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.

Although young, the "Constantin Belea" Doctoral School 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. In 1993, Professors Vladimir Răsvan, Mircea Ivănescu, and Matei Vînătoru obtained the status of PhD supervisor in Automatic Systems. In 1994, Professor Mircea Petrescu obtained the status of PhD supervisor in Computers at the University of Craiova. 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. In 2008, Professors Dorian Cojocaru, Nicu George Bîzdoacă, and Mircea Niţulescu 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 Selişteanu obtained a habilitation certificate in Systems Engineering and was affiliated in the same year with the "Constantin Belea" Doctoral School. In 2018, Professor Elvira Popescu obtained a habilitation certificate in Computers and Information Technology and was affiliated in the same year with the "Constantin Belea" Doctoral School. In 2018, Professors Monica Roman and Dorin Șendrescu Gheorghe obtained a habilitation in Systems Engineering and were affiliated with the "Constantin Belea" Doctoral School in 2019. Also in 2018, Associate Professor Sorin Grigorescu from "Transilvania" University of Brașov obtained the habilitation certificate 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 with the "Constantin Belea" Doctoral School. In 2020, Senior Lecturers Gigel Maceșeanu and Tiberiu Teodor Cociaș from Transilvania" University of Brașov obtained the habilitation certificate in Mechatronics and Robotics within the "Constantin Belea" Doctoral School. Subsequently, they, together with Associate Professor Sorin Grigorescu, decided to establish a new doctoral school in Mechatronics and Robotics within their host institution, "Transilvania" University of Brașov. 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. Moreover, in the field of Mechatronics and Robotics, Associate Professor Cristina Pană and Associate Professor Cristian Ionel Vladu were habilitated and affiliated during the 2023-2024 academic year.

Currently, the "Constantin Belea" Doctoral School has 16 active PhD supervisors, distributed as follows: 6 PhD supervisors in Systems Engineering, 5 PhD supervisors in Computers and Information Technology, and 5 PhD supervisors in Mechatronics and Robotics.