BMW TechWorks Romania Launches Science Café

BMW TechWorks Romania, together with Babeș-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca (UBB) through the Institute of German Studies, officially inaugurates Science Café, a co-creation and innovation hub for UBB students, faculty members, and young technology and innovation enthusiasts. The initiative is part of the educational and development strategy of BMW TechWorks Academy, the company’s platform connecting the academic environment and young talent with the tech industry.

Science Café is an applied learning ecosystem, a place where ideas become real projects and young people can test their creativity and technical skills in a safe, stimulating, and collaborative environment. Participants will have access to direct mentorship from BMW TechWorks Romania experts, cutting-edge technologies, and methodologies inspired by leading industries.

"Science Café is an invitation to build the future step by step, alongside young technology enthusiasts. Through this hub, we offer students and young people not only a space for experimentation but also the opportunity to be part of an applied learning ecosystem, where professional development and innovation happen naturally through collaboration and practice. It is a strategic investment in people and the future of the IT industry in Romania, and Science Café thus becomes the foundation where ideas turn into concrete projects." – Emil Petru, CEO BMW TechWorks Romania

"Science Café is part of the core of our innovation hub, where young people can explore cutting-edge technologies, including artificial intelligence, and test their ideas in real projects. We want to actively engage with the community and the education of future professionals, offering them an environment where creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking become real skills. Through Science Café, we lay the foundations for young people to become leaders in technology and innovation, turning their curiosity and passion into tangible results and visible impact." – Marian Haus, COO BMW TechWorks Romania

This interdisciplinary hub offers unique opportunities for research, experimentation, prototyping, and co-creation, allowing students and young people to engage in practical projects in artificial intelligence, digital mobility, software engineering, sustainability, and other emerging technological fields. Through Science Café, BMW TechWorks Romania establishes a robust educational ecosystem where young people can learn by doing, develop real-world skills, and contribute to projects with tangible impact. Science Café is a versatile space of approximately 100 m², designed to meet the diverse needs of participants and to stimulate innovation and collaboration. Modular furniture allows flexible configurations, suitable for workshops in a circle format for 10–20 participants, conferences or presentations for 40–50 people, as well as brainstorming and prototyping sessions in small groups. The space includes 10 individual desks equipped with laptops and curved monitors for project development, three co-creation zones, mobile pinboards and whiteboards for visual planning, as well as a projector and screen for presentations, demos, and pitching sessions. Complete connectivity and technological infrastructure ensure collaboration both online and offline. Science Café thus offers students and young people a flexible, inspiring, and practical environment where ideas become real projects, and applied learning becomes a concrete experience of professional and creative development.

The project is built around UBB’s Institute of German Studies, the initiator of the first Science Café edition launched in 2022, and is now developed in an expanded, interdisciplinary, innovation-oriented formula under the BMW TechWorks Academy umbrella. The new space remains anchored in the Institute’s values but opens to the entire UBB academic community and young people interested in technology, becoming a bridge between education, industry, and society. "The inauguration of Science Café at BMW TechWorks Romania headquarters is a continuation of Babeș-Bolyai University’s pragmatic approach to establishing long-term partnerships with key players in the economic environment and is a clear demonstration of the value of collaboration between university and industry. UBB students and young people now have a dedicated space to develop real skills, test ideas, and actively participate in innovative projects – an ecosystem where creativity, curiosity, and professional excellence meet." – Assoc. Prof. Dr. Christian Săcărea, UBB Vice-Rector responsible for the German-language Study Line and socio-economic relations. Over the past five years, the Institute of German Studies has carried out over 30 R&D projects with industry partners or universities in Germany, on topics such as Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, Autonomous Drones, Smart Cities, Energy, autonomous vehicles, etc.

About BMW TechWorks Academy BMW TechWorks Academy is BMW TechWorks Romania’s educational and development platform, created to connect academia with the real world of technology. The Academy runs mentorship programs, internships, and continuous training initiatives, providing students and young professionals with a natural transition to careers in IT, software engineering, and automotive technology. https://bmwtechworks.ro/ro/btw-academy

About BMW TechWorks Romania BMW TechWorks Romania is a technology center of the BMW Group, a joint venture between BMW Group and NTT DATA Romania, launched in July 2024 and dedicated to developing software solutions for BMW. Based in Cluj-Napoca, the company offers career opportunities in advanced technologies and actively contributes to the digitalization of the BMW Group ecosystem. https://bmwtechworks.ro

About Babeș-Bolyai University Babeș-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca (UBB) is the oldest academic institution in Romania (founded 441 years ago – 1581), representing the country’s largest academic community (approximately 55,000 people from 15 localities and 11 counties). Since its founding, UBB has been among Romania’s most prestigious and reference universities, ranking first in the country in the University Metaranking that summarizes major international rankings for the past seven years. UBB also consistently ranks among the top global universities by field, within the top 5% of the world’s universities (of approximately 30,000). It has advanced academic infrastructure (e.g., R&D units integrated into European networks, modernized teaching laboratories integrated with VR/AR/XR through UBB-EON-XR, etc.). In 2021, following the QS STAR international audit, UBB was confirmed as Romania’s first world-class university (QS*****), accepted into GUILD in 2020, awarded the European HR Award for Excellence, and since 2021/2022 is part of the EUTOPIA European Universities Alliance.

BMW TechWorks Romania Media Contact:
Communication Office Ioana Ciciovan – Employer Branding and Communication Manager,
Postal address: Str. Ploiesti 9, Cluj-Napoca 400157
Email: ioana.ciciovan@bmwtechworks.ro
Web: https://bmwtechworks.ro