ADAPTATION PROBLEMS OF ROMANIAN STUDENTS TO TECHNICAL HIGHER EDUCATION

The current study underlines the main problems students deal with in the first academic year at University POLITEHNICA of Timişoara (UPT) while adjusting to the higher education environment. The adaptation challenges were investigated through 14 panel discussions. The topic assigned was „Students’ adaptation problems in Romanian higher education”. The target group included students in their first academic year, studying at the Faculty of Computer Science (CS), Electrical Engineering and Power Engineering (EEPE); Electronics, Telecommunications and Information Technology (ETIT); Industrial Chemistry and Environment Engineering (ICEE); Mechanics (ME); Production Management and Transport (PMT); Architecture and Urbanism (AU), also doing the Psychological and Pedagogical Training Program. Each panel discussion was made up of 20 students, all 14 panel discussions summing up 280 students, out of which 158 female and 122 male students. The outcomes of the research show that students face different adaptation challenges that may result in a poor insertion into the academic system and education dropout. The adaptation problems identified by the students were diverse: accommodation and food; financial problems; school timetables and calendars (seminars, courses, laboratories and other instructional activities); teacher-student relationship; the teaching-learning-evaluation process, location of study; education for students with special needs and disabilities; administration and secretariats. The present study analyses these queries in order to facilitate the smooth insertion of students into the academic environment and increase student retention.