The Technical University of Sofia has reached its 75th anniversary.

26.10.2020


 
He is among the youngest higher technical universities in Europe, but with serious achievements. 75 years of rise of engineering thought in Bulgaria. That is how many years Technical University of Sofia has reached. Every 80th Bulgarian has a diploma from it. Although it is one of the "youngest" higher technical universities in Europe, as of today, Technical University of Sofia is the best incubator of engineers in Bulgaria and among the first in the Old Continent. And in more than 40 laboratories, 5000 patents for achievements in science have been created and protected. "75 years is something more than history, this is a real tradition in which more than 120,000 engineers who graduated from our university and built Bulgaria's industry have participated", commented Rector Ivan Králov. Everything started in 1945 under the name State Polytechnic with only 150 first-year students. "Over 11,000 students are currently studying at the university and almost 2,000 teachers and staff participate in this process. Our graduating specialists find over 90% employment in their specialty", the rector further explained. Against the background of European technical education, 75 years is a very short period, one might say, to talk about traditions. However, age is an advantage, claims one of the university's longest-serving employees – Lidia Nedekova, editor of the newspaper "Technical Vanguard". "Bulgarian engineering higher education is based on the best traditions, on the best models of Western European universities, because the specialists who came and founded the State Polytechnic in 1945 graduated from Western European universities. They studied in Vienna, in France, in Switzerland and they brought here that modern spirit of academicism, of democratic education", explained Lidia Nedekova. Thus, from its inception, Bulgarian engineering training started at a European level. "We must give due credit to our founders, scientists who realized themselves in other countries, but came to Bulgaria to build their homeland. These are people who really spared neither strength nor knowledge - absolutely devoted to the cause that Bulgaria could become a modern industrial state", tells Lidia Nedekova. And the living history of the university we find in the office of Prof. Zhivkov, who recalls his first day here even as a student. "That was a long time ago, many years ago, it was in the autumn of 1957. The university was only 12 years old then", recalls Prof. Venelin Zhivkov. And with only two faculties - construction and mechanical. From a student, Venelin Zhivkov became a teacher and rector, who together with his colleagues turned the university into the first Bulgarian one issuing diplomas recognized throughout Europe. "If we assume that 9 million people lived in Bulgaria, now almost 7 million live there. If you count, every 80th Bulgarian has graduated from the Technical University. While I was rector, I signed 118,000 diplomas", tells Prof. Zhivkov. There are only two types of sciences, the professor tells us – "soft" and "hard". "Soft ones are those that give results after 15-20 years. While hard sciences are those that give results after 2-3 to 5 years. Among them are engineering sciences, which are so to say the "guides" in any society", states Prof. Zhivkov. And among the pioneers in our science is also Professor Stefanov. He stands behind the creation of the first in our country German faculty for engineers with teaching entirely in German. "The motivation was very great here, the energy with which we started was very great - I am among the first teachers who were trained then in Germany with a 10-month specialization. After I returned, I started teaching here according to the German stereotype", explained Prof. Stefan Stefanov. Although already retired, Prof. Stefanov continues to be devoted to his students and motivate them to stay in their homeland. "For me, the German faculty is something like a child, in which, so to say, my youth went, but in no way do I regret that I really stayed here, since I had many other offers to go to Germany. Many people ask me: 'Why did you stay here?'. It was precisely this new project, which was unique for that time, that made me stay here", shares Prof. Stefanov. And Technical University of Sofia is already looking to the future, becoming part of the European Technical University, together with 7 others in the Old Continent. "This is a European vision for a shared European space for education, in which students will be able to choose themselves - where, for how long to study, to use modern infrastructure. And of course, they will receive a valid European diploma. In this way, the university will also establish the name of the country in Europe", believes Rector Ivan Králov. The enlightening spirit is what it was 75 years ago, it is also here today. "Knowledge is a force that gives independence, and we all realize this and do it in the name of the future elite of society", states Ivan Králov.

The broadcast "Hello, Bulgaria" you can watch here 

Nova.bg, 26.10.2020
BNT, 26.10.2020
BTA, 26.10.2020
Auto-press.net, 27.10.2020
Press.azbuki.bg, issue 44