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

(CNFIS and CNCSIS). The amount of attracted funds in this national competition among the state universities
continuously increased in the past four years. The dedicated funds for investments in infrastructure and
refurbishing are also partially covered by governmental funds. The university funds are used for covering the
regular expenditures (personnel costs, investments in infrastructure development and refurbishing, utilities,
etc.), and for financing strategic priorities.
In 2011, the total university budget was of 57,640,811 ROL, out of which 38,37% from governmental financing,
47,53% from RTD (research projects; education and training grants and contracts; technological, educational
and career development projects) and 14,10% from other funds. The evolution of financing during 2007-2011
is detailed in Appendix – Funding, outlining that, while the total university budget increased in the last years,
the percentage of the governmental funds is constantly decreasing. Faced with this challenge it was needed a
sound financial management, combining quality assurance and the efficient use of funds in accordance to the
university strategic options. The financial evaluation of the teaching/ training programs in faculties (and
starting with 2010, in the B-M-D training lines), is one significant part of this management.
The funds attracted through research projects are spent according to the approved budget of each project.
The level of overheads in grants and contracts is yearly voted by the University Senate, and is used to support
the projects’ development. Starting with 2008, 15% of the overheads are returned to the RTD departments
where the projects were developed, and can be used for equipment purchase and maintenance, materials,
consumables, mobility, conference fees.
Yearly, part of the budget is used by the university management for implementing new initiatives. The
initiatives are discussed and validated in the University Senate and are covering topics of interest for the
entire academic community. Some examples are: the University Library refurbished and fully modernized
during 2007-2008; multi-media in all the university lecture halls; Internet rooms with free access for students;
Internet access in the students’ residences. Beginning with 2012, the university finances internal research
grants for young teachers, in different priority areas, established by the RTD department.
Every year, in December, the Rector presents the “Annual Report” as a “university status”, including all
aspects of the university activity, from teaching, to research and strategic developments, human resources
performances, students, services for the community, financial outputs.
The Report is validated by the Senate and represents one point considered in the decision-making process for
the next year. To be dependent on public funding is unavoidable for a state university but, heavily depending
on public funding represent a continuous risk of under-financing and consequently of limited progress.
Therefore, the management decisions made aims for increasing the amount and share of attracted funds. The
decisions are formulated by the university Senate Board, are validated by the Senate and are implemented at
the levels of faculties, chairs, RTD departments and university’s departments.
The staff that has to face these challenges and the new legislation (for higher education, employment, human
resources, accounting, etc.), is trained.
5. QUALITY ASSESSMENT PRACTICES
USAMV Cluj-Napoca is recognized, at national level, as a representative higher education institution in
developing and implementing quality assurance, being one of the first universities in Romania that
implemented and certified a quality management system (QMS) based on the ISO 9001 model, since 2004.
The QMS implementation was systematically approached within the university, and recognized by national
authorities. USAMV Cluj-Napoca implemented adequate tools for the internal quality assurance and the
evaluation of the study programs, for academic staff evaluation, for research, and for the administration
performance.
The continuous improvement of education and research quality and effectiveness, the students’ involvement
into the internal quality assurance process, their active participation into the decision making process at
university/faculty level, and into the evaluation of teaching activity, represent key-elements of the university
sustainability.
Page 19 SELF-EVALUATION REPORT, March, 2012