Between October 14th – 15th 2024, the University of Bucharest organizes, in collaboration with the European university alliances CIVIS and CIVICA and King’s College London, the conference themed Reflexivity in Higher Education: Liberation or Entrapment?.
The event will take place in the Ioan Mihăilescu Amphitheatre at the Rectorate of the University of Bucharest (90 Panduri Street), and attending the conference is possible in hybrid format, thus enabling an easier access and a larger involvement.
The conference is coordinated by professor Romiță Iucu, PhD, president of the UB Board of Trustees and teaching staff at the UB Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, professor Mihai Păunescu, PhD, vice-rector of the National School of Political and Administrative Studies in Bucharest, and professor Liviu Matei, PhD, teaching staff at King’s College London.
Moderated by professor Romiță Iucu, the event will include introductory speeches from:
Professor Marian Preda, PhD, Rector of the University of Bucharest;
Ligia Deca, Minister of Education of Romania;
Professor Liviu Matei, PhD, teaching staff at King’s College London, Director of the School of Education, Communication and Society;
Associate professor Sorin Costreie, coordinator of the CIVIS Alliance in UB;
Professor Bogdan Murgescu, PhD, UB vice-rector for Budgeting and Human Resources;
Professor Lucian Ciolan, PhD, UB vice-rector for Development Projects and Lifelong Learning;
Professor Mihai Păunescu, PhD, vice-rector of the National School of Political and Administrative Studies.
The event will continue with keynote presentations and discussion panels:
Keynote speakers
Professor Liviu Matei, teaching staff at King’s College London, Director of the School of Education, Communication and Society;
Emeritus professor Sir Peter Scott, teaching staff at University College London;
Professor François Heinderyckx, teaching staff at Université libre de Bruxelles, Rector’s Counselor for CIVIS;
Sjur Bergan, expert in education, Educational Department of the Council of Europe.
Discussion pannel
Marie Wittamer, executive director of CIVIS, Aix-Marseille Université;
Professor Mircea Dumitru, teaching staff of the UB Faculty of Philosophy, vice-president of the Romanian Academy and UB rector between 2011-2019;
Professor Sophia Papaioannou, vice-rector of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens;
Associate professor Constantin Vică, UB vice-rector for Internationalization and Public Relations;
Professor Mihai Păunescu, vice-rector of the National School of Political and Administrative Studies.
Round table
Emeritus professor Ioan Pânzaru, UB rector between 2005-2011;
Professor Leland Barrows, teaching staff at Voorhees University, SUA;
Professor Bogdan Murgescu, UB vice-rector for Budgeting and Human Resources;
PhD Anna Wilson, researcher at the University of Glasgow;
PhD Adrienn Nyircsák, researcher at Central European University (CEU) Vienna, Yehuda Elkana Fellow;
Professor Liviu Andreescu, teaching staff at the UB Faculty of Business and Administration;
Lecturer Viorel Proteasa, teaching staff at the West University of Timișoara, member of the UNITA Alliance.
A special section dedicated to the memory of professor Lazăr Vlăsceanu
The conference Reflexivity in Higher Education: Liberation or Entrapment? wishes to be a part of the series of events through which the UB community celebrates 160 years since the foundation of the University of Bucharest and 330 years of academic tradition in Bucharest.
An important moment of the event will be represented by a special session dedicated to the memory of professor Lazăr Vlăsceanu.
Educated in Great Britain, professor Lazăr Vlăsceanu was one of the most important Romanian sociologists of the last decades, a leader and pioneer of the European higher education. His contributions to the fields of higher education, including on the theme of reflexivity, are remarkable, and his works continue to inspire researchers and educators from around the world.
Thus, the conference will become an setting where the members of the academic community will have the chance to debate the role of reflexivity in higher education – the practice of self-evaluation and critical analysis centered on self in relation to the organization, administration and academic activities (including teaching and the learning process).
At the same time, the debate aims to study if reflexivity functions as a means for liberation, promoting innovation and evolution at individual and institutional scale, or as a possible trap which complicates decision-making processes, the implementation of public policies or activity in general.
The full program of the event is available here.
About the University of Bucharest
The University of Bucharest celebrated, this year, 160 years since its foundation through Decree no 765 from July 4th / 16th 1864 of Ruler Alexandru Ioan Cuza. Successor of the higher education structures inaugurated by the Princely Academy (1694), the University of Bucharest has decisively contributed to the development and modernization of Romanian education, science and culture.
Comprising 19 faculties, with 95 bachelor programs, 223 master’s programs, 23 doctoral schools on specific fields and an interdisciplinary doctoral school, over 50 centers and 9 research facilities, UB has established itself as an institution dedicated to achieving excellence in education and research, whose priority is preparing its students for life and professional activity.
Starting 2019, the University of Bucharest is part of the European Civic University CIVIS.
About CIVIS
CIVIS is a university alliance comprising 11 of the most reputed European universities: Aix-Marseille Université (France), National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (Greece), the University of Bucharest (Romania), Université Libre de Bruxelles (Belgium), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (Spain), Sapienza Università di Roma (Italy), University of Stockholm (Sweden), Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen (Germany), University of Glasgow (Great Britain), Paris Lodron University of Salzburg (Austria) and University of Lausanne (Switzerland). Selected by the European Commission as one of the first 17 pilot-universities, CIVIS reunites nearly half a million students and over 70.000 staff members, including 37.400 teaching staff and researchers.
About CIVICA
CIVICA – European University of Social Sciences reunites 10 prestigious higher education institutions: the National School of Political and Administrative Studies in Bucharest (Romania), Sciences Po (France), Bocconi University (Italy), Central European University (Austria), European University Institute (European intergovernmental organization), Hertie School (Germany), Stockholm School of Economics (Sweden), IE University (Spain), SGH – Warsaw School of Economics (Poland) and London School of Economics and Political Science (Great Britain).
About King’s College London
King’s College London is a university member of the Federation University of London in Great Britain. The University was founded by King George the IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829. King’s College has a solid academic reputation, being placed 4th in Great Britain in 2009, at the same time ranking 6th in Europe and 16 in the world in the ranking of higher education institutions.