"Many Germans believe the scandals are rooted in their abiding respect, and even lust, for academic accolades, including the use of Prof. before Dr. and occasionally Dr. Dr. for those with two doctoral degrees. Prof. Dr. Volker Rieble, a law professor at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, calls this obsession “title arousal.”" http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/10/world/europe/german-education-chief-quits-in-scandal-reflecting-fascination-with-titles.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Daniel Funeriu: "Eu m-am luptat pentru elitele care vor o cariera universitara in Romania. Acum aceste elite au vazut ca se poate, e randul lor acum sa lupte. Daca ei sunt lasi, nesolidari si tac pentru ca le e frica de pierderea unor beneficii meschine, atunci cred ca va trece mult timp pana un alt ministru se va lupta pentru ei asa cum am facut-o eu. Si asta ar insemna ca isi merita soarta 100%. Stiti cu cata ferocitate lupta mediocritatea? Si

Standardele minimale aplicabile concursurilor de la începutul anului 2012 sunt cele din metodologiile proprii ale universităţilor, adoptate cândva înainte de sfârşitul lui octombrie 2012 şi care trebuie să respecte standardele minimale în vigoare la acea dată. http://blog.razvanflorian.eu/2013/02/care-standarde-minimale-se-aplica-in-2013/

From Ths Scientist: "PeerJ comes in the midst of an ongoing debate about the foundation of science publishing, and a push by many in the research community to be more open. (See “Whither Science Publishing?” for a full discussion.) The journal has assembled an editorial board of 800 academics along with an advisory board that includes five Nobel laureates. The decision of whether to publish a submitted manuscript is based more on scientific validity

"The European Research Council (ERC) is awarding €680 million to 302 senior research leaders in 24 different countries across Europe1 in the latest competition for its prestigious 'Advanced Grants'. With up to €2.5 million per project, the funding allows these scientists to pursue their most ground-breaking ideas at the frontiers of knowledge together with their own teams." No winners are from Romania and no grants will go to Romania. Details at:

Details in Romanian here: http://www.revista22.ro/cnsas-andrei-marga-nu-a-fost-colaborator-al-securitatii-dar-dadea-note-informative-avea-numele-de-cod--21395.html

Mihnea Costoiu, a PhD student in Economics, was proposed as minister for Science in the new Romanian government lead by Prime Minister Victor Ponta, who was himself found guilty of plagiarism earlier this year. Despite his lack of credentials, Costoiu was elected Rector of the largest polytechnic university of the country in Bucharest this year. Details in Romanian here: http://www.hotnews.ro/stiri-esential-13845257-cine-este-mihnea-costoiu-propus-ministru-cercetarii.htm

Ovidiu Pecican, Professor at Babes-Bolyai University in Cluj (Department of European Studies) repeatedly attacked the use of English in the Romanian research system characterizing it as a sign of "servility of historical proportions". In response to criticism he argues that the widespread use of external evaluation for grants at the European level is not appropriate for Romania. http://www.romanialibera.ro/opinii/comentarii/cercetare-si-slugarnicie-285304.html

Members of the first overseas grant-review panel to operate in Romania wrote a letter of concern in this week's issue of Nature while praising the review system introduced a year ago: http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v492/n7428/full/492186c.html#/supplementary-information "...we are therefore concerned to learn that the research minister intends to discontinue the use of international referees (Nature http://doi.org/jwn; 2012) in a scheme originally

Nature's editorial "Suspend disbelief" (Dec 5, 2012) identifies the long term lack of "an appropriately funded, meritocratic system" as the root cause for the declining low quality level of the Romanian research system. Against this long decline background, the recent events since the access to power of USL government led by Victor Ponta are compared in the editorial with a absurdist play by Eugene Ionesco. Proven plagiarist, Mr. Ponta has appointed