He obtained a PhD from the same Polytechnic Institute of Iași in 1998, and rose through all the academic ranks in Suceava until he became full professor in 2005, and was habilitated to supervise doctoral research in 2009.

[5] During his mandate as rector, Popa raised the international profile of Ștefan cel Mare University of Suceava (USV).

Popa was also the one who proposed Russian ambassador Valeri Kuzmin at a seminar in Suceava to strengthen scientific co-operation in order to improve tank braking systems.

[7][8][9] The nominalization of Popa as minister of national education faced the initial opposition of an influential faction of the Social Democratic Party (PSD).

Commentators of this internal conflict, that was very apparent in the Executive Committee of the party, already foresaw that the "hunt" of the new appointee, as they defined it, would continue in the media.