Education Ministry allowing Romanian universities access to Integrated Education Information System

The Ministry of Education and Research has allowed Romanian universities access to Romania's Integrated Education Information System (SIIIR) to facilitate the online admission to higher education establishments, according to a press statement released by the ministry.

Minister of Education and Research Monica Anisie together with the National Council of Rectors, the Alma Mater Union and student associations have worked out a framework for the activities in the Romanian university system amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

"More precisely, representatives of Romanian universities, based on university autonomy, proposed the partial organisation in a virtual medium of the academic semester, year and graduation exams. In exceptional instances that require the physical presence of the student, the universities will establish and inform about how to conduct the exam safely for students and faculty. In addition, the Ministry of Education and Research has allowed Romanian universities access to Romania's Integrated Education Information System in Romania (SIIIR) to facilitate the online admission process to higher education establishments," according to the ministry.

Thus, universities can check the results of the 12th grade graduates following the national Baccalaureate exam, thus avoiding the physical presence of the candidates at the enrollment for college admission. This way, a number of red-tape procedures have been eliminated in order to streamline the administrative process.

"During this period, we seek to simplify as much as possible the ways in which 12th grade graduates can enroll at college safely. Equally important is the online learning-grading process at universities, and I am confident that all higher education establishments will support students' access to education," Anisie is quoted as saying.

The Ministry of Education and Research and the National Council of Rectors established the way in which the funds approved at the budget revision are distributed as spending from the funds intended for investments, and it was agreed to urgently sign the revised budgets of universities.

"It was a first direct meeting of the representatives of higher education in Romania with Minister Monica Anisie, with the main subject the solutions that the Romanian universities are considering in order to end the academic year and to organise the safe admission for students and teachers. There is the support of the Ministry of Education and Research in order to ensure the legal framework for organising the academic semester, year and graduation exams, and together we are considering the most appropriate option to allow all students equitable access to education," Sorin Cimpeanu, the chairman of the National Council of Rectors, is quoted as saying in the statement.

During the meeting, the National Council of Rectors made a commitment to support students and teachers in the online teaching process, and each higher education establishment will provide material resources to facilitate equitable access to education.