BTA :: Europe's Strength Is in Education but Universities-Business Link Should Be Bolstered

Europe's Strength Is in Education but Universities-Business Link Should Be Bolstered - European Commissioner Zaharieva

Dimitrina Solakova

European Commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva (right) presenting an award to Prof. Georgi Valchev, Rector of Sofia University, January 17, 2025 (BTA Photo/Milena Stoykova)

Sofia,

17.01.2025 18:49

(BTA)

Europe's strength is in education, this is the most educated continent, with the best education, but the link between universities and business needs to be bolstered, said European Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva here on Friday. She was speaking at the 9th award ceremony for the Academic Oscars: distinctions for the universities that top the rankings of universities by professional field for 2024.

The ceremony was organised by the 24 Chasa daily.

Zaharieva also said that topic number one is retaining talent. There is an initiative starting in 2025 through the Horizon Europe programme called Choose Europe, which aims to attract the most talented people from all over the world to choose European universities and develop, the European Commissioner noted.

"In my portfolio, I have personally set myself the goal of dramatically simplifying the Horizon programme, which is wonderful and is the only such programme in the whole world. Its strength is not only in the money and the volume, but also in the fact that it brings together scientists from all over the world for one common project. It brings businesses, universities, and scientific organisations together in one consortium to find solutions to global challenges," said Zaharieva.

In her words, the greatest strength of this programme is the cooperation it provides. The weakness of Horizon Europe is that it is "a very heavy programme, a lot of paperwork and a lot of reporting, a lot of heavy applications" are in it and I have identified several goals to simplify the programme, Zaharieva said.

At the award ceremony, Zaharieva presented the award to the Rector of the St Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia, Prof. Georgi Valchev, because this university has the highest number of first places in the rankings by professional field, 22.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Communications Grozdan Karadzhov presented the award to the Academy of the Ministry of Interior, which has two first places in the professional fields of National Security and of Architecture, Construction and Geodesy".

Bulgarian Academy of Sciences President Evelina Slavcheva presented an award to Prof. Dobri Yarkov, Rector of Trakia University in Stara Zagora (South Central Bulgaria) for the first place in the fields of Veterinary Medicine and of Animal Husbandry, and an award to Prof. Miroslav Dachev, Rector of the National Academy of Theatre and Film Arts, for the first place in the field of Theatre and Film Arts.

Mayor of Sofia Vassil Terziev presented the award to Prof. Georgi Yankov, Rector of the National Academy of Arts, for the first place in the Fine Arts field.

Minister of Education and Science Krasimir Valchev presented the award to Prof. Ivan Kralov, Rector of Technical University in Sofia, which has six first places in professional fields.

Awards were also presented to other universities that top the rankings in the 2024 Rating System of Higher Education Establishments in Bulgaria.

In the overall standardized rankings by professional field, Sofia University is ranked first in 22 professional fields out of a total of 29 with which it participates in the rankings. Technical University is ranked first in six professional fields out of 11 with which it participates in the rankings. The Medical University of Sofia is first in all five fields of study it offers. The University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy has three first places. The Agrarian University in Plovdiv, Trakia University in Stara Zagora, and the Forestry University in Sofia have two first places each. Another 11 universities top one ranking each. Another four universities top the rankings by degree. In eight professional fields, the overall rankings are topped by universities outside the capital, and in one professional field by a private university.

/RY/