Dear colleagues, professors, students, administrative staff and graduates of the University of Bucharest,
On December 20th, the same day I began my second mandate as Rector of the University of Bucharest, before preparing this message that is meant to express my warm thoughts for this year’s winter celebrations, I attended an emotional moment for our community: the 7th edition of the University of Bucharest Senate Awards. Some of the most deserving members of our community received distinctions, teaching staff or emeritus professors, researchers, students or even graduates who, today, although professionals in their chosen fields, have not forgotten the school and the professors who have contributed to their development. At the same time, in the last couple of evenings I have attended a few academic events at certain Faculties. I was very happy to notice, throughout the university, the free spirit, the joy of being together in an institution we are proud of, which unites us, inspires us, awards us, supports us when we need it, makes us feel safe, as should be in a true academic community.
I believe this is the most appropriate perspective to start from, whilst remembering 2023 and devising common plans for 2024: our academic culture which we strive to consolidate, which makes our university unique in the Romanian academic and social space, a culture consolidated also by the positive image of the latest election process that our colleagues from many other universities, as well as the large audience, have watched with envy and admiration.
This is the note in which we end the last year of the first mandate of the management team that I lead, and we are ready to continue modernizing and reforming the university with our second mandate, hoping we will bring these plans to a final act and consolidate them, as well as make them sustainable.
I thank you all for your support and for the trust you have granted us! Our common vision concerning democracy and an open society is the first signal that we, as an iconic university of Romania, have to offer society. The respect for merits, for performance, but also the empathy and support for those who are suffering are the values the society should see in us today, and you have shown that you are promoters of this culture through the daily activity that you undertake for the University of Bucharest.
On the brink of the New Year, please remember that our university is in a good situation, we finalize four years with budget surplus, a performance which not many public institutions in our country have achieved.
We have invested significantly in education or research spaces, as well as accommodation for students. We are currently developing major infrastructure projects unseen yet in the recent history of our university, and the total number of students, and particularly that of foreign students, are rising.
A 5-year mandate is starting for the central management team and for the faculties’ boards and departments, mandate which will be under the auspices of performance, consolidating academic democracy and the development of modernizing of the infrastructure.
By the end of May, we will devise together the new general strategy of the University for the next 5 years, and sectorial strategies. Starting from the general strategy and management plan of the new Deans, faculties will establish their own strategies by the end of September.
Starting next year, the Senate will appoint a commission to revise the University Charter. In addition, for consolidating internal democracy, I will propose that the new Charter include that not just the Rector, but also persons in other important positions – Dean and department director – will only be able to hold two mandates starting with this one, meaning no more than 10 years. This will be essential for ensuring long-term sustainability for our internal democracy.
Starting with January 1st, financing level for attending conferences financed by UB will rise by 200 euro – 1000 for Europe, 1200 for the Near-east and 1400 euro for the USA and other foreign regions.
Next year we will celebrate 160 years since the establishment of the University of Bucharest and 330 years since the founding of Saint Sabba Academy in 1694, 13 years prior to the establishment of the Academy in Iași. We will plan a calendar of events which I invite you to attend because we have an institutional history we should be proud of.
Let us build together, through all these events and projects, our common identity and our institution, the University, our enclave of tranquility, democracy and freedom from the sea of incertitude, authoritarianism and lack of competence of the public administration system in Romania.
I wish each one of you and all of us together, happy holidays and a New Year’s Eve, 2024, with accomplished projects and many joys, surrounded by your loved ones! HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Postări asemănătoare:
Message from the Rector of the University of Bucharest, Prof. Marian Preda, PhD, to the Academic Community
The Rector of the University of Bucharest, message of solidarity with colleagues in pre-university education
The message of Professor Marian Preda, Rector of the University of Bucharest, concerning the tragedy at Charles University in Prague
The Academic Community of the University of Bucharest Opened the Academic Year 2022-2023
