The 164th anniversary of the founding of the Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi (UAIC) was celebrated on Friday, in the Aula Magna Mihai Eminescu, in the presence of the Japanese Ambassador to Romania, Katae Takashi.

On this occasion, the rector of UAIC, Liviu-George Maha, told journalists that more than 80 events are organized on University Days, some of them having a very important scientific character, others focusing on interaction or networking, or with an important component of openness to the community.

"I thank my colleagues who make this a time of celebration, a time that is more than just an anniversary. I am also using this moment to mark the fact that here too there were precursor activities to the actual founding of the University of Iasi, on October 26, 1860, therefore we can speak of hundreds of years of tradition of higher education in Iasi," said the UAIC rector.

Present at the event, the ambassador of Japan to Romania, Katae Takashi, declared that he feels honored to be present at the celebration of 164 years of existence of the oldest university in Romania.

"We share common values, such as dedication to academic precision and respect for cultural diversity. I am glad that your university has strong academic ties with similar institutions in Japan. I am convinced that these will develop further in the future," said the Japanese diplomat.

The anniversary ceremony continued with a lecture titled "The University between Humboldtian tradition and postmodernism", delivered by Academician Viorel Barbu, president of the Romanian Academy's Iasi branch, followed by the message delivered by the president of the UAIC Senate, Ovidiu Gabriel Iancu, who evoked the names of three personalities whose 150th anniversary is being celebrated this year, two of them being former outstanding professors of the University of Iasi - Eugen Herovanu and Constantin Parhon, and Paul Zarifopol, a former outstanding student of the university.

The University Days programme also includes academic events, the most awaited being the exhibition of flowers, fruits and seeds "Autumn Flowers", now in its XLVIII edition. It will be inaugurated on Saturday, at the Botanical Garden "Anastasie Fatu" of UAIC and will be open to the public until November 17.

In total, the University Days Programme features over 80 academic events, scientific communication sessions, exhibitions, workshops, conferences, symposia, colloquia, debates, round tables and sports activities, which are organized by the 15 faculties of UAIC, the Institute of Interdisciplinary Research and the Department of Pre-University Education. AGERPRES (RO - author: Daniela Malache, editor: Marius Fratila; EN - editor: Simona Iacob)