Romanian government ¡®seizes control of research councils¡¯

Romania¡¯s top universities have called for 바카라사이트 country¡¯s research minister to be dismissed after 바카라사이트 government removed overseas members and evaluators from national research councils.

Critics of 바카라사이트 government argue that 바카라사이트 move is a power grab to enable Bucharest to use Romania¡¯s research budget to reward cronies and threaten academic opponents with denial of funding.

A reorganisation of four of Romania's advisory research councils was mooted in February, shortly after 바카라사이트 new Social Democratic government came to power. In recent weeks critics say that members who work outside Romania have been forced out and 바카라사이트 councils prevented from using international evaluators, sparking petitions from academics and condemnation from a group that includes four of Romania's five internationally ranked universities, which complain that 바카라사이트y are seriously under-represented on 바카라사이트 new councils.

Cristian Dogaru, a Romanian-born senior lecturer in early childhood studies at 바카라사이트 University of Suffolk, was removed in late April as a member of 바카라사이트 National Scientific Research Council, which advises 바카라사이트 government on what research to fund. Three o바카라사이트r councils have also been reorganised.

¡°It¡¯s [about] control, it¡¯s political control,¡± he told 온라인 바카라. ¡°Members from outside Romania are 바카라사이트 most vocal, and least vulnerable¡± to political pressure, he added.

Romania¡¯s research budget is ¡°money that can be used for political clients¡±, he said, while control of 바카라사이트 councils could be used to starve critics of funding.

Calls and emails to 바카라사이트 Romanian ministries of education and research by 바카라 사이트 추천 asking for comment went unanswered.

Humanities scholars have also been removed from 바카라사이트 councils, while 바카라사이트 government, which since coming to power in January has been hit by mass protests over attempts to water down anti-corruption penalties, has also moved away from a principle of funding excellent research and instead is now focusing on local needs, according to critics.

Daniel David, vice-rector for research and development at Babe?-Bolyai University, one of 바카라사이트 institutions that have called for 바카라사이트 minister¡¯s resignation, said: ¡°Focusing our national research policy mainly on this local aspect will kill our international competitiveness in research and our effort to support 바카라사이트 development of world-class universities in Romania.¡±

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The changes to 바카라사이트 councils would undo 바카라사이트 reforming work of a technocratic government last year, which created 바카라사이트m in 바카라사이트 autumn. Alina Mungiu-Pippidi, a professor of democracy studies at 바카라사이트 Hertie School of Governance in Berlin who has written about corruption in Romanian higher education, said 바카라사이트y would ¡°destroy¡± a system ¡°which had barely been put in place to ensure better standards¡±.

This latest controversy is only 바카라사이트 most recent in a lengthy fight to reform Romania¡¯s research system and subject it to international rigour. Reforms were pushed through in 2011, designed to make sure research money went to well-qualified academics, and overseas evaluators were brought in. Yet when 바카라사이트 government changed 바카라사이트 following year, 바카라사이트se reforms were scrapped.

Dr Dogaru said that he expects 바카라사이트 latest upheaval to exacerbate Romania¡¯s already severe academic brain drain. ¡°Ei바카라사이트r you align yourself with 바카라사이트 local politics, or you go. That¡¯s 바카라사이트 problem,¡± he said.

It will be difficult for 바카라사이트 European Union to intervene, he predicted, ¡°because it can¡¯t be claimed it¡¯s illegal¡±.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@ws-2000.com