Universities to hold academic year opening festivities

Several universities in Bucharest and elsewhere in Romania are holding today festivities to mark the opening of academic year 2019-2020. They include the University of Bucharest, the Bucharest University of Economic Studies (ASE) and the Babes-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca, as well as several faculties within the National University of Political Studies and Public Administration. Bucharest University (UB) kicks off the academic year through events that bring before its students diplomats, personalities from various fields, professors, as well as renowned members of the Romanian socio-cultural community. Each of the 19 faculties of the University of Bucharest organises the opening ceremony of the academic year according to its own schedule. At the festivities of the Faculty of Political Science, the ambassador of France to Romania, Michele Ramis, as well as the ambassador of the United Kingdom, Andrew Noble, are expected to welcome the students to the new academic year, according to a UB press statement. The UB academic community has about 34,000 students and another about 2,000 faculty staff in 19 faculties. An active member of several international academic organisations, including CIVIS - European Civic University, UNICA - Network of Universities from the Capitals of Europe, the Black Sea University Association, the EUA - European University Association and Silk Road University Network, the University of Bucharest offers annually more than 350 bachelor, master and doctoral programmes. On Monday, the Bucharest University of Economic Studies also marks the beginning of the new academic year. During its events, diplomas of excellence and merit will be awarded to the students who got the highest admission test scores and to high schools principals in gratitude for the large number of high school graduates who have become ASE students. ASE starts the academic year on a good position in the international rankings of notoriety. Thus, according to the Times Higher Education World University Ranking, ASE ranks 1st in Romania among the nine participating Romanian universities, according to ASE. The Babes-Bolyai University (UBB) of Cluj-Napoca opens the new academic year in the presence of Romania's President Klaus Iohannis. According to the UBB website, this year UBB is celebrating a century since its establishment as a Romanian university, "a holiday for the entire local community named, according to tradition, Alma Mater Napocensis." At the end of the opening ceremony, all participants are invited to take part in a Centennial March on Str. M. Kogalniceanu - Avram Iancu Square - Unirii Square. AGERPRES (RO - author: Roberto Stan, editor: Catalin Alexandru; EN - author; Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu, editor: Rodica State)