„VASILE GOLDIŞ” WESTERN UNIVERSITY OF ARAD -
20 years since the foundation

QUALITY, ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, MULTICULTURALISM”

The commemoration of 20 years of institutional history by the “Vasile Goldiş” Western University of Arad (1990 – 2010) constitutes, for our academic community, a homage brought to all those who contributed, through feats and accomplishments, to the development of the prestige of this university.
“The conscious knowledge of the past, said the great patriot and scholar Vasile Goldiş, the spiritual patron of our university, is indispensable for understanding the present, and in order to forge the future, the understanding of the present is a luminous lighthouse”.

After 20 years of academic education, in 2009, the “Vasile Goldiş” Western University of Arad, being granted the maximum grade “high degree of confidence” by the Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education, became a stronghold of science and culture in Arad, Transylvania and its Euro-region, integrated at European level as a member of the European University Association - EUA, the “Carolus Magnus” European Consortium, the Danube University Association, the Association of Carpathian Region Universities (ACRU), the Alliance of Universities for Democracy (AUDEM), holding the vice-presidency of FEDE – European Federation of Higher Schools, a participative body in the Council of Europe.

Under the aegis of the Senate, the integration of scientific research with academic education and professional practice is ensured by the increase in the quality of academic activity in a pluridisciplinary, competitive and multicultural dimension, carried out by veritable laboratories of research and scientific knowledge: Institute of Life Sciences, the PLUSEGO Center for psycho-pedagogical counseling, the Technological and Business Incubator ITA, the Center for social research and public opinion polls, the Center for Judaic Studies, the Romanian – Brazilian Center, the Italian Cultural Center, the “ Fr. Schiller” Center for Germanic Studies.

The formation – information – publicistic dimension, the  promotion of science and culture in the knowledge society was, is and will be developed continuously by the “Vasile Goldiş” Western University of Arad through: the Arad Academic Days, the University Publishing House – “Vasile Goldiş” University Press, the “Tudor Arghezi” Central University Library,  CNCSIS-accredited scientific reviews, included in international databases (Studia Universitatis “Vasile Goldiş” -  Life Sciences Series, Studia Universitatis “Vasile Goldiş”  - Economic Sciences Series, Studies of Science and Culture, Society and Politics).

The European dimension – visionarily postulated by Vasile Goldiş over half a century ago: The Image of the United States of Europe Is Being Shaped – is carried out by the “Vasile Goldiş” Western University through: the Center for Formation and European Integration; the initiation and organization, in 1999, of the DKMT  Euro-regional Conferences (Danube – Criş – Mureş – Tisa Euro-region); the initiation and organization, in 2009, of the UECDA (Unconventional Energies in the Carpathian and Danubian Area) Euro-regional Conference, through international programs such as IPA, PIN-MATRA, SECAL, IAD, LIFE PLANTA EUROPA, INTERREG, INTESA, PHARE, PHARE CES, COST, CBC RO-HU 2007-2013, POSDRU, POSMEDIU, ERASMUS; by publishing numerous monographs on the European dimension of our great forerunners.

The anniversary of 20 years since the establishment of the University is an opportunity for researching the scientific, pedagogical, cultural and spiritual patrimony of our institutions, which conducted a fruitful activity in political, cultural and scholarly domains. This was also discussed in Vienna, in March 2010, on the occasion of an interview between Professor Aurel Ardelean, PhD – rector of VGWU and Professor Georg Winckler, PhD – rector of the University of Vienna, where Vasile Goldiş studied and produced works of historical importance, contributing to the preparation of the day of triumph for the accomplishment of the Romanians political unity: December 1, 1918. It is worth remembering the creed of the great man of politics Vasile Goldiş, that of accomplishing the great ideals “through ourselves”.

The institutional development of our University is and will remain a meritorious one, organically connected to the expectations of its spiritual mentor, Vasile Goldiş, the founding members of the local community, the distinguished academic body, our students, Master and PhD candidates.
The prestige enjoyed by the “Vasile Goldiş” Western University abroad is also proven by the large number of foreign students, attending various study programs offered by the faculties. Young people from Italy, France, Morocco, India, Israel, Turkey, Germany and other parts of the world study medicine at the “Vasile Goldiş” Western University, in Romanian or in French.

Our University currently benefits from a modern teaching and research infrastructure, and a high-performance professorial body, which ensures a level of preparation for students at European standards, which would guarantee a successful access to the labor market for graduates.
The moment of commemorating 20 years since the institutional establishment of the “Vasile Goldiş” Western University of Arad is an opportunity for reflection on the road we have traveled so far and, at the same time, for thinking on the future, having as an imperative the conservation and continuation of the tradition of Romanian higher education, in a boundless world of knowledge and concrete action, in the effort of obtaining results of excellence in education and research, in the sense of integration into the European Higher Education Area.

As there is a joy of expectancy, there is also a joy of accomplishment, which gives birth to new aspirations for the better.
The level of aspiration and objectives for the future of our academic community, on the brink of the third decade of existence, is the brave and competent assumption of intellectual and moral efforts leading to results of excellence. It is what teaching staff members, students and administrative technical personnel in the university, all alike, wish for the increase of prestige on a national and international plane.

I would like to thank all those who, through exemplary commitment, have contributed, over the two decades of institutional development, to the quality assurance of students’ professional formation process, to the increase of performance in the field of scientific research, thus contributing to the bestowal of brilliance on the academic prestige of V.G.W.U., as well as the Authors who passionately and devotedly contributed to the documentation, typing and editing of this Monograph, in extraordinary graphic conditions.                

Founding Rector,
Professor Aurel ARDELEAN, PhD