the ResEUr project meetings). The proposed skill unit is part of an innovative entrepreneurship education program
that can be followed by young academics and researchers that want to be qualified and certified at the EU level and not only at the
national level (by their Romanian diploma).
Keywords: Entrepreneurship, Education, Learning Organization, EU-Entrepreneur-Researcher, Leadership, Motivation, Openness,
Social Skills

1. THE LEARNING ORGANIZATION
In the years ’90 Peter Senge defined learning
organization as one entity “where people continually
expand their capacity to create the results they truly
desire, where new and expansive patterns of thinking
are nurtured, where collective aspiration is set free, and
where people are continually learning to learn together.”
Some marketing studies at the European level (1998,
research with 200 companies (Messnarz et. al., 1999);
2002, research with 128 multinational firms (O’Keeffe
and Harrington, 2001); 2003, research with 59
networked European organizations (Biro et. al., 2002),
(Feuer et. al., 2002), (Feuer et. al., 2003)) showed that
the success of an innovation or improvement is not just
dependent on the correct technical approach. A lot of
learning strategy related aspects influences the success
(Table 1). The studies identified that the first 3 success
factors are 58% influenced by human/organizational
factors. Beside top management support the study
outlined a positive learning culture (learning from
mistakes, team learning, knowledge sharing etc.) and a
supporting organizational infrastructure which helps
with the implementation of the learning organization
(O’Keeffe and Harrington, 2001).
Also, human skills are considered as complementary
set needed in addition to employees/unemployed
qualified processes to be successful on the market. The
presented ideas underline the organization environment
importance for the professional skills development and
for the entrepreneurship behavior development, too. A
learning organization (Messnarz et. al., 2001),
(O’Keeffe and Harrington, 2001), (Gemünden and
Ritter, 2001), creates a positive learning culture and
enables team learning and synergy exploitation in an
organization. By team learning, knowledge is spread
much more quickly and a high level of a skilled human
force is maintained.
Table 1: Success Factors Influencing the Implementation of Innovation and
Improvement (from a sample of 151 multinational organizations)
Success factors % of
importance
1. Top management support 20
2. Supporting organizational
infrastructure 17
3. Positive learning culture 15
4. Young developers 13
5. Realistic planning 6
6. No idea 13
Considering the learning organization environment
there can be identified some failure situation as: you
recognize that for the implementation of a new product
or new processes you lack specific skills and have no
chance of acquiring them in time; you recognize that
departments inside the company have the knowledge but
do not want to share it with other departments; you
recognize that your competitors have formed a group to
share knowledge and jointly compete against you on the
market; you recognize that some of your management
staff does not fully understand the mission; you
recognize that someone in your organization bought a
knowledge management system but none uses it etc.
Also, there are some typical examples of success:
you linked in time yourself to experience partnerships
and training networks and can react on the market
immediately with any skills required; you manage that
knowledge and team learning is used in a synergy
approach between the departments and teams; you were
the one who formed the group that jointly learns and
shares knowledge and collaborates against your
competitors; you ensure that the mission is a goal which
binds everyone to a big picture; you analyze the core
knowledge (the one that differentiates you from the
competitors) and build all knowledge management
strategies around that core (equal of realistic and not
holistic knowledge management) etc.
Learning organizations benefit from an information
and communication technology infrastructure enable
learning processes, spread/share of knowledge and team
communication better (O’Keeffe and Harrington, 2001).
560 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

The main characteristics of the learning organization

that were considered for the presented research context
are: openness and team learning, leadership and
motivation factors and social skills that support inter-
relationship. These characteristics are more related to
personal characteristics in the entrepreneurship practice
of the persons that evolve in the learning organization
environment and they are related to the classical
characteristics as: personal mastery, mental models,
share vision and team learning as they appear in
references (Senge, 1990). In this context, in the paper
will be describe the ResEUr training program and the
skill unit link with the entrepreneurship development in
the context of the learning organization environment.
Also, there will be presented the education marketing
research results regarding the master students’ interest
for such training program.

2. THE RESEARCH-ENTREPRENEUR SKILLS

The research motivation belongs to the Certified EU

Researcher–Entrepreneur (ResEUr, 2009) project
development. The proposed project aims at delivering to
innovative researchers the qualification to determine if
their work and/or their ideas have a market potential, as
well as to be able to create a commercial interest for
what they are doing. The results are a skill set which
clearly describes the skills required for a researcher to
turn his ideas into marketable products, and thus to be
able to create and develop a sustainable enterprise. For
all the skill elements training material will be provided
in several languages and in an e-learning environment.
A pool of test questions will be defined, which provides
the basis for the certification of students. All these
elements will be verified with a number of students in
the context of initial trainings and certifications.
The qualification and certification of Research-
Entrepreneur addresses itself at experienced researchers
(young researchers, PhD students), master students who
want to complement and/or certify their advanced
entrepreneurial skills. The target group students
typically have availability and abilities for develop an
entrepreneurship behavior (creativity, innovative
initiatives etc.). The certificate, however, is supposed to
certify the target group of student’s capabilities as future
entrepreneurs and/or to develop their entrepreneurial
behavior. One of the biggest challenges is to conceive a
training program that covers the complete skills set that
better satisfy the target group specific needs.
Each partner involved in the ResEUr project, has
identify his target group specific needs (a number of
unstructured interview were developed with potential
students and also, with other organizations that deliver
training programs; preliminary observation of the local
market specificity). Based on the collected information,
during some virtual project meeting there have been
established the working procedure and then it has been
implemented for the development of the skill card.
Figure 1: The Knowledge Map of the ResEUr Skill Set/Card
Figure 1 shows a knowledge map of the skill set
which provides the basis of our research. We consider
this skill set already stable, it is supposed to evolve in
the implementation stage of the project as we involve
experts from different research sectors, and get the
feedback from partners in industry (from employees of
the research and development departments) and
academia, from students of initial training seminars. The
skill card is represented by a map (using the
MindManager software) with the main branches
consists of the skill units and the second branches that
are the correspondent skill elements. Under each skill
unit and element there are indicated: the specific code,
the partner acronym that will develop the correspondent
training material, and the estimated duration of the
training. The third braches are allocated to the
performance criteria of each element (that are in direct
relation with the questions that shall be settled for the
examination process related to the certification of the
job role). This skill card representation allowed an
optimal visualization of the whole developed work and
the harmonization/integration of the partners for
attending the project objectives. The skill set map is a
good tool of communication between the partners and
the IT specialists involved in the project, too. It defines
the training materials domains. Also, the performance
criteria associated with each skill element shows the
content of the training materials. Taking into
consideration the suggested structure of the skill card it
is easy to imagine the structure of the e-learning
platform.
Entrepreneurship Education by Learning Organization Environment 561

3. THE EDUCATION MARKETING RESEARCH

RESULTS Promoting85.7and implementing the
100.0
learning 52.1
organization principles
Unemployed
3.1. General Description of the Skill Unit by
13.7
Ocupational
ational
24.7 Status
7.1 7.1 8.2 0.01.4
Based on the previous general description of the 0.0
skill card we focus our study on the 5th unit: Less Much
Very much
Very I don’tNot
know
interesting
Empowerment by the Learning Organization
Environment.. The skill elements define and described in
the following:
Implementing
42.9 equitable
42.5
38.4 35.7
50.0
1. Openness and team learning that aim to provide principles of leadership and
14.3
12.3
methods for training openness, for new strategies in motivation
0.02.7 of co-workers
co by…
7.1
1.4 02.7
knowledge sharing in a team and its advantages, and for 0.0
feedback and leadership approaches accepting and Not at all Less Much Very I don’t
empowering, the integration of new ideas. Students will much know
specifically learn: the requirements for a team learning Unemployed
culture and how to exploit it; the requirements for
openness principles and how to socially train/exercise Implementing principles for
100
openness; the requirements
ments of team (leadership) styles multicultural collaboration
50.043.8 in an 41.1
35.7
allowing innovation to grow and to empower new ideas. innovative
14.39.6team by…
2. Leadership and team motivation factors will focus 0 5.5
on: leadership behavior when considering the 0
entrepreneurial attitude (style, emotions, self Not at all Less Much Very much
motivation) - individual al behavior and leadership by a Unemployed
group (leadership teams, action oriented team leadership
skills for cross-functional teams) - group/team behavior.
Business communication
The performance criteria are related to: the most
100.0 competencies complement with
relevant personal characteristics, behaviors, models for technical50.0
expertise
41.1 42.9
34.2
by…
being
ing a successful leader; how to create a positive work 19.2
environment through effective coaching and mentoring; 0.02.7 7.1 01.4 01.4
principles of inter-personal
personal relationship, decision 0.0
making, innovation lead, growth and change techniques; Not at all Less MuchVery much
I don’tNot
know
interesting
collaborative leadership. Unemployed
3. Social Skills
ls paired with Technical Abilities
element will train students in the field of social
Personal competencies
100.0 development that are link with
communication based on the valorization of their 58.9
57.1
emotional intelligence. The key elements that will be emotional
35.7 intelligence by…
32.9
trained are related to the
he intellectual capital concept and 7.14.1 0.02.7 0.01.4
its relation/effects
ation/effects to entrepreneurship behavior 0.0
development: to achieve effective communication
(overcoming potential barriers, preventing conflicts, Less Much Very much
I don’t know
Not interesting
Unemployed
using feed-back,
back, adapt communication to audience etc.);
multicultural collaboration (understanding cultural Personal competencies
differences,
ferences, communication particularities and barriers, 100.0
development71.4
that are link with
criticism etc.); general business ethics; laws and 42.5
regulations regarding corporate social responsibility as
social responsability
23.3
21.4 28.8 by…
7.11.4 0.0 0.01.4 0.02.7
part of the social skills development (e.g. ISO 14000; 0.0
the future ISO 26000 etc.); potential benefits b of
corporate social responsibility (responsibility, as an Not at allLess Much
Very much
I don’tNot
know
interesting
Unemployed
individual social behavior - entrepreneur and for his
enterprise, in terms of: human resources, risk The utility of a training program in
management, brand differentiation, license to operate); 100.0 the field of social competencies
principles of Green Business (green en-entrepreneur, eco- 57.1
development, associated
42.5
30.1
with an…
entrepreneur). 17.8
7.10.0 14.3 14.3 7.14.1 0.05.5
There have been design the research scenario for
collecting master students opinion about the utility of 0.0
these elements in their profession and about their Not at allLess Much
Very much
I don’tNot
know
interesting
interest in having a training program in this domain, Unemployed
based on the previous description. Figure 2: Education Marketing Research Results
562 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
3.2. Research Results and Comments
Started from the skill unit definition and description
that is the result of many ResEUr virtual meeting and
two project reunion (Maribor, Nov. 2009; Grenoble,
March 2010) we have tested the interest of the master
students (from the Politehnica University of Timisoara
Romania, Management Faculty, UPT-MPT) for
entrepreneurship training programs and for having
benefits from the learning organization environment
offer by the university. A structured questionnaire has
been built (with closed and open questions) base on the
described skill card and it was distributed to the second
year of study master students (96 students fill in the
questionnaires, from a total of 152 students). The
sample main characteristics that were consider for the
responds analysis and conclusions formulation was the
professional status: employee or unemployed master
students. The data process has been done using the
SPSS program. In Figure 2 are presented the most
relevant research results regarding the learning
organization benefits for entrepreneurship development,
as they were expressed by the master students. In
generally, master students are (much, very much)
interested on the proposed subjects. 85.7% of
unemployed students appreciate promoting and
implementing the UPT-MPT learning organization
principles. Mater students are much (42.9% unemployed
and 38.4% employed students) and very much (35.7%
unemployed and 42.5% employed) interested in
implementing equitable principles of leadership and co-
workers motivation in their working environment (in the
organization where they work or study). Master students
are much (50% unemployed and 43.8% employed
students) and very much (35.7% unemployed and 41.1%
employed students) attract of knowing the multicultural
collaboration in innovative teams. Master students
recognize as important (50% unemployed and 41.1%)
and very important (42.9% unemployed and 34.2%
employed students) the business communication
competencies development in association with their
technical expertise. Master students are very much
interest (57.1% unemployed and 58.9% employed
students) about emotional intelligence skills
development as a key success factor of their career.
Master students have much interest (71.4% unemployed
and 42.5% employed students) in personal development
in relation with social responsibility skills development.
Students recognize that social responsibility has to be
reconsidering from the individual level to the
organizational level and they enjoy very much (57.1%
unemployed students and 42.5% employed students) the
idea of being part of a training program in the field of
social competencies development in association with an
entrepreneurial behavior.
4. CONCLUSIONS AND PERSPECTIVES
The paper presented some aspects regarding the
entrepreneurship skills development (qualification) by
considering the learning organization environment
characteristics. The learning organization concept was
first presented. In the second part, there have been
described the Research-Entrepreneur skill card that will
be used for the training materials development. Then,
the results of an education marketing research that show
the master students (from UPT-MPT) interest for the
ResEUr training program and having benefits from the
learning organization environment were presented.
These research were gained in the context of the project:
Certified EU Researcher – Entrepreneur (503021-LLP-
1-2009-1-BE-LEONARDO-LMP), founded with
support from the European Commission. The
presentation of this paper is connected with dEUcert
project: Dissemination of European Certification
Schema ECQA, 505101-LLP-1-2009-1-AT-KA4-
KA4MP that was funded with support from the
European Commission, also. The paper and
communication reflects the views only of the author,
and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any
use which may be made of the information contained
therein.
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O'Suilleabhain, G. (1999), “A Learning Organisation Approach for
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 RESEARCHES REGARDING THE PROGRESSES RECORDED AMONG STUDENTS
DURING THE INITIAL TRAINING FOR THE DIDACTICAL PROFESSION

3
Constanţa DUMITRIU1 Iulia Cristina TIMOFTI,2 Gheorghe DUMITRIU
1
“Vasile Alecsandri” University of Bacău, , dumitriuconstanta@yahoo.com
2
“Vasile Alecsandri” University of Bacău, iulia.timofti@ub.ro
3“Vasile Alecsandri” University of Bacău, dumitriu@ub.ro

Abstract
The study aims the identification of progresses recorded among students during the training program for didactical career. The
study has implications upon more dimensions of training for didactical career: to future teachers - the directions and the level of
developing capacity and mechanisms of cognitive control; to us, professors, and to mentors of didactical practice – the study
recommends new educational strategies for progressive training of professional competences.
Keywords: initial training, student’s responsibility, personal working strategy, self-evaluation capacity, meta-cognitive competences.
This work was supported by CNCSIS –UEFISCSU, project number 834/2009 PNII – IDEI code 496/2008

Introduction The supporters of self-evaluation show that

Our study is based on the different theories
and patters that were developed in the last few years
in the specialty literature regarding the role of the
self-evaluation abilities and of the metacognitive
competences in the professional formation, but it is
also based on the empirical research that we made in
this field. The findings in the field of cognitive
psychology, the exigencies of the professionalization
of the didactical career and the assessment of the
“reflective practitioner” model puts the ability to
meta-analyze, to reflect on the practice done on the
first places in the competences profile of the current
teacher. “Even if there are people that oppose this
way of evaluation there are many more that agree
with it, especially after the promising approach of the
portfolio” (Seldin, 1991, apud. Tremblay, p.39).
The studies made in this problematic space
showed that the initial formation program of the
future teachers has to promote diversified and
complementary strategies that develop in students
metacompetences like: to know to analyze, to reflect
in action, to justify through pedagogic reason, to be
aware of the owns reflective habitus. Through this,
the teacher will adapt in an optimal manner to any
situation, considers M. Altet (1996).
Furthermore, in the context of systematic
preoccupation world wide for the professionalization
of the didactic career and the training of the future
teachers as true “reflective practitioners” we have to
identify and experiment new techniques of self-
knowledge, self-analysis and self-evaluation of one’s
own abilities, capabilities, of the progress recorded in
the program of psycho pedagogical training, but also
of the “weak points” of the done activities.
We remind the specialist’ preoccupations
regarding the formation and the development of the
metacognitive competences of the teacher in order for
him to be capable to analyze his practices, to solve
problems, to invent strategies. Formation is based on
the practitioners’ and researchers’ contributions and
they aim the articulation of theory with practice in
order to build “analysis abilities”, that are considered
a metacompetence that allows the building of other
competences (Altet, 1996, pp. 30-31).
its purpose is to encourage future teachers to closely
examine what they are doing, by answering a few
questions on the activity done. H. Berrard (1992)
considers that such an analysis is important for the
professional formation and personal development of
the student because it is based on a deep examination
of his forces, as well as the difficulties that he
encounters.
In this context the formation and the practice
of the self-evaluation ability at the future teachers has
a special signification and relevance because it is
integrated and it facilitates the progressive building of
the evaluatiative and metacognitive competences.
“There is no doubt that an evaluation, in the
framework of the learning process or the formation
one, needs an increased participation of the ones that
learn (pupils, students) at its elaboration”, considers
A. De Peretti (1998, p. 165). They need to base their
own appreciations on the ones of their teachers, on
certain devices or instruments that stimulate their
attention, motivation, that guide their perceptions,
that help them identify the nature of the difficulties,
that clarify their personal profiles of acquisition and
progress, ensuring them an individualized reference
framework. The author proposes a diversified sample
of instruments that helps the student and the teachers
(that are in the process of continuing formation), most
of which are elaborated and experienced by the
teachers and the trainers in the initial and continuing
formation of the didactical staff.
The trainers and the students have to see
self-evaluation as being for the benefit of the one that
wants to reflect on his own activity, on the road taken
and the one that has to be taken. By self-analysis we
identify the strong and the weak points, the aspects
that have to be improved and the ones that have to be
consolidated.
The ability to reflect on the progress and the
efficiency of one’s own activity is built in a
progressive manner, by the practice by the student of
the self-evaluation mechanisms, by knowing the
ability and the cognitive control mechanisms, of
planning one’s own knowledge processes in order to
attain the objectives he has in mind. An important
564 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
role it has the reporting to referential systems that
defines his role, his tasks and the activity’s directions,
by becoming aware of his progress and acquisitions,
by reporting to the learning activity’s exigencies and
behavior in the group.
Thus paralleling the evaluation that the
teacher does as a part of the didactic intercession, he
has to form in a systematic manner in students the
metacognitive and self-evaluation abilities.
The acquisitions take shape in the formation
of the decoding abilities of the cognitive task, of the
previous experience, of evaluation and the reporting
of the requirements to one’s own possibilities, to
reflect on the knowledge acquired, of ways to solve
the problems and the solutions found, to analyze the
difficulties that he encounters and his own way of
solving them, to self-adjust and to make efficient his
own activity.
Research methodology
Starting from this theoretical premises and
from the fact that we notice in practice the lack of
valid instruments in the formation process that can
facilitate the progressive, systematic formation in the
students of the abilities and competences of self-
evaluation, metacognitive, so we want to adapt such a
grille (Peretti, 1998) to identify the progress made by
the students during the program of psycho
pedagogical training for the didactical career.
The objectives aim:
 The elaboration, the pretrial and the
validation of a questionnaire of self-
evaluation regarding the progress made by
the students;
 The analysis of the difficulty categories that
the students have to face in the objective use
of the self-evaluation criteria of the progress
recorded during the formation program.
 Proposing some formative strategies of
educational intervention.
Participants
The research was made in 2010 on a sample
of 118 students, second year that attend the psycho
pedagogical training program that belongs to the
Teachers Training Department (TTD) University of
Bacau. The sample is structured as it follows: 62
participants are students in Letters, 56 are students in
Engineering; 29 are males and 89 are females; 104
participants are between 20 and 23 years old, and 14
participants are over 23 years old; 62 come from
towns and 56 from villages; 116 have no teaching
experience and 2 have a 2 year teaching experience.
Methods and instruments
The research methodology included the
elaboration, pre-trail and validation of the “Inventory
regarding the progresses made during the initial
formation program” (IPPFI). The questionnaire is
structured on three dimensions and 30 indicators, the
answers are formulated on a scale with 5 intensity
degrees, 1 – in a very small degree, 2 – in small
degree, 3 – adequate, 4 – in a large degree, 5 – in a
very large degree.
For example, dimension 1 includes the
indicators regarding the student’s responsibility in the
initial formation for the didactical profession (“I
understood my responsibilities in TTD”; “I
manifested real interest for the knowledge given by
the teacher and classmates”, “I wanted to confront
my personal experience with the one of my colleagues
from my group”, “I contributed in an efficient
manner in the informing and the progress of other
colleagues”, “ I formed cognitive, methodological,
evaluative,psychosocial, communication, managerial,
technical competences that are necessary in the
future profession”).
Dimension 2 – Personal work strategy –
includes indicators regarding the elucidation of the
ways of information and documentation (“ I was
preoccupied to elucidate the ways to inform myself
based on the bibliography”), using some efficient
techniques for intellectual work (“I applied the
techniques of intellectual work that I obtained in
solving real tasks”), the effort and the interest in
making a systematic study (“I showed interest for
actual problematic situations”, “I made efforts to
select, in every study or paper, the essential aspects
that have to be remembered and made accessible”, “I
was strict in the method of analysis of a problem,
task, activity”), the participation to lectures, seminars,
consultations (“I participated to lectures and
seminars through clear and concise interventions”,
“I participated to the consultations made in order to
elucidate some aspects regarding the elaboration of
the projects, portfolio).
Dimension 3 – The participation to group
/team activity – includes 10 indicators from which we
exemplify: the subject’s role in solving conflicts (“I
knew how to solve the group/team conflicts”),
initiative in the group (“I took initiative or I gave
efficient suggestions for the team activity”), active
listening (“I listened carefully to the objections given
by my team mates”), the preoccupation for a positive
climate (“I tried to eliminate the intellectual
obstacles or any other obstacles that decelerated the
progress in realizing the group’s tasks”, “I made in
useful time concessions that were fortunate for the
group’s life”), centering of the team mates on solving
the task (“I helped my team mates to become aware of
their positions and expectations, in searching for
solutions”; “I have been preoccupied by increasing
my team mates’ motivation for the group/ team
work”), the self-adjustment of one’s own
Intercession for professional formation (“I corrected
certain tests that are included in the portfolio after
the seminars’ debates and elucidations”; “I have
taken without difficulties the role to draft and
presents rapports regarding the group activity”).
Results
Researches regarding the progresses recorded among students during the initial training for the didactical profession 573

The validation of the questionnaire meant
the study of a statistical point of view of the
corresponding scales to the three investigated
dimensions. We calculated the interitems correlations
on these scales (SPSS Program, Cronbach’s Alpha)
and the internal consistency coefficient on total scale.
Thus, at Dimension 1 – The student’s
responsibility in the initial formation for the
didactical career – the value of the internal
consistency coefficient is 0,82 thus we did not
eliminate any item, each being a good component of
the scale (chart 1)
Table no. 1. Dimension 1 – RELIABILITY ANALYSIS
RELIABILITY ANALYSIS
S C A L E (A L P H A)
N of Cases = 118.0 N of Items = 10
Reliability Coefficients
Alpha = .8223
consistency coefficient is 0,86, very well; thus we did
not eliminate any item, each item being a good
component of the scale (table 3).
Table no. 3. Dimension 3 – RELIABILITY
ANALYSIS
R E L I A B I L I T Y A N A L Y S I S
S C A L E (A L P H A)
Reliability Coefficients
N of Cases = 118.0
N of Items = 10
Alpha = .8629
The interitems correlations that we obtained
when we validated the questionnaire have good and
very good values and they prove the consistency in
measuring the investigated aspects.
Next we calculated the scores per items and
per dimensions and we obtained the following results:
Table no. 4 The scores per items and per dimensions

Dimension 1 Dimension Dimension

Analyzing the charts with the presentation of 2 3
the means and of the standard deviation for each of Items Score Items Score Items Score
the 10 items that we analyzed, as well as the Understanding 510 Clarificating 434 Solving 437
correlation between the items matrix, we notice that the information conflicts
most of the correlation coefficients are above 0, 40 responsability
and that each item has high correlations with the Contribution in 414 Applying 455 Initiative 454
other items, which proves that each item measures the informing the techniques
same construct with the other items from the scale. team mates
At Dimension 2 – Personal work strategy – Interest 498 Interest sit. 470 Attentive 486
the value of the internal consistency coefficient is pr. listening
0,84 and thus we did not eliminate any item, each Confruntation 443 Selecting 468 Eliminating 458
being a good component of the scale (chart 2). exp the essential obstacles
Solving 468 Strict 463 Favourable 450
Table no. 2. Dimension 2 – RELIABILITY ANALYSIS conflicts analysis concessions

RELIABILITY ANALYSIS Positive climate 460 Imagination, 468 Concern 447

S C A L E (A L P H A) creativity for others
Reliability Coefficients
Active 387 Participation 410 Increase 454
N of Cases = 118.0 N of Items = 10
organisation cons. motivation
Alpha = .8479
Communication 398 Interv, 443 Assuming 428
with the integration the role
attendings
By analyzing the tables with the presentation
of the means and of the standard deviations for each I have formed 457 P.o.v. 470 Correcting 447
competences sustaining tests
of the 10 analyzed indicators, as well as the item
correlation matrix, we notice that most of the TOTAL 4503 4548 4528
correlation items are above 0,40 and that each item
has high correlations with the other items, which
proves that each item measures the same construct
with the other items from the scale, respectively the
personal work strategy of the student.
At Dimension 3 – Participation at the
group/ team activity – the value of the internal
We notice that all three dimensions have methodological, psychosocial, metacognitive
close scores, aspect that applies to the scores obtained professional abilities and competences.
by the items. This means that the participants in the The corroboration of the research data with
research have a good and very good opinion about the the results of the systematical observation of the
level of development of their cognitive, students’ activity and behavior, with the data shown
by the analysis of the portfolios, projects, practice
566 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

documents emphasize their tendency to over-evaluate professional training, the formative value of
themselves in most of the cases without objective suggested educational strategies.
raporatation to standards and criteria.
References:
Conclusions 1.Altet, M. (1996), «Les compétences de l’enseignant-
professionnel: entre savoirs, schémas d’action et adaptation, le
 The interitems correlations obtained at the
savoir analyser » en: Perrénoud, Ph. (Eds), Former des enseignants
validation of the “Inventory regarding the professionels; pérspectives en éducation, De Boeck Université,
recorded progress in the initial formation Paris, Bruxelles.
program” (IPPFI) have good and very good 2. Flavell, J.H. (1979), „Metacognition and cognitive monitoring:
A new area of cognitive developmental inquiry” American
values and they are an argument to affirm
psychologist, 34, 906-911.
the items’ consistency in measuring the 3. Peretti, A.de, (coord.), 1998, Éncyclopédie de l’évaluation en
investigated aspects, respectively the formation et en éducation, Guide pratique, E.S.F., Paris.
students’ ability to appreciate the 4. Tremblay, M-C. (1998), « Élaboration d’une grille d’auto
évaluation: instrument de réflexion sur son enseignement», en:
responsibility of the involvement in the
Mesure et évaluation en éducation, vol.21, No.2, pp.37-63.
professional formation program, their 5. Wolfs, J-L. (1996), „Analyse de pratiques ėducatives visant a
personal work strategy, the participation at faire participer l`apprenant `a l`ėvaluation diagnostique, au pilotage
the group/ team activity. et a la rėgulation de ses apprentissages » en : Grėgoire, J. (ėds.),
Ėvaluer les apprentissages. Les apports de la psychologie
 The application of this research instrument
cognitive (pp.175-187). De Boeck & Larcier S.A.
emphasize the personal evolution of the
structuring of self-evaluation and
metacognitive abilities of the students, future
teachers, their opinion regarding the taking
of the responsibility in the formation
program, the personal strategy used in
documentation, in solving theoretical and
practical problems, the level of the
psychosocial habilitation for the
participation at team activities.
 In trying to correct some manifested
tendencies of over-appreciation (and seldom
of sub-estimation) we have to increase the
share of the interactivity at lectures and
seminars, the making of situations in which
the students can practice self-control and
self-appreciation, autonomous learning,
based on understanding, reflection,
metacognition, to develop their ability to
know their own performances, of their
strong and weak points;
 The long observation and the analysis of the
educational practice, discussions with the
teachers that are on different steps of
professional development, show the
application of the metacognition in an
intuitive, empirical manner in certain points
of the didactical intercession, especially in
the final stage, evaluation.
 That is why the systematic reporting to
standards and criteria in all the evaluation
forms the elaboration of real, operational
instruments that trains students to become
acquainted with the analysis of their own
cognitive activity, of the mechanisms and
the way they function represent directions in
which we will develop future investigations.
 The paper distinguishes itself from the other
studies through: clarifying the key-concepts,
validating the instrument for researching the
progress of student’s behaviour during the
 THE ETHICAL DIMENSION OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION
Maria-Ana GEORGESCU1, Emilia HERMAN2
1
“Petru Maior” University of Tg. Mures, Romania, maria_ana_georgescu@yahoo.com
2
“Petru Maior” University of Tg. Mures, Romania, emilia_herman@yahoo.com

In the present society of consumption, education must be regarded not only as a desirable good but as an investment. Between several other
dimensions, we consider that entrepreneurship education (EE) must have an ethical one, in total agreement with sustainable development. We
carried out a research regarding the conduct in the entrepreneurial activities concerning Social Corporate Responsibilities. It led us to the
conclusion that the entrepreneurial behaviour is situated between the selfish economic interest and the pure ethical values.
Keywords: entrepreneurship education, business ethics, social responsibilities of the companies

consideration in the business decisional process’ (Pride,

I. CONCEPTUAL PRELIMINARIES
The entrepreneurial activity and education, fundamental as
they are for the business world, presently impose – as a
component dimension – the forming in the spirit of ethical
values. Business being a type of human activity, it can and
must also be evaluated from the moral behaviour’s point of
view, not just from that of the economic efficiency.
Business ethics is a part of ethics that analyses the problems
and dilemmas created by the business practices (S.
Blackburn, 1999). In the US, it was introduced as a teaching
subject for the Economic Sciences students and MAs in the
second half of the XX century and in Europe it was taken
over in the 1980s; in Romania, the striking interest in this
subject is rather recent, dating from the 2000s.
The diversity of perspectives in the speciality literature,
that regard the concept of business ethics, are based
precisely on combining the economic and the moral
elements, the pragmatic and the deontological
arguments. (P. Drucker, 1999, p. 271).
Business ethics is an ethics applied for the specific
moral problems in a particular field. The activity of the
companies is evaluated from a social responsibility
point of view. This notion designates the ensemble of
the measures that the companies are demanded to apply
- explicitly or implicitly – with the purpose of protecting
and improving the conditions of the social and natural
environment in which they act. It is important to
approach Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in an
interdisciplinary way, vision that involves the aspects of
an economic origin (related to business and to profit
maximization) interpenetrate with the specific aspects of
moral philosophy. In the context of a dynamic,
globalized world, like the one we live in at the
beginning of the XXI century, in which technology,
innovation and speed are keywords, the company’s
social responsibility comes as an answer to a sharp need
of the society: that of assuring a durable and sustainable
development, oriented towards the future generations.
The limited natural resources, the more and more active
preoccupations towards fighting against pollution, the
stimulation of the social policies, the growth of the
customers and providers’ exigencies, determined more
sustained preoccupations and the orientation towards
social responsibility. Therefore, we need ‘the
recognition of the fact that economic activities have an
impact on the society, impact that needs to be taken into
W., Hughes, R., Kapoo, J., 2003, p.41). P.Drucker
shows that businessmen, owners or managers, have to
‘consciously assume the responsibility for the common
wellness and to restrain their own interest and authority
when their execution harms this common wellness and
the individual freedom’ (1999, p.84).
The CSR’s dimensions
CSR has four dimensions and it is synthetically
represtened by Archie Carroll as a pyramid.
Philanthropic Desired by
responsibilities society
Ethical Expected
responsibilities by society
Legal Required
responsibilities by society
Economic
Required
responsibilities by society
Fig.1 The pyramid of social responsibility (Apud 2, p.170)
These types of corporate responsibilities do not exclude
each other nor do they need to be analysed as distinctive
segments, because any action or practice of a company
may be simultaneously based on economic, legal, ethic
or discretionary reasons, one of the four dimensions
leading in a certain situation and in a given context.
At the European Union level, CSR is more than a
programme or an ongoing campaign. It is a philosophy,
a way of ethical behaviour that reaches all aspects: from
business to the relationships with their own employees,
customers, shareholders, providers, with the
environment and, of course, with the local communities.
In 2001, the European Commission launched a Green
Chart that placed CSR on the agenda of the European
institutions and that founded the European Multilateral
Forum regarding CSR. In 2006, the European
Commission specified that its role is to bring extra
visibility to the social responsibility policy, in
recognition of the efforts that companies had already
made in this direction and in encouraging them to
continue. At the same time, it was said that social
responsibility is, in essence, a voluntary act of the
companies, so that a step that would aim at imposing
568 The 6th International Conference Management of Technological Changes
some administrative rules would risk being
counterproductive and would not serve the final
purpose. Despite all these aspects, the European
legislation imposes more and more rules of the game,
certain standards that are measured by extra-financial
rating agencies. In order to get a good score, a company
is audited both from a managerial performance and
business behaviour perspective, as well as from the
perspective of social programmes, developed for the
employees and for the community. More and more
companies, being aware that this sort of approach can
bring them benefits both by creating a competitive
advantage and by promoting a positive image and a
good relationship with all the partners, have included
social responsibility in their development strategy.
‘The positive connections between the social
performance and the financial one become more and
more obvious, especially in the light of intangible
active’s growing importance, like reputation, brands and
information’ (L. Oprea, 2005, p. 56).
Often, in the Romanian literature, all four dimensions
are treated like obligations, even if ethical and
philanthropic responsibilities are not named like that,
but assumed aspects. We may observe that only
economic and law-respecting responsibilities are, for the
moment, compulsory, for they depend on constraints
that are external to the companies, and the next two,
being at their latitude, represent voluntary, discretionary
aspects, and not obligations.
In accordance with the Romanian Explicative
Dictionary (1998, p.706), ‘obligation’ implies being
obliged, while ‘ethical and philanthropic responsibility’
escapes the imperative aspects. From this point of view,
CSR is situated on a middle position between purely
economic, selfish interest and completely uninterested
ethical values. It is the expression of a rational interest,
of the ethical theory’s practical manifestation,
respectively of the moral behaviour in business, on
which the community has a word to say.
Having in mind that the four dimensions can be attained
not only by the big corporations but also, under multiple
aspects, by the smaller ones and, simultaneously, that
the number of small and middle enterprises has grown
in the Romanian economy, while former big industrial
platforms or agricultural enterprises have collapsed, we
also applied the concept of social responsibility in
studying their behaviour, even though they are not
corporate.
II. STUDY ON THE MORAL BEHAVIOUR IN
THE ENTREPRENEURIAL ENVIRONMENT
The motivation behind choosing the theme
- It is an insufficiently approached theme in the
Romanian business environment, in opposition with the
present importance that it is given in the EU or in the
US, with little emphasized particular aspects;
- It involves not only the recognition of the fact that
economic activities have a multiple impact on nature
and society, but also the awareness of the necessity of a
new perspective in their unrolling, direction that needs
to be included in the entrepreneurial education;
- It involves solutions to a striking problem on a global
level: to assure a durable and sustainable development,
oriented towards the future generations, that needs to
constitute a preoccupation for us;
- It starts from the premise that economic interests,
social and environmental aspects may be harmonized in
a strategic vision of the business environment, also
necessary on a national level.
Research design:
We designed a descriptive study, carried out by means
of a sociological questionnaire, applied in the Mureş
county (between the 4th and the 19th of May, 2009), on
500 subjects.
The selection method: Not having a patterning base, a
list of the companies, we proceeded to the selection by
quotas. The criteria behind choosing the subjects were:
the persons needed to come from private companies/
enterprises, not from budgetary/public units; the
position in the company had to represent each one of the
categories - owners/entrepreneurs, managers/directors
and employees; not more than five persons from the
same company were to be questioned.
The questionnaire contains a number of 25 items, of
which we present a selection. In the elaboration of the
questionnaire we introduced a type of questions which,
apart from the data collection from individuals, are
informative for the mass of subjects.
Data interpretation
Here is a selection of questions and results based upon
which we illustrated the statistic description of realities
regarding the CSR on the level of regional
entrepreneurship; based on these realities, we can draw
out – at least partially – these aspects.
Q1. The structure of the investigated group contains
three categories of persons: owners, managers and
employees, the last category representing the majority
of subjects, respectively 40,6 %.
Fig.2 The position of the subjects inside the company
Q7. Refers to the company’s management
preoccupation in dealing with matters connected to
social responsibility in commercial activities: half of the
subject’s answers were affirmative and only 6 %
negative.
The Ethical Dimension Of Entrepreneurship Education
Fig.3 The implementation of SR in commercial activities
Q8. Requested the subjects to express their agreement/
disagreement regarding four statements, which illustrate
exactly the CSR’s dimensions presented in A. Carroll’s
pyramid. The wider base, assured by the multitude of
agreements and the gradual narrowing towards the top,
intuitively outlines half a pyramid.
Fig.4 The reflection of the CSR’s dimensions
Q9. Asks the subjects whether, when the companies are
promoting new products/services, they also take into
consideration possible aspects of impact on the natural
and social environment. The partial measure in which
the impact upon the community and on nature is
considered is defining (43 % of the answers) for the
promotion activity that the companies unfold.
Fig.5 Promoting new products/services and the care for the
environment
Q10. Wants to find out whether the employees are
encouraged to innitiate or develop actions regarding the
CSR. From the registered answers results the partial
encouragement - 34 %.
569
Fig.5 Sustaining the SR actions
The share of those who are not supported in this sort of
actions is of 19,15 %, and that of those who are visibly
encouraged is of 33 %. A pretty big share have no idea
of this kind of measures.
Q11. Refers to the attenuation of the impact business can
have on the environment and reflects a relatively enhanced
preoccupation, according to the affirmative answers.
Fig.6 Measures to protect the environment
Q12. Mentions 9 reasons for which a company would
assume social responsibilities by requesting multiple
choices. The first place, in accordance with the answers,
is occupied by the company’s desire to create a good
reputation, a good image, an aspect not directly linked
to the economic aspect but facilitates the attraction of
customers and bigger sales.
570
Fig.7 Reasons of assuming SR
In the second place, there is a directly economic reason,
respectively the partial exemption from taxation, and in
the third place – the desire for publicity, still with
economic consequences, in the end.
Q13. Aims at the reasons for which a company may
avoid assuming social responsibilities, the majority of
the subjects considering that ‘it cannot afford to’.
Fig.8 Reasons of avoiding SR
By opperating the connection between Q1 – the position
in the company (owner/manager/employee) and Q12 –
the reason for the socially responsible actions that holds
the biggest share (gaining a good image), unexpectedly
results that employees particularly place socially
responsible actions in connection with a good reputation
(40,1 %), in comparison with owners or managers, who
prove themselves to be more mercatile.
Fig.9 The relationship between the position in the company and the
desire to have a good reputation
III. CONCLUSIONS AND PROPOSALS
This paper presents a genuine research, a comparative
approach concerning the behaviour in entrepreneurial
activities, the attitudes concerning the social
responsibilities of the companies/enterprises in the
Romanian society. We present the empirical perspective
of Business Ethics, the moral/immoral conducts in
entrepreneurial activities in the Mures county. The big
number of questioned persons who have only expressed a
partial agreement/disagreement to many of the questions,
suggests that the CSR is a pretty vague notion, in regard to
which the subjects need to be educated.
The 6th International Conference Management of Technological Changes
Among the 3 categories: owners/entrepreneurs,
managers/directors, simple employees, the first one has
the highest level of morality.
On top of the reasons for assuming social
responsibilities is the good image of the company.
At the present moment, the Romanian business
environment lacking constraints, it does not fully take
into consideration the impact of its own activities on the
natural and social environment, as it may be seen in the
answers to the questions 9, 10 and 11. The subjects who
are not involved in the management of the company
consider that the CSR actions are carried out for non-
economic purposes, whereas the owners of the business
or the managers consider that they are carried out
expressly for reaching the economic interests.
The ethical dimension of EE can change the
relationship between entrepreneurial activities, society
and the natural environment.
We suggest types of actions in two timelines:
On a long-term basis, the forming in the spirit of ethical
values in business and of the European Commission’s
directives, at different ages: subjects of civic education
in primary school, specialized courses in universities,
not only in economic faculties, but also in other fields
that form potential entrepreneur graduates.
In the near future, in order to understand, spread,
amplify and implement the CSR actions, we consider
that the next steps should be followed:
-making this relatively unknown and lacking enough
analyse in the country’s mass media field, more popular.
Organizing debates, presenting models of CSR;
- initiating studies that would offer a real image of the
practices used by Romanian companies in their relations
with groups sharing a joint interest in business;
- offering services in the field of business ethics, as a
component of the EE: seminaries, trainings, consultancy.
The Romanian business environment needs a palette of
values and standards in the daily decisions and in the
elaboration of long term development strategies.
References:
1. Blackburn, S. (1999), Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy, Ed.
Univers enciclopedic, Bucharest.
2. Crăciun, D.,(2005), Business Ethics, (2005) Ed. ASE, Bucharest,
3. Drucker, P., (1999) The world of tomorrow realities, Ed. Teora,
Bucharest.
4. E.C. (2006), Implementing the partnership for growth and jobs:
Making Europe a pole of Excellence onCSR, Brussels, 22.03.
5. E. C. (2001) Green Paper on Promoting a European Framework
for CSR, Brussels, 18.07.
6. Georgescu, M.A., (2007) “Ethical Responsibilities – from a
theoretical approach to a behaviour in business and public
relations”,in: Proceedings of The 31st Congress of the American
Romanian Academy of Arts and Sciences, Presses Internationales
Polytechnique, Montreal, pp.339-342.
7. Iamandi, I. and Filip, R., (2008) Ethics and CSR in International
Business, Ed. Economică, Bucharest.
8. Oprea, L., (2005), Corporate Social Responsibility, Ed. Tritonic,
Bucharest.
9. Pride, W.and Hughes, R.and Kapoo, J., (2003) Business, 3rd
edition, Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston.
10. The Romanian Explicative Dictionary (DEX), (1998), Ed.
Univers Enciclopedic, Bucharest.
 RESEARCH OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP POTENTIAL AND DEVELOPMENT OF
BUSINESS’ BEHAVIOR ON A LABOUR MARKET
I. Natalya S. GLUKHANYUK1, I. Anna A. GLUKHANYUK2
1
Head of the Institute of Psychology, Russian State Vocational Pedagogical University, Ekaterinburg, Russia, profi.n@mail.ru
2
Lecture, Ural State University named after A.M. Gorky, Ekaterinburg, Russia, aglukhanyuk@yahoo.com
We are working on development of entrepreneurship potential of contemporary youth through creation special educational programs
on the basis of conducted research data. Keywords: entrepreneurship potential, business behavior, educational program
LEVEL I OBJECTIVES
The expansion of international and regional
integration, the intensification of migration processes
argue for the need to develop the universal qualities of
modern youth that allow focus on international and
regional labour markets, integrate into the various
professional groups, build up a career, regardless of
place of birth, social and cultural backgrounds.
In recent years, entrepreneurship has become an
attractive field of activity for young people. As this
young generation has no stereotypes, it is easier for
them to perceive new economic environment.
Unfortunately, the researchers haven’t systematized
theoretical concepts and empirical data on the business
potential yet. Also there is no widely available
educational form for increasing economic behavior.
So, we conduct our work in two main areas -
research and education.
The objective is the scientific substantiation of the
entrepreneurial potential as a factor of success, and
design of special educational program as a mean of its
activation.
In accordance with the objective we put the
following research tasks:
1. Analyzing and systematizing of existing
theoretical conceptions and empirical data on the issue.
2. Working out of the project design.
3. Working out of the educational program.
4. Implementation of generating experiment.
Level II Prior work and approach
Literature review, key concepts. The issue of human
potential and its realization in the different kinds of
activities has no final answer in contemporary research
works. The study of possibilities of unrealized mental
reserves that can be actualized under the influence of
certain conditions remains open, despite of wide
scientific interest.
We have analyzed different approaches to study of
entrepreneurs, realizing their potential, as a particular
socio-professional group. Conducted analysis reveals:
1. Characteristics of entrepreneurs are studied in the
economic and psychological interpretation in the
context of success.
2. Most of research works are devoted to
investigation of individual psychological phenomenon.
In recent books, articles and papers on the theme the
search for integral characteristics of potential abilities of
entrepreneur can be found.
3. Approaches possess conceptual voluntarism in the
choice of methodology, research plans and methods, as
well as stereotypes of researchers in relation to
entrepreneurship.
Data systematization allows resuming a necessity in
seeking for psychological peculiarities of
entrepreneurial potential and refusing of the descriptions
of individual properties and its displays.
In psychology the category of potential allows to
specify mechanisms of functioning processes, of
actualization, of change and development of mental
characteristics under the influence of activity conditions.
The sphere of potential acts both as a result of the
previous individual development, and as a complex
integrated phenomenon, which determines the internal
possibilities for further development. If there are no
current necessary conditions of actualization of the
potential sphere, its content determines by the actual
depictions in activity (B.G. Ananiev, T.I. Artemyev,
V.A. Hansen, L.A. Golovey).
In foreign psychology the concept “potential” is
actively used in the research of personal motivation.
Thus, there are well known concepts of “behavioral
potential” in the social learning theory by J. Rotter,
“activation potential” (or “motives potential”) by D.E.
Berline; “reaction potential” by K.L. Hall. In the social
field theory of psychological force acting on the subject,
is described as the concept of “potency” by K. Lewin.
There are three approaches in the individual
potential research. The first one is based on the
unstructured compilation of the various manifestations
of the potential. According to the second one, the
potential possesses the properties of system quality,
which enable researches to study it in accordance with
the system model. A third approach is based on the
consideration of human potential abilities in the field of
professional activity. Comparative analysis of these
approaches shows that there are no fundamental
contradictions, but its use will invariably lead researches
to the production of new types of potentials or to the
description of new types of activity. But the real new
content will have only empirical facts, supporting the
current theoretical situation. We consider that the most
productive way of researching is connected with
572 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
conversation about the structure (composition) of the
potential, rather than quantity and quality of its
characteristics. This hypothesis is the main investigation
aspect of our research.
Our interest is based on the attempt to comprehend
the phenomenon of entrepreneurial potential, to clarify
its nature, essence and content, to identify its’
differences from other types of potential.
Systematization and analysis of studies of
entrepreneurial potential gives us an opportunity to
make the following conclusions:
1. Study of potential is conducted in a context of its’
displaying in activity, with analyzing of its various
properties and characteristics.
2. The potentials’ research can be divided into three
approaches: additive-, system- and activity-based.
Various types of potential have been studied:
management potential, leadership potential, professional
potential, creative potential and entrepreneurial
potential.
3. The entrepreneurial potential is studied with the
various components filling, depending on the points of
view of the authors.
4. Analysis of theoretical and empirical research
works identified the entrepreneurial potential as an
integrated phenomenon, which differs not by the
depiction of its components, but mostly by the peculiar
structure, which is considered as an extent of
entrepreneurial activity and business success.
The term “business behavior” is used mainly as a
synonym for entrepreneurial behavior or
entrepreneurship. A person with expressed business
behavior possesses the entrepreneurial spirit and
effectiveness in business, which contributes to building
a career in the modern economy.
The question of formation of preparedness of young
people to practical entrepreneurial activity is discussed
in great number of researches, most of which are made
in the frames of traditional approach. In the project
approach, which we develop and implement, the priority
is given not for acquisition of specialized knowledge,
skills, and creation of conditions for the development of
abilities which, in turn, provide the exteriorization of
knowledge and skills important for realization in work
process. In this case the main task of education is to
create conditions for the development of
entrepreneurial-minded person who will be able to build
and implement a project of his (her) life, not just as
through traditional education, find only his (her) own
place inside life perspective.
The main conceptual idea of forming business
behavior is based on the concept of readiness to choice
under uncertainty. The optimal choice depicts through
harmonization of the inner spheres “want-can-exist-
need”, implies the formation of the basic mechanisms of
active self-determination, and, as a result, actualization
of entrepreneurial potential. We have developed the
basic tool for research which is the technique of self
future development. It is based on methods of active
imagination, as the role of images of the desired future
in the regulation of man behavior is sufficiently high.
Understandings of personal destination,
implementation of it into life have been a leitmotif of
humanistic science for many years. J.-P. Sartre has put
forward the “design” theory of individual development,
according to which the individual is not given initially,
but designs, assembles, and “totalizes” himself through
his subject activity. The similar views shares Prof. P.
Barron, who offers design and functional approach as an
alternative to the theoretical and personal, and Prof. S.L.
Rubinshteyn. In recent years, much attention is paid to
self-determination, self-development and the term “self”
is defining as special feature of human nature.
To prevent of the transformation of the future project
into a scheme it’s important to include motive power.
The future project will become more real and possible
for implementation after detailed examination and
recreation in the imagination. Its exteriorization from
the general scheme into bright image can determine
thoughts, deeds and actions of person. There are several
studies that confirm the necessity of special work with
the ideas of human about self future. The most common
are techniques, which are based on work with the
images of achievement (M. Sparks), techniques of
active imagination for creation of depiction of future
“Myself”(R. Assagioli), techniques of creative
imagination as a tool self-development (T. Youmens);
techniques of design of human future (F.A Meldzhes).
The technique considered in this paper, is self future
building, i.e. deliberate allocation into the future. Self
future building is a process of visualization of own
future opportunities, transferring anticipate future
patterns into psychological present. Designing the future
realized by using the following procedures:
interpretation of emotional conditions, review of past
decisions, self future building, plan building as a
temporal organization of future activities, repetition of
the future, for example with use of role-play.
The inclusion and implementation of these concepts
into the educational process involves modification of the
traditional educational format, which should be linked,
firstly, with the permanent inclusion of choice
possibilities into standardized educational process and,
secondly, with targeted development of methods of self
future building inside entrepreneurial activities.
Project’ methodology. Experimental design was
based on the method of cross-sectional survey with a
pilot (businessmen) and control (managers) groups and
forming experiment with samples of young people
(experimental and control) of different Russian regions.
The research included two steps. On the first step in
order to identify peculiarities of entrepreneurial
potential we have used ideographic method which
helped to identify the characteristics perceived by the
entrepreneurs. To establish the peculiar characteristics
of the content of entrepreneurs’ and managers’
potentials we used nomothetic methods. In order to
identify the structure we used correlation analysis.
Research of Entrepreneurship Potential and Development of Business’ Behavior on A Labour Market
On the second step the formation of business
behavior has been carried out with use of the technique
of self future building. Thus, we ensured the
development inside person that active principle, which
determines his (her) life in general. The results were
recorded before and after realization of potential
activation program and formation business behavior.
Methods of mathematical statistics have made it
possible to identify reliability of differences in
expression of potential components and structural
features in the solution of the first research question and
the effectiveness of the formative influence – in the
second part of the experiment.
Level III Results, implications and value
Participants. The experiment was conducted in
educational institutions – the Ural-Siberian Institute of
Business and the Institute of Management and Business,
Ural State University named after A.M. Gorky
(Ekaterinburg). All participants of educational programs
were engaged in entrepreneurial or management
activities in the Urals region and were students of
Master of Business Administration (MBA) program.
The whole number of participants was 126 persons
(women – 69, men - 57). Among them 49 business
owners aged from 21 to 47 years, 77 top managers and
middle managers aged from 25 to 45 years. Forming
experiment was carried out in primary
(Mezhdurechensk vocational school #16), secondary
(Khanty-Mansiysk College of Service and Technology)
and higher (Russian State Vocational Pedagogical
University) education institutions. The whole number of
participants was 107 persons (women – 62, men - 45).
Among them 27 university students, 43 college
students, 37 vocational school students aged from 16 to
20.
Instruments and key results. We used the following
instruments to get an empirical data: 1) the technique of
self-description (essay with the following content
analyses; 2) Cattell's 16 Personality Factor Test (Form
A); 3) Personal Orientation Inventory (POI) by Everett
L. Shostrom; 4) the method of value orientation
assessment by M. Rokich; 5) J.B. Totter’s Locus of
control scale; 6) G.Y. Ayzenk’s test of intellectual
abilities; 7) test of intellectual lability. All tests have
been adapted to Russian language and social and
cultural aspects.
The research results have been worked up by means
of mathematics and statistics analyses: Parameters of a
central tendency and dispersion, correlation and equality
analyses. For getting of quantitative results tools of
StatSoft ink. – SPSS 11.5 and Statistika 6.0 for
Windows have been used.
The first empirical task was to identify the structure
of the entrepreneurial potential. Solution of this task
allowed allocating of the content of the characteristics,
realized by the representatives of practical
573
entrepreneurial activity, as well as similar and
distinctive features of the owners and managers.
We have found out that entrepreneurs and managers
tend to represent themselves as firm of purpose and
persistent, autonomous and active, creative and
pragmatic people who are willing to update their
capabilities. They were characterized by expressed
motivation to success achievement, combined with a
disposition to reasonable risk-based assessment of the
situation and careful calculation. They described
themselves as persons able to concentrate on the main,
to see the new and rapidly absorb it.
Also there were detected the distinctive
psychological characteristics of entrepreneurs-owners
versus managers. Owners of business were
characterized by a highly expressed dominance of
values, work-related in comparison with other areas of
life, in contrast to managers who were characterized by
the harmony of values. Owners were characterized by
pronounced internality of responsibility, and managers
were characterized by combination of externality in the
failures and internality in resolving exactly future
problems. Owners evaluated the success of their
professional activities through objective criteria for the
operation of business (profit), in contrast to managers
who were attracted to the evaluation subjective indexes
of career success (experience, education level, etc.).
Thus, the results of ideographic research led to the
secretion of distinctive psychological characteristics of
entrepreneurs as a specific professional group, produced
by themselves and in the semantics of their language
forms.
Now we are going to overview the most
characteristic features of the content of entrepreneurs’
potential, as a result of nomothetic experiment. In the
field of personality we have found that entrepreneurs
were characterized by restrained inclination for risk,
expressed emotional stability, independence,
dominance, authoritativeness, highly flexible behavior,
the tendency to innovation, low interest in social
standards and reduced moral regulation of behavior. In
the sphere of self-consciousness we have found the
internal locus of responsibility and its dependence on
the situations of success and failure, high self-esteem
and self-efficacy, optimistic assessing of them,
adequately increased level of pretentions. In the field of
motivation there were distinct motive for achieve with
orientation on the concrete result, the priority of such
values as personal independence, success, career,
education, welfare and wages and a lesser extent family,
friends, hobbies as well as a discrete attitude towards
time of their own lives, focusing attention on the future
than the past and present. In the cognitive sphere there
were high level of intelligence, aptitude for abstract
thought, developed combinatorial capacity, high liability
and organization of thought processes, lack of
inclination to "jam" in the task-solving, the combination
of creativity and a pragmatic orientation in the analysis
of the situation.
574 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
The established features of entrepreneurs are
consistent with research data of P.V. Bershakov, G.S.
Doolin, E. Dyachkov, V.G. Zazykin, V.N. Markov,
Baron, Baum, Gaglio, Katz, Kizner, Markman and
provide the basis for researching such abilities as an
invariant psychological characteristics. Also we can
mark some differences, for example the attitude towards
risk. We have found out that successful entrepreneurs
possess readiness towards risk in a certain sentence, but
try to overcome situations, characterized by high level
of uncertainty and large amount of different
consequences.
The decision of the following task – the analyses of
structure of entrepreneurs’ potential led to definition of
the following special tendencies. We have found a close
connection between indicators of all spheres of potential
(excluding intellect) and age, gender, education, social
status characteristics. Also there are high internal
responsibility for life events (internality) and low
legibility in means of goal excess (dominance of
instrumental values); there is an un-inclusion of general
intellectual capacities into the structure of potential, that
gives an opportunity to research personal and
intellectual potentials as independent phenomenon.
Received data creates the ideal image for which we need
to move through postpone tasks solution in the process
of formation of business behavior among youth.
In accordance with all above conclusions we have
made a decision to start the process of potential
activation and forming of business behavior among
students with by means of including into educational
process the choice activity and direct development of
students’ activity in self future building in further
entrepreneurial activity. To research the factors of
potential we have used the same instruments as with
entrepreneurs earlier. As a result we have got changes
only in two spheres: self-actualization and personality.
So, as a result of participation in the program of
activation of entrepreneurial potential and formation of
business behaviour in students group in the sphere of
self-actualization we have found the increasing of
behavioural flexibility, sensitivity to oneself,
spontaneity in self-expression, readiness for a contact
and creativity. In the sphere of personality we have
found the increasing of responsibility (Factor G),
courage (Factor H), practicalness (Factor M), flexibility
(Factor Q1) self-sufficiency (Factor Q2), self-control of
behaviour (Factor Q3) in accordance with Cattell's 16
Personality Factor Model.
Inside others measured factors we haven’t found any
reliable differences. The comparison analyses have been
conducted by means of Mann Whitney U-factor. The
structure of students’ potential posses less number of
connections between components, and we consider it as
one of the most important difference in comparison with
entrepreneurial potential of businessman. So, we found
out the way of activation of the level of depictions of
important factors in behaviour, but the formation of its
special structure which we call entrepreneurial potential
is our further task.
The experimental data on the content and structure
of the entrepreneurial potential gives an opportunity to
predict the random, rather than the spontaneous
development of this characteristic of modern youth. The
results of the study are the scientific basis of designing
innovative educational programs, as well as changing
the traditional educational process in order to create
sustainable business behavior among youth.
Another conclusion is that development of
entrepreneurship and business education needs a
scientific understanding, empirical research and
psychological support not fragmentally, but
systemically and regular in Russia and other countries.
The theoretical base of the peculiarities of depiction
and activation of entrepreneurial potential and business
behavior formation is interesting both for researchers
and for the administration of the educational
institutions. Understanding of need of new programs
development and the transformation of the existing
normative education format enables specialists to
control the quality of training.
The practical contribution of the research is
determined by the possibility of harmonization the
labour market and social and educational policy, but
most importantly, by the desire of youth to sustainable
implementation of business behavior and strengthening
their own capabilities in all conditions, including the
instability and uncertainty. Such results will give an
opportunity for effective managing of professional
resources, which are major sources of socio-economic
development.
The research possesses an initiative character; it was
planned and carried out personally by the authors. The
design of the experiment is an original one. Developed
and tested educational program is based on the author's
idea of inclusion in the learning process of the activity
of self future building.
References
1. Bershakov, P.V. (2000), Entrepreneurial potential of
specialists: evaluation and use (on an example of the
organizations of “Gazprom” system), Academia,
Moscow.
2. Busygin, A.V., (2001), Entrepreneurship, Academia,
Moscow.
3. Druker, P., (1992) Market, Academia, Moscow.
4. Dulina, G.S., (2004), Social and psychological aspects of
entrepreneurial personal potential, Academia, Moscow.
5. Markov, V.N., (2000), “Potential of personality”, in:
Psychology world, Volume 1, pages 250-262.
6. Hizrich, R., (1994) “Psychological portrait of
entrepreneur”, in: Business for everyone, Volume 37-38,
page 14.
 ASSESSING ENTREPRENEURIAL CAPACITY IN ROMANIA: RESEARCH
METHODOLOGY AND RESULTS ON PERSONAL COMPETENCIES

Carmen Aida HUŢU1, Silvia AVASILCĂI2, Cristian IVANOV3, Ioana TEODOREANU4

1, 2, 3, 4
The Technical University “Gheorghe Asachi” of Iaşi
carmenh12@yahoo.com; avasilcai@yahoo.com;civanov@gmail.com

Abstract: The paper presents the research methodology and results on personal entrepreneurial competencies leading to business performance and
development in four Romanian NUTS Regions, as part of a larger research project, CE@ANPART, on developing entrepreneurial capability and
competitive human capital in Romania for the innovation and knowledge-based economy and society. Key entrepreneurship competencies leading to
business success – amongst which this paper reports on personal competencies – were analyzed against typical competencies described by the
literature to determine entrepreneurial (continuing) education and training needs at national level.
Keywords: entrepreneurship, personal competencies, research methodology.

INTRODUCTION strategy selection was also based on the assessment of

This reported research on entrepreneurial
competencies (UNIDO, 2002) is part of the
CE@ANPART research grant aiming at developing
entrepreneurial capability and competitive human
capital in Romania for the innovation and knowledge-
based economy and society and was conducted during
the period October 2008 – December 2009. Covering
four NUTS Regions throughout Romania – RO21
North-East, the coordinating partner based at the
Technical University “Gheorghe Asachi” of Iaşi; RO11
North-West, The Technical University if Cluj-Napoca;
RO42 West, The Technical University of Timişoara;
RO12 Center, “Lucian Blaga” University of Sibiu – the
research was designed to identify and assess
entrepreneurship competencies – personal, social and
practical/professional – leading to business success
against typical competencies described by the literature,
in purpose to ultimately determine entrepreneurial
(continuing) education and training needs at national
level.
METHODOLOGY
The larger research from which this study was part
was primarily designed as exploratory and descriptive
Yin (1989) in seeking an integrated approach on:
1. Analysis of the influence of entrepreneurship on
organizational as well as business environment
development/performance;
2. Identifying entrepreneurial competencies clusters
having a major impact on an organization’s
development/performance;
3. Identifying key educational and training needs to
enhance entrepreneurial capacity in Romania.
The purpose was to balance the exploratory and
descriptive aspects with empirical research, while the
researcher did not control the targeted behaviors, and
the attention was focused on the synchronic aspects of
the studied phenomena.
As strategies there were mainly used those allowing
answers to combinations of: What? How? How much?
and Why? namely case study complemented by
elements of ethnographic research and surveys. The
the options on data collection techniques.
Because, in spite that the extended research was
limited to investigating the relationships between
entrepreneurial competencies and organizational
development/performance, the complexity of the
approach was very high, in order to identify and clarify
the relevant variables and to build a detailed description
of entrepreneurial competencies there was necessary to
start with case studies followed by a quantitative
approach.
The process of identifying the major themes of the
“entrepreneurial spirit” was conducted based on
literature – Bar-On (2000), Boyatzis (1999, 1996),
Boyatzis, Leonard, Rhee, and Wheeler (1996), Drucker
(1993), Gibb (1999, 1998), Lazear (2003), McClelland
(1998), McGrath and MacMillan (2000), Onstenk
(2003), Rosier (1997), Spencer and Spencer (1993),
Timmons and Spinelli (2006), Tolentino, (1998) – and
in relation to qualitative research findings, resulting in
three categories of generic entrepreneurial traits: values
(commitment, growth, challenge, initiative, creativity,
courage, flexibility, independence, innovation, etc.),
abilities (identifying opportunities, critical thinking and
problem solving, effective learning from and within
business interactions, effective business communication
and negotiations, etc.), and competencies (recognizing
and analyzing market opportunities, integration of key
entrepreneurial competencies with a focus on own key
competencies, networking, flexible strategic orientation,
team building, enthusiasm and a “family” climate,
effective responsibility taking, etc.).
The final version of the questionnaire used for data
collection in this reported research was developed based
on the following categories of entrepreneurial
competencies (Bar-On (2000), Boyatzis (1999),
Boyatzis, Leonard, Rhee, and Wheeler (1996), Gibb
(1998), Lazear (2003), Onstenk (2003), Rosier (1997),
Spencer and Spencer (1993), Tolentino, (1998):
• Personal Competencies – Self-awareness
(Emotional Awareness, Accurate Self-assessment,
Self-confidence), Self-discipline (Self-control,
Trustworthiness, Conscientiousness, Adaptability,
Innovativeness), Self-Motivation (Achievement
drive, Commitment, Initiative, Optimism), Critical
and Creative Thinking;
576 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education
Educat – QMHE2010

• Social Competencies - Social Awareness (Empathy, “entrepreneurial spirit” in the four Romanian
Service
ice orientation, Developing others, Leveraging participating NUTS Regions within a context in which
diversity, Political awareness), Social Skills respondents' perceptions and interpretations have been
(Influence, Communication, Leadership, Change the driving forces for performance and development
developm of
Catalyst, Conflict management, Building bonds, the companies they created.
Collaboration and cooperation, Team capabilities);
• Practical/Professional Competencies - The ability to RESULTS ON PERSONAL COMPETENCIES
recognize and analyze market opportunities, Focus
on performance (Flexible strategic orientation, The data analysis conducted with the MindJet
Effective organizational skills, Demonstrate
MindManager software for each of the four data sets,
behaviors and attitudes required for working with
reflecting the central tendencies of respondents'
others, Effective communication ion and negotiation,
perceptions, determined strengths and weaknesses
we in
Effectively learning from and in business
rapport with the traits indicated by the literature as
interactions), Knowledge Management, Marketing, indicators for success. Following, the authors will stress
Financial management, Human resources out the potential weaknesses at personal level in terms
management.
of (continuing) education and training needs to
The questionnaire used pre-coded
coded closed questions
improving personal entrepreneurial
epreneurial competencies.
for reasons related to data collection and processing.
rocessing.
For the N-EE Region the results are presented in
The “entrepreneurial” variables were designed as
(Figure 1).
ordinal while and the demographic data were defined as
nominal. To measure the intensity of the ordinal type
variables a six point Likert scale (in Huţu,
ţu, 2001) was
used, as following: “1” = “to a very little extent” to “5” 1-3 3-3,5 3,5-4 4-4,5 4,5-5 5
= “to a very large extent”, and with “0” = “I do not
understand the question / I cannot answer the question”.
For consistency, all questions begin with the formula:
“To what extent ...?”
The questionnaire was administered as following:
• Each grant partner had distributed, clarified all
aspects of how to fill in the forms and collected the
questionnaires directly from the respondents in the
respective Regions after a period that ranged ra
between 1 day and 30 days;
• The grant coordinator had supervised the
administration of questionnaires, centralized and
performed data processing and analysis.
Non-probabilistic
probabilistic sampling was used because the
target population – successful entrepreneurs, or
equivalents, such as managers, or entrepreneurs to be –
was not appropriate for probabilistic sampling, either
dimensionally, or structurally. The sampling
methodology was based on a mixture of Henry’s types
(1990): convenience, typical cases, critical cases, and
“snowball”. 150 successful entrepreneurs were targeted
in each of the four NUTS Regions participating in the
study, with response rates as follows: N-E E Region – 67
(44.67 %); N-W Region – 100 (67%), W Region – 100
(67%); Central Region – 34 (22.67%).
Due to sampling limitations the elitist, acquiescence
and save face type of errors related to certain variables
were unavoidable.
Statistical data processing was performed using
STATISTICA software. Complete statistical summaries
were issued for individual
ividual variables as well as for the
categories and sub-categories
categories of the identified key
entrepreneurial traits. Further, the MindJet Figure 1: Results on Personal Competencies in the N-E
N Region
MindManager software was used to create
“entrepreneurial profiles” by Regions. It can be observed that elements of personal
Despite the previously mentioned limitations,
limitation the competency, critical for entrepreneurial behavior – self-
present research had identified profiles of the confidence, self-control,
control, optimism, innovation,
Assessing Entrepreneurial Capacity inn Romania: Research Methodology ad Results onn Personal Competencies 577

adaptability, commitment, achievement drive, The analysis of the respondents’ answers on

trustworthiness, critical and creative thinking – were personal competencies in the W Region is presented in
scoring moderately, while variables such as Figure 3. Excepting the desire to achieve,
achieve it could be
conscientiousness, or accurate self-assessment
assessment and noticed higher scores for general elements of personal
emotional awareness, more representative for general responsibility – conscientiousness,
conscientio with only one
managerial performance, were well represented in this element critical for entrepreneurial behavior that scored
Region. at the alarm edge: commitment.
commitment This important element
The results concerning personal entrepreneurial needs to be discussed in training sessions along with
competencies in the N-W W Region are summarized in elements of self-awareness
awareness and self-motivation, such as
Figure 2: confidence, achievement drive and initiative, of self-
self
regulation, such as self-control,
self adaptability,
trustworthiness, innovativeness,
innovative which are also
represented at moderate levels.
1-3 3-3,5 3,5-4 4-4,5 4,5-5 5

1-3 3-3,5 3,5-4 4-4,5 4,5-5 5

Figure 2: Results on Personal Competencies

cies in the N-W
N Region
In this Region, all tested elements of personal
entrepreneurial competence were average, with three
elements, critical for the entrepreneurial endeavor,
which scored lower and need to be addressed in terms of
education and training interventions: Self-confidence,
Self
Self-control
control and adaptability. Elements such as
trustworthiness, innovativeness, achievement drive,
initiative, optimism or critical and creative thinking
should be addressed by individuals claiming to have a
strong sense of conscientiousness.
Figure 3: Results on Personal Competencies in the W Region
Similar to the case of the NE Region, data
processing
rocessing of personal entrepreneurial competencies in
the Central Region (Figure 4) presented no elements
that could be of immediate concern but also no strong
inclinations (of intensity above 4.5),
4 which could
support entrepreneurialal behavior of the targeted
population. Traits such as self-confidence,
self self-control,
adaptability, innovativeness, initiative, or critical and
creative thinking should be further developed.
578 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education
Educat – QMHE2010

Furthermore this lack of bold inclination towards

these dynamic
amic aspects of personal entrepreneurial
1-3 3-3,5 3,5-4 4-4,5 4,5-5 5 competencies could trigger failure of entrepreneurial
organizations in times of dramatic economic, financial
and social turmoil.

References

1. *** UNIDO-HR HR Management Branch Publications,

Publications (2002),
“Strengthening organizational
nizational core values and managerial
capabilities”, UNIDO Competencies, Part One, 8.
2. Bar-On, R., (2000), “Emotional and social intelligence: Insights
from the Emotional Quotient Inventory”, in: R. Bar-OnBar and J.D.A.
Parker (eds.), The Handbook of Emotional nal Intelligence,
Intelligence Jossey-Bass,
San Francisco, 363-388.
3. Boyatzis, R.E. (1999), “Self-Directed
Directed Change and Learning as a
Necessary Meta-Competency
Competency for Success and Effectiveness in the 21st
Century”, in: R. Sims, and J.G. Veres (eds.), Keys to Employee
Success in the Coming Decades, Greenwood Publishing, Westport,
CN, 15-32.
4. Boyatzis, R.E. (1996), “Consequences and rejuvenation of
competency-based
based human resource and organization development”,
in: R.W. Woodman and W.A. Pasmore (eds.), Research in
Organizational
ional Change and Development,
Development volume 9, JAI Press,
Greenwich, CN, 101-122.
5. Boyatzis, R.E., Leonard, D., Rhee, K., and Wheeler, J.V. (1996),
“Competencies can be developed, but not the way we thought”,
Capability, 2(2), 25-41.
6. Drucker, P. F. (1993), Innovation and entrepreneurship,
entrepreneurship Harper
& Row, New York.
7. Gibb, A. A. (1998), Entrepreneurial
Entrepreneur core capacities,
competitiveness and management development in the 21st century,
DUBS, Durham.
8. Gibb, A. A. (1999), “Can we build 'effective' entrepreneurship
through management development?”,
development?” Journal of General
Management, 24(4), 1-22.
9. Henry, G. T. (1990), Practical Sampling.
Sampling Applied Research Series,
SAGE, Newbury Park.
10. Huţu, C. A. (2001), Research Merthods in Organization Studies,
Ed.Venus, Iaşi.
11.. McClelland, D.C. (1998), “Identifying Competencies with
Behavioral Event Interviews”, Psychological Science,
Science 9(5), 331-340.
12. McGrath, R. G. and MacMillan,, I. (2000), The entrepreneurial
Figure 4: Results on Personal competencies in the Central Region
R mindset, Harvard Business School Press, Boston, MA.
13. Lazear, E. P. (2003), Balanced
anced skills and entrepreneurship,
Draft, Stanford University Hoover Institution and Graduate School of
CONCLUSIONS Business, Stanford, CA.
14.. Onstenk, J. (2003), “Entrepreneurship and vocational
education”, European Educational Research Journal, 2(1): 74-89.
It should be noticed that, due to above mentioned
15. Rosier, R.H. (ed.) (1994-1997),1997), The competency model
errors, the reported results were considered as handbook, Volumes 1-4, 4, Linkage, Lexington, MA.
potentially not supportive for entrepreneurial behavior 16.. Spencer, L. M., Jr. and Spencer, S.M. (1993), Competence at
from 3.5 points below, with the average considered at work: Models for superior performance,
performance John Wiley & Sons, New
York.
3.5 – 4 points on the 5 point Likert scale. 17. Timmons,, J. and Spinelli, St. (2006), New venture creation:
Considering this, the elements of personal entrepreneurship for the 21st century, 7th Ed., McGraw Hill
competency critical for entrepreneurial endeavor,
endeavor International Edition.
common for all four NUTS Regions, that scored average 18. Tolentino, A. (1998), Training and Development of
Entrepreneurs-managers
managers of Small Enterprises: pointers and lessons
or below are as following:
learned, International Labour Organization, Geneva.
• innovativeness / critical and creative thinking;
thinking 19. Yin, R. K. (1989), Case Study Research: Design and Methods,
Meth
• achievement drive / initiative; SAGE, London.
• adaptability;
• Self-confidence;
• Self-control.
It must be underlined that these traits are the most
critical for becoming/acting as an entrepreneur and
should be further developed.
 EDUCATION AND TRAINING
TRAINI NEEDS TO DEVELOP ENTREPRENEURIAL
CAPACITY IN ROMANIA: SOCIAL AND PROFESSIONAL
NAL COMPETENCIES

Carmen Aida HUŢU1, Silvia AVASILCĂI2, Ioana TEODOREANU3Cristian IVANOV, 4

1, 2, 3,4
The Technical University “Gheorghe Asachi” of Iaşi
Ia
carmenh12@yahoo.com; avasilcai@yahoo.com;civanov@gmail.com
carmenh12@ya

Abstract: The paper presents the research methodology and results on social and practical/professional entrepreneurial competencies
competen leading to
business performance and development in four Romanian NUTS Regions, as part of a larger research project, CE@ANPART, on developing devel
entrepreneurial capability and competitive human capital in Romania. Critical social and practical/professional
practical/profession entrepreneurial competencies
leading to business success were analyzed against typical competencies described by the literature to determine
determ entrepreneurial (continuing)
education and training needs at national level.
Keywords: entrepreneurship, social competencies, practical/professional competencies.

INTRODUCTION • The grant coordinator had supervised the administration of

The present research on entrepreneurial competencies (UNIDO, questionnaires, centralized and performed data processing and
2002) is part of the CE@ANPART research grant aiming at analysis.
developing entrepreneurial capability and competitive human capital Non-probabilistic sampling was used because the target
in Romania
mania which was conducted during the period October 2008 – population – successful entrepreneurs, or equivalents, such as
December 2009. managers, or entrepreneurs to be – was not appropriate for
Covering four NUTS Regions throughout Romania – RO21 probabilistic sampling, either dimensionally, or structurally. The
North-East,
East, the coordinating partner based at the Technical University sampling methodology was basedd on a mixture of Henry’s types
“Gheorghe Asachi” of Iaşi; i; RO11 North
North-West, The Technical (1990): convenience, typical cases, critical cases, and “snowball”. 150
University if Cluj-Napoca;
Napoca; RO42 West, The Technical University of successful entrepreneurs were targeted in each of the four NUTS
Timişoara;
oara; RO12 Center, “Lucian Blaga” University of Sibiu – the Regions participating in the study, with response rates as follows: N-E
N
research was designed to identify and assess entrepreneurship Region – 67 (44.67 %); N-W W Region – 100 (67%), W Region – 100
competencies – personal, social and practical/professional – leading to (67%); Central Region – 34 (22.67%).
business success against typical competencies described by the Due to sampling limitations the elitist, acquiescence and save face
literature,, in purpose to ultimately determine entrepreneurial type of errors related to certain variables were unavoidable.
(continuing) education and training needs at national level. Statistical data processing was performed using
u STATISTICA
software. Complete statistical summaries were issued for individual
variables as well as for the categories and sub-categories
sub of the
METHODOLOGY identified key entrepreneurial traits. Further, the MindJet
The larger research from which this study was partp was primarily MindManager software was used to create “entrepreneurial
“entre profiles”
designed as exploratory and descriptive Yin (1989) in purpose to by Regions.
balance the exploratory and descriptive aspects with empirical RESULTS ON SOCIAL COMPETENCIES
CO
research, while the researcher did not control the targeted behaviors,
Data analysis of social skills in the N-E
N Region, based on
and the attention was focused on the synchronic
nchronic aspects of the studied
phenomena. the MindJet MindManager software, is presented in Figure 1:
The final version of the questionnaire used for data collection in
this reported research was developed based on the following
categories of entrepreneurial competencies (Bar-On
(Bar (2000), Boyatzis 1-3 3-3,5 3,5-4 4-4,5 4,5-5 5

(1999), Boyatzis, Leonard, Rhee, and Wheeler (1996), Gibb (1998),

Lazear (2003), Onstenk (2003), Rosier (1997), Spencer and Spencer Figure 1: Results on Social
(1993), Tolentino, (1998): Competencies in the N-E
• Social Competencies - Social Awareness (Empathy, Service Region
orientation, Developing others, Leveraging diversity, Political
Poli
awareness), Social Skills (Influence, Communication, Leadership,
Change Catalyst, Conflict management, Building bonds,
It can be noticed
Collaboration and cooperation, Team capabilities); that in the N-E
• Practical/Professional Competencies - The ability to recognize Region the elements
and analyze markett opportunities, Focus on performance of social
(Flexible strategic orientation, Effective organizational skills,
Demonstrate behaviors and attitudes required for working with
entrepreneurial
others, Effective communication and negotiation, Effectively competence –
learning from and in business interactions), Knowledge political awareness,
Management, Marketing, Financial management, Human influencing others
resources management.
The questionnaire used pre-coded
coded closed questions for reasons
and leadership,
related to data collection and processing. The “entrepreneurial” change catalyst
variables were designed as ordinal
dinal while and the demographic data through
were defined as nominal. To measure
easure the intensity of the ordinal type communication,
variables a six point Likert scale (in Huţu,
u, 2001) was used, as
following: “1” = “to a very little extent” to “5” = “to a very large
building bonds, and
extent”, and with “0” = “I do not understand the question / I cannot conflict
answer the question”.
estion”. For consistency, all questions begin with the management – are
formula: “To what extent ...?” represented at a
The questionnaire was administered as following:
• Each grant partner had distributed, clarified all aspects of how to
moderate level,
el, while collaboration and cooperation,
fill in the forms and collected the questionnaires directly
di from the reflected into social awareness through empathy, service
respondents in the respective Regions after a period that ranged to others and leveraging diversity are represented at a
between 1 day and 30 days;
580 The 6th International
International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

higher level. Most of all, leveraging diversity is a trait competencies that are needed in order for the
especially supportive for development entrepreneurial
entre entrepreneur to succeed, but more general
gene and suitable
innovation. for social duties, so not critical for the entrepreneurship
The results concerning social entrepreneurial processes. The other traits tested showed average scores.
competencies in the N-W W Region are summarized in The scores of the tested social entrepreneurial
Figure 2: competencies in the Central Region are presented in
Figure 4. This Region presented only “political
awareness” at the alarm limit, while three content-
content
1-3 3-3,5 3,5-4 4-4,5 4,5-5 5

related items – empathy, ability to work in teams and

conflict management – scored above average. This
Figure 2: Results on combination could be very favorable for business
Personal Competencies in
the N-W
N Region development, especially in the early stages when the
team led by the entrepreneur should play a crucial role.
Regarding the
N-WW Region, all 1-3 3-3,5 3,5-4 4-4,5 4,5-5 5

traits reflecting
social Figure 4: Results on
entrepreneurial
preneurial Social Competencies in
the Central Region
competency tested
average, with three
RESULTS ON
elements related to PRACTICAL/POR
the entrepreneurs’ FESSIONAL
capacity to leading COMPETENCIES
people below alarm
limits: political The analysis
awareness, capacity of
to influence others practical/professi
and leadership. onal
These elements are competencies in
critical for entrepreneurial businesss performance and the N-E Region,
need to be at the core of future entrepreneurial training based on the
and development programs in this Region. It should also MindJet
be underlined that none of the social elements scored MindManager
high in this Region. software, is
The analysis of the respondents’ answers on social socia presented in
entrepreneurial competencies in the W Region is Figure 5. It
presented in Figure 3. should be
observed that
1-3 3-3,5 3,5-4 4-4,5 4,5-5
critical elements
for the
Figure 3: Results on Social effectiveness of the entrepreneurial behavior – the
Competencies in the W Region ability to recognize and analyze market opportunities
and business marketing;
rketing; focus on performance through
In this case too, teamwork, effective communication and negotiation, as
political awareness well as learning and knowledge management; human
and the ability to resources management; financial management – scored
influence others, this moderately, while only flexible strategic orientation and
time in conjunction effective
tive organizational skills, traits that should be
with the ability to
t be a present in relation to any effective management
change catalyst, were processes, are better represented. Flexible strategic
at the edge of alarm orientation though could grant a high potential for
level. To compensate, entrepreneurial development.
there can be remarked
a high capacity to
empathize with others, 1-3 3-3,5 3,5-4 4-4,5 4,5-5 5

jointly with “service

orientation”,
Education and Training Needs too Develop Entrepreneurial Capacity in Romania: Social and
nd Professional Competencies 581

Figure 5: Figure 6: Results on Practical/Professional Competencies in

Results on
Practical/Profe the N-W
N- Region
ssional
Competencies The analysis of practical/professional entrepreneurial
in the N-E
Region
competencies for the W Region let to the results presented in
Figure 7. In this Region, critical elements for entrepreneurial
approaches related to the focus on performance dimension –
The
effective communication and negotiation, and effectively
registered
learning from and in businessss interactions / knowledge
results on
management – as well as key managerial dimensions –
practical/pr
financial management and human resource management –
ofessional
scored at or under the alarm level. The other tested dimensions
entrepreneu
registered average scores. These findings should lead to the
th
rial
development of (continuing) education and training programs
competenci
in this Region targeting all practical/professional
es in the N-
entrepreneurial competencies that had been tested within the
W Region
framework of this research.
are
summarize
d in Figure 1-3 3-3,5 3,5-4 4-4,5 4,5-5 5

6. In this
case, all
elements of Figure 7:
entrepreneu Results on
rial Practical/
practical/pr Professio
ofessional nal
competenci Competen
es tested cies in the
average, W Region
with two key clusters that scored at or under the alarm level:
1) a focus on performance, with the critical components of Data
flexible strategic orientation, demonstration of appropriate processin
behaviors and attitudes required for working with others, g of
effective practical/p
communication rofessiona
and l
negotiation, entreprene
learning and urial
knowledge competen
management, cies in the
and 2) financial Central
management. Region
These has led to
elements, the results
critical for the depicted
efficiency and in Figure
effectiveness of 8. The
the Central
entrepreneurial Region
business recorded
management average
and leadership scores,
processes, have excepting
to be the respondents’ concern for organizational
organizatio effectiveness /
considered as “effective
ffective organizational skills”,
skills” which scored above the
focal for the average. In this Region too, the practical/professional
p
development of entrepreneurial competencies must become the focal point of
(continuing) the future (continuing) education and training programs
education and aiming at developing entrepreneurial capacity.
training
programs in CONCLUSIONS
this Region.
It should be noticed that, due to above mentioned errors,
1-3 3-3,5 3,5-4 4-4,5
the reported results were considered as potentially not
582 The 6th International
International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

supportive for entrepreneurial behavior from 3.5 points below, It must be stressed out that probably the single most
with the average considered at 3.5 – 4 points on the 5 point important entrepreneurial competency, the ability to recognize
Likert scale. and analyze market opportunities, scored at best average, fact
fac
which could be critical for the entrepreneurial development of
1-3 3-3,5 3,5-4 4-4,5 4,5-5 5
all Regions participating in the research, especially in crisis.
Consequently, the weak ability to recognize and analyze
market opportunities, along with weak focus on performance,
with critical
cal accents on flexible strategic orientation,
teamwork, effective communication and negotiation, effective
learning and knowledge management, and in conjunction with
weak social skills, mainly in the areas of leadership and
change, should be focal elementss of the development of
entrepreneurship (continuing) education and training programs
aimed at building entrepreneurial capacity in Romania as a
key factor for overcoming the present economic crisis.

References

1. *** UNIDO-HR HR Management Branch Publications,

Publicati (2002),
“Strengthening organizational core values and managerial
capabilities”, UNIDO Competencies, Part One, 8.
2. Bar-On, R., (2000), “Emotional and social intelligence: Insights
from the Emotional Quotient Inventory”, in: R. Bar-On
Bar and J.D.A.
Parker (eds.), The Handbook of Emotional Intelligence,
Intelligence Jossey-Bass,
San Francisco, 363-388.
3. Boyatzis, R.E. (1999), “Self-Directed
Directed Change and Learning as a
Necessary Meta-Competency
Competency for Success and Effectiveness in the 21st
Century”, in: R. Sims, and J.G. Veres es (eds.), Keys to Employee
Success in the Coming Decades, Greenwood Publishing, Westport,
CN, 15-32.
4. Boyatzis, R.E. (1996), “Consequences and rejuvenation of
competency-based
based human resource and organization development”,
in: R.W. Woodman and W.A. Pasmore Pasmo (eds.), Research in
Organizational Change and Development,
Development volume 9, JAI Press,
Greenwich, CN, 101-122.
5. Boyatzis, R.E., Leonard, D., Rhee, K., and Wheeler, J.V. (1996),
“Competencies can be developed, but not the way we thought”,
Capability, 2(2), 25-41.
6. Drucker, P. F. (1993), Innovation and entrepreneurship,
entrepreneurship Harper
& Row, New York.
7. Gibb, A. A. (1998), Entrepreneurial core capacities,
competitiveness and management development in the 21st century,
DUBS, Durham.
8. Gibb, A. A. (1999), “Can we build 'effective' entrepreneurship
through management development?”,
development?” Journal of General
Management, 24(4), 1-22.
Figure 8: Results on Practical/Professional Competencies in 9. Henry, G. T. (1990), Practical Sampling.
Sampling Applied Research Series,
the Central Region SAGE, Newbury Park.
10. Huţu, C. A. (2001), Research Merthods in Organization Studies,
Studies
Considering this, the elements of social and Ed.Venus, Iaşi.
practical/professional competency, key for effective 11. McClelland, D.C. (1998), “Identifying Competencies with
entrepreneurship processes,
ses, that scored average or below Behavioral Event Interviews”, Psychological Science,
Science 9(5), 331-340.
12. McGrath, R. G. and MacMillan,, I. (2000), The entrepreneurial
average, largely common for the four NUTS Regions, are as
mindset, Harvard Business School Press, Boston, MA.
following: 13. Lazear, E. P. (2003), Balanced skills and entrepreneurship,
• Social entrepreneurial competencies: Draft, Stanford University Hoover Institution and Graduate School of
• political awareness; Business, Stanford, CA.
• capacity to influence others; 14. Onstenk, J. (2003), “Entrepreneurship and vocational
• leadership; education”, European Educational Research Journal, 2(1): 74-89.
• change catalyst; 15. Rosier, R.H. (ed.) (1994-1997),1997), The competency model
• Practical/professional competencies: handbook, Volumes 1-4, 4, Linkage, Lexington, MA.
16. Spencer, L. M., Jr. and Spencer, S.M. (1993), Competence at
• the ability to recognize and analyze market
work: Models for superior performance,
performance John Wiley & Sons, New
opportunities; York.
• focus on performance – flexible strategic orientation, 17. Timmons,, J. and Spinelli, St. (2006), New venture creation:
appropriate behaviors and attitudes required for entrepreneurship for the 21st century, 7th Ed., McGraw Hill
working with others, effective communication and International Edition.
negotiation, effectively learning from and
an in business 18. Tolentino, A. (1998), Training and Development of
interactions; Entrepreneurs-managers
managers of Small Enterprises: pointers and lessons
• financial management; learned, International Labour Organization, Geneva.
19. Yin, R. K. (1989), Case Study Research: Design and an Methods,
• human resources management.
SAGE, London.
 ENTREPRENEURIAL POLICY AND EDUCATION IN EUROPEAN UNION: FROM OLD
TO NEW MEMBER STATES

Mihaela KARDOS
"Petru Maior" University, Faculty of Economic, Juridical and Administrative Sciences, Tg Mures, mihaela_kardos@yahoo.com

Abstract. The paper aims to highlight some guidelines regarding entrepreneurial policy at European level, expressing its vision and approach in
close connection to business and education environment, offering a perspective on the possibilities of designing and implementing such a policy in
less experienced countries in UE, the new member states, which lack a clear strategy in developing entrepreneurial skills in schools/universities
or in supporting entrepreneurial initiatives. The paper focuses on making a comparison about the entrepreneurial behaviour between citizens in
old and new member states, in order to identify in studies regarding entrepreneurship from older member states the most successful directions in
entrepreneurial policy, best adapted to the local specificity, experience and cultural background of new UE member states. As methodology, the
comparative analysis of case studies, the synthesis and the logical deduction are used. Being based on a complex multi-country study of
entrepreneurial attitudes and policies in EU, the results of the paper create direct implications for both policy makers and academics, offering
some key issues, useful in shaping an entrepreneurial policy at national level for new member states (e.g. Romania), with specific references to
the educational system.
Key Words: entrepreneurial policy, entrepreneurial education, entrepreneurship, economic development

INTRODUCTION ENTREPRENEURSHIP – KEY ISSUE IN

The recognition that entrepreneurship and
entrepreneurs are important drivers of economic growth,
employment, innovation and productivity has been long
understood. Thus, knowing what the determinants for
entrepreneurial actions are is important to understanding
how to promote an efficient entrepreneurial policy and
how to design a specific educational framework for
developing entrepreneurial skills.
The European Union has to face the challenges of
great world competition and its performance depends on
the functioning of the whole mechanism. Member States
in EU are very diverse regarding economic and social
development, traditions and the approach of different
issues, with consequences on the expression of
entrepreneurship.
In this respect, this paper aims to highlight by
comparison the determinants of entrepreneurial attitudes
in old member states (EU-15) and in new member states
(NMS), using 2007 survey data and based on these and
some best practices to offer some directions in
designing a successful entrepreneurial policy and
education, especially in countries where the former
central planned economy has imposed difficulties in
creating an entrepreneurial friendly environment, which
stills lacks some clear entrepreneurship policy measures.
The present paper follows the prior work of Grilo
and Thurik (2004, 2006) about the determinants of
entrepreneurship in Europe and about differences in
entrepreneurial activity between the new and old
member states, as well as other studies regarding
entrepreneurship in European member states.
The paper uses as methodology the comparative
analysis of case studies and survey data, the synthesis
and the logical deduction, as certified methods for
identifying the most suitable approaches of
entrepreneurship, as framework for its development in
public policy, also involving the educational system. By
its synthetically approach, it may be a starting point for
more specific studies regarding entrepreneurship in
different countries.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Entrepreneurship is an important driver of
innovation, competitiveness and growth and, in
particular for the European economy, entrepreneurship
and small businesses are a key source for jobs, dynamic
and innovative business.
In the last mid-century, economists have predicted
that the economy will be dominated by large firms, big
dimensions being needed to achieve economies of scale,
to exploit foreign markets and to be in trend of new
regulations and technology opportunities. Indeed, in the
'60s and 70's, large companies dominated the economy.
Since then, however, this trend began to reverse.
Structural changes in the economy moved Europe's
comparative advantages toward knowledge-based
activities, globalization has increased competitive
pressure and information and communication
technology has led to new markets, revolutionizing
production processes in many industries and leading to
an increased service sector. These changes have created
to new opportunities for entrepreneurship, as the ability
to adapt to economic changes is crucial for
competitiveness.
Europe needs a more effective way to promote
entrepreneurship and also needs growing firms engaging
in innovative projects. Dynamic entrepreneurs are
particularly well placed to take advantage from
globalization opportunities and accelerating
technological changes. In a globally changing
landscape, the role of entrepreneurs has become
increasingly important as creators of employment
opportunities and key players of local and regional
prosperity.
In approaching the concept of entrepreneurship,
which is a multidimensional one, we have to consider
that first and foremost, entrepreneurship is a type of
thinking, referring to personal motivation and the ability
to identify an opportunity and to valorify it in order to
produce added value or economic success.
Entrepreneurs are a heterogeneous group; however,
584 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
there are certain characteristics common to
entrepreneurial behaviour, including willingness to
assume risk, taste for independence and self-realization.
(Hyrsky, 2001)
Entrepreneurship is about people, about their choices
and actions to start or run a business, their involvement
in a strategic decision-making process.
Entrepreneurship is crucial to competitiveness. New
entrepreneurial initiatives contribute to productivity
growth, increase competitive pressure, forcing other
firms to react by improving efficiency or introducing
innovation. Increased efficiency and innovation in
companies strengthens the competitive power of an
economy, as a whole, providing benefits to consumers.
Entrepreneurship unlocks personal potential, people
having different criteria in their career choices, such as
security, independence, diversity and interest in their
work tasks. Many people have chosen to become
entrepreneurs as a mean of self-fulfilment (freedom,
independence and challenge).
Entrepreneurship can also play a positive role in
providing effectively health, education and social care
services. Entrepreneurship can occur in any sector or
type of activity and contributes to economic growth and
social cohesion, stimulating jobs creation and
integrating unemployed or disadvantaged people.
ENTREPRENEURIAL ATTIDUDES AND
EDUCATION IN OLD AND NEW MEMBER
STATES
As diversity is one of the most important principles
in European Union, the same way we can consider the
approaches toward entrepreneurship, from country to
country. But, we can identify common features for older
member states, more developed and new member states,
which have experienced the transition from centrally
planned economy to a market oriented one, in which the
concept of entrepreneurship developed differently from
EU-15. As time passes, there is a tendency in reducing
the gaps between the two groups of countries belonging
to EU.
To retain its competitiveness, Europe needs
entrepreneurs. In this regard, according to the Flash
Eurobarometer on Entrepreneurship from 2007,
completed with data of the same survey in 2004, it is a
positive sign that over half of 15-24 year-olds are likely
to follow an entrepreneurial route in the future. Still, if
they had the choice, almost a majority of Europeans
would opt for employee status (51% in EU-15 and 47%
in NMS).
As there has been no dramatic increase in the desire
for EU citizens to become entrepreneurs, it is necessary
to look at why people prefer to be employed. Firstly,
Europeans like the idea of a fixed income, hinting at the
need for security (29% in EU-15 and 37% in NMS). Job
stability is also considered important (23% in UE-15
and 32% in NMS).
In the NMS, there is still a worrying about lack of
finance for self-employment. Although this was
mentioned less frequently than in 2004, it is still twice
the average of the EU-15.
Self-fulfilment and independence are still the main
reasons to think about branching out on one’s own,
while NMS citizens also appreciate the prospect of a
better income.
Of concern is the reduction in the attractiveness of
becoming an entrepreneur, down three points to 30% in
EU, although there has been no change in the NMS and
it can be seen that the younger citizens are more
attracted to self-employment throughout Europe.
If half of the Europeans have not even thought about
starting-up a business, then the need to examine the role
of education becomes paramount, the number of
entrepreneurial courses that have been followed and the
role played by education generally in developing
entrepreneurs.
Regarding entrepreneurial education, there is a
considerable discrepancy among the 27 EU Member
States, both in the higher education sector and in the
level of diffusion of entrepreneurship education. The
number of universities offering entrepreneurial courses
varies considerably from one country to another. For
instance, in Finland, Spain and Great Britain more than
half of all higher education institutions offer at least one
course in entrepreneurship, ranging from undergraduate
level through to PhD.
The spread of entrepreneurship is particularly weak
in some member states that joined EU in and after 2004:
e.g. countries with less than 20% of universities offering
entrepreneurial education are Poland, Lithuania,
Romania and Bulgaria.
With education being one important factor in
developing the entrepreneurial mindset, the other
necessity is the willingness to take risks. The fear of
bankruptcy and the uncertainty of income are the top
two fears.
In terms of problems that might stop someone
deciding to take the entrepreneurial road, the lack of
finance is seen as the main problem, then complex
administrative procedures, the risk it might fail and the
difficulty to obtain sufficient information on how to
start a business.
Insight in the determinants of entrepreneurship is
crucial for shaping public policies and the assessment of
their merits.
Entrepreneurs operate in diverse national and local
environments and they are themselves very different and
very diverse in nature, this is why policies and
educational programs addressing their needs must take
full account of this diversity and must fully respect the
principle of subsidiarity.
DIRECTIONS REGARDING
ENTREPRENEURIAL POLICY AND
EDUCATION
The topic of entrepreneurship has lately gained
significantly better position in public policy. Also,
entrepreneurship joined the key competences required
Entrepreneurial policy and Education in European Union: from Old to New Member States
for lifelong learning, which aims to encourage and
facilitate reforms in education and training systems.
At European level and especially in the NMS, the
entrepreneurship development requires first that the
importance of entrepreneurs is recognized by society.
The general climate in society should lead individuals to
consider starting their own business as an option and to
acknowledge that SMEs contribute substantially to
employment growth and economic prosperity.
For enabling such an environment, it is therefore
essential that the entrepreneurial spirit and the
willingness to take risks to be applauded and
encouraged. Particular attention should be paid to future
entrepreneurs, especially young people and women.
NMS’ residents should be more aware that an
independent activity is an interesting professional option
and should be offered the opportunities to acquire
necessary skills to turn their ambitions into successful
professional careers.
The role of education in creating an entrepreneurial
culture must be enhanced. Starting at an early age,
school education should stimulate young people in the
awareness of entrepreneurship as an option for their
future and help them be more creative, have greater
confidence in what they undertake. Universities should
integrate entrepreneurship as an important part of the
curricula.
The educational system must develop a new
generation of entrepreneurs, with specific characteristics
such as responsibility, spontaneity, adaptability,
foresight, initiative and spirit of management, which
allows them to identify and implement appropriate
strategies. These personal skills must be cultivated and
developed starting from primary school level, secondary
schools to high schools and universities.
The range of curricular areas must include exposure
to business environment and actual contributions to
support it, e.g. by introducing schemes based on applied
practice, such as micro firms created and led by
students, which is an effective tool for developing
entrepreneurial skills. This kind of project is a real
opportunity for students to acquire basic business skills,
but also to develop personal qualities and generic skills
such as creativity, confidence, teamwork, responsibility
and initiative, which become increasingly important for
everyone in today's knowledge society.
Besides educational courses taught in universities,
there are some examples of good practice in the field,
which could be used as potential models for less
experienced countries, presenting different programs
aiming to promote entrepreneurial skills and initiative,
such as: The Entrepreneurship House at Grenoble
universities (France), promoting the dissemination of
entrepreneurship at a regional level, bringing together
different universities and the local community; Dynamic
Entrepreneurship (Poland), a nation-wide
entrepreneurship program, offering to all higher
education institutions teaching tools and material with a
view to disseminating entrepreneurship education in the
country; Innovation Lab at Johannes Kepler University
585
Linz (Austria), improving inter-disciplinary cooperation
between students in different fields, with a view to
developing technical innovation and turning it into a
viable business idea; An “Entrepreneurial University” -
Technical University of Munich (Germany), where
students of all disciplines are encouraged to think and
act in an entrepreneurial way or the Practice Enterprise
Project, at Turku University of Applied Sciences
(Finland), where entrepreneurship is taught by way of a
practical project: a simulated enterprise created and run
by mixed teams of students from different disciplines.
The issues of competences must be correlated with
the unexploited potential for research and innovation,
that is why it is important to better integrate potential
entrepreneurs into the research communities and to
promote links between universities and entrepreneurs.
As the lack of finance is seen as the major problem
for potential entrepreneurs, this should be regarded as a
priority, although current economic situation brings
more problems regarding the opportunities of finance.
Success of entrepreneurs depends on facilitating access
to finance, especially venture capital, micro credit and
on implementing a supportive legal and business
environment.
Possible market failures in terms of SMEs financing
must be identified and corrected to further develop the
European risk capital markets and develop new products
and services. Also, many entrepreneurs need guidance
regarding the advantages and disadvantages of different
forms of financing.
In order to reduce the burden represented by
regulatory and administrative obligations, another
concerning issue for entrepreneurs, the principle "Think
Small First" should be applied. Government should
respond to the needs of SMEs and facilitate their life,
encouraging especially access to online administrative
services and solutions such as "one stop shop", allowing
them to save time and money, to devote resources thus
released for innovation and job creation.
Another important part of modelling the
entrepreneurial culture regards the possibility for honest
entrepreneurs who went bankrupt to receive a second
chance. This is because bankruptcies are responsible for
approximately 15% of all company closures. The stigma
of failure is still present and society underestimates the
commercial potential of those who try their luck again,
many hesitating to do business with a company
previously faced with bankruptcy.
It is therefore important to display a positive attitude
in society towards entrepreneurs who want to restart a
business, providing, for example, information
campaigns, limiting to one year the duration of all
judicial procedures for liquidation of an enterprise in
case of non-fraudulent bankrupt and ensuring that those
who retry their luck are treated equal.
Entrepreneurs should be encouraged to take more
advantage of the single market opportunities, through
appropriate information, a better representation of their
interests in area policies and by facilitating access to
patents and trademarks.
586 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
A harmoniously functioning internal market creates
a competitive environment in which entrepreneurs are
able to benefit more from globalization, opening new
opportunities for knowledge and innovation.
Entrepreneurs should be supported to fully benefit from
these opportunities, through information on business
opportunities, costs and risks implied by coming into
contact with several different national legal systems.
Entrepreneurs must be supported and encouraged to
take advantage of growing markets inside, but also
outside EU. Emerging markets represent an unexploited
potential, creating important new business opportunities
for both companies in the old Member States and the
new Member States.
SMEs can also benefit from public support in the
form of advisory and network-building services,
including assistance for defending against unfair
commercial practices.
Promoting the upgrading of skills and all forms of
innovation is necessary for development of
entrepreneurship. Investment in research and
participation in programs to support research and
development, clustering and active intellectual property
management should be encouraged.
Environmental challenges must be transformed into
opportunities, providing more information, expertise
and financial incentives for full exploitation of new
"green" markets opportunities and greater energy
efficiency, partly by implementing environmental
management systems in SMEs.
CONCLUSIONS
Building an entrepreneurial society involves
everyone and all attitudes towards entrepreneurial
initiative must be positive. Entrepreneurship deserves to
be promoted because it provides benefits to society even
beyond their application in business.
Tearing down barriers in the development and
growth of entrepreneurial businesses is a fundamental
condition for successful entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurs
must be supported in developing necessary skills to
adapt to changing business conditions.
Entrepreneurship at European level is considered of
interest, for both policy makers and curricula
developers, with some successful results for economy
and society, but most new member states, although
entrepreneurial attitudes among people are improving,
lack a clear strategy in developing entrepreneurial skills
in schools/universities or in supporting entrepreneurial
initiatives. Besides this, there are there are other reasons
that prevent the exploitation of entrepreneurial potential,
from the powerful stigma associated with bankruptcy,
the obstacles in starting up businesses, to the difficulties
in accessing finance or the burden of bureaucratic
procedures.
Moreover, entrepreneurs and their businesses must
face the worsening in market conditions and the great
competition in areas like finance (especially venture
capital), research, innovation and environment.
The results clearly state that focus should given to
policy area regarding financing entrepreneurial
initiatives, reducing the burden of administrative
procedures and regulations, promoting a supportive
policy for possible failures, all within the framework of
educational system pro entrepreneurship by curricula,
trainings, and programs.
More specifically, some guidelines for
entrepreneurial policy and education refer to:
• ensuring political support for entrepreneurship
education at the highest level;
• launching national strategies for entrepreneurship
education, covering all stages of education, by
involving all stakeholders: public administrations,
businesses, schools, students, etc. and promoting
entrepreneurship education at regional level;
• encouraging the mobility of teachers and
recognizing the role of educators other than
teachers (practitioners, entrepreneurs, students) and
providing for all these specific entrepreneurial
training through innovative methods;
• increasing coherency between funding programs
used to support entrepreneurship education;
• supporting the use of practice-based pedagogical
tools whereby students are involved in a concrete
enterprise project;
• building common platforms of existing programs,
projects and teaching material for entrepreneurship,
in order to help sharing and dissemination.
All these are particularly important for those who
shape the future entrepreneurs, especially policy makers
and schools/universities.
References
1. European Commission, (2003), Green Paper „Entrepreneurship
in Europe”, 2003
2. European Commission, (2004), Action Plan: European Agenda
for Entrepreneurship
3. European Commission, (2007), Entrepreneurship Survey of the
EU (25 Member States), United States, Iceland and Norway, Flash
Eurobarometer no.192, The Gallup Organization
4. Grilo, I. and Thurik, R. (2004), Determinants of
Entrepreneurship in Europe, ERIM Report Series Research in
management, No. ERS-2004-106-ORG, Rotterdam
5. Grilo, I. and Thurik, R. (2006), „Entrepreneurship in the old and
new Europe”, SCALES Paper No. 200516, Scientific Analysis of
Entrepreneurship and SMEs, The Netherlands’ Ministry of
Economic Affairs, Zoetermeer
6. Lundström, A. and Stevenson, L. (2005), Entrepreneurship
policy: theory and practice, ISEN, Springer Science + Business
Media, New York
7. Nandram, S.S. and Samsom, K.J., (2006), The spirit of
entrepreneurship: exploring the essence of entrepreneurship,
Springer Science + Business Media, New York
 INNOVATION, AN IMPORTANT PART OF ROMANIAN HIGHER EDUCATION

Alina LUCA
1
"Gh. Asachi" Technical University Iasi, Romania, email :alisluca@yahoo.com

OBJECTIVES:
Promoting innovation activities as part of an entrepreneurial culture and also as a result of a systematic activity;
PRIOR WORKS:
Entrepreneurial culture in Romania is considered unimportant and innovation is considered an accident, the result of chance and not
a continuous activity supported. The study aims to promote research development and innovation as part of tertiary education. The
paper is especially important in terms of transition to the Bologna system education, the tertiary education need to adapt to labor
market needs, in conditions which require the market ever more an interdisciplinary education so that graduates are competitive not
only in Romania but also in the EU labor market. In Romania systematic innovation activity is addressed in a very small way for all, it
is considered a chaotic, random, which belong to chance, that’s why the work has pioneering value. The paper identify the place and
role of entrepreneurship education in the Romanian higher educational system, identify measures to promote innovation as an
organized activity, and ways for to increase the number of graduates with entrepreneurial initiatives, the number of innovative
companies and the volume of private funds allocated to innovation.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY:
The survey is conducted by research in 50 SME's from Iasi, in four public universities ("Gh. Asachi" Technical University Iasi,
"Alexandru Ioan Cuza" University Iasi, "Ion Ionescu de la Brad" University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Iasi,
"Grigore T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy) and also in two private universities ("Petre Andrei " University Iasi and "
Spiru Haret" University Iasi). The research was based on questionnaires differentiated application-level for top-level management
and non-management and also interviews with teachers and with students in above mentioned Universities). Data processing was
performed using SPSS 1.0 software for statistical analysis.
RESULTS:
1. identify the place and role of entrepreneurship education in the Romanian higher educational system.
2. identify the implications of these positions
3. measures to promote innovation as an organized activity
4. increasing the number of graduates with entrepreneurial initiatives, the number of innovative companies and the volume of private
funds allocated to innovation.
IMPLICATIONS:
The study could influence the university curriculum by adapting it to the requirements of business environment. Research becomes an
activity that focuses not only on new discoveries, but also on innovation as a systematic activity with immediate application in
economics. Legislature could develop a number of incentives that encourage private financing of innovation activity, passing from the
implementation phase to the innovation with clearly defined objectives to achieve goals led to a particular company. Having a strong
entrepreneurial culture, graduates of higher education would no longer appeal to their qualification unsuitable jobs, and they would
start their own business. Knowing the benefits of the innovation process and knowing how to do it, these companies would become
very short time innovative SME's.
ORIGINALITY VALUE:
Pioneering work has value because in Romania systematic innovation activity is addressed in a very small way for all. It is considered
a chaotic, random, which belongs to chance.
KEY WORDS:
innovation, entrepreneurship, higher education

1. The activity framework In Romania we have a number of institutions

In Romania, the creative spirit is considered a and regulations related to research development and
rare and remarkable virtue of some exceptional beings. innovation, but the results are unsatisfactory, below the
Well, NO! Is something recorded in the possible sphere EU average. Also the implementation of the results of
of the human potentialities. The creative process must research development and innovation in production is
be organized, not only natural selection should be left still at low level. Romania assigns for this activity one
to highlight the creative spirits, creative skills are of the lowest amounts in the European Union being far
developed through training; creativity is a matter of from reaching the 3% level set in the Lisbon Treaty.
training. Innovation is the conversion of new
knowledge in economic and social benefits as a result
of complex interactions between multiple actors within
a system consisting of an environment (local, national
and regional) that contains companies, research
institutes, donors and networks that all they come in
contact. (Officious European Commission "Innovation
& Technological Transfer in October, 2002). Fig.1- Degree of resource allocation from the budget for RDI in
Romania compared with other states 5
The EU strategic objective, to become the
most efficient and competitive economy in the world,
According IRSCA Romania has 4% young
requires increased concerns in innovation field.
gifted, China has 6% and in the rest of the world only
Innovation process should be an opportunity to create
2% of young people are gifted. So human resource
new benefits through the implementation of the
needed in Romania has a galloping economic progress.
outcome of an appeal process to ensure growth of
intellectual value added.
5
http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/eurostat/home/
588 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
What's missing? No country can not waste human
talents and un-identifying the intellectual potential is a
great loss. Besides that is invested financial resources,
human and material both from state and from citizens
to education and teaching, which in the end not
produce an added value, these resources are not even
recovered to the end of cycle. A consequence of this is
that in Romania, the most important part of the
graduates are employed at a lower level of training
compared to their level of training or even works in the
other fields of activities. From here two assumptions
can be drawn: either the economy is evident in an
inability to retrieve these graduates, or the educational
system produces specialists in areas that are not
requested by the real economy. Ultimately this leads to
a waste of resources, but maybe properly guided, these
graduates can become a base for recruiting of those
who have creative and innovative potential.
Fig.2- HR involvement in RDI graduates 6
Fig.3- Patents applications submitted to the EPO (Romania, 0.4 per
1000 inhabitants)
History has shown that economic
development can not guarantee a continuous
development if the production is concentrated on short
time profit. It is advisable to invest in innovation
especially if the economy is in stagnation or decline.
It is very important to promote innovation as part of an
entrepreneurial culture. Through knowledge and self-
knowledge, economic agents succeed to be proactive,
to anticipate changing and to adapt to the market
trends.
The emergence of SME’s led to
diversification of human needs; on the other hand also
SME’s will have to satisfy a part of these new needs.
SME’s will have to go further, and to assign new
valences to the resources that become more limited
(even exhausted). This transformation of limited
resources so as to meet the unlimited needs is possible
through creative innovation.
In Romania, innovational activity is
considered a chaotic, random, based on chance activity.
According to Peter F. Drucker innovation should be a
continuous, systematic. Entrepreneurial spirit in
America at least, is not born spontaneously, but
6
http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu
educate. So Americans have learned that innovation is
education and that produces wealth. It is important that
Romanian entrepreneurs to learn and innovate, because
innovation will lead to added value for them first. Then
they will provide jobs and prosperity for the
communities they belong and consequently the stability
where they can live and work. After that, their children
can grow and educate so that can rely on they at a time.
Otherwise, companies will be momentary, businesses
will have a short-lived, employees will be dissatisfied
and hence a high fluctuation of staff often highly
qualified, so an unstable society in which young’s will
definitely want to emigrate will start.
Romania's current policy in research,
development and innovation must follow the targets set
by the Lisbon European Council. For this, formation of
a new mentality on innovation and development
process by implementing this process in the economy
as result of creative intellectual activity is a necessity.
According to experts CREST, low staff
salaries and inadequate equipments from RDI field,
have increased flow of external migration of young
researchers, especially to USA, which has increased
the average age of staff in the RDI of Romania.
Entrepreneurial culture in Romania is
considered unimportant and innovation as part of this
culture is less important. But if those who now work on
inappropriate posts in other countries but with higher
wages compared with Romania, would start a small
business in Romania for the first time and implements
their ideas would produce more added value?
Considering that most of those who migrate are often
highly qualified finally, we could say that we could
successfully compete with most developed countries in
terms of technology in the EU (Germany, Austria,
France). But the entrepreneurial culture of innovation
activity not only dependents on training received by
individuals in different schools, but all this also
depends on the political environment, on the system of
taxes and also by the level of economy.
So, the problem is that, in Romania, the
culture, even if it is considered residual variable of
social and economic sciences can not be ignored
however. The education received by individuals, for at
least 45 years, under which they must not have any
ideas for the party-state can not be wiped out. And
especially can not ignore the fact that 20 years young
people have not received any form of entrepreneurial
education or received only bits. There was inoculated
the idea that business is not for everyone, and even less
innovation. Why?
2. Research methodology
The survey was conducted by research in 50
SME's from Iasi, in four public universities ("Gh.
Asachi" Technical University Iasi, "Alexandru Ioan
Cuza" University Iasi, "Ion Ionescu de la Brad"
University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary
Medicine Iasi, "Grigore T. Popa" University of
Medicine and Pharmacy) and also in two major private
Study Regarging The Marketing Performance Metrics for Management Master Programs 589

universities ("Petre Andrei " University Iasi and " Spiru intensity of business, the fact that 98% of firms that
Haret" University Iasi). operate in this area have a turnover under 2 million
The research was based on questionnaires euro.
differentiated application-level for top-level This is due to the fact that innovative
management and non-management and also interviews activities are considered both by business and also by
with teachers and with students in above mentioned academics as being exceptionally rare, and not as the
Universities. Data processing was performed using possible activities that is learned and carried out
SPSS 1.0 software for statistical analysis as in figure 2. systematically. From the surveyed students, only half
believe that the educational system offers sufficient
opportunities those with high innovative potential.
From the research I noticed that no
universities funded by neither the budget, nor those
private are not give the importance of education or
spirit of innovative entrepreneurship, creative, with
important consequences on living standards and
employability of the workforce. So, that means that
Romanian higher education is not focused on
innovation and on entrepreneurial culture, and now that
is a problem.
Fig. 2- SPSS using
SWOT Analysis entrepreneurship education in tertiary
3. Interpretation of research results education of Iasi Municipality revealed:

From the starting of research I noticed that Strengths:

one of the problems is that none of these universities • young people are willing to access tertiary
does not address to the entrepreneurship education as a education (19,8%)
serious problem. • young population more numerous than in
Furthermore, other European countries (22,42% under 19
• 69% of respondents have not intends yrs);
entrepreneurial initiatives in the near future ; • well-trained graduates at a theoretical level;
• only 19% of students are considered • low wage claims in relation to training they
themselves competitive in the global market; have;
• at the time, 75% can not use their creative • potential high creative;
potential; • low resistance to change.
• 69% are frustrated that their work results are
not implemented in real production; Weaknesses:
• under funding of the educational system;
• curriculum un-adapted to business
da
requirements;
31,3% in foarte mica masur • university curriculum which not focuses on
37,5%
entrepreneurial training;
• teachers who do not encourage entrepreneurial
initiative among students;
• students are not helped or even encouraged for
entrepreneurial initiatives.
in mica masura
31,3%
Opportunities:
• large number of universities;
Fig. 3- entrepreneurial initiative of students • existing of research institutes;
• prestige of universities in Iasi Municipality.
Another issue is that entrepreneurial
education, as well as its role is still considered Threats:
unimportant in Romanian educational system, unlike • the world economic crisis;
students from universities in other countries, where • negative demographic growth;
entrepreneurship is a very serious area of study. • lack of cooperation between academia and
This marginal approach to entrepreneurship business;
education has the effect of staying of the North-East • lack of a regulatory framework to foster
region of Romania behind other regions in terms of entrepreneurial initiative among students.
“entrepreneurial intensity”. Another effect is low
590 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
Consequently, academics should take a series of
measures:
• curriculum changes so that the RDI activities
to become common practice, not accidental;
• entrepreneurial education should occupy an
important place in the education of young
people so that, upon graduation, or even
during trials, they would be willing to open
own business where they can apply innovative
solutions, and thus create added value (69% of
respondents have not intends entrepreneurial
initiatives in the near future);
• scientific environment should be closely to
real businesses so that the solutions identified
in the process of RDI to become viable and
applicable to meet specific needs of
entrepreneurs (82% of those working in the R
& D and innovation don't believe that there is
collaboration with the business);
• academia should find common language with
business, to understand and support each
other;
• academia should discuss with the business the
university curriculum, to be closer to the
demands of business, and maybe graduates
will be prepared accordingly with these
requirements;
• Students should be encouraged by teachers to
a greater extent to take decisions on their own
and to take entrepreneurial initiatives.
The regulatory environment also has an
important word to say:
• first should be allocated funds for an adequate
wage to those working in the activity of RDI.
I think this is very fair as long as these people
produce value-added solutions that generate
revenue growth budget, so should not be
viewed as a expense but as income;
• a legislative framework should be created to
encourage students to open his own business;
• a legislative framework should be created to
provide a degree of freedom in terms of
money management for firms that implement
innovative solutions;
• firms that invest their profit in the RDI should
receive a series of tax exemptions to
encourage private investment in this field
4.Conclusions:
Entrepreneurial culture in Romania is
considered unimportant and innovation as part of this
culture is considered less important but even so culture
can not be ignored however. The education received by
individuals, for at least 45 years, under which they
must not have any ideas for the party-state can not be
wiped out. And especially can not ignore the fact that
20 years young people have not received any form of
entrepreneurial education or received only bits. There
was inoculated the idea that business is not for
everyone, and even less innovation.
But if those who now work on inappropriate
posts in other countries but with higher wages
compared with Romania, would start a small business
in Romania for the first time and implements their
ideas maybe they would produce more added value.
Considering that most of those who migrate are often
highly qualified finally, we could say that we could
successfully compete with most developed countries in
terms of technology in the EU. But the entrepreneurial
culture of innovation activity not only dependents on
training received by individuals in different schools,
but all this also depends on the political environment,
on the system of taxes and also by the level of
economy.
So it is very important to promote innovation
as part of an entrepreneurial culture.
Through knowledge and self-knowledge,
economic agents succeed to be proactive, to anticipate
changing and to adapt to the market trends. The
transformation of limited resources so as to meet the
unlimited needs was possible only through creative
innovation.
Academics should take a series of internal and
external measures so that the RDI activities to become
common practice, not accidental.
The regulatory environment also has a very
important role for RDI field through legislative
framework for individuals, SME's and universities.
All these things must evolve, especially now
when we are in the process of building a knowledge-
based society.
References
1. Alina Luca-Innovation-values part of economic security-
Editura Universitatii Nationale de Aparare “Carol I”,
Bucuresti, 2010;
2. Alina Luca-Innovation and talents migration
3. http://www.businessweek.com
4. Carta alba a IM-urilor din regiunea nord-est-Editura
PIM, 2009
5. Peter F. Drucker-Organizatia viitorului, ed. Teora,2000
Gary Johns- Organizational behavior, Economica, 199
 STUDY REGARGING THE MARKETING PERFORMANCE METRICS FOR MANAGEMENT MASTER
PROGRAMS

Daniel MICU1, Anca Alexandra PURCAREA2, Liliana IFRIM3, Catalina DARABAN4, Bianca PRISECARIU5
1
Politehnica University of Bucharest, Management Department, Ph.D. Candidate, daniel@troutandpartners.ro
2
Politehnica University of Bucharest, Management Department, Industrial Management Chair, apurcarea@gmail.com
3
Politehnica University of Bucharest, Management Department, Ph.D. Candidate, lilianaaa2002@yahoo.com
4
Politehnica University of Bucharest, Management Department, Ph.D. Candidate, cmcalaras@yahoo.com
5
Politehnica University of Bucharest, Management Department, Ph.D. Candidate, biancaprisecaru@gmail.com

The objectives of this paper is to determine what are the goals and associated marketing performance metrics that management
master programs have to take into consideration when developing their strategic marketing plans and tactical marketing activities.
This paper is based on our extensive research on marketing performance measurement. The measurement of marketing activity has
become critical in our days, especially for practitioners responsible for developing and implementing marketing strategies and plans.
Unfortunately, for far to long marketers have not been held accountable for demonstrating how marketing activities add value and
help organizations achieve their objectives. In order to achieve the objectives of this study we have conducted a national survey based
on the CATI (Computer Aided Telephone Interview) method. Based on the above mentioned research method, we have identified the
marketing performance metrics that have to be considered when developing strategic marketing plans and tactical marketing
activities. The results of this study can be used by the administrative staff of management master programs when develop the
marketing plans to promote their master programs. This study is entirely original in its attempt to establish the link between marketing
performance metrics and marketing plans for management master programs.

marketing strategies and plans. Unfortunately, for far

1. INTRODUCTION
The drive to improve indicators of educational
performance, and to ensure that teachers are equipped
and able to operate in rapidly changing professional
environments, is leading to attempts to reorganize,
reskill and reculture teaching. A common thread in
many reforms is the increasing focus on the
performance of schools, on the capacity to measure
that performance and on holding teachers more directly
accountable for it.
Management Master Programs’ are clearly
interested in any activities that could significantly
impact the quality and performance levels of the
programs, as are other stakeholders. This is exhibited
by the fact that many accrediting bodies address quality
and performance along with continuous improvement.
Also, an extended number of business and management
publications issue annual universities and programs
guides providing extensive lists of indicators of
performance and other information, in order to assist
students in selecting an university and a master
program.
There are a number of five reasons why
performance might be measured: (i) measuring for the
purposes of focusing attention; (ii) measuring to
improve students’ academic progress; (iii) measuring
for professional development purposes; (iv) measuring
for strategy implementation purposes; (v) measuring to
implement performance related pay.
Several authors (Kotler and Levy, 1969; Hayes,
1989; Miller et al., 1990; Swenson, 1998) have
discussed and demonstrated the applicability of
marketing to higher education. Here, we seek to further
that discussion by reporting the results of a national
survey of management master programs.
The measurement of marketing activity has
become critical in our days, especially for practitioners
responsible for developing and implementing
to long marketers have not been held accountable for
demonstrating how marketing activities add value and
help organizations achieve their objectives. In order to
achieve the objectives of this study we have conducted
a national survey based on the CATI (Computer Aided
Telephone Interview) method. Based on the above
mentioned research method, we have identified the
marketing performance metrics that are relevant and
have to be considered when developing strategic
marketing plans and tactical marketing activities.
2. OBJECTIVES OF THE RESEARCH
Though the results may have implications for all
master programs, this study focuses on Master in
Management programs. We address the following
objectives:
 Identify the relevant marketing performance
indicators for the Management Master Programs;
 Analyze the customer behavior and the decision
making process in choosing a Management Master
Program;
 Identify the motivations and benefits sought
connected to the Management Master Programs;
 Identify the reasons that impede the acquisition of a
Management Master Program.
3. METHODOLOGY OF THE RESEARCH
 Research method – telephone survey.
 Target population - (a) Companies with turnover of
1 million Euros or more and training budget, which
purchased or intend to purchase Management Master
Programs for their employees, (b) individual
respondents aged 22 to 45, high school graduates,
living in urban areas.
 Sampling method - Probability sample.
 Sample size – (a) 205 companies from Bucharest,
Brasov, Cluj, Constanta, Craiova, Iasi and Timisoara,
592 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

and (b) 607 respondents from Bucharest, Brasov, Cluj, quality prevailing) and after words (Table2 and Table
Constanta, Craiova, Iasi and Timisoara. 3).
 Data collection technique - Computer Aided Table 2: Benefits Sought by Companies
Telephone Interviews (CATI). 1st place 2nd place 3rd place
 Fieldwork - January – February 2010. Improvement of
4. RESULTS professional 94,1% 5,4% 0,5%
4.1. Type of Master Program Preferred performance
Tacking into consideration the fact that Romania is Obtaining a
4,4% 30,2% 65,4%
now part of European Union and the access to foreign Diploma
universities and programs is easier that ever, we’ve Networking 1,5% 64,4% 34,1%
decided to investigate the preferred program based on
Table 3: Benefits Sought by Individuals
the country of origin and the benefits associated with this type of
program (Table 1). 1st place 2nd place 3rd place
Table 1: Type of the Master Program Preferred based on country of origin Improvement of
Abroad Romania DK/NA professional 81,2% 15,5% 3,3%
Companies 87,30% 18,50% 1,00% performance
Individuals 26,50% 73,50% 0,00% Obtaining a
11,0% 38,1% 50,9%
Diploma
Among the major benefits of a Master Programs Networking 7,7% 46,5% 45,8%
held abroad are the following:
 The professors are experienced in international Although the figures are pretty similar, companies
markets/multinationals and up to date trends; are putting more emphasize on improvement of
 The students have backgrounds in different cultures; professional performance and on (business)
 Multicultural dimension of the approach given by networking, while obtaining a diploma is the 2nd major
the international level of communication between goal of individuals.
professors and students which implies a wider area of
4.3. Indicators of a High Quality Master in
understanding the processes and the mechanisms from
Management Program
the business environment; A high quality Master in Management Program
 A diploma offered by an international institution is comes to most respondents as a mix of different
perceived as more credible and has a better recognition aspects whose actions converge on the idea of value. In
on the labor market; this respect, the value of such a Master program is
 The international environment is perceived as ‘real’ given by the following factors which refer to its
and represents a substantial change in attitude, working intrinsic characteristics:
style, networking and better career opportunities. Course dynamism & interactivity – dynamism
On the other hand, the benefits of a Master during courses and ‘learning by doing’ generates a high
Programs held in Romania are perceived to be: level of students’ involvement in the program and has a
 It is more accessible both in terms of admission and direct impact on students’ satisfaction.
price; Professors – should have a sound academic and
 It offers the opportunity to attend the courses while especially practical background so the delivered
having a job, and consequently to put immediately into information to be understood, both theoretical and
practice the knowledge acquired and to exploit the practical, and not cut off from reality, from what is
networking, if possible, through immediate cooperation currently happening on the market.
in business; Students – the competence of the students (work
 No extra costs for traveling and accommodation experience and dedication) is the source of valuable
abroad are necessary. interaction within the group. The stricter the admission
4.2. Motivations and Benefits Sought criteria, the more obvious the fact that valuable
The findings related to motivations and benefits students will be involved in the Master program.
sought at a Master in Management program can be The criteria that are take into consideration when
classified in the following way: evaluating a Management Master program and their
Basic Level (Rational Level): knowledge & relative importance are presented in the table bellow
know-how in business/management, networking, (Table 4).
Master diploma;
Intermediate Level (Practical Level): high Table 4: Criteria for Program Evaluation & Importance

efficiency at the work place, high professional status, Companies Individuals

entrepreneurial development; Teachers' qualification level 4,63 4,57
Superior Level: self confidence, self fulfillment, Applicability of acquired
4,63 4,27
social prestige & recognition. knowledge
The higher the benefits sought, the greater the Information relevance
4,58 4,50
involvement in choosing the Master program (its according to your needs
Continuous actualization of 4,56 4,50
Study Regarging The Marketing Performance Metrics for Management Master Programs 593

delivered information Management Master Program acquisition. In the

Teachers' practice experience 4,52 4,36 majority of cases choosers and influencers are the
The value offered for the price General Manager/Major Shareholder or the Human
4,31 4,09 Resources Manager. Final decision belongs in all
paid in change of program
University's / Program's companies to the General Manager/Major Shareholder.
4,28 4,34 An insight in the decision making process reveals
reputation
Team spirit development 4,09 4,16 that in about 70% of cases, the manager or a
Acceptable price 3,90 3,91 representative of the company is the person putting
forward the idea of an Management Master Program
Teachers from abroad 3,70 3,88
acquisition. Yet, the manager/representative would
Tradition on the Romanian
3,57 3,41 decide entirely just in about 40% of cases.
market
In terms of sources of information, Internet is
4.4. Main Reasons for Not Intending to Attend/Buy
thought the most reliable source of information for
a Management Master Program
both companies and individuals. Coming next are
A major issue that we’ve decided to investigate is
specialized periodicals, graduates of Management
related to the factors that are influencing the ‘non-
Master Programs, friends (in case of individuals), TV
buying’ decisions. These factors are as follows:
and radio (Table 7).
For the companies – lack of relevancy for the
company and their field of activity, not having enough Table 7: Reliable Sources of Information

budgets and not knowing the offers (Table 5). Companies Individuals
For the individuals – lack of time (reason Internet 78,00 % 80,40%
mentioned by almost half of respondents). This is Specialized magazines 42,40 % 49,90 %
followed by lack of interest and not being useful for the Graduates 33,70 % 21,30 %
field of activity (Table 6). Leaflets & Boklets 26,30 % 14,70 %
Table 5: Barriers Behing Program Attendind & Acquisition - Companies Fellows from other
14,10 % 4,10 %
Companies companies
Not relevand for the company/field of Fairs & Exhibitions 14,10 % 9,40 %
36,50%
activity Business Partners 11,20 % 3,30 %
Insufficient budget 15,10% Fellow co-workers 9,30 % 6,30 %
Don't know the offers 14,00% Newspapers 8,80 % 15,20 %
Didn't make a decision yet 11,60% TV/Radio 7,30 % 30,50 %
Not necessary for the employees 10,20% Universities 6,80 % 8,90 %
Use of other types of programs 8,10% Friends 3,90 % 23,60 %
The employees attend a Master program on
3,20% Other 14,60 % 4,30 %
their own
Other reasons 4,20% It is important to highlight here the importance of
graduates for both companies and individuals. They are
DK/NA 8,80%
perceived as a reliable source of information and
powerful influencers. The management has to take this
element into account when developing marketing
programs on short, medium and long term (e.g. better
capitalization of the existing graduates for up selling
and cross selling; provide active support to develop a
strong Alumni and increase pride within graduates).
Table 6: Barriers Behing Program Attendind & Acquisition - Individuals
Individuals 5. CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR
Don't have time to attend such a program 49,30% FURTHER RESEARCH
Not interested/doesn't need a Master Based on the findings of this research, we can
20,70%
program draw the conclusion that for a successful Management
Not useful to the field of activity 16,90% Master program, a number of issues are critical: (1)
Expensive 8,00% course dynamism and interactivity; (2) high quality
Don’t know the offers 5,60% faculty with relevant academic background and
Studied enough/have enough knowledge business experience; (3) focus on relevant practical
3,30% managerial aspects; (4) up to date information and
background
Other reasons 2,30% rigorously selected students. All the strategic and
tactical marketing programs have to address these
DK/NA 1,90%
issues and reflect them in all the elements of the
4.5. Decision Making Process marketing mix ((re)developing and adapting the Master
In most companies, the Human Resources program, proposing the optimum price for prospects,
Manager usually puts fort the consideration for an attracting the right prospects, selecting the target
594 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
market and target audience and choosing the best
media mix for communications).
Further research is needed to understand more
thoroughly the relationships between marketing
practices, relative emphasis on faculty effort in certain
areas, school characteristics and performance.
REFERENCES
1. Churchill, G.A. Jr (1991), Marketing Research: Methodological
Foundations, 5th ed., Dryden Press, Chicago, IL,
2. Hayes, T.J. (1989), "How students choose a college: a
qualitative approach", Journal of Marketing for Higher Education,
Vol. 2 No.1, pp.19-27
3. Kotler, P., Levy, S.J. (1969), "Broadening the concept of
marketing", Journal of Marketing, Vol. 33 No. January, pp.10-15
4. Miller, P., Lamb, C.P. Jr, Hoverstad, R., Boehm, E.G. (1990),
"An approach for identifying benefit segments among prospective
college students", Journal of Marketing for Higher Education, Vol. 3
No.1, pp.49-65.
5. Swenson, C. (1998), "Customers & markets", Change, Vol. 30
No.5, pp.34-9.
6. Wiseman, F., Billington, M. (1984), "Comment on a standard
definition of response rates", Journal of Marketing Research, Vol. 21
No. August, pp.337.
 ABOUT THE DIVERSITY OF UNIVERSITY ORGANIZATIONS.
LEARNING ABOUT MANAGING DIFFERENCES. A CASE STUDY

Marius MILCU1
1
Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Romania, marius.milcu@ulbsibiu.ro

Currently, professional organizations are marked by a growing diversity of members. The high work mobility is the main reason for
these situations. In some organizations are working together people of different ages, education levels, nationalities and races. The
organizations from academic field are basically characterized by a great diversity. This diversity proves to be sometimes hard to
accept, often inducing a certain psychological distance between the members of the organization. Time does not seem to solve this
problem. In this context, the management of differences is a priority component of any organization. The Universities management
needs to recognize these problems, to invest in research and their appropriate management, to enhance institutional performance.
Key words: Individual, social, ethnic and racial differences, academic environment, diversity, psychological distance

appurtenance or of reference), but himself, in his

BACKGROUND: INDIVIDUAL AND
ORGANIZATIONAL POWER GAMES
The power games established at group or
organization level are strongly personalized. It is the
individual who leaves his imprint, specifically and
decisively, on the groups / departments he belongs to,
organizational constraints being incapable of changing
much in this respect. In time, under the pressure of
socially desirable norms, a certain leveling of
mentalities, beliefs, ideologies, values, of the members
of a group / department occurs.
This facade, however, hides a cruel reality: when
effectively lacking the direct support and supervision of
the other members, the informal culture of the group /
department glides along ingeniously and inevitably,
making room for the values, myths, beliefs, prejudices
of the individual, essentially determined by the social
position held and by his strictly individual needs.
THE SAME TARGET, BUT DIFFERENT WAYS
TO ACCOMPLISH IT. PERSONALIZATION OF
GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS
The individual impregnates the entire structure and
functioning of the organization with his personality,
ultimately personalizing even the most formal aspects
and, thus, enriching it considerably.
This is what might be called the perverse effects of
group / organization personalization. In other words,
however indoctrinated he might be within his group, in
free interactive situations, (when no control is exerted
upon himself), the individual behaves in his natural
way, socially uncovered and unaltered by the social and
organizational pressures ever received throughout his
existence. This becomes all the more obvious in crucial
situations, of crisis, as those relating to conflict and its
solution.
In this context, a particular truth becomes inevitable:
the individual is no longer even an epitome of the
subsystem to which he belongs (be it one of
absolute social and psychological nudity.
Even when mandated, delegated, empowered by his
group / department, he will behave in an entirely
personal manner, an individualistic one, coming,
actually, to represent himself, to defend and support his
own ideas, beliefs, aspirations, interests, and in no way
those of his group. In this context, training those
persons who are expected to find themselves in such
situations (as delicate as they are important) becomes
absolutely necessary, more exactly, endowing them with
a series of specialized strategies, techniques, methods
meant to attenuate the tendencies mentioned.
Then, if knowledge and acceptance of informal
heterogeneity, of the diversity of the system of
mentalities, ideologies, representations, prejudices,
professional values in the management of crisis
situations, are matters pertaining to top-management, a
natural question arises: how close can we get to these
intimate springs of the person, given the aim of
preventing the occurrence of perverse effects of the
personalization of organizations? Most certainly, the
answer to this question would not be a pleasant one and,
for this reason, we will avoid it.
AN ORGANIZATIONAL THERAPY BASED ON
CONTROLLED STIMULATION OF THE
DIVERSITY AND HETEROGENEITY OF
SOCIAL ACTORS
“Where there are several choices, there is potential
for disagreement. Such differences, when correctly
handled, may lead to several creative solutions and
interaction. On the other hand, however, it is difficult to
convert differences into opportunities” (Billikopf,
2004).
Going back to the level of the organization and of
the constitutive groups, and leaving aside the individual,
the policy of management of conflict/crisis situations
would require their prediction and prevention, reduction
of the probability of their occurrence. And if this
approach were wholly possible, (under ideal conditions,
of course), would that not mean eliminating, in this way,
596 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
the opportunities for progress that would entail those
situations, which would condemn the organization to
stagnation and, so, to involution?
In this context, a wiser approach would be that of
controlled stimulation of diversity and heterogeneity,
generating oppositions and conflicts and, implicitly,
social and economic progress. Their development
should be stimulated, and their evolution channelled
along a particular direction, ascending and tension-
accumulating, which should reach a climax, of high
tension, at some particular time and in some particular
space, (pre-established, anticipated with maximum
precision), but also an equally well-directed solution.
At first sight, organizational therapy, based on
controlled stimulation of differences and oppositions
may seem (and even be, actually), extremely dangerous
for the stability of an organization. This therapy might
quickly generate neurotic anxiety, frustration, and
alienation of the members of the organization, when
irresponsibly and excessively used. But, considering the
fact that, practically, the stressful, crisis situations are
intermittent rather than permanent, that they do not
represent a constant in organizations, we think that such
shortcomings are very unlikely to appear.
STABILITY VS. INSTABILITY IN MODERN
ORGANIZATIONS. AVOIDING THE TENDENCY
TOWARDS STABILITY
Following the results of research on conflicts in
groups and organizations, we estimate that the
formation of professionals, specialists in triggering,
controlling and solving crisis situations, in capturing
and constructive directing of the individual and social
energies released by them, would serve for minimizing
the above risks and maximizing, thus, the opportunities
for progress, and for transforming the organization into
an extremely dynamic, flexible structure, easily
adaptable to the evolution of the society as a whole,
even if agitated enough on the inside. It would be
preferable for such a team of specialists not to be
associated in any way to the respective organization, but
rather to represent an external, really independent
structure.
In this way, the idea we are trying to promote is that
of avoiding, at any cost, the tendency to equilibrium -
characteristic of any organization, but in various
degrees-and of stimulating change by manipulating
differences, oppositions and conflicts among the
members of the group/organization, which increases,
from our point of view, the opportunities of social and
economic progress.
OBJECTIVES OF RESEARCH
Research indicates various degrees of acceptance of
individual, social, ethnic and racial differences. The
purpose of this study is to identify how differences are
perceived and managed among the university personnel.
Goals which we propose are related to developing and
implementing a specific program managing the
differences in academic context.
METHODOLOGY
The methods used are:
 the experiment;
 the sociometrical technique;
 the systematic observation;
 data analysis;
 case study.
These methods were combined in an experimental
design that allowed the gathering of information highly
significant to the studied organization and abolishing the
intervention of random variables.
The experimental group comprises 98 people from
the university (professors, lecturers, assistant university)
with age between 25 and 60 years. All these people
work in various departments of the university.
The experimental tasks: The individuals respond to
a questionnaire on educational values (moment T0).
After processing the results, subjects are given
information obtained in order to realize the differences
between them in terms of educational values (moment
T1). They are involved in a brief experiment based on
the monitoring of interactions that are established
between them (moment T2).
At this point, individuals respond again to the
questionnaire on educational values (moment T3). At
the end of the experiment, individuals are presented
with results from the second application of the
questionnaire (moment T4). We expect a significant
decline of the differences between them (from moment
T0 to moment T3).
RESULTS
The results of our research showed a large ambiguity
in perceiving differences and various degrees of
differences acceptance of the studied organization.
These parameters are significantly different depending
on hierarchical levels where participants are situated.
Being made in a university, the results of this research
are valid only in the academic environment.
Only that organization which is “wide-open to value
fields and representations of most of its members”
(Lemaître, 1984) becomes powerful.
The development of a culture of the organization
(that is, of the whole, not of its components) must be
based on this perspective for exploiting differences
existing among the systems of representations,
ideologies, beliefs, mentalities, and not on reducing
them (Milcu, 2006). The included subsystems will
adopt, consequently, wider perspectives for work,
unifying perspectives, based on what Sherif calls
superordinated goals.
It has been experimentally demonstrated that the
superordinated goals contribute to reducing conflicts
About The Diversity of University Organizations. Learning about Managing Differences. A Case Study
among compartments. But “these superordinated goals
cannot be reached merely by verbal manipulation or by
a consensus regarding some abstractions” (Sherif,
1979). This means identifying values around which
there is agreement between services (be that only
partial), these services to be then offered an operational
definition referring to the actions to be carried out.
These preferential attitudes that the organization
ranks highest must be defined collectively during a
debate in which all departments are involved. If not,
they will nor recognize their points of view in the final
definitions that will thus lose their consensual
significance. If, on the contrary, the pressure exerted by
a functional department comes to the fore, to impose on
all the others its own vision on the problems under
discussion, the efficiency of the organization will be
considerably diminished.
Most certainly, the phenomena mentioned above
(the existence of many systems of representations,
ideologies, beliefs, mentalities, professional values, etc.)
cannot totally disappear. However, as we have
underlined, this diversity may have not only negative
effects, but positive, synergetic ones, too, if the
interventions of the leadership have a regulating role.
For example, the agreement of several departments
concerning some particular problem, which, at first
sight, is a positive aspect, often has negative
consequences, in a longer perspective, because it does
not encourage the evolution of the organizations but
leads to stagnation (Milcu, 2005).
Therefore, the existence of a diversity of functional
departments and, implicitly, of systems of
representations, ideologies, beliefs, mentalities, must
neither be neglected nor incriminated because,
approaching a problem in such varied ways, sometimes
even opposing ones, ideas and solution-providing
strategies, wholly unexpected, extremely valuable, may
arise. Hidden, latent, up to now, problems of the
organization come to the surface to be approached from
new angles of vision (Milcu, 2006). The organizational
creativity is thus activated.
“It is necessary that, in some manner, the relation to
the values of each group/department should not be
discordant, liable to generate very strong contradictions
in the collective compartments addressed” (Sainsaulieu,
1987). The coexistence of differences becomes thus
more beneficial to the organization than conformism
and sharing of values.
CONCLUSIONS AND INTENTIONS
Any group / organization contains - by its very
structure, by its systems of statuses and roles- the germs
of conflicting relations. But they are not necessarily
explosive, destructive, and, by adequate management,
they can be converted into a factor of progress,
maintaining the group in a state of high social
activation, of positive agitation and tension. The only
problem is, in the context mentioned, that of supervision
597
and control (preponderantly informal) exerted by the
group upon its members.
Avoidance of placing the individual in free
interactive situations is thus required, for the simple fact
that the individual-already in a state of dissonance-will
sacrifice the interests of the group in favor of the
assertion of his own beliefs, opinions, mentalities,
ideals, irrespective of the consequences resulting from
such an action. And all these for the obvious purpose of
redressing the equilibrium/ consonance among the
cognitive elements initially perceived as being in
relations of marked incompatibility.
The research results are significant for the
organizations management, but also for human
resources practitioners and all personnel of the
organization. The design used for research can be useful
for researchers investigating other similar phenomena.
Managing differences becomes possible and even
beneficial to the organization.
The originality of this study comes from the
experimental design, the methods used, the managerial
perspective of our research, the opportunity for
exploiting differences in academic organizations.
Developing an organizational therapy based on
exploiting differences is a unique approach in the field.
We intend to extend this model approach for other
economic and professional organizations.
SELF-EVALUATION QUESTIONS AND
EXERCISES
• Define organizational diversity. Enumerate the
consequences of diversity upon some
organizational phenomena and processes.
• Interpret the real possibilities of leveling values
in groups and organizations.
• Define organizational culture. Analyze the
impact of the micro-cultures of the groups /
included compartments and the culture of the
organization.
• Define personalization of groups / organizations
and comment on the implications of this
phenomenon upon the organizational climate.
Identify the positive, beneficial dimensions and
the destructive ones of the phenomenon.
• Document the opportunity of forming internal
specialists in processes of negotiation.
• Document the opportunity of hiring external
specialists in processes of negotiation.
• Weigh the advantages and disadvantages of the
two options.
• Referring to a group or organization that you
know well, opt for one of the available choices.
Justify your choice.
• Document the constructive role of organizational
micro-cultures.
• Analyze the mechanisms by which the
organization can stimulate the creativity of social
actors.
598 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
SELECTIVE REFERENCES
1. Chmiel, Nik, (2008), Work and organizational psychology. A
european perspective, second edition, Blackwell Publishing Ltd.,
Malden USA, Oxford, UK, Carlton, Australia.
2. Coombs, Clyde H., Avrunin, George S., (1988), The Structure of
Conflict, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers, Hillsdale, New
Jersey, Hove and London.
3. De Dreu, C.K.W., Van Vianen, A.E.M., (2001), “Responses to
relationship conflict and team effectiveness”, Journal of
Organizational Behavior, 22, 309-328.
4. Denervaud, J.-M., (1990), “Des reformes pour la formation
professionnelle”, in Girod, R., Problèmes actuels la formation
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5. Donohue, W.A., Kolt, R., (1992), Managing interpersonal
conflict, CA: Sage, Newbury Park.
6. Ferguson, E.A., Cooper, J., (1987), “When push comes to
power: A test of power restoration theory's explanation for aggressive
conflict escalation”, Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 8: 273-
293.
7. Fisher, Gustave Nicolas, (1990), Les domaines de la
psychologie sociale: Le champ du social, Dunod, Paris.
8. Fisher, Gustave Nicolas, (1993), Les concepts fondamentaux de
la psychologie sociale, Dunod, Montreal.
9. Ginzel, Linda E., (1994), “The impact of biased inquiry
strategies on performance judgments”, Organizational Behavior and
Human Decision Processes, 57: 411-429.
10. Haslam, Alexander S., (2001), Psychology in organizations.
The Social Identity Approach, Sage Publications, London, Thousand
Oaks, New Delhi.
11. Jehn, Karen A., (1994), “Enhancing effectiveness: An
investigation of advantages and disadvantages of value-based
intragroup conflict”, International Journal of Conflict Management, 4:
223-238.
12. Kaptowitz, N., (1990), “National self-images, perception of
enemies, and conflict strategies: Psychopolitical dimensions of
international relations”, Political Psychology, 11: 39-81.
13. Kuenne, R.T., (1989), “Conflict management in mature
rivalry”, Journal of Conflict Resolution, 33: 554-566.
14. Lemaitre, N., (1984), Les cultures d'entreprise, Revue
française de gestion, 47-48.
15. Losey, Michael R., (1994),”Managing in an era of workplace
violence”, Managing Office Technology, 39: 27-28.
16. Midol, André, (1988), Crises. Agressions. Conflits. Guide des
comportements, C.N.P.P.–AFNOR, Paris.
17. Milcu, Marius, (2005), Psihologia relaţiilor interpersonale.
Competiţie şi conflict, Editura Polirom, Iaşi.
18. Milcu, Marius,, (2005), ”Research of the interpersonal
relations: use of a computerized test”, in Oprean, C., Kifor, C.V.,
Georgescu, N. (edit.), Conference proceedings. 3rd Balkan Region
Conference on Engineering Education. Advancing Engineering
Education, Ed. Univ. Lucian Blaga, pp. 254-255, Sibiu.
19. Milcu, Marius, (2006), Conflicte în grupuri şi organizaţii,
Editura Universităţii Lucian Blaga, Sibiu.
20. Milcu, M., Fischbach, A., Rafaeli, A., Schmidt-Brasse, U,
(2007), Modern psychological research. Trends and prospects, Ed.
Univ. Lucian Blaga, Sibiu.
21. Milcu, M., Sassu, R., Brate, B., (2008), Modern psychological
research: trends and prospects, Editura Universitară, Bucureşti.
22. Milcu, Marius, (2009), ”Implications of Personalizing
Organizations: Stimulating Organizational Creativity”, in Duşe,
D.M., Brîndaşu, P.D., Beju, L.D., Proceedings. The 4 rd International
Conference on Manufacturing Science and Education – MSE 2009,
vol. II, pp. 181 – 184, Ed. Univ. Lucian Blaga, Sibiu.
23. Milcu, M., Bronkema, Yazmin, Griebel, Wilfried, Sassu,
Raluca, (2009), Modern psychological research. Trends and prospects.
Quantitative research vs. qualitative research, Ed. Univ. Bucureşti.
24. Milcu, M., Griebel, Wilfried, Sassu, R., (2009), Cercetarea
psihologică modernă. Direcţii şi perspective. Cercetare cantitativă vs.
cercetare calitativă, Ed. Univ., Bucureşti.
25. Milcu, Marius, (2009),”Conflict Management in Modern
Organizations. Difficulties and Precautions in Designing and
Carrying Out Research Initiatives”, in Oprean, C., Grunwald, N.,
Kifor, C.V., Conference proceedings. Balkan Region Conference on
Engineering and Business Education, Ed. Univ. Lucian Blaga, vol. I,
pp. 293 – 297, Sibiu.
26. Milcu, Marius, (2009), „Managing the organizational
diversity”, în vol. M. Milcu, Modern Research In Psychology: Trends
And Prospects. Rethinking Applied Psychology, Ed. Univ., pp. 106 –
109, Bucureşti .
27. Milcu, Marius, (2009),”Managing the conflict within work
groups and organizations”, in vol. Milcu, M., Modern Research In
Psychology: Trends And Prospects. Rethinking Applied Psychology,
Ed. Univ., , 2009, pp. 110 – 114, Bucureşti.
28. Milcu, Marius, (2009), Strategies and techniques used in
conflict management within work groups and organizations: a
practical guide”, Oprean, C., Grunwald, N., Kifor, C.V., Conference
proceedings. Balkan Region Conference on Engineering and Business
Education. &International Conference on Engineering and Business
Education, Ed. Univ. „Lucian Blaga”, 2009, vol. II, pp. 553 – 556,
Sibiu.
29. Montana, Patrick J., Charnov, Bruce H., (2000),
Management, third edition, Barron’s Educational Series, Inc. Prior
editions, New York.
30. Muller, Jean-Louis, (1988), Le pouvoir dans les relations
quotidiennes, Les Editions d’ Organisation, Paris.
31. Neal, A., Griffin, M.A., ”A study of the lagged relationship
among safety climate, safety motivation, safety behavior and accidents
at the individual and group levels”, Journal of Applied Psychology,
91, 946-53.
32. Nelson, R.E., (1989),”The Strength of strong ties: Social
networks and intergroup conflict in organizations”, Academy of
Management Journal, 32: 377-401.
33. Pinkley, Robin L, (1990), Dimensions of conflict frame:
Disputant interpretations of conflict, Journal of Applied Psychology,
75: 117-126.
34. Rahim, M. Afzalur, Blum, Albert A., (1994), Global
Perspectives on Organizational Conflict, Praeger Publishers, Quorum
books, Westport, Connecticut, London.
35. Schraeder, M., Self, D.R., (2003), ”Enhancing the success of
mergers and aquisitions: an organizational culture perspective”,
Management Decision, 41 (5), 511-522.
36. Senior, B. (2002), Organizational change, second edition,
Pearson Education, Harlow.
37. Stone, Roumuald A., (1995), Workplace homicide: A time for
action, Business Horizon, 34: 17-20.
38. Swann, W. B., Jr., Stein-Seroussi, A., Giesler, B.,(1992),
”Why people self-verify”, Journal of Personality and Social
Psychology, 62: 392-401.
39. Tap, Pierre, (1990), ”Crise personelle et conflits
d’integration sociale”, in Touati, Armand, Conflits: origines,
evolutions, depassements, Hommes et Perspectives, Marseille, 36-42.
40. Thomas, Kenneth W., (1992), ”Conflict and negotiation
processes in organizations”, in M. Dunnette and L. Hough (eds.),
Handbook of Industrial and Organizational Psychology: 651-718.,
CA: Consulting Psychologists Press, Palo Alto.
41. Tjosvold, D.,Chia, L.C., (1989), ”Conflict between managers
and workers: The role of cooperation and competition”, The Journal
of Social Psychology, 129: 235-247.
42. Van de Vliert, Evert, De Dreu, Carsten, (1994), ”Optimizing
performance by conflict stimulation”, International Journal of Conflict
Management, 5: 211-222.
43. Winter, D., (1987), ”Enhancement of an enemy's power
motivation as a dynamic of conflict escalation”, Journal of Personality
and Social Psychology, 52: 41-46.
 THE NEGOTIATION IN EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS.
AN EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH
Marius MILCU1
1
Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Romania, marius.milcu@ulbsibiu.ro
Abstract: Different organizational cultures, like as personality styles of managers are true viruses affecting the negotiation’s
efficiency within and between educational organizations. Negotiation styles used by managers from different levels of educational
organizations are very different and sometimes unpredictable and inefficient. Being deprived of an adequate education in this sense,
these managers often work even against the interests of their organization.
Key words: Academic environment, educational organizations, negotiation skills, experimental research design
OBJECTIVES OF THE RESEARCH
• The identification of the existence of multiple systems
of representation, stereotypes, prejudices, ideologies,
professional values that make the organization not to
appear as a uniform culture, but as a dynamic set of
micro-cultures, which are complementary or mutually
exclusive. Selectively, they are either primary source of
organizational conflict, or a catalyzing element, and are
suffering dramatic changes over time;
• The differentiation of formal negotiation (in which
negotiators are appointed by their group to support and
defend their positions very clearly, having in this way a
well defined starting point, which constrain and strictly
delimit the negotiation field) from informal negotiation
(in which negotiators argue and defend personal
positions even ignoring their group interests or acting
against it and therefore having not a clear point of
departure; they may direct the negotiation in any desired
direction).
• Fighting traditionally-accepted thesis about
negotiation’s efficiency (classical view, by delegates)
and proposing a new model of negotiation (by
professionals).
HYPOTHESIS OF THE RESEARCH
H1. The simple perspective of a negotiation activates
different or even hostile systems of representation,
stereotypes, prejudices and professional values
(S.R.S.P.V.).
These systems of representation, stereotypes ... degrades
during the negotiation of the formal type, as follows:
H2.1. When negotiating with representatives of the
superior groups / levels, the negociator’s SRSPV tends
to get closer, so he shows a strong tendency to abandon
the starting positions, despite the constraints of his
prescriptions. This tendency is even stronger as the
distance between the higher levels is bigger.
H2.2. When negotiating with representatives of equal
groups, the negotiator's SRSPV tends to be preserved,
and the field of negotiating remains the one that was
prescribed by its mandate.
H3. The results of negotiations are leading to changes in
initial prescriptions mandate depending on the
hierarchical level at which negotiations were conducted.
In other words, the group tends to over-evaluate the
positions of power. This trend is stronger when the
hierarchical distance from the group which has
negotiated is lower - not considering the upwards or
downwards of this distance.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The originality of our research is the wide variety of
methods. Joining them into a complex ingenious
experimental design, with practical management
implications, the research brings a note of novelty and
originality, which increases the relevance of obtained
data. This study is addressed to school managers and
practitioners, indicating their need for adequate training
in the management of negotiation process.
The Psychosocial experiment
In order to describe the experiment it is necessary to
define the variables:
a. Independent variable
- The distance between the starting positions (initial
list) of the negotiators who belong to different
hierarchical levels involved in the negotiation.
b. Intermediate variable
- We consider the system of representation, stereotypes,
prejudices, professional values of the groups involved.
This will be measured through a questionnaire applied
three times after pre-test, test, post-test paradigm,
subsequently quantified.
c. Dependent variable
- We are considering the mandate’s requirements,
which guide the negotiation, the negotiator giving a
clear starting point and a clear stance to defend. More
specifically, we consider the prescriptions conservation,
meaning changing and removing the negotiator’s initial
position. The measurement of this variable will be
achieved also through a questionnaire applied in the
same paradigm (pre-test, test, post-test).
- Experimental group: it consists in 16 persons with
various management responsibilities, as follows:
600 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
• the study group (SG) - is composed of nine school
directors;
• the highest group / level (G1) - includes two
representatives from the Ministry of Education;
• the superior group / level (G2) - composed of two
general inspectors;
• the equal group / level (G3) - three directors from
various schools in the area.
- Experimental tasks: All research subjects will
complete a questionnaire on the representations,
stereotypes, prejudices, values compared with other
existing professional groups. Group members are
invited to give scores (1 to 5) of specific skills that are
more or less required in their work. Same task is to be
done (referring on the given group) by the other groups
involved - one equal and two superiors. After this stage,
all research subjects will complete a questionnaire on
the representations, stereotypes, prejudices, professional
values in relation to other groups. Assuming that
between these groups assessments differ significantly,
one member of each group will be mandated to
negotiate with others to establish a single list. Following
a further application of the questionnaire (SRSPV), then
we proceed to the actual negotiation with each group
delegate. After another application of the questionnaire,
negotiator returns to the group in question and presents
the results of negotiation.
Questionnaire
The method chosen to implement is the self-
administration. To measure the independent variable,
we developed a list of necessary skills for optimal
performance of work tasks and defects that are
detrimental. To measure the dependent variable, the
questionnaire was made up considering the qualitative
aspects of concrete relations established in the work
activities. It’s not so much about the real objectives of
the work, but especially about the subjective ones,
perceived by research subjects, or more specifically
about images, beliefs which the four studied groups
have built over time and which were subsequently
reinforced by social norms.
Processing and interpretation of results
During subsequent negotiations, the SRSPV of the
involved individuals has changed more or less
significantly. Basically, the validation of study
hypothesis (influence of the independent variable on the
dependent variable) refers to the study group negotiator
behavior (SG). This is the reason why the coefficients of
correlation and regression have been calculated.
The nature of existing relations between the two
variables is shown by the correlation coefficient. As you
can see above, it has a value of 0.701 at a significance
level of 0.01, so the correlation between the two
considered variables (SRSPV questionnaire values
obtained in the immediate prospect of negotiating with
the highest group G1 and values of the skills inventory
resulting from these negotiations) is a positive one.
In order to observe if and in which measure the
changes of the independent variable reflect on the
dependent variable, we calculated the regression
coefficient. Its value is negative (-0.266), meaning that
between two variables is an inverse relation. It shows
that an increase of one unit on the SRSPV scale leads to
changes in - 0.266 negotiations scale with the G1 skills
inventory to group SG.
In other words, to negotiate with the hierarchical
highest group / level, the negotiator study group tends to
approach the SRSPV values of the considered group,
strongly distancing themselves from their baseline,
which is somewhat predictable, superior group is highly
valued, as embodying the attributes of power, decision
authority, functional autonomy. Further, this change
results in a very different valuation of the specific skills
required in work activity, significant removal of the
requirements contained in the mandate of the negotiator.
An overview of negotiation at the moment T1 shows
that it is most effective (100%) when we talk about
hierarchical skills, very effective (70%) if it is about
individual skills, efficient (50%) if we negotiate social
skills, less efficient (37.2%) for professional skills and
very little effective (33%) for the physical ones.
Let’s see how the things are regarding the
negotiations with G2 (the superior group).
In order to reject the null hypothesis it is useful to
calculate the correlation coefficient between the
considered variables. As its value is 0.575 at a
significance level of 0.01, the two variables (values of
the SRSPV of the SG negotiator questionnaire at the
time T2 and the ones resulting from skills inventory
negotiation with the superior group G2) are closely
related. To perceive the change which occurs in the
dependent variable when the independent variable is
changing with one standard deviation, the regression
coefficient was calculated.
Regression coefficient’s value is negative (-1.233),
so between the variables there is an inverse association.
So if the SRSPV scale of SG group increases with one
unit, skills inventory scale negotiation with superior
group G2 is increasing with -1,233. In other words, the
negotiator SG shows a much stronger tendency to reject
the values and assessments negotiator G2, taking
distance from G2 values of skills Inventory.
Compared to the negotiation process between SG
and G1, where there is a certain tendency to
approximate the skills inventory values to the superior
group, in the negotiation SG with G2 the regression
coefficient values are definitely higher (by approx. 5
times); taking less distance of the SRSPV SG negotiator
values in the two research moments (T0 and T2), it
results that we assist to a much stronger differentiation
of the two skills inventories of the negotiating groups.
Regarding the negotiations with the highest group
the research hypothesis is valid.
But it is necessary that these considerations based on
quantitative analysis and detailed data are accompanied
The Negotiation in Educational Organizations. An Experimental Approach
by qualitative assessments, presenting the changes
dimensions. The problems in which we are interested
on are revealing in what direction the changes are
moving – up or down and further, how they affect the
inventory skills and the success of negotiation (how far
is the SG negotiator from the requirements of his
mandate).
In one way or another, these oscillations are
affecting the value of SRSPV scale, the results and the
efficiency of G2 negotiator, causing changes in the
skills inventory. A comprehensive overview of
negotiation between SG and G2 negotiators shows that
effective negotiation is based on the skills under
discussion. Thus, the efficiency decreases from
negotiating social skills (66%), professional skills
(60%), to individual skills (28.5%), physical skills
(25%) and the hierarchical order (0%).
Let’s see how things are in negotiation with an
equal group (G3).
The connection between the two considered
variables (initial values of SRSPV for SG negotiator and
those obtained in the process of negotiation with the G3
equal group, meaning the results of negotiations
between the two groups, as we can find it in the
negotiation protocol) is showed by the correlation
coefficient, whose value is 0.627 at a significance level
of 0.01. Thus, we can reject the null hypothesis value.
Regarding the way how the independent variable
fluctuation is reflected on the dependent variable, we
calculated the regression coefficient. Regression
coefficient (-0.273) value is also negative, indicating
inverse ratio between the values of the SRSPV SG
negotiator and the results of negotiations with the
negotiator of equal group G3. In other words, an
increase of one unit on SRSPV scale variable of SG
group is accompanied by an increase in negotiation
results scale with -0.273. The SRSPV values of the SG
negotiator tend to approach those of the G3 negotiator in
a relatively similar manner to those of the SG negotiator
(values are very close).
A brief comparative analysis of correlation and
regression coefficients values calculated for SG
negotiation with other three groups indicate that SRSPV
scores are distancing (in order) from to G1 highest
group, then to the equal group and then in a most
significant way from the G2 group. These oscillations in
the value of SRSPV register are affecting, further, the
results of negotiation (as stated research hypothesis),
making the SG negotiator to abandon its prescriptions.
The analysis of the whole negotiation of these
groups reveals the total cancellation of SG negotiator,
which, despite the existence of many divergent points -
16 out of 37 possible - refuse to engage in the
negotiation process, a small exception being the
professional skills. We can explain the situation by a
remnant of pride of belonging to a specific socio-
professional group, which made him support and defend
the mandate requirements that his group has invested
him.
601
CONCLUSIONS IN ORGANIZATIONAL
CONFLICT AND NEGOTIATION
Study results indicate a variety of strategies used in
the negotiation within and between educational
organizations. School managers do not have a specific
education, failing many times in situations of
negotiation required in our research. Incorrect,
inappropriate negotiation styles were identified. We
intend to expand the research in order to include in
future studies some other institutions of the local
administration and the government.
Explanatory approach of organizational conflict
reveal the many implicit subsystems of organizational
culture, coexisting in time and space, interacting in a
highly dynamic and complex way, thus creating a chain
reaction throughout the organization’s formal structure,
which affects it’s functionality. These implicit
phenomena (mentalities, ideologies, myths, beliefs,
representations, etc...) are distracting the members and
organizations groups (doesn’t matter their specific
hierarchical position) from the general objectives and
organizational goals. Their efforts and energy are
directed in unexpected or even dangerous ways, with
obvious loss of material and financial resources.
If we compared the diagrams of the three moments
of negotiation we advance some proposals for handling
this process and optimize the results to be obtained.
Analyzing negotiation diagram of the SG group and
highest group / level G1, we find that the SG negotiator
is not willing to negotiate the acts of hierarchical
organization structure, of the effective exercise of
power, of the authority, of the decision, but he is open to
negotiate about the professional or social issues. Thus,
assumptions are born of manipulation techniques by
unfocusing from strictly functional-hierarchical issues
(in which employees will not give up under any
circumstances in the event of work disputes) and
concentrating on the professional or social ones. This
redirection would be efficient for employees. They
could, in this context, make some compromise on these
latter issues, in order to demonstrate good faith and then
justify the absence of any real demands namely those
arising directly from the exercise of leadership
attributes.
Starting from the diagram group negotiation
between the delegates of the SG studied group and the
superior one G2, we anticipate that in the event of work
disagreements the SG demands are rather social and
professional. The delegates are less open to negotiation
with G2. Instead, they will be more tolerant regarding to
individual, physical and especially hierarchical skills
(G2 group is not perceived as a superior group).
It appears some managerial techniques consisting in
choosing for negotiation a person not belonging to the
higher group, but belonging to the intermediate level.
We draw the diagram negotiation between
representatives of the SG study group and the equal one,
while G3 clues on handling techniques of negotiation.
But the problem is that we can not accurately identify
602 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

the reasons for disengagement of SG negotiator. This is
really due to the fatigue felt of successive negotiations,
meaning the physical and mental energy spent by the
negotiator? In this case, we can not venture to define
some strategies; these could be fictional, without real
support. But if the situation is simply due to changes in
the value of SRSPV as the statistical evidence shows,
conclusions that can be drawn are shocking. What the
organizational leadership has to do in a conflict context
would be simply choosing its delegate to the negotiating
table as a person who does not belong to a superior
level, but an absolutely equal one. The difficulty and
duration of most negotiations in multiple and very
different organizations is understandable in these
circumstances. The negotiator, mandated by the
management, is always an organizational member of the
staff (executives, engineers, accountants, etc.).
It remains doubtful the opportunity to choose a
person from outside, meaning not associated in any
hierarchical level. We estimate a maximum efficiency
of negotiation in this situation. Obviously, in both cases,
the question of acceptance of such negotiator remains,
which would require significant efforts from those who
authorizes it, which should not be impossible.
In this context it would be advisable to hire a
professional from outside the organization, but this
approach would have to face, certainly, some ethical
and even financially obstacles, because unions could not
understand the need to import a specialist who would be
paid from the funds of union contributions. Thus, in an
unexpected way, the acceptance of an outside negotiator
could drive a virulent opposition and rejection reactions
from employers, but especially from the mass trade
union. Certainly, a cautions and intelligent approach of
the situation, based on a brief explanation and
clarification campaign among union members, would be
likely to eliminate or reduce the unwanted reactions.

Skills No. of items Negotiated points Gained points Lost points Negotiation efficiency %
Physical 4 3 1 2 33
Individual 11 5 3,5 1,5 70
Social 7 4 2 2 50
Professional 9 4 1,5 2,5 27,2
Hierarchical 3 2 2 - 100
Fig. 1. Negotiation SG - G 1
Skills No. of items Negotiated points Gained points Lost points Negotiation efficiency %

Physical 4 4 1 3 25
Individual 11 7 2 5 28,5
Social 7 3 2 1 66
Professional 9 5 3 2 60
Hierarchical 3 1 - 1 0
Fig. 2. Negotiation SG - G 2
Skills No. of items Negotiated points Gained points Lost points Negotiation efficiency %

Physical 4 2 - 2 0
Individual 11 8 - 8 0
Social 7 1 - 1 0
Professional 9 6 2 4 33
Hierarchical 3 - - - -
Fig. 3. Negotiation SG - G 3

Ed. Univ. Lucian Blaga, Sibiu.

SELECTIVE REFERENCES
1. Chmiel, Nik, (2008), Work and organizational psychology.
A european perspective, second edition, Blackwell Publishing
Ltd., Malden USA, Oxford, UK, Carlton, Australia.
2. Ginzel, Linda E., (1994), “The impact of biased inquiry
strategies on performance judgments”, Organizational Behavior
and Human Decision Processes, 57: 411-429.
3. Haslam, Alexander S., (2001), Psychology in
organizations. The Social Identity Approach, Sage Publications,
London, Thousand Oaks, New Delhi.
4. Jehn, Karen A., (1994), “Enhancing effectiveness: An
investigation of advantages and disadvantages of value-based
intragroup conflict”, International Journal of Conflict
Management, 4: 223-238.
5. Midol, André, (1988), Crises. Agressions. Conflits. Guide
des comportements, C.N.P.P.–AFNOR, Paris.
6. Milcu, Marius,, (2005), ”Research of the interpersonal
relations: use of a computerized test”, in Oprean, C., Kifor,
C.V., Georgescu, N. (edit.), Conference proceedings. 3rd Balkan
Region Conference on Engineering Education. Advancing
Engineering Education, Ed. Univ. Lucian Blaga, pp. 254-255,
Sibiu.
7. Milcu, M., Fischbach, A., Rafaeli, A., Schmidt-Brasse, U,
(2007), Modern psychological research. Trends and prospects,
8. Milcu, M., Sassu, R., Brate, B., (2008), Modern
psychological research: trends and prospects, Editura
Universitară, Bucureşti.
9. Milcu, M., Bronkema, Yazmin, Griebel, Wilfried, Sassu,
Raluca, (2009), Modern psychological research. Trends and
prospects. Quantitative research vs. qualitative research, Ed.
Univ. Bucureşti.
10. Milcu, Marius, (2009),”Conflict Management in Modern
Organizations. Difficulties and Precautions in Designing and
Carrying Out Research Initiatives”, in Oprean, C., Grunwald,
N., Kifor, C.V., Conference proceedings. Balkan Region
Conference on Engineering and Business Education, Ed. Univ.
Lucian Blaga, vol. I, pp. 293 – 297, Sibiu.
11. Milcu, Marius, (2009), „Managing the organizational
diversity”, în vol. M. Milcu, Modern Research In Psychology:
Trends And Prospects. Rethinking Applied Psychology, Ed.
Univ., pp. 106 – 109, Bucureşti .
12. Schraeder, M., Self, D.R., (2003), ”Enhancing the success
of mergers and aquisitions: an organizational culture
perspective”,
13. Stone, Roumuald A., (1995), Workplace homicide: A time
for action, Business Horizon, 34: 17-20.
14. Van de Vliert, Evert, De Dreu, Carsten, (1994),
”Optimizing performance by conflict stimulation”, International
Journal of Conflict Management, 5: 211-222.
 CURRENT DILEMMAS OF CORPORATE GOVERNANCE IN CHINA- PART I -
Michael MILES1
1
Ph.D.Telfer School of Management, miles@telfer.uottawa.ca

The concept of corporate governance to China has deep historical roots. The process of the Dong-Zhang system in the Ming dynasty is a direct
attempt of the Chinese culture to deal with the innate dilemma of management of the relationship between corporate owners and their hired
corporate managers. This paper briefly explores the historical development of corporate governance in China, and outlines the dilemmas faced
by corporations and the Chinese investor in relation to issues of governance. Findings indicate that some progress has been made in development
and promotion of legislation to ensure more transparency and representation of stakeholder needs. At the same time, weak implementation and
supervision of existing legislation as well as cultural strengths and drawbacks of Confucianism have limited progress in governance initiatives.

Keywords: Corporate Governance, China, Strategy, Confucius

From an historical point of view, issues related to
corporate governance, especially rights and
responsibilities of owner and manager and the decision
making process, have been explored in China long
before corporations existed in North America. The
Dong-Zhang System, widely used by banking businesses
(or “Jin Shang”) in Shanxi province, was widely known
by contemporary Chinese during the time of the Ming
(1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1912) dynasties [3]. Being
the first one to introduce paper money in the world, Jin
Shang once was very successful and dominated
financial service sector in ancient China. “Dong” is the
Chinese word for owner or investor, and “Zhang” is for
the executive manager. Tu (2003) discovered ancient
literatures that document the relationship between
owner and manager according to Dong Shan principles
in ways very similar to modern management structures.
Key principles included the following:
1. The manager has the authority to make non-
strategic decisions and to ensure undisrupted daily
operations of the firm. He has limited liabilities for
the long term success of the firm.
2. The owner has the authority to make major
decisions such as business expansion, promotion
and firing, and distributing dividends as well as
sharing profit among employees. The owner has
unlimited liability for firm’s well being.
3. The owner could not borrow or remove assets from
the firm without an agreement from the manager.
The Dong-Zhang relationship can be viewed as a
primitive governance contract between business owner
and manager. It resembled the structure of the
relationship between owners and managers in modern
corporations in its most simple form and included some
reward and control elements strikingly similar to current
Board mechanisms. For example, researchers
documented an incident illustrating a conflict of interest
between the manager and the owner in the largest bank
at that time. In this case, the managers secretly set up
accounts for customer lending and personal profit taking
without reporting the structure to the owner. To deal
with such problem, the owner invented a mechanism
similar to today’s stock option.
The intent and effect of this approach created a common
ground of interests between the manager and the owner.
Researchers also documented how Dong-Zhang
relations were impacted by managers’ ethical standard,
defined by morality, loyalty and belief. Tu (2003) and
Zhang (2004) maintain that, hundreds years before the
concept of corporate governance was introduced in
Western business systems, the Chinese business
community had identified and understand the problem
of conflict of interests among stakeholders as business
grew and to develop solutions.
Events in the forms of social turmoil, wars, and
economic events in the last two centuries caused
disruption to the evolution of economic and market
development in China. Ideas of corporate governance
shifted radically after communist took power when
everything was owned by the state. Important economic
and governance decisions were made by government
and party officials. But after more than two decades of
market reform started in early 1980s, China has come to
realize that there needs to be a decision process with
supporting organizational structure within the
corporation in order to ensure long term prosperity and
avoid the type of scandal modeled by Greencool in an
investor-driven market context.
In mid 1990s, researchers and government officials
started exploring the concept of corporate governance.
In September 1999, the Communist Party’s 15th Central
Committee adopted a decision that calls for “strategic
adjustment” of the state sector. The decision identifies
corporate governance as the core of modern enterprises.
Since then, according to professor Tong Lu, director of
Chinese center for Corporate Governance at Institute of
World Economics and Politics of Chinese Academy of
Social Sciences, more than 1200 large SOEs have
diversified ownership through public listing, and 80
percent of small and medium sized corporations have
been transformed into non-state owned enterprises (Lu,
2003).
Beyond the restructuring and redesign of the form of the
corporations, a legal framework driving preferred
governance processes has also been established. The
Chinese national legislature passed the Company Law in
1993 and the Security Law in 1998, both of which
outline legal requirements related to corporate practices.
In 2002, the Code of Corporate Governance was
formulated in accordance with these laws and other
604 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
relevant regulations. It serves as a standard for
evaluating corporate governance practices of listing
companies. While practice within the majority of
Chinese corporations still lags behind the overall vision
captured in these legal initiatives Li (2000), all listed
companies are required to act in spirit of the code to
improve corporate governance
Corporations and Governance Models in China
China is in a transition from planned economy
represented by state ownership to market economy
characterized by private enterprises. As a result, there
are various forms of corporate ownership concurrently
existing, each featuring unique corporate governance
practices. Chen Jia Gui and Huang Qun Hui (2001)
developed three general categories based on the
distribution of shareholding. These are briefly described
below.
State-centric model
Corporations using this model include commercial
institutes wholly owned by the state but yet to be
incorporated, incorporated companies wholly owned by
the state, and incorporated enterprises partially owned
by the state. The predominant feature of this model is
high concentration of state ownership. The ownership is
vested in the State-Owned Assets Supervision and
Administration Commission, an administrative arm
under the State Council of China. What is unique in
China is that shares owned by the state, typically
making up half or more of the total shares of the
corporation, are not allowed to circulate on the equity
market. This essentially limits any shift in ownership of
the corporation and puts the State in a dominant
shareholder position with regard to governance
decisions.
From a governance perspective, transition from SOE
toward a more market-oriented structure has had
strategic – and frequently negative – implications for
shareholder influence. During the transition, power
traditionally commanded by the state is shifted
downwards to the managers, who in turn take control of
the firm (Li, 2000). This leads to the situation where key
managers are not separated from the decision making
function of the board. In many cases, overlap of
management team and board becomes very common
(Chen and Huang, 2003). Externally, the function of
government as the largest shareholder commands the
power of assigning management personnel, of
approving major business decisions, and of controlling
business activities in accordance with government
regulations and policies. The structure of governance
has the appearance of external influence, but the
processes of governance maintain the reality that the
corporations remain arms of the State for policy and/or
personal privilege advantage.
-centric model
This model applies to private sector and some
collectively owned enterprises, where government had
no ownership. This is the fastest growing sector in
China’s economy. According to Chen and Huang, the
most important feature of private enterprises is that, the
ownership is concentrated in one or two primary owners
and their relatives. A survey in 2000 (Wang, 2003)
revealed that 66% of the shareholding of these
companies are predominantly concentrated in one
primary owner. Close family members retain another 17
percent of the ownership. Companies falling into this
category may see the ownership diversified to a degree
after the company goes public, however the founding
family still retains absolute control (Wang, 2003).
Internally, these companies are controlled by a small
core made up with family members. Although many of
the larger private companies have established
governance mechanisms such as boards of directors and
advisory boards, offices of the CEO, and board
meetings, they can still be characterized as closed
organizations with family members in key positions on
the board and in management. Key business decisions
are made exclusively by these personnel. To a large
degree, the family centric governance model is an
effective solution to the problem of motivating the
management team, as conflict of interest between
manager and owner rarely occurs within a family.
Although this model of governance does not reflect
modern standards under current legislation and world
practices, given the current transitional situation in
China which lacks a fully implemented rule of law and
effective norms and standards for proper governance
conduct, it plays a positive role from the perspective of
profitability of the firm.
Corporation-oriented model
The “legal person” in this model is in a form of legal
person institutions, investment agencies, banks or
investment funds that become the predominant
shareholders of the firm. A legal person share is a form
of institutional shareholding in which the legal person
institution effectively functions as a holding company.
Among publicly traded firms, legal person holdings of
shares make a significant portion of the investment
market (18% in 1992) and that percentage is increasing
at a fast pace, with growth to 28% in 1998 (Chen and
Wang, 2001). The trend to legal person shareholding
will exceed state shareholding in the foreseeable future.
Compared with the state centric model, legal person
shareholders potentially play a more proactive and
effective role on the board. This is because the objective
of the legal person is to maximize the return on
investment. Additionally, Chinese law prohibits legal
person shares from being traded. Holding companies
who invest in such shares are forced to focus on long
term financial performance instead of short term gains.
Externally, the legal person centric model relies more on
Current Dilemmas of Corporate Governance in China- Part I -
the market as a control mechanism, in contrast to state
centric model that relies on government regulation and
economic policy (Chen and Wang, 2001).
Joint Venture model
Li and Wu (2005) identify another form of governance
model widely adopted by joint-venture firms. A joint
venture is a strategic partnership or alliance between
foreign corporations and domestic companies. It is an
independent institution and maintains a status similar to
state or privately owned enterprises. The governance
structure of typical Chinese joint ventures features a
board that is comprised of management personnel from
parent companies. The chairman and members of the
board are assigned by foreign and domestic partners
after negotiation. The distribution of control is tied to
their proportion of investment. It is very rare that the
board has external members. Because of this, major
decisions and business execution of a joint venture firm
can not be realized without approval of senior
management of parent companies. Lack of
independence of the board from influence and direction
from the parent companies are the main characteristics
of this model.
Dilemmas of Corporate Governance in China
Lack of governance structure
A survey by the State Development Planning
Commission of the State Council in 2004 (CENET,
2005) revealed that only 31.7% of the large state owned
companies have established formal governance
structures and processes, including shareholder
meetings, boards of directors, advisory boards and
executive management bodies. More significantly, over
30 percent of the companies surveyed do not have a
governance structure in any form. The rest of companies
in the survey reported incomplete governance structures.
Without the requisite structures to carry out mandated
legislation, the promulgation of new rules and policies
cannot lead to any shifts in present governance patterns
at an operational level.
Single dominant-person boards and close ties
between government and the corporation
The dominance of the Board by a single individual
playing both the role of CEO and Chairman of the
Board is very common among large corporations
previously owned and managed by the government
during the planned economy era. During the reform, the
heads of the company, typically the government
appointed President or the Party Secretary,
automatically become the Chairman of the Board while
their operating titles changed to CEO or general
manager. Because the reform shifted government power
downwards to the manager and a more autonomous
decision-making status was granted, these personnel
enjoy enormous power and effectively take control of
the Board and the company (Lin, 2004). For example,
Baosteel Group, the largest steel maker in China and a
Fortune 500 company, is governed by a board composed
605
mostly of current or past senior managers. Xie Qi Hua,
the president and CEO is also the Chairwoman of the
Board. China Chengtong Group, a company once
directly under the Ministry of Goods and Material and
later dissolved, has a board composed of general
managers of member companies associated with the
holding company (China Newsweek, 2004).
State Council is aware of this dilemma. Since the
establishment of China’s securities regulator, the China
Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC), more than
300 laws and directives concerning the securities and
futures market have been issued. The State-Owned
Assets Supervision and Administration Commission
(SASAC) has also generated a number of initiatives to
address the problem:
1. SASAC has undertaken to assign external directors
and independent directors to a small number of
pioneering companies. They have also issued a
regulation that over 30% of the board members
must be independent (China Newsweek, 2004).
2. SASAC has transformed a number of SOEs into
State Invested Corporations (SICs). For historical
reasons, SOEs were nominally associated with
government bodies. As a result of the frequent
conflicts between policy goals and financial goals,
the process of decision-making was heavily
influenced by bureaucrats and often was not in the
best interest of the firm and its shareholders. The
new structure of SICs is designed to focus the
management decision-making directly on the
financial output of the firms.
Lack of a strongly developed legal foundation is the
main difficulty in successfully executing these
initiatives. Because SASAC is a government arm, the
governance structure and processes imposed by it
continue to be haunted by problems similar to those it
has attempted to solve. As a government body, SASAC
itself has to take into consideration the social
implications of the decisions the SICs take (Su, 2005).
One solution is the State Assets Law formulated in 1993
but yet to be approved by the legislature. This
legislation will clarify the relationship between SOEs
privatized under the new economy and their former
State owners. The Chinese government and business
leaders are fully aware of the importance of this law as
the concept of “rule by law” becomes more widely
accepted. The State Assets Law is intended to be the
constitution guiding the reform of SOEs and its
governance structure and process (Su, 2005).
Concentrated Ownership Structure
A related problem for China’s corporate governance
development is the highly concentrated ownership
structure in Chinese companies (Cha, 2001; Doe and
Chan, 2001; Lin and Tang, 2001; Tam, 2002; Tenev and
Zhang, 2002; Wei, 2003). Current legislation limits the
 606 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
trading of securities on the market to individual shares
only.
9.
Other categories of shares (State shares and legal person
shares) are not currently able to be traded officially on
the market, resulting in over 60% of the actual existing
10.
shares not being actively exchanged. As of the end of
2000, the combined shares of both the Shanghai and 11.
Shenzhen Stock Exchange were 374.628 billion shares.
Of these, only 35.62% belonged to individual share 12.
holders while state and legal person shares accounted
for 37.35% and 27.03% respectively. This represents a
13.
total of 64.38% non-tradable shares. (CCX, 2001). 14.
While the recent expansion of private sector Chinese-
dominated IPOs and public firms has shifted this 15.
situation somewhat, the large number of non-tradeable
shares continues to impact the impact of the market on
16.
share valuation. The immediate and direct impact of this 17.
situation is a reduced the liquidity in the secondary
market. This represents a critical obstacle to operating
18.
the market efficiently.
Lack of effectiveness of independent directors
Although Chinese companies are moving in the 19.
direction of using independent directors, the current
number is small. A recent study conducted by Nankai 20.
University (Lihua Jing, Wenqun Zhou, Yuen-ching Tse,
2005) studied a random sample of 228 companies listed
21.
on stock markets in Shanghai and Shenzhen. They
found that, on average, less than 25 percent of board
members are independent. This is in contrast to two-
thirds average weight of independent directors in US 22.
(Tenev & Zhang, 2002). The research also suggested
that independent directors are generally not properly
compensated for their service. This prevents the
development of a “market” for independent directors. 23.
On the other side of the equation, data gathered on the
24.
performance of the Nankai University sample of listed
companies failed to demonstrate a positive correlation 25.
between performance and the number of independent
directors. Based on these results, the study concluded 26.
that independent Board members lack critical clout 27.
preventing them from playing a more effective role in
the governance of the company.
28.
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zlms/zlms-zw.asp
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Governance in China: Ethical and Legal Problems. Nankai
Business Review. Vol. 2, pp. 23-37.
Lin, Thomas (2004). Corporate Governance in China: Recent
Developments, Key Problems and Solutions. Journal of Accounting
and Corporate Governance, Vol 1 (June), pp. 1-23.
Lin, Thomas, and Yunwei Tang. 2001. “China’s Securities Market
And Accounting Disclosure Requirements: Current Problems and
Suggested Solutions.” Working paper, Leventhal School of
Accounting, University of Southern California.
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Academy for Social Science.
(http://www.iwep.org.cn/cccg/pdf/Corporate%20Governance%20in
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China%20%20Prof.pdf)
State-Owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission
(2001). Governance Laws.
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May 20.
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Governance in
China.” Journal of Business Ethics. May, Vol. 37, No. 3; Part 2, pp.
303-320.
Tang Ren Wu (2005) Confucius and the Management Style of
Chinese Enterprises.
http://www.usc.cuhk.edu.hk/wk_wzdetails.asp?id=4027
Tenev, Stoyan and Chulin Zhang. 2002. Corporate Governance and
Enterprise Reform in China, World Bank and the International
Finance Corporation.
The China Manager Network (2003) 儒儒中政我华告政我儒中
http://www.wccep.com/Html/2003822162622-1.Html
Wang Xiaoying (2003). The causes and trends of governance
structures of family firms. Digital Journal of Non-governmental
Enterprises. Vol. 3 (October), pp. 33-45.
Wei, Yuwa. 2003. “An Overview of Corporate Governance in
China.” Syracuse Journal
of International Law and Commerce. Vol. 30, No. 1, pp. 23-48.
Yan Xiaokai (2004). Christian Religion and Governance.
http://www.yannan.cn/data/
detail.php?id=2964
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http://www.e521.com/ckwk/caiwu/700003/0403133647.htm
 CURRENT DILEMMAS OF CORPORATE GOVERNANCE IN CHINA- PART II -
Michael MILES1
1
Ph.D.Telfer School of Management, miles@telfer.uottawa.ca

The concept of corporate governance to China has deep historical roots. The process of the Dong-Zhang system in the Ming dynasty is a direct
attempt of the Chinese culture to deal with the innate dilemma of management of the relationship between corporate owners and their hired
corporate managers. This paper briefly explores the historical development of corporate governance in China, and outlines the dilemmas faced
by corporations and the Chinese investor in relation to issues of governance. Findings indicate that some progress has been made in development
and promotion of legislation to ensure more transparency and representation of stakeholder needs. At the same time, weak implementation and
supervision of existing legislation as well as cultural strengths and drawbacks of Confucianism have limited progress in governance initiatives.

Keywords: Corporate Governance, China, Strategy, Confucius

3. Parent companies use their own standards to

Dilemmas for Joint Venture Companies
Li and Wu (2005) identified three major governance
problems for joint venture firms:
1. The Board is generally exclusively controlled by
parent companies and lacks an adequate governance
structures to deal with different or divergent
interests of the partners. Li and Wu conducted a
survey of 200 Tianjin-based limited-liability joint
venture firms, each with assets exceeding 10
million US dollars. Ninety percent of surveyed
firms did not have external directors sitting on their
boards. Only ten percent of surveyed companies
had advisory boards. The lack of such governance
infrastructure led to significant difficulties of
strategy development, compliance mechanism
implementation, and both internal and external
transparency (Li and Wu, 2005).
2. The relation between management and the board is
typically not clearly defined. Key management
personnel are assigned by parent companies and do
not report to the Board. This leads to distorted
behavior of managers, frequently in service of
parent company objectives that may not support the
immediate or long term objectives of the joint
venture. Since parent companies have the authority
to assign and remove executive managers, these
individuals must obey parent companies directives.
This puts the Board, which rightly has the
responsibility for executive oversight, in a difficult
position and prevents it from functioning properly.
The general practice is that the Chairman of the
Board comes from Chinese partner and the CEO
comes from the foreign partner. In reality the
Chairman is under the control of the Chinese
interests and does not have any real power. The
general manager has nominal control of the
company but must respond to the directives of the
foreign parent companies. Governance under such
conditions is problematic at best.
evaluate executive managers. As the result, joint
venture companies generally do not have
independent standards and procedures to monitor
and to evaluate management’ performance. In 56
percent of surveyed companies, performance of the
manager is evaluated only by the parent firm. (Li
and Wu, 2005)
Governance and Ethics in Cultural Context
Chinese businesses have generally treated the concept of
corporate governance and its related concepts of
shareholder value, transparency, and accountability as
irrelevant or inconvenient barriers to freedom of action.
Market reforms led by the central government had not
addressed this issue until a few years ago (Lin, 2004)
and corporations generally do not have effective
corporate governance structures such as those widely
adopted by the western enterprises. Yet China with 1.3
billion people has enjoyed economic growth
unprecedented in the human history. The number and
economic prosperity of private enterprises has grown
dramatically since market reform began in 1988.
Despite the fact that SOEs have struggled for survival,
many of them have emerged as industry leaders and
“back-bone” players in the rapidly expanding economy.
Companies such as Huawei Technologies (private,
telecom equipment), Shanghai Baosteel Group (SOE,
steel), Haier Group (a hybrid of SOE, private and joint
venture, consumer electronics), TCL (SOE), Lenovo (a
hybrid of SOE and private, computer manufacturing),
SAIC (a hybrid of SOE and joint venture, automobiles)
and Wan Xiang Group (private, auto parts) have
evolved into global corporations with billions of dollars
of annual revenue. Review of relevant governance
literature (Lin, 2004; Li and Wu, 2005) indicate that this
success was largely achieved without the guidance of
modern corporate governance structures and processes.
On the other hand, corruption and bad corporate
governance practices are rampant in China, including
grafting, fraud, and stealing of intellectual property. The
number of such cases has been growing at an annual
pace of 22 percent (Gu Zi An, 2005). Between 1983 to
1987, there were less than one hundred thousand
corruption cases reported. The number increased to over
608 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
one hundred and fifty thousand for the period of 1988-
1992, and to three hundred and ninety thousand for
1993-1997. This is an astonishing increase of corruption
cases in a country where offenders are subject to severe
punishment including the death penalty. The continued
growth of corruption and the parallel increase in
profitability and apparent effectiveness of Chinese
corporations begs the question: how is it possible in a
situation of high corruption and lack of apparent modern
governance structures for corporations to achieve the
levels of success that are to be found in today’s China?
Confucian ideology
The answer to the phenomenal growth in the face of
limited governance structures and processes paralleled
by increasing corruption may lie in both the strengths
and the weaknesses of Confucian ideology
Despite changes of dynasty once every few hundred
years, the political structure of government and Chinese
society has remained very stable since the Han dynasty
(BC 140 – AC 220). The success of traditional Chinese
political structure may be attributed to fact that
government at all levels is guided by Confucian
philosophy, which defines rules for ethical and moral
conduct of those who are in power. Confucian
philosophy is built around a set of ethical relationships:
relations between a person and family members,
geographical locations, business and career, and the
material world. It assigns strong emphasis to harmony
among these elements. Confucian ideology requires
those who command power affecting the balance of
relations to be responsible for maintaining harmony.
Personal interests in principle must give way to the well
being of the people and society. As such, a set of moral
and ethical standard are imposed on these individuals.
The selection of government official is based on the
evaluation of moral standards guided by Confucian
ideology, through national exams and interviews as well
as through internal promotion. Despite the fact that
China has been ruled by communist ideology for half a
century, the ancient traditions have not lost their roots.
Similar to government officials, managers of State
Owned Enterprises are selected primarily based on their
moral and ethical behavior. Although owners and
managers of private enterprises do not go through this
process, their behavior is heavily influenced by the
tradition as well.
In mid 1990s, researchers and government officials Ren
Wu (2005) summarized three traits of this phenomena:
1. A good manager must have the spirits of taking
responsibility to maintain the well being of the
country, or in Chinese “Yi Tian Xia Wei Ji Ren”.
He is required “to worry before people start to
worry, and to enjoy after people have enjoyed”. As
a manager he will focus on profitability of the
company, but when conflict of interests arises, he
must exercise judgment, and place the society
above the company.
2. A good manager promotes a corporate culture that
is built around the sense of collectivism. He treats
his subordinates as co-workers. And to some
degree, he must act as servant and role model to the
group because he holds power that can greatly
influence the behavior of his employees.
3. A good manager actively advocates civil ethics,
dissolving tension within the organization and
among competitors. The market economy to which
China is exposed is characterized by fierce
competition in many ways new to the Chinese. Not
only rival companies are competing for a better
position on the market, but also employees within
the organization are competing for promotion and
career prospects. Consequently, social harmony
greatly valued by the tradition is being threatened.
The manager is responsible to maintain harmonious
relations among people and among organizations.
The impact of such overriding traditional “governance”
philosophies may provide one explanation for the
success of Chinese corporations without the externally
generated checks and balances associated with modern
Western governance practices. The China Manager
Network (2003) compared decision making process
used by American managers and their Chinese
counterparts in joint ventures. The authors point out that
traditional Confucian philosophy advocates a “middle
path” approach when it comes to making decisions that
affect interests of multiple stakeholders. By taking the
“middle path”, stakeholders are able to make
compromise and eventually to reach a consensus. In
contrast, managers of American companies tend to
make decisions on an individual basis. Unilateral
decision and decision by vote are common practices
adopted by American companies. This may explain the
necessity of proper corporate governance structure for
American (and Western in general) firms because such
governance structures and processes provide a
mechanism of check and balance in order to reduce the
possibility of inappropriate or incorrect decisions. For
Chinese companies, to a certain degree, a culture of
consensus and group-based decision making process
provide a substitute of check-and-balance.
The drawback to this approach to decision-making is a
much longer response time, low efficiency, and less
concern for stakeholders not perceived to be “part of the
family”. (Tam, 2002). It is these interested parties,
including both minority shareholders and broader based
stakeholders, who increasingly bring allegations of
corruption against those who make decisions in favor of
internal interests and parties. In a world of increasing
wealth and investment interest, a movement away from
the Confucian-driven approach toward a more
formalized legal approach appears inevitable. Indeed,
since the establishment of China’s securities regulator in
1992, more than 300 laws and directives concerning the
Current Dilemmas of Corporate Governance in China- Part II -
securities and futures market have been issued. (Lin,
2004)
The requirement for the development of a more
legalistic approach highlights one of the weaknesses of
the Confucian orientation. While Confucianism
provides a strong philosophical support for morality in a
general sense, it does not provide the clear and
uncompromising sets of standards and rules which other
more structured and constraining philosophies do. The
rule of law, for example, is still a new concept in China.
The traditional governance structure is rule by arbitrary
decision by individual managers or officials (Bond,
1986). The lack of concrete codes by which individuals
can be judged allows the concept of morality to be
interpreted in vastly different ways by individuals at
different levels of corporations. Rampant corruption
may be attributed less to the lack of strong moral belief,
and more to a lack of codes of ethics and behavior that
clearly spell out right and wrong and which provides
clear guidance to behavior. Yan Xiaokai (2004)
suggests that religion is a critical factor contributing to
ethical standards associated with the success of western
corporations. Yan suggests that a lack of religious
tradition in China and as associated scarcity of
prescriptive ethical guidelines may have hindered the
development of market economy. He proposes that, in a
successful market economy, religion plays a critical
role, termed “the third party function”. To reach a deal
between the buyer and the seller, a “third party” is
needed to play the role of arbitration when conflict
arises. The currency of such arbitration is trust. Without
trust, there would not be market trade and there would
no modern enterprises. Within the basic Christian
doctrine, the admonition that a person shall not lie and
steal lays a foundation for the development of such
trust. The Confucian tradition provides only general
guidelines and a philosophy of relationship, forcing
individuals to develop their own set of relative
behavioral guidelines.
Although Confucian ideology has dominated Chinese
culture for over two thousand years, and has
successfully set the moral and ethical standards that
have clearly facilitated the success of the Chinese
civilization and economy, it lacks the clear ethical
standards, with implications for immediate and/or
eternal reward and punishment that many religions
possess. To ordinary Chinese people, there is no sense
of belief that violating general Confucian moral rules
will bring ultimate and inescapable punishment. Various
religions have been practiced by Chinese through out
history, such as Buddhism and Islam, but they never
reached a status similar to Christian or Jewish religions
in Western civilizations.
On the positive side, Confucianism has spared the
Chinese Emperors the dependence on a State church for
the justification of their power. Absence of state religion
has brought the benefit that China did not suffer the
religious wars that ravaged Europe. The Chinese have
never had to face the option "believe or die", neither
609
have they had to sacrifice their lives to defend their
faith, or to assume its expansion. On the negative side,
there is a lack of “absolute truth” around such issues as
stealing or lying in Chinese culture. This lack of
absolute and clear directive has lead to an absence of a
social norm of generalized trust. As the result, corrupted
managers can be tempted to place their personal
interests before the interests of shareholders and the law
when they believe they have a good chance of not being
caught. Yan (2004) suggests that the introduction of
clear standards and structures associated with modern
governance can add the stability and clarity necessary to
move this element of Chinese culture forward in a
positive manner. Though lacking in philosophical depth,
the regulations slowly and clearly being developed and
disseminated by the governing bodies in China can
serve as a surrogate substitute for the missing clarity of
the more general nature of Confucian philosophy. This
may provide the beginning of trust sufficient to bring
more Chinese and foreign partners together around
corporate dealings across cultures and businesses.
Conclusion
Corporate governance is a new concept in China, having
been introduced very recently during market reform,
especially around the privatization of State Owned
Enterprises. The government of China fully recognizes
at some level that effective corporate governance is
critical to the success of the reform and is putting great
effort on establishing effective legal frameworks to
clarify expectations and enforce quality governance
processes. Although governance structures of various
forms have been rapidly established, their effectiveness
remains questionable due to resistance both from the
corporations who would be governed and those who
would enforce governance. It will clearly take time and
increased depth of understanding for corporations to
adopt effective western style governance practices.
Although the reform has been going on for over two
decades, the process of change has may well be said to
emulate the general principles of Confucianism outline
above. There has been no guiding ideology and the
strategy of the reform has not been clearly articulated.
The “market economy” is more of an objective than a
strategy. The path of evolution in corporate governance
has been mostly a copy of the existing Western system.
He Ai Guo (2001) suggests that importation of the
Western system is only one of many options. An
alternative may be to explore approaches more in
keeping with China’s traditional approach to life,
including a system based on Confucian moral
philosophy. He Ai Guo argues that copying Western
systems without adaptation could lead to a loss of
culture and identity as a Chinese nation, and a nation
without a strong culture and value orientation will not
succeed in global competition. He calls for the business
and government to pay more attention to tradition when
formulating the strategy of reforming corporate
governance and to attempt to develop an approach
 610 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

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 THE DEVELOPMENT OF MANAGERIAL AND ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS IN A
MEDIUM SIZE BUSINESS ORGANIZATION

D. MIRICESCU 1, G.M. MORARU2, D.D. DUMITRAŞCU3

1
“Lucian Blaga” University of Sibiu, Romania, Department of Economic Engineering, dan.miricescu@ulbsibiu.ro
2
“Lucian Blaga” University of Sibiu, Romania, Department of Economic Engineering, gina.moraru@ulbsibiu.ro
3
“Lucian Blaga” University of Sibiu, Romania, Department of Economic Engineering, dan.dumitrascu@ulbsibiu.ro

Abstract: In order to improve the management and human resource adaptability to the organizational changes in a medium size firm,
researchers proposed a project, which implementation leaded to the development of the managerial and entrepreneurial abilities of 30
operational managers, by teaching them to become trainers. These trainers developed than the professional skills of the employees.
The new training methodology used by the analyzed firm could be regarded as a model for any economic organization in Romania in
order to surpass the economic crises.
Key words: development, entrepreneurial, managerial, skills, organization.

• To increase the competences of the employees and

1. INTRODUCTION
In today’s organizations, projects offer the means
that make it possible for changes to occur in the future
of the organization. Through projects, the organization
adapts its strategy, so that it can successfully face the
environment conditions that are permanently changing.
A team of researchers from “Lucian Blaga”
University of Sibiu and from a medium size firm in
Sibiu attempts to transform this firm into an
organization “that continually learns”. The maintenance
of the company among the leaders of automotive parts
producers depends on the value of the people and on
their devotion to the organization.
The use of new technology and methods of
production and the development of new products led to
the reorganization of the business. This generated the
appearance of a group of employees (operational staff)
whose qualifications are no longer in accordance with
the present requirements of the labor market and of the
firm. This group is made up of people who find it
difficult to integrate from the socio-professional point of
view, people whose training no longer corresponds to
the requirements of the position, young people who
graduated from high schools and have been recently
hired and women after the maternity leave period.
Researchers proposed a project, which
implementation leaded to the development of the
managerial and entrepreneurial abilities of 30
operational managers, by teaching them to become
trainers. These trainers developed than the professional
skills of the employees, by teaching 60 people to use
machine tools with numerical control.
The priorities of this project were:
• To promote permanent learning;
• To support people who find it difficult to integrate
socio-professionally in the training process, in order
to preserve their job in the company;
• To develop the managerial competences of the
leading staff (especially inferior managers with
average studies);
to promote their adaptability to the organizational
changes imposed by the business environment in
general, and especially by the technical
environment;
• To produce a behavioral change and to raise their
awareness of the fact that they belong to the
organizational culture;
• The rapid adaptation to new jobs of people
transferred from a department to another and of the
young people recently employed;
• Forming a group of entrepreneurs in the firm, being
able to develop a new organizational network in the
automotive parts industry.
The project consisted of organized programs of
professional training adapted to the requirements of the
labor market. The purpose is to preserve and promote
employees in a company.
The project contributed to the achievement of the
company’s goals which refer to: the growth of labor
productivity, the diminution of non-conformities, of the
number of complaints, the increase in the quality of
products, in the degree of the employees’ professional
training and in their loyalty to the organization, the
development of the entrepreneurial abilities of the
operational managers.
The project included courses designed especially to
develop managerial and entrepreneurial skills of the
students: organizational culture, modern systems of
process improvement, development of entrepreneurial
skills, time management and communication.
2. OBJECTIVES AND RESULTS OF THE
PROJECT
2.1. General and specific objectives of the project
The general objective of the project was to develop
the professional skills of the human resources of the
firm. This objective supports the company in that it
provides re-qualified staff, capable to use modern means
of production. The project contributed to the
achievement of the general objectives of the company
612 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

(mentioned at 1) and created a general feeling of
belonging to the culture of the organization.
More, the project improved the skills of the
employees by re-qualifying them, thus helping them to
adapt to the changes that have appeared after the
technological novelties that have appeared in company.
The first specific objective of the project was to
teach 60 employees to use machine tools with numerical
control and 30 operational managers to become trainers
• The growth of the managerial and entrepreneurial
abilities for 30 operational managers;
• The integration of the target groups in the culture of
the company and the development of the culture
centered on permanent learning;
• The development of a new training methodology,
involving a target group in the training of the other.
12

and entrepreneurs in a network. 10

The 60 employees from the first target group were 8

re-qualified according to the new technological changes

Marks
Initial evaluation
6
that have occurred in the organization, in the field of Final evaluation
4
production. They were trained to use machine tools with
numerical control, so that they assimilated the use of 2

methods to detect errors and of the modern methods of 0

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
industrial management. Students
As the abilities of this target group were no longer in
accordance with the new technological endowments of Figure 1: Managerial skills of the operational managers of subgroup 1, at the
beginning and end of the project
the company, for them this re-qualification also meant
the opportunity to remain in the organization. The
courses ensured the practical and theoretical training of 12

the first target group, the program consisting of several 10

modules, among which there is also one that is related to 8

qualifying in one’s job. The training were useful for
Marks

Initial evaluation
6
both the employees and the company, thus avoiding Final evaluation
4
many of the possible problems that might appear when
hiring or transferring or when discovering a poorly 2

trained employee. 0

The 30 people from the second target group were be 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

trained as trainers in a Simulated Company from the Students

Engineering Faculty „Hermann Oberth”. The members Figure 2: Entrepreneurial skills of the operational managers of subgroup 1, at
of the group attended courses structured in several the beginning and end of the project
modules, whose purpose was primarily to develop the
analysis-diagnosis competences, the organizational and 12

entrepreneurial skills, training abilities of these 10

managers, but also to increase the quality of their
8
professional communication and of their capacity to
Marks

Initial evaluation
better manage their time at work. 6
Final evaluation
When the courses finish, the members of the second 4

target group became the specific abilities, necessary for 2

the maintenance of the competences of the subordinate 0

staff by monitoring, evaluation and permanent training. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

The second specific objective was the development Students

of a methodology of permanently training the
Figure 3: Managerial skills of the operational managers of subgroup 2, at the
operational human resource inside the company. beginning and end of the project
The goal was to elaborate a clear methodology,
usable in the future too, for the qualification and re- 12
qualification of the operational staff and the permanent
improvement of the operational managers in the 10

company. 8
Marks

Initial evaluation
6
Final evaluation
2.2. Results of the project 4

The results obtained after the implementation of the 0

project were the following: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

• The growth in the competitiveness of the operative Students

staff and its adaptation to the new methods of Figure 4: Entrepreneurial skills of the operational managers of subgroup 2, at
production; the beginning and end of the project
 The Development Of Managerial And Entrepreneurial Skills In A Medium Size Business Organization
Figure 1 demonstrates the growth of the managerial
abilities for a subgroup of 15 operational managers.
Figure 2 indicates the growth of the entrepreneurial
abilities for the same subgroup.
The 15 operational managers, students of the other
subgroup obtained similar marks (see figure 3,
respectively figure 4).
3. THE MAIN ACTIVITIES NECESSARY FOR
PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION
The main activities necessary for implementation are
presented in figure 5.
The project unfolded for 12 months.
Figure 5: The Gantt Graph of the project
These activities were:
• Defining the organizational system of the project;
• Conferences;
• Recruitment and selection of target groups;
• Activities meant to prepare the professional training;
• The development of the professional training
process;
• Monitoring and evaluating the project;
• Dissemination of the project results.
The activities were done in a partnership, by the
medium size firm and „Lucian Blaga” University of
Sibiu, for an efficient skill acquisition and appraisement
exchange, the cooperation having the effect of a
synergy.
3.1. Defining the organizational project system
The goal of the activity was to form the project team
and to define the operational spaces necessary to the
good unfolding of the project activities.
3.2. Conferences
The purpose of the activity was to inform the local
community at the beginning of the project about the
actions that will be taken
At the end of the project, the researchers informed
the public about its results and effects.
613
3.3. Recruitment and selection of the target groups
The purpose of the activity is to identify the right
people to train the target groups and the most indicate
students, according to the organizational goals.
3.4. Actions meant to prepare the professional
training
In the beginning of the activity an analysis of the
skill training needs of the target group was undertaken,
using the questionnaire method. The analysis was at the
basis of the elaboration of the course curriculum and of
the adaptation of the contents to the training needs.
The next step was to plan the professional training
activities in terms of time and space and to make sure
that they would go well, according to the course
curriculum.
The organizational skills of the project team
members and the experience of the two organizations in
project management guaranteed the success of the
activity.
3.5. The development of the professional training
The purpose of this activity was to train target
groups according to the training program for the
achievement of the goals.
3.6. Monitoring and evaluating the project
The purpose of this activity is to watch the
development of the other project activities, their
maintenance in the suggested limits, the general analysis
and evaluation of the project.
3.7. Dissemination of the project results
The purpose of the activity is the public
dissemination of the results.
Manny companies from different manufacturing
industries and many professors from different Romanian
Universities were informed by the project
implementation and by the results. They received the
manual edited by the researchers in this project.
4. CONCLUSIONS
The implementation of the project improved the
situation of the target groups as follows:
• The 60 employees from target group 1 attended the
training course for the use of machine tools with
numerical control. At the end of this course, the
employees were acquired technical skills and some
abilities which will contribute to the increase of
flexibility. They were the chance to occupy different
positions needed on the labor market and the
guarantee of a job.
614 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
• The people from target groups 1 and 2 (60 operative
employees and 30 operational managers) involved in
the permanent training process improved their
attitude and entrepreneurial role. Once this project is
unfolded, the human resource experienced a strong
feeling of belonging to the organizational culture.
• After the courses, the operative staff became the
chance to be promoted, by occupying training
positions, becoming team leaders, etc.
• At the end of the project, the organization has 90
competitive people, able to contribute to the
achievement of the company goals: the growth in the
labor productivity, the decrease in the number of
customer complaints, the increase in the quality of
the products.
• Moreover, the project stimulated lifelong learning.
• The training courses for target group 2 – the 30
managers at the operational level – contributed to
their managerial competences, raising their
importance in the organization. After the
implementation of the project, they became able to
effectively train the operative staff. Operative
managers became more competitive and this will
increase their chances to evolve in their career, this
being a strong motivational element.
• Taking into account the fact that the training
program firstly implied the training of the managers
from the operational level (target group 2), and then
their active involvement in the training of the
operative staff (target group 1), the basis of a new
teaching methodology is laid. This is applicable after
the end of the project, but also by other
organizations in the area.
• The implementation of the project improved the
managerial skill of the groups.
• Up to the present, professional training at this firm
has been done only for the operative staff, briefly
and not in a very effective way. For the first time,
the project includes the operational managers in the
professional training programs. There were courses
designed especially to develop managerial and
entrepreneurial skills (organizational culture,
modern systems of process improvement, time
management, communication, development of
entrepreneurial skills).
• Managers from target group 2 acquired skills that
will enable them to manage the organizational
processes and coordinating-training skills of the
human resource. Assimilating modern methods of
communication in this age of the internet and
acquiring at the same time didactic and pedagogical
skills necessary for the transfer of knowledge to
subordinates, they will become important links in
the organizational structure of the firm.
• Managers from target group 2 demonstrated and
improved their professional training skills even
along the project, as they actively participated to the
training of target group 1.
• Training as operator on machine tools with
numerical control, the members of target group 1
acquired a high level of theoretical and practical
knowledge in the field, a high degree of
responsibility and complete personal autonomy.
• At the end of the project, the firm has 90 people with
a high level of professional training. 30 will
contribute to the improvement of the managerial
skills of the organization and 60 to the improvement
of the technical skills. Thus, skilled employees for
60 jobs will be guaranteed.
By training the employees of the medium size firm,
the professors participating in the project improved their
managerial skills and especially their interpersonal
skills, as the nature of the training is different from
student training in universities.
The new training methodology used by the analyzed
firm could be regarded as a model for any economic
organization in Romania. The researchers hope that the
training procedure will be adopted by other firms, in
order to surpass the economic crises.
Among the conclusions that were derived after the
implementation of the project, we mention the necessity
of the project development by developing the target
group over average management, as an important link
between the superior management of the company and
the operational levels of the organization.
References
1. Cătoiu, I. - coordinator (2002), Cercetări de marketing,
Editura Uranus, Bucharest.
2. Dessler, G. (2001), Management. Leading People and
Organizations in the 21st Century, Second Edition,
Prentice Hall, New Jersey
3. Gill, J. and Johnson, P. (1991), Research Methods for
Managers, Paul Chapman Publishing Ltd, London
4. Niculescu, M., Dumitrascu, D. and Moraru, G.M.
(2009), “Project Management of Staff Skills
Development at SC COMPA SA”, in: D.M. Duşe, P.D.
Brîndaşu and L.D. Beju (eds.), Proceedings of the 4th
International Conference on Manufacturing Science and
Education – MSE 2009, Vol. II, University “Lucian
Blaga”, Sibiu, pages 193-196.
 STUDY FOR IDENTIFYING THE TEACHING NEEDS FOR DEVELOPING
ENTREPRENEURSHIP SKILLS

D. MIRICESCU 1, G.M. MORARU2, D.D. DUMITRAŞCU3

1
“Lucian Blaga” University of Sibiu, Romania, Department of Economic Engineering, dan.miricescu@ulbsibiu.ro
2
“Lucian Blaga” University of Sibiu, Romania, Department of Economic Engineering, gina.moraru@ulbsibiu.ro

Entrepreneurship is often seen as an exploitation of market opportunities that exist. Thus an operation is most often associated with
management and / or productive inputs combination. So entrepreneurs see change as a model and as something healthy. This defines
entrepreneur and entrepreneurship system: it always seeks change, responds and operates as an opportunity. So entrepreneurs see
change as a model and as something healthy. This defines entrepreneur and entrepreneurship system: it always seeks change,
responds and operates as an opportunity. The survey questionnaire is designed on three main objectives namely: entrepreneurial
motivation, analysis of the types of knowledge and skills necessary to manage small and medium business, educational aspects that
help the entrepreneur. This questionnaire is intended to analyze the training needs for business skills development at small and
medium businesses. In terms of skills needed for starting and coordinating business, according to the respondents seem to be able to
implement competitive strategies, capacity management of business processes, professional knowledge for managing business
processes, capacity conflict resolution and negotiating capacity, based on questions and answers. All these elements are a good
information source for establish some potential elements that could be introduced in the high level studies curricula for developing in
the future new entrepreneurial skills to the graduate from our fields of interest.

plan, and finally the vision to recognize opportunity

INTRODUCTION
In a summary, entrepreneurship is often seen as an
exploitation of market opportunities that exist. Thus an
operation is most often associated with management and
/ or productive inputs combination. Entrepreneurs often
risk in pursuing opportunities and are often associated
with creative and innovative actions. In addition,
entrepreneurs have a management role in their activities,
but a routine management of ongoing operations is not
considered to be entrepreneurial. Entrepreneurship is the
practice of starting new organizations, particularly new
businesses, usually arising from the identification of
opportunities. Entrepreneurship is the acceptance of
individual commitment in the initiation and
development of a business or own ideas.
The entrepreneurial theory understands change as
normal and even healthy, and understands that the major
task in society, especially in the economy is to "do
something different, and not to make better what already
is." So entrepreneurs see change as a model and as
something healthy. This defines entrepreneur and
entrepreneurship system: it always seeks change,
responds and operates as an opportunity. So
entrepreneurs see change as a model and as something
healthy. This defines entrepreneur and entrepreneurship
system: it always seeks change, responds and operates
as an opportunity.
Kuratko and Hodgetts [2007] define
entrepreneurship as a dynamic process of vision, change
and creation. This process requires the concentration of
energy and passion to generate and implement new
ideas and creative solutions. Essential ingredients of
entrepreneurship include willingness to take calculated
risk in terms of time, money or career, the ability to be
an effective team, creative abilities to manage resources,
basic skills required for designing a strong business
wherever others see chaos, contradiction and confusion.
So the entrepreneurial system – as a way, not as a
destination - involves:
• referral opportunity, its investigation to state
her full understanding in terms of advantages
and disadvantages for the organization's
threats, uncertainty and risk involved, the
possible solutions, etc..;
• persistently pursuing a target for the
entrepreneur, it often becomes a true vision, a
projection, a dream to achieve;
• finding optimal means to attract, mobilize and
use resources efficiently, at a higher level of
experience knowledge, for good business, its
adequate funding is a key factor, with
appropriate planning, including marketing and
financial components involved .
• involving novelty, generating change and
dealing with change, innovation in terms of
tangible goods or, where appropriate,
• intangible, distribution systems and promotion,
marketing and management strategies
addressed;
• taking a risk in terms of application
performance management.
THE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The survey questionnaire is designed on three
main objectives namely: entrepreneurial motivation,
analysis of the types of knowledge and skills necessary
to manage small and medium business, educational
aspects that help the entrepreneur.
This questionnaire is intended to analyze the
training needs for business skills development at small
and medium businesses.
Starting from the consideration that those who are
distributing the questionnaire to be filled, have problems
616 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

with successful management of time, the questionnaire General aspects that help in the present and future
was designed to have a minimum number of questions activity
and answers that do not require much time to think. 60
Thus was conceived the idea of a minimal number 50
53,33

of questions designed Lickert scale distributed into 5 40

43,33
46,67
40
levels: "Not at all important" “little importance” 30
33,33 36,67

"medium importance" “Important” and "very 20 23,33

important". 10 10
13,33

The subjects questioned (in number of 130) had 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

different ages and backgrounds, different experiences Not at all

important
Little importance Medium
importance
Important Very important

and purposes in the business development. They had

jobs that require entrepreneurial activities, in large, Technical Education Management education Economic education Communication skills

medium or small business.

Figure 2: Aspects that help in entrepreneurial activity

DISTINCTIVE ELEMENTS REGARDING THE

INFLUENCES OF THE EDUCATIONAL In every industry, both as entrepreneurs and as
TRAINING ON ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROCESS employee knowledge are an important asset in the work.
What can be drawn from the figure 3 chart is very
important that the entrepreneurs who participated in this
Advantges obtain as entrepreneur study are the communication skills (60% are of this
50 46,67 46,67 46,67 46,67 opinion). A high percentage of items large and very
45
36,67 36,67
important to have achieved most types of knowledge,
40
35
33,33 but general knowledge of nature prevail and knowledge
To be your own boss
30 26,67
23,33 management for marketing, sales and advertising. Equal
percentages (46.67%) have obtained at the important
25 To get higher income
20
15
13,33
10
13,33 To realize your own idea
chapter four categories of knowledge: technical
10
5 3,33
6,67
3,33
6,67 To get a better higher position
specialty, marketing, sales and advertising, and banking,
0
0 0 0
Not at all
0
Little Medium Important Very
accounts, and creativity and innovation.
important importance importance important

Figure 1: Advantages obtain as entrepreneur The importance of the following tipes of

knowledge
The analysis of questionnaires is noted that most 60 60
important motivations of entrepreneurs concerned are 53,33
those relating to obtaining higher incomes, achieve their 50
50
46,67
own ideas and that of being your own boss. These 40 43,33
46,67

responses have the highest scores on items large and 33,33

36,6736,67
33,33
very important. Thus achieving higher revenues and 30 30
achieve their ideas recorded the same percentage 23,33
20
(46.67%) to very important chapter. The important
13,33
chapter presents the highest values recorded (46.67%) 10 10
6,67 10
that are at variant with being your own boss and record 3,33 3,33 3,33 3,33
00 0000 0 00 0 0
0
again that the higher income. Not at all Little Medium Important Very
If we sum up the percentages recorded significant important importance importance important
and important when it appears that the most attractive
Speciality technical knowledge
version of the proposed questionnaire is one that has to Management general knowledge
obtain higher incomes (93.2%). It seems to be the most Knowledge of marketing, sales and advertising
important motivation for entrepreneurs. Accounts, financial and bank knowledge
As we can see from the chart from figure 2, the Legislation knowledge
highest percentage in the important and most important Knowledge of innovation and creativity
Communication knowledge
chapter is obtain to management education, this being
considered one of the most important general issues it is Figure 3: The importance of some of the knowledge categories for an
helpful to a contractor for the work of present and entrepreneur
future. In a very small difference, at a rate of 40%, the
economic education and communication skills, those One of the questions from the questionnaire
were voted in this percent at the very important chapter. referred to the modality on witch studies/courses that
were made, practical experience study visits influences
the answering entrepreneur career.
As the survey has been conducted, studies have
great importance in building a career, especially as an
Study For Identifying The Teaching Needs For Developing Entrepreneurship Skills 617

entrepreneur. More than half of respondents, namely
57%, acknowledged that the career of entrepreneurial
studies / courses attended, experience, study visits have
largely supported them and a rate of only 3% believe
that these things have helped little (figure 4).
A 16.67% difference in the ability of business
process management is located in the right major and
important items, having the advantage of by those who
consider this very important skill. 56.67% of those who
run a business estimated to be very important ability to
manage business process (figure 7).

Support me
Small proportion Neutral Large extent Very large extent
Management of the business process skills
3%
17%
23% 56,67
Very important

40,00
Important

Medium 3,33
57%
importance
Figure 4: Study support in entrepreneurship activity

Figure 7: The importance of the skills to manage a business process

In entrepreneurial career, 67% of respondents
considered that the studies/courses attended, experience,
study visits and were positively influenced to a large
extent, only a very small proportion (3%) say a little
have positively influenced these things (figure 5). There
are entrepreneurs who have business in a field unrelated
to their studies, and maybe because of this, are not
influenced by education and class.
To become a good entrepreneur and for the
business to be successful, it is clear that a great
contribution have professional knowledge of conducting
business. The analyses of questionnaires, at the response
to this variant, the highest scores or items are made at
very important and important items with significant
percentages of 50% and 36.67% - figure 8.

I was positively affected Professional knowledge necessary to conduct

Small proportion Neutral Large extent Very large extent
the business
3%
20% 10%

50,00
Very important

36,67
Important

Medium 13,33
67%
importance
Figure 5: The positive influence of the studies on the entrepreneurship activity

Figure 8: The importance of the professional knowledge

Ability to formulate and implement a competitive
strategy to be a very important show for less than one As we have point at the beginning of the paper, the
third of the entrepreneurs interviewed and their entrepreneurship theory understand the change that it is
importance for the vast majority (63.33%). Any normal, and even healthy, and understands that the
contractor does not consider this skill as important or major task in society, especially in the economy is to do
less important at all (figure 6). something different, and not to make better what already
is. So, an important part of the status of an entrepreneur
The capacity to formulate and to takes the initiative in carrying out the change/upgrade.
implement a competitive strategy Depending on the field operating company, it has a
lesser or greater importance. Among those interviewed
for this analysis, a rate of 43.33% believe that this
30,00
Very important initiative is important on a scale very close to only
3.33% difference is who they consider very important –
Important
63,33 figure 9.
As an entrepreneur, most things are made for and on
Medium 6,67 behalf of business. 46.67% of entrepreneurs claim to be
importance important skills to generate, capture, harness and use
their knowledge to benefit business and only 13.33%
Figure 6: The capacity to formulate and to implement a competitive strategy
average importance given to this (figure 10).
618 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
Initiative in carrying out the change
Very important
40,00
43,33
Important
Medium 16,67
importance
Figure 9: Initiative in carrying out the change in the entrepreneurship process
Are those who consider these skills as very
important, their share is an insignificant all that is 40%.
Skills to generate, capture, harness and use
their knowledge to the benefit of the business
40,00
Very important
Important 46,67
Medium 13,33
importance
Figure 10: Skills that generate, capture and use the own knowledge for the
benefit of the business
None of the five skills listed by the contractors are
not considered as important or less important at all, and
in a total percentage of 43.33% were rated as being of
average importance, the remaining percentage is
distributing a very large and very important to important
items.
CONCLUSIONS
Analysis of the questionnaires revealed significant
elements of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial skills
necessary to conduct, coordination and management for
small and medium business.
Main motivations of the respondents concerned as
justification for engaging in a type of entrepreneurial
behavior are linked to achieve higher income and is
linked to their ideas, both registering a 47% percentage
of questionnaire analysis. It is worth noting that one of
the reasons mentioned, why their ideas on establishing a
business is an encouraging factor causing mutations in
the essential meaning motivation establishment of small
and medium sized companies that implement their
business ideas.
In terms of elements of education is important the
managerial education that will help potential
entrepreneurs in managing, and coordinating business
processes to ensure competitive advantage. There
should not be neglected the knowledge gained as a
result of economic education, and also at a great
importance level, has been located the communication
skills they considered very important in the coordination
of a business.
The next chapter of study is referred to prospective
entrepreneurs and knowledge that could contribute to a
coordinated very successful in business. And here is
noted, the answers of respondents, that great importance
is given to knowledge in communication, which are
important both for establishing business contacts with
the external environment and internal environment to
disseminate information. Respondents seem to be
important and legislative knowledge and those in
business management, namely those related to
management, marketing, sales and advertising. Analysis
continued with trying to determine the influence of the
performance management and business studies and
notes that they are particularly important 57% of
respondents saying they supported studies extensively
and 67% of them said that they he influenced in a
positive way. These factors demonstrate the importance
of education in special and acquisition of
entrepreneurial skills in the performance document
management by entrepreneurs.
In terms of skills needed for starting and
coordinating business, according to the respondents
seem to be able to implement competitive strategies
63%, capacity management of business processes 56%,
professional knowledge for managing business
processes 50%, capacity conflict resolution and
negotiating capacity 63%, based on questions and
answers.
All these elements are a good information source
for establish some potential elements that could be
introduced in the high level studies curricula for
developing in the future new entrepreneurial skills to the
graduate from our fields of interest.
References
1. Avasilcăi, S., manager (2007), Contract PN II nr. 91-069,
Raport ştiinţific – Stadiul actual al cercetărilor pe tema
antreprenoriatului, la nivel naţional şi internaţional,
“Lucian Blaga” University of Sibiu Team.
2. Avasilcăi, S., manager (2009), Contract PN II nr. 91-069,
Raport ştiinţific – Educaţie antreprenorială, “Lucian
Blaga” University of Sibiu Team.
3. Burns, A. and Bush, R. (1998), “Marketing Research”,
Second edition, Prentice Hall, New Jersey
4. Cătoiu, I., coord. (2002), Cercetări de marketing, Editura
Uranus, Bucureşti.
5. Miricescu, D. (2008), “Managementul timpului esența
performanțelor organizaţiei” Editura Universității “Lucian
Blaga” din Sibiu, Sibiu
6. Miricescu, D. (2008), Metode şi tehnici manageriale
utilizate în managementul industrial, Editura Universităţii
“Lucian Blaga”, Sibiu.
7. Nicolescu, O. et al. (2003). “Abordări moderne în
managementul şi economia organizaţiei”, vol. 1-4, Editura
Economică, Bucureşti.
 ENTREPRENEURIAL EDUCATION NEED IN TECHNICAL HIGHER EDUCATION

Marian MOCAN1, Adrian PUGNA2, Gabriela NEGRU STRĂUȚI3

1
University ”Politehnica” of Timișoara, mmocan@expertconsulting.ro
2
University ”Politehnica” of Timișoara, adrian.pugna@mpt.upt.ro
3
University ”Politehnica” of Timișoara, gabriela.negru@mpt.upt.ro

Higher education has and will have a major role in a country’s economic growth because it contributes to human capital
development, fields of expertise being directly correlated with actual and dynamic requirements of labor market. Also it can be said
that the challenges of higher education are not just creating career opportunities for graduates and mitigation up to eliminate
discrepancies that exist between the skills acquired by graduates and job requirements in which they engage. In today’s global
economy, in continuous dynamics, is not anymore sufficient to prepare graduates for careers, but they have to be able to create their
own jobs. Thus, entrepreneurial education takes on new values, making it imperative that it be given careful consideration, to exist a
scientific approach to academic training actions, so that profession and specific entrepreneurship processes to run properly,
efficiently and effectively. The paper presents a research regarding entrepreneurial education need in technical higher education.

THE PERCEPTION OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP

INTRODUCTION TEACHING AT UNIVERSITIES

Globalization, rapid technological development and Successful quadrilateral of knowledge based

economy, which must operate in a continuous and
low cost of mobility profoundly changed the nature of
permanent complement consisting of education, research,
work. It is not enough that students to be prepared for a
innovation and execution, with finality in real added
career, but they must create their own jobs.
value, capable of ensuring national wealth (Fig. 1).
Entrepreneurship education is extremely important for
understanding and operating in the current dynamic
global economy. Therefore, human capital development Fundamental TO KNOW Technological
and improving quality of education is both a matter of Education (Knowledge) Education
vision and a continual improvement.
Contemporary society is forwarding to the
educational school system demands more subtle,
formulating a previously non-existent social command. TO DO Entrepreneurial TO KNOW
These changes are generated, in particular, by the (Effectuate) Education HOW
(Technologies)
sharp changes in the last decades of fierce need active
citizens with initiative, able to integrate themselves into
the society and participate to its continued progress. Figure 1: Quadrilateral of success ob knowledge based economy
In this context economic education in general, and
fostering entrepreneurship at the school as a mega- In many universities, the planning of
objective completes a goal, a major issue in education entrepreneurship education and teaching is still
system – forming entrepreneurial competencies, skills, performed in a way and in a context, care se poate numi
and enterprising spirit of the new generation, which is the ”the traditional perception of entrepreneurship
included in the integrative social competencies. teaching at university level” (figure 2)
Universities play a key role in promoting the talents
of students, graduates and researchers. What
distinguishes institutions of higher education from other Entrepreneurship
institutions in society is their role in creating knowledge
and producing high-potential graduates and researchers.
For entrepreneurship education, focusing on institutions To teach university
of higher education offers the chance to develop students
knowledgeintensive high-growth enterprises from all entrepreneurship
academic disciplines, not just technical ones. Higher
education institutions should create an environment that
fosters entrepreneurial mind-sets, skills and behaviours
across their organizations. Universities can teach Ivory tower Teaching
students how to start and grow enterprises in ways that
benefit society. Technical universities in particular
Figure 2: The traditional perception of entrepreneurship
provide potential breeding grounds for high technology teaching at universities
and high-growth companies or “gazelles.” The approach to entrepreneurship teaching,
suggested in the figure, neither seems capable and
620 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
sustaining the marked political desire for an increased
active role on behalf of the universities with respect to
promoting societal growth through cooperation and
participation in the development of patents or new
products, nor with respect to the establishment of new
businesses or innovative development of existing. The
realisation of these objectives would presuppose a closer
interaction between the private and public sector and the
system of higher educations. There is much to suggest
that such an interaction might lend a country, a region,
all three stakeholders some ”sustainable competitive
advantages” on a international scale.
The institutions of higher education and the
universities, are thus intended to play a highly central
part in this innovative and entrepreneurial process – in
society at large and in the individual region. This has
resulted in a need to apply a new perspective on the role
of the universities and on the learning objectives the
universities should comply with. This also entails new
requirements to the implementation of the most
advantageous learning processes. Figure 3 presents the
new perspective on the role of the universities, on
learning and learning objectives.
Enterprising
behaviour
Societal change Increased attention
and growth and capacity for
stimulation handling possibilities
Entrepreneurial Reflective Learning
university action
Figure 3: The new perspective on the role
universities
Thus, entrepreneurship has been declared the most
significant driver in the future development of material
societal welfare.
Businesses, organisations and the individual person
should be motivated for – and develop competence in –
perceiving new possibilities through reflective action
and hence participate in the creation of change and
growth in society.
This capacity and inclination for change and
innovation is thus conceived as an important human
trait. A trait in international research has come to be
known as „enterprising behaviour”.
In summary, entrepreneurship education is seen here
through three aims that are learning to understand
entrepreneurship, learning to become entrepreneurial
and learning to become an entrepreneur.
Therefore, entrepreneurship education should be
considered both as a method of learning and a content of
learning.
The concepts we use in our paper are internal
entrepreneurship, which deals with entrepreneurial and
enterprising behaviour, and external entrepreneurship,
which is about doing business.
Moreover, we consider that internal entrepreneurship
in education is about learning to become entrepreneurial
and external entrepreneurship is to understand
entrepreneurship and become an entrepreneur.
Therefore, a strategic thinking in entrepreneurship
education and teaching at university level ar trebui sa
tina cont de urmatoarele:
1. The point of departure for planning and implementing
of education and entrepreneurship teaching is the
connection of purposes, objectives and target group.
Depending on the target group, these actions will be
focused on teaching about or in entrepreneurship;
2. According to the purposes and the objectives,
education and teaching in entrepreneurship approached
as science and/or art depending whether those will be
about or in entrepreneurship;
3. Teaching about or in entrepreneurship should be
based either on management and/or entrepreneurial
theory, which must be reflected in the choice of
didactics and pedagogical methodology.
4. For teaching being suitable, either for auditorium or
practice, the purposes and the objectives must be taken
in account (transition from “Ivory tower” to
“Entrepreneurial university”);
5. According to the influence exerted by purposes,
objectives and target group, the teaching should be
planned from individual academic competences to
development of communicative, social and networking
competences.
Taking in account the role of the universities, as
starting point for the development of new knowledge,
these must be consolidated through the ”triple-helix”
philosophy, which is an spiral type model of innovation
that describes mutual relations in many different points
of the process of accumulating knowledge.
The”triple-helix” model of university-industry-
government relations is a neo-evolutionary model of
innovation process being a model for the analysis of
innovation in the knowledge based economy.
The model integrates activities from three
"institutional spheres": the universities, the business
sector, the public sector. The first category is composed
of universities that develop their educational programs
aimed at training new skills for future graduates.
The second category consists of decision makers in
industry (entrepreneurs, investors, managers,
executives).
The third category consists of policy makers in
legislative and executive institutions of the state, which
regulates the legal conditions for the industry, research
centers and universities, public funds for R & D and
education.
Entrepreneurial Education Need in Technical Higher Education 621

METHODOLOGY AND DATA PROCESSING determined by the knowledge gained due to

entrepreneurship education.
The research is based on the questionnaire method. The Table 5: Distribution of subjects according to determination resulted from
questionnaire is based on 25 questions, structured on the knowledge
7 criteria. These were targeted the sample Variable Categories Frequencies %
characteristics, intention to become an entrepreneur, Determination 0-25% 11 9.401
motivation, educational issues, analysis of the type of resulted from 26-50% 16 13.675
knowledge and skills necessary to manage a business, knowledge 51-75% 37 31.623
76-100% 53 45.299
knowledge about business and appreciations about
entrepreneurial education. In table 6 is presented the importance of educational
The sample consists of 117 de respondent, from aspects needed to develop entrepreneurial competencies.
which 31 students at University ”Politehnica” from Table 6: Educational aspects importance
Timișoara, Faculty of Mechanics, 73 master students at Variable NI LI M I VI
University ”Politehnica” from Timișoara, Faculty of Technical 2.564 19.658 40.170 27.350 10.258
Management in Production and Transportation and 13 Managerial 3.421 5.982 14.529 30.769 45.299
entrepreneurs from Timișoara, graduates of technical Marketing 4.275 6.837 38.461 30.769 19.658
universities. Financial 10.256 18.803 35.042 23.076 12.823
Characteristics of the sample are present in table 1 Legislation 16.242 17.948 32.478 18.803 14.529
Communication 5.128 20.514 23.931 30.769 19.658
Table 1: Characteristics of the sample
Variable Categories Frequencies % In table 7 is presented the distribution according to
Age 18-24 63 53.846 aspects related to professional training.
25-34 37 31.623
Table 7: Distribution of subjects according to aspects related to professional
35-44 12 10.256 training
45-54 5 4.275 Variable Categories Frequencies %
Gender M 63 53.846 Specialty 15 12.823
F 54 46.154 Education Managerial 37 31.623
Distribution of subjects according to level of training Entrepreneurial 48 41.025
is presented in table 2. Practice 17 14.529
Table 2: Distribution of subjects according to level of education
In table 8 is presented the subjects perception relative
Variable Categories Frequencies %
Graduated Student 31 26.495
to entrepreneurial education received in school.
studies HS 4 years 49 41.880 Table 8: Distribution of subjects according to education level
HS 5 years 23 19.658 Variable US S G VG
Master 11 9.401 Student 41,935 25,806 22,581 9,677
PhD 3 2.566 HS 4 years 34,694 28,571 20,408 16,327
HS 5 years 39,130 30,435 17,391 13,043
In table 3 is presented the distribution of subjects Master 18,182 18,182 36,364 27,273
based on determination to become an entrepreneur. PhD 0 33,333 66,667 0
Table 3: Determination to become an entrepreneur
Variable SD D M LD AD CONCLUSIONS
Student 0 12.903 9.677 35.483 41.937
HS 4 years 10.204 14.285 24.489 28.571 22.451 According to the analysis, the following remarks
HS 5 years 17.391 34.782 26.086 8.695 13.046 arose from the data. Firstly, it will be given an overview
Master 0 18.181 36.363 0 45.456 of the respondent’s points of view on entrepreneurship
PhD 0 0 33.333 0 66.667
education. Secondly, conclusions will be drawn from
Regarding the resources needed to start / develop a the respondent’s answers to the questionnaire. Finally, it
business, results are presented in table 4. As can be will be analyzed the data in the context of proposing a
seen, educational resources are considered essential for curriculum for entrepreneurial education in higher
the development of entrepreneurial intentions. technical education.
Table 4: Necessary resources for developing entrepreneurial intentions
Research reveals that entrepreneurship education in
Variable Categories Frequencies % universities must allow preparation of graduates into a
Resources Financial 42 35.897 system of internationalized entrepreneurship, as a result
Technology 23 19.658 of considerable speed that new products, services or
Educational 37 31.623 technologies propagates, starting from identifying
Human 12 10.256 opportunities in local market.
Others 3 2.566 The analysis covered the respondents perception,
Next was followed whether the knowledge acquired in primarily on entrepreneurial education. Through
school can develop entrepreneurial intentions. Thus it research were followed two specific aspects of
was found that most entrepreneurial intentions are entrepreneurship education, internal entrepreneurship,
which reffers to an individual and external
622 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
entrepreneurship, which is targeting the business
environment.
Internal entrepreneurship is seen as skills and
attitudes, being associated with features such as
initiative, responsibility, teamwork skills.
External entrepreneurship is associated with the
business environment and is best materialized in
collaboration between universities and business
environment.
Responses show that respondents perceive the two
forms of entrepreneurship as being necessarily linked.
Interaction is often based only on visits into businesses
environment.
These visits, presentations of business environment
are important, but not decisive, in that it can not be
automatically regarded as an educational activity.
Professional orientation, practice, traditionally, from
technical universities are not satisfying entrepreneurial
needs of students and master students. Many responses,
unfortunately, does not mention whether students,
master students, plays an active role in these activities.
Answers from entrepreneurs respondents showed
that entrepreneurship education should be implemented
in the form of projects, which to be focused on method,
rather than on content and to be implemented using
various forms of collaborative teaching.
In projects, the student has its own clearly defined
role, combining in the most favorable internal and
external entrepreneurship.
Master students respondents estimated that
entrepreneurship education is best implemented by the
dedicated days and individual projects and less as part
of teaching current activity.
First, students and master students respondents made
clear the kind of themes that can integrate into their
current activity, regardless of subject matter (such as
entrepreneurial skills or business knowledge and
professional).
Although present in the curriculum through several
disciplines, entrepreneurship education is not yet well
integrated in current education and still not enough.
On the other hand, the results of entrepreneurial
education are difficult to assess. Difficulties in assessing
are similar to the overall assessment of education and
teaching work, to the difficulties in assessing
entrepreneurial education, like failure forecasting that
students will become entrepreneurs in the future or not.
It has been found that is difficult to assess the objectives
of internal entrepreneurship.
Entrepreneurship education outcomes are usually
assessed quantitatively depending on the grades, the
number of students interested, as how positive is
feedback and the time granted to discussions about
different business topics addressed.
Therefore, entrepreneurship education should
primarily develop an entrepreneurial spirit, by
understanding the notions of responsibility, value added,
innovation, change, risk taking.
Entrepreneurial spirit must determine, in turn,
entrepreneurial behavior, converging toward
entrepreneurial initiatives.
For this, entrepreneurship education offered to
students and graduates of technical universities should
be based on a variety of educational systems, namely,
entrepreneurial education modules with optional
disciplines, business education modules, such as
learning by doing on projects and masters of
entrepreneurship education.
According to the proposed research, entrepreneurial
education program must be endorsed by a range of
disciplines whose common goal is the creation and
development of skills and competencies in the people
willing to create their own business directed to:
• knowledge: Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship,
Management, Marketing, Finance, Legislation,
Production and logistics management, Negotiation,
Managing people, Control
• attitudes: initiative, independent spirit, motivation,
determination, self-confidence, realism, receptivity
to new, perseverance, adaptability, responsability,
tenacity, enthusiasm
• skills to identify opportunities, organize, plan, lead,
analyze, evaluate, negotiate, work individually and
in teams, make decisions, control
After analyzing the business needs of the students,
master of technical universities, we identified the
following educational module consists of the following
optional disciplines presented in table 9.
Table 9: Entrepreneurial Educational Module
Entrepreneurial Educational Module
1. Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship
2. Psychosocial Processes in Entrepreneurship
3. Fundamentals of Legislation
4. Investment and Financing Analysis
5. Fundamentals of Management
6. Fundamentals of Marketing
7. Managing people
8. Production and Logistics Management.
The suggested module create an improved awareness
of the reality of studying in progressive technical
universities; but perhaps more importantly, it will
provide students with the awareness, interests and
preparation for self-employment as a career alternative,
which will ultimately move technical universities
graduates from job-seekers to job-creators.
References
1. Dreisler, P.; Blenker, P. & Nielsen, K. (2003),
Promoting Entrepreneurship, - Changing Attitudes on
Behaviour, Journal of Small Business and Enterprise
Development, Vol. 10, no. 4, pp. 383-392, Birmingham
2. Etzkowitz, H. et al. (2000), The future of the university
and the university of the future: evolution of ivory tower
to entrepreneurial paradigm, Research Policy, vol. 29:
313-330
3. Fiet, J. O. (2000), The Theoretical Side of Teaching
Entrepreneurship, Journal of Business Venturing, vol.
16: 1-24
 ENTREPRENEURIAL EDUCATION IMPACT ON ENTREPRENEURIAL
COMPETENCIES AND INTENTIONS DEVELOPMENT

Marian MOCAN1 , Gabriela NEGRU STRĂUȚI2, Adrian PUGNA3,

1
University ”Politehnica” of Timișoara, mmocan@expertconsulting.ro
2
University ”Politehnica” of Timișoara, gabriela.negru@mpt.upt.ro
3
University ”Politehnica” of Timișoara, adrian.pugna@mpt.upt.ro

Entrepreneurial education is vital for achieving a more efficient and performing future economy and focuses on developing
entrepreneurial competencies. The paper presents a methodology for assessing the entrepreneurial competencies that lead to the
development of entrepreneurial intentions. The research highlights the need to introduce entrepreneurial education modules in
universities, especially technical ones.

These behaviors can be practiced, developed and

INTRODUCTION learned, but it is important that all students be exposed
to entrepreneurial education.
Entrepreneurial skills and attitudes provide benefits
This study is part of a larger analysis of the
to society even more than for business activity.
entrepreneurial phenomenon in Romania, a study that is
Clearly, personal qualities relevant to
to be carried on by the TREPAN project – Rethinking
and strengthening the entrepreneurial culture by entrepreneurship such as creativity and spirit of
providing training and development partnerships at the initiative may be useful to anyone for their current job
responsibilities
(trans) national – selected within the Sectorial
Also, relevant technical and business skills need to
Operational Program Human Resources Development
be provided to those who choose to be self-employed
POSDRU /9/3.1/S/6.
and/or to start their own venture – or might do so in the
During the current period of time, entrepreneurship
has become one of the most important global economic future.
forces. Therefore, a similar increase in entrepreneurial There is, therefore, the need for governmental and
institutional level policies to promote entrepreneurship
education is necessary. Entrepreneurship is the defining
education for all students
element that provides a strong competitive advantage in
On the other hand, entrepreneurship is necessary to
a global world, characterized by dynamic change,
achieve high levels of growth and innovation. High
complexity and uncertainty.
On the other hand, entrepreneurship is the engine of levels of entrepreneurship can be achieved through
innovation, generating jobs and economic growth. education, especially through the entrepreneurial one.
Entrepreneurship and education are opportunities to be
linked if desired to create a competitive human capital ENTREPRENEURIAL COMPETENCIES
resources, which will constitute the base for the future
society. Education is the best way to achieve individual Today, in an environment in continuous change,
opportunities and society development, entrepreneurship organizations must meet even more requirements for
their success.
education in particular, is vital to achieving a more
Conventional resources such as labor, land and
efficient and performing future economy.
capital are no longer considered to be major sources of
Therofore, one can say that entrepreneurship and
development. Priority in this area is given to staff skills
entrepreneurial education has never been more
important than now. and knowledge
There are various mechanisms, instruments and A relevant starting point in conceptualizing
entrepreneurial competencies is to define competence.
structures that can be used to create business
Competence is often described as an intellectual
environments: venture capital, capital for starting a
capacity that has various possibilities of transfer (the
business, business incubators, training. But more
ability to communicate, decide, detect, select, evaluate
important than it is to ensure the creation of an
entrepreneurial culture through education. data, information, relationships), capacity which is
Entrepreneurial education focuses on developing associating its affective and attitudinal components, to
motivate action.
understanding and ability to track entrepreneurial
Competence involves complex integrated
behaviors, skills and attributes in different contexts and
knowledge, skills, abilities and attitudes. (Finez,
it can be portrayed as open to all and not exclusively the
(2008)). Competence is the capacity to act effectively
domain of the high-flying, growth-seeking, business
person. against a range of situations by mobilizing the necessary
knowledge, when appropriate, in order to identify and
Inclination to behave entrepreneurially is not limited
solve problems. One can say that competencies is a
to certain individuals. Different individuals will have a
cluster of linked knowledge, attitudes and skills that a
different mix of capabilities for demonstrating and
getting entrepreneurial behaviors, skills, and attributes.
624 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

person to obtains and uses together to provide peak mentally representation, its system of values or own
performance in any given area of responsibility. conception about the performance achieved.
In fact, in the competency based training, all three
factors - knowledge, attitudes and skills must be Table 1: Entrepreneurial competencies

addressed and taught effectively and integrated. Knowledge Attitudes Skills to...
Entrepreneurial competencies include those clusters Entrepreneurship Initiative identify
Management Independent spirit opportunities
of linked knowledge, attitudes and skills that an Marketing Motivation organize
entrepreneur must be achieved through training and Finance Determination plan
management development to enable him to produce Legislation Self-confidence lead
peak performance, to maximize profit while running a Production and Realism analyze
business or an organization. logistics Receptivity to new evaluate
Based on various studies about entrepreneurship, it management Perseverance negotiate
can be considered that entrepreneurial competence is Negotiation Adaptability work individually
composed of the following structural components: Managing Responsability and in teams
knowledge, attidudes and skills (figure1). people Tenacity make decisions
Control Enthusiasm control
Wants
(attitudes)
METHODOLOGY

For the evaluation entrepreneurial education

Entrepreneurial
competencies
Is able Knows
(skills) (knowledge)
Figure 1: The entrepreneurial competencies components
Knowledge in economics, finance and management
are associated with the interprofessional competence,
while focusing on knowledge in particular subjects
(such as economics, management, informatics etc.).
Therefore, entrepreneurial competence is associated
with the personal inherited and acquired features, the
ability to communicate with other individuals and to use
 = , − , (1)
available relationship potential as well as knowledge
 from relation (1) contains also
and abilities in particular fields such as economics,
finance and management.
Entrepreneurial education should firstly develop an
entrepreneurial spirit through understanding the
concepts of accountability, added value, innovation,
change and risk taking.
, - the mean
Entrepreneurial spirit must determine, in turn,
entrepreneurial behavior, converging toward
entrepreneurial initiatives, therefore one can consider
, - the mean value of an outcome
that the most important determinants of successful
entrepreneurship are the following needs: for
achievement, for autonomy, for power, social
orientation, self efficacy, endurance, risk taking

= 
, − 
, (2)
propensity, skills: market awareness, creativity,
flexibility. (Feinstein, et al.(2002))
In table 1 are systematized the knowledge, attitudes
= , − ,  − 
, − 
,  (3)
and skills that will lead to the development of
entrepreneurial competencies.
The competences evaluation is a process whereby an
appraiser estimated or assessed an individual
competence relative to some established rules, his
program it has been used an instrumental variables
approach in a difference-in-differences framework.
(Leuven, et al. (2007)).
Considering two target groups, one participating in
entrepreneurial education program Ge and a reference
one Gr, composed of students from the University
”Politehnica” from Timișoara, which does not
participate in this program.
For those who participated in the program Ge, is
denotes with , - the mean value of an outcome
variable after the program was completed, respectively
with , - the mean value of an outcome variable
before the start of the program.
In relation (1) a simple estimator of a difference type
is presented, showing the entrepreneurial education
program effect:
But estimator
the effect of other changes that occur during the running
of the program, with influence on variable output.
For correction, the difference between variable
output before and after program for reference group Gr
is taken in account.
For this group is denoted with 
value of an outcome variable at the same time moment
tf, respectively 
variable at the same time moment ti.
In relation (2) is presented the difference given by
the classical curriculum effect.
Therefore the difference-in-differences estimator is
presented in relation (3):
It has been estimated δ using regression analysis in
which it has been regress individual changes in
outcomes on the dummy variable for program
participation. The regression equation is presented in
relation (4):
Entrepreneurial Education Impact onn Entrepreneurial Competencies and
nd Intentions Development 625

∆ =  
·    (4) Next, were determined through testing,
testing the skills
Where ∆ is the change in outcome for individual i, levels, needed too develop entrepreneurial competencies,
competencies
 is a dummy variable equal to 1 if respondent i which for the subjects from group Ge is represented in
attended the entrepreneurial education program and 0 figure 3.
otherwise, and  is an error term.

DATA PROCESSING 0 50 100

ssess the entrepreneurial competencies,

In order to assess Initiative 26.420.721.831.0 Never
23.023.026.427.6
previously presented methodologyy was utilized. Motivation 21.8 14.9
29.933.3
19.5
16.131.0 33.3 Sometimes
For this purpose two target groups were chosen, one Self-confidence 29.9 13.827.628.7
which has followed a module of entrepreneurial 32.213.8
24.129.9 Often
Receptivity…19.5
11.536.8 32.2
education - educated group Ge and one of reference Gr , 23.0
18.431.027.6
which covered only the existing curriculum of Adaptability 19.519.529.931.0 Always
University “Politehnica” from Timisoara. 21.8
18.427.632.2
Tenacity 27.6 13.832.226.4
The two
wo target groups to be assessed were formed 31.0
13.825.329.9
from 87 subjects. For measurements accuracy, it was
Figure 2: Attitudes level for Ge group
taken into consideration that the number of subjects in
the two groups to be equal.
The research is based on the questionnaire method and 0 50 100
by testing. The research
esearch has also taken account of two
particular moments in time, the initial moment, before Identify… 52.9 14.9
17.2
14.9 Never
unfolding entrepreneuriall education module and the 48.3 25.314.9
11.5
final moment, after graduating the module of Plan 44.8 19.518.4
17.2 Sometimes
44.8 25.3
16.1
13.8
entrepreneurial education. Analyze 50.6 14.9 19.5
14.9 Often
Therefore, research was done in two stages. At initial 42.5 21.8
21.8
13.8
moment whenhen both groups were assessed in terms of Negotiate 44.817.2 20.7
17.2 Always
knowledge, of attitudes and skills. Research results were 43.719.5
19.5
17.2
Make decisions 46.0 19.516.1
18.4
processed by the methodology previously presented.
presented 43.718.4
19.5
18.4
This involved determining the output variables
 and

 and finally determine the difference-in-differences

difference Figure 3: Skills level for Ge group

estimator
.
In the paper are only presented the results for the After graduating the entrepreneurial education module
group Ge. - the final moment - the measurements were repeated for
both groups. In figure 4 it can be seen how knowledge
level has improved.
0 50 100
0 50 100
Entrepreneur… 63.2 16.114.9 Poor
48.3 14.928.7
Marketing Entrepreneur… 19.5 50.6 27.6 Poor
48.3 21.819.5 Satisfactory
66.7 21.8 9.2 21.8 44.8 29.9
Legislation Good Marketing 27.6 47.1 23.0 Satisfactory
10.3
70.1 12.6
75.9 16.14.6 24.1 35.6 26.4
Very Good Legislation 14.937.9 34.5 Good
Negotiation 69.0 24.1 4.6
57.5 26.4 13.8 19.536.8 32.2
Negotiation 27.6 42.5 28.7 Very Good
Control 74.7 20.7 3.4
31.0 34.5 26.4
Figure 1: Knowledge level for Ge group
Control 25.3 42.5 28.7
Figure 4: Knowledge level afterr graduating the entrpreneurial module, for Ge
Thus, in figure 1 is revealed the knowledge level group
identified as being necessary for the development
devel of
entrepreneurial competencies, for Ge group at the initial In figure 5 is presented the knowledge level at the
moment, before graduating the entrepreneurial
entrepren time considered final, final after graduating the
education module. entrepreneurial education module.
module Also, after graduating
After testing the subjects from the two groups,
groups there the entrepreneurial education module, it has been
were obtained data on the attitudes levels, which are determined the skills level, which, as is seen in figure
f 6,
deemed essential for the formation
mation of entrepreneurial has improved considerably.
competencies. In figure
igure 2 these data are represented for These determinations were performed also for the
subjects in the group Ge, at the initial moment. reference group Gr, which has not followed an
626 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

entrepreneurial education module, but the current Initiative -9,195 3,45 0,002 5,743
curriculum. Independent -8,047 -3,448
3,448 1,153 10,342
Analyzing the data for the reference group was spirit
necessary in order to eliminate errors due to the fact that Motivation -4,599 3,448
-3,448 -4,597 12,644
Determination -6,897 0 -2,299 9,196
the entrepreneurial competencies level is improving also
Self- -12,645 4,598 -5,747 13,794
after following the existing curriculum. confidence
Next were determined and the differences
 and
 Realism -10,344 3,447 -6,897 13,794
and also difference-in-differences
differences estimator δ.
δ Receptivity to -3,45 1,149 -6,892 9,193
new
0 50 100 Perseverance 9,197 -5,748
5,748 -13,792 10,343
Adaptability 2,299 1,149 -4,597 1,149
Initiative26.425.3 40.2 Never Responsability -6,894 1,149 -1,148 6,893
23.032.2 40.2 Tenacity -12,645 2,299 -5,746 16,092
Motivation 17.229.9 49.4
19.531.0 47.1 Sometimes Enthusiasm -18,391 0 -4,598 22,989
Self-confidence 21.827.6 44.8
20.724.1 46.0 Often Table 4: Difference-in-differences
differences estimator δ for skills
Receptivity…17.236.8 43.7
21.831.0 42.5 Never Sometimes Often Always
Adaptability 24.131.0 35.6 Always
23.032.2 41.4 Identify -44,825 14,941 8,045 21,839
Tenacity 20.732.2 44.8 opportunities
16.1
25.3 54.0 Organize -34,482 1,149 10,345 22,988
Figure 5 Attitudes level after graduating the entrpreneurial module, for Ge
Plan -35,632 4,598 12,644 18,39
group Lead -32,184 3,448 13,795 14,941
Analyze -37,931 10,346 6,896 20,689
Evaluate -33,333 4,597 9,193 19,543
0 50 100 Negotiate -31,035 6,896 11,494 12,645
Work -28,736 8,046 6,896 13,794
Identify… 29.926.4 37.9 Make -37,932 6,897 14,944 16,091
Never decisions
28.728.7 35.6
Plan 24.132.2 36.8 Sometimes Control -9,886 -0,002
0,002 5,75 24,138
28.732.229.9
Analyze 27.631.0 36.8 Often Conclusions
27.633.3 35.6
Negotiate 25.334.5 32.2 Always
29.928.732.2 Through research one can see thathat the knowledge level
Make decisions 27.634.5 35.6 necessary to develop
velop entrepreneurial competencies
20.728.7 46.0 increased
ed significantly after graduating the
Figure 6: Skills level after graduating the entrpreneurial module, for Ge group
entrepreneurial education module,
module being significant the
shift from poor category to other categories.
Table 2: Difference-in-differences estimator δ for knowledge Therefore, for significantly impr
improving the
Poor Satisfactory Good
Very entrepreneurial competencies, especially of the students
Good from technical universities, which lead to the
Entrepreneurship -50,575 1,149 31,035 18,391 development of entrepreneurial phenomenon,
phenomenon is
Management -36,781 4,599 13,789 18,393 important to develop entrepreneurial education modules.
Marketing -33,33 3,448 20,687 9,195
Finance -51,724 1,149 26,437 24,138
Legislation -55,171 1,151 26,435 27,585 References
Production and -60,921 0,002 32,182 28,737
Logistics 1. Leuven, E., M. Lindahl, H. Oosterbeek and D. Webbink
Negotiation -60,924 1,152 34,483 25,289 (2007) , The effect
fect of extra funding for disadvantaged
Managing -41,378 4,598 17,239 19,541 pupils on achievement, The Review of Economics and
people Statistics 89(4), 721-736
Control -65,518 2,299 36,781 26,438 2. Finez, F.H (2008), Three steps methodology to measure an
individual’s personal competences for entrepreneurship
In table 2 are presented the values of difference-in-
difference towards a “particular” business
ness idea, Journal of
differences estimator δ for knowledge and in table
t 3 are Technology Management & Innovation, 2008, volume 3
presented the values of difference-in in-differences 3. 3.Feinstein, A. H., Cannon, H. M. (2002), Constructs of
estimator δ for attitudes. Simulation Evaluation, Simulation & Gaming,
Gaming 33(4), 425–
440
The values of difference-in-differences
differences estimator δ for
skills are presented in table 4.

Table 3: Difference-in-differences estimator δ for attitudes

Never Sometimes Often Always
 COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF HUMAN RESOURCES IN UNIVERSITIES AND
SMES: THE CASE OF THE BUCHAREST ACADEMY OF ECONOMIC STUDIES

Ovidiu NICOLESCU 1, Ebastian CEPTUREAN2 , Eduard CEPTUREANU3

1
The Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies, 2The Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies, 3The Bucharest
Academy of Economic Studie

Abstract
This paper try to establish if the current higher education system is updated to companies needs considering variables like
criteria of rating the employees, period and frequency of training etc. The authors are professors of SMEs management for years, the
leading researcher being also a well known international specialist in SMEs. The research is based on a series of complex and periodic
studies of more than 1000 SMEs and on a study regarding efficiency of educational process in a university. By observing the changes in the
recent 3 years, the authors determined a particular evolution of training in SMEs that can be linked with the perception of higher education
system. There are used statistical methods resulting in much more accurate results, allowing higher education institutions to draw more
realistic conclusions regarding the actual perception of the higher education market. This paper is useful for academics and top
management of universities because it offers an insight of the level of trust in higher education from mangers and entrepreneurs. In our
opinion, this paper is definitely important for higher education practitioners and policy makers because it is a unique study linking training
needs in Romanian SMEs with the higher education system.

Keywords: Romanian SMEs, higher education, training, university, rating system

1. Situation in universities (The Bucharest self-confidence, perseverance, ability to choose,

Academy of Economic Studies facts) ability to learn and with a level of correlation
This part of the paper presents some of the findings around 0.3.
of a study done in ASE involving several hundred Table 2 Correlation between skills developed during studies
graduates. and their usefulness at workplace
Skills Correlation
a. Usefulness of the attributes at work Expertise 0.460143
Graduates were asked how various skills and Ability to solve problems 0.405907
Power of concentration 0.380174
abilities developed (or not) during the years of Loyalty, integrity 0.382216
study have been useful at work. For them, Communication skills 0.361233
communication skills represent the most useful Ability to work independently 0.359834
Ability to work as a team 0.347491
attribute at work (84.3%) followed by adaptability Adaptability 0.336733
as by 81.1 % of graduates and self-confidence by Ability to learn 0.311245
79.1% of them. Issues On the other side there were Ability to decide 0.307748
Perseverance 0.307748
expertise (41%), ability to work independently Confidence 0.305382
(67.1%) and loyalty and integrity (68.1%). 26% of b. Years at last job
graduates with jobs appreciated the usefulness of Graduates who declare that they are working, they
expertise as lower or lowest, which can be were asked during the investigation how many
explained by the fact that much of them work in years worked. The average time was 1.4 years.
domains different than the specialized field of Also, a higher number of graduates (240) have the
faculty. job for less than 2 years in contrast with 59
Table 1 Usefulness of the attributes at work
Usefulness at work of the Score
graduates who have more than 2 years. See table
following attributes no. 3. This confirmed us the hypothesis that large
Communication skills 4.309 percentage of students worked during their studies
Adaptability 4.225
Confidence 4.137 ore are interested in getting one.
Ability to solve problems 4.091 Table 3. Years spent at their last job
Perseverance 4.059 Category Number of students %
Concentration 4.046 Under 1 year 127 41%
Ability for teamwork 4.042 - 0 – 6 months 56 18%
Ability to decide 4.036 - 6 luni – 1 month 71 23%
Ability to work independently 3.932 1-2 years 113 37%
Ability to memorize 3.902 2-3 years 32 10%
Loyalty and integrity 3.879 3-4 years 14 5%
Expertise 3.228 4 – 5 years 10 3%
More than 5 years 3 1%
N.A 8 3%
Table 2 present correlations between answers to the TOTAL 307 100%
question of the role that the school had in Average job experience 1.4
development of their abilities (Q4) and the c. Status of the job
usefulness of these skills at workplace (Q9). For all Most graduates with a job are employees (86.3%),
indicators there is a positive correlation between a small percentage (3.6%) of them are acting as
them, the highest correlation characteristics are entrepreneurs and an even smaller percentage of
those of expertise, ability to solve problems, graduates work as paid or unpaid family worker
concentration. This means that the skills developed (2.3%). See Table. 4. Thus, we conclude that
or enhanced during the college years are those with graduates are less interested in risky jobs, such as
high utility in company. The least correlated are the operating their own business.
628 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

Table 4 Status of the job graduates who have worked in the postal and
Status Number of %
graduates
telecommunications (9.8%), tourism (5.5%) and
Employee 265 86,3% media and culture (5%). Unfortunately, students are
Family worker 2 0,7% not interested to work in education area.
Entrepreneur 11 3,6% Table 6: Industry
Unpaid family worker 5 1,6%
Industry Nr. of graduates %
Free lancer 4 1,3%
Banking and financial 66 21.5%
Others situations, as: 20 6,5% services
- collaborator 5 1,6%
Professional Services 59 19.2%
- promoter 1 0,3%
(Research, IT, legal services)
- project manager 1 0,3%
Commerce 55 17.9%
TOTAL 307 100%
Trade Postal and 30 9.8%
d. Type of job contract telecommunications
Most graduates employed during faculty had Tourism 17 5.5%
Media and Culture 17 5.5%
regular job contracts (71.7%) or with a specific Transport 12 3.9%
time frame (10.7%). This is a positive aspect to Property Services 6 2.0%
show an actual interest from companies to attract Industry, energy, gas, water 5 1.6%
Construction 4 1.3%
students to work under fulfilling legal conditions. Public Administration 2 0.7%
Some of them are still under probation (3.3%), Nonprofit sector 2 0.7%
which is justifiable considering the fact that some Education 1 0.3%
Health 1 0.3%
respondents are newly employed in organizations. Others, of which: 30 9.8%
A significant percentage of respondents (10.7%) - Insurance 6 1.95%
-Communication/ Advertising 5 1.63%
represent students which work without legal - PR
2 0.65%
contract. TOTAL 307 100%
e. Type of activity 2. Situation in SMEs
Of the 307 graduates who worked during faculty, Besides graduates’ point of view, we consider
much worked in marketing (16.9%) and sales important to present the entrepreneurs opinion,
(18.2%). The next field where students were also. This is done by analyzing criteria of rating the
considered competitive by qualified employers was employees and the level of training for the
finance was being employed, and banks and personnel.
insurance companies (12.7%), respectively. See a. Criteria of rating the employees in small and
Table. 5. We can notice the diversity of activities, medium-sized enterprises
confirming the fact that one of the main strengths With regard to the features of employees that the
of economic faculties are appropriate for different entrepreneurs/decision-makers in SMEs consider to
area of socio-economic activities. be most important, the survey results indicate that
Table 5 Type of activity most companies emphasize the importance of
Type of activity Nr. of graduates %
Accountancy 18 5.8% experience (57.51% of the companies), responsible
Research / Development 2 0.6% attitude (56.87%) and knowledge and skills
Finance 39 12.7% (53.69%). Other criteria considered include:
Marketing 52 16.9%
Human Resources 14 4.5% commitment to the company (52.50% of the
Sales 56 18.3% SMEs), professional competence (48.59%),
Production 4 1.3% consciousness (42.13%), intelligence (27.48%),
IT Services 15 4.9%
Others, of which: 107 34.6% resistance to effort (26.57%), level of education
- Customer Relations 17 5.5% (16.65%), proper conduct (15.38%), foreign
- Logistics 10 3.3%
- Public relations 10 3.3%
languages (11.83%) and references (9.92%). This
- Counseling 8 2.6% situation is illustrated by the chart in Figure 1.
-Communication// Advertising 7 2.3%
- Administration 5 1.6% 57.51% Experience
- Secretary 5 1.6% 56.87% Responsible
- Insurance 4 1.3% 53.69% attitude
- Media 3 1.0% 52.50% Knowledge and
TOTAL 307 100% skills
48.59% Commitment to the
f. Correspondence between their 42.13% company
Professional
academic field and job 27.48%
competence
26.57% Constientiousness
There can be noticed equilibrium between 16.65%
academic field and job, 49.5% of graduates 15.38%
Intelligence

considering a strong relation, while 50.5% consider 11.83% Resistance to effort

9.92%
that this correspondence is weak or even does not Education
exist. Proper conduct
0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
g. Industry
Regarding the industries employing Figure 1 Frequency of SME employee assessment criteria
students, there are three major areas: financial In point of importance (rated on a scale from 1 to
services and banking (21.5%), professional services 5), the survey shows that the most important
(research, IT, legal services) (19.2%) and trade criteria in the assessment of SME employees
(17.9%). See Table. 6. Also, a high percentage of include: professional experience (2.62), knowledge
and skills (2.11), intelligence (1.90), responsible
Comparative Analysis of Human Resources in Universities and Smes: The Case of The Bucharest Academy of
conomic Studies 629

attitude (1.77), professional competence (1.71) and and skills 5% 4% 77

%
4% 33
%
0% 68
%
1%

education level (1.5). References

2.67 5.19 6.1 21.2
14.
12.7 5.0 4.33
67
% % 5% 7% 3% 8% %
2.62 %
2.11 experience Intelligence 32. 24. 28.
29.4 22.0 23.1 28.1 31.8
1.9 31 00 81
1% 8% 3% 8% 9%
1.77 % % %
1.71 knowledge and skills Responsible 55. 50. 66.
61.5 55.8 52.9 48.1 62.2
attitude 38 67 10
1.59 0% 4%
%
9%
%
8%
%
0%
1.57 intelligence Commitment 53. 45. 64.
1.49 to the
48.1 57.1
85
46.2
33
53.6
41
59.4
1.43 3% 4% 7% 4% 5%
company % % %
1.39 responsible attitude Level of 12.
1.33 10.1 14.2 6.1 29.1 19.0 6.7 14.1
education 00
1.25 6% 9% 5% 0% 9% 8% 7%
%
professional Foreign 14.
5.88 5.19 7.6 16.0 19.0 5.0 12.6
competence languages 67
% % 9% 4% 9% 8% 0%
0 1 2 3 %
Professional 47. 52. 37.
48.6 54.5 48.8 46.3 49.6
Figure 2 Importance paid to the criteria of employee competence
6% 5%
69
8%
00
6%
29
1%
% % %
assessment in SMEs Conscientious 40. 36. 44.
48.6 37.6 39.1 46.3 41.3
The analysis of the employee assessment ness
6% 6%
00
8%
00
6%
07
4%
% % %
criteria by regional distribution of SMEs (Table 10) Resistance to 43. 17. 38.
25.1 36.3 22.0 24.5 25.5
reveals the following deviations from the average effort
3% 6%
08
%
1%
33
%
5%
98
%
9%
values of the sample group: professional Proper
23.5 9.09 9.2 9.33
21.
16.3
11.
17.7
conduct 33 86
experience, references and the level of education 3% % 3% %
%
6%
%
2%

were indicated most frequently by companies in the Considering the size of SMEs (Table 11), the
Southwestern Region (67.91%, 21.27% and following aspects were identified: the proportion of
29.10%, respectively); SMEs focusing on the companies that do not require experience,
knowledge and skills of the employees are more knowledge and skills, commitment to the company
frequent in the Western Region (61.33%) and less and resistance to effort increases in direct
frequent in the Central Region (40.68%); proportion to the size of the company; the
references were mentioned more frequently by percentage of companies that require
companies in the Southwestern Region (21.27%) conscientiousness and a proper conduct from their
and less frequently by companies in the employees is in reverse proportion to the company
Northeastern Region (2.67%);intelligence is more size; small companies require more frequently
frequently appreciated by SMEs in the Southern references (12.22%), intelligence (29.17%),
Region (32.31%) and less considered in the responsible attitude (62.78%), education (18.06%),
Southeastern Region (22.08%); the responsible foreign languages (12.50%) and professional
attitude is a requirement in 66.10% of the competence (56.39%).
enterprises in the Central Region and in 48.18% of Table 11 Employee assessment criteria depending on
the companies in the Northwestern Region; the company size
Size of the company
companies that stress the importance of Features of employees
commitment are more frequent in the Central considered by entrepreneurs as Microe Small Medium-
being most important nterpri enterp sized
Region (64.41%) and less numerous in the Western ses rises enterprises
Region (45.33%); the level of education is Experience 56.72% 57.78% 62.99%
considered more important by SMEs in the Knowledge and skills 50.34% 58.61% 60.63%
Southwestern Region (29.10%) and less important References 9.31% 12.22% 6.30%
by the companies in the Southern Region (6.15%); Intelligence 28.28% 29.17% 20.47%
conscientiousness is a feature required more
Responsible attitude 54.48% 62.78% 53.54%
frequently by companies in the Northeastern
Region (48.66%) and less frequent by companies in Commitment to the company 49.31% 54.72% 64.57%
the Western Region (36.00%); resistance to effort Level of education 16.90% 18.06% 12.60%
is mostly required by SMEs in the Southern Region Foreign languages 11.90% 12.50% 11.81%
(43.08%); a proper conduct is more frequently Professional competence 44.31% 56.39% 51.18%
sought for by companies in the Northeastern Conscientiousness 45.00% 41.11% 34.65%
Region (23.53%) and less frequently by SMEs in
Resistance to effort 26.38% 26.39% 29.92%
the Southeastern region (9.09%).
Table 10 Differentiation of employee assessment criteria by Proper conduct 20.34% 9.44% 8.66%
development region
Features of SMEs grouped by development region The analysis of companies by sectors of activity
employees
considered
(Table 12) reveals the following significant aspects:
by Nort Sout
So
Sout
We
Nort Ce Buc the decision makers in tourism companies require
entrepreneur heas heas hwes hwes nte hare
s as being t t
uth
t
st
t r st to a greater extent a responsible attitude (60.00%),
most
important
commitment to the company (60.00%), education
Experience
58.2 49.3
56.
67.9
41.
51.8
61.
55.1
(20.00%), foreign languages (32.00%), professional
92 33 02
9% 5%
%
1%
%
2%
%
2% competence (60.00%) and a proper conduct
Knowledge 56.1 55.8 50. 52.2 61. 50.0 40. 55.9 (24.00%), but the companies in this sector require
630 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

least frequently conscientiousness (36.00%) and allotted

by
resistance to effort (24.00%);construction SMEs
for
companies require more frequently professional training
experience (61.95%), but less frequently none
33.52% 49.32%
46.43
35.57%
30.99
28.43%
28.57
34.32%
% % %
knowledge and skills (44.25%), education 1-5 35.71 36.62 28.57
47.73% 35.62% 29.64% 38.24% 37.71%
(13.27%) and foreign languages (2.65%), days % % %
Table 12 Employee assessment criteria depending on the 6-10 19.72 35.71
10.80% 9.59% 7.14% 22.53% 14.71% 11.44%
sector of activity days % %
Features of SMEs by fields of activity over
10.71 12.68
employees 10 7.95% 5.48% 12.25% 18.63% 7.14% 16.53%
% %
Industr Construct Trade Tourism Trans Servic days
considered by
entrepreneurs as y ion portat es Considering the size of SMEs, the following
being most ion
important
aspects were identified: microenterprises have the
Experience 58.33 55.50 47.54 60.08 greatest percentage of companies that do not
61.95% 60.00%
% % % % implement personnel training activities (39.45%);
Knowledge and skills 60.96 49.52 59.02 56.72 small companies represent the greatest proportion
44.25% 56.00%
% % % %
References 14.35 of SMEs that allot 6-10 days a year for personnel
6.58% 9.73% 8.00% 3.28% 7.56%
% training (24.54%), medium-sized companies are the
Intelligence 19.74 27.03 32.79 33.61 most numerous to allot 1-5 days a year (54.06%)
29.20% 24.00%
% % % %
Responsible attitude 57.46 56.94 57.38 53.36 and over 10 days a year (15.38%) for personnel
58.41% 60.00%
% % % % training, but also the least numerous of the SMEs
Commitment to the 57.89
54.87%
49.52
60.00%
52.46 52.10 that do not implement any training activities
company % % % %
Level of education 14.91 18.66 19.67 15.55 (20.70%).
13.27% 20.00%
% % % % The distribution of companies by sectors of activity
Foreign languages
8.77% 2.65%
10.05
32.00% 9.84%
21.43 reveals the following facts: companies that do not
% %
Professional 53.51 47.85 42.62 47.48 conduct any training activities are most frequent in
44.25% 60.00%
competence % % % % the trade sector (42.17%) and least frequent in the
Conscientiousness 39.04
49.56%
41.63
36.00%
59.02 36.97 sector of services (26.01%). SMEs in industry are
% % % %
Resistance to effort 31.58 24.64 26.23 24.37
the most frequent to conduct training for 1-5
30.97% 24.00%
% % % % days/employee (45.02%), while tourism companies
Proper conduct 10.53
12.39%
19.62
24.00%
13.11 12.61 are the most frequent to allot 6-10 days a year for
% % % %
personnel training (30.43%). For additional
b. Personnel training
information, see Table 15.
The analysis of companies in point of average Table 15 Frequency of training in SMEs by sectors of
number of working days per employee allotted for activity
training during the last year, reveals the following Average
number of
facts: 36.61% of SMEs conduct training activities business days Indus
Construction Trade Tourism Transportation Services
allotted by try
1-5 days a year, 35.25% of the companies do not SMEs for
implement any training activities, 15.87% of the training
none 31.2 42.17
companies allot 6-10 days for personnel training, 8%
34.62%
%
34.78% 38.18% 26.01%
12.27% of the companies implement training 1-5 days 45.0
37.50%
34.34
30.43% 43.64% 31.39%
programs of more than 10 days. In almost two 2% %
6-10 days 11.3 14.90
thirds of the surveyed companies, the entrepreneurs 7%
16.35%
%
30.43% 10.91% 21.08%
and/or managers are interested in improving the over 10 12.3
11.54% 8.59% 4.35% 7.27% 21.52%
days 2%
training of their employees. The analysis of SMEs References
by development regions reveals the following 1. Nicolescu, O.; Nicolescu, C. (2008) Entrepreneurial
deviations from the average values of the overall Management, Economica Publishing House
sample group: the proportion of companies that do 2. Nicolescu, O. (coord.) (2009), White Charter of
SMEs, Olimp Publishing House
not conduct training activities is greater in the 3. Nicolescu, O.; Ceptureanu, S.; Ceptureanu, E.,
Southeastern region (49.32%) and smaller in the (2009) Knowledge related activities in Romanian
Northwestern Region (28.43%), the Northwestern SME, Annales Universitatis Apulensis Seria
Region has the greatest proportion of companies Oeconomica, No. 11, ISSN 1454-9409
4. http://www.pp2.ase.ro/Rezultate%20cercetare/Absol
that allot to the training of employees an average venti/Raport_absolventi_REI_rom_nov_2006_V2.pdf
number of 10 days per year (18.63%), the
Northeastern Region has the greatest percentage of
companies that allot 1-5 days/employee/year for
personnel training (47.73%).

Table 13 Frequency of training in SMEs by development

regions
Averag SMEs grouped by development region
e
number
of Northeas Southeas Southwes Buchares
West Northwest Center
busines t t South t t
s days
 CONTINOUOUS MEDICAL EDUCATION – CRITICAL FACTOR FOR IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF
SERVICES OFFERED BY THE MEDICAL LABORATORIES IN ROMANIA, IN THE PROCESS OF
INTEGRATION WITHIN THE EUROPEAN UNION

Marieta OLARU1, Constanta POPA 2 , Georgeta SORESCU 3 Claudia Adriana LANGǍ4

1
Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania, olaru.marieta@gmail.com
2
Association for Quality in Laboratories (CALILAB), Bucharest, Romania, taniapopa@yahoo.co.uk
3
Association for Quality in Laboratories (CALILAB), Bucharest, Romania, georgeta_sandu@yahoo.com
4
SC Romsir, Romania, claudia@energie-verde.ro
Abstract: The main objective of the paper is to highlight the role of continuous medical education for the personnel in order to improve the
quality of services offered by medical laboratories in Romania, in the process of integration within the European Union, taking into consideration
an assessment system with multiple criteria. This paper presents the results of a study conducted between 2007 and 2009 within the doctoral
research, using as research methods the observation and the questionnaire applied on a sample of 100 persons having completed higher
education (with degrees in biochemistry, biology and chemistry), employed with medical laboratories in Romania. This work was supported by
CNCSIS-UEFISCSU, project number ID_856 PNII-IDEI code 273/2007. The study was conducted in cooperation with the Association for Quality
in Laboratories (CALILAB), which is a body notified by the Ministry of Health from Romania for services that assess the competence of medical
laboratories.

Key Words: medical education, medical laboratory, medical services quality

INTRODUCTION profession through the national programme for

According to the opinions expressed in the
literature of the field, the quality of medical services
may be assessed by taking into consideration several
criteria, among which we could mention: effectiveness,
efficiency, continuity of care, patient safety, the
competence of the medical team and the patient
satisfaction – who is the customer for such services
(Gabor, 2008).
There has been an increasing focus on the direction
of the healthcare system towards the prevention of
diseases in the context of Romania’s integration within
the European Union and generous resources have been
allocated for carrying out national healthcare
programmes coordinated by the Ministry of Health
(Sorescu et al, 2009).
In this context, everybody admits the increasing
role of continuous medical education for specialists in
assuring and improving the quality of medical services,
including those services offered by medical
laboratories. This role is also underlined by the
literature of the field, where it is considered that “the
progress in the laboratory science is mostly the result
of the contributions of scientists who have the proper
education and specialisation in the field, meaning
specialists in clinical chemistry and laboratory
medicine (Gabor and Kovacs, 2008).”
Continuous medical education, hereinafter referred
to as CME represents all the planned activities for
theoretical and practical training completed by the
medical and non medical personnel with higher
education studies in view of acquiring or improving the
level of knowledge, abilities, professional aptitudes
with a focus on the improvement of the quality of the
current medical service and the performance level in
this field (Sorescu, 2008).
In Romania, the management of CME activities is
provided by specialised professional organisations
acknowledged as regulating authorities for each
continuous medical education. CME activities are
quantified using credit units called CME credits, and
they are offered with regard to the number of effective
hours of CME activity (Popa and Sorescu, 2008).
Taking into consideration these aspects, a study
was conducted between 2007 and 2009 with the help of
the Association for Quality in Laboratories(CALILAB)
– professional association notified by the Ministry of
Health from Romania for the organisation of
assessment schemes of medical laboratories
competences. It was a questionnaire-based study
applied on a sample of 100 specialists from medical
laboratories. This research was aimed at highlighting
the role of continuous medical education for the
personnel in view of improving the quality of services
offered by the medical laboratories in Romania, in the
context of integration within the European Union.
This work was supported by CNCSIS-UEFISCSU,
project number ID_856 PNII-IDEI code 273/2007.
CONCERNS REGARDING CONTINUOUS
MEDI-CAL EDUCATION OF THE PERSONNEL
IN MEDICAL LABORATORIES FROM
ROMANIA
Over the past years, the Romanian sanitary system,
especially in the field of medical laboratories, there
have been efforts for improving the quality of services
provided through the development of a system of
continuous professional training for the personnel,
alongside with measures aimed at the drafting of legal
rules concerning the assurance of quality for such
services, the implementation of a quality management
system and the equipment of laboratories with high-
technology devices respectively (Sorescu, 2008).
Taking into consideration the results of the SWOT
analysis performed by the specialists of the field, we
can find the following strengths for the organisations
632 The 6th International Conference Management of Technological Changes
acting in the Romanian sanitary field concerning the
personnel (Voinea and Pamfilie, 2009):
- the specialists’ competence;
- the availability of the medical personnel for long
working hours;
- personnel trained for different branches of activity
in the field, who contribute to the development of
the capacity to solve complex problems;
- an important share is consisted of young
specialists, who are able to adapt more quickly to
the new requirements in the context of Romania’s
integration within the EU.
Using the results of the SWOT analysis
performed, we can also highlight the fact that at the
level of medical investigations laboratories there have
been concerns for improving the quality of services
provided.
Thus, especially after Romania’s accession to the
European Union, the focus has been on the increase in
the requirements regarding the compliance with the
assessment criteria for quality, defined by the
application rules stipulated by the framework contract
at the section “quality of medical services”. This has
generated the involvement of institutions from the
sanitary system in the implementation of a quality
management system that is able to meet the
requirements of standards ISO 9001:2008, ISO 17025
and ISO 15189:2007 and the more responsible
application of the quality control procedure for medical
services (Sorescu et al, 2009).
Under these circumstances, it has been
increasingly admitted that the performances of a
medical laboratories largely depend on the
competences of human resources, their degree of
involvement and awareness regarding the achievement
of objectives.
An essential objective for any medical laboratory
is represented by meeting the performance standards
established for its employees. One efficient solution for
reaching this goal is to train, participate in continuous
training programmes and continuous medical
education.
A continuous training programme in the medical
field envisages (www.cnfpa.ro):
- the improvement of individual, team and
organisation performances regarding the quality
of the services, the speed of work and the overall
productivity;
- the assurance of maximum quality for the services
provided by the medical laboratories, which go to
various categories of customers.
- the improvement of the exploitation flexibility by
enlarging the qualification range of the employees;
- attracting quality personnel, offering them training
professional and personal development
opportunities in order to improve competences and
enlarge the qualification field, thus making it
possible to reach a higher work satisfaction;
- the development of an organizational culture
oriented towards quality.
The most important role in this continuous medical
education for the personnel of the sanitary system
belongs to professional organisations, which are the
regulating authorities to be found at the basis of the
pyramid of the process of continuous medical
education ( fig. 1).
CNFPA
Ministry of
Health
Specific legal
framework
CME
Professional organisations =
Regulating authorities
Fig 1. The pyramid of the continuous medical education process
At this moment in Romania, there is a great focus on
the continuous training programmes for the medical
personnel that are organised by the Ministry of Health
and the National Centre for Adult Training and
Professional Development with trainers accredited by
the Ministry of Health. In this context several types of
programmes have been developed in terms of
continuous training programmes for the personnel of
medical laboratories, organised with the assistance of
the Association for Quality in Laboratories
(CALILAB), a non-profit independent professional
association, whose main objective is to improve the
quality of services provided by medical laboratories
(Sorescu et al, 2009).
In order to achieve this objective, CALILAB
cooperates with other professional organisations in the
sanitary field in Romania. We could mention: the
Professional Body of Biochemists, Biologists and
Chemists from the Romanian Sanitary System, the
Board of Physicians, the Professional Body of Nurses
and Midwives, the National House of Health
Insurances, the National Accreditation Body – RENAR
and many other institutions. The main services offered
by CALILAB refer to:
- the training, preparation and professional
development of the personnel from medical
investigations laboratories;
- organisation of assessment schemes of the
competences of medical investigations
laboratories.
THE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY USED
In order to achieve the research objective, we did
a study in cooperation with the Association for Quality
Comparative Analysis of Human Resources in Universities and Smes: The Case of The Bucharest Academy of conomic
Studies
in Laboratories – CALILAB, between 2007 and 2009,
and we used the observation and the questionnaire as
research methods. We applied them on a sample of 100
persons who completed higher education studies -
biochemists, biologists and chemists – employees of
medical laboratories from Romania.
The observation took place based on the criteria
defined by the professional and scientific committee of
the above-mentioned association, while the
questionnaire was made up of questions referring to:
- the type of higher education studies graduated (long
term or short term studies);
- the type of professional development programmes
graduated (postgraduate studies, master studies for
specialisation, further studies, others);
- doctoral studies graduated/ underway;
- the results of the annual monitoring of the
minimum number of credits for the persons under
study (hours of continuous medical education)
between 2007 and 2009 performed by the
professional organization – the regulating authority
for the profession.
RESEARCH RESULTS
Following the processing of the data collected
using the questionnaire and the observation, we
obtained the results presented below.
Research results concerning the type of higher
education studies graduated
In the medical laboratories from Romania
physicians and laboratory nurses work together with
non medical personnel – biologists, chemists and
biochemists, who have the right to exert the profession
only after graduating from long term higher education
studies (4-5 years of higher education studies) or upon
graduation of the first two education cycles of Bologna
system (bachelor and master), with specialisation
studies in the field of the medical laboratory.
The questionnaire sample was 100 persons for the
research conducted between 2007 and 2009. They all
have the right to exert the profession and work in
medical laboratories in Romania: 45 biologists, 36
chemists and 19 biochemists.
The weight of non medical personnel under study
19% Biochemists
45% Biologists
36% Chemists
45.00 36.00 19.00
Fig 2. The weight of personnel under study
633
The analysis of the professional training situation
of the 100 persons under study has revealed that all the
persons completed long term specialised higher
education studies of 4 or 5 years.
Research results regarding the participation of the
personnel in professional development programmes
According to the Romanian regulations regarding
the functioning of medical laboratories and the internal
rules of the professional organisation, as regulating
authority for the professions, the non medical
personnel with the right to exert the profession can
work in medical laboratories provided they participate
in professional development programmes. This
obligation refers to the completion with a certain
frequency of postgraduate studies, master programmes
and specialised workshops.
According to the study conducted, all the 100
persons graduated from professional development
courses that are authorised by the professional
organisation in charge (the Professional Body of
Biochemists, Biologists and Chemists from the
Romanian Sanitary System. It was revealed that 80%
of the non medical personnel under study with a degree
in biology, chemistry or biochemistry graduated from a
specialised master programme in the field of medical
laboratory. Figure 3 presents the research results of
continuous training programmes graduated by the
categories of persons under study (biologists, chemists
and biochemists).
45
40 postgraduate studies
35
30
specialised master
programmes
25 professional
20 development courses
15
other continuous
training programmes
10
5
0
biologists chemists biochemists
Figure 3 – The weight of medical laboratory personnel who
graduated from different professional training programmes
Research results regarding the participation of the
personnel in doctoral higher education programmes
Over the last years, the organisations and
professional associations from the field of medical
investigation laboratories in Romania have promoted
and have been actively involved in the implementation
of continuous professional development programmes
for the medical personnel. This process has been a lot
helped by the adoption of regulations in the field,
especially after Romania’s accession to the European
Union.
Under the circumstances of these concerns, the
personnel working in the medical laboratories has been
634
increasingly interested in medical education while
being aware of its importance for the improvement of
the quality of services provided by these laboratories.
laboratories
Thus, the research results obtained from the sample
highlighted the fact that 41 % of the non medical
personnel working in medical investigations
laboratories have graduated or will graduate doctoral
higher education studies (fig. 4).
Doctoral studies
non participation in
doctoral studies
participation in
doctoral studies
41.00 59.00
Figure 4 –The
The weight of personnel working in medical laboratories
who are involved in doctoral studies ( at the level of the sample
under study )
Out of them 15 % have been awarded the title of
doctor in medical sciences, biology,, biochemistry
bioch or
chemistry while 26% will be graduating from doctoral
studies (figure 5).
14
12
10
8 graduated
6 Results of Medical Tests”, Romanian Medical Laboratory
4 doctoral studies
2
0 to performance increasing of small and middle enterprises
biologists chemists biochemists
Figure 5 – The weight of the personnel working in medical
laboratories who graduated
uated doctoral higher education studies
CONCLUSIONS
The research has highlighted the fact that there has
been an increase in the weight of the personnel of
medical laboratories in Romania who comply with the
requirements criteria concerning continuous medical
m services offered by medical laboratories in Romania after
education. Also, there has been a rise in the interest of
the medical personnel regarding the compliance with
continuous professional development programmes.
programmes
Thus, most of the non medical personnel working
in these laboratories (80%) have graduated a
specialised mater programme in the field of the
medical laboratory. Also, there has been a significant
increase in the interest for specialised doctoral studies,
15% of the personnel under study having graduated
such studies while 26 % having such studies
studie underway.
We consider that this evolution has been helped by the
fact that professional organisations and associations in
the field of medical investigations laboratories in
Romania have promoted and have been actively
involved in the implementation of continuous c
professional development programmes for the medical
The 6th International Conference Management of Technological Changes
personnel, especially after Romania’s accession to the
European Union, with beneficial implications as
concerns the quality of services provided by these
laboratories.
The study offers information
on on the situation of the
continuous medical education of the personnel in
medical laboratories – critical factor for the
improvement of the quality of services provided by
such laboratories. The research results may represent
the starting point for more elaborate researches
regarding this topic, thus facilitating a better
argumentation of the policies and strategies
implemented by the bodies that have responsibilities in
the field of assurance and improvement of medical
services quality.
REFERENCES
1. Gabor,r, L.K. (2008), The Bologna process in laboratory
training,
ning, Revista Romana de Medicina de Laborator, Vol. 11,
no. 2, Publisher A.L.M.R., Bucharest,
Bucharest 41 – 42.
2. Olaru, M., Albescu, F., Paraschiv, D., Stoleriu, Gh., Langa, Cl.,
A., (2009), “Performance
Performance Assessment
Assessm of the Training Service
Providers in Romania related to the Criteria of the Common
Quality Assurance Framework”, Amfiteatru economic, no. 26/
2009, Bucharest, www.amfiteatrueconomic.ro
3. Olaru, M., Păunescu,
unescu, C., Cherciu, O. (2006)(2006), “Current
Approaches in Assuring the Quality of Training Services in the
Frame of the European Knowledge Society”, in: Proceedings of
The International Conference “Knowledge Management:
nologies”, 9-10.11. 2006,
Projects, Systems and Technologies”,
Doctoral
studies
Bucharest.
4. Popa, C., Sorescu, G, (2008), “Assurance of the Quality of
Magazine, no.. 12/2008, Bucharest,12 – 13.
underway 5. Sorescu, G. (2008), “Human resources contribution assessment
within the medical system”, in: Proceedings of the
International Conference on Quality – Innovation - European
Integration - QIEI 2008, 18-2020 September
Septemb 2008, special issue
of the Journal Quality – Access
ccess to Success, year 9, no. 93,
Bucharest, 375-380.
6. Sorescu,G., Popa,C. and Timar,A. (2009), “The
“ Contribution of
Continuous Professional Development for the Medical
Personnel to the Increase of Competitiveness of SME in the
Romanian Sanitary System”, Studia S Universitas “Vasile
Goldis”, P. III, Arad, 121 – 130.
7. Sorescu, G., Tuclea F., , Pantilie C., V.
(2009), “Research
esearch concerning the evolution of the quality of
adhering to the European Union”, in:
in Proceedings of The 6th
International Conference on Management of Technological
Changes, 3rd-5th Septemberber 2009, Alexandroupolis, Greece,
Gree
189 – 192.
8. Sorescu, G., Popa, C., and Tuclea, F. (2009), „Current
„
Requirements Regarding the Accreditation of Medical
Laboratories in the Romanian Sanitary System”,
System Quality –
Access to Succes, no. 10, 42 – 44.
9. Stoicescu, E., (2002), “CME in the context of European
integration,” Management in Health Magazine nr.1.
10. Voinea, L. and Pamfilie, R., “Considerations regarding
the Performance Improvement of the Hospital Healthcare
Services from Romania by the Implementation of an Integrate
Management System”, Amfiteatru Economic,
Economic no. 26/ 2009,
Bucharest, www.amfiteatrueconomic.ro
x www.cnfpa.ro
 STRATEGIC ANALYSIS OF THE EDUCATIONAL OFFERING DIVERSIFICATION AT
THE FACULTY OF ECONOMIC, LAW AND ADMINISTRATIVE SCIENCES

Ioan PASTOR1 , Bianca-Ramona ZAHARIA2, Diana-Andrada ZAHARIA3

1
ioan_pastor@yahoo.com
2
zaharia.bianca@yahoo.com
3
zaharia.andrada@gmail.com

The aim of this paper is to present the diversification strategy as a potential option of development for universities and to demonstrate
the applicability of the diversification star method in adopting decisions at a strategic level.
The applicative aspect is represented by a case study on the diversification strategy of the economic specializations at the Faculty of
Economic, Law and Administrative Sciences at “Petru Maior” University of Tîrgu Mureş.
Therefore, we have carried out a preliminary investigation in order to set the necessary efforts for the implementation of a new
specialization through the diversification star method. The points of this star represent the influence factors and by means of a mathematical
calculation algorithm this method provides information on the effort of implementation of a new specialization.
The defining feature of this paper is the novelty character, because the university diversification strategy has not been a scientific
analysis subject. In writing this paper we have used the date that we got through the group technique, focus group, underlining in this way the
participation character of the method. An advantage of this paper is the integrating character of the data used from the pre-university and
university environment.
In conclusion, the diversification star method is efficient, reliable, original and can be successfully applied in the defining process of
the educational offering at any university.

Key words: strategic management, diversification factors, diversification star.

university invests in the development of some new
Chapter 1. Strategic Management at “Petru Maior” specializations/faculties, thus valorising a favourable
University opportunity (Marian, 2009).

In a university, strategic management and the The diversification axes

adopted strategies influence the institutional Diversification implies getting involved in more or
development, assure a competitive advantage and lead less complex and expensive activities, more or less
it toward the wanted success. A special attention must risky and that can be classified and reunited in a
be paid to the educational offering, the specializations product/market matrix made by Ansoff.
that meet the needs of the society and students,
contributing in this way to a great extent to the society PRODUCT
development. Therefore, a complex, easily applicable, Market
efficient and dynamic strategy is vital for any Current New
university. As Michael Shattok underlined, strategic
Current Specialization Product
management in higher education is “the integrating
mechanism that animates policies and processes in diversification
order to obtain the best institutional effect”(Shattock,
2003). New Market Total
The Faculty of Economic, Law and Administrative diversification diversification
Sciences has a complex and functional institutional
structure, flexible and adaptable to the requirements of Fig. 1. The vector matrix of diversification, Ansoff
the outside environment. The Faculty is affiliated to the
Association of Economic Faculties in Romania
(AFER). The size of diversification can be visualized
In the university year 2009-2010, the educational through a star-shaped graphic (Fig. 2.), that is made
offering includes four specializations for full-time based on the influence factors of the university activity,
education in the economic field: Management, for example clients, products, educational technologies,
Economy of Commerce, Tourism and Services, geographical position. Through diversification the level
Accounting and Bookkeeping Information Systems, of the characteristics is modified, the moving off from
Finance – Banking and two part-time specializations: the “origin” being highlighted on a scale, the
Management and Accounting and Bookkeeping diversification star being achieved whose area and
Information Systems. A priority objective of the configuration reproduce the amplitude of getting
university is the educational offering diversification by further the reference specialization.
means of introducing new specializations.

Chapter 2. The diversification strategy – a potential

option of development for universities

The diversification strategy represents a strategic

orientation of horizontal integration, through which the
636 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

International Affairs – 11; Agroalimentary Economics

– 6.
After a first analysis of the market of the
Clients economic domain, the classifications obtained as well
10

Information and 8
as the existing situation at “Petru Maior” University,
Product
documentation
6 the idea of introducing the following specializations
4 emerges: Marketing, Economic Informatics,
Facilities
2
0
Educational International Affairs, Agroalimentary Economics.
tehnology

Geographical Human
position resources
Scientific
research
Fig. 2. Diversification star
Chapter 3. Case study on the diversification
strategy of the specializations in the economic field
at the Faculty of Economic, Law and
Administrative
Taking into consideration the proposed
objective, the diversification of the specializations in
the economic field at the Faculty of Economic, Law
and Administrative Sciences, we have carried out a
research applying the diversification star method.
The proportions of the economists market as
any other market, imposes an evaluation of the
situation from the point of view of two major
dimensions: supply and demand.
B. Demand
Demand can be defined by high school
graduates who want to attend higher education studies.
In order to foresee future demand we have made the
following steps:
1. We have carried out a statistics on the existing
specializations at the high schools in the Mureş County
and the number of places for each specialization. The
data have been taken from the site of the Ministry of
Education, Research, Youth and Sport, the most places
are offered at: Mathematics-Informatics, Mechanics,
Philology, Commerce and Nature Sciences.
2. We have applied the questionnaire to a sample
of 75 pupils in the Mureș County in order to find their
preferences regarding the specializations they would
like to enrol in at “Petru Maior” University. The
questionnaire can be found at the following link:
http://www.tfaforms.com/150955

A. Supply
In order to make a complex analysis of supply
a statistics of the economic specializations within the
universities in Romania has been used.
Statistics on the universities having an economic
profile in Romania
According to G.D. no. 749 on 24th June 2009
on the approval of the Classified list of the domains,
the structures of the higher education institutions and
the specializations/university study programmes at a Fig. 3. The options of high school pupils
Bachelor level that are accredited or authorized to
function on a temporary basis organized by these, there 3.1. Applying the diversification star method
are 62 universities with economic authorized domains
having 23 distinct specializations. The diversification star method may be
According to the statistics the most common applied in any field of activity and any organization
specialization at the level of the universities in where the implementation of an efficient management
Romania is Accounting and Bookkeeping Information strategy is wanted.
System, this being found at 54 universities. For the 1. The first stage has consisted of forming a 20
following 9 specializations in the classification the people focus group made up of the main responsibility
situation is as follows: Finance-Banking – 46; factors in the university: rector, didactic vice rector,
Economy of Commerce, Tourism and Services – 43; dean, didactic vice dean and members of the didactic
Management – 42; Marketing – 36; Economic staff from the Faculty of Economic, Law and
Informatics – 18, Business Administration – 15; Administrative Sciences.
International Business – 12; Economics and 2. The second step had been the identification,
together with the main responsible people in the
Assessing the Role of Organization′s Culture Characteristics in the Project Managers′ Performance 637

university, of the critical influence factors for the other

university specializations. The influence factors, locations)
critical in making the decision can be seen in Fig. 4. Endowments
3. The next stage consisted in choosing the (laboratories,
reference specialization and the specializations 4,05 3,4 2,9 8,1
machinery,
proposed together with a focus group made up of 20 equipments)
people. After studying the two statistics, the external Information
analysis of the specializations in the university and
economic domain in Romania and the internal analysis 3,2 5 4,2 7,1
documentation
of the faculty we suggested that for the following 4 (soft, library)
specializations, which can be seen in Fig. 5, the Fig. 4. The score of the specializations
diversification star method to be applied.
4. The detailed analysis of the influence factors 5. The next stage in the logical scheme was
has been performed by asking each responsible factor represented by making the star type graphic for each of
in university to sore them. the specializations.
Scores from 0 to 10 were given to each A way of drawing the star is the Radar-type
influence factor for each of the specializations. We graphic option in Excel. Analysing the size of the star
compared the implementation effort with the corresponding to each specialization we can easily
Management specialization, for which all influence observe its remoteness or closeness compared to the
factors have the 0 value. The scores got have been origin, the Management specialization, and implicitly
centralized and their mean has been achieved by the effort necessary in implementing a new
calculating the arithmetic mean. specialization.
Clients
Diversification Star Management E-learning
9

8
International Business
Agroali Information and documentation
7
Product (engleză)
Internat Marke-
6

Marketing (zi)
Manage mentary
5

Influence ional ting 3

Agroalimentar economy (zi)
ment E- Econom 2

factor Business (full-

1

learning ics (full-

Facilities 0 Educational tehnology

English time) Management e-learning 17,54

time) International Business

Marketing
58,62
26,38

Clients
Agroalimentar Economy 100,09
Geographic position Human Resources

(candidates, Scientific Research

the high Fig.5. Diversification star

schools’ 4,2 6 3,1 7,1
profiles and
6. The calculation of the areas and the
geographical
interpretation of the results obtained for each
positions) specialization.
Product In order to quantify exactly this effort the area
(specific corresponding to each star is calculated as the sum of
competences, 1,1 6,1 3,9 8,2 the areas of the formed triangles. The area of a triangle
subjects was calculated with the formula:
studied)
side1 ⋅ side2 ⋅ sin (s1s2 )
Educational Area = .
technology 2
(Full-time 5,5 2,8 3,2 5,3 For example, for the E-Learning Management
/Part-time/E- specialization the area obtained is 17.54 area units.
learning) This result was obtained by calculating the sum of the
Human areas of all the triangles that make up the star:
resources (4.2*1.2+1.1*5.5+5.5*1.2+1.2*1.2+11*09+09*4+405*
(number of 3.2+3.2*4.2)*sin450/2
new didactic 7. Choosing the optimal specialization
1,2 8,1 3,1 4,9 In order to choose the optimal specialization, the
staff and
number of efforts necessary for the implementation are analysed
existing for each specialization taking into consideration the
didactic staff) configuration of the star. We will analyse only the
Scientific optimal specialization and the one which requires the
1,1 3,9 2,8 6,2 biggest effort.
research
Geographic The following strategic aspects have been noticed:
position 0,9 1,1 1,1 1,2 • Management E-Learning – 17.54 units
(premises, For diversification with the E-learning
Management specialization, extremely small efforts
638 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

are necessary regarding the following diversification a potential option of development for universities
factors: in enlarging their educational offering; this method
Geographic position because the didactic activities can be also generalized at the level of all faculties
are exclusively performed on the premises; in Romania.
Scientific research includes the same domains as
the full-time specialization;
The curriculum, the product is almost identical
with the full-time one.
Big efforts in implementing are necessary for the
following diversification factors:
Different educational technology based on E-
Learning;
The clients will not be only last year high school
graduates located only in the influence area of the
university. Bibliography:
• Agroalimentary Economics–
100.09 units 1. Ioan Gh. Roşca, Societatea cunoaşterii, Editura Economică,
Bucureşti, 2006
For diversification with the Agroalimentary 2. Liviu Marian, Business Management Strategies, 2009, Petru
Economics specialization, extremely small efforts are Maior University, Tîrgu-Mureş
necessary in: 3. Ovidiu Nicolescu, Strategia Universităţii, Metodologie şi Studii
Geographic position because the didactic activities de caz, Editura Economică, 2007 ,Bucureşti
4. Shattock.M., Managing Successful Universities, Society for
are mainly performed on the premises. Research Into Higher Education&Open University, New York,
Big efforts in the implementation are necessary in: 2003\
Providing the didactic staff with knowledge in this 5. http://www.upm.ro/conducerea/docs/plan_operational_2009.pd
field. f
6. http://www.upm.ro/conducerea/docs/plan_strategic_de_dezvolt
Endowments, because the new specialization are_2008-2012.pdf
implies the existence of some laboratories, 7. http://www.edu.ro/index.php/legaldocs/12390\
technologies and specific equipments; 8. http://admitere.edu.ro/2009/
As for product, new subjects in this domain need
to be introduced and the environment for the
practical study and research needs to be provided.

Chapter 4. Conclusions

The study points out the fact that choosing a

new specialization must not be done without a
scientific substantiation. For the present case,
according to the diversification star method, the
optimal specialization is E-learning Management;
Agroalimentary Economics does not represent a
realistic measure of implementation, a too big effort
being needed.
The defining feature of this paper is the
novelty character which results from the following
aspects:
1. Providing statistics on the number of
specializations in the economic domain of
universities in Romania;
2. Identifying the critical influence factors in
introducing a new specialization;
3. Using some different techniques (focus group,
questionnaires) and varied subjects (mathematics,
statistics, sociology, management);
4. Classifying the options of the didactic staff
regarding specializations;
5. Using the diversification star method in justifying
the diversification of the specializations;
6. The detailed analysis of each diversification star.
To sum up, the diversification strategy
through the diversification star method represents
 DRIVING FACTORS FOR ENHANCING ENTREPRENEURIAL PROCESS AND
BUILDING MATURITY IN ROMANIAN UNIVERSITIES

C. PĂUNESCU 1, C. PANTEA2, I. PURCĂREA3

1
Academy of Economic Studies Bucharest, carmen.paunescu@com.ase.ro
2
Academy of Economic Studies Bucharest, pantea.carmen@gmail.com
3
Academy of Economic Studies Bucharest, irina_ius@yahoo.com

The paper explores and analyzes the key driving factors that shape the future of Romanian higher education, with a focus on those
factors that build the entrepreneurial process throughout the university and sustain its performance and maturity on long term. A
PESTEL analysis was performed and individual interviews and focus groups sessions were conducted with professionals and experts
from academia and industry, with the purpose of better understanding the market trends and its dynamics and acting upon them. The
changing factors identified help universities ensure a better link between their educational offer and the labour force market needs
and demands. This will also lead to the need for universities to focus more on developing competences and not qualifications.

climate changing in order to shape alternative, feasible

NEED FOR CHANGE
There is a strong demand to continuously adapt the
educational offer of Romanian universities to the need
of durable socio-economic development on a local,
regional and national level, and to the needs and
interests of individuals and community. Educating and
training individuals represents an essential requirement
for encouraging the competitiveness and economic
growth of a nation (Finance, 2009).
Generally, in Romania, the university’s leadership
lacks prospective and leadership analysis capacities onto
the higher education key actors. In all OECD member
states the cooperation between academic research and
corporate R&D is increasing. Businesses are financing
an ever greater share of the research work done in
public universities (OECD, 2008 and 2009). Knowledge
and skills must be permanently updated so as to prevent
them to become obsolescent. Learning must evolve into
a mixture of interactive types of teaching, group and
individual work, as well as tasks and projects.
Continuing education and training will be an integral
part of everyday work in the future (Gerhard, 2009).
Thus, entrepreneurial schools should emphasize the
acquisition of basic skills and of lively, interdisciplinary
and relevant knowledge (Finance, 2009; Senges, Brown
and Rheingold, 2008). This is a process that depends on
the relations that the individuals build among their
community, which contents actors from different
sectors: education, industry, companies, civil society,
governmental institutions, etc. (Akrich and Miller,
2007). Validation of the results of education in society
is a long-term action which involves transformations
and evolution, therefore entrepreneurial schools should
be more vision and creativity-oriented and develop
strategies with a longer time horizon.
The future of higher education is not pre-
determined, so we need to take into account longer-term
changes regarding demography, social and cultural
values, the rise or decline of economic powers, but also
phenomena such as globalization, multiculturalism or
futures for the individual and collectivity development.
Most likely trends from literature review emphasize
(Miller, Shapiro and Hilding-Hamann, 2007):
• Increasing global networking between universities,
business and government;
• Emerging markets could dramatically change the
global geopolitical and economic map;
• Services and manufacturing activities will be at the
bottom of the knowledge intensive economy in
2025;
• The expanding volume of trade will result in higher
energy consumption and enhance the transition to
alternative energy sources;
• Securing access to raw materials increasingly
important to EU competitiveness;
• Promising technological fields that may become
huge businesses: biometrics and bioengineering,
environmental innovation, miniaturization, etc.;
• Growing importance of social innovation for growth.
In this context, the paper discusses the key drivers
that shape the future of educational market in Romania
and the trends of labour force market alike, with the
main purpose of building the entrepreneurial process
throughout the university, and sustaining its
performance on long term.
The article is organized in four parts. The
introduction part offers a brief overview of the need for
change and the trends that shape the future of higher
education and society. It also states the problem which
is investigated, and what the authors want to achieve.
The second section presents the research methodology.
The third section briefly explores the changing factors
that shape the future of higher education in Romania in
the years to come. Last part offers a few concluding
observations regarding the future of Romanian higher
education.
RESEARCH APPROACH
The paper uses a team of knowledgeable experts
from academia and various business fields to identify
the key drivers that shape the future of educational
640 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
market in Romania as well as the labour force market
trends. A PESTEL (Political, Environmental, Social,
Technological, Economic, Legal) analysis was
performed and individual interviews and focus groups
sessions were conducted with professionals and experts
from academia and industry, with the purpose of better
understanding the market trends and its dynamics. The
group’s work adhered to a precise, predefined
framework established by research coordinator, which
consisted of: an introduction that defined the object of
analysis and the main concepts used; a description of the
present situation of the educational system; an analysis
of the key developments as they appear today; an
identification of the major forces (changing factors)
likely to impact on future developments; and, finally,
challenges for the future of higher education.
The sample consisted of 53 representatives with
managerial positions from universities (rectors and vice-
rectors form eight public universities across the
country), companies (entrepreneurs and managers from
various industries such us: tourism, commerce, oil,
banking, etc.), research institutes (of the labour market),
students, NGOs, ministries (representatives from the
Ministry of Education, Ministry of Economy, and
Ministry of Labour). The interviews (face-to-face
meetings) were conducted between June 2009 and
December 2009. Four focus group sessions were
organized during the same period of time.
One additional point that is worth mentioning is that
although the focus groups followed a set pattern, the
authors were free to choose their own hypotheses and
frames of analysis.
CHANGING FACTORS
The PESTEL analysis conducted for higher
education by using an interdisciplinary team of experts
from academia and industry highlights important trends
and dynamic changes for the both educational and
labour markets, as discussed below. Table 1 summarizes
the key influencing factors for the future of higher
education in Romania. A good understanding of the
impacts that these factors will have on the future society
represents an important issue as it will help universities
build their maturity and be sustainable on the market
regardless the competition that appears or evolves.
Table 1: Key Influencing Factors
Changing Description
factors
Technology  Pace of development: new
technologies;
 Pace of implementation: hardware
infrastructure, software applications.
Society  Changing needs and interests of
students;
 Changing teaching methods;
 Dynamic changes of labour force
market demands.
Economy  Financing;
 Power of purchase;
 Crisis: cost cutting pressures
(investments), budget pressures for
students.
Policies  Stable: EU guidelines, international
trends: e-learning & open software for
public institutions;
 Unstable: political context (changing
legislation & policy).
Culture  Internet generation;
 Internet as a knowledge database;
 System reluctance to new technology-
based teaching (traditional teaching).
Environment  Dynamic changes in the global
warming;
 Diversification of energy resources.
Socio-demographic factors
Demographic decrease (decreasing birth rate,
migration). High decrease in the number of world
population as a consequence of decreasing the birth rate
will lead to diminishing of the student population --
regardless of the learning cycle they pursue: bachelor,
master’s program, or doctoral studies-- that are enrolled
in the formal learning and lifelong learning programs. In
addition, the phenomenon of migration of active
population will lead to diminishing of the employment
rate in our country and this will continue in the years to
come (more than 2 mil. of the active labour force from
Romania migrated during 2000-2009 abroad).
Poor access to education and low accessibility. This
is a factor highlighted by students living in the rural
areas or coming from families with low income per
capita. The access to education, including to higher
education, and its accessibility become dependent on the
level of income per capita and the overall wealth of the
family. Such as, ensuring the equal access to education
for all those interested in learning represents a major
challenge for universities.
Students’ increasing interest to get employed during
studies. Academics report that more and more students,
regardless of the learning program they are enrolled in,
are interested to acquire work experience during studies
and get employed faster, the education being completed
simultaneously with the work process activity.
Nevertheless, employment during the bachelor program
is not always to the students’ advantage when it comes
to their preparation for work and life. Universities
should take into consideration all these trends and act
proactively by offering trans-disciplinary educational
programs that meet employers’ demands.
Technological factors
New alternatives to the traditional educational
system. Thanks to the new technologies available and
enhanced ways of communication, the rise of the
number of universities that offer on-line, long-distance
and other off-campus learning programs (it is known
that there are universities that offer solely on-line
learning), on one hand, and the rise of competitiveness
from foreign universities which offer equivalent
Driving Factors for Enhancing Entrepreneurial Process and Building Maturity in Romanian Universities
learning programs, on the other hand, represent other
provocations that higher education in Romania should
take into consideration.
Increasing the role of research and development.
Representatives from the business environment believe
that the technological changes will be possible only with
the joint effort from both the academia and businesses
towards intensifying their role in research, development
and innovation and enhancing their contribution to
society development.
Economic factors
Miss-consideration for some branches of economy.
Business people observe a dramatic decrease of the
interest given by the educational system (Ministry of
Education) to some industries, such as: metallurgy,
chemistry, petroleum etc., which will jeopardize further
subsistence of adherent specializations offered by
universities, and furthermore, subsistence of these
branches of economy in the future.
Development of the services. Business people
believe that the services development, inclusive of
industrial type ones, will lead to the rise of demand for
labour force having acquired inter-disciplinary and
cross-sector knowledge and competences. This trend is
already visible in some branches of economy, like:
renewable energy, bio-chemistry, informatics, etc.
Local development. Economy development at local
and regional level, as a result of new technologies
penetration, and the increased access to information will
lead to rethinking the role of universities in these areas,
this meaning enhancing collaboration with local
communities with the purpose of solving specific
problems raised by these regions.
Expansion of the universities networks/ fusion of
universities. Academics are more and more aware of the
fact that creation of university networks, particularly
partnerships developed with companies, NGOs, civil
society, will facilitate the know-how transfer, but will
also enhance mobility for all faculty members,
researchers, and students. Fusion of universities will
allow building some administrative, organizational, and
financial structures that sustain the educational
programs extended among the partner organizations and
recognize the competences acquired.
High relevance of entrepreneurial education. Both
academics and business people on one hand, and
representatives of the ministries alike, on the other hand,
believe that the sustained efforts to implement radical
structural changes in higher education, as regard: the
practice stages for students, internships, simulations,
experiential learning, extra-curriculum activities,
highlights the necessity to recognize the value-added by
entrepreneurial education to all learning cycles and all
fields of specialization. In addition, a strong(er)
involvement of the companies in reinforcing the
entrepreneurial process in universities is highly
recommended.
641
Political and legal factors
Changing and apparently non-conforming
legislation. The discrepancies and current deficits of
legislation in the field of education have as direct
consequences a relatively low correlation between
university’s educational offers and the demands of the
labour force market. In addition, a defective and
inefficient qualification system is sustained on the
labour market in Romania.
Poor and generally unprofessional involvement of
policy makers. Both academics and policy makers are
aware of the fact that the ineffective correlation,
regarding the content of the educational act, between the
three learning cycles (bachelor, master, Ph.D.), on one
hand, and improper competences and qualifications
developed by various educational programs and forms
of education, on the other hand, will further deepen the
discrepancy that exists between the Romanian higher
education system and European or international one, as
well as will further nurture non-performance.
Budgetary policy. The budgetary policy will
determine financing of universities based on new
criteria, such as: the type of learning program (on-
campus, on-line, long-distance), the R&D results, the
industry – universities link and collaboration and its
outcomes, etc. Increasing of the autonomy of
universities will attract a new policy for schooling, in
terms of tuition fees, number of students enrolled in
different learning circles, number of scholarships
granted by government, a loan system for students to
complete their studies, etc.
Decentralization of the educational system. This
policy generates the need to regulate new types of
education (e.g., long distance, on-line), accessible to
those students or adults who work and are interested in
completing their education. The need to offer
alternatives to all those interested in learning appears
and should be considered.
Environmental factors
Increasing the amount of pollutants. This will lead
to an increased need for appropriate technologies that
help ensure environment protection and reduction of
pollutants in atmosphere, soil, or water. The assurance
of environment protection will put to question the
necessity to carefully consider the balance between cost
– competitiveness – medium and long term impact.
Business people suggest that restructuring of the
educational offer of higher education by taking into
account the requirement of environment protection,
inclusive of by creating new learning programs and
specializations focused on this area, is an important
issue to be reflecting on. In addition, creation of spin-
offs in the fields of renewable energy, eco-friendly
transportation means, “passive” buildings, satellite
villages etc. with the expertise provided by universities
are also to be considered.
642 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

RESULTS AND IMPLICATIONS in the undergraduate correlated with the graduate

and postgraduate education;
The paper discusses the key drivers for enhancing  Determining the planning and organization of
entrepreneurial process in Romanian universities, which education to proceed through the perspective of
builds their maturity and prepare them for future spanning over an entire lifetime.
development. An interdisciplinary team of experts from
academia, industry, and civil society highlights Acknowledgements
important trends and dynamic changes for the both
educational and labour markets in Romania that need to The contribution was prepared under the support of
be carefully monitored. Their detailed opinions are the UEFISCSU–CNCSIS PN II research project, code
sporadically referred to. The benefits and drawbacks of ID_828/ 2007, run by ASE in Romania.
implementing necessary actions are further explored.
The changing factors identified help universities
References
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the labour force market needs and demands. This will
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also lead to the need for universities to focus more on in the European Research Area – Synthesis Paper. European
developing competences and not qualifications. Commission, Directorate-General for Research, Directorate C –
Taking into consideration the fast development of European Research Area: Knowledge-based economy
educational technologies, the shape of higher education 2. Finance, J.P. (2009). From diploma to qualification: the place
and mission of universities; Bologna Handbook; martie 2009; vol.
in the future will certainly be different from the current 11
one when we refer to access, interaction, curriculum, 3. Gerhard, F. (2009). Lifelong Learning - More than Training in
instruction or university ranking. But, issues such as Journal of Interactive Learning Research, Volume 11 issue 3/4
inequality, inequity, under representation for minority 4. Miller, M.; Shapiro, H. and Hilding-Hamann, K.E. (2007).
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Secondly, the interaction between professors and pentru societatea cunoaşterii
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If we refer to external relationship, the interaction
between academic and non-academic actors will be
facilitated and will take place in a bigger scale.
Third, the curriculum and instruction will be
changed in a great manner. The structure and content of
some courses will be broadened, a significant amount of
new courses will be created and introduced, inter-
disciplinary subjects will expand, and students,
professors and business people will contribute together
to the development of curriculum.
A future research in this field should address topics
as follows:
 Elaborating the methodological frame for
Romanian’ universities institutional differentiation
by establishing typologies to ensure the services
diversity inside higher education and to reflect the
complex role the universities have in knowledge
producing, disseminating and transferring, as well as
regional development and cohesion;
 Eliminating discrepancies (in terms of relevancy)
between the results obtained by graduates in the
private and public educational system;
 Developing an unitary set of indicators for the
evaluation of the competences acquired by students
(individuals) in high school and then, successively,
 CREATING NEW OPPORTUNITIES IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP.
THE SUCCESS STORY OF A PRIVATE ROMANIAN UNIVERSITY’S ESF PROJECT

Tudor PITULAC1, Roxana ATEȘOAE2

1
“PETRE ANDREI” UNIVERSITY OF IASI, tudorpitulac@yahoo.com
2
“PETRE ANDREI” UNIVERSITY OF IASI, roxana_andrei2001@yahoo.com

Starting from the European and the Romanian policies on entrepreneurship, we will analyse the initiatives taken by a private
university from Romania for developing entrepreneurial capacities and mindsets through entrepreneurship education
projects. We will refer especially to the concept of entrepreneurship education, defined by the European Commission. Based
on the Criteria for good practice in delivering entrepreneurship education, developed in European Commission documents,
we will evaluate the quality of higher university projects in the field.
The paper presents the initiatives taken by the “Petre Andrei” University of Iasi in the field of entrepreneurship education.
The case study will present the project “Regional Cooperation for Entrepreneurship Excellence”, (CREA) financed by the
European Social Fund.
The paper will provide a concrete example of a good practice project regarding the involvement of a higher education
institution in entrepreneurship education in Romania. The added value is given by the most important dimensions of this
project: multidisciplinary collaboration, interactive learning approaches, trainings adapted to different target groups.

considers that: “A strength of most national reports is

The starting point for this approach is the concern
related with the degree of interest manifested by higher
education institutions on entrepreneurship education in
Romania. By developing this piece we intend, on one
hand, to underline the crucial relevance of EE, and on
the other hand to present an initiative on this field, with
great positive impact not only on the community but for
the promoting university as well.
In order to estimate the degree of interest by the
universities in the field of EE we have documented the
approach by counting the projects developed in this
field by universities, in the total amount of projects
financed on the dedicated priority axis on the POSDRU
ESF’s financed programme. On POSDRU’s
Management Authority website there are posted all the
projects financed in the past 2 ½ years, mentioning the
beneficiaries. The analysis of the 524 contracted
projects shows that 94, i.e. 17.9% had universities as
beneficiaries. In what regards the priority axes related to
entrepreneurial education (priority axis 1, key area of
intervention 1.3, priority axis 2, key areas of
intervention 2.1, priority axis 3, key area of intervention
3.1, 3.2, 3.3), from 233 approved projects, Universities
are beneficiaries of 47, representing 20,17%. This
situation shows the interest of these institutions for
entrepreneurship.
Being a process started few years ago, there are not
many papers available on the subject but we can see its
impact by analysing the reports on the absorption of EU
funds in Romania. One of the latest shows that, up to
now, at the level of the entire European Union the
reported financial volume of the selected projects is of
93,4 billion euro, representing over 27 % of the
resources available for the EU. Seen from this indicator,
the situation by states places Romania on the
penultimate place, with a rate of only 14.1%.
The Strategic Report 2010 regarding the implementation
of the programmes 2007-2013 on Cohesion policies
that they also discuss the measures taken to overcome or
counteract the difficulties in implementation. Member
States have also provided examples of good practices
that underline that one factor of success in
implementation of the programmes 2007-2013 will be to
support entrepreneurship and addressing labour market
gaps by fostering adaptability.”
Entrepreneurship in higher education
If it is to make a success of the Lisbon strategy for
growth and employment, Europe needs to stimulate the
entrepreneurial mindsets of young people, encourage
innovative business start-ups, and foster a culture that is
friendlier to entrepreneurship and to the growth of small
and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The important
role of education in promoting more entrepreneurial
attitudes and behaviours is now widely recognised.
“Entrepreneurship refers to an individual’s ability to
turn ideas into action. It includes creativity, innovation
and risk taking, as well as the ability to plan and manage
projects in order to achieve objectives. This supports
everyone in day-to-day life at home and in society,
makes employees more aware of the context of their
work and better able to seize opportunities, and provides
a foundation for entrepreneurs establishing a social or
commercial activity”.
Another definition we underline is: “Entrepreneurship is
a dynamic process of vision, change, and creation. It
requires an application of energy and passion towards
the creation and implementation of new ideas and
creative solutions. Essential ingredients include the
willingness to take calculated risks—in terms of time,
equity, or career; the ability to formulate an effective
venture team; the creative skill to marshal needed
resources; and fundamental skill of building solid
business plan; and finally, the vision to recognize
opportunity where others see chaos, contradiction, and
confusion”. (Kuratko & Hodgetts, 2004)
644 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
However, the benefits of entrepreneurship education
are not limited to start-ups, innovative ventures and new
jobs. Entrepreneurship refers to an individual’s ability to
turn ideas into action and is therefore a key competence
for all, helping young people to be more creative and
self-confident in whatever they undertake. The Bologna
process can have a positive effect on the way
entrepreneurial knowledge is spread. The 46 Bologna
signatory countries met in London in May 2007, and
recommended such measures as the recognition of non-
formal learning, the development of flexible curricula to
accommodate student and staff mobility, and enhanced
university-employer collaboration in innovation and
knowledge transfer.
However, the benefits of entrepreneurship education are
not limited to boosting start-ups, innovative ventures
and new jobs. Entrepreneurship is a competence for
all, helping young people to be more creative and self-
confident in whatever they undertake.
The Recommendation of the European Parliament and
the Council of 18 December 2006 on Key Competences
for Lifelong Learning identifies the “sense of initiative
and entrepreneurship” as one of eight key competences
that should be put across at all stages of education and
training.
Entrepreneurship education should not be mistaken with
general business and economic studies; its goal is to
promote creativity, innovation and self-employment,
and may include the following elements:
• developing personal attributes and skills that form the
basis of an entrepreneurial mindset and behaviour
(creativity, sense of initiative, risk-taking, autonomy,
self-confidence, leadership, team spirit, etc.);
• raising the awareness of students about self-
employment and entrepreneurship as possible career
options;
• working on concrete enterprise projects and activities;
• providing specific business skills and knowledge of
how to start a company and run it successfully.
At higher education level, the primary purpose of
entrepreneurship education should be to develop
entrepreneurial capacities and mindsets. In this context,
entrepreneurship education programmes can have
different objectives, such as:
a) developing entrepreneurial drive among students
and trainees (raising awareness and motivation);
b) training different target groups in the skills they
need to set up a business and manage its growth;
c) developing the entrepreneurial ability to identify
and exploit opportunities.
Currently the teaching of entrepreneurship is not yet
sufficiently integrated in higher education institutions'
curricula. Available data show that the majority of
entrepreneurship courses are offered in business and
economic studies. The diffusion of entrepreneurship is
particularly weak in some of the Member States that
joined the EU in and after 2004. However, it is
questionable whether Business Schools are the most
appropriate place to teach entrepreneurship: innovative
and viable business ideas are more likely to arise from
technical, scientific and creative studies. So the real
challenge is to build inter-disciplinary approaches,
making entrepreneurship education accessible to all
students, creating teams for the development and
exploitation of business ideas, mixing students from
economic and business studies with students from other
faculties and with different backgrounds.
In Romania, there is as yet no general framework or
any other kind of guidance in the Ministry of Education
for entrepreneurial education in universities. In the
absence of such a framework, individual universities
have developed “embryos” of entrepreneurial education
wherever there were professors interested in teaching
and supporting this kind of initiative.
Most of the specialised classes are taught at Master's
rather than undergraduate levels. There are no
Entrepreneurial or Business Management Departments.
In the same time, the demand for learning about
entrepreneurship is increasing. However, there is a
shortage of human resources and funding for this type of
education; therefore it is not possible to meet this
demand fully. Action-oriented teaching is labour-
intensive and costly, and requires specific training.
Developing and delivering entrepreneurship is
significantly affected by the internal organisational
structure of an institution. Faculties and departments
tend to work quite separately, with many obstacles for
students who want to move and for teachers interested
in establishing cross-disciplinary courses. A rigid
curriculum structure is often an impediment to inter-
disciplinary approaches.
As regards current teaching methods, there are a
wide range of techniques to supplement lectures as the
most basic teaching tool. However, there seems to be a
gap between the methods actually used and those that
are viewed as the most effective and appropriate.
Using experience-based teaching methods is crucial
to developing entrepreneurial skills and abilities.
Traditional educational methods (like lectures) do not
correlate well with the development of entrepreneurial
thinking.
There is a need for more interactive learning
approaches, where the teacher becomes more of a
moderator than a lecturer. Crossing boundaries between
disciplines, and multidisciplinary collaboration, are
essential elements in building enterprising abilities.
Getting real entrepreneurs involved in teaching can
make up for the current lack of practical experience
among professors. Although entrepreneurs and business
practitioners are generally involved in teaching, there
are few examples of entrepreneurial practitioners
engaged in the full curricula experience. Most
frequently, they come to give short presentations to
CREAting New Opportunities in Entrepreneurship
students (e.g. as personal testimonials or guest lecturer)
or as judges in competitions.
The strength that gives higher education institutions
an innovative capacity, and hence entrepreneurial
potential, is their autonomy. While diversity is richness,
institutions and educators will gain from exchanges and
mutual learning, open sources of information, examples
of good practice across Europe. Coordination is needed
at the policy-making level to ensure that all higher
education institutions are given the necessary incentives
and opportunities to take on this challenge.
At their level of responsibility, higher education
institutions could:
• set up a strategy and an action plan for teaching
and research in entrepreneurship, embedding practice-
based activities, and for new venture start-ups and spin-
offs;
• create an entrepreneurship education department,
which would serve as an entrepreneurial hub within the
institution and spread the teaching of entrepreneurship
across all other departments;
• offer an introduction to entrepreneurship and self-
employment to all undergraduate students during their
first year. In addition, give all students the opportunity
to attend seminars and lectures on this subject;
• set up incentive systems to motivate and reward
faculty staff in supporting students interested in
entrepreneurship, and acknowledge the academic value
of research and activities in the entrepreneurial field;
• develop clear institutional rules about intellectual
property;
• award academic credits for practical work on
enterprise projects outside the established courses.
Through appropriate methods of delivery,
programmes and courses should be geared to the
acquisition of generic and horizontal skills, aiming to
make trainees:
− more creative/innovative; highly motivated; pro-
active; self-aware; self-confident; willing to challenge;
− better communicators; decision-makers; leaders;
negotiators; networkers; problem solvers; team players;
systematic thinkers;
− less dependent; less risk averse; able to live with
uncertainty; capable of recognizing opportunities.
Good practice criteria in delivering
entrepreneurship education – the case of the CREA
project
This paper presents the initiative taken by the “Petre
Andrei” University of Iasi in the field of -
entrepreneurship education.
The case study presented is the project “Regional
Cooperation for Entrepreneurship Excellence” (CREA),
- c) percentage of former trainees who would recommend
financed by the European Social Fund through the
Sectoral Operational Programme Human Resources
645
Development. This project is implemented between
December 2008 and November 2011.
In 2008, “Petre Andrei” University of Iasi applied
for a European Social Fund project called “Regional
Cooperation for Entrepreneurship Excellence” (CREA).
The main objective of the CREA project is to promote a
positive attitude toward entrepreneurship, to create and
reinforce businesses in the North-East Region of
Romania through support, guidance and counselling
activities and also through training activities for
entrepreneurs and for persons who intend to start a
business. Also, the project will develop interregional
activities for promoting the entrepreneurial culture in
other three development regions of Romania.
Every year, the project offers 13 training sessions in
6 counties of the North-East Region (Suceava, Botoșani,
Iași, Bacău, Neamț, Vaslui). These trainings are:
1. Management functions and responsibilities
2. Improving Business Performance
3. Trading in other EU Regions
4. Performance Management
5. Human Resource Manager
6. Marketing Manager
7. Supply Chain Management
8. Business Planning and Business Objectives
9. Managing Change
10. Training Champions
11. Training for Trainers
12. Business Start up and Consolidation
13. Job Change Training
In every county there is a Centre of Entrepreneurial
Excellence, offering services of counselling and
guidance for future entrepreneurs.
After the first year of the CREA project, the
participants in the trainings carried out in the 6 counties
of the NE region of Romania were very satisfied by the
quality of the programs. We evaluate the impact of the
criteria for good practice in delivering entrepreneurship
education in ensuring qualitative trainings.
1) The purpose of the course/programme is precisely
defined, being linked to the delivery of the expected
outcome (definition of objectives, and capacity to
measure outcomes related to those objectives).
Each of the 13 trainings has clear objectives. All
participants at the trainings are filling a questionnaire in
order to evaluate the quality of each session.
Taking into the account a few indicators, as:
- a) number of persons who want to participate in the
training, and/or rate of increase in the number of
participants; even if in the project proposal we estimated
at every training programme in every county a group of
10 participants, in the first year, the average was 25.
b) diversity of participants (from different fields of
study and activity) – participants in CREA trainings are
employees from SMEs, managers, future entrepreneurs
(especially students), unemployed persons.
the trainings – over 90% of participants in the CREA
trainings in the first year declared that they will
 646 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
recommend these trainings; now we are having the
proof that they have done it, as the number of
applications for the second year’s trainings is
increasing.
- d) percentage of trainees participating in trainings who
believe that they have made a significant difference in
the way that they think about entrepreneurship (change
of attitudes) – the feedback from the questionnaires
shows that the trainees are encouraged by the
information from trainings to start or improve a
business.
e) perception of trainees of their own confidence and
ability to start a company (before the course, and after)
f) number of business plans written (which should take
into account the rate of success, e.g. the rate of
companies started) – after the first year of the project
the Centre’s teams will survey this item.
2) There is a balance between the theoretical and
practical aspects. Teaching makes use of interactive and
pragmatic methods; active self-learning; action-oriented
pedagogy; group work; learning through projects;
student-centred methods; learning by direct experience;
methods for self-development and self-assessment.
Delivery is through mechanisms that maintain the
motivation of students at a high level.
The CREA trainings’ related methodology:
a) Focus on high-potential, dynamic, innovative
entrepreneurship as a distinct segment of the small
business sector.
b) Blended learning plus textbook. Traditional
classroom workshops combined with additional web-
based tools and materials and the ‘paper’ textbook,
which is in high demand among trainees.
c) Focus on the local business environment. All cases,
tools, business environments reflect current Romanian
market conditions, and are therefore more attractive to
trainees.
3) Activities and events are organised to improve the
students’ ability to work in a group and build a team
spirit, and to develop networks and spot opportunities.
Most of the assessments made in every training session
are realised by teams of trainees. They work together
during the training but also during the days between
sessions. Thus, they have the opportunity to find
common business interests, to develop new skills (as
team work, communication abilities) and to overpass
their own barriers in identifying new business
opportunities.
4) Different guest lecturers are involved (e.g. experts on
patent law, company financing, etc.). A close
relationship is in place with the local entrepreneurial
environment, and educators are part of relevant
networks (formal and informal). There is a collaborative
approach with the real business practice and industry.
Almost every trainer has one or two guests from the
business area, such as top managers, bank managers,
with an important expertise in the local and regional
business from the North-East region. The
communication with these guests can continue after the
training, as a “mentoring” activity.
5) Young entrepreneurs (for instance, alumni who have
started a company) and experienced business people are
involved in courses and activities, and contribute to their
design. Practical experience, by means of trainees
cooperating with enterprises and working on concrete
enterprise projects, is embedded in the programme.
6) Trainings and activities are part of a wider
entrepreneurial programme, with support mechanisms
for trainees’ start-ups in place and actively utilised.
All the trainers of the CREA project offer post-training
support to the trainees, using IT methods or through
direct meetings. The teams of the Centres of
Entrepreneurial Excellence support the trainees in
opening new businesses, with information regarding the
legal framework, information regarding the business
environment, access to databases, etc.
7) Exchanges of ideas and experience between trainers
and trainees from different regions and countries are
sought and promoted, to encourage mutual learning and
to give an international perspective to programmes,
courses and activities.
Every year, a Forum of professional development is
organised within the CREA project, which ensures a
frame of communication between trainers, participants
in the CREA trainings, business people from the NE
region, local authorities.
As a general conclusion, entrepreneurship is
increasingly relevant to the economic output and job
creation in both developed and developing countries.
Higher education establishments can become promoters
of a qualitative entrepreneurship education in Romania
especially in order to develop entrepreneurial capacities
and mindsets, emphasizing multidisciplinary
collaboration.
References
1. Commission Communication (2006), “Fostering
entrepreneurial mindsets through education and learning”,
COM (2006) 33 final, European Union, Brussels
2. Commission Communication (2010), “Cohesion policy:
Strategic Report 2010 on the implementation of the
programmes 2007-2013”, COM(2010)110 final, European
Union, Brussels
3. European Commission (2008),” Entrepreneurship in
higher education, especially in non-business studies”,
European Union, Brussels
4. European Union (2003),”Green Paper: Entrepreneurship in
Europe”, European Union, Brussels.
5. Kuratko, D.F. & Hodgetts, R.M. (2004),”Entrepreneurship:
Theory, process, practice”, Mason, OH: South-Western
College Publishers
 ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION AND NEW COLLABORATIVE METHODS.
CASE STUDY MBA “ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATION MANAGEMENT”

Nicolae Al. POP1, Adrian D. TANŢǍU2, Corina PELAU3

1
Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania, nicolae_al_pop@yahoo.com
2
Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania, ad_tantau@yahoo.com
3
Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania, corinapelau@yahoo.com

The objectives of the communication are the analysis of entrepreneurial study programs in the Romanian higher education system, the
presentation of the vision and the objectives of the Romanian-German MBA program “Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Management”, the characteristics of the teaching technologies for the objectives of the program, the performance indicators of the
program and the future directions and the integration of a MBA program in collaborative networks and company clusters. There is
presented the conception which represented the basis for the development of this MBA program and the way this conception was
integrated in its curricula. It is analyzed the target group of potential candidates for the program as well as the level of the selection
criteria. The team teaching method consisting in the involvement of two professors, one from Romania and one from a Western
country, in each of the 20 modules of the program, represents the main success factor in reaching the objectives of the program.
Starting from the expectations of the market economy towards the entrepreneurial study programs (a concept which is described and
analyzed in the paper), we make an analysis of the degree of penetration of such programs in the university curricula. There are
pointed out the expectations of such a study program related to the Romanian economy, the new methods of development and
promotion of regional know-how and the experience of other countries in this field. For the position of the MBA program on the
Romanian study program market, there are analyzed the performance indicators and the characteristics of all existent MBA programs
on the market. There are presented the methods and instruments of promotion by pointing out the alumni association of the program.
Based on this, there are proposed new validation ways of the training-formative methods in a knowledge based society, by pointing
out the importance of the intellectual capital of the program. It is also proposed a new way of positioning the entrepreneurial study
programs in the new collaborative structures such as the economic clusters and organizations networks, which represent the main
pillar of the regional sustainable development. The case study is a pioneer in the Romanian entrepreneurial study programs because
of the teaching method and the German teaching language.

Students must be trained for entrepreneurship by

1. ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION
At macroeconomic level «entrepreneurship» is in the
view of Schumpeter «a process of creative destroys»,
which include the main destructive phase and the
constructive benefits of innovations. Consequently
«entrepreneurship» finds its position between science
and economy and in case of an opportunity it has to
assure a balance between the innovation degree, the
market volume and potential. (Carswell P., Gunaratne
A. 2005, Dana L.,P., Eteman H., Wrigkt R. 2004)
Entrepreneurship education is a new research area
that was promoted through courses based on identifying
and analyzing of opportunities and through MBA
Programs at American Universities. (Rispas S., 1998).
The entrepreneurial education requires a new kind of
didactic approach. The objectives of the courses doesn’t
consist anymore in the simple transfer of knowledge,
theory, to the students, but to transpose the students in
situations where they must evaluate economical
situations, find creative solutions for the problems and
putting them into good use. (Klaus A., 2004).
Entrepreneurial teaching is not just an easy and efficient
way for transmitting knowledge any more, but the
capacity of the ones that study it to define and solve
problems for themselves, to recognize and develop new
economical offers. The teacher becomes the coach.
(Hincu D., Cicea C et al., 2008)
Students must be motivated to believe that an
entrepreneur is a real professional perspective for them.
To accomplish this task, persuasive entrepreneurs can
be successfully integrated into the teaching staff.
learning the appropriate working techniques. (Schulte
P., 2004). It must be accepted that not all students want
an entrepreneurial career. Even if most of them will
never develop entrepreneurial activities in the future,
they should have a practice–oriented education. The
capacity for developing ideas, as for instance to
recognize ways to increase the efficiency or by the
creative developing of new products can be also used if
it comes from an employee.
It is of great importance how the concept of
entrepreneurship education is understood or how entre-
preneurial education and training is used in literature.
According to Scott, Rosa and Klandt, companies and
education can be understood in three ways: education
about companies, education through companies; and
education for companies. (Scott, M., Rosa, P., Klandt,
H.,1998) The first approach implies that the teaching is
about entrepreneurship as a phenomenon. In this
approach, the main objective is to improve the
knowledge about entrepreneurship, to develop an
understanding of how it works and various relations and
causalities related to this as a phenomenon. As indicated
by Scott, Rosa and Klandt, this approach will probably
contribute to raise the awareness of entrepreneurship “as
a key change agent in the economy”. The second
approach concerns the ways in which the education
process itself can be enhanced by pedagogic style, like
making use of “enterprising” situations. The third
approach aims the development of entrepreneurial
thinking and training for new business start-ups.
A similar model is applied by Hytti in a state-of-
the-art study on enterprise education in Europe. She
648 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
distinguishes between three roles assigned to EE: 1)
learn to understand entrepreneurship, 2) learn to become
entrepreneurial and 3) learn to become an entrepreneur.
These categories correspond very closely to the three
previous categories - education about, through and for
entrepreneurship. (Hytti, U., O'Gorman, C., 2004)
In EU documents, as for instance in the
Communication of the Commision from 12.2.2006
(Implementing the Community Lisbon Programme:
Fostering entrepreneurial mindsets through education
and learning) entrepreneurship education is addressed
more systematically and its importance is emphasized
on all levels of education. Related to higher education,
the Communication recommends that universities and
technical institutes should integrate entrepreneurship as
an important part of the curriculum and to encourage
students to take entrepreneurship courses. Besides this,
the combination of an entrepreneurial vision and the
competences in the scientific and technical field should
enable students and researchers to commercialize better
their ideas.
The entrepreneurship courses, offered in many
institutions prepare a high number of young managers
who follow a certain business possibility and who want
to use the resources they have as efficiently as possible.
The training in the field of entrepreneurship is divided
in so-called “old” and “new” school. According to the
“old school” all persons interested in the field of
entrepreneurship can enter this domain. The represent-
tatives of the “new school” are focusing on the target
groups of the “founders”. To the academic training are
therefore added scientific elements taken out of the
practical field which can also be related to University
Spin Off (Tantau A., Hincu D., Fratila L. 2008).
European Foundation for Entrepreneurship
Research (EFER) made a very informative survey over
“Entrepreneurial education in European Universities and
Business Schools”. The main results of the survey
suggest that entrepreneurial education in Europe has
known a very rapid growth in the last five years (61% of
the respondents consider that the growth in the
entrepreneurial education sector is substantial) and it is
expected to continue (58% of the respondents believe
that this growth is due to continue). The survey results
identified 70 centres of entrepreneurship in Europe even
though the actual number is estimated to be larger. For
instance, a recent survey coordinated by the University
of Taartu, Estonia, reached the conclusion that there are
230 entrepreneurship education institutions (HEI) in
only 22 Central and Eastern European countries.
Unfortunately, there is no systematic research providing
a comprehensive overview of all entrepreneurship
centres in Europe.
Another specific problem identified in Europe is that
the networks between faculty teaching and
entrepreneurs are limited. Moreover, there are many
similar characteristics of entrepreneurial education in
the United States and in Europe. It is clear though, that
the “experiential learning” appears to be more
developed in the US than in the EU.
2. NEW COLLABORATIVE METHODS IN
EDUCATION
Entrepreneurial education has the mission to develop
a new entrepreneurial spirit in all subjects. First off all it
must operate in an entrepreneurial manner itself and
contribute through cooperation with other institutions to
economic development in general. The entrepreneurial
education has the objective to train future entrepreneurs,
persons who will start their own business and to
organize: university incubators, business incubators or
technology parks and to involve the students in these
organizations. (Tantau AD., Brezeanu P., 2006)
In an entrepreneurial education we found a new
teaching perspective: active learning where teachers and
students work as partners. The main objective is to
increase the ability to use knowledge, to think creatively
and to continue learning on one’s own. Students take
more responsibility for articulating and developing ideas
for discussions. In such environments, the teacher’s role
is to facilitate and guide them. The attention must be
focused equally on classroom climate, group process
and the needs, interests and backgrounds of students.
(Bygrave W., Hofer C.,1991)
The entrepreneurship literature underlines also the
role of networking as a success factor of
entrepreneurship and for MBA Programs. Grandi and
Grimaldi examined 40 Italian academic spinn-offs
concerning for networking habits. They found as basic
success factors of spin-offs the founders intention to
build external relations and the frequency of these
interactions. They determined formal networks, as legal
and financial advisors, banks, commercial and
professional associations. An informal network consists
of friends, family members, and former colleagues. On
the other side the study concluded surprisingly that it
would be a real danger if a spin-off company had been
completely equipped and supplied with full resources.
This company will not have the intention to build its
network and to search for potential resources. They also
emphasized the importance of university reputation and
the interdisciplinary perspective of management.
(Grandi A., Grimaldi R., 2005)
MBA Alumni networks are a result of intense
cooperation between the MBA students, where each
network partner can have more cooperation
relationships and represents the chain link of a social
network. The characteristic trait of cooperation is that
each partner can achieve his goals only with the help of
the others, in other words the tendency is towards a win-
win situation. According to the specialists Dodd and
Patra (2002) a business network is linked to social
structures and instrumental models are rarely applicable.
Still there are some principles which can be applied
even in the MBA Alumni network.
The principles of an efficient management of the
alumni network are results oriented, focused on central
themes, they rely on building on the strengths of each
member of the network and encouraging trust and the
pursuit of opportunities. (Gemünden H., Walter A.,
Entrepreneurship Education and New Collaborative Methods. Case Study: MBA Program
1999). In case of focusing on results, alumni networks
have to define and commonly agree very clearly on the
desired results. All resources of the network have to be
used for these results. They have to correspond to the
expectations of the members of the network in order to
motivate them. The network management has to be
focused on a low number of themes, but centralized in
terms of results. It is very important to remember that a
network is successful only if the strengths of each
member can be developed in order to achieve the
objective of the network (Grünhagen, M., Koch L.,
Saßmannshausen S., 2005). When capitalizing the
opportunities one needs to take into account the
following aspects: the identification of synergy effects
among the objectives that cannot be reached
individually, extending the efficient usage of resources
to the entire network, the reduction of costs, building
new cooperation relationships and learning
opportunities. We take into consideration the fact that
developing the skills of the ideal network management
is based on the following elements: management’s
social skills as neutrality, trust, objective orientation;
methods as conflict solving, presentation, creativity and
mediation techniques; organizational methods as time
management, self-management, work methods, project
management; expertise as the knowledge of the regional
structures, technical and organizational expertise.
We will further take some examples that illustrate
the importance of entrepreneurship and networking in
the academic environment that is focused on the
fundamental and applied research. At Munchen
Technical University there are circa 20,000 TUM
Alumni in the “KontaktTUM” network and 7000 in the
faculty specific networks. Here we discover a Corporate
Partner list of TUM that includes Audi, BMW Group,
Degussa, EON Energie, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, Gate
Garching, Lufthansa, McKinsey&Company. In UK the
University of Cambridge has a network of entrepreneurs
in residence and visiting with leverages external
network of 200 entrepreneurs. The University includes a
Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning (CfEL), whose
main objective is to share best practice with the wider
community through networks and collaboration.
In USA the Entrepreneurship Center at MIT assists
MIT students, alumni and colleagues in accessing
networking opportunities technologies and resources.
Members of the MIT Entrepreneurship Center
community form a global network to actively advise and
assist each other for mutual benefit, enabling them to set
and meet their highest expectations. At Stanford
University are available several networks, among them
Mayfield Fellows Program alumni and BASES
entrepreneurship student alumni, etc. At the London
Business School the Strategic Partners Network
Members, including Ernst & Young, ensure that the
program can continue to support its teaching, research
and business creation activities with a powerful network
of contact, funding and expertise.
649
3. CASE STUDY: MBA PROGRAMM
“ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATION
MANAGEMENT”
According to the expectations of the entrepreneurial
education and collaborative learning methods presented
above, we expose in the following the experience of the
MBA program "Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Management" conducted in partnership by the Academy
of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania and the
University of Applied Sciences, Gelsenkirchen,
Germany. The program addresses to a niche market of
business people in Romania, for the teaching language
for most of the modules is German. Only three of the
modules take place in English language. Because of
this, this MBA Program is unique on the Romanian
market for postgraduate education. Although the
program is relatively young (being at the fifth series of
master students), it obtained a well-defined position on
the post-academic training market in Romania, and in
2007 was accredited by FIBAA International
(Foundation for International Business Administration
Accreditation – member of the AMBA consortium) and
in 2008 it was nationally accredited by ARACIS.
There are some specific elements which customize
the program in comparison to the offer of the Romanian
EMBA and MBA programs (there is a total of nine
MBA programs on the Romanina market). The target
group for the program are people who have already
graduated, who have good knowledge of German and
English language and who are motivated to gain
significant professional progress in national
multinational or transnational companies, executives on
a top and middle management level or future
entrepreneurs, who have opened or plan to start a
business. The program aims to develop entrepreneurial
thinking and action; the creation of systematic, rigorous
and knowledge founded working methods related to a
strategic vision; training and encouragement of
leadership skills and teamwork, with emphasis on
complementary team members.
The program is structured in two parts: one
individual study part for each module and a presence
part accompanied by two Professors/ Trainers (a
German one and a Romanian one for each module),
which operates in team – teaching system for 24 hours
during the week-end on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The content of the curriculum is divided into three
categories on a rate of approx. 1/3 each; first category
includes basic subjects – which aim to present to all
participants the basic concepts and tools of
management, the second category includes disciplines
of construction and development of entrepreneurial
innovation, and the third category includes disciplines
which aim to develop specific skills of an entrepreneur
by stimulating team work and leadership abilities.
The pedagogical aspect of the program is based on
the particularities of an adult training process. The team-
teaching training system allows the stimulation of the
participation during classes. The module starts with a
period of 4 weeks of individual training, during which
650 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
the master participants read and analyze the
recommended literature for each discipline. At the end
of this period (prior to the onset module) they have to
respond to 50 -100 questions in order to check their
accumulated theoretical knowledge and in the end the
module takes place. In the development of the modules
there are used a wide range of participative training
techniques (case studies, business games, group work
followed by inter-group debates, screenings continued
with discussions and comments etc.) Each module has a
component of "Kamingespraech" where a Romanian or
foreign specialist is invited for sharing his own
experience and for discussions. Another important
aspect is the „socialization evening” where the
participants and the professors/ trainers meet in order to
get to know each other better. The final evaluation of
the performance is done at the end of each module
through a written exam. The final grade is awarded by a
combination of the result of the final exam, the
verification previous to the module and the performance
during class.
The performance of the MBA program
„Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management” was
not unnoticed on the Romanian market of EMBA/ MBA
programs. In an annual ranking of „Ziarul financiar”
(see citation of the publication in 2008, 2009 and 2010)
all the MBA programs offered on the Romanian market,
are analyzed. There are analyzed several criteria in order
to measure the performance of the programs depending
on: quality of teaching, experience of the teachers,
number of years of practical experience or management
experience of participants, opportunities for promotion
or job change, international competences of professors/
trainers, networking opportunities, appropriate monthly
average net wage, improving managerial skills. Without
claiming a full statistical representativeness (due to the
relative limited number of respondents who completed
the programs in this period of three years), the research
initiated by „Ziarul financiar” is a notable landmark for
the analysis of the market of EMBA/ MBA programs in
Romania. The presented MBA program had a good
ranking at the criteria "job change opportunity (1st
position), "entrepreneurial orientation" (3rd position)
and "networking opportunities" (4th rank).
An important role in expanding the recruitment pool
of candidates for the program plays the ALUMNI
Association (www.alumni-mbade.ro), together with the
MBA website (www.ase.fabiz.ro). They are the main
promoters of the program. Another important technique
of promovation of the MBA is direct marketing (Kotler
et al, 2009; Gay, Charlesworth, Esen, 2009). The direct
addressing to potential candidates and by the promotion
of the graduates, there has been achieved the highest
success rate in recruiting candidates. Among the
weaknesses of the program is the diminished ability of
involving the Romanian business environment to
encourage their employees to take part at such post-
academic programs or even to finance them as a form of
professional development program.
4. CONCLUSION
Entrepreneurial education in Romania has to be
conducted on multiple levels, starting from the school
years, continued in the university years (not only in the
field of economics) and completed by post university
programs such as the MBA programs. The focus of
entrepreneurial education should be a concentrated
study or training effort as well as the change of
mentality of students, regarding the business world and
the importance of entrepreneurship in this context.
References
1. Bygrave W., Hofer C. (1991) Theorizing about Entrepreneurship,
in Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 16. Jg., S.13-22
2. Dana L.,P., Eteman H., Wrigkt R. (2004) : Back to the future:
international entrepreneurship in the new economy, in Emerging
Paradigms in International Entrepreneurship, Marian Jones,
Pavles Dimitratos, Edward Elgar Publishing Limites, UK
3. Gay R., Charlesworth A., Esen R., (2009), Marketing on-line – o
abordare orientată spre client, Editura ALL, Bucureşti
4. Gemünden H., Walter A. (1999) Beziehungspromotoren-
Schlüsselpersonen für zwischenbetriebliche Innovationsprozesse,
in Hauschild J., Gemünden H. (Hrsg.) Promotoren: Champions
der Innovation, 2.Auflage, Gabler, Wiesbaden, S.111-132
5. Grünhagen, M., Koch L., Saßmannshausen S. (2005) Kooperation
in EXIST-Gründungsförderungsnetzwerken. Eine explorative
Untersuchung zur Bedeutung von Promotorenfunktionen, in
Achleitner Ann-Kristin, u.a. (Hrg.), Jahresbuch
Entrepreneurship 2004/2005, Springer, Berlin
6. Grandi A., Grimaldi R. (2005), Academics organizational
characteristics and the generation of successful business ideas.
Journal of Business Venturing 20(6): 841-845
7. Hincu D., Cicea C., Tantau AD et al. (2008) Benchmarking
exercise toward assesing the correlation between innovation
process and social inclusion, 10th International-Business-
Information-Management-association Conference, Kuala
Lumpur, Malaysia
8. Hytti, U., O'Gorman, C. (2004), "What is enterprise education?
An analysis of the objectives and methods of enterprise
education programmes in four European countries", Education
and Training, Vol. 46 No.1, pp.11-23.
9. Kent C.(Hrg.)(1990),Entrepreneurship Education, Quorum Books
10. Kotler Ph. Et al., (2009), Marketing Management, Pearson
Education, Harow, London, Boston etc.
11. Klaus A. (2004) Duale Ausbildungskonzepte: Ein Weg zum Abbau
der Praxisferne in der Entrepreneurship Education, in
Achleitner Ann-Kristin, u.a. (Hrg.), Jahresbuch
Entrepreneurship 2003/2004, Springer, Berlin
12. Rispas S. (1998) Elemente der Entrepreneurship Education, in
Faltin, Entrepreneurship, Beck
13. Schulte P. (2004), The Entrepreneurial University: A Strategy for
Institutional Development, Higher Education in Europe, Vol.
XXIX, No. 2, July
14. Scott, M., Rosa, P., Klandt, H. (1998), Educating Entrepreneurs
for Wealth Creation, Ashgate, Aldershot
15. Tantau A., Hincu D., Fratila L. (2008), Entrepreneurship
Education and University Spinn Off, 5th International Seminar
on Quality Management in Higher Education, Tulcea
16. Tantau A.D., Brezeanu P. (2006) The entrepreneurial university
and the university business incubator, International Conference
on Business Excellence, Brasov
 ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION IN MBA PROGRAMS IN ROMANIA

Ioan POPA1, Dorel Mihai PARASCHIV2, Mihaela Gabriela BELU3, Cristiana TUDOR4, Roxana VOICU DOROBANTU5,
Claudia Adriana LANGA6
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
The Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies, Romania
1
ioan.popa.rei@gmail.com, 2dorelpar@yahoo.com, 3mihaelabelu2000@yahoo.com, 4cristianat@gmail.com
5
rovodo@yahoo.com, 6claudia_langa@yahoo.com

Abstract: This paper critically analyzes the role that MBA programs play in the development of entrepreneurial activities in the
Romanian business environment. It analyzes the impact of these MBA programs on business practices and performance and the
measure in which they accomplish teaching entrepreneurship and transferring knowledge and innovation to enterprises. We conclude
that entrepreneurship is a rapidly expanding and evolving aspect in MBA programs that requires proper support and development.
This article is trying to demonstrate that building entrepreneurial skills in Romania involves using best business practices combined
with adequate research, teaching tools and knowledge-transfer activities. The article proves that there is still room for improvement in
view of generating business initiatives and entrepreneurial activities. Professors should therefore incorporate and acknowledge in
their courses the specific needs of the business environment.

Keywords: MBA program, entrepreneurship, business environment, innovation, survey

entrepreneurship and to the growth of small and

INTRODUCTION
Education, and in particular business education plays
a major role in the development of entrepreneurship
both by creating the right attitudes in individuals and by
developing knowledge and skills relevant to
entrepreneurship. As it was proven, entrepreneurship
development has an impact of economic growth through
the creating of new companies, the identification of
opportunities and the use of innovation.
Nevertheless, entrepreneurship is rarely present in
the curriculum of education institutions. A more
surprising fact is that entrepreneurship is not always
present in the curriculum of business schools.
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the role that
MBA programs play in the development of
entrepreneurial activities in the Romanian business
environment. It analyzes the impact of these MBA
programs on business practices and performance and the
measure in which they accomplish teaching
entrepreneurship and transferring knowledge and
innovation to enterprises.
Furthermore, the paper presents the directions of
analysis of an in-depth research that the authors would
like to undertake regarding the effects of teaching
entrepreneurship in MBA programs on the future
evolution of the graduates.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION CURRENT
TRENDS
According to the paper published by the European
Commission on entrepreneurship in higher education in
2008, one of the key success factors of accomplishing
the objectives of the Lisbon strategy for growth and
employment is to stimulate the entrepreneurial mindsets
of young people, to encourage innovative business start-
ups and to foster a culture that is friendlier to
medium-sized enterprises. But this competence does not
relate only to business, yet it helps people to be more
creative and self-confident in their actions.
The same importance to entrepreneurship is given by
the Small Business Act for Europe, a document that for
the first time puts into place a comprehensive SME
policy framework for the EU. This document states:
“The education system, and in particular the school
curricula, do not focus enough on entrepreneurship and
do not provide the skills which entrepreneurs need.
Children can learn to appreciate entrepreneurship from
the beginning of their education.”
There is empirical research that supports the link
between entrepreneurship and economic growth (Van
Praag and Versloot, 2007). Entrepreneurs, by using their
creative skills they seek and find opportunities, use
innovation, which causes a development in the
economic system. This is more than needed for the
Romanian environment as “in the present economic
context marked by globalization, it is acknowledged that
deep changes regarding Romanian SMEs performance
are needed, in order to increase their competitiveness
and reach the level of the requirements found in the
highly complex and dynamic business environment”
(Olaru M. et al, 2009).
The assumption behind promoting and implementing
entrepreneurship education into school curricula in
many of the European member countries and the United
States is that entrepreneurship skills can be taught,
which represents a long debated issue. Studies have
shown that there is a positive correlation between
general education (measured in years of schooling) and
entrepreneur performance (Van der Sluis et al., 2006;
Van der Sluis and Van Praag, 2007) and that business
training is effective for the performance of people who
applied for microfinances to start their own business
(Karlan and Valdivia, 2006).
652 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
Only recently, higher education was seriously taken
into consideration as a tool for teaching and promoting
entrepreneurship. In Western Europe, due to the security
welfare system, people become risk adverse. Education
does not help them become entrepreneurs, but reinforces
the risk adverse attitude by emphasizing the need to
secure a future job. There is a growing concern that
many of the skills and qualities associated with
entrepreneurs are suppressed by the traditional formal
education system (Chamard, 1989).
This type of education system has worked for
decades, but now globalization accompanied by the
rapid change in technology has forced the stakeholders
to rethink the underlying concepts.
In order to learn, Europe should take a look at the
experiences in United States of America, Canada and
other countries, but not import them directly, yet adapt
and set up appropriate models. USA have the longest
history in teaching entrepreneurship, as the first
graduate course of entrepreneurship was offered at
Harvard University in 1948 (Katz, 2003) by professor
Miles Mace.
In Europe, entrepreneurship began to enter the
curriculum in the last ten years, except for a limited
number of institutions that started earlier (Twaalfhoven
and Wilson, 2004) and has not reached the same status
as in North America.
At the level of education providing institutions there
are significant differences as the differences found in
the case of the training providing companies relating to
size (Olaru M, Albescu F et al, 2009).
MBA PROGRAMS TRENDS WORLDWIDE AND
IN ROMANIA
The most known product of management education
is the MBA (Master of Business Administration), which
has been occupying a central role in the business
school’s teaching portfolio.
MBA identifies itself with professionalism and most
of the times it is seen as a pre-requisite in order to
access a top management position.
However, there is debate if MBA is the best
education for managers. Mintzberg and Gosling argue
that the MBA education has remained the same since
the 1950’s: “the fundamentals – the focus on business
functions and on analysis and technique – have not
changed. It might not be unfair to conclude that we now
educate managers with the 1908 product that uses a
1950s strategy. Perhaps it is time for a radical revision
beyond the current borders of the MBA.”
As traditional business programs have been
intensely criticized for the above reasons business
schools have created and introduced in their curriculum
entrepreneurship programs.
Business schools face the challenge of preparing the
students and building the necessary skills that are
needed in a changing economy, where entrepreneurship
is vital.
Most countries in Eastern and Central Europe have
gone through a difficult process of transition from the
communist centrally planned economies to a liberalized
market economy. The same happened in Romania,
having significant impact on the businesses, which are
now more mature; they use modern business techniques
and they have changed their approach on the market. In
1990, Romania was facing a huge need for business
people with a professional training, able to face the
challenges of the global and competitive economy. As
the market for such education programs was basically
unoccupied, many institutions offering business training
have entered it.
The market is now more and more competitive, with
new programs being established almost every year.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND RESULTS
One would expect that many of the programs in
Romania would offer entrepreneurship training in a
country where the markets are not mature and
individuals can find opportunities and exploit them by
starting up new businesses easier than in more
developed countries. Unfortunately, there is no
specialized entrepreneurship program offered by any of
the business schools or other higher education
institution present in Romania.
Therefore we have then proceeded in identifying the
business schools and the number of MBA and EMBA
programs that offer entrepreneurship courses in their
curriculum.
The research methodology consisted in drafting a
comparative analysis having as source the results of
questionnaire based surveys conducted on MBA and
EMBA graduates in 2008 (500 questionnaires sent, out
of which 300 questionnaires filled-in), 2009 (357
questionnaires sent, out of which 250 questionnaires
filled-in), 2010 (375 questionnaires sent, out of which
300 questionnaires filled-in) by Ziarul Financiar.
We present below the details of the programs for
which a significant number of questionnaires were
received filled-in by the respondents.
Table 1: MBA and EMBA programs that teach entrepreneurship courses
Program name Study Tuition Entrepre
period neurship
course
EMBA ASEBUSS 20 months 21,500 EUR Yes
EMBA CEU Business Starting 2010 the program will be
School no longer offered in Romania
MBA City University of 18 months 8,000 EUR No
Seattle
MBA DeSales University/ 18-48 15,600 EUR No
Romanian American months
University
MBA Fine University of 2 years 10,000 EUR No
Wales
MBA INDE/CNAM Paris 2 years 4,400 EUR Yes
MBA The Open University 2.5 years 13.600 GBP No
Business School/CODECS
PMBA Project & Process 18 months 19,800 EUR Yes
Entrepreneurship Education in MBA Programs in Romania 653

Management WU Wien 5 EMBA ASEBUSS 24

Romanian-Canadian MBA 18 months 13,500 EUR No 6 Romanian-Canadian MBA 14
(Bucharest School of 7 Romanian-German MBA 6
Management) 8 MBA City University of Seattle 0
Romanian-German MBA 2 years 6,000 EUR Yes 9 EMBA Tiffin University 0
MBA Southeastern Univ. 2 years 16,000 EUR Yes *Starting 2010 the program will be no longer offered
EMBA City College 26 months 14,950 EUR No in Romania
International Faculty of the Source: Top MBA 2010 Ziarul Financiar, 25th March 2010
Univ. of Sheffield As it can be observed in Table 2, a limited number
EMBA WU Executive 14 months 35,000 EUR No of graduates started up their own business in 2009.
Academy Wien We then proceeded to comparing these results to the
EMBA Tiffin University 21 months 16,490 EUR No
results obtained at a similar survey conducted in 2009
Data has been compiled by the authors from the (Table 3) and in 2008 (Table 4) in the same conditions.
websites of the institutions and from the available public We observed that the number of graduates that started
information. up their business decreased from an average of 25% in
As it can be seen from the above analysis (Figure 1), 2009 to an average of 15% in 2010. This result can be
only 5 out of the 13 MBA and EMBA programs partially justified by the increasing uncertainties on the
comprised in the study offer at least one course on market and the risk aversion caused by the financial
entrepreneurship. crisis.
A distinct situation is that of the Romanian-German
MBA, which is focused on Entrepreneurial management Table 3: Percentage of graduates that started their own business - 2009
Rank Program name Percentage of
and offers more than two courses on Entrepreneurship
graduates that
to its students. started their own
business %
1 MBA The Open University Business 31
Number of business School/CODECS
7% schools with no
entrepreneurship courses 2 Romanian-Canadian MBA 27
3 Romanian-German MBA 25
4 EMBA ASEBUSS 24
Number of business 5 EMBA Tiffin University 24
36%
schools with 1 6 EMBA Sheffield City College 15
57% entrepreneurship courses 7 EMBA WU Executive Academy 13
Wien
8 MBA INDE/CNAM Paris 13
Number of business
9 MBA City University of Seattle 9
schools with 2
Source: Top 2008 MBA Ziarul Financiar, 19th March 2008
entrepreneurship courses
A tendency for exiting the corporate world to
Fig 1 – Proportion of business schools according to the number of industries like consultancy and IT was observed in
entrepreneurship courses offered 2009. A very important result obtained in the 2009
survey was related to the question: “Was there a clear
The analysis performed by Ziarul Financiar in 2010 connection between starting up your own business and
is published under the name of Top MBA 3rd edition the knowledge and skills acquired during your MBA or
and has as purpose to classify MBA and EMBA EMBA program?”, a question that had an affirmative
programs based on different criteria. answer for more than 70% of the respondents.
The purpose to classify the programs according to Table 4: Percentage of graduates that started their own business - 2008
the 13 defined criteria is not of interest to this article. Rank Program name Percentage of
Nevertheless, the questionnaire contained a question graduates that
related to entrepreneurship: “Did you start up a new started their own
business after graduating the MBA/EMBA program?” business %
In the table below we present the results for the business 1 Romanian-German MBA 33
schools that accepted to take part in the survey: 2 Romanian-Canadian MBA 27
3 EMBA ASEBUSS 16
Table 2: Percentage of graduates that started their own business - 2010
4 EMBA CEU Business School 16
Rank Program name Percentage of
graduates that 5 EMBA WU Executive Academy 16
started their own Wien
business % 6 EMBA Tiffin University 13
1 EMBA CEU Business School * 25 7 MBA INDE/CNAM Paris 10
2 MBA The Open University Business 25 8 MBA The Open University Business 8
School/CODECS School/CODECS
3 MBA INDE/CNAM Paris 25 9 MBA City University of Seattle 4
Source: Top MBA 2009 Ziarul Financiar, 24th March 2009
4 EMBA WU Executive Academy 25
Wien
Recently in Romania, the trend has been for the
managers in multinationals to exit the corporate world
654 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
and to start up their own business. The most frequent
way to do that was by establishing a consultancy
business in a related field to the one they have
previously worked in and for which they had the
necessary expertise.
In the same survey, it was determined that the most
frequent industries in which the graduates established
new businesses were consultancy, training, IT and
distribution.
FURTHER IN-DEPTH RESEARCH ON THE
IMPACT OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP
EDUCATION ON GRADUATES EVOLUTION
Starting from this basic survey we would like to
conduct in the future a more in-depth survey that could
answer to the following questions:
- Is there any evidence that entrepreneurship
education contributes to risk-taking and the
formation of new ventures? Are the graduates
that took entrepreneurship classes more likely to
start new business ventures than the ones that
did not,?
- After establishing the personal characteristics of
graduates and considering other environmental
factors, is the entrepreneurship education going
to increase the probability of an individual to
start up a business?
- Has the entrepreneurship education any
significant impact on the income of the
graduates?
- Is entrepreneurship education bringing more job
satisfaction through greater income or other
motivators?
- Is entrepreneurship education contributing to the
growth of firms, especially small and medium
sizes enterprises?
- Another key aspect is related to the transfer of
technology from the university to the private
sector and the promotion of technology based
firms and products. The promotion of
technology based firms and products has
already been pre-validated through the basic
research described above as a large part of the
graduates that started their business chose as
industry the IT industry.
The research would be based on a questionnaire that
will be sent to MBA and EMBA graduates of each
programs, without a focus on the graduates of the
current academic year. The results will be analyzed
comparing the answers of different generations of
graduates, isolating the economic environment factors
that had an impact on the decision of the graduates to
start up or not a business.
CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that the Romanian higher education
market lacks specialized entrepreneurship courses and
that only a limited number of business schools offer
entrepreneurship courses in their MBA programs. We
can observe a trend of decreasing number of graduates
that started up their business in a comparison for the last
three years.
We conclude that entrepreneurship is a rapidly
expanding and evolving aspect in MBA programs that
requires proper support and development. The article
proves that there is still room for improvement in view
of generating business initiatives and entrepreneurial
activities. Professors should therefore incorporate and
acknowledge in their courses the specific needs of the
business environment.
The authors would like to undertake a more in-depth
research on the impact of entrepreneurship education on
the career evolution of the graduates and we have
defined the directions of research.
References
1. European Commission Enterprise and Industry Directorate
General (2008), Entrepreneurship in higher education,
especially within non-business studies, European Commission
Website
2. Chamard, J. (1989) “Public education: its effect on
entrepreneurial characteristics”, Journal of Small Business
andEntrepreneurship, 6, 1989, pp. 23–30.
3. Karlan, D. and Valdivia, M. (2006) “Teaching
entrepreneurship: impact of business training on microfinance
clients and institutions”, Yale University Economic Growth
Center Discussion Paper No. 941; Center for Global
Development Working Paper No. 108
4. Katz, J.A (2003), “The chronology and intellectual
trajectory of American entrepreneurship education 1876-1999”,
Journal of Vusiness Venturing, Vl.18, No.2, Elsevier, pp. 283-
300
5. Mintzberg, H. and Gosling, J. (2002) Educating managers
beyond borders, Academy of Management Learning and
Education, pp. 64–76.
6. Olaru, M, Stoleriu, G. and Langa, C.A, (2009) “Supplier
performance assessment methods used by the Romanian SMEs in
relationship with the requirements of the ISO9000 model of
quality management”, 6th International Conference on the
Management of Technological Changes, SEP 3-5, 2009
Alexandroupolis, Greece, (IDS Number: BMO94, ISBN: 978-
960-89832-8-1
7. Olaru, M. Albescu, F. Paraschiv, D. Stoleriu G. Langa, C.A.
(2009) “Performance assessment of the training service
providers in Romania related to the criteria of the common
quality assurance framework”, Amfiteatru Economic, Vol. XI,
No. 26
8. Twaalfhoven ,B and Wilson, K (2004), “Breeding More
Gazelles: The Role of European Universities”, European
Foundation for Entrepreneurship Research
9. Van der Sluis, J. , Van Praag, C.M, and Van
Witteloostuijn A (2006), “Why are the returns to education
higher for entrepreneurs than for employees?”, IZA Discussion
Paper No. 3058
10. Van der Sluis, J. and Van Praag, C.M (2007) “Returns to
Education for Entrepreneurs and Employees: Identification by
Means of Change in Compulsory Schooling Laws” IZA
Discussion Paper No. 3058
11. Van Praag, C.M and Versloot, P. (2007) “What is the
value of entrepreneurship? A review of recent research” Small
Business Economic 29 (4), 351-382
12. “Top MBA 2008”, Ziarul Financiar, 19th March 2010
13. “Top MBA 2009”, Ziarul Financiar, 24th March 2010
14. “Top MBA 2010”, Ziarul Financiar, 25th March 2010
 THE STRATEGIC ANALYSIS MODEL FOR
A FLEXIBLE VIRTUAL RESEARCH CENTRE
Liliana Georgeta POPESCU1, Paul Dan BRINDASU1, Livia Dana BEJU1
1
"Lucian Blaga" University of Sibiu, Department Manufacturing Technologies, email: dan.brindasu@ulbsibiu.ro

The present work tries to clear multi-disciplinary approach involving not only the technology-oriented aspects but also the socio-
organizational and legal issues. The study is conceived to build a comprehensive scenario, to find and clarify the strategic options and
to indicate in terms of organizational development, in order to develop a new model of a research centre.

to the question if there is or not direct influence between

Introduction variable x and variable y. Convention established by the
working group was to note with: 0 (zero): no influence;
1: weak influence; 2: moderate influence; 3: strong
In literature there are many classical and new
influence; P: potential Influences. The total influence
methods of scouting and of strategic analysis. Scientific
research requires rigorous methods for implementing matrix is calculated by raising the power n (An), where n
the desired objectives. In order to analysis the strategic corresponds to the maximum size admitted influence.
After identifying and selecting the key variables
process for the research activity in industry, this study
(essentials for system development) it was done the
proposes to use a combination of methods and software
calculation of their influence, through Micmac software.
tools. The first method adopted was the strategic
Comparing the top variables of different classification
prospective realised during two workshops, where has
been invited researcher and experts. Identification of (direct, indirect and potential) it can be established and
key variables for the structural analysis was performed can highlight those variables that play a dominant role
in the system.
using Micmac method, whose results were combined
The aimed of partners and key stakeholders analysis
with the results of analysis and strategy stakeholders,
is to solve or recognise the interests of research centre.
involves in the process. The software used is named
The interaction between partners and stakeholders
Mactor.
It is often confused the concept of strategy with the determine the system evolution in the study. Analytical
scenario development, although sometimes the union of method used is based on the observation that the
functions of the system play a primary role in the
these concepts is inevitable. In the present paper it is
development of the environment which can influence it
presented a proposal to build a strategy for future
into a certain extent. The result determines its evolution.
research centre. Classical analysis that will balance the
The analysis method used, called MACTOR (Méthode
threats and opportunities indicates that the desired
analysis can not be achieved in short-term and can't be ACTeurs, Objectifs, Rapports de force), assess
important relationships between actors and their
limited by the present competitive environment. In this
convergences and divergences from several stakes and
context there are many uncertainties - especially on long
objectives to these stakes.
term, which emphasizes the need to build a
comprehensive scenario, to clarify the strategic options
and to indicate in terms of organizational development Case analysis
and economic growth.
The objective of this study was to facilitate the
Conceptual determination application development strategies, namely to anticipate
the policy and strategy of the actors in the research
In the context of the system, a variable exists only in activity. It was taken into account the strengths and
weaknesses of various factors involved. In order to
relationship with others, structural analysis being based
identify and define the various stake strategic guidance
on identification of relationships between variables and
and future options it were set the current and future
building a three-dimensional matrix, named the
skills of the research centre. They are represented as a
"structural analysis" matrix. The proposed method in
this study, doesn't details the system operations, but "tree of competences" [Figure:1].
outlines the main features of organization of the system. For expanding the prospective strategic analysis
there were organised interviews with people involved in
First step: identify the variables - create an inventory of
the field who agreed a list of 58 variables classified into
variables that characterize the system studied, as well as
8 different sets of variables (Organization and strategy,
internal and external environment variables. Direct
Products, markets and technologies, Production, Social,
influence of each variable to the other variables is
illustrated in a matrix, representing virtually every Financial, General Distribution, Risk) and identified
element of the matrix influence. The next stage - the how these variables can influence the future of the
system.
relationship between variables - builds a matrix of
evaluation of the results influence of the intensity of
each product on another product. Matrix building
process requires the answer - for each pair of variables -
656 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
Figure 1: Competences Tree
The resulting matrix has 58 rows and 58 columns
practically achieving 3364 relationships between
variables (58x58) that have a direct influence on the
system studied. The sum of all elements in a row gives
the total influence of the results, while the sum of
columns gives their dependence. Direct and indirect
influences of variables constitute the most realistic
system (Table 1).
Table 1: Matrix of Indirect Influence (MII)
Calculation of the matrices and implicitly of the key
variables was realised with Micmac software developed
by LIPSOR (Llaboratory at the Conservatoire National
des Arts et Métiers, France). The resulting data can be
represented graphically, where the x-axis corresponds to
the dependence and y-axis corresponds to the influence
of each variable. Besides the analysis of individual
results, the chart was used to assess system stability and
its predictability.
According to the graph of Figure 2 the variables in
quadrant II, named intermediate results (strong
influence / high dependency), are factors of instability
of the system, which we have to keep in mind. Key
variables are therefore:
- The Result of research quality (Result_CC)
- Implementation of new working models (Impl_NML)
- Implementing new processes (Impl_NP)
- Competitors Strategy (Str_concur)
- Implementing new technologies (Impl_NT)
- Flexibility (tools and industrial structure) (Flex)
- Qualification / Training / Recruitment (Calif.Form)
- Reorganization of research center (Reorg_C)
- Research Strategy (SC)
Figure 2: Influence-dependence graph
Concerning the analysis of key stakeholders and
partners, further analytical method used is based on the
observation that the functions of the system plays a
primary role in the development of the environment that
can influence it in a certain extent [7]. We have
analyzed the effects of strategies on structural variables
(problems) of the environment, trying to establish a
global vision of the expected results, evaluation of
power relations, alliances and potential conflicts that
arise between actors. Were considered mainly the actors
which control the key variables. An actor is an entity
which has objectives in the current situation and takes
part in its outcome, either by influencing the issues
directly, or influencing the other actors. In this proposed
system the list of actors is: The University (Univ.), The
Ministry of Education and Research (MEC), Enterprise
(Intr.), Research Centre (CC), Clients (C), Partners
(Part.). The list of objectives is: Development of
Partnerships (Dezv. Part), Development of new market
(Dezv. N.P.), Training and market information (FIP),
Concluding contracts (Inch. Cont), Developing a quality
labels (Label), Clarification of the responsibility of the
partners (Resp. Part), and Fundraising (Fond).
For the following calculations, input data were
expressed as follows: favourable position (1), contrary
to (-1) or neutral (0) to the question asked. Removing
relief and the influence of variable are expressed on a
The Strategic Analysis Model for A Flexible Virtual Research Centre 657

scale ranging from 0 (unimportant) to 4 (extremely relative strength, relative strength ratio is calculated as
important). These entries are stored in three matrices follows [2]:
which underlying the calculations. Positions are stored
in a simple matrix (denoted 1MAO first matrix, actors x
objective), the projection is the combination resulted by
multiplying the actor position and the storage in the
position matrix (called 2MAO) and the influence matrix Standardized coefficient of relative strength determines
is stored in the direct influence matrix (called MID - a first measure of actor's power. Further, these
figure 3). coefficients are applied to matrix 2MAO to get a new
matrix denoted 3MAO. The new matrix contains an
Univ.
MEC
Intr.
CC
C
Part.
aggregate factor, which includes the position, the

© LIPSOR-EPITA-MACTOR
MDI
importance (salience) and the power, which is
Univ. 0 4 2 3 2 3
MEC 4 0 1 4 1 0
calculated according to the formula:
Intr. 4 1 0 4 0 1
CC 4 4 4 0 4 4
C 4 0 0 4 0 3

Dezv. Part

Dezv. N.P.
FIP

Inch. Cont
Label

Resp. Part
Fond

Absolute sum
Part. 3 1 1 4 3 0
2MAO
Figure 3: Direct influence matrix -MID

Mathematical: 1MAOa,i = positiona,i Univ. 2 3 0 3 0 1 2 11

© LIPSOR-EPITA-MACTOR
MEC 1 0 0 0 0 1 4 6
2MAOa,i = positiona,i * a projectiona,i Intr. 4 4 4 4 4 3 4 27
MIDa, b = influence a, b CC 4 2 1 4 4 3 4 22
C 1 1 4 1 4 1 1 13
Part. 3 1 2 4 0 4 4 18
Dezv. Part
Dezv. N.P.
FIP

Inch. Cont
Label

Resp. Part
Fond

Absolute sum

Number of agreements 15 11 11 16 12 13 19
Number of disagreements 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1MAO Number of positions 15 11 11 16 12 13 19

Figure 6: Matrix 2MAO

Univ. 1 1 0 1 0 1 1 5
© LIPSOR-EPITA-MACTOR

MEC 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 3
Intr. 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 7 3MAO (Figure: 7) matrix is used to extract a set of
CC 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 7 aggregated values, such as mobilizing factor (Moba),
C 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 7
Part. 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 6 which describe the involvement of an actor and its
Number of agreements
Number of disagreements
6
0
5
0
4
0
5
0
3
0
6
0
6
0
availability to commit its forces to control various
Number of positions 6 5 4 5 3 6 6 aspects, such as agreement coefficients (Agi),
disagreement (Disagi), indicating various controversial
Figure 4: Matrix 1MAO
issues.
The first step is to consider the influence exercised
Dezv. Part

Dezv. N.P.

FIP

Inch. Cont

Label

Resp. Part

Fond

Mobilisation
indirectly through actors. Consequently, the matrix of 3MAO
direct and indirect influence (MIDI) is calculated and
includes for each pair of actors, direct influence, plus all Univ. 1,6 2,4 0,0 2,4 0,0 0,8 1,6 8,8
indirect influences from every actor. This is calculated
© LIPSOR-EPITA-MACTOR
MEC 0,8 0,0 0,0 0,0 0,0 0,8 3,4 5,0
Intr. 4,4 4,4 4,4 4,4 4,4 3,3 4,4 29,5
using the formula: CC 4,4 2,2 1,1 4,4 4,4 3,3 4,4 23,9
C 1,1 1,1 4,2 1,1 4,2 1,1 1,1 13,7
Part. 3,4 1,1 2,2 4,5 0,0 4,5 4,5 20,2
Number of agreements 15,6 11,1 11,9 16,7 13,0 13,7 19,2
Number of disagreements 0,0 0,0 0,0 0,0 0,0 0,0 0,0
Degree of mobilisation 15,6 11,1 11,9 16,7 13,0 13,7 19,2
Univ.

MEC

Intr.

CC

Part.

Ii

MDII
© LIPSOR-EPITA-MACTOR

Univ. 14 9 7 14 9 9 48
Figure 7: Matrix 3MAO
MEC 10 9 7 9 7 9 42
Intr.
CC
10
19
10
10
8
8
9
19
8
10
8
11
45
58
The graphic of net distances between actors has been
C 11 9 7 10 9 10 47 used to recognize potential alliances that can be
Part. 12 9 8 12 10 11 51
Di 62 47 37 54 44 47 291 developed in the same time, taking into account the
divergences and convergences between actors. Input
Figure 5: Matrix of direct and indirect influence (MIDI)
data compiled through the software Mactor show:
- Dominant actors (quadrant I), which have a strong
These values are used to calculate the global influence
influence on others without being influenced by them
(Ia) and dependence (Da) for each actor, which is the
are represented by partners;
sum of rows and columns of matrices MIDI:
- Bridge players (quadrant II), which are both very
influential and powerful influence in our case are
represented by the research centre;
Using these values and comparing them with influence
and dependence of the other actors, to standardize the
658 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
- Dominated actors (quadrant III), who have little
influence and are influenced strong: university are
responsible for all actors in key positions;
- Autonomous actors (quadrant IV) in this case are
represented by the Ministry of Education, enterprises
and clients - which have low influence and low
dependence to the research centre. Their role is to guide
and / or allocation of financial resources.
The graphic of net distances between actors represent
the potential alliances by taking into account differences
and similarities between actors (Figure: 8).
Figure 8: The graphic of net distances between actors
The graphic of net distance between targets from
Figure: 10, is used to identify the objectives for which
the actors take the same position (either pro or against).
If this study, the strongest link is between the
objectives: "Developing partnerships" and
"Fundraising".
Figure 9: Net distance between objectives
The histogram (Figure: 10) resulting from the matrix
(relationship between actors and objectives) 3MAO,
represent the action realised by actors in order to
achieve the objectives. The histogram is used to
identify, for each actor, the position regarding the
defined objectives. In the present case there is no
difference between the proposed actors and objectives.
Figure 10: Histogram of actor's mobilisation towards its objectives 3MAO
We may conclude that there is a convergence of
many actors to project's objectives. When considered
powers of influence, for example, the capacity of those
involved in bringing pressure to various targets, it can
determine the outcome of division objectives. This
interaction can reverse the competencies of the actors
involved - when they are in conflict or have opposing
interests. The weight ratio of forces seen in the light of
objectives shows that, the actors must be mobilized to
achieve the following objectives in descending order:
Fundraising, Concluding contracts, Development of
Partnerships, Clarification the responsibility of the
partners, developing a quality label, Training and
market information, Development of new market
Conclusions
The study of the structure and of the potential
alliance of a focal firm in e-research could be used as a
new model. E-research is emerging as the leading
research centres in terms of revenue. By applying the
model to the research centre we expect the focal centre
to get the following benefits: (1) understanding the
existing structure of value networks of the industry, (2)
identifying appropriate business model based on value
network configuration to take best advantage of the
structure, and (3) monitoring the ongoing structure
changes and deciding on the best course of actions
accordingly.
References
1. Ackoff, R. (1970), A Concept of Corporate Planning, John
Wiley & Sons, New York.
2. Camponovo, G. (2006), Conceptual Models for Designing
Information Systems Supporting the Strategis Analysis of
Technology Environments, These présentée à L'Ecole des
Hautes Etudes Commerciales de l'Université de Lausane.
3. Giget, M. (1998), La dynamique stratégique des entreprises,
Dunod, Paris.
4. Godet, M. (2007), Manuel de Prospective Stratégique,
Dunod, Paris.
5. Godet, M., Durance, P. (2001), Strategic Foresign: La
Prospective Use and Misuse of Scenario Building, Lipsor,
Paris.
6. Godet, M., Durance, P., Gerber, A. (2006), Strategic
Foresign: La Prospective: Problems and Methods, Lipsor,
Paris.
7. Godet, M. (2006), Creating futures: Scenario Planning a a
Strategic Management Tool, Economica, Paris.
 CASE STUDIES – MODERN ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION TOOL IN
UNIVERSITIES

Bianca PRISECARU1, Florin DANALACHE2, Liliana IFRIM3

1
PhD Candidate Politehnica University of Bucharest, Romania, biancaprisecaru@gmail.com,
2
Prof. Dr. Eng. Politehnica University of Bucharest, Romania, florin.danalache@gmail.com
3 PhD Candidate Politehnica University of Bucharest, Romania, lilianaaa2002@yahoo.com

Over 15 years ago the Department of Management UPB started collaboration with Washington State University materialized in
the development of a “Center for Business Excellence” with training and consultancy as main activities. Experience gained in face to
face relations with businesses was used in writing case studies. In the last 3 years the Department of Management – PUB, has
designed documentation in order to establish a Faculty of Engineering and Business Management. For this we have to identify and
develop the most appropriate model for designing Case Studies based on the Romanian entrepreneurs profile in terms of behavior and
decision making. Research was conducted on the basis of observation, statistical analysis of interviews during business consulting
sessions, the comparative analysis of statistical data taken from various publications. Originality value consists in writing and
teaching Case studies examples of Romanian business people support entrepreneurship training specifically related to the original
Romanian business culture. By this method forms the solid skills in identifying, generating alternatives and real situations resolve
native on what is learned in school. Case studies are a portfolio of experiences that have the power to form a way of thinking.

a risk etc. Encouraging the enterprise spirit is a key to

ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION
“The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the
unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world
to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the
unreasonable man”. (George Bernard Shaw)
In a period of globalization and modernization of the
economy and IT (computer) societies’ development, the
tendency for business development is tightly connected
with the use of the latest technology, by investing in the
human resources development with the most
sophisticated working methods. The primary
development factor in the modern working conditions is
knowledge-based economy enable of keeping economic
development with more and better workplace and bigger
social cohesion.
The European Council in Lisbon, in March 2000,
acknowledged the important role of the education: as an
integral part of the economy and social politics, as an
instrument for competition strengthening, social
inclusion, cohesion, mobility and growth of the
employment.
Business development starts with the educational
system. In almost all transitional economies the
education reform is emphasized on every level, starting
with the preschool, the primary, the secondary and the
university education. Within these reforms, people are
becoming more conscious about spreading of the culture
influence in the society, the attitude towards work,
business and towards entrepreneurship F. Danalache,
(2005).
With the promotion of the entrepreneurship attitudes
and skills there is a great possibility of students’
improvement as well as improvement of the whole
society. Entrepreneurship is the main feature which can
be very useful for all work and life activities. The
education goal is to nurture the young people’s qualities
(the base of the entrepreneurship) such as: creativity,
initiatively, responsibility, independence, ability to take
achieve this goal. Education can help a lot in the
entrepreneurship’s culture development of young people
and make them be aware of the entrepreneurship,
developing their abilities and skills which will help
them in their professional career as well as in life by
becoming responsible and active members of the society
F. Danalache, (2009).
The University POLITEHNICA of Bucharest,
Romania program of the education development
emphasizes more and more the development of the basic
competence, the development of the entrepreneurs’
behavior and skills. The programs should be more often
based on learning through practice which will be a part
of every strategy of stimulating basic competence.
The entrepreneurship in Romania is influenced by
several background as well as impact factors: the
Romanians’ old cultural behaviour (part of Balkans),
half-century of imported communism, twofold transition
(from centrally planned economy to free-market system;
European Union accession process), and – finally –
current global economic impact factors.
According to Ernst & Young, (2008): “Since early
1990, Romania has had a free market economy despite
continuing government presence in the industrial sector.
Successive governments have taken steps to liberalize
and privatize the economy.” Romania becomes
European Union Member State starting January 1, 2007.
Like other ex-communist countries, Romania was
fully engaged in a complex transition process, including
higher education reform as a major component.
Following to the Sorbonne Declaration (1998), a
complex process for higher education restructuring has
started in Europe. Then, 29 European countries agreed
on joint objectives for the development of a coherent
and cohesive European Higher Education Area by 2010
and signed the Bologna Declaration (June 1999) C,
Scarlat, E.J. Rozell, (2010).
The Green Paper of the European Entrepreneurship,
launched by the European Commission at Brussels in
660 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

January 2003, states the necessity to support the economical specific culture and experience in
entrepreneurial force, as effective as possible. Because accordance with Romanian regulations. These Case
the entrepreneurship dynamics is lower in EU (Romania Studies are used in entrepreneurial training graduate and
included) than in US, to build an entrepreneurship- postgraduate programs.
favorable environment in Romanian universities was a
top priority. Consequently, starting with the academic USES OF CASE STUDIES
year 2005-2006, new academic curricula are in place. In
the area of entrepreneurial education, it is significant to Case studies are particularly useful in depicting a
mention, that the new curricula contain courses of holistic portrayal of a client's experiences and results
entrepreneurial education in all Romanian leading
regarding a program. For example, to evaluate the
universities (Table1).
effectiveness of a program's processes, including its
Table 1 Entrepreneurship subjects in Romanian top strengths and weaknesses, evaluators might develop
universities’ curricula C, Scarlat, E.J. Rozell, (2010)
Entrepreneurship
cases studies on the program's successes and failures.
Nr University Faculty Case studies are used to organize a wide range of
subject
1.
University of Administration
Entrepreneurship
information about a case and then analyze the contents
Bucharest and Business by seeking patterns and themes in the data, and by
Economics & Small business further analysis through cross comparison with other
University “A.I.
2. Business start-up and
Cuza” of Iasi
Administration administration cases. A case can be individuals, programs, or any unit,
University Economics & depending on what the program evaluators want to
3. “Babes-Bolyai” Business Entrepreneurship examine through in-depth analysis and comparison.
of Cluj Administration
Academy of
Economic Business Entrepreneurship DEVELOPING A CASE STUDY
4.
Studies of Administration Culture
Bucharest
University
The history of case study research is marked by
Electrical periods of intense use and periods of disuse. The earliest
5. “Politehnica” of Entrepreneurship
Engineering
Bucharest use of this form of research can be traced to Europe,
predominantly to France. The methodology in the
It is interesting to mention the case of University
United States was most closely associated with The
“Politehnica” of Bucharest, the oldest and largest
University of Chicago Department of Sociology. From
technical university in Romania, where the course of
the early 1900's until 1935, The Chicago School was
Entrepreneurship is offered to engineering students
preeminent in the field and the source of a great deal of
(since 2000).
the literature.
The research process started back in 2001 when first
There are several examples of the use of case
research project (EDUCAT) was designed. The
methodology in the literature. Yin R., (1994), listed
EDUCAT Project has identified requirements of the
several examples along with the appropriate research
labour market regarding the creation of the managerial-
design in each case. There were suggestions for a
entrepreneurial side of the graduates of engineering
general approach to designing case studies, and also
education, showing the necessity of transforming the
recommendations for exploratory, explanatory, and
classical university into an entrepreneurial university
descriptive case studies.
Clark B. R., (1998). This does not mean changing the
In exploratory case studies, fieldwork, and data
mission of the university, but changing the curriculum
collection may be undertaken prior to definition of the
and, above all, changing the methods of teaching. An
research questions and hypotheses. This type of study
almost unique experience within University
has been considered as a prelude to some social
“Politehnica” of Bucharest is the “Center for Business
research. However, the framework of the study must be
Excellence”: it was the very first small business
created ahead of time. Pilot projects are very useful in
development centre in Romania, which served as kernel
determining the final protocols that will be used. Survey
for a national entrepreneurship development network. In
questions may be dropped or added based on the
2006 the Centre for Business Excellence (CBE) has
outcome of the pilot study.
celebrated 15 years of activity. Over years, it got
Explanatory cases are suitable for doing causal
recognition and prestigious awards as The Project of the
studies. In very complex and multivariate cases, the
Year Award 1997 (National Association of Management
analysis can make use of pattern-matching techniques.
and Technical Assistance Centers from USA); The
In 1988 Yin R. and Moore conducted a study to
European Enterprise Award (Romania, 2008) for the
examine the reason why some research findings get into
Business Plan Contest “Investing in Entrepreneurial
practical use. They used a funded research project as the
Education” open to students since 2001. The Project
unit of analysis, where the topic was constant but the
“Investing in Entrepreneurial Education” was nominated
project varied. The utilization outcomes were explained
for the European Enterprise Awards 2008/2009
by three rival theories: a knowledge-driven theory, a
(Prague, May 2009).
problem-solving theory, and a social-interaction theory.
CBE offered up a nursery for Case Studies in
management and business, based on Romanian
Case Studies – Modern Entrepreneurship Education Tool in Universities
Knowledge-driven theory means that ideas and
discoveries from basic research eventually become
commercial products. Problem-solving theory follows
the same path, but originates not with a researcher, but
with an external source identifying a problem. The
social-interaction theory claims that researchers and
users belong to overlapping professional networks and
are in frequent communication.
Descriptive cases require that the investigator begin
with a descriptive theory, or face the possibility that
problems will occur during the project.
Case studies have been increasingly used in
education. While law and medical schools have been
using the technique for an extended period, the
technique is being applied in a variety of instructional
situations. Management Department within University
POLITEHNICA of Bucharest act as a School of
business being most aggressive in the implementation of
case based learning, or "active learning". Management,
Marketing, Operations, Finance, and Information
Systems, courses are designed around cases that
encompass those disciplines, but are presented in an
integrated manner. The students are therefore made
aware of the interrelatedness of the various disciplines
and begin to think in terms of wider problems and
solutions.
USING CASE STUDIES IN EDUCATION
The "European Economical Perspective” course
proposed to be for the first exposure to University
Politehnica for students reading for the Master in
Business Engineering and Management program. Hence
many of the students on this module will be taking it as
a "taster" of economics. Most of the students on the
course will not have studied economics before. Thus the
course must serve several objectives which are not easy
to reconcile. It must motivate those students who “taste"
to continue with Economics. It must be accessible to
students who have not studied economics before.
Finally, it must be sufficiently interesting to those
students who have studied economics at school.The
course attempts to meet all these objectives by an
unusual approach. First it is based entirely on case
studies. The lecturer develops each of the cases himself.
Thus to illustrate principles of investment the following
two case studies are used: a historical one of early
merchant ventures in 17 and 19 century, including the
formation of the London Stock Exchange (Late 1600)
and the modern stock market. The material is presented
as a set of "stylized facts". Then the simplest economic
analysis is used to "explain" the facts. In this way,
students are motivated by understanding the power of
economics to explain social phenomena such as trade
and exchange, merchant ventures and the stock market,
and modern factories. An explicitly numerical approach
is adopted whereby students learn the problem solving
power of economics and management.
Instead of formal proofs, simple numerical examples
are used to illustrate important economic ideas. Students
661
are taught how to use Excel in solving these problems,
thus enhancing an important transferable skill.
The lecture material is delivered in class using the
university's upgraded IT network. This is particularly
helpful in explaining graphs and Excel spreadsheets as
the students can observe the lecturer doing the
calculations in front of them. Potential problems can
arise here if the IT back-up is not adequate.
The module is integrated into the degree programme
in two ways. First, the choice of topics caters to the
special needs of students reading Economics, Financial
Economics, and Business Economics with Marketing
degree schemes. Secondly all students who take this
module must continue with the second module which
takes a more formal, conventional approach. Student
feedback as well as the examination results, were very
encouraging. The main issue for using this approach in
more advanced modules is finding suitable case studies
since the theoretical development depends crucially on
suitable case studies.
CASE STUDY AS A TOOL USED FOR
ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION
An example of a case study that was presented to the
students and which is relevant for entrepreneurship in
outsourcing IT organizations is an IT organization
specialized in offshore software development services
and telecommunications, with more than 8 years of
experience.
Sources of data collection in IT organization are:
direct observations, documents analysis, Yin (1994),
assessments, lessons learned, improvement suggestions.
In this study there were identified strategies,
approaches, and actions to illustrate how successful
entrepreneurs deploy a range of entrepreneurial skills
and knowhow. Above all, the entrepreneurs are seen to
have the capacity to innovate processes.
Since January 2007, Romania is a member of the
European Union, offering access to a better and wider
market. There are more players and stronger players on
IT market, new technologies are having
transformational impacts on all industries, markets are
more open and free, and customers are more
demanding. Many IT organizations are being forced to
offer what customers demand and more, they have to
respond to customers unexpressed expectations B.
Prisecaru, (2009).
In time of crisis, this makes the difference between
success and failure, in a competitive world. For this
reason the IT organization offered its customers support
for the telecommunications projects and also a support
case management tool that allows the customers to have
real time access to all the support processes.
The purpose of this tool is to manage the process for
receiving, documenting and resolving customer issues in
telecommunication support projects.
All the solutions are kept in a knowledge base of the
tool that can be used, besides best practice in telecom,
as:
662 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
- guideline for a general case management process that
can be used in any support process;
- guideline for customer relationship management in
support processes;
- guideline related to how to organize, plan, staff,
schedule and manage telecom support service project;
- basis for establishing and maintaining the project
capability baseline in telecom support.
Some important advantages also offered to the
customer in the support process are:
- improvements that are identified and implemented as
necessary;
- all the records are maintained in the support case
management tool database. The case log can be
accessed secured with a login ID/password;
- support case management tool is backed up daily;
- all cases are retained for a minimum of 5 years.
- case management is conducted globally by engineers
organized into Emergency, Level1 Support and Level2
Support functions.
Also, engineers have expertise in recovery and crisis
management. Their tasks are, in order of their priority
(from high to low):
- to restore service as quickly as possible by whatever
means available;
- to protect their customer’s networks from a re-
occurrence;
- to document the incident and collect data to support
subsequent causal analysis.
In order to reflect a commitment to certain major
accounts it is recommended to define certain programs
such: Silver, Gold, Platinum Premium. These customer
sites are identifiable by the support case management
tool.
The preferred method for engineers to gather data
about the customer’s network is by remote access. If
such access is controlled, the engineer shall contact the
Level1 Support or Service Center (where applicable) for
the required details such as addresses and passwords.
Providing a complete and concise summary of the
customer's original issue helps build a high quality
database of case resolutions that can be queried in the
future.
SUMMARY
Young people need somebody to make them believe
in their own creative forces, they should be educated to
realize and use the local resources as a foundation for
the creative values.
• With their self-assurance, young people can become
more productive, can improve the workplaces and can
take responsibility in their local community.
• The education plays an important role in the
development of the attitudes, working habits and
activities which improve the abilities for cooperation,
creativity and innovation of children and young people,
i.e. it is capable of stimulating the development of their
entrepreneurial activities.
• “The European experience shows that within the
university education and the exploration work, the
following skills and competences should be developed:
o prediction of trends and abilities of dealing
with unpredictable development of the events;
o team work and ability of working with nets of
teams;
o leadership;
o communication skills, including the use of
foreign languages;
o excellent abilities to apply the use of the
information technology in the field in which the
student is being educated;
o being familiar with the law in the field of
intellectual possession (also including the
problems)”.
• “The training for Entrepreneurship must continue
through life. It must cover the full range of knowledge:
knowing how to behave, how to handle knowledge, how
to learn, knowhow, and how to innovate, do good and
lead others. This is the challenge of Europe.
• Our training system must be one which will
encourage the spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation.
This will enable us to create an economy which is truly
working for the people.”
• As individual entrepreneurs, the students should
follow their wishes, they should be able to use the
possibilities for their achievement and believe in the
possible success.
References
1. Clark, B.R. (1998,) Creating Entrepreneurial Universities:
Organisational Pathways of Transformation. International
Association of Univesities and Elsevier Science, Paris and
Oxford
2. Danalache, F. (2005), Human Resource Management,
Printech, Bucharest Romania. Pp26
3. Danalache, F. (2009), HOW TO VALUE OPPORTUNITIES
LIES INTO ECONOMIC CRISIS, ICMIE International
Conference, PUB, Romania
4. Ernst & Young, Romania Business Passport, 2008 edition,
Ernst & Young Romania, 2008
5. Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM,. GEM – Romania
2007, Available at: http://www.gemconsortium.org
6. Scarlat, C., Rozell, E. and Scroggis, W.A. (2010),
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ROMANIAN
ENTREPRENEURIAL PROTOTYPE, UPB Buletin
7. Prisecaru B., Niculescu C., Danalache F. and Persideanu
V., (2009), THE CHANGE OF ORGANIZATIONAL
CULTURE FOR PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT, MTC
International Conference, Alexandroupolis, Greece
8. Yin, R. (1994). Case study research: Design and methods
(2nd ed.). Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publishing
 THE GROWTH OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN A DOWN ECONOMY THROUGH
HIGHER EDUCATION AND EUROPEAN FINANCE IN SIBIU

Diana Elena RANF 1, Elida TOMITA TODARITA2

1
Romanian-German University, diana.ranf@roger-univ.ro
2
Romanian-German University, elida_tomy@yahoo.com

The present article analyses entrepreneurship in a down economy with the opportunities and disadvantages that come out of this situation.
The article shows a research based on a survey made on a sample of one hundred SMEs in Sibiu district, having as main objectives: the
employees’ level of professional training, the entrepreneurs’ availability and opening to thorough training, the used type of leadership, the level
of knowledge on European funds.

1. INTRODUCTION environment and the higher education, as well as the

Peter Drucker says that “small businesses are the
main catalyst of the economic growth”.
Being an entrepreneur is a unique and challenging
experience, with great satisfactions, but sometimes with
great frustrations as well. In order to run a business, the
entrepreneur has to be at the same time owner, manager,
designer, buyer, seller, etc. Obviously, no one can be an
expert in all these fields, but the entrepreneur must have
knowledge of each field in order to evaluate the impact
of the actions that bring profit to the company.
J. Schumpeter stated that the entrepreneur is the
person who innovates, who makes new production
combinations. We call the accomplishment of new
combinations, an enterprise; we call the persons whose
purpose is to accomplish them entrepreneurs [2].
An entrepreneur is, first of all, an accomplisher of
new things, an activity creator, as against the classic
manager, who deals with managing and operating the
existing enterprises. More exactly, the entrepreneur is
gifted with the ability to perceive the new economic and
social perspectives and, based on this, to make new
things or to do previous activities in a different manner,
by innovating.
Entrepreneurs are people with fast reactions, with
double meaning. Usually, they launch into achieving
innovative economic actions from early ages, often
without having the patience to finish their studies or
leaving their families. They perceive quickly and early
the possibilities of a product/service or of a market
which they exploit by initiating, creating and/or
developing SMEs.
The entrepreneur is a person characterized by a
great level of implication in the activity of introducing
the new, or innovating the existing. This is explained by
his attitude as related to risk. The entrepreneur has such
a psychology which allows him to take major risks.
What is most important is that the entrepreneur takes
calculated risks, his actions being based on valuable
judgements and economic evaluations that lead him to
the conclusion that the chances to be successful are
dominant or considerable.
Using an explorative qualitative research
(interviews of specialists, of focus groups) associated
with a quantitative descriptive research, we have tried to
outline the evolution of the business environment in
Sibiu, the relationship between the business
possible recommendations for improving the evolution
of the private system.
2. ROMANIAN ENTREPRENEURSHIP DURING
CRISIS
Before moving on to the issues arising from the
research on the county of Sibiu, we would like to
underline the evolution of the national business
environment, with direct effect on the evolution of the
business environment in Sibiu County.
Ovidiu Nicolescu says that this crisis that emerged
worldwide in 2008 and amplified in 2009 everywhere,
including in Romania, affects first of all the weak ones,
namely the SMEs within the economy, the retired and
the “employees used to it” among the population.
In Romania, there are approximately 600,000
small and medium-sized companies, which make 72%
of the gross national product. Hence we notice the
important role that the small and medium-sized
companies have in the sustainable development of an
economy.
One effect of the economic crisis is the large
number of companies that have suspended their activity
during 2009, 12.2 times more than in the previous years,
the number of voluntary liquidations increased by
472,50 %.
Under the circumstances where crisis touches
everything, where the number of SMEs has decreased,
is it profitable to do entrepreneurship?
A conclusion of the seminars and courses organised
during 2009 with the theme of entrepreneurship is that
this has increased in this period. There are people who
start new businesses, who help overcome the crisis,
even in our country, where the business environment is
less friendly as compared to the EU standards.
It should not be necessarily understood that the
financial instability stimulates the entrepreneurial spirit.
Hindering the access to loans, a business environment
which means financial and regulation instability are
obstacles in front of development and innovation.
Not everybody is endowed with entrepreneurial
spirit. This is a rare gift. However, a lot of Romanians,
among the ones with initiative, among the ones aiming
the success, choose entrepreneurship. Being an
entrepreneur is a very difficult and risky job; it requires
special abilities, an extreme motivation and
664 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
stubbornness to start a business from nothing and to
make it profitable.
The information technology and communication
field is a point of interest for many optimistic, confident
and brave young people, and who have chosen recession
as the moment to start-up their own business.
Specialists recommend young entrepreneurs to
orient towards the fields that require a relatively low
starting capital. Those who choose to start a business
should aim the services area, because it is cheaper, but
at the same time they should offer more accessible,
“low-cost” type prices than the traditional suppliers.
It must be had in view, though that
entrepreneurship is no longer practiced from the desire
to make money, future entrepreneurs are creation,
thinking “outside the box” entrepreneurs, who will not
start a business just for the money.
However, there still are businesses that require
initial significant investment and one of the
characteristics that differentiate the recession
entrepreneurs from the previous generations is their
bigger appetite for risk.
During crisis, it is easier for entrepreneurs to build
up a better working team, because there are better
available candidates on the market, with unexaggerated
wage claims. Another advantage of the recession
entrepreneur is that it is easier to motivate valuable
people within an entrepreneurial business.
3. THE SMEs ANALYSIS IN THE COUNTY OF
SIBIU
In order to see the evolution of the entrepreneurship
sector in Sibiu district, we have conducted a research
based on a survey made on a sample of one hundred
small and medium enterprises. The main objectives are
the employees’ level of professional training, the
entrepreneurs’ availability and opening to thorough
training, the type of leadership employed, the level of
knowledge on European funds.
In Sibiu district, there is a relatively high level of
unemployment, 8,6%, with a number of 15.965
unemployed people, Sibiu district ranking 28th place in
the country with regard to the unemployment rate for
February 2010, according to the statistics from the
national Agency for Employment. Because of the high
rate of unemployment, it is not very difficult for
entrepreneurs to find labour force.
First we tried to identify the employees’ training level.
Of the 100 interviewed managers, a high percentage,
namely 76 managers have answered that the employees
from the organisation they lead are overqualified for the
work they do, the employer being tempted to choose a
better CV. Only 24 believe that each employee should
only be qualified for the job he does. The 76 admitted
that the tendency to choose better skilled employees
than the job they do is not necessarily an advantage as
the rate of promotions is low in this period of crisis,
employees get stuck on the post and are tempted to
change their work with another which they consider
closer to the qualification they have. Thus, even in time
of crisis, labour turnover is favoured.
In terms of business stability, of the 100 managers,
only 15 plan to do employments in May, while 38 think
to diminish their activity for 2010. Entrepreneurs who
have chosen to reorient their business towards more
profitable fields, as a solution to overcome the
recession, 19 of the companies being in such a situation,
have chosen to send their employees to requalification
and retraining courses.
Regarding the knowledge on leadership, less than
half managers, more exactly 44 managers have attended
situational leadership courses. Situational leadership is
one of the most useful discoveries in leadership and it
refers to the fact that the leading style is, in fact,
flexible, adaptable to situations. It is not just a
fashionable word within organizations; it is quite a
practical solution, by its simplicity itself. 24 managers
have not attended leadership courses, but are familiar
with the term, being aware of the fact that a leader’s
success is 100% the success of his team or of the group
he leads. For the rest of 22 managers, there still is the
confusion between management and leadership and the
belief according to which the company’s manager is
automatically the leader.
The access to European funds is one of the biggest
opportunities during recession. An important objective
of the conducted research has been to test the
knowledge and information on structural funds and
project management.
Entrepreneurs complain that they do not have
financial resources to achieve their set objectives. Non-
reimbursable funds are a good opportunity to implement
the investment plans and to meet the objectives in a
shorter time.
Structural funds are post-adhesion funds fuelled
through the European Union’s budget, whose purpose is
to give support to the member states. Investments in
education, research, agriculture, infrastructure, SMEs
development and measures for the rural areas
development are sustained. A special attention is given
to less developed regions in order to consolidate the
economic and social cohesion within the European
Union.
Nevertheless, Romania is facing a low rate of
structural funds’ absorption, until the end of February
this year, our country had absorbed only 2,2% of the
European funds available before 2013.
From the interviewed companies, all managers
answered that they are aware of the structural funds,
European money and they vaguely know how this
money can be spend, but only 69 of them have actually
attended a course on project management, and 57 have
sent their employees to such training courses. But very
few, namely 2 companies, have used European money
to train employees. The rest of the managers blame it on
the excessively stuffy files that have to be filled in, on
the complicated procedures.
A number of companies, from different areas of
activity, 18 in number, which had projects approved by
The Growth of Entrepreneurship in A Down Economy Through Higher Education and European Finance in Sibiu
the authorities to get European funds, were forced to
abandon them from lack of orders and the possibility to
get the necessary co-financing. For the private
entrepreneurs, depending on the type of project, as
specified in the guidebook, co-financing can go from
30% to 50%.
If in the public sector, the first problem that public
authorities are facing when accessing structural funds
refers to the lack of trained personnel which would
accomplish projects and to be paid accordingly,
entrepreneurs are confronted with the lack of money
necessary to contracting a consultancy company.
Companies also charge an excessive politicization
of the structures that manage European funds, blocking
positions, firing officials and the unduly long delay of
making the payments to beneficiaries. Other managers
state that another cause of the low level of absorption is
the very long duration to evaluate projects, which has
generated a significant difference between the economic
situation from the moment of approving the file and the
moment of elaborating the business plan.
Asked if in the future they plan to access funds and
in what field, the great majority, more exactly 41
answered that they plan to invest in employees in the
sense of getting them trained in the project management
field, 18 of them want to invest in technology and the
rest state that they do not have the necessary funds yet
to insure the co-financing part, waiting for conditions to
improve to contract some bank loans necessary to the
implementation of the project.
Part of the entrepreneurs answered that the
development through accessing structural funds is a
quite sudden one and that they do not feel ready yet for
such an expansion, maintaining the small size of the
enterprise often having certain advantages, such as the
quick answer to clients’ requests and the clients’
possibility to talk to the company’s manager himself.
They hardly accept to take big risks, having a more
cautious attitude in making decisions.
Overall, we found a very weak link between
industry and academia, the number of research contracts
between companies and universities is quite small, two
contracts of 100 companies, companies accusing the
lack of funds to finance research or they are simply
unaware of the situation.
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS:
Although we are facing a worldwide economic
recession which, as Ovidiu Nicolescu says, firstly
affects the weaker ones, namely the SMEs, the retired
and the “employees used to it” from the population,
there are however people who find opportunities in the
crisis periods, which identify themselves as future
entrepreneurs, part of them being employed at big
companies and being unsatisfied with their current
position within the company.
The main fields of activity, aimed by many
optimistic, full of confidence and courage young people
and who have chosen recession as the moment to start-
665
up their own business, are information technology and
communication fields.
After processing the questionnaires
administrated on a sample of 100 respondents, managers
of small and medium enterprises, the following
conclusions arise: overqualified and not necessarily in
the field they operate personnel, a tendency to dismiss,
due to the great number of companies that consider to
diminish their activity, part of the entrepreneurs have
chosen to reorient the business towards more profitable
activities as a solution to overcome recession, almost
half of the managers graduated from situational
leadership courses.
With regard to the knowledge about the
European funds, more than half of the managers
graduated from a project management course, few of
them, however, actually attracted European money,
mostly because of the problems related to co-financing,
but this intention exists for the future, especially in
human resources.
This research increases the awareness of
entrepreneurs for the importance of high education as
life learning organisations.
Among the main recommendations that we
have suggested to the entrepreneurs from the private
sector, there were the partnerships and scientific
collaborations with the different institutions and
universities in the country and from abroad, the
participations in training courses on the issue of
structural funds and European research programmes. On
the other hand, universities should insist more on
developing the young peoples’ entrepreneurial spirit
while still in college.
It should be insisted more on a direct contact
between universities and the private sector. Under the
context of new technologies development (especially
information technology) and intensifying the global
economic competition, the European society wants a
more dynamic and competitive knowledge-based
economy. In this new context, education, research and
innovation are the foundation of economic development
and of the society in general, and the role of the
universities is becoming increasingly important. In order
to successfully fulfil this role, universities need to
achieve high integration with the economic and social
environment, to become more and more open to society
and its needs and to respond effectively to the rapid
changes in the external environment.
Partnership, exchange of experience, mobility
– are trends which lead to a knowledge-based economy.
A motivation for universities is to adapt to the labour
market needs and to those of the society, and for the
companies – to build managerial know-how and to
adapt to new information technologies.
References
666 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

1. Dumitras, Cristian, Adaptability and

competitiveness of SMEs from E.U. in the contex
of economic crisis, Studia Universitatis “Vasile
Goldis” Arad Seria Stiinte Economice Anul
19/2009 Partea a II – a, p. 323-328.
2. Schumpeter J. – The Theory of Economic
Development, Cambridge, Harvard University
Press, 1934.
3. Nicolescu O., Verboncu I. – Management, ediţia
a III-a revizuită, Ed. Economică, Bucureşti,
1999.
4. Nicolescu, O., Directii strategice centrate pe
IMM-uri pentru iesirea din criza, Revista
Economia, ASE, 2009.
5. www.euractiv.ro
6. www.cnipmmr.ro
 TODAY’S STUDENTS - THE WORKFORCE OF TOMORROW
PROFESSIONAL EXPECTATIONS OF LAST YEAR STUDENTS FROM
“HERMANN OBERTH” FACULTY OF ENGINEERING, SIBIU, ROMANIA
- THE SECOND STUDY-

M. ROTARU 1, R. SAVESCU2, D. DUMITRASCU3

1
"Lucian Blaga" University of Sibiu, mihaela.rotaru@ulbsibiu.ro
2
"Lucian Blaga" University of Sibiu, roxana.savescu@ulbsibiu.ro
3
"Lucian Blaga" University of Sibiu, dan.dumitrascu@ulbsibiu.ro

The paper presents the results of a study conducted in 2009, by “Hermann Oberth” Faculty of Engineering from Sibiu, Romania. The
results of this research are useful both for the management of the faculty and for the employers because it answers two questions: “do
students’ working expectations really fit in today business life?” and “has the working environment a proper image among the future
workforce market?”. This research is an extension of a study conducted by the faculty for the first time in 2007 with the purpose to
find out more about the professional experiences and expectations of today’s young people in Romania - the future workforce for
various organizations.

INTRODUCTION Research Methodology

Do we know if our students working expectations do
really fit in today business life? Do the employers know
if their working environment has a proper image among
their workforce clients? In order to find the answers at
these two questions, the department of Economic
Engineering from “Herman Oberth” Faculty of
Engineering of Sibiu conducted two marketing research
studies among the faculty’s last year students. The first
study was conducted in January 2007 and the second
one in January 2009.
The detailed results of the study conduced in 2007
were presented in the paper "Today’s Students - the
Workforce of Tomorrow. Professional Expectations of
Last Year Students from “Hermann Oberth” Faculty of
Engineering, Sibiu, Romania”, published Conference
Proceedings – volume I of the 6th International
Conference on Management of Technological Changes,
Alexandroupolis, Greece, 03-05 September 2009.
In this paper we present the conclusions that came
out from the second study, concerning the professional
expectations of last year students (the fourth and the
fifth year of studies) regarding their future interaction
with the labor market.
Research Objectives
The scope of the two studies was to gather
information about the students’ professional experiences
and their professional expectations and to see if
students’ habits, opinions and perceptions are changing
over time and what are the differences in this regard,
between one generation and another.
The results of the two studies are useful both for the
employers in crafting their long term human resources
strategy and for faculty management in developing long
term relationships with different players from the
business environment.
For both studies (the one conducted in 2007 and the
one conducted in 2009), the same self-completion
questionnaire has been administered to a representative
sample of students from the forth and the fifth year of
studies from all current specializations of the Faculty of
Engineering, Sibiu. In 2007, 461 out of a total of 620
and in 2009, 315 out of a total of 661 questionnaires
were collected and validated.
At the time when the studies were conducted, the
interviewed students were enrolled at the following
main fields of study: Computer Science and Information
Technology, Engineering and Management, Electric
Engineering, Electronic Engineering and
Telecommunication, Machine-tools and Production
Systems, Industrial Engineering, Mines, Oil and Gas;
Environmental Engineering, Transport Engineering . In
each of these main fields of study, the students could
choose between one or more specializations.
Most of the respondents were men (72% in 2007 and
64% in 2009); in 2007 – 60% of them lived in Sibiu city
and in 2009 – 48% lived in Sibiu city; the majority of
the students, even if they were in the last year of their
university studies, they still used to live together with
their parents (in 2007 – 59% and in 2009 – 62%).
The main reasons the students decided to sign up at
"Hermann Oberth" Faculty of Engineering is the chance
to find a job after faculty graduation and the passion for
the specific field of study.
PROFESSIONAL EXPECTATIONS OF LAST
YEAR STUDENTS
At graduation, about 70% of the students would like
to work as an employee in a company. For the others the
alternative of starting a business is much more attractive
(Figure 1).
100%
30.20% 29.20%

To start your ow n business

50%
To be employed in a company
69.80% 70.80%
668 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

100%
11. 2 % 14 . 6 %
Other attributes
16 . 1%
16 . 5%
to provide long term employment
50% 4 0 . 1%
4 3 . 5% to provide opportunities to make career
12 . 4 % to not bind me with contractual stipulations
12 . 1%
2 0 .2 %
13 .3 % to have professional employees
0%
2007 2009
Figure 1: “Which of the following alternatives would you choose immediately
after graduating the university?” (Base: all respondents, single answer)
Figure 4: When thinking of a company you would like to work in, what is the
Although the majority of the respondents stated that most important attribute you would consider?
(Base: all respondents, single answer)
they would like to work in a private company, the
percentage of those who preferred to work in a public In most students’ opinion, the ideal job is the one
institution increased with 109% in 2009 compared with that provides them, first of all, a high income, followed
2007. An explanation for that could be the current by career opportunities and pleasure of doing the
economic-financial crisis that affected the private sector specific tasks. This opinion seems to remain unchanged
more than the public sector (Figure 2). over the time (Figure 5)

100%

2007 2009
100% 81.1%
2007
75.2%

62.5% 83.1%
2009
64.4%
50.8%
50% 33.7%
50%
16.1% 35.9%
58.6%
2.8% 3.8%
29.5%
0% 49.2%

Public institution Private firm NGO 31.9%

24.9% 10.2% 11.4% 9.5% 7.9%
15.8% 11.9%
0% 7.8% 6.9%
Figure 2:”What kind of institution would you prefer to work in?”
to enjoy the

friendly working

young staff
to have time for
opportunities

trainings

conditions
high income

opportunities to

attractive
working
environment

him/herself
work
career

(Base: all respondents)

assert
Compared with 2007, in 2009 there is an increase of
14% in the number of the students who would prefer to Figure 5: When thinking of a specific job you would like to have, what are the
work in large firms instead of working in small 3 most important attributes you would consider?
companies (Figure 3). The explanation for this can be (Base: all respondents, multiple answers)

found again in the general economic situation from the

last 2 years when larger companies could provide a safer At graduation, the students would mostly like to
working environment for their employees than the work in fields like industrial design; IT and
smaller companies. telecommunication, production, marketing and sales and
other (Figure 6).
100% 2007
75.2% 100%
65.9%
2009 23.0%
16.5%
50% Other fields
34.1% 6.0%
24.8% 5.1% Transport / Logistics
5.1%
22.8% Human resources
0% Audit / consulting
25.4%
Large company, w ith many employees Small company w ith few employees
14.5% Industrial design
and many departments
Production / manufacturing
12.4% 12.1%
M arketing, sales
Figure 3: If two companies offer you the same paid salary, which one would 10.4% IT, telecomunication
you prefer to work in?
27.3%
(Base: all respondents, single answer) 19.4%

0%
More than 40% of the students (both in 2007 and 2007 2009

2009) considered that the ideal employer is the one who

is providing career opportunities. Other aspects like Figure 6: What is the field you would mostly like to work after graduation?
(Base: all respondents, single answer)
“long term employment” and no “contractual clauses
concerning a minimum compulsory period to work in
In students’ opinion, the candidates that know
that company” are considered important, too. (Figure 4).
foreign languages, have computer knowledge and have
at least one year of practical professional experience are
the ones with the highest chances to succeed at a job
 Today’s Students - The Workforce Of TomorrowProfessional Expectations Of Last Year Students From “Hermann
Oberth” Faculty Of Engineering, Sibiu, Romania - The Second Study- 669

interview. At the same time, around 30% of the students regarding both the practical experience received during
consider facts like “to be well prepared for the job the seminars and laboratories as well as the faculty’s
interview” and “team-work experience” as being effort to facilitate the relationship between students and
appreciated by the employers when recruiting new staff firms is not very favorable. At the same time, quite a
(Figure 7). high percentage of respondents believe that many jobs
are still got through "candidate’s acquaintances and
100%
relationships”.
2007 Table 2: The percentage of students’ who agree with various statements
77.5%
(Base: all respondents)
2009
Statements 2007 2009
“I had enough practical
50%
77.9% 44.4%
experience during the laboratory 19 % 25%
classes”.
36.2%
34.3%

27.3%

39.5%
22.2%
13.0% 13.7%
“Faculty facilitates the
39.3% 33.2%
30.6%
9.1% 7.8%
8.3% 8.6% relationship between students and 36 % 49%
companies”.
26.5% 6.3%
10.4%

0%
“It is important for students to
driving license
the job interview
foreign language

well prepared for

experience of at
knowledge

experience

relationships in

good grades in

postgraduate
additional
team work
computer

trainings
knowledge of

least 1year

have practical experience in 86 % 97%

studies
the field
practical

faculty
close

companies”.
“Theoretical knowledge is
65 % 78%
important in getting a job”.
“It is important to have a career
Figure 7: In order to be successful at a job interview, the candidate must have 81 % 95%
/ must be …? center in the faculty”.
(Base: all respondents, 3 answers possible) “Most jobs are take based on
candidate’s acquaintances and 49 % 68%
On a 1 to 5 scale, where 1-very important 2 relationships”
important 3-indifferent; 4-least important, 5-not at all
important, the students have been asked to rate the About 30% of the total respondents (30% in 2007
issues they consider as being mostly appreciated by the and 33% in 2009) had thought of starting their own
employers when thinking of their employees. business when graduating (Figure 8).
From the students’ point of view, those employees
who know at least one foreign language, have computer
100%
knowledge and are able to works without exceeding the N o , 30% N o , 33%
deadlines established for various tasks are the ones that 50%
are mostly appreciated by their employers. Y es , 70% Y es , 67%

0%
Table 1: The percentage of students who considered different
2007 2009
aspects regarding the employees as being very important / important
for the employers (Base: all respondents)
When thinking of their employees, the
employers consider the following issues 2007 2009 Figure 8: Have you ever thought to start your own business?
(Base: all respondents, single answer)
as being the very important / important
... to carry out the job tasks , even if
76 % 90% Although for many students the idea of starting a
these tasks are not clearly defined
… not to exceed the deadlines set for business is attractive, most of them did not take any
91 % 94% initiative in this direction mainly because of lack of
different tasks
… to be creative and to be able to find financial resources and/or because studies were still
86 % 93%
solutions in order to solve various tasks considered a priority (Figure 9).
… to be willing to work overtime 59 % 63%
… to take initiative and to come up
73 % 81% 2007 2009
with proposals for improvement
… to permanently improve their 100% 70.2% 68.6%
86 % 87% 38.8% 41.9%
knowledge 50% 22.8% 21.9% 18.5% 16.2%
… to know to work on computer 87 % 93% 0%
… to have writing communication
56 % 66% lack of financial bureaucracy lack of knowledge school on the
skills resources on the approaches forefront
…to have verbal communication skills 83 % 92%
…to know how to integrate into the
team and resolve conflicts that may 86 % 90% Figure 9: What prevented you to start your own business?
occur (Base: respondents who thought of starting their own business, multiple
answers)
…to know at least one foreign language 87 % 95%
A career center in the faculty is considered by the
students as a very useful office providing them updated CONCLUSIONS
information about the labor market and facilitating the
relations with different employers. Their point of view
670 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
● Both studies revealed that most of the students
would like to be employed at graduation (69.8% in 2007
and 70.8% in 2009); the others would like to start their
own business;
● At graduation, a job in a private company is
considered more attractive, (being preferred by 81.1%
of students in 2007 and 62.5% in 2009), mainly because
the financial benefits are much higher here, as well the
opportunities for promotion. However the percentage of
students who would prefer employment in a public
institution increased in 2009 in comparison with 2007,
probably because this is a safer job in terms of long term
stability.
● At graduation, a job in a large firm with many
employees and many departments is preferred by most
of the students (65.9% in 2007 and 75.2% in 2009), the
reasons being a higher stability, higher chances for
promotion and continuous improvement. The rest of the
students still prefer working in a smaller firm because
interpersonal relationships are closer and fewer
problems occur;
● There is the desire of students to work at
graduation in the same areas they have gained
theoretical and practical experience during the studies.
The following sectors are preferred: IT, engineering
design, manufacturing and marketing - sales.
● Students' expectations about the benefits a
company could provide them are: possibilities for
improvement and promotion, long-term safety of the
workplace and no contractual clauses binding them on
the company for a minimum period of time;
● Students' expectations about the benefits a job
might offer are: high financial gain, career opportunities
and pleasure of doing the specific tasks.;
● To be able to get the desired job, most students
have the opinion that knowledge of foreign languages,
computer knowledge, practical experience for at least
one year, a good preparation for the job interview and
team working experience are the main conditions a
candidate should meet;
● In students' point of view, the employers prefer
those employees who fulfill their tasks on time, are able
to work on computer and know a foreign language.
However, employees’ creativity, teamwork abilities and
continuous improvement are issues that employers
would appreciate, too.
● For students, it is very important to have an
information center in faculty for career consulting and
internships offers from different companies. The
students do not have a favorable opinion concerning the
practical experience gain during seminars and
laboratories hours. About half of them believe that many
jobs are still got based on someone’s "acquaintances and
relationships”;
● Even if the idea of starting their own business
sounds interesting for about 30% of the students, most
of them haven’t yet taken any initiative in this direction
because of several reasons among witch the most
important are lack of financial resources and lack of
time (studies being considered still a priority).
References
1. Cătoiu, I. coord. (2002), “Marketing research”, Uranus
Publisher, Bucharest
2. Datculescu, P. (2006), “Marketing Research - How to
discover the mind of the consumer, how to measure and
analyze information”, Brandbuilders Grup
3. Hair, F. Joseph, Jr. Rolph E. Anderson, Ronald L. Tatham,
William C. Black (1995), “Multivariate Data Analysis” 4th
Edition, Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey 07632
4. Rotaru, M., Kifor C.V. (2008), “Assessing the effectiveness
of education graduates in the labor market, application at
the Lucian Blaga University – Part I”, Proceedings of the
5th WSEAS/ IASME International Conference on
Engineering Education (EE’08), Heraklion, Greece, ISBN
978-960-6766-86-2, ISSN, 1790-2769
5. Rotaru, M., Oprean, C., Tuturea, M. (2008), “Assessing the
effectiveness of education graduates in the labour market,
application at the Lucian Blaga University – Part II”,
Proceedings of the 5th WSEAS/IASME International
Conference on Engineering Education (EE’08), Heraklion,
Greece, ISBN 978-960-6766-86-2, ISSN, 1790-2769
6. Savescu, R. coord. (2007), “Today’s students, the workforce
of tomorrow” marketing research study, "Hermann Oberth"
Engineering Faculty of Sibiu, Romania, Department of
Economic Engineering
7. Savescu, R., Rotaru, M. (2005), “Assessing the factors that
influence high-school graduates in their choice of a
faculty”, 3rd Balkan Region Conference of Engineering
Education, Sibiu, Romania, Conference Proceedings
Pages: 88-90, Published:, ISBN 973-739-147-0
8. Savescu, R., Rotaru, M. (2005), “Determining the opinion of
final grade high-school students about their higher
education in general”, 3rd Balkan Region Conference of
Engineering Education, Sibiu, Romania, Conference
Proceedings Pages: 91-93 Published: 2005, ISBN 973-
739-147-0
9. Savescu, R., Rotaru, M (2009). - “Today’s students, the
workforce of tomorrow – Professional experience of last
year students from Hermann Oberth Faculty of Engineering,
Sibiu, Romania” - The 6th International Conference on
Management of Technological Changes, Alexandroupolis,
Greece, 03-05 September 2009, Source: Conference
Proceedings, Volume I, Pages: 177-180 Published: 2009,
ISBN 978-960-89832-7-4
10. Savescu, R., Dumitrascu, D., Rotaru, M. - “Today’s
students, the workforce of tomorrow – Professional
expectationse of last year students from Hermann Oberth
Faculty of Engineering, Sibiu, Romania” - The 6th
International Conference on Management of Technological
Changes, Alexandroupolis, Greece, 03-05 September 2009,
Source: Conference Proceedings, Volume I, Pages: 181-
184 Published: 2009, ISBN 978-960-89832-7-4
 ENTREPRENEURSHIP SKILLS DEVELOPMENT FOR DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT

Lucia RUSU1, Simona KLEINHEMPEL2, Marius PODEAN3

1
Babes-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca, lucia.rusu@econ.ubbcluj.ro
2
Babes-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca, simona.kleinhempel@econ.ubbcluj.ro
3
Babes-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca, marius.podean@econ.ubbcluj.ro

Abstract: The aim of this paper is to build a formal model of a document management system in companies, based on document workflow, and
financial legislation for management and monitoring company’s activity. Our major objective is to develop a web based document management
solution focused on workflow management system (WfMS) approach and collaborative document. We used workflow decompositions and several
document templates.

Keywords: document management , company efficiency

service, the automatic execution of work items, the

INTRODUCTION
Workflow management technology (WfM) has
success and popularity for several reasons: easier work
coordination, a higher quality of service, work
efficiency and flexibility of processes. The work
coordination becomes easier because a workflow
management system (WfMS) avoid human actors from
the efforts to coordinate their work.
WfMS gives a higher quality of service in every
organization. It ensures that the process is executed in
correspondence with the intended procedure: important
steps can no longer be forgotten, work will be improved,
and authorization and security policies are automatically
enforced. The work is executed more efficiently because
work items will only be allocated to actors by the
WfMS if and when they are required to be executed
Reijers et all.(2003).
The process becomes more flexible because WfMS
simplifies the redesign of the process. Business flow is
not so efficient in traditional applications and the
control is moving in all process parts with WfMS.
Using reference model of the WorkflowManagement
Coalition (WfMC) Vanderfeesten and Reijers was
proposed an abstract workflow system consists of four
levels: organizational structure, roles, process
automation layer, and workflow definition WfMC
(2009), Vanderfeesten and Reijers (2005).
• Organizational structure is the level where
structure of the organization is defined. This includes
the division in departments or business units,
hierarchical relations, functions, physical employees,
geographical position, competencies, authorization and
rules.
• Roles level contains the roles that can be
performed by employees in the organization. To fullfil a
certain role an employee has to meet the accompanying
requirements (e.g. concerning competencies or the
proper organizational unit).
• Process automation layer can be divided into
two parts: the distribution of work items and the
automatic and computer supported execution of work
items. This layer includes: the workflow enhancement
computer applications an employee needs to perform an
activity, the shared or individual wordlists and the
administration and monitoring tools.
• Workflow definition is a static representation of
the process. It consists of the process model, the
resource classification and the relationships between
those two [3].
Preece et all describe in detail metaphorical
perspective of organization, which was divided in four
categories:
• The paperless office where all information, be
it news, papers, memos or other documents is handled,
manipulated, processed and read by people
electronically.
• The automated office where factories are
operated by robots and remote controlled equipments.
• The electronic cottage where people work
from terminals at home.
• The global village where the convergence of
computing and telecommunications has brought about
an interconnected world wide society Preece et all
(1999).
Document management system can optimize the
organization work, by modifying the code to proper
requirements if needed and by adding functionalities to
it, based on own business model.
A document can be defined as a piece of "recorded
information structured for human consumption" Bannan
(1997).
This wide definition embraces many forms of
documents used in organizations: business documents,
books, magazines, news articles, design drawings, video
recordings, etc. In metaphorical approach we have
documents as any item that can be contained in an
electronic file: e-mails, video files, audio recordings,
scanned images. Documents can be found in almost
every aspect of organizations' activities. They store,
transmit and communicate the knowledge of the
organization which distinguishes its operation and
processes from its business partners and employers.
Managing information is important condition for
long term survivability of any organization. Documents
Management (DM) can be defined as "a systematic
672 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
method for storing, locating and keeping track of
information that is valuable to a business" Drupal
(2010).
After an introduction we present some
considerations about document management systems
and web based management systems. We proposed a
web based management systems for managing and
developing entrepreneurship skills, using a multi-tier
architecture and workflow decompositions. We describe
XML schema for managing documents and workflows
in companies. Last section is concerned about
conclusions.
DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS AND
WEB BASED DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT
Document Management Systems (DMS) has wide
functionality by using meta-data, as a pieces of
information that describes the content of the document,
(author's name, date of creation, summary and subject).
These Meta-data is used to classify documents into
useful groups to facilitate its retrieval at later stages.
Document Management Systems can transform the
workplace into a paperless office, by storing all the
required documents in electronic, easy to manage
formats, because managing the documents electronically
will be much easier and cost effective. DMS basic
functionality involve: document creation, version
control, security, document sharing, collaborative
editing, workflow support and flexible search facilities.
Nowadays we have different open source Document
Management Systems which satisfy these requirements
in higher or less degrees. Software selection depends on
the particular needs of the organization, specific
workflows and the information management
environment Tawileh (2007).
Web Based Document Management (WBDM)
includes designing and implementing a cost-effective
online document based system to maintain vital records
at web hosting sites using online based document
management. Web-based document management
companies provide administrative, backup, security,
software upgrades, systems and database administration,
hardware support and training. Internet access is
available anywhere that has a secure connection.
Users can manage a search and retrieval process,
using previously established indices and document
identification with management, infrastructure and
support. Transmission to and from web based document
management servers usually employs Secure Socket
Layer (SSL) solutions ManHub (2009) .
EnDoM A WEB BASED DOCUMENT
MANAGEMENT SOLUTION
EnDoM Architecture
Our students study document flow in companies
since the founding of the company, monthly reporting,
relationship with employees, business partners, state
bodies, labor and social direction, until the merger or
liquidation of the trading company. They can give a
proper solution for optimize document workflow based
on creative solutions.
Our solution is based on Vanderfeesten and Reijers
(2005) model and use Organization structure in
hierarchical decompozition, according to real model.
For Roles level we propose tree levels: system
administrator, which manage the user groups and
employers. User groups are define based on managerial
piramid and comapanies features.
The system is developed by using multi-tier
architecture and it is formed by EnDoM client, the
EnDoM server, the repository, and other components:
Web browser and Web server, the Relational Data Base
Management System (DBMS). Main propose was to
develop a Web based document management for
managing several companies’ documents, focused on
workflow decompositions and state legislations and
templates available.
The Client EnDoM provides the facilities for
identifying and authorizing the user (by account and
password), DTD selection, and query composition and
refinement. We define a XML schema and we used
several templates for official documents and some
samples for internal companies’ documents, which form
process automation layer. The EnDoM client
communicates with the EnDoM Document Manager to
load the list of available DTDs.
Also it access Document tree and Document
template and communicates with the Web Server to load
the selected DTD. The metadata and the DTD tags are
used to compose/decompose the documents based on
levels of sub-workflows. The system can produces the
HTML index of the retrieved documents including the
link to the corresponding XML files, together with
information about the XSL file-sheet used to visualise
and browse them. User’s identification process (logons
and passwords) can offer web access to the information
and they are able to retrieve it (figure 1).
XML and workflow
The document space consists of XML files, linked
with a relational database is used to store metadata on
the documents, Document tree and Documents template.
Different Document Type Definitions (DTDs) are used
to define the structure of different document types. For
each DTD we have a table in the EnDoM database
whose attributes correspond to metadata and particular
tags of the DTD that identify items for which searching
the database is more efficient than searching the
document space Aversano et all (2001).
We offer examples of such attributes: title, author,
creation date, source, destination. An additional table in
the EnDoM database associates each document to the
template and a set of its keywords (if its are available).
At the first level a class of documents (a DTD) is
selected and a database query on the discriminative tags
Entrepreneurship Skills Development for Document Management 673

EnDoM
EnDoM Server
Client
Web Document Document Information
Server Generator Manager Manager
Web
Browser
DBMS

DTD XML XSL XLS Doc HTML DB Document Document

Tree Templates
Repository

Figure 1 :EnDoM Arhitecture

of the DTD is made to select a subset of documents in

the document space. It is assigned with sub-workflow. <Company template>/*Schema*/
The retrieved documents are presented to the user
in hypertext format or other formats required, <Rules Regulations>
according to Finance Ministry orders or other state <Rules> </Rules>
requirements. The user can select a document to <Terms Conditions>
<Rules Regulations>
browse and a format visualisation style like an XSL -
<Stream Available> </Stream Available>
eXtensible Style Language - style sheet or PDF, using __ _________________________________
customized document view options. <EmployeId></EmployeId>
XML documents have the advantage of providing a
common interface irrespective of : <EmplyeInfo>
• the kind of databases used <Name></Name>
• the kind of database schema used by the <Address></Address>
organization <Phone></Phone>
<Qualifications></Qualifications>
• they provide semantic structure to the data in <StreamChoosen></StreamChoosen>
the workflow Krishnan et all (2008). </EmplyeInfo>
_______________________________________
<Partner Details>
Workflow <PartnerId></PartnerId>
<PartnerInfo>
<Name></Name>
<Address></Address>
Sub- Sub- <Phone> </Phone>
Workflow 1 Workflow 2 <Repository
<Account></Account>
<Contact></Contact>
Activity 11 Activity 12
</PartnerInfo>
….Tree
Activity 21
Activity 22
<StreamChoosen></StreamChoosen>

</Partner Details>

</Company template>
Figure 2: Workflow decomposition

We used a Krisnan et all solution for workflow

decompositions, and we present these assumptions. Figure 3: XML Schema from EnDoM
A sequence of sub-workflows is a workflow.
W = Seq (S1, S2, … , Sn)
An activity is a (sub)-workflow Si. A conjunction of
sub-workflows is a workflow. W = S1 Λ S2 Λ … Λ Sn,
674 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
where, W represents the Workflow and S1, S2, …, Sn
the sub-workflows. A disjunction of its sub-workflows is
a workflow. W = S1 ٧ S2 ٧ … ٧ Sn
A finite number of applications of above set of rules
on a set of sub-workflows is also a workflow [10].
Based on it we developed XML schema which
linked DTD to sub-workflows (Figure 2).
Document flow is an important aspect of workflow
driven execution of business processes. But document
flow and processing is not the complete workflow. We
create a document centric, based on Krisnan et all sub-
workflow decomposition (Figure 3). These schema can
full workflow functionality and support execution of
workflows for business processes.
Within documents there are interdependencies
among sub-documents, sharing and concurrent updates
to documents, and restricted access to documents. In
order to facilitate the combined workflow and document
flow oriented business processing, we have an EnDoM
has been proposed in this paper. Linked stream are
choosing according to sub-workflow.
For instance partners documents are available to
trade workflow (for creating, update, modifying) and
can be seen by other departments. Synthesis accounting
documents can be generated and updated by accounting
manager, but can be visible from several departments
members.
We try to develop students skills for economic and
legislation knowledge, ability to elaborate several
companies’ documents, based on current legislations
and state requirements.
These documents focused on modern technology
and XML approach using public organizations
templates and specific terms, law, legal or economic.
The students can be able to manage this documents, and
use their meaning and can make decisions based on
knowledge of these terms quantified indicators.
Our major target is to develop some templates for
different documents started with beginning companies’
documents according with CAEN, end ending with
specific documents clearing companies.
We propose several templates for accounting,
inventory procedures, job description and annexes
according to specific activities. Students use these
documents template and can update them and create
own company documents according to given task:
company’s activity, number of employers and their
tasks, business partners and specific events in
companies’ development.
CONCLUSIONS
EnDoM offer a simple and extensible solution for
Document Management System, with a modular
approach based on document types and user interfaces
particularized on roles/rights and document types in
order to facilitate further development of the system in
such a manner that it could handle more document
types. Students can develop entrepreneurship and
document management skills using this prototype.
The solution was developed by multi-tier
architecture, using web based document management
and Krishna et all workflow decompositions.
The document tree follow the organizations structure
and document template offers a flexible manner to
develop and manage companies’ documents, accoording
with current requirements from state and government.
We mention several features: support for virtual
team efficiency, user and document centered, support
users location and time independency, platform
independent, efficient group interaction, allow users to
concentrate on the content, document management
facilities.
Our solution uses modular approach, and the
document type definition files describe the structure of
the documents and all metadata that can be added to
them, according with international standards, and
financial requirement.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
This work was supported by Romanian National
Authority for Scientific Research under the grant no.
PN2 92-100/2007 SICOMAP.
REFERENCES
1. Aversano, L., Canfora, G., De Lucia, A., Gallucci, P. (2001)
Integrating Document and Workflow Management Systems,
Proceedings of the IEEE Symposia on Human-Centric
Computing Languages and Environments (HCC’01), 0-7695-
0474-4/01
2. Bannan, J., (1997) Intranet Document Management: A Guide for
Webmasters and Content Providers, ISBN: 0201873796,
Addison-Wesley, Boston, USA.
3. Drupal, I. (2010) Content Management System,
http://www.drupal.org, accessed 8 March.
4. Krishnan, R., Lalitha M., Karlapalem, K., (2008) XDoC-WFMS,
An XML Document Centric Workflow Management System,
International Institute of Information Technology, Gachibowli,
Hyderabad, INDIA available at: www.iiit.net.
5. ManHub (2009), www.management-hub.com, last
retrieve:23.12.2009
6. Preece,J. Rogers, Y., Sharp,H., Benyon, D., Holland, S.,
Carey T., (1999) Human computer Interaction, Addison
Wesleey.
7. Reijers, H.A. , Rigter, J.H.M. and van der Aalst, W.M.P.( 2003)
The Case Handling Case. Int. Journal of Cooperative
Information Systems, 12 (3): 365-391,.
8. Tawileh, A. (2007) Free and Open Source Document
Management Systems, , Levien, R.E., "The Civilizing Currency:
Document and Their Revolutionary Technologies", Xerox
Corporation, Rochester, NY.
9. Vanderfeesten I. and Reijers, H. A. (2005) “A Human-Oriented
Tuning of Workflow Management Systems”, W.M.P. van der
Aalst et al. (Eds.): BPM 2005, LNCS 3649 2005, Springer-
Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg, , pp. 80–95.
10. Workflow Management Coalition (2009) WFMC Home Page:
http://www.wfmc.org. The Workflow Reference Model
(WFMC-TC-1003), last retrieve: 20.12.2009
 INDIVIDUAL VERSUS COLLABORATIVE DECISION FOR ANALYZING COMPANIES
PERFORMANCE

Lucia RUSU1, Simona KLEINHEMPEL2, Dan BENTA2

1
Babes-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca, lucia.rusu@econ.ubbcluj.ro
2
Babes-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca, simona.kleinhempel@econ.ubbcluj.ro
2
Babes-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca, dan.benta@econ.ubbcluj.ro

Absteact::This paper presents a research in enterprise architecture and enterprise applications systems using blended e-learning,
based on collaborative business (BISCOL) framework. We use knowledge transfer model for studying interaction between novices and
experts in collaborative team. Our target was to guide participants for elaborate several mini-decision support for evaluate companies
performance, based on periodical results from accounting balance score chart and profit and loss account. Our experimental results
addressed on Maier approach and the role of human computer interaction in knowledge positive and negative transfer between novice
and expert.
Keywords: knowledge transfer, collaborative decision, company performance

with companion list, and limit the number of help

INTRODUCTION
The collaborative systems have been incorporated
the learning paradigm. A behaviorist approach to
learning was examined by Ally et all but the theory was
criticized. The cognitive approach claims that learning
is an internal process and the result depends on factors
like: “processing capacity, amount of effort expended,
depth of processing”. Another approach to the learning
process is constructivism which claim that “learners
interpret information and the world according to their
personal reality, and that they learn by observation,
processing, and interpretation, and then personalize the
information into personal knowledge.” Behaviorists’
strategies can be used to teach the what (facts),
cognitive strategies can be used to teach the how
(processes and principles), and constructivist strategies
can be used to teach the why, (higher level thinking that
promotes personal meaning and situated and contextual
learning)” Ally (2002) .
Cognitive style refers to a learner’s preferred way of
processing information. Concrete-experience learners
prefer specific examples in which they can be involved,
they relate to peers (means to relate to equals) and not to
people in authority and they like group work. Reflective-
observation learners prefer that all the information be
available for learning, see the instructor as the expert
and tend to avoid interaction with others. Abstract-
conceptualization learners like to work more with
things and symbols and less with people and to conduct
systematic analyses. Active-experimentation learners
prefer to learn by doing practical projects and through
group discussions, tend to establish their own criteria for
evaluating situations.
The traditional web-based collaborative system has
two major disadvantages: blindness of selecting learning
companion and imbalances on burden of collaborative
learning. The learners with a better learning
performance will receive too many help requirements
and have too many learning tasks to deal with, pulling
down the quality of learning. Web-based adaptive
collaborative learning environment provide the learner
requirements that a student receives at one time. It
improves the quality and efficiency of learning and has
a basic structure of system interaction based on
collaborative tools: discussion forum and one-on-one
peer help which are the specific organizing patterns of
collaborative learning activities. The topics of learning
are classified in the discussion forum. One-on-one peer
help is more suitable for intensive collaborative learning
activities between participants. A tutor and a student or
more students can take advantage of the interactive type
Wang and Yonggu (2000) .
This paper presents some effects of positive and
negative transfer from experts to novice using
collaborative blended e-learning. After in introduction
we started with knowledge transfer paradigm, and we
present a model for knowledge transfer from experts to
novices. This model was used for collaborative decision
in analyzing companies’ performance, based on
individual solution, 3 member and 5 member teams
which involve expert. The conclusion was presented in
last section.
KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER IN
COLLABORATIVE LEARNING
Knowledge transfer paradigm
The acquisition of knowledge structures is to view it
as a collaborative and situated learning: collaborative in
the sense that we learn together by observing and
talking with each other, and situated in the sense that is
always occurs in a context, which is forever changing.
Several papers describe situated learning as legitimate
peripheral participation in which novice learn how to
take an increasing role in a practice. As novice become
more experimented, they are allow to make more
responsibility for the work activities. Main role in
knowledge transfer between novice and experts are
human computer interaction (HCI). Social aspects of
HCI focus primarily on communicative and interactive
process based on several features Preece et all (1999):
676 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
• The language/action model is a “social”
approach that has been applied to the design of
computer-mediated conversations for people interacting
with other people.
• Group communication has different properties
and processes than painted conversations.
• Computer-mediated communication is
compared with face-to face communications and so new
social protocols need to be established to compensate.
• Computer system designed to support group
working need to consider the importance of informal
group working practices.
Maier and Lehner characterized in detail the main
differences between novice and experts. They classified
into four types: syntactic, semantic, schematic and
strategic knowledge. Syntactic knowledge is language
units and rules combining language units. Semantic
knowledge is mental model of the major locations,
objects and actions in the system. Schematic knowledge
is based on such categories of routines based on
function. Strategic knowledge is formed by techniques
for devising and monitoring plans Maier and Lehner
(2000). The main differences between novice and
experts are Lehner and Maier (2000):
• Syntactic experts have automated their
syntactic knowledge to a great degree than novices.
• Semantic experts have a more integrated model
of the programming knowledge than novices.
• Schematic experts have a much higher
repertoire of categories for types of routines than
novices.
• Strategic experts have much better at
decomposing their programming goals into plans and
exploring more solution alternatives.
Negative transfer the novice appropriating their
knowledge of natural language in attempt to understand
how business information systems work. Positive
transfer occurs when users are faced with a task similar
to one that has been faced with a task similar to one that
has been done before. Programmers are able to use this
knowledge and solve the problem more easily than if
they had not that experience Preece et all (1999). For
example heaving learnt how to use an EAI or EAS
software it may be easier to learn a similar type of EAI
or EAS system. Negative transfer can occur when learn
different types of languages (functional and procedural
aso).
A Knowledge Transfer Model from Experts to
Novices
Weiner paper explains attribution theory in an
individual’s motivation to act. He suggests that the
experience of a behavioral outcome, especially an
important or an unfavorable, unexpected, will trigger a
motivational sequence. Attribution theory proposes that
all causes can be defined in terms of the properties of:
locus, controllability, and stability. After an empirical
work in achievement settings he suggests that
individual’s causes is linked with specific emotions and
can be classified in one of categories: ability, effort, task
difficulty, or luck Weiner (1985). Because the
motivational sequence can be triggered by one’s own or
by other’s behavior, the emotions that result from ability
or effort attributions can be directed at the self (inner-
directed) or at others (other-directed). Other-directed
emotions are of particular interest in knowledge transfer
as other-directed emotions result in either pro-social (i.e.
receive knowledge) or anti-social behavior (i.e. resist
knowledge). Other-directed emotions examples are
envy and scorn that are linked to ability attributions and
result in anti-social behaviors. Pro-social behaviors
motivate effort attributions, which have been linked to
admiration and gratitude Weiner (1986).
We adapted McKay-Nesbitt et all (2008) model of
knowledge transfer from expert to novice as a solution
which has been integrated organizational theory and
attribution theory. This model describes a process that
results in the creation of new knowledge by knowledge
transfer from an expert to a novice. Knowledge
ownership, ability, and motivation are identified as
antecedents to expert knowledge sharing. If experts are
to share their knowledge, they must feel that the
knowledge belongs to them rather than to the
organization to which they belong.
Antecedent Antecedent
Cooperation for Novice
for Expert
Sharing Receiving
Motivation of Knowledge
Knowledge Affect Action
Ownership
Knowledge Knowledge
Ability Shared by Received by
Expert Novice
Motivation
New
Knowledge
Figure 1: Knowledge transfer between expert and novice
They must be motivated to share what they know
with novice or other team members. New knowledge is
used both by the individual and the team of which the
novice and the expert are members. Experts must be
able to codifying and articulate their knowledge.
Motivation is also identified as antecedent to a novice
receiving knowledge Weiner (2006).
Knowledge transfer can take place only if novice is
well motivated to receive knowledge. Attribution theory
specifies conditions under which the novice will be
motivated to either receive or reject knowledge. When
novices perceive experts as attributing their expertise to
Individual versus collaborative decision for analyzing companies performance
effort, admiration results and this admiration will lead to
the pro-social behavior of receiving new knowledge. If
an expert were perceived as attributing their expertise to
ability, a novice is likely to envy the expert and consider
them to be arrogant. The experience of envy would
result in the anti-social behavior of resisting knowledge.
McKay-Nesbitt et all observations conclude that
attribution-affect-action sequence predicted by
attribution theory explains the novice’s motivation to
receive or resist knowledge Weiner (2006), Weiss,
(1980). Basic interaction in collaborative teams is
cooperation between members. In this case expert as
owner can shares knowledge with novice only if he/she
has ability and motivation to give it as shareable
knowledge. If novice is well motivated he/she can be
affect by expert and has pro-social behavior novice
action can receive expert knowledge. This process can
be direct and reverse to other team members in order to
create new knowledge.
Collaborative decision in analyzing companies’
performance
We study opportunity to learn and practice based on
training and working in several EAS, ERP and EAI
systems. These systems have not such decision support
systems. Basic targets of blended e-learning BISCOL
framework are Rusu et all (2007):
• Opportunity to learn and practice based on
training and working in several EAI and ERP systems;
• Ability to work in team and follow project
management plan;
• Support for long-term competence
development;
• Abilities to work in ERP development teams
according to skills and abilities, based on individual
results
• Possibilities to learn and compare several EAI
and ERP solutions and establish criteria for comparison
analyses or EAI /ERP performance and/or EAI/ERP
selection;
• Enhanced collaboration through companies and
universities, based on learning by training and learning
by working in them projects;
• Opportunity to communication collaborations
and experience exchange between students and
practitioners, students and experts, experts and
practitioners;
• Critical thinking and abilities to identify several
roles and responsibilities in group team;
• Dissemination of relevant internal and external
knowledge and practical solution.
Another important feature of the framework is the
Learning by Training module, based on structure and
training technique in the case of the software
engineering workforce. The authors have meticulously
divided the Learner role into eight sub-roles that follow
the Learning through Training paradigm and have
identified three learner competence levels:
677
• Novice as a learner that has rudimentary
theoretical knowledge and no practical knowledge
(work skills) or experience in the subject-matter area.
• Practitioner, which is a learner who has basic
to advanced theoretical knowledge but rudimentary
practical knowledge or experience in the subject-matter
area.
• Expert, who had advanced knowledge in both
theoretical and practical (work experience) fields of the
subject-matter area Szulanski (2000).
In our framework students are novice, they become
practitioner after they pass the stage of basics
evaluations, practitioners with a high level of practice
and business information systems knowledge (members
of EAI or ERP companies or tutors) and experts
(professors or IT companies’ experts). IT experts from
companies have two major roles in this process:
practitioner actors involved Worked-Based Learning in
Train-Based learning and experts involved in learning
by training process and also in learning by working
process. They also collaborate with professors in
evaluations process and in learning process with ideas
and solutions for e-Learning improvement and
knowledge management. ERP and EAI systems were
integrated in our framework as collaborative issues of
drill-and-practice support Rusu et all (2007).
Students make this decision support systems (DSS)
individual or in 3 member team or 5 member team. In
both situations we have an expert in team. Student’s
objectives were focused on company’s performance
analysis, based on DSS, which was created to solve:
balance sheet correlations, accounting group’s
correlations, companies’ performance, financial
indicators, alternatives for improving company’s
strategies.
Our method was focused on blended e-learning and
we have analyzed the differences between novice and
experts based on Maier approach: syntactic, semantic,
schematic and strategic. We tried to follow both positive
and negative transfer from novice to experts, ability to
work in team individual results, possibilities to compare
several business decision support solutions and establish
criteria for comparison analyses, performance and
selection.
We follow evaluation results in individual and teams
solution and also needs, individual and group
perception, transferable skills features. We use
questionnaires to have some feedback results from
novice and expert knowledge transfer. We evaluate
novice perceptions from 45 novice involved in 3
member team and 36 novice involved in 5 member
team, and 63 novice which studied in individual
manner, guided by an expert. The results can be
analyzed and linked with novice perceptions and
positive transfer (flexibility, better time management,
training relevant to the learner's needs, efficiency,
innovative practice) or negative transfer (individualized
learning, autonomy for studies, content quality, no
added value, other). If we analyze all of those features
we observe that in almost all situations the results
678 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
obtained with 3 member team is better than 5 member
team (Figure 1).
Team 5 m em ber
other Team 3 m em ber
individual
inovative practice
content of quality
ef f iciency
responsibility f or studies
autonomy f or studies
training relevant to the
learner's needs
individualized learning
better time management
f lexibility
no added value
0 20 40 60
Figure 1: Knowledge transfer features
For instance flexibility has 59% for individual
respondents and 67% and 62% for 3 member team and
5 member team. Same percent we have for better time
management and training relevant to the learner's
needs (62%) for 3 member team and 58% respectively
57% for 5 member team. Individualized learning has
only 38% but highest value for teams (58% and 54%).
CONCLUSIONS
Major target is to develop critical thinking and
abilities, to identify several solutions for students’ skills
in companies’ management and strategic decisions,
based on individual and group solution for each case
study presented. Performance evaluations identified
several roles and responsibilities in group team,
dissemination of relevant knowledge using decision
support systems and practical solution.
Students have opportunity to learn and practice
based on training and working, develop ability to work
in team, improve skills and abilities, examine and
improve competences in decision support systems,
support for long-term competence development,
evaluate based on individual or group results. The DSS
results can be used by students as reference in credit
decisions, projects management plans, fusion or
crashing decisions. We identify several features of
negative and positive transfer between novice and
experts. By grouping members in three or five we offer
opportunity to change role from wildcard to recorder,
reporter, monitor, or leader and study decisions dynamic
evolutions using individual and group questionnaires
and individual evaluation. We use mix collaboration
between companies, university and participants, based
on blended e-learning solution.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
This work was supported by Romanian National
Authority for Scientific Research under the grant no.
PN2 91-049/2007 SIDE.
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http://cde.athabascau.ca/online_book
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Memory Theories Contribute to Organizational Memory Systems?”,
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3. Maier R and Lehner F. (2000) “Perspectives on Knowledge
Management Systems, Theoretical Framework and Design of an
Empirical Study”, in Information Systems Frontiers Kluwer Academic
Publishers.
4. McKay-Nesbitt, J and Smith, M.C., (2008) “Teams of Experts
and Novices: An Attribution Theory Approach to Knowledge
80 Utilization”, in Proceedings of EBRF, Yuvaskula, Finland, pp.275-
284
5. Megzari, O., Yuan L. and Karmouch, A. (2002) “Meta-Data and
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(2001). “CORONET-Train: A Methodology for Web-Based
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Feldmann, and W. Müller (Eds.): LSO 2001, pp. 37 – 51.
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Carey T., (1999) Human computer Interaction, Addison Wesleey,
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diachronic analysis of stickiness”, in Organizational Behavior and
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Collaborative Learning Environment Designing
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emotion”, in New York: Springer-Verlag.
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Knowledge: Creation, Diffusion, Utilization. Vol. 1. 381-404.
 DEVELOPMENT OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION IN UNIVERSITIES

Mihaela STET1, Cristian HAIDUC2, Gheorghe VATCA3

1,2
West University “Vasile Goldis” Arad – subsidiary Baia Mare
3
North University of Baia Mare
email: miha9s@yahoo.com

The objectives of this paper consist in revealing the main benefits of entrepreneurship education and the means to stimulate entrepreneurial
knowledge and skills among students. The study is a result of analyzes in previous work for a project regarding the development of the
entrepreneurship culture and entrepreneurial education through adequate curricula and, in particular, by the activities during management
project course and seminars. The researches are founded on the surveys on students from different specialties in economics and engineering. As
result of these researches, through analyzes realized among students, it has been formulated some conclusions regarding the impact of specific
courses on the entrepreneurship education. Also, they reveal the effects in starting their own business. The study offers indications about the
impact of curricula and knowledge obtained in business courses, as well as the teaching methodology on future involvement of students in new
ventures. It reveals, in the same time, the shortcomings of higher education in development of entrepreneurial skills. This study highlights the
aspects that motivate students in entrepreneurial education and, also, the correlation between entrepreneurship education and improved
academic performance.
on graduates by comparing them with a matched sample
1. INTRODUCTION of non-entrepreneurship University of Arizona business
graduates from 1985 through 1998, presented in
Everywhere in the world, we can speak nowadays november 2000. The study also evaluates the effect of
about an entrepreneurial thinking, an action-oriented the Berger Entrepreneurship Program on technology
transfer from the university to the private sector, the
kind of thinking, focused on innovation. The
effect of the program on private giving to the business
entrepreneurship, as creative and innovative way to
college, and the pedagogical effect of the
generate and accelerate progress, can be a mean to
entrepreneurship curriculum on other disciplines in the
recovery the world economy confronted with big
challenges. These entailed researches about the college (Charney and Libecap, 2000).
development of entrepreneurial education, especially at Other previous researches indicate that
entrepreneurship education can enhance an individual’s
universities level.
level of self-efficacy (Bandura 1986; Hollenbeck and
In this context, the objectives of this paper consist in
Hall 2004; Wilson et al 2007).
revealing the main benefits of entrepreneurship
There have been developed also studies regarding
education and the means to stimulate entrepreneurial
knowledge and skills among students. the relationship between entrepreneurial intention of
In order to accomplish these objectives of this study, students and attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived
behavioral control (Kolvereid 1996; Kreuger et al 2000;
the authors combined a comprehensive desk research
Douglas and Shepherd 2002; Souitaris et al 2007, Basu
with surveys and experiences of the participating
and Virick, 2008).
students and alumni of the project management
Dyer (1994) and Wilson et al (2007) argued that
seminar’s history. Two questionnaires were designed to
capture the perceptions of students and alumni regarding entrepreneurship education can also increase students’
interest in entrepreneurship as a career.
the role of knowledge, of the higher education for
All over the world, in the last decade of the
business engagement.
20th Century, a series of countries, like Australia, Brazil,
India, Southern Korea, England, Ireland, France,
2. ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION IN
Germany, Holland, have started entrepreneurial
DIFFERENT CULTURES
education programmes at the university level. But, in
the same, this trend can be identified in countries in
We can talk about an entrepreneurial education in
transition to a market economy, being started, also, in
universities for the first time in Japan in 1930. Much
Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland,
later it could be identified in USA, starting from 1984, a
Slovakia, Slovenia and the Baltic countries, Poland,
proliferation of this kind of education, today being
world leader with over 500 programmes (from 800 in Czech Republic (Szabo, 2007).
the entire world) of entrepreneurial education which are In Europe, the interest for this subject is renewed by
the declarations and reports of the European
applied in different universities. There are a large
Commission regarding the role of education in fostering
number of papers in this field, revealing the major role
the entrepreneurial mindsets (COM, 2006)
of entrepreneurial education.
In Romania, unfortunately, for a long time, there
The earliest studies about the impacts of
entrepreneurship education were evaluations of Small was paying only a reduced attention to the
Business Development Centers conducted in the 1970s entrepreneurial education at universities level. For many
years, training in entrepreneurship took the form of
and early 1980s and referenced in the 1985 article by
disparate courses offered by the Chambers of
Chrisman, et. al (1985). A reference study in this field is
Commerce or other governmental or regional agencies.
the report that evaluates the effect of the Berger
Entrepreneurship Program at the University of Arizona
680 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
But, whereas 10 years ago only few schools offered
courses in entrepreneurship, today a growing number of
universities offer some form of entrepreneurship
training, becoming one of the most sought-after areas of
study among business students.
When we analyse the entrepreneurial education we
need to take in account the differences between the
national and organizational cultures, more or less
oriented toward entrepreneurship. This direct influences
the interest of students from various countries or world
regions to develop businesses during the student life or
after graduate.
Unlike the USA or west-European citizens,
provided with a strong entrepreneurial attitude, people
from countries in transition are less oriented to start-up
business.
To change their attitude, the governments of these
countries, especially in developing ones, have to launch
national strategies in direction of the entrepreneurship
education development. In this respect, national
curriculum for schools at all levels should be including
entrepreneurship as an objective of education in order to
foster entrepreneurial mindsets.
But, besides offering knowledge in the field, they
need to promote an entrepreneurial attitude. The
entrepreneurial thinking can be introduced as earlier as
possible, starting even from the kindergarten.
In what it concerns universities, they have to
conceive programs and create a culture that make
entrepreneurship accesible for students. At this level,
entrepreneurial thinking and, consequently,
entrepreneurship education, should be available for
students from all fields, as well as in technical
universities, medical or economics studies.
A study made by the authors on the educational
offers of Romanian reveals that almost all romanian
universities with economics faculty had developed
programs oriented to the preparation of specialists in
business administration. Most of them are involved,
also, in entrepreneurial researches.
In some Romanian institutions, it had been adopted
specialized programmes in entrepreneurship for students
from engineering, medicine and other science
specialties, as well as for master level students.
Some of these institutions, especially the private
ones, have centers with entrepreneurship focus, offering
life-learning training, consulting services or technical
assistance. The analysis included small, medium, and
large universities, state and private institutions.
But, despite the expansion of educational programs
in this field, many schools have been slow to respond to
the real businesses environment interest.
Approaches to entrepreneurship education vary
across universities from offering single courses in new
business start-up and development or business plans
preparation to integrated curricula for a distinctive
program that include marketing, finance, competitive
analysis, and business plan development.
3. EFFECTS OF ENTREPRENEURIAL
EDUCATION
We need to take in consideration the most important
variables which have direct impact on entrepreneurial
education: motivation, general education, faith in own
forces, knowledge, abilities in creating and managing
businesses, as well as propensity for team working.
On the other side, it is important to view and to
analyse the effects of entrepreneurial education, of
studies programmes in this field, on the business start-
up rate of graduates, employment, wages, company
profits.
Generally, the main reasons to start a business, to
become an entrepreneur are represented by the posibility
to earn much money, freedom to work what realy he
want and like, self-testing and responding at exciting
challenges, attaining better position in society,
opportunity to put in practice an idea or to realise an
innovation.
But all of these good intentions are confronting with
important obstacles like the lack of capital, of practical
skills and teoretical knowledge, or risk aversion.
The primary role in avoiding them is assigned to
entrepreneurial education, which offers the premises to
create an understanding of the nature of
entrepreneurship and its contributions to the
development of the economy.
In Romania we can talk about an entrepreneurial
education with a relative short history in universities. As
results, we don’t have a database regarding the effects
on long term of the evolution of entrepreneurial
education. Only in the last 10 years the entrepreneurial
education has taken shape in the academic field, being
discovered by researchers and academic teachers as an
extended area for researches. There are lots of variables
that influence the entrepreneurial education, but, in the
same time, the implications of its approach have a wide
coverage area.
The entrepreneurship education has to give students
the appropriate formation for development of
entrepreneurial capacities on cognitive, behavioral and
instrumental, in order to cope with the entrepreneurial
environment. This is characterized by complexity and
insecurity, which require capabilities for solving
problems and challenges by acting independently and
taking responsibilities. These can be acquired creativity,
innovation and entrepreneurship education.
The curriculum for an entrepreneurship program
need to include core courses in finance, taxation,
management, market research, business communication
and negotiation skill development, project analysis, e-
business and business plan development. The program
has to integrate, also, a number of more specialised
courses with skills-oriented courses and to connect the
knowledge on entrepreneurship with the problems from
real business life. Therefore, the curriculum needs
permanent adjustment to the labor market and business
sector.
The researches made by the authors and presented in
this paper are founded on the surveys on students from
Development of Entrepreneurship Education in Universities 681

different specialties in economics, science and science, to participate in a master degree program as
engineering. associate students and to be paired with business
The focus group from Economics Faculty comprises students in the development of a business plan.
two categories of students: the students at The evaluation of an entrepreneurship program,
Entrepreneurship study program and the students from besides the apropriate inputs, the content of the
other specialties in economics. Similarly, the curriculum, teaching methods, quality assurance, has to
engineering students are divided in two categories: those consider, also, the results.
who are students at Engineering and Management Based on the analysis of the students who attended
program and those from specialties with no economical these courses, the authors distinguished and classified
previous background. them in two categories:
One of the goals of the survey is to identify the  potential entrepreneurs: students who plan to
perception of the students regarding the project-based start a company within a year;
seminar and the teaching approaches, whether they can  non-entrepreneurs: students who do not plan to
be an answer for the entrepreneurial education. It seeks start a company.
also, to reveal, their attitudes, motivations related to Table 1: Structure of surveyed students
entrepreneurship, as well as the barriers in starting a
S tu d e n ts/ P o t e n t ia l N on-
business. S p e c i a lt y en tre p re n e u r s en trep ren eu rs
E n tre p r e n e u rs h ip 76 % 24 %
During the teaching years, the authors observed, at O th er E con om ics 36 % 64 %
the beginning at the entrepreneurial courses, that almost E n g in e e rin g a n d
M anagem ent
29 % 71 %

students are reticent about their capacity to satisfy all O th er

E n g in e e rin g
14 % 86 %

the requirements of this kind of courses. But, from these S cie n ce 23 % 77 %

groups, really difficult is to teach students attending the

First of all, the major part of the respondents have an
Faculty of Science or Engineering, because they don’t
open entrepreneurial attitude.
have in their curricula any previous course where they
A significant influence on their entrepreneurial
could had obtained basic economic knowledge.
behavior has the existence in their family an
As results, the teaching methods have to be attuned
entrepreneur member. More, among the students there
to their previous education and to make them
are also company owners, which intend to develop their
understand how to be entrepreneurs so that they are not
business.
afraid of this hypostasis.
To identify the effects of entrepreneurial education
Students, within the context of their Project
on the graduates it was realised an alumni survey. This
management or Economics projects courses during the
is conceived to reveal not only their perceptions about
fall semesters, typically working in two or three person
the study program and, in particular, of the courses,
teams, begin with the study of enterprise creation and
seminars and training programs, but also educational
after that, based on their own business idea, have to
and employment history, new venture activity, personal
conceive a business plan. The development of business
characteristics.
plans allow students to integrate marketing accounting,
Graduates of programmes in entrepreurship are more
finance, economics, and other business disciplines.
likely to be involved in the creation of a new business
In the last years, the authors observed among
venture than were their non-entrepreneurship business
students the orientation towards activities in production
school graduates.
and service field, involving innovative technologies.
Related their personal characteristics, particularly
But, unfortunately, the students are less oriented
their gender, it can be revealed that males are more
towards agriculture, which is an important field
active in starting business, when we talk about graduates
insufficiently explored for the employment of young
under 30 years. For female graduates over 30 years, it
generation and for development of farms. The authors
can be highlighted, for the target groups analysed by the
have directed students, also, to develop business idea in
authors, a significantly different situation, they being
green technology, e-commerce or arts and to include
more involved in start their own business.
social and environmental considerations in their
Entrepreneurship education contributed to the
business, in according with the requirements of
growth of firms, especially smaller emerging firms. On
sustainable development.
average, emerging companies that were owned by or
To improve the effectiveness of their work a
employed entrepreneurship graduates had greater the
solution can be the integration of these teams in
sales and employment growth than those that employed
business environment, challenging them to solve real
non-entrepreneurship graduates.
problems in a company, in order to ensure a close
For better results of such an educational program it
relation with real business experience. In a university
is recommended to include transfer of practical
with various faculties, there can be grouped and
experience and best practices to students from
involved students from different specialties,
entrepreneurs that share their real-world insights, built
engineering, economics, science to tackle the real
up over years of work.
challenges of entrepreneurial activity.
These can be realized through partnership with
It can be take in account the posibility that graduate
different organizations that can assist in providing more
students from technical disciplines, like engineering,
applicable and more attractive learning outcomes. Other
682 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
solutions, as modern active learning methods, are
business incubation or business plan competition.
Incubators offer professional guidance, infrastructure
support and competence networks for starter students
and alumni entrepreneurs.
In 2007, the university where the authors activate
founded a technological and business incubator as an
entity innovation and technological transfer
infrastructure. Its mission consists mainly in ensuring a
business infrastructure which is meant to:
 develop undergraduate and postgraduate
curricula with an entrepreneurial orientation;
 valuate scientific research results obtained in
universities, institutes, research centers and laboratories;
 sustain specialization and improvement of the
personnel at all executive and management levels, in
order to produce new products,
services and technologies with high added value, as well
as technological transfers,
 develop the innovative potential in SMEs, as
well as that in the academic environment;
 create and develop startups and spin-offs;
 develop the SME sector, focusing on the
innovative SME;
 deploying an integrated process of evaluation,
guidance, incubation, training and assistance, all based
on a far reaching network of partners of the incubator,
and including the results of our own Research Centre for
Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
The incubator addresses the following target groups:
A. The general community of the university:
 undergraduate and postgraduate students of the
university;
 doctoral candidates and researchers;
 professors and staff members;
 university alumni.
B. The same categories of potential applicants
representing secondary schools, universities, institutes
and research centers within the region;
C. Potential applicants coming from the local and
regional environment, represented by:
 holders of projects for creating new activities,
 founders of recently created commercial
enterprises,
 founders of recently created non-profit
organizations,
 potential or recent enterprise owners, by
purchase or succession,
 SME managers and collaborators with
responsibilities,
 potential or recent SME administrators,
 potential or current venture capital owners.
As it results from these, the university offers the
opportunities not only for its graduate and
undergraduate students to start and develop their
business, but it assumed a responsibility for local and
regional development. Through innovative and flexible
education has established an entrepreneurial culture
becoming an entrepreneurial university.
4. CONCLUSIONS
The realized analyzes reveal that, surprisingly, the
major part of students and alumni which were involved
in surveys consider that knowledge is very important in
their decision to start a business.
The survey among the students reveals, in the last
two years, a growing tendency of them to consider the
business start-up an option to avoid unemployment.
They are eager to start a business, more than half of
them wishing to start their own company within the next
5 years period. Their expectations to become
entrepreneurs are strongly related to self confidence
obtained through effective entrepreneurship education.
In this direction, according their perceptions,
curriculum in entrepreneurship education needs to cover
all aspects that offer them knowledge, skills,
entrepreneurial creativity and effective problem solving
abilities.
References
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Richard B. Robinson, Jr. (1985), The Impact of SBDC
Consulting Activities, Journal of Small Business Management
23 (July), 1-11.
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Entrepreneurship Education: An Evaluation of the Berger
Entrepreneurship Program at the University of Arizona, 1985-
1989”, The Kauffman Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership,
Kansas City, Missouri
5. Communication from the Commission to the Council, the
European Parliament, the European Economia and Social
Committee and the Committee of the Regions, COM, (2006),
„Implementing the Community Lisbon Programme: Fostering
Entrepreneurial Mindsets Through Education and Learning”
Brussels
6. Douglas, E.J. and Shepherd, D.A, (2002. Self-employment
as a Career Choice: Attitudes, Entrepreneurial Intentions, and
Utility Maximization, Entrepreneurial Theory and
Practice,26(3), pp.81-90
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organizational behavior to the study of family owned businesses,
Family Business Review, 7(2), 109-131.
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dans les universites francaises: analyse de l’existant et
propositions pour en faciliter le developpement”, Rapport rédigé
à la demande de la Direction de la Technologie du Ministère de
l’Education Nationale de la Recherche et de la Technologie,
Lyon.
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leader performance. Organizational Dynamics , 33(3), 254–269
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Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 31(3), 387406.
 ENTREPRENEURIAL EDUCATION NEED IN TECHNICAL HIGHER EDUCATION

Gabriela NEGRU STRĂUȚI1, Adrian PUGNA2, Marian MOCAN3

1
University ”Politehnica” of Timișoara, gabriela.negru@mpt.upt.ro
2
University ”Politehnica” of Timișoara, adrian.pugna@mpt.upt.ro
3
University ”Politehnica” of Timișoara, mmocan@expertconsulting.ro

Higher education has and will have a major role in a country’s economic growth because it contributes to human capital
development, fields of expertise being directly correlated with actual and dynamic requirements of labor market. Also it can be said
that the challenges of higher education are not just creating career opportunities for graduates and mitigation up to eliminate
discrepancies that exist between the skills acquired by graduates and job requirements in which they engage. In today’s global
economy, in continuous dynamics, is not anymore sufficient to prepare graduates for careers, but they have to be able to create their
own jobs. Thus, entrepreneurial education takes on new values, making it imperative that it be given careful consideration, to exist a
scientific approach to academic training actions, so that profession and specific entrepreneurship processes to run properly,
efficiently and effectively. The paper presents a research regarding entrepreneurial education need in technical higher education.

THE PERCEPTION OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP

INTRODUCTION TEACHING AT UNIVERSITIES

Successful quadrilateral of knowledge based

Globalization, rapid technological development and
low cost of mobility profoundly changed the nature of
work. It is not enough that students to be prepared for a
career, but they must create their own jobs.
Entrepreneurship education is extremely important for
understanding and operating in the current dynamic
global economy. Therefore, human capital development
and improving quality of education is both a matter of
vision and a continual improvement.
Contemporary society is forwarding to the
educational school system demands more subtle,
formulating a previously non-existent social command.
These changes are generated, in particular, by the
sharp changes in the last decades of fierce need active
citizens with initiative, able to integrate themselves into
the society and participate to its continued progress.
In this context economic education in general, and
fostering entrepreneurship at the school as a mega-
objective completes a goal, a major issue in education
system – forming entrepreneurial competencies, skills,
and enterprising spirit of the new generation, which is
included in the integrative social competencies.
Universities play a key role in promoting the talents
of students, graduates and researchers. What
distinguishes institutions of higher education from other
institutions in society is their role in creating knowledge
and producing high-potential graduates and researchers.
For entrepreneurship education, focusing on institutions
of higher education offers the chance to develop
knowledgeintensive high-growth enterprises from all
academic disciplines, not just technical ones. Higher
education institutions should create an environment that
fosters entrepreneurial mind-sets, skills and behaviours
across their organizations. Universities can teach
students how to start and grow enterprises in ways that
benefit society. Technical universities in particular
provide potential breeding grounds for high technology
and high-growth companies or “gazelles.”
economy, which must operate in a continuous and
permanent complement consisting of education, research,
innovation and execution, with finality in real added
value, capable of ensuring national wealth (Fig. 1).
Fundamental TO KNOW Technological
Education (Knowledge) Education
TO DO Entrepreneurial TO KNOW
(Effectuate) Education HOW
(Technologies)
Figure 1: Quadrilateral of success ob knowledge based economy
In many universities, the planning of
entrepreneurship education and teaching is still
performed in a way and in a context, care se poate numi
the ”the traditional perception of entrepreneurship
teaching at university level” (figure 2)
The approach to entrepreneurship teaching,
suggested in the figure, neither seems capable and
sustaining the marked political desire for an increased
active role on behalf of the universities with respect to
promoting societal growth through cooperation and
participation in the development of patents or new
products, nor with respect to the establishment of new
businesses or innovative development of existing. The
realisation of these objectives would presuppose a closer
interaction between the private and public sector and the
system of higher educations. There is much to suggest
that such an interaction might lend a country, a region,
all three stakeholders some ”sustainable competitive
advantages” on a international scale.
684 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
Entrepreneurship
To teach university
students
entrepreneurship
Ivory tower Teaching
Figure 2: The traditional perception of entrepreneurship
teaching at universities
The institutions of higher education and the
universities, are thus intended to play a highly central
part in this innovative and entrepreneurial process – in
society at large and in the individual region. This has
resulted in a need to apply a new perspective on the role
of the universities and on the learning objectives the
universities should comply with. This also entails new
requirements to the implementation of the most
advantageous learning processes. Figure 3 presents the
new perspective on the role of the universities, on
learning and learning objectives.
Enterprising
behaviour
Societal change Increased attention
and growth and capacity for
stimulation handling possibilities
Entrepreneurial Reflective
university action
Figure 3: The new perspective on the role
universities
Thus, entrepreneurship has been declared the most
significant driver in the future development of material
societal welfare.
Businesses, organisations and the individual person
should be motivated for – and develop competence in –
perceiving new possibilities through reflective action
and hence participate in the creation of change and
growth in society.
This capacity and inclination for change and
innovation is thus conceived as an important human
trait. A trait in international research has come to be
known as „enterprising behaviour”.
In summary, entrepreneurship education is seen here
through three aims that are learning to understand
entrepreneurship, learning to become entrepreneurial
and learning to become an entrepreneur.
Therefore, entrepreneurship education should be
considered both as a method of learning and a content of
learning.
The concepts we use in our paper are internal
entrepreneurship, which deals with entrepreneurial and
enterprising behaviour, and external entrepreneurship,
which is about doing business.
Moreover, we consider that internal entrepreneurship
in education is about learning to become entrepreneurial
and external entrepreneurship is to understand
entrepreneurship and become an entrepreneur.
Therefore, a strategic thinking in entrepreneurship
education and teaching at university level ar trebui sa
tina cont de urmatoarele:
1. The point of departure for planning and implementing
of education and entrepreneurship teaching is the
connection of purposes, objectives and target group.
Depending on the target group, these actions will be
focused on teaching about or in entrepreneurship;
2. According to the purposes and the objectives,
education and teaching in entrepreneurship approached
as science and/or art depending whether those will be
about or in entrepreneurship;
3. Teaching about or in entrepreneurship should be
based either on management and/or entrepreneurial
theory, which must be reflected in the choice of
didactics and pedagogical methodology.
4. For teaching being suitable, either for auditorium or
practice, the purposes and the objectives must be taken
in account (transition from “Ivory tower” to
“Entrepreneurial university”);
5. According to the influence exerted by purposes,
objectives and target group, the teaching should be
planned from individual academic competences to
development of communicative, social and networking
competences.
Taking in account the role of the universities, as
starting point for the development of new knowledge,
these must be consolidated through the ”triple-helix”
Learning philosophy, which is an spiral type model of innovation
that describes mutual relations in many different points
of the process of accumulating knowledge.
The”triple-helix” model of university-industry-
government relations is a neo-evolutionary model of
innovation process being a model for the analysis of
innovation in the knowledge based economy.
The model integrates activities from three
"institutional spheres": the universities, the business
sector, the public sector. The first category is composed
of universities that develop their educational programs
aimed at training new skills for future graduates.
The second category consists of decision makers in
industry (entrepreneurs, investors, managers,
executives).
The third category consists of policy makers in
legislative and executive institutions of the state, which
regulates the legal conditions for the industry, research
centers and universities, public funds for R & D and
education.
Entrepreneurial Education Need in Technical Higher Education 685

METHODOLOGY AND DATA PROCESSING determined by the knowledge gained due to

entrepreneurship education.
The research is based on the questionnaire method. The Table 5: Distribution of subjects according to determination resulted from
questionnaire is based on 25 questions, structured on the knowledge
7 criteria. These were targeted the sample Variable Categories Frequencies %
characteristics, intention to become an entrepreneur, Determination 0-25% 11 9.401
motivation, educational issues, analysis of the type of resulted from 26-50% 16 13.675
knowledge and skills necessary to manage a business, knowledge 51-75% 37 31.623
76-100% 53 45.299
knowledge about business and appreciations about
entrepreneurial education. In table 6 is presented the importance of educational
The sample consists of 117 de respondent, from aspects needed to develop entrepreneurial competencies.
which 31 students at University ”Politehnica” from Table 6: Educational aspects importance
Timișoara, Faculty of Mechanics, 73 master students at Variable NI LI M I VI
University ”Politehnica” from Timișoara, Faculty of Technical 2.564 19.658 40.170 27.350 10.258
Management in Production and Transportation and 13 Managerial 3.421 5.982 14.529 30.769 45.299
entrepreneurs from Timișoara, graduates of technical Marketing 4.275 6.837 38.461 30.769 19.658
universities. Financial 10.256 18.803 35.042 23.076 12.823
Characteristics of the sample are present in table 1 Legislation 16.242 17.948 32.478 18.803 14.529
Communication 5.128 20.514 23.931 30.769 19.658
Table 1: Characteristics of the sample
Variable Categories Frequencies % In table 7 is presented the distribution according to
Age 18-24 63 53.846 aspects related to professional training.
25-34 37 31.623
Table 7: Distribution of subjects according to aspects related to professional
35-44 12 10.256 training
45-54 5 4.275 Variable Categories Frequencies %
Gender M 63 53.846 Specialty 15 12.823
F 54 46.154 Education Managerial 37 31.623
Distribution of subjects according to level of training Entrepreneurial 48 41.025
is presented in table 2. Practice 17 14.529
Table 2: Distribution of subjects according to level of education
In table 8 is presented the subjects perception relative
Variable Categories Frequencies %
Graduated Student 31 26.495
to entrepreneurial education received in school.
studies HS 4 years 49 41.880 Table 8: Distribution of subjects according to education level
HS 5 years 23 19.658 Variable US S G VG
Master 11 9.401 Student 41,935 25,806 22,581 9,677
PhD 3 2.566 HS 4 years 34,694 28,571 20,408 16,327
HS 5 years 39,130 30,435 17,391 13,043
In table 3 is presented the distribution of subjects Master 18,182 18,182 36,364 27,273
based on determination to become an entrepreneur. PhD 0 33,333 66,667 0
Table 3: Determination to become an entrepreneur
Variable SD D M LD AD CONCLUSIONS
Student 0 12.903 9.677 35.483 41.937
HS 4 years 10.204 14.285 24.489 28.571 22.451 According to the analysis, the following remarks
HS 5 years 17.391 34.782 26.086 8.695 13.046 arose from the data. Firstly, it will be given an overview
Master 0 18.181 36.363 0 45.456 of the respondent’s points of view on entrepreneurship
PhD 0 0 33.333 0 66.667
education. Secondly, conclusions will be drawn from
Regarding the resources needed to start / develop a the respondent’s answers to the questionnaire. Finally, it
business, results are presented in table 4. As can be will be analyzed the data in the context of proposing a
seen, educational resources are considered essential for curriculum for entrepreneurial education in higher
the development of entrepreneurial intentions. technical education.
Table 4: Necessary resources for developing entrepreneurial intentions
Research reveals that entrepreneurship education in
Variable Categories Frequencies % universities must allow preparation of graduates into a
Resources Financial 42 35.897 system of internationalized entrepreneurship, as a result
Technology 23 19.658 of considerable speed that new products, services or
Educational 37 31.623 technologies propagates, starting from identifying
Human 12 10.256 opportunities in local market.
Others 3 2.566 The analysis covered the respondents perception,
Next was followed whether the knowledge acquired in primarily on entrepreneurial education. Through
school can develop entrepreneurial intentions. Thus it research were followed two specific aspects of
was found that most entrepreneurial intentions are entrepreneurship education, internal entrepreneurship,
which reffers to an individual and external
686 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
entrepreneurship, which is targeting the business
environment.
Internal entrepreneurship is seen as skills and
attitudes, being associated with features such as
initiative, responsibility, teamwork skills.
External entrepreneurship is associated with the
business environment and is best materialized in
collaboration between universities and business
environment.
Responses show that respondents perceive the two
forms of entrepreneurship as being necessarily linked.
Interaction is often based only on visits into businesses
environment.
These visits, presentations of business environment
are important, but not decisive, in that it can not be
automatically regarded as an educational activity.
Professional orientation, practice, traditionally, from
technical universities are not satisfying entrepreneurial
needs of students and master students. Many responses,
unfortunately, does not mention whether students,
master students, plays an active role in these activities.
Answers from entrepreneurs respondents showed
that entrepreneurship education should be implemented
in the form of projects, which to be focused on method,
rather than on content and to be implemented using
various forms of collaborative teaching.
In projects, the student has its own clearly defined
role, combining in the most favorable internal and
external entrepreneurship.
Master students respondents estimated that
entrepreneurship education is best implemented by the
dedicated days and individual projects and less as part
of teaching current activity.
First, students and master students respondents made
clear the kind of themes that can integrate into their
current activity, regardless of subject matter (such as
entrepreneurial skills or business knowledge and
professional).
Although present in the curriculum through several
disciplines, entrepreneurship education is not yet well
integrated in current education and still not enough.
On the other hand, the results of entrepreneurial
education are difficult to assess. Difficulties in assessing
are similar to the overall assessment of education and
teaching work, to the difficulties in assessing
entrepreneurial education, like failure forecasting that
students will become entrepreneurs in the future or not.
It has been found that is difficult to assess the objectives
of internal entrepreneurship.
Entrepreneurship education outcomes are usually
assessed quantitatively depending on the grades, the
number of students interested, as how positive is
feedback and the time granted to discussions about
different business topics addressed.
Therefore, entrepreneurship education should
primarily develop an entrepreneurial spirit, by
understanding the notions of responsibility, value added,
innovation, change, risk taking.
Entrepreneurial spirit must determine, in turn,
entrepreneurial behavior, converging toward
entrepreneurial initiatives.
For this, entrepreneurship education offered to
students and graduates of technical universities should
be based on a variety of educational systems, namely,
entrepreneurial education modules with optional
disciplines, business education modules, such as
learning by doing on projects and masters of
entrepreneurship education.
According to the proposed research, entrepreneurial
education program must be endorsed by a range of
disciplines whose common goal is the creation and
development of skills and competencies in the people
willing to create their own business directed to:
• knowledge: Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship,
Management, Marketing, Finance, Legislation,
Production and logistics management, Negotiation,
Managing people, Control
• attitudes: initiative, independent spirit, motivation,
determination, self-confidence, realism, receptivity
to new, perseverance, adaptability, responsability,
tenacity, enthusiasm
• skills to identify opportunities, organize, plan, lead,
analyze, evaluate, negotiate, work individually and
in teams, make decisions, control
After analyzing the business needs of the students,
master of technical universities, we identified the
following educational module consists of the following
optional disciplines presented in table 9.
Table 9: Entrepreneurial Educational Module
Entrepreneurial Educational Module
9. Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship
10. Psychosocial Processes in Entrepreneurship
11. Fundamentals of Legislation
12. Investment and Financing Analysis
13. Fundamentals of Management
14. Fundamentals of Marketing
15. Managing people
16. Production and Logistics Management.
The suggested module create an improved awareness
of the reality of studying in progressive technical
universities; but perhaps more importantly, it will
provide students with the awareness, interests and
preparation for self-employment as a career alternative,
which will ultimately move technical universities
graduates from job-seekers to job-creators.
References
1. Dreisler, P.; Blenker, P. & Nielsen, K. (2003), Promoting
Entrepreneurship, - Changing Attitudes on Behaviour,
Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development,
Vol. 10, no. 4, pp. 383-392, Birmingham
2. Etzkowitz, H. et al. (2000), The future of the university
and the university of the future: evolution of ivory tower
to entrepreneurial paradigm, Research Policy, vol. 29:
313-330
3. Fiet, J. O. (2000), The Theoretical Side of Teaching
Entrepreneurship, Journal of Business Venturing, vol. 16:
1-24
THE IMPACT OF IMPLEMENTING NATIONAL RESEARCH GRANT SYSTEM (PNCD),
OVER ACADEMIC AND SCIENTIFIC PERFORMANCE OF UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS
C.E. SERBAN1, C.M. VASILE2, C. CIORA³, M. BADILEANU4, C. SIMA5
1
The Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies, claudiaserbanos@yahoo.com
2
The Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies, cristina.ase@gmail.com
³ The Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies, costinciora@yahoo.com
4
CEIS Bucharest, badmarina@yahoo.com
5
CEIS Bucharest, sima60cristian@yahoo.com

The practical nature of the current paper is to demonstrate how PNCD implementation at national level, within the university environment,
actually affected or not the key elements involved in assessing university professors both as academicians and researchers. Usually university
leadership believe that increasing research grant applications and funding, and enhancing research performance, are one and the same thing.
Unfortunately this is an error, for many disciplines, and the present obsession with research income is doubtful – for example that grant income is
not an accurate indicator of research performance and quality.
KEYWORDS: academic efficiency, national research, professors, researchers, research grant, survey

promotion. Another interesting approach to this topic

OBJECTIVE
This study is mainly set on analyzing the impact of
implementing research grants, especially the national
research grants named PNCD (for example PNII), over
professors academic and research careers in both public
and private universities across the country - especially
regarding the accomplishment degree for existing
promotion criteria, which currently mention research
grants as mandatory. Therefore two aspects are being
followed: the valorification of research elements as
reflected in each professor’s publications list (results
coming from the research activity originated in national
and/or international research grants, or research grants
with the business environment); and the increase in
quality of teaching activities as a result of participating
in research grants.
Also, there is a thoughtful evaluation of the fact that
within academic promotion criteria the national research
grants are set as equal in scientific value, with the
business-environment research grants, and therefore we
analyze the impact of this issue over the quality and
frequency of research activities in universities.
PRIOR WORK
This national study is based on concepts and a
research experience worldwide implemented in this
area, but represents a pioneer study in Romania being
the most recent attempt to assess quality of academic
performance throughout the implementation of research
grants of all types (national, international and with
businesses). For example, Goldsworthy, J. (Research
Grant Mania, 2009) analyzes the Australian situation
today: faculties and departments, including law schools,
which currently apply pressure on their scholars as to
apply for research funding, because university
managements apply the same pressure to them.
Universities set 'targets' for the amounts of research
funding and the performance of scholars in attracting
research income is given enormous weight in
determining appointments and applications for
has been the paper of Marginson and Considin (The
Enterprise University, 2000), which was the first
systematic study of the Australian university system,
grounded in case studies of 17 Australian universities
where authors observe that the modern university can be
understood as an enterprise university, characterized by
corporate leadership (especially increasing
commercialism and managerialism).
Recently, there has been also a Romanian
attempt to assess present informational needs of modern
universities - that is a study, as output of a national
research grant, disclosed by the Bucharest Academy of
Economic Studies: “The evaluation of efficiency in
educational activities within ASE Bucharest7”. This in
turn lacks evidence regarding: the impact of
implementing research grants, or any other analysis
about the researcher status for academicians, or
qualitative aspects regarding the existing promotion
criteria.
APPROACH
The methodology used for this empirical study
involves a questionnaire, resulting in both qualitative
and quantitative assessments, generated as follows: a
Research Environment, Hypotheses and Proxies,
Research Methodology, Data, Results, Statistic Outputs
& Interpretations, and a set of Relevant Conclusions for
the analysis. This is a survey consisting of a sample of
10 Romanian universities and a total of 150
questionnaires distributed to academicians both in
public and private universities. The questionnaire
consists of 20 questions divided in two distinct sections
as follows: Section I – Factual Information (relating to
aspects about age; current professional status; PhD field
of research; participation in research grants - national,
international, or with the business environment; quality
of disclosure for research results, based on participation
7
Evaluarea eficientei invatamantului in ASE Bucuresti,
Proiect prioritar ASE 2006-2007, project director University
Professor, PhD Luminita Nicolescu.
688 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
in research grants) and Section II – Personal Opinion
(impact over personal academic career from
participating in research grants; considerations related to
acceptance of research grants with the business
environment; quantitative and qualitative improvement
in number of publications after participation in research
grants). As an informational highlight, we may add that
all fundamental data are contained within specific
questionnaires filled-in during the research time-interval
(January-March 2010), while any other statistical and
forecast indicators for the surveyed data are available at
request.
The research methodology presented herein is
sound and reliable mainly due to the approach given to
difficulties raised by the research topic, and secondly
due to the structure and content of the statistical
instrument used – the questionnaire. Therefore, the
reliability of data collected throughout the questionnaire
has been proved and such information is also available
at request. The two sections have not only collected
significant data, but also created a meaningful
dependence between real data and personal opinion of
each academician/researcher regarding the topic. We
therefore centralized all data and generated separate and
cross – references over the sample.
RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT & IMPLICATIONS
The scope of our research is to evaluate the
opinion of academicians (no matter the age, academic
rank and scientific title), in matters of both professional
and scientific benefits obtained after participating in
research projects. That is why our survey consists in a
sample of 150 university professors and researchers
from public and private universities, with specializations
on economic fields in higher education. Survey
participants have been differentiated by age as follows:
64.08% from total participants are less than 30 years,
17.48% are between 30 and 40 years, and 13.59% are
between 40 and 50 years. As professional status, the
participants were distributed as follows: 45.63% junior
teaching assistants, 18.45% assistant professors and
5.83% university professors. Also, 61.17% from the
total number of survey participants did not receive yet a
PhD diploma, but they are currently registered as PhD
candidates. Throughout the PhD fields of research we
find: accounting (23.30%), management (20.39%),
finance (19.42%), economic and management
information systems (10.68%) and economic and
financial analysis (9.71%).
STATISTIC RESULTS & INTERPRETATIONS
Correlating responses to questionnaires, we
discovered some behavioral patterns and
correspondences amongst respondents. Thus 69.7% of
those younger than 30 years have already participated in
research projects. This highlights the interest for
research grants, as early as from the period of their PhD
school. The interest over research grants, for those who
did not receive yet a PhD diploma, more precisely for
participating in research grants with the business
environment is quite low: only 6.35% of them having
already participated in this type of research grants.
Among respondents who already participated in national
research grants (CNCSIS competition), the answers
regarding the recognition of research grants with the
business environment are as follows: 33.78% would
agree with an assessment based solely on research
grants with the business environment, while a crushing
percentage of 66.22% disagreed with an evaluation
exclusively-based on this type of projects, because they
consider that research projects with businesses are
mainly consultancy services and not at all genuine
research activities. Of those who participated in research
grants with the business environment, 54.55% consider
that research themes for these grants approach aspects
related to research activities, while 45.45% consider that
these themes are related to consulting services. This
percentage is very high, and shows a visible and actual
academic reality. Among respondents who took into
consideration the impact of projects in which they have
participated and stated this “is very important” for their
academic and research careers, only 14.29% believe that
the degree of originality of research projects with the
business environment is “exclusively research”.
VALUE & RELEVANT CONCLUSIONS
The key contribution of the paper is brought by
the fact that it is the latest study made in Romania,
based on personal opinion of academicians and
researchers, mainly focused on impact of the research
grant system PNCD over academic efficiency, making
possible both the improvement of university
management mechanisms and national research policies.
In retrospective, national research grants have
been implemented within the academic environment and
considered as promotion criteria, since the year 2005 (at
this point, their existence was almost unknown to
professors and researchers). Also, 2005 has been the
first year in which a national competition for research
grants was organized by Romanian governmental
bodies, that is: CNCSIS (The National Council for
Scientific Research in Higher Education) and ANCS
(The National Authority for Scientific Research).
Though, one aspect should be emphasized: before the
implementation of these research projects in
universities, the previous system of research involved
research themes set at the level of various faculty
departments throughout a simple verbal and written
manifestation consisting in each member saying a
research title/theme to be carried out. Given such a
context, in many cases the research activity only
reached a formal status, or the result of the research
activity generated publications (articles or books) where
the information was no more than literature review in
the research field (such printed materials usually ended
as manuals for students within those faculties and
The impact of implementing national research grant system (PNCD), over academic and Scientific
performance of university professors
universities). We also mention the fact that at that point
in time, the announced departmental research plans
were rarely, or never, verified as in matters of their
completion degree, while there was no official research
methodology to be followed. Nowadays, most of the
public universities hold specific evaluation procedures
and have set up research departments which have the
mission of managing the existing research projects and
the results of already conducted research activities. In
relationship to the existence of such research
departments in institutions of higher education,
universities also created academic evaluation
departments based on the following laws and
regulations: Ministry’s Orders no. 5098, 5099, 5100 and
51018, provisions which impose also an evaluation of
professors, performed by the students. This new
evaluation procedure was meant to asses both quality of
research for a professor in a specific field, and also get a
clear view over the quality of teaching activities in the
university. The quality of such evaluations is naturally
dependent on the image and reputation of the institution.
Therefore we are forced herein to alarm over the
important role of ARACIS in the process of identifying
any abnormal behavior within such evaluation
procedures. Trusting an institution of higher education,
even at a minimum level, where such evaluations are
conducted only superficially, automatically generates a
high degree of risk for all parties involved. A part of
these issues are currently beginning to emerge at the
surface, as we assist at a total lack of trust in the quality
of research, in the academic profession, and the PhD
title.
Our analysis shows that even if there is an
official methodology for verifying the publication
portfolios (or list of publications) belonging to
university professors and researchers, altogether with
the existence of governmental bodies at the level of
ministries (for offering academic titles) and which are
characterized by meetings at large time-intervals, the
permanent lack of time, as well as the high volume of
paperwork, all these lead to some contexts when
scientific titles are offered without any real grounds.
This is the case of many academic promotions made
especially by private universities where the academic
evaluation departments are only set because they must
exist, or are inexistent. This is why we also set an alarm
over this context, as there is a necessity for a control
body for the activities for the already mentioned
governmental bodies, and this in turn should not have as
members any colleagues of the ministerial bodies, but
only technicians appointed as to randomly evaluate the
quality of the bodies’ works. This in turn, would lead to
a higher degree of prudence in evaluation and the
elimination of “confuse” situations.
From all of our literature review, it resulted that
this paper is the most recent Romanian study of this
type, due to the fact that it analyzes the impact of
8 upcoming regulations in the field of research must be
Ministry’s Orders no. 5098/ 3.10.2005; 5099/ 3.10.2005;
and 3548/06.04.2006 (more details in references).
689
research over the quality of the academic profession
within the present Romanian university environment
and it is a study emphasizing the opinion of
academicians regarding the utility of participating in
research grants. Our study aims at three important
aspects linked to the academic environment: the quality
of the didactic profession; the degree of international
transparency; and the self-financing capacity of higher
education institutions (all these aspects are seen through
the light of implementing promotion criteria referring to
research grants). The first and maybe the most important
aspect, the one referring to the quality of the profession
is being analyzed from the point of view of scientific
contributions, both before- and after- participating in
research grants, and by assessing the degree of increase
in the quality of teaching performances for professors
involved in this study.
Regarding the quality of research activities, the
most common opinion in our survey, coming form
participants in research grants, is that national
governmental authorities for scientific research
(CNCSIS, ANCS, CNMP), have not paid to much
attention to the quality of the research activities (during
the first years of grants financed from budgetary
sources; the interval 2005-2009), neither have they
efficiently managed the degree of national scientific
transparency. This situation has been considered normal
by now, due to the fact that it was the beginning of a
national campaign which in turn has lead to obvious and
qualitative results, as for example: a hierarchy for
existing national scientific publications, the ISI
indexation of some Romanian publications and the
spectacular increase of ISI publications belonging to
Romanian researchers.
Within a study referring exclusively to
university professors, performed by The Bucharest
Academy of Economic Studies, there is shown that the
total number of articles in journals indexed ISI
Thomson, has increased from 9 articles in 2006 to 209
in 2009. In the same period, we can also observe that
more than 90% of these articles have been published in
national journals accepted for indexing by ISI Thomson,
starting 2008. These national journals have 0 ranking
(scientific impact) based on statistical data provided by
CNCSIS. The situation is probably similar for all
economic/business universities in Romania. In such a
context, the next step (as CNCSIS states in its latest
press communicates) is to carefully follow the
implementation of international standards for research
quality. This in turn involves setting both a new
evaluation procedure for research outputs (and not only
the financial aspects of the grants, as proceeded by
now), and clearly defining a specific number of ISI or
reference publications (national and international) for a
specific field of activity. Therefore, we must state that
currently there are fields of research, as the one of
accounting, where the reference publications are not
necessarily indexed ISI. That is why we consider that all
conducted on the basis of consultancy offered by
690 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
specialists in various fields of activity, or by considering
existing procedures used by prestigious universities in
the European Union. According to our study, after the
implementation of research grants, the participation rate
for academicians, has increased in the case of
international conferences (before: 20,39% and after
participation in grants: 22,33%), while the attendance at
national conferences, even if currently still consistent, is
recording an ongoing decrease (before: 57,28% and
after: 55,34%). In the opinion of our respondents, this
evolution is due to the offer of better-ranked and better-
indexed publications within international conferences,
this in fact being their first selection criteria for a
conference. Relatively all of the respondents consider
that their professional prestige is directly linked and
almost exclusively dependent on the fact that one of
their papers is accepted for publishing. This context has
also been observed by organizers of scientific
conferences in our country, and nowadays we observe a
trend in promoting international conferences with a
“well-ranked” publishing offer. Also, referring to
scientific articles published before and after
participating in research grants, we observe a decreasing
trend: from 52,42% publishing rate before participation
in grants, to a 50,49% rate of publishing after
participation in research grants (in respondents’ opinion
this is a situation generated by an effective participation
in research grants that have no connection whatsoever
with their individual research fields).
Regarding the acceptance of research grants
with the business environment in academic evaluation
criteria, and/or setting them as “equal” to the
national/international research grants, we must state that
this was the actual rescue for many academicians which
did not succeed in receiving national or international
financing for research. In order to resemble a
competition, the research institutions accepted a simple
written acknowledgement at the moment of obtaining
the research contract throughout which it was stated that
there was an auction for obtaining the financement
contract with a certain company (the research grant). Of
course the mechanism for an authentic auction is a more
complex one, and normally a Tender Book would have
been requested in the name of the institution, as well as
payment of a warranty at subscription into the
competition, so on. All these are elements about which
nobody asks anything, with the only consolation that
access to public research funding is anyway limited and
the success rate is very low. In perspective, by
maintaining all these alternative paths, by avoiding the
rule, and continuing to accept for evaluation research
grants with the business environment (and here many
academicians and researchers consider these are mostly,
if not exclusively, consultancy services) will only
continue to diminish quality in research and higher
education and further open many gates to persons with
the least interest in research. Moreover, there is a high
risk for research contracts in which the company may
not even exist. By accepting such research grants with
the business environment, have had and will continue to
have a well-established financial target for the
management of a research institution. Setting a
minimum amount for the total value of a research grant
with the business environment, altogether with the
fluctuation of this minimum value (which varied from
3,000 euro, to a current minimum of 10,000 euro, in a
time interval of only one year), has determined
managerial bodies of many institutions to accept such
research contracts in which overheads have a substantial
proportion out of project’s total value. Our research
study has only emphasized the obvious real facts: that
the average number of persons who are members in
such research grants (with businesses), has increased
directly proportionate with the increase in the minimum
requested value for such a project. This is why we
strongly consider (in the context in which such research
grants are maintained within academic evaluation
criteria), that it is necessary regulations should exist
regarding the maximum number of members for this
type of grants, and also to be compulsory that the results
of the research contract to be disseminated throughout
publications or conferences on the same research theme
as the contract. If contrary, there is the imminent risk for
this type of research grants will be transformed into a
process of only “raising” money from members to get
the project accepted, without any relevance to the
research field or to the quality of researcher.
References
1. Armstrong, J. and Carbone, R. (1982), “Evaluation of
Extrapolative Forecasting Methods: Results of a Survey of
Academicians and Practitioners”, Journal of Forecasting,
Vol. 1, pp. 215-1217.
2. Conway-Jones, D. (2004), “Research and Development
Deliverables under Government Contracts, Grants,
Cooperative Agreements and CRADAs: University Roles.
Government Responsibilities and Contractor Rights”,
Computer Law Review and Technology Journal, Vol. IX,
pp.12-19.
3. Goldsworthy, J. (2009),” Research Grant Mania”,
Monash University Faculty of Law Legal Studies
Research Paper No. 2009-06, Australian Universities
Review, Vol. 50 (No. 2), pp. 17-24.
4. Marginson, S and Considine, M. (2000), The Enterprise
University, Cambridge.
5. Ordinul 5100 si 5101 - pentru cercetator stiintific gradul 1
si cercetator stiintific gradul 2; Ordinul 5098/ 3.10.2005 -
pentru aprobarea Sistemului de evaluare privind
conferirea titlului de profesor universitar; Ordinul 5099/
3.10.2005 - pentru aprobarea Sistemului de evaluare
privind conferirea titlului de conferentiar universitar;
Ordinul nr.3548/06.04.2006 de completare a Ordinelor nr.
5098, 5099, 5100 si 5101 din 3.10.2005 (web source:
www.edu.ro, consulted on the 1st of February 2010).
 A COMPARATIVE STUDY REGARDING STUDENTS’ ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS

Daniela ŞTEFĂNESCU1, Manuela Rozalia GABOR2, Lia Codrina CONŢIU3

“Petru Maior” University of Tîrgu-Mureş, Romania,
E-mail: daniela.stefanescu@gmail.com, rozalia_gabor@yahoo.com, liacontiu@yahoo.com

Our paper aim is to identify and compare the students’ behaviour, the similarities and differences regarding entrepreneurial spirit and education.
The present higher education system in Romania is not based on many studies regarding entrepreneurial students' spirit and skills in order to be
able to promote independent thinking, creativity, a spirit of innovation. Thus, we are interested in identifying the types of students based on their
field of study. We have studied in previous papers the students' perceptions who are attending courses on management and tourism field. The
results obtained point out the students’ need and desire to develop their entrepreneurial abilities and as the knowledge acquired during faculty
period is insufficient, this deficiency can be remedied through the introduction of the entrepreneurship education into the university curricula.
The study is important as a contribution to the research of the entrepreneurial education, which is very important for the development of
economic higher education. Our study points out and compares the spirit, the preferences and the needs for entrepreneurial education of the
students attending different economic specializations in order to propose appropriate curricula.

INTRODUCTION developed national contests for students; Student

Romanian higher education related to
entrepreneurial education was given a modest attention,
despite the internal political actions and results in the
field all over the world and, at the same time, there
wasn’t any scientific researches of training actions at
academic level, so as processes specific to Romanian
entrepreneurship enter a database, to proceed
accordingly and effectively. Thus, we consider that
entrepreneurship education should be developed within
or without university curricula, based on students’ needs
and preferences. The study results should be helpful in
order to design a specific curricula dedicated to students
who intend to start their own business or to elaborate a
module with courses and practical activities outside the
basic curricula, based on the students particularities.
ENTREPRENEURIAL EDUCATION IN “PETRU
MAIOR” UNIVERSITY OF TÎRGU-MUREŞ
“Petru Maior” University had many initiatives
regarding entrepreneurial education, during the last
eight years. In 2002, a postgraduate program has started:
European Integrated Rural Entrepreneurship (1 year),
being orientated to train graduates in developing their
entrepreneurial spirit, in order to ensure the
development of rural area. Another initiative aimed at
including compulsory or optional courses with a high
entrepreneurial component at bachelor or master degree
programs:
• Entrepreneurial Creativity course, 1st year,
bachelor studies, Commerce, tourism and services
economy specialization;
• Entrepreneurship course, , 1st year, master
program Counselling and Career Management (2004)
specialization and 2nd year, Business Management –
Bologna Master (since 2008);
• Entrepreneurial Economy course, 1st year,
master program, Human Resources Management
specialization (since 2005);
• Agreement signed with the organization Junior
Achievement Romania. Based on it there were
Company, Business Ethics (since 2004);
• Student’s contest “Successful Entrepreneur”
coordinator Marius POLIAC, professor of Nevada
University, USA (2007);
• Research projects: Grant CNCSIS - Type A,
Research regarding the harmonization of
entrepreneurial education in Romanian universities
with universities from European Union and Eastern
Europe– EDARO (2006-2008), International Research
Contract: Lifelong Learning Programme - EEE -
European Entrepreneurship Education (2007-2009);
• International Workshop on Entrepreneurial
Education organized in May 2009. The main aim was to
create a curriculum for an Entrepreneurship program at
bachelor level, taking into account the fact that in
Romania there is not yet this specialization.
• Post graduate program - Entrepreneurship and
business development – in the framework of POSDRU
project Successful entrepreneurship and competitive
businesses (2009-2011).
Based on the initiatives developed in our
university regarding entrepreneurial education and also
the previous research, we have developed a research
among the students of “Petru Maior” University of
Tîrgu-Mureş, Faculty of Economics, Law and
Administrative Sciences, from all types of economic
specialization. In the previous papers [5], [7] we have
studied on one hand, the perceptions of students who are
attending courses on management and tourism field and
on the other hand those who are attending courses on
finance and accounting field. The results obtained point
out the students’ need and desire to develop their
entrepreneurial abilities and as the knowledge acquired
during faculty period is insufficient, this deficiency can
be remedied through the introduction of the
entrepreneurship education into the university curricula.
The current paper aims to compare the entrepreneurial
skills of students from Accountancy and computer
science administration, Finance and Banks, on one
hand, and Business Administration, Commerce,
Tourism and Services Economy bachelors’
specializations on the other hand, taking into
692 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education
Ed – QMHE2010

consideration the fact that they are attending different RESEARCH RESULTS
courses based on different curriculum,
riculum, but all of them
could have the opportunity after the graduation to In order to find out if there is a need and desire
initiate their own business and become entrepreneurs. among students to develop the entrepreneurship
Under these circumstances, through this research, we education within or without the university curricula, we
want to identify if they are characterized by similar used a set of 13 questions
estions and we compared the results
entrepreneurial skills,
lls, if they need different training in obtained by the students from Accountancy and
entrepreneurship or if they could follow the same computer science administration (ACSA),
(ACSA) Finance and
curriculum for bachelor level on Entrepreneurship. Banks (FB) on one hand and students from Business
Administration (BA) and Commerce, tourism and
METHODOLOGY services economy (CTSE) on the other hand.
To the subject the intention to start up a personal
Sample. We used two types of statistical surveys. university the
business after graduation from university,
One is based on random sampling,, respectively distribution obtained for the two groups of students is
stratified random survey,, the other one is based on non- presented in Figure 1.
random sampling, respectively the quota survey. survey
According to C.A. Moser, regarding the selection of the 75%
layering factors (the closest linked to the research 80% 62%
subject), we chose as the two layers of the survey the 60% 38%
specializations attended by full-time time students, 40%
25% Yes
respectively Accountancy and computer science
administration, Finance and Banks, Banks Business 20% No
Administration and Commerce, tourism and services 0%
economy.. We pursued to select the subjects using a BA&CTSE ACSA&FB
quota of 30% of the total number of the general
population, on each year of study and respectively, on Figure 1 Students’ distribution regarding the intend to start
sta a business
each specialization. The general population and the
sample on allocated layers and quotas are illustrated in Based on the distribution from Figure 1, there could
Table 1. be noticed differences between the two types of
students: thus students from BA&CTSE are more
Table 1 Population and sample
interested to start their own business after graduation,
Number of students
75% of them have chosen the answer ‘Yes’
‘Ye and a lower
Layers (Specialization) General Sample –30 percentage, 62%, belongs to the students from
population % quota
ACSA&FB. Students from BA&CTSE are more open to
Accountancy and computer the idea to start a business only then those from
197 59
science administration ACSA&FB.
Finance and Banks 310 93 To the following question: If you had started up a
Commerce, tourism and pla both groups of
business, would you do a business plan?
236 71 students have responded in a high percentage that they
services economy
Business administration 238 71 would elaborate a business plan, in 97% BA&CTSE and
Total 981 294 94% ACSA&FB. The answers to this question are
presented in Figure 2.
Questionnaire. In our study we used a quantitative
method – a questionnaire with 13 questions, excepting 97% 94%
the identification questions (4). It contains only closed 100%
questions. We use in the questionnaire a measurement
method: the respondents have either to rank a set of Yes
50%
values or to choose one value/item at the expense of 3% 6%
another in a forced choice format. The questionnaire No
items are built on 5 points-Likert
Likert scale from 1 (Total 0%
agreement) to 5 (Total disagreement). BA&CTSE ACSA&FB
Procedure. The questionnaire was developed in
Romanian and self-administered
administered and it took Figure 2 Students’ distribution regarding the intend to do a business plan
approximately 5 minutes on average to complete.
We analysed data collected by descriptive statistics, To the question: If you had started up a business,
using indicators as weighted arithmetical mean, absolute it would be…,, there are not significant differences
and percent frequencies. Responses of the questionnaire between the two groups of students analysed, as it could
were coded
ed and entered into the SPSS and most of the be noticed in Figure 3. Most of them, more than 80%,
analyses used SPSS. answered that they would choose
oose a personal idea, and
then secondly they would continue the family business
A Comparative Study Regarding Students’ Entrepreneurial Skills 693

and the lowest percentage of them considered that their percentages to the same items. Regarding other
business would be a franchise.. The distribution based characteristics, students from ACSA&FB have chosen
on the students’ answers is shown in Figure 3. different items compared to students from BA&CTSE.
In order to identify the most important
86%
84% characteristics and to rank all characteristics based on
100% the answers obtained, we have calculated the weighted
80%
60% arithmetical mean for each of them. The results are
40% 11% 6%3%
10% presented in Figure 5.
20% BA&CTSE
0%
ACSA&FB 6.0 4.9
5.95.6
5.85.2
5.55.1
5.14.74.43.6
3.9BA&CTSE
3.9
3.8
5.0
4.0 1.6
1.6
3.0
2.0
1.0
0.0

Figure 3 The students’

ents’ distribution based on type of business

Asked What do you need in order to start up a

business?,, both groups of students ranked financial
resources as the most important element, followed at a Figure 5 Weighted arithmetical means
long distance by a new and daring idea. idea The item
relationship was ranked on the third place, but the Comparing the results of the weighted arithmetical
percentage related to the ACSA&FB students is more means, shownn in Figure 5, we observe that the rank of
then twice higher compared with BA&CTSE students. the main characteristics differ from one group of
On the last place was ranked the item solid technical students to another. The characteristic on the first place,
knowledge by all students. The distribution of students for students from BA&CTSE,
BA&CTSE is practical experience
too this question is shown in Figure 4. (5.6), while the students from ACSA&FB consider
theoretical knowledge being the most important (5.9).
79%
70% Another difference of ranking is registered by creativity.
80% While students from BA&CTSE ranked this
60% 44%38% 37% characteristic on the second place, ACSA&FB students
22%
40% 16% 14% ranked it on the third place. The other characteristics
characteristic are
20% BA&CTSE ranked in the same way by both groups
group of students, only
0%
ACSA&FB the weighted arithmetical mean registered differs.
Regarding Do you think there is a difference
manger? most of the
between an entrepreneur and a manger?,
students consider that there are differences between
be an
entrepreneur and a manager, though the BA&CTSE
Figure 4 The distribution based on what students need to start a business? students registered
gistered a higher percentage than the
ACSA&FB students, as it could be noticed in Figure 6.
Concerning ranking the characteristics of a
successful entrepreneur according to their importance
(1- the most important, 8 – the least important),
impor the 89% 83%
100%
results, taking into considerations only the first scale (1-
(
80%
the most important), ), are illustrated in the Table 2.
60% Yes
Table 2 Characteristics of successful entrepreneurs’ ranks 40% 11% 17%
Characteristic BA&CTSE ACSA& FB No
20%
Creativity 22.6% 22.4% 0%
Courage 19.0% 15.1%
BA&CTSE ACSA&FB
Theoretical knowledge 19.0% 25.0%
Practical experience 17.5% 21.1% Figure 6 The difference between an entrepreneur and a manager
Risks taking capability 11.6% 6.6%
Adaptability 6.5% 3.3% Asked if: Do you think it is necessary
nece the academic
Continuing education 5.1% 3.3% education include some entrepreneurial aspects or
Traditionalism 2.9% 3.3% courses? majority of students choose the ‘Yes’ answer,
a higher percentage belongs to the BA&CTSE students,
stud
As it could be observed in Table 2, the highest 83% compared to 78% registered by the students from
percentage, for
or students from BA&CTSE,
BA&CTSE was obtained ACSA&FB. The distribution of this question is
by creativity,, 22%, while the students from ACSA&FB presented in Figure 7.
registered the highest percentage at theoretical
knowledge, 25%. Courage and theoretical knowledge
obtained the same percentage in BA&CTSE students’
case, 19%, and ACSA&FB
CSA&FB students allocated different
694 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education
83%
100% 78%
50% 18%
15%
2%4%
0%
Yes No I don't
know
Figure 7 Students’ distribution regarding entrepreneurial education
These results show the interest of most students in
entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial education.
CONCLUSIONS
Analyzing comparatively the students’ ents’ opinions
regarding the interest in initiating a business and their
perception about the main characteristics of an
entrepreneur, we conclude that generally they find the
idea to become an entrepreneur appealing,
appealing but they
ranked differently most of the characteristics.
characteristics Even if
we registered some differences between the answers of
the students from BA&CTSE SE and those from
ACSA&FB students, they are not significant. The
results obtained emphasize the fact that students from
BA&CTSE are more entrepreneurship-orientated
entrepreneursh
compared to other groups of students, the figures being
higher to almost all the questions.. The explanation is
given by the differences
ferences between the curricula content
of these two groups of students.
All the analysed students are attending economic
ec
specializations, but the orientation towards
wards starting a
business of their own is more appropriated
appropriate for the
students from BA&CTSE. Most of the students
expressed the desire and in the same time the need to
learn more about entrepreneurship. They recognised
reco the
lack of knowledge in the field of entrepreneurship and
they would attend a module or specialized courses on
entrepreneurship. We consider that the differences
registered between the two groups of students do not
request different entrepreneurial education;
ion; both groups
could attend the same curricula on entrepreneurship.
The courses related to entrepreneurial education
which are missing from Romanian economic higher
education curricula, but included in other countries’
countries
economic higher education curricula, are as follows:
Entrepreneurship skills, E-business,
business, Business in EU,
Corporate entrepreneurship, Business planning, The
entrepreneurial process, Entrepreneurship, Research,
management These
development and innovation management.
courses could be included in the bachelor curricula,
curricula as
optional courses or could form a special module
addressed to all students interested in developing
develop their
skills and knowledge in entrepreneurship during their
university studies. Unfortunately, there is still unlikely
to find a possibility to include these courses in the
common curricula,, taking into consideration the fact
that in the Romanian higher education system there are
some restrictions regarding the entrepreneurial subject.
Ed – QMHE2010
None of the mentioned courses are allowed to be
included in the curricula based on the current standards
existing at national level.
There is no doubt that in the following years this
BA&CTSE
situation could
ould be changed, taking into consideration the
ACSA&FB fact that entrepreneurship is considered a driving force
for an economy based on efficiency, as it is the
Romanian case. According to international studies
related to entrepreneurial education, Romania registered
0% to the indicator Percentage of adults who attending
entrepreneurial training during their university studies,
compared to Slovenia or Croatia, which registered 6%,
respectively 4% in 2008, based on Global
Entrepreneurship Monitor results [12, p. 36].
The results of our research are useful for a future
analysis of the entrepreneurial education needs of
students
tudents attending other specialization than economics,
such as: engineering, medicine, informatics, philology,
as well as for the elaboration of an appropriate curricula,
the same for economics students or a different one,
based on the future research results.
lts.
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 STUDENTS’ PREFERENCES AND NEEDS REGARDING
ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION

Daniela ŞTEFĂNESCU1, Lia Codrina CONŢIU2 Manuela Rozalia GABOR3,

“Petru Maior” University of Tîrgu-Mureş, Romania
E-mail: daniela.stefanescu@gmail.com, liacontiu@yahoo.com, rozalia_gabor@yahoo.com

The present higher education system in Romania has not yet been able to promote independent thinking, creativity, a spirit of
innovation and motivation in setting a challenging and achievable goal. Our paper aims to examine the students’ need and importance
of entrepreneurship education. The study results should be helpful in order to design a specific curricula dedicated to the students who
intend to start their own business or to elaborate a module with courses and practical activities outside the basic curricula. We have
focused our paper on diagnosis of Accountancy and computer science administration, and Finance and Banks students’ preferences
and needs regarding entrepreneurship education.

- Technical Universities are more preoccupied on

INTRODUCTION
Entrepreneurship is a hot topic both in academic and
policy circles. There is a growing recognition that
entrepreneurship is a driving force in economic growth
development in both established and emerging
economies. There is also an increasing body of evidence
suggesting entrepreneurship that stems from a high level
of human capital and creativity is the most likely to
produce the goods, services and ultimately the jobs that
fuel economic growth development and
competitiveness. If human capital and innovation are
important for growth entrepreneurship, then higher
education should have a significant role to play in
fostering entrepreneurship.
ENTREPRENEURIAL EDUCATION IN
UNIVERSITIES
According to the fact that entrepreneurial
phenomenon is insignificant at the level of higher
educated people in Europe, an insight view of this issue
is going to be carried out. Entrepreneurial education in
universities has started in Japan in 1930 [4], but at
present, the USA (start in 1984) is the global leader in
this field, with over 500 entrepreneurial education
programs (800 all over the world), that are applied in
different universities. In the last decade of the 20th
century some countries as: Australia, Brazil, India,
South Korea, England, Ireland, France, Germany, the
Netherlands started entrepreneurial educational
programs in universities, and countries such as Croatia,
Hungary, Slovenia, the Baltic States, Poland, the Czech
Republic have joined them in the past years.
In Romanian universities, the entrepreneurial
education could be characterized as follows:
• It is a demarche less systematic than the case of the
previous educational levels;
• The initiatives and actions in Romania are less
numerous and less systematic compared with EU
countries;
extending and diversification the cooperation with firms
in order to develop and to promote the entrepreneurship;
• Initiatives are promoted by universities, the Ministry of
Education, Research, Innovation and Youth,
partnerships with organizations and companies;
• - There are not entrepreneurship education
specializations at the bachelor level;
• - There are few courses at the master level related to
entrepreneurship;
• - There are not specializations at the PhD level related
to entrepreneurship.
Thus, we consider that entrepreneurship education
should be developed and included in the university
curricula.
In this respect, previously, we have developed a
research among the students of “Petru Maior”
University of Tîrgu-Mureş, Faculty of Economics, Law
and Administrative Sciences, Business Administration
and Commerce, tourism and services economy. In the
previous papers we have studied the students'
perceptions who are attending courses on management
and tourism field. Based on the research results, we
have concluded that entrepreneurship education should
be included in the university curricula as more than 45%
of the students considered that the knowledge acquired
during faculty period is not sufficient to start up a
successful business. The results obtained point out the
students’ need and desire to develop their
entrepreneurial abilities and as the knowledge acquired
during faculty period is insufficient, this deficiency can
be remedied through the introduction of the
entrepreneurship education into the university curricula.
The current paper studies the preferences and needs
regarding entrepreneurial education of students from
Accountancy and computer science administration and
Finance and Banks bachelors’ specializations.
METHODOLOGY
Sample. We used two types of statistical surveys.
One is based on random sampling, respectively
stratified random survey, the other one is based on non-
random sampling, respectively the quota survey.
696 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
According to C.A. Moser, regarding the selection of the
layering factors (the closest linked to the research
subject), we chose as the two layers of the survey the
specializations attended by full-time time students,
respectively Accountancy and computer science
administration and Finance and Banks.. We pursued
purs to
select the subjects using a quota of 30% of the total
number of the general population, on each year of study
and respectively, on each specialization. The general
population and the sample on allocated layers and
quotas are illustrated in Table 1.
Table 1 Population and sample
Number of students
Layers (Specialization) General Sample –30
population % quota
Accountancy and computer
197 59
science administration
Finance and Banks 310 93
Total 507 152
Questionnaire. In our study we used a quantitative
method – a questionnaire with 13 questions, excepting
the identification questions (4). It contains only closed
questions. We use in the questionnaire a measurement
method: the respondents have either to rank a set of
values or to choose one value/item at the expense of
another in a forced choice format.
Procedure. The questionnaire was developed in
Romanian and self-administered
administered and it took
approximately 5 minutes on average to complete.
We analysed data collected by descriptive statistics,
using indicators as weighted arithmetical mean, absolute
and percent frequencies. Responses of the questionnaire
were coded and entered into the SPSS and most of the
analyses used SPSS.
RESEARCH RESULTS
In order to find out if there is a need and desire
among students to develop the entrepreneurship
education within or without
hout the university curricula, we
used a set of 13 questions.
Regarding What do you consider necessary for a
successful business? -“An “An MBA to a European
university would be useful.”, using 5-points
points Likert-type
Likert
rating scales, it obtained a score of 2.0, which
whi indicates
that the respondents agree with this statement, so: “total
agreement” – 16,4%, “agreement” – 68,4%,
“indifferent” – 13,8% and only 1,4% of them chose
“disagreement” and there was no answer to “total
disagreement”.
As for What do you consider necessary ecessary for a
successful business? -“An “An MBA to an American
university would be useful.”, using 5-points
points Likert-type
Likert
rating scales, it obtained a score of 2.05, indicating that
the subjects agree with this statement, the percentage for
each option being ass follows: “total agreement” –
21.0%, “agreement” – 55.3 %, “indifferent” – 21.1 %
and only 2.6 % of the students selected “disagreement”.
To the question: What do you consider necessary
for a successful business? -“An“An MBA to a Romanian
university would be useful.”, using 5-points
5 Likert-type
rating scales, it obtained a score of 2.07, and this
indicates that the students agree with this statement, the
options being: “total agreement” – 22.4 %, “agreement”
– 53.3 %, “indifferent” – 19.0 % and 5.3 % choosing
“disagreement”.
For the following question: After graduation from
university do you intend to pursue master courses?,
courses?
97.4 % of the total number of subjects answered
positively and only 2.6 % of them answered negatively.
As to the question: The knowledge acquired
during faculty period is sufficient to start up a
successful business?, using 5-points
points Likert-type
Likert rating
scales, it obtained a score of 3.07 which indicates that
the respondents are indifferent to this statement, the
percentage for each option being:
eing: “total agreement” –
6.6%, “agreement” – 32.2%, “indifferent” – 15.1%,
“disagreement”- 38.8 %, “total disagreement” – 7.3 %.
According to the answers, the highest percentage is
recorded by the students’ perception that after
graduation they will not have ave enough knowledge in
order to start a successful business. The distribution
results based on the students’ answers is shown in
Figure 1.
38.8
32.2
40
35
30
25 15.1
20 6.6 7.3
15
10
5
0
Figure 1 The students’ distribution based on knowledge after graduation (%)
To the question: Do you think it is necessary the
academic education include some entrepreneurial
aspects or courses?, from the total number of
respondents, 78% answered “Yes”, 4 % - “No” and 18
% - “I don’t know”.
Asked if There are courses (or courses
components) in the university curricula
curricul that can be
education? 75.7
considered forms of entrepreneurship education?,
% of the total number of students answered “Yes” and
24.3 % of them - “No”.
Regarding the question: Would you participate in a
education? from the total
module of entrepreneurship education?,
number of respondents the majority, respectively 71.7%,
selected “Yes” and 28.3 % of them - “No”. The
distribution of this question, shown in Figure 2,
emphasises the student’s interest for entrepreneurship
education.
Students’ Preferences and
nd Needs Regarding
Regardin Entrepreneurship Education 697

59.3%, corresponding to students from Accountancy

71.7
80.0 and computer science administration specialization.
70.0
60.0 Table 2 Students’ distribution (%)
50.0 Specialization
40.0
28.3 Do you intend to start
up a personal business Accountancy
30.0 and computer Finance
20.0 after graduation from
university? science and Banks
10.0 administration
0.0
Yes 59.3 63.4
Yes No
No 40.7 36.6
Figure 2 Would you participate in a module of entrepreneurship education? Total 100.0 100.0

As to the question How do you consider the We used the bivariate

riate chi square test in order to
courses included in the entrepreneurship education verify if there are significant differences between the
module should look like?, from the total number of two specializations, but the χ2 result obtained does not
students only 5.3 % of them chose “They should include exceed the tabulated χ2, so the null hypothesis is not
mostly theoretical aspects, possible” the
cts, as detailed as possible”, rejected, meaning that there are not significant
majority, respectively 94.7 %, selected “They should differences
rences between the respondents’ opinions.
include mostly case studies and practical examples”,
examples” To the question: If you had started up a business,
0.7 % representing the rate of non-answers.
answers. it would be…,, 85.5% of the students answered that they
Regarding Do you think there is a difference would choose a personal idea,idea 3.3% of the subjects
between an entrepreneur and manger? from the
nd a manger?, selected a franchise and 11.2% of them considered that
total number of subjects, 82.9 % selected “Yes” and they would continue the family business. business The
only 17.1 % - “No”. The students consider that there are distribution based on the students’ answers is shown in
differences between an entrepreneur and a manager, Figure 4.
thus, further we have questioned them if they are
interested in starting their own business after graduation
and if they have the necessary capabilities to become an 85.50%
100.00%
entrepreneur.
80.00%
To the subject the intention to start up a personal
60.00%
university 61.8% of
business after graduation from university, 11.20%
40.00% 3.30%
the students answered “Yes”, meaning that they the have
20.00%
the thoughts of doing something new and 38.2%
0.00%
answered “No”, they will not intend to start their own
business. The distribution obtained does not show a a personal a franchise would
significant level of students’ interest to run their own idea continue
business, as it is presented in Figure 3. the family
business

Figure 4 If you had started up a business it would be...

61.8%
70.0% Asked What do you need in order to start up a
60.0% 38.2% business?,, the students (78.9%) ranked financial
50.0% resources as the most important element, followed with
40.0% lower percentage by a new and daring idea (37.5%) and
30.0% solid technical knowledge (36.8%), only a few
20.0% considered relationships (21.7%). The absolute values
10.0% obtained to this item are presented in
i Table 3.
0.0%
Table 3 Number of responses
Yes No
What do you need in order to
Number of responses
Figure 3 Do you intend to start up a personal business after graduation? start up a business?

financial resources 120

Taking into account their specialization, the
students’ distribution related to this subject is presented a new and daring idea 57
in Table 2. As it results from the Table 2, most students solid technical knowledge 56
are interested in starting their own business, a higher relationships 33
percentage being registered by the students from
Finance and Banks specialization,, 63.4%, compared to To the following question: If you had started up a
plan? 94.3% of the
business, would you do a business plan?,
698 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

students answered “Yes”, so they understand the More than 70% of the students would participate in
meaning and importance of a business plan in starting a module of entrepreneurship
ntrepreneurship education and 75.7% of
up a business and only 5.7% answered „ No”. them regarded that there are courses (or courses
Concerning Ranking
anking the characteristics of a components) in the university curricula that can be
successful entrepreneur according to their importance considered forms of entrepreneurship education.
education
important) the
(1- the most important, 8 – the least important), Regarding the courses included in this module of
results, taking into considerations only the first scale (1-
( entrepreneurship education,
ucation, 94.7% of the students
the most important), are illustrated in Table 4. considered that they should include mostly case studies
and practical examples,, so they need tools in order to
Table 4 Characteristics of a successful
ul entrepreneur know how to start up a business.
Risks taking 97.4% of the respondents answered positively to
Creativity 22.4% 6.6%
capability master education after graduation from university, the
Courage 15.1% Adaptability 3.3% students from both specializations would like to attend a
Theoretical Continuing master course in the same percentage.
25.0% 3.3% To the question - What do you consider necessary
knowledge education
for a successful business?,, the majority of the students
Practical appreciated that an MBA to an EuropeanEu university
21.1% Traditionalism 3.3%
experience
(84.9%), an American university (76.3%) and a
Romanian university (75.7%) would be useful to them
In order to identify the most important characteristic in order to be well trained in initiating and developing a
and to rank all characteristics based on the answers successful business.
obtained, we have calculated the weighted arithmetical All these results point out the students’ need and
mean for each of them. The results are presented in desire to develop their entrepreneurial abilities and as
Figure 5. the knowledge acquired during faculty period is
insufficient; this deficiency can be remedied through the
introduction of the entrepreneurship education into the
university curricula.

References

1.Beer, M., R. Eisenstat and B. Spector, (1990), The Critical Path to

Corporate Renewal, Harvard Business School Press, Boston, MA.
2.Bull,
Bull, I. and G. E. Willard, (1993), ‘‘Towards a Theory of
Entrepreneurship’’, Journal of Business Venturing 8, 183–195.
183
3.Chau, L. L. and W. Siu, (2000), ‘‘Ethical Decision Making in
Corporate Entrepreneurial Organizations’’, Journal of Business
Figure 5 Weighted arithmetical means Ethics 23, 365–375.
4.Chell,
Chell, E., (2001), Entrepreneurship: Globalization, Inovation and
Based on Figure
igure 5, the students consider as most Developement, London Thomson Learning.
5.Drucker, P. F. (1985). Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Harper &
important characteristic Theoretical knowledge,
knowledge which Row Publishers, Inc.
registered the highest weighted arithmetical mean (5.9), 6.Gabor, Manuela R., Daniela Ştefănescu,
Ştefă Conţiu, Lia C.,
followed by the Practical experience (5.8). Creativity ‘’Entrepreneurship education – outside or within university
(5.5) is place only
nly on the third place, the last weighted curricula?’’, in vol. Proceedings of the 5th International Seminar on
the Quality Management in Higher Education, Tulcea, Romania,
arithmetical mean higher than 5 is recorded by Courage 2008, Technical University off Iasi, Ed. Performantica, ISBN: 978- 978
(5.1). The Risks taking capability characteristic is 973-730-496-4, p. 433-438
situated on the fifth place, being the only one which 7.Gartner,
Gartner, W. G.: 1985, ‘‘A Conceptual Framework for Describing
registered the weighted arithmetical mean around 4. The the Phenomenon of New Venture Creation’’, Academy of Management
Review 4, 696–706.
last characteristic, according to the lowest mean 8.Gassol,
Gassol, Jeaninne Horowitz, (2007), ‘’The effect
eff of university culture
calculated belongs to the Traditionalism (1.6). and stakeholders perceptions on university–business
university linking
activities’’, Journal of Technology Transfer, 32:489–507.
32:489
CONCLUSIONS 9.Lerner,
Lerner, J., (2005), ''The university and the Start-up:
Start Lessons from
the Past Two'', Journal of Technology TransferTran (30), Springer,
Holand.
Based on the research results, we can conclude that 10.Mathieu,
Mathieu, A., (2003), University and the market economy: The
entrepreneurship education should be included in the differential impact on knowledge production in sociology and
university curricula as more than 46% of the students economics in Higher Education (45), Kluwer Academic Publisher,
Holand.
considered that the knowledge acquired during faculty
facu 11.West III, P.G., Gatewood Elizabeth
abeth J., Shaver Kelly G. (2009),
period is not sufficient to start up a successful business Handbook of University –Wide Wide Entrepreneurship Education,
and 83% of the subjects appreciated that it is necessary MPG Books Group, UK
the academic education include some entrepreneurial
aspects or courses.
 PARTICULARITIES REGARDING ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION AND
RESEARCH IN THE WEST REGION OF ROMANIA

Matei TAMASILA1, Ilie M. TAUCEAN1, Monica TION1, Claudiu ALBULESCU1

1
Politehnica University of Timisoara, mtamasila@eng.upt.ro, ilie.taucean@mpt.upt.ro,
moniiantu@yahoo.com, claudiual@yahoo.com

The paper objectives are: to identify, analyze and structure in a database, using key group criteria, the main national facilitators for
entrepreneurship focusing on particularities of the West Region of Romania. The target groups chosen to achieve these objectives are:
top graduated and post graduated students, Ph.D students and young researchers. The research is based on an exploratory study
using as a tools for research: case studies, databases from institutions at regional, national and European level, IT instruments and
techniques necessary for design and completion of the database. Consequently, our purpose is to identify, analyze and structure the
main facilitators for building a database of facilitators accessible and updated permanently that will be part of an entrepreneurial
center digital library. The research results will be extended to EU level and will have the possibility of inter-correlation with other
databases for increasing the number of potential beneficiary. The research approach will have a positive impact upon the young
entrepreneurs. The identification, analyses and structure of the relevant regional entrepreneurial facilitators based on key criteria, the
design and use of the created database with the possibility of extension, correlation and update will addressed especially to
postgraduate students, young researchers and other entrepreneurs, too.
Keywords: Entrepreneurship, Facilitators, Education, Research, Database.

education; Promoting entrepreneurship; financing

1. INTRODUCTION
The European Commission (EC) defines
Entrepreneurship as the mind set and process (needed)
to create and develop economic activity by blending
risk-taking, creativity and/or innovation with sound
management, within a new or an existing organization
(Euractive Network 2003). Since 2002, Eurobarometer
surveys found that European citizens are less inclined to
become entrepreneurs, and more risk-averse than their
American or China counterparts. Once a new company
has been created, it also tends to grow at a slower rate
than in the United States. Moreover, conditions for start-
up companies vary widely across Europe.
Europe has limited levels of high-expectation
entrepreneurship – just 4 in every 1,000 European adults
are entrepreneurs with high-growth expectation – the
lowest proportion of all world regions (Tracona (2009)).
In the same time, the last GEM report has demonstrated
a consistent U-shaped association between a country’s
level of economic development and its level and type of
entrepreneurial activity (Bosman et al. (2008)).
The EC recognized the problem and made
entrepreneurship one of the main objectives of the
Lisbon agenda in 2000. The Commission launched a
series of initiatives aimed at fostering support for small
businesses in Europe. In January 2003, it adopted a
“Green Paper on Entrepreneurship in Europe” to
stimulate the debate amongst policy/decision makers,
businesses, representative, organizations and experts on
how entrepreneurship can be better promoted in Europe.
At European level there are actors, trainings and
portals such as: European Certification & Qualification
Association (ECQA, with databases on trainers and
courses/training sessions); EU-Project (free virtual
community for communication between EU-Project
coordinators, partners, experts and interested people);
European network to promote women's
entrepreneurship (WES); Entrepreneurship in higher
possibilities and access to financing - The European
Entrepreneurs Exchange Programme. All these actors
and tools support in different ways the European
entrepreneurship. Also, there are entrepreneurship
training programs at the national and regional level,
linked with the university curricula for graduate and
postgraduate studies.
The paper’s objectives are: to identify, analyze and
structure in a database, using key group criteria, the
main national facilitators for entrepreneurship focusing
on particularities of the West Region. The target groups
are: top graduated and post graduated students, PhD.
students, best employees and young researchers.
Consequently, our approach for building a database
of facilitators accessible and updated permanently will
be part of an entrepreneurial center digital library. The
research results will be extended to EU level and will
have the possibility of inter-correlation with other
databases for increasing the number of potential
beneficiary. The research approach will have a positive
impact upon the young entrepreneurs.
This research in based on our previous implication
in the project: PNII, contract no. 91–069 (2007-2009)
“Partnership for Excellence in Research for the
Entrepreneurial Skills and Competitive Human Capital
Development in the Knowledge and Innovation Base
Society” and also, in the Leonardo da Vinci project
503021-LLP-1-2009-1-BE-LEONARDO-LMP: ResEUr
- Certified EU Researcher-Entrepreneur” (2009-2011).
2. FACILITATORS FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Our research is based on an exploratory study using
as a tools for research: case studies, databases from
institutions at regional, national and European level,
information technology instruments and techniques
needed for the database design and fill.
The motivation of the presented approach is to
provide highly condensed and concise information
700 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
about key issues of entrepreneurship, which are
typically taught in seminars which are currently offered
by various institutions. The present approach, however,
does not want to replace such seminars and courses, but
it rather seeks to give the student a convenient means on
whether she/he needs formation in the respective
competence areas, and where she/he can find
complementary courses.
Understanding entrepreneurship is also, an important
skill unit in the ResEUr project and it consists of the
following skill elements: key success factors for
entrepreneurship, national facilitators (that have to be
developed, presented and collected by each partner
involved in the project from: Belgium, France, Ireland,
Romania, Slovakia and Austria) and European
facilitators of entrepreneurship.
2.1. National facilitators
The aim of the national facilitators skill element is to
provide information which institutions, programs,
infrastructure, etc. is available in certain countries in
order to facilitate the entrepreneurship behavior and
attitude. The content of the element will be tailored on
the basis of situation in each country and will present:
graduate programs on entrepreneurship, facilitating
systems at the government level (scholarships for young
researchers, opportunities for projects), supporting
programs at universities and research institutions,
incubators, interest of industry etc.
At national, inter-regional, level, by means of classic
instruments used in educational activities, trainings,
continuous formation (such as: lectures, meetings) or by
means of modern/innovative tools (such as: e-learning,
on-line, distance learning).
2.1.1. Who
The national actors promoting the entrepreneurial
activities are:
- The Romanian Entrepreneur’s Club;
- The Portal of Business Incubators in Romania
(PNUD&AIPPIMM);
- The Association for Entrepreneurship from Romania;
- Centre for Entrepreneurship and Business Research
(CEBR);
- Entrepreneurship and Equality of Chnaces (ANTRES)
- The Project Business Startup - Extreme Training &
Intact News (All-News S.R.L.);
- Consultancy companies for entrepreneurship;
- Universities, such as: University "Petru Maior" of
Târgu-Mureş (Training and Development Centre –
European Integrated Rural Entrepreneurship);
University "Al. I. Cuza" of Iasi (Regional Centre for the
Development of the Entrepreneurship); University
Nicolae Titulescu of Bucharest - Master
Entrepreneurship - Theory and Practice; University of
Oradea (Master on Entrepreneurship).
2.1.2. What
Activities related to entrepreneurship that are in
facilitators’ portfolio are as follows:
- activities in the field of entrepreneurship,
- partnerships,
- entrepreneurial programs,
- trainings, courses, conferences, workshops,
- inter-regional models of entrepreneurial shools.
2.1.3. How
The entrepreneurship is promoted by the above
mentioned facilitators through activities that are
individualizing as in the followings:
- training programs;
- consultancy services;
- financial and banking workshops;
- conferences and courses addressing the needs of
entrepreneurs;
- encouragement of partnerships;
- information on the possibilities of attracting financing;
- support in developing the business plans;
- setting up business incubators;
- building up a business environment favorable to the
development and increase of SMEs;
- promotion of the entrepreneurial culture and
improvement of the managerial performances;
- strengthening a dynamic private sector, capable to
cope with the competition forces;
- organizing biz-matching events, workshops and
conferences on topics related to entrepreneurship;
- organizing regular meetings with the members,
meetings for planning, assessing, training and
teambuilding;
- research in the field of entrepreneurial activity, of
business start-up and of business economy;
- assessment of the efficiency of the measures
undertaken by public entities to support private
companies or to encourage the development of regions,
- increasing the level of interest and awareness in
respect of entrepreneurial culture;
- implementing programs and provide innovative
services to stimulate the entrepreneurship and to
strengthen the entrepreneurial culture.
2.2. Regional facilitators – the West Region of
Romania
Entrepreneurship and SME policies have an
important regional dimension. The creation of new
firms can procure a range of benefits affecting regional
economic development, including: employment and
incomes growth, with indirect employment effects
operating over time; increases in tax revenue, although
of uncertain and possibly small magnitude; enhanced
provision of services for local consumers and
businesses, with consequent increases in local income
retention; and difficult-to-quantify but possibly
Particularities Regarding Entrepreneurship Education and Research in the West Region of Romania
important demonstration and motivational effects
(OECD, 2004). In this context, describing and analyzing
the activity of regional facilitators in respect of the
entrepreneurship became very important.
Regional catalysts are organizations and individuals
who facilitate collaborations that set up new parts of the
entrepreneur support system as needs are identified
(Holley, 2005).
The entrepreneurship activities at the 5 West Region
level, are mainly developed, according to ADR report
(2009), in the field of social services, business
development and tourism. Thereby, in the 5 West
Region there are several types of regional facilitators as
business incubators, entrepreneurships centers and
universities which promotes entrepreneurship formation.
However, there is not a strong cooperation between
these facilitators or a Regional Entrepreneurship
Association for coordination of entrepreneurship politics
and developing partnership between the regional
catalysts.
2.2.1. Who
Most often, catalysts will be Entrepreneur Support
Organizations (ESOs), dynamic non-profits that
collaborate with opportunity seeking entrepreneurs and
partner with a broad spectrum of public and private
organizations to enhance the environment for
entrepreneurs.
Regional actors promoting entrepreneurial activities
are presented here:
- Business Incubators in the Region 5 West (The
Software Business Incubator of Timisoara – UBIT,
Business Incubator and Centre for the Integrated
Technologic Transfer in the industrial and technological
park of Timisoara - PITT, Trans-border Business
Incubator, Technologic and Business Incubator in Deva
- ITA-BMTECH, Technologic and Business Incubator
of UAV-IT Arad);
- Regional Development Agency – Western Region;
- Entrepreneurship Program (“The Entrepreneurship, a
carrier alternative in the Western Region”);
- Trade Register (Timisoara Trade Register);
- Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture
(CCIAT);
- Entrepreneurship Centers (Simulation Centre for
Entrepreneurship and Stock Exchange Ring);
- Consultancy companies in the field of
entrepreneurship;
- Universities (such as: West University of Timisoara,
“Politehnica” University of Timisoara).
2.2.3. How
The entrepreneurship at the regional level and
individualize at the level of 5 West Region, is promoted
by the above mentioned facilitators through the
following activities:
- location for performing the activity;
701
- access to communication networks;
- training sessions;
- access to training and meeting rooms;
- access to promotion events (exhibitions, fairs);
- legal and fiscal consultancy;
- facilitation of contacts;
- encouragement of other types of trans-border
cooperation in the region by promoting the business
which attained a real success;
- promoting the Banat as a pilot sub-region within the
Euro-Region DKMT;
- development of stable partnerships among the
organizations involved in the project;
- permanent encouragement of entrepreneurial
initiatives of the population in Banat-Crisana in order to
put into practice their own business ideas;
- development of civic solidarity as the main beneficiary
of the transition process in the region;
- statistics related to businessmen;
- methods to access the information;
- preparation and start-up of a business;
- promotion of internal and external markets;
- consultancy and intermediation services for import-
export activities;
- information related to business and cooperation
opportunities;
- market surveys, feasibility studies and business plans.
3. FACILITATORS STRUCTURES. CASE STUDY
The identification, analyses and structures of the
main facilitators; a database of facilitators accessible
and update permanently; the first steps for creating and
developing an entrepreneurial center. The research can
be extend to euro-regional level; the possibility of inter-
correlation with other databases and to increase the
number of potential beneficiary.
A database is a collection of information that's
related to a particular subject or purpose. Using
Microsoft Access, you can manage all your information
from a single database file. Within the file, you can use:
tables to store data; queries to find and retrieve just the
data you want; forms to view, add, and update data in
tables; reports to analyze or print data in a specific
layout; data access pages to view, update, or analyze the
database's data from the Internet or an intranet.
You can create relationships between your tables in
a database diagram to show how the columns in one
table are linked to columns in another table. The
relationships allow Access to help us retrieve data
across tables, check referential integrity, etc.
There are three types of relationships between tables.
The type of relationship that is created depends on how
the related columns are defined. In a many-to-many
relationship, a row in table A can have many matching
rows in table B, and vice versa.
Regarding the entrepreneurship facilitators, a
database was created for this research, as a first step and
a part of an entrepreneurial center digital library. Here
we have a databases of facilitators with two tables:
702 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
“facilitators” and “activities” in a relationship defined as
many-to-many (one facilitator can have many activities
and one activity can be made by many facilitators). In
figure 1 and 2 are presented the forms of the tables, and
in figure 3 is presented the relationship between the two
tables.
Figure 1: Facilitators table form
Figure 2: Activities table form
Figure 3: Database table relationships
The design and use of this database can be
developed and extended, based on the future research
intended in the field of entrepreneurship education and
research.
4. IMPLICATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS
The research have implications on mentioned target
group (best young researchers and entrepreneurs)
because it give the possibility to access, analyses and
use an important and considerable volume of
information, which is actual, structured, elaborated,
adapted and relevant with an major regional impact in
entrepreneurship education and research.
The identification, analyses and structure of the
relevant regional entrepreneurial facilitators based on
key criteria, the design and use of this database with the
possibility of extension, correlation and update with the
information which are addressed especially to best
postgraduate students, top young researchers and
entrepreneurs.
The presented research results were gained in the
context of a Lifelong Learning Programme, Leonardo
da Vinci (503021-LLP-1-2009-1-BE-LEONARDO-
LMP): Certified EU Researcher – Entrepreneur,
founded with support from the European Commission.
The presentation of this paper is connected with the
dEUcert project (Dissemination of European
Certification Schema ECQA, 505101-LLP-1-2009-1-
AT-KA4-KA4MP), that has been funded with support
from the European Commission, also. This paper and
communication reflects the views only of the author,
and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any
use which may be made of the information contained
therein.
References
1. Bosman, N., Acs, Z.J., Autio, E., Codura, A, Levie, J. (2008),
“GEM - Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, Executive Report”,
Babson College, Universidad del Desarrollo.
2. Interactiv Network (2003), “Entrepreneurship in Europe”,
http://www.euractiv.com/en/innovation/entrepreneurship-europe/
article-117477.
3. Holley, J. (2005), Building a Regional Entrepreneurship
Network: A Guide to Action, ACEnet Institute,
www.networkweaving.com/june_files/HowToREN.pdf.
4. OECD, Promoting Entrepreneurship and Innovative SMEs in a
Global Economy: Towards a More Responsible and Inclusive
Globalisation, 2nd OECD Conference of Ministers Responsible for
Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs), Istanbul, Turkey.
5. ADR Vest (2009), Stadiul implementarii Programului
Operational Regional 2007-2013 Regiunea Vest, www.adrvest.ro.
6. Tracona, A (2009), “Entrepreneurship Development – Key Issues
and Challenges”, CEEMAN Forum on Executive Education Executive
Education and Entrepreneurship Development, Trieste, November 26-
27, http://www.vlnmedia.net/ceeman.
 SOCIETAL NEEDS – VALUES. MOTIVATING THE ROMANIAN EMPLOYEE FROM
THE PUBLIC UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION
Maria TATARUSANU1 Angelica-Nicoleta NECULAESEI2
1
“Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iasi, Romania, email:tmari@uaic.ro
2
“Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iasi, Romania, email:anonea@uaic.ro
Abstract
The paper presents an analysis of the types of needs of Romanian employees and it is designed to provide support to managers for the
development of their motivational strategies. The issues under survey concern public university administration employees, the main reason that
urged us to study this category of employees being the lack of practical studies addressing this issue. Our analysis relies on A. Maslow’s, C.P.
Alderfer’s and F. Herzberg’s famous motivational theories. The conclusion of our research is that security needs take precedence over all the
others for the population under survey.

Keywords: motivation, culture, needs-societal values relation, Maslow, Alderfer’s, Herzberg

INTRODUCTION we may mention items from the Geert Hofstede’s

In order to obtain competitive advantages, the
decision-takers are extremely interested in exploiting
one of the competitiveness sources – the human
resource. For a successful approach, they may use subtle
ways to operate, which take care of aspects located at
the profound level of the human being, in the
subconscious area. There is a matter about motivational
aspects and cultural determinants, which are in a close
and conditional relationship. The description of this
relationship, but also the analysis of some specific needs
which result from an empiric research, are the object of
this present paper.
MOTIVATION AND CULTURE
Being familiar with an appropriate motivating
manner of a certain society or of a specific group of
individuals supposes the analysis of the manifestation
intensity of different needs category, which are already
classified and described by different authors.
A large variety of studies were developed on this
issue, but the innovation of this research consists in
bringing into attention the relationship between
motivation and culture, relationship acknowledged by
psychologists but not firmly emphasized or explicated.
The relationship between need-societal values may
be emphasized through a simple argument. The human
beings perceive as the most stringent needs those that
have the lowest satisfaction level (Maslow, 1970/2007,
Chapter 2). These needs will rather motivate them than
others. They will feel more acutely some needs,
depending on the societal characteristics. These needs
become a desirable issue in that society, that means a
value (Hofstede, 1996). The types of the frequent needs
from a society determine the unconsciousness
orientation to cultural patterns that reduce or eliminate
the discomfort experienced by their pressure.
The interdependence between predominant needs
and values is mutual. Being aware upon this relationship
makes that the questionnaires issued for data collection
that allow identification of cultural differences use items
that refer to motivational values, that may be described
in terms of basic or superior needs. As partial examples,
questionnaire (2008) or items of human values
recommended for the first wave of ESS (European
Social Survey), explicated by Shalom Schwartz (2009),
in a close relationship with human needs.
The correlation between the emphasized values and
needs in a society is also demonstrated by another
example, the study developed by Bilsky and Koch (p.
7). The study has as result a positive correlation
between needs-values types and one of the two cultural
dimensions proposed by Schwartz: self-enhancement
versus self-transcendence.
This is also the theoretic argumentation for our
research, where, in order to identify the types of needs
of the Romanian employee, we use the data obtained
though an instrument that has the study of cultural
differences as its major aim; that is the VSM 08 (Values
Survey Module 2008) questionnaire elaborated by the
Geert Hofstede researcher.
Therefore, the preferred motivating manner is
influenced by culture. Hofstede (1996) indicates that the
above mentioned manner depends directly by
masculinity-femininity and uncertainty avoidance.
Depending on the indices’ values for these dimensions,
the possible positions are the following:
• rewarding performance - for the countries
characterized by a reduced control over uncertainty and
masculinity (e.g.: United Kingdom, USA, Canada);
• consideration– for the countries where is a powerful
control of uncertainty and masculine dominant values
(e.g.: Morocco, Greece, Lebanon, Italy, Argentina);
• security and affiliation– in feminine countries,
characterized by a powerful control of uncertainty (e. g.:
France, Spain, Portugal, Taiwan);
• performance and human relationships – dominant
in feminine countries, with a weak control of uncertainty
(e.g.: Scandinavian countries).
TECHNICAL ELEMENTS
Scope, objectives, research hypotheses
The research scope consists in analyzing the types of
needs and their manifestation intensity to the Romanian
employees from the public universities’ administration.
The major objectives were analyzing the types of needs
704 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
of the Romanian employee from the public universities’
administration and analyzing the Romanian cultural
specificity elements (the last aspect is only partial
presented in this paper).
Research hypotheses are:
I1. The employees from the universities’
administration aim firstly to security.
I2: The Romanian employees, especially those who
work in the public system, want free time for their
personal life.
I3: The Romanian employees are preoccupied, on a
higher level, in personal relationships, in developing
harmonious work relationships.
I4: The Romanian employee from the state own
administration system confers a higher importance at
satisfying the self-esteem needs.
I5: The poor content of employees’ work, the low
advancement opportunities and the low wages lead all to
the decrease of the granted importance to the
professional fulfillment needs.
The research methodology
For studying the cultural differences, a variety of
instruments were elaborated by famous researchers
(Geert Hofstede, Shalom Schwartz, Ronald Inglehart,
Charles Hampden-Turner and Fons Trompenaars etc.).
One of these instruments, elaborated as a consequence
of the collaboration between Geert Hofstede and
Michael Bond, which allowed the analysis of cultural
differences on the basis of five cultural dimensions was
updated and published in 2008 (VSM 08), following the
collaboration among Geert Hofstede, Gert Jan Hofstede,
Michael Minkov and Henk Vinken, who emphasized
two new cultural dimensions (monumentalism-self-
effacement and indulgence-constraint). This is the used
instrument in the present paper, according to the above
mentioned arguments.
Therefore, the demarche is quantitative dominant.
The major data collection technique is the
questionnaire-based-on inquiry. We chose to use a
validated instrument (VSM 08), recommended for an
ethic approach. The major data processing techniques
were statistic analysis and qualitative analysis.
Sampling
The above mentioned instrument was used in order
to identify the need-motivation relationship at the
employees from the public universities’ administration
from Romania. The sample was an un-probabilistic one,
which included the employees from the financial-
accountancy departments. An important role in choosing
the sample was played by the accessibility and the fact
that human resources from the universities’
administration benefited by an extremely reduced
attention from the part of the Romanian researchers; this
fact offered us the opportunity to provide interesting
information to the managers of these institutions. There
were 209 respondents to the questionnaire, from 9
universities, in the period of April-May 2008.
RESULTS
This study emphasized the following data regarding
the cultural specificity dimensions, with direct input in
the motivational plan:
a) for masculinity-femininity (in percents, for
favorable opinions and averages obtained for the
items that reflect masculine and respective, feminine
values – for allowing comparisons, we take into
consideration a 1 to 5 scale, where 5 indicates the
emphasis of masculine or feminine values):
• acknowledge for the attained performance
(important and very important for 91.2% of
respondents; m=4.29);
• advancement opportunities (important and very
important for 84.6%; m=4.23);
• relationship / good communication with the other at
the working place (important and very important for
94.7%; m= 4.39);
• possibility to choose a certain living area (important
and very important for 68.9%; m=3.94).
b) for uncertainty avoidance (favorable opinions – the
averages are calculated for a powerful control of
uncertainty, on a 1 to 5 scale):
• perception of the stress level: 2.9% always, 18.7%
usually, 58.9% sometimes, 19.1% rarely, 0.5% never
(m=3.04);
• perception of the health status: 12% very good, 45%
good, 36.4% so so, 5.3% poor, 1.4% very poor
(m=2.39);
• perception of the fact that manager may be
competent, even if he has not answers to all
subordinates’ questions: unfavorable (strongly disagree
and disagree) 29.3%, irresolute 19.6%, favorable
(strongly agree and agree) 51% (m=2.73);
• respecting the rules, no matter of conditions:
favorable (strongly agree and agree) 55.4%, irresolute
24.4%, unfavorable (strongly disagree and disagree)
19.2% (m=3.5).
These scores, for a correct interpretation, should be
compared with scores obtained on equivalent samples,
administrated in other countries. In the absence of these
data, we realized comparisons with the forecasts
provided Hofstede and with results obtained in other
researches regarding the Romanian cultural specific
(Luca, 2005; Voicu&Voicu, 2007; Neculăesei,
Tătăruşanu, 2008). For Romania, the cultural
characteristics (a relative high uncertainty avoidance
and an almost balanced mix between masculine and
feminine values, with regional variations) indicate
security, affiliation and consideration as appropriate
motivating manners, fact that results from our study,
too. We have to take into account the sample specific:
56.5% from the respondents are older than 40 and
92.8% have a feminine gender (categories where
security needs are more emphasised). This reality is also
confirmed by the answers to the item regarding job
Societal Needs – Values. Motivating The Romanian Employee from The Public University Administration
safety, that gained the following results: for 61.7% from
the respondents it is extremely important, for 32.5%
very important, an average importance for 3.8%, less
important for 1% and with no importance 0.5%, with an
average of m=4.55 (the highest score).
STUDY RESULTS INTERPRETATION, FROM
THE BASED ON NEEDS MOTIVATIONAL
THEORIES PERSPECTIVE
Processing the questions’ outcomes that provide data
regarding the employees’ needs in connection to leisure
time, rewards, desire for a group belongingness, social
status, relationships with the hierarchical superior and
peers, work content, responsibilities, performance-
recompense relationship, carrier, we got results which
we analyse from the perspective of three famous
motivational theories that base on the human needs
study while explain the employees’ motivation for
performance: A. Maslow’s theory, C.P. Alderfer theory
and two factors theory of F. Herzberg’s.
The hierarchy of needs theory elaborated by
Abraham Maslow presents successively the types of
needs people have, from inferior needs – concrete,
continuous and powerful– to superior ones – less
evidently and promptly in manifestation.
The averages of the gathered scores, obtained
following the study’s data processing, in accordance
with the classified types of needs upon Abraham
Maslow’s theory, are presented below (Table 2):
Table 2: Employees Types of Needs – classification upon A.
Maslow’s theory
Cumulated
Types of Needs
average score
1. physiological needs 907
2. security needs 947
3. group belongingness need 904
4. esteem need 842
5. self-actualization needs 842
In the above mentioned table, it may notice that the
security needs are prioritised for the employees of the
Romanian public university administration. This aspect,
of stability and job safety, is actually the major
motivation of those who decide to work for the public
sector. Even if the wages level is low, providing a
partial covering of basic needs, the employees prefer
these jobs due to the psychological comfort they used to
have in the communist period, when the state ensured
working places by the repartition system, the
“confrontation” on the market with other candidates
being unnecessary. The obtained scores reflect, as well,
the fact that employees grant a higher importance to the
belongingness needs, to the desire of working in a
comfortable environment, which offers the opportunity
to create friendship relationships, to belong to a certain
social category. In our opinion, universities were always
considered as a place where employees are proud to
work in, because that confers them a certain society
status, respected by the others. It is considered as an
705
exclusivist environment, due to the quality of people
who develop research and education activities here, with
personalities with broad experience, and this fact is
valorised by the employees from the administration
field.
The self-actualization needs, with an equal score as
the esteem ones, have a pretty high score if we take into
account that, most times, it is impossible for the
administration employees to be creative, to reach their
superior levels of competence. The job content is poor,
considered as “a source of maintaining bureaucracy”,
the employees being constraint to fulfil routine tasks
that often consist in respecting the law in a field or
another (acquisitions, wages, accountancy etc).
The ERG theory, elaborated by the C.P. Alderfer
researcher, compressed the five steps of the Maslow’s
needs pyramid to three levels as following (Zorleţan, et
al., 1998):
- the existence needs (E) are those that refer to support
human existence, survival;
- the relatedness needs (R) refer to relationships with
social environment;
- the growth needs (G) refer to development of the
individual potential and include self-appreciation and
self-actualization.
For our analysed sample, the obtained scores on
needs categories, emphasised by the ERG theory, are
presented in table 3.
Table 3: Existential, Relatedness and Self-Actualization Needs
Needs types Cumulated average score
Existence needs: 888
Relatedness needs: 845
Growth needs: 874
We noticed that existence needs (those which refer
to leisure time, earnings, job safety) are more important
for the questioned employees, the obtained score
average as a result of answers’ processing being the
highest (888). The relatedness needs (refer to social
group belongingness, esteem of relatives, friends,
hierarchical chief) are located on the next step, with an
average score of 784. To support this hierarchy of needs
we mention the Geert Hofstede’s researches that
concluded the security needs were dominant within the
society, in countries with high uncertainty avoidance as
Romania is (Hofstede, 1996). Growth needs raise a high
importance, as well; the situation is explained by the
environment these employees work in, their level of
education, and the reduced satisfaction level of the first
two types of needs. The university managers may use
different methods to motivate employees as
acknowledge the employees’ work, offer a richer
content to work and open the opportunity to the
employees for reaching their superior limits of
performance.
Another theory that fundament our results’ analysis
was the two factors theory of the F. Herzberg
researcher. According to this theory, there are two types
of factors that affect job satisfaction: hygiene factors
(related to work conditions, benefits, social status etc)
706 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
and motivator factors (related to work content:
responsibility, carrier, fair evaluation of performances
according to their level). If they are present, the first
factors eliminate the dissatisfaction, but only the second
category creates work satisfaction (Zorleţan etal., 1998).
The hygiene and motivator factors are presented
with types of needs and cumulated scores in table 4:
Table 4: Hygiene and Motivator Factors at the Employees from the Romanian
University Administration
Factors that determine Cumulated
satisfaction/dissatisfaction in work average
score
Hygiene factors: 869
Motivator factors: 863
In the above presented table, the hygiene factors are
left part grouped and the motivators are right parted.
The average of the two types of factors, that reflects
employees’ needs, is higher for the hygiene factors
(preoccupation for leisure time, job safety, maintaining
good relationships with the chief and social status).
Relating to these factors, we may observe that the
questioned employees want security, esteem of friends
and relatives but also time for their personal life. Job
security is the acutest experienced need of this study’s
participants, that supposes its lack leads to
dissatisfaction, but when it is settled (by lows,
regulations, as the case of public institutions’
employees) it does not create work dissatisfaction.
The employees are less preoccupied, as well, for
relationships with peers, having the need to make
friends at the working place.
The motivator factors’ scores indicate needs related
to the granted importance to work content,
acknowledgment for high performance and desire for
having a carrier. These factors are in connection with
work satisfaction. The growth of satisfaction may take
place, according to the research data, by employees’
involvement in their work decision making process,
providing advancement opportunities, acknowledgment
of realised efforts and awards for high performances. 1.
CONCLUSIONS
Data analysis reflects the importance of
physiological needs for the employees of the Romanian
public university administration (a low wage level
determines a high preoccupation for these needs), the
job safety, but also the prestige conferred by the
institutions they work for. As well, the employees give
attention to the human resources quality at job,
superiors’ attitude, and even to the self-actualization
need, being creative and valorising their potential. The
“job-description” elements are impediments in
valorising the whole employees’ potential.
The study is a stage within an ample research,
which also aims a detailed analysis of cultural
specificity elements, but also to provide
recommendations regarding the employees’ motivation
under survey. In this context, we consider that a higher
level of wages would bring a plus in the employees’
motivation from the universities’ administration, fact
demonstrated by their preoccupation in satisfying basic
needs. As well, planning the employees’ carrier is an
important element that may be used in motivating these
employees for a high performance. Even if it looks
surprising, the administrative personnel from the
Romanian public universities needs an enrichment of
work content (by job enrichment) for being motivated
for outstanding results of the done work.
As regards for practical importance, we remark the
utility of this study for the public university managers in
the motivational field, because it enlightens an
unexplored area of motivational researches, brought by
the university administration employees under survey. It
may be valorised by decision takers for improving
employees’ performances due to an appropriate
motivating manner. As well, it provides a practical
approach pattern of a motivational study, which also
keeps notice on the cultural implications. The VSM 08
instrument is applied for the first time in Romania,
investigating simultaneously both needs and values.
In the theoretical field, it valorises the needs-values
relationship, bringing arguments in favour of opening
possibility for a correlative use of data collection
instruments regarding the above mentioned ones. The
study is also based on concepts and theoretical
constructions/developed theories in the motivational
field. (Maslow, Alderfer’s, Herzberg).
References:
1. Bilsky, W, Koch, M., 2009, On the content and structure of
values: universals or methodological
artefacts?,http://miami.unimuenster.de/servlets/DerivateServlet/
Derivate-1802/Bilsky_Koch.pdf, accessed on April 14;
2. Hofstede, G., Managementul structurilor multiculturale, 1996,
Editura Economică, Bucureşti
3. Hofstede, G., Hofstede, G.J., Minkov M., Vinken H., Values
Survey Module 2008 Manual, 2008,
http://stuwww.uvt.nl/~csmeets/VSM08English.doc;
4. Hofstede, G., Cultural dimensions,
http://www.geerthofstede.com/geert_hofstede_resources.shtml;
5. Luca, A., 2005, Studiu despre valorile şi comportamentul
românesc din perspectiva dimensiunilor culturale după metoda
lui Geert Hofstede, www. i-interact.ro
6. Maslow, A.H., 2007, Motivaţie şi personalitate, Editura Trei,
Bucureşti;
7. Neculăesei, Tătăruşanu, 2008, Romania – Cultural and Regional
Differences, Analele Ştiinţifice ale Universităţii „Alexandru Ioan
Cuza” din Iaşi, Tomul LV, Editura Universităţii „Al. I. Cuza”,
Iaşi;
8. Schwartz, S., 2009, A Proposal for Measuring Value
Orientations across Nations, chapter 7, pp. 267-268,
http://unjobs.org/authors/shalom-h,-schwartz;
9. Voicu, B., Voicu, M., 2007, Valori ale românilor 1993-2006,
Institutul European, Iaşi;
10. Zorleţan, T., et.al., 1998, Managementul organizaţiei, Editura
Economică, Bucureşti.
 HUMAN RESOURCES – THE MOST VALUABLE SCIENTIFIC POTENTIAL IN THE
TEXTILE RESEARCH ACTIVITY

Emilia VISILEANU1, Carmen GHITULEASA1

1
Institutul National de Cercetare Dezvoltare pentru Textile si Pielarie, certex@ns.certex.ro

The economic and social development, determined by the unprecedentedly evolution of the developments from science and technology make the
organizations preoccupied by the performance increasing to rapidly respond to the requirements of the internal and external environment.
”From science to industry and on the market, too” represents the present desideratum in the national and European scientific research. The
paper presents aspects regarding the current situation in the field of European and national T&C industry, from the human resources training
point of view, action directions that ANCS strategy applies for the stimulation of the scientific training activity of the researchers and for the
promotion of entrepreneurship culture in the research and education system.
TEXTILE & CLOTHING INDUSTRY AT
NATIONAL AND EUROPEAN LEVEL
Unlike certain industries in Europe, textile and
clothing industry is a global leader in using technology,
process and product innovation, including the creation
of fashion and other innovation activities (non-
technological ones). Also, the European textile
machinery manufacturers are also world leaders and
the European fashion industry enjoys a global
predominance, while the "technical textiles" sector is
equally known for its pioneering role. Recognizing the
important contribution of industry to the economy,
creativity and creating jobs in the enlarged EU,
EURATEX elaborated the European Technology
Platform for the Future of Textiles and Clothing, a
strategic document which sets the directions for this
domain development until 2020. With a total of
approx. 110,000 companies in the EU, of which 95%
are SMEs, textile industry covers a fascinating
industrial landscape, creating a multitude of industrial
products for different customers, using many processes
and related technologies, which are highly specialized
and applying advanced knowledge.
Aspects regarding the evolution directions of the
European textile industry
The Technology Platform has defined a
common approach based on three major industrial
trends on the long term, to shape the structure,
activities and overall competitive position of the
European textile and clothing industry in the future
years:
• the transfer from fiber, filament and fabric
goods to special products made by high-tech
flexible processes;
• the establishment and development of textiles
as a material chosen by many industrial sectors
and new application domains;
• the end of mass production era of textiles and
moving to a new era of products made in
accordance with customer requirements and
customized, of intelligent concepts in terms of
production, logistics, distribution and services.
As the European textile and clothing industry
changes, the necessary qualification and skills of
employees must also evolve. Industrial reality is
characterized by:
• fast transactions on international markets
effected by actants on niche markets at global
level;
• accelerated cycles of innovation and
product/design research/development;
• high-performance production facilities to
achieve an efficient and diversified range of
products;
• closer collaboration with suppliers and
consumers;
• utilization of a wider range of materials
(textiles and non-textiles)
• use of marketing ,various end markets and
distribution modalities.
For succeeding this transformation, the industry
needs first class human resource. Therefore, it must
ensure that workers have superior knowledge and that,
young professionals, well trained, found in textiles and
clothing attractive working conditions. Universities and
other centers of higher education and advanced
technological know-how shall train their graduates so
that they perfectly combine scientific and technologic
excellence with skills in industrial applications.
According to WTO Director General, Mr. Pascal
Lamy, “Europe has made strong efforts to make
innovation and professional training. Future of Europe
in the international division of labor is based on
quality, on value-added technology”.
Aspects regarding the textile-clothing industry from
Romania
The textile-clothing industry is a dynamic sector
within the national economy with a high level of
performance:
- it employs a significant workforce, mainly
women;
- it contributes to social stability, being
represented in all counties of Romania;
- it has an important share in the export of
national economy;
- it contributes with a positive balance to the
foreign trade balance of the country.
708 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
The garment industry has also an important place at
international level, placing Romania on the first
position in the hierarchy of clothing suppliers for the
EU market within the central and South-Eastern
European countries.
Main comparative advantages of the T&C industry
from Romania
 long tradition of economic branch as a
supplier of consumer goods to the population
and specific products on external markets;
 Performs a surplus of products that rely on
export;
 Skilled labor force, obtainable at competitive
prices:
 national network of important
professional training: 5 universities with
faculties of textile industry – garments
in Iasi, Sibiu, Arad, Oradea and recently
in Bucharest;
 many training centers of foremen
and technicians;
 5 research-development institutes
and societies;
 low costs for job creation;
 Production capacities that can be modernized
with a low investment effort and immediate
effect;
 The existence of a real competitive
environment due to the large number of
economic agents in the field;
 favorable geographical position to the main
sale and supply markets;
Aspects regarding the economic indicators obtained
in the textile-clothing industry in Romania in the
first half of 2009, as compared to the same period of
2008
Achievements of the first half of 2009
situated, except the production of yarns, fabrics and
socks, over the values achieved in the same period of
2008; thus, the production of knitwear has registered a
growth of approx. 40%, for textile garments an
increase of approx. 34%, and for leather and footwear
approx. 25%. Regarding the production of textile
fabrics, there is a slight reduction of approx. 5%; the
significant decrease was recorded in the manufacturing
of yarns (-20%). These issues highlight the fact that at
least in the first half of 2009, even in the difficult
conditions of economic and financial crisis, the light
industry enterprises from Romania have managed to
achieve positive indicators.
In terms of the evolution of export and import
in light industry, there is a reduction of approx. 18-
20% of export of products made by the Romanian
economic agents, in all the light industrial sub-sectors.
Imports recorded the same downward trend.
The evolution of the number of employees in
the light industry (textile-clothing and leather-
footwear) shows a reduction of this indicator in the
analyzed period, reaching on June 30, 2009 the level of
255,700 persons, with 20% less, as compared to June
30, 2008. This tendency was especially felt in the
textile industry, where the reduction was of about.
25%.
Under the difficult conditions presented, the
training of human resources is the major objective for
increasing the competitiveness of the sector.
T & C staff structure and skill demand in the EU
countries
At European level, concerns for promoting
knowledge and innovation and job creation are found
in the most strategic documents, starting with the
Lisbon strategy and continuing with the Community
Strategic Guidelines on Cohesion and the Bologna
Process. The European Employment Strategy and the
Integrated Directory Guidelines for the Development
and Employment 2005-2008 include measures to adapt
education and training systems as a response to new
demands on skills, expand and improve of investment
in human capital, being at the same time in accordance
with the third thematic priority as part of the National
Strategic Reference Framework 2007-2013, according
to which "the development and more efficient use of
human capital from Romania require the support of
education and training system for providing flexible
and better quality education and ensuring that
education provides knowledge and skills necessary for
a modern and growing economy”.
The distribution of T&C employees in the EU
shows that 61% are employed in the manufacturing
activity, 13% in administration and management, in
technology research and product development -about
10%, quality control-5%, 4% in marketing activity, the
remaining of 7 % being represented by other related
activities.
A recent study elaborated by EURATEX in
2008 shows that approx. 81.2% of European
companies in T&C carries out technologic research
activity; divided on sub-domains, the highest
percentage is recorded in the sub-domain of technical
textiles, followed by the textile processing, indoor
textiles and garments. EURATEX emphasizes that a
solution to save the European textile industry is
represented by the technical textiles, which by their
scientific and innovation potential may contribute to
the increasing of Europe's competitiveness on the
global market.
In terms of the distribution of employees
according to their level of training there is emphasized
the fact that 27.3% have general technical knowledge,
10.4% have general administration knowledge, 7.9%
are graduates of specialty higher education, 7 % are
management graduates, and only 0.7% have the
postgraduate training: doctoral, master, specialization
scholarships. As compared to the developing regions of
the European Union, the highest percentage is
recorded, according to EUROSTAT, in the countries of
Human Resources – The Most Valuable Scientific Potential in The Textile Research Activity 709

North-Western Europe -16%, followed by the South Post secondary 40,75 48,54 11,4 11,56
countries - 5% and Eastern countries -5.4%. schools, of which in
According to studies elaborated by the light industry 0,164 0,239 0,077 0,01
EURATEX, the number of people with specialized Foremen schools, of 4,534 6,319 1,172 1,339
higher education necessary for the European T & C which in the light
industry in future years is estimated at approx. 330,000 industry 0,054 0,136 0,029 -
employees, which demonstrates the urgent need to Students Graduates
increase the specialized activity and specialty Technical higher 178,2 188,6 24,75 23,94
professional training. education
In terms of the skills needed for the T & C Specialty higher 0,959 0,659 0,524 0,255
education
staff, these are considered most important: research Note: the students attended the day courses of the state
activity, entrepreneurial knowledge, IT skills, universities. The private universities have no specialties in the light
leadership, communication and foreign languages industry.
skills. Table 2
Foremen 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
schools / / / / / /
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Pupils 106 47 29 29 54 136
(persons)
Graduate 37 45 - 29 - -
s
(persons)
It is revealed that in 2008/2009 school year,
the number of pupils enrolled in specialized vocational
schools accounted for only 8.7% of the total students
who attend courses of this type; also the number of
those attending post-secondary specialized schools, as
well as those attending foremen schools represent only
Figure 1: Qualities required of graduates 2% of all the persons included in this type of
Comparative aspects regarding the structure of education. A comparative analysis of the percentage of
T&C personnel in Romania graduates / students enrolled, it is noted that the values
According to the Statistical Yearbook 2009, in are in all cases sub-unitary; in the 2008/2009 school
2008 the staff in the production activity represented year there were no graduates of schools for foremen in
87% of all the personnel in the textile industry, of the field. The lack of young personnel with technical
which approx. 68% having attended intermediate production training negatively affects the
education, and 32% higher education, the specialty competitiveness of the sector. In terms of the number
technical domain being predominant. The same of students enrolled in higher specialty education, the
indicators, reported for the manufacturing clothing situation is not much different, so only 0.35% of
industry, registered in 2008 the level of 88.6% students from technical higher education faculties
personnel in the manufacturing activity, of which 75% attend the faculties in the filed; in 2008/2009 academic
having intermediate education and 25% with higher year, only approx. one third of the enrolled students
education, the specialized technical training have graduated.
representing only about 50%. It is thus revealed that These statistics data highlight the urgent need
both textile and clothing industry have a lack of to develop training tools and human resource from the
personnel with higher education and specialized post- textile and clothing domain in order to develop
university studies (PhD, candidates for a doctor’s practical skills for increasing the access to modern
degree, MA). An alarming situation at national level is education and training.
observed from the comparative analysis of the number Government policies to support human resource
of graduates in comparison to the number of pupils / development
students from specialized pre-university/university According to the National Strategy, in the
education (Table 1) post-accession period, the aim of RDI policies is
Table 1 mainly the human capital and material basis
Type of education Pupils Graduates development in order to achieve the critical mass and
(thousand (thousand pers) the necessary facilities able to provide an increased
pers.) contribution of the domain to economic
2007/ 2008/ 2007/ 2008/ competitiveness increasing, and to its connection to the
2008 2009 2008 2009 European research area. Generally, the Romanian
Industrial schools, of 211, 3 181,0 130,8 110,6
research system is under reformation and
which in
the light industry 21,08 15,75 14,42 10,89 reconstruction of the capacities for research, being able
to understand the human, material and especially
institutional capabilities.
710 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

The increasing of the efficiency and research activity, in postdoctoral activity, the
effectiveness of research-development is inextricably adaptation, orientation and correlation of the
linked by the ensuring of a high qualification and curriculum content with the requirements of the
professional probity personnel. To achieve this goal, economic environment, considering the major
The National Agency for Scientific Research problems of the society: sustainable development,
constantly seeks for the growth of human resource quality assurance, sectorial, rural, regional
quality and quantity from the RD system. As a result of development
policies promoted in this purpose, the following The performance indicators of the research
indicators were obtained: activity from the textile-clothing industry demonstrate
- 4.89 research personnel/1,000 employees, as the efforts and actions taken to strengthen the sector's
compared to an average of approx. 13.80 at the position on the Romanian and European research
EU -27 level (2006); market:
- 3.52 researchers/1,000 employees (2007), as - there was a total of 50 RD projects in the period
compared to an average of approx. 5.6 at the EU- 2006-2008 as part of the National R&D Plan and over
27 level (2006), 10.7 in Japan and 9.3, 30 in the European research programs: FP6, FP7,
respectively in the U.S.A. Leonardo da Vinci, Bilateral Cooperation, COST
At the end of 2008, it was revealed a majority share of Action etc.
about 44% of researchers in technical sciences and - a total of over 70 patent applications were recorded;
engineering (in the textile-clothing and leather- - there were achieved remarkable results at
footwear industry, the number of researchers was 100), international Exhibitions of Inventions: 2 OMPI
which is a favorable prerequisite for sustaining the awards, 17 gold medals, 20 silver medals, special
process for a faster introduction of advanced awards;
technologies in the economic sectors. - there were organized over 50 scientific and
The participation in European research exhibition meetings: conferences, symposia, profile
projects within FP7 is an extremely important objective fairs, with the participation of the economic agents in
for the textile research activity in Romania and EU. the sector, business environment, research
Approx. 83.7% of the European companies in the field environment, professional, government associations;
participate in research projects consortia financed from - there are highlighted specialty publications with
European funds. For Romania, this indicator is at a tradition: Industria Textila magazine- CERTEX
lower level (10%), requiring further actions to Publishing House, ISI Thomson rated since 2007.
stimulate the participation of the Romanian companies
in the research activity, carried out at national and Conclusion
European level. The European textile and clothing industry has a long
The evaluation indicators of the RDI systems tradition as regards the management in innovation,
of Romania, according to the National Plan, obtained fashion and creativity and continues to represent one of
during 2007/2008 are listed in the table below: the main industrial sectors of the European economy.
Table 3
In 2009, as a result of the financial and economic crisis
Crt. Indicator MU 2007- effects, the textile industry from EU and Romania
No. 2008 registered negative indicators in the majority of sub-
1 Scientific papers published number/year 2065 domains, which requires action directions able to lead
in ISI-WoSci rated to the overcoming of the economic crisis effects.
magazines The strengthening of efforts for human
2 Romanian magazines number 54 resource training represents one of the priority
which are ISI rated objectives. In this sense, the government policies
3 National patents submitted number 54 which support human resource development aim at the
4 International patents number 6 development of human capital and material basis for
submitted
research, in order to achieve the critical mass and
5 Number of transferable number/year 307
products
necessary facilities able to ensure an improved
6 Participation in thousand 159 contribution to the increasing of the economic
international RD projects Euro competitiveness.
7 Number of doctors in number 399 INCDTP contributes by the activity it carries
sciences out to the human capital development from the RDI
8 Number of SMEs which number 642 system and economic environment in the field, being a
successfully accessed dynamic actor at the national and European level.
funds by the National Plan References
9 Number of scientific parks number 4 18. The Ministry of Education, Research and Innovation,, The
National Agency for Scientific Research, (2009), “Governmental
INCDTP involves in projects which have themes policies for RDI in Romania”, year IV, no.1 Bucharest., pages 18, 20
19. Walter, L., Chen, H. (2008), “Industry Survey on Higher
focused on the development of institutional, Education”, Seminar on Higher Textile Education, Brussels
organizational framework which shall ensure the 20. Statistic Yearbook 2009
increasing of the involvement of T&C specialists in the
 A SOCIOCULTURAL-HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE ON ENTREPRENEURIAL
LEARNING: THE CASE OF A NOVICE ENTREPRENEUR
Michael WILKINSON1
1
Kellogg College, University of Oxford, UK, cyril.wilkinson@kellogg.ox.ac.uk
1.INTRODUCTION
On 25 May 2004, Erkki Liikanen (then the
Member of the European Commission responsible for
Enterprise and the Information Society) speaking at an
extraordinary meeting with the Employers’ Group of
the European Economic and Social Committee held in
Brussels said: “As you know, entrepreneurship and
small businesses are – particularly for the European
economy – a key source of jobs, business dynamism
and innovation. Some 25 million SMEs in Europe
provide more than two-thirds of total jobs in the private
sector. This means SMEs employ more than 100
million people. Our most dynamic SMEs account for
around 80% of new jobs created … building a culture
of entrepreneurship cannot be achieved overnight.
Our recent and forthcoming initiatives signify the start
of an invigorated programme of work for
entrepreneurship and competitiveness.” (Enterprise
Connections, 2004). Liikanen’s statement was made in
the context of the European Charter for Small
Enterprises. This initiative emerged from the
European Council Meeting held in Lisbon in 2000,
which declared entrepreneurship to be a crucial
element in achieving Europe’s desire to become, within
a decade, the most competitive and dynamic
knowledge-based economy in the world.
The Charter was approved by EU leaders at
the Feira European Council on 19-20 June 2000. In its
first key line of action, the Charter enjoins Member
States and the Commission to support education and
training for entrepreneurship (Commission of the
European Communities, 2000). This aspiration has
been given detailed expression first in a Green Paper
“Entrepreneurship in Europe” (Commission of the
European Communities, 2003), with its associated
programme of wide consultation, and second in an
Action Plan issued by the Commission on 11 February
2004 (COM [2004] 70 final).
Each year, since 2006 under the Lisbon
Reporting regime, a Statement of Good Practice among
member states has been published. Two of the five
strategic policy areas addressed in the Action Plan
concern entrepreneurial entry and the education and
training of entrepreneurs.“Fuelling entrepreneurial
mindsets” envisages ensuring “high quality
entrepreneurship education for pupils throughout the
EU” (COM [2004] 70 final p8). It proposes to
benchmark student enterprises, presenting case studies
and evaluations of good practice. Further, it intends
“to insure that all pupils leaving the educational system
have had access to entrepreneurship courses” and that
entrepreneurship is integrated into all school curricula.
The Commission will use its experience in these
respects to determine future educational objectives and
to target support. Proposed actions were refined further
in Commission Communication “Fostering
Entrepreneurial Mindsets through Education and
Training” (COM (2006) 33 final).
2. THE KEY PROBLEM
How well European Union states are rising to
the educational and training challenges of the Charter
may be judged by referring to Good Practice reports
published by the Commission. While this research
does not aim to thoroughly evaluate these reports they
are thought to provide some indication of progress at
least in the view of the Commission. Taking as an
example, the 2008 Good Practice report described ten
initiatives, it is said, worthy of particular note. Two
offer formal training in creating business plans and
another promotes University start-ups. One combines
the training of teachers in entrepreneurship with
presentations to students and the award of “start-up
scholarships”. Two offer young enterprise
programmes. Four offer formal courses in school-to-
work transition. If these projects are typical they
highlight an emergent problem. The main intention of
this part of the Charter is to secure a wider circulation
of entrepreneurial knowledge to develop entrepreneurs,
that is, to promote their entrepreneurial learning.
In specifying the form an entrepreneurial
learning curriculum might take, the Commission insists
that: “national and regional authorities can arrange
awareness campaigns, offer training material, organize
training modules for teachers and, together with
business organizations, involve entrepreneurs in
teaching programmes.” (COM [2004] 70 final p8).
Precisely what these learning materials might
be, these campaigns and modules contain, and
practicing entrepreneurs contribute, is only gradually
becoming apparent. In summary, from Good Practice
reports it seems that most of the formal learning
interventions offered concern the learning of business
skills. Important for anyone contemplating a business
career, these skills are not, of course, uniquely
entrepreneurial in character. Much of the informal
learning centers on the supposed reflective practice that
occurs when people watch others and copy what they
do or when they themselves have a simulated
experience. Again, it is far from clear what the
entrepreneurial content of these watch-and-learn and
simulation strategies might be. Over the last two
decades the focus of entrepreneurship inquiry has
moved away from specifying the characteristics, traits
and functions of the archetypal entrepreneur to a more
fruitful consideration of the entrepreneurial process
(Bygrave & Hofer, 1991; Outcalt, 2000; Shane &
Venkataraman, 2000; Jackson et al, 2001). At the
712 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
centre of this process is learning. This is where the
key problem for the European Commission’s venture
in entrepreneurial education and training arises. We
simply do not know why and how entrepreneurs learn.
What is more, entrepreneurship research stands apart
from contemporary learning theory with the
consequence that an answer to these crucial questions
seems unlikely any time soon.
3.RELEVANT LEARNING THEORY
The literature of learning is replete with a vast
array of theories purporting to explain and predict
learning behavior (see, for example, Kearsley, 2009).
While indicative of the centuries-old struggle to
understand the nature of learning, such lists do not help
the researcher to locate entrepreneurial learning in a
distinctive tradition. Indeed, this theoretical
abundance and its attendant overlaps, repetitions and
contradictions present major challenges for the
researcher.
A promising attempt at synthesis is afforded
by Greeno & Moore (1993) and by Greeno et al
(1996). These authors identify two hitherto
dominating approaches to the study of learning: the
behaviourist/ empiricist approach and the
cognitive/rationalist approach. For different reasons,
they find both turns seriously wanting. It is noted that
behaviourists traditionally rely on the principal that all
we can know of human processes, including learning
processes, is what we can deduce from observing
human actions. A key problem with this view is that
human behaviours may, or may not, reflect intentions
and it ignores human abilities to talk back, change
mind and lie. What we see people do is not necessarily
an indicator of the mental processes they have
followed. Cognitivists, in contrast, hold that we can
only understand the intentions leading to human
actions by studying what happens for the human being
mentally. This focus on internal mental processes
suffers, for the present, from our limited understanding
about how biological causes might lead to
psychological effects. This may not be an irredeemable
flaw since, at least theoretically, it may yet be possible
to understand how the biological functions of the
human brain produce psychological consequences.
However, even if this can be achieved, the cognitivist
approach will still tend to maintain the false Cartesian
dichotomy that is the separation of mind and body
considerations.
Grenno & Moore (1993) and Greeno et al
(1996) think that the situative perspective can come to
provide a synthesis of behaviourist and cognitivist
analyses. While the former perspective studies
processes of activity though ignoring their content, and
the latter studies the content of activities tending to
neglect processes that transform contents, other than
those of individual agents, a situated view can supply
missing evidence thereby linking the two in a unified
and extended framework. This insight is important for
learning theory generally. It means that hitherto
intractable problems confronting attempts to reconcile
behaviourist and cognitive perspectives may be abated.
Interestingly, some eighty five years ago Vygotsky was
similarly motivated (see Vygotsky, 1998). Disquieted
in his own day by the fragmented state of psychology,
he developed a sociocultural-historical theory of
human mental functioning that synthesised and
augmented existing descriptions. In doing so he was,
for example, able to reconcile phylogenetic evidence
within an ontogenetic modelling – an achievement
which overcame narrowly conceived behavioural and
cognitivist preoccupations of the time (Wertsch, 1985).
In brief, Vygotsky’s view was that learning
processes are socioculturally and historically mediated
through a range of psychological tools, including other
human beings, and that our learning predicament is a
transitional process towards fulfilling our potentials.
It is a process producing outcomes as actions
observable by behaviourists while simultaneously
allowing human beings to master their own natural
psychological functions of perception, memory and
attention (Kozulin, 1999; Kozulin, Gindis, Ageyev &
Miller, 2003). It is not possible to do further justice to
Vygotskian and post-Vygotskian learning theory in
such a short paper as this. Stetsenko & Arievitch
(2004), for example, provide, inter alia, a useful
summary of Vygotsky’s work as this has developed
into its emergent form as Cultural-historical Activity
Theory (CHAT). At the heart of CHAT is ‘the
dialectical unity of intersubjective and intrasubjective
processes as being rooted in material processes of
production and as playing an indispensible practical
role in collective social life and human development’
(Stetsenko & Arievitch, 2004, p 498).
4. RESEARCH DESIGN & METHODOLOGY
The paper reports briefly the outline of an
inquiry into how and why people choose to act
entrepreneurially and why and how they learn to be
entrepreneurial. The wider project of which this is
only a small part seeks to answer these questions with
respect to novice entrepreneurs, those who have
already achieved some entrepreneurial success and
those who are publically recognized as virtuosi
(experts)9. By way of illustration, the critical case of
one novice, Steven, is reported here. The research
design employed is that of a restricted ethnography by
case study over a nine month period (April – December
2004) capturing a corpus of understanding about a
novice’s entrepreneurial learning consisting of four
data sets of written, spoken, observed and reflexive
texts. Qualitative analyses proceeded according to the
standards specified, inter alia, by Brown & McIntyre
(1993, pp 51-53). These constitute evidential
narratives of the values and power relationships at play
9
Following Flyvbjerg (2000, p 171, note 11), Bourdieu’s term “virtuoso” is
preferred to the Dreyfus & Dreyfus term “expert” since the latter is redolent of
an analytic-rational decision making characteristic of low-level, rule-based
stages of learning. (Bourdieu, 1977; Dreyfus & Dreyfus, 1986). Bourdieu’s
use of “virtuoso”, in contrast, goes far beyond such constraints, and processes
of attainment are far different.
A Sociocultural-Historical Perspective on Entrepreneurial Learning: The Case of A Novice Entrepreneur
in a novice’s learning to act entrepreneurially. Steven
was chosen as a subject for research because of his
novice status and because he suffers from dyslexia: a
condition that might be thought to limit his learning
capabilities. In these terms he appears to represent a
critical case. While other narratives of entrepreneurial
learning have been offered, (e.g. Rae, 2005; Rae &
Carswell, 2000, 2001; Cope & Watts, 2000; Cope,
2003(a) & (b), 2005) this research is important as the
first phronetic10 study of the phenomenon.
Consequently it is the first attempt, outside the limits of
“normal” epistemic science (as the term is used by
Kuhn, 1996, p 10) to focus on the ethics of the
entrepreneurial learning situation. It is claimed that
such an approach affords insights into entrepreneurial
learning hitherto unrevealed by, and probably
incapable of disclosure through, epistemic or technical
inquiries. Such is the power of the particular, a
phronetic social science demands and produces, that
significant fresh knowledge is provided of value for
practitioner development, pedagogic interventions and
policy making at the micro and macro levels11.
5. KEY RESULTS & ANALYSIS
The qualitative methodology employed in this
research necessitates the disclosure and critical analysis
of texts. Inevitably, the page length limit imposed by
Seminar organizers does not permit an adequate
reporting of the results and analysis phase of the
research12. In place of the usual disclosure of results
and analyses I have, therefore, been obliged to restrict
myself to the principal findings of the inquiry.
At the time of data collection Steven, a 22
year old Englishman, was operating a series of internet
based business ventures called DWOT Enterprises.
His biography reveals a young life beset from the start
by physical danger, and by learning incapacities partly
traceable to the dislocating effects of prolonged
hospitalization (to correct congenital heart problems)
and partly, perhaps, from the late diagnosis and
treatment of dyslexia. Ameliorated in some respects
by his membership of a caring family with close
parental and sibling ties, and by good friends, these
critical features continue to dominate much of Steven’s
thinking and behaviour. On first acquaintance Steven
presents as a focused and strongly committed person,
forthright but rather opinionated with a touch of
arrogance. He rejects formal teaching, and many
teachers because of, as he sees it, a lifetime of bad
educational experiences. Yet, and despite the fits and
10
A phronetic social science derives from Aristotle’s intellectual virtues
(Aristotle, 1953/2004), where, in contradistinction to the virtues of epistemé
and techné, a science is practiced which is ‘deliberative about values with
reference to praxis. It is ‘pragmatic, variable, context-dependent and
orientated towards action’. It is also ‘based on practical value-rationality’
(Flyvbjerg, 2001, p 57). A phronetic social science also focuses on the
particular of which a critical case study is an exemplar.
11
Such policy decisions are made both at the macro-level of economic
management and at the micro-level of the firm. In this research, unless
otherwise stated, references to policy making and policy makers refer to
decision taking at the macro-levels of local, national and international interest.
12
This is not a casual observation, nor is it a plea to allow an unnecessarily
prolonged discussion. It goes to the heart of what a qualitative methodology is
about and makes adequate reporting impossible.
713
starts of his schooling, he has achieved creditable
results in formal assessments and now holds a post-
graduate qualification relevant to his chosen calling.
How does Steven learn to act as an entrepreneur and
where is his learning going?
Steven’s learning appears to be situated in the
context of his daily experiences strongly mediated by
his personal inheritances and current practice: “I think
its important to learn from the past … got to learn the
past to see the future … I look at friends and think I
knew you two years ago and now you are here, what
happened [in those intervening years] there must have
been a mode, a direction you chose …for me I’ve
always looked at my past, its motivation, of where you
want to go … some say it’s a negative I say it’s a
positive even if you’ve got a negative experience in
your life you got to make it a positive… I think you’ve
got to understand what went wrong to turn it around to
make it work next time. It might be some thing small
that’s happened it might be that little small thing that
will trigger something in the future … [does the future
repeat the past] yeh, I suppose so yer got ter it might be
something relevant, something he said and you might
say if I go that route again I’d be screwed and what
might I have done looking back then I don’t do that
again I go this way and change my mistake”.
Steven’s learning is strongly informed
by instrumental concerns:“it’s getting people to say
how they will do it, it needs to be practical, the
practical will aid them to be entrepreneurial…”…
classroom learning isn’t that important”.
Steven’s learning strategy is often by trial and
error. . “Learning by trial … you learn by trial and
error … why did I make a mistake … [I analyse]”
“…. I learn by error but if I look at it [differently] I can
avoid that error…”.
6. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
For Steven, this research identifies three main
learning characteristics. His learning is situational, it is
instrumental and it proceeds through trial and error.
Steven learns environmentally, that is he
draws information/ knowledge from his physical,
social and psychological contexts. These information
flows are located across wide dimensions of space
time. He not only relies on information/ knowledge
from the now of his current predicament but also from
his inheritances personally (his own ancestors) and
culturally (socially received and transmitted
knowledge). This is not to suggest that the flow of
information is one way. On the contrary, learning
environmentally is accompanied by internalizations
that, when Steven acts upon these understandings,
themselves produce environmental changes. Stetsenko
& Arievitch (2004) capture the essential Vygotskian
point in this observation. They say ‘by explicating the
principal ontological unity of inter-individual and intra-
individual processes as being mutually dependent poles
on the continuum of purposeful transformative practice
and as both having a specific place and role within this
practice…’ we can perhaps avoid the false Cartesian
714 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010
dichotomies that have hitherto permeated our
understanding of learning processes. Though not a new
view, we have here the possibility of completing the
Hegelian cycle from the thesis of behaviourism and the
antithesis of cognitivism to the synthesis of a
sociocultural-historical learning practice.
Steven’s instrumental learning seems
consistent with his individuality, his entrepreneurial
self. He has learned to value particularly those things
that supply the means to achieving something else.
We can explain this practice in Vygotskian terms by
recognizing that Steven values the meditational artifact
because of its potential for directly linking him, the
subject, to the objective outcome he seeks. Indeed, he
may value the mediating artifact higher than the object
because, as an entrepreneur he sees it as the means to
recombinations that can produce new outcomes. For
the entrepreneur getting the result and quickly moving
on to the next opportunity to recombine demands
placing a higher value on the means to do so.
A great deal could be written about Steven’s
tendency to learn by trial and error. Though widely
practiced by entrepreneurs, acting by trial and error is a
chance thing from which we can merely learn the
randomness of outcomes.
The importance of this work stems from our
current ignorance about the process allied with our
preparedness to spend considerable sums on learning
interventions for which we have no satisfactory basis
for believing that they can succeed. This case, together
with others reported in the wider research, provides
valuable evidence of why and how entrepreneurs
learn at different stages in their development. It is the
first time a sociocultural - historical interpretation of
entrepreneurial learning has been offered.
At present entrepreneurs proceed like those
mechanically gifted steam locomotive engineers of the
nineteenth century. Without any adequate theory about
heat cycles, still less scientifically gathered data, they
forged ahead by trial and error to produce a viable
engine. Now that we understand heat cycles
theoretically and empirically we can produce far better
engines. Once we understand entrepreneurial learning
theoretically and empirically how much better our
practice will be.
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26. Shane S & Venkataraman S (2000) “The Promise of
Entrepreneurship as a Field of Research”, The Academy of
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27. Stetsenko, A & Arievitch, IM (2004) “The Self in
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Index 715

Index
Butilcă D., 147
Buzdugan M.-I., 531
A
Abrudan M.-M., 167 C
Agoston S., 3
Aivaz K., 439 Calcan G., 63
Akkasoglu G., 375 Candea D., 339
Albu A., 7 Candea R. M., 339
Albu C., 489 Capatina A., 235
Albu D., 7 Caraiane A., 11
Albu E., 331 Cătană E. L., 67
Albulescu C., 699 Cepturean E., 627
Amariei C., 11 Ceptureanu E., 627
Anagnoste S., 3 Chiorean L., 487
Anastasiu A., 15 Chirugu M., 351, 501
Anastasiu L., 15, 413, 543 Cicea C., 471
Andronic B. C., 363 Cicortas A., 397
Antonoaie D.-C., 515 Ciobanu R. M., 71
Antonoaie N., 515 Ciobotaru D., 371
Ariton D., 381 Ciora C., 687
Ariton V., 381 Ciplea S., 15
Arsenie P., 423 Ciuhureanu A., 535
Ateșoae R., 643 Cobzaru A., 509
Avasilcăi S., 19, 23, 47, 483, 575, 579 Coconu N. C., 271
Comaniciu C., 551
Condurache G., 71, 483
B Constantinescu D., 75
Bacali L., 23 Constantinescu R., 75
Bacali L., 19, 47 Conţiu L. C., 691, 695
Bacanu B., 27 Corăbieru A., 539
Baciu C., 31 Corăbieru P., 539
Badea V., 11 Corodeanu Agheorghiesei D. T., 231
Badileanu M., 687 Corodeanu Agheorghiesei D-T., 79
Baias F., 405 Costescu I. A., 83, 87
Balan C., 443 Costin M., 543
Baltes N., 535 Cotoi E., 67
Barsan E., 423 Covrig M., 123
Baruch Y., 55, 393 Cozminca I., 159
Batrinca G., 35 Crețu I., 91
Băleanu V., 39 Cristache N., 95, 183
Beju L. D., 655 Cristache S. E., 151
Beju L. D., 389 Crişan A., 401
Belu M. G., 651 Crişan E., 147
Benta D., 675 Crişan L., 401
Berariu C., 475 Curaj A., 99
Bertea A., 43 Curtu I., 103, 405
Bertea A-P., 43
Boarescu G., 519 D
Bocănete O. I., 135
Bodea A., 19, 23, 47 Dadarlat A. M., 107
Boier R., 385 Dadarlat D. A., 107
Bondrea I., 523 Damian R. M., 111
Bordean I., 367 Dan M. A., 135
Borza S., 523 Danalache F., 659
Borzea A., 431 Daraban C., 591
Botezat A., 443 De Almeida N. N., 291
Brindasu P. D., 389, 655 Dimofte I., 547
Bucur A., 251 Dobre E., 551
Bucuroiu R., 279 Dobre M. M., 551
Bugaian L., 51, 527 Dobrin C., 471
Bui H. T. M., 55, 393 Dobriţă A., 279
Bunea-Bontas C. A., 59 Dogaru T., 555
Burdușel E. N., 251 Domşa J., 409, 413
716 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

Draghici A., 435, 559 Ionescu G., 459

Dragomir G., 363 Ionescu N., 427
Dragomir G. M., 359 Ionescu S., 191
Dragomir S., 363 Ionică A. C., 39
Dragormir G., 367 Iordan V., 397
Dumitrascu D., 667 Ipate D. M., 263, 267
Dumitraşcu D. D., 611, 615 Irimie S., 39
Dumitrescu C. I., 215, 219 Irimie S. I., 39
Dumitriu C., 563 Ispas D., 103
Dumitriu D., 295 Istudor N., 151
Dumitriu G., 563 Iucu O., 283
Dupta P. E., 455 Iucu R., 431
Duta M. 2, 11 Ivanov C., 575, 579
Ivanovici M., 347, 493
Izvercianu M., 435
F
Farcaş R., 119 J
Fekete A., 147
Fleaca E., 303 Jaba E., 443, 479
Fleaca E., 295 Juganaru I. D., 439
Floroiu M., 103 Juganaru M., 439
Floroiu M., 405 Jumanca R., 83, 87
Jupăneant C., 371
G
K
Gabor M. R., 691, 695
Gagea M., 139, 143 Kardos M., 583
Gavrilas G., 415 Kleinhempel S., 671, 675
Gavrilas M., 415 Korka M., 155
Gavris O., 543
Gavriş O., 15
Georgescu M.-A., 567
L
Georgescu M-A., 131 Langa C. A., 651
Ghenţa M., 31 Langǎ C. A., 631
Gheorghe C. M., 123 Luca A., 587
Gheorghiu R., 99 Luca G. P., 159, 163
Gherheş V., 275 Lukacs E., 167
Ghiaţău R. M., 179, 451 Lupu E., 171
Ghituleasa C., 707 Lupu L. M., 447
Giurma I., 115
Glukhanyuk A. A., 571
Glukhanyuk N. S., 571 M
Gogonea R., 151 Maftei M., 489
Gorea B. C., 419 Marcu L., 535
Gorea M., 419 Marian L., 119
Grecu E., 127 Marin D., 479
Greculescu A., 359 Marinaş C., 175
Marinaş L., 175
H Marinescu R., 227
Matveev A. V., 195
Haiduc C., 679 Mâţă L., 179
Hanganu C. S., 207, 211 Mâţă L., 451
Hanzu-Pazara R., 423 Messnarz R., 559
Hălbac Cotoară Zamfir R., 83, 87 Micu A., 95, 183
Herman E., 131, 567 Micu A. E., 183
Holban (Oncioiu) I., 135 Micu D., 591
Holeab C., 99 Mihai C. V., 151
Hopîrtean S., 15 Mihartescu A. A., 223, 455
Huţu C. A., 575, 579 Milcu M., 595, 599
Miles M., 603, 607
I Militaru E., 343
Militaru E., 187
Iacobuţă A., 139, 143 Militaru G., 191
Ienci C., 83, 87 Miloș T., 371
Ifrim L., 591, 659 Milter R. G., 195
Ilieş L., 147 Mirian C., 111
Index 717

Miricescu D., 611, 615 Păunescu C., 311

Miroiu A., 199 Păunescu C., 639
Mironov C., 431 Păunescu M., 259
Mocan M., 619, 623, 683 Pelau C., 647
Mocanu N., 135 Persideanu V., 271
Modiga G., 367 Petcu D., 275
Moga A., 15 Petre M. C., 59
Moica S., 119 Petrescu M. G., 279
Moise A. V., 295 Pitulac T., 643
Moldovan-Batrinac V., 51 Pizzolato N. D., 291
Moraru A., 439 Platis M., 283, 287, 493
Moraru G. M., 611, 615 Podean M., 671
Moraru L. C., 215 Pop N. Al., 647
Moraru L. C., 219 Popa C., 631
Munteanu D., 371 Popa I., 471, 651
Munteanu M. S., 203 Popescu C., 35, 123
Munteanu R., 531 Popescu L. G., 655
Munteanu R. A., 203, 401, 531 Popescu S. F., 187, 343
Munteanu V., 467 Prisecariu B., 591
Murariu A. M., 207, 211 Prisecaru B., 75
Prisecaru B., 659
Pugna A., 619, 623, 683
N Puha E., 419
Neagu A. M., 493 Puia R., 175
Neagu A.-M., 347 Puia R., 3
Neculaesei A. N., 703 Purcarea A., 299
Negoita O. I., 303 Purcarea A. A., 271, 295, 303, 591
Negoita O. I., 295 Purcarea I., 299
Negru Străuți G., 619, 623, 683 Purcărea I., 639
Negrut M. L., 223, 455, 459
Neidoni N., 531 R
Nicolae M., 227
Nicolescu O., 627 Raileanu A. B., 381
Nistor C., 183 Ranf D. E., 663
Niţă V., 231 Ratiu R., 475
Niţă V., 79 Răşcanu V., 271
Nuca C., 11 Rohan R., 307
Nuta A. C., 381 Roman M., 479
Nuta F. M., 381 Roşca I. Gh., 311
Rotaru, 667
Rusu B., 115, 483
O Rusu C., 71, 315, 483
Oarga V., 467 Rusu L., 671, 675
Obrad C., 275 Rusu T., 487
Olaru A., 235
Olaru M., 631 S
On A., 239
Oncioiu F. R., 135 Sabău C., 323
Onu C., 179 Sabău D.-V., 323
Onu C., 451 Sabău Pop I., 463
Onu C., 451 Sabău Pop O. A., 463
Oprea V., 243, 247 Savescu R., 667
Oprean C., 251 Sârbu O., 111
Oroian M., 255 Schlaak M., 327
Serban C. E., 687
Sferle S., 175
P Silvaş A., 331
Padure G., 367 Sima C., 687
Pantea C., 639 Simescu C. A., 107
Paraschiv D., 351 Simion C., 523
Paraschiv D. M., 651 Sindilă G., 307
Parise J. A. R., 291 Sirbu C. G., 381
Pastor I., 635 Skok M. M., 335
Paun A., 223 Sorescu G., 631
Pădure G., 363 Spircu L., 489
Pârvu I., 263, 267 Spircu T., 489
Stanciu M., 405
718 The 6th International Seminar Quality Management in Higher Education – QMHE2010

Stanciu M. D., 103 Turtureanu A. G., 363

Stefanescu R., 339
Steriu A. C., 271
Stet M., 679
Ţ
Stroe C., 343 Ţoţan L., 151
Stroe C., 187
Suciu C., 287
Suciu M. C, 493 U
Suciu M.-C., 347 Uncuţă Puşcaşu S., 123
Suciu S. F., 275
Suciu S. F., 559
Susanu I., 183 V
Susanu I. O., 95
Vaida M., 243, 247
Suteu D., 447
Vanu M. A., 251
Varsami A., 35
Ş Vartolomei M., 371
Vasile C. M., 687
Ştefan G., 151 Vatca G., 679
Ştefănescu D., 691, 695 Verzea I., 159, 163
Vintila I., 505
T Visan S., 299
Visileanu E., 707
Tamasila M., 699 Vişan A., 427
Tanţǎu A. D., 647 Voda A. Y., 135
Tatarusanu M., 703 Vodă M., 475
Taucean I. M., 699 Voicu Dorobantu R., 651
Tănase-Robescu D., 497
Teodoreanu I., 575, 579
Tiganoaia B., 303 W
Timofte G. M., 351, 501 Weckenmann A., 375
Timofti I. C., 563 Werner T., 375
Timu G., 509 Wilkinson M., 711
Tion M., 435, 559, 699
Tiron E., 355
Todorescu L.-L., 359 Z
Tomita Todarita E., 663
Zacharias D., 323
Tomuletiu E.-A., 255, 419
Zaharia B. R., 635
Totolici S., 167
Zaharia D. A., 635
Trif C., 19
Zait D., 539
Tudor C., 651
Zvâncă G., 509
Tureac C. E., 367
Tureac C. E., 363
Turtureanu A. G., 367