Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski“ received the grand prize at the Tenth Anniversary Ceremony for Awarding the Academic Oscars for the Best-Presented Universities according to the Higher Education Ranking System. The Alma Mater ranks first in 22 professional fields out of a total of 52 in the higher education system.
The distinction of Sofia University was presented to the rector Prof. Georgi Valchev by the Minister of Education and Science Krasimir Valchev during an official ceremony organized by “24 Chasa”. A total of 20 higher education institutions received awards in various categories, based on the data of the Ranking System. It has been prepared for 15 years by a consortium with the participation of the “Open Society“ Institute. The data from the 2025 edition show that higher education graduates in Bulgaria are finding increasingly better employment on the labor market. Unemployment among graduates in the last 5 years is only 2.2%. The average taxable income of young graduates reaches 2,771 leva, while 10 years earlier it was only 980 leva.
“The rating system has established itself as one of the best and most reliable sources of information. Through it, we have been able to implement very important policies in the higher education system, such as differentiating funding and restructuring admissions“, commented Minister Valchev. According to him, higher education institutions must be further supported, because if we focus on education, we have the greatest chance of prospering as a society. In addition, the system itself has already shown a will for reforms. “A large part of the rectors together with the unions have supported difficult decisions over the years, which sometimes had a negative short-term impact on their higher education institutions, but were right in the long term for the system“, said the minister. These reforms have already had positive results, which can be seen in real numerical terms. Foreign students have doubled. Bulgaria ranks first in the EU in terms of the number of foreign students in the field of medicine per 1 million inhabitants, and these students are mainly from EU countries and the UK.
Among the positive trends is the increasing number of Bulgarian students who choose to continue their higher education in the country. “This is another indicator of the internal improvement of the prestige of the Bulgarian higher education system“, commented Minister Valchev.
“I accept with great pleasure this award, which is a recognition for the entire faculty of Sofia University, which adheres to traditions and of course looks to the future“, said the rector of Sofia University, Prof. Georgi Valchev, upon receiving the award. According to him, every piece of knowledge rests on generations of researchers and teachers. “If we manage to explain to students how little we know about the world (which is the greatest merit of higher education) we will make them searching people who try to move forward, to understand the world, to solve new, complex problems“, he also said.
Deputy Minister of Education and Science, Academician Nikolay Vitanov, presented awards to the Veliko Tarnovo University “St. St. Cyril and Methodius University, the Thracian University and the Academy of Music and Dance Art - Plovdiv. He pointed out that in addition to the other useful information it provides, the Rating System shows with data from the Z-generation that they need to study and this directly affects their future income. “Bachelor's degree graduates have a higher taxable income than those who have not studied higher education, master's degree graduates have a higher income than bachelor's degree graduates, and this year it has become clear that doctoral degree graduates have a significantly higher salary than those with a master's degree“, noted Acad. Vitanov
The Technical University-Sofia, which has 6 first places in areas of important technical specialties for the economy, received an award from the President of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Evelina Slavcheva.
The ceremony also awarded the Medical University - Sofia, UNWE, NATAFF “Krastyo Sarafov“, the American University in Bulgaria, the University of Mining and Geology, the University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy, the University of Food Technology – Plovdiv, the University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy, the National Academy of Arts, the National Academy of Music, the Agrarian University – Plovdiv, the Forestry University, the Academy of the Ministry of Interior, the National Sports Academy and the Higher Naval School “Nikola Yonkov Vaptsarov” - Varna.
The ceremony was hosted by the publisher of “24 Chasa“ Venelina Gocheva and the Deputy Chairman of the Confederation of Employers and Industrialists in Bulgaria, Prof. Dr. Eng. Nikolay Valkanov, and the event was opened by the President of Bulgaria, Iliana Yotova.
The ceremony was also attended by the Head of the European Commission Representation in Bulgaria, Yordanka Chobanova, the Chairperson of the Council of Rectors, Prof. Miglena Temelkova, the Chairperson of the National Agency for Assessment and Accreditation, Prof. Eliza Stefanova, the Chairperson of the Higher Education and Science Trade Union at the Confederation of Bulgarian Trade Unions, Prof. Liliya Valcheva, the former Ministers of Education and Science, Yordanka Fandakova and Nikolay Denkov, the Executive Director of the “Open Society“ Institute, Georgi Stoychev, rectors of higher education institutions, representatives of the academic community and business leaders.