The Technical University – Sofia hosted the opening meeting of Project BG16RFPR-1.014-0006 "National Center for Mechatronics and Clean Technologies." Under the project's motto "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, researcher salaries, 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 phase and noted that infrastructure completion, team expansion, and the activation of young scientists are upcoming priorities to grow the scientific environment – fostering a scientific community that works collaboratively, shares, and generates ideas, thereby driving technological progress.
Not least, these efforts must be directed towards industry and the global scientific community. Currently, a key measure of activities is world-class publications and innovations expressed through patents, utility models, and implementation contracts with business organizations – both in Bulgaria and worldwide.
No factor should be underestimated, which is why pure science and innovations must be realized through large-scale projects and partnerships with world-renowned universities, research centers, and companies, a practice that the Technical University – Sofia has long followed. Regarding new projects in the second phase, 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, concerning 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 major project on Bulgaria's energy strategy, commissioned by the government, is being implemented. Its results will form the basis of the energy strategy, particularly regarding decarbonization. With Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski," work is being conducted 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 recent 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 students to stay at the university because 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.
24chasa.bg
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, researcher salaries, 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 phase and noted that infrastructure completion, team expansion, and the activation of young scientists are upcoming priorities to grow the scientific environment – fostering a scientific community that works collaboratively, shares, and generates ideas, thereby driving technological progress.
Not least, these efforts must be directed towards industry and the global scientific community. Currently, a key measure of activities is world-class publications and innovations expressed through patents, utility models, and implementation contracts with business organizations – both in Bulgaria and worldwide.
No factor should be underestimated, which is why pure science and innovations must be realized through large-scale projects and partnerships with world-renowned universities, research centers, and companies, a practice that the Technical University – Sofia has long followed. Regarding new projects in the second phase, 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, concerning 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 major project on Bulgaria's energy strategy, commissioned by the government, is being implemented. Its results will form the basis of the energy strategy, particularly regarding decarbonization. With Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski," work is being conducted 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 recent 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 students to stay at the university because 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.
24chasa.bg
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