site.btaEducation Minister: We Rely on Sofia University as a State and Society

The Sofia University is the higher education institution, the university that we, as a state and society, rely on the most, said Education Minister Krasimir Valchev on Wednesday in the university’s aula during the official opening of the 2025/2026 academic year at Sofia University.

"We rely on you to tackle our greatest challenges; we rely on you to uphold the humanities, to preserve our national identity. We rely on you to prepare the best specialists in the social, economic, and natural-mathematical sciences. We rely on you to make Bulgaria shine on the map of artificial intelligence development. We rely on you to make Bulgarian higher education visible on the global map of higher education in an increasingly globalized academic world," the education minister said in his speech.

"In this context, it is very heartening news for me that each year, when I present the so-called national diplomas to students with top honors and winners of international competitions, I ask each graduate where they plan to continue their education. And it brings me great joy to hear that more and more of them are staying in Bulgaria,  and increasingly choosing Sofia University. This year, over one-third, or nearly 40%, of these students will continue their studies at Sofia University, more than those going abroad. And this percentage increases every year, which may be one of the strongest testaments to Sofia University's quality. It is being recognized by the best students as a higher education institution that is competitive with universities worldwide," said Minister Krasimir Valchev.

Among the guests of the academic community were National Assembly Chair Nataliya Kiselova, the chair of the parliamentary committee on education and science Prof. Andrey Chorbanov, the chair of the Higher Education and Science National Union Prof. Lilyana Valcheva, Bulgarian News Agency Director General Kiril Valchev, university rectors, former rectors of Sofia University, faculty members, and students.

Rector, Prof. Georgi Valchev, opened the academic year with a speech and introduced the deans of the faculties of Sofia University.

First-year students who were national competition and olympiad champions and recipients of national diplomas for academic excellence received their student record books from the Rector of Sofia University.

Before the academic ceremony in the aula, the university leadership and the Academic Council of Sofia University laid flowers at the monuments of the benefactors Evlogi and Hristo Georgiev, as well as at the memorial plaques honoring faculty and students who died for their country during the Balkan Wars.