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Prof. Dragoș Iliescu
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About
I was born in Brasov, a city I still feel deeply connected to. I spent my childhood wandering its history-filled streets and did the most aspirational thing a Brasov native can do: I went to the German school. I attended grades 1–4 at School No. 5 (in the German section, naturally), and then continued at the Honterus German High School, where I studied until the 8th grade. After that, I moved on to the Grigore Moisil National College of Informatics (majoring in mathematics and computer science), where I discovered my passion for science.
In 1997 I graduated from the National Intelligence Academy in Bucharest with a bachelor’s degree in socio-psychology. It was an intense period during which I learned not only theory, but also how to apply psychology in real-world, often challenging, contexts.
My passion for understanding human behavior led me further, and in 2003 I earned a PhD in psychology from Babes-Bolyai University. Under the guidance of Professor Horia Pitariu, I wrote a dissertation on “Psychosocial Aspects of Organizational Change” – a topic that fascinated me then and remains one of my key areas of interest to this day.
Over time, I have specialized in two main areas:
• Psychometrics, i.e., psychological and educational assessment, testing and test development – with a strong cross-cultural twist;
• Work/industrial/occupational/organizational psychology: psychology in the workplace – with a particular interest on individual differences (abilities and personality traits) in the workplace.
I’ve had the opportunity to explore these fields from multiple perspectives – from fundamental and applied research, to applications, consultancy, test development, policy implementation and others. And the story continues…
Academic Career
I am a full professor of psychology at the University of Bucharest (Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science) and an extraordinary professor at Stellenbosch University in South Africa (Department of Industrial Psychology). Since 2017, I am the director of the Doctoral School of Psychology and Educational Sciences at the University of Bucharest—a role that gives me the opportunity to work closely with the next generation of researchers and professionals in the field.
Throughout my career, I have been actively involved in several scientific and professional organizations in Romania and abroad. I co-founded the Romanian Association of Industrial and Organizational Psychology (APIO), where I served two terms as a board member (2002–2010 and 2013–2020) and was president of the association between 2010 and 2013. I served since 2017 as Secretary General of the Romanian Psychological Association (APR).
Internationally, I’ve had the chance to actively contribute to several prestigious organizations. I was a member of the Council of the International Test Commission (ITC) from 2008 to 2018, where I held the positions of Council member, Secretary-General, and eventually President. In 2018, my contributions to ITC were recognized with the title of “Fellow of the ITC.”
Since 2019, I serve as Treasurer of the European Association of Work and Organizational Psychology, and since 2022, I am President of Division 2 (Assessment and Psychological Evaluation) of the International Association of Applied Psychology (IAAP). In 2023, I also took on the role of Secretary General of ENOP (the European Network of Organizational Psychology).
In terms of academic publishing, I served for four years as Editor-in-Chief of the European Journal of Psychological Assessment (2021–2024), and I am currently Co-Editor-in-Chief of the journal Intelligence, alongside Professor Samuel Greiff (T. U. Munich).
Entrepreneurship
Over the years, I have founded and managed several businesses that apply psychology in a variety of contexts, from market research to talent assessment and educational testing.
D&D Research
In 1999, I founded D&D Research, a company specializing in market research and consumer psychology. It was my first serious entrepreneurial experience, and since then, my interest in applying psychology to business has grown steadily.
Test Central
In 2012, I launched 42 Organizational Assessment, a company focused on talent evaluation. Here, we specialize in developing and implementing modern testing solutions for companies, and through our partnership with SHL, we operate across Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, and the Czech Republic.
SHL Romania
In 2012, I launched 42 Organizational Assessment, a company focused on talent evaluation. Here, we specialize in developing and implementing modern testing solutions for companies, and through our partnership with SHL, we operate across Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, and the Czech Republic.
BRIO
In 2016, I founded Brio.ro, a platform for standardized educational testing. With Brio, I set out to bring an objective, scientifically validated method for measuring students’ skills and progress into the Romanian educational system.
Outstanding Academic Achievements
Figures that reflect a career dedicated to excellence in research and education.
200+
Academic Publications
Articles in ISI-indexed journals and international specialist volumes.
5000+
Academic Citations
My works are cited by researchers from around the world.
25+
Years of Activity
An academic career dedicated to research and professional development.
40+
Collaborating Countries
An international network of collaborations and research partnerships.
Contact
You can contact me directly at: [email protected]