of Directors consists of the rector, vice-rectors, deans, the general administrative director and a student representative, appointed by OSUT. The position of rector of the university has been held since 2012 by , former dean of the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration. Faculties Students As of 2018, 14,804 students are enrolled in the West University. Between 2008 and 2018, the total number of students decreased by more than 9,000, from almost 24,000 to less than 15,000. Among the causes that led to this decrease are the poor performance of high school students in the baccalaurate exam and the cut in the number of paid places. 2% of students are foreigners. In 2017, 236 foreign students were enrolled in the West University, most of them from Israel, Tunisia, Iraq, Syria, Algeria and Italy. Also, in 2017, 496 Romanian students from abroad were enrolled, most of them from Serbia and Moldova. Student organizations The Organization of Students of the West University of Timișoara (OSUT) is the only union-student organization established at the level of the West University of Timișoara, founded on 27 March 1990, which makes it the most representative organization of the university. It deals with student representation, providing basic services for them and organizing projects. OSUT is a full member of the National Alliance of Student Organizations in Romania (ANOSR) and often active in the European Students' Union (ESU). Other organizations that operate within the university are: Association internationale des étudiants en sciences économiques et commerciales (AIESEC) Association for Romanians Abroad Inițiativa Exact Science Students' Association from the University of Timișoara (ASSEUT) Timișoara Psychology and Sociology Students Association (ASPST) European Law Students' Association (ELSA) Erasmus Student Network (ESN) Timișoara Geography Students Association (GEOTIM) Bessarabian Students' Organization from Timișoara (OSB) Young Accountants Association (YAA) Affiliations and international relations The Department of International Relations (DRI) is responsible for the UVT activities aimed at fulfilling the strategic internationalization objectives of the university. Within DRI operate the Erasmus+ Office, whose main task is to develop and implement mobility programs and international cooperation projects at UVT under Erasmus+ and EEA Financial Mechanism and the International Cooperation and Foreign Students Office, which provides institutional and informational support to international students and foreign teachers who wish to study and teach at UVT. The West University of Timișoara is a member of the Agence universitaire de la Francophonie, the European University Association and the International Association of