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The aim of this paper is to present a comprehensive analysis of HE governance features and trends in Romania both at systemic and HEIs level. Attempting to explain the impact of national policies in terms of shaping HEIs governance principles, the paper focuses on strategic capacity building in HEIs while framing a policy learning cycle marked by systemic foresight (2008–2011), external institutional evaluation (2012–2014) and recently redesigned strategic plans of universities (2016). We analyse the redesigned institutional strategies of Romanian universities in relation to the strategic vision for the Romanian HE system (published in 2011) and the systemic evaluation report (published in 2014) by employing a complex semantic methodology based on blending semantic and network analysis that enables the combined operation of complex parametric and non-parametric models, such as structural and loose semantic algorithms together with mathematical and statistical algorithms for dynamic visualisation of data. Subsequently, we elaborate on the analytical relevance of the proposed semantic methodology for policy analysis. Substantiating the current governance principles of Romanian HEIs in the systemic context, we endeavour to expand the current investigative focus and broaden the dialogue on impact assessment and lessons learned in HE (governance and policy implementation).

In spite of the fact that internal evolutions within Eastern Partnership countries have been slow, their participation in EHEA has led to spillover effects such as strengthening the culture of quality in HE, increasing the use of deliberative policy-making instruments or fostering public accountability. In this context, it is necessary to evaluate the impact of the Bologna Process in terms of structural changes in the governance of their higher education systems. A first question is how did the processes of systemic change occur and how ample were they? In order to answer this question, a cross-country comparison is used. The second research question is how can Eastern Partnership countries be empowered from the perspective of the normative power of EHEA in order to make the processes of consolidating the governance of higher education systems irreversible? Discussing this issue is necessary from the perspective of the efficiency and sustainability of the processes of change, as well as that of supporting institutional convergence