Politehnica University of Timișoara


Politehnica University of Timișoara is a public university founded on 11 November 1920. Located in Timișoara, Romania, it is one of the largest technical universities in Central and Eastern Europe.
The university's research and scientific training is based on the strategy of promoting multidisciplinary research and the priority given to new technology. In 2011, Politehnica University of Timișoara was classified as an advanced research and education university by the Ministry of Education, thus becoming the only university in Western part of Romania categorized among the best 12 university in the country. The University is a member of the Romanian Alliance of Technical Universities.

Historical Timeline

Professor Traian Lalescu was the one who strove to fulfill the dream of the people from the Banat region: the Polytechnic School. His first care was to find suitable staff, given the fact that any school lives through its teachers.
At the beginning, as the school did not have its own headquarters, it functioned as a secretariat of the city hall. At this office the first admission procedures were carried out. During the first year, the university started its activity with a number of 117 students: 89 enrolled in the first year and 28 in the preparatory year.
Carrying out he first courses required a building. At that time, the classes were held at a former school from Timișoara which now belongs to the Faculty of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering. The cafeteria was located in an old sailing club called Regatta, on the banks of the Bega river. As far as the accommodation is concerned, unfortunately, at that time, the only place that could be used was a disused military prison.
At that time, Traian Lalescu offered the students the following services:
As a teacher, Traian Lalescu was deeply engaged and taught an impressive number of courses having an extremely varied content; this was possible due to his trips to France and Germany, during which he deepened his studies and teaching techniques.

Ranking

According to the Scimago Lab, based on data collected between 2007 and 2011, Politehnica University of Timișoara ranked 1251 in the World, 68 regionally and 6 in the country by number of publications. Moreover, the international evaluation carried out by the European University Association concluded that "Politehnica University of Timișoara is a high-performance university which enjoys a distinguished reputation within the surrounding society".

Mission

The mission of Politehnica University of Timișoara is:
The Charter of Politehnica University of Timișoara contains the principles underlying its structure, organization and functioning.
The principles at the basis of this university:
• the principle of university autonomy; • the principle of academic freedom; • the principle of public accountability; • The principle of quality assurance; • the principle of equity; • the principle of managerial and financial efficiency; • transparency; • the principle of respect for the rights and freedoms of students and of academic staff; • the principle of independence of ideologies, religions and political doctrines; • the principle of freedom of national and international mobility of students, teachers and researchers; • the principle of consultation of social partners in decision-making; • principle of centering the activity on student learning.
The Charter was drawn up in accordance with the Magna Charta Universitatum.
After Preamble, Mission and General Provisions in the charter there are chapters that define the aspects of university life: the university autonomy, the structure, the structure of the academic year, the organization of university studies, the scientific research, the promotion of quality in education and scientific research, the support of individual excellence, the promotion of student-centered university, the university leadership, the university funding, the university staff and the insurance of ethics and deontology. The last chapter is dedicated to final provisions.

Faculties

Politehnica University of Timișoara comprises 10 faculties and 25 departments which ensure modern, up-to-date, of a high professional level academic programs.

Faculty of Architecture and City Planning

The is one of the newest faculties of the university, being founded about twenty years ago. At this moment, the faculty offers two study programs at the undergraduate level: Architecture and Interior Design and 2 study programs at the graduate level: Urbanism and Territorial Planning and Trend, Materials and New Technologies in Interior Architecture. The faculty has workshop rooms, classrooms and projection rooms adapted to the needs of the students.

Faculty of Automation and Computers

The is one of the most well-known faculties of Politehnica University of Timișoara, its foundation being established even from the year 1964, when the specialization Computer Engineering was created within the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, under the supervision of professor Alexandru Rogojan. In 1990, the Faculty of Computer Engineering and Automation was founded; the faculty changed its name in 1991 into the Faculty of Automation and Computers, by aligning to the national level.
At present, the faculty offers bachelor, masters and PhD studies in the areas Computers and Information Technology, Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, Automation and Applied Informatics, Information Technology and Informatics, as well as the possibility to conduct the studies in a distance learning system. The faculty has very good cooperation agreements with several IT companies. Within this faculty functions the Center of Scientific Research in Automation and Computers from Politehnica University of Timișoara., which is being recognized as a type C research center.

Faculty of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering

The is part of Politehnica University of Timișoara starting from 1948. It is one of the most well-known technical universities from Central and Eastern Europe and it has cooperation agreements with several national and multinational companies. Moreover, it offers study programs at bachelor, master and Ph.D. level, in Romanian and English. Within this faculty two departments function: Applied Chemistry and Engineering of Inorganic Compounds and Organic and Natural Compounds Engineering. The research activity is carried out in 3 research centers: Research Centre for Inorganic Materials and Alternative Energies, Research Center for Environmental Science and Engineering and Research Center for Organic, Macromolecular and Natural Compounds ‘Chemistry and Engineering.

Faculty of Civil Engineering

The was founded by virtue of the decree number 3134/11 November 1941 of the Council of Ministers. At that point the specialization Civil and Industrial Constructions functioned and, starting from 1948 also the specialization Hydraulic Constructions. In 1990 this faculty emerges from the Faculty of Hydrotechnics, but at a later point, in 2011, they reunite. At present, the Faculty of Civil Engineering offers study programs in 7 domains at the bachelor level and in 5 domains at master level.

Faculty of Communication Sciences

The was founded on 1 October 2011. This Faculty offers at the undergraduate level the study programs Communication and Public Relations and Translation Interpreting and, at the postgraduate level, the study program Communication, Public Relations and Digital Media. The activity of this faculty is based on the formation of specialist in the communication and public relations field, in translating and interpreting; moreover, it contributes to the formation of the future engineers by teaching foreign languages in the faculties of Politehnica University of Timișoara.

Faculty of Electrical and Power Engineering

The is one of the oldest faculties of the university, the Electro mechanics specialization being created in 1920. In 1948, the Faculty of Electrical Engineering was founded, offering the specializations in the following fields: electrical stations, electrification of agriculture and transport, mechanical energy, electrical energy. In February 1990, the Faculty of Electrical Engineering splits into 3 distinct faculties: the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, the Faculty of Automation and Computers Engineering and the Faculty of Electronics and Telecommunications Engineering.

Faculty of Electronics and Telecommunications Engineering

The was founded in 1990, after two decades of functioning as a division within the broader Electrical Engineering Faculty. At present, it offers 2 study programs at the undergraduate level, Applied Electronics and Telecommunications Technologies and Systems, 6 study programs at graduate level, Communications Networks Engineering, Biomedical Electronics, Intelligent Electronic Systems, Telecommunications Networks Engineering, Advanced Electronics Techniques, Multimedia Technologies and the possibility to undertake post graduate studies. It is structured in 3 departments: Applied Electronics, Communications and Measurements and Optical Electronics. The Learning directions include the following: integrated voice and data transmissions, programming and computer networks, mobile and fixed, intelligent systems and manufacturing electronic audio, video and multimedia.

Faculty of Engineering in Hunedoara

The was founded in 1990. It offers 6 study programs at the undergraduate level, 5 at graduate level and the possibility to undertake post-graduate studies in the field of Materials Engineering.

Faculty of Management in Production and Transportation

The was created in 1996. At present, it offers 5 study programs at undergraduate level, 3 study programs at graduate level and the possibility to undertake post graduate studies in the field of engineering and management. Starting from 2010, the Public Administration specialization became part of this Faculty.

Faculty of Mechanical Engineering

In a narrow sense, the was founded in 1948, through the restructuring of Politehnica School and its transformation in the Polytechnical Institute of Timișoara. The Faculty of Electro mechanics, founded in 1929, split into the Faculty of Mechanics, which stayed in the official premises of the university and the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, which was moved to the premises of the "Piarist" Highschool. This faculty has around 2400 students, the necessary equipment for this number and a rich tradition, the subjects of this faculty being taught since the establishment in 1920 of the Politehnica School.

Departments

Politehnica University of Timișoara has 25 departments:
The Admission to Politehnica University of Timișoara is for each faculty separately.
The Faculty of Architecture and City Planning organizes an entrance examination that evaluates the knowledge in the following fields: Mathematics, Technical Design and Drawing.
The Faculty of Automation and Computers Engineering organizes an entrance examination for the field Systems Engineering, Computers and Information Technology, evaluating the knowledge of Mathematics, while for the field Informatics, the admission is done on the basis of the average obtained at the baccalaureate examination.
The Faculty of Electronics and Telecommunications Technology organizes for the undergraduate programs with a duration of studies of 4 years, an entrance examination that evaluates the knowledge in Mathematics. After this evaluation, the successful candidates have the possibility to choose between the following specializations: Applied Electronics and Telecommunications Technologies and Systems. For the graduate programs, the admission is done through an interview, but also taking into account the average for the graduation exam and the field of former studies.
For the rest of the faculties from the university, the admission is done through a series of documents. The admission is mainly based on the average of the baccalaureate exam.

Infrastructure

The infrastructure of the university is impressive through its dimensions, complexity and in up-to-date services. Therefore, students and employees can enjoy accommodation, canteens, sport facilities, a publishing house and a printing center, technical and administrative services, as well as a student medical center.
Dorms
The campus of the university, situated close to the center of Timișoara, gives students the opportunity to enjoy the university life side by side with all the facilities of this cosmopolitan city. Politehnica University of Timișoara accommodates about 5500 students in 2000 student rooms from 16 dorms, all equipped with Internet connection, cable TV, refrigerator and new furniture.
Hotels
The University owns two hotels, located in the city center, namely Casa Politehnicii 1 and Casa Politehnicii 2. They are 3 stars hotels equipped with phone, TV, refrigerator, air conditioning, Internet and with their own restaurants.
University Restaurants
In the city Campus, the university has 2 restaurants: Politehnica University Canteen and Fast-Food 1MV. Moreover, there are snack bars in several buildings of the university.
Using modern specific devices, the Central Library of the Politehnica University of Timișoara offers to its users access to the documentary resources and services necessary in the process of education and research, aiming at their professional instruction and fulfilment of human personality. The library was inaugurated in 2014. Among the services offered are the following: e-services, online catalog, self-check, interlibrary loans, bibliographical requests, printing, photocopy, etc.
Sports Facilities
The Politehnica University of Timișoara has numerous sports facilities, providing probably the best choice in Central and Eastern Europe. It comprises 3 sports units, with 2 indoor halls fully equipped for ball games, 2 competition standard football grounds, one indoor artificial turf football ground, 6 tennis courts with floodlights, 2 handball courts, swimming pools, fitness rooms and provision for many other games.
Sports complex 1 includes: fitness hall, football pitch, running track, covered mini-football fields.
Sports complex 2 includes: swimming pools, sports halls, tennis courts, basketball courts, football fields, multipurpose buildings.

Mobility and International Cooperation

Politehnica University of Timișoara has cooperation agreements with several universities from Europe, USA, Asia, Canada, South America and Canada, translated in over 200 partnerships within some EU programs or bilateral partnerships.
Among the international programs in which the university is involved are the following:

Personalities

Coleta de Sabata, former rector of the university, has rendered homage in one of her books, in this order the following personalities: Traian Lalescu, Victor Vlad, Victor Vâlcovici, Marin Bănărescu, Pompiliu Nicolau, Valeriu Alaci, Ștefan Nădășan, Plautius Andronescu, Corneliu Micloși, Koloman Bakony, Remus Răduleț, Aurel Bărglăzan, Nicolae Maior, Ioan Vlădea, Coriolan Drăgulescu, Alexandru Cișman, Constantin Avram and Ștefan Căproiu. They are all former professors of the university.
Moreover, several teachers of the university are part of the Romanian Academy:
At present, the members of the Romanian Academy part of Politehnica University of Timișoara are: