Regional Educational Disparities vs Underperforming Educational Management in Romania

• Author: Romeo Ionescu
• Pages: 312-317

European Integration - Realities and Perspectives. Proceedings 2015

312

Performance and Risks in the European Economy

Regional Educational Disparities vs Underperforming Educational

Management in Romania

Romeo-Victor Ionescu1

Abstract: The paper deals with the regional education al disparities across the EU, with a special focus on the

Romanian NUTS 1 and 2 regions. The comparative analysis allows quantifying the Romanian regions

position in the EU regarding education, using three indicators: population in all levels of education, students

in tertiary education and leavers from educational and training. Forecasting procedures are used in order to

describe the indicators‘ trend until 2020. Regression allows quantifying the regional disparities between

European and Romanian regions related to the above three indicators. The main conclusion of the analysis is

that the great Romanian educational dysfunctions are the result of an inefficient educational management at

macro and regional levels. The analysis and its results are supported by the latest official statistical data and

pertinent diagrams.

Keywords: regional educational disparities; levels of education; regional educational management;

forecasting procedures.

JEL Classification: H52; H75; I24; I25; R12.

1 Introduction

It is impossible to build a new society without education. Education has a powerful impact on socio-

economic development. In Europe, the most economic developed countries have the best educational

systems.

In order to maintain its position as main global economic actor, European Union adopted Europe 2020

Strategy (European Commission, 2010). The Strategy is focused on five fundamental objectives. One

of them is reducing school dropout rates to below 10 %, with at least 40 % of 30–34-year-olds

completing tertiary education. Romania seems to go to another direction related to education. Using

demographic argues, the decision makers consider the low educational level and the decrease of those

who attend to an educational form as normal trends. Moreover, the Romanian universities, for

example, face to acute lack of students. The paper is focused on the idea that only an underperforming

educational management led to this phenomenon in Romania.

1Professor, Ph D, ―Danubius‖ University of Galati, Romania, Address: 3 Galati Boulevard, 800654 Galati, Romania, Tel.:

+40.372.361.102, fax: +40.372.361.290, Corresponding author: romeo.v.ionescu@univ-danubius.ro.