Exploring University Students’ Experiences of Double Academic Statuses in Romania Who? When? Why?

The paper offers insights into the views and experiences of DAS – double academic status – students at a Romanian university. This practice is discussed in the paper from the perspective of increased participation in higher education, when more and more people spend time and money not only on gaining qualifications, but also on boosting their credentials by participating in various extra-curricular activities with the hope of securing an advantage for their labour market entrance. The processes of who, when and why these students ended up in DAS will be explored along with reflecting on the local and national structural elements that allowed, and at times encouraged, such a practice.