site.btaSofia University Hosts Technology Bulgarian-Japanese Seminar

Sofia University Hosts Technology Bulgarian-Japanese Seminar

Sofia, April 13 (BTA) - The Sofia University hosted a Bulgarian-Japanese scientific seminar titled "Science, Technology and Innovations for Society of the Future" organized by the Ministry of Education and Science and the Japanese Embassy here.

The forum was attended by the Ambassador of Japan to Bulgaria, Shinichi Yamanaka, caretaker Education and Science Minister Nikolai Denkov, Deputy Education and Science Minister Ivan Dimov, the Deputy Rector of Sofia University Nikolai Vitanov, former university rectors Blagovest Sendov and Ivan Lalov, as well as lecturers, researchers and students.

Ambassador Yamanaka addressed the forum, underscoring that ICT are expected to lead to serious changes in production, transport, health care and public services. There will also be a number of changes in the way people work and their lifestyle, he added.

Dr. Hiroshi Amano on the Nagoya University was the special lector at the seminar. Amano won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2014. Other participants in the forum included Dr. Michinari Hamaguchi, President of the Japan Science and Technology Agency, and Nobumasa Tsutsui, Chairman of Tokai Medical Products.

Vitanov underscored that it is an honour for Sofia University to host this interesting seminar dedicated to science, technology and innovations. He noted that the university ranks second in Bulgaria after the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences by the number of publications in scientific journals - nearly 700 publications and over 17,000 references in 2016.

The Deputy Rector pointed out that Sofia University is the only one in this country with traditions in teaching Japanese language and culture. He also spoke of the development of the subject at the university in the last 30 years, underscoring the exceptional support of the Japanese embassy in Bulgaria and of various foundations. Student and lecturer mobility are also developing actively and Sofia University has excellent relations with 19 universities in Japan.