ANNUAL REPORT, 1995

MISSION

UNESCO Chair's Mission is to provide wider opportunities for the transfer of the knowledge and know-how in the field of engineering sciences. Therefore, the Chair is acting like a "student" organisation, that strives for excellence, by serving the needs of individuals and institutions.

Opportunities, competence and commitment are the three dimensions of our mission statement.

The Chair's major goal is to become acknowledged leader for the value it offers to its "students", and the rewards it offers to its professors.

To accomplish this mission the UNESCO Chair is guided by its vision of the future, a focus on its "students", the need for the higher skilled and motivated organisational team. The Chair envisions a new educational service unit - one of great challenge and equally great opportunity, instantaneous communication and intense competition.

The prospect for growth in the University "Politehnica" of Bucharest is excellent, driven by the ever more sophisticated and complex needs of the "students". This trend enables the UNESCO Chair to act also as an appropriate link between other specialised chairs.

The UNESCO Chair's strategies begin and end within its "students". Progress will be measured by how well the Chair earns the necessary loyalty for long term relationships that provide the foundation for the Chair's success. The Chair will win "student" loyalty by providing value-added courses, differentiated by unique expertise and responsiveness.

Success will require new skills and ability to permanently respond competitively to the rapidly changing needs of the "students". Therefore, the UNESCO Chair must seek out the most talented people and the newest, most resourceful ideas. It will combine entrepreneurial perspective, technology and discipline in order to focus its resources creatively and efficiently.

The UNESCO Chair's final goal is to become an important link in the network of University Chairs coming under UNESCO, to align itself at the international standards of education and training in the world.

FIELD

The UNESCO Chair of Engineering Sciences within University "Politehnica" of Bucharest is operating as a unique Centre of Excellence that focuses on interdisciplinary projects in the fields of Energy-Environment and Software Reliability.

1. Master courses
2. TEMPUS Programs
3. PhD Programs
4. Continuing Education
5. Research

LEVEL

The Chair provides postgraduate education, research and training and continuing education.

Postgraduate education

1. Master courses on:
   1. Energy Efficiency-Energy Conservation (operating)
   2. Management of Natural Resources-Environmental Economics (operating).
      During 11-16 December, 1995 the training activities experienced mainly a practical approach (problem solving oriented). The European Property Game was delivered by British professors.
   3. Energy Management (project). The draft is worked out by a working group for curriculum development for postgraduate course on Energy Management.
   4. Gestion et protection de la resource en eau (Water Resource Management) in co-operation with Technical University of Bucharest (operating through TEMPUS Program)
   5. Securite nucleaire et protection radioactif (Nuclear Safety and Radioactive Protection) in co-operation with University "Politehnica" of Bucharest, Faculty of Power Engineering (operating through TEMPUS Program)
2. PhD programs involving:
   1. one Romanian (Dragos Paraschiv)
   2. one British (Douglas Wilson) - for a 6 months training stage in Romania
   3. two Moldavians (Sergiu Codreanu, Victor Mihailescu)
   4. one Swedish (Ali Mohammed Hamid Alsalhi)

Continuing Education

1. Training course on Management of Natural Resources. Environmental Economics. Place: UNESCO Chair's Headquarters. Date: (13-17 March, 1995)
2. International Workshop on Education and Information of the Human Population and Training Qualified Human Resources for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transition in the Black Sea Region, organised in co-operation with UNESCO CEPES and the UNESCO - Cousteau Chair. Place: UNESCO CEPES headquarters in Bucharest. Date: June 30- July 1, 1995
3. Workshop on: Mise en place de formations superieurs en gestion technico economique de l'energy et de l'environnement dans les PECO et NEI (Development of high skilled staff in the field of technical economic management within CEE), organised in co-operation with Division Sciences de l'Ingenieur et Technologie de l'UNESCO (Science Department of Engineering and Technology within UNESCO). Place: Ministere de l'Enseignement Superieur de la Recherche (Ministry of Higher Education and Research), Paris. Date 21-24 May, 1995.
4. Workshop on International Tourism and Environmental Protection, organised in co-operation with the Black Sea University. Place: Mangalia. Date: 3-16 September, 1995.
5. Training of trainers on Political economy of the environment organised in co-operation with the World Bank. Place: UNESCO Chair's Headquarters. Date: 24 June - 6 July, 1996 (signed agreement).
6. Workshop on Establishing an European anti Poverty Network. Place: UNESCO Chair's Headquarters. Date: 7-10 March, 1996 (signed agreement)
7. Workshop on Curricula Development for Postgraduate Education on Environment Protection organized by Environmental Training Project for Central and Eastern Europe. Place: Sinaia. Date: 20-23 March 1995.

Research contracts

1. Promoting of new supplier-consumer relations: Demand Side Management, Pricing Policies.: Carried out for: the Ministry of Research and Technology. Value: 30 million lei. Worked out by: a team of power specialists and academic staff from UNESCO Chair. Accomplished: November, 1995.
2. Proposals For Restructuring of The Romanian Power Sector. Carried out for: State Ownership Fund. Value: 8.5 million lei. Worked out by: the Chair's staff. Accomplished: January 1995.
3. Promoting new relationship between power suppliers and consumers: the management of methane gas consumption in Romania. Carried out for: the Ministry of Education. Value: 5.6 million lei. Worked out by: Chair's staff Accomplished: November, 1995.
4. Handbook for Engineers on Energy Efficiency (six volumes). Carried out for: the Ministry of Education for 2 years period (1995-1996). The volumes are aimed at improving the quality of the training activities of the Master courses developed within the UNESCO Chair, and they address the needs of power producers and suppliers, as well as those of consumers. Worked out by: Chair's staff Accomplished: November, 1995 (3 volumes).
5. The proposal of an Energy-Environment Strategy for Romania, accomplished in September 1994. This work has been presented within the Consultative Board of the President of Romania in March, 1995.
6. Basic Guidelines And Alternatives For Elaborating A Sustainable Development Strategy For Romania. A Proposal Of Some Strategic Planning Methods And Implementation Techniques. (Project)

STAFFING

Internal staff

1. From University "Politehnica" of Bucharest". Positions:
   1. Professor 4
      • two permanent: Aureliu Leca, Florin Popentiu
      • one associate: Mihai Manoliuone
      • part time: Nicolae Golovanov, Radu Popa
   2. Assistant Professor 2
      • one part time: Florin Popentiu, Mircea Eremia
      • one part time: Nicolae Vasiliu, Carmen Golovanov
   3. Lecturer 2
      • two permanent: Daniela Sripcariu, Mircea Scripcariu
   4. Assistant to Professor 3
      • one permanent: Cristina Ionescu
      • two part time: Dana Nistoran, Emil Statie, Gabriel Negranu, Mihai Voronca
2. Collaborators from outside the University "Politehnica" of Bucharest".
   • Corneliu Rotaru, Director ARCE (Romanian Agency for Energy Conservation)
   • Ioan Jelev, Deputy Minister MAPPM (Minister of Waters, Forestry and Environmental Protection
   • Serena Adler, Expert on environmental auditing within MAPPM (Minister of Waters, Forestry and Environmental Protection)
   • Nicolae Leonachescu, Professor, Technical University of Bucharest

External staff. Visiting professors

• Maurice Strong, Chairman of Ontario Hydro, Canada, Itinerant Ambassador of UN
• Patrice Harou, Senior Natural Resources, Environmental Economist at World Bank Economic Development Institute
• Anyl Markandya, Senior Environmental Policy Advisor, Harvard Institute for International Development, US
• Clifford Zinnes, Institute Associate, Harvard Institute for International Development, US
• Zbigniew Bochniarz, Director Center for Nations in Transition, Hubert H. Humprey Institute of Public Affairs, US
• Göran Hedbys, Marketing Manager District Energy, Alf Laval Thermal AB
• Per A. Persons, Vice President, Business Development, Alf Laval Thermal AB, Sweeden
• Nicolae Leonachescu, Professor, President of the Romanian Society of Thermodynamics
• Gholam Jamnejad, Senior Lecturer, University of Sunderland, School of the Environment, UK
• Dr. Steven Fawkes, Touchtone Energy
• Ethem Gönenç, Civil Engineering Faculty, Environmental Engineering Department, Istanbul, Turkey
• Yuri Komanov, Vice rector, Academician of Ukrainian Ecological Academy of Science, Odessa, Ukrain
• Andrew R. Cornwell, Laboratory Manager, School of Computer Sciences and Electronic Systems, UK
• Alan Cudworth, Professor, Nottingham Trent University, UK
• Ben Elder, Professor, Nottingham Trent University, UK
• Paul F. Arthur, Assistant rector, University of Huddersfield
• Ian Rowe, Hylite Education and Training Trust, University of Huddersfield
• Ramon De Marcos Sanz, Director, Asociation de Promotion de Services Sociales, Madrid, (Association For Promoting Social Services), Spain
• Pauline Geoghegean, Development Officer, European Anti poverty network, Bruxelles, Belgium
• Thomas Campbell, Head Department, Department of Energy and Environmental technology, Caledonian University, Glasgow, Scotland

Mobility for the UNESCO Chair's staff

Aureliu Leca, Professor, Chairholder

• European workshop on Implementing Sustainable Development At University Level, 4-6 October, 1995, University of Bradford, Bradford, UK.
  As one of the speakers, Professor Leca has presented the Paper Training information and dissemination centre on energy management (TIDCEM) - an investment in the education of decision makers. The TIDCEM is an UNESCO - UNDP training centre, set up at University "Politehnica" of Bucharest with an international co-financing of about $US 300000 and designed for 3 years.
• International symposium on: electricity, health and the environment: comparative assessment in support of decision making, organised jointly by EC, ESCAP, IAEA, IBRD, IIASA, OECD/NEA, OPEC, UNEP, UNIDO and WHO, held in Vienna at IAEA, Austria, 16-19 October, 1995.

Manoliu Mihai, Professor

• Nottingham Trent University, UK for a period of 6 weeks, October, 1995
• Universite Paris 7, France for a period of 6 weeks, March, 1995
• Training of trainers on: PoliticalEconomy of the Environment, World Bank, Economic Development Institute, Washington D.C., for a period of 2 weeks, October, 1995.

Florin Popentiu, Professor

• Telecom Paris, May 2-June 25, 1995:
  Research work on the scientific research contract Total Quality For Software Engineering Management, financed by NATO. The contract finances the exchange of research teams between University "Politehnica" of Bucharest - UNESCO Chair, Telecom Paris - Computer Department and City University of London - Centre of Software Reliability
• United Kindom, June 26- July 3, 1995:
  International Conference in the field of Reliability, ESREL '95 - 26-28 June, as a member of the Organisational Committee. Professor Popentiu presented the Paper: Combining SRGM Prediction.
• Visiting professor in The Netherlands, July 3 - October 7, 1995
• Visiting professor at University of Twente and Vrije University of Amsterdam. During this period, professor Popentiu has also elaborated in co-operation, a paper on Software Reliability Forecasting, which has been accepted for the International Conference ESREL '96, that will take place in Greece, 1996.

Daniela Scripcariu, Lecturer

• International Conference: European Commission For An Enrage Efficient Economy, 6-10 June, 1995, Mandelieu, France

Cristina Ionescu, Assistant to Professor

• Training stage on: Management of Natural Resources, for a period of 10 month, September 1, 1994 - June 30, 1995, at University of Minnesota, Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, US

Dorin Cristescu, Professor, Vice Rector of the University "Politehnica"of Bucharest.

INFRASTRUCTURE

The UNESCO Chair's infrastructure include:

• An IBM RISC/600 system, UNIX based, connected to INTERNET through the computer network operating within University "Politehnica" of Bucharest. The system offers real communication facilities through:
  • e-mail
  • www (world wide web)
• 3 PC 486 systems, (from which one was upgraded and two are new acquisitions) connected to the computer network. The system currently offers a real operating computational facilities and has the necessary capacity to offer future access to INTERNET. The devices attached to this computer system consists of:
  • 3 printers (1 laser HP4P, 1 inkjet-Olivetti, 1 Panasonic)
  • 1 scanner (ScanJet HP IIp)
• 1 binding machine
• documentation services, consisting of a specialised library, containing books and magazines specialised on energy issues (financed fron the Chari's budget) and on environmental issues (provided by teh World Bank)
• access to the University's editing facilities. During the academic year 1994-1995, the Chair published the following handbooks:
  • Marketing
  • Elements of environmental legislation
  • Inside organisation. Reengineering
  • Integration numerique des equations aux diferentielles (Numerical integration of differential equation)

SUSTAINABILITY

1. Research contracts
   • 44.1 millon lei
2. Continuing Education
   • 1.7 million lei -- payment for the five days intensive training course on Management of Natural Resources and Environmental Economics (received from the Water Authority)
   • $US 30,000 -- grant received from the World Bank EDI.
3. TEMPUS Project
   • $US 6,500 received for the Master Program through Technical University of Bucharest

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