Online Meeting of Timisoara – final program

The next online meeting of the Network will be held in Timisoara on 3 and 4 June 2021.

The topic of this workshop will be: Using University research to support the local government decision-making process

The added value brought by universities to the local communities is largely accepted. Nowadays, in addition to their educational role, the research and innovation potential of universities has become crucial for the local and regional development. Academic research is of vital importance in providing stakeholders up-to-date information to deal with the current challenges and socio-economic disturbing factors (such as new technologies, digitalisation, artificial intelligence, demographic changes and now the current pandemic crisis). Thus, it is extremely important to capitalize on research expertise and capacity of academics to provide valuable diagnoses and forecasts in the most diverse fields, thereby contributing to increasing the quality of the decision-making process.

As such, West University of Timisoara and the City of Timisoara invite the Network to a debate about the role of Universities in supporting the local government decision making process.

The West University of Timisoara has a long experience in working with the local administration, actively participating in major socio-economic projects, developing strategic partnerships, and working closely with economic, social, and administrative actors in the region. It supports decision-makers providing them insights from regularly surveys (quality of public transportation, environment, infrastructure etc.), labour market trend analysis (sectoral development and smart specialisations), expertise for various cultural projects (Timisoara Capital of Culture, including expertise for setting up the local and regional cultural development strategy), urban governance (suburbanization and metropolitan development of the city). Students also bring their contributions being encouraged to explore within their research activities (dissertations) problems of interest for local decision makers.

Day 1 - PROGRAM

17.00 - Welcoming and introducing the venue and the moderator

Willem van Winden - EUC expert

Ciprian Panzaru – The West University of Timisoara

17.10 - (Virtual) Welcome in Timisoara

Representatives of the West University of Timisoara and of the Municipality of Timisoara

Mr. Dominic Samuel Fritz - Mayor of Timisoara

Prof. Marilen Gabriel Pirtea - Rector of the West University of Timisoara

17.30 - Welcoming Remarks and news from the Network Secretariat

EUniverCities Secretariat 

Gabriele Agnetti - Municipality of Parma

Alessandro Bernazzoli - University of Parma

17.35 - Timisoara – virtual tour and concert

17.50 - Keynote speech : The role of Universities in planning decision making at the local level

Francesco Ferrante, vice-rector responsible with Technology Transfer and Job Placement at The University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, Cassino, Italy, scientific director of the University Laboratory Imprendilab, and Professor of Economics at the Luiss Guido Carli University Rome, Italy.

18.10 – Q&A

18.30 – See you tomorrow!

 

Day 2 - Online Workshop PROGRAM

PLENARY

11.00 - The role of West University of Timisoara in planning decision making at the local level – good practices models from Timisoara

Simona Fit - Councillor for Culture and Education, Timisoara Municipality

Catalina Ancuta - Assoc. prof. PhD, The West University of Timisoara

11.20 Q&A

11.30 - How Universities support the local government decision-making process - good practices models from EUniverCities Partners

11.30 - CASE 1 – Exeter  - Marchmont Employment and Skills Observatory -  an example of a labour market observatory/research centre housed in a University that informs policy at local and regional levels. Includes a look at a new Data Analytics Skills Escalator model.   

Andrew Dean – Head of Regional Impact within IIB , University of Exeter.

11.40  Q&A

11.45 - CASE 2 – Aveiro - Transformational research - the University of Aveiro and regional impact -  examples of research projects with an impact on local decision making: territorial innovation and strategic planning; ecological footprint and local decision making.

 Filipe Teles – Pro-rector for Regional Development and Urban , University of Aveiro.

11.55 - Q&A

12.00 - CASE 3 – Linköping and Norrköping - Centre for local government studies - The research centre can be seen as a link between high quality research and the local practice. The research focuses on questions and challenges that are of strategic importance for municipalities through an interactive and collaborative approach where the meeting between academia and practice is at the very core.

Sara Gustafsson – Head of Centre for local government studies at the department of Culture and society, University of Linköping.

12.10 – Q&A

 

PARALLEL GROUP WORKSHOPS

12.15 – Parallel Workshops – 3 groups

Group discussion about the topic with the use of the Mural application - https://www.mural.com

(use of Chrome is strongly suggested)

Group 1 – Moderator : Bogdan Nadolu - Assoc. prof. PhD, The West University of Timisoara

Group 2 – Moderator : Willem van Winden – EUniverCities Network expert

Group 3 – Moderator : Gabriele Agnetti, EUniverCities Secretariat  - Municipality of Parma

 

PLENARY

12.40 Workshop conclusions

Group moderators will briefly report the results of each workshop

12.55 End of the meeting

Willem van Winden - EUC expert

Gabriele Agnetti and Alessandro Bernazzoli - EUniverCities Secretariat