GlobalLogic is opening an artificial intelligence lab at Technical University of Cluj-Napoca

GlobalLogic, a Hitachi Group company, is opening an artificial intelligence and signal processing laboratory at the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, as well as a green roof on one of the terraces of the UTCN HUB. The two projects form part of an investment programme worth over RON 247,000 in educational infrastructure, artificial intelligence technologies and the campus’s study spaces, alongside programmes designed to support students’ transition into the industry.

An artificial intelligence laboratory for Electronics students

Within the Faculty of Electronics, Telecommunications and Information Technology, GlobalLogic contributed RON 151,000 towards the development of the artificial intelligence and signal processing laboratory, equipped with a high-performance educational AI server. The infrastructure enables students to train and test models, experiment with real-world datasets and develop their skills in advanced AI technologies, in conditions similar to those found in a professional environment.

A green roof designed by students

The second investment, worth RON 96,500, focuses on the campus facilities: one of the UTCN HUB terraces is being transformed into a functional green roof, designed as an outdoor study and socialising area for students.

The terrace was developed following an interdisciplinary design competition, which brought together students from UTCN and USAMV to tackle a shared challenge: transforming the UTCN HUB terraces into green, attractive and welcoming spaces.

The winners of the competition, Andra Brînzan, a student at the Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning at UTCN; Alexia Perșa, a student specialising in landscape architecture at USAMV; and Attila Pál, a student at the Faculty of Civil Engineering at UTCN, played an active role in developing and implementing the project, which, with the support of GlobalLogic, has now become part of the campus infrastructure.

“For a university, the value of a partnership is best seen in what it leaves behind for students. In our collaboration with GlobalLogic, we are talking about more than just one-off support: we are talking about technology, infrastructure, training activities and spaces that become part of our community’s everyday life. The terrace we are opening today also holds special significance, as it is an idea that originated with the students, was developed through collaboration between three faculties from two universities, and, with GlobalLogic’s support, has been transformed into a real space for future generations. “This is exactly the kind of relationship we want with the business community – one in which companies’ expertise and resources come together with students’ creativity and the university’s ability to turn ideas into sustainable projects,” said Prof. Dr. Eng. Vasile Țopa, Rector of the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca.

The UTCN HUB South Terrace and the artificial intelligence and signal processing laboratory were officially opened on Thursday, 15 October 2026, at an event held at the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca.

A partnership forged over more than a decade

“We have been present in Cluj for over 20 years, and our relationship with the Technical University began long before these investments. We are delighted to be able to contribute to projects that will remain at the university in the long term: a server on which students can train and test AI models, a fully functional laboratory, and a space where they can spend time between lectures. “We believe that technology contributes to a better society through the people who build it, a vision we share with the Hitachi Group,” said Iustinian Șovrea, Country Manager, GlobalLogic Romania.

The partnership with the Technical University has developed over more than a decade, beginning with work placements and internship programmes launched in Cluj by Fortech – which was subsequently integrated into GlobalLogic – and extending today to direct investment in the university’s laboratories and infrastructure. The partnership aims to align academic training with the real-world demands of the technology industry and to provide students with access to the very tools they will use throughout their careers.

Beyond its investments in infrastructure, GlobalLogic is constantly involved in academic life in Cluj-Napoca. The company was one of the sponsors of the AI Forum @UTCN event, a networking session that brought together university researchers and regional companies to discuss topics relating to artificial intelligence; it contributed to the assessment of the best undergraduate dissertations from a socio-economic perspective as part of the NextING programme, and has supported the ‘Startup an Engineer’ educational programme, aimed at students of Automation and Computing and Electronics and Telecommunications. GlobalLogic also takes part every year in the ‘UTCN Career Days’, where it introduces students to entry-level roles in technology and internship opportunities.

Programmes for the transition into industry

For students nearing the end of their studies, the company offers compulsory work placements, internships in various technologies alongside experienced mentors, and pre-employment training programmes – initiatives launched in Cluj as part of Fortech and continued today on a GlobalLogic scale. Through SmartStart and the trainee programmes, young engineers undertake theoretical and practical modules and work, with the support of a dedicated trainer, on real-world projects, ensuring that the transition to a full-time role is a natural one.

A similar partnership at Politehnica Bucharest

The collaboration in Cluj-Napoca forms part of a strategy that GlobalLogic is pursuing at a national level. In March 2026, the company announced a similar partnership with the Faculty of Automation and Computing at the National University of Science and Technology ‘Politehnica’ Bucharest, which includes the modernisation of five laboratories, the donation of ten Embedded Starter Kits for IoT and embedded systems projects, and scholarships to participate in hackathons.