Professor Romiță Iucu, PhD, President of the Board of Trustees at the University of Bucharest, professor at the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, and corresponding member of the Romanian Academy, has been elected Secretary General of CIVIS – Europe’s Civic University Alliance.
The election took place on Friday, 12 June 2026, during the meeting of the CIVIS Board of Rectors. Professor Iucu was elected unanimously, receiving the support of all 11 European member universities of the Alliance. His mandate will run from October 2026 to September 2028.
His appointment to one of the central positions within the CIVIS governance system represents recognition of his experience and contribution to the development of the Alliance, while also reaffirming the active role played by the University of Bucharest in strengthening European university cooperation. Professor Iucu thus becomes only the second Secretary General of CIVIS since the position was established in 2024.
CIVIS: A Strong, Visible and Relevant Alliance for Europe
In the message delivered following his election, Professor Iucu emphasized the importance of maintaining CIVIS among the leading alliances within the European Universities Initiative, which currently comprises 65 alliances supported through Erasmus+ and eight additional alliances awarded the “Seal of Excellence”. In this context, CIVIS must continuously strengthen its position through visibility, impact, results, relevance and dialogue, ensuring that its contribution to the transformation of European higher education becomes increasingly clear and influential.
“The Alliance has already demonstrated its capacity for innovation. The next challenge is to become more integrated, more sustainable and more influential, without losing the human and civic spirit that has distinguished CIVIS from the very beginning. I will dedicate my mandate to supporting CIVIS in shaping its own future: as a respected and influential European voice, as a civic and co-creative alliance, as a force for the transformation of higher education, and as a responsible actor in the academic diplomacy of the future”, said Professor Romiță Iucu.
In his vision, the next stage of development should bring together four major dimensions: continuity in governance, deeper academic integration, the civic transformation of member universities, and the diplomatic positioning of CIVIS within the European and global higher education landscape.
A Strategic and Political Role in the Alliance’s Governance
The Secretary General plays a strategic and political role within CIVIS, supporting the work of the Board of Rectors, the Steering Committee and the Alliance’s other governance bodies. Key responsibilities include ensuring continuity and coherence across governance processes, supporting the preparation and implementation of decisions taken by the governing bodies, and facilitating effective communication between the various CIVIS structures. The Secretary General also contributes to coordinating the governance and day-to-day activities of CIVIS aisbl, the Alliance’s legal entity.
The position also carries an important external representation dimension. The Secretary General contributes to CIVIS’s strategic dialogue with European institutions, other European University Alliances, and organizations active in education, research and innovation, promoting the Alliance’s vision, strategy, activities and shared interests. By the nature of the role, the Secretary General ensures continuity during leadership transitions and helps preserve institutional memory, decision-making coherence and the balance between the priorities of the Alliance’s 11 European member universities and its six partner universities in Africa.
A Mandate Focused on the CIVIS 2035 Horizon
Professor Iucu’s election comes at a pivotal moment in the evolution of CIVIS, as the Alliance prepares for a new phase of development and the implementation of its long-term strategy towards 2035. This strategy aims to strengthen CIVIS as an effective and inclusive space for collaboration, as a driver of democracy, prosperity and well-being, and as a transformative force within its member universities.
The priorities of Professor Iucu’s mandate include strengthening trust and strategic coherence within the Alliance’s governance structures, deepening academic integration, expanding joint programmes and flexible learning pathways, consolidating the role of the CIVIS legal entity, and enhancing CIVIS’s contribution to European and global academic diplomacy.
A central objective will be to continue transforming CIVIS from a collection of innovative projects and initiatives into a deeply integrated European inter-university campus. Joint programmes, pathways aligned with the principles of the European Degree, micro-credentials, credit recognition, inclusive mobility, staff professional development and digital interoperability should become natural and integral components of cooperation among member universities.
At the same time, CIVIS will further strengthen its role as a civic alliance committed to defending academic freedom, democracy, university autonomy, open dialogue and trust in science. Cooperation with partner universities in Africa and the development of equitable academic partnerships with other regions of the world will also remain important dimensions of this vision.
Experience Built from Within CIVIS
Professor Romiță Iucu has been involved in the development of CIVIS since 2019, from the Alliance’s founding phase. He participated in its initial processes of institutional design, negotiation and academic planning, and subsequently held responsibilities across several CIVIS governance and coordination structures.
Over the years, he has served as a member of the Steering Committee, work package leader, Chair of the Educational Board, and coordinator of initiatives dedicated to the development of the Alliance’s joint educational offer. His work has included the design of joint programmes, the development of flexible curricular architectures, and contributions to policies on micro-credentials, academic mobility and the European Degree. Within the SMARTT project, Professor Iucu served as a lead expert, contributing to the testing of European Degree criteria and to the formulation of recommendations regarding joint programmes and their future development.
His experience within CIVIS is complemented by an extensive record in university governance and higher education policy. Professor Iucu served as Interim Rector of the University of Bucharest and as Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs for more than sixteen years. He currently serves as President of the University’s Strategic Orientation and Analysis Council.
At the European level, he coordinates the UNICA EduLAB group, serves on the Board of FOREU4ALL, and co-chairs the thematic group dedicated to the European Degree. He is also an Ambassador of the Magna Charta Observatory and a member of the European Higher Education Area working group on the future of the Bologna Process.
The Support of the University of Bucharest
Professor Iucu’s candidacy was formally nominated and supported by the University of Bucharest. In a letter addressed to the CIVIS Board of Rectors, the University’s Rector, Professor Marian Preda, PhD, highlighted Professor Iucu’s experience in academic governance, his in-depth understanding of European higher education policies, and his direct and sustained involvement in the development of CIVIS.
“Professor Romiță Iucu would bring to this position precisely the qualities that the next stage of CIVIS requires: diplomatic judgement, institutional memory, the ability to build trust among partners, a commitment to participatory governance, and a balanced understanding of the relationships between the Alliance’s various structures. His election would also strengthen CIVIS’s capacity to act as a respected voice in European debates on higher education”, stated Professor Marian Preda, PhD, Rector of the University of Bucharest.
The letter also expressed confidence that Professor Iucu would carry out his mandate with independence, representing CIVIS as a whole and demonstrating a clear commitment to the Alliance’s long-term mission. The unanimous vote of the 11 European member universities provides his mandate with strong institutional backing and reflects a shared confidence in his ability to contribute to the next phase of CIVIS’s integration, consolidation and international development.
About CIVIS
CIVIS – Europe’s Civic University Alliance is one of the first European University Alliances and brings together 11 comprehensive, research-intensive European universities, alongside six associated partner universities in Africa. CIVIS aims to build an integrated European inter-university campus, develop joint education and research programmes, expand mobility opportunities, and strengthen the civic role of universities. Through cooperation among its member institutions, local communities and international partners, the Alliance promotes academic freedom, democracy, European integration, participatory governance, diversity, equity, sustainability and civic engagement.
Postări asemănătoare:
Extended mandate within the EUA Learning & Teaching Steering Committee for professor Romiță Iucu, president of the Board of Trustees of UB
Professor Marian Preda was re-elected Rector of the University of Bucharest for the 2023 – 2028 mandate
Professor Marian Preda was re-elected Rector of the University of Bucharest for the 2023 – 2028 mandate
