The collaboration between Orange Romania and the University Politehnica of Bucharest – Faculty of Electronics, Telecommunications and Information Technology (ETTI) began in 1998 through the Orange Telecom University (OTU) program. Through this initiative, scholarships were awarded (USD 200/month for 10 months) to students selected based on an entrance exam. Between 1998 and 2001, a total of 22 scholarship recipients were selected (15 for the 1998–1999 academic year, 6 for 1999–2000, and another 6 for 2000–2001). Of these, 15 were later employed by the company. No courses were delivered as part of the program.
After a five-year break, the program was resumed in October 2006, when 18 scholarship recipients were selected through interviews (each scholarship was worth €200/month for one year). During the second semester of the 2006–2007 academic year, 18 trainers from Orange Romania delivered 50 hours of courses. The training sessions took place at various Orange locations, and by the end of the program, 16 students had been hired.
In the fall of 2007, the program was renamed the Orange Education Program, and a partnership agreement was signed with the University Politehnica of Bucharest – Faculty of Electronics, Telecommunications and Information Technology.
In the first two cohorts of the Orange Educational Program, there were 20 scholarship recipients each, followed by three cohorts with 10 each. The 2012–2013 and 2013–2014 cohorts had 15 recipients each, and the 2014–2015, 2015–2016, and 2016–2017 cohorts each had 10. Starting with the 2017–2018 academic year, educational packages were introduced, offering scholarships in various value categories. Since 2015–2016, scholarships have also been awarded to students completing their bachelor’s theses within projects run by Orange Romania.
It is worth noting that other students—those not receiving scholarships—voluntarily attended courses within the Orange Educational Program and, at the end of the training, received diplomas.
Each year, undergraduate students who enroll in the program have access to a series of courses covering all ICT technologies used by telecom operators. These courses are taught by experts from Orange Romania and its industrial partners. Currently, the curriculum is structured into 10 main modules.
The program continued operating during the 2020–2022 pandemic period, with courses held online in the form of webinars. Internship and thesis mentorship activities were also carried out predominantly online. Efforts were made to ensure these activities continued without affecting the number of students involved—over 35 participants on average per year.
When the program resumed in 2007, Orange Romania developed the Orange Training Center within the faculty, which includes a mobile communications lab used in specialized courses, a library, and a fully equipped classroom with free internet access provided via the Orange Business Wi-Fi service. This service is also available in all classrooms in buildings A and B of the faculty.
In the fall of 2007, the program was renamed the Orange Education Program, and a partnership agreement was signed with the University Politehnica of Bucharest – Faculty of Electronics, Telecommunications and Information Technology.
In the first two cohorts of the Orange Educational Program, there were 20 scholarship recipients each, followed by three cohorts with 10 each. The 2012–2013 and 2013–2014 cohorts had 15 recipients each, and the 2014–2015, 2015–2016, and 2016–2017 cohorts each had 10. Starting with the 2017–2018 academic year, educational packages were introduced, offering scholarships in various value categories. Since 2015–2016, scholarships have also been awarded to students completing their bachelor’s theses within projects run by Orange Romania.
It is worth noting that other students—those not receiving scholarships—voluntarily attended courses within the Orange Educational Program and, at the end of the training, received diplomas.
Each year, undergraduate students who enroll in the program have access to a series of courses covering all ICT technologies used by telecom operators. These courses are taught by experts from Orange Romania and its industrial partners. Currently, the curriculum is structured into 10 main modules.
The program continued operating during the 2020–2022 pandemic period, with courses held online in the form of webinars. Internship and thesis mentorship activities were also carried out predominantly online. Efforts were made to ensure these activities continued without affecting the number of students involved—over 35 participants on average per year.
When the program resumed in 2007, Orange Romania developed the Orange Training Center within the faculty, which includes a mobile communications lab used in specialized courses, a library, and a fully equipped classroom with free internet access provided via the Orange Business Wi-Fi service. This service is also available in all classrooms in buildings A and B of the faculty.