West University of Timișoara

Romanian university

The West University of Timișoara (Universitatea de Vest din Timișoara; abbreviated UVT) is a public higher education institution located in Timișoara. Classified by the Ministry of National Education as a university of education and scientific research, UVT is one of the nine members of the Universitaria Consortium (the group of Romanian elite universities). Also, the West University is a component institution of the National Research–Development–Innovation System in its capacity as an accredited higher education institution. The university was founded by the Decree Law no. 660 issued on 30 December 1944, which stipulates that a university must be created in western Romania. Its first faculties either were dissolved or became independent institutions. These independent higher education institutions became a sole university at the end of September 1962. In 1968 the institution became an independent university. A difficult period followed, especially for the humanities and the exact sciences. Fields of study such as music, fine arts, history, geography, natural sciences and chemistry have all but disappeared, while philology has greatly restricted its activity. As a result, many of the faculties were transferred to other institutions. 1989, the year of the Romanian Revolution, was a turning point in the evolution of the university. It led to the present day conditions. An essential mentality change took place in the perception of the academic institution, in accordance with the democratic institutions in Western Europe. A substantial institutional reform was carried out, beginning with the redefining of the university's mission by establishing its objectives. The West University of Timișsoara comprises 11 faculties with the respective departments, as well as a teacher training department. The faculties that operate within UVT offer nationally accredited study programs at bachelor's, master's and doctoral level in the following fields: Arts and Design; Chemistry, Biology, Geography; Economics and Business Administration; Law; Letters, History and Theology; Mathematics and Computer Science; Music and Theater; Physical Education and Sports; Physics; Political Sciences, Philosophy and Communication Sciences; Sociology and Psychology.

The Department of International Relations (DRI) is responsible for the UVT activities aimed at fulfilling the strategic internationalization objectives of the university. Within DRI operate the Erasmus+ Office, whose main task is to develop and implement mobility programs and international cooperation projects at UVT under Erasmus+ and EEA Financial Mechanism and the International Cooperation and Foreign Students Office, which provides institutional and informational support to international students and foreign teachers who wish to study and teach at UVT. UVT is also part of the Magna Charta Observatory,

The library was established by Decree Law no. 660 of 30 December 1944, issued by King Michael I and named after the Romanian philologist ro, who, as rector of the university, supported its transformation into an academic library. At first, the library's bookstock consisted mainly of mathematics and physics books and magazines. After the Faculty of Philology was founded in 1956, the library of the Pedagogical Institute acquired an encyclopedic profile and was continuously enriched. Since 1962, with the transformation of the Pedagogical Institute into a university, the Central Library of the University of Timișoara has developed rapidly. Since 1975, it has been entitled to a legal deposit. Branch libraries are organized in the headquarters of some faculties of the West University. As of 2019, the library's bookstock consists of over 1.1 million volumes, and access to them is based on a reader's card issued by the library. In addition, UVT has its own publishing house and printing house. Founded in 2001, the publishing house covers many fields of study and research: anthropology, ethnology, philology, philosophy, physics, mathematics, psychology, sociology, cultural studies, communication sciences, education sciences, economics, politics, theology, translation studies, etc. It is recognized by the National Council for Scientific Research in Higher Education (CNCSIS).

The planetarium was inaugurated on 1 January 1964, a first in Romania at that time. The construction of this planetarium, as well as the construction of the astronomical observatory (now property of the Romanian Academy), were possible due to the efforts of astronomer and seismologist ro, the first rector of the University of Timișoara. Open to public since November 2022,

The Mansarda Gallery is located in the attic of the Faculty of Arts and Design. The gallery is spacious and adapted for exhibition activities, conferences, round tables, etc.