Ongoing Projects

RADAR – Renewing Administration through Democratic Anchorage Reforms

Horizon Europe Research Project | 2025–2029
SNSPA Partner Institution | Smart-EDU Hub Research Involvement

About the Project

RADAR (Renewing Administration through Democratic Anchorage Reforms) is an international research project funded by the European Union through the Horizon Europe programme. Running from 2025 to 2029, the project aims to strengthen the democratic legitimacy of public administration reforms and improve the relationship between public institutions, public services, and citizens.

RADAR examines how administrative reforms can contribute not only to efficiency, innovation, and institutional performance, but also to democratic accountability, transparency, participation, and public trust. Its research explores the conditions under which administrative change can reinforce democratic governance and how these insights can be incorporated into the education and professional development of current and future public officials.

The project brings together leading European universities, public administration research institutes, schools of government, and institutions involved in administrative innovation and reform.

SNSPA and Smart-EDU Hub Involvement

The National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA), Romania, is an official partner in the RADAR international research consortium, contributing academic expertise in public administration, governance, institutional reform, comparative research, and digital transformation.

Members of the Smart-EDU Hub Research Center are also active members of the RADAR project, participating in research activities and contributing to the development of digital research infrastructure supporting comparative public administration studies.

This involvement creates a direct connection between SNSPA's participation in a major European research initiative and Smart-EDU Hub's mission to promote interdisciplinary research, digital innovation, smart governance, and evidence-based public sector transformation.

An important contribution emerging from this collaboration is the development of CLIO Library – Comparative Library on Public Administration Reforms, a digital research infrastructure created by members of Smart-EDU Hub within the framework of RADAR.

CLIO Library – A Research Infrastructure Developed by Smart-EDU Hub Members

CLIO Library is an open digital archive dedicated to public administration reforms, institutional development, governance, digital transformation, and European policy implementation.

Developed by Smart-EDU Hub members actively involved in RADAR, CLIO addresses a major challenge in comparative public administration research: the fragmentation of policy documents, national reform strategies, institutional reports, legislative materials, and administrative evaluations across numerous institutional websites and national repositories.

The platform brings these materials together into a structured, searchable, and interoperable research environment, making cross-country and longitudinal comparisons more accessible.

The archive uses harmonised metadata and a DSpace-based repository architecture to support document discovery, comparative analysis, academic research, and long-term accessibility.

Beyond document preservation, CLIO provides a foundation for comparative discourse analysis, the study of administrative reform narratives, and research into the democratic anchorage of public administration reforms.

Through CLIO, Smart-EDU Hub contributes a tangible and reusable digital resource to the wider RADAR research ecosystem, linking digital technologies, open science, and comparative public administration.

Research Relevance and Expected Impact

Participation in RADAR strengthens SNSPA's and Smart-EDU Hub's connections with the European public administration research community, creating opportunities for international cooperation, knowledge exchange, and interdisciplinary research.

The project contributes to a deeper understanding of how public administrations can combine institutional efficiency with democratic legitimacy, how innovation and digital transformation influence governance, and how administrative reform can better respond to citizens' expectations.

For Smart-EDU Hub, the development of CLIO illustrates the practical application of research-driven digital innovation, transforming a European research objective into an accessible platform for scholars, students, public officials, and policy practitioners.

Project Information

Project: RADAR – Renewing Administration through Democratic Anchorage Reforms
Programme: Horizon Europe
Implementation Period: 2025–2029
Grant Agreement: 101177536
SNSPA: Consortium Partner
Smart-EDU Hub: Active participation of research members; development of the CLIO Library digital archive
Official Project Website: https://theradarproject.eu/
CLIO Library: https://cliolibrary.eu/
Digital Repository: https://www.library.cliolibrary.eu/
Funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe programme, Grant Agreement No. 101177536.

 

Comparative Public Governance: Institutions, Communities & Local Democracy

FIU × SNSPA — A Bucharest Learning Experience
Period: October 18–23, 2026 | Location: Bucharest, Romania

The Faculty of Public Administration at the National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA), in collaboration with Florida International University (FIU), will host an international learning programme exploring public governance through institutions, neighbourhoods and communities. Bringing together academic perspectives, practitioner conversations and urban fieldwork, the initiative will provide opportunities for transatlantic exchange on how public institutions respond to community needs and support local democracy.

The programme will connect comparative public administration with direct observation of governance in practice. Participants will explore Romania’s institutional architecture, decentralisation and local government, while reflecting on similarities and differences between Romanian and United States governance systems. Bucharest will serve as a learning environment in which institutional arrangements can be considered alongside public spaces, neighbourhood development and citizens’ everyday experiences.

Planned activities

  • Romanian public administration and urban fieldwork: an introductory session on institutional structures and local governance, followed by a guided exploration of Bucharest neighbourhoods to examine public space, community needs and urban development.

  • Cultural heritage and democratic institutions: visits to the “Dimitrie Gusti” National Village Museum and the Palace of the Parliament, connecting discussions of community identity and cultural heritage with the workings of national democratic institutions. A discussion with MP Alexandru-Mihai Ghigiu, Chair of the Chamber of Deputies’ Education Committee, is planned, subject to confirmation.

  • Local government in practice: a conversation with Diana Gheorghe-Vrînceanu, Project Manager at the Association of Romanian Municipalities, and an institutional visit to Sector 1 City Hall. A meeting with Mayor George-Cristian Tuță is envisaged, subject to final confirmation.

  • FIU × SNSPA student exchange: an informal dialogue with students from SNSPA’s Public Sector Management master’s programme and other SNSPA students, offering space to exchange professional experiences and perspectives on public service.

  • Comparative Governance Lab: a proposed closing session in which participants will discuss their observations, identify meaningful similarities and differences between governance systems, and consider practices worth exploring further.

Throughout the week, discussions will revolve around four questions: Who makes decisions? Whose voices shape them? How do institutions engage communities? What can governance systems learn from one another?

The initiative aims to strengthen comparative understanding of public governance, connect academic learning with institutional practice, and create opportunities for continued academic and professional exchange between FIU and SNSPA. Its focus on institutions, communities and mutual learning reflects Smart-EDU Hub’s interest in connecting education and research with the practical challenges of contemporary governance.

 

Urban Camp #IN NOVA 2026

Third Edition — Innovation and Sustainability in Our Communities
October 26–30, 2026 | Online & Bucharest

The National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA), with the involvement of Smart-EDU Hub, is preparing the third edition of the #START SMART IN NOVA Urban Camp, an educational programme dedicated to high-school students, prioritising those from disadvantaged backgrounds, rural areas and towns with fewer than 10,000 inhabitants.

The camp is organised under the project “#START SMART IN SNSPA: Using Gaming to Innovate and Model Sustainability Scenarios in My Community” (CNFIS-FDI-2026-F-1125). The wider project aims to increase access to higher education and reduce university dropout at SNSPA by introducing innovative teaching methods that encourage participation, critical thinking and civic responsibility.

Building on previous editions, IN NOVA 2026 will invite participants to explore the challenges facing their communities and develop innovative, sustainable responses. Through interactive workshops, simulations, direct experimentation and study visits, students will connect learning with practical questions about their communities’ future.

Planned activities

  • Online workshops on sustainable communities — October 26–27: participants will explore community design, environmental strategies and sustainable systems through the workshops “Architects of the Future,” “Eco-Strategies in Action” and “Sustainable Systems.” These sessions will introduce the themes and methods used to develop their final projects.

  • University experience and applied innovation — October 28: an interactive tour of SNSPA will introduce participants to university life. The workshop “Community Innovators: From Local Problems to Global Solutions,” featuring contributions from Klarwin and ECOTIC, will connect community challenges with practical organisational experience.

  • Study visits and learning from practice — October 29: visits to the Romanian Football Federation and EFdeN Sustainable City will offer opportunities to explore social responsibility and practical approaches to sustainability.

  • Public institutions and environmental governance — October 30: the programme includes a visit to the Romanian Parliament and a proposed visit to the Ministry of Environment, Waters and Forests, subject to confirmation.

  • Final projects and reflection: throughout the camp, participants will prepare projects addressing community challenges. The programme will conclude with a reflection workshop, presentations through idea pitches and simulations, and a graduation ceremony at SNSPA.

The camp will use a blended format, combining two days of online activities with three days of face-to-face learning in Bucharest. By bringing high-school students into contact with university staff, practitioners and public institutions, it aims to make higher education more accessible and help participants see how their ideas can contribute to their communities.

Alongside the camp, the wider project also includes Smart Autumn Cubing, planned in partnership with the World Cube Association and the Romanian Speedcubing Association, to support the development of cognitive and analytical skills through competitive puzzle-solving.

Implementation

Project period: June 17–December 15, 2026.
Urban camp: October 26–30, 2026.
Format: Online on October 26–27; in person in Bucharest on October 28–30.
Main venue: SNSPA, 30A Expoziției Boulevard, Bucharest.

 

SkillsUP#SNSPA — Employability and Skills Development for the Labour Market

Connecting Higher Education, Artificial Intelligence and Professional Practice
June–December 2026 | SNSPA, Bucharest

The National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA) is implementing SkillsUP#SNSPA, a project designed to strengthen students’ and graduates’ employability by connecting university education with evolving labour-market needs. The initiative combines research on graduate career pathways, curriculum development, cooperation with employers and practical learning opportunities, with particular attention to transversal skills, digital technologies and artificial intelligence.

The project addresses four complementary objectives: understanding graduates’ transition into employment; adapting curricula to professional requirements; strengthening cooperation between SNSPA and socio-economic partners; and supporting lasting institutional improvements through the existing AI Career Hub and career guidance services.

Planned activities

  • Career Insight Toolkit – SNSPA: development of instruments to assess graduates’ career pathways and the relevance of the skills acquired during their studies. A survey targeting at least 150 SNSPA graduates and two workshops involving employers, students, alumni and academic staff will inform this work.

  • Labour-market analysis and curriculum development: examination of economic, environmental, social and technological changes affecting employment, followed by a review of SNSPA study programmes and proposals for updating educational content, teaching approaches and assessment methods.

  • Professional development for academic staff: training opportunities to support the integration of emerging digital tools, artificial intelligence and applied skills assessment into university teaching.

  • Recruitment Lab and SNSPA Career Days: practical workshops, professional simulations and employer-proposed case studies, alongside opportunities for students and academic staff to engage with representatives of business, civil society and public administration.

  • Support for applied skills development: scholarships for SNSPA students demonstrating performance and engagement in practical activities, supporting access to relevant training, professional development programmes and certifications.

  • AI Career Hub and transversal skills: promotion of the existing platform through a dedicated student workshop, alongside activities connecting career guidance, alumni experience and employer perspectives.

Featured training programme: Using Artificial Intelligence to Design Teaching Activities

As part of SkillsUP#SNSPA, SNSPA will host a training programme for academic staff from all universities, delivered by Associate Professor Cătălin Vrabie, from the Faculty of Public Administration and a Smart-EDU Hub member.

The course will explore practical uses of AI in designing, organising and assessing teaching activities. Participants will work on approaches to interactive learning and digital skills development, with an emphasis on responsible and ethical use.

Dates: October 29–30, 2026
Time: 12:00–16:00 on both days
Venue: SNSPA, 30A Expoziției Boulevard, 8th floor, Room 804, Bucharest
Certification: Certificates of participation will be awarded to those attending both sessions.

Further information and registration

Through its combination of evidence, educational development and professional engagement, SkillsUP#SNSPA aims to improve the connection between academic learning and employment. Its emphasis on AI, digital competencies and applied learning aligns with Smart-EDU Hub’s commitment to connecting technological innovation with education and institutional development.

Implementation

Project title: SkillsUP SNSPA: Employability and Skills Development for the Labour Market
Project code: CNFIS-FDI-2026-F-1133
Implementation period: June–December 2026
Implementing institution: National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA)

 

Past 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.

 

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: