The Impact of the Covid-19 Crisis on Tertiary Education in Europe: Insights from Romania
The Impact of the Covid-19 Crisis on Tertiary Education in Europe: Insights from Romania

Summary/Abstract: The crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has generated significant disruptions in tertiary education at the European level. The paper analyzed the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on tertiary education in Europe, with a particular focus on Romania, during the period 2015–2023. The research tracked the evolution of ten relevant indicators for education, digitalization, governance, and social vulnerability, using data provided by the World Bank. The study was structured in three phases: the pre-pandemic period (2015–2019), the pandemic period (2020–2021), and the postpandemic period (2022–2023). Quantitative methods were applied, such as exploratory data analysis, cluster analysis, and the k-means method. The results highlighted three main groups of countries: high-performing, transitioning, and vulnerable. The originality of the paper consisted of a cluster analysis for an extended period (2015– 2023). The study also offered an applied perspective on Romania, correlating its educational performance with the evolution of the institutional and social context during and after the COVID-19 crisis.

• Details
• Contents