self evaluation report - Universitatea de Ştiinţe Agricole şi Medicină ...

4.3. Academic-related activities
The technology transfer as a result of the research results (see: Appendix – Technology transfer), is a key
target for the university management. The economic partners of the university are not only providers of
sponsorships, but they also host students for practice (see: Appendix – Students practice) and to get new
competences and qualifications. Some of the more important partners are selected as members of the Council
for Institutional development.
The future strategy of the USAMV Cluj-Napoca includes a more coherent policy regarding the stimulation of
researchers’ patents creativity, including the financial support for their submission and evaluation. Part of this
policy is the establishment of a Department for Intellectual Property that will include specific consultancy to
the members of the research community.
The university’s Didactical & Research Station is located in Cluj-Napoca (research Station for Horticulture),
and in Cluj-Napoca neighborhood, at 14 km and 20 km far from Cluj city (see: Appendix – The teaching and
experimental research station).
The Lifelong learning represents another field of activity continuously developed during the last years. Since
2005 this process is coherently coordinated by the Lifelong Learning Department, which has adopted the
correct strategy for promoting and strengthening the USAMV Cluj-Napoca lifelong learning offer. Thus, the
threat of demographic decrease and, as a consequence, the diminishing of young student population, may be
balanced by a wise lifelong learning policy, attracting students for completing and/ or updating their education
by different specialized courses. Currently USAMV Cluj-Napoca offers courses to approximately 150 trainees,
which is significantly higher than five years ago. Joint projects with regional authorities allowed the expansion
of the university’s lifelong learning offer across 8 counties in Romania (see: Appendix – Long life learning
programs).
New cooperation opportunities have been materialized based on agreements and contracts with well-known
national and international companies in the area. However, USAMV Cluj-Napoca is aware of the weak point,
generally discussed when it comes to the higher education in Romania, related to organizing and running of
the students’ practical training. Thus, through partnerships with companies at regional/national and
international level, the University aims to achieve the students practical training genuinely integrated in the
economic, social and cultural environment characteristic for the student’s qualification.
European projects as the Erasmus Practical Placement or the LLP European project A model for Quality of
transnational student PlacemeNts in EnTerprises Q-Planet, support this objective and can develop cooperation
models among universities and companies. Following this approach, several projects financed by Structural
Funds are currently running in USAMV Cluj-Napoca supporting the student practical training within companies
from Romania and Europe.
In 2006, the ALUMNI - Alma Mater Cluj-Napocaensis Association was set up, aiming at initiating activities to
support and guide recent graduates as well as to develop a legal framework to promote relationships with the
university graduates. Today the university has an operational on-line platform for ALUMI and, as partner of a
national strategic project on tracer studies, it benefits from the know-how and tools developed for intensifying
this activity. USAMV Cluj-Napoca is aware about its limitation in this direction, and we know that there is still
plenty of work to do for reaching the relation that the European universities have with their ALUMNI. For an
efficient communication with the graduates and an increased visibility of the university, additional resources
should be involved, for significant long-term benefits.
4.4. Student support services
The University has a number of student support services and is constantly striving to improve them and add
new ones, according to the strategic objectives. Ensuring adequate education as well as consistent student
support is seen as a strategic objective by itself.
The online access to the eLearning Platform, developed as a comprehensive database, is available to all
students. Students can log in and access learning instruments, their grades and various national and
Page 17 SELF-EVALUATION REPORT, March, 2012