July 6 (SeeNews) - The Romanian subsidiary of US technology giant Google has said it plans to open hubs in six Romanian universities as part of the its national Digital Workshop programme.
The six permanent regional hubs will be active in universities located in Bucharest, Cluj, Iasi, Timisoara, Constanta and Brasov, Google said in a press release on Wednesday.
The hubs will connect the universities with the business environment, offering students practical training in entrepreneurship and digital marketing. At the same time, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) can contact hubs to get online advice.
"Extending internet coverage and digital technologies has produced a structural change in business. Companies, irrespective of their size, can have access to a global audience. The lack of competencies in the online environment is a challenge not only in Romania, but also at European level," Google Romania CEO Elisabeta Moraru said.
Google launched the Digital Workshop in April 2016. Through its digital platform and seminars held within the higher education units, the participants gained practical knowledge from various fields: launching an online business, creating a quality website, or developing an effective online strategy.
"Few SMEs in Romania are exploiting the opportunities of the digital environment: only 22% of them use online tools and 5% sell online. Digital Workshop Hubs aim to prepare future entrepreneurs and SMEs to meet the challenges of the digital economy," the CEO added.
To date, more than 60,000 people - students, entrepreneurs and employees have benefited from the programs - over 20,000 students trained in seminars across 45 cities across the country and 40,000 online platform users.
Google opened an office in Romania in 2010. The Bucharest office is one of over 70 Google offices in more than 40 countries, where over 53,000 people are employed.