Mădălina Cocea

Some rectors of the country’s civilian state universities have secured third or even fourth mandates, a trend that is of concern to the European Parliament and others in the higher education sector

Merging institutions can bring economies of scale, strengthening finances and research - and attracting staff and students. But vested interests often block this route to moving up the league tables 

Concerted efforts to increase success in winning grants from the research programme are bearing fruit. While still low in the EU league table, the two countries now have the networks and support systems in place to make further headway 

The aim is to build networks across the EU, but universities in eastern Europe say structural problems make it harder for them to get involved - and some fear it promotes brain drain

Despite government efforts to lure the science diaspora back home, many researchers are not convinced Romania can improve its scientific culture and move past the reputational damage done by a series of high-level plagiarism cases