Politehnica University Timisoara

Norwegian Know-how – inspiration for Romanian projects

 
 
Norwegian Know-how – inspiration for Romanian projects
19 January 2023

 

 

 

 

 

 

The beginning of the year Timisoara is the European Capital of Culture coincides with the debut of a series of projects by Politehnica University Timisoara (UPT) with support from the European Economic Area (EEA) Financial Mechanism and Norwegian grants dedicated to supporting the community of the City on Bega capitalize in the most interesting ways on the opportunities 2023 brings. Thus, the first project of the series, “Empowering young citizens as future creators and providers of urban technical culture” (EEA 690), was an opportunity for the Romanian team coordinated by psychologist Cristina Hălbac-Cotoară-Zamfir to visit Bryne, Norway to learn techniques for mobilizing young people to take over and continue to develop urban culture in an authentic way.

Empowering young people is not something we want to teach, but something we want to awaken in them, so that it belongs to them”, said prof. Dag Jørund Lønning, the rector of Høgskulen for grøn utvikling (HGUt – The University for Green Development) in Bryne, a project partner. The promise made by the Norwegian team is to bring “knowledge, tools and inspiration”, understanding that we talk about knowledge that “is not meant to sit on a shelf”, but “be a part of society”. The Norwegian experience with the title of European Capital of Culture that Stavanger, a city near Bryne, has held in 2008 is that such a project brings a plethora of cultural events, national and European visibility, an intense experience of the local identity. However, the greatest win for the community is the strengthening of the local community’s trust in their possibilities for self-affirmation and growth, emphasized with examples the Norwegian partners.

The relation between Politehnica University Timisoara (UPT) and HGUT Norway go back to 2017. In Spring 2022, the Norwegian experts involved in the “ Empowering young citizens as future creators and providers of urban technical culture” project, professors Johan Barstad și Rhys Evans attended at UPT round tables on fields like innovative social entrepreneurship, cultural patrimony, personal development, and community development, alongside UPT professors and students, people from cultural associations, city representatives, entrepreneurs, psychologists, personal development advisors. The project of 2023 focuses attention on strategies for personal development and gaining new skills for high school and university students through courses, networking and attending an international workshop, all meant to transform young people from mere consumers of culture into artisans, creators and culture providers in the city where they study, Timisoara, and beyond, in the communities where they will build careers.

The “Empowering young citizens as future creators and providers of urban technical culture” project benefits from a 39,862 euro grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through EEA and Norwegian grants.

The EEA and Norwegian grants represent Iceland’s, Liechtenstein’s and Norway’s contributions toward a green, competitive and inclusive Europe. There two main objectives: reducing economic and social disparities in Europe and consolidating bilateral relations between the donor states and 15 EU states in Central and Southern Europe, as well as the Baltic states. The three donor states work closely together with the EU in accordance with the European Economic Area Agreement. Between 1994 and 2014, the donating states contributed 3.3 billion euro through consecutive grant funding schemes. For the 2014-2021 period, the EEA and Norwegian grants total 2.8 billion euro. More details are available at: www.eeagrants.org and www.eeagrants.ro.

At the end of the month, another team of UPT experts coordinated by Dr. Eng. Rareș Hălbac-Cotoară-Zamfir, Ph.D. will go to HGUt in Bryne and the Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy (NIBIO) in Ås to implement the “Think green. The culture of sustainable development” project, also funded from EEA and Norwegian funds through the same call from “Timisoara European Capital of Culture 2023.”

Additional information about the projects implemented as part of the aforementioned call can be obtained from psychologist Cristina Hălbac-Cotoară-Zamfir, director of the “Empowering young citizens as future creators and providers of urban technical culture” project, cristina.halbac@upt.ro, or Dr. Eng. Rareș Hălbac-Cotoară-Zamfir, Ph.D.: rares.halbac-cotoara-zamfir@upt.ro, director of the “Think green. The culture of sustainable development” project.

 
Know-how norvegian – inspirație pentru proiecte românești
Know-how norvegian – inspirație pentru proiecte românești
Know-how norvegian – inspirație pentru proiecte românești
Know-how norvegian – inspirație pentru proiecte românești
 
 
 
 
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