Official Opening of the Center for Digital Technologies at the Technical University – Sofia

On 15.05.20223, the Center for Digital Technologies, established under the project "Universities for Science, Informatics and Technologies in the e-Society (UNIThe)", within the framework of the program for the development of centers of excellence, was officially opened at the Technical University – Sofia. The funding was provided by the Operational Program "Science and Education for Intelligent Growth".

The ceremony was attended by Mr. Atanas Pekanov, Deputy Prime Minister for the Management of European Funds, Ms. Yordanka Fandakova, Mayor of the City of Sofia, Prof. Dr. Georgi Vaysilov, Executive Director of the Operational Program "Science for Education and Intelligent Growth", the head of the UNIThe project, Prof. Dr. Krassen Stefanov, Ms. Milena Damyanova, Director of the "Science" Directorate of the Ministry of Education and Science, Prof. Dr. Eng. Liliya Vacheva, Chairman of the National Branch Trade Union "Higher Education and Science" under the CCBT, representatives of the companies that donated equipment for the laboratories - UniCredit Bulbank, Digital and Software Solutions, Musala Soft, KPMG IT Service, Sirma Solutions, Euro American Solar, Cyber One, Zonta International, SAP Bulgaria, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Bulgaria.

On behalf of the hosts, Prof. Dr. Eng. Ivan Králov, Rector of the Technical University – Sofia, Prof. Dr. Georgi Venkov, Deputy Rector for Academic Staff and Coordination, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. Lidia Galabova, Deputy Rector for Scientific and Applied Activities, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. Rosen Radonov, Deputy Rector for Electronic Management, Mr. Vasil Velev, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of TU – Sofia, Prof. Dr. Eng. Ognyan Nakov, Dean of the Faculty of Computer Systems and Technologies, deans, deputy deans, teachers, staff, doctoral students and students were present.

Prof. Králov stated: "Today is a great day not only for the Technical University – Sofia, but also for the entire technical community, as well as for Bulgarian society. We are opening an infrastructure that has been built with European and national funding, but also with significant support from the business sector. We can be proud of what we have today. Another center of excellence is opening its doors so that not only training can be carried out there, but also top scientific research that can be transferred to industry, to business, to the regions. I want to thank everyone for the efforts that were made and congratulate them for their tireless work to reach this point. Special thanks to the representatives of the business sector, because they are the ones who help us not only to motivate young people, but also to prepare them to the maximum extent, to be familiar with modern technologies and engineering solutions, so that they can transfer them in the fastest way. So that we can all work for the benefit of society, for the well-being of peoples and at the same time return to the forefront of the world map in terms of technological progress."

Congratulations on the opening of the Center were extended by Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Pekanov: "There is no more important investment than investments in education. That is why it is an honor for me to be here today, for another success that we achieve together with institutions, business, and academic circles. Digitalization and digitization are key in the 21st century; everyone talks about artificial intelligence. Some say it is a threat, no, it is an opportunity. It is an opportunity from which all of us together can benefit. In the history of human development over the last 200 years, there have always been fears of new technologies. There have always been fears of job losses, and every time these fears have been shattered by the reality that it is precisely ambitious people who look ahead who manage to find ways to benefit from these new technologies. With high technologies, we will create even more opportunities. We will create even more economic development, and this happens through good cooperation between the academic sector, universities, institutions, with the right policies, and with representatives of business. The private sector, which recognizes and identifies opportunities in time, knows that it must invest in them. That is why I am extremely pleased and grateful that a partnership is actually developing here, one that we also see in leading global economies. A partnership between the academic sector, European policies, and national policies for investments in education and investments from the private sector. This is the path forward, because science must become increasingly valuable and play an increasingly central role in our society. 'Science is a candle in the dark,' says Carl Sagan, and we must illuminate Bulgarian society with this light, because science and high technologies provide a path forward. It is important to be ambitious, because I believe that Bulgaria has the talent to be at a world level, and I want us to look ahead so that Bulgarian universities are among the top universities in the world."

Milena Damyanova, in her speech, noted: "It is a pleasure for me to congratulate you on the opening of the Center for Digital Technologies at the Technical University – Sofia, funded by the project "Center of Excellence UNITE. The centers established under the Operational Program "Science and Education for Intelligent Growth" are a source of pride and a perfect example of the united Bulgarian scientific community. It is precisely thanks to the combined efforts of teams from various Bulgarian universities, the Technical University – Sofia, and other projects funded by the program, that they succeed. UNITE will open a new horizon for scientific and educational activities in the field of computer science. Bulgaria is strongly oriented towards the sector, to which large investments need to be directed, so that we can withstand the rapid rise and development. I believe that the center will significantly contribute to the transition of Bulgaria from the group of emerging innovators to that of moderate innovators. Thanks to them, Bulgaria will grow on the international stage."

Prof. Dr. Georgi Vaysilov said: "This center is part of, as you have already learned, a larger project, the Center of Excellence UNITE, which unites the efforts of five universities in the country for the development of digital technologies. It is precisely in this field that information and communication technologies are located, and it is the only one under the Operational Program "Science and Education for Intelligent Growth" that co-finances three centers, one of which is co-financed jointly with the European Commission's "Horizon 2020" program. Within the framework of this Operational Program "Science and Education for Intelligent Growth", a total of 16 centers of excellence and competence were funded, which was a huge effort. Not only for the funding organizations, but also for the universities and scientific organizations themselves that participated in the construction of these centers. This gives me reason to hope that the development will be successful in the next period, so that we can successfully use the created scientific base. In addition to the activities within the center, this scientific base can also be used for other activities for which the Technical University – Sofia has already received or is receiving funding. This is the network of research universities, which was created within the framework of the Recovery and Resilience Plan of the Republic of Bulgaria. So we have every reason to believe that the center, which will now be opened here, will be one of the main links for the development of digital technologies and the links of these technologies with business and the needs of society in the next programming period."

Yordanka Fandakova stated: 'Congratulations to the Technical University – Sofia, to the entire team that finalized this extremely important project. Congratulations to the Operational Programme. Several centers of excellence have been built in our city, in different universities, and this is indeed the real change and the real transformation of our city. The construction of this ecosystem, which includes infrastructure, scientific, technical, and technological infrastructure, involves the universities, scientists, the great scientific potential of our city, involves business as a partnership and our institutions. And most importantly, it involves the young talents who are motivated to work, to learn, to build upon. And I believe that this is indeed the most important change for the future of our city. With the Technical University – Sofia, we are excellent partners in several projects, and I would like to thank them. By October, I expect fifty electronic services to become almost entirely electronic. Let's hope they will be further enhanced, and especially with the Technical University – Sofia, we will work on this project. I hope that young people will fill the positions of the much-needed engineering staff both in business and with us in the municipality and in our companies.'

Prof. Nakov concluded the official part of the ceremony with the words: 'It is an honor for me to have the opportunity to present this building and the team that created it. This is a unique, dynamic, modern building with a gross floor area of about 2700 square meters, and 14 laboratories have been built here. Most importantly, it should be emphasized that this is the result of synergy and cooperation with European funds through the program, along with the funds donated without repayment by some of the largest IT companies, whose managing directors I have the honor to see here. They were created jointly and specified jointly by our specialists and the companies. Around 3500 students will be trained here annually, mainly in digital technologies. These are students from the specialties in computer systems, software engineering, communications, and communication engineering. About 250 doctoral students, about 380-400 foreign students, young scientists, researchers. We present the Center as a good model of cooperation between European structures, university administrations, and business, which is extremely important for us.

After the official opening, the ribbon of the newly opened building was cut, and the guests toured all the laboratories.