The Technical University of Moldova was visited by Rick Rasmussen, director of Startup Programs at the Sutardja Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology, University of Berkeley (California, USA). The purpose of the visit was to formulate an assessment of the university processes in order to offer recommendations concerning his field of expertise.
Accompanied by the representatives of the Future Technologies project, Michelle Iliev and Alexei Burciu, Mr. Rick Rasmusseni was informed about the results of the university’s existing projects, collaborations with private companies and the concept of the CIRCLE center. The expert mentioned that the real equipment provided by companies to university laboratories can challenge students in finding unexpected solutions and improving existing ones – a practice applied within multiple courses at his university. The guest mentioned that student initiatives, such as the FarmBot, are ideas that deserve to be supported, but which must have a legitimate and solid purpose in the market in order to better inspire and motivate students.
During an online meeting with the rector of TUM, univ. prof., Dr. Viorel Bostan, who, at the time, was on a working visit to Strasbourg, the expert was informed about the university activities and the existing partnerships that aim to boost entrepreneurial initiatives, this being motivated by the degree of importance the finality of the product placed on the market has for engineers.
The program of the visit included a tour around FabLab, in which the communication manager Paula Popescu presented the goals and activities of the Center. Andrei Bragarenco, MicroLab director, FabLab resident, pointed out that the development of entrepreneurial skills can be successfully achieved within PBL semester projects, which, as mentioned by Rick Rasmussen, can become launchers of prosperous entrepreneurial projects.
The interaction with the expert from the University of California, Mr. Rick Rasmussen, was carried out within the Future Technologies project with the support of USAID Moldova and the Swedish Embassy in Chișinău.
