Ongoing Projects

 

CIVICA Honours Seminars 2026 - Human–Machine Interaction: How Society and Business Could Benefit from It (YouTube note)

The Faculty of Public Administration at the National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA) is organizing the CIVICA Honours Seminar 2026, an intensive academic program dedicated to exploring the evolving relationship between humans and intelligent technologies. The seminar is developed with the participation of the Smart-EDU Hub Research Center, which contributes research expertise in artificial intelligence, digital transformation, and smart technologies.

The seminar focuses on Human–Machine Interaction (HMI) and examines how societies, organizations, and public institutions can benefit from the effective integration of intelligent systems such as artificial intelligence, automation platforms, and data-driven decision tools. As digital technologies increasingly shape economic activity, governance processes, and everyday life, understanding how humans interact with machines becomes essential for ensuring responsible innovation and sustainable development.

The program adopts an interdisciplinary perspective, combining insights from technology studies, public administration, management, and social sciences. Participants will explore how well-designed human–machine interaction can enhance organizational performance, improve decision-making processes, strengthen public services, and support the development of smarter and more resilient societies.

Through lectures, case studies, collaborative projects, and study visits, the seminar addresses key topics such as:

  • Foundations of human–machine interaction and socio-technical systems

  • Human-centered artificial intelligence and algorithmic governance

  • Automation and the future of work

  • Ethics, transparency, and responsible AI

  • Emerging technologies including human–robot interaction and smart environments

Participants will work in interdisciplinary teams to analyze real-world scenarios involving AI systems, digital platforms, or smart infrastructure and to design proposals for human-centered technological solutions that generate societal and organizational value.

The seminar brings together international scholars and practitioners working at the intersection of artificial intelligence, governance, and digital innovation.

By fostering dialogue between academia, public institutions, and technological innovation ecosystems, the initiative contributes to the broader mission of the Faculty of Public Administration and the Smart-EDU Hub Research Center to advance research and education on AI, digital governance, and smart societies.

Participants who successfully complete the program will receive a certificate of participation issued within the CIVICA alliance and SNSPA.

 

 

Past Projects 

Urban Camp #IN NOVA 2025

Organizing the Second Edition of the Urban Camp #IN NOVA

As part of the 2025 #IN SNSPA project (full title: "#hAI IN SNSPA: Lecții Digitale pentru Reducerea Disparităților în studiul științelor sociale"), Smart-EDU Hub is actively participating in the following set of activities: 

  • A1.1 Organizing the second edition of the #IN NOVA Bucharest urban camp, dedicated to high-school students from disadvantaged backgrounds (priority given to those from rural areas and localities with fewer than 10,000 inhabitants), with the aim of delivering a high-impact educational experience in digital transformation and the social sciences.
  • A1.3 Running a “Smart Summer Cubing” competition, in partnership with the World Cube Association (WCA) and the Romanian Speedcubing Association, to develop the cognitive, analytical, and digital skills of students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
  • A4.1 The #IN SIDE programme – Applied practice placements in digital transformation and social inclusion. Purpose: to provide students in administrative, political, management, and communication sciences with short-term, hands-on internships that help them understand the local-level impact of digital transformation, tailored to the needs of vulnerable communities.
  • A4.2 Holding two #IN SIDE information sessions on opportunities for applied practice in digital transformation and social inclusion.

ACTIVITIES

Non-formal Courses: Over six days, students will participate in non-formal courses dedicated to introducing the political and administrative culture of Romania.

Study Visits: Participants will visit public authorities partnering with SNSPA, such as the Association of Municipalities in Romania and the Romanian Parliament.

Social-Cultural Activities: These will include visits to the Ceausescu House and the Palace of the Parliament.

Online Presence: The camp will be promoted online through posts and press releases, becoming a regular activity of SNSPA under the aegis of the Smart-EDU Hub.

Bucharest Smart Summer Cubing: an international speedcubing competition (fast solving of the Rubik’s Cube) that will be held over two days—12–13 July 2025—at SNSPA. Organized by the Faculty of Public Administration together with the Romanian Speedcubing Association, “Smart Summer Cubing 2025” is more than a competition: it serves as a platform for discovering new talent, sharing best practices, and strengthening the speedcubing community.

PROGRAM

For more details click here!

IMPLEMENTATION

Period: April - December 2025.

 

Urban Camp #IN NOVA 2024

Organizing the First Edition of the Urban Camp #IN NOVA

As part of the 2024 #IN SNSPA project (full title: "Inclusion and Access in Higher Education in the Field of Social Sciences"), Smart-EDU Hub is actively participating in A1.1. set of activities, entitled #IN NOVA. The specific objective of this collaboration is to promote higher education and increase access to higher education in the field of social sciences for students from disadvantaged regions of Romania (especially from the South-East, South, and South-West) by organizing the urban camp #IN NOVA, training sessions #IN IT1O, and orientation campaigns #IN 4 Science.

ACTIVITIES

Non-formal Courses: Over six days, students will participate in non-formal courses dedicated to introducing the political and administrative culture of Romania.

Study Visits: Participants will visit public authorities partnering with SNSPA, such as the National Institute of Administration, the National Agency of Civil Servants, the Association of Municipalities in Romania, and the Romanian Parliament.

Social-Cultural Activities: These will include visits to the Cotroceni Museum, the Palace of the Parliament, and the National Bank of Romania to increase students' interest in the study of social sciences.

Online Presence: The camp will be promoted online through posts and press releases, becoming a regular activity of SNSPA under the aegis of the Smart-EDU Hub.

PROGRAM

For more details clcik here!

IMPLEMENTATION

Period: L1-L4 (L1 - the first month of the project, April 2024).

Human Resources Involved: 4 teaching staff, 3 experts, 4 students.

Duration: The #IN NOVA Urban Camp is set for one week in Bucharest, with a daily schedule of 4 hours of courses, 4 hours of workshops, study visits, and social-cultural activities.

Participants: 25 students selected by high schools from disadvantaged regions. The courses will include role-playing games, competitions, and applied projects.

Collaborations. Two iconic public institutions: the Romanian Parliament and the National Bank of Romania.

Educational Resources: 4 teaching staff involved in creating course materials and delivering courses, selected competitively.

PROMOTION

1 press release regarding the organization of the first edition of the camp.

1 #IN NOVA brochure, which will include the camp program and testimonials, distributed in printed format to high schools (especially in disadvantaged regions) and online.

 

e-QUAL EDU

Full title: Digital media for increasing the quality of education and students insertion on the labor market. Maximizing the benefits of visual technologies in the learning process through virtual teaching environments.

Targeted area: Improving the quality of teaching activity, including respect for deontology and academic ethics

Time frame: 8 months (2021)

Purpose of the project: Creating a system to stimulate learning by adapting it to the individual study needs of students by forming a computer platform to support and facilitate teaching and increase its quality, developing mechanisms, tools and procedures to link the educational offer of SNSPA to current trends in labor market and the international academic community.

Outputs - digitalized courses:

Related outputs - published articles:

Related outputs - scientific contests:

 

From smart cities to smart nation. Synergy of smart projects implemented at city level in Romania

Time frame: 24 months (2019-2021)

Purpose of the project: The objective is to draw the map of Romania on the smart cities development axes by analyzing the projects initiated by the municipalities.

In order to achieve this, two derived research hypotheses were formulated: (1) In the public sector, projects need to address both efficiency and equity, which puts a lot of pressure on public decision-makers, forcing them to implement current projects, adapted to technological change, but also taking into account cohesion, i.e., concern for interregional disparities in economic performance. (2) Economic growth and regional development are strongly connected with the use of electronic means to do public business, but also with the implementation of smart projects at the local level always aiming at creating inclusive cities, internal connection with public decision makers, increasing the quality of public services and services, post-supply and, especially, collaboration with partners.

Outputs - published articles:

 

digitalmunicipality.ro [primariadigitala.ro]

Time frame: 24 months (2013-2015)

Purpose of the project: To initiate changes on the Romanian municipalities Web-sites. 

The theme of the primariadigitala.ro project revolves around the notion of e-government, a young concept, but which has started to be more and more present in the development strategies of the world's administrations. This concept now certainly involves Web initiatives, thus joining the list of changes in the economy. By these initiatives we refer especially to the way of communication of public institutions with the citizens, through their own Internet Web-sites, and in parallel, through the use of social-media platforms.

Outputs - published materials: