Brief timeline of the University
Academia Domnească de la Iaşi (The Princely Academy from Iaşi) was founded by the Moldavian prince Vasile Lupu. As a consequence of the social, economic, administrative and cultural revival of the Romanian Principalities in the 17th and 18th centuries, new academic skills were needed and thus education became considered “the most valuable and ethical of all the riches in the world”. Many colleges were founded in this period in order to provide society with educated people.
Prince Nicolae Mavrocordat, with the support of the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Hrisant Notara, reorganized The Princely Academy. It reached the standards of the other European Academies of the time. Romanian language gained importance over Greek.
The Princely Academy from Iaşi was renamed, becoming The Academy of Filology and Science.
The foundation of Academia Mihăileană (Mihail`s Academy) is considered a landmark in the history of Romanian higher education. It was created under the auspices of Prince Mihail Sturdza (hence its name), striving for progress and for “meeting the standards of the enlightened Europe”. Three faculties were established: the Faculty of Law, the Faculty of Philosophy and the Faculty of Theology. The curriculum was to a great extent similar to that of Austrian and German academies.
Unification of the Romanian Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia under Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza
1860 (26th October)
The inauguration of Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iaşi, the first Romanian university, represented the foundation stone of modern higher education in Romania.
1864 (5th December)
Under the Law of Education promulgated by Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza the university was reorganized into four faculties: the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters, the Faculty of Sciences, the Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Medicine (nowadays Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy).
Inauguration of the New University Palace in Copou, Iaşi – the current location of Alexandru Ioan Cuza University. It was designed by arhitect Louis Blanc and built between 1893 and 1897, being a combination of classic and baroque. King Carol I and his wife Elisabeta attended the inauguration ceremony.
Accomplishment of Romanian National Unification
The Faculty of Sciences became the Polytechnic School of Iaşi (nowadays, the Technical University of Iaşi)
The communist ideological reform of education. The new political regime in Romania, by its dogmatism and repression of initiative, brought sorrowful changes. Thus higher education was isolated and its traditional relations with important European university became hard to maintain.
Eight faculties: Mathematics – Mechanics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology – Geography, Law, Philology, History – Philosophy, Economics
The Romanian Revolution brought autonomy, decentralization and freedom of decision for the University. Romanian higher education was finally open to new perspectives. Alexandru Ioan Cuza University seized the opportunity to become again a European university. Rectors Gheorghe Popa and Dumitru Oprea initiated a complete reorganization at all levels: structure, curriculum, communication system and human resources. A new management policy and new regulations were implemented, observing the Romanian Constitution – the 1994 Law on Education, in order to attain University autonomy.
The Bologna system was implemented in all faculties. We can state that reform in Alexandru Ioan Cuza University was achieved and that hard work and the strive for reaching the best European standards of education paid off. However it would take some more time to reach all the initial bold goals of the University.
From 2005 onwards
Alexandru Ioan Cuza University is:
- a public state institution, the oldest modern classical multi-disciplinary university in Romania, widely recognized at both national and international level;
- a member of the Universitaria Consortium (the group of elite Romanian universities)
- first in the national research ranking based on Shanghai criteria (in 2005, 2006 and 2007)
- the first student-centred university in Romania:
- The ECTS system has been implemented for 9 years
- The 3-cycle system has been implemented at all levels beginning with the academic year 2005-2006
- The Diploma Supplement is available for all study cycles
- There are courses taught in foreign languages
The Romanian Ministry of Education and Research granted Alexandru Ioan Cuza University the Award for the scientific papers published in international publications.
Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iaşi celebrates 150 years since it was founded.