How are the campuses, the people, and the environment behind each of the pieces that make up the map of EELISA? What is the impact of such an ambitious Alliance on each member institution?
Welcome to the 7th episode of our #WeAreEELISA series! The campaign that aims to give an answer to these questions.
Through interviews with key people from each institution and video tours recorded by students from each University, you will have the chance to dive into the EELISA microcosm.
Mihnea Costoiu, Rector of the National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest is our special guest today.
Let’s start!
#WEAREEELISA Episode 7
Name: Mihnea Costoiu
University: Universitatea Națională de Știință și Tehnologie POLITEHNICA București (UNSTPB)
Profession: UPB Rector
Role within EELISA: Member of the EELISA Governing Board
Q. Your university is a member of EELISA. Can you briefly introduce your university to us?
A. The University Politehnica of Bucharest is one of the largest technical universities in central and Eastern Europe, founded over two centuries ago with the purpose of accelerating the industrial revolution. Our community is driven by a shared purpose: to make the world better, through education, research and innovation. And we achieve that by being deeply connected to the needs of society, industry, and the global community. Recently we expanded our community to over 38.000 students by merging with another important university in Romania.
We have the largest student campus in the country, a symbol that speaks about our intention to build genuine connections. As new students enter our premises, they find a vibrant surrounding, brimming with ideas and energy. We have some of the best equipped research laboratories in the region and people dedicated to help students learn how to interact with cutting-edge equipment. We believe that the brilliant, confident spirit that animates UPB students creates everlasting friendships and collaborations that can inspire people to invent the future.
Q. What is your personal connection to EELISA?
A. The easy answer to this question is, of course, that I represent the university in the EELISA Governing Board, but I believe I have a much deeper connection to the values that EELISA aims to instil. First, I strongly believe in the need to create a new vision for the European education, and EELISA represents exactly that. It aims to transform education by making it more relevant, more interconnected at the international level and more inspiring in its broad impact on society. Second, there’s the EELISA symbol, its name, inspired by Elisa Leonida Zamfirescu which brings homage to women in engineering, and in a broader sense, to inclusiveness, multiculturalism and cross-border solutions, in which I deeply believe.
Q. What is your personal connection to the University Politehnica of Bucharest?
A. I am a graduate of the university, and, as such follow the convictions and values of our engineering community. We think that engineers have the capability to understand and change the world, to build our future. We believe in a brighter future, and it’s more than faith in technology. It’s faith in people, faith in our community.
Q. “Together is better than alone” – Why should in your opinion universities work together in an alliance like EELISA?
A. Collaboration among universities in alliances like EELISA brings tremendous benefits that surpass the capabilities of individual institutions. By working together, universities can combine their intellectual strengths, research capacities, and resources to tackle global challenges more effectively and make meaningful contributions to society.
Additionally, alliances like EELISA foster a culture of knowledge-sharing and collaboration, enabling universities to exchange ideas, research findings, and best practices. This collaborative learning environment empowers institutions to continuously improve their teaching methodologies, curriculum development, and student support systems.
EELISA provides a platform for interdisciplinary collaboration, encouraging the integration of diverse perspectives and expertise. This can more easily lead to comprehensive solutions to complex societal problems.
Q. What does EELISA mean for your university? And how does EELISA enrich your university’s community?
A. EELISA holds great significance for our university, enabling collaboration with leading European institutions and promoting interdisciplinary approaches. By engaging in joint research, knowledge exchange, and student mobility initiatives, EELISA enriches our university’s community, through quality of education and research and by nurturing a global mindset. It provides valuable networking opportunities, professional development, and resources that strengthen our position as a leading institution. Ultimately, all this leads to better opportunities for all our students in an interconnected world.
Q. What would you wish for the future development of EELISA?
A .For the future of EELISA, I wish to see increased company involvement, fostering stronger industry-academia partnerships. Deeper networking among member universities would enhance collaboration and resource sharing. Moreover, I hope for a broader membership, addressing global challenges and sustainability with the power of even more universities. EELISA should also aim for expanded delivery of technological solutions, leveraging collective expertise to drive innovation and to increase the technological transfer to society and industry.
Universitatea Națională de Știință și Tehnologie POLITEHNICA București (UNSTPB) Campus video tour by Sonia-Maria Maer and Catalin Burtea
