Hungarian education line within UMF Târgu Mureş

Government announces it sets up of a Hungarian - language faculty within the University of Medicine and Pharmacy (UMF) in Targu Mures, so students get diplomas acknowledged legally.

Government hearing Tuesday in first reading a draft decision setting up the Hungarian line of education within the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Targu Mures, according to Radio Romania Actualitati editor Angela Bârgăoan.

Act will then be launched for public debate for ten days, Prime Minister Ungureanu said before meeting government.

"It was applied a possible technical solution , that would respect the education law, the principles of university autonomy, multiculturalism," said Ungureanu.

The concern of this government is that students get diplomas at the end of the courses to be acknowledged legally, so that their career may be continued undisturbed," added Ungureanu.

Hungarian language medicine faculty, UDMR request

Setting up in Targu Mures a new faculty of medicine, in Hungarian, is an older UDMR request.

Months, UDMR MPs and senators did not take part in parliamentary debates, saying that banks will not return to parliament until their demands are resolved.

UDMR president, Hunor Kelemen said that adopting a draft decision by the government for creating the teaching faculties in Hungarian is the only way you can apply education law.

The ruling coalition meeting UDMR received assurances from PDL partners that education law will be applied in its spirit and letter.

Rector of the University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Constantin Copotoiu claimed Monday that Education Minister Catalin Baba, has threatened the university management that unless solves the loophole of separate line in Hungarian language, it will be suspended university funding.

"After talks with Minister of National Education, on Friday night I received a phone call that told us that unless solve the Hungarian language – only faculty and not introduce the Charter these things then we are suspended funding university" rector said.

Constantin Copotoiu added that no one opposes any newly – established form of education in Hungarian, but it must be in compliance with ARACIS regulations.

According to the UMF rector , Hungarian language teachers do not actually want the new sections to be assessed pursuant ARACIS standards, which provide a ratio of five students per teacher.

Given that currently are 1,755 Hungarian students at UMF Targu Mures and 124 teachers, shortage of teachers is very visible, Copotoiu said.

In reply, the deputy dean Béla Szabó said that a university may be accredited by other institutions, not only by ARACIS.

Dissatisfied with the intention of separating the university, over 400 students came to the streets Monday in protest against political involvement in this issue.

Translated by
Denisse-Meda Bucura
MTTLC, Bucharest University