Mădălin Bunoiu has a distinguished career in higher education and scientific research, with expertise in academic strategy, quality assurance, and innovation. He currently serves as Romania’s representative to the European Science Advisors Forum (ESAF), a network of advisors and scientists providing evidence-based guidance to national governments and European institutions. Since 2014, he has been a member — and president — of Romania’s Consultative College for Research, Development, and Innovation, advising the Ministry of Research, Innovation, and Digitalization, and chairs the national Performance Evaluation Commission for research organizations. At the West University of Timișoara, he is Vice-Rector for Research, Development & Innovation, Sustainability, Technology Transfer, and Diaspora Relations. Under his leadership, UVT became the first and only Romanian university functioning as a living lab across all its missions and hosted the Open Living Lab Days 2024. He is a physicist, specialized in materials science, crystal growth and characterization, and educational physics. He actively promotes innovative approaches to research, education, and societal engagement.