Interview given to "Orizont" magazine by the rector of UVT, prov. university Dr. Marilen Gabriel Pirtea
Horizon: In the years since you exercised responsibilities at UVT, you have inevitably interacted both with the history of the university and with many colleagues who have contributed to this history. Some of them were linked to the very beginnings of UVT. Symbolically speaking, what have you taken from this institutional memory?
Marilen Pirtea: The Western University of Timișoara, a wonderful foundation of King Michael I of Romania, our founder and emblematic image, was an institution desired by all the Banat intellectuals. It is also about intellectuals and people of culture from Timișoara, but also from the other cultural centers of Banat - Lugoj, Caransebeș, Jimbolia, Deta, etc. For me, as a teacher and rector, it is a maximum responsibility to preserve the spirit and essence of this edifice. It consists in the continuous strengthening and broadening of our activities, in emphasizing the rigor of the exact and natural sciences, in the beauty of the social sciences and humanities, and in the harmony given by the vocational sciences. All this is fulfilled, in the capital of Banat, in what I would allow myself to define as the guiding line of our activity. Namely, that, at UVT, culture is capital!
skyline: In the last eight years, together with your team, you have changed the face of the Western University in Timișoara. You started a new mandate, announced the start of many far-reaching projects and programs, and here comes the pandemic. How much has the state of crisis affected the activities of the university? What are the difficulties you have had and are still facing? Is there any opportunity that the pandemic has given UVT?
Marilen Pirtea: Covid-19 forced academia to move online literally overnight. In just a few days, the skills of teachers and students were put to the test. It was the occasion for an exercise that also tested the development of skills through which both teachers and students are able to use technology in education. Certainly, university education, and not only it, will not be the same after the end of the pandemic. But I also don't think we can think of an exclusively online education. There are many activities (studying in laboratories, for example) that are obviously much more difficult to transfer to online in an effective form. Let's also say that the superior effect of online education compared to face to face, as a general practice, is not supported by solid studies. Some aspects of university education cannot return to 'normal'. These are things that we have been designing for a long time, and Covid-19 has only accelerated the process. For example, we wanted to use online platforms for asynchronous communication with students, each teacher having to have the materials organized on these platforms, to be accessible to all students at any time. We have known for a long time the positive effect of course evaluation and even peer evaluations between students, but these practices were not often used in our universities. Now they are recommended and it seems that the usefulness is certain. Then there was the issue of students who could not physically travel to the university campus, but who would attend classes from home. If, a year ago, you had asked an academic to record his lecture and give students access to the recording, he would have looked at you in surprise, to say the least. Now it seems we are more open. In this sense, I think things can be taken even further. I imagine how, in our amphitheatres and halls, we have monitors on the walls, and connected students from outside the room attend classes or participate in seminars with their colleagues in the room. What is important is not the physical presence, but the authenticity of the didactic interaction. All universities have developed their IT systems to support the admissions process, if not entirely, at least in large part. From this point of view, for a long time from now, I think admission will be handled mostly online. It's true, we have many projects going on. Some examples: digitization of UVT's internal processes, increasing UVT's visibility in the online environment, increasing the quality of the educational act in UVT by adopting the reflexive-collaborative learning model, increasing the quality of research activities, creating an integrated system for evaluating and rewarding professional performance, etc. In a first phase, the emergence of the pandemic context forced us to reconfigure our way of working on all levels, which delayed some projects. However, we reacted quickly: we transferred the education process to the online environment and ensured a quality process, even in these new conditions. I believe that things have entered into a logic appropriate to the context and we have steadily progressed on all levels. More than once we have turned the adversities of the pandemic into opportunities. We wanted for a long time, for example, to have a high rate of use of the UVT e-learning platform. It was realized and activated sustainably, at a rate that would not have been possible under, let's say, natural conditions. Complementarily, most of the colleagues made more effort and got more involved in the new teaching process, which generated an increase in quality. I hope that, in the long run, the behavior acquired now will be maintained. If we are to look into the future, I think that, following the pandemic context, teaching activities will increasingly have a blended learning character and we will register a higher level of use of ICT in the teaching act, not forgetting, however, that the true meaning of of our teaching is to stimulate student learning. The phenomenon we are experiencing in this period, due to its suddenly invasive nature, affects, of course, both the processes at the level of the institutions and their results. When I think about UVT, however, I note one fact that is at least interesting: although the institutional processes were affected, in terms of pace, the impact on the results was relatively small. In some cases, the results were above those of the "normal" years. To give an example: the result of admission to the bachelor's and master's cycle was better compared to last year; major investment projects were won; new premises were opened for students and employees, and UVT benefits, along with five other European universities, from the UNITA project, which means the beginning of major changes in the internationalization of the university. It is true, the vibration of academic life does not have the amplitude known before. The image of the university without students is almost apocalyptic.
Horizon: What are the long-term effects of taking courses, seminars and exams online?
Marilen Pirtea: They depend largely on our response to the challenges of this period. A major risk is the emotional distancing of the teacher from the student. Any didactic act must also have an affective dimension. The student not only learns knowledge, but also attitudes, a way of interpersonal approach, social skills that help him in his profession and in life. Even if the student's emotional states are not directly related to the teacher's actions, the latter has a moral obligation to keep the students' stress under control.
Horizon: There is no speech in front of the teaching staff or in front of the students in which you do not talk about excellence. How do you see it possible in the coming years?
Marilen Pirtea: In my opinion, excellence is timeless. It is an individual option, born from everyone's desire to grow. It is true that excellence always comes with breaking the boundaries of the comfort state. It is possible that people, experiencing a permanent stress related to safety, resort, psychologically speaking, to defense reflexes. Yes, excellence can be affected by a kind of caution in exploring new areas of knowledge. But it also means that if you can't expand, you can deepen. So, on the one hand, I expect a super-specialization in the coming years and fewer interdisciplinary actions. On the other hand, the communication facilities offered by the virtual environment can be exploited through research projects in international teams. The pandemic itself is a research topic that many colleagues are beginning to explore with scientific means, which creates networking opportunities. To maintain people's desire to subscribe to excellence in teaching and research, university management has an important role to play. For this reason, in UVT we are working on an in-depth system of evaluating individual performances, precisely to give our colleagues that motivational boost and that goal on which to focus their efforts. Of course, excellence should be defined before we can figure out how it is possible. There would be a lot to discuss. We could talk about excellence in university administration, teaching and research. I will only refer to the last two, highlighting the essentials. In university teaching, we must be guided by an evidence-based approach. We have a training model proposed as a teaching brand of UVT. The model, based on an innovative concept, consists in reflexive-collaborative learning. To achieve excellence in teaching, we can follow this model and constantly innovate. If each of us will understand that we cannot carry out our teaching activities only on the basis of personal experiences and that special training is needed, and the training can be supported by serious studies in fields such as educational sciences, we will progress from a qualitative point of view. Complementarily, we are interested in research with international visibility. We must understand that we operate in a global context, that we live in a world of knowledge and that our work must be validated by the international scientific community. I like to think that all of us at UVT are aware of this context and that we are trying to become better.
Horizon: Romania has over 80 state and private universities, but very few are present in international university rankings. Can we really not increase the performance of our universities?
Marilen Pirtea: What solutions would there be? First, rethinking the role and, above all, the way of financing non-performing universities. Then, the transition to a program, even imposed by the MEN, of merger between universities of the same caliber, from the same city, so the construction of metropolitan universities, and/or the absorption of smaller and less performing universities. Studies show that mergers lead to near-instant increases in international rankings, even in the very rigid AWUR. Which model should we adopt? Maybe the French one of fusions, a national fusion program coordinated by the ministry. Other solutions would be the much more rigorous selection of personnel upon entering the system, attracting those with studies abroad and the best graduates from the country through internal grants from the universities. And the creation of consortia, on the UNITA model, or even cross-border mergers.
Horizon: What do you think about private universities? Worried about the idea of diploma mills? Diplomas that are just as valid for examination in Romania as those issued by prestigious universities.
Marilen Pirtea: We are moving towards an era where education is digitized and learning resources are easily accessible to everyone. This brings with it an ethical challenge. It's a real problem, because if it's not well regulated or if it tolerates deviance, behavior in the online education environment can get out of control much more easily than in the offline environment. If the challenge of an ethical nature is doubled by the struggle for survival, by the constant effort to stay on the educational market, the temptation to resort to unethical behaviors is greater. They will manifest more easily if the national context allows them. This behavior can be countered by increasing the control exercised by the competent national institutions over the educational process and results. The fact that a university is private or state-owned is not, in itself, a defining aspect for the quality of an institution. It is, however, true that we have not seen, in Romania, private universities that promote quality education and also have honorable scientific production. It must be said, however, that not only private universities find themselves in this situation. Unfortunately, many state universities are not far behind the performance of private ones. So, yes, I am not only concerned that the degrees of students obtained from prestigious universities are equated in the market as those obtained from obscure universities, but this fact seems to me a major social injustice, which encourages lack of education and even imposture. There are enough examples revealed by the press, so there is no need to insist on the subject.
Horizon: One of the oldest but, at the same time, current criticisms leveled at universities is that they do not prepare students for the labor market or that everything they teach them is often already outdated by the time the student gets to work. How can this reproach be overcome? Are there any chances or will it continue to be the leitmotif of criticism of universities?
Marilen Pirtea: The discussion on this topic is extensive. I would say that the purpose of universities is not to train workers, but to train intellectuals, an elite. However, the economic environment does not really demand this directly. However, as information perishes quickly in the context of scientific progress, universities can fulfill their purpose only if: a) they include in the curriculum, beyond the basic information (the scientific ABC), and information from the scientific vanguard, with current research connected to the world real; b) emphasize transversal development (through the way of teaching all disciplines), on EU key competencies, but also through their development through specific courses (our complementary disciplines, but focused on key competencies). Many times, the reproach is also made out of ignorance and superficiality. No matter how good initial training is, it cannot replace ongoing training. Studies show that in-service training has four times the effect of initial training, at least for teachers.
Horizon: The dropout rate of university studies in Romania is above the level of EU countries. What solutions do universities have to prevent dropouts?
Marilen Pirtea: Each year, approximately 30% of first-year students at US universities do not return for their second year, and more than $9 billion is spent educating these students. The dropout rate is also comparable here. About 40% of students who aspire to bachelor's degrees do not complete their studies within 6 years (NCES, 2015). Machine learning techniques, previous school results, especially in tests (such as BAC) appear to be a good predictor of continuing education. The dropout rate can vary significantly from generation to generation. For example, the 1998 generation had a dropout rate of 27,6%, and that of 2006, 20,2% (according to a study done at the University of Washington, on 32.500 students). What solutions would there be? A tougher admission with a test of intellectual abilities, as UVT wants to do, after which would follow special programs to develop learning techniques. Application of a peer-tutoring system, counseling through CCOC, specific psycho-pedagogical training of university teaching staff. Here can be innovation, for Romania: each university should prepare its teaching staff for the specifics of university education.
Horizon: In recent years, the exodus of students completing high school studies to universities in Europe, and beyond, seems to have intensified. How do you see this phenomenon?
Marilen Pirtea: Covid-19 has reduced the exodus of Romanian students abroad, this being an international trend. If they couldn't physically be there, many students chose not to go. Consequently, our universities have the chance to show that they are capable of providing quality education. The main reason for leaving the country (and not only in Romania) is the future student's perception of the quality of the university education system. It makes them go and also based on it they choose the country of destination. China studies the phenomenon of international student migration the most, but does not necessarily take preventive measures. Instead, it is actively campaigning to bring home those who have graduated from world-class universities.
Horizon: Functional illiteracy is one of the biggest problems of our society. If we don't take action, the long-term consequences can be serious. How do you rate the problem?
Marilen Pirtea: The problem is of such magnitude that I am afraid that not only the education system can provide solutions. It would be good, first of all, to look at the predictors of illiteracy and not think of the problem as we hear in the media: the school is not doing its job, the teachers are poorly trained, and here we have 40% functional illiteracy. Preschool cognitive and behavioral functioning has been shown to be an important predictor of literacy in young adulthood, even when the effects of family environmental characteristics, including living arrangements, home environmental quality, maternal education, and income are controlled. Failure in elementary school is also associated with literacy, but this effect disappears when the measure of preschool skills is controlled. Family environmental factors include maternal education, family size in childhood, maternal marital status, and income in middle childhood and early adolescence. In other words, a massive investment is needed in the training of educators to develop the necessary prerequisites for literacy in young children. Then, there is a need for a parenting school, more time at home for mothers (for example, in Germany, if the wife does not go to work and stays at home with the children, the husband is exempt from part of the taxes).
Horizon: What do you think are the inhibiting elements of an authentic (not superficial) modernization of Romanian education in general? But the Romanian one? What about UVT?
Marilen Pirtea: I think that a first obstacle in the modernization of Romanian education, in general, has to do with under-funding. I have said it repeatedly: in this age, you cannot perform without having modern means at hand, without advanced technologies, well-equipped laboratories, equipment. However, all this means making the necessary material resources available. Modernization also means refreshing mentalities, forging new generations of teachers to act as models for generations of students and pupils. Bright students rarely opt for a teaching profession; most, for financial reasons. Curriculum modernization is also very important in the wider process of education modernization. There is a lack of serious studies on the needs of this generation, a lack of genuine cooperation initiatives between the academic environment and employers. Or, rather, the results of this curricular collaboration are not visible. Regarding the modernization of UVT, I think our effort in recent years has really changed, as you say, the face of the university. We still need to work on the bottom line, and here I mean the understanding by all members of the community, from students to teachers, from administrative staff to support staff, that every contribution counts. You can't go forward with only a part of the people. The effort must be distributed on all wheels of the system so that the gear works at ideal parameters. This would be a brake for UVT: uneven distribution of effort and, as a result, performance. To give even more consistency to this answer, I will refer to only two examples: the attractiveness of the profession and the common sense approach to educational practices. Not only the financial part contributes to the attractiveness of the teaching profession, although, of course, the remuneration of the teaching staff is important and contributes to it. Beyond this aspect, however, there are also some related to the image of the profession in the community. Here, the press did not really help the profession, being often interested in the negative aspects, less in the positive ones, such as the successes reported not infrequently by the teaching staff in Romanian education. From the other perspective, my impression, and not just mine, is that, in general, in national education and teaching practice in particular, many decisions are made only on the basis of primary logic and personal previous experiences, not on studies and observations scientific. However, things are not always as they seem at first sight. For example, I'm going to ask you what you think about approaching a quasi-total decentralization in education. You will probably tell me that we have been waiting for something like this for a long time, that it is a system management decision that would increase quality. However, the studies - an OECD study comes to mind here, from around 2012, if I'm not mistaken - tell us that decentralization, in the case of states with the type and level of economic development of Romania, can lead to an increase in quality only if it is doubled of increasing social responsibility, measured objectively.
skyline: How to thoroughly build a good position in the "university market"?
Marilen Pirtea: A good position comes either from historical prestige, which has generated numerous positive results over the years, or from energy and the ability to integrate into contemporary dynamism. The optimal model includes both components. Positioning is done through the output generated by the entire institutional "body" and the visibility of the results. Context and international "allies" are vital. Unlike other types of markets, the "educational market of universities" is a relatively new reality for Romania, this topic taking shape as an element of debates in the public space in the last 15-20 years. The territorial mobility of people, free and easy access to education in the international space, technological development, globalization and the penetration of multinational companies are just a few factors that have contributed to the development of the competitive spirit in the field of higher education. Beyond the context, occupying the most favorable position in international rankings and hierarchies reflects a certain level of recognition of the quality of the educational act, but above all it highlights the level of expertise, visibility and competence in the field of scientific research activities. Without making a plea for marketing theories, a favorable positioning in this market means a good knowledge of competitors, resources and, last but not least, market needs. Of course, we are referring to a labor market where the product of university education is reflected by the insertion of graduates in the fields in which they were trained, but above all by the recognition of the professional qualities and skills acquired during the training period. The recognition of a university summarizes the joint effort of all teaching staff and researchers, quantified in participation in international scientific events, the publication of scientific articles in prestigious journals, the scientific impact that the research activity generates, obtaining established international awards. All this, combined with a flexible, dynamic, visionary management, can contribute to occupying favorable positions on the educational market.
Horizon: What is West-West at Western University? How rich is UVT – not only in material resources?
Marilen Pirtea: One of the major strengths of UVT is the ability to reinvent and integrate or adapt to ever-changing conditions. The second is flexibility based on awareness of new needs. Development in a unique paradigm is determined by the cosmopolitan city and the history and geography of the region. Vest at Western University is, first and foremost, participatory and inclusive university governance with an emphasis on student involvement in decisions about university life and student-centred education. West-West is also the peer-to-peer tutoring system, the concern for the disadvantaged categories of students, the opportunities for continuous teacher training, the mobility of students and teaching staff, the UNITA University Consortium, the involvement of our colleagues in projects and the participation in committees of evaluation of international projects, events organized for the development of the city, the campus in full development.
Horizon: If you were to take over the Ministry of Education, would you make a new reform of the Law in this area? If so, what would be the directions that require urgent rebuilding?
Marilen Pirtea: The last Law on National Education (LEN no. 1/2011), coherent and complete, was approved in 2011. Unfortunately, it has been amended numerous times since its publication until today, and the amendments did not necessarily create a better legislative framework good. In this context, in the context of a nine-year evolution, as well as some far-reaching projects, for example, the Educated Romania project, a legislative review can be taken into account. If we have to refer to precise directions, I am thinking of the initial and continuous training of teaching staff, the psycho-pedagogical training of academics, as well as university autonomy.
Horizon: In the current context, how would you resume the idea - which you shared - of the unification of the four great Timișoara universities? What additional arguments would you now have for a metropolitan university?
Marilen Pirtea: If we were still talking about the trends of the West: in Europe, the idea of unifying higher education institutions is increasingly being promoted and even implemented, based on the simple and healthy principle of the fact that where there are many, strength grows. Power is translated, here, in the number of students attracted and the increase in the geographical area of their origin, the diversity of specializations, partners associated with an accentuated diversity, significantly increased practice places, stronger research and, finally, international prestige and visibility. There is, however, a condition, a principle of this unification: a common, long-term strategy shared by all partners. It's still there. I continue to believe that a first step has been taken. Until you arrive at a strategy, it's good to start with a tactic: for now, ATU (Alianța Timişoara Universitara) has been created. If this really is an... asset, the future will show us. As you probably know, a few months ago, on June 19, 2020, with the agreement of the four Timișoara universities (Western University, "Victor Babeș" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Polytechnic University and University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Banat " King Mihai I of Romania"), ATU was established in Timișoara. It represents a first step towards the convergence of interests, didactic and scientific concerns of approximately 3.000 university teachers and researchers. At this moment, we are going through a stage of getting to know the specifics of each university's activity, of the concerns expressed in relation to teaching activities, but especially to those of scientific research. In my view, I think it is now preferable for the Timișoara University Alliance to be concerned with how it can contribute to local, regional and national development. And, obviously, to coagulate all the energy for the benefit of the Timisoara community. I am also convinced that through the sustained effort of the four partners we will succeed in consolidating and developing local scientific expertise, so that Timișoara becomes a supplier of scientific knowledge of international prestige. The experiences gained as a result of the activities carried out in the alliance will make us, in the future, reevaluate the initial project, either to continue and complete the next stages, or to maintain this way of association. However, I think that each member of the alliance has realized that, together, Timisoara universities are stronger, that they can merge at the level of scientific ideas and concerns. It is increasingly clear to all of us that we are talking about a global context of competition between universities: to attract students, to attract resources, to develop high-performing research networks. In this context, thinking about the arguments put forward so far, I don't think there is much to add to the ideas. I think it would be appropriate to take concrete steps in this direction. However, if I were to make an additional argument, I would say that we already have evidence, attested by studies, that mergers between universities lead to their increase in international rankings, thus to the increase of their prestige and visibility.
Horizon: What does good pragmatism mean in the area of university management?
Marilen Pirtea: At its core, pragmatism means action. Good pragmatism, according to me, means acting with the goal in mind, but being guided in your actions by the values you have built. In university management, good pragmatism means flexibility, adapting to the times, preserving values: it is fundamental. At the same time, good pragmatism also means a focus on the process, not just the product. In university management, understanding the process, the ups and downs, the losses and gains, the flows, provides the premise of achieving results. For example, in order to achieve the desired results (pure pragmatism), it is necessary to first ask yourself: what motivates people in general and my people in particular? Where do they start and how do they get to the results? What is their pace? What are the obstacles they face? This is good pragmatism. I believe that in the management of a university it is important to set high, achievable goals that are aware of and assumed by a critical mass as consistent as possible in the organization. You can be pragmatic and oriented towards far-reaching objectives when all decision-making levels of the university, but especially the academic community, assume convergent responsibilities with the goals assumed by the university. On the other hand, the pragmatism you refer to must be consistent with academic freedom, with creativity and the effervescence of the exchange of ideas, without limiting the individual freedoms and ideological pluralism of university members. I could associate this pragmatism with the tightrope walk of an acrobat, whose activity can be summed up in one word: balance.
skyline: How does the chancellor of a time-consuming institution get quality time?
Marilen Pirtea: Through quick decisions based on lengthy analysis and quick reactions to changes. It is well known that when you have a complaint, a request, whether you are a student, teacher, researcher or support staff, the first thing that comes to your mind is to go to the rector to help you, to solve, to find a solution to the problem. Obviously, in my work up to now, I have been in such positions countless times. But, over time, I realized that it is important to have a team of competent people around me, focused on solving possible malfunctions, to minimize the occurrence of such situations as much as possible. On the other hand, I set out, and I am convinced that I have at least partially achieved this, to lay the foundations of an organizational culture in which every request, every challenge or grievance is resolved at the first or at most the second higher hierarchical level of the initiator. My management principle in the university I coordinate was to nominate and attract to the management team, regardless of the decision-making level, colleagues who want and have demonstrated that they can perform. Together with them we defined the strategic elements of the university. Last but not least, I am a teacher. I interact with students and PhD students, and the teaching and research activity I carry out with them represents a large part of the quality time I spend in the university.
Horizon: What do you think should be the role of cultural enhancer of a university in the local/national community? How do you assess the role of UVT in this sense? What projects, what ideas are taking shape for 2023. Timișoara, cultural capital?
Marilen Pirtea: The role of a comprehensive university must be a cultural vector for the region. This process is carried out in partnership and through joint strategies with the main actors in society, through external/external university activities. The university must have an open cultural center, as happens in many places in the West, where the cultural act is "outsourced" to society. Based on what we have done in recent years and our projects in the immediate future, I strongly reaffirm what I said at the beginning of our discussion: at the University of the West, culture is capital! Regarding the preparation for 2023, when Timișoara will be the European Capital of Culture, we are thinking of an exhibition in non-conventional spaces, to reach a more difficult-to-reach audience, at the initiation of FUTURIS, a biennial of multimedia art combined with technology. Also, at DESIGN-ECO-ART, which involves the creation of artistic installation projects in green areas/parks in Timișoara and other cities, and at ArtAI, an interdisciplinary hub for the development of artistic areas infused with AI (artificial intelligence), VR ( virtual reality) and AR (augmented reality), plus a suite of open workshops: Open Studios. They are just a few milestones from a process at the end of which we hope that the chance of being designated European Capital of Culture will have a crowning worthy of this name and our dreams.
