Transylvania College was founded in 1993 by Simona Baciu and Dr. Dan Baciu, initially as a kindergarten under the name "Happy Kids". Simona Baciu is now the renowned author of "The Teacher Within" programme. In 2013 Simona and Dan entrusted their daughter, Ruxandra Mercea, with the running of the school, which now reunites close to 600 students and 125 staff members, representing 35 nations, from 6 continents. Ruxandra Mercea has been part of the Transylvania College ethos since she was 8, growing up with the school. From 2011, she has held the position of Executive Headteacher, inspiring her team and bringing innovative ideas into the school story, in line with her long-term focus of staying up to date with the latest, most relevant trends in education, especially in regard to school culture, child-centered education, character, wellbeing and leadership skills.
Together with the leadership team, Ruxandra is shifting the traditional paradigms, the philosophy of the school being based on 4 strands, equally important for a progressive 21st century education: Academics, Wellbeing, Global Awareness and Leadership.
The school now offers a Romanian Nursery & Kindergarten, then a choice between two parallel lines of studies (the Romanian line and the British International Line), up to the Cambridge high school. From Year 10 Transylvania College offers IGCSE and A level courses and is the only Cambridge-accredited BSO school in the area.
The school’s track of excellence also includes many national and international awards: „School of the Year in Romania”; the Global Money Week Award; 3 first prizes in the international competition launched by the European Space Agency; the Bill Bryson Award in 2014 in the international schools category. In 2015 Transylvania College was the only school in Europe shortlisted for the “Best British International School” Award, together with 3 schools in Asia, in the Times Educational Supplement (TES) Awards.
Transylvania College students received the best IGCSE and A-Levels exam scores in the country and the school’s seven generations of graduates have been admitted to top universities around the world, in the UK (Imperial College, London School of Economics, University of the Arts London, Bath, Reading, Southampton, City Univ, King’s College London), Australia (Melbourne Uni), Japan (Waseda University), U.S.A. (Minerva Schools, UC San Diego, George Washington University), as well as in China, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Scotland, Belgium, Holland, Hungary, Italy and Romania.
Experienced and enthusiastic Romanian teachers work alongside teachers from the UK, from the United States of America, or from other parts of the world. The teachers benefit from training opportunities offered through the school’s internal training programme or through participation at various national and international conferences and exchanges.
Transylvania College is an Accredited Member of COBIS and holds British School Overseas (BSO) status.
We also continue to value our member status in the following organisations, while celebrating increased recognition as innovators in education and leaders in positive education.
Special commendation, October 2020:
Ruxandra Mercea, Transylvania College's Director has been invited this year to join 25 of the world leaders in positive psychology and education, as part of the International Positive Education Network (IPEN). IPEN is reuniting experts from all over the world, who either have expertise in positive psychology, or have a proven record of successfully implementing its principles.
Highlights: