“DIMITRIE CANTEMIR” CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY CELEBRATING 300 YEARS OF ACADEMIC HISTORY IN ROMANIA

For almost half a century, between the end of WWII and December 1989, Romania’s economy and society were under a very severe and strict communist regime. Academia and higher education were no exception. In the first year of democracy and transition towards the free market economy, two reputable law professors decided to invest their own material, financial and intellectual resources to establish one of the first private universities in the country.

In 1990, PhD Professor Momcilo Luburici and PhD Professor Corina-Adriana Dumitrescu set up “DIMITRIE CANTEMIR” INDEPENDENT UNIVERSITY, renamed in 1994 as “DIMITRIE CANTEMIR” CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY (DCCU). In his message to students and the academic community, Prof. Momcilo Luburici states: The foundation and evolution of the “Dimitrie Cantemir” Christian University is one of the most important proofs of private efficiency especially in a conservative area such as higher education. In the field of private universities, DCCU differentiates itself due to demureness and high quality of education and research. The diplomas obtained here are of high academic value.

Why the founders decided to name their University after Dimitrie Cantemir (1673 – 1723) is self-explanatory. He was one of the first Romanian academic personalities, a prolific writer, philosopher, historian, composer, musicologist, linguist, ethnographer and geographer. He left his mark and influenced the culture and history of Ottoman and Russian Empires and in 1714, was invited to become a member of the Royal Academy of Berlin.

Professor Corina-Adriana Dumitrescu, co-founder and President of the Senate, explains how their eponym’s personality influenced the evolution of DCCU: Our university started as a cultural project to celebrate the heritage of Dimitrie Cantemir, to promote his values, to study his opera. Having such a personality in our history is a proof that the academic tradition in our country has more than 300 years. From the very beginning our faculties reflected his domains: law faculty because he was an eminent lawyer; history faculty as he was a recognized historian; foreign relations as he was a diplomat; foreign languages because he spoke 11 languages. Everything we have done for our university took into consideration Dimitrie Cantemir’s personality, 300 years after his death. Starting from this point we have developed our university and conducted intensive research activity in order to put in value with our own efforts his opera. Our research was focused on Dimitrie Cantemir’s Opera Omnia which was carried out by an Institute that we founded specifically to study his opera. We organized many international conferences in order to promote his values.

 

GREAT ACHIEVEMENTS IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Internationalization is a top priority for DCCU, thus honouring Dimitrie Cantemir’s alias for a bridge of knowledge between the orient and occident. He was acknowledged as one of the main scholars in the area of comparative study of civilizations. In this context, thanks to intensive efforts in cultivating international relations, DCCU will host in 2020, the 50^th Conference of the International Society of the Comparative Study of Civilizations – Civilization at a Crossroads.

In 2021 DCCU will host the 30^th World Congress of the International Association for the Philosophy of Law and Social Philosophy, with more than 1000 scholars attending from around the world – another achievement proving the hard work and expertise in international relations of DCCU staff.

President Corina Dumitrescu is closely involved in the internationalization process. She says, I’ve personally been in Brussels 10 years ago in order to obtain the Erasmus Charter. Besides Erasmus we have signed “dual-diploma” agreements and MoUs and have strong bilateral relations with many universities from abroad, from Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, France, Germany, USA, Japan, Turkey, Thailand, China, South Korea etc. 

DCCU is among the founders of the Eurasian Universities Union (EURAS), an organization started in 2008 at the suggestion of President Momcilo Luburici during the visit of Professor Mustafa Aydın from Istanbul Aydin University. Today, the EURAS has more than 200 members from the Eurasian region, the region Dimitrie Cantemir influenced and enriched with his cultural heritage.

DCCU has awarded Doctor Honoris Causa to prominent personalities from different field of activities: research, academy, philosophy, religion, politics – e.g. professors from Harvard University, The University of Oxford, University of Strasbourg, University of Baltimore, Aydin University, European Commissioners for Education, Culture, and Multilingvism, Romanian Orthodox Patriarchs, President of the All European Academies (ALLEA), State Presidents of Macedonia, Serbia, Czech Republic, Republic of Kazakhstan, Turkey. DCCU is affiliated with many international entities all over the world: L’Agence universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF), European Universities Association (EUA), The Euro-Mediterranean University (EMUNI), EWORA (European Women Rectors Association), WWUP (World Women University Presidents), IAUP (International Association of University Presidents).

STUDENT CENTERED UNIVERSITY, FOCUSED ON EDUCATION, CULTURE, PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

 

At present, DCCU features a real education system with 29 bachelor programmes and 30 master programmes in the university centres with fully-equipped facilities for modern education. In the university’s 30 years of existence, more than 60,000 people have graduated and many of them are working in prestigious institutions and companies in the USA, Canada, Switzerland, Germany, Netherlands, and so on.  On the other hand, their students and teaching staff take part in the “ERASMUS” mobility programmes in universities from Italy, Lithuania, Belgium, Germany and others.
The Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education has awarded DCCU the High Degree of Trust accreditation for the two latest evaluations (in 2010 and in 2015), the highest distinction a Romanian university can get.

Additional to the modern curricula, methodologies and scientific research, students can benefit from an in-house club and a sports club as well as bookshops, a library and a reading room. At the same time, they can meditate at the university chapel. Medical service is ensured between 8:00-20:00 in a fully equipped surgery and three medical staff.

 

President Corina-Adriana Dumitrescu concludes: Our university has become competitive due to our ability to adapt to all needs of the socio-economic environment as well as to the education and consultancy markets. Our students benefit from very reasonable tuition costs, nevertheless their degrees are recognized in the EU while their skills and qualifications are acknowledged all over the world. Romania also offers low living costs and a safe and multicultural welcoming environment.