The Bucharest University of Economic Studies (Romanian: Academia de Studii Economice din București, abbreviated ASE) is a public university in Bucharest, Romania. Founded in 1913 as the Academy of Higher-level Commercial and Industrial Studies (Academia de Înalte Studii Comerciale și Industriale (AISCI)), it has become one of the largest economic higher education institutes in both Romania and South-Eastern Europe. The Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies is classified as an advanced research and education university by the Ministry of Education.[3] It is one of the five members of the Universitaria Consortium (the group of elite Romanian universities).[4]