30 educational HUBs for students financed by BRD in universities all over Romania

Students from 24 universities will benefit from modern study, co-working and relaxation spaces created with the support of BRD Groupe Société Générale.

The BRD HUBs program is among the initiatives to develop education for all young Romanians, and the 30 hubs will include laboratories, amphitheatres and multifunctional spaces in universities in 12 cities. Students in Romania equally need an educational system that provides them with preparation for the fields of the future, but also invests in the creation of communities.

BRD Groupe Société Générale contributes to the development of such communities through programs such as Innovation Labs, the pre-business accelerator for students and technology startups, or the Mindcraft Academy mentorship program, which provides students with learning contexts to discover their passions , develop skills and choose a career. BRD HUBs mean spaces where studying is more comfortable and free time is spent meaningfully, where people with the same values ​​and interests meet and where students will be able to cultivate their curiosity. Over 100,000 students will have access to modern spaces such as amphitheatres, laboratories, libraries, co-working and relaxation areas. BRD HUBs will also host various events that focus on the most important and relevant themes for the new generations.

“Preparing young people for tomorrow’s fields and strengthening education in traditional fields requires creating a favorable context for students both academically and practically. No matter what the young people of tomorrow want to become, whether they are still looking for their vocation or are already actively involved in a field, at BRD we aim to remain attentive to their needs and be by their side, regardless of the chosen path. Through BRD HUBs we equip many universities in the country, from technical and exact sciences to humanities, focusing on all the needs of students both during and outside of classes. Investing in education means listening to the voices of all young people”, said Maria Rousseva, CEO, BRD Groupe Société Générale.

The BRD HUBs program strengthens BRD Groupe Société Générale’s investment in education, by building a national educational infrastructure for today and tomorrow, in collaboration with educational institutions and organizations with a tradition in education innovation in Romania. BRD’s investment in education at the national level means creating an ecosystem with future opportunities for all young people in Romania.

The BRD HUBs program takes place starting from the academic year 2024-2025 in the following Universities:

“Vasile Alecsandri” University from Bacău • Transilvania University of Brașov • University of Bucharest • Academy of Economic Studies from Bucharest • National University and Sciences “Politehnica” Bucharest • Romanian-American University • Bucharest Technical and Construction University • “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Bucharest • “Babeș-Bolyai” University from Cluj-Napoca • Technical University of Cluj-Napoca • University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine from Cluj-Napoca • University of Oradea • Ovidius University of Constanta • Maritime University of Constanța • University of Craiova • “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University from Iasi • University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Gr. T. Popa” from Iasi • “Ion Ionescu de la Brad” University of Life Sciences from Iasi • “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University from Iasi • Petrol-Gas University of Ploiesti • “Lucian Blaga” University from Sibiu • “Ștefan cel Mare” University from Suceava • Polytechnic University of Timișoara • West University of Timișoara

BRD – Groupe Société Générale is one of the largest banks in Romania, offering services to both individuals and companies. The bank is part of the Société Générale Group, one of the largest European financial services groups. As a social actor, BRD invests in culture, education, technology and sports, supporting projects that build, develop, raise a new generation and bring long-term value. BRD supports the training of future generations of specialists and entrepreneurs in technology and beyond.

The projects that BRD has in mind go in the direction of education in STEM disciplines, but also of mentoring in general: FIRST Tech Challenge Romania, the robotics laboratories within the Politehnic University of Bucharest, the pre-accelerator business Innovation Labs, the partnership with Applied Data Science Centers, the Innovators for Children program, the How To Web Conference, the Mindcraft Academy student mentorship program.

All this brings together pupils, students, teachers, young entrepreneurs, experts and has impacted more than 50,000 beneficiaries to date.