site.btaTechnical University Varna Working on Research and Infrastructure Projects, Modernisation of Education

Technical University Varna is working on research and infrastructure projects and on modernisation of education, said the higher education institution's Rector, Prof. Dragomir Plamenov. He participated in a local conference as part of BTA's Europe on Balkans: Cohesion Skills project. The conference took place at the BTA National Press Club here on Monday.

In the modernisation of education, the university is working on dual training, new programmes have been created, and specialised courses are being held, including on the creation of start-ups, he said. 

The main areas of research at the university are energy-efficient electric transport, new fuels and combustion apparatus, approaches to reduce harmful emissions, etc. Also among the university's priorities are marine engineering (innovative propulsion systems, marine ecology, energy efficiency - hull, propulsors, auxiliary gears, etc.), green and sustainable agriculture, advanced systems in agriculture, renewable energy and artificial intelligence, machine learning and cyber security. Prof. Plamenov said that the priorities also include energy, power supply and electrical equipment, automation and robotics, mechatronics, earth sciences, information and communication technologies and others. 

Technical University Varna participates in a project for the construction of a National Centre for Mechatronics and Clean Technologies, funded under Operational Programme Science and Education for Smart Growth, the Research, Innovation and Digitalization for Smart Transformation Programme - second stage of infrastructure construction. The project consortium includes 17 scientific institutes and academic organizations. Two laboratories have been set up - one for Energy Efficient Electric Transport and one for Marine Robotics. A vessel is currently being equipped - a transporter and a launcher for marine robots -  for research activities.

Technical University Varna also participates in a project under Operational Programme Science and Education for Smart Growth for the construction of an Intelligent Mechatronic, Eco and Energy Saving Systems and Technologies Competence Centre . The project consortium involves seven research and academic organisations. The country's first laboratory for underwater noise, signals and vibration research on marine vessels and facilities has been established.

The university is also part of the Infrastructure for Sustainable Development of Marine Research and Participation in the European Infrastructure Euro-Argo (MASRI), part of the National Roadmap for Scientific Infrastructure (2020-2027). The infrastructure includes two laboratories: Ship Structure Diagnostics and Underwater Cutting and Welding.

Technical University Varna has joint Master's programmes that have not been finalised, Prof. Plamenov said. The Information Systems and Artificial Intelligence programme will be implemented together with Zaporizhzhia National University, while the joint programme with Odesa Polytechnic National University is Electrical Power Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Electromechanics. The Rector expressed the hope that they will finalize the joint programme with the University of Bitola, adding that in 2025-2026 pilot teaching will be launched, including with colleagues from North Macedonia as guest lecturers. The programme will be about the quality and safety of agricultural production. Starting this year, Varna Technical University will begin a partnership with the Deggendorf Institute of Technology, Bavaria, for joint training programmes, Prof. Plamenov added. In the beginning, the training will be in automation, robotics, electronics, electric vehicles, etc.

The results in support of the European Union (EU) cohesion policy are the large-scale studies conducted, methodologies created, data collected and processed and scenarios generated for forecasting, prescriptions, etc. Prototypes and demonstrators have been created and new laboratories have been set up and equipped. Trained students in entrepreneurial skills and startup creation, created new project courses, new state-of-the-art training content, trained numerous students, specialised abroad.

The results in support of the EU cohesion policy are the large-scale studies carried out, methodologies established, data collected and processed, and scenarios generated for forecasting, prescriptions, etc. Prototypes and demonstrators have been created and new laboratories have been set up and equipped. Students have been trained in entrepreneurial skills and startup creation, new programmes have been launched under projects, new state-of-the-art training content has been created, numerous students have been trained, specialisations abroad have been organized.

Varna Technical University integrates the results of research and development in industry and in the education process, the Rector said.