Under the motto of the project "Together We Create," the event took place in the newly built multifunctional hall of the center at the "Student City" campus. The second phase of the project started in March 2025 and will continue until December 2029, with public funding slightly over 30 million BGN. Of this amount, 70% of the investment is allocated to so-called soft measures: publications, patents, payment of researchers, and mobility. In the initial phase, 75% of the funding was dedicated to infrastructure development.
Corresponding Member Prof. Dr. Eng. Georgi Todorov emphasized the work during the second stage and noted that the infrastructure is yet to be completed, teams are to be expanded, and young scientists are to be activated to grow the scientific community - to have a scientific society that works collaboratively, shares and generates ideas, and this gives rise to technological progress. Not least, these efforts must be directed towards industry and the global scientific community. Currently, an important measure of activities are world-class publications and innovations, expressed in patents, utility models, and implementation contracts with business organizations - both in Bulgaria and worldwide. None of the factors should be underestimated, and therefore pure science and innovations must be realized through large projects and partnerships with world-class universities, research centers, and companies, which the Technical University of Sofia has long been doing.
For the new projects in the second stage, Prof. Todorov stated that TU-Sofia is participating in a European project under the Chips Act program focused on microelectronics, and several other projects with businesses are already underway, including in Italy and Germany, which involve product development and the creation of new technologies. There are also joint projects with partners; for example, in collaboration with the University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy, a large project on Bulgaria's energy strategy, commissioned by the government, is being implemented. The results of this project will form the basis of the energy strategy, particularly regarding decarbonization. Work is also being carried out with Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski" in the field of micro- and nanotechnologies. With the Institute of Electrochemistry of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, TU-Sofia has a project that will introduce a new class of batteries to real-world business.
For the implementation of the second phase of the project, the Technical University – Sofia relies on attracting young scientists. Five top graduates from their cohorts have remained at the university as doctoral students, and some of them are already assistants. Years ago, as Prof. Todorov noted, it was unthinkable for the best to stay at the university, as they were being attracted by the business sector. According to him, today young people bring a new level to education, because without good teachers and leading researchers, it is impossible to create world-class engineers.
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Corresponding Member Prof. Dr. Eng. Georgi Todorov emphasized the work during the second stage and noted that the infrastructure is yet to be completed, teams are to be expanded, and young scientists are to be activated to grow the scientific community - to have a scientific society that works collaboratively, shares and generates ideas, and this gives rise to technological progress. Not least, these efforts must be directed towards industry and the global scientific community. Currently, an important measure of activities are world-class publications and innovations, expressed in patents, utility models, and implementation contracts with business organizations - both in Bulgaria and worldwide. None of the factors should be underestimated, and therefore pure science and innovations must be realized through large projects and partnerships with world-class universities, research centers, and companies, which the Technical University of Sofia has long been doing.
For the new projects in the second stage, Prof. Todorov stated that TU-Sofia is participating in a European project under the Chips Act program focused on microelectronics, and several other projects with businesses are already underway, including in Italy and Germany, which involve product development and the creation of new technologies. There are also joint projects with partners; for example, in collaboration with the University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy, a large project on Bulgaria's energy strategy, commissioned by the government, is being implemented. The results of this project will form the basis of the energy strategy, particularly regarding decarbonization. Work is also being carried out with Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski" in the field of micro- and nanotechnologies. With the Institute of Electrochemistry of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, TU-Sofia has a project that will introduce a new class of batteries to real-world business.
For the implementation of the second phase of the project, the Technical University – Sofia relies on attracting young scientists. Five top graduates from their cohorts have remained at the university as doctoral students, and some of them are already assistants. Years ago, as Prof. Todorov noted, it was unthinkable for the best to stay at the university, as they were being attracted by the business sector. According to him, today young people bring a new level to education, because without good teachers and leading researchers, it is impossible to create world-class engineers.
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