 |
Roundtable meeting with executives from Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, and various UGA representatives. |
Seven Executives Of The Largest Romanian University Visit The University Of Georgia
A group of seven executives of Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, visited the University of Georgia in mid-November. Their program was organized by the James M. Cox Jr. Center for International Mass Communication Training and Research. The Cox International Center is an international outreach unit of the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia.
“We have good relationships with many universities in the United States, but – since my visit to Athens in 2013 – I see our collaboration with the University of Georgia as a strategic partnership,” said Dr. Ioan-Aurel Pop, Rector of the Romanian university, during a roundtable discussion of how to advance a proposal on developing the regional training hub that would be based at BBU. “We already have joint programs in public administration, chemistry, communication and political sciences, but a UGA-BBU regional hub in Cluj-Napoca would be of extraordinary value for the entire region.
UGA participants in the meeting were: Vice president Laura Meadows, vice president Paul Brooks, Powell Moore- member of the Cox International Center and SPIA Board of Visitors, Stacy Jones- interim director of Carl Vinson Institute, Robert Grafstein- director of the Center for International Trade and Security, Chris Whalen- director of Global Health Institute, Brian Watkins- director of International Partnerships Kathleen A. Doty- director of Dean Rusk International Law Center, Laura Tate Kagel- director of International Professional Education of Dean Rusk International Law Center, Abigail Borron- College of Agriculture, Grant Coordinator Lauren McLennan, Rusty Brooks- director on the CVIOG International Center, and Tudor Vlad- director of the Cox International Center.
Dr. Charles Davis, dean of the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, told the visitors about the curricular changes in journalism and mass communication and about the effort of the college to reflect and anticipate what is going on in the media industry.
Dr. Jeff Springston, associate dean for research and graduate studies, suggested some topics for joint research in the future, while department heads Janice Hume, Bryan Reber and Jay Hamilton described their programs. Professor David Hazinski gave the guests a tour of the Grady broadcast facilities and talked about the student daily newscast.
The program also included a meeting with representatives of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) and the CAES Office of Global Programs, and a presentation at the UGA Innovation Gateway, Office of Research, given by Dr. Derek Eberhart, director, and by Ian Biggs, senior associate director. Following the meeting, the Babes-Bolyai executives invited Dr. Eberhart to visit Cluj-Napoca and to give two lectures.
Rector Ioan-Aurel Pop also was a speaker in the Athens Rotary Club, where he talked about the role of the United States and of President Woodrow Wilson in the creation of the Romanian modern state after the end of World War I.
 |
Dr. Tudor Vlad, director of the Cox Center, introducing Rector Ioan-Aurel Pop as speaker at Athens Rotary Club meeting. |
“Our partnership has resulted in dozens of programs, such as workshops, conferences, student and faculty exchanges, joint publications, joint certificate programs,” said Dr. Tudor Vlad, director of the Cox International Center, who created and chaired the journalism school at Babes-Bolyai University before coming to the University of Georgia. “Now this is the right time to go one step further, by creating a UGA hub at Babes-Bolyai.”
The Babes-Bolyai University executives were: Dr. Ioan-Aurel Pop, BBU Rector; Dr. Calin Emilian Hintea, dean of the College of Political, Administrative and Communication; Dr. Cǎtǎlin Ovidiu Baba, chair of the public health program; Dr. Dan Lazăr, vice-rector in charge of Finances, European Funds; Dr. Cosmin Irimieş, professor; Dr. Ioan Hosu, chair of Communication, Public Relation and Advertising Department; and Dr. Flaviu Calin Rus, vice-rector responsible for communication, PR and press relations.
