Centers

“Murray Rothbard” Center for Political Economy and Business

It is not a crime to be ignorant in economy, a specialized subject which, after all, is considered by many people the “dark science”. But it is a ssign of total irresponsibility to express one’s opinion by perorating on economic subjects as long as you have remained in the same state of ignorance.

Scope

“Murray Rothbard” Center for Political Economy and Business aims at offering research and educational services in the field of economy and public policies, from the perspective of the Austrian School of Economy.
The aim of the center is to cultivate an intellectual climate favoring free initiative and overall increase of welfare. Thus, the center encourages the development of economic research, with the purpose of defending market economy, private property and healthy currencies.

Objectives

The center develops its activities based on the following objectives:

  • Providing a specialized material basis for the unfolding of teaching and research activities;
  • Providing the framework for the dissemination of updated information, related to the economic and political evolution, on world level;
  • Continuous improvement of trained researchers;
  • Institutional support for the development and training of elites, among the younger generation, of students, graduates and postgraduates, as well as training of the young generation, for high level research;
  • Dissemination of the scientific research programs results, unfolded on national and international level, by attending conferences and publication in acknowledged national journals, as well as in the international ones.

Main activities of the center

The center’s activities will include:

  • Organization of conferences, debates, seminars and short period courses;
  • The development of studies, research, analyses and reports, necessary for the business environment and public institutions, on issues of major concern;
  • Providing consultancy for the public and private sector;
  • Editing of a scientific journal in English, for the dissemination of the research results of the Romanian and foreign researchers, who feel inspired by the Austrian School;
  • Editing of an economic analysis bulletin, to discuss the economic evolution of Romania and analyze the economic problems of national interest;
  • Developing a website able to offer bibliography, documentation (audio and video), research instruments, editorials and an online educational platform;
  • The creation of a library, in order to facilitate students’ and researchers’’ access to fundamental works of the Austrian School of Economy;
  • Development of collaboration between Romanian economists and researchers, in the tradition of the Austrian School, through meetings in a permanent national association;
  • Encouraging students’ scientific research through the organization of competitions, summers schools, round tables and workshops;
  • Seminars, for the promotion of economic thinking among high school students;
  • Granting of scholarships and awards for eminent students in economic research;
  • Awarding the Henry Hazlitt prize to the journalist able to promote the cause of economic freedom;
  • Awarding the Carl Menger prize to the author of the best scientific article, able to develop the economic theory from the perspective of the Austrian School;

The Advisory Council of the “Murray Rothbard” Center for Political Economy and Business is made up of:

  • Ken Schoolland, Hawaii Pacific University
  • Jesus Huerta de Soto, Rey Juan Carlos University
  • Christopher Lingle, Universidad Francisco Marroquin
  • Anthony Evans, ESCP Europe
  • Josef Sima, CEVRO Institut
  • Gregory Rehmke, Economic Thinking
  • Jorg Guido Hulsmann, University of Angers
  • Silviu Cerna, University of Timisoara
  • Amalia Fugaru, National Bank of Romania
  • Radu Nechita, Babes-Bolyai University
  • Cosmin Marinescu, Academy of Economic Studies
  • Costea Munteanu, Academy of Economic Studies
  • Radu Musetescu, Academy of Economic Studies
  • Gabriel Staicu, Academy of Economic Studies
  • Octavian – Dragomir Jora, Academy of Economic Studies
  • Cristian Păun, Academy of Economic Studies
  • Vlad Topan, Academy of Economic Studies

On the activities organized by the center, other professors and researchers from the faculties of the Romanian-American University take part, as well as from other universities and institutes from Romania or abroad.

Center for European Studies and Research

Foundation and scope

The Center for European Studies and Documentation is organized in the Faculty of European Economic Studies, Romanian-American University, Bucharest. The Center’s activity is aimed at developing activities that could contribute to a better understanding of the phenomenon of European integration, by offering a specialized material basis, the development of research in the field and organization of scientific events.

Objectives

The center’s activity is based on the following objectives:

  • Providing the specialized material basis for the unfolding of the teaching and research activities at the Romanian-American University;
  • Granting the scientific support for the implementation of the projects financed from European funds;
  • Boosting of scientific activities in the field of European integration;
  • Providing the necessary frame for the dissemination of up to date information, related to the European economic and political evolutions;
  • Offering support for the development of contacts with higher education institutions, research centers or other types of partners from the European Union.

Main activities of the center

The Center’s activity is based on the following components:

  • Following, evaluation and acquisition of specialized material from Romania and abroad, necessary for the unfolding of the research and teaching activities, at the Romanian-American University;
  • The development of studies and analyses in the field of European economic integration; (research projects, financed from national and international programs, contracts with companies, specialized articles, etc.)
  • Organizing scientific events, symposiums, conferences, round tables, debates;
  • The development of contacts with potential partners from abroad: universities, research centers, European institutions, training centers, etc.
  • Taking steps towards a strengthening of the relationships with specialized institutions from Romania, with regard to the unfolding of the research activities and organization of events, dedicated to the European economic integration (World Economy Institute, European Institute in Romania)
  • Editing of the university journal in English (Romanian Economic and Business Review);
  • Organization of scientific activities, as part of European funding projects, in order to facilitate their unfolding, as well as a higher degree of dissemination of the results. 

The material basis

The activity of the Center takes place at the headquarters of the Romanian-American University, 1B Expozitiei, Avenue, Sector 1, Bucharest, 3rd floor, room 309. The space for the unfolding of the center’s activities is provided by the Romanian-American University. The center has a documentation center with specialized studies and publications from the field of European integration, as well as an initial technological equipment (computers, laptops), printers and video projector.

The technical equipment and documentation are provided both by the university, but also as part of participation into European and national funding projects.

Microsoft Innovation Center

Romanian-American University, together with its traditional partner MICROSOFT CORPORATION, have founded the Microsoft Innovation Center, at the headquarters of our campus. The first steps towards the foundation of the Innovation Center at the Faculty of Managerial IT at the Romanian-American University were made on the occasion of the participation at Microsoft Academic Days, 16-18 November, 2007, when the program “Education Alliance” was presented.
Due to the support of our partners from Microsoft, we were able to attend the opening of the Microsoft | Innovation Center on the 30th of January, 2008, the first implementation of this concept in Romania.
Through this approach, the Faculty of Managerial IT, with bachelor and master programs in the field of Economic IT, both in Romanian and English, reaccredited by ARACIS, with regard to quality standards aims at:

  • Creating a connection between academic learning and professional abilities from the real world, in order to help students, have IT abilities, required by today’s labor market;
  • Offering a technological cadre at world level, in order to help students, acquire work abilities with relevant top-notch technologies and supply on-line learning resources, on the Microsoft platform;
  • Organizing courses, workshops, laboratories and seminars, according to the international standards of the academic education; 
  • Direct involvement of the employers in the practical activity of the students.

Microsoft Innovation Center at the Romanian-American University represents a performing environment where students have the opportunity to work in the field of Business Application and offers great opportunities for the increase of the quality of the educational process, in the field of IT.
On the opening of the Microsoft Innovation Center at the Romanian-American University, the first laboratory of this kind in Romania, important people attended: Zoltan Szomogy – State Secretary at the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, Silviu Hotaran – General Director at Microsoft Romania, prof. Ion Smedescu Phd. – Rector of the Romanian-American University, academic staff, students and representatives of important companies, in the field of IT.
 
At world level, in 2008, there were about 110 centers, similar to this one, unfolding their activity in 60 countries, thus Romania becoming a member of these elites, through the Romanian-American University. The contract of collaboration was signed officially by the two parties, Romanian-American University and Microsoft, regarding the development of this first Microsoft Innovation Center, in Romania, with the aim of producing an increase in students’ competencies in the field of business application and a stronger collaboration with the IT business environment.