Romania’s Education and Research Minister Sorin Costreie held a first-of-its-kind meeting on Friday, 6 November, with 12 former education and research ministers since 1990 to discuss continuity of reforms. He announced the gathering on Facebook; specialist media later reported the details.

Costreie said projects should not be lost with every change of leadership: many solutions that could improve education “do not need reinventing”. Education “cannot be rebuilt with every mandate”, he argued, and expertise should outweigh political affinities.

Participants included Ecaterina Andronescu, Monica Anisie, Ligia Deca, Anton Anton, Cristian Adomniței, Alexandru Athanasiu, Daniel Breaz, Mihnea Costoiu, Adrian Curaj, Mihai Dimian, Pavel Năstase and Remus Pricopie. Andronescu led the ministry across four terms, for a cumulative period of roughly four and a half years.

Among the rectors present were Mihnea Costoiu (Politehnica Bucharest), Remus Pricopie (SNSPA) and Daniel Breaz (“1 Decembrie 1918” University of Alba Iulia), figures in extended university leadership terms under current education law provisions.

Former ministers Mircea Miclea and Daniel Funeriu — linked to the 2011 National Education Law reform — did not attend, nor did rectors Daniel David (UBB Cluj-Napoca) and Sorin Cîmpeanu (USAMV Bucharest). Costreie said he would hold a second meeting with those who were absent.

After consulting the remaining former ministers, he plans to set up an advisory council on key education and research themes as a continuity mechanism for public policy.

Source: Sorin Costreie discussed “continuing reforms” with 12 former ministers (G4Media)