On May 29, 2024, a delegation from Ankara University, led by Rector Prof. Dr. Necdet Yunuvar, visited the Technical University – Sofia. The guests were welcomed by Prof. Dr. Eng. Ivan Králov, Rector of the Technical University – Sofia. Attending the meeting were Prof. Dr. Eng. Lidia Galabova, Deputy Rector for International Activities and Integration; Prof. Dr. Georgi Venkov, Deputy Rector for Academic Activities, Accreditation, and Academic Staff; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rosen Radonov, Deputy Rector for E-Governance and Coordination; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. Elitsa Gieva, Deputy Rector for Scientific and Applied Activities; Prof. Dr. Eng. Georgi Todorov, Chairman of the General Assembly of TU – Sofia and Dean of the Faculty of Industrial Technologies; and Prof. Dr. Eng. Nikolai Nikolov, Assistant Rector.
Prof. Yunuvar thanked for the warm welcome and emphasized the very good relations between the two neighboring countries and the mission of the universities to contribute to their development. He then presented the structure and main areas of activity of Ankara University, highlighting that it is one of the leading research universities in Turkey. The newest but also the most dynamically developing faculty is the Faculty of Engineering Sciences, where many opportunities for cooperation are being opened.
Prof. Králov thanked for the interesting information and presented the Technical University – Sofia, the leading technical university in the country and the region, focusing on modern specialties such as cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, data analysis, aerospace engineering, smart technologies, etc. Particularly important is the modern training method involving representatives of business, which allows students to familiarize themselves with the latest technologies and gain practical experience in a real environment. Next, Prof. Králov pointed out the participation of TU – Sofia in three Centers of Excellence and two Competence Centers, which are funded by European and national programs and are equipped with state-of-the-art equipment worldwide, where work is primarily focused on tasks set by business. Thirdly, Prof. Králov highlighted that TU – Sofia is part of the European Technological University EUt+, which unites nine universities from different countries on our continent. It will become a confederal university, and students will be trained under common programs but in different campuses and will receive a single European diploma. In this regard, Prof. Králov emphasized the accumulated over 30 years of experience in foreign language training in the three faculties – FIT, FIE, and FIEE. Moreover, TU – Sofia works on over 200 contracts with international organizations and companies from all over the world, which proves its recognizability not only on the map of Bulgaria but also internationally.
An agreement was reached at the meeting to define specific areas, forms, and projects for joint cooperation between TU – Sofia and Ankara University, for which both sides declared strong interest.
Afterwards, the guests toured the 16 laboratories at the National Centre for Mechatronics and Clean Technologies and became acquainted with the diverse research and development projects underway. They were highly impressed by the modern equipment, the achievements made, and the ambitious plans for future activities.
