The Student Organization of Babeş-Bolyai University (OSUBB) announced, on Thursday, that starting on February 25, it will organize protests against the increase in school fees.
“The Student Organization of Babeş-Bolyai University (OSUBB), together with the student organizations, announces the start of a protest on Wednesday, February 25, at 12:00, in front of the Rectorate of Babeş-Bolyai University, located on Mihail Kogălniceanu Street. This approach represents a continuation of the public position assumed by the student organizations in the online space and in all the previous consultative stages. Ever since the announcement of the decision to increased tuition fees, they participated in meetings with the university management, they officially expressed their disagreement with the proposals for the increase and constantly presented the impact that these increases will have on access to studies. However, the arguments presented were not reflected in the final decision of February 16, when the Senate of Babeş-Bolyai University adopted the largest increase in tuition fees in recent years, despite the united opposition of the entire community. students, expressed through student organizations and representative students”OSUBB sent in a statement.
According to the cited source, in the case of some specializations, the approved increases reach up to 3,500 lei, which means increases of almost 120% compared to the current level.
“For thousands of young people, this difference represents a real financial burden, which can make the difference between continuing their studies and dropping out of university. In a difficult economic and social context for students and young people, marked by the high cost of living in Cluj-Napoca, the reduction of financial support at the national level and the reduction of the scholarship fund, such a measure puts additional pressure on students”the statement also states.
On Wednesday, the student organizations sent an official address to the UBB Senate requesting both the resumption of the decision regarding the increase in fees, adopted during the Senate meeting, and the addition of the scholarship fund, so as to cover the number and amount of scholarships for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Until these requests are resolved, the Student Organization of Babeş-Bolyai University, together with the student organizations, convey that they will continue public efforts to support their position, and emphasize that access to education should not be conditioned by financial possibilities, as well as that a state university must maintain its accessible character.
