Case Study: A Question of Agendas? Contextualizing the Limitations on Success in Romania

Abstract

SUMMARY TEMPUS projects rely heavily on academic resources being freely given by the EU university partners. They may consider this to be a good ‘investment’ if it accords with their strategy of developing international partnerships in Central and Eastern Europe. But TEMPUS programmes also involve the EU universities in contractual obligations to fulfil the objective of each project. This requires good planning and cooperation between all of the partners to try to ensure cost‐efficient project outputs. But this case study shows how, at Faculty level in the ‘eligible’ university, different agendas can come into play that impede the EU universities’ ability to assist in the achievement of the objectives. These can raise critical issues about the viability of the EU universities’ continuing with a longer‐term partnership beyond that established through TEMPUS, or even of their desire to do so.