Friday, November 22, 2013, the beautiful historical Aula Magna of the Bucharest University of Economic Studies (ASE) hosted the celebration of 170 Years of Economic Higher Education in Romania and the 100th Anniversary of the initiation of the First Congress of Romanian Economists. In his opening speech, Professor Pavel NĂSTASE, Rector of the Bucharest University of Economic Studies (ASE), highlighted from the very beginning the significance of both major events, remembering that on April 6, 2013, the Bucharest University of Economic Studies (ASE) celebrated the centennial.

Professor Gheorghe ZAMAN, Vice President of the Economic, Law, and Sociological Sciences Section of the Romanian Academy, President of the General Association of Economists from Romania, AGER, President of the Scientific Council of Romanian Scientific Society of Management, SSMAR, and Chairman of the Group of Experts of the Romanian Distribution Committee, CRD (www.crd-aida.ro/our-team/gheorghe-zaman/ ), widely evoked the contribution of the Romanian economists in solving the crucial problems of the modernization of the Romanian society, underlining the obligations of the professional community in addressing the risks and challenges that the Romanian economy is facing and will have to deal with, knowing that what happened in the past will affect the future. It should be remembered that in June this year our great Friend and inspiring great Economist, a real „design thinker”, the distinguished Professor Gheorghe ZAMAN, will celebrate his 71^st birthday.

Within this remarkable academic historical framework hosted by the Aula Magna of the Bucharest University of Economic Studies, the Association of Faculties of Economics in Romania, AFER, launched the Volume with a great theme: “Pages from the Romanian Economic Higher Education History, 1843-2013”.

This anniversary Volume expresses not only the true qualitative teamwork at the level of AFER, but also the fact that AFER: is a powerful forum for discussion of specific problems, identifying best practices in academic education and research dedicated to promoting national and international reference standards for higher economic education in Romania; has shown consistently strong focus on providing graduates with updated knowledge and practical skills required in the modern workplace, and a framework for their continued development; has constantly stimulated the critical and creative thinking, the ability to find, to access, to evaluate and to use information in order to solve complex problems faced by entrepreneurs aware of the implications of the actions initiated and of the complex decisions in a competitive business environment specific to the relevant markets at the confluence of globalization and integration; is already proving a growing culture of assessment and measurement in education, research and innovation, putting a new emphasis on the economic contribution of higher education to economic and social life and the need to work multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary and trans disciplinary.

The Volume “Pages from the Romanian Economic Higher Education History, 1843-2013” was introduced with her well-known professionalism and elegance by Professor Mihaela LUȚAȘ, Vice Rector of the „Babeș-Bolyai” University, Cluj-Napoca, as a great book in the right place and at the right time. Professor Mihaela LUȚAȘ provided a special dimension to this special Volume launch, by adequately building the structure of the presentation, incorporating a powerful message for our Economic Higher Education, and choosing the right passages that the qualified audience wanted to hear.

It is worth to mention that on the occasion of the celebration of 170 years of Economic Higher Education in Romania and the 100th Anniversary of the initiation of the first Congress of Romanian Economists, one of the Editors of the launched Volume, Professor Nicolae ISTUDOR, Vice Rector of the Bucharest University of Economic Studies (ASE), Executive President of the Association of the Faculties of Economic Sciences, AFER, Honorary Member of SSMAR, and Honorary Member of the Romanian Distribution Committee, CRD, presented the message of AFER.

On the occasion of this significant celebration hosted Friday, November 22, 2013, by the beautiful historical Aula Magna of the Bucharest University of Economic Studies (ASE), Professor Marin DINU, Secretary General of the General Association of Economists from Romania, AGER, presented:

● the “Diploma of Excellence IN MEMORIAM” with silver commemorative coin “The First Congress of Economists Initiative” awarded to Professor Ion Gh. ROȘCA, Founder of AFER, and First Vice President of AGER (Please see “The Brand Ion Gh. Roşca, a proactive marketer”: www.crd-aida.ro/2013/05/the-awarding-ceremony-of-the-prizes-of-onef-2013-section-marketing/ ), and

● the “Diploma of Excellence” with silver commemorative coin “The First Congress of Economists Initiative” awarded to following personalities from all over our country: Emilian DOBRESCU; Iulian VĂCĂREL; Gheorghe ZAMAN;  Pavel NĂSTASE; Ioan TALPOȘ; Constantin MITRUȚ; Daniela VULCAN; Nicolae ISTUDOR; Marin DINU; Marilen  PIRTEA; Vasile IȘAN; Robert NEGOIȚĂ; Ioan ERHAN; Cristian SOCOL; Mihaela LUȚAȘ; Cornel IONESCU; Tudorel ANDREI; Constantin ANGHELACHE; Gabriela ȚIGU; Răzvan ZAHARIA; Ovidiu Octavian MEGAN; Constantin ROȘCA; Marian SIMINICĂ; Ovidiu FOLCUȚ; Dinu AIRINEI; Vergil VOINEAGU; Ion SMEUREANU; Dan CRUCERU; Gabriela ANGHELACHE; Constantin BOȘTINĂ; Mihai ANGHEL; Ionuț NEGOIȚĂ; Bogdan Ioan COJOCEA; Teodor BRATEȘ; Carmen ȚĂRANU; Alexandru MANOLE; Mădălina Gabriela ANGHEL.

We have the pleasure to honoring excellence in Marketing teaching and effective Marketing science application in business practice on the special occasion of the 10^th Anniversary of  the Faculty of Marketing, the Bucharest University of Economics. Created in the academic year 2003/2004, the Faculty of Marketing materialized the experience acquired by the Department of Marketing within the Bucharest University of Economics. It is well-known that the year 2011 marked the 40th anniversary of introducing Marketing Education in Romania, and within that context we took the special opportunity to outline both, the unique historic role that the Marketing Department of the Bucharest University of Economics has played in the introduction and developing of Marketing Education in Romania, and the Contribution brought in the last eight years to recognizing Marketing as a distinct Academic Specialization, in providing a first-class Marketing Educational Environment and direct access for businesses to qualified labour, which led to a considerable impact on the Economic and Social Field ( www.crd-aida.ro/2011/12/40th-anniversary-introducing-marketing-education-romania-diploma-special-merit-awarded-department-marketing-academy-economic-studies-bucharest-commitment-accountable-marketing/)

The Faculty of Marketing, the Bucharest University of Economics: has used consequently the scientific method for advancing Marketing knowledge and problem solving, ensuring to their Students the right teaching by providing great content in addition to active learning of how to use Marketing analytics to develop insights, to drive decisions, to implement strategies, and to evaluate actions; did and is continuing doing something relevant to business practice, by applying adequate marketing science models and methods to business problems on the relevant markets. The Faculty of Marketing, the Bucharest University of Economics, has constantly pledged that in the today’s highly competitive Marketing landscape, successful Marketers must understand the trends and also look beyond them, help overwhelmed Customers and Prospects cut through the clutter around them while interacting with brands in the digital and physical worlds, consider social media marketing, personalization and targeting, automation as a key for maximizing conversions throughout a customer’s lifecycle, creativity and innovation in marketing programs, digital advertising, cross-channel marketing, emerging technologies and the rapidly adoption by the customers of the new technologies and incorporation into the everyday live, and adequately measure ROI and prove marketing’s worth at different companies on different relevant markets.

The just released McKinsey Global Institute (MGI is the business and economics research arm of McKinsey & Company; it combines the disciplines of economics and management, employing the analytical tools of economics with the insights of business leaders; it’s “micro-to-macro” methodology examines microeconomic industry trends to better understand the broad macroeconomic forces affecting business strategy and public policy) report (part of a large body of MGI research on the US economy) sifted through a wide range of ideas that could catalyze US economic growth before zeroing in on five “game changers” that can add hundreds of billions of dollars to annual GDP and create millions of new jobs by 2020.  The game changers (different in nature, but mutually reinforcing, and which present opportunities today given changing factor costs, new technologies, and lessons on what policies work) are: shale energy production; enhanced US trade competitiveness in knowledge-intensive goods; the potential for big data analytics to raise productivity within sectors; increased investment in infrastructure, with a new emphasis on its productivity; and new approaches to talent development in both K-12 and post-secondary education. The report examines what it will take to unlock the potential of each game changer and explores the implications for both business leaders and policy makers.

We noted with pleasure that in the “Preface” signed by Richard Dobbs Director (McKinsey Global Institute Seoul), and James Manyika (Director, McKinsey Global Institute San Francisco), in July 2013, it was specified that the project team managed by Sreenivas Ramaswamy also included Marc Sorel, the son of our distinguished collaborator Professor Eliot Sorel (http://www.sanabuna.ro/speakers/eliotsorel/ )

Of keen interest to us is also the link between this MGI report’s items on new approaches to talent development in both K-12 and post-secondary education, and enhanced competitiveness in knowledge- intensive goods with our Bucharest Consensus on Higher Education that Professor Eliot Sorel developed in 2010 and updated in 2012: http://www.sanabuna.ro/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Bucharest-Consensus-Oct-2010-ES.pdf

The Awarding Ceremony of the Prizes of the National Students Studying Economics and Business Competition, Section: Marketing – ONEF 2013, took place Friday, May 24, in Aula Magna of the University of Oradea. The prizes were awarded by Professors Nicolae Istudor – Executive President of the Association of the Faculties of Economic Sciences (http://www.afer.ase.ro), AFER (Vice Rector of the Bucharest University of Economic Studies – ASE, and Honorary Member of SSMAR), Adriana Giurgiu – Dean of the Faculty of Economic Sciences of the University of Oradea (Chairperson of the International Conference “European Integration – New Challenges”, 9^th edition of EINCO), and Theodor Valentin Purcărea – Honorary President of the ONEF 2013, Section: Marketing (President of the Romanian Distribution Committee, Professor at the Romanian-American University, and President of the Executive College of SSMAR).

The Members of the Presidium (from left to right) were Professors: Constantin Roşca, Executive Director of AFER (and President of SSMAR), Theodor Valentin Purcărea – Honorary President of the ONEF 2013, Section: Marketing, and President of the Jury, Gheorghe Zaman, Corresponding Member of the Romanian Academy, President of AGER, and Director of the Institute of National Economy, Romanian Academy (Member of the Board and Chairman of the Group of Experts of the Romanian Distribution Committee: https://www.crd-aida.ro/our-team/gheorghe-zaman/ ), Adriana Giurgiu, Dean of the Faculty of Economic Sciences of the University of Oradea, Constantin Bungău, Rector of the University of Oradea (Who gave the Welcome speech), Nicolae Istudor, Executive President of AFER, Valentina Vasile, Deputy-Director of the Institute of National Economy, Romanian Academy, Mihai Berinde, Director of the Center for Competitiveness and Sustainable Development of the University of Oradea, Maria-Madela Abrudan, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Economic Sciences of the University of Oradea and Coordinator of the ONEF 2013, Section: Marketing,  Dorin-Cristian Coita, Director of the Department of Management-Marketing of the Faculty of Economic Science of the University of Oradea, and President of the Organizing Committee of the ONEF 2013, Section: Marketing.

At the Opening Ceremony of the ONEF 2013, Section: Marketing, the Honorary President, Theodor Valentin Purcărea, gave a speech on: “The Brand Ion Gh. Roşca, a proactive marketer”, highlighting the Lesson given by Professor Ion Gh. Roşca – the Promoter and the Founder of AFER – concerning the academic progress, a real lesson on marketing innovation. Professor Ion Gh. Roşca was constantly trying to build the right road map to sustainable academic growth, while basing the AFER’s strategic goals on both internal and external knowledge, insight and in-depth analysis, on a full understanding of the specific market and the student’s needs. He proved to be a real cultural architect whose influence considerably impacted the conversational culture at the level of the Faculties of Economic Sciences in Romania, keeping all of them well-informed, student-focused in the process of creating value for the student, educating him, communicating with, motivating him about the AFER Members’ services, and best promoting AFER features and benefits which the academic services provide to AFER student. Professor Ion Gh. Roşca constantly pledged for both, on one hand, the right interaction with AFER Members, and with prospects and students (the proper balance between the “right list”, the “offer”, and  the “creative execution” in the continuous “AFER campaign”, using multiple contacts through multiple mediums, having clear goals for key metrics and establishing the right action plans for making AFER goals come to fruition), and on the other hand, to responsibly and accountably teaching students to adequately apply what they have learned in their marketing courses in approaching the competitive job market and obtaining not only their first job, but also increased financial gains, and greater overall job satisfaction.

No wonder that all the participants at ONEF 2013, Section: Marketing proved to be at the level of the founder’s proactive marketing vision, making very difficult for the Jury to finally decide the Winners. But the Olympic spirit, as a special attitude, prevailed, by inspiring participants believing in their abilities to improve, considering that the most important thing is the struggle, and that the essential thing is to have fought well.

All the participants were impressed by the quality of the organization, the team spirit and collegial atmosphere confirming that excellence in leadership means that people have confidence in themselves. Paraphrasing Mark Twain, we can say that all the participants at ONEF 2013 Section: Marketing felt good, by giving themselves their own approval to feel comfortable.
It is also worth to mention that, for the participants at ONEF 2013, Section: Marketing, the Faculty of Economic Sciences of the University of Oradea organized – in partnership with The Leadership Institute USA and The Leadership Institute Romania – a Training Module on “Transformational Leadership. The Science of Success” ensured by Miguel Angel Moreno, Director of International and Government Programs at The Leadership Institute USA.

“Challenges and opportunities in the tourism industry within the context of globalization”, this was the focus of the round table that took place on May 15, 2013, in Bucharest, at the Romanian-American University (RAU), Senate Hall. The special event attracted distinguished representatives from academia, scientific and professional organizations, tourism business, as well as authorities, and the last but not least students and master students (also former students), all of them contributing to building a fresh dialogue that facilitated posing questions and learning from one another while also conveying scientific and practical information.

The Vice Rector Doinița Ciocîrlan opened the event and invited contributors to explore the possibilities for a cooperation between academia and tourism business, by developing an adequate environment in identifying the proper link between the challenges of the University (including maintaining the right direction in developing the full potential of its students) and those of the tourism business, and the best way of action in addressing instruments that can enhance this necessary cooperation.

Event (moderated by Monica Paula Rațiu, the Vice Dean of the RAU School of Domestic and International Economy of Tourism) schedule speaks for itself:   Petru Filip, Member of the Board of the Romanian Distribution Committee – „Tourism and the imperative of concrete, pragmatic and achievable actions aiming building sustainable relationships between brands and people, helping to promote Romanian country brand”; Alexandru T. Bogdan, Romanian Academy, Theodor Valentin Purcărea, Romanian-American University – “Tourism at ECO-BIO-DIPLOMACY times, the new concept for intelligent sustainable development in a globalized world, in the context of eco-bio-economy”; Nicolae Albu, General Manager of Aro-Palace Braşov Group, and Director of Tourism and Hospitality Department of the  Romanian Distribution Committee (RDC) – „Redesign, collaboration, innovation and performance measurement”; Ionuț Negoiță, President of RIN Group – „A business model designed to create value requested by the client, ensuring the balance between re-innovation and complexity” (“Balancing re-innovation and complexity”); Răzvan Andrei Nacea, Managing Director Seytour Medical Tourism (Seytour International Corporation), and Spokesperson of the National Association of the Travel Agencies in Romania (ANAT) - “Medical turism – a new engine for Romanian tourism development”; Raluca Cristina Purcărea, Director General, Cosmo Travel – „Visit-Romania.com” (“Personal services for a great journey”); Ion Andrei, Director General CEDES Research Development, Founding President of the Association for Services Quality, Vice President of the Employers Association of Training Providers from Romania (FPTR) – “The evolution of the << consumer protection >> concept in the context of globalization”; Mihail Teodor Purcărea, Cosmo Travel/Decar Studios Project Manager – “Technological changes in global tourism. Launching own application for Apple mobile and tablets, as well as for those compatibles with Android”.

Let us also mention some qualitative contributions of other distinguished participants in the lively debate: Iulian Cristache, Member of the Board of the Romanian Distribution Committee; Ion Bulborea, Professor Emeritus, Romanian-American University; Radu Titus Marinescu, Member of the Board of the Romanian Distribution Committee; Emilia Gabroveanu, Dean of the RAU School of Domestic and International Economy of Tourism; Cezar Mihălcescu, Director, Department of Tourism Services Management, RAU School of Domestic and International Economy of Tourism, Marian Florin Busuioc, Gina Gilet Sztruten, Ioana Patrichi, Cerasela Munteanu, Catrinel Dridea, Roxana Elena Stan, Andreea Manoliu, Beatrice Sion, and other representatives of the RAU School of Domestic and International Economy of Tourism.

The lively debate revealed that ensuring the long-term protection of the socio-natural environment, while being challenged to sustain economic growth and overcoming the inherent difficulties of the market’s evolution within the general framework of the economic and financial crisis, is not a simple matter for any industry these days. It is well known that tourism (considered being both, the forerunner of the globalization system and the actual supplier of innovative approaches to touring the globalized world in full rapid evolution of market integration and consumer travel conveniences) and globalization (that encourages growth in tourist activities across socio-economic, political, and geographic divides) feed off each other, considering on one hand, the changes in communication patterns, the technological enhancements, the new types of markets and business concepts (low or high globalization profile; strategic alliances in business networking relations), and the other hand, the necessary investment and financial approaches and the necessary adjustments in tourism and governance initiatives accordingly.

In her closing remarks, the Vice Rector Doinița Ciocîrlan underlined that strengthening the connection between academia and tourism business, by harmonizing the academic interest with the demands of businesses through a structured dialogue is a good idea, saluting the formation on this event occasion of the “Roundtable 1 Group of Tourism Initiative” and the commitment in understanding the implications of globalization on business and governance, and in the necessary team work in order to elaborate recommendations for strategic approaches that tourism planners may pursue in response to challenges and opportunities in the tourism industry within the context of globalization.