First groundbreaking of the "Student City" Campus at the Technical University - Sofia
On March 13, 2020, at 15:00, in front of the Block 8 building of TU-Sofia, Student City, 1 Rosario St., an official "First Groundbreaking" ceremony for the "Student City" Campus was held under project BG05M2OP001-1.001-0008-C01 "National Center for Mechatronics and Clean Technologies", funded by the Operational Programme "Science and Education for Intelligent Growth" 2014-2020, co-financed by the EU through the European Regional Development Fund.
Sixteen laboratories equipped with the most modern and unique in the country equipment and infrastructure were built at the "Student City" Campus of TU-Sofia, which is a prerequisite for conducting cutting-edge research in the fields of mechatronics, virtual engineering and digital manufacturing, robotic systems and mechatronic technologies, biomechatronics, micro/nano engineering for mechatronic technologies, vibrational and acoustic mechatronic technologies, additive technologies, functional coatings and new materials, control systems, energy efficiency, sustainable use of raw materials and resources, transport engineering, electromobility, etc. A major renovation and reconstruction was carried out in Block 8 of TU-Sofia to ensure the technical and functional requirements of the scientific infrastructure.
The Center of Excellence "Mechatronics and Clean Technologies" is composed on the principle of "complementarity-synergy" and brings together leading scientific groups from TU-Sofia, SU "St. Kliment Ohridski", institutes of BAS (12 in total), TU-Varna, TU-Gabrovo and HTMU-Sofia. The role of each is to coordinate, organize and conduct independent scientific research activities in the field of mechatronics and clean technologies. In order to establish closer ties with business as associated partners, through a publicly announced competition, the Mechatronics Cluster, Borima EAD company and the Association for Scientific Research and Development Activities (ASRDA), located in Sofia Tech Park, have been attracted. To ensure a higher scientific level, again through an announcement, structures from world-renowned universities (Tel Aviv, Berlin and Delft) and the Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Systems at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology – Zurich have been attracted as associated partners.
The plan for the research activities under the project is drawn up with the aim of ensuring, building, operating, developing and transforming the Center into a leading national and competitive European scientific structure within a 10-year period. This ensures added value to the implementation of the program for sustainable and intelligent economic growth of Bulgaria.
Representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science, the Executive Agency "Operational Programme "Science and Education for Intelligent Growth", the Mayor of the "Student City" district, the management of TU-Sofia, TU-Varna, TU-Gabrovo, SU "St. Kliment Ohridski", HTMU and BAS were invited to attend the public event.
The National Centre for Mechatronics and Clean Technologies is one of the four projects involving the Technical University of Sofia under the "Construction and Development of Centres of Excellence" procedure of the Operational Programme "Science and Education for Intelligent Growth" 2014-2020. The project is implemented with the financial support of the European Regional Development Fund.
The Centre of Excellence in Mechatronics and Clean Technologies is the largest such centre in the country in terms of capacity and concentration of scientific potential. It involves 17 scientific institutions, which are equal partners and are the best in their respective thematic areas. It includes 3 scientific campuses: the "Student City" campus, located in the fully renovated Block 8 of TU-Sofia, specializing in the field of mechatronics; the "Lozenets" campus, located on the territory of Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski", primarily focused on research in the field of clean technologies; and the "Geo Milev" campus – on the territory of BAS, covering the fields of mechatronics and clean technologies. In early 2022, the "Student City" campus is scheduled to open.
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Center for Excellence in Mechatronics and Clean Technologies, Laboratory Complex, July 2021
Laboratory Complex at the "Student City" Campus, Technical University -- Sofia under the Center for Excellence in Mechatronics and Clean Technologies.
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Industry-oriented Mechatronics Center opens its doors in January, December 2021
The first major Mechatronics and Clean Technologies Center at the Technical University in Sofia opens its doors in May 2022. It was built under the Operational Program "Science and Education for Intelligent Growth" co-financed by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund. The building was constructed in the 1970s, and its modernization took 1 year. The project "National Center for Mechatronics and Clean Technologies" is implemented by 17 organizations. The focus is on mechatronics and clean technologies, with 16 laboratories built to accommodate both students from the Technical University and young researchers. The most important goal is for the technologies to start producing real products for the industry. The building will also house another type of laboratory. 20% of the equipment in the new center is entirely designed by Bulgarians. Prof. Todorov presented two of the machines manufactured by a Bulgarian team. One of them will be used to produce coatings for implants, which will be used in medicine. The center is also equipped with a special 3D printer. The center features innovations aimed at reducing electricity consumption. The innovative center will also be used by students from the Technical Universities in Gabrovo and Varna.
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Media for the National Center for Mechatronics and Clean Technologies:
Industry-oriented Mechatronics Center opens its doors in January, TV "Europa", 03.12.2021
The first major Center for Mechatronics and Clean Technologies at the Technical University of Sofia will open its doors in May 2022. It is built under the Operational Program "Science and Education for Intelligent Growth" co-financed by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund. Its building was constructed in the 1970s, and its modernization took 1 year. The project "National Center for Mechatronics and Clean Technologies" is being implemented by 17 organizations.
The focus is on mechatronics and clean technologies, with 16 laboratories to be built, where both students from the Technical University and young scientists will find a place. And the most important goal is for the technologies to start making real products for the industry.
Another type of laboratory will also be housed in the building. 20% of the equipment in the new center is entirely designed by Bulgarians. Prof. Todorov presented us with two of the machines manufactured by a Bulgarian team. In one of them, coatings for implants will be made, which will be used in medicine.
The center is also equipped with a special 3D printer. The center also features innovations aimed at reducing electricity consumption. The Innovation Center will also be used by students from the Technical Universities in Gabrovo and Varna.
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A super-modern laboratory is being created at the Technical University, Bulgaria ON AIR, 18.12.2021
"In recent years, scientific research in Bulgaria was not well funded," said Prof. Todorov. One of our oldest higher education institutions - the Technical University of Sofia will acquire a super-modern laboratory with equipment, thanks to which scientists will be able to assist in sectors such as construction, medicine, energy, and ecology. All of this, thanks to European funding under the "Science and Education" program. "A laboratory complex is being built, which comprises 16 different laboratories in the fields in which the Technical University operates, together with our partners from the other two organizations. There are 17 partners in total, including some from Europe. What we are building is new for the country - the largest center for smart growth in Bulgaria, dedicated to the topic of mechatronics and clean technologies, which seek energy synergy with each other," said Prof. Georgi Todorov, head of the "Student City" campus of the project "National Center for Mechatronics and Clean Technologies," to "Bulgaria Morning". He shared that what they want to do is to provide an opportunity to build a new level of the scientific environment in our country. "In recent years, Bulgaria was not well funded in terms of scientific research.Now this direction has changed. We hope that with this project we will have a visible impact on the scientific environment in Bulgaria. This applies in full measure to TU - Sofia. We want to achieve results that are comparable in individual areas with European and world science",added Prof. Todorov to Bulgaria ON AIR. The expert emphasized that the laboratories they are building have three goals. "The first is the environment I mentioned. The second is to create conditions for training our students, future specialists. And not least - to support businesses with new solutions, research that will lead to new added value to what is created here and around the world", the professor is categorical. According to him, in the current situation, society in recent months has realized that scientists are not just people who do incomprehensible things, but actually help people. As an example, he cited the creation of the rapidly developed vaccine. "At a meeting at the Ministry of Economy, a task was set for Bulgarian enterprises to develop helmets and glasses. Then we, equipped with the equipment that we have managed to deliver so far, managed to create the first Bulgarian protective glasses in record time. Something that was not done in Europe", Prof. Georgi Todorov also said.
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