On October 1, 1888, Sofia University was founded “St. Kliment Ohridski”.
In 1880, the Ministry of Education submitted to the National Assembly a draft Basic Law for schools in the Principality of Bulgaria.
Alma mater website recalls this.
It foresees “after completing the course of the real and classical high schools, a Bulgarian higher school (university) will be opened, covering legal, philosophical, natural, medical and technical sciences”. In 1887, the Minister of Education T. Ivanchev issued an Ordinance for the opening of a pedagogical class at the First Boys' High School in the city of Sofia. Classes began on October 1, 1888. On December 8, 1888, the National Assembly decided to transform it into a Higher School, which came into force on January 1, 1889, when Decree No. 159 was published in the State Gazette. Alexander Teodorov-Balan was elected as the first Rector. The adopted temporary regulations provide for the functioning of only the Historical-Philological Department. In the academic year 1889/1890, the Department of Physics and Mathematics was opened, and in 1892, the Faculty of Law was opened.
In 1894, a new law was adopted for the Higher School and by decree it was transformed into a university under the name “Bulgarian University brothers Evlogii and Hristo Georgievi from Karlovo” with three faculties: History-Philology, Physics-Mathematics and Law. In the period from 1918 to 1923, 4 new faculties were opened - Medical, Agronomy-Forestry, Theology, Veterinary-Medical. In 1938, Sofia University already had 7 faculties, 72 institutes, clinics, seminars, a significant library collection and its own scientific journal. Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski“ becomes one of the authoritative scientific centers of the Balkans.
In the period 1947-1952, the National Assembly adopted laws that separated faculties and institutes from the structure of the university. Some of them started new, independent higher schools, such as the Higher Economic Institute, the Medical Academy, the Veterinary Medical Institute, the Agricultural Academy, and others moved into the BAS system. In recent years, some of these units have been restored in the structure of the university (Faculty of Theology, Faculty of Medicine). A new Faculty of Economics was also established. In 2012, the Faculty of Chemistry was transformed into the Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy.
In 1900, the regulations for the Library at the Higher School were adopted. In 1905, the University Yearbook began to be published with an official and scientific section, in which laws, regulations, transcripts of lectures and scientific works of university professors were published. The University Library “St. Kliment Ohridski” is the first university and the largest scientific library in Bulgaria. In 1925, with the passage of the Deposit Act, it became the third library in the country to receive a free copy of each edition.
Today, the University Library owns a rich multidisciplinary collection, which numbers over 2,510,000 library items – scientific and educational literature, rare and valuable publications, periodicals, electronic media, etc. The collection of old printed, rare, valuable and unique editions is extremely rich. More than 20,000 library items are acquired annually and more than 30,000 readers are served with more than 340,000 library materials. It offers services combining traditions and modern technologies, which make it look like a modern library-information, cultural and educational center. Its mission is library and information provision for all its readers, creative participation in the development of Sofia University and in the formation of the information competence of its many users.
Since 1902, the feast of the patron saint of the university, St. Kliment Ohridski, has been established. In the Regulations of the University from 1905, for the first time, the text was written that November 25, the day of St. Kliment Ohridski, became the patron holiday of the University. Since 1916, as a result of the official adoption of the Gregorian calendar in Bulgaria, the University's annual holiday began to be celebrated on December 8. Thus, over the years, the oldest and most prestigious higher education institution in Bulgaria created and confirmed December 8 as a symbolic date of the university celebration.
From the beginning of 1935, Sofia University officially began to bear the name of its patron. After 1968, when the Bulgarian Orthodox Church returned the old style of the Julian calendar, the day of St. Kliment Ohridski became November 25 again, and since the 1990s it has been the patron holiday of Sofia University only. The eighth of December remains a secular date and continues to unite Bulgarian students in the country with its extremely popular holiday. The teachers and students from Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski“ celebrate two academic holidays – patron and general student, containing a common origin.
Gradually, Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski“ became one of the authoritative scientific centers of the Balkans, a fully developed European-type university. Today, Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski“ is the largest and most prestigious educational and research center in the country. It covers 16 faculties with 119 specialties.
The structure of Sofia University includes the following main units: Faculty of Slavic Philology, Faculty of Classical and Modern Philology, Faculty of History, Faculty of Philosophy, Faculty of Law, Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communication, Faculty of Pedagogy, Faculty of Social Sciences of Education and the Arts, Faculty of Geology and Geography, Faculty of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics, Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Faculty of Biology, Faculty of Economics, Faculty of Theology, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Information and Teacher Development, Department of Language Education and Department in sports.
Within the SU “St. Cl. Ohridski“ several independent units function, which are: University Library, University Publishing House with printing house, University Center for Information and Communication Technologies, Scientific Research Sector (NIS), University Botanical Gardens. Several centers have also been created: CSVP “Prof. Ivan Duychev“; Center for Educational Services; Center for Eastern Languages and Cultures; Center for Korean Studies; Career Center; Cultural Center; EURAXESS center for mobility of scientists; Network Cisco Academy at SU; Center for the Study of Patristic and Byzantine Spiritual Heritage; Confucius Institute in Sofia; Approved Test Center for the Oxford Test of English; University Center for the Study of Religions; Franco-German Center for Applied Research in Economics and Management; Distance Learning Center; University Center for Quality Management; Information Society Technology Center; Center for Economic Theories and Economic Policies; High-tech business center at SU “St. Kliment Ohridski“; China Center for Economics and Politics; Rehabilitation centers; Center for Polar Research. In addition to the "Alma Mater" radio and television, theater-laboratory @lma @lter, SU Museum; Museum of Paleontology and Historical Geology; Museum of Mineralogy, Petrology and Minerals
Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski“ is an educational and scientific institution that has chosen the path of development of a research university. The principle has been adopted that the high level of scientific research activity is a mandatory step in the implementation of effective interaction between the educational process, science, technological development and innovation policy. At the Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski“ a large number of the best Bulgarian specialists work in all fields of the natural-mathematical and humanitarian sciences. The research activity of the professors from the Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski“ is an integral part of the learning process with the students.
Scientific activity at the Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski“ is developed in accordance with the Strategy for the Development of Scientific Research (2009-2014) approved by the academic community. It defines the priority research areas, while at the same time respecting the SU tradition of providing faculty members with freedom in choosing the specific research goals and tasks. The strategy for scientific research at SU “St. Cl. Ohridski“ aims to create conditions for the sustainable development of the university's scientific potential, which will guarantee its successful participation in the market of scientific products. It outlines the long-term plan for systematic action to respond to the urgent need for serious social reforms. The research strategy affirms project funding as the main instrument for funding research work. Today, Sofia University develops projects financed by national and European programs, by ministries, national agencies, non-governmental organizations and business enterprises. The mission of SU is to develop the educational, scientific and cultural potential of Bulgaria, with the new emphasis being to create models of social development, both by demonstrating its internal capacity for institutional change, and by the social result of this change: a new level of scientific production, of educational results, of public expertise. The realization of this specific mission is directly dependent on the achievement of the strategic goal of scientific development at SU.
The building of the Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski“, built with the funds of the two donors – brothers Evlogi and Hristo Georgievi, is one of the architectural landmarks of Sofia. Today it occupies 36,000 square meters of built-up area, has 324 rooms, of which 65 are auditoriums with 6,000 seats.
As an independent section of the global strategy of the University is the development of international activity. Through it, scientific research is stimulated to a significant extent and the educational process is supported and improved. The university has contractual relations with over 80 universities from different countries, hundreds of joint participation in international projects of various types and multilateral contacts with scientists from all over the world.
Sofia University is the leader in the country in terms of the number of participants in student and teaching mobility and the establishment of the European area of higher education.