Politehnica Timișoara – a University of the Future

Politehnica University Timisoara takes part in the European project E3UDRES2

Politehnica University Timisoara takes part in the European project E³UDRES² - European Universities (https://eudres.eu/), developed in consortium with 5 other universities in Austria, Belgium, Portugal, Hungary and Latvia. One of the long-term objectives of the consortium is to define the role, place and strategy of a "University of the Future" in a local, regional and Euro-regional context.

From an academic standpoint, the project aims to develop interactive laboratories in interdisciplinary fields, with an entrepreneurship component, carried out in collaboration with socio-economic partners. These types of laboratories, known as I-Labs or Living-Labs, are transversal projects with a possible duration of up to 1 semester.

On the research component, the project aims to develop mainly sustainable topics at national and Euro-regional level, especially in the areas: Circular Economy, Human Contribution to AI, Well-being & Active Aging. The 3 areas are defined in the project as a priority for the development of courses or living labs, in inter-university collaboration and with socio-economic partners.

The first workshop dedicated to the consultation on the "University of the Future" took place in an online video conference on March 26, 2021, aiming to conduct an analysis by the university's strategic partners to define a vision for Politehnica University Timisoara in 2030 and on the general concept of Future Universities.

The debate, which was attended by over 30 business representatives, entrepreneurs and important leaders of the region, but also from local and regional administration and the regional community, started from the strategic elements for the E³UDRES² alliance of European Universities, aiming to identify to what extent they are appropriate to local and regional realities, as well as to define other priority areas for our region.

Based on the presentations, strategic planning methods and discussions held both in plenary and in 3 sections, the main priorities and actions to be tackled in the fields of education, research and sustainable development were identified, creating:

• the vision to ensure the digital and sustainable transformation;
• the vision of broadening the educational capacities of the university;
• the vision of advancing the research and innovation capacities of the university;
• the vision regarding the role of UPT in the socio-economic environment, in civic involvement, at local, regional and Euro-regional level.

The ongoing consultation exercise will continue with other workshops, which will involve experts from within the university, university students, as well as representatives of the socio-economic environment and civil society.

„On the 100th anniversary, Politehnica University Timișoara aims to define the principles of strategic development in a vision of the University of the Future. In last year’s context, which raised challenges for the whole society, as well as for the E³UDRES² project - European Universities, we want to involve the university partners, in addition to our students and professors in this process", said Assoc. Prof. Eng. Florin Drăgan, Ph.D., rector of the university.