site.btaMemorandum of Cooperation for Bulgaria's First Innovative Training Centre Signed in Vratsa

A Memorandum of Cooperation for the implementation of a project to build Bulgaria’s first Centre for Energy Development and New Sciences (abbreviated CERNN in Bulgarian) was signed in Vratsa on Thursday. The project envisages the creation of three educational campuses, a modern dormitory, a sports centre and the first educational district, where the families of CERNN workers can live. The buildings will house the St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia and the Technical University of Sofia, a development centre of large international companies and a Regional Technological High School, which will attract students from all over North-West Bulgaria.

Attending the meeting were Education and Science Minister Galin Tsokov, Energy Minister Vladimir Malinov, Sofia University Rector Georgi Valchev, Bulgarian Energy Holding Executive Directors Vladimir Nikolov and Galina Todorova, member of the Advisory Board of the Bulgarian Association of Software Companies, Dobroslav Dimitrov, one of the founders of Vratsa Software Community, Emilian Kadiiski, Vratsa Regional Governor Nikolay Vasilev, representatives of the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant, State Enterprise Radioactive Waste, Teach For Bulgaria Programme, municipal councilors and citizens.

During the project’s presentation, Vratsa Mayor Kalin Kamenov said that it is an extremely important day not only for Vratsa, for North-West Bulgaria, but for the whole country. “By signing the CERNN establishment, we give a start to an innovation that, I hope, will become a useful practice for the whole country”, Kamenov added.

"We decided to create CERNN because Vratsa is the energy capital of Bulgaria. Located here are the national underground gas storage in Chiren, the Kozloduy NPP, the gas pipeline, the hydrogen plants to be made, many photovoltaic plants are being built, as well as plants with other renewable sources, meaning that there are a lot of opportunities for the energy sector here, but there is no personnel," the Vratsa Mayor further said. In his words, the aim of the Centre is to train specialists in the field of energy, computer science and new technologies.

Education Minister Tsokov stressed that the project combines knowledge with practice and is an example of fruitful cooperation between educational institutions, business and local government.

Energy Minister Malinov also expressed support for the CERNN establishment and said that the Bulgarian energy sector needs such a centre.

The member of the Advisory Board of the Bulgarian Association of Software Companies, Dobroslav Dimitrov, said that the project is the biggest investment in the field of education in the last 35 years, adding that Vratsa has focused on a very important area for development, such as energy and new technologies. 

The CERNN project is worth about BGN 100,000, Kamenov explained. According to him, the first admission for training students in the specialized school is expected to be implemented in the 2027-2028 academic year.