„Grigore Gafencu” Research Center for the History of International Relations and Cultural Studies, funded in 2004, is devoted to the study of the history of the European and extra-European international relations and to cultural studies. It consists of three research units, the Laboratory of History of International Relations, the Laboratory of Archaeology and the Laboratory of Cultural Studies. The Laboratory of History of International Relations develops an area of investigation covered with specialists and young researchers for the period starting from mid-19th century to the beginning of the 21st century. Topics such as Romania’s foreign policy during the 19th and 20th century, Romania’s relations with France, Italy, Spain, Finland, the Baltic states, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, the Balkan countries, the history of international relations, the history of minorities, the Nansen Commission's activity have been developed in books, articles published in peer-reviewed journals, papers presented at national and international conferences, Ph.D. works. The Laboratory of Archaeology is also enjoying an international recognition particularly in the field of prehistoric archaeology. The Cultural Studies are understood in a broad sense, currently the main research areas being the translation studies in the context of European institutional multilingualism, the penetration of Anglo-Saxon terms in Romanian – between necessity and abuse, the Romanian-French confluences in language, culture and civilization.
The center has been involved in a number of international and national research grants. One of the most important such a research has dealt with Europe as viewed from the margins: an East-Central European perspective during the 19th and 20th centuries. The center was also a partner with numerous institutions in the research grant entitled The Changing Image of Europeanness. The Political Use of History as an Instrument of Identity Politics, coordinated by Aleksanteri Institute of Helsinki University.
The center is actively involved in research, conference hosting and publication. So far, it was a host of two international conferences and a number of national seminars. It organizes monthly seminars and other scientific events. The Center is also issuing two peer-reviewed biannual reviews. Valahian Journal of Historical Studies (VJHS), which has now reached to its 18th issue, has been included in the CEEOL, Ebsco, IndexCopernicus, ProQuest, Scipio and Ulrich’s databases. The Annals of “Valahia” University of Târgoviste. Letters Section appears since 2003 is included in the IndexCopernicus databasis.
The center is also coordinating, alongside the Doctoral School of Valahia University of Targoviste, the research activities of Ph.D. students.
Additionally, the center is engaged in exchanges and common projects with numerous European institutions of research from Finland in the north to Italy and Spain in the south. The center is aiming at maintaining and developing these fruitful contacts and to promote new ones with other prestigious institutions of research at academic level whose scopes are similar and bordering its purposes.

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