Date: 18th September 2025, starting at 10.00 am

Room: Room 102, University of Bucharest, Faculty of Sociology and Social Work (Panduri 90)

Speaker Bio: Dr. Alina Văduva is a Senior Lecturer in Business Strategy and Sustainability at the University of East London, where she also leads the MBA Business Advice Centre. Her academic work focuses on strategic management, the energy transition, and the role of artificial intelligence in reshaping business and higher education. She is dedicated to supporting students, researchers, and local enterprises in developing innovative, sustainable, and future-ready solutions.
In addition to her academic role, Dr. Văduva is an elected Councillor in Dartford Borough, serving as the Shadow Portfolio Holder for Net Zero. She is passionate about environmental sustainability, inclusive governance, and empowering communities and local businesses to participate in the transition to a low-carbon economy.
Her research and professional projects explore renewable energy adoption, technology transfer, AI-driven business transformation, and corporate sustainability. She has co-authored practical guides and facilitated workshops for SMEs on embedding sustainability within their strategies, while also contributing to scholarly work on entrepreneurship and the intersection of AI, governance, and sustainable business practice.
Dr. Văduva’s vision is to bridge academia, policy, and practice, fostering a human-centred, participatory democracy and advancing transformative pathways that build a more inclusive, innovative, and sustainable future.
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Workshop 1: The Entrepreneurship toolkit for sustainability

This interactive workshop equips entrepreneurs, SMEs, and future business leaders with the essential mindset, skills, and tools to drive sustainable ventures. It explores the challenges of entrepreneurship—such as resource constraints, market acceptance, and scaling—while embedding sustainability and innovation at the core of business strategy. Participants will engage with frameworks for growth mindset, innovation ecosystems, business modelling, and financing, alongside practical guidance on branding, pitching, and scaling up. A key focus is the integration of artificial intelligence as a catalyst for sustainable entrepreneurship, from opportunity identification to ESG analytics and ethical AI use. By blending theory, practice, and collaborative exercises, the workshop empowers participants to create impactful, future-ready enterprises.

Workshop 2: Transition to sustainable Energy

This workshop explores the complex challenges of shifting towards sustainable energy systems. Participants will examine economic, political, social, and technological barriers to renewable energy adoption, while gaining insights into the role of technology transfer, innovation, and public-private partnerships in driving change. A key focus is on collective action problems in energy transitions, including the dynamics of free riding, competitive disadvantage, and global cooperation. Using game theory models such as the Prisoner’s Dilemma, the Tragedy of the Commons, and the Stag Hunt, the workshop encourages critical reflection on how trust, collaboration, and policy frameworks can facilitate sustainable outcomes. Through interactive discussions and applied scenarios, participants will develop strategies to overcome barriers and contribute to a just and effective energy transition.