Bucharest University of Economic Studies – 2021

The university is monitoring the process of admission and completion of studies by gender. According to statistics (related to the application, acceptance and completion rates), the number of females is systematically higher than the number of males.

The Admission methodology of the University clearly states the principle of non-discrimination of the participants. In addition, the Collective labour contract restricts the dismissal of employees based on gender considerations, thus ensuring their participation at the university works.

Several tools provide support for women in accessing and encouraging their participation at the university.

Mentoring is provided by the Centre for Counselling and Career Orientation, which has several psychologists certified in the specialty Educational psychology, vocational counselling / career counsellors who provide specialized support to students, graduates and employees of the University.

The scholarship methodology states that the university grants non-discriminatory scholarships to under-represented categories (orphan students or students coming from children’s homes or family placement or suffering from different types of chronic diseases); in addition, private scholarships are granted in collaboration with companies, also based on non-discriminatory criteria related to gender.

Other targeted support is provided through the rector counsellor, which is chosen among the students. In addition, 25% of the members in the University Senate are students, for better representing their interests, without discrimination related to gender, according to the methodology. The orthodox chapel inside the building of the University is opened since 2008, for the spiritual needs of both students and employees.

The university also teaches gender studies, as disciplines in the Master study programmes (Master in International Business Communication, 1st year of study, second semester, the discipline “Communication, Gender and Business”), in undergraduate study programmes (study programmes in Human resources, with courses on Adults’ education, Work psychology, The management of human resources, Personal development or Ethics) or as a subject that could be chosen for the final undergraduate or master papers.

Encouraging applications by women in subjects where they are underrepresented

Through university outreach:

Publications on gender topics by several professors in the university (see, for example, Dinu Vasile and Bunea Mariana (2019). The Impact of The Gender Diversity on the Romanian Banking System Performance, Transformations in Business & Economics, Volume: 17, Issue: 2; ISSN: 1648-4460 or book chapters on this topic: Săseanu, Andreea Simona; Felea, Mihai Adrian; Zgură, Ion-Daniel (2019). Exploring Gender Differences in Leadership: Cultural and Social Issues in Romania (capitol) în Building Engagement for Sustainable Development. Challenges of Sustainable Economy in Times of Accelerated Change, Tăchiciu, Laurențiu; Weber, Gregor; Bodemann, Markus (editors), Springer (Germany).

In order to encourage women’s access and not only, the university is involved in several activities: 

• ASE has developed specific promotional activities as well as concluded partnerships with private companies in order to promote the educational offer.
• ASE submits to the action initiated by the Ministry of Education for promoting positive discrimination in allocating study grants to underprivileged / underrepresented categories from the rural area or Roma ethnicity.
• ASE has special activities for promoting the educational offer in colleges / high schools in Bucharest and in the country, under the concept of “Caravana ASE”, again on non-discriminatory basis related to gender.
• The Marketing and Communication Service organizes the “Open Doors Week“, part of the annual campaign to promote the educational offer of ASE. During this period, future ASE candidates dialogue with ASE faculty and student-volunteers, attend presentations, visit points of interest for a future student life. The high school students present at the “Open Doors Week” have at their disposal a wide range of informative materials about the educational offer of each faculty, the admission exam, the perspectives and career opportunities and other details.
• Several programmes targeting equity and equality were developed either with public support (such as the project “Social equity and equality of opportunities for ASE students”) or in partnership with the private environment (such as the workshop “Lead the change. Thoughts for men, for brands for women”, supported by the specialists from the marketing and communication division within the company L’Oreal, intended to dismantle gender stereotypes), in 2020 and in previous years.  

1. ASE is against discrimination in any form. The Internal Regulation clearly state that any form of discrimination is prohibited, gender or sexual orientation included (article 7 and 22). Moreover, measures to promote gender equality to eliminate direct and indirect discrimination based on gender are to be promoted according to the law, (article 23), while ASE assumes the obligation to ensure equal opportunities and treatment among employees, women and men, in the framework of working relationships of any kind (article 24).

Dismissal based on gender, sexual orientation, genetic characteristics, age, nationality, race, colour, ethnicity, religion, political option, social origin, disability, family status or responsibility, union membership or activity is prohibited (Internal Regulation, article 76(1)). The collective labour contract also states that dismissal is forbidden on gender criteria.

Moreover, the violation of the dignity of other employees through direct discrimination (difference of treatment of a person over another, due to belonging to a certain gender or due to pregnancy, birth, maternity or paternity leave), indirect discrimination (application of apparently neutral practices that, by consequences, affect persons of a particular gender) or sexual harassment (any form of gender-related behaviour that the guilty person knows to affect the dignity of the person if that behaviour is denied and is the motivation for a decision affecting that person) is a disciplinary misconduct that is sanctioned (article 103(12)).

2. A temporary suspension of the labour contract based on maternity or paternity leave, care of the sick child or leave for raising and caring for the child is possible (Internal Regulation, article 35 a(i), b(i)(iii)). In addition, the dismissal is forbidden during the period when the employee is pregnant or during the maternity/paternity leave (according to the Collective labour contract, articles 67(2) c, d, e , f)

3. The persons reporting discrimination are protected. The University Ethics and Deontology Commission confidentially deals with complaints in order to protect the identity of the persons who are considered victims of such behaviours, in order to minimize the fear of persons facing (sexual) harassment that there will be repercussions if they will file such complaints (ASE Charter, article 88 ). The identity of the author of the complaint is kept confidential throughout its analysis by the University Ethics and Deontology Commission (the Regulation of the University Ethics and Deontology Commission, article 19(1)).

3.2.1 Childcare facilities for students

• Free:

Students could benefit of social assistance scholarship for maternity, which is granted to the student whose spouse does not receive any income or an income higher than the net minimum salary on the economy, and consists of a scholarship for the birth of a child and a scholarship for the purchase of the new-born child’s clothing, which is granted only once during the academic year for each child born (Methodology for awarding scholarships, art. 2(11b)).

• Paid:

Families composed of students will be accommodated in appropriate spaces, with priority being given to families where both parents are students (the Methodology for accommodation in ASE hostels, article 3) .

3.2.2 Childcare facilities for staff and faculty

The educational staff benefit from nursery vouchers, according to the law (Internal Regulation, article 88(2)).

ASE provides reduction of registration fees for the children of ASE employees who decide to follow the courses of the university.

3.2.3 Mentoring schemes and tracking graduation rates

All students and employees could benefit from the mentoring and support activities of the Centre for Counselling and Career Orientation, without discrimination.

The Centre for Counselling and Career Orientation is annually developing a study related to the labour market insertion of ASE graduates, where graduation rates and comparisons on this topic between men and women are assessed. According to statistics (related to the application, acceptance and completion rates), the number of females is systematically higher than the number of males.