Ten research universities were created, which represent an entire network in Bulgaria, said Deputy Minister Natalia Miteva

Ten research universities were created, which represent an entire network in Bulgaria, said Acting Deputy Minister of Education and Science Natalia Miteva at the opening of the first annual conference of the SUMMIT (Sofia University Marking Momentum for Innovation and Technological Transfer) project of Sofia University (SU) “St. Kliment Ohridski”.

“For us, these ten universities are extremely important, because higher education institutions can really and directly contribute to a knowledge-based economy. The resource that is invested through the Recovery and Sustainability Plan is serious – we have BGN 236 million that are invested in these ten higher education institutions in Bulgaria, from which Sofia University receives BGN 44 million,” said Miteva.

Research universities are: University of Sofia, University of Medicine in Sofia, University of Medicine in Varna, University of Medicine in Plovdiv, Technical University in Sofia, University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy in Sofia, Plovdiv University Paisii Hilendarski, Thrace University in Stara Zagora and Medical University in Pleven, announced Deputy Minister Natalia Miteva.

She said that through the Recovery and Sustainability Plan, the SUMMIT project is implemented within the framework of the first pillar “Innovative Bulgaria”, under the “Research and Innovation” component.

By strengthening this type of activities in higher schools and the network between them, the aim is to support the realization of the scientific and economic potential of the regions and our country. The aim is to stimulate the partnership between the academic community and industry, which for the first time allows business to have systematic access to research capacity, Miteva said. She added that the research community should fuel Bulgaria’s economic growth.

Sofia University’s SUMMIT project is part of the program to create a network for research universities, said Prof. Georgi Vaisilov, who is the Executive Director of the Education Program Executive Agency (EA). He specified that the program was financed under the National Plan for Recovery and Sustainability of Bulgaria for a total of 360 million BGN, which amount, with the change of the plan at the end of last year, was increased by another 12 million BGN to finance another research university – at the University of Rousse “Angel Kanchev”.

The funds under the plan made it possible to implement a new approach to stimulate scientific research in research universities, which is also provided for in the National Strategy for Higher Education of Bulgaria, said Prof. Vaisilov.

Today is an important day for Sofia University and it is important that under the SUMMIT project, which is one of the essential activities of SU, we are holding the first annual conference related to the results that have been achieved in this big and very important for Sofia University and for the Bulgarian science project. To date, it has covered over 650 of our colleagues, including young colleagues, which shows the great capacity of Sofia University in the field of science. The project covers all scientific fields and knowledge, science, is present in its fullness, said the Rector of Sofia University Prof. Dr. Georgi Valchev.

He wished the participants in the conference a fruitful work and expressed confidence that in the coming years, the searches of Bulgarian science, of established and young colleagues, will be shown. Sofia University, as a leading university in the country, has long become a symbol not only of Bulgarian higher education, but also of the development of Bulgarian science, the rector emphasized.

In recent years, research institutions and universities have started to work together, on projects, on topics, and there is sustainable development in these areas, said Acting Deputy Minister of Innovation and Growth Prof. Georgi Angelov. He noted that research universities have begun to practically mobilize scientific groups and they are producing results. This can be seen in the Sofia University project, as well as in other universities, said Deputy Minister Angelov.

Prof. Eliza Stefanova – chairman of the National Agency for Assessment and Accreditation, also welcomed the participants in the forum.

From the beginning of 2023, Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” is implementing the SUMMIT project, which is financed by the EU – NextGenerationEU under the National Plan for Recovery and Sustainability, under the component “Innovative Bulgaria”, investment 1 “Program for accelerating the economic recovery and transformation through science and innovation”. The project has a duration of 42 months and will end on June 30, 2026. The financing is in the amount of BGN 44,000,000.

SUMMIT envisages an annual conference to present and promote its results. At the current conference, the results of the 22 scientific groups will be presented in summary.

Nearly 650 professors, researchers, doctoral students and employees from Sofia University are involved in the project activities. 14 teams of leading scientists from the university in priority areas, which have the highest scientometric indicators according to renowned international databases, such as Web of science and others, are included in the SU strategic research and innovation program under SUMMIT.