ISPDC 2023 is hosted by the University POLITEHNICA of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania. With a tradition of over 200 years, University POLITEHNICA of Bucharest (UPB) is the the largest technical university in Romania.

University POLITEHNICA of Bucharest at a glance

University POLITEHNICA of Bucharest (UPB) was founded in 1818 and it is the oldest and most prestigious technical university in Romania. Over its 198 years of existence, UPB has managed to invest in human capital and to create a qualitative profile that promotes excellence in technical education and research.

UPB’s research potential is due to the advanced and extensive research infrastructure which was built with the contribution of structural funds. In that which regards the European structural funds dedicated to the development of research or to the improvement of the quality of human resources, the university regarded the funding as an opportunity and – through our community – it took full strategic advantage of the available funding. Thus, state of the art research centers were born (like CAMPUS or PRECIS – the twin buildings dedicated to advanced research and research hubs) and the University POLITEHNICA of Bucharest was able to extend its own research-oriented human resources.

Our investments in infrastructure rise up to 72,5 mil. EUR, almost equal to our investments in human resources, which total 63 mil EUR. We are now among the most proficient universities in Romania in absorbing European funds and we are proud for being able to offer our research community the possibility to continue their pursuit of innovation and breakthrough solutions.

UPB’s education and research principles and the almost two centuries of experience vitalize curriculum design in undergraduate and postgraduate programmes and introduce the students to the latest thinking in their chosen fields. With outstanding facilities and the widest range of courses, we are highly respected across the region as a center of teaching excellence. With regards to the international dimensions, our university is part of over 20 larger academic associations: The Conference of European Schools for Advanced Engineering Education and Research (CESAER), L’Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF), European Distance and E-Learning Network Ltd. (EDEN) etc., we have over 300 signed inter-university mobility agreements and well over 150 Memorandums of Understanding (MoU’s) with universities across the world. Aside from our students – which we promote in the international environment – our university receives over 800 foreign students every year.

UPB has been a member of European University Association since 2001, prior being a member of Association of European Universities (CRE) since 1988. One of the strategic dimensions of our activity is the interaction with the private sector. We take pride in being synchronized with the needs and wants of an important part of the engineering and IT firms in Romania. In this sense, we are the most important nationwide provider of IT and engineering specialists. To maintain such responsibility and educational quality standard, the UPB must communicate constantly with the private sector and – moreover – develop initiatives and projects alongside the great IT and engineering firms. Among these initiatives, to name just a few, are POLIFEST (the most important job fair dedicated to students), Career Day, various programming and engineering contests, as well as joint PhD and Masters projects. Thus, partnerships with the private sector are a prerequisite of performance because they offer us know-how on how the great organizations work and what their needs are in terms of human capital. Our collaboration horizon covers over 2600 agreements with the most important players in the private sector.

UPB Central Library

The ISPDC 2023 conferences is hosted in the spaces in the building of the Central Library. The building has three sections and 48 rooms with specific destinations: reading rooms with free access to the shelf, rooms for study, rooms intended for the computerized documentation, conference rooms specially designed to host conferences, trainings, workshops, and other types of scientific events.

The rooms are equipped with modular furniture that allows various arrangements, adapted to the characteristics of the event and the needs of the participants. Glazed surface is wide, offering natural light in each of these rooms.

Bucharest – the Capital City of Romania

Bucharest is the largest Romanian academic center – it hosts over 200,000 students. It has reasonable connections with most European capitals and with the largest cities in Romania. The city is located in the southeast of the country on the banks of the Dambovita River, and was first mentioned in documents as early as 1459. Since then it has gone through a variety of changes, becoming the state capital of Romania in 1862 and steadily consolidating its position as the centre of the Romanian mass media, culture and arts. Its eclectic architecture is a mix of historical (neo-classical), interbellum (Bauhaus and Art Deco), Communist-era and modern. In recent years, the city has been experiencing an economic and cultural boom.

Transportation between Henri Coanda International Airport and city center

International flights arrive at Henri Coanda International Airport (Otopeni), the biggest airport in Romania, located about 19 Km (12 Miles) north of Bucharest’s downtown.

For the list of airlines companies which are directly connected to the Henri Coanda International Airport, please click here. Please find below how to get to city center:

By Bus: Express Bus 783 offers daily service to the city center, with stops at Baneasa Airport, Piata Presei Libere, Piata Victoriei, Piata Romana, Piata Universitatii and Piata Unirii. This line runs day and night. The bus leaves every 15 minutes during the day and every 40 minutes during the night. The journey to downtown takes approximately 40 minutes. Fare is 7 Lei (about 1.8 Euro) for a round-trip ticket.

By Taxi: Please be advised to get only licensed taxi companies from the airport. Or, even better, popular online alternatives like Uber, Bolt, BlackCab and others are cheaper, more popular alternatives to use when ridding from the airport! Taxi fare to downtown Bucharest is about 15 Euro.

By Train: “Henri Coandă Express” trains provide connection between Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport and Bucharest North Railway Station. The passengers transfer between CFR “Airport Stop” and the airport passengers’ terminals are provided by buses whose schedule is synchronized with the trains schedule. The tickets are valid both for the train and for the transfer bus, the price being of 6.8 lei (1.5 Euro) per ticket.

Main attractions in Bucharest

In Bucharest you will find majestic public buildings like the National History Museum and the main Post Office, whereas close to its Southern end there is the lovely Parcul Cismigiu (Cismigiu Park). Bulevardul (Boulevard) Magheru is parallel to Calea Victoriei and it hosts tourist and airline offices, cinemas and hotels.

You will be intrigued by the city’s eclectic mixture of architecture, from Curtea Veche, the remains of Prince Vlad Tepes 15th century palace – he was the city’s founder as well as the inspiration for “Dracula”, – to Orthodox Churches, Second Empire mansions, the stolid Stalinist architecture of the communist years and the colossal 6,000 room Parliament House, the second largest building in the world after the Pentagon.

The main attractions and must-see places in Bucharest are:

The Romanian Athenaeum: the work of French architect Albert Galleron, who also designed the National Bank of Romania, the Athenaeum was completed in 1888, financed almost entirely with money donated by the public. One of the preeminent public fundraising campaigns ever in Romania, the “Give a penny for the Athenaeum” campaign saved the project after the original patrons ran out of funds. With its high dome and Doric columns, the Athenaeum resembles an ancient temple.

Parliament Palace (Palatul Parlamentului): built by the Communist Party leader, Nicolae Ceausescu, the colossal Parliament Palace (formerly known as the People’s Palace) is the second largest administrative building in the world after the Pentagon. It took 20,000 workers and 700 architects to build it. The palace boasts 12 stories, 1,100 rooms, a 328-feet-long lobby and four underground levels, including an enormous nuclear bunker. The Palace of Parliament it is the world’s second-largest office building in surface (after the Pentagon) and the third largest in volume (after Cape Canaveral in the U.S. and the Great Pyramid in Egypt). Today, it houses Romania’s Parliament and serves as an international conference center. Built and furnished exclusively with Romanian materials, the building reflects the work of the country’s best artisans. The interior is a luxurious display of crystal chandeliers, mosaics, oak paneling, marble, gold leaf, stained-glass windows, and floors covered in rich carpets.

Old city center (Centrul vechi): Perhaps the city’s unique charm can be best observed in the area known as Lipscani. At the beginning of 1400s, most merchants and craftsmen – Romanian, Austrian, Greek, Bulgarian, Serbian, Armenian and Jewish – established their stores and shops in this section of the city. Soon, the area became known as Lipscani, named for the many German traders from Lipsca or Leipzig. Other streets took on the names of various old craft communities and guilds, such as Blanari (furriers), Covaci (blacksmiths), Gabroveni (knife makers) and Cavafii Vechii (shoe-makers). The mix of nationalities and cultures is reflected in the mishmash of architectural styles, from baroque to neoclassical to art nouveau.

Victory Avenue (Calea Victoriei): is Bucharest’s oldest and arguably, most charming street. Built in 1692 to link the Old Princely Court to Mogosoaia Palace, it was initially paved with oak beams. The street became Calea Victoriei in 1878, after the Romanian War of Independence victory. Between the two world wars, Calea Victoriei developed into one of the most fashionable streets in the city. Stroll along this street from Piata Victoriei to Piata Natiunilor Unite to discover some of the most stunning buildings in the city, including the Cantacuzino Palace, the historical Revolution Square, the Military Club, the CEC Headquarters and the National History Museum.

Metropolitan Church (Biserica Patriarhiei): set atop one of the city’s few hills, known as Mitropoliei, the Metropolitan Church has been the centerpiece of the Romanian Orthodox faith since the 17th century. The church was built by Constantin Serban Basarab, ruler of the province of Walachia between 1656 and 1658, to a design inspired by the Curtea de Arges monastery. It became the Metropolitan Church in 1668 and the seat of the Romanian Orthodox Church in 1925. The Byzantine interior, containing the most dazzling of the city’s iconostasis, as well as a couple of exquisitely carved side altars, bestows great beauty on the services presided over by the Romanian Patriarch.

Village Museum (Muzeul Satului): founded by royal decree in 1936, this fascinating outdoor museum, the largest in Europe, covers some 30 acres on the shores of Lake Herastrau in Herestrau Park. It features a collection of 50 buildings representing the history and design of Romania’s rural architecture. Steep-roofed peasant homes, thatched barns, log cabins, churches and watermills from all regions of the country were carefully taken apart, shipped to the museum and rebuilt to recreate the village setting. Throughout the year, the Village Museum hosts special events where you will have a chance to witness folk artisans demonstrating traditional skills in weaving, pottery and other crafts. Folk arts and crafts are available at the museum gift shop.

Art Museum (Muzeul Național de Artă): Romania’s leading art museum was founded in 1948 to house the former Royal Collection, which included Romanian and European art dating from the 15th to the 20th century. Located in the neoclassical former Royal Palace, set amid a wealth of historic buildings such as the Romanian Athenaeum, Kretzulescu Church and the Hotel Athenee Palace-Hilton, the museum currently exhibits over 100,000 works divided into two major sections. Its National Gallery features the works of major Romanian artists, including Grigorescu, Aman and Andreescu. There is also a roomful of early Brancusi sculptures, such as you will not find anywhere else, demonstrating how he left his master, Rodin, behind in a more advanced form of expression. The European Gallery, comprising some 15 rooms, displays little-known art gems from the likes of El Greco, Monet, Rembrandt, Renoir, Breughels (father and son) Cezanne and Rubens. If you only have time to visit one gallery, make it the Romanian one. It is the most complete collection of Romanian works of art in the country and quite possibly, the world.

Cotroceni Palace and Museum (Muzeul Național Cotroceni): a former royal residence built between 1679 and 1681 by Prince and ruler Serban Cantacuzino, the palace was home to King Carol I, who made important changes in its architecture. At the end of the 19th century, Heir-to-the-Crown Ferdinand ordered the partial demolition of the palace, which was later reconstructed by French architect Paul Gottereau in a neoclassical style. In 1977, Nicolae Ceausescu transformed it into an official guesthouse with the addition of a new wing. After 1990, the old wing of the palace became a museum. The Oriental Hall, the Norwegian Hall and the Queen’s Chamber are almost unchanged from the original design and are worth visiting. A very important collection of medieval art also can be seen here. The new wing serves as the seat of the Romanian Presidency. Across the palace, you can visit the Botanical Garden. Opened in 1891, the garden features over 5,000 varieties of plants from Romania and around the world. The garden also encompasses a beautiful building in the Brancovenesc architectural style, housing the Botanical Garden Museum.

Cișmigiu Garden (Grădina Cișmigiu): designed in 1845 by the German landscape architect Carl Meyer, the garden opened to the public in 1860. The name, Cișmigiu, comes from the Turkish cismea, meaning “public fountain.” More than 30,000 trees and plants were brought from the Romanian mountains, while exotic plants were imported from the botanical gardens in Vienna. Cișmigiu is Bucharest’s oldest park and a great place to stroll and enjoy a break from the hectic city.

“Grigore Antipa” National Museum of Natural History is one of the oldest research institutions in the field of biodiversity and public education. It is in the same time one of the well-known and highly appreciated “databases” due to the Museum’s collections, some of them valuable assets of the worldwide thesaurus: mineralogical, zoological, and paleontological collections. The Grigore Antipa National Museum of Natural History bears the name of Grigore Antipa, the most famous Romanian biologist the achievements of which have hardly been matched by any of his fellow Romanian specialized in the field (Grigore Antipa was, amongst others, the first Romanian who reached the North Pole).

For complete information, please visit the official Bucharest tourism website.

Read more:

University POLITEHNICA of Bucharest	https://upb.ro/
About Bucharest	https://www.britannica.com/place/Bucharest
Visit Bucharest	https://visitbucharest.today/