Maria Gabriel visited the Technical University – Sofia

On 10.11.2022, Maria Gabriel, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, visited the Technical University – Sofia. She was welcomed by the Rector of the Technical University – Sofia, Prof. Dr. Eng. Ivan Králov, in the building of the newly established National Centre for Mechatronics and Clean Technologies, "Student City" campus. Attending the meeting were the Vice-Rectors: Prof. Dr. Eng. Lyubomir Dimitrov, Prof. Dr. Georgi Venkov, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. Liya Galbova and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. Rosen Radonov, Prof. Dr. Eng. Georgi Todorov, Dean of the Faculty of Industrial Technologies and Chairman of the General Assembly of TU – Sofia, Prof. Dr. Eng. Nikolay Nikolov, Assistant Rector, Prof. Dr. Eng. Georgi Angelov, Director of the Directorate "Information and Public Relations" and Mr. Nikola Nikolov – General Secretary of TU – Sofia.

Prof. Králov presented the Technical University – Sofia, highlighting that it is the oldest and leading technical university in Bulgaria and the region, established in 1945. "For nearly 80 years, we have trained over 160,000 engineers, and currently, 11,500 students are studying, including 750 international students, as well as over 300 doctoral students. There are over 700 faculty members. The university has 3 foreign-language faculties – English, German, and French, which award double degrees, 2 branches in Plovdiv and Sliven, 2 colleges, and 2 secondary schools within its structure. Our university prepares multidisciplinary specialists in the most modern fields – intelligent systems and artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data analysis, information and communication technologies, robotics, mechatronics, aviation, energy, etc. We receive strong support from the business sector, which actively participates in student training in the upper years. Every year we organize "Science Days" during which over 30 scientific conferences are held, 17 of which are indexed in Scopus and Web of Science. TU – Sofia has concluded over 150 agreements with foreign universities and research institutes. Under the "Erasmus+" Programme, the university has the largest budget for student mobility in the country. TU – Sofia is part of the European Technological University, which unites eight universities from different parts of Europe, thereby opening opportunities for our students to study in various campuses and obtain a unified European diploma," said Prof. Králov. "Research and applied activities account for 1/3 of the university's budget. In recent years, we have established and participated in 5 Centres of Excellence and Centres of Competence. The largest is the National Centre for Mechatronics and Clean Technologies, which has 16 laboratories with world-class technologies and equipment. Our students and doctoral students work and study there, we have recruited top graduates, and now science is being created there, ready market products are being developed, and technologies are being transferred to industry," Prof. Králov explained. "In this way, we fulfill our social commitment, working to find solutions to pressing issues of the economy and society as a whole – energy efficiency, environmental protection, healthcare, and of course, preparing the future technical elite of the country," Prof. Králov added.

Commissioner Gabriel thanked for the warm welcome and interesting information, stating: "My visit is a sign that we, European Commissioners, are actively interested in the development of education, innovation, and scientific research. The Technical University – Sofia is a wonderful example of building European university networks and their role in these processes, and participation in numerous European research projects creates additional value for society and enhances the authority of your university".

Afterwards, Maria Gabriel visited the laboratories at the National Centre for Mechatronics and Clean Technologies and was highly impressed by the modern equipment, the young team of researchers, the achievements made, and the future work plans. The meeting concluded with mutual wishes to maintain constant contact, dialogue, and cooperation between the European Commission and the Technical University – Sofia.