site.btaUniversity of Food Technologies in Plovdiv Wins First Place in BTA Hackathon on EU Cohesion Policy

A team from the University of Food Technologies in Plovdiv took first place in a hackathon organized by the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) on the topic of “Promoting the EU’s Cohesion Policy.” The competition was part of the concluding events of BTA’s project "Europe on Balkans: Cohesion Skills" carried out in cooperation with the European Commission.

Teams from the following universities participated in the national hackathon: the South-West University in Blagoevgrad, the Burgas Free University, the University of Economics in Varna, the University of Veliko Tarnovo, the Technical University in Gabrovo, the University of Ruse, and the University of Food Technologies in Plovdiv.

The jury evaluating the students’ innovative ideas included: BTA Director General Kiril Valchev; Associate Professor Boryana Zdravkova, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs at the University of Veliko Tarnovo; Natalia Anastasova, Deputy Director General of the Directorate-General for European Funds, International Programmes and Projects at the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy; and Radina Boyanova, State Expert in the Directorate for Programming, Monitoring and Evaluation at the Executive Agency “Education Programme.” The host of the event was the University of Veliko Tarnovo. Narine Nazaryan, Director General of the Armenian News Agency, was a special guest.

The first presentation came from students of the South-West University, who proposed the creation of a website with an app and 3D mapping. Based on in-depth analysis of EU-funded projects, their platform would provide information on the benefits each country has gained from EU membership, as well as up-to-date news on youth, employment, and engagement with EU initiatives.

Next came Team Black Sea, featuring students from Burgas and Varna, with a project titled “From the People, For the People.” Their focus was on overcoming socio-economic disparities across Europe, highlighting investment strategies and management models. They included public opinion surveys across age groups, with a strong focus on youth perspectives and links between universities and media.

Students from the University of Veliko Tarnovo proposed a user-friendly mobile app called “Europe Around Us.” The app would feature an interactive map showing locations of past, current, and future projects funded under various EU operational programmes. The goal is to increase public awareness and offer citizens the chance to share feedback. They argued that people lack information on how EU funds support major infrastructure in Bulgaria, and such a platform would improve transparency.

The Technical University of Gabrovo team suggested more online content to promote educational and employment opportunities for young people across the EU. They recommended including video testimonials from people who had taken part in exchanges to share their experiences.

The winning team from the University of Food Technologies in Plovdiv presented a platform that connects young Europeans and encourages them to “save through learning.” Their concept is based on the motto “Success is your currency.” Users would earn points for various activities – learning, sports, social engagement – which would then be converted into money. The twist: the money must be spent in local, eco-friendly businesses.

The University of Ruse team addressed transport inequalities within the EU. They proposed an app with an interactive map showing roads before and after EU funding, alongside information on the carbon footprint of these infrastructure projects.

The competition rules included 45 minutes of teamwork and a 5-minute pitch per team. Project lead Iliyana Georgieva presented the evaluation criteria.

All participants received certificates, while the winning team from the University of Food Technologies was awarded a trophy and a book on the history of BTA, presented by Director General Kiril Valchev. He invited students to take advantage of internships offered by BTA, emphasizing the national news agency’s commitment to young talent – “one in every five BTA employees is a student,” he said.