Politehnica University of Timișoara, partner in the "Eugen Ionescu" scholarship program – A researcher from Morocco studies the impact of emerging technologies in education
Monday, July 14, 2025 - Politehnica University Timișoara reaffirms its role as a host for high-level international research, hosting PhD student Ms. Salma Bouterraka, from Hassan I University in Morocco, for a scientific residency. Her visit is made possible through the “Eugen Ionescu” scholarship program, funded by the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF) in partnership with UNESCO. This program facilitates the mobility of Francophone researchers and supports the development of cutting-edge projects in the international university network.
Dr. Bouterraka's research project, carried out in Timișoara, focuses on a topical topic: the perception and use of emerging technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Virtual Reality (VR) and Blockchain, in the academic environment. In addition to individual research activity, a reference point of his mobility was the active participation, for a week, in the first edition of the summer school E³UDRES² – Ent-re-innovators PhD Summer School 2025, dedicated to the theme "Open Practices in Higher Education". This context offered him the opportunity to interact with other PhD students and experts from Europe, exploring the latest trends and open practices in higher education.
Reflecting on his experience, Dr. Bouterraka stated: "My experience at UPT was one of the most memorable moments in my academic and personal journey. From the first day, I was deeply impressed by everyone's warmth, generosity and professionalism. I never felt like a stranger, but rather at home, supported and respected. The Doctoral Summer School exceeded all expectations, being a rare opportunity to participate in avant-garde discussions about education and open science. I am particularly grateful to Mrs. Dr. Diana Andone for her constant support and to Mr. Prof. Em.Dr.Ing. Radu Vasiu for the trust he gave me. This experience strengthened my belief in the power of international collaboration, and UPT will remain a landmark in my journey."
In order to gain a deeper understanding of the phenomenon under study, his research methodology involved a complex approach. Interviews were conducted with 17 university professors from Timișoara – together with a teacher from Texas – Prof. Regina Kaplan-Rakowski, to add a comparative perspective – also organizing a focus group with five Generation Z students, to capture the perspective of young people.
The interviews with teachers focused on perceptions, needs and barriers to integrating new technologies, assessing both benefits and potential risks. The discussions covered four themes: knowledge and use of technologies, purposes and representations, teaching practices and innovation, and ethical, pedagogical and technical challenges. The study separately analyzed the perceptions of teachers without computer science training, examining their practices and openness to experimentation. At the same time, the role of technopedagogical engineers was investigated, focusing on the need for support, the necessary skills and multidisciplinary collaboration.
Several teachers from Politehnica Timișoara actively contributed to this endeavor. Among the interviewed teachers were: Professor Dan Lascu, PhD, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Silviu Vert, Andrei Ternauciuc, PhD, s.l.d., eng., Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. Mugur Mocofan (Faculty of Electronics, Telecommunications and Information Technologies), Adrian Dume, PhD, s.l.d. (Faculty of Mechanics), Prof. Dr. Simona Șimon, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Alina Mazilescu and Assoc Annamaria Kilyeni (Faculty of Communication Sciences).
In the next stage, Dr. Bouterraka will participate in Bucharest at the official reunion of the laureates of the 18th promotion of the program. "Eugen Ionescu" at the Maison de la FrancophonieThe event is organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Education and the AUF, in partnership with Politehnica Bucharest, and aims to strengthen academic and cultural ties and highlight the results of research conducted in Romania.
The presence and activity of Ms. Salma Bouterraka at UPT continuously emphasizes the importance of Francophone mobility programs and the ability of our university to function as a relevant partner for international researchers.
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