Research-Development-Innovation and Cooperation with the Socio- Economic and Cultural Environment CONTENTS 1. Research - an important component of our institutional mission statement 2. Research and development infrastructure 3. Priority domains of the research activity 4. Contract-based scientific research 5. Dissemination of research findings 6. Doctoral research 7. Cooperation with the socio-economic and cultural environment
1. RESEARCH- AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF OUR INSTITUTIONAL MISSION STATEMENT Scientific research is an essential component of the activity of our academic staff and it is carried out on the following levels: - Basic research; - Applied research; - Advanced technological research; - Project, expertise and consulting activities; - Design of new products and materials. The scientific research mission of the university is to generate knowledge and to transmit, disseminate and capitalise the scientifically researched and acquired knowledge. These objectives can only be accomplished by developing and promoting: - Scientific research, technological development, project designing and consultancy activities; - Innovations in the basic and applied research fields; - Knowledge transfer through education and professional training, technological transfer and technological, information and communication means; - Human resources for research purposes. The main objectives established in the institutional strategy and accomplished in the research activity are the following: 1. Research integration to the national, European and international system; 2. Quality assurance of the research activity; 3. Provision of Human resources for research; 4. Development of the research infrastructure. The specific actions related to the basic and applied scientific research activity are targeted at: Developing and emphasising the scientific knowledge in the priority domains of fundamental sciences; Researching to enhance the methods and instruments for the restructuring and control of the social-economic system dynamics of the country; Contributing to the modernisation of the technologies and activities needed for the development of the Romanian industry; Scientific partnership with institutions of higher education and research in the country and abroad; Getting involved in major research programmes with national and international financial support, specifically in the H22, COSME, Framework programme 7 of the European Research Commission, National Plan of Development and
Innovation III, and other research programmes financed through European funds. The forms in which the scientific research activity has been materialised lately run as follows: - Grant-based research financed through PN IIi programme; - Participation in the Framework programme 7 of the European Research Commission, H22, COSME for SMEs; - Participation in the Operational Programme Increase of Economic Competitiveness, Priority Axis 2 Research, Technological Development and Innovation for competitiveness; - Participation in programmes funded by other national and international institutions; - Contract-based research in collaboration with the business environment; - Individual research in each department; - Publications (articles, treaties, monographs) in peer-reviewed journals and at publishing houses accredited at the national and international level; - PhD research projects and papers and PhD theses; - Patents of innovation and invention. The management of the research activities and of the cooperation with the socioeconomic and cultural environment is illustrated below.
2. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT INFRASTRUCTURE The research and development activity has been carried out in research centres and laboratories, in varied fields of expertise, which provide an efficient infrastructure.» University- accredited research centres: 52 There is also a specialised structure providing the interface between the academic research and the social, economic and cultural environment in the region: RESEARCH HUB OF APPLIED SCIENCES (INCESA) a comprehensive infrastructuredriving effective innovation. Taking into consideration the priority domains included in the National Plan for Research, Development and Innovation, as well as the Programme Horizon 22 of the European Union, the University of Craiova has established the following priority domains of the research activity: 3. nanosciences, nanotechnologies, new materials and new technologies for production; 4. information and communication technology; 5. energy; 6. environment; 7. transport; 8. food, agriculture and biotechnologies; 9. social, economic and humanities sciences. Main research topics approached by the UCV specialists: Main Fields Example of Research Topics Exact sciences Mathematics and Informatics: Mathematical methods with application in informatics; Methods for intelligent calculus; Controlling and stabilising the equations and equation systems with partial derivates; The asymptotic behaviour
Main Fields Social and economic sciences Human sciences Engineering sciences Example of Research Topics of the solutions to the evolution equations; The numerical analysis of some evolutional processes; Dynamic studies and branching in dynamic systems in economy and biology; Chemistry: Electrochemistry and corrosion, Nanostructure hybrid materials, Analytical control of environment quality. Physics: Mathematical and theoretical physics; The anomalous transport in plasma; Experimental methods in material science. Economy, finance and management: Data analysis and knowledge automatic extraction; Intelligent systems for business; Strategic approaches with effect on the competitiveness; Economic and financial processes at the macroeconomic and microeconomic level; Specific principles and particular aspects of accounting informational system at the microeconomic level. Social sciences, philosophy: The demographic tendencies of the Romanian society; The labour market needs and the potential of the active persons during the economic crisis; Occupational interests of adolescents and youth population; Relationship between theology and philosophy; Geographical database of Craiova and peri-urban area; Dictionary of political personalities in historical Oltenia; News collecting, editing and paging. Law: Law system between stability and reform; European Union Law Enforcement. Letters: Contemporary Romanian or foreign language; History of Romanian Literature; General and contrastive linguistics; Postmodernism in Romanian literature; Pragmatics of the literary discourse; Translation and terminology; Cultural history and theory; Communication Theory and sociology; Media communication, Media discourse, Media literature; Social and Cultural Anthropology, Urban anthropology; general sociology, Mass-media and social communication. Arts: Studies, experiments and creation in shows; Theatrical anthropology and cultural management; Research and studies in musicology; Theology: Christology of the first centuries; Spirituality of the Christian monachism in the IVth - VIth century; Human rights from the perspective of the Orthodox Church; Theology and Philosophy in Saint Dionysius the Areopagite s work; Physical Education and Sports: Educational alternatives in Physical Education and Sports; The Sport Impact on the personality; Management and marketing in sport; Walk Evaluation by means of non-invasive methodologies; Global and analytical assessment in neuro-muscular diseases; Assessment and monitoring of the physical exercise effects on the metabolic syndrome; Study of the muscular training on the muscular tonus; Electrical engineering: Energy; Environment; Innovative processes and products in electrical engineering; Computer-based engineering; Transports;
Main Fields Agricultural and horticultural sciences Example of Research Topics Industrial Management. Mechanical engineering: Mechatronic systems applied in minimally invasive surgery; Biomechanics and bionics; Burning of inferior solid combustible with non-pollutant technologies; Analysis of structural integrity at normal and low temperatures; Precision and quality of the complex forms generated by cutting; Energetic efficiency in hydraulically driven systems; Systems, computer and communication engineering (electrical machines and electrical operating systems, including real time systems and integrated systems; Mechatronics and robotics; Intelligent structures for communications: The RFID technology applications, applications with low power radio modules, modules for multimedia interactive training; Multimedia applied in medicine; Distributed intelligent systems and E-learning systems; Complex applications in computer networking in heterogeneous environment. Determining the ecologic adaptation capacity of some agricultural and horticultural species under climate change conditions; Evaluation, preservation and use of the biodiversity for agricultural sorts improvement; Durable, qualitative agriculture; Pollutant substances and agricultural ecosystems; Interdisciplinary research on the thermodynamic assessment and monitoring of pollutant processes and stress factors in the agro-alimentary domain; Interdisciplinary research on the thermodynamic assessment and monitoring of technological equipment/machinery and processes in the food industry
3. CONTRACT-BASED SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH According to the type of programme, the running projects in 218 fall into: o Projects awarded in national competitions: 42 o Projects awarded in international competitions: 12 o Projects with internal and external beneficiaries: 65 Between 213-217, the research contracts developed within the University are indicated in the table below: Year Projects awarded in national competitions Number of topics Value (lei) (4.5lei/ ) Projects awarded in international competitions Number of topics Value (lei) (4.5lei/ ) Projections with internal and external beneficiaries Number of topics Value. (lei) (4,5lei/ ) Number of topics Total Value (lei) (4,5lei/ ) 213 3 863.538 21 169,571 71 274,749 122 1,37,858 214 33 794.774 17 219,797 8 35,425 13 1,364,996 215 38 95.926 13 28,48 79 241,197 13 1,4,63 216 38 93.186 14 186,786 74 311,566 126 1,41,538 217 4 1.281.58 1 158,69 6 163,87 15 1,63,474 Total research contracts developed between 213-217 15 1 5 122 13 13 126 15 213 214 215 216 217 Total value of research contracts between 213-217 (Euro) 2 15 1 5 213 214 215 216 217
Among the business environment beneficiaries of the research outcomes we mention: National companies: Oltchim SA, Transelectrica SA, Complexul Energetic Turceni SA, ALRO Slatina, ICEMENERG Bucharest, etc. International companies: Pirelli Tyres Romania, Group Renault Romania, SARL France Prestations, CIPRA- AISBL Brussel, Alnarp Sweden, Cummins Generators Technologies Romania, Ford Romania, etc. DISSEMINATION OF RESEARCH FINDINGS The dissemination of research findings between 213-217 through published books, scientific research papers, patents and intellectual property productsis illustrated inthe following tables and diagrams. Books published between 213 and 217: Anul No. of books published in accredited national publishing houses No. of books published in international publishing houses 213 24 41 214 274 38 215 257 38 216 12 32 217 85 41 No. of published books between 213-217 35 3 281 312 295 25 2 15 134 126 1 5 213 214 215 216 217
Research papers published between 213-217 The dynamics of the dissemination of research findings through scientific research published papersmay be illustrated as follows: Year No. of papers published in ISI journals No. of papers published in journals indexed in International Databases No. of papers published in volumes of conference proceedings Total 213 158 615 539 1312 214 154 848 566 1568 215 167 78 465 1412 216 129 45 536 1115 217 154 478 42 152 Total no. of published papers between 213-217 2 15 1312 1568 1412 1115 152 1 5 213 214 215 216 217 Total no.of ISI published papers 213-217 18 16 14 12 1 8 6 4 2 167 158 154 154 129 213 214 215 216 217
Total no. of papers published in Journals indexed in International Database 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 845 78 615 45 478 213 214 215 216 217 Patents and intellectual property products Year No. of patents and intellectual property products 213 12 214 17 215 12 216 7 217 15 No. of patents and intellectual property products 18 16 14 12 1 8 6 4 2 17 15 12 12 7 213 214 215 216 217
4. DOCTORAL RESEARCH Ten Doctoral Schools operate at the University of Craiova, comprising 26 domains: Exact Sciences: Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Informatics Engineering: System Engineering, Energetic Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Computers and Information Technology, Mechatronics and Robotics, Automation, Agriculture, Horticulture Social Sciences and Humanities: History, Law, Philology, Sociology, Economy, Cybernetics and Statistics, Finance, Accountancy, Economy and International Business, Management, Theology. Completed Ph.D. theses Year No. of theses 213 138 214 11 215 85 216 39 217 57 5. COOPERATION WITH THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT The University of Craiova actively supports the development of investment in the human resources and the prevention of social exclusion, by correlating the education offer with the needs for sustainable development, starting from the analysis of the three basic pillars: economic development, social development and environment protection. The priorities of the business environment have led to the effective knowledge transfer converted to products and services. The university adopts a much wider approach to the social and economic environment, based on the understanding of the needs of the potential training beneficiaries. At the university level, cooperation agreements have been concluded for the students practical training, scientific research, services provision for small and medium-sized companies, multinational companies, well-known companies, such as Pirelli Tyres Romania, Renault TechnologieRoumanie, S.C. IPA CIFATT Craiova, PopeciUtilajGreu S.A., Cummins Generator Technologies, S.C. Automobile Dacia S.A., etc. In accordance with the objectives and activities included in the cooperation agreements, these may be presented as follows: Types of cooperation with the economic and social environment 22% 18% 17% 3% 4% Services provision Arts Student practice Scientific research Teaching
Actions carried out in order to strengthen the collaboration with the social and economic environment: - Organization of the Regional Economic Forum; - Meetings with the representatives of the business environment in the South-West Oltenia region; - Workshops with representatives from the socio-economic environment in order to build competitiveness poles; - Preparation and organisation of individualised internships for the writing of graduation papers/dissertations based on topics proposed in collaboration with the socio- economic and cultural environment; - Education offer tailored to the needs on the labour market; - Programmes and projects financed by European funds; collaboration projects with the business environment in the country or from abroad that would comply with the priority axes of the AgenceUniversitaire de la Francophonie (i.e. professional insertion, internships for the Bachelor's students, and research internships for Master's students and Doctoral students). - Participation in project activities centred on job-related matters, employment opportunities and labour market access facilitation for the students.