The internationalization strategy of the Faculty of Agriculture follows the university's strategy, focusing on the three pillars: internationalization in education, internationalization in research, and internationalization in university extension and mobility programs.

• Internationalization in education

Considering the continuous development of the labor market and the increasingly competitive requirements in the reference fields of the Faculty of Agriculture, internationalization is both the binder and the educational direction for the upcoming period. With an internationalization of education, structured and focused on intense cooperation with international partners in higher education and a solid partnership with the business and entrepreneurial environment, the chances of integrating graduates into the labor market become increasingly higher, thus succeeding in generating and creating professionals in the field.

To achieve this goal, the following directions are proposed:

• Development of new study programs in foreign languages. It is necessary to establish a master's program in Agronomy in English to ensure continuity with the bachelor's program taught in English, as well as a master's program in Environmental Engineering in French, to ensure continuity with the corresponding bachelor's program. The promotion of these programs for both study cycles, including a new doctoral program in English, will be oriented towards Anglophone and Francophone areas of influence, both through self-promotion and through authorized institutions abroad (consulates, embassies, diplomatic missions), as well as through multiple partners within international cooperation programs. Additionally, their promotion will be included in international education fairs in which the university participates.
• Internationalized curriculum: Adapting the curricula and study programs to current requirements, to include international perspectives and promote intercultural learning, will be carried out in accordance with new trends and European priorities. Thus, the creation of a joint study program (Joint Degree Programme) with at least 2-3 universities is proposed, with a uniform curriculum at all partner universities and corresponding recognition. These joint study programs will start with the support of SMS E+ mobilities (study mobilities) for one semester at each partner.

Another important aspect in the international diversification of the study offer will be the implementation of online modules in a foreign language, especially for acquiring specific competencies offered to those who wish to specialize in certain fields of the Faculty of Agriculture. These modules can be revenue-generating, concluding with certification in the field.

• Human resource development: To ensure an academic framework oriented as much as possible towards certified international standards, the teaching staff of the Faculty of Agriculture will participate in continuous training courses in foreign languages (French, English, intermediate and advanced level, technical, specialized language), organized on-site, as well as through Erasmus+ STT (training) mobilities with certified and recognized international organizations.

The development of linguistic competencies of the human resource within the Faculty of Agriculture has a multiple role, as, in addition to involvement in the teaching process within the university, it aims to develop the concept of "visiting professor" by teaching at other universities following agreements concluded in various common specialty fields.

• Attracting "visiting professors": By creating reciprocal cooperation agreements in the academic field, the aim is to attract as many "visiting professors" as possible to deliver courses, respectively learning modules (both at the bachelor's and master's levels), thus giving existing courses an international dimension, while also bringing innovative elements and different perceptions of working methods: learning, teaching, know-how transfer. These reciprocal exchanges are very beneficial and productive, especially considering the diversity of international partners and their geographical positioning on all continents, especially in the field of life sciences which is approached with specific methods for each geographical area.

The advantages of these reciprocities will also contribute to the development of students' personalities, shaping future professionals, especially by enriching their general culture, offering them professional improvement and at the same time improving their foreign language level.

• International internship: The aim is to establish contacts with as many international partners as possible (higher education institutions, institutes, companies, NGOs, etc.) to develop internship agreements for students of the Faculty of Agriculture, internships that can vary from a minimum of 2 weeks to a longer period. The intention is thus to develop the professional competencies of our students in an international environment, with technological methods and practices focused on the implementation and concrete application of theoretical knowledge, also contributing to creating the international profile of our student.
• Promoting diversity and inclusion: Creating an academic environment that encourages diversity and inclusion, both among students and academic staff. This can include support programs for international students, facilitating their integration into university life, and promoting a culture of mutual respect.

• Internationalization in research

Internationalization in research, a direction increasingly on the rise, characterized by collaboration between the Faculty of Agriculture and institutions from various countries around the globe, with the aim of sharing resources, expertise, and current issues, has the advantage of developing both joint, innovative, and avant-garde projects, as well as stabilizing and concretizing immediate results, necessary for institutional development and positioning the university in poles of excellence, respectively international rankings.

The concretization of directions in research internationalization will involve:

• Development of international partnerships: Identifying and establishing partnerships with other universities or research institutions/institutes abroad to open new cooperations within international or national projects (national/local calls of partners), will also facilitate the exchange of researchers, students, doctoral candidates, teaching staff. The aim will be to try on as wide a scale as possible to increase interest in Horizon Europe projects, Erasmus+ KA2 type, especially strategic cooperation partnerships, innovation alliances, centers of excellence, a favorable international link for international research, in particular. These partnerships aim at knowledge exchange, know-how transfer, innovative methods, experiences, and best practices in the priority fields of the Faculty of Agriculture. These projects can address global issues and contribute to the development of sustainable and innovative solutions in this field.
• Creation of a Research Excellence Hub: Together with international partners, teaching staff, and researchers from the faculty, the intention is to create a Research Excellence Hub in current fields, with collaborative workspaces, on-site and online. Such initiatives cultivate and maintain strong collaborative relationships with existing partners, while also developing new ones, increasing at the same time the chances of attracting funding from international funds, thus positioning us as a leader and provider of the highest quality education. In this sense, it is very important to communicate the results and disseminate the impact of the research carried out within the Excellence Hub, both to the academic community and to the private sector at local, national, and international levels.
• Organization of international scientific events: It is a priority within the events of the Faculty of Agriculture, to be involved in supporting as many international scientific events as possible both on-site and online (conferences, workshops, webinars, round tables, symposiums, debates) which have the role of highlighting and presenting the research results of the local academic community and international partners, emphasizing performance and excellence.
• Participation in international scientific events: Encouraging and facilitating the participation of teaching staff from the Faculty of Agriculture in conferences, workshops, exhibitions, international invention fairs in the field of life sciences. These activities can offer collaboration opportunities and idea exchange with experts from other countries.
• Publishing articles with researchers from abroad: Increasing the number of articles published in Open Access, with high visibility, by teaching staff and researchers from the faculty, together with researchers from other universities or international institutions, is encouraged.
• Co-supervised doctorates: Promoting doctoral programs and attracting doctoral students to carry out co-supervised doctorates, coordinated by teaching staff from the Faculty of Agriculture from the Doctoral School, respectively to be coordinators for students from other universities abroad, on a reciprocal basis.

• Internationalization in university extension and mobility programs

Through the internationalization of university extension, the promotion of global citizenship values, the development of intercultural competencies of students and staff from the university, as well as collaboration with the international non-academic community to convey knowledge, resources, and experiences, will be contributed.

The focus will be on:

• Exchange and mobility program: Implementing exchange and mobility programs (Erasmus+, Ceepus, SEE, Eugen Ionescu scholarships, Marie Curie) for students and teaching staff, which offer the possibility to study/teach or conduct research abroad for a certain period of time. These programs could include study scholarships, internships, or collaborative research projects. Developing large-scale short-term mobilities, especially in the case of doctoral candidates, while intensifying the number of BIPs (Blended Intensive Programs) where participants from multiple countries can cooperate and exchange good practice experiences, also benefiting from the virtual mobility component, in addition to the physical one.
• Organization of summer schools: Reintroducing summer schools and maintaining reciprocal practice exchanges with partners (the best practice model with Egyptian partners).
• Development of an international cooperation cluster: A network will be created with all profile faculties, both from EU and non-EU countries for the development of activities related to academic ones, including non-formal activities based on innovative education methods, with periodic meetings, on-site and online, thus contributing to the formation of common educational policies in our reference fields and their transmission to the non-academic community.
• Involvement in the Diaspora: Developing large-scale activities within the Education for Diaspora project by involving specialists from the Faculty of Agriculture in specific activities, as well as in related ones.
• Promoting students and graduates internationally: Developing counseling and career preparation programs to support the integration of students and graduates into the international labor market and facilitate their access to employment opportunities or further studies abroad.
• Creating an international periodical: Dissemination at local, regional, national, and international levels of the internationalization activities of the Faculty of Agriculture will be done periodically, both on the faculty's website and on the associated social media networks. Individualized pages will be created on social networks where they do not exist, LinkedIn, Twitter, constantly promoting, besides the activities mentioned above, the study programs in a foreign language.