The Ambassador of the Republic of South Africa in Bulgaria visited the Technical University of Sofia

A visit to the Technical University (TU) in Sofia was paid by Thabo Tage, Ambassador of the Republic of South Africa in Bulgaria. The guest was welcomed by the Rector of the Technical University in Sofia, Prof. Eng. Ivan Králov, the press center of the higher education institution reported. Also present at the meeting were Prof. Eng. Georgi Todorov, Dean of the Faculty of Industrial Technologies and Chairman of the General Assembly of TU-Sofia, Prof. Eng. Nikolay Nikolov, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs of TU-Sofia, Prof. Eng. Ivan Yachev - Director of the Directorate "International Exchange and Integration", Prof. Dr. Eng. Tasho Tashchev, Dean of the Faculty of English Engineering Education and Coordinator for the "Erasmus+" program at TU-Sofia, Prof. Dr. Eng. Georgi Angelov, Director of the Directorate "Information and Public Relations". Prof. Králov presented the Technical University in Sofia, emphasizing that it is the oldest and leading technical university in Bulgaria and the region, established in 1945. "During this period, over 160,000 engineers have been trained, and currently, 11,500 students are studying, of whom 750 are foreign, as well as over 300 doctoral students. There are over 700 teachers. The University has three foreign-language faculties - English, German, and French, two branches - in Plovdiv and Sliven, two colleges, and two secondary schools in its structure. TU-Sofia has concluded over 150 cooperation agreements with foreign universities and research institutes. Under the "Erasmus+" program, the university has the largest budget for student mobility in the country. We have started building a university network; we are part of the European Technological University, which unites eight universities from different parts of Europe, thereby opening up opportunities for our students to study in various campuses and receive a unified European diploma," said Prof. Králov. "We are proud of our research activities, which account for one-third of the university's budget. We are developing modern scientific directions such as mechatronics, information and communication technologies, aviation, new energy sources, robotics, etc. We have opened new specialties in the fields of artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and data analysis. In recent years, we have established Centers of Excellence and Centers of Competence, where there are laboratories with technologies and equipment of the highest world level. Our students and doctoral students work and study there, science is conducted there, ready market products are developed, and technologies are transferred to industry for the benefit of society," Prof. Králov explained. Ambassador Tage thanked for the warm welcome and interesting information and stated: "My visit aims to discuss opportunities for deepening the cooperation between our universities and research institutes with the Technical University in Sofia. This year we celebrate 30 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between our two countries, although we have maintained fruitful ties since the 1960s. Let us wish that in the future our cooperation will be even more successful." Prof. Tashchev announced that under the "Erasmus+" program, the Technical University in Sofia is implementing four projects with Cape Peninsula University of Technology. Two of them have been completed, the third will end in late June 2023, and the fourth continues for a longer period. Within the framework of these projects, mobility of teachers, students, and staff from both universities has been carried out. In February 2023, an application for another new project will be submitted, which proves that the relationship between the two universities is developing successfully. Prof. Todorov, who had visited Cape Peninsula University of Technology, stated that now the cooperation is to be extended to research activities, including through the attraction of firms from industry. The meeting concluded with wishes for the continuation and expansion of academic and scientific cooperation between the two countries, which is of mutual interest.
 
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