site.btaNearly BGN 400 Mln Invested in Research Infrastructure - Deputy Minister

Nearly BGN 400 million have been invested in scientific infrastructure in Bulgaria with funds from the Science and Education for Intelligent Growth Operational Programme and state co-financing, said Deputy Minister of Education and Science Natalia Miteva during a presentation of the 16 Centres of Excellence and Centres of Competence created under the programme, the press centre of the Ministry of Education and Science said on Thursday.

The centres are in different regions of the country and have hundreds of laboratories with modern equipment. The centres conduct scientific research in various fields – mechatronics and clean technologies, informatics and ICT, new technologies in creative and leisure industries and healthy living and biotechnology industries. The goal is to work together with businesses and municipalities, thereby contributing to the development of industry and public life.

A total of 646 new researchers were appointed to the centres. Scientists in the newly built centers already have nearly 2,500 publications, 50 of which are in the first 10% of the most cited in the relevant scientific field. They have also created 80 patents, as well as 53 utility models, the Ministry of Education noted.

The event was also attended by Deputy Minister of Innovation and Growth Prof. Georgi Angelov; Head of the European Commission Representation in Bulgaria Yordanka Chobanova; Agnes Montfret, head of the Bulgaria, Croatia and Slovenia department in the Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy of the European Commission; Georgi Vaisilov, head of the of the Executive Agency's Programme for Education; Vice-Rector of Sofia University Tony Spassov, as well as representatives of the scientific community and higher schools.