West University of Timisoara becomes first university in South-East Europe member of EUniverCities

West University of Timisoara (UVT) is the first university in South-East Europe that is a member of EUniverCities, a network that promotes collaboration between the upper education institutions and their cities, the UVT management made the announcement.

"The status of a full member allows us to learn from the best in Europe and to share from our experience with the other member universities," said the UVT rector, Marilen Pirtea, quoted in a press release sent to AGERPRES.

According to him, UVT already has a tradition in applying the concept of the third mission of universities, which is to get involved in the community.

By being accepted as a member of EUniverCities, with observer status, the Timisoara-based academic institution received an important recognition, with the next step being to sign in early December, in Trondheim, Norway, the document by which the UVT is accepted as full member, becoming thus the first university in South-East Europe to be part of the prestigious network.

EUniverCities is an European network launched officially in 2012, which focuses on the collaboration between universities and the medium-sized cities, within the so-called tandems. This network's objective is to exchange and spread the knowledge, expertise and experience that each of them has with respect to the collaboration between the universities and their cities.

UVT is the largest upper education institution in the Western part of Romania and an active player in its community, being one of the engines of the socio-cultural life of Timisoara, reads the release.