NEWSLETTER

No. 59March

2017

On 28 February the Corona Cultural Consortium organized the 2016 Cultural Awards Ceremony at Braşov. Supported by the Coresi Shopping Resort, this third edition of the event took place at the Multicultural Centre of our university. In keeping with the current regulations, this year the awards were also decided by public vote. For six out of the nine categories, the decision of the jury made up of Mr. Tiberiu Alexa (Manager of the Art Museum at Baia Mare), Ms. Iulia Popovici (theatre and performing arts critic for Observatorul cultural) and Ms. Anna Maria Popa (Manager of the Andrei Mureşanu theatre in Sfântu Gheorghe) concurred with the public's vote.

The categories and winners were Book of the Year: Toţi privesc înainte. Patru comedii amare by Mihai Ignat; Concert of the Year: It's a long way to Transylvania held at the Musical Centre of Transilvania University and performed by the Jazz&Blues Belgian band led by musician Norbert Detaeye; Debut: Kruhnen Musik Halle, Rockstadt; Exhibition of the Year: “Interwar Art in Braşov”, the Art Museum of Braşov City; Musical Project of the Year: FANZIN Cultural Association, for the Braşov Jazz&Blues Festival; Cultural Project of the Year: Casa Mureşenilor Museum of Braşov, for “First Person History”; Theatrical Performance of the Year: the Arlechino Theatre Braşov, for “Metamorphose”; Festival of the Year: Musica Coronensis, by Evangelical Church of Augustan Confession of Braşov; and, last but not least, Cultural Organisation of the Year: the Multicultural Centre of Transilvania University.

The festivities were interspersed with artistic performances given by students at the Faculty of Music of our university: one recital by Sandor Ambrus (piano) and Valerica Ambrus (soprano), and another recital by Sandor Ambrus (piano) and Ervin Péter (flute).

Iulia Stoichiț, master student

THE BEcome PROJECT

CULTURAL AWARDS OF THE YEAR 2016 AT BRAȘOV

THE BEcome PROJECTTHE 2016 CULTURAL AWARDS CEREMONY IN BRAȘOVYOUNG AND OLD, LET'S CELEBRATE!YEAR OF THE ROOSTER AT THE CONFUCIUS INSTITUTE

YOUNG ARCHITECTS FROM GERMANY EXHIBIT AT AULA MAGNA

AN EVENING OF JAZZ, PHOTOGRAPHY, AND POETRYTHE PSI WEEK FOR PARENTSBOOK LAUNCH AT THE MULTICULTURAL CENTRE

VASILE ERNU AND HIS TRILOGY OF THE MARGINALSUNDERGRADUATE LAW STUDENTS TEACH HIGH SCHOOLERS

MUSIC AND EXCELLENCE AT AULA MAGNA CREATIVITY CONTESTSUCCESSFUL ALUMNI PROFESSORS WE TAKE PRIDE IN

SOFT SKILLS AND HARD SKILLS TRAINING FOR STUDENTS AT TRANSILVANIA UNIVERSITY

BEcome is a national project created by AIESEC in Romania and implemented locally by entities in fourteen cities. At university level, the project

has so far been developed within the universities of Bucharest, Cluj and Iași.Between 16 January and 27 February, the project was developed at

our university by AIESEC Brașov with the support of the Red Cross Brașov, and of several private companies: La Ceaun, DaShop, Warehouse Pub,

Kron Transfer, Centrofis, Optimum Centre, Daisler Print House, Didi Market, and Oriflame.

The BEcome project aims to connect students with the business environment, by creating opportunities for students to

interact with representatives of various companies and to develop their soft skills through training sessions held by

international students, as well as their hard skills through workshops organized by partner companies: Schaeffler

Romania (engineering), Pentalog (IT) and NN (business).Students from Thailand, Malaysia, Mexico and

Jordan were selected by the team of AIESEC Brașov to deliver the personal development training sessions.

For six weeks, Alejandro, Danny, Gumpor, Thivya and Ala'a involved their peers from Transilvania

University in practical activities, demonstrating the importance of leadership skills, efficient communication and time management in both business and student life.

Andreea Rotariu, student, AIESEC member

CULTURAL AWARDS OF THE YEAR 2016 AT BRAȘOV

Transilvania University of Bra�ovWhat purpose does the university serve if not to pave the way for the society of wisdom?

(Paolo Blasi)

FIDES ET EXCELLENTIA

It is not the walls that make a school, but the spirit that reigns within.(King Ferdinand I)

COLLABORATIVE PROJECT WITH THE SCHOOL CENTRE FOR INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

FOURTEEN ARCHITECTURE, INTERIOR DESIGN, URBANISM AND LANDSCAPING PROJECTS

For the fourth year running, third year students in Special Psycho‐pedagogy rolled up their sleeves to develop the project “Young and old, let's celebrate” coordinated by the Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences together with the local School Centre for Inclusive Education. This year's event

proved a challenging experience which gave our students the opportunity to both put into practice their theoretical knowledge and discover the potential and vulnerabilities of teamwork. The art therapy, dance therapy, music therapy and drama therapy techniques stimulated the hearing impaired children to express themselves. At the same time, they promoted our students' self‐knowledge, their understanding and acceptance of the fact that every human being is unique, allowing them to appreciate the importance of trust and mutual support in their work. The success of the project was also the result of the emotional involvement of every student and teacher, as well as of their creativity, exuberance and experience.

Between 3 February and 20 March, the German Cultural Centre at Braşov, in cooperation with the Multicultural Centre of Transilvania University hosted an exhibition organized by the Institute for Foreign Cultural Relations e.V. (ifa), Stuttgart, in cooperation with the Federal Chamber of German Architects e.V. (BAK), Berlin.

Fourteen projects that young architects from Germany completed abroad, mostly after the year 2004, were exhibited in the form of models, photographs, and blueprints. The selected examples of construction, interior design, urban design and landscape architecture illustrated the broad range of skills possessed by a young generation of architects with an identity of its own. They showed how young architects approached work in new and foreign environments, how they redefined and added to existing buildings and how they created new ones under unusual conditions. These architects came up with sensible solutions to the current challenges in architecture, always looking towards the future, always in search for sustainability and new technologies.

Contrary to global media's interest in the spectacular and celeb culture, this exhibition showcased innovative architectural projects illustrating a pragmatic approach taken with both confidence and finesse,

always in close connection with the locations for which they were designed.Flaviana Enache, the German Cultural Centre

YOUNG AND OLD, LET'S CELEBRATE!

On 28 February, the Musical Centre of our university in partnership with the Multicultural Centre organized the recital of pianist Ovidiu Pârjol, a performance which marked the conclusion of the 2016 Cultural Awards Ceremony in Braşov. Ovidiu Pârjol is a well‐known artist and recipient of a number of important awards for instrumental performance won in national and international musical contests.

Ovidiu Pârjol studied piano at the Music Faculty of our university under the supervision of Dr Stela Drăgulin and Dr Horia Cristian, and went on to attend master classes in interpretation held by distinguished Romanian and foreign pianists, such as Mihai Ungureanu, Walter Krafft, Kenneth Boulton, Thomas Hecht and Jenö Jando.

The program of Ovidiu Pârjol's recital included Beethoven's 32 Variations on an original theme in C minor WoO 80L, Six studies for piano (Klavierstücke) op. 118 by Brahms, Scarlatti's Sonata in B minor, K.27/ L.449 and Sonata in E major, K.162,/L.21, and Enescu's Suite for piano no. 2 in D major op.10. The pianist's exquisite performance combined with a highly expressive rendering of this ambitious repertory presented the public with a unique musical feat. The artist's confident approach of a dynamic musical discourse, his emotion, intuition, and awareness of the stylistic particularities of each of the pieces he played testify yet again to his being a top level musician whose artistic skills were crafted at our university.

Fulvia Anca Constantin, Expert at the Musical Centre

THE 2016 CULTURAL AWARDS CEREMONY IN BRAȘOV

On 3 February the Confucius Institute at Brașov played host to several events designed to mark the beginning of the Chinese New Year, an important celebration in Chinese culture and a growing tradition beyond China.

� The celebration included dance, theatre and musical acts by students enrolled in the Chinese Major program at Transilvania University, with the support of teachers and students at the Confucius Institute, whose performance delighted the audience who packed the hall.

� Throughout the event, the atmosphere evoked the close Romanian‐Chinese relations, the mutual respect and hospitality of the people from both cultures. A festive dinner, with traditional Chinese food, marked the end of the night and provided an opportunity for discussion and conviviality. � In addition to its traditional significance, the Chinese New Year celebration attests the effectiveness of the process of intensifying the intercultural dialogue, which we support and encourage both by learning Chinese and by familiarizing ourselves with Chinese customs, which we seek to actively promote in Brașov.

ndCostina Chiru, 2 year student

YEAR OF THE ROOSTER AT THE CONFUCIUS INSTITUTEDANCE, THEATRE

AND MUSIC

EXTRAORDINARY RECITAL BY ALUMNUS OVIDIU PÂRJOL

FIDES ET EXCELLENTIA

YOUNG ARCHITECTS FROM GERMANY

EXHIBIT AT AULA MAGNA

Conf.univ.dr. Laura‐Elena Năstasă

On 19 February, the Chamber Jazz @ Transilvania University series culminated in a special event in which photographer Mircea Albuţiu, pianist Lucian Ban, and professor of jazz aesthetics Virgil Mihaiu where among those who celebrated the prominent career of Paul Bley, while also casting a retrospective glance at jazz as a cultural phenomenon. � Mircea Albutiu seeked to recapture the atmosphere behind musical performances by creating an image of the jazz world that deliberately obliterates the climactic on‐stage moments. He therefore broadens the artistic sphere by making room for the moments of rest, relief, excitement or humour that normally escape the public eye.

A concert designed by Lucian Ban, Mr. Joy. A celebration of Paul Bley was intended as a homage paid to one of the most important jazz pianists of the twentieth century. The selections from Bley's repertoire were slightly different from the pieces that Bley is usually celebrated for. By focusing on them and by taking a fresh approach to them, Lucian Ban not only celebrated the career of the great pianist, but also showed how Bley's influence contributed to the shaping of his own musical discourse.

Virgil Mihaiu and Adrian Lăcătuș concluded the evening with a debate that focused on another side of Paul Bley's music, based on the affinities it has with George Bacovia's poetry. Inspired by Virgil Mihaiu's reading from Bacovia, Lucian Ban provided the piano accompaniment, illustrating once again the complementary nature of poetry and music.

The meeting at the Multicultural Centre was so much more than a mere sequence of three events taking place under the same roof. Beyond the individual quality of the performances involved, it owed its success to a concept in which visual arts, poetry, and music naturally converge and complement each other, providing the audience with a comprehensive and authentic cultural experience.

Maria Ghiurțu

MIRCEA ALBUȚIU, LUCIAN BAN AND VIRGIL MIHAIU AT THE MULTICULTURAL CENTRE

As ever, the Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences undertook the organization of the yearly event The PSI week for parents in partnership with TREI Publishing House and Braşov Cărtureşti bookshop.

On the evenings of 20 through 22 February, parents, psychologists, faculty staff, students, and readers of all ages took part in the debates on parenting related topics, and attended the presentations

delivered by an educational psychologist (and Transilvania University alumna), and three specialists in the field, members of our teaching staff: The art of being a good parent by Elena Stroe; Being a child or a parent in the digital era by Mariela Pavalache‐Ilie and Ana Maria Cazan; and Mummy, I want the stork to bring us a baby! by Laura Teodora David.

These topical issues generated considerable interest among the members of the audience, and the ensuing discussions and exchange of ideas took place in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere.

Dr Laura‐Elena Năstasă

On 10 February, the Multicultural Centre of Transilvania University hosted the launch of a book issued by Curtea Veche Publishing in 2016: Fluturele gladiator. Teatru politic, queer & feminist pe scena românească (The Gladiator Butterfly. Political, queer & feminist theatre on the Romanian Scene) authored by theatre critic Cristina Modreanu, and illustrated by Dan Perjovschi, visual artist. Moderator of the event was Adrian Lăcătuş, and the introduction of the book was followed by a discussion centred around the theme of “Political theatre on the Romanian scene” – a most topical issue, given the present socio‐political context.

The discussion highlighted some of the issues that the Romanian theatrical scene has been plagued by: the formal rigidity of the mainstream theatre, which accounts for its falling out of step with the needs of the Romanian public today; the creativity and liberty of the underfunded underground theatre, which tends to gradually fall into step with the international theatre, while also trying to find its own identity. What clearly emerged from the discussions was the need to facilitate public debates on such perpetually overlooked or dismissed issues. As critic Cristina Modreanu explained, the political theatre should not be understood as a theatre with a hidden agenda, or in the employ of political parties, but rather as a means to foster debate in the Romanian society. Referring to her collaboration with the illustrator of her book, Cristina Modreanu explained that, from her point of view, Dan Perjovschi represents precisely what the Romanian theatre lacks today: a clearer civic statement, which in our country is more of a theoretical issue, rather than a matter of actual position taking.

Iulia Stoichiț, master student

DEBATES ON PARENTING RELATED ISSUES

THE POLITICAL THEATRE ON THE ROMANIAN SCENE

THE PSI WEEK FOR PARENTS

AN EVENING OF JAZZ, PHOTOGRAPHY, AND POETRY

BOOK LAUNCH AT THE MULTICULTURAL CENTRE

FIDES ET EXCELLENTIA

UNDERGRADUATE LAW STUDENTS TEACH HIGH SCHOOLERSIssued in 2016, the Practical guide on rights and justice – Legal education for high school students was

elaborated within the frame of the project Education for Justice and Democracy – a citizen training program in schools and funded by SEE 2009‐2014 grants. The program will be implemented in high schools across the country via active involvement of undergraduate students at the Faculty of Law.

Following a training process consisting of a course taught by Judge Cristi Danileţ in the program developed by VeDemJust Association, the students selected for the task were Carmen Beatrice Enache and Andreea Diana Dumitraşcu. They taught legal education lessons at “Grigore Moisil” National College in Oneşti on 24 February.

During the first meeting, the discussion began with the concept of democracy based on the principle “Your freedom ends where another person's freedom begins”, and went on to detail the main offenses that pupils might commit or to which they might fall victims to. The topic of the second meeting was related to the criminal liability of minors. The high schoolers learned about the age at which they might be criminally liable and the legal actions they ought to take if they should become victims. Another topic discussed was children's rights, more specifically children's rights within the family and school, and various real situations were presented.

The pupils and teachers' enthusiasm was palpable and the law students were invited to participate in further legal education activities.

Carmen Beatrice Enache, Andreea Diana Dumitrașcu

RIGHTS AND CRIMINAL LIABILITY OF MINORS

On 26 January, a new event in the series of conferences for doctoral students took place at the Faculty of Letters. The special guest of the evening was Vasile Ernu, who spoke about his latest novel Bandiții (The Bandits), the second volume of Mica Trilogie a Marginalilor (A Brief Trilogy of the Marginals).

The author stated that his writings are part of an old project prompted by his need to recall the past. As Ernu admitted, his novel is based on a hunter‐hunted situation and the story is narrated from the point of view of the hunted. His work is a combination of several genres (essay, prose, memoirs) and registers (history, anthropology, etc.) which, according to the novelist, do not necessarily have documentary value, as he prefers to think of them as works of non‐fiction literature.

The conference ended with a Q&A session moderated by Adrian Lăcătuș. At 6 p.m. St. O. Iosif Book Store hosted the launch of Ernu's book ‐ Bandiții. The book was introduced to the public by Adrian Lăcătuș, Georgeta Moarcăs and Mihail Vakulovski. Adrian Lăcătuș referred to the literary means of expression that turn this book into a successful attempt to make the transition from memoirs to literature. Georgeta Moarcăs talked about the structure of the novel and the relationship between the two main characters. Mihail Vakulovski concluded the evening by emphasizing Ernu's originality in describing this category of marginals from an insider's point of view.

Iuliana‐Gabriela Răducan, Ph.D. student

VASILE ERNU AND HIS TRILOGY OF THE MARGINALS

The winners of the Mihail Jora National Contest arrived in Braşov on 19 February. The outcome of a joint action by Transilvania University of Braşov and The Musical Society at Bucharest, the concert took place

rdat Aula Magna, and its opening act featured special guest Botond Szöcs, a 3 year undergraduate student at the university's Faculty of Music, in Dr Stela Drăgulin's piano masterclass. His performance of Franz Liszt's Spanish Rhapsody was the highlight of the evening, to which he infused a note of excellence through the subtlety of the musical phrases and technical mastery.

Next came the protagonists of the tour, the winners of the Mihail Jora National Contest 2016. The coloratura soprano Gina Gloria Tronel, first prize winner in the canto section, performed the concerto aria Ah se in ciel benigne stele by W. A. Mozart, the aria Je suis Titania from the opera Mignon by A. Thomas, and the widely‐known Non ti scordare di me, together with the tenor George Vîrban, who won the second prize in the canto section. The tenor also performed Don Alfredo's Aria from La Traviata by G. Verdi and the lied Nebbie by O. Respighi in his distinctive, clear, and enthusiastic voice. Dimitri Malignan, the first prize winner in the piano section, played four of the Six pieces from Cinderella by S. Prokofiev. Last but not least, Cornelius Zirbo, the second prize winner in the cello section, made a true demonstration of temperamental versatility, and succeeded in harmonizing virtuosity (M. Bukinik, 4 Concert Studies) and the lyrical (S. Rachmaninov – Vocalise). Both pieces capitalized on the accuracy of the sound emission, the apparent ease in performing certain problematic passages, a well‐balanced bow and his ability to captivate the audience.

Magdalena Lazăr, student

THE WINNERS OF THE MIHAIL JORA NATIONAL CONTEST

MUSIC AND EXCELLENCE AT AULA MAGNA

BOOK LAUNCH AT THE CONFERENCES FOR DOCTORAL STUDENTS AT THE FACULTY OF LETTERS

FIDES ET EXCELLENTIA

During the festivities in honour of Transilvania University Day, the undergraduate students at the Faculty of Economic Sciences and Business

thAdministration participated in the 4 edition of the contest I have an idea to promote my faculty.

The participants made and presented a collage of pictures representative for the Faculty of Economic Sciences and Business Administration and student life. The first prize

rdwinners consisted of a team of four 3 year undergraduate students of Marketing: Alexandru Duman, George Adrian Mihalcea, Elena Mihaela Nechifor, and Sorina Maria Tabalae. At the end of the contest, both the contestants and the audience depicted the University emblem in colour balloons and made a field trip at the Research and Development Institute of Transilvania University of Braşov.

Dr Ioana Chiţu

I HAVE AN IDEA TO PROMOTE MY FACULTY

A 1978 graduate of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering within Transilvania University of Brașov, Doru Coman started his career as a manufacturing technologist engineer, at DACIA Automobile Factory. He held, at different times, the positions of Design Engineer, Project Officer of the Study and Research Department, Technical Adviser to the General Manager, Research and Development Manager, Executive Manager for

International Affairs, Executive Manager of the Engineering Department, Engineering Project Manager Renault en France, Deputy Chief of DIVD (Direction de l'Ingénierie Véhicule Décentralisée), Deputy Manager of the Technical Range Renault en France. Currently, he is General Manager of Vehicle Engineering at Renault Technologie Roumanie.

An accomplished professional, he has attended various training courses organized in Romania and abroad, such as: Value Analysis and Technical Creativity Methods, MICM, 1984; Restructuring and Productive Activity Development Management, IROMA, 1994; Privatization and Restructuring Management, University of Bucharest, 1994; Management of International Economic Affairs, IROMA, 1998; Statistical Process Control for TOP Managers, QUASARO, 1998; Quality Management, QUASARO, 1998; Environmental and Quality Management for the Automotive Industry QS 9000 et ISO 9001, ARC, 1999.

Doru Coman authored and co‐authored 11 patents, and he presented 24 papers in national or international scientific events. A member of Transilvania University ALUMNI Association, Doru Coman stated, “At Transilvania

University of Brașov, I had the pleasure and opportunity to be trained, both theoretically, and with a major emphasis on the applied side, by an outstanding teaching staff, whom I fondly keep in my memory.”

Dr Bianca Tescașiu

Born in Bran (Brașov County) in 1928, Nicolae Boş graduated Andrei Şaguna National College in 1948. Between 1946 and 1950 he attended the Faculty of Silviculture in Bucharest and the Institute of Silviculture in Brașov and in 1973 he earned his PhD in Silviculture.

As early as 1951 he was employed at Transilvania University of Brașov where he pursued his entire career, teaching and researching in the field of terrestrial measurements: Topography, Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing Silviculture, Geodesy, Cadastre and Land Registry. He stepped up the professional ladder, from teaching assistant to professor. Between 1974 and 1979 he taught in Algeria, at the Faculty of Civil Engineering at the University of Constantine. He became doctoral supervisor in 1994 and, since 2016 he became a member of the Academy of Agricultural and Silviculture Sciences Gheorghe Ionescu Şişeşti. Throughout his career he published seven specialized books with prestigious publishing houses, wrote fifteen academic courses and wrote over 100 research papers.

At the Faculty of Silviculture he held the positions of scientific secretary and head of Department. An honorary member of the Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing and of the National Association of Foresters of Romania, he became Doctor Honoris Causa at Ştefan cel Mare University in Suceava in March this year.

Professor Dr Eng. Nicolae Boş is the promoter of the land measurement and cadastre school in Brașov, set up after 1990. A forest engineer by profession, he is widely recognized by the surveyors' guild as a true professional, his works representing bibliographic

thresources for all the students and graduates of geodesy and silviculture faculties around the country. With his 90 birthday around the corner, Professor Nicolae Boş keeps teaching and writing books and research articles, serving as role model for us all.

Dr Iosif Vorovencii

PROFESSORS WE TAKE PRIDE IN

SUCCESSFUL ALUMNI

CREATIVITY CONTEST

FIDES ET EXCELLENTIA

Eng. DORU COMAN

PROFESSOR NICOLAE BOȘ, PhD