- This year's Schweighofer scholarships for students in forestry and wood engineering faculties has come to an end
- This weekend, a colloquium was held in Cluj-Napoca where the scholars presented the results of their scientific researches 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 "Transilvania" University of Braşov - have presented to professors and specialists in the wood industry their vision of topical issues and potential impact on the forestry and 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 young 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, finds the best solutions, we create new products and services so coopting 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 innovation in the forestry sector," said Vasile Varvaroi, Purchasing Director, Holzindustrie Schweighofer, Schweighofer.
"We always welcome the involvement of the business environment in the educational process. Thus, there is 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 Scholarship 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 topics that the students 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 struck by the lack of practice in the early years. Therefore 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 scholars and to students who want to deepen the knowledge of a vital industry in the 21st century.
In the academic year 2017-2018, 24 scholarships of 8000 lei each were offered, equally distributed to students and master 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 students’ scholarship program, Holzindustrie Schweighofer's involvement in education includes the vocational schooling program from the Technical College “Gr. Cobalcescu” in Moinesti and the endowment of university laboratories. The company also refurbishes and modernizes schools, kindergartens and other educational units in the areas where its production facilities function.
