Aspects regarding the students of "Alexandru Ioan Cuza" University of Iasi in the 1950s
Aspects regarding the students of "Alexandru Ioan Cuza" University of Iasi in the 1950s

Summary/Abstract: In the 20th century the communist leaders of Romania fundamentally changed the role and mission of the University. The purpose of their intention was the creation of a "new man". The interference of the new political leadership brutally made its influence felt in the academia. They removed the teachers who were politically unaccetable and introduced a selection process for prospective students. The communist leaders promoted an "advers selection" supporting candidates with "healthy" social origin to improve "the social composition" of the "student body". The teachers were "asked " to pay special attention to the education in the communist spirit. That task was considered more important than the professional training. After the events in Hungary in 1956 the communist authorities initiated a series of measures wich strongly affected the academic life. They decided to increase the number of students from families of workers and poor peasants up to the percentage of 70-75%. They purified the teaching staff on political grounds. At the same time the living conditions of the students were improved. The communist government increased the amount and number of scholarships and also founded new hostels and cafeterias. In spite of all communist obsessive efforts the "Alexandru Ioan Cuza" University of Iasi survived the period and remained one of the great universities of Romania.

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