Teodor Cilan: "A New Project Worth Nearly 8 Million Lei for UAV"

“Aurel Vlaicu” University of Arad has secured funding through Romania’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) for the project “LIDER – Innovative Leadership for the Development of Responsible Education.”

The project includes a strategic professional training program for educational managers from the counties of Arad, Hunedoara, Alba, Caraș-Severin, and Timiș. “LIDER – Innovative Leadership for the Development of Responsible Education” aims to train 1,000 school principals, vice-principals, and school inspectors in key areas such as situational leadership, institutional, financial, and human resources management, in order to implement modern educational strategies and manage school resources efficiently.

“This project complements other successful UAV initiatives such as: ‘Inclusive Interactive Digital Education,’ ‘Educational Transformation,’ ‘UAV Digitalization – University 5.0,’ and the ‘I.N.I.T.I.A.T.I.V.E.’ project. All of these strengthen the position of ‘Aurel Vlaicu’ University of Arad as a center of excellence in digital education and managerial innovation,” stated UAV Rector, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Teodor Florin Cilan.

The goal of the LIDER project is to professionalize leadership in pre-university education and support the reforms outlined in Romania’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) and the “Educated Romania” initiative, contributing to the creation of a modern, efficient, and equitable educational system.

LIDER targets the implementation of a training and mentoring/coaching program designed to develop the competencies necessary for the effective management of pre-university educational institutions, focusing on principals, vice-principals, and school inspectors in the five target counties.

The managers will be trained to apply strategies for reducing school dropout rates, to implement methods for monitoring student progress, and to personalize learning by adapting the curriculum to each student’s specific needs. The project also promotes the integration of technology and innovative pedagogical approaches, which are essential for improving educational performance.

The project is based on a thorough needs analysis and includes, beyond the training sessions, mentoring activities and the creation of communities of practice to facilitate the exchange of good practices and experience.

The total value of the project is 7,954,965 lei.

The implementation is carried out by “Aurel Vlaicu” University of Arad through an extended team of trainers, mentors, educational and technical experts from the five counties mentioned above. This is made possible through partnerships signed with the school inspectorates in those counties. A modern logistical infrastructure, including e-learning platforms, ensures that the training sessions are delivered to European standards.

The project is scheduled to be completed by August 31, 2026.