Inaugural issue of University and Society Journal

2026-02-17
Inaugural issue of University and Society Journal

The editorial board of the University and Society Journal (Babeș-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca, Academic Cultural Heritage Department) is pleased to open the call for submissions for its inaugural issue. The journal is dedicated to the history of universities examined as institutions that have profoundly shaped—and continue to shape—societies by promoting knowledge, intellectual autonomy, and shared academic values.
Originating in medieval Europe as a community of scholars and students, the university has evolved into a global institution, adapting to diverse cultural, political, and economic environments while preserving its fundamental mission: to produce, transmit, and legitimise knowledge. The European university model—grounded in academic freedom, autonomous faculties, and a structured hierarchy of studies (bachelor’s, master’s, doctorate)—has inspired and influenced higher education systems across all continents.
This first issue seeks to bring together studies that explore the continuities, transformations, and trajectories of the university from comparative and transnational perspectives. We welcome contributions examining universities not only as educational spaces, but also as cultural, political, and social institutions whose impact transcends borders.

Contributors are encouraged to focus on one or several of the topics listed below:

  • The origins of medieval universities and their institutional evolution
  • University autonomy and its transformations over the centuries
  • The circulation of European university models in non-European contexts
  • Relations between universities, the state, and the church
  • The history of academic disciplines (liberal arts, theology, law, medicine, social sciences, technological sciences, etc.)
  • The formation of intellectual elites and the university
  • Comparative perspectives on national university traditions
  • The role of universities in shaping national, cultural, and political identity
  • Academic mobility and international university relations
  • Higher education in a political context
  • The evolution of the university curriculum. New academic paradigms
  • The preservation and promotion of university heritage in the digital age (digitisation of archives, online access to collections and databases, etc.)
  • University architectural heritage (restoration and valorisation)
  • The history of student involvement in university development, socio-political movements, and public life
  • The globalisation of higher education: from national universities to international institutions.

Editorial Details

  • Languages of submission: English, French, Italian;
  • Types of contributions: original studies, thematic reviews;
  • Recommended length: for articles, 6,500–9,000 words (including abstract and references); for reviews, 1,000-2,000 words;
  • Abstract: 200 words;
  • Review process: anonymous peer review (double-blind).

Timeline

  • Deadline for abstract submission: April 30, 2026;
  • Deadline for article/review submission: October 15, 2026;
  • Notification of review results: December 2026;
  • Publication: February 2027.

Submission of Contributions

Manuscripts should be sent to the following e-mail address: usj.reviste@ubbcluj.ro.
For the full author guidelines and formatting requirements, please consult Submissions.

Issue Editors:

  • Dr. Florin Nicolae Ardelean, Babeș-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca, Academic Cultural Heritage Department, University Archive;
  • Dr. Andreea Dăncilă-Ineoan, Babeș-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca, Academic Cultural Heritage Department, David Prodan Memorial Museum;
  • Dr. Ovidiu-Emil Iudean, Academic Cultural Heritage Department, University Archive.