site.btaTwo-Day Conference Became Platform for Exchange of Educational Innovations Between 200 Schools - Dr. Alexander Angelov

About 200 schools from 15 regions participated in a national conference “Skills for Innovation in Education,” organized by the Centre for Creative Training with the support of the Sofia Municipality, said the centre’s director, Dr. Alexander Angelov. The two-day forum took place at the Inter Expo Center and focused on one of today’s most pressing topics - digital skills and media literacy in the era of artificial intelligence, he told BTA while presenting the highlights of the event.

The first day of the conference was plenary and covered global trends in education, while the second day was divided into parallel sessions. School principals were encouraged to bring several teachers with them.

“Our goal was that on the first day participants could set their direction, and on the second day they could explore different approaches to implement their ideas,” Angelov explained. “I believe this is the only event in Bulgaria organized in this way, because the aim is not just to make someone better informed, but to better prepare people in education to implement real change. Schools could also share experiences with educational innovations during the conference.”

According to him, the educational expo included displays of various educational technologies, student projects, and participation from major companies. For example, specialized educational furniture from Spain was presented, alongside many technological and even paper-based solutions. On the second day, there were seven parallel sessions across all halls of the Inter Expo Center, with different activities in each hall, Angelov added.

“For the first time, we also had a panel with four mayors — from Gabrovo, Blagoevgrad, Panagyurishte, and Varna. We also spoke with representatives of the Sofia Municipality about the potential for this event to become a key educational forum in the Balkans, as there were guests from seven countries. Participants came from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Poland, and Ukraine. The event is unique and attracted over 500 participants, and if it continues, it could become a major educational event for the entire region,” Angelov said.

Bulgarian Education in Context of European and Global Innovations and Use of Artificial Intelligence

When asked how the Bulgarian educational system compares to European and global education regarding innovation, digitalization, and the integration of artificial intelligence, and whether this poses a challenge for education in Bulgaria, Dr. Angelov said:

“The Bulgarian system is well-equipped in terms of technology, as we have STEM centers, infrastructure projects, and internet connectivity. This technological provision is even better than in Italy, Spain, and sometimes even Germany. The system is saturated with technology, but debates continue on issues such as whether to ban smartphones, reduce screen time, and how to ensure the right skills to use technology for creative and constructive activities. We lack a clear direction for why we are digitalizing and overarching frameworks for this digitalization. There are good ideas among principals and teachers, but overall, skills are still needed.”

He added: “Often, the more forward Bulgarian schools and high schools are ahead of universities in understanding and using artificial intelligence, while future teachers are being trained at six to seven universities across the country. I also teach at Plovdiv University in the master’s program ‘Education Management’ - these are the future school and kindergarten directors.”

Study on Schools’ Readiness to Use Artificial Intelligence

At the forum Dr. Angelov announced a study involving 50 to 100 schools, which will assess how prepared Bulgarian schools are to integrate artificial intelligence into their operations and classroom activities.

The study will be conducted by a team from the Bulgarian Association of Software Companies and commissioned by the Ministry of Education and Science. It is a scientific study, and the research team has developed the methodology. The study will include surveys, interviews, and on-site visits, covering a diverse range of schools across the country — small and large, urban and rural schools, as well as high schools, involving 50 to 100 schools.

“The goal is to understand how prepared Bulgarian schools are to implement artificial intelligence and to develop suitable investment programs,” explained Dr. Angelov. He stressed that the study is extremely important because funding for technology, and especially AI, is available at the European level.

As a member of the Board of the Bulgarian Association of Software Companies, a strong organization with over 150–160 member companies and more than 10 billion leva in annual revenue, Dr. Angelov proposed to the Education Minister that a professional study be carried out to assess schools’ readiness for AI implementation.

“The study will begin at the end of November and will cover between 50 and 100 schools. The data will be ready by the end of January, coinciding with the end of the first school term, at which point decisions on the structure of national educational programs will be made,” said Angelov.

At the opening of the Skills for Innovation in Education conference, Education Minister Krasimir Valchev said that there is no doubt students should learn with the support of artificial intelligence, which can and should also assist teachers.

“Sooner or later, we will have our own closed AI model, with modules to support teachers. It will be able to generate lessons and exam materials, help assess results, and create an administrative assistant. This is part of an EU-backed digital transformation project, and we’ll make this step,” said Minister Valchev.

In a video address, European Commissioner for Start-ups, Research, and Innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva, underscored the vital role of teachers:

“Teachers shape the future of Europe every day. Their mission is crucial because they do more than teach - they inspire, build character, and open horizons. With the AI Act, the first comprehensive regulation in the world, Europe ensures the safe and ethical use of artificial intelligence without stifling innovation. Europe has also developed ethical guidelines for teachers to support them in using AI as a tool and partner in creating innovative teaching and learning approaches,” Zaharieva added.