The university education in Automation has a long and rich tradition within the University of Craiova, starting its activity as early as the 1966-1967 academic year with the establishment of the Automation specialization. From the 1976-1977 academic year, with the implementation of a new curriculum, two options were introduced within the Automation section: the Automation option and the Computers option, and the specialization was renamed Automation and Computers. The primary role in the development of the Automation and Computers specialization was held by the late Professor Dr. Docent Engineer Constantin Belea, the founder of the Automation School in Craiova.

In its current form, the "Constantin Belea" Doctoral School emerged within the University of Craiova by regrouping into a unique doctoral school the three doctoral fields of Systems Engineering, Computers and Information Technology, Mechatronics and Robotics from the Faculty of Automation, Computers, and Electronics, in accordance with the provisions of the National Education Law No. 1/2011 and as a result of Government Decision No. 681/2011 regarding the Code of Doctoral Studies. Initially, from October 2012, the new doctoral school operated within the Doctoral School of Engineering Sciences, later becoming a separate school, directly subordinated to I.O.S.U.D. – University of Craiova, through the decision of the Senate of the University of Craiova on September 29, 2015. MENCS Order No. 5382/17.11.2016 presents the structure of IOSUD – University of Craiova, in which the "Constantin Belea" Doctoral School appears.

Although young, the "Constantin Belea" Doctoral School (SDCB) had leading precursors in the field of Automation. In 1968, Professor Constantin Belea obtained the status of PhD supervisor at the University of Craiova in Automatic Systems. Over the period since this historic event, the doctoral activity has seen continuous development, with some of the then-faculty members of the Automation and Computers section obtaining the title of Doctor Engineer under the guidance of Professor Constantin Belea. The first PhD thesis in Automatic Systems was defended in 1974 under the supervision of Professor Constantin Belea by Professor Mircea Ivănescu, who obtained the title of doctor in 1975. The number of PhD supervisors increased substantially after 1989. Thus, in 1993, Professors Vladimir Răsvan and Matei Vînătoru obtained the status of PhD supervisor in Automatic Systems, and in 1994 Professor Mircea Petrescu obtained the status of PhD supervisor in Computers. In 2005, Professor Marin Constantin obtained the status of PhD supervisor in Automatic Systems. Later, in 2007, Professors Costin Bădică and Mihai Lucian Mocanu obtained the status of PhD supervisors in Computers and Information Technology, and in 2008, Professors Dorian Cojocaru, Nicu George Bîzdoacă, and Mircea Nițulescu obtained the status of PhD supervisors in Mechatronics and Robotics. Also, in 2008, Professors Dan Popescu and Emil Petre obtained the status of PhD supervisors in Systems Engineering, and Professor Dumitru Dan Burdescu in Computers and Information Technology. In 2016, Professor Dan Selișteanu obtained a habilitation certificate in Systems Engineering and was affiliated in the same year with the Doctoral School, and in 2018, Professor Elvira Popescu obtained a habilitation in Computers and Information Technology and was affiliated in the same year with the Doctoral School. In 2018, Professor Monica Roman and Professor Dorin Șendrescu defended their habilitation theses in the field of Systems Engineering, being confirmed and affiliated in 2019 to the doctoral school. Also in 2018, Associate Professor Sorin Grigorescu from "Transilvania" University of Brașov obtained the habilitation in Mechatronics and Robotics and was affiliated in the same year to the "Constantin Belea" Doctoral School. In 2019, Professor Daniela Danciu obtained the habilitation certificate in Systems Engineering and was affiliated in the same year to the doctoral school. In 2020, Senior Lecturers Gigel Măceșeanu and Tiberiu Teodor Cociaș from "Transilvania" University of Brașov obtained the habilitation in Mechatronics and Robotics within the "Constantin Belea" Doctoral School. Subsequently, they, together with Associate Professor Sorin Grigorescu, decided to establish a doctoral school in the field of Mechatronics and Robotics at "Transilvania" University of Brașov.

After the ARACIS evaluation visit in 2021, during the period 2021-2024, new colleagues were affiliated to SDCB. Thus, in the field of Computers and Information Technology, Professor Marius Brezovan (habilitation thesis defended in 2023) and Associate Professor Cristian Marian Mihăescu (habilitation thesis defended in 2024) were habilitated and affiliated in 2024. In 2024, Associate Professor Marcel Nicola was also habilitated and affiliated to SDCB (in the field of Systems Engineering). Also, in the field of Mechatronics and Robotics, Associate Professor Cristina Pană and Associate Professor Cristian Ionel Vladu obtained the habilitation and were affiliated during the 2023-2024 academic year. Also in 2024, Associate Professor Marius Adrian Marian obtained the habilitation in the field of Computers and Information Technology and was affiliated to SDCB in 2025. In 2025, Professor Cornelia Aurora Győrödi from the University of Oradea obtained the habilitation certificate in Computers and Information Technology within SDCB. Subsequently, she decided to establish a doctoral school in the field of Computers and Information Technology at the University of Oradea.

Within the "Constantin Belea" Doctoral School, there are 16 tenured PhD supervisors assigned to the 3 doctoral fields of the school as follows:

• 5 PhD supervisors in the field of Systems Engineering (during this period, Professor Dan POPESCU reached the age of 70 and no longer supervises doctoral students)
• 6 PhD supervisors in the field of Computers and Information Technology
• 5 PhD supervisors in the field of Mechatronics and Robotics (2 more faculty members have defended their habilitation thesis and are awaiting the habilitation order)