Romania has now a complete dual path at all levels of education and training. The 2023 laws on pre-university and higher education have extended the dual path from secondary to higher education. In addition to post-secondary dual VET, secondary dual IVET graduates now also have access to dual higher education programmes at EQF levels 6-8.
Since 2024/25, dual higher education has become an option for students who acquire professional qualifications at levels 5 (short-term higher education), 6 (cycle I – bachelor degree programmes), 7 (cycle II – professional master degree programmes, including MBA and executive MBA), and 8 (cycle III – professional doctorate, as full-time or part-time education).
Dual higher education combines academic (theoretical) learning with practical work experience. It aims to develop professional skills that contribute to obtaining a recognised professional qualification, work readiness and habits, and understanding of the job requirements. Competences are developed in the context of vocational training, which increases the integration of young graduates into the labour market.
Dual higher education also boosts partnerships between education providers and employers. Responsibilities for implementing the programmes are shared between higher education institutions, which organise dual study programmes (including learning, teaching and performance evaluation), and employers, who offer work-based learning and support the evaluation process. Employers may also offer scholarships to students.
In 2024/25, 18 dual programmes are offering bachelor degrees in five higher education institutions: the National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest, the Babeș-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca, the Ovidius University in Constanța, the Stefan cel Mare University in Suceava, and the Politehnica University in Timișoara.
In 2025/26, in addition to 29 bachelor-level programmes in nine higher education institutions, 13 master degree programmes in three higher education institutions will become available: the National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest (including master degree), the University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine in Bucharest (including master degree), the Vasile Alecsandri University in Bacău, the Babeș-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca, the Ovidius University in Constanța, the Dunărea de Jos University in Galați (including master degree), the Iași University of Life Sciences Ion Ionescu de la Brad, the Stefan cel Mare University in Suceava, and the Politehnica University in Timișoara.
Implementation is also supported through establishing regional consortia for dual VET, each including at least one university, one IVET school, employers and local authorities.
Read more
- Government Decision no.412/2024, List of approved higher education programmes (dual included) 2024-25
- Government Decision approving fields and master's degree programs 2024-2025
- Ministry of Education Order no. 4.275/15.04.2024 for the approval of the Methodology for the organization and functioning of dual higher education
- List of projects selected for funding, approved by Ministerial Order No. 5.068/14.07.2023. This list also includes 11 consortia led by higher education institutions.
- Further details
| Please cite this news item as: ReferNet Romania, & Cedefop (2025, May 2). Romania: dual higher education – new opportunity for students. National news on VET. |