site.btaSofia, Athens Technical Universities to Develop Cooperation in Energy, Communication, Smart Technologies

The Sofia Technical University and the National Technical University of Athens signed on Sunday a comprehensive cooperation agreement. The document was signed in the framework of the 87th Thessaloniki International Fair by the Rectors of the two universities - Prof. Ivan Kralov and Prof. Andreas Boudouvis.

"We are very happy, although the situation in Greece these days is very difficult, that we welcomed our brother from the Technical University of Sofia, because ours is also a National Technical University," Prof. Boudouvis told BTA, recalling that the cooperation between the two universities has a history.

"We have exchanges of students, exchanges of researchers and opportunities for cooperation in postgraduate programmes. We will identify areas of mutual interest and make efforts to develop our cooperation in them. The Memorandum we have signed is a framework agreement that will allow us to specify our cooperation in different areas, both between faculties and in the different areas of our activities," said Prof. Boudouvis.

The two rectors have already identified a common interest in the field of energy, as well as in the development of interdisciplinarity in the training of students.

"Among the first activities of common interest is the application of artificial intelligence in the curriculum. We have common plans on these important issues," Prof. Budouvis added.

Asked about the specific projects that are expected to develop after the signing of the memorandum, Prof. Kralov said the agreement is for overall cooperation, but on its basis they have foreseen several joint projects in the field of energy storage, crisis prevention and also communications, both in the field of cybersecurity and autonomous vehicles.