The first workshop (March 7, 2005):
THE SITUATION OF YOUNG FACULTY
AND RESEARCHERS IN ROMANIA
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format)
Press
release (in Romanian, and in PDF format)
Workshop
The University Solidarity, together with the Ad-Astra Association,
and the Romanian Fulbright Alumni Association, organized on Monday,
March 7, 2005, a workshop entitled The situation of young faculty
and researchers in Romania. The theme of this workshop approached
the difficulties faced by young faculty members and researchers who
have chosen to work in Romania.
Participants
The workshop participants were members of the University Solidarity,
Ad-Astra Association and of the Romanian Fulbright Alumni Association,
researchers and faculty based in Romania, students, observers, and
media representatives.
The workshop was honored by the attendance of a series
of officials: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Daniel David, Education & Research
Minister's counselor, Prof. Dr. Ioan Dumitrache, Executive Director
of CNCSIS, Prof. Dr. Adrian Curaj, Deputy Director of CNCSIS, Dr.
Barbara Nelson, Executive Director of the Romanian Fulbright Commission,
Mr. Mark Tauber, Cultural Attache - the US Embassy in Bucharest. The
Romanian Academy was represented by Prof. Dr. Doc. Theodor Neagu,
Member of the Romanian Academy, and by Prof. Dr. Nicolae Anastasiu,
Corresponding Member of the Romanian Academy.
The press joined and honored the workshop, as well
as the American Fulbright grantees in Bucharest, the colleagues from
University of Bucharest, Polytechnics University of Bucharest, "Carol
Davila" Medical and Pharmacy University, Babes-Bolyai University
of Cluj Napoca, West University of Timisoara, private universities,
and research institutes such as the National Institute of Mathematics,
the National Institute for Space Sciences, and the "Grigore Antipa"
National Museum of Natural History.
Discussions
The subjects discussed included the difficulties faced by young faculty
and researchers in Romania: the low wages, the weak financing of scientific
research, the arbitrary assessment of scientific and educational results,
the informal hierarchies opposed to hierarchies based on value, the
situation of PhD theses, the status-quo of young faculty or researcher,
the age discrimination, the perspectives for future of talented young
scientists, and many other topics. Discussions were very intense and
valuable, triggerred by the short presentations which opened the workshop.
Discussions ended at 8.00pm.
Organizers
The organizing group was represented by Prof. Dr. Octavian Duliu (University
of Bucharest), Dr. Eng. Mircea Ignat (ICPE), and Lect. Dr. Eng. Mihai
E. Popa (University of Bucharest) - University Solidarity and the
Romanian Fulbright Alumni Association, Drd. Luminita Preoteasa (University
of Bucharest) - Ad-Astra and Drd. Alexandra Zbuchea (SNSPA) - the
Romanian Fulbright Alumni Association.
The meeting was moderated by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ion
Stanomir (University of Bucharest, Political Sciences Faculty). The
meeting was opened by Prof. Dr. Octavian Duliu (University of Bucharest,
Physics Faculty), member of the University Solidarity, Dr. Roxana
Bojariu (National Administration for Meteorology), member of the Ad-Astra
Association, and by Dr. Marin Marian Balasa (National Institute for
Ethnography and Folklore), member of the Romanian Fulbright Alumni
Association.
Short presentations were given by the following (the
texts are in Romanian language, and in PDF format):
1. Lect. Dr. Mihai E. Popa (University of Bucharest,
Faculty of Geology and Geophysics): The
situation of young faculty and researchers in Romania;
2. Lect. Dr. Virgil Iordache (University of Bucharest,
Faculty of Biology): Options for
dismantling the informal systems within the Romanian universities
and research environments;
3. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Cristina Vidulescu ("Carol
Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy): Renewing the
institutional and ethical values in universities and research environments
in Romania;
4. Lect. Dr. Carol Capita (University of Bucharest,
Faculty of History): About research and teaching activities;
5. Dr. Marius Echim (Space Sciences Institute): Difficulties
of young researchers within the INCD system.
6. A material regarding young researchers was sent
by Dr. Mariu Bazu (Institute for Microtechnologies): The
young researchers.
