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    • French Language and Literature

    The French language has always occupied an important place at the University of Cluj, as evidenced by the creation, in 1895, of a specific department headed by Gyula Haraszti, a renowned specialist in French literature. When the Romanian university was founded in 1919, French language and literature were integrated into the philological studies of the Faculty of Letters, and the program was organized by the first chair, Yves Auger, according to the high standards of the École Normale Supérieure in Paris (where he had studied). The first class of French language specialists graduated in 1922, and in 1923 the first doctoral thesis on French literature was defended in Cluj. French language teaching has continued uninterrupted since then, with the 103rd class of bachelor’s degree graduates graduating in 2025.

    French language and literature has its own library, the French Language Library (2nd floor, room 225), where students can find the resources they need for their courses and seminars, as well as a pleasant study space. The French Language Library is managed by students as part of their professional internship, supervised by Bianca Bartoș.

    In addition, the Centre for Belgian Literary Studies in French (CELBLF) within the Department houses a library with over 4,000 volumes of Francophone literature from Belgium, as well as audio-visual documents. Access is free for students, master’s students, doctoral students and researchers.

    Research in the field of Francophonie is also carried out within the following research centers:

    – Center for Belgian French-Language Literary Studies, coordinated by Rodica Pop, (2nd floor, room 226)

    – The Centre for Canadian and Quebec Studies, coordinated for the Francophone part by Simona Jișa (2nd floor, room 223)

    – The Centre for the Study of Contemporary French Novels, coordinated by Simona Jișa (2nd floor, room 216)

    – The Center for Romance Linguistics and Discourse Analysis CLRAD (ubbcluj.ro), coordinated by Adrian Chircu-Buftea and Iuliana Mateiu (2nd floor, room 220)

    The Department of French Language and Literature is participating, between 2024 and 2026, in the Francophonies et rapport au reste du monde community of the Eutopia consortium.

    International partners:

    French Institute in Cluj-Napoca

    Erasmus+ partners: Sorbonne Université, Université Sorbonne Nouvelle, Université d’Artois Arras, Université de Rouen Normandie, Université Bordeaux Montaigne, Université de Picardie Jules Verne, Université de Haute Alsace, Mulhouse, Université de Nantes, Université Rennes 2, Université de Limoges, Université d’Aix-Marseille, Université de Lille, Université Côte d’Azur Nice, Université Paris-Est Créteil, Cergy Paris Université, Université de la Réunion, Università Ca’Foscari Venezia, Université de Strasbourg

    Members:

    Simona Jișa (Master’s coordinator)

    Knight of the Order of Palmes Académiques

    Co-holder of the Senghor Chair of Francophonie at UBB

    Areas of interest: Modern and contemporary French literature. Francophone literatures.

    email: simona.jisa@ubbcluj.ro

    CV  List of publications

    Cristiana Papahagi (bachelor’s degree coordinator)

    Knight of the Order of Palmes Académiques

    Areas of interest: historical (socio)linguistics, Romance linguistics, grammatical semantics, typology

    Email: cristiana.papahagi@ubbcluj.ro

    CV  List of publications

    Bianca Bartoș

    Areas of interest: 19th-century and contemporary French and Francophone literature, medicine and literature

    Email: bianca.bartos@ubbcluj.ro

    CV  List of publications

    Andreea Bugiac 

    Areas of interest: French Enlightenment, Swiss Romande literature, literary translation, relationships between literature, anthropology, and geography (spaces, territories, landscapes, cultural geographies), representations of mobility (exile, migration, travel), representations of femininity in French-language literature

    email: andreea.bugiac@ubbcluj.ro

    CV  List of publications

    Anamaria Curea 

    Areas of interest: history of linguistics and epistemology, lexicology, syntax

    Email: anamaria.curea@ubbcluj.ro

    CV  List of publications

    Andrei Lazar

    Areas of interest: French and Francophone literature (Belgian literature in French), ecocriticism, literary translation, intermediality, the relationship between literature and visual arts

    Email: andrei.lazar@ubbcluj.ro

    CV  List of publications

    Iuliana Mateiu

    Areas of interest: French grammar, Pragmalinguistics, Discourse analysis, Translation studies, Study of verbal violence

    Email: iuliana.mateiu@ubbcluj.ro

    CV  List of publications

    Marius Popa

    Areas of interest: 17th-century French literature, Romanian literature written in French, animal studies, the morphology of fiction

    Email: marius.popa@ubbcluj.ro

    CV  List of publications

    French lecturer (interinstitutional agreement ENS Ulm) Lhouciene Janah

    Areas of interest: French as a second language

    Email:

    CV List of publications

    Recent events:

    • October 27-29, 2025, General Assembly of the Senghor Chairs of Francophonie and colloquium « Du Sud au Nord, de l’Est à l’Ouest : conflits et réconciliations dans les espaces francophones » Coordinators: Simona Jișa (UBB Letters), Sergiu Mișcoiu (UBB European Studies), Peter Kruzslicz (University of Szeged, Hungary)