Politehnica University of Bucharest

Politehnica University of Bucharest is a technical university in Bucharest, Romania. 200 years of activity have been celebrated lately, as the university was founded in 1818. Politehnica University is classified by the Ministry of Education as an advanced research and education university. The university is a member of European Association for International Education (EAIE), European University Association (EUA), EUA Council for Doctoral Education, CESAER (council of universities of science and technology in Europe), and the Romanian Alliance of Technical Universities (ARUT). History Politehnica University of Bucharest is the largest technical university in Romania. Its traditions are connected to the founding of the first higher technical school in Wallachia, in 1818, by Gheorghe Lazăr. Born in Avrig, Transylvania, Gheorghe Lazăr studied in Sibiu, Cluj and Vienna. In 1817–1818 he endeavored to convince the local noblemen of the need for supporting a modern technical school in Romania. Thus, on 24 March 1818, by a princely edict of Ioan Caragea, it was organised the Technical Superior School for Surveying Engineers (Școala Tehnică Superioară pentru Ingineri Hotarnici) within the Academic School for Philosophy and Mathematical Sciences of the Saint Sava Princely Academy. In 1832 the school was reorganized, including four cycles, in accordance with the provisions of Organic Regulation. Among other faculties, the one dealing with exact sciences included courses such as applied trigonometry, geodesy, mineralogy, engineering graphics, descriptive geometry, mechanical elements applied to ordinary machines, principles of building roads and bridges, elements of architecture, etc. The graduates were obliged either to work for three years for the state, or to return the grant received.