Romania and the United States resume, in a revised format, the FLEX Program

The FLEX (Future Leaders Exchange) educational exchange program, one of the most important instruments of educational cooperation between Romania and the United States, will continue in a new formula, co-financed equally by the two countries. The announcement was made following the ceremony held in Washington in the presence of the Romanian Minister of Education and Research, Daniel David, who was on an official visit to the United States. The new agreement, signed by Minister Daniel David together with representatives of the American Council for International Education (ACIE), provides for the resumption of the FLEX program in the 2026-2027 school year, with a financial mechanism divided equally: 50% Romania - 50% United States. The event was attended by representatives of the US Department of State, the Romanian Ambassador to Washington, Andrei Muraru, and the rector of SNSPA, Remus Pricopie.

"This program represents an investment in young people, in education and in the democratic future of Romania," the minister stressed, highlighting FLEX's contribution to strengthening transatlantic relations and promoting democratic values. The Romanian official thanked the American side for its openness to continue the program in a revised and co-financed model. Launched in Romania in 2015, the FLEX program has already offered the opportunity to approximately 300 Romanian high school students to study in the US and engage in volunteer activities. They have participated in child abuse prevention programs, contributed to the establishment of food banks, collaborated with local police departments and supported the communities in which they were integrated. Since 2024, American students have also come to Romania through FLEX Abroad, becoming, through the ties developed with host families and local communities, true "cultural ambassadors" of the United States. They attend intensive Romanian language courses taught by Romanian teachers and actively participate in community life, from cultural and educational initiatives to volunteer activities. In addition to signing the agreement, Minister Daniel David's agenda in the US included several working meetings: Atlantic Council, one of the most influential think tanks dedicated to the transatlantic relationship. The Minister proposed the creation of an initiative dedicated to education and science within the Bucharest branch; the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM), where he presented the reform of the high school curriculum in Romania, which includes subjects dedicated to the Holocaust and totalitarian regimes; the International Monetary Fund (IMF), where the stage and directions of reforms in the education system were discussed, in the context of the fiscal-budgetary crisis that Romania is going through. The Minister emphasized at the IMF that reorganization and reduction of fragmentation in the education-research system are essential measures for stabilization, followed by the implementation of investments and modernization programs.

The relaunch of the FLEX Program marks an important milestone in strengthening relations between Romania and the United States in the fields of education and cultural exchange. For hundreds of young Romanians, the new agreement means unique academic and civic opportunities, and for Romania it represents a long-term investment in the formation of a generation connected to democratic values and the Euro-Atlantic space.