Team Romania at the 2026 Exo4Edu Summer School in Albania

Between July 6 and 11, 2026, in Durrës, Albania, the Romanian team brought to the Exo4Edu Summer School a wealth of educational experience, a deep passion for the teaching profession, and the shared conviction that astronomy can and must reach every student. A true elite of Romanian educators – Andrada Nicola Sabău, from the “Onisifor Ghibu” National College in Oradea, Dr Felicia Elena Călmuc, from the Children’s Palace in Craiova, Adrian Temelescu, from the “Mircea Eliade” Theoretical High School in Lupeni, and Radu-Andrei Tomescu, from the “Nicolae Iorga” National College in Vălenii de Munte – delivered engaging presentations that were highly appreciated by both participants and organisers for their professionalism, creativity, and responsiveness to the real needs of students.

Behind this remarkable participation stood the coordination of Dr Iharka-Magdolna Csillik, from the Cluj-Napoca Branch of the Astronomical Institute of the Romanian Academy, as well as, back home, the tireless work of Ana Naghi, Carmen Busu, and Dr Mirel Bîrlan, Director of the Astronomical Institute of the Romanian Academy. In Albania, Iharka consistently supported every member of the team, providing academic-level feedback that helped bring our presentations into their best possible form. She also proposed and coordinated an interdisciplinary practical activity combining astronomy, mathematics, and science education, entitled “How Long Would It Take to Reach Your Chosen Exoplanet?”. This workshop was built around the use of exoplanet databases, enabling participants to understand cosmic distances through calculations that are accessible to students.

The pedagogical contribution of the Romanian team was further strengthened throughout the activities and workshops of the summer school by the second representative of the Astronomical Institute of the Romanian Academy, Sorin Marin. His presentation, “From Astronomical Heritage to Exoplanet Education. A Case Study from the Astronomical Institute of the Romanian Academy”, connected astronomical heritage with modern educational methods and with both conventional and experimental teaching hardware. Starting from Romania’s ancient historical sites and the treasured scientific instruments of the Astronomical Institute, he demonstrated how the light of the stars is explained and how fundamental astronomical concepts are taught in non-formal educational settings. With great emotion, the Portuguese and Albanian participants, together with the French organizers of the summer school, learned that in our country the sky – its planets and constellations – is also introduced to blind children through a tactile mini-planetarium. Our message at this international summer school was that, in our Motherland, Romania, and beyond, we will dedicate our work to ensuring that every child can experience the joy of discovering and understanding the Universe.

Published on: Jul 20, 2026