In 2015, through funding secured from the Fulbright Romania program, in collaboration with the Faculty of Political, Administrative and Communication Sciences, we had the opportunity to host a Fulbright Specialist from the University of North Dakota. The visit of Dr. Paul Sum, who also serves as a member of the Center’s Advisory Board, represented a significant milestone in the development of the Research Center for Civil Society, contributing both to the strengthening of its organizational capacity and to the expansion of its institutional collaborations.
Dr. Paul Sum, Făgăraș
Throughout the visit, a series of meetings and activities were organized to facilitate knowledge exchange and explore shared areas of work. Engagement with partner institutions, including the Făgăraș Research Institute and local NGOs, provided a context for discussions on how collaboration between civil society and public administration can better address community needs. At the same time, opportunities for international cooperation were explored, including connections with the University of North Dakota.
Roundtable Cincșor, Făgăraș
Bikeathon Făgăraș – Community Event
The academic component of the visit included a colloquium hosted at the Faculty of Political, Administrative and Communication Sciences, bringing together faculty members, PhD candidates, and Master’s students. This was complemented by individual meetings with academic staff, creating space for dialogue and for connecting the Center’s research themes with broader academic interests.
FSPAC colloquium, Cluj-Napoca
In parallel, a fundraising brunch was co-organized with ARC, bringing together professionals in the field. The event provided an opportunity for practical discussions on relationship-based fundraising and the role of events in building connections with donors.
Fundraising Brunch (ARC), Cluj-Napoca
Fundraising Brunch (ARC), Cluj-Napoca
The visit also included working sessions with the Center’s team, focused on developing research projects with relevance for both academia and Romanian civil society. These sessions supported the refinement of research directions and the identification of emerging topics.
A key moment was the meeting held in Bucharest with organizations active in philanthropy and civil society research. This meeting initiated the process of developing a shared research agenda, which will be further advanced through a series of follow-up meetings planned for the coming months.
Meeting with organizations – RAF, Bucharest
Meeting with organizations – RAF, Bucharest
This marked the beginning of a process of developing a shared research agenda, which continued through a series of meetings throughout the year and culminated in the Research Meets Practice 2025 event.
This visit would not have been possible without the continued support of our strategic partner, the Romanian American Foundation, additional funding provided by the Romanian-U.S. Fulbright Commission, and the support of our partners: the Association for Community Relations, the Făgăraș Research Institute, and the Faculty of Political, Administrative and Communication Sciences.
We would also like to thank Bogdana Neamțu and Mihai Moroiu for their support in accessing and implementing the Fulbright program.
