Dr. Hayam Qayyoum
Snr. Assistant Professor, Department of Media Studies Bahria University Islamabad, drhqpk@gmail.com
Youth’s survival is dependent on the global and professional competitiveness, developing soft skills, and access to international networks. By studying in an international education system and excelling in cross-cultural communication, youth can develop a deeper understanding of the discipline and implicate to become ambassadors of peace.
To provide opportunities to international students, the UK, the US, and European countries are offering admissions at the undergraduate and post-graduate levels. Nonetheless, due to high fee structures and cost of living, it is nearly impossible for Asian students to study in these countries.
There is a country that has addressed the issue and made higher education accessible for international students. Romania, the black earth country, located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe, with the Carpathian Mountains crossing the center of the country, a coastline of 152 miles of Black Sea, and where the coast runs from the Danube Delta in the north linked with border of Bulgaria in the south, made the higher education convenient for international students.
The country of the wide Bărăgan Plain, where 94 percent is based on information Technology, is fully equipped to offer affordable undergraduate and post-graduate programs for international students.
The higher education system globally aligned with the Bologna process (European Higher Education Area), funded by the EU, supports undergraduates and postgraduates. The research program is linked with EU Horizon Europe and Erasmus. In academic year 2023-2024 significant increase of 48 percent has been recorded in international students pursuing bachelor’s degrees as compared to 2014-15.
At bachelor’s level, the affordable degrees comprised of three years in social sciences, Education Sciences, Journalism, Political and Administrative Sciences, Romanian Culture and Civilization, Social and Human Sciences, Veterinary Medicine, and Visual Arts, providing a multicultural environment for learning and safe student-friendly Romanian cities to shop and roam around.
Offering four-year degrees in Technical Studies (including Oil and Gas), Engineering, Agricultural Sciences, and a six-year degree in General Medicine, Dentistry, and Architecture. Whereas a master’s degree lasts for 1.5years to 2years, and a PhD is 3 to 4 years.
Limba română is a one-year preparatory course offered at the undergraduate level, but postgraduate degrees are available in English. Where disciplines in high demand, like medicine, engineering, and IT, are taught in the English language.
Furthermore, there are 90 accredited universities (Public and Private) maintaining the quality, standards of higher education and research, under the National Quality Assurance Agency.
Several scholarships are offered to manage the study in Romanian universities, covering tuition fees, monthly stipends, health care, accommodation, and a preparatory year. Romanian universities also offer split study programs or joint exchange programs or double degree agreements at the undergraduate level, and at the postgraduate level split-site PhD is offered.
Romanian higher education stands out from the European education based on internationally recognized degrees, a higher acceptance rate, and a multicultural environment of learning and career development.
Despite challenges, Pakistan has 240 public and private universities offering undergraduate and post-graduate programs, following the British education system that is still in transition and has weak international student attraction, which provides an opportunity to collaborate with Romanian universities.
Collaborations can be put forth on exchange programs through a split or joint exchange program, or a double degree program.
