Nearly 40% of students holding national diplomas – full top students with a 6:00 grade in their secondary education diploma and both mandatory matriculation exams, choose to continue their education at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski“. This was announced by the Minister of Education and Science Krasimir Valchev at the opening of the new academic year at the oldest university in Bulgaria.
“Every year, when I award national diplomas, I ask each graduate where they will continue. It is a great joy for me to hear that more and more will stay in Bulgaria, and many of them choose Sofia University“, said the Minister. According to him, Sofia University is recognized as a university that is competitive with universities in the world. “Today, the world is big, opportunities are lurking everywhere for young people and they very often feel obliged to go somewhere else, but they have appreciated the reputation, importance and opportunities that Sofia University gives them“, said Minister Valchev. He also presented student books to some of the first-year students, holders of national diplomas.
The Minister emphasized that the Alma Mater is the university on which the state and society rely the most to cope with their greatest challenges. “We count on you to promote the humanities, to preserve national self-awareness, to prepare the best specialists, to reproduce the schools that Sofia University has always had. We are counting on you to make Bulgaria shine on the map of artificial intelligence development and on the map of world higher education“, said Minister Valchev.
He called on the first-year students to listen to the message of the rector, Prof. Georgi Valchev – “to study to be, not to have“. “Learn to be knowledgeable and capable people, not to have diplomas and grades. They are important, but what remains after them is much more important“, said the minister. He pointed out that today's students will live in the coming decades in the era of artificial intelligence, of effective interaction between people and algorithms, and of changing professions. “In these decades, it is important to have more and broader knowledge and skills. To have a good humanitarian foundation. "To learn throughout your life, because one education will probably not be enough for success in the changing world and permanent qualification will be necessary," Minister Valchev addressed the students.
He wished all teachers to be healthy and have the strength to cope with the most important mission - to motivate students to study with inspiration and become knowledgeable and capable people. "We rely on you to prepare young people who will change Bulgaria for the better," said the minister. Later, he also gave an interview to the student television station "Alma Mater."
This year, 19,514 students and 1,188 doctoral students are studying at Sofia University in a total of 29 professional fields. In 22 of them, the Alma Mater holds a leading position in the country according to the Ranking System of Higher Education Institutions in Bulgaria.
The opening of the new academic year, which was given by the rector of Sofia University, Prof. Georgi Valchev, was attended by the Speaker of the National Assembly, Natalia Kiselova, the Chairman of the Committee on Education and Science in the Parliament, Prof. Andrey Chorbanov, the Rectors of the University of National and World Economy, Prof. Dimitar Dimitrov, and the Technical University, Prof. Georgi Venkov, the Chairman of the National Union "Higher Education and Science" Prof. Lilyana Valcheva, the Director General of the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency, Kiril Valchev, deans of faculties, lecturers, students, etc.