Greeting from the Rector of the Technical University – Sofia, Prof. Dr. Eng. Ivan Králov, to the freshmen

Dear first-year students,

It is a great honor and joy for us to welcome you for choosing to continue your education at the most prestigious, high-tech, and modern technical university in Bulgaria and the region. In its 77-year history, Technical University – Sofia has produced over 160,000 engineers, and has been, is, and will be an educational, research, and transfer center for modern technologies, knowledge, and engineering solutions. We are proud that our university is well recognized, will impart knowledge to many future generations, and becomes increasingly preferred among young people every year. And there is a reason for that!

Starting this year, four new specializations are introduced: "Intelligent Systems and Artificial Intelligence" – in Bulgarian and English, "Cybersecurity", and "Data Analysis". For the "Cybersecurity" specialization, more than 10 people competed for one place this year, and we admitted students with the highest scores to the "Computer and Software Engineering" specialization. Specializations such as "Automotive Electronics", "Aerospace Engineering", "Information and Software Sciences", and "Professional Pedagogy" are not lagging behind in terms of demand and high admission scores.

High standards did not deter your aspirations. Your choice, dear first-year students, will be richly rewarded. Over 90% of graduates start prestigious and well-paid jobs, becoming leading engineers, researchers, university lecturers, and managers. It is worth making an effort and building yourself as engineers who will glorify not only their teachers at Technical University – Sofia but also the achievements of Bulgarian science.

Our university is among the leading members of the European University Institute. You will also study there. The future awaits you. It will become a confederal university by 2030. Some of you will study for at least two semesters at a foreign university, utilizing top-tier infrastructure and research capacity, and will receive a European degree. The stakes are high, but it is worth being worthy competitors to your colleagues from leading European, American, and Chinese universities.

You will also have the opportunity to stay and work at our university. We value our staff; here there is continuity, and we provide opportunities to advance, become masters, doctoral students, and our lecturers. We are building Centers of Excellence and Competence, into which over 110 million leva have been invested so far. We have over 40 laboratories with top equipment, and three of the top graduates from our cohorts stayed to work at the National Center for Mechatronics and Clean Technologies – the largest in the country. A significant part of the developments will also be your work, with protected intellectual property. Thus, you will create science that can be immediately applied in specific engineering solutions.

Dear students,

Thank you for joining our large family. Be cheerful, joyful, and tirelessly pursue your deepest desires and acquire knowledge – it is an incredible force that grants independence. Be proud as students at the Technical University – Sofia, become successful in your future professions, so that you are loved by all who matter to you. And do not forget the beginning of the student anthem – "Let us rejoice while we are young." Dream and strive to realize your dreams!

We, your professors, will always stand behind your dreams and desires for creative achievements, and we will rejoice in your accomplishments in life.

With best wishes:

Prof. Dr. Eng. Ivan Králov, Rector of TU – Sofia