“Dunarea de Jos” University of Galati

The university is a non-profit public higher education institution that was founded in 1974 and situated in Galati. With 14 faculties and 4 doctoral schools, it offers all members of the community the necessary conditions for capitalizing on personal skills through education, scientific research and socio-cultural activities. The university assumes the role of a cultural and civic centre meant to contribute to the training and dissemination of cultural values. Furthermore, the University assumes the role of scientific and technological creation pole to support all economic, educational and social units in the region. The Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ARACIS) awarded “Dunarea de Jos” University of Galati a “high degree of trust” grade in 2008, continuing up to 2023.

The history of Galati’s Naval higher education and implicitly of the Faculty of Naval Architecture begins in 1951, with the establishment of the Mechanical Naval Institute (HCM 1375/1950). Through this act, the solid foundations of the only faculty in Romania that provides the higher technical training necessary for the research, design and construction of ships and marine structures were laid in Galati.

Several institutes were created (Danubius Data Center – RI, REXDAN Research Center, etc.) which receive support from European institutions and actively contribute to research and development. Our university has students on a year-by-year basis outside Romania, mainly from the current extensions – from the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine and Italy, as well as from EU states and outside of it, on all three levels of studies.
The Faculty of Naval Architecture, the only one in Romania, with a tradition of over seven decades in higher education, has as a main performance criterion training naval architects recognised worldwide for a long-term, motivational and fascinating career.

The resettlement process of Galati higher education continued at a rapid pace with the establishment in 1953 of the Galati Technical Institute, transformed in 1955 into the Galati Polytechnic Institute, with the following structure: the Faculty of Mechanics with the Ships and On-board Installations departments, Operation of ships and ports and Equipment for the food industry, as well as the Faculty of Food Technology and Fishing Techniques. In 1974, the University of Galati was established, where the Faculty of Mechanics included three distinct engineering fields: Mechanical-Naval, Metallurgical and Electrical. The Faculty of Naval Architecture contributes to educating general and specific knowledge for the graduates, to develop professional and outstanding personalities in engineering, research, and naval designing. Our Student Scientific Communications Session “ARHINAV”, organised yearly, promotes the accomplishments of our students and research activity.
The economic environment has developed around the Naval Shipyard, the Fluvial Port, the Steel Plant, and the Mining Port. Our Naval Architecture students have immense success beginning their professional life after finishing their studies since the Naval Shipyard offers traineeships and positive prospects for a bright career ahead: Damen Traineeships.