Mr. Dan Baciu and Mrs. Simona Baciu, the founders of Transylvania College, officially handed over the management and ownership of Transylvania College Foundation and School to Ruxandra Mercea, their daughter (in opening picture). Ruxandra has led the School for the past 9 years, as Executive Director. Simona and Dan have decided to focus on the projects they have initiated in recent years. 

"Education is the common denominator in our family. In the early 1990s, when many of our friends left Romania, we chose to be pioneers here at home and to have an impact on education. We founded Transylvania College in 1993 and created a new way of doing education, one that is based on the well-being of teachers and students. Ruxandra has further developed our efforts and turned the school into a national and international educational benchmark. We feel that this is the right moment for this transfer of ownership. We are sure that Ruxandra is the best person to contribute to the healthy growth of future generations in Romania." said Simona and Dan Baciu. 

In September 2013, Ruxandra became the Executive Director of Transylvania College. In these 9 years, the school has grown by 255%, reaching a number of 690 students in the school year 2022-2023. Under Ruxandra's leadership, Transylvania College has been nominated as the best British school in the world. Graduates from its 9 classes have gone on to learn in top universities in Romania and around the world. This is due to the exceptional results achieved in the Cambridge exams, that the students take in all subjects studied. 

The results and impact of the school has also been recognised by the UK Department for Education. Every 3 years, the school receives a visit from BSO inspectors who check the level of education offered at Transylvania College against the standards set at the best performing independent British schools. 

At the last inspection, held in February 2022, UK inspectors concluded that the school is a benchmark of good practice in education, by international standards. It represents further recognition of the efforts of the school’s team, formed over nine years under Ruxandra's guidance. The validation received internationally acknowledges both the changes achieved within Transylvania College and the school’s impact on the education system as a whole, in Romania. The School of Trust initiative, launched in 2020 by Ruxandra and Transylvania College, is a model that is now implemented in over 200 Romanian schools and kindergartens, in 36 counties. 

During the Global Pandemic Ruxandra and her team launched Spark Hybrid High School. Spark’s aim is to address the needs of young people for quality online education, which can be accessed from anywhere in the world.

As of 2017, Ruxandra is part of the G30, a group of education experts that includes school principals selected, by invitation only, from 30 of the most innovative schools around the world. 

Ruxandra Mercea said "I am grateful for the hard work and wisdom of my parents to bring the official transfer to fruition. I will continue to build a school with love, kindness, trust, and courage for the children and the adults in their lives, at home and at school, together with my team. My dream is for what we have created here to reach as many children as possible through Transylvania College’s expansion in other cities across the country and through the School of Trust model for state schools." 

The transfer of ownership was facilitated by attorney Răzvan Bălosu, on behalf of Ruxandra Mercea and Ciprian Paun (NNDKP), representing Simona and Dan Baciu. 

Transylvania College is a nationally and internationally accredited school focused on student well-being and academic progress, operating on the Cambridge model in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. The Transylvania College community's main mission is to innovate in education through a modern philosophy, aligned with international standards, based on four pillars: academic progress, leadership, well-being and global awareness. 

Transylvania College's educational offerings cover all segments, from nursery to high school, offering teaching on two accredited lines of study, in English and Romanian. Students at Transylvania College learn in a unique, multicultural environment, with the school currently hosting nearly 700 students and about 100 teachers of 30 different nationalities from six continents.

- This is a press release.