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Interview with Prof. dr. eng. Mihnea UDREA, Dean of the Faculty of Electronics, Telecommunications and Information Technologies (ETTI) – National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest
In a constantly changing academic landscape, where the boundaries between education, research and industry are becoming increasingly transparent, the Faculty of Electronics, Telecommunications and Information Technologies (ETTI) of the National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest opens a new chapter with the launch of the StarC4Sys Laboratory.
The result of a partnership with a Romanian high-tech company, this laboratory promises not only access to state-of-the-art infrastructures, but also a real integration of practice in the students’ training. In the following dialog, prof. dr. eng. Mihnea Udrea, Dean of ETTI, outlines the vision of a collaboration that combines academic excellence with local technological performance, opening new horizons for training, research and innovation in the field of communications.
The interview is conducted on the occasion of the launch of the most advanced radio laboratory at UNSTPB, a project initiated and implemented by STARC4SYS a company with entirely Romanian capital, founded and led by George Cristian GHIMFUS.
Rep. : What do you think the StarC4Sys Lab brings new to the Faculty of Electronics, Telecommunications and Information Technologies and how did the idea of partnering with a Romanian company come about?
M.U. : We have the opportunity to build a very strong collaboration and partnership, as StarC4Sys has a very advanced communications, spectrum monitoring and localization technology behind it, used by the most important operators and economic agents in the communications field. From our faculty, fellow professors and students have access to this technology. This is the main advantage, the main starting point, and we will look at how we can develop this collaboration, with projects, exchanges of experience, including with the outside world, for training beneficiaries. The StarC4Sys laboratory can be a center of excellence and development of knowledge and future technologies.
Rep. : A first special point of this lab is that it is initiated by a Romanian company. Do you think that you will succeed, together with teachers and students, to create a Romanian research lab here?
M.U. : The research can develop, given the expertise of the professors and the technological expertise that this collaboration offers us, and the partnership with a Romanian company is beneficial. We already have discussions for such research projects and we are analyzing what opportunities might arise in the future so that we can expand this research.
Rep. : How do you see the circuit of utilizing the practicum that will take place in this lab by incorporating it into courses taught in the faculty?
M.U. : From the curriculum that we offer in the field of telecommunications we have identified at least three subjects that could benefit during the semesters from this laboratory. In addition, between semesters we can organize summer schools with practical activities with the students, as it is a very well thought out and offering space from this point of view, with all the necessary facilities.
Rep. : You have a variety of labs within the faculty. What is StarC4Sys lab’s differentiating asset?
M.U. : First of all, access to cutting-edge technology, with specific hardware and software resources that are not found in any other laboratory. So this lab complements the other labs, such as: microwave, data communications, radio equipment, mobile communications and systems.
Rep. : Do you think the faculty will have new requirements from StarC4Sys lab or do you also accept new technologies that the Romanian company will bring to the lab for the use of the faculty students?
M.U. : As more and more teachers get involved in projects in this lab, there will probably be a requirement to interconnect more systems so that we can do larger experiments and then we will look at complementary technologies.
The STARC4SYS Laboratory was realized in 2024 within the ETTI faculty, Telecommunications Department, the Romanian company STARC4SYS S.R.L. renovating an existing space, which was later refurbished and equipped with specialized technology, with the support of the American company TCI International, Inc. part of the SPX Technologies group, international partner of the Romanian company.
The laboratory is one of the results of the collaboration protocol signed by STARC4SYS S.R.L. with UNSTPB in 2023. The protocol laid the foundations of a strategic partnership between academia and the telecommunications industry represented by STARC4SYS, providing opportunities for the development of joint projects, access to cutting-edge telecommunications technologies and the involvement of students in applied activities relevant to the new requirements of the labor market.
