The Western University of Timișoara organizes, between May 6 and June 5, 2023, the second edition of the program "Green Moon at UVT", an event that brings together conferences, debates and workshops on the topic sustainable development and environmental protection. The event is organized by the Institute for Advanced Environmental Research (ICAM) through the Technology Transfer and Innovation Center CTT-UVT, with the support of all the faculties and departments of the West University of Timișoara.
UVT rector, Marilen Gabriel Pirtea: "The "Green Month at UVT" event, which is in its second edition, completes the history of the six editions of "Green Week at UVT", a project that started in 2016, shortly after the adoption of the sustainable development goals by the United Nations (2015). The Green Month program at UVT does not only mean the promotion of free movement, the protection of natural diversity, entrepreneurship in green technologies, or the development of sustainability and ecology, but mainly involves many communication sessions and exchange of experience that support education to protect the ecosystem in which we are. The program intensively promotes education in support of the green ecosystem, an increasingly important dimension of community existence for new generations of students."
The 2023 edition of "Green Months at UVT" brings together over twenty events dedicated to raising awareness of the issue of sustainable development and concrete actions for environmental protection. Starting from March 23 and until the beginning of the Green Moon - on May 6 - over 320 people participated in the 5 pre-events dedicated to education and innovation for sustainable development. Subsequently, since the beginning of the Green Month until now, another 330 people have participated in the 9 sustainability events that have already taken place. By June 5, International Environment Day, another 700 people are expected to participate in new events.
Thus, the more than 1350 participants in the Green Moon activities at UVT become ambassadors of knowledge in the field of sustainable development, a specific culture, dedicated to the green ecosystem, which they can propagate in their communities. The events are connected to the sustainability and innovation strategy of the Western University of Timișoara, as part of the mission to transfer know-how and increase societal acceptance for sustainable development actions.
INFO: The full list of events and partners can be found in the program below. Contact person: Alexandra Petcu, Coordinator of the Technology Transfer and Innovation Center CTT-UVT, Institute for Advanced Environmental Research ICAM-UVT, contact: verde@e-uvt.ro
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Luna Verde at UVT - The schedule of activities and events -
Pre-events:
1.UNITA Green Mobilities Ideathon & Hackathon - organized between March 23-30, 2023 (ideathon) and April 28-29, 2023 (hackathon), with the participation of over 60 UNITA - Universitas Montium students. The deathhon facilitated the creative and ideation process regarding sustainable mobility, and the hackathon provided the 13 student teams with the premises to develop an innovative digital product responding to the theme "Promoting cycling as a means of daily transport". 2 of the UVT teams occupied leading positions, ranking 1st and 3rd, respectively, in the ranking made at the level of the 6 member universities of the alliance. Details on the UNITA website.
2. Guided tours in the Urban Garden UVT - organized between April 24-28, 2023. UVT students willing to become guides of the Urban Garden participated in a training, then became guides for the more than 175 students from the primary classes of the "Grigore Moisil" Theoretical High School and the Banățean National College from Timișoara, who wanted to explore the role and importance of gardens in the urban environment, as well as concrete aspects of replicability. Students were given the information and guidance to create urban gardens in unused spaces near their home or school.
3. Pre-event UVT Liberty Marathon - Running school as a form of education for sustainable mobility - the event took place on April 28, 2023 with the participation of 30 students and teachers from the "Grigore Moisil" Theoretical High School in Timișoara. On this occasion, the CSU-UVT University Sports Club team sent an important message to the students regarding running and its role in maintaining health and quality of life, along with the positive impact on the environment. Then the students ran the test appropriate to their age, to apply the notions received during the "Running School" module.
4. Start-Ups Beyond Borders – The Green Tech Edition, organized on May 3, 2023, in partnership with the Student Entrepreneurial Society SAS-UVT, the Career Counseling and Guidance Center and the Timișoara Startups Association. 25 participants explored together with Phillipp Scheler, CMO and co-founder of the company Ecoro, topics related to the career path of an entrepreneur and the particularities of scalability of businesses in the field of green technologies.
5. Ecological education in Primary and Preschool Education Pedagogy, organized on May 4, 2023, in partnership with the Department of Educational Sciences within the Faculty of Sociology and Psychology and the Timiș Waste Intercommunity Development Agency. 30 students were informed about the selective collection of waste and reducing the use of packaging. Later, they debated on the optimal form of integration of elements of ecological education in the activities of students of Educational Sciences, with an emphasis on primary and preschool education.
Actions within the "Green Month at UVT" carried out:
6. Intensive School on Innovation & Entrepreneurship in the European Blue Economy – organized in Timișoara between May 8-12, 2023, with the participation of 30 people, including 17 students from the UNITA University Alliance – Universitas Montium. The activities included both introductory elements regarding the concept and models of the blue economy, as well as application and in-depth sessions dedicated to the social and societal acceptance of innovations in the blue economy, the regulatory framework and public policies in the field, the environmental impact of the blue economy, entrepreneurial initiatives and open innovation to generate nature-based solutions. Contributions were made to this event by the Faculty of Law, the Faculty of Sociology and Psychology, the Institute for Advanced Environmental Research, the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, the Faculty of Physics, as well as partners from the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture Timiș, through EIT Climate KIC Hub.
7. Sustainable water consumption & Water reuse solutions for urban households and citizens - event organized on May 9, 2023 in partnership with the Aquatim Foundation, as synchronization between the UVT Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Learning Program project "Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the European Blue Economy" and the Aquatim Foundation project "Water Museum - connection to the cultural network of Timișoara". The 20 Romanian and foreign students and researchers contributed to shaping a range of cultural and educational mediation activities for the citizens of Timișoara, of all ages. The range of activities proposed by UVT and UNITA students and researchers also included concrete projects, among which we mention "Avanpost Aquapic", "Miniature water treatment plant", modeled in 3D and prototyped during the UVT intensive school on the theme of the blue economy, "Laboratory alive - what household water consumption looks like" or "Escape room - become sustainable, use water efficiently".
8. Physical activity to music in the UVT Urban Garden - organized on May 9, 2023. We happily received the visit of 25 children from the "David Voniga" Theoretical High School in Giroc. The class had a guided tour of the UVT Urban Garden, where they explored the benefits of gardens. Later, the Faculty of Physical Education and Sports, represented by Ms. lect. university Dr. Cerasela Domokos, coordinated a moment of physical activity, on musical chords, to stimulate rhythmicity and motor skills. The health benefits of time spent in nature and sports were fully felt by the children.
9. The green urbanist – Dendrochronology and climate change - pilot event organized by the Geography Department of the Faculty of Chemistry, Biology and Geography. Elements of planning and organization of green spaces were presented, as well as practical activities of recognition of tree species with the help of mobile applications and the analysis of annual growth rings of trees based on previously collected samples.
10. Motor skills and physical education – event organized on 10.05.2023. The team of the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport visited the Franz Lukas Kindergarten in Timișoara today. On the occasion of the Otherwise Week, 50 children had the opportunity to discover elements of motor skills, physical education, gymnastics and karate from the Olympic and European champions from the UVT team: Simona Amânar, Bogdan Hritcu and Denisa Bălănean. The event is part of the UVT Green Month and the series of educational events offered by the UVT Liberty Marathon.
11. Ecological education in the Economy of Trade, Tourism and Services, organized on May 10, 2023, in partnership with the Management Department of the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration and the Timiș Waste Intercommunity Development Agency. 30 students were informed about the selective collection of waste and reducing the use of packaging. Later, they debated on the optimal form of integration of elements of ecological education in the specific activities of the management of tourism agencies.
12. Information, evidence and (better) decisions in biodiversity conservation – event organized on May 11, 2023. Biology and biochemist students, teaching staff and researchers, biology alumni enjoyed the presence of Senior Research Associate PhD Silviu PETROVAN, from the University of Cambridge. With naturalness and availability, the guest answered the many questions generated by the multiple facets of biodiversity conservation. The conference was organized by the Faculty of Chemistry, Biology, Geography, and the Chemistry-Biology scientific research department of ICAM.
13. Pollution and climate change – present and future – event organized on May 12, 2023 by the Faculty of Physics UVT and the Romanian Society of Physics. The main purpose of the event was to inform/raise the awareness of the general public, especially the youth, about the global dangers caused by climate change. During the event, issues were discussed with the students of the Azur Technological High School in Timișoara regarding the factors that influence climate change, the evaluation of the impact on the environment, respectively the new technologies for recycling materials and their impact in maintaining a healthy planet.
14. Circular economy – recycling used cooking oil – event organized on 12 May 2023 in partnership with OilRight, which provided an insight into the environmental impact of improperly disposed of used cooking oils, then illustrated a working circular economy model and demonstrated the social impact of the circular economy, starting from its own example of the scented candle workshop in Timișoara, candles created with the recycling of used cooking oils collected from citizens.
The future activities and events foreseen within the "Green Month at UVT" include:
15. Mind your own business – Go GREEN! – event organized on May 19-20, 2023 by the Management Department of FEAA UVT. The event is aimed at UVT students, being organized in the form of an interactive workshop in which they will work in teams to identify and develop a "green" business idea. The place can be reserved by filling in this form until Thursday, May 18, at 16.00:XNUMX p.m. Additional details: roxana.bucurean@e-uvt.ro, verde@e-uvt.ro.
16. Developing communication and teamwork through sports activities - event organized on May 23, 2023. The partnership with the "Grigore Moisil" Theoretical High School continues, offering a new class of students access to a guided tour in the UVT Urban Garden and training to develop communication skills and teamwork through sports activities, with the guidance of lect. university Dr. Cerasela Domokos, from the FEFS UVT team. Additional details and/or registration confirmation: cerasela.domokos@e-uvt.ro, verde@e-uvt.ro.
17. The "Green Urbanist" sessions - organized by the Faculty of Chemistry, Biology and Geography. The "green urbanist" brings to the fore topics such as dendrochronology and climate change, on which occasion it approaches the following topics pragmatically, and well grounded in theory:
a. Planning and organizing green spaces;
b. Recognition of tree species using mobile applications;
c. Sampling for the analysis of annual growth rings.
The "Green Urbanist" will take place on 24.05.2023 in the "Carmen Sylva" Park, respectively on 31.05.2023 in the "Constantin Diaconovici Loga" Park. Each event starts at 09.00, lasts about 60-90 minutes and can accommodate 80-100 participants. We invite you to enroll middle and high school students in these events that give them the opportunity to concretely understand the impact of everyday actions on climate change. Additional details and/or registration confirmation: fabian.timofte@e-uvt.ro, verde@e-uvt.ro.
18. Visit to the Ghizela waste dump – 25 students can visit the Ghizela waste dump, to deepen the elements of ecological education delivered by the Timiș Intercommunity Waste Development Agency. The visit will take place on May 25, 2023, departing from the Western University of Timișoara. Additional details and/or registration confirmation: andreia.schneider@e-uvt.ro, verde@e-uvt.ro.
19. Good circular economy practices within the Vrancart SA group – event organized on May 26, 2023 by FEAA UVT, Green UVT Sustainability Center, UNITA Circular Economy Research & Innovation Hub and Eco Club Timșoara, together with the Vrancart SA group. Conceived as a unique workshop, the event aims to familiarize the UVT community and the general public with existing initiatives in the circular economy at the level of our region.
Through the discussion with Vrancart representatives and by visiting the interactive exhibition with products manufactured exclusively in Romania by the company, the participants will have the opportunity to better understand how a business model centered on the principles of the circular economy works and, at the same time, to see the real potential of such initiatives. Additional details and/or registration confirmation: andreia.schneider@e-uvt.ro, verde@e-uvt.ro.
20. National Men's University Volleyball Championship – organized on May 27-28, 2023, by FEFS and CSU UVT, in the Oituz Sports Hall and the Physical Education and Sports Faculty Hall. Eight university teams will compete in Timișoara for the title of Romanian university champion in men's volleyball. The group stage matches will take place on the first day, followed by the finals on the second day.
21. Handball as in the book, XNUMXnd edition – event organized on June 1, 2023, by FEFS and CSU UVT teachers and students. The women's minihandball tournament intended for teams of girls born in 2012 and younger, will be organized on the UVT sports field, with the participation of over 200 children. Also, there will be a methodical activity, coordinated by the university associate lecturer. Dr. Eugen Bota, intended for coaches and teachers of physical education and sports.
22. Cheerful creative recycling workshop – organized on June 1, 2023, with the aim of making decorative objects from recyclable materials, such as: flowerpots from blankets, pencil holders from cardboard tubes, piggy banks from plastic bottles, grass head toys, photo frames from sticks from ice cream. Additional details and/or registration confirmation, within the limit of 15 available places: mihaela.lovaszi@e-uvt.ro, verde@e-uvt.ro.
23. Poster session "Responsible consumption and production" - organized on June 8, 2023 for the presentation of the practical works carried out by the students of the complementary discipline that forms transversal skills "Entrepreneurship Skills - practical applications", with the guidance of univ. Dr. Mădălina Erașcu, Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, Department of Computer Science.
