- This year's Schweighofer Scholarship program for university students in forestry and wood engineering has come to an end
- This weekend, a colloquium was held in Cluj-Napoca where the scholarship recipients presented the results of their scientific research during the academic year 2017-2018
In the new and modern building of the University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine in Cluj-Napoca, the students and master students of the faculties from three universities with tradition - the host university, "Ştefan cel Mare" University of Suceava and "Transylvania" University of Braşov - have presented to professors and specialists in the wood industry their vision on issues topical and with potential impact on the wood industry. Technological novelties in the industry and the presentation of innovative wood products have been the subject of debate, and presentations of market developments, sustainability requirements and specific regulations have led to particularly interesting discussions.
"We want to pass on to the younger generations of specialists our passion for wood, the most noble and valuable material, a renewable and sustainable resource. We are a company that constantly innovates and finds the best solutions, we always create new products and services . Co-opting students with outstanding academic results is crucial for a sustainable wood industry in Romania. It is a pride for us to see some of the best students of a generation who have the extraordinary potential to improve and drive innovations in the forestry sector," said Vasile Varvaroi, Purchase Manager, Holzindustrie Schweighofer, and project manager of the Schweighofer Scholarships.
"We always welcome the involvement of the business environment in the educational process. This adds a very direct and extremely necessary link between the theory we teach students and the practice of production. That is why we are enjoying the Schweighofer Scholarships project and we hope it to be an example for other economic agents in this traditional and important industrial sector of Romania," said prof. Dr. Ioan Tăut, Deputy Director, Department II Forestry, USAMV Cluj-Napoca.
"The themes tackled were very interesting and we enjoyed the interest of the students to approach and analyze some subjects that are not at all easy for the level of university education, but especially for the lack of practice which is at present a big problem of the university studies. Most of the time, the student hired by forestry company, either in an exploitation, industrialization, or in a forest district, is affected by the lack of practice in the early years. Therefore the Schweighofer Scholarship initiative prepares them to a certain extent for the practical part and encourages them for a practical approach to the studies and information gained during the faculty," said the representative of the Romanian Forestry Association - ASFOR, present at the event.
About the Schweighofer Scholarships
European Wood Industry Leader Holzindustrie Schweighofer believes that the passion for wood must be cultivated among younger generations in order to develop the sector towards performance and sustainable management of the only renewable resource, the forest. Scholarship programs respond to this vision and offer formative experiences - academic and not only – to students who want to deepen their knowledge of a vital industry in the 21st century.
In the academic year 2017-2018, 24 scholarships of 8,000 lei each were offered, equally distributed to undergraduates and graduate students from four prestigious faculties in the country:
- Transilvania University of Brasov, Faculty of Forestry and Forest Exploitation: Florin Beleaua, Adrian Florea, Maria Iorga, Mădălin-Andrei Nicolae, Mihai Bratu, Gabriel-Nicolae Dogaru;
- Transilvania University of Brasov, Faculty of Wood Engineering: Dragoş Muntean and Dan-Alin Cristea, Andreea Zărăchescu, Ruxandra Nedelcu, Alexandru Pavel and Dan Baraboi;
- University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Faculty of Horticulture, Forestry Department: Liviu-Gabriel Ciceu, Paul-Andrei Moldovan, Vlad Todorescu, Dragoş-Călin Zaharia, Anamaria Iuga and Steluţa-Maria Sîngeorzan;
- "Ştefan cel Mare" University of Suceava, Faculty of Forestry: Eduard-Titi Andronache, Cosmin-Marian Barbă, Ilarie Leşan, Marian-Ionuţ Ştirbu, Mihai-Alexandru Corjin and Alin-Andrei Dănilă.
In addition to the scholarship program addressed to university students, Holzindustrie Schweighofer's involvement in education includes the vocational education program from the "Gr. Cobalcescu" Technical College in Moinesti (scholarships for 28 VE students and practical training in the company's units), endowment of university laboratories as well as the renovation and modernization of schools, kindergartens and other educational institutions in the areas where production units operate.
The media partners of the Schweighofer Scholarship Program are Meridiane Forestiere and Intarzia&Castor Magazine.
