Transilvania University of Brașov

Transilvania University of Brașov (Romanian: Universitatea Transilvania din Brașov; UNITBV, also stylised UniTBv) is a higher education and research institution in Brașov, Romania which comprises 18 faculties, with a number of over 20,880 students and over 700 teaching staff members. Currently, Transilvania University of Brașov is the largest university in the centre of the country, a university that offers programmes in fields such as: mechanical engineering, industrial engineering, computers, construction, forestry, wood engineering, product design, nutrition and tourism, computer science, mathematics, economics, medicine, pedagogy, music, literature and linguistics, law, sociology and social work, psychology. There are 98 undergraduate programmes in the University: 81 full-time study programmes, 17 part-time study and distance learning programmes, 66 master's degree study programmes (63 full-time and 3 part-time) and 22 doctoral fields (full-time and part-time).
The involvement of Transilvania University of Brasov in the European University Alliance UNITA and the launch in November 2023 of a 14 million euro project, funded by the European Commission, marks an important step in the integration of the institution in the European academic space. This project facilitates the participation of students and teaching staff in academic mobility, joint study and research programs and international collaborations. The European funding also contributes to the improvement of the educational infrastructure and resources, with a positive impact on the quality of teaching and research at the university.
The foundations of higher education in Brașov were laid in 1948, when the Institute of Silviculture was founded. In 1949, the Institute of Mechanics was established, and in 1953, the Institute of Silviculture became the Forestry Institute. The two institutes fused into the Polytechnic Institute of Brașov. In 1959 the Department of Wood Industry and in 1964 the Manufacturing Technologies Department were founded within the Polytechnic Institute. In 1960, the Pedagogic Institute (Mathematics, Physics-Chemistry, Biology) came into being in Brașov, followed by the Department of Music in 1969. In 1964, the Department of Manufacturing Technologies was founded within the Polytechnic Institute. In 1971, the Polytechnic Institute and the Pedagogic Institute merged to create the University of Braşov. The University's structure as approved by a Council of Ministers Decision of October 15, 1971 comprised eight faculties: Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Manufacturing Engineering, Faculty of Forestry, Faculty of Wood Industry, Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, Faculty of Physics–Chemistry, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, and the Faculty of Music. In 1991, the University was renamed as Transilvania University of Brașov, at the University Senate's request and according to the Government Decision of January 4, 1991 and the Order of the Ministry of Education and Science of March 22, 1991.
The academic year 1990–1991 marked the establishment of several other faculties: Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Music, Faculty of Sciences, and Faculty of Economic Sciences, and a few other educational units were set up the following year: the Faculty of Medicine and two academic colleges, one of Forestry and another of Economics and Computer Science.
In 1995, the Department of Psychology – Pedagogy – Teaching Methodology, on the structure of which the University Pedagogical Seminar was established, became the Department of Teaching Staff Training, and the Faculty of Machine Building Technology was divided into: The Faculty of Technological Engineering and the Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering.
In 1998, the "Local contact point in the field of Distance Learning", within the network of Distance Learning Study Centres and created through the PHARE programme, became the Department for Distance Learning, which in 2005 changed its name to the Centre for Distance Learning and Part-time Studies.
In 2001, the Faculty of Electrical Engineering expanded its array of specializations, thus having its name changed to the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
In 2002, the Faculty of Law and Sociology emerged from the Faculty of Economics, and the Faculty of Sciences divided into three faculties: The Faculty of Mathematics-Informatics, the Faculty of Letters and the Faculty of Sports and Physical Education. The Pedagogical and Philological University College and the Medical University College were established in the same year.
In 2003, the Faculty of Civil Engineering was created from the Faculty of Silviculture, and the Faculty of Mechanicsbecame the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering.
In 2004, the already existing Department of Psychology - Pedagogy – Teaching Methodology was established as an autonomous structure, namely the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences.
In 2010, the Faculty of Law and Sociology was redefined by two new structures, the Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Sociology and Communication, the latter setting up a new undergraduate programme in 2017, Digital Media and Digital Media (in English) from 2022.
Starting with the academic year 2005-2006, the didactic activity is organized by study cycles: undergraduate studies, master's studies and doctoral studies. New curricula and new syllabi were designed, modern teaching, learning and assessment methods were introduced, which took account of the acquisition of knowledge and the creation of skills required of graduates on the labour market.
The institution has been managed since its foundation by:
The University's 18 faculties offer undergraduate, master's and doctoral degree study programmes, as well as distance learning, full-time and part-time study programmes.
One of the strategic objective of this university, as is mentioned in their Strategic plan, is the internationalization achieved through: international affiliation, partnerships with higher education and scientific research institutions around the world, ensuring the framework for student and teacher mobility, participation in international education and research projects, conducting joint or double-degree study programmes in partnership with universities abroad.
Currently, Transilvania University of Brașov has concluded partnership agreements with 661 institutions from 85 countries on all continents and the number of full-time students increased to 521 from 87 countries in 2023. Also, seeking to intensify this process, the University invests part of its own funds to support a series of programmes such as: Transilvania Academica Scholarship – a scholarship granted to international students, Transilvania Fellowship for Young Researchers, Transilvania Fellowship for Visiting Professors, Romanian Diaspora at Transilvania University, Rector's Guests at Transilvania University (by which remarkable specialists from abroad are invited to the University, Artist in residence @ Transilvania University.
UNITBV maintains its position in 2024, respectively the 6th place in the ranking of Romanian universities in the most recent Metaranking for 2023, published by the Ministry of Education, being included since the first edition, published in 2016, in this ranking of the international visibility of Romanian universities.
In 2024, UNITBV moves up three positions in the ranking of Romanian universities appearing in the QS World University Rankings 2025 compared to the previous edition. At the same time, Transilvania University of Brasov enters the group of the top 500 European universities included in this ranking.
In the Shanghai 2023 rankings by fields of study, Transilvania University of Brasov achieved a notable presence, being indexed in three categories: Mathematics (401-500), Life Sciences - Human Biology (201-300) and Agricultural Sciences (301-400). The Shanghai 2023 ranking by field of study included 1900 universities from 104 countries.
An international ranking that evaluates higher education institutions according to how they align with the sustainable development objectives established by ONU, Impact Rankings 2020, made public by Times Higher Education – World University Rankings, includes 766 universities from 85 countries. UNITBV is ranked within the range 301–400 and third out of seven Romanian universities which are listed in this ranking.
Transilvania University of Brașov is the only university in Romania that has built its own multidisciplinary research institute. At the time of completion, in 2013, the University's Research and Development Institute was the largest investment in research infrastructure that a Romanian university made attracting European funds.
The Research-Development Institute of Transilvania University of Brașov (ICDT) was established through a structural funds project intended primarily to facilitate the increase of the University's competitiveness in national and international research. In addition, the development of the Institute also aimed at anchoring the University in the business environment of the region, through technology transfer and the development of applied research, in close connection with local and regional needs for research-development-innovation.
The scientific research at the University has been structured on 30 priority, interdisciplinary fields that enable its successful integration in the European Research Area. The 30 research centres are:
Publications fund:
- 763,387 books;
- 135,039 journals;
- 22,036 descriptions of inventions;
- 50,098 volumes of special collections
- 81,203 standards copies.
The Multicultural Center of Transilvania University of Brașov serves as a platform for interaction between the community and contemporary art, offering a program of events and projects designed to promote artistic expression and the ideas of diverse cultures. With a multidisciplinary approach, the Center's activities encompass projects in visual arts, literature, contemporary music, film, theater, dance, philosophy, journalism, and more, coordinated or curated by renowned figures. Through the events it organizes, produces, or hosts, and through its partnerships, the Center aims to cultivate fundamental values such as critical thinking, openness to innovation and experimentation, tolerance and celebration of diversity, intellectual curiosity, and dialogue, which are essential in the environment where students are educated.
The Music Centre was founded in 2015 to organize artistic events with famous Romanian and international musicians and to promote gifted students and young graduates of the Faculty of Music at Transilvania University of Brașov or other faculties of music in the country. The events take place at the University's Sergiu T. Chiriacescu Aula and offer concerts and recitals included in the Concert Season, the Brassovia Chamber Music Student Festival and the Opera Gala. The virtue of the musical performances is supported by the Steinway & Sons concert piano, the most modern digital organ in the country and the Neupert harpsichord "Blanchet".
The opening of the academic year 2019-2020 marked the opening of a new concert season of the Music Centre and the debut of the Chamber Orchestra of Transilvania University of Brașov (TUCO) with a concert conducted by maestro Traian Ichim. The newly established chamber orchestra has as Honorary President Prof. Dr. Eng. Ioan Vasile Abrudan, Rector of Transilvania University of Brașov.
The Confucius Institute at Transilvania University of Brașov was established in 2012, being created in partnership with Jianzhu University in Shenyang, China and operating under a cooperation agreement between Transilvania University in Brașov and Hanban – the Headquarters of the Confucius Institutes in Beijing. It is a non-profit organization that aims to teach and promote Chinese language learning, understanding Chinese culture and civilization, and to undertake cultural, educational and scientific exchanges with contemporary China.
The university's media library is a cultural hub open to both the academic community and the general public, offering a vast collection of CDs, DVDs, VHS tapes, vinyl records, magazines, and books, alongside a variety of audio-visual equipment.
The Centre for Modern Languages at Transilvania University of Brașov is one of the interfaces of the University with the community to which it is addressed, while being also involved in research and training activities in collaboration with other departments of the University.
Transilvania University of Brașov provides 13 dormitories for student housing, with a total of 4,086 beds. The dormitories are distributed across two campuses, namely Colina Campus and Memorandului Campus. UNITBV also has two cafeterias, one in each campus, which serve 1,000 students daily.
Within the Colina Campus complex is also Colina Arena, an outdoor soccer field covered with artificial turf where the students compete in the traditional soccer event Colina League Cup every autumn. Close to Colina Arena are four other indoor gyms for students, two of which are multipurpose ones, one is used for gymnastics, and another for fitness.
The students at Transilvania University of Brașov take part in various scientific, cultural, sports, and administrative activities every year. They also participate in internal project competitions which are financed by the University and aim at providing solutions for the continuous improvement of student life on the University Campus.
Every year, the students of the BlueStreamline team represent Transilvania University at international level, in the formula-style races organized within the Formula Student competition.
45°39′21″N 25°34′50″E﻿ / ﻿45.65583°N 25.58056°E﻿ / 45.65583; 25.58056