1 ABOUT SOFIA UNIVERSITY
2 PROMOTING STUDENT INOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
3 ENCOURAGING FACULTY INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
4 ACTIVELY SUPPORTING THE UNIVERSITY TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER FUNCTION
5 FACILITATING UNIVERSITY-INDUSTRY COLLABORATION
6 ENGAGING WITH REGIONAL AND LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS
7 RELATED LINKS

ABOUT SOFIA UNIVERSITY

The Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski" is the oldest higher education institution in Bulgaria. Founded on 1 October 1888 The university has 16 faculties and three departments, where over 21,000 students receive their education. The current rector is Atanas Gerdzikov. It has been consistently ranked as the top university in Bulgaria and among the best four percent of world universities, according to QS World Universitt Rankings.

PROMOTING STUDENT INOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

In the Sofia University the promotion of student inovation and etrepreneurship comes from both the university in terms of entrepreneurship classes, lectures and projects, and from the students themselves. There are many students organizations and clubs (Business club, Club Spectrum, Debate club) in the campus, trying to encourage the students to create things, to organise events etc.

For example,Business club is a student organization from the faculty of Economics and Business Administration. The members of the club are able to participate in a wide variaty of projects that aim to improve the atmosphere in the faculty and to bring the students closer to business people. For the last year, Business club has successfully completed the creation of a Relax Room in the daculty, has created an Escape Room for the students of the university, has launched series of events called FEBA Talks where successful business people held lectures in front of the students for free. By participating in those projects, the students recieve vital experience and have the opportunity to create important relationships with people from the business world and most importantly between themselves.

Sofia university is also a part of theErasmus for young entrepreneurs program, offers Social Entrepreneurship classes as well as Entrepreneurship and Innovations class.

ENCOURAGING FACULTY INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

We believe that when it comes to encouraging and innovation it all comes down to the faculty members and the students. On the one side, the faculty members are supposed to encourage the students to be more innovative and to use innovative methods of teaching. On the other hand, no matter how hard the faculty members are trying, if the students are not open to different, innovative ideas, then there is not much that the teacher can do. In the case of Sofia University, there are a lot of faculty members that are great professionals and they are doing a great job in encouraging the students to be innovative. The students themselves are mostly open-minded which leads to a overall very good atmosphere around the campus.

ACTIVELY SUPPORTING THE UNIVERSITY TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER FUNCTION

The research sector at the Sofia University, calledNIS is the closest to this catecory unit that exists in our university. It covers the activities of the academic staff in organizing, servicing and performing fundamental and applied research, consultancy, expert, technological and other activities carried out on the basis of contracts. NIS works on a business bill basis. Over 300 contracts are implemented annually through NIS, of which about 60% are funded by the National Science Fund, about 30% by European Commission programs and about 10% by industry.

FACILITATING UNIVERSITY-INDUSTRY COLLABORATION

Sofia University is very consistent in bringing business people in the campus. Every year there are a lot of lectures, held by members of large companies, startup founders and many others successful and inspiring guests. Both the Faculty members and the Clubs in the university are actively taking part in this task.The University is a part of theStudent Practices program by the bulgarian Mynestry of Education and Science which gives every student the chance to apply for a job in a great variaty of companies.

ENGAGING WITH REGIONAL AND LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS

Some lecturers develop research and innovations, achieve some significant discoveries and results that are then implemented / used by companies.Some students start their own businesses during their education in the university or after graduating. Also some teachers do consultancy for companies, state institutions and non-governmental organizations.