site.btaEducation Minister Tzokov Confers with Japanese Ambassador to Bulgaria

Bulgaria's achievements in the development of high technologies and artificial intelligence are of interest to the business and scientific community in Japan. The focus of their attention is the INSAIT Institute at Sofia University. This became clear during a meeting of the Minister of Education and Science Galin Tzokov and the Ambassador of Japan to Bulgaria Michigami Hisashi, the Ministry of Science and Education said in a press release on Friday.

There are currently 42 partnership agreements between Japanese and Bulgarian universities. About 50 Japanese students are studying in Bulgarian universities - mainly in the fields of medicine and economics. Bulgaria has a lecturer in Bulgarian language and culture at Kobe University. "We hope that with joint efforts we will be able to expand the lectures on Bulgarian language in other Japanese universities," Minister Tzokov said. Ambassador Michigami Hisashi pointed out that over the years 600 Bulgarian students have studied in Japan with government scholarships. He expressed hope that those willing to study in the country under this programme would increase.

Tzokov pointed out that Japanese is taught in three Bulgarian schools and is studied by nearly 400 students. Ambassador Hisashi expressed his satisfaction that in addition to language, the students also learn Japanese culture and engage in activities such as cooking and floristry. He provided examples of the "positive discipline" in Japanese schools by showing how children aged 7-8 prepare their own lunch, participate in cleaning the school premises, and learn teamwork from a young age. This, he said, is the basis of the country's economic and technological progress. Tzokov suggested that Bulgarian teachers be given the opportunity to learn about these details of the Japanese education system on site.

The two sides also discussed deepening cooperation in science and the exchange of researchers.