One of the Civic Education Project's oldest programs, CEP Romania was launched in the 1992-93 academic year. Concentrating its efforts in 25 departments at universities in Bucharest, Cluj, and Timisoara, the program hosted fifteen Visiting Faculty Fellows (formerly Visiting Lecturers) and reached a combined total of well over 400 students per semester. Over the years, these numbers have continued to grow and, with the addition of Local Faculty Fellows (formerly Eastern Scholars) and Teaching Development Program participants, CEP Romania's success is not only far-reaching but has been a critical factor in the reform efforts in Romanian higher education.

Otto Sestak, former CEP student and
Eastern Scholar alumnus,
North University of Baia Mare

During the 2002-03 academic year, CEP supported fifteen Local Faculty Fellows, nine Teaching Development Program Fellows, and three Visiting Faculty Fellows at nine universities in Romania. They taught courses in European studies, gender studies, history, journalism, law, philosophy, political science, public policy and administration, and sociology. Many Local Faculty Fellows were former CEP students who received advanced degrees from Western universities and then returned to Romanian academic life. This represents a significant shift in emphasis toward the Local Faculty Fellowship Program and reflects the increasing number of talented local scholars who have been able to stay in academia because of CEP's support.

"Much was accomplished in those first years in Romania. I'm pleased to see that some of the institutional relationships that we worked hard to develop remain productive today. Several of the students our lecturers taught in 1992-94 have gone on to become Eastern Scholars, perhaps the single most gratifying aspect of our work."