Professor Ion Smedescu, Honorary Member of the Romanian Distribution Committee, was awarded in May 2006 “RESPAD” Diploma, on the occasion of the Symposium with the topic “Institutional-spiritual reconstruction of enterprises, requirement for sustainable development in the knowledge society”, a nationwide premiere (the volume that contains this project, which appeared in April 2006 at ASE Publishing House and in which, at page 488, reference is made to „RESPAD Trophy” offered by CRD, among other things emphasizing the correlation between real success and the vision of the training team; in „Additional information regarding the event”, distributed on the occasion of the works of the symposium, the hope was expressed as to what concerns the significance „of a new partnership of public-private interests post-accession in the European Union where the education and research, employers and administration, business governance will find solutions concerning common problems of our lives regarding enterprises competitiveness, pollution of the environment and poverty, the control of risks that the evolution in the new complexity of the world of uncertainties generates…”).

Three years ago, Professor Ion Smedescu, Founding Rector of the Romanian-American University chose the same day as Father Staniloaie, the 5th of October (1993, namely 2008), to step on the path of eternity. Former student of the „Christian love Theologian” – Father Staniloaie, Professor Ion Smedescu often mentioned Father Staniloaie, speaking of the misterious beauty of a wonderful landscape and the necessity of the conscious sens of the ordinance, of the beauty, in order to perform a task the right way, in joyful communion.

Professor Ion Smedescu (we can see Rector Ion Smedescu next to His Beatitude Teoctist, the Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church on the occasion of the Consecration of the Romanian-American University Chapel, in 2007) was constantly pleading for opening the eyes for truth, the good and the beautiful in an effort to shape minds and characters, the education of intelligence being connected to finding the truth and intelligence being strongly related to moral education. He used to state that he learned from his Great Teachers that there is always the need for moderation (as a rational attitude towards pleasure), courage (as a rational attitude towards pain), justice (as respect towards the man) and  the feeling of justice, of lawfulness, education meaning first of all respect.

In Professor Ion Smedescu’s opinion,the number one priority has always represented the student-centred issue. Besides, at the Scientific Session of Romanian-American University teaching staff, a dissertation (I. Smedescu, T. Purcarea – “A Modern Approach of Teaching Marketing. Concept, Knowledge and Skills”, based on a Course Program in English: „Marketing. Concept, Knowledge and Skills. Course Program”, that Professor Smedescu worked on between March-May 2004) was presented, on May 28, 2004, Professor Ion Smedescu approached for the first time the issue of student-centred education, being convinced that it is meant to allow students to achieve educationals potential at a maximum level and access to the marketing managers class able to anticipate the changes and and use competitive advantage, integrating competences and marketing knowledge in solving specific problems.

Professor Ion Smedescu widely opened up the gates of knowledge management and innovation, always doing what he thought best and without experiencing any fear, his intuition giving birth to the Romanian – American University, a great service provided to the future generations. Professor Ion Smedescu lived with intensity, making a constant and coherent effort to transpose in the academic landscape powerful ideas specific to the „cultural architect” that is his beloved „Marketing”, advocating „intelligent growth”.

And as well all know Professor Ion Smedescu, did set himself as a standard (Link), bringing all of them renewed trust, hope and inspiration, year by year.