Education
School education:
Primary education lasts for four years. It is followed by four years of lower secondary education leading to the Certificat de Capacitate. Upper secondary school education is organized as a second cycle of education (grades 9 through 12 or 9 through 13). The system comprises the following units of secondary school education: liceu, liceu de specialitate, şcoală profesională and scoală post-liceu. As for the duration of studies, it is adapted to the type of secondary school (academic secondary school, industrial, agricultural, economic and administrative secondary school, normal schools: 9-12; Forestry, Fine Arts, Sports, Cybernetics and Metrology: 9-13) or the form of education (academic secondary school and industrial, agricultural, economic and administrative secondary school evening classes: 9-13). Graduates obtain the Diploma de Bacalaureat which gives access to higher education. Graduates from şcoala profesională obtain a Certificat de Absolvire. They do not have the right to apply for higher education programmes. Studies at şcoala post liceu lasts for one to three years.
Higher education:
Higher education in Romania is offered in both public and private higher education institutions. These include universities, academies, politechnics, institutes and colleges, organized in specialized departments. In accordance with its objectives, university education comprises: short university education carried out in university colleges (3 years), long university education (duration 4 to 6 years) and postgraduate university education (duration 1 to 2 years). Public higher education institutions are coordinated by the Ministry of Education and Research. University autonomy is fully guaranteed. Private higher education is an alternative to public education. It is subject to an accreditation process. Accredited private institutions may obtain state support.
Economy
Romania is the largest, high-income EU member economy of Central-Eastern Europe, the 12th largest in European Union by total nominal GDP and the 8th largest based on purchasing power parity and is one of the fastest growing major nation in recent history with consistent annual GDP growth rates above 5%. Romania is a member of the European Union (7th largest country), its most important trading partner. Its capital, Bucharest (with 2.5 million people - metropolitan area), is one of the largest financial centres in the region. Romania has experienced growth in foreign investment with a cumulative foreign direct investment totaling more than $45 billion since 1989.
Certain forecasts indicate that Romanian GDP will double by 2011. Romania is one of the most stable and prosperous states of Central, Eastern and South Europe. Preliminary estimates for 2007 show a real GDP growth of 5.8%, while the forecasts for 2008-09 indicate an average of 5-5.5% per year[11]. Future prospects are tied to the country's increasingly important integration with the European Union member states. The country is expected to join the Eurozone in 2014.
Romania also has a strategic port which makes it more competitive than many of its neighbors to carry out such entrepreneurship activities. The Port of Constanta is the busiest on the Black Sea, surpassing others. In addition, Constanta's port infrastructure and skilled workforce, which is due to the success of Romania's education policy in producing skilled workers, is also fundamental in this aspect as they provide easier access to markets for both importing and exporting, and also provide the skill(s) needed to refine imports into exports.
Due to the dynamic boom economy in 2007, Romania now has 9 billionaires (in US dollars), compared to 2 in 2006. Romania is experiencing decline in the mass emigration as the large difference in standards of living are decreasing.
Climate
Romania has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. Spring and autumn are cool and pleasant, making May and June, and September and October the best months to visit. Summers are hot from July to August and winters are harsh and very cold between December and March, with snow falling throughout most of the country. Spring and summer are the wettest seasons, but rain can be expected throughout the year.
A continental climate ensures that Bucharest experiences hot, dry summers and cold winters when temperatures often drop well below freezing. The city lies on the Romanian Plain, and this brings chilly winter winds. Summer temperatures are usually pleasantly warm with occasional heat waves, and humidity is low, but there can be occasional rainstorms. The rainiest seasons in Bucharest are spring and autumn.
List of Universities in ROMANIA
North America
North America
GRE
