Research, innovation and training: new opportunities for collaboration with Romania
Strengthening academic, scientific and technological partnerships with one of the most dynamic countries in Eastern Europe: this was the aim of the institutional visit that saw a delegation from Politecnico in Romania for five intensive days of meetings and visits to some of the country’s leading institutions in the fields of higher education, research and innovation.
The delegation, led by the Vice-Rector for Internationalisation Alberto Sapora, included Gianmario Pellegrino, Associate Vice-Rector for Technology Transfer, Radu Bojoi, Coordinator of the Interdepartmental Power Electronics Innovation Centre (PEIC), and Elisa Armando, Deputy Head of the Internationalisation Affairs Department. During the visit, the delegation was accompanied by Cosmin Dumitrescu, Consul General of Romania in Turin, whose support was crucial in facilitating dialogue with local institutions.
During the delegation's visit, the group toured leading research centres and universities, including ELI – Extreme Light Infrastructure – Nuclear Physics (ELI-NP) and the Măgurele research ecosystem, the National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, the Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest, the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, and Politehnica University of Timișoara.
The meetings provided an excellent opportunity to discuss strategic issues for the development of international cooperation initiatives, including student mobility, dual-degree programmes and curricular collaboration, as well as new opportunities for joint research in highly innovative fields such as artificial intelligence, microelectronics, robotics, biomedical engineering, energy and hydrogen technologies.
Particular attention was also paid to technology transfer, models for commercialising research and innovation ecosystems, and prospects for joint participation in European initiatives and long-term strategic partnerships, to develop new synergies between centres of excellence in the two countries.
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NomeVisit to the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca - Immagine
NomeVisit to the Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest
The visit also provided an opportunity to meet with representatives of Italian institutions operating in Romania. In Bucharest, the delegation had a brief meeting with the Italian Ambassador to Romania, Laura Aghilarre, and in Timișoara with the Vice-President of the Italian Chamber of Commerce for Romania, Vincenzo Moderno. This provided a valuable opportunity to explore prospects for collaboration among the university system, the research sector, and the country’s economic and industrial sectors.
“Romania is a natural partner for our University: as well as our geographical proximity, we share a deep cultural affinity and a common vision of the role that universities, research and innovation must play in Europe’s development. – says Vice-Rector Alberto Sapora – Over the past few days, we have met with universities of the highest calibre and leading scientific institutions, with whom there is great potential to develop long-term collaborations in education, research and technology transfer. Strengthening these ties means making a concrete contribution to an increasingly integrated European area of higher education and research, in which students, researchers and knowledge can circulate freely and generate value for all the countries involved.”
The excellent quality of the research, innovation and higher education activities observed during the mission confirms the significant potential for collaboration between Italy and Romania. The relationships developed and consolidated over the past few days provide a solid foundation for future joint initiatives, new opportunities for students and researchers, and the implementation of high-impact international projects, further strengthening the European and global dimension of Politecnico.
“Romania offers high-level scientific and technological expertise and a rapidly growing research ecosystem, particularly in the fields of microelectronics, artificial intelligence, power electronics and enabling technologies for the energy transition based on electrification. This visit has allowed us to identify numerous areas where our expertise is complementary and to initiate a concrete dialogue aimed at developing joint research projects and building European partnerships that can generate high-impact innovation”, concludes Professor Radu Bojoi.