South East Technological University (SETU) was delighted to welcome four visiting researchers from the Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest (UTCB) as part of the EU-CONEXUS ENABLES programme.
Over the course of a two-day visit, the delegation explored SETU’s research environment, met with academic and research staff, and identified promising opportunities for future collaboration.
The visiting group included researchers Andrei Popescu and Ioana Teodorescu, and PhD students Anca Ene and Ioana Popescu. Their mobility visit was funded through the EU-CONEXUS ENABLES programme, which supports academic exchange and joint research initiatives between partner institutions.
The visit began with a productive morning session where the UTCB team met with Dr Eoin Homan, Dr Yvonne Kavanagh, Dr Ashish Vashishta, Dr Owen Naughton, Anne Crowley, and Dr Phuoc Huynh. The session provided the visitors with an overview of SETU’s research structure, areas of expertise, and current projects. It was also an opportunity for the visiting researchers to present their work and explore synergies with SETU teams working in sustainability, engineering, and digitalisation.
A collaborative workshop led by Anne Crowley encouraged open discussion on shared research interests and potential partnership models.
The meeting opened up exciting opportunities for international collaboration, including future funding applications and co-supervision of postgraduate research students.
Reflecting on the session, Dr Yvonne Kavanagh said, “We were delighted to welcome colleagues from UTCB to SETU. As UTCB is a member of our EU-CONEXUS alliance with a shared vision and mission, this visit provided a unique opportunity to combine our expertise, foster innovative ideas, and drive forward impactful research. Together, we discussed future research collaborations which aim to support future joint projects.”
During their time at SETU, the delegation toured several of the university’s leading research centres and facilities, including the SEAM Research Centre, the SABRE research centre, and the Walton Institute. Dr Colin Reidy led a tour of SEAM’s advanced equipment, including CT scanners and 3D printers, while at SABRE, the group engaged with Dr Emily Shakespeare, Dr Ken Thomas, and Sinéad Barnett to discuss digital twin technologies. Presentations from Emily and Sinéad on the Cúpla Trá Digital Twin project prompted lively exchanges on shared research interests.
At the Walton Institute, John Ronan provided a tour of cutting-edge technology infrastructure, followed by presentations from Kevin Doolin and Dr Indrakshi Dey.
Discussions centred around AI, smart systems, and digital transformation, with a strong focus on potential areas for future research collaboration.
Commenting on the visit, Dr Mike Kinsella said:
"We were delighted to welcome Andrei, Ioana, Anca and Ioana as visiting researchers from UTCB for a short mobility trip to SETU as part of the EU-CONEXUS ENABLES project. It was an excellent opportunity to learn more about the research projects they are undertaking in the area of sustainability in the built environment and digitalisation. The UTCB researchers met with several research leads across the university, including from the Faculty of Engineering, Computing, and the Walton Institute. Several opportunities for collaboration in future research projects were identified."
The visit highlights SETU’s commitment to international collaboration and fostering strong research networks across Europe—networks that can lead to shared funding opportunities, joint supervision, and innovative projects with real-world impact.