On 9 November 2026, the University of Library Studies and Information Technologies (UNIBIT), through the Institute for Scientific Research and Doctoral Training (ISRDТ), held the first Annual Thematic Seminar for Doctoral Students, “Scientific Research and Technologies for Sustainable and Intelligent Development”, organised במסגרת project BG05SFPR001-3.004-0005 “Achieving Innovation and Growth through Doctoral Research”.
The scientific forum brought together representatives of the academic leadership of higher education institutions and research organisations, project team leaders and members, university lecturers, established scientists and doctoral students, united by a commitment to developing scientific potential, exchanging research experience and expanding academic cooperation.
The choice of 9 November for the first edition of the seminar was symbolic, as on this date in 2026 it will be 16 years since the decree establishing the Institute for Scientific Research and Doctoral Training was promulgated in the State Gazette. The institute's institutional foundation was laid on 1 November 2010. The event also marked the second anniversary of the signing of the contract for the implementation of UNIBIT's project, signed on 7 November 2024.
The project is being implemented under procedure BG05SFPR001-3.004 “Support for the Development of Project-Based Doctoral Training”, within Priority 3 “Linking Education with the Labour Market” of the Education Programme 2021–2027, co-financed by the European Union through the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+).
The official opening of the seminar took place in the Conference Hall of UNIBIT and was chaired by Prof. Dr. Sc. Stoyan Denchev, Chair of the university's Board of Trustees, who welcomed representatives of the academic community and the university's guests, emphasising the importance of scientific continuity and support for young researchers. Prof. Dr. Irena Peteva, Rector of UNIBIT, and Prof. Dr. Sc. Gosho Petkov, Director of the ISRDT and project leader, took part in the ceremony, together with Assoc. Prof. Dr. Diana Stoyanova, Director of the Academic Publishing House “Za Bukvite – O Pismenekh” and functional coordinator for the Faculty of Library Studies and Cultural Heritage under the project, and Prof. Dr. Magdalena Garvanova, Deputy Dean for Research and International Cooperation of the Faculty of Information Sciences and functional coordinator for the faculty under the project.
In her welcome address, UNIBIT Rector Prof. Dr. Irena Peteva highlighted the importance of scientific research and innovation for the sustainable development of society, stressing the need for closer links between doctoral training, the priorities of the modern economy and the needs of the labour market. She emphasised the opportunities that European support provides for the development of young researchers and expressed confidence that the seminar would establish itself as a space for productive academic dialogue and interinstitutional cooperation.
Prof. Dr. Sc. Gosho Petkov focused attention on the Institute's role in the training and professional development of doctoral students. He highlighted the importance of consistent scientific and methodological support, continuity between generations of researchers and the creation of opportunities for young scientists to present their work to the academic community.
A special place in the official part of the seminar was given to the presentation by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Diana Stoyanova of the collection of scientific papers “Scientific Research and Technologies for Sustainable and Intelligent Development”. The publication brings together research papers in Bulgarian and English and is aimed at promoting the research achievements of doctoral students across a broad range of scientific fields. Assoc. Prof. Stoyanova highlighted the scientific value of the collection and the high editorial standards applied in its preparation, including the double-blind peer review procedure. Attention was also paid to the intention to develop the publication in the long term as an authoritative scientific format with international recognition, consistently meeting the requirements for inclusion in established international databases. The collection has been published electronically and is freely available on the official website of the ISRDT.
In the concluding part of the official opening, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ralitsa Yotova, project coordinator, welcomed the participants and guests of the forum, expressing her appreciation for the active involvement and contribution of the project doctoral students, as well as of the members of UNIBIT's project team, including Chief Assistant Professor Dr. Yoana Hadzhiyska, doctoral student Pamela Deleva and expert Gabriela Krastanova.
One of the seminar's main highlights was the specialised discussion session for presenting projects under procedure BG05SFPR001-3.004 “Support for the Development of Project-Based Doctoral Training”. Representatives of a total of nine higher education institutions and research organisations took part in the session, alongside the UNIBIT team. The project presentations were followed by a productive discussion between the beneficiaries and representatives of the Managing Authority, represented by Galya Dudinska-Atanasova, Zornitsa Paparkova and Dinko Draganov, state experts in the Verification Directorate-General of the Executive Agency “Education Programme”.
Participants in this part of the forum included Prof. Dr. Galina Nikolova, Deputy Rector of Trakia University – Stara Zagora and leader of project BG05SFPR001-3.004-0023 “DRIIM TrU”; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Maria Vodenicharova, Deputy Rector of the University of National and World Economy and leader of project BG05SFPR001-3.004-0011 “Innovative Doctoral Training 2030”, who also presented project BG05SFPR001-3.004-0013 “Project-Based Doctoral Training 2030”; and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. Dimitar Peshev, Deputy Rector of the University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy – Sofia and leader of project BG05SFPR001-3.004-0009 for the development of project-based doctoral training and the establishment of a doctoral school.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Denitsa Serbezova, Chief Scientific Secretary of the Agricultural Academy, also presented her project BG05SFPR001-3.004-0003 “Support for the Development of Project-Based Doctoral Training at the Agricultural Academy”; Col. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zhivo Petrov, Director of the Institute of Advanced Defence Research at the G. S. Rakovski National Defence College, presented project BG05SFPR001-3.004-0019 “Doctoral School at the National Defence College”; Prof. Dr. Penka Kozhuharova, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Education at Konstantin Preslavsky University of Shumen, presented project BG05SFPR001-3.004-0021 “IntegrITi”; Dr. Tsonka Ivanova of the Higher School of Telecommunications and Posts presented project BG05SFPR001-3.004-0008 “Smart PHD Lab 5.0”; and Krasimira Tsankova, a project activities expert at the Medical University “Prof. Dr. Paraskev Stoyanov” – Varna, presented project BG05SFPR001-3.004-0026 for multidisciplinary doctoral programmes in the fields of health, biotechnology and blue growth.
The hosts from UNIBIT, represented by Prof. Dr. Sc. Gosho Petkov and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ralitsa Yotova, also familiarised participants with the implementation and results achieved under project BG05SFPR001-3.004-0005 “Achieving Innovation and Growth through Doctoral Research”.
Following the project presentations, a productive discussion was held during which the beneficiaries and representatives of the Managing Authority discussed specific challenges related to the organisation, implementation and reporting of project activities, the application of administrative and financial requirements, and the achievement of the planned results. The exchange of practical experience and good practices helped clarify issues of common interest and outlined opportunities for more effective cooperation in implementing the projects.
The scientific session of the seminar covered three thematic sections: “Innovation, Digital Transformation and Intelligent Technologies”, “Sustainable Management and Economic Transformation” and “Education, Culture and Communication in a Transforming Environment”. They were held with the active participation of UNIBIT's Youth Scientific Academy, while the scientific sessions were moderated by its chair, Assistant Professor Stoyan Boyanov. The scientific papers presented highlighted the seminar's broad thematic scope and interdisciplinary nature, bringing together research in information technology, cybersecurity, intelligent systems, agricultural sciences, ecology, economics and public communications. Particularly interesting were the doctoral students' studies on the digitisation of bean genetic resources, the application of biological crop rotations and the use of membrane technologies to filter extracts from waste products generated during lavender processing. Issues related to unmanned aerial systems, sustainable resource management, economic transformation and the ethical aspects of artificial intelligence in education were also examined. This diversity demonstrated the opportunities for interaction between different scientific fields and the importance of interdisciplinary research in addressing current technological, economic and social problems.
UNIBIT's ambition is for the seminar to become an established annual academic tradition that brings together young researchers, their academic supervisors and representatives of educational and scientific institutions, promotes cooperation and supports the development of scientific research.