The University of Bucharest invites you to the 50th edition of the Romanian Summer Courses!

The University of Bucharest organizes the 50th edition of the Summer Courses in Romanian language, culture and civilization, from August 1 through August 15, 2010. Founded by the renowned Romance scholar Alexandru Rosetti in the 60s, in Sinaia, and coordinated for several years by professor Boris Cazacu, the University of Bucharest Summer School is the oldest academic initiative in Romania to promote Romanian language and culture abroad. During the last 50 years of experience, the University of Bucharest Summer Courses have gained recognition and prestige due to the participation of many Romanian and foreign academics, as well as of distinguished men of culture and artists.

This year, the Summer Courses Jubilee takes place in Bucharest, the capital of Romania. Attested since 1469, Bucharest flourished architecturally and culturally in the interwar period, when the city was referred to as ‘Little Paris.’
Today, population of Bucharest counts more than 2 million people, and the city is ranked 6th in the European Union.
Choose Bucharest and you won’t regret it! You will discover a charming city, with classical buildings and historical monuments, but also a modern and intense city life. You will find here many concert halls, theatres and cinemas, cultural institutes, hundreds of restaurants and cafés, modern shops, parks, and lakes.
(http://www.strazibucuresti.ro/harta-bucuresti-3d.html; http://www.bucuresti.ro/)


PROGRAMME

A.Intensive Romanian Language Courses

• The Intensive Romanian Language Courses are based on a communicational perspective, in that vocabulary and grammar will be constantly subject to interactive purposes. In other words, we won’t lay stress on theoretical knowledge of grammar and vocabulary, but on the students’ ability to communicate in everyday situations. At the same time, the students will become familiar with the main speech acts (apologies, thanking, and congratulating, complimenting, giving advice, expressing an emotion etc.) and with the Romanians’ cultural manner of speaking. In line with the European Language Passport, our courses focus on the four language skills: listening, speaking (spoken interaction, spoken production), reading, and writing.
  (http://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/img/dynamic/c1347/type.FileContent.file/ELPTemplate_en_GB.doc)
  
  
• The Romanian language courses are given by the University of Bucharest academics, specialists in linguistics and communication, with a wide national and international experience in teaching and testing Romanian as a foreign language.
  
  
• Students will receive a textbook and various handouts (literary and nonliterary texts, newspapers and magazines etc.), according to their level, and (when possible) to their individual option. We will use audio and video support, mainly for listening classes. Each classroom is equipped with computer, sound station, video projector and screen.
  
  
• Students will be divided into three or four groups, according to their level, which will be initially tested.
  
  
• Applicants are requested to specify their presumed language level in the application form. Language levels are the following:
  
  
  
  • Level A1-A2 (basic) aims at the acquisition of basic phonetic, grammatical and lexical structures, integrated in everyday conversational topics (i.e. ‘Pleased to Meet You’, ‘What time is it?’, ‘On the Street’, ‘At the Supermarket’, ‘At the Market’, ‘At a Restaurant’, ‘At the Bank/Exchange Office’, ‘Weather. Climate’, ‘At the Station’, ‘At a Hotel’, ‘On the Phone’, ‘Hey, taxi!’, ‘My House’, ‘Family’, ‘Daily Schedule’, ‘At the Postal Office’ etc.). By the end of the course, the student will be able to interact in everyday, specific situations.
    
    
  • Level B1-B2 (intermediate) aims at improving grammar and at extending and refining vocabulary. The topics are to be extended based on the study of literary texts of average difficulty, of nonliterary texts (mainly journalistic), and on listening classes (excerpts from radio and television broadcasts). The student will become an independent speaker, improving his abilities of understanding and producing texts.
    
    
  • Level C1 (advanced) aims at improving and refining grammar, vocabulary (synonyms, antonyms, specialized terminology, characteristics of spoken Romanian), phraseology, and stylistic registers of contemporary Romanian. The topics are to be widely extended based on the study of literary texts of increased difficulty, of nonliterary texts (according to the students’ interests) and on listening classes (excerpts from radio and television broadcasts). The student will become an experimented speaker, able to attain the native speaker levels of proficiency (C2).
    
  
  By the end of the program, students will receive an attendance certificate. On request, they can take a language proficiency test, based on the model of the European Language Passport. The certificate of language proficiency is issued by the University of Bucharest. Costs of the exam are included in the course participation fee.
  
  
• Romanian language courses schedule: 20 class hours per week (4 class hours a day), from 9.30 to 13.30. In Romania, a class hour lasts 50 minutes.
  

B. Lectures on Romanian Culture and Civilization
The Lectures on Romanian Culture and Civilization are given in Romanian by academics, men of culture, artists and are addressed to advanced students. Hence, for Level C1, 3 times a week, the course programme runs from 9.00 to 13.30 and includes 3 class hours – Romanian language course, and 1.30 class hours – Lectures on Romanian Culture and Civilization.

C. Workshops
Students can choose one of the following workshops, running twice a week from 17.00 to 18.30 (the scheduled hours can be modified according to circumstances):

1. Intensive listening: a very useful activity for advanced students and conference interpreters, which aims at improving the understanding of authentic oral texts.
   
2. Romanian Customs and Folklore Traditions: a workshop destined to those interested in traditional culture, in folklore and ethnographical aspects.
   
3. Theatre: a truly creative workshop which helps you express yourself through gesture and mimics and learn Romanian using games and improvisational exercises.
   
4. Romanian Songs: a relaxing workshop for those who like music and want to exercise their voice.
   
5. Exploring the University of Bucharest’s Botanical Garden: for those who love flowers, this is a great opportunity to discover many botanical species in the unique atmosphere of a park founded a century and a half ago. (http://www.gradina-botanica.ro/)
   

Applicants are requested to indicate in the application form the workshop they would like to attend.

D. Romanian Films with English Subtitles

Films run two or three times a week at the university. Due to the English subtitles, the films are destined to all students, irrespective of their language level. We included in our selection the latest productions of the Romanian films directors, distinguished in the most important international festivals (Cristian Mungiu, Cristi Puiu, Corneliu Porumboiu, Cătălin Mitulescu, Cristian Nemescu, Florin Şerban ş.a.)

E. Cultural Programme and Trips
The cultural programme includes museum visits, walks in the park (the Botanical Garden, Herăstrău Park), a musical evening, Bucharest sightseeing and outskirts (Mogoşoaia Palace), two one-day trips (lunch included) organized during the weekends.

F. Cocktails and Multicultural Evenings
The organizers offer a welcome cocktail and a final one. Students are kindly invited to organize 2 multicultural evenings, during which to present images, specific customs and traditions, local objects, food and drinks (if possible) from their countries of origin.

Accommodation
Students are lodged in a 3 star hotel close to the University of Bucharest Rectorate (http://www.hotelsiqua.ro/). You can choose one of the following two accommodation variants: single room or a place in a double room (which you will share with another student). All rooms have air conditioning, satellite TV, phone, and free internet wireless (for personal laptop), mini-bar, bathrooms with shower cabin and bidet, and hair drier. The cost of the room includes a Full Breakfast Buffet.


The Romanian Language Courses, lectures and workshops are held at the Faculty of Letters, Edgar Quinet Street no.5-7, phone / fax: 0040 21 313 43 36, 0040 21 314 61 77 (http://ublitere.srw.ro/).
The Faculty of Letters is situated in the heart of Bucharest, at 15-20 minutes walking distance from the Siqua Hotel. You can also reach the Faculty of Letters in 7-10 minutes by bus (no. 336) or by trolleybus (no. 61, 69, 90, 91) (3 stops).

Application terms
To apply for the University of Bucharest Summer Courses, you are required:

• an application form (click here to download)
  
• curriculum vitae
  
• a passport or an ID copy
  

The required documents are to be sent by e-mailed or faxed to:

University of Bucharest,
36-46, Mihail Kogălniceanu Bd.,
050107 Bucharest – Romania,
phone: (0040 21) 307 73 21; 307 73 22
fax: (0040 21) 315 19 42; 313 17 60

Contact us (for administrative formalities):

externe@unibuc.eu
carmen_batatorescu@yahoo.com


The deadline for application: (preferable) until July 1, 2010

Costs
The participation fee varies according to your accommodation option:

1. If you choose a place in a double room, the participation fee will be 750 euro.
   
2. If you choose a single room, the participation fee will be 950 euro.
   

Participation fee includes: student registration, accommodation (Full Breakfast Buffet included in the cost of the room), courses, lectures, workshops, 2 cocktail parties, 2 trips (lunch included), cultural activities specified in the program, textbooks and auxiliary handouts, the final language proficiency test and certificate.

Participation fee does NOT cover: students’ lunch and dinner, hotel extra services (mini-bar, room-service, phone calls, laundry etc.), international or local transport, visa tax (only if required). Participants are advised to have an international medical insurance. Organizers are not responsible for hospital costs or other medical services.

The participation fee has to be paid on the arrival day in Bucharest, by credit card or cash.

Information you might need

• Participants from the following states are not required an entry visa for Romania: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, South Correa, Croatia, Guatemala, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Monaco, New Zeeland, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, San Marino, USA, European Union States, Uruguay, Venezuela etc. The list of the states which members are required an entry visa for Romania can be found on the official website of the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (http://www.mae.ro/pdf/formulare-consulare/Vize/2009.12.22_Anexa1_ro.pdf).
  
• Participants can have lunch or dinner in one of the many restaurants or fast-foods close to the university. The cost for a single person meal varies from 20 RON (approximately 5 euro) at a fast-food to 30-40 RON (approximately 8-10 euro) at a restaurant. For more information on Bucharest restaurants, you can go to:
  http://www.restaurantebucuresti.ro/,http://www.afterhours.ro/,http://www.sapteseri.ro/ro/locuri/restaurante/bucuresti/ .
  
• It’s very hot in Bucharest in august. The average temperature is 23-25 °C, but it can go up to 30-35 °C. Participants are advised to bring adequate clothes for a comfortable stay in Bucharest.
  
• Participants will be instructed how to protect their personal documents and belongings. Like in every other big city, pickpockets operate in crowded areas or in public means of transport. The University of Bucharest does not take any responsibility for the lost or stolen objects, money, and documents.
  
  
  
  General conditions for the participants
  The organizers of the Summer Courses will present the participants with a folder which contains: the list of participants, useful information about Bucharest, promotional materials about the University of Bucharest, a detailed study and cultural programme. Any unexpected change in the programme will be announced to the participants in due time. The secretariat and the director of the Summer Courses will be permanently at your disposal for requirements and suggestions.
  
  Participants are expected to:
  
  
  
  • participate in Romanian language courses
    
  • attend the lectures (C1 Level participants)
    
  • choose one of the workshops
    
  • attend the study trips
    
  
  
  
  For further information concerning the study and cultural programme, please contact the Director of the Summer Courses: Ph.D., Associate Professor, OANA CHELARU - MURĂRUŞ (murarus_on@rdslink.ro)