The Education Law (Law 84/1995) consents to organisation and functioning of educational alternatives
in public and private education with the agreement of the Ministry of Education, Research and Youth.
Evaluation and accreditation of educational alternatives is performed by the Ministry of Education,
Research and Youth, according to the provisions of the law.
Distance learning (DL) and part-time education are considered flexible forms of higher education
meant to ensure initial training, in-service training and professional re-conversion. The curricula for
these areas of education are identical with the one used for the full-time form for the same
specialisation and the transferable credits system applies correspondingly.
The main characteristics of the DL programmes are: use of resources specific to education based on
ICT, distance communication, self-instruction and self-evaluation, and use of the tutorial system. The
tutorial system is defined as the educational framework to ensure the necessary educational resources
and a bi-directional communication system for the students enrolled in an DL programme. The tutor is
the teacher assigned by the council of the DL department to ensure counselling, guidance and
evaluation of a group of students enrolled in an DL programme. Part-time education is characterised
through compact education periods, periodical meetings with the students in order to accomplish the
mandatory practical activities, and the use of certain means specific to DL.
According to the provisions of the law (Decision of the Government 1011/2001), higher and postuniversity
education accomplished through DL and part-time programmes can ensure the following
types and levels of training:
University high level qualifications corresponding to short- or long-term higher education;
Post-university specialisations, including DEA studies, master-degree studies and academic
post-university studies;
Further post-graduate studies, finalised with graduation certificate.
Professional conversion of higher level finalised through diplomas or certificates.
Higher and post-university education accomplished through DL and part-time programmes can only be
provided by accredited higher education institutions. Duration of the DL programme for higher
education cannot exceed with more than 3 years the duration of the same study programme provided
in full-time education. In what regards, post-university education, the duration of the DL programme
has to be at least one year longer than for the same programme provided in full-time education.
Management of the DL and part-time education programmes is ensured by specialised institutional
structures – departments – organised at the level of the faculty and/or higher education institution. DL
and part-time education departments have their own councils chaired by a director. Organisation and
functioning of the DL and part-time education programmes are established through the department
regulation – including duration of the studies and the evaluation-certification system for each
specialisation. The regulation is elaborated by the council of the department and is approved by the
university senate.
Admission to the DL and part-time education programmes has to comply with the general criteria
established by the Ministry of Education, Research and Youth. The university senate establishes the
specific criteria. Candidates admitted to the DL or part-time education programme are enrolled as
students of the given higher education institution. Students enrolled for an DL or part-time education
programme have to conclude a contract with the organising higher education institution, stipulating the
corresponding rights, obligations and responsibilities of the parts.
Education and training of the students enrolled in DL and part-time education programmes is based on
specific technologies including: written course support, audio and video cassettes, floppy-disks, CDs,
thematic collections and materials/technologies – all of them meant to ensure self-instruction and selfevaluation.
Communication systems with the students imply the use of the Internet, establishment of
individual electronic accounts for each student, the tutorial system or individual tutoring, use of other
ICT means. Consequently, the material basis of the DL and part-time education departments has to
include: educational spaces for synthesis lectures, evaluations, tutoring and administration,
laboratories, multimedia communication spaces, LANs with Internet access, technical resources for
hard- and e-copies of the didactical materials.
The funds necessary for the DL and part-time education programmes are ensured through tuition fees
established according to the provisions of the law and other revenues of the higher education
institution. The tuition fees are proposed by the council of the DL and part-time education department
and are approved by the university senate.
Accreditation and evaluation of the DL and part-time education programmes is accomplished
according to the provisions of the law, following the same procedures and using the same criteria as
for full-time education.
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