– Founding full member, Department of Agricultural, Forestry and Veterinary Sciences –
President of the Section 2008-2012
(21 June 1939, Voicești (VL) – 27 August 2023, Bucharest)
Prof. Dr. h.c. Ion NICOLAE was one of the founders of higher education suitable to the requirements of the 21st century, harmoniously combining the Romanian school tradition with the Western one; he was the promoter of private university education management and the founder of Bioterra University. Through his academic vision, as well as through his scientific contributions in genetics and plant breeding, management and marketing in agritourism and food service, Professor Ion Nicolae has succeeded in promoting new directions both in the Romanian university curriculum and in the development of scientific research programs. Through the publication of books and articles of great intellectual stature, he has contributed directly to the development of knowledge in applied biology.
Prof. PhD HC Ion NICOLAE has distinguished himself through an innovative vision in the field of higher education in our country. Through his important positions in the Rectors’ Council and in the Management Board of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, he has contributed significantly to the implementation of strategic management and the awareness of the need to develop quality assurance and evaluation systems for university education.
Mister. Ion NICOLAE graduated from the Faculty of Agriculture in Bucharest in 1965, obtaining the title of agronomist engineer, with a diploma of merit, and followed a rich professional career in higher education, from preparator (1966-1967) to university assistant (1967-1971) at the Agronomic Institute “Nicolae Bălcescu”, now the University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest, discipline of Genetics, head of studies (1971-1974 and 1979-1990), university lecturer (1974-1979 and 1990-1993), university professor (1993) and PhD supervisor since 1994 in Romania. D. in agronomy, specializing in genetics and plant breeding, in 1969, with the thesis “Contributions to the study of the effect of ionizing radiation and mutagenic chemicals on the variability of soybean and malting barley” under the direction of Acad. Nicolae Giosan. In this context, he proposed and developed a new strategy to obtain high-yielding crops through mutagenesis.
For a period of five years he worked in Algeria, National Agronomic Institute, where he revealed his teaching and scientific competence; he organized the laboratories of Genetics and Plant Breeding, experimental fields with field and horticultural plants.
For his contributions to Romanian and world scientific research, for his outstanding merits in structuring the material base, organizing teaching and scientific activity, representation abroad, creating the conditions for specialization and establishing international collaboration, Mr Ion NICOLAE has been awarded honorary diplomas and medals, diplomas of excellence and merit awarded by various universities, institutions and societies in Egypt, Canada, Azerbaijan and at the National Agronomic Institute, Algeria, He is designated “Man of the Year” 1997 (ABI, USA) and is listed with other personalities in “Who’s Who”.
Professor Ion Nicolae is the founder of Bioterra University, Bucharest, having held important managerial positions: Rector from 1999 to 2008, after which he was elected founding President.
He has carried out a rich scientific research activity, which has resulted in numerous research contracts and the publication of more than 170 articles in national and international journals and 27 books.
He advocated for the “reform priorities” regarding the structuring of the entire higher education cycle, the generalization of transferable credits and the implementation of quality evaluation systems for the education process. For all these new reform directions, Prof. Dr. Ion NICOLAE, has developed a quality education platform, strongly anchored in the economic realities of Romania. The excellent material base, created through material and managerial efforts, is the guarantee of constant growth in the professional quality of future specialists.
Innovative ideas were related to changing the mechanism of university funding, moving towards private education and implementing strategic management in Romanian universities.
Mister. Ion NICOLAE followed the saying“the school is not walls but the spirit that reigns in it” (Carol I, at the opening of the Faculty of Mechanics in Timișoara). In this respect, it has taken care to have an excellent faculty, in which the younger generation is well represented.
The Academy of Romanian Scientists regrets the loss of a personality with a complex human and professional profile, with outstanding results in all areas of Romanian academia and scientific research.
God rest his soul!