Support to Bulgaria on its policy to address the fragmentation on its public research system : background report.
Date: 2024-12-19
Institutions: Directorate-General for Research and Innovation
Subjects: Bulgaria, EU research policy, financing, innovation, investment, organisation of research, public expenditure, report, research infrastructure

Support to Bulgaria on its policy 
to address the fragmentation on 
its public research system   

Background report  

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Support to Bulgaria on its policy to address the  fragmentation of its public research 
system 
European Commission 
Directorate-General for Research and Innovation 
Directorate A — ERA & Innovation 
Unit A.1 — Semester & Country Intelligence 
Contact   (Horizon Europe PSF coordination team):  

Magda De CARLI, Head of Unit A.1 
Stéphane VANKALCK, PSF Head of Sector, Unit A.1 
Petya STANCHEVA, PSF Coordinator of the PSF Country Bulgaria, Unit A.1 

Email   Magda.DE-CARLI@ec.europa.eu 

Stephane.VANKALCK@ec.europa.eu 
Petya.STANCHEVA@ec.europa.eu 
RTD-PUBLICATIONS@ec.europa.eu 

European Commission 
B-1049 Brussels 

Manuscript completed in December 2024  
First edition 

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doi: 10.2777/4768709 

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EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

Support to Bulgaria on its 
policy to address the 
fragmentation on its public 
research system  

Background report 

Written by 

Teodora Georgieva 

2024 

Directorate-General for Research and Innovation 
Horizon Europe Policy Support Facility 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Table of Contents 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..................................................................... 12 

1.  Introduction ............................................................................................ 18 

2.  Bulgarian R&I system: a brief overview ................................................ 19 
19 

 Macroeconomic factors and business environment 
 Initiatives and mechanisms to support scientific development and 
innovation during the programme period 2021 - 2027 

2.1. Innovation performance of Bulgaria 

 Progress in the implementation of the programmes for the distribution 
of European structural funding for the programming period 2021-2027 
in the field of science and innovation 

21 
24 

30 

 National priorities and strategic framework in R&D and education 

3.  Strategic framework and legislation in the field of R&D ...................... 31 
31 
31 
40 
42 

3.1.1. Strategic framework for the development of higher education 
3.1.2. Strategic framework in the field of R&D 
3.1. Regulatory initiatives for excellence in R&D 

 National funding instruments 

4.  National R&I funding portfolio ............................................................... 46 
46 
46 
47 
48 
49 

4.1.1. National Science Fund 
4.1.2. National Science Programmes 
4.1.3. National Innovation Fund 

 European structural and investment funding 2021-2027 

4.2.1. Research, Innovation and Digitalisation for Smart Transformation 

Programme 2021-2027 

4.2.2. Competitiveness and Innovation in Enterprises Programme 2021-2027 
4.2.3. Human Resources Development Programme 2021-2027 
4.2.4. Education Programme 2021-2027 

 Funding mechanisms of Bulgarian public research organisations and 
higher education institutions 

4.3.1. Bulgarian Academy of Sciences 
4.3.2. Agricultural Academy 
4.3.3. Higher education institutions 

49 
50 
51 
51 

52 
52 
53 
54 

5.  Research and innovation ecosystem: stakeholder mapping .............. 55 
55 

 R&I governance system: key actors 

2 

 
 Research performing organisations 

5.2.1. Bulgarian Academy of Sciences 
5.2.2. Agricultural Academy 
5.2.3. Higher educational institutions 

58 
58 
60 
61 

6.  R&I potential of Bulgarian economy ..................................................... 63 
63 
67 
69 
70 
74 

 Institutional ranking 
 Publication activity 
 Patent activity 
 R&D expenditures 
 Human resources for R&D 

 Research and innovation infrastructure 

7.  Cooperation and commercialisation of research results .................... 76 
76 
76 
83 
85 

7.1.1. Research infrastructure 
7.1.2. Innovation infrastructure 

 Science-business collaboration 

7.2.1. Role of foreign direct investment in the development of research and 

education 

7.2.2. Science-business interaction 

85 
86 

 Participation in European framework programmes 

8.  Internationalisation of Bulgarian R&I system ....................................... 88 
88 
89 
94 
96 
98 

8.1.1. Participation of Bulgaria in the Seventh Framework Programme 
8.1.2. Horizon 2020 
8.1.3. Horizon Europe 

 National Science Fund (BNSF) 

9.  Monitoring and evaluation of Bulgarian R&I performance .................. 100 
101 

 Horizon 2020 Policy Support Facility – support for Bulgaria 
 European Semester and development of the strategic framework for 
the 2021-2027 programming period 

 OECD exercises on promoting entrepreneurship 
 The World Bank’s Bulgarian Public Expenditure Research on Science, 
Technology, and Innovation (PER STI) 

101 
102 

102 

Annex 1: Snapshot of Bulgarian legislation in the field of R&I 

Annexes ....................................................................................................... 104 
104 
107 
109 

Annex 2: Fields of education, Science and Technology 

Annex 3: Performance-based funding indicators 

3 

 
Annex 4: Research units of Bulgarian Academy of Sciences 

Annex 5: Number of academic staff and researchers/experts/engineers 
performing/supporting the research activity in the institutes of 
BAS (full time equivalent) 

Annex 6: Research units of Agricultural Academy 

Annex 7: Patent activity of HEIs and PROs 

Annex 8: Participation in Horizon Europe Program 

Annex 9 Bulgaria in the ERA initiatives 

110 

113 
116 
120 
124 
128 

4 

 
 
 
 
List of Figures, Tables and Boxes 

Figure 1: Four Bulgarian Universities Meet 2024 Times Higher Education Criteria ..................... 15 

Figure 2: European Innovation Scoreboard 2024* Source: EIS 2024 ......................................... 25 

Figure 3: Innovation potential of Bulgaria, share of EU-27 average levels, %, 2024 ................... 26 

Figure 4: Regional innovation profiles Source: Regional Innovation Scoreboard, 2023. ............. 29 

Figure 5: R&I Policy Timeline in Bulgaria 2010-2024 .................................................................. 32 

Figure 6: Bulgarian University Ranking System .......................................................................... 39 

Figure 7: R&I governance in Bulgaria ......................................................................................... 55 

Figure 8: BAS Governing Bodies ................................................................................................ 59 

Figure 9: Institutional ranking, Public sector, 2018-2023* ........................................................... 64 

Figure 10: Institutional ranking, Higher education sector, 2018-2023* ........................................ 64 

Figure 11: Positioning of the Bulgarian universities included in the world                                      

university ranking of Times Higher Education for 2024. ............................................. 65 

Figure 12: Results of the Bulgarian universities included in the Times Higher                          

Education world university ranking for 2024, by groups of indicators ......................... 66 

Figure 13: Positioning of the Bulgarian universities included in the Times Higher Education 

Impact rankings for 2023. ........................................................................................... 67 

Figure 14: Publication activity in Scopus database, cited documents, 1996 - 2022 .................... 67 

Figure 15: Scientific output per science and technology employee, 2022, number of cited 

publications in Scopus ................................................................................................ 68 

Figure 16: Publication activity in the Scopus database, 2022 - 2023 .......................................... 68 

Figure 17: Share of publications with international participation within the total number of 

publications at the national level in all scientific fields, % ........................................... 69 

Figure 18:Patent activity of Bulgarian patent holders on the territory of Bulgaria, 2001 - 2022 ... 69 

Figure 19: R&D spending in Bulgaria, 2000 – 2022 .................................................................... 71 

Figure 20: R&D spending by enterprises and the public sector, 2000 – 2022 ............................. 71 

Figure 21: Structure of R&D spending, 2022, % ......................................................................... 72 

Figure 22: Budget R&D spending by socio-economic objectives, BGN thousand ....................... 73 

5 

 
 
Figure 24: People with basic or above basic digital skills, 2023, % of the population ................. 74 

Figure 24: People obtaining government information online, 2023 ............................................. 75 

Figure 25: Share of FDI companies that carry out R&D (2014 – 2019) ....................................... 86 

Figure 26: R&D expenses by funding sources, 2000 - 2022, thousand BGN .............................. 87 

Figure 27: R&D expenses by funding sources, 2022, thousand BGN ......................................... 87 

Figure 28: Bulgarian participation in EU Framework Programmes .............................................. 88 

Figure 29: Ranking of Bulgaria compared to EU member states ................................................ 89 

Figure 30: Partners of Bulgaria in projects of the Seventh Framework Programme, % .............. 91 

Figure 32: Institutional structure of the Bulgarian participants in the Seventh Framework 

Programme ................................................................................................................ 91 

Figure 33: Top-5 of the most successful organisations that won projects under the Seventh 

Framework Programme .............................................................................................. 92 

Figure 33: Projects won under programmes of the Seventh Framework Program in Bulgaria .... 93 

Figure 34: Projects won under the priorities of the "Capacity" Programme ................................. 93 

Figure 35: Projects won under the priorities of the "Cooperation" Programme ........................... 94 

Figure 36: Participation of Bulgarian organizations in Horizon 2020 (NUTS 3) ........................... 95 

Figure 37: Ranking of Bulgaria in Horizon 2020, EU-28 .............................................................. 95 

Figure 38: Intensity of partnerships of Bulgarian organisations by projects under                             
the Horizon 2020 programme, Europe ....................................................................... 96 

Figure 39: Participation of Bulgarian organizations in Horizon Europe, number of signed 

agreements ................................................................................................................ 97 

Figure 40: Portfolio of projects with Bulgarian participation in Horizon Europe ........................... 97 

Figure 41: Plan and implementation of the expenses of the Science Fund,                                           

2014 - 2022, BGN million. .......................................................................................... 98 

Figure 42: Received and approved project proposals for fundamental research competitions to 

the Science Fund, 2018-2022, number ...................................................................... 99 

Figure 43: Allocation of the 2022 BNSF budget by competitive sessions, % ............................ 100 

Figure 44: Participation of Bulgarian scientists in COST Actions, 2023. ................................... 128 

Figure 45: Individual participation in all Action activities , 2023 ................................................. 129 

Figure 46: Participation of Bulgaria in COST Actions, 2018-2023 ............................................. 129 

6 

 
Figure 47: Participation of Bulgarian organisations in the Eureka Initiative,                                  

project portfolio by technology area and target market ............................................... 131 

Figure 48: Participation of Bulgarian organisations in the Eureka Initiative,                                        
project portfolio by year of submission ..................................................................... 132 

Figure 49: Participation of Bulgarian organisations in the Eureka Initiative, project portfolio, 

according to the amount of funding.................................................................................. 133 

Table 1: Main financial instruments and initiatives for R&I Source: Centre                                            
for the Study of Democracy and Applied Research and Communications                               
Fund, Promoting Constructive Capital in Bulgaria , Sofia: CSD, 2021 .......................... 22 

Table 2: R&D expenditure as a share of GDP, estimated values,% ............................................ 24 

Table 3:  Positioning of Bulgaria's planning regions within the framework of the Regional 

Innovation Panel ........................................................................................................... 28 

Table 4: Main goals for the development of higher education until 2030 Source:                         

Strategy for the development of higher education in the Republic of                           
Bulgaria for the period 2021 – 2030 .............................................................................. 35 

Table 5: Main responsibilities of the Ministry of Education and Science and                                      
the Ministry of Innovation and Growth in the field of research and innovation .............. 56 

Table 6: Number of higher education institutions, professional areas and                                    

number of students per planning region ........................................................................ 62 

Table 7: Higher schools and institutes of the BAS participating in International research 

infrastructure ................................................................................................................. 78 

Table 8: Higher schools and institutes of the BAS participating in Unique scientific facilities ...... 78 

Table 9: Higher schools and institutes of the BAS participating in                                                       
Pan - European Research Infrastructures (EPRIs) ....................................................... 79 

Table 10: Higher schools and institutes of the BAS participating in National science and 

innovation complexes (Information and communication technologies) ......................... 80 

Table 11: Higher schools and institutes of the BAS participating in National science and 

innovation complexes (Mechatronics and clean technologies) ................................... 80 

Table 12: Higher schools and institutes of the BAS participating in National science and 

innovation complexes (Healthy living and biotechnology industry) ................................ 81 

Table  13:  Higher  schools  and  institutes  of  the  BAS  participating  in  National  science  and 
innovation complexes (New technologies in the creative and recreational industries)82 

Table  14:  Higher  schools  and  institutes  of  the  BAS  participating  in  E-infrastructures.  Digital, 
Computational and Computer Research (E-Research) ................................................. 82 

Table 15: Main indicators for Bulgaria's participation in the Seventh Framework Programme .... 90 

7 

 
 
Table 16: Bulgaria in the Seventh Framework Programme ......................................................... 90 

Table 17: Fields of education, Science and Technology ........................................................... 109 

Table 18: Performance-based funding indicators ...................................................................... 110 

Table 19: Research units of Bulgarian Academy of Sciences ................................................... 112 

Table 20: Number of academic staff and                                                       

researchers/experts/engineers performing/supporting the research activity                                                                          
in the institutes of BAS (full time equivalent) .................................................................. 115 

Table 21: Research units of Agricultural Academy .................................................................... 119 

Table 22: Patent activity of the institutes of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 2007-2022... 121 

Table 23: Patent activity of the institutes of the Agricultural Academy, 2007-2022. .................. 122 

Table 24: Patent activity of higher education institutions, 2007-2022. ....................................... 123 

Table 25: Higher education institutions participating in the Horizon Europe Program ............... 125 

Table 26: Research organisations participating in the Horizon Europe Program ...................... 127 

Table 27: COST Actions chaired by Bulgarian scientists, 2023. ............................................... 130 

Table 28: Funded projects under the Clusters program of the "Eureka" Initiative                                 

with Bulgarian participation ...................................................................................... 132 

Table 29: Funded projects under the Eurostar 2 program of the                                                            

"Eureka" Initiative with Bulgarian participation.......................................................... 135 

Table 30: Funded projects under the Individual Projects program of the                                          
"Eureka" Initiative with Bulgarian participation.......................................................... 136 

Box 1: Types of Higher education institutions in Bulgaria\........................................................... 33 

Box 2: Bulgarian University Ranking System Source: Bulgarian University Ranking System ..... 39 

Box 3: Education and Training of Doctoral Students ................................................................... 45 

8 

 
 
 
 
 
List of abbreviations 

AA Agricultural Academy 

BAS Bulgarian Academy of Sciences 

BDB Bulgarian Development Bank 

BNB Bulgarian National Bank 

BSMEPA Bulgarian SME Promotion Agency 

CEE Central and Eastern Europe 

CIEP Competitiveness and Innovations in Enterprises Programme 

CF Cohesion Fund 

CoC Centres of Competence 

CoE Centres of Excellence 

COFUND Program co-fund action 

COST Programme for Cooperation in Science and Technology  

CSA Coordination and support action 

DG EFC Directorate General European Funds and Competitiveness 

EAE Executive Agency Education 

EC European Commission 

EDIH European digital innovation hubs 

EEN Enterprise Europe Network 

EIS European Innovation Scoreboard 

EP Education Programme 

EPO European Patent Office 

ERDF European Regional Development Fund 

ESF European Social Fund 

ERA European Research Area 

9 

 
 
EU European Union 

FDI Foreign direct investment 

FMFIB Fund Manager of Financial Instruments in Bulgaria 

GDP Gross Domestic Product 

GII Global Innovation Index 

IA Innovation action 

IBA Invest Bulgaria Agency 

ICT Information and Communication Technologies 

IS3 Innovation Strategy for Smart Specialisation  

HE Horizon Europe Programme 

HEA Higher Education Act 

HEIs Higher Education Institutions 

HRDP Human Resources Development Programme 

MEI Ministry of Economy and Industry 

MES Ministry of Education and Science 

MIG Ministry of Innovation and Growth 

MES Ministry of Education and Science 

MoLSP Ministry of Labour and Social Policy  

NACID National Centre for Information and Documentation 

NAEA National Agency for Evaluation and Accreditation 

NAVET National Agency for Vocational Education and Training 

NCPR North Central Planning Region 

NDP National Development Programme 

NEPR North-East Planning Region 

NGOs Non-Government Organisations 

NIF National Innovation Fund 

10 

 
NMHERB National Map of Higher Education in the Republic of Bulgaria,  

NSF National Science Fund 

NRRI National Roadmap for Research Infrastructure 

NRSP National Recovery and Sustainability Plan 

NWPR North-West Planning Region  

OECD Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development 

OP IC OP Innovation and Competitiveness 

OPs Operational programmes 

OP SESG OP Science and Education for Smart Growth 

PBRF Performance-based research funding 

PORB Patent Office of the Republic of Bulgaria 

PRO public research organisations 

PSF Horizon Policy Support Facility 

R&D Research and Development 

R&I Research and Innovation 

RICs Regional Innovation Centres 

RIDPIT Research, Innovation and Digitalization Programme for Economic Transformation 

RIA Research and Innovation Action 

SCPR South Central Planning Region 

SDHERB Strategy for the development of higher education in the Republic of Bulgaria 

SEPR South-East Planning Region  

SMEs Small and Medium-sized Enterprises 

STP Sofia Tech Park 

SWPR South West Planning Region  

THE Times Higher Education 

TTOs Technology Transfer Offices 

11 

 
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 

The past five years have seen several key global events: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the 
US-China trade war and worsening bilateral ties, advancement of technology particularly in 
AI,  the  threat  of  climate  change  and  the  need  for  new  energy  sources,  and  a  global 
pandemic that has affected the way the world works and interacts with one another.  

The  finalization  of  the  present  report  coincided  with  the  election  procedures  in  the 
institutions  of  the  European  Union,  the  United  States  and  Bulgaria,  and  for  Bulgaria  they 
are part of a political crisis that has continued in recent years. The result for the country is a 
delay in political reforms and a failure to fulfil the goals for economic development, including 
in the field of science, technology and innovation. Given the dynamics and unpredictability 
of  global  trends,  this  creates  additional  challenges  for  national  institutions,  scientific 
organizations and universities. 

The  latest  edition  of  the  European  Innovation  Scoreboard,  from  July  2024,  shows  that 
Bulgaria  remains  among  the  "modest  innovators,"  with  an  innovation  index  of  50.6  and 
indicators  that  hardly  mark  a  positive  development  compared  to  the  base  year  2017. 
Bulgaria  fails  to  meet  the  national  targets  of  moving  to  the  higher  category  of  "moderate 
innovators" and achieving a level of R&D expenditure of 1.5% of the GDP. In comparison, 
the average EU target is 3%, and the level the country registered at the end of 2023 was 
0.75%. 

Bulgaria's  priorities  in  the  field  of  R&D,  innovation  and  higher  education  during  the  third 
seven-year period  of  the  country's  full  membership  in  the  EU are presented in  a series  of 
documents.  The  aim  of  the  National  Strategy  for  the  Development  of  Scientific  Research 
2030 is to build up Bulgaria into an attractive centre for cutting-edge scientific research, by 
developing  new  technologies,  attracting  and  retaining  young  talents,  strengthening  the 
responsibility  of  Bulgarian  science  towards  society,  enhancing  the  country's  international 
authority in the field of science, and ultimately, achieving economic growth and a significant 
improvement of the quality of life in the country. 

The  Innovation  Strategy  for  Smart  Specialisation  2021-2027  (IS3)  aims  to  develop 
sustainable  competitiveness  so  that  Bulgaria  becomes  innovative,  intelligent,  green, 
connected  and  digitally  integrated  country  in  line  with  the  European  goals  for  developing 
green digital and competitive economy, as well as in line with the UN Development Goals. 
The  Strategy  is  developed  in  accordance  with  strategic  national  documents.  According  to 
the Strategy, the thematic specialisation covers the following areas:  

• 

"Industry for healthy living, bioeconomy and biotechnology"; 

• 

"Mechatronics"; 

• 

"Informatics and ICT"; 

• 

"New technologies in creative and recreational industries". 

The thematic cluster ‘Clean technology, circular and low-carbon economy’ is considered as 
a horizontal thematic priority for smart specialisation across all 28 districts in the country. 

In May 2024, a new Act on Promotion of Research and Innovation  has come into force with 
the  main  objectives  1)  to  develop  the  necessary  conditions  for  the  promotion  and 

12 

 
development of R&I activities for the generation of new knowledge, scientific results and the 
creation of innovations for the benefit of society; 2) to achieve effective interaction between 
the different stakeholders in the area of R&I; 3) to contribute to the increase of the efficiency 
and  competitiveness  of  the  country's  economy;  4)  to  ensure  an  encouraging  environment 
for access to research infrastructure and its efficient use; 5) to ensure the use of scientific 
information in the learning process; 6) to provide conditions for sustainable funding; and 7) 
to  increase  public  interest  in  science,  innovation  and  the  dissemination  of  scientific 
knowledge, and stimulate entrepreneurial culture. 

In  order  to  optimize  the  national  scientific  and  innovation  system  and  overcome  the 
fragmentation  between  research  organizations  and  higher  education  institutions  in  the 
country,  the  Bulgarian  Ministry  of  Education  and  Science  addressed  a  letter  to  DG 
Research and Innovation, requesting the support of the PSF for an independent review of 
the  Research  and  Innovation  policy  in  Bulgaria.  The  letter  emphasized  on  the  limited 
academia-business linkages and the lack of a critical mass in human capital which continue 
to be a serious obstacle to the commercialisation of research results. 

In this regard, the aim of the Background report is to provide a comprehensive and detailed 
analysis of Bulgaria’s R&I system, focusing in particular on public research institutions, their 
needs and challenges and recent developments. 

The  report  consists  of  eight  main  chapters  and  nine  annexes  with  more  detailed 
information,  facts  and  figures  about  respected  topics.  First  chapter  provides  a  brief 
overview of macroeconomic factors and business environment, initiatives and mechanisms 
to  support  scientific  development  and  innovation  during  the  programme  period  2021  – 
2027,  innovation  performance  of  Bulgaria,  and  progress  in  the  implementation  of  the 
programmes for the distribution of European structural funding for the programming period 
2021-2027 in the field of science and innovation. 

Second  chapter  presents  an  overview  of  the  up-to-date  policy  and  legislative  framework, 
which  governs  and set  the  priorities for the higher education and research and innovation 
areas in Bulgaria. Several strategic documents have been adopted over the last five years 
in  Bulgaria,  which  guide  the  strategic  policymaking  and  policies  implementation  in  the 
higher education sector and in the area of research and innovation until 2030. Although the 
strategic documents setting the framework for these two areas cross-reference and overlap, 
they  are  conditionally  divided  into:  strategies  on  higher  education  development  and 
research,  and  strategies  on  research  and  innovation  overall.  Third  chapter  identifies  and 
briefly describes the main national and EU financial instruments used in the funding of the 
above outlined policy strategies for the development of higher education, and research and 
innovation policies. It also elaborates on the funding sources and allocation of such for the 
Bulgarian public research organisations and higher education institutions. 

The fourth chapter begins by outlining the key stakeholders and the governance framework 
of  research  and  innovation  and  higher  education  sectors  at  the  national  level.  It  then 
continues  with  a  brief  overview  of  the  research-performing  institutions,  starting  with public 
research  organisations  (i.e.,  the  Bulgarian  Academy  of  Sciences  and  the  Agricultural 
Academy),  followed  by  a  brief  overview  of  the  higher  education  institutions  in  the  country 
and  their  research  profiles.  The  fifth  chapter  presents  the  positioning  of  Bulgarian  higher 
education  institutions  within  the  international  and  European  educational  landscape.  The 
following parts analyse the publication and patent activity of nationally represented research 
organisations.  The  chapter  ends  with  an  analysis  of  the  national  economy's  innovation 
potential  based  on  a  series  of  indicators  related  to  financial  resources  and  human  capital 
dedicated to research and innovation growth. 

13 

 
The sixth chapter examines the development of research and innovation infrastructures in 
Bulgaria.  A  brief  description  of  the  regulatory  framework  that  regulates  the  interaction 
between  research  and  university  units,  on  the  one  hand,  and  business,  on  the  other,  has 
been  made.  A  key  document  in  this  area  is  the  National  Roadmap  for  Scientific 
Infrastructure, with the last update from 2021 and a time frame until 2027, which presents 
the scientific centres and initiatives to which state support is directed. The main aim of the 
section  is  to  find  the  intersections  between  different  public  organisations  (research  units 
and  higher  schools)  in  terms  of  the  scientific  areas  in  which  they  build  expertise  and  the 
joint  initiatives  in  which  they  participate.  The  next  seventh  chapter  outlines  the  key 
achievements  and  impacts  of  Bulgarian  participation  in  Horizon  Europe,  emphasizing  the 
enhancement  of  research  infrastructure,  increased  research  quality  and  output,  and 
strengthened  international  collaborations.  Furthermore,  the  chapter  explores  Bulgarian 
involvement  in  other  EU  and  international  research  initiatives,  such  as  the  European 
Research  Area  (ERA),  EUREKA,  and  COST  Actions.  It  highlights  the  benefits  of  these 
collaborations,  including  capacity  building,  knowledge  transfer,  and  the  development  of 
innovative  solutions  addressing  societal  challenges.  In  summary,  this  chapter  provides  a 
comprehensive  analysis  of 
through 
participation in EU Framework Programmes. It underscores the significant contributions and 
achievements of Bulgarian researchers and institutions, showcasing their role in advancing 
scientific research and innovation on both national and international levels. 

internationalization  of  Bulgarian  science 

the 

The  last  eighth  chapter  provides  a  detailed  summary  and  analysis  of  various  recent 
assessments,  monitoring,  and  evaluation  reports  concerning  the  Bulgarian  research  and 
innovation  (R&I)  system.  These  reports  encompass  a  wide  array  of  strategic  documents, 
external  evaluations,  and  policy  support  initiatives  aimed  at  reforming  and  enhancing  the 
R&I  landscape  in  Bulgaria.  The  primary  focus  is  on  identifying  key  challenges,  evaluating 
current policies and programs, and proposing actionable recommendations to improve the 
efficiency and effectiveness of the Bulgarian R&I ecosystem. The assessments draw upon 
data  and  findings  from  national  and  international  sources,  offering  a  comprehensive 
overview of the state of research, innovation, and entrepreneurship in Bulgaria. 

The main findings of this report are: 

1.  Bulgaria's  progress  in  research,  technology,  and  innovation  is  measured  by  its 
comparative positions within the European Innovation Scoreboard. However, the latest 
edition  of  the  scoreboard,  from  July  2024,  shows  that  Bulgaria  remains  among  the 
"modest innovators," with an innovation index of 50.6 and indicators that hardly mark a 
positive development compared to the base year 2017. 

2. 

In May 2024, a new Act on Promotion of Research and Innovation has come into force 
with  the  main  objective  to  achieve  effective  interaction  between  the  different 
stakeholders  in  the  area  of  R&I  and  to  develop  the  necessary  conditions  for  the 
promotion  and  development  of  R&I  activities  for  the  generation  of  new  knowledge, 
scientific results and the creation of innovations for the benefit of society. 

3.  According  to  the  revisions  presented  in  the  new  Law  on  Research  and  Innovation 
Promotion (adopted on 1 May 2024), significant modifications have been made to the 
R&I governance structure. Until the execution of all suggested reforms is completed, a 
transitional phase is expected for all stakeholders involved in governance. 

4. 

In 2023, 27 Bulgarian scientific research organisations met these criteria and found a 
place in the institutional ranking of Scopus. Their distribution by institutional sectors is 
as  follows:  state  sector  –  10  organisations,  one  of  which  is  constituent  (BAS)  and 

14 

 
includes  the  remaining  9  organisations  (BAS  institutes);  higher  education  –  16 
universities,  one  of  which  is  listed  as  a  constituent  (Medical  University-Sofia),  but 
without  including  another  organisation  from  the  group;  healthcare  –  1  organisation, 
included for the first time since 2023. 

5.  Four  higher  education  institutions  from  Bulgaria  meet  the  criteria  of  Times  Higher 
Education  for  2024.  In  the  first  interval  401-600+  is  Sofia  University.  Medical 
University-Sofia, for which this is the first participation in the ranking, is ranked in the 
second position for the country in the interval 800-1000. The other two laying down in 
the 1001 – 1 500 and 1 501+ are Trakia University and University of Economy Varna. 

Figure 1: Four Bulgarian Universities Meet 2024 Times Higher Education Criteria 

15 

 
 
6. 

In terms of scientific production included in the Scopus database, Bulgaria ranks 10th 
out of a total of 23 countries in Eastern Europe, followed by three EU member states – 
Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia. After some growth in 2018, Bulgaria maintained a stable 
share  of  about  0.7%  of  the  publication  activity  within  the  EU27,  which  allowed  the 
country to recover its positions from a quarter of a century ago. Bulgaria is in 21st place 
among 
the  other  member  countries,  ahead  of  Lithuania,  Cyprus,  Estonia, 
Luxembourg, Latvia and Malta. 

7.  Bulgaria ranks 24th within the EU27 with 45 patent applications to the EPO, ahead of 
Cyprus,  Croatia  and  Latvia.  Regarding  the  indicator  of  the  number  of  patent 
applications per 1 million people (6.6 patents), Bulgaria is ahead of only Romania (2.4 
patents). Patent applications to the Patent Office of the Republic of Bulgaria (PORB) in 
2022  by  Bulgarian  nationals  and  organizations  totalled  171.  This  is  a  40%  drop 
compared  to  2020.  Half  of  the  applications  come  from  the  business  sector  (86), 
followed  by  applications  from  individuals  (48).  Universities  and  public  research 
organisations come only third with 37 requests for invention protection. 

8. 

In  2022,  R&D  spending  in  Bulgaria  reached  BGN  1,266  million,  representing  an 
increase of nearly 18% compared to the previous year. Measured as a share of GDP, 
however,  R&D  spending  made  up  just  0.75%  -  a  decrease  of  0.02  pp.  annually,  a 
significant  retreat  from  the  "record"  year  2015.  The  share  of  R&D  spending  in  the 
higher education  sector's  GDP  is  also  unchanged—0.05  %, which  is  the  result  of  an 
increase of 14% on a one-year basis in the sum spent by higher schools for science 
and  technology  transfer. The  exception  is  the  public sector, where the  share of  R&D 
spending  in  GDP  drops  by  2  pp.  to  0.19%.  The  amount  spent  for  R&D  by  public 
research organisations is BGN 322 million, with a growth of nearly 11% on a one-year 
basis. 

9.  The  predominant  part  (40%)  of  R&D  expenditures  are  sourced  abroad  -  European 
structural  and  investment  funds,  European  framework  programmes,  but  also  foreign 
direct investments, international organizations and investors. After 2010, they became 
a major factor in promoting science, technological development and innovation in the 
country. 

10.  The personnel engaged in R&D in Bulgaria in 2022 numbered 37 thousand people (27 
thousand FTE), including a growth of 7% over the preceding year. Exactly half of the 
research workforce is in enterprises – the largest share after a continuous growth rate 
since  2013.  In  the  last  year  alone,  the  increase  in  R&D  personnel  in  the  business 
sector has been close to 15%. With almost equal positions are the public and higher 
education sectors, respectively 24% and 26%. In both groups of public organisations 
(with  minor  exceptions  for  higher  education  institutions),  the  number  of  employed 
researchers  has  been  relatively  stable,  which  over  time  has  affected  their  relative 
weight. 

11.  The update of the Roadmap for the scientific infrastructure of the Republic of Bulgaria 
for  the  period  2020-2027  was  successfully  completed  in  April  2021.  The  strategic 
document  involves  51  facilities.  This  is  the  third  updated  edition  of  the  Roadmap  for 
the  scientific  infrastructure  of  the  Republic  of  Bulgaria  and  covers  2020  -  2027.  In 
2019,  after  a  scientific  evaluation  of  the  projects  according  to  a  methodology 
developed based on the criteria of ESFRI - stable and efficient management, vision for 
sustainable  development,  access  rules,  and  infrastructure-specific  research,  etc.,  12 

16 

 
 
new  facilities  were  selected  that  received  the  highest  ratings  and  showed  high 
development potential. 

12.  Higher  education  institutions  have  the  most  diversified  portfolio  of  R&D  funding 
sources  -  46%  from  the  Public  sector  (including  through  the  National  Science 
Programmes,  the  Research  Fund  and  intra-university  budgets  for  scientific  activity, 
which  are  provided  by  the  state  budget),  34%  from  abroad  (primarily  project  funding 
from  participation  in  international  research  consortia)  and  12%  from  the  enterprise 
sector as a result of commissioned research. 

13.  The Public Sector remains almost completely closed in on itself. There, 84% of R&D 
expenses are provided by the state budget, 8% by business, and only 8% is external 
funding from participation in international and European projects. 

14.  As  of  mid-2024,  530  Bulgarian  organizations,  of  which  285  unique  participants,  are 
involved  in  349  successful  projects  financed  by  the  Horizon  Europe  Programme 
budget  with  a  total  of  201.3  million  euros  in  funding.  The  distribution  by  individual 
priorities of the Programme is as follows: Global Challenges and European Industrial 
Competitiveness  –  347;  Excellent  Science  –  87;  Innovative  Europe  –  51;  Widening 
Participation and Strengthening the European Research Area – 45. 

15.  Within the framework of the participation of higher education institutions and research 
organizations  in  the  Horizon  Europe  Program,  the  focus  is  on  the  following  types  of 
sciences:  social  sciences  –  79  projects;  natural  sciences  -  69  projects;  engineering 
and  technology-  37  projects;  agricultural  sciences  -  25  projects;  medical  and  health 
sciences - 13 projects; humanities- 7 projects. 

16.  The  National  Science  Fund  remains  the  main  national  instrument  for  financing 
fundamental  research.  For  2022,  the  BAS  institutes  have  equal  positions  in  the 
competition  sessions  for  fundamental  research  (a  total  of  52  projects  with  received 
funding of 11.40 million BGN) with the higher schools (which received nearly 11 million 
BGN for 44 projects). The Fund also financed 7 projects of AA institutes with BGN 1.5 
million  and  3  projects  of  other  scientific  organizations  in  the  amount  of  BGN  710 
million. 

17.  According  to  the  Annual  Activity  Report  of  the  Science  Fund  for  2022,  the  main 
challenges  to  its  work  are  related  to  the  insufficient  budget  for  the  development  of 
fundamental  research  with  which  the  fund  operates,  as  well  as  the  bureaucratic 
procedures related to its utilization; lack of administrative capacity (insufficient number 
of  employees  and  low  level  of  digitization  of  procedures),  insufficient  number  of 
assessors. 

17 

 
 
 
1.  Introduction 

This document provides background information on the Bulgarian research and innovation 
system  in  the  context  of  the  Horizon  Policy  Support  Facility  (PSF)  within  the  “Support  to 
Bulgaria  on  its  policy  to  address  the  fragmentation  of  its  public  research  system”  project. 
The  project  aims  to  provide  an  analytical  background  for  designing  and  implementing 
structural  reforms  in  the  national  Bulgarian  research  and  innovation  system.  In  particular, 
the  PSF  review  focuses  on  assessing  the  Bulgarian  scientific  ecosystem  to  identify  the 
policy  levers  to  be  used  and  concrete  recommendations  (policy  and  implementation 
schemes) to consolidate resources in this ecosystem. 

This work was conducted at the request of the Ministry of Education and Science (MES) to 
DG  Research  and  Innovation  under  the  Horizon  Policy  Support  Facility.  The  Ministry 
outlined several key areas to be reviewed and evaluated as part of the PSF Country review: 

1.  Concrete  recommendations  on  consolidating  actors  in  the  research  and  innovation  (R&I) 
ecosystem,  including  a suggested approach  for  them  to  adapt  their  forms  of  governance. 
These  forms  of  governance  should  consider  the  strengths  of  the  higher  education 
institutions  (HEI)  and  research  organisations,  as  well  as  their  various  components  and 
shared  resources  (such  as  faculties  or  their  equivalents,  which  are  located  on  different 
campuses). 

2.  Regulatory and financial measures to encourage HEIs and research organisations working 
in  analogue  research  areas  to  merge  into  larger,  universal  and  decentralised  institutions. 

3.  The suggested approach is to  consolidate different institutes of the Bulgarian Academy of 
Sciences,  allowing  the  academy  to  maximise  its  research  output  and  impact  on  the 
economy and society. 

The  report  consists  of  eight  chapters  that  present  different  aspects  of  the  scientific  and 
innovation ecosystem in Bulgaria. The first chapter gives a concise picture of the innovation 
potential  in  the  country compared  to  other  European  Union  (EU)  member states,  together 
with  the  changes  in  the  strategic  and  legislative  framework  in  recent  years.  The  latter  is 
presented  in  detail  in  the  following  three  chapters:  chapter  2  is  devoted  to  policy  and 
legislative  initiatives  to support science  and  innovation; chapter 3  presents  the  portfolio  of 
financial  instruments  mobilised  to  achieve  the  objectives  and  priorities  of  these  policies; 
chapter  4  is  devoted  to  the  role  and  functions  of  the  leading  players  within  the  national 
innovation  system.  The  research  and  innovation  activity  in  the  country  is  analysed  in 
chapter 5. The following two sections are dedicated to interaction, technology transfer and 
the application of scientific results: chapter 6 presents the main objects of the scientific and 
innovation  infrastructure  in  the  country,  together  with  an  analysis  of  the  science-business 
relationship; chapter 7 presents the participation of Bulgarian research organisations in the 
framework  programs  of  the  EU  and  other  initiatives  to  fulfil  the  goals  of  the  European 
research area. The last 8th chapter summarises the findings and conclusions of evaluations 
and analyses of the national innovation system in recent years. 

18 

 
 
 
 
 
2.  Bulgarian R&I system: a brief overview 

  Macroeconomic factors and business environment 

Bulgaria  has  undergone  a  significant  transformation  in  the  last  three  decades.  It  moved 
from  a  highly  centralised,  planned  economy  to  an  open,  market  economy  and  full 
membership of the European Union. 

The  accession  of  Bulgaria  to  the  EU  in  2007  created  prerequisites  for  increasing  the 
standard of living. By 2022, convergence has reached 62% of the average Gross Domestic 
Product  (GDP)  per  capita  in  the  EU  in  terms  of  purchasing  power  parity,  with  Bulgaria 
remaining one of the lowest-income EU member states. After a series of external crises  – 
the  global  financial  crisis,  the  European  debt  crisis,  the  COVID-19  pandemic  and  the 
Russian  invasion  of  Ukraine  –  foreign  investment  inflows  have  declined,  and  reform 
progress has slowed. 

In 2023, Bulgaria's GDP grew in real terms by 1.8%, with household consumption making 
the  main  contribution  to  growth.  Economic  growth  was  lower  than  in  2022  due  to  an 
adverse  change  in  inventories  and  weaker  growth  in  fixed  capital  investment  due  to  a 
decline in private investment, while public investment saw significant growth. The reduction 
in inventories and exports led to a sharp decline in imports, resulting in positive net exports 
for the year. 

Factors  that  contributed  to  higher  growth  in  household  consumption  were  improved 
consumer  confidence,  increased  employment,  steady  growth  in  consumer  credit  and 
income.  Real  growth  in  household  disposable  income  accelerated  to  5.1%  as  inflationary 
pressures eased. Employee compensation continued to grow at a steady rate of 14.9% and 
was a significant contributor to disposable income growth. 

The  contribution  of  public  consumption  to  GDP  growth  during  the  year  was  negative. 
Government  consumption  expenditure  rose  by  8.7%  in  nominal  terms  and  fell  by  0.4%  in 
real terms, contributing -0.1 pp to economic growth, as compared to 1 pp in 2022. The most 
significant contributor to growth was social transfers provided by market producers, mainly 
covering health care costs, followed by workers' compensation. A decline was recorded in 
intermediate consumption, the central part of which is subsistence. 

Growth  in  fixed  capital  investment  slowed  to  3.3%  and  was  driven  entirely  by  public 
investment. By type of assets, investments in machinery and equipment contributed to the 
growth of GDP, while a decline was reported in those in construction. 

The  labour  market  in  Bulgaria  developed  positively  and  registered  a  relatively  high 
employment growth of 1% in 2023. At the same time, the high demand for labour makes it 
increasingly  challenging  to  meet  the  matching  supply  in  terms  of  qualifications  and 
education, and the labour market can increasingly be characterised as tight. The number of 
unemployed  people  in  the  country  stopped  the  long-term  downward  trend  observed  in 
2013, and the average annual unemployment rate saw a minimal increase in 2023. 

Economic inactivity and low levels of education are essential factors in poverty and income 
inequality.  Non-participation  in  the  labour  market  is  extremely  high  among  young  people, 
low-educated  people,  people  with  disabilities  and  Roma,  as  well  as  in  poorer  and  rural 
areas. 

19 

 
Labour  and  skills  shortages  are  becoming  increasingly  apparent.  According  to  the  2021 
census, the working-age population in Bulgaria shrank by 19.1% between 2011 and 2021. 
Population  aging  and  net  migration  contributed  roughly  equally  to  the  decline  in  the 
working-age population. 

The  Bulgarian  National  Bank  (BNB)  has  operated  a  currency  board  arrangement  since 
1999. The Bulgarian lev is pegged to the euro at BGN 1.96 per EUR, and the peg should 
remain in place until Bulgaria enters the Eurozone. As a result, the BNB's primary mandate 
is to ensure full convertibility between the lev and the euro at a fixed rate of BGN 1.96 per 
EUR. 

Bulgaria remains the most carbon-intensive economy in the EU. Greenhouse gas intensity 
is more than four times higher than the EU average. The share of fossil fuels in Bulgaria's 
energy  mix  is  63%  in  2021,  with  nuclear  power  accounting  for  22%  and  renewables  15% 
(lower than the EU renewable energy average of 19%). However, the country managed to 
reduce  gas  demand  by  23.9%  between  August  2022  and  January  2023,  above  the  EU 
average. 

As  far as  trade  in  goods  is concerned,  Bulgaria is  relatively  well integrated  into  the single 
market. Germany, Italy and Romania are the main export partners within the EU. Bulgaria's 
exports  of  goods  decreased  in  line  with  the  drop in  foreign  demand.  In  2020,  the  trade  of 
Bulgarian goods and services with the EU countries reached about 61.9% of the total trade 
of Bulgaria, after which it fell to a share of 57.9 in 2022. A deterioration in the indicator was 
reported  in  all  groups  of  countries  in  Europe.  The  contribution  of  the  EU  countries  was 
negative, with a more significant role of the old member states. The decline in demand was 
more  pronounced  in  Germany  and  Italy,  where  a  greater  decrease  in  imports  was  also 
reported. Among the countries that joined the EU after 2004, the main negative contributor 
to  external  demand  was  Romania.  The  mentioned  countries  have  the  largest  share  in 
Bulgaria's  exports  to  the  Community  and  were  leaders  in  the  years  of  upward  trade 
dynamics. Accordingly, with the deterioration of economic activity, they largely determined 
the decline of Bulgaria's exports to the EU. Countries from the Balkan Peninsula maintained 
a positive albeit smaller contribution compared to 2022. Demand was mostly from Turkey. 
The indicator for the rest of the countries was slightly positive – an increase in demand from 
China (also reflected in double-digit nominal export growth), a neutral contribution from the 
USA  and  Russia  (and  almost  unchanged  nominal  exports).  Only  18%  (13%)  of  Bulgaria's 
total  exports  (imports)  to  the  EU  are  in  the  services  sector  (mainly  travel  and  transport 
services),  and  the  trade  integration  of  services  has  a  share  of  6%  compared  to  the  EU 
average of 14.5%. 

Bulgaria  faces  significant  disparities  both  between  and  within  its  regions.  Even  though 
some of the least developed regions, such as the North West and North Central, registered 
high  growth  rates  in  2011-2020,  economic  activity  remains  highly  concentrated  in  the 
metropolitan  region,  which  generates  51%  of  the  national  GDP.  Economic  disparities 
between urban and rural areas are among the largest. 

Employment and productivity at the regional level contribute to strong regional differences. 
In 2021, the unemployment rate was only 3.5% in the metropolitan region and 11% in the 
least developed region (North West). Nominal labour productivity per hour worked reaches 
only  53.4%  of  the  EU  level  in  2021  (purchasing  power  standards).  Although  significant 
regional disparities remain, less developed regions are catching up with higher productivity 
growth. 

20 

 
  Initiatives  and  mechanisms  to  support  scientific  development  and 

innovation during the programme period 2021 - 2027 

After  14  years  of  full  membership  in  the  EU,  during  the  programme  period  2021  -  2027, 
Bulgaria  demonstrates  enviable  positions  in  terms  of  indicators  of  innovation  potential, 
digitisation  of  business  models  and  the  spread  of  green  technologies  compared  to  the 
average  levels  of  the  EU  and  the  achievements  of  the  other  countries  of  Central  and 
Eastern  Europe.  Along  with  this,  a  number  of  challenges  of  the  business  environment 
remain  unresolved,  and  Bulgaria  is  defined  as  a  country  poor  in  financial  and  human 
capital1. 

The 2021-2027 programming period provides an opportunity to improve the management of 
policies and programmes in support of innovation, digitalisation and green technologies. In 
view  of  the  expected  investments  by  the  end  of  the  seven-year  period  (Table  1),  it  is 
important  to  implement  reforms  to  ensure  that  significant  funding  will  lead  to  beneficial 
results.  In  order  for Bulgaria  to  take  full  advantage  of  the  benefits  of  European  funding,  a 
critical factor will be the building and updating of the professional, analytical and technical 
capacity  of  all  interested  parties  -  national  institutions  and  local  authorities,  research 
organisations  and  universities,  entrepreneurs  and  business,  research  and  innovation 
infrastructure. 

Initiatives and tools 

Estimated budget 

Strategic 
framework 

Source 

Recovery and Resilience 
Facility, part of the Next 
Generation EU element 
(2021 - 2024) of the 
European Recovery Plan 

EUR 6.217 billion in 
grants and EUR 4.549 
billion in loans 

2021-2026 

National Recovery and 
Resilience Plan 

Cohesion and Common 
Agricultural Policy 

EUR 9 billion in total 
for all programmes 

2021-2027 

656 million euros 

REACT-EU 

(MFF 2021 - 2027, 

2021-2022 

SPEC 2021 - 2024) 

Research, Innovation and 
Digitization Programme for 
Smart Transformation 

Programme for Innovation 
and Competitiveness in 
Enterprises 

Other programmes 

Decision No. 573 of 2020 
Approving an indicative 
financial allocation under 
operational programs 2014-
2020 of EU funds to support 
overcoming the 
consequences of the crisis 
caused by the COVID-19 

1 Stefanov , R., P. Boekholt , D. Pontikakis . POINT Review of Industrial Transition of Bulgaria , EUR 30643 

EN, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 2021, ISBN 978-92-76-32322-8, 
doi:10.2760/241737, JRC 123901. 

21 

 
 
Initiatives and tools 

Estimated budget 

Strategic 
framework 

Source 

Just Transition Fund, the 
first pillar of the Just 
Transition Facility 

1, 178 billion euros 

(MFF 2021 - 2027, 

2021-2027 

Three Seas Initiative 

SPEC 2021 - 2024) 

> 1 billion euro total 
budget for all 
countries 

(as of July 2021) 

pandemic 

Territorial plans for a just 
transition (deadline for 
preparation in September 
2021) 

Three Seas Initiative 
Investment Fund 

National Science Fund 

Roughly EUR 20 
million per year 

Since 1990 

https://www.fni.bg/ 

National Innovation Fund 

EUR 2,5 million per 
year 

Since 2004 

BSMEPA 

National Science 
Programmes 

Roadmap for Research 
Infrastructure of the 
Republic of Bulgaria 

Since 2018 

MES 

Since 2010 

MES 

Table 1: Main financial instruments and initiatives for R&I 
Source: Centre for the Study of Democracy and Applied Research and Communications Fund, Promoting Constructive 
Capital in Bulgaria , Sofia: CSD, 2021 

The strategic and programme framework for the coming years sets new ambitious goals for 
the country in the field of research, technological development and practical application of 
scientific  results  in  the  form  of  innovative  products  and  business  models.  The  entire 
package  of  strategic  documents  of  Bulgaria  for  the  new  programme  period2  includes 
priorities and activities in the field of innovation and entrepreneurship, digitalisation 
and  the  green  transformation  of  the  economy.  It  is  planned  to  increase  public 
expenditure on research and development (R&D) to a level above 1% of GDP, create new 

2 National Plan for Recovery and Sustainability of the Republic of Bulgaria ; National Development 

Programme BULGARIA 2030; National Reform Programme; National Strategy for SMEs in Bulgaria 2021 – 
2027 ; Innovation Strategy for Smart Specialization 2021 - 2027 (The version sent to the EC by the Ministry 
of Interior is not publicly available); Research, Innovation and Digitization Programme for Smart 
Transformation 2021 - 2027 ; Programme "Competitiveness and Innovation in Enterprises" 2021-2027; 
Digital transformation 2020 - 2030; Industry 4.0. 

22 

 
 
 
 
 
units of the research and innovation infrastructure, and intensify the transfer of knowledge 
and technology to business. 

On  this  basis,  the  ambition  is  to  increase  the  innovation  performance  of  the  country  to  a 
level  above  65%  compared  to  the  EU  average  so  that  the  transition  of  Bulgaria  from  a 
"modest"  to  a  "moderate"  innovator  by  2030  becomes  possible.  Efforts  in  this  direction 
should  be  in  line  with  the  fact  that  according  to  the  European  Innovation  Scoreboard  for 
2024, moderate innovators should cover between 77% and 110% of the EU average levels 
on indicators of progress in innovation activity. Bulgaria needs an ambitious political vision 
for a smart, integrated innovation system and policy to achieve these values. 

At  the  end  of  2020,  the  Bulgarian  government  made  a  request  to  prioritise  research  and 
innovation and interaction within the national innovation system, initiating the creation of a 
new  executive  body  in  the  person  of  the  State  Agency  for  Research  and  Innovation 
(SARI).  The  agency  is  directly  subordinated  to  the  Council  of  Ministers,  and  is  thus 
expected to concentrate resources for the implementation of the national policy in the field 
of science, technology and innovation and to coordinate the role of individual ministries and 
agencies  in  this  direction.  In  response  to  these  expectations,  the  agency  undertook  the 
commitment  to  the  implementation  and  monitoring  of  the  Innovation  Strategy  for  Smart 
Specialization, the implementation of the functions of an operational unit of the Council for 
Smart  Growth  and  the  role  of  managing  body  of  the  new  Research,  Innovation  and 
Digitalization  Programme  for  Economic  Transformation  (RIDPET)  with  a  primary  focus  on 
the interaction between science and business. Two years later, the Agency was closed, and 
the baton was taken over by the newly created Ministry of Innovation and Growth. It has 
become  a  hub  that  concentrates  the  management  of  strategic  documents,  financial 
mechanisms  and  administrative  structures  responsible  for the  development  of  innovations 
and  the  implementation  of  scientific  results  in  practice  on  the  basis  of  wide  interaction 
between the participants of the national innovation ecosystem. 

An additional step towards the integration of policies for the development of research and 
innovation  is  the  creation  of  the  Act  on  Promotion  of  Research  and  Innovation.  In  the 
reasons  for  its  launch,  it  is  written  that  it  builds  on  the  previous  Promotion  of  Scientific 
Research  Act  of  2003,  expanding  its  scope  and  parameters  with  the  priorities  of  the  new 
common  policy  and  according  to  the  changes  and  dynamics  at  the  European  level: 
development  of  open  science,  promotion  of  the  commercialisation  of  scientific  products, 
acceleration  of  private  investment  attraction  to  the  public  research  sector.  In  this  aspect, 
reform  efforts  are  explicitly  aimed  at  promoting  and  facilitating  the  processes  of  planning, 
starting  and  developing 
the 
commercialisation of research and innovation in general. 

innovative  companies  and 

removing  obstacles 

to 

An  important  step  in  the  direction  of  improving  Bulgaria's  European  and  international 
positions in scientific and innovation activity is the country's status as a "participant" in the 
Scientific  and  Technological  Policy  Committee  of  the  Organization  for  Economic  Co-
operation and Development (OECD) and its working bodies from July 22, 2021. This is part 
of  the  process  of  Bulgaria's  accession  as  a  full  member  of  the  OECD  and  a  stage  in  the 
implementation of the Roadmap for the accession of the Republic of Bulgaria to the OECD 
in 2021-2023. 

The Innovation Strategy for Smart Specialization 2014-2020 focuses efforts on multiple 
European  and  national  financial  instruments  to  achieve  the  strategic  goal  of  moving 
Bulgaria  from  the  group  of  "timid  innovators"  to  the  group  of  "moderate  innovators"  as  a 
prerequisite  for  addressing  societal  challenges  in  the  field  of  demography  (reducing  the 
brain  drain,  attracting  successful  Bulgarians,  stimulating  youth  entrepreneurship), 
sustainable development, intellectual capital and the health of the nation. 

23 

 
One of the main sources of financial support for enterprises, aimed at fulfilling the goals of 
ISSS,  is  the  Programme  "Competitiveness  and  Innovation  in  Enterprises".  The 
programme aims to reduce the impact on the environment, increase energy efficiency and 
address the consequences of climate change, 

The  particular  focus  of  the  Programme  is  placed  on  newly  created  and  fast-growing 
enterprises, access to financing, access to markets, digitalisation and innovation, tailored to 
the  sectoral  and  regional  specifics.  The  aim is  to  respond  to  the challenges  highlighted  in 
the EC Report 2020 for Bulgaria within the framework of the European Semester. The main 
ones  among  them  are  related  to  insufficient  investments  in  green  technologies  and 
sustainable  solutions,  including  in  the  field  of  transport,  energy  and  environmental 
infrastructure,  digitalisation  and  R&D;  the  lack  of  a  comprehensive  circular  economy 
programme,  although  the  circular  use  of  raw  materials  in  Bulgaria  is  among  the  least 
developed  in  the  EU  and  there  are  a  number  of  challenges  in  the  field  of  waste 
management. 

At the beginning of the 2021-2027 programming period, a new Research, Innovation and 
Digitalization  Programme  for  Economic  Transformation3  was 
launched  as  an 
independent instrument for financing technology transfer and interaction within the national 
innovation  system,  including  the  research  and  innovation  infrastructures  created  for  the 
purpose.  All  cross-border  activities  in  the  implementation  of  applied  science,  protection  of 
IP  objects,  technology  transfer,  joint  implementation  of  research  and  innovation  projects 
and others related to the promotion of interaction between science and business will be in 
the portfolio of the new program. 

2.1. 

Innovation performance of Bulgaria 

Bulgaria's progress in research, technology, and innovation is measured by its comparative 
positions within the European Innovation Scoreboard according to the National Strategy for 
Research Development in the Republic of Bulgaria 2017-2030 and the Innovation Strategy 
for Smart Specialization of Bulgaria 2014-2020 (Table 2). 

2022 

2025 

2027 

2030 

National strategy for the development of research in 
the Republic of Bulgaria 2017 - 2030 

2.4 

3.0 

3.3 

Innovation strategy for smart specialisation 

1.5 

Table 2: R&D expenditure as a share of GDP, estimated values,% 
Source: NSRDRB 2017-2030; ISSS 2021-2027 

The  latest  edition  of  the  scoreboard,  from  July  2024,  shows  that  Bulgaria  remains  among 
the "modest innovators," with an innovation index of 50.6 and indicators that hardly mark a 
positive development compared to the base year 2017 (Figure 2). 

3 Decision of the Council of Ministers No. 495 of July 21, 2020 amending and supplementing Decision No. 
196 of 2019 for approval of the Socio-Economic Development of Bulgaria Analysis for the period 2007 - 2017 
which determines the national priorities for the period 2021 - 2027, of the List of policy objectives to be 
supported in the 2021 -2027 programming period and the List of programmes and lead agencies for the 
development. 

24 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Bulgaria  fails  to  meet  the  national  targets  of  moving  to  the  higher  category  of  "moderate 
innovators" and achieving a level of R&D expenditure of 1.5% of the GDP. In comparison, 
the average EU target is 3%, and the level the country registered at the end of 2023 was 
0.75%. 

Figure 2: European Innovation Scoreboard 2024* 
Source: EIS 2024 

*    Bulgaria's  progress  in  research,  technology,  and  innovation  is  measured  by  its  comparative  positions  The  coloured 
columns  show  the  state  of  the  Member  States  in  2024  based  on  the  latest  data  for  the  32nd  indicator  of  the  European 
Innovation  Scoreboard  compared  to  the  EU  average  in  2017.  The  positions  in  black  on  them  correspond  to  the  same 
indicator  but  for  the  previous  2023,  compared  to  the  EU  average  in  2017.  The  grey  columns  show  the  position  of  the 
Member States in 2017 compared to the EU average in 2017. The dashed lines show the threshold values of 77%, 110% 
and 137.5% between the groups of countries for 2024, adjusted as per the 2017 growth. 

The  country's  comparative  advantages  (Figure  2)  are  in  low-tech  intellectual  property  – 
trademark  and  industrial  design  applications.  For  patent  applications,  which  cover  the 
requirements  for  invention  and  world  novelty  and  result  from  intensive  research  and 
development, Bulgaria registers 38.3% of the EU average. Thanks to the highly developing 
ICT sector, Bulgaria is more noticeably approaching the average European levels in terms 
of  the  number  of  specialists  in  the  field  of  ICT  (85.2%)  and  the  export  of  high-tech  and 
innovative products and services (75%). 

25 

 
 
 
 
Figure 3: Innovation potential of Bulgaria, share of EU-27 average levels, %, 2024 
Source: EIS 2024  

26 

 
 
 
Compared to 2017, chosen as the base year in the latest report of the European Innovation 
Scoreboard, Bulgaria registered the most significant improvement in the following areas: 

•  employment  in  innovative  enterprises  (growth  of  37.4%  compared  to  2017  and 

improvements on an annual basis of nearly 17%); 

• 

foreign doctoral students as a share of all doctoral students in the country with a growth 
of 33.4%; 

•  broadband Internet access with an improvement of 29.7%; 

The main negative trends are in the following areas: 

•  human resources – decrease in the number of doctoral students by 11.6% compared to 
2017;  virtually  zero  levels  of  the  lifelong  learning  indicator  of  1.4%  of  the  population, 
accompanied by a decline of 0.2% on an annual basis and over the entire study period; 

• 

financial  resources  –  decrease  in  public  R&D  expenditure  by  1.6%  compared  to  2017 
and 3.3% compared to 2023; a decrease of direct and indirect state support for R&D in 
enterprises by 3.9% compared to 2017 and 1.3% compared to 2023; a significant drop 
in business R&D spending by 13.5% compared to 2017; 

•  digitalisation – the improvement of broadband internet coverage cannot compensate for 
the  low  level  of  the  number  of  enterprises  providing  ICT  training  to  their  employees 
(below 24% of the EU average); there is no progress on the indicator of the number of 
population  with  digital  skills  above  the  baseline  (only  16%  of  the  EU  average  and  a 
decrease  of  0.4%  on  an  annual  basis  and  for  the  period  studied)  -  indicators  that  are 
crucial for the success of the digital transformation of the economy and the improvement 
of the business environment and about which Bulgaria is at one of the lowest levels in 
the EU; 

•  sustainable development and impact on the environment—there has been little progress 
and a significant decline in the indicators in this category, which leads to an even more 
unfavourable positioning of the country in these indicators in Europe. 

Overall, the country registered a positive change of 1.9% compared to 2023, which is below 
the EU average of 10%, and thus, the lag is increasing. 

The  Regional  Innovation  Scoreboard  offers  an  even  more  detailed  view  of  EU  member 
states'  performance  in  research  and  innovation.  The  data  from  the  latest  survey  for  2023 
indicate that in Bulgaria, there is an increasing distance between the statistical regions. 

Like the national economy, all Bulgarian regions represent the last group of emerging 
innovators.  The  only  indication  that  the  Southwest  Planning  Region  (SWPR)  is  doing 
relatively  better  than  the  national  average  is  the  positive  sign  (+)  added  to  the  category. 
There is no change in the categorisation (negative sign (-)) of the North-West (NWPR) and 
South-East  (SEPR)  planning  regions,  which  register  an  innovation  index  that  is  at  a  level 
below 36% of the EU average (Table 3). 

The  innovation  profiles  of  the  country's  six  regions  are  extremely  specific  regarding 
comparative  advantages  and  disadvantages.  Apart  from  applications  for  industrial  design 
and  trademarks,  Bulgaria  has  national  comparative  advantages  compared  to  average 

27 

 
European  levels.  Still,  the  country's  planning  regions  do  not  demonstrate  excellence  in 
the investigated indicators. 

NUTS II  Area 

RII 

Position 

Group 

Change* 

BG31 

NWPR 

27.2 

235 

Emerging Innovator (-) 

-3.7 

BG32 

NCPR 

38.8 

227 

Emerging innovator 

BG33 

NEPR 

36.2 

229 

Emerging innovator 

BG34 

SEPR 

33.6 

233 

Emerging Innovator (-) 

4.9 

0.9 

6.9 

BG41 

SWPR 

61.6 

195 

Emerging Innovator (+) 

8.3 

BG42 

SCPR 

40.1 

226 

Emerging innovator 

4.8 

*The change indicator reflects the performance of the regions in 2023 compared to the European average in 2016. 

Table 3:  Positioning of Bulgaria's planning regions within the framework of the Regional Innovation Panel 
Source: Regional Innovation Scoreboard, 2023 

The similarity in terms of regional advantages can be sought in the following directions 
(Figure 4): 

•  population with higher education in the South West and North Central regions; 

•  Lifelong Learning in North Central and South West regions; 

•  publications with the most significant number of citations in the South Central and North 

Central regions; 

•  digital skills in the South West, South Central and North East regions; 

•  costs for innovation activity per employee in the South West and North East regions; 

•  patent applications in the South West and South Central regions; 

•  employment in innovative enterprises in the South West and North Central regions; 

•  sale  of  new-to-the-market  and  new-to-the-company  products  in  the  South  East,  South 

Central and South West regions 

Along with the South West region, which leads the country in almost all other indicators, 
the  North  East  region  demonstrates  better  than  the  national  and  EU  average 
performance in innovation expenditures outside of R&D expenditures. 

28 

 
 
The  North  West  Planning  Region  is  the  only  country  that  fails  to  exceed  the  national 
average  levels  in  any  of  the  indicators  for  regional  innovation  potential.  It  is  also  the  only 
region  in  the  country  that  registers  a  decrease  compared  to  the  base  year  2016.  The 
growth registered by the North East region is minimal - less than 1%. The most pronounced 
positive change is present in the South West region (8.3%), which, however, does not 
exceed the average dynamics in the EU (8.5%). 

Figure 4: Regional innovation profiles 
Source: Regional Innovation Scoreboard, 2023. 

29 

North West Planning Region North Central Planning Region   North East Planning Region South East Planning Region   South West Planning Region South Central Planning Region    Compared to the average for Bulgaria  Compared to the EU average   
 
 
 
 
  Progress 

in  the 

the 
distribution  of  European  structural  funding  for  the  programming 
period 2021-2027 in the field of science and innovation 

implementation  of 

the  programmes 

for 

According to data from the Ministry of Finance, by the end of the first half of 2024, contracts 
in the amount of BGN 5.335 billion were concluded under the programmes financed by the 
ERDF,  CF  and  ESF+.  Still,  the  funds  paid  out  amounted  to  BGN  1.194  billion.  Since  the 
programme  approval,  63  procedures  for  soliciting  project  proposals  with  a  total  budget  of 
BGN  5.914  billion  have  been  completed.  Currently,  43  procedures  with  a  total  funding 
amount of BGN 6.631 billion are open for applications, including investment projects under 
the  "Transport  Connectivity"  and  "Environment"  programmes,  as  well  as  technical 
assistance under the individual programmes. 

The budget of the Competitiveness and Innovations in Enterprises Programme (CIEP) 
is  BGN  2.93  billion.  Six  procedures  for  the  provision  of  non-grant  financial  assistance 
related  to  the  implementation  of  measures  for  the  internationalisation  of  Bulgarian  SMEs, 
development  and  implementation  of  innovations  in  enterprises,  support  for  family 
businesses, for enterprises from the creative industries and crafts, increasing the share of 
foreign  investments  in  Bulgaria  and  technical  assistance.  A  financial  agreement  in  the 
amount  of  BGN 1.262  billion  is  being  executed  between  the  Governing  Body  of  the  CIEP 
and  the  "Fund  Manager  of  Financial  Instruments  in  Bulgaria"  JSC  (FMFIB)  for  the 
assignment  of  the  financial  instruments  implementation  under  the  Programme.  The  total 
agreed  funds  under  the  Programme  so  far amount  to  BGN 1.362  billion,  and  the  paid-out 
amount  to  BGN  407.7  million.  The  Competitiveness  and  Innovations  in  Enterprises 
Programme  is  directly  aimed  at  achieving  intelligent  and  sustainable  growth  of  the 
Bulgarian  economy,  as  well  as  the  implementation  of  industrial  and  digital  transformation. 
The  programme  is  aimed  at  enterprises  focusing  on  small  and  medium-sized  enterprises. 
The  main  areas  of  support  are  R&D  and  innovation  in  enterprises,  digitalisation, 
entrepreneurship,  growth  and  competitiveness,  as  well  as  energy  efficiency  and  the 
transition to a circular economy. 

Funding  under  the  Research,  Innovation  and  Digitization  Programme  for  Intelligent 
Transformation amounts to BGN 2.13 billion. A financial agreement is being executed with 
"Fund Manager of Financial Instruments in Bulgaria" JSC for the management of a financial 
instrument "Technology Transfer Fund", which is worth BGN 117.4 million. 9 procedures for 
soliciting  projects  worth  BGN  226.8  million  have  been  completed.  3  procedures  for  BGN 
396  million  are  open  for  applications,  incl.  the  procedure  for  sustainable  development  of 
centres of excellence and competence centres with a budget of BGN 336 million. The total 
agreed  funds  under  the  Programme  amount  to  BGN  162.2  million,  including  national  co-
financing.  The  paid-out  funds  under  RIDPIT  amount  to  BGN  44.6  million.  The  program 
emphasises  the  sustainable  development  of  the  Bulgarian  research  and  innovation 
ecosystem,  the  development  of  technology  transfer, the improvement  of  science-business 
cooperation and the digital transformation of the public sector. 

The Education Programme operates with a budget of  BGN 1.88 billion. Three operations 
of  strategic  importance  are  implemented  under  the  programme  -  personal  development 
support  in  school  education,  modernisation  of  vocational  education  and  training  and 
personal  development  support  in  pre-school  education  with  a  total  budget  of  BGN  326.5 
million,  as  well  as  a  budget  line  for  technical  assistance  with  a  total  budget  of  BGN  82 
million  currently.  A  procedure  for  direct  provision  of  non-grant  financial  assistance  "From 
higher education  to  employment"  with  a  budget  of BGN 187  million  has  been  announced. 
The  Education  Program  implements  long-term  measures  to  reduce  the  share  of  early 

30 

 
school  leavers,  development  of  key  competencies  and  digital  transformation  of  school 
education, including vocational education and training.  

The  budget  of  the  Human  Resources  Development  programme  amounts  to  BGN  3.84 
billion. To date, the value of the programmed funds amounts to BGN 1,720,560,122, which 
is 44.71% of the programme budget. A total of 28 procedures have been announced for the 
soliciting  of  project  proposals  according  to  the  main  priorities  of  the  programme.  The 
programme supports the country's policies for sustainable employment, including activation 
of  the  labour  market  for  unemployed  and  inactive  persons  and  youth,  as  well  as  those 
subject to social inclusion and integration. 

3.  Strategic framework and legislation in the field of R&D 

The chapter presents an overview of the up-to-date policy and legislative framework, which 
governs and set the priorities for the higher education and research and innovation areas in 
Bulgaria.  As  reviewed  for  the  purpose  of  this  Policy  Support  Facility  action  –  the  need  to 
tackle  the  fragmentation  of  the  Bulgarian  higher education  and  research  environment  has 
been highlighted throughout the chapter where relevant. 

  National priorities and strategic framework in R&D and education 

Several strategic documents have been adopted over the last five years in Bulgaria, which 
guide the strategic policymaking and policies implementation in the higher education sector 
and  in  the  area  of  research  and  innovation  until  2030.  Although  the  strategic  documents 
setting  the  framework  for  these  two  areas  cross-reference  and  overlap,  they  could  be 
conditionally  divided  into:  strategies  on  higher  education  development  and  research, 
and strategies on research and innovation overall. 

3.1.1.  Strategic framework for the development of higher education 

In  this subsection  of  the  report, we  focus  on  the challenges  and  the  aims  identified in  the 
following strategic documents: Strategy for the development of higher education in the 
Republic of Bulgaria for the period 2021 - 2030, the National Map of Higher Education 
in  the  Republic  of  Bulgaria,  and  the  Strategic  Framework  for  the  Development  of 
Education, Training and Learning in the Republic of Bulgaria (2021-2030). A complete 
timeline  of  the  adopted  strategic  national  documents  and  policies  with  regard  to  R&I  and 
HEIs  in  Bulgaria  between  2010  and  2024,  which  provides  further  context  of  the  ongoing 
policy planning and reforms in both areas, is presented in Figure 5.  

31 

 
 
 
 
Figure 5: R&I Policy Timeline in Bulgaria 2010-2024 
Source: strategy.bg 

32 

 
 
 
The Strategy for the development of higher education in the Republic of Bulgaria for the period 2021 
- 2030, voted by the National Assembly on 8 January 2021, steps on the previous period Strategy 2014  – 
2020. Its main aim is modernising the higher education in  Bulgaria in the context of global, European and 
country-specific context. The implementation of the Strategy is foreseen to be financed by a mix of national 
and EU funding sources, among which the state budget, funds from the European structural and investment 
funds  (ESIF),  the  EU  programmes  "Erasmus+"  and  "Horizon  Europe",  as  well  as  through  donations, 
sponsorship and other sources. 

Types of Higher education institutions in Bulgaria 

Pertain to Article 17 of the HEA, HEIs in Bulgaria are defined as universities, specialised higher schools and 
independent colleges. The Act sets forth the following criteria for a HEI to be defined as a university:  

1)  provides training in a wide range of subjects in professional areas within at least three of the four major 

branches of science humanities, natural sciences, social sciences and technical sciences; 

2)  employs  full-time  faculty  required  to  conduct  no  less  than  half  of  all  lecturing  and  practical  sessions 
under the academic curriculum in each major, whereas the habilitated faculty members conduct no less 
than 70% of all lecturing courses in each major; 

3)  holds adequate facilities to ensure that practical training is also conducted in compliance with the state 

standard requirements;  

4)  offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctor’s degrees in the respective major branches of science; 

5)  has  ample  scientific  and  artistic  potential  and  through  its  activities  contributes  to  the  development  of 

major branches of science and culture; 

6)  provides  the  faculty, the  students  and  the doctoral candidates with  adequate conditions  for  printing of 

scientific works, textbooks, monographs, as well as for the realisation of creative activities; 

7)  owns a library and other means for information services to instruction and research; 

8)  maintains  international  contacts  both  in  the  provision  of  academic  instruction  and  in  its  creative 

activities; 

9)  has a university information centre for administrative services to students and doctoral candidates; 

10)  has  a  protection  of  the  intellectual  property  system  which  includes  a  procedure  and  structure  for 
achieving  the  scientific  research  results  and  other  subjects  of  intellectual  property  as  well  as  training 
regarding the protection of the intellectual property system. 

In  some  specific  cases,  higher  school  offering  academic  courses  in  one  or  two  main  fields  of  science  or 
culture that meets the requirements set forth in para.  2, items 2 - 10, may be defined as a university with its 
appellation signifying its specific nature. 

A  specialized  higher  school  carries  out  scientific  research  or  artistic  and  creative  activities  and  offers 
training  in  one  of  the  main  fields  of  science,  arts,  physical  culture,  and  military  affairs  and  meets  the 
requirements of para. 2, items 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10. Its name reflects the specific field in which it offers 
majors.  It  can  also  offer  instruction  for  the  educational  and  qualification  degree  of  “master”  and  the 
educational and academic degree of “doctor” 

An independent college shall provide instruction for the bachelor’s educational and qualification degree as per 
Art. 42 (1), item 1, letter “a”, and meets the requirements under para. 2, items 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9. The college 
shall have  full-time  faculty, holding no  less  than  half of  the  classroom  and practical classes  for  each  major. 
Full-time habilitated staff shall conduct at least 50 percent of the lecture courses in each major.  

A college may be established within the structure of a university or of a specialized higher school accredited 
for  the  professional  areas  or  majors  of  regulated  professions  for  which  instruction  shall  be  offered.  The 
college shall provide instruction for the bachelor’s educational and qualification degree under Art. 42 (1), item 
1, letter (a). 

Box 1: Types of Higher education institutions in Bulgaria\ 
Source: Higher Education Act. https://lex.bg/laws/ldoc/2133647361  

33 

 
Some  of  the  main  challenges  that  the  Strategy  outlines  in  the  global  context  are  the  accelerating  labour 
market dynamics, the increasing role of science and innovation for the development of competitive national 
and  regional  economy  and  its  role  in  addressing  societal  problems,  universal  trends  of  digitalisation, 
development complementary or alternative to classical higher education programmes, the aging population, 
the intensification of the global supply of educational services in higher education and the overall change in 
the role, goals and functions of higher education. With regard the country-specific challenges in the national 
higher education  system,  and  on  the  basis  of  the  implementation  and  evaluation  of  the  previous  Strategy 
period (2014 – 2020), the new Strategy outlines and targets the following issues.  

lagging  behind 

its  weak 
First,  Bulgaria’s 
internationalisation  is  highlighted:  none  of  the  Bulgarian  universities  is  present  in  the  global  rankings  of 
the  most  prestigious  500  universities  and  by  mid-2020  not  a  single  Bulgarian  higher  education  institution 
was included in a European university network4. 

in  European  higher  education  and 

trends 

The second main challenge presented in the Strategy - the quality and mass access to higher education 
in  the  context  of  demographic  crisis  -  is  closely  related  to  the  fragmentation  of  the  Bulgarian  higher 
education system. The influx of students in higher education along with the increase of the number of higher 
education  institutions  and  their  faculties,  as  well  as  of  new  professional  fields,  have  resulted  in  significant 
decline in the higher education quality. So far, this trend had been further incentivised by the link between 
university  financing  and  the  number  of  enrolled  students  in  the  universities.  At  the  same  time,  the 
demographic  crisis,  the  decrease  in  the  numbers  of  secondary  education  graduates,  and  the  increasing 
number of Bulgarian students enrolling in universities abroad has resulted in having more open positions for 
prospective students compared to applicants. The Strategy for the period 2014 - 2020 was aimed at tackling 
this  respective  challenge  by  amending  the  model  of  funding  towards  prioritising  the  quality  of  universities 
and not the number of enrolled students. According to the information provided in the current Strategy, the 
measures undertaken during the previous period have achieved positive results by reducing the number of 
open positions for prospective students and increasing the educational programmes’ quality. 

Third,  the  negative  societal  attitudes  towards  the  fragmentation  of  higher  education  in  Bulgaria  is 
outlined as yet another negative aspect. Nevertheless, the Strategy outlines that according to Eurostat data, 
the number of higher education institutions in Bulgaria per million residents (7.5) compared to the situation 
in other EU Member States is not an outlier. The number is at the higher end and could be compared to the 
number  of  higher  educational  institutions  in  Ireland  (7.1),  the  Netherlands  (7.5),  Portugal  (9.6),  Austria 
(10.6), Croatia (11.6), Estonia (13.6), and Slovenia (14.8)5.  

Other  challenges  include  the  slow-paced  digitalisation  of  the  higher  education  compared  to  the 
business needs and these of the new generations of students, resulting in inadequate digital competencies; 
lack  of  support  and  development  of  science  as  part  of  higher  education;  challenges  in  selection, 
development  and  motivation  of  higher  education  staff;  higher  education  institutions’  management 
challenges;  the  need  for  effective  and  objective  accreditation,  and  ineffective  inclusion  in  the 
development of economic centres in the country. 

For the period 2021-2030, the Strategy for the development of higher education identifies  10 main goals. 
Strategic  actions,  as  well  as  expected  results,  have  been  identified  for  the  purpose  of  achieving  each  of 
these. 

Strategy for the development of higher education 2021 – 2030 

Goal 1 

Development of a sustainable mechanism for the modernisation of existing and creating 
new curricula and programmes 

Goal 2 

Introduction of modern, flexible and efficient forms and methods of education 

Goal 3 

Improving the organisation and efficiency of education at HEIs 

4 National Assembly. (8 January 2021). Decision to adopt Strategy for the development of higher education in the Republic of 
Bulgaria for the period 2021 – 2030, p.21.  
5 Ibid, pp.25-26. 

34 

 
 
Strategy for the development of higher education 2021 – 2030 

Goal 4 

Internationalisation of higher education and inclusion of HEIs in international educational 
and scientific networks 

Goal 5 

Stimulating the participation of young professors 

Goal 6 

Activation of scientific activity in HEIs 

Goal 7 

Building an effective education-science-business connection 

Goal 8 

Increasing the role of HEIs as an active factor for regional development 

Goal 9 

Improvement of HEIs’ management and the system for assessment and accreditation 

Goal 10 

Improving the structure and efficiency of higher education 

Table 4: Main goals for the development of higher education until 20306 
Source: Strategy for the development of higher education in the Republic of Bulgaria for the period 2021 – 2030 

Along with the overarching priorities for development of the higher education in Bulgaria, an Ordinance by 
the Minister of Education in Bulgaria No. RD09-1399/01 July 2020 has approved HEIs specific policies 
for  their  development  for  the  period  2023  -  2027.  These  strategies,  on  the  basis  of  the  Law  on 
Administration  (Article  25,  para.  4)  and  the  Higher  Education  Act  (Article  10,  para.  2,  item  9),  include 
strategic goals, objectives, target values and indicators to measure their implementation, with specific steps 
tailored for each university. For the period between July 2020 and December 2023,  on the website of the 
Ministry of Education and Science, the strategies of 36 of the Bulgarian HEIs have been published.7 

The  main  goals  include  strategic  steps  towards  improving  each  of  the  following  six  categories  of 
education  (with  corresponding  different  weight  per  indicator),  in  line  with  the  10  goals  identified  in  the 
Strategy for the development of higher education 2021 - 2030:  

•  Actuality, conformity, and integrity of acquired knowledge and skills (corresponding weight - 3 points) 

• 

Improving  the  quality  of  the  training/  teaching  programmes  through  educational  forms,  methods  and 
technologies  tailored  to  the  specifics  of  the  current  generation  of  students  (corresponding  weight  -  3 
points) 

•  Connectedness and partnerships (corresponding weight - 3 points) 

•  Development of research activity (corresponding weight - 2 points) 

•  Attracting and retaining young professors (HEIs staff) (corresponding weight - 2 points) 

•  Public engagements with national significance (corresponding weight - 1 point) 

With  regard  to  the  Connectedness  and  partnerships  category,  some  of  the  more  specific  goals  to  be 
achieved partially address the negative results of fragmentation of higher education. Some of these include 
development of joint educational programmes between universities (e.g., the number of study programmes 
carried  out  with  other  national  educational  institutions  and  study  programmes  implemented  with  foreign 
educational institutions, through bilateral partnerships with other national universities in specific educational 

6 Ibid, p.39 
7 These are available at the MES official website  

35 

 
 
 
areas, and inter-university cooperation in the field of and academic partnerships with foreign universities), 
resource  sharing,  and  educational  mobility,  participation 
in  educational  clusters  and  consortia, 
internationalisation  of  higher  education  and  participation  in  international  educational  and  scientific 
networks.8 

Along  with  the  amendments  of  the  Higher  Education  Act  from  25  February  2020,  the  Council  of 
Ministers has adopted a National Map of Higher Education in the Republic of Bulgaria9. It is a strategic 
document developed and updated annually in accordance with the Higher Education Act and the Strategy 
for the Development of Higher Education in the Republic of Bulgaria for the period 2021-2030. It maps the 
profile  and  territorial  structure  of  higher  education  in  the  country  by  professional  areas  and  specialities  of 
regulated  professions.  The  latter  is  done  in  accordance  with  the  socio-economic  development  and  the 
needs of the labour market per planning region in the country. The first edition of the Map was adopted with 
a  Council  of  Ministers  Decision  No  538  dated  22  July  2021.  The  document  is  updated  annually  with  a 
decision of the Council of Ministers at the proposal of the Minister of the education and science. The update 
is  the  responsibility  of  the  Ministry  of  Education  and  Science.  The  current  version  (valid  until  the  end  of 
2024) is adopted by Decision No. 10 of the Council of Ministers dated 11 January 2024.  

According to the Higher Education Act (Articles 9 and 10), the Map is to ensure a balanced development of 
the higher education institutions based on the needs of the six planning regions and in line with the future 
labour market development needs and prognosis. Furthermore, the Map is to consider the resources of the 
higher  education  institutions,  such  as  available  staff,  prospective  students  and  the  potential  for  attracting 
foreign  students  and  Bulgarians  living  abroad.  It  is  stipulated  that  the  Map  is  to  be  adopted  after 
coordinating its content with the national trade unions and employers’ organisations.  

The main trends identified in the Map concern:  

• 

• 

• 

• 

the capacity of the accredited higher education institutions in Bulgaria is two times higher than the 
number of the actual number of students and not always in line with the needs by professional area and 
the specialities of regulated professions;  

the student quotas for state-funded education defined for a number of priority professional areas are 
not being filled in; 

the number of the higher education institutions by professional area are not always in line with the 
number of students;  

the  ratio  between  the  number  of  lecturers  on  employment  contract  and  the  number  of  students 
varies largely across the different professional areas;  

•  gender  disbalance  of  students  in  favour  of  women  overall  (58%  female  vs  42%  male  students); 

gender disbalance across specific majors; 

• 

increase in the number of foreign students but concentrated only in several professional areas;  

•  regional  disbalance  in  the  territorial  structure  of  the  higher  education  institutions,  professional  areas 

and students’ distribution; 

•  an expected decrease in the number of students over the next five years;  

•  a starting trend of consolidation in higher education; 

•  differences in the professional realisation in the labour market by professional area and specialities 

of regulated professions.10  

Concerning  the  fragmentation  of  higher  education,  the  2023  National  Map  of  Higher  Education  in  the 
Republic  of Bulgaria  notes  that  a  slow consolidation  process  has  started  over the  last  years: in  2023,  the 
number  of  accredited  higher  education  institutions  decreased  from  52  to  51;  as  well  as  the  number  of 
students  studying  at  the  five  and  ten  largest  higher education  institutions  in  the  country  have  significantly 

8 Ibid.  
9 Council of Ministers. (11 January 2024). National Map of Higher Education in the Republic of Bulgaria 2023.  
10 Ibid. 

36 

 
 
increased over the last five years - respectively, from 32.9% in 2014/2015 to 38.1% in 2022/2023, and from 
53.2% in 2014/2015 to 55.9% to 2022/2023.11 

The  correspondence  of  the  profile  and  territorial  structure  of  higher  education  according  to  professional 
areas with socio-economic development and the needs of the labour market are based on two indicators: 
1.)  the  correspondence  between  the  students’  interest  in  specific  professional  area  and  the  availability  of 
these  in  the  higher  education  institutions;  and  2.)  the  correspondence  between  the  profiles  of  the  higher 
education  graduates  and  the  labour  market  needs.  Hence,  with  regard  to  the  second  indicator, the  social 
partners and especially the businesses have an important role in identifying the current and future needs of 
the labour market. 

Initially,  the  Map  was  welcomed  with  a  high  interest  by  the  business  organisations.  In  January  2024,  the 
Bulgarian  Industrial  Capital  Association  expressed  in  a  formal  statement12  their  support  for  such  strategic 
planning,  and  at  the  same  time,  discontent  that  their  suggestions  for  amendments  in  the  ongoing 
discussions of the Map have not been reflected in its 2023 updated version. Their main argument is that the 
current  gaps  in  the  strategic  planning  can  result  in  an  unjustified  increase  in  the  state  admission  plan  for 
some majors at the expense of others that according to the Association are vital for the functioning of the 
Bulgarian economy.13 Thus, one of their main suggestions is to improve the Methodology for designing the 
strategic  Map,  which  will  provide  a  real  connection  between  the  higher  education  and  the  needs  of  the 
labour market (e.g., by including criteria that represent, on the one hand, the number of students in majors, 
and on the other, the number and type of jobs that are currently occupied and require specific majors of the 
professional  fields  of  higher  education);  the  need  to  update  the  Map  annually  rather  due  to  the  swift 
changes  in  the  labour  market,  as  well  as  collaboration  with  social  partners  and  sectoral  organisations  for 
increasing  the interest  and  attractiveness  of  majors  which  are needed  by  business among  the  students.14 
Annex  3  provides  lists  of  narrow  fields  of  education,  fields  of  science  and  technology,  and  professional 
fields according to the national regulation. 

Last but not least, the Association stresses that ‘attention should be paid to the role of the state, scientific 
institutions,  local  authorities,  social  partners  in  the  creation  of  systems  for  research,  scientific  research, 
development of plans and forecasts for socio-economic development and the needs of the labour market at 
national, sectoral and regional level, as well as in relation to the needs and capabilities of the regions’15. In a 
subsequent public letter from February 202416, the Association highlights the high available student quota 
compared  to  the  number  of  active  students  in  the  previous  academic  year,  and  thus,  puts  forward  a 
proposal17  made  by  its  members  with  concrete  numbers  for  student  state-funded  quotas,  and  their 
distribution  per  professional  area,  and  specialities  of  regulated  professions,  in  line  with  the  needs  of  the 
Bulgarian economy. 

In the Map, the accredited higher education institutions are grouped into four categories based on the two 
main indicators mentioned earlier in this subsection, namely students’ interest and labour market needs:  

1)  Group  A  -  HEIs  by  professional  area  and  specialities  of  regulated  professions  with  a  high  level  of 

professional realisation and a high desirability by the prospective students. 

2)  Group  B  -  HEIs  by  professional  area  and  specialities  of  regulated  professions  with  a  high  level  of 

professional realisation and a low desirability by the prospective students. 

3)  Group  C  -  HEIs  by  professional  area  and  specialities  of  regulated  professions  with  a  low  level  of 

professional realisation and a high desirability by the prospective students. 

4)  Group  D  -  HEIs  by  professional  area  and  specialities  of  regulated  professions  with  a  low  level  of 

professional realisation and a low desirability by the prospective students.18 

With  regard  to  the  regional  planning  needs  for  development  of  higher  education,  the  Map  provides  a 
methodology for categorisation of the planning regions, based on the following two indicators: 1.) number of 

11 Ibid, p.40. 
12 Bulgarian News Agency.(20 December 2023).Public letter from the Bulgarian Industrial Capital Association to the Minister of 

Education of Republic of Bulgaria.  

13 Ibid. 
14 Ibid. 
15 Ibid. 
16 Bulgarian Industrial Capital Association, official website. (06 February 2024). Public letter from the Bulgarian Industrial Capital 
Association  to  the  Minister  of  Education  of  Republic  of  Bulgaria,  №  1101-4/04.01.2024.  Available  at:  [https://bica-
bg.org/bg/article-22429-stanoviste-na-aikb-vyv-vryzka-s-opredelqneto-na-priemanite-za.htm], last accessed: 5 June 2024. 

17  The  number  and 

the  distribution  of  state-funded  quota 

for  prospective  students 

is  available  at: 

[https://bica-

bg.org/file/529/BICA_SPP_2024_2025_razpredelenie_VU_final_1.pdf], last accessed: 5 June 2024. 

18 Council of Ministers (11 January 2024).National Map of Higher Education in the Republic of Bulgaria 2023, p.4. 

37 

 
 
high-school students in the region; 2.) number of employed specialists with higher education per student in 
the region. Four types of regions are defined accordingly:  

1)  Region Type A - region with a high number of employed specialists with higher education per one student in 

the region and with a high number of high school students per student in the region. 

2)  Region Type B - region with a high number of employed specialists with higher education per one student in 

the region and with a low number of high school students per student in the region. 

3)  Region Type C - region with a low number of employed specialists with higher education per one student in 

the region and with a high number of high school students per student in the region. 

4)  Region Type D - region with a low number of employed specialists with higher education per one student in 

the region and with a low number of high school students per student in the region.19 

Based  on  the  strategic  mapping  of  the  needs  of  the  planning  regions  and  the  performance  of  the 
universities, the Map provides policy recommendations for balanced development of the network of higher 
education  institutions  across  the  different  regions,  as  well  as  concerning  the  opening  of  new  branches, 
faculties and colleges in higher education institutions, and new majors; and the defining of state-subsidised 
places  for  majors  in  the  universities  from  the  different  Groups.  Another  tool  providing  information  on 
different  performance  criteria  of  the  HEIs  and  the  professional  fields  taught  in  these,  including  research, 
presents the Bulgarian University Ranking System (see Box 2). 

Bulgarian University Ranking System  

The Bulgarian University Ranking System is a web portal that serves to provide information on the country’s 51 higher 
education institutions (HEIs) and 52 professional fields (covering single or group of majors), using over 100 indicators. 
Following its initial creation in 2010 as part of the Development of a Ranking System for the Higher Education Institutions 
in the Republic of Bulgaria project, it has undergone several phases of development20.  

Under  the  Human  Resources  Development  Programme  (2007-2013)21,  alongside  the  European  Social  Fund,  financial 
support was provided for the Development of the Bulgarian University Ranking System project until the mid-2010s. The 
creation of the web portal adhered to the operational programme’s strategic objectives of enhancing human capital and 
ensuring  access  to  high-quality  education,  social  inclusion  and  lifelong  learning.  The  ranking  system  was  further 
developed  through  the  operational  programme  Science  and  Education  for  Smart  Growth  (2014-2020)22.  It  sought  to 
increase congruence between higher education and the needs of the labour market. In 2023, the Ministry of Education 
and  Science  of  Bulgaria  created  a  public  procurement  contract  for  Creation  of  an  Electronic  National  Map  of  Higher 
Education  in  the  Republic  of  Bulgaria  by  Upgrading  and  Developing  the  Bulgarian  University  Ranking  System,  under 
which the data offered in the web portal was updated and is currently maintained.  

The Ranking system is based on a methodology, in line with the National Map for the Development of Higher Education 
in  Bulgaria.23  The  indicators  used  in  the  web  portal  apply  to  three  different  levels:  1.)  professional  field  at  a  given 
higher education institution; 2.) professional field at the national level; and 3.) higher education institution. Most 
of  the  indicators  measure  the  performance  of  HEIs  with  regard  to  a  specific  professional  field;  while  those  which 
measure the HEIs performance as a whole are fewer and with smaller weight.24 The indicators used for the ranking of 
the country’s higher education institutions are divided into six distinct thematic categories2526: 

1.  Teaching and learning  
2.  Science and research  
3.  Teaching and learning environment  
4.  Welfare and administrative services  
5.  Prestige  
6.  Career Relevance to the Labour Market, and Regional Importance  

For  example,  some  of  the  indicators  by  which  the  HEIs  could  be  compared  are  ‘accreditation  assessment  grade’, 
‘exclusive  academic  staff  in  the  HEI’,  ‘number  of  current  students  in  the  HEI’,  ‘number  of  professors  working  under 
employment contracts in the HEI’, ‘Joint Programmes with foreign universities’, ‘PhD programmes in the university’, ‘total 
funds for science and research’, ‘funds attracted for science and research per student’ , among others. The comparison 
of professional fields ranked in combination with the universities is based on a similar set of indicators. Some of these 
cover ‘number of  current students’,  ‘joint  programmes  with  foreign  universities’,  ‘Hirsch citation index  by  scientific  area 
(Scopus)’, ‘Hirsch citation index by scientific area (Web of science)’, ‘Average number of citations per paper (Scopus)’, 
‘Average  number  of  citations  per  paper  (Web  of  Science)’,  ‘Articles  in  scientific  journals  (Scopus)’,  ‘Articles  (Web  of 

19 Ibid. 
20 Official website of the Bulgarian University Ranking System. Available at [https://rsvu.mon.bg/rsvu4/#/]. 
21  Ministry  of  Education  and  Science.  Operational  Programme  “Human  Resources  Development”  2007-2013  (OP  HRD) 
Available at: []https://sf.mon.bg/?go=page&pageId=85.  
22Ministry of Education and Science. Executive Agency “Programme Education”.  
23 The Methodology for the Ranking of the Higher Education Institutions in Bulgaria (2023) 
24 Ibid. 
25 OSI-S Consortium.(November 2023). Bulgaria University Ranking System 2023 Methodology.  
26 With the exception of three arts related professional fields (Fine Arts, Music and Dance Arts, and Theatre and Cinema Arts), 
where due to their nature, there is a modification of the ranking system measurement.  

38 

 
 
 
Science)’, among other performance criteria such as ‘unemployment among graduates’, ‘graduates’ insurable income’, 
‘regional career realisation’, and others. 

Figure 6: Bulgarian University Ranking System 

The  indicators  moreover  may  be  classified  as  ranking  indicators  (e.g.)  and  informational  indicators  (e.g.  the 
academic  community’s  assessment of  their  HEI), the latter  of which  do  not  seek  to  assess  the institutions’  quality, but 
rather  to  provide  additional  information  about  them  by  means  of  comparison.  The  online  Ranking  system  allows  for 
comparison of  indicators over the  period  between 2012 and  2023,  as  data for some  of  the earlier years  is  missing  for 
specific indicators. 

The weight (relevance) of each of the six thematic indicators is ‘agreed upon by the principal of the Bulgarian University 
Ranking System’27 and also takes into consideration the feedback of the web portal’s users, the academic community, 
educational  institutions,  the  reliability  of  existing  information  and  the  interrelation  between  the  indicators  themselves. 
Statistical  information  from  central  registers,  students,  professors,  administrators  and  managers  in  higher  educational 
institutions,  as  well  as  employers  of  individuals  with  tertiary  education  degrees  was  fed  into  the  development  of  the 
indicators.  

The HEIs in a given professional field for which data is insufficient28 and hence their performance could not be compared 
with the other HEIs, included in the Ranking, are listed as 'below the line' (please refer to Annex V of the Methodology29). 

Box 2: Bulgarian University Ranking System 
Source: Bulgarian University Ranking System 

Another overarching Strategy in the area of education is the Strategic Framework for the Development of 
Education,  Training  and  Learning  in  the  Republic  of  Bulgaria  for  2021-203030.  It  is  prepared  by  the 
Ministry  of  Education  and  Science  in  collaboration  with  key  national  stakeholders,  and  together  with  the 
above  described  Strategy  for  the  development  of  higher  education  in  the  Republic  Bulgaria  2020-
2030 outline the general framework for the development of education, training and learning in the Republic 
of Bulgaria until 2030. With Protocol Decision No. 13.1 of the Council of Ministers dated 22 March 2023, 
an Action Plan until 2024 for the implementation of the set goals in the Strategic Framework was adopted. 
Their  implementation  is  to  be  financed  by  a  mix  of  European  and  national  funding  sources,  such  as  the 
state  budget  (including  national  education  development  programmes)  and  revenues  of  municipalities; 
different  operational  programmes;  the  Recovery  and  Resilience  Fund,  Programme  "Erasmus+",  among 
other financial instruments.  

27 Methodology, p.6. 
28 The main reasons listed are insufficient number of students and/or graduates. 
29 Ibid. 
30 Ministry of Education and Science. (24 February 2021). Strategic Framework for the Development of Education, Training and 

Learning in the Republic of Bulgaria for 2021-2030.  

39 

 
 
 
 
 
3.1.2.  Strategic framework in the field of R&D 

This  subsection  of  the  report  outlines  the  main  strategic  national-level  policy  documents  in  research  and 
innovation. The section covers the following documents: National Strategy for Development of Scientific 
Research in the Republic of Bulgaria 2017-2030, Innovation Strategy for Smart Specialisation 2021-
2027, and National Roadmap for Research Infrastructure. 

The  National  Strategy  for  Development  of  Scientific  Research  in  the  Republic  of  Bulgaria  2017  - 
203031  sets  out  the  goals  and  corresponding  measures  for  the  development  of  scientific  research  by  the 
state  during  the  period  2017–2030.32  The  Ministry  of  Education  and  Science,  the  respective  research 
institutes  and  higher  education  institutions  are  responsible  for  the  implementation  of  the  Strategy. 
Nevertheless,  the  Strategy  highlights  that  the  Parliament,  the  Council  of  Ministers  and  the  municipalities 
should  also  take  over  responsibilities  for  its  successful  implementation.  So  far,  an  Operational  plan  has 
been  published,  as  well  as  a  Report  on  the  implementation  of  the  first  stage  of  the  National  Strategy  for 
Development  of  Scientific  Research  in  the  Republic  of  Bulgaria.  Annual  reports  for  2021  and  2022  have 
been published, too.33 

The aim of the National Strategy for the Development of Scientific Research is to build up Bulgaria into an 
attractive  centre  for  cutting-edge  scientific  research,  by  developing  new  technologies,  attracting  and 
retaining young talents, strengthening the responsibility of Bulgarian science towards society, enhancing the 
country's  international  authority  in  the  field  of  science,  and  ultimately,  achieving  economic  growth  and  a 
significant improvement of the quality of life in the country. The financing of the activities of the Strategy is 
provided in accordance with the provisions of Regulation (EU) No. 651/2014 and the Framework for State 
Aid for research, experimental development and innovation. 

The  Strategy  entails  three  main  stages  for  its  implementation:  1.)  recovery  stage  (2017  -  2022);  2.) 
accelerated  development  stage  (2023  -  2025);  3.)  scientific  research  at  world  level  (2026  -  2030). 
Unified  quantified  indicators  are  outlined  for  the  three  stages  of  implementation  in  order  to  assess  the 
success at the end of each period. The monitoring of the Strategy’s progress is conducted by the National 
Assembly  and  the  International  Strategy  Implementation  Control  Board.  The  public  control  over  the 
implementation  of  the  Strategy  activities  is  carried  out  by  scientists,  the  scientific  community,  social 
partners, representatives of society and business. 

Some of the major principles outlined for the successful implementation of the Strategy are the following: 
the restoration of trust in the management of research activity through openness and transparency in line 
with  pan-European  norms  and  good  practices;  developing  a  partnership  between  the  national  institutions 
responsible for the implementation of the Strategy and the business and social partners, civil society and, 
foremost,  the  scientific  community;  linking  the  scientific  organisations  and  individual  scientists  with  the 
results of their research activities and allocated funding.34 

The  Strategy  is  based  on  several  strategic  pillars  with  specific  actions  to  be  implemented.  The  first 
strategic  pillar  is  the  development  and  retaining  of  researchers;  the  second  -  developing  modern  science 
infrastructure;  the  third  -  achieving  balanced  research  results  in  terms  of  applied  and  theoretical  studies, 
and research activities per research area and balanced geographic distribution per planning region; fourth - 
integration in the European Research Area and the international scientific community; and  last but not the 
least, strengthening the linkages between science and other social domains.35 

The  horizontal  policies  address  the  need  for  increasing  adequate  and  effective  funding  of  scientific 
research (e.g., increase in the public funding for research, aiming at 1% of GDP until 2025); implementing a 
policy for legislative changes in the organisation, financing and development of science at the national level, 
including of administration structures; policy for modernising and reforming the research system; policy for 
development  of  the  human  potential;  policy  for  development  of  modern  research  infrastructure;  policy  for 
development  of  fundamental  scientific  research  and  promotion  of  top  scientific  achievements;  policy  for 

31 National Strategy for the Development of Scientific Research in the Republic of Bulgaria 2017 – 2030.  
32 The Strategy is adopted by a Decision No. 47 of the National Assembly, dated 6 July 2017. 
33 Ministry of Education and Science. (2022). Annual Report of the state and the development of scientific research in scientific 
organizations and the higher education institutions in 2021. and Ministry of Education and Science. (2023). Annual Report of 
the state and the development of scientific research in scientific organizations and the higher education institutions in 2022.  

34 Ibid, p.25. 
35 Ibid. 

40 

 
 
stimulating applied scientific research; policy for integration in the European Research Area and expansion 
of international scientific cooperation.36 

The  Innovation  Strategy  for  Smart  Specialisation  2021-202737  (ISIS)  is  a  policy  instrument  which  has 
been  used  in  the  EU  since  the  2014-2020  programming  period.  It  is  a  policy  concept  to  support  regional 
prioritisation  in  innovative  sectors,  areas  or  technologies  through  the  'entrepreneurial  discovery  process', 
thereby  implementing  a  bottom-up  approach  for  sustainable  development,  building  on  the  scientific 
research and innovation, the territorial capacity and ambitions of the regions, and the broad participation of 
stakeholders.38 The Strategy39, in effect until the end of 2027, builds on the Smart Specialisation Strategy 
for  the  period  2014  –  2020.  It  aims  to  achieve  the  specific  objectives  for  innovation  and  skills  of  the 
European  Regional  Development  Fund,  the  European  Social  Fund+  and  the  Cohesion  Fund  for  the 
programming  period  2021-2027.  The  Strategy  has  a  leading  role  in  strengthening  regional  innovation 
ecosystems  to  support  and  stimulate  economic  growth.  During  the  2021-2027  programming  period, 
European-level  smart  specialisation  strategies  aim  to  contribute  to  the  implementation  of  the  cohesion 
policy "Smarter Europe through innovation and support for economic transformation and modernisation". 

ISIS  aims  to  develop  sustainable  competitiveness  so  that  Bulgaria  becomes  innovative,  intelligent,  green, 
connected and digitally integrated country in line with the European goals for developing green digital and 
competitive  economy,  as  well  as  in  line  with  the  UN  Development  Goals.  The  Strategy  is  developed  in 
accordance with strategic national documents, such as the National Development Programme - Bulgaria 
2030,  the  Action  Plan  of  the  Danube  Strategy  for  unlocking  the  potential  of  the  economy,  the  National 
Roadmap  for  Research  Infrastructure  2021-2027,  Horizon  Europe  Programme,  the  European  Data 
Strategy, Reforms and Investments in the National Recovery and Sustainability Plan, among others. It 
provides  the  overall  strategic  framework  for  defining  the  measures  for  financing  innovation  in  the 
programme period 2021 - 2027. 

The two strategic goals as defined by the ISIS are: 

• 

‘To  develop  and  position  Bulgaria  as  a  centre  of  the  medium-  and  high-tech  innovations  in  strategic 
areas,  where  the  country  has  established  capacity  and  positioned  itself  on  the  market,  and  have 
recognised competencies to compete in the global market’. 

• 

‘To support the elaboration and establishment of sustainable, modern, dynamic, inclusive, based on data 
and globally connected research, innovative and entrepreneurial ecosystem in Bulgaria’40.  

While the strategic goals are identified at the national level, the Strategy is designed on the basis of regional 
priorities. 

The main barriers outlined in the current ISIS are low technology orientation of the innovation activity of the 
business,  low  intensity  of  introduction  of  information  and  communication  technologies,  difficulties  in 
attracting and retention of skilled employees and investing in their development.  

In  the  Innovation  Strategy  for  Smart  Specialisation,  for  each  district  (28  districts,  NUTS  III  level),  the 
innovation  capacity  in  two  priority  thematic  areas  for  smart  specialisation  has  been  identified.  The 
thematic cluster ‘Clean technology, circular and low-carbon economy’ is considered as a horizontal thematic 
priority for smart specialisation across all 28 districts in the country.41 The process of identification of priority 
thematic areas is also implemented by involving all interested stakeholders. According to the Strategy, the 
distribution of the thematic specialisation across the districts (NUTS III level) is the following: "Industry for 
healthy  living,  bioeconomy  and  biotechnology" (19  regions),  "Mechatronics" (19  regions),  "Informatics  and 
ICT" (11 regions), and "New technologies in creative and recreational industries" (7 regions). 

The  National  Roadmap  for  Research  Infrastructure  2020  -  202742  (NRRI)  outlines  the  priorities  and 
investment needs for the development and modernisation of national research infrastructures. It is aimed at 
supporting  the  measures  identified  in  the  Innovation Strategy  for Smart  Specialisation  and  in  the  National 
Strategy  for  the  Development  of  Scientific  Research.  An  updated  National  Roadmap  for  Research 

36 Ibid. 
37Innovation Strategy for Smart Specialisation 2021-2027.  
38 Innovation Strategy for Smart Specialisation 2021-2027.  
39  The  Innovation  Strategy for Smart Specialisation  2021-2027  was adopted  by  Decision  No.  1015  of  the  Council  of  Ministers 

dated 15 December 2022. 

40 Ibid, p.7. 
41 Ibid, p.85. 
42 Ministry of Education and Science.(2021).National Roadmap for Research Infrastructure 2020 – 2027.  

41 

 
 
Infrastructure 2020-2027 was adopted by a Decision of the Council of Ministries No. 328 dated 9 April 2021. 
The  actions  and  the  projects  in  the  Roadmap  are  funded  by  a  mix  of  national  and  European  funding 
instruments.  

NRRI aims to advance research and innovation in key societal and economic areas, and to address 
significant  socio-economic  challenges.  The  Roadmap  provides  essential  foundations  for  conducting 
fundamental  and  applied  research  by  providing  access  to  facilities,  equipment,  databases,  and  services. 
The  document  is  updated  in  accordance  with  the  European  Strategic  Forum  for  Research  Infrastructure 
guidelines  and  includes  detailed  information  on  51  projects  covering  various  impact  areas.  It  aligns  with 
national  strategies  for  research  and  innovation  and  contributes  to  promoting  excellence,  knowledge 
transfer, and internationalisation of Bulgarian research. 

The  Roadmap  outlines  six  strategic  goals,  among  which  are  the  improvement  of  the  effectiveness  of 
research  infrastructures  and  the  decrease  of  the  fragmentation  in  scientific  research.  The  other  strategic 
goals concern improving the participation of the Bulgarian scientific research community and businesses in 
Horizon Europe projects, contributing to the development of young talents through easy access to research 
infrastructures,  and  developing  favourable  conditions  for  implementing  innovation  activities  through 
scientific research by easing the access to research infrastructures.  

The  Roadmap  is  updated  every  3-4  years  to  consider  the  changing  conditions  and  opportunities  for 
research  infrastructures.  The  goals  of  the  Roadmap  are  to  be  accomplished  throughout  three  stages:  1.) 
first stage: increased participation in Horizon Europe (2020 - 2023), during which Centres of Excellence 
and Centres of Competence are developed; 2.) second stage: the connection with innovations (2024 - 
2025)  -  to  develop  the  existing  infrastructures  and  monitor  their  effective  and  efficient  operation;  3.)  third 
stage:  technology  transfer,  attracting  foreign  researchers  and  businesses,  and  developing  an 
attractive  environment  for  their  career  development  (2026  -  2027)43.  The  document  highlights  the 
importance of consistent implementation of the established goals even beyond the current timeframe (until 
2027), in order to yield the benefits of the currently developed research infrastructure. 

3.1.  Regulatory initiatives for excellence in R&D 

The  Higher  Education  Act44,  adopted  in  1995,  provides  the  overall  framework  of  higher  education  in  the 
Republic of Bulgaria, as it regulates the structure, functions, management and financing of higher education 
in the country. It sets the framework for the education of students in all three cycles of tertiary education in 
Bulgaria: Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctorate (for information on doctoral education and training see Error! R
eference source not found.). The Act stipulates that the aim of higher education shall be the preparation 
of highly qualified specialists after secondary education, as well as the development of science and culture. 
Higher education in Bulgaria shall be independent of ideologies, religion and political doctrines and shall be 
carried  out  in  accordance  with  universal  human  values  and  national  traditions.  Furthermore,  it  shall  be 
accessible  to  all,  irrespective  of  privileges  and  restrictions,  related  to  age,  race,  nationality,  ethnicity, 
gender, social origin, political opinion and religious belief.  

The  organisation  of  research  activities  is  regulated  in  Chapter  8,  which  stipulates  that  research  in  higher 
education aims at creating new scientific knowledge or scientifically applied products, as well as justification 
and  development  of  teaching.  It  also  promulgates  that  the  organisation  and  management  of  research 
activities shall be provided in the regulations of the respective higher education institution. The conduct of 
research  is  an  integral  part  of  the  activities  of  academic  staff.  Research  activities  could  be  conducted  by 
specially appointed persons as well as by undergraduate, postgraduate and graduate students. Each higher 
education institution shall organise an annual event, dedicated to the scientific results, achieved during the 
respective academic year. Rectors are also obliged to include information on the organisation, results and 
expenditure  of  research  activities  in  their  annual  reports  to  the  General  Assembly  of  the  respective 
university. Research and development shall be financed according to the provisions of Article 90 and Article 
91  of  the  Act,  stating  that  in  addition  to  receiving  funding  from  the  state  and  the  municipal  budgets, 
universities  are  allowed  to  receive  donations,  inheritance,  sponsorships  and  financial  proceeds  from 
research, consulting, creative and sports activities, from intellectual property rights, as well as from business 
activities, related to the main activity of the institution. 

The  latest  provision  amendments,  dated  13  March  202445,  focus  on  achieving  the  objectives,  set  in  the 
Strategy for Development of Higher Education, as well as on improving funding and remuneration in higher 

43 Ibid, p.18. 
44 Higher Education Act, State Gazette, Issue No. 112 of 27 December 1995, last amended and supplemented on 1 May 2024.  
45 LAW on amendments and additions to the Higher Education Act 

42 

 
 
education in the country. This is done by ensuring an annual allocation of at least 0.9% of GDP for financing 
higher education (Article 90a). Other provisions include:  

•  achieving  an  average  gross  salary  for  academic  staff  in  state  higher  education  institutions  of  not  less 

than 180% of the national average gross salary in the last 12 months (Article 92);  

• 

introduction  of  criteria  for  determining  the  minimum  salary  of  researchers,  specialists  and  experts  in 
higher education (Article 92);  

•  ensuring  that  scholarships  for  doctoral  students,  financed  by  the  state  budget,  shall  be  not  less  than 

150% of the minimum wage for the country in the last 12 months (Article 94).  

The 2022 revisions included an annual update of the National Map of Higher Education in the Republic of 
Bulgaria,  which  determines  the  profile  and  allocation  of  higher  education  institutions  in  the  country  by 
professional fields and academic majors (Article 9(3)1a, and 9(3)2; Article 10(2)1a). Further amendments to 
the  Act  introduced  a  Register  of  Higher  Education  Institutions  and  а  Register  of  Active,  Interrupted 
and  Graduated  Students  and  Doctoral  Students  by  Degrees  and  by  Professional  Fields  (Article 
10(2)3). 

The  other  overarching  fundamental  piece  of  legislation  is  the  Bulgarian  Academy  of  Sciences  Act  46 
(BAS), adopted in 1991 and last time amended in 2013. The Bulgarian Academy of Sciences is the leading 
scientific  centre  in  Bulgaria,  which  produces  approximately  50%  of  the  scientific  output  in  the  country.  Its 
activities are regulated by the Law on BAS, which gives the overall framework of operation of the institution 
and the Statutes of BAS, adopted in 1994, which specifies the Academy’s structure and management. The 
former  states  that  the  Bulgarian  Academy  of  Sciences  participates  in  the  development  of  science  in 
accordance  with  universal  values,  national  interests  and  the  objectives,  set  out  in  the  National  Research 
Strategy.  BAS  carries  out  fundamental  and  applied  research  and  provides  education  to  highly  qualified 
experts  independently,  as  well  as jointly  with  higher education  institutions.  The  President  of  the  Bulgarian 
Academy of Sciences presents in the National Assembly by 30 April of the following year an annual report 
on the activities of BAS, including information about conducted research, financial activity and international 
activity of the Academy. 

The Statute of BAS47 sets out the structure and the management of the Academy. It states that the permanent 
scientific units at BAS - institutes, central laboratories, centres, museums and others, are autonomous. The main 
activity of the specialised scientific units is the creation, dissemination and promotion of scientific knowledge and 
its  application  in  practice,  including  innovation  and  technology  transfer.  There  are  also  temporary  units,  which 
carry  out  research  in  scientific  areas that  are  new  to  BAS  and  are  therefore out  of  the  scope of  the  permanent 
research  units.  The  funding  of  the  Academy  includes  grants,  performance-based  funding,  revenues  from 
research,  consultancy  and  commercialisation  activities  and  competitive  funding  from  national,  European  and 
international programmes. 

The Act on Development of the Academic Staff in the Republic of Bulgaria  48, adopted in 2010, is another 
important piece  of legislation,  which  provides  the  general  principles  for  awarding  scientific  degrees and  holding 
academic positions in the country. The specific procedure and conditions are determined by the relevant rules of 
procedure  of  the  higher  education  institutions  and  scientific  organisations,  in  compliance  with  the  uniform  state 
requirements.  According  to  Article  2(1)  of  the  Law,  ‘academic  staff’  are  persons  holding  academic  positions  in 
higher  education  institutions and  research  organisations, among  others.  The  scientific  degrees  are defined 
as ‘doctor’ (educational and scientific) and ‘doctor of sciences’ (Article 2(2)), while the academic positions 
are an ‘assistant’, ‘senior assistant’, ‘docent’, and ‘professor’ (Article 2(3)).  

Chapter  2  (Articles  5  to  14a) of  the  Law  regulates  the  acquisition  of  the  educational  and  scientific  degree 
"doctor" and the scientific degree "doctor of sciences". The degrees are indefinite and valid throughout the 
country.  According  to  Article  8  (2),  the  duration  of  a  Doctoral  programme  can  vary  –  a  standard  doctoral 
programme  is  three  years,  part-time  and  remote  learning  programmes  last  four  years,  and  programmes 
under  Article  21,  para.  7  of  the  Law  on  Higher  Education  and  independent  training  programmes  last  five 
years. As stipulated in Article 8 (3), the duration could be extended by maximum of one year based on the 
regulations of the university or research organisation. A publicly available electronic database is established 

46  Law  on  the  Bulgarian  Academy  of  Sciences,  State  Gazette,  Issue  No.  85  of  15  October  1991,  last  amended  and 
supplemented on 13 December 2018.  
47 Statute of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, State Gazette, Issue No. 34 of 22 April 1994, last amended and supplemented 
on 14 March 2023.  
48  Act  on  Development  of  the  Academic  Staff  in  the  Republic  of  Bulgaria,  State  Gazette,  Issue  No.  38  of  21  May  2010,  last 

amended and supplemented on 23 December 2022. 

43 

 
 
and  managed  by  the  National  Centre for Information  and  Documentation  (Article  2a),  where persons  with 
‘doctor’  or  ‘doctor  of  sciences’  degree,  the  defended  dissertations  and  habilitated  persons  in  Bulgaria  are 
registered.  

In addition, the Regulations for the implementation of the Act on Development of the Academic Staff in the 
Republic  of  Bulgaria  49,  which  is  in  place  since  2010,  governs  the  implementation  of  the  Act  by  defining  the 
minimum  national  requirements  for  the  scientific,  teaching,  artistic-creative  or  sports  activities  of  candidates  for 
the  acquisition  of  a  scientific  degree  and  for  being  appointed  for  academic  positions  of  "Chief  Assistant", 
"Lecturer" and "Professor". 

In 2019, the Council of Ministers adopted a Decree, amending the Regulations for the implementation of the 
Law on Development of the Academic Staff in the Republic of Bulgaria50, which introduces minimum scores 
per  indicators  group  (e.g.,  participation  in  scientific  projects;  citations  in  scientific  publications,  monographs, 
volumes and patents, referenced and indexed in world-renowned scientific databases, such as Web of Science 
and Scopus, etc.) that are required for acquiring academic degrees and positions. 

Education and Training of Doctoral Students 

The  Higher  Education  Act  provides  the  overarching  framework  for  the  education  and  training  of  doctoral 
students.  However,  different  regulations  apply  depending  on  whether  the  education  and  training  of  doctoral 
students takes place at a HEI or in the BAS.  

• 

Education and training of doctoral students in HEIs 

According  to  the  Higher  Education  Act,  HEIs  may  conduct  training  for  a  Doctorate  only  in  accredited 
professional fields and specializations of regulated professions (Article 80). Doctoral studies must adhere to an 
individual  study  plan  and  include  preparation  for  examinations,  scientific  and  pedagogical  activity,  and  the 
defence of a dissertation.  

In HEIs, the admission of doctoral students is conducted with a competitive examination which adheres to state 
regulations,  the  requirements  of  the  respective  higher  education  institution,  the  capacities  of  the  higher 
education institution, of the professional fields and of the specialities of the regulated professions determined by 
the National Agency for Evaluation and Accreditation (Article 68, HEA). 

The supervisor of a doctoral student may be a habilitated person or a doctor of sciences, or a researcher who 
meets the requirements of the Law on Development of the Academic Staff in the Republic of Bulgaria for holding 
the academic position of "professor" or "associate professor" in a relevant professional field. Doctoral students 
are entitled to independent training, (e.g. outside of the established syllabus), which is provided in accordance 
with other forms of doctoral studies. Finally, they may likewise opt for extramural study (Article 2, Regulation on 
the State Requirements for Admission and Training of Doctoral Students).  

The tuition fees for doctoral students are determined annually by the Council of Ministers, with specific cases for 
reduced or exempt fees outlined in Article 95 of the HEA. Those eligible for exemptions include individuals with 
disabilities  who  have  70%  or  more  reduced  working  capacity,  doctoral  students  in  the  final  two  years  of  their 
studies,  and  students  in  professional  fields  and  protected  specialties  that  are  projected  to  face  the  most 
significant labour market shortages, as defined by a list adopted by the Council of Ministers on the proposal of 
the Minister of Education and Science. 

• 

Education and training of doctoral students in the BAS 

The  Regulations  on  the  Conditions  and  Procedure  for  Acquisition  of  Scientific  Degrees and  for Taking 
Up  Academic  Positions  in  the  Bulgarian  Academy  of  Sciences  governs  the  conditions,  the  order  and  the 
requirements  on the  implementation  of  the  Law  on  Development  of the  Academic  Staff  in the  Republic  of 
Bulgaria at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, as well as the admission procedures and training of doctoral 
students, the acquisition of scientific degrees, the recognition of scientific degrees acquired abroad and holding 
academic positions. 

The  Training  Centre  (TC)  of  the  BAS  is  a  specialised  unit  dedicated  to  the  training  of  highly  skilled  scientific 
personnel,  especially  for  obtaining  the  ‘doctor’  degree,  as  well  as  for  career  development  and  fulfilment.  The 
Centre  collaborates  closely  with  the  Academy's  Institutes  to  arrange  programme  accreditation,  to  manage 

49 Regulations for the Implementation of the Law on the Development of the Academic Staff in the Republic of Bulgaria, State 

Gazette, Issue No. 75 of 24 September 2010, last amended and supplemented on 5 September 2023.  

50  Decree  No.  26  of  the  Council  of  Ministers  of  13.02.2019  amending  the  Regulations  for  the  implementation  of  the  Law  on 
Development of the Academic Staff in the Republic of Bulgaria Resolution, adopted by Resolution no 202 of the Council of 
Ministers of 2010.  

44 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
admission competitions for doctorate candidates, among other activities. 

The  doctoral  students  training  at  the  BAS  is  funded  through  budget  state  subsidies,  education  fees,  research 
initiatives, sponsorship,  among  other  sources.  This  covers the doctoral students’ scholarships and  the  upkeep 
expenditures  for  the  training  of  doctoral  students  (Article  18,  Regulations  for  the  Activity  of  the  Training 
Centre and the Academic Council at the BAS (hereafter, the Regulations)). 

The TC publishes competition announcements for doctoral students in the State Gazette, on the BAS website, 
and  on  the  permanent  scientific  units’  websites  (Article  29,  the  Regulations).  Part-time  and  full-time  doctoral 
students have respectively a four-year and three-year study term. They are allowed a maximum of six months 
extension  without  the  right  to  a  scholarship  (Article  33,  the  Regulations).  A  candidate  for  the  doctoral  degree 
who  has  completed  a  significant  portion  of  their  dissertation  may  be  considered  a  doctoral  student  pursuing 
independent study in the field for up to five years (Article 34, the Regulations). Doctoral students, both full-time 
and part-time, must pay state fees at the BAS in accordance with the current regulations. According to Article 95 
(7) of the Higher Education Act, doctoral students are exempt from paying fees during the last two years of their 
education. 

Based on the strategic objectives and priorities of the BAS and the scientific policy of the respective units, the 
Directors of the Permanent Scientific Units of the BAS submit proposals for the allocation of places for regular or 
part-time  doctoral  candidates  to  the  Training  Centre  at  the  BAS  (Article  26,  the  Regulations).  The  Doctoral 
School's  credit  system,  which  mandates  a  minimum  of  credits  for  each  activity,  is  followed  throughout  the 
training of doctoral students (Article 40, the Regulations).  

Doctoral  candidates  who  are  nationals of  Member  States  of  the  European  Union  and  the  European  Economic 
Area are admitted under the rules and procedures established for Bulgarian nationals in accordance with Article 
68 (7) of the Higher Education Act (Article 56, the Regulations). 

Box 3: Education and Training of Doctoral Students 
Source: Higher Education Act. 

With regard to research, a new Act on Promotion of Research and Innovation  51 has come into force in 
May  2024  (promulgated  in  State  Gazette  No  39  of  1  May  2024).  It  provides  a  detailed  description  of 
research; further, it defines the term innovation and innovation activity (Article 2, para 4 and 5). 

The  main  objectives,  which  the  Law  stipulates,  are the following  (Article  3): 1) to  develop  the  necessary 
conditions  for  the  promotion  and  development  of  R&I  activities  for  the  generation  of  new  knowledge, 
scientific results and the creation of innovations for the benefit of society; 2) to achieve effective interaction 
between the different stakeholders in the area of R&I; 3) to contribute to the increase of the efficiency and 
competitiveness of the country's economy; 4) to ensure an encouraging environment for access to research 
infrastructure and its efficient use; 5) to ensure the use of scientific information in the learning process; 6) to 
provide conditions for sustainable funding; and 7) to increase public interest in science, innovation and the 
dissemination of scientific knowledge, and stimulate entrepreneurial culture. 

Pertain to the Law, the State is responsible for formulating and implementing the policy for the promotion of 
research  and  innovation  (Article  7)  by  setting  national  and  regional  strategic  goals  and  priorities  and 
ensuring  their  achievement;  creating  conditions  for  policy  cohesion,  evaluating  and  controlling  their 
implementation;  stimulating  research  and  innovation,  entrepreneurship  related  to 
the  creation  of 
innovations, the application of emerging technologies and the development of innovation capacity; providing 
access  to  electronic  databases  with  information  on  the  development  of  innovation  and  innovation 
capacities, among others. In the current Law, unlike the previous version, powers are also granted to local 
governments  and  administrations  to  set  policies  to  promote  research  and  innovation  at  municipal  level 
(Article 15). According to Articles 25 and 26, the  National Science Fund sponsors projects, programmes, 
and activities to promote and expand scientific research and research infrastructure. 

A whole new section is devoted to the establishment of alliances of Higher Education Institutions and 
Scientific  Organisations.  The  purpose  of  these  is  to  carry  out  joint  research  and  activities  under  the 
National  Research  Infrastructure  Roadmap  and  to  obtain  public  funding  under  it.  The  rules  on  the 
establishment  and  the  objectives  of  the  alliances  are defined  in  Articles  46  and  47. An  important  focus  of 
the current law is set on promoting innovation, which is stipulated in a new chapter, outlining also the role 
of the National Innovation Fund (Article 53). 

51 Law on the Promotion of Scientific Research and Innovation, State Gazette, Issue No. 39 of 1 May 2024.  

45 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Promotion of Technology Transfer is yet another new aspect of the current Law (Articles 70-75). The 
promotion  of  technology  transfer  includes  activities  that  create  the  conditions  for  the  development  of  the 
technology  lifecycle  from  the  idea  of  its  creation  to  its  industrial  and  market  implementation.  The  section 
elaborates  on  funding  and  who  can  benefit  from  the  support  measures,  among  others.  The  terms  and 
conditions for the protection and management of the intellectual property of research results and intellectual 
property  objects,  as  well  as  the  revenues  from  them,  are  also  regulated  by  the  Law.  Other  important 
subjects  addressed  in  the  new  Law  concern  the  promotion  of  open  science  and  the  management  of  the 
Bulgarian Open Science Portal, a national repository of scientific information deriving from research funded 
in whole or in part by public funds, and as a single point of access to such information. 

More information about the recent legislative changes is presented in Annex 1. 

4.  National R&I funding portfolio 

The first part of this chapter (sections 3.1 and 3.2) identifies and briefly describes the main national and EU 
financial  instruments  used  in  the  funding  of  the  above  outlined  policy  strategies  for  the  development  of 
higher  education,  and  research  and  innovation  policies.  The  second  part  (section  3.3)  elaborates  on  the 
funding sources and allocation of such for the Bulgarian public research organisations and higher education 
institutions. 

  National funding instruments 

4.1.1.  National Science Fund 

The National Science Fund (NSF) was established under the Ministry of Science and Higher Education on 1 
July 1990, by Decree No. 83 of the Council of Ministers of Bulgaria from 26 July 1990 (Article 1). NSF was 
initially  a  budget-supported  legal  entity,  with  headquarters  in  Sofia,  and  implementing  the  following 
activities:  

• 

funding and support of scientific evaluation of research results; 

•  organising and supporting international scientific cooperation. 

Since  its  establishment,  the  National  Science  Fund  has  undergone  several  major transformations.  As  per 
the  latest  Law  on  Research  and  Innovation  Promotion  (Article  26),  the  National  Science  Fund  finances 
projects, programmes and activities for the promotion and development of scientific research and research 
infrastructures,  as  well  as  such  for  career  development  of  scientists  in  accordance  with  the  strategic 
documents  for  scientific  research  and  innovation  of  the  Republic  of  Bulgaria  and  the  European  Union.  In 
addition, it supports the participation of Bulgarian research organisations and higher education institutions in 
European  and  other  international  programmes,  projects  and  bilateral  agreements  for  scientific  research. 
Further, NSF works in coordination with other organisations funding scientific research and innovation and 
supports the dissemination of scientific knowledge (Article 26). 

The NSF shall implement a three-year operational programme (Article 31). Its resources are ensured from 
several sources: 1.) funds from the state budget; 2.) funds based on agreements, donations and assistance 
from  national  and  international  financial  institutions  and  organisations,  and  funds  under  international 
agreements; 3.) donations from individuals and legal entities; 4.) funds under programmes of the European 
Union and the countries of the European Economic Area (Article 32). 

As  per  2024  Law  on  Research  and  Innovation  Promotion,  both  fundamental  and  applied  research  are 
funded by NSF. More specifically, pertain to Article 33, among others, the NSF provides:  

• 

funding for the implementation of the National Strategy for the Development of Scientific Research;  

• 

targeted funding for the national science programmes;  

• 

funding for the construction and maintenance of research infrastructures;  

• 

financing/co-financing of scientific research projects of Bulgarian HEIs or scientific organisations which 
have  received  an  overall  score above  the  threshold  in  applications  approved  under  the  EU framework 
programmes for research and innovation;  

46 

 
• 

full  or  partial  funding  for  the  implementation  of  or  participation  in  projects  and  programs  related  to 
scientific  research  of  higher  education  institutions,  scientific  organisations,  scientists,  young  scientists, 
postdoctoral students or groups of scientists from higher education institutions or scientific organisations. 

4.1.2.  National Science Programmes 

The  National  science  programme  have  been  approved  by  Decision  No.  577  from  17  August  2018  of  the 
Council of Ministers of Bulgaria. They aim is to create conditions for solving significant societal challenges 
related  to  environmental,  technological,  cultural-historical,  ethical,  health,  economic  issues,  as  well  as  for 
stimulating young scientists in the country. The programmes have been developed in accordance with the 
sectoral policies of some ministries. The research activities were determined upon an agreement between 
the  HEIs  and  the  research  organisations  in  Bulgaria  for  the  joint  implementation  of  the  objectives  of  the 
programmes. The implementation of the programmes aims at overcoming the fragmentation of the scientific 
research  system,  consolidating  the  scientific  research  potential,  sharing  the  use  of  the  research 
infrastructure, concentrating financial resources to solve problems of societal importance, and avoid double 
funding. The national science programmes are of different duration.  

As  per  Decision  No.  577  from  17  August  2018,  the  following  national  science  programmes  have  been 
approved:52 

• 

Information  and  Communication  Technologies  for  a  Single  Digital  Market  in  Science,  Education  and 
Security 

•  Low-carbon energy for transport and households (EPLUS) 

•  Protection of the environment and reduction of the risk of adverse phenomena and natural disasters 

•  Healthy foods for a strong bio-economy and quality of life 

•  Cultural and historical heritage, national memory and social development 

•  Electronic health care in Bulgaria (e-health) 

•  Reproductive biotechnologies in animal husbandry in Bulgaria 

•  Development of a methodology for the introduction of NAT technology for diagnostics of donated blood 

in the transfusion system of the Republic of Bulgaria 

•  Peter Beron. Science and innovation with Europe 

•  Advanced Research and People for the Development of European Science (VIHREN) 

•  Young scientists and postdoctoral fellows 

Since  the  launch  of  the  National  science  programs  in  2018,  they  have  been  subject  to  updates  in  2022, 
2021, 2022 and 2023. According to the latest available comprehensive information in the Annual Report on 
the  status  and  the  development  of  scientific  research  in  scientific  organisations  and  HEIs,  in  202253,  the 
following national science programmes are being implemented:  

•  Protection of the Environment and Reduction of the Risk of Adverse Events and Natural Disasters.54. 

•  Peter Beron Science and Innovation with Europe  

•  Advanced research and people for the development of European science - 2021 (VIHREN)  

52Further information about the national science programs is available at: 
[https://www.strategy.bg/StrategicDocuments/View.aspx?lang=bg-BG&Id=1273]. Last accessed on 14 August 2024. 
53 Ministry of Education and Science. (2023). Annual Report of the state and the development of scientific research in scientific 

organizations and the higher education institutions in 2022.  

54 The implementation of the programme has been extended to 31 Dec 2024, Decision N 339 of the Council of Ministers, dated 

3 May 2023. 

47 

 
 
•  Creation  of  a  database  of  blood  donors  in  the  Republic  of  Bulgaria  for  markers  of  transmissible 

infections 

•  European Scientific Networks programme 

• 

Intelligent Animal Husbandry  

• 

Intelligent Plant Breeding programme 

• 

Increasing the research capacity in the field of mathematical sciences (PICOM) 

•  National scientific Security and Defence programme 

•  Stimulation  of  Publication  Activity  in  Authoritative  International  Scientific  Journals  and  Open  Access  to 

Scientific Information 

•  Young Scientists and Postdoctoral Students programme 

•  Development and Promotion of Bulgarian Studies Abroad programme 

•  From Pole to Pole 

On  13  June  2024  the  Council  of  Ministers  has  approved  the  National  science  programme  “Advanced 
research  and  people  for  the  development  of  European  science  -  2024  (NSP  VIHREN  –  2024),  with  a 
duration  of  8  years,  until  2031.  The  overall  budget  of  the  programme  is  BGN  14.1  mn,  which  is  EUR 
7,209,329.  The  objective  of  the  programme  is  to  enhance  the  quality  of  scientific  research  conducted  in 
Bulgaria and to support the preparation of competitive proposals for the participation of Bulgarian scientists 
in the Horizon Europe. 

4.1.3.  National Innovation Fund 

The  National  Innovation  Fund  (NIF)  was  established  in  accordance  with  the  Decision  of  the  Council  of 
Ministers  No.  723  of  September 8,  2004,  upon  the  adoption  of  the  Innovation  Strategy  of  the  Republic  of 
Bulgaria  and  the  measures  for its  implementation.  Later,  between  2014  and  2020,  it was  through  the  NIF 
that the objectives set in the Innovation Strategy for Smart Specialisation of the Republic of Bulgaria were 
accomplished.55 

The  main  goal  of  the  Fund  is  to  promote  research  and  development,  to  increase  the  competitiveness  of 
enterprises  and  stimulate  cooperation  between  science  and  business  in  Bulgaria.  The  NIF  is  open  for  all 
companies investing in R&D projects, as HEIs are also eligible to take part in a project consortium, together 
with a company as a lead partner.56 

Among the NIF’s objectives are the following: 

• 

to  promote  the  implementation  of  research  and  development  projects  initiated  and  implemented  in 
enterprises,  with  the  aim  of  developing  new  or  improved  products,  processes  or  services  aimed  at 
strengthening  economic  efficiency,  increasing  the  innovative  potential  and  technological  level  of 
enterprises, increasing private investments in them, increasing the dynamics of innovation processes; 

• 

to increase the volume of production; 

• 

to improve the quality of manufactured goods, services or processes; 

• 

to reduce the amount of resources used; 

55 Ministry of Economy and Industry, National Innovation Fund, official webpage.  
56 The percentage of a grant in relation to the total project cost is allocated as follows: 50% – for industrial research and 25% – 

for experimental development, which can be increased up to 80% with 10% for medium enterprises; 20% for small 
businesses; up to 15%, in the presence of effective cooperation with an organization for scientific research and dissemination 
of knowledge and/or another enterprise. 

48 

 
 
• 

to increase investment in efficient enterprises.57 

The four thematic areas supported by the National Innovation Fund are informatics and ICT, mechatronics 
and clean technologies, health and biotechnology industry, as well as new technologies in the creative and 
recreational  industries.  Approved  projects  are  financed  under  the  scheme  “Support  for  research  and 
development of enterprises and organisations for research and dissemination of knowledge.”  

Over  the  course  of  its  thirteen  competitive  sessions,  the  NIF  has  aided  the  implementation  of  over  500 
projects,  having  invested  a  total  of  almost  100  million  Bulgarian  levs  (approx.  EUR  51  million)  in  their 
development58. The maximum funding per project was BGN 500,000 (EUR 255, 650), the max percentage 
of funding was 80% of the eligible costs; project duration varies between 6 and 18 months. Currently, after 
legislative amendments in 2023, the NIF is regulated and set to work alongside the National Science Fund 
for  the  financing  of  long-term  projects.59  Under  the  2024  Law  on  Research  and  Innovation  Promotion, 
similarly  to  the  NSF,  the  NIF  is  financed  through  several  different  sources  (Article  58):  1.)  funds  from  the 
state  budget;  2.)  funds  based  on  agreements,  donations  and  assistance  from  national  and  international 
financial  institutions  and  organizations,  and  funds  under  international  agreements;  3.)  donations  from 
individuals  and  legal  entities;  4.) funds  under  joint  programs  with  public  and  private Bulgarian  and  foreign 
funds  for  risk  financing;  5.)  funds  under  programmes  of  the  European  Union  and  the  countries  of  the 
European Economic Area. 

  European structural and investment funding 2021-2027 

4.2.1.  Research, Innovation and Digitalisation for Smart Transformation Programme 2021-2027 

As of 2023, the Research, Innovation and Digitalisation for Smart Transformation Programme 2021 – 
2027 delivers support to the scientific community and the businesses in Bulgaria to work together on joint 
projects,  to  develop  and  implement  innovations.  The  overall  budget  of  the  Programme  is  BGN 
2,138,594,709  (EUR  1,093,446,113).  The  goal  of  the  Programme  is  to  facilitate  and  speed  up  the 
implementation of advanced solutions and digital technologies in industry and society, as well as to achieve 
higher competitiveness of the national economy. It has two main priorities:  "Sustainable development of the 
Bulgarian research and innovation ecosystem" and "Digital transformation of the public sector".  

•  Sustainable development of the Bulgarian research and innovation ecosystem 

The  funding  earmarked  under  this  priority  is  BGN  1.5  billion  (approx.  EUR  766  million)  to  support  the 
centres  of  excellence  and  centres  of  competence  established  under  the  previous  programme  period  (with 
support from OP "Science and Education for Intelligent Growth"). 

Developments  will  be  supported  with  BGN  550  million  (approx.  EUR  281  million)  under  various  grant 
schemes:  12  European  digital  and  innovation  hubs  and  the  existing  regional  innovation  clusters  will  be 
financed with BGN 400 million (approx. EUR 204 million). They will support the collaboration of companies 
from  different  sectors  and  regions  with  the  nearest  specialised  research  organisations,  as  well  as  will 
provide specialised services to SMEs. BGN 62 million (approx. EUR 32 million) will be provided for short-
term exchanges of employees in research organisations and scientists in a real business environment, as 
well as for additional qualification of workers in the areas of smart specialisation.  

From  2024  onwards,  the  Programme  will  finance  projects  that  have  received  the  "Seal  of  Excellence" 
quality mark under the Horizon Europe programme of the EC. Until then, support will be guaranteed by the 
National Recovery and Resilience Plan. 

•  Digital transformation of the public sector 

The second priority of the new Programme has a budget of BGN 650 million (approx. EUR 332 million). It 
will  support  the  implementation  of  data-based  management,  solutions  for data  processing  and  knowledge 

57 Bulgarian Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion Agency. (2022). Announcement for the 13th Competition Session of the 

National Innovation Fund.  

58 Портал за Наука. (1 June 2022). ИАНМСП стартира 13-та сесия на Национален иновационен фонд с облекчена 

процедура по кандидатстване през месец юли 

59 EUFunds, Tsvetelina Sandeva. (28 December 2023). Правителството одобри нов Закон за насърчаване на научните 

изследвания и иновациите.  

49 

 
 
extraction, as well as models, products and services through new technology and artificial intelligence in the 
public sector. As part of the Programme, the national cybersecurity capacity will be further developed. 

4.2.2.  Competitiveness and Innovation in Enterprises Programme 2021-2027 

The  Competitiveness  and  Innovation  in  Enterprises  Programme  2021-2027  is  directly  aimed  at 
conducting  industrial  and  digital  transformation,  and  achieving  smart  and  sustainable  growth  of  the 
Bulgarian economy. As an instrument of the European Cohesion Policy for the period 2021  – 2027, and in 
particular,  of  the  European  Regional  Development  Fund,  the  Programme  is  intended  to  contribute  to  the 
achievement of the following policy objectives, defined at the European level60: 

Priority 1 (BGN 357 million (approx. EUR 182 million)): Innovation and growth, supported by the following 
specific objectives: 

•  Specific objective 1: developing and strengthening research and innovation capacities and aiding the 

introduction of advanced technologies. 

The  implementation  of  financial  instruments  for  this  objective  is  intended  to  achieve  the  creation  of  new 
innovative  enterprises  and  the  development  of  existing  ones,  preferably  in  the  high-  or  medium-high  tech 
sectors  of  the  manufacturing  industry  and  knowledge-intensive  services,  as  well  as  to  support  the 
introduction  of  innovations  in  enterprises  with  the  aim  of  increasing  “in-house” innovations  on  the  national 
market. This is supported by the Innovation in Enterprises Equity Fund with a budget of EUR 34,120,000. 
Funding for innovation in their mature phase amounts to EUR 33,860,000 with the intent of supporting fast-
growing SMEs. 

•  Specific  objective  2:  harnessing  the  benefits  of  digitalisation  for  citizens,  companies,  research 

organisations and public authorities. 

This  objective  involves  an  equity  fund  combined  with  a  convertible  grant,  amounting  to  a  total  budget  of 
EUR  52,250,000,  to  support  early-stage  enterprises  in  developing  and  deploying  digital  technologies  and 
solutions in the field of Industry 4.0, and an equity fund with a combined grant of EUR 41,800,000, aimed at 
promoting  the  implementation  of  digitalisation  venture  project  for  start-ups  and  scale-ups  in  the  field  of 
Industry  4.0.  A  debt  instrument  in  combination  with  a  grant  is  also  foreseen  for  investments  in  digital 
technologies, software, and digital applications in relation to Industry 4.0. 

•  Specific  objective  3:  promoting  the  sustainable  growth  and  competitiveness  of  SMEs,  as  well  as  job 

creation, including through productive investment. 

This  objective  includes  Entrepreneurship  equity  funds  with  a  total  budget  of  EUR  110,700,000,  aimed  at 
improving the entrepreneurial ecosystem, attracting foreign capital investment, and promoting high-growth 
enterprises.  A  debt  financing  instrument  for  integrated  territorial  investments  (loan  with  embedded 
guarantee)  with  a  budget  of  EUR  36,050,000  million  to  support  the  growth  and  competitiveness  of 
enterprises within new/existing industrial parks (for SMEs, small midcaps, midcaps and industrial parks) is 
likewise foreseen.  

Priority 2: Circular economy (BGN 698 million (approx. EUR 357 million)), achieved  through the following 
specific objectives: 

•  Specific objective 4: promoting energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. 

The  objective  will  be  achieved  through  debt  financial  instruments  (loans  and  guarantees)  in  combination 
with grants, for ensuring energy efficiency in enterprises with a total budget of EUR 133,260,000; activities 
for the implementation of energy efficiency measures based on energy audits and RES recommendations, 
incentivising  enterprises  to  use  electricity,  heating  and  cooling  from  renewable  sources  for  their  own 
consumption. 

60 Програма SFC2021, подкрепена от ЕФРР (цел „Инвестиции за работни места и растеж“), ЕСФ+, Кохезионния фонд, 

ФСП и ЕФМДРА — член 21, параграф 3.  

50 

 
 
 
•  Specific objective 5: supporting the transition towards a circular and resource-efficient economy. 

This  is  achieved  through  loans,  guarantees  and  grants  amounting  to  EUR  155,430,000  and  provided  to 
SMEs, small midcaps and midcaps for the efficient use of natural resources, the reduction of using primary 
raw materials, improved recycling conditions, waste management and industrial symbiosis. The instruments 
aim to facilitate the SMEs' access to debt and equity finance61. 

4.2.3.  Human Resources Development Programme 2021-2027 

The Programme supports the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights in the areas of “Equal 
opportunities  and  access  to  the  labour  market”,  “Fair  working  conditions”  and  “Social  protection  and 
inclusion” and its Action Plan. The Agenda supports the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development 
Goals,  the  respect  for  fundamental  rights  and  the  principles  recognised  in  the  Charter  of  Fundamental 
Rights of the European Union. 

The  functions  of  the  Managing  Authority  of  the  Human  Resources  Development  Programme  (HRDP)  are 
performed  by  the  Directorate  General  for European  Funds,  International  Programmes  and  Projects  at  the 
Ministry of Labour and Social Policy.  

The specific goals of the Programme are the following62: 

• 

Improving access to employment and activation measures for all jobseekers, especially young people, in 
particular  through  the  implementation  of  the  Youth  Guarantee,  the  long-term  unemployed  and 
disadvantaged  groups in  the  labour  market  and  the  inactive,  as  well  as  by  promoting  self-employment 
and social economy. 

•  Modernising  labour  market institutions  and  services  to  assess  and  anticipate skills  needs,  and  provide 
timely and tailored assistance, as well as to help match  labour market supply and demand, transitions 
and mobility. 

•  Promoting  gender  balance  in  the  labour  market,  equal  working  conditions  and  work-life  balance, 

including through affordable care for children and dependents. 

•  Promoting  the  adaptability  of  workers,  businesses  and  entrepreneurs  to  change,  active  and  healthy 

aging and a healthy and well-adjusted working environment that takes health risks into account. 

•  Promoting lifelong learning, in particular flexible upskilling and reskilling opportunities for all, considering 
entrepreneurial  and  digital  skills,  anticipating  change  and  skill  requirements  in  correspondence  with 
market needs, facilitating transitions in career development and promoting occupational mobility. 

The  overall  budget  of  the  program  amounts  to  BGN  4,000,000,000  (approx.  EUR  2,000,000,000),  almost 
half  of  which  has  been  programmed  as  of  202363.  The  budget  of  BGN  375,000,000  (approx.  EUR 
192,000,000)  is  earmarked  for  the  objectives  of  youth  employment,  while  a  total  of  BGN  20,000,000 
(approx. EUR 10,000,000) will be directed to projects for social experimentation, testing and implementation 
of social innovations in the field of the labour market and social inclusion64. The Programme’s objective is to 
reach a total of 850,000 people in Bulgaria. 

4.2.4.  Education Programme 2021-2027 

The  Education  Programme  2021-2027  (EP)  is  one  of  the  main  instruments  for  the  implementation  of 
Priority  1  of  "Education  and Skills" of  the  National  Development  Programme  BULGARIA  2030,  as  well  as 
the objectives set out in the Strategic Framework for the Development of Education, Training and Learning 
in  Republic  of  Bulgaria  (2021-2030)  and  the  Strategy  for  the  Development  of  Higher  Education  in  the 

61 Ministry of Innovation and Growth, Programme "Competitiveness and Innovation in Enterprises", official website.  
62ПРИЛОЖЕНИЕ V Образец за програмите, подкрепяни от ЕФРР (цел „Инвестиции за работни места и растеж“, ЕСФ +, 
Кохезионния фонд, ФСП и ЕФМДРА — член 21, параграф 3. Program "Development of human resources" 2021-2027, 
official website.  

63 Program "Development of human resources" 2021-2027, official website.  
64 Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, ЕК одобри Програма „Развитие на човешките ресурси“ за програмен период 2021-

2027 г., mlsp.government.bg. (19 July 2022).  

51 

 
 
Republic  of  Bulgaria  (2021-2030)65.  Its  total  budget  amounts  to  BGN  1,887,219,069  (approx.  EUR 
965,945,630), including co-financing from the ESF+66.  

These Priorities are aimed at promoting equal access to quality and inclusive education and training, as well 
as  focus  on  disadvantaged  groups.  This  encompasses  the  entirety  of  the  educational  cycle,  from  early 
childhood education and care, through general and vocational education and training, to higher education 
and adult education, including facilitating learning mobility for all and accessibility for people with disabilities. 
The  Programme  interventions  will  support  more  than  760  000  children  and  students  in  the  education 
system, and around 300 000 children, students and parents from marginalised groups are expected to be 
involved in its activities. 

  Funding  mechanisms  of  Bulgarian  public  research  organisations  and  higher 

education institutions 

Performance-based research funding (PBRF) was introduced in the Strategy for the Development of Higher 
Education  in  Bulgaria  2014-2020,  with  the  aim  of  concentrating  resources  and  consolidating  research 
competencies. According to it, around 10 percent of direct institutional funding to public research institutions 
should  be  performance-based,  while  the  remaining  90  percent  are  still  based  on  the  number  of  enrolled 
students67;  and  the  BAS  General  Assembly  has  adopted  an  even  higher  target  of  20  percent  of  the  total 
government  subsidy  to  BAS  institutions  should  be  performance-based.  However,  at  present  the  share  of 
direct institutional funding that is performance-based varies from roughly 2.5 to 5 percent, depending on the 
type  of  institution.  Performance  is  measured  through  a  complex  set  of  indicators,  which  include  quality  of 
education,  the  volume  and  value  of  research  and  publication  outputs,  the  educational  environment, 
services,  direct  contribution  to  the  labour  market,  and  accreditation  scores.  In  2018,  the  PBRF  indicators 
were  amended  to  include  measures  of  knowledge  and  technology  transfer  activities,  including  research 
funding received from external sources and commercialisation revenue. 

4.3.1.  Bulgarian Academy of Sciences 

Based on the Annual report and the Annual Budget of BAS, part of the State budget, the main sources of 
financing BAS are as follows: 

•  Direct institutional funding (bloc funding) The BAS budget is approved by the annual State Budget Act 
(block  funding).  Additional  subsidies  can  be  provided  throughout  the  year  based  on  Decisions  of  the 
Council of Ministers as part of the budget of the Ministry of Science and Education.  

–  Component  1:  Direct  institutional  funding  covers  around  90%  of  the  remuneration  of  the 
administrative and academic staff of the Academy, based on annual reports on amounts allocated 
for overheads; and the number of academic staff, PhD students and administrative personnel.  

–  Component  2:  Performance-based  institutional  funding  –  it  is  based  on  the  reported  scient 
metrics  capacity,  the  number  of  PhD  students,  project  funds  raised.  At  least  50%  is  allocated  for 
additional differentiated remuneration for academic staff according to their contribution to the listed 
indicators.  The  decision  "at  least  50%  compulsory  differentiated  payment"  was  taken  by  the 
General Assembly of BAS in February 2020. 

–  Component 3: Another part of the institutional funding is directed to overheads and maintenance. 

•  Project-based funding – by national, European and other international programmes. The allocation of 

funds depends on the eligible expenditures for every particular project. 

•  Project-based  direct  funding  -  National  Research  Infrastructures  Roadmap,  Centres  of  Excellence, 

Centres of Competence, and National Science Programmes. 

–  Collaborative research agreements - Based on shared responsibility for the work plan and tasks; 

separate budget for each partner, and shared risk of the uncertainty of outcomes. 

65 Ministry of Education and Science, Executive Agency "Education Programme", official website.  
66 Ministry of Education and Science, Европейската комисия одобри Програма „Образование“ 2021-2027 г. (12 August 

2022).  

67 Republic of Bulgaria, Strategy for the Development of Higher Education in Bulgaria 2014-2020, September 2014, p. 19.  

52 

 
 
–  Contract  research  and  commercialisation  (including  spin-offs)  includes  1)  Contract  Research 
Agreements  -  PRO  undertakes  R&D commissioned  by  and  paid  by  an  external  party  defining  the 
work plan and bearing the risk for the outcomes, and 2) Spin-off companies exploiting technologies 
developed in the PRO or/and employing researchers from the PRO, where the PRO has an equity 
stake. 

–  Own  revenues  -  Commercialisation  of  intellectual  property  rights  and  know-how;  access  to 

research infrastructures, services provision, among others. 

The  BAS  budget  covers  expenditures  related  to  scientific  research,  museum  activity,  and  publishing 
activities, staff training, infrastructure development and maintenance, as well as ongoing expenses related 
to general academic and non-profit activities (Articles 75 and 76 of the Statute of BAS).  

The estimated income of BAS for 2024 is from the following main sources: 

• 

Income, aid and donations: BGN 27,193,500, which is EUR 13,904,029 

•  Subsidy from the State Budget: BGN 181,899,800, which is EUR 93,005,317 

4.3.2.  Agricultural Academy 

The budget of the Agricultural Academy (AA) primarily comes from direct institutional funding.  

The Agricultural Academy is eligible to receive performance-based funding, but it is difficult to discern the 
exact  share  of  direct  institutional  funding  that  is  performance-based.  All  other  funding  sources,  which 
include  revenues  from  research  contracts  and  consulting  services;  funding  from  competitive  grant 
programmes; revenue from commercialisation; and other sources, accounted for the remaining 35 percent 
of the AA funding. It is difficult to separate these external revenue sources from each other due to the way 
the AA funding is reported. 

According  to  the  AA  Act  and  internal  regulations,  the  budget  of  the  AA  and  its  main  units  includes  the 
following components: 

• 

transfers from the state budget; 

• 

revenues from research contracts; 

• 

revenue from the sale of intellectual and other products; 

• 

revenues from consulting, design and expert activity; 

• 

revenues from services, analyses, scientific research; 

• 

income from education; 

• 

funds  from  national,  European  and  international  programmes  and  projects  to  support  research, 
innovation and education, conservation of the genetic resources of the plant, animal, aquaculture gene 
pool and others related to the activity; 

•  donations, grants and other grants received; 

•  other operating income. 

The estimated income of AA for 2024 is as follows: 

• 

Income, aid and donations: BGN 18,000,000, which is EUR 9,203,395 

•  Subsidy from the State Budget: BGN 56,909,000, which is EUR 29,097,556 

53 

 
4.3.3.  Higher education institutions 

Bulgarian HEIs receive income from different sources: transfers from the state budget, financial aid from the 
municipalities,  donations,  legacies,  inheritances,  sponsorship,  as  well  as  income  generated  from  its  own 
activities. The Law on the State Budget (for each calendar year) determines the individual transfers from the 
budget of the Ministry of Education and Science for each of the state higher education institutions, while the 
budget of the Ministry of Defence determines the transfers for the state military higher education institutions. 

Bulgarian  HEIs  receive  direct  institutional  funding  for  research  activities  amounting  to  approximately  10 
percent  of  their  budget  for  education.  Like  BAS  and  AA,  HEIs  are  eligible  to  receive  performance-based 
funding.  Universities  can  also  receive  other  external  funding  for  research  through  contract  research, 
donations, and other sources. 

The revenue part of the budget of the higher education institution is formed by: 

• 

transfers from the state budget; 

• 

financial assistance from municipalities; 

•  donations, wills, sponsorship; 

•  own revenues from: 

– 

research,  expert  consultancy  and  artistic,  creative,  therapeutic  and  sports  activities,  from 
intellectual  property  rights,  as  well  as  from  economic  activities  related  to  the  main  activity  of  the 
higher  education  institution  and  the  valorisation  of  its  research  results  and  other  objects  of 
intellectual property; 

–  application fees, training fees and training revenues; 

–  postgraduate qualification; 

–  administrative  services  for  non-students  whose  amount  cannot  exceed  the  necessary  costs  for 

providing the service; 

–  other activities related to the learning process; 

• 

real estate rental. 

The Research Sectors at the public HEIs are self-sustaining, with funding being provided by: 

•  contract revenue; 

• 

revenue from the sale of research products, services, etc.; 

•  bank loans; 

•  gratuitous financial proceeds; 

•  earmarked financing and other revenue; 

•  donations and wills. 

The  function  of  the  Research  Sectors  at  the  HEI  is  to  provide  administrative  and  financial  support  to  the 
research  activities  related  to  their  main  activity.  Also,  these  are  responsible  for  financial  and  accounting 
services  for  projects  from  the  University's  Research  Funds  and  projects  under  external  national  and 
international  programmes,  contracts  with  business  and  consultancy  services  provided  by  the  university's 
academic staff, students, and PhD students. 

The procedure for performance based funding of HEIs and PRO is presented in Annex 3. 

54 

 
5.  Research and innovation ecosystem: stakeholder mapping 

This  chapter  begins  by  outlining  the  key  stakeholders  and  the  governance  framework  of  research  and 
innovation and higher education sectors at the national level. It then continues with a brief overview of the 
research-performing institutions, starting with public research organisations (i.e., the Bulgarian Academy of 
Sciences and the Agricultural Academy), followed by a brief overview of the higher education institutions in 
the country and their research profiles. 

  R&I governance system: key actors 

The  state  policy  for promoting  research  and  innovation is  determined  by  the  Council  of  Ministers  and  is 
implemented through the Ministry of Education and Science (MES) and the Ministry of Innovation and 
Growth (MIG). MES acts as the responsible institution for promoting basic and applied research, and MIG 
acts as the responsible institution for promoting innovation activities.  

Figure 7: R&I governance in Bulgaria 
Source: https://www.government.bg/ 

The  State  policy  is  also  carried  out  by  other  ministries  within  their  area  of  competence  through  various 
measures and activities in the relevant sector and in line with the strategic documents on R&I, such as the 
National  Strategy  for  the  Development  of  Scientific  Research,  the  Innovation  Strategy  for  Smart 
Specialisation,  the  Framework  Programme  for  Research  and  Innovation,  the  National  Roadmap  for 
Research Infrastructure, the national programmes in science and innovation, among others (see Figure 3). 

According  to  the  revisions  presented  in  the  new  Law  on  Research and  Innovation  Promotion  (adopted 
on  1  May  2024),  significant  modifications  have  been  made  to  the  R&I  governance  structure.  Until  the 
execution  of  all  suggested  reforms  is  completed,  a  transitional  phase  is  expected  for  all  stakeholders 
involved in governance.68 

68 Please note that as of the completion of this report draft, the governance processes and changes in institutional 

responsibilities have not yet been detailed on the institutional websites. 

55 

 
 
 
 
The  central  role  in  governing  science,  technology  and  innovation  in  Bulgaria  is  divided  between  the 
Ministry of Education and Science and the Ministry of Innovation and Growth. Their competences and 
responsibilities  are  split  into  two  areas:  science  and  scientific  research,  on  the  one  hand,  and 
technology  development  and  innovation,  on  the  other.  The  Ministry  of  Education  and  Science  and 
the  Ministry  of  Innovation  and  Growth  develop  and  submit  for approval  by  the  Council  of  Ministers  the 
Framework  Programme  for  Research  and  Innovation,  coordinate  the  country's  participation  in  Horizon 
Europe, the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, through a national network of experts 
in the different thematic areas of the programme (national contact points). The network is led by a national 
coordinator who organises, coordinates, monitors and reports on the activities. 

Some of the key responsibilities of the MES and the MIG are the following: 

•  Set  their  own  policy  framework  and  define  specific  priorities  (see  Error!  Reference  source  not  f

ound.). 

Ministry of Education and Science 

Ministry of Innovation and Growth 

• 

functions  as  a  regulator  of  the  national  education 
system 

•  develops,  organises,  coordinates  and  controls  the 
implementation  of  state  policy  in  the  field  of 
innovation 

•  designs  and  carries  out  national  science  and 

•  defines the national innovation policy 

scientific research policy 

•  hosts the National Contact Points (NCP) of the EU 
framework  programme  Horizon  Europe  (within  the 
Directorate “Science”) 

•  develops and participates in the implementation of 
the Innovation Strategy for Smart Specialisation 

•  develops  and  implements  the  commitments  under 
the National Roadmap for Research Infrastructures 
(NRRI)  and 
the  participation  of  national 
consortia in Pan-European research infrastructures 

for 

•  coordinates and participates in the implementation 

of the entrepreneurial discovery process 

•  encourages the participation of young researchers 

in national, regional and European initiatives 

•  participates 

the  development,  organisation, 
coordination  and  implementation  of  the  SME, 
entrepreneurship and cluster policy 

in 

•  organises  the  work  of  the  Council  for  Innovation 
and Research (former National Council for Science 
and Innovation) 

•  governs the support to SMEs through the Bulgaria 

SME Promotion Agency 

•  maintains  databases  and  license  for  referenced 

•  coordinates and participates in the implementation of 

scientific publications 

the “Industry 4.0” process 

Table 5: Main responsibilities of the Ministry of Education and Science and the Ministry of Innovation and Growth in the field of research and 
innovation 
Source: https://www.government.bg/ 

•  Manage different operational programmes (OPs). 

During the 2014-2020 programming period, until 2017 the Directorate “Structural Funds and International 
Educational  Programmes”  at  MES  performed  the  functions  of  a  Managing  Authority  of  OP  “Science  and 
Education for Smart Growth” (OP SESG) with funding from ESF and ERDF. Starting from 1 November 
2017, the Science and Education for Smart Growth Operational Programme Executive Agency (set up 

56 

 
 
 
on  18  October  2017)  became  the  Managing  Authority,  following  recommendations  to  improve  the 
administrative  and  absorptive  capacity  in  the  field  of  science  and  education.  OP  SESG  financed  the 
establishment  of  the  Centres  of  Excellence  and  Centres  of  Competence.  Within  the  Ministry  of  Economy, 
the  General  Directorate  “European  Funds  for  Competitiveness”  was  the  Managing  Authority  of  OP 
“Innovation and Competitiveness” (OP IC) and OP “SME Initiative 2014-2020” (SMEI). 

For the 2021-2027 programming period, the Ministry of Innovation and Growth was replaced the State 
Agency for Research and Innovation and took over the governance of the new Research, Innovation and 
Digitalization  for  Smart  Transformation  (RIDST)  Programme  2021  –  2027,  jointly  with  the  Innovation 
and Competitiveness in Enterprises (ICE) Programme and S3 process. The Ministry of Education and 
Science is responsible for the Education Programme. 

•  Allocate  national  public  funding  covering  different  groups  of  stakeholders/stages  of  the  innovation  life 

cycle. 

MES oversees the functioning of the National Science Fund, which is the main national funding instrument 
for R&D of scientific organisations and HEIs on a project and programme basis in the priority scientific fields 
identified in the National Strategy for the Development of Scientific Research.  

As opposed to the National Science Fund, the Ministry of Innovation and Growth provides national funding 
predominantly  to  private  enterprises  for  applied  research  through  the  National  Innovation  Fund, 
implemented  by  the  Bulgarian  SME  Promotion  Agency  (BSMEPA).  The  strategic  goal  of  the  National 
Innovation Fund is to increase the competitiveness of the Bulgarian economy through the encouragement 
of  market-oriented  applied  research  and  to  create  a  background  for  private  investments  in  innovation 
according to the priorities of the Bulgarian Innovation Strategy for Smart Specialisation. 

The other key stakeholders involved in the R&I governance structure (see  Figure 3) and their roles 
are as follows: 

The  Council  for  Innovation  and  Research  (Law  on  Research  and  Innovation  Promotion)  facilitates  the 
coordination  of  governmental  policy  to  promote  research  and  innovation  with  other  national  policies  and 
strategies.  It  is  co-chaired  by  the  Minister  of  Science  and  Education  and  the  Minister  for  Innovation  and 
Growth. It has 15 members, of whom six representatives of universities and research organisations, seven 
representatives  of  business,  and  two  experts  in  intellectual  property  or  with  experience  in  technology 
transfer. They have a five-year mandate with the right to serve one additional term. Members of the Council 
do  not  receive  remuneration.  Their  primary  duties  include  the  development  of  the  National  Research 
Strategy, opinions on Bulgarian research and international collaboration, and such on HEI reports. 

A Standing Committee as an advisory body to the Minister of Education and Science plans, monitors and 
evaluates  the  implementation  of  the  National  Research  Infrastructure  (RI)  Roadmap.  The  Standing 
Committee  is  formed  of  representatives  of  the  scientific  community,  employers'  organisations,  ministries 
and  independent  experts  appointed  by  the  Minister  of  Education  and  Science.  The  Standing  Committee 
analyses the implementation of the Roadmap and makes a proposal for prioritising the RI sites based on a 
methodology approved by the Minister of Education and Science.  

The  governance  structure  also  includes  three  agencies:  National  Agency  for  Evaluation  and 
Accreditation  (NAEA),  National  Agency  for  Vocational  Education  and  Training  (NAVET),  and  the 
Patent  Office  (PO).  NAEA  is  an  independent  statutory  body  that  evaluates,  accredits,  and  monitors  the 
quality  of  higher education  institutions  and  scientific  organisations.  NAVET  (established  in  1999)  monitors 
the  activities  and  assesses  the  quality  of  training  in  licensed  institutions  in  the  vocational  training  system, 
oversees  conducting  and  implementation  of  research  in  vocational  education  and  training,  and  provides 
guidance. The PO (established in 1993) is the state body for legal protection of industrial property (second-
level spending unit at the Ministry of Economy and Industry). It conducts evaluations and makes decisions 
on the protection of industrial property objects. 

The  Bulgarian  Small  and  Medium  Enterprises  Promotion  Agency  is  an  administrative  structure  within 
the  Ministry  of  Innovation  and  Growth,  which  implements  the  state  policy  for  promoting  entrepreneurship, 
development and internationalisation of SMEs. The Agency provides SMEs with information and consulting 
services,  training  courses  and  promotional  activities.  Its  two  key  activities  are:  (a)  administration  and 
monitoring  of  initiatives  related  to  innovation  and  technological  development  of  Bulgarian  companies, 
particularly those implemented by the National Innovation Fund; and (b) supporting the internationalisation 
of Bulgarian SMEs through the provision of services and instruments to strengthen the international position 
of  SMEs.  The  Agency  organises  and  coordinates  the  participation  of  Bulgaria  in  Eurostars,  the  largest 

57 

 
international  funding  programme  for  SMEs  willing  to  collaborate  on  R&D  projects  to  create  innovative 
products, processes or services for commercialisation. 

Local government and local administration bodies (e.g., municipal council, mayor) can also set policies 
to  promote  R&I  at  the  municipal  level.  The  municipal  council  adopts  strategies,  programmes  and  plans 
containing  measures,  objectives  and  priorities  for  the  development  of  research  and  innovation  within  the 
municipality.  

Other  Ministries  whose  policy  areas  include  measures  and  activities  related  to  the  implementation  of  the 
national  policy  for  the  promotion  of  research  and  innovation  designate  at  least  one  official  to  act  as  a 
Science  and  Innovation  Coordinator.  The  coordinator  is  in  charge  of  the  integration  of  R&I  promotion 
policies into sectoral policies and strategic documents of the respective ministry.  

The  mission  of  the  Ministry  of  Economy  and  Industry  (MEI)  is  to  pursue  a  clear  and  transparent 
economic policy based on European values and respecting the principles of consistency and continuity for 
the  protection  of  the  state  and  public  interest.  One  of  its  objectives  is  to  build  a  competitive,  resource-
efficient  and  low-carbon  industry  by  introducing  new  technologies,  innovations  and  stimulating  innovative 
companies. 

The Ministry of Health oversees the National Centre for Public Health and Analysis. 

The  Ministry  of  Agriculture  and  Food  oversees  the  Bulgarian  research  policy  in  agriculture.  Secondary 
appropriators  of  budget  funds  to  the  Ministry  of  Agriculture  and  Food  with  a  focus  on  research  and 
innovation are the Executive Agency for Selection and Reproduction in Livestock Breeding, the Executive 
Agency for Variety Testing, the Approbation and Seed Control, and the Agricultural Academy. 

The Ministry of Transport and Communications is responsible for the e-government, the Digital Agenda 
and its executive agency ‘Electronic Communication Networks and Information Systems’.  

Unions  of  Higher  Education  Institutions  and  Scientific  Organisations  are  also  established.  The 
purpose  of  these  alliances  is  to  carry  out  activities  under  the  National  Research  Infrastructure  Roadmap 
and to receive public funding under it, as well as to carry out joint research. 

The  Bulgarian  Open  Science  Portal  is  established  and  maintained  by  the  Ministry  of  Education  and 
Science  through  the  National  Centre for Information  and  Documentation  (NACID).  It  functions  as  a  single 
point  of  access  to  scientific  data  derived  from  research  that  has  been  partially  or  fully  funded  by  public 
funds, as well as a national repository.  

  Research performing organisations 

The research sector in Bulgaria comprises HEIs, the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS), the Agricultural 
Academy (AA), as well as three military research centres, three national medical centres, and four university 
hospitals. The largest research-performing institutions in Bulgaria are the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 
followed  by  several  Bulgarian  universities  that  are  based  in  the  Sofia  capital  region  (e.g.  Sofia  University 
and Technical University - Sofia). 

5.2.1.  Bulgarian Academy of Sciences 

The Bulgarian Academy of Sciences was founded in 1869. At present, its activity falls into four main areas: 
fundamental  research,  applied  research,  education,  and  scientific  services  provided  to  the  Bulgarian 
government and public. According to the Statutes of BAS (Article 1) the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences is 
an autonomous national institution for scientific research and the training of highly skilled professionals and 
scientists. It consists of 42 research institutes, 4 laboratories (Annex 4) and a community of approximately 
3000 scientists with the following positions – academics (full members), corresponding members (associate 
members),  and  foreign  BAS  members.  BAS  institutes  are  accredited  for  training  doctoral  students  in  242 
programmes. The number of academic staff and researchers per BAS’s institutes is given in Annex 5. 

Based  on  national  priorities,  as  well  as  global  trends,  BAS  establishes  its  research  priorities,  plans  and 
conducts  fundamental  and  applied  research,  and  helps  to  capitalise  on  the  findings  (Article  3,  Statutes  of 
BAS). 

58 

 
 
Management structure of BAS: 

The  General  Assembly  is  the  highest collective  governing  body  of  BAS.  The  elected  members  serve  a  4-
year term (Article 14, BAS Statutes). A President, two Vice-presidents, and a Secretary are in charge of the 
General Assembly. Article 16 of the BAS Statute regulates the General Assembly's functions. Some of their 
tasks include appointing the BAS' President and Vice presidents, Scientific secretary general, and Members 
of the Governing Council. The Assembly also determines the BAS scientific policy (strategy, priorities and 
main areas of the scientific activity) and adopts concepts for its international activity, approves BAS budget, 
accepts its distribution and the reports on its spending, as well as it creates, reorganises and closes down 
scientific  and  other  independent  units  of  BAS.  The  IX  General  Assembly  is  presently  carrying  out  its 
mandate. Their first meeting was held on 24 June 2024. 

Figure 8: BAS Governing Bodies 
Source: BAS official website 

The Governing Council of BAS - its election, structure and functioning, is regulated by the Statutes of BAS 
(Articles 22-24). It has a general and an extended Council composition. The general Governing Council is of 
27  members,  elected  for  a  4-year  term  among  full  and  associate  members  of  the  BAS.  The  extended 
Governing  Council  includes  the  heads  of  state  institutions,  universities,  and  other  organisations;  the 
Chairman of the General Assembly; the representatives of young scientists and doctoral students; and the 
Chairman of the Museum Council. 

The  functions  of  the  Governing  Council  are  regulated  in  Article  24  of  the  Statute  of  BAS.  Some  of  these 
include proposing draft decisions to the General Assembly on the establishment, restructuring, and closure 
of  academic  units;  preparing  strategic  documents  for  the  development  of  BAS,  providing  equipment  and 
technical  facilities,  and  establishing  the  regime  of  their  use,  construction  and  disposal  of  the  Academy's 
property, allocation of the BAS budget, among others. 

The  Management  Board  includes  the  President  of  BAS,  the  Vice-Presidents,  the  Scientific  Secretary-
General and the Scientific Secretaries of BAS. It is the governing body that ensures the implementation of 
the  decisions  of  the  General  Assembly,  and  the  day-to-day  management  of  BAS.  Among  the  most 
important  functions  of  the  Board  are  the  preparation  and  proposition  of  draft  decisions,  concerning  the 
activities  of  BAS,  to  the  General  Assembly,  the  election  of  the  directors  of  the  scientific  units,  the 
organisation of periodic attestation of independent scientific units and the organisation of general academic 
international cooperation. 

The  President  of  BAS  is  elected  for  a  four-year  term  on  a  full-time  basis  among  prominent  Bulgarian 
scientists. The President is an academic or corresponding member of BAS with acknowledged contributions 
in  science  and  well-established  international  reputation,  as  well  as,  younger  than  70  years  (Article  25, 
Statute of BAS). Among the President’s responsibilities are to represent BAS nationally and internationally, 
to  manage  the  BAS’  budget  and  funds  in  accordance  with  the  decisions  of  the  General  Assembly,  to 
appoint the elected by the General Assembly and the Governing Council officials, to organize and supervise 
the  implementation  of  general  academic  tasks,  among  others.  The  current  President  of  BAS  is  Julian 

59 

 
 
 
Revalski,  Professor  of  Mathematics,  Doctor  of  Sciences.  He  was  elected  President  of  the  Academy  at  a 
meeting of the General Assembly on 30 November 2020, with a second term of office until 202469. 

The  Vice-presidents  of  BAS  are  elected  among  professors,  corresponding  members,  or  recognised 
academics  for  a  four-year  full-time  term.  Vice-Presidents  support  and  substitute  the  BAS  President  when 
needed, and carry out any other tasks that the President may designate (Article 27, Statute of BAS). The 
current  Vice-presidents  are  Evdokia  Pasheva,  Professor  of  Biology,  Doctor  of  Sciences  and  Stefan 
Hadjitodorov,  Professor of Mathematics,  Doctor of  Sciences.  Both  were  elected  by the  General  Assembly 
on 18 January 2021. 

The  Scientific  Secretary-General  is  elected  for  a  four-year  term,  and  must  be  a  BAS  professor, 
corresponding member, or recognised academic. The Secretary-General is the President's primary support 
in operational management of BAS (Article 28, Statute of BAS). The current Scientific Secretary-General is 
Neli  Koseva,  Professor,  PhD,  Head  of  the  research  department  Polymers  for  Alternative  Energy  and 
Environmental Protection at the Institute of Polymers, elected on 18 January 2021. 

The Scientific Secretaries are elected for a four-year term, must be habilitated scientists and employed by 
BAS. They support the President and the Scientific Secretary-General with the operational management of 
BAS. 

The  Board  of  Trustees  has  a  four-year  term  and  includes  scientists  from  abroad,  representatives  of 
employers'  associations,  universities,  non-profit  organisations  in  the  arts  and  sciences.  It  supports  the 
development  of  the  Bulgarian  Academy  of  Sciences  and  the  effective  management  of  funds  and  its 
property.  As  part  of  its  functions,  it  controls  the  spending  of  the  budget  subsidy,  coordinates  the  financial 
policy of the Academy and controls the management of the property.  

5.2.2.  Agricultural Academy 

The Agricultural Academy (AA) carries out fundamental and applied research, delivers service and supports 
activities in the field of agriculture, breeding and food industry. The AA was founded in 1961. According to 
the  law  adopted  on  28  February  2018,  it  became  a  national  autonomous  budget  organisation  under  the 
Ministry of Agriculture and Food. The Agricultural Academy is the only academic organisation in the country 
entrusted to carry out research in the field of agriculture, animal breeding and food industry, and to develop 
products subject to intellectual property.  

The  structure  of  the  AA  includes  a  central  administration,  25  research  institutes,  4  research  centres,  13 
experimental  stations,  united  under  the  auspices  of  the  State  Enterprise  "Research  and  Production 
Centre"70, and a National Agricultural Museum (Annex 6).  

AA  research  is  decentralised  in  25  regional  units.  The  applied  orientation  of  the  research  projects  and 
service activities carried out at the Academy bring the research results close to the problems of agricultural 
companies. The AA owns over two thirds of the protected technological knowledge in the country in the field 
of agricultural sciences.  

One of the tasks of the AA is the creation of new and improved plant varieties and animal breeds. Varieties 
developed in the AA are recognised, with very few exceptions, by the Executive Agency for Plant Variety, 
Testing,  Approbation  and  Seed  Control  (EAPVTFISC)  under  the  Ministry  of  Agriculture  and  Food,  and 
usually receive legal protection by the Patent Office. 

Over  the  last  20  years,  and  particularly  after  Bulgaria’s  accession  to  the  EU,  the  regime  of  recognition  of 
varieties/hybrids  resulting  from  foreign  selection  substantially  was  simplified.  Selection  companies  have 
significant  financial  resources  not  only  for  selection  and  research  but  also  for  implementation  and 
distribution.  Due  to  the  Agricultural  Academy's  limited  financial  resources  compared  to  those  of  large 
companies, it lacks the capacity to compete in advertising and spreading the new varieties/hybrids. 

The  management  structure  of  the  Academy  includes  a  Board  of  Directors  and  an  Executive  Bureau 
(Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Chief Scientific Secretary). The Board of Directors adopts the Strategy for 

69 Information available on BAS’ official website available at: [https://www.bas.bg/?page_id=10955&lang=en]. Last accessed 14 

August 2024. 

70 The State Enterprise "Research and Production Centre" is a legal entity headquartered in Sofia, with the status of a state 

enterprise under the Commercial Law. The enterprise carries out scientific and applied research, experimental production and 
other activities supporting the activity of the Academy. 

60 

 
 
basic and applied research and innovation in the field of the agricultural sector and proposes it for approval 
by the Minister of Agriculture and Food; adopts the annual plan and the annual reports on the activity of the 
Academy  and  submits  a  summary  report  to  the  Minister  of  Agriculture  and  Food  and  the  Minister  of 
Education and Science; approves the annual budget of the Academy and the report on its implementation; 
approves  the  distribution  of the  budget  of  the  Academy to  its  structural  units;  determines  the  rules  for the 
realisation of products and IP rights of the Academy; and adopts rules for attestation of the academic staff, 
among others. 

5.2.3.  Higher educational institutions 

The  tertiary  education  system  in  Bulgaria  includes  51  accredited  higher  education  institutions,  including 
universities,  specialised  HEIs  and  colleges,  spanning  over  six  planning  regions.  There  are  37  public 
institutions  (25  universities,  11  specialised  HEIs  and  1  college)  and  14  private  HEIs  (5  universities,  2 
specialised HEIs and 7 colleges). 

While in each of the six planning regions there are both region-based higher education institutions, as well 
as  a  number of  satellite  campuses  of  higher education  institutions  from  other  planning  regions,  by  far the 
greatest concentration of universities and colleges is in the Southwest region, home to the country’s capital 
city.  Twenty-two  higher  education  institutions  are  located  in  Sofia  itself.  Fifty-two  educational  areas/are 
recognised by the Ministry of Education and Science offered in the higher education institutions; however, 
only eleven of these are available across all planning regions (for more details  see Table 6:  Number  of  higher 
education institutions, professional areas and number of students per planning region). 

The Higher Education Act introduced in 2020 the status of research HEI. Pertain to Article 17а (adopted 
in  2020  and  last  amended  in  2022)  of  HEA,  ‘HEI  that  makes  a  significant  contribution  to  the 
development of important public areas through cutting-edge scientific research and has high results of 
research activity, evaluated according to objective indicators, including number of scientific publications in 
publications  referenced  in  international  databases,  number  of  published  patent  applications,  number  of 
citations  by  other  authors  in  refereed  and  indexed  journals  in  international  databases,  can  be  defined  as 
research high school’. Decree No 226 of the Council of Ministers, dated 12 July 2021, defines the specific 
Methodology,  and  the  Minister  of  Education  and  Science  proposes  a  list  of  HEI  to  be  considered  for  this 
status,  upon  their  request.  The  list  is  updated  annually  by  November  1.  HEIs  included  in  the  list  remain 
there for 4 years.  

Planning Region 
(PR) 

Number 
of 
professio
nal areas 

Number of 
higher 
education 
institutions 
including 
branches 

Number of 
currently 
active 
students 

Share of the 
currently active 
students in the 
region as the total 
of all currently 
active students in 
the country (%) 

Share of the 
population in the 
region as of the 
whole 
population in the 
country (%) 

Bulgaria 

52 

South Western PR  

50 

South Central PR 

44 

North Eastern PR 

38 

North Central PR 

35 

South Eastern PR 

33 

North Western PR 

14 

51 

27 

13 

9 

7 

7 

6 

179 765 

100.00% 

100% 

81 760 

45.50% 

31.30% 

33006 

18.40% 

20.20% 

26948 

15% 

12.80% 

20859 

12% 

10.60% 

12 355 

7% 

14.70% 

4837 

3% 

10.40% 

61 

 
Table 6: Number of higher education institutions, professional areas and number of students per planning region 
Source: National Map of Higher Education in the Republic of Bulgaria 2023. 
In 2022, out of eight HEI applicants, three universities obtained the status, namely the Medical University - 
Pleven, the University of Thrace - Stara Zagora and the University of Ruse "Angel Kanchev”71. In 2021, the 
following  seven  HEIs  met  the  criteria  and  were  already  included  on  the  list:  Sofia  University  "St.  Kliment 
Ohridski",  the  Medical  universities  in  Sofia,  Varna  and  Plovdiv,  the  Technical  University  -  Sofia,  the 
Chemical Technology and Metallurgical University, and the Plovdiv University "Paisiy Hilendarski". 

Bulgarian higher education institutions enjoy a great level of autonomy (academic freedoms and academic 
self-governance): while each institution maintains its right to academic self-governance, they must comply 
with the legislative and policy frameworks (Chapter 1). 

Academic  freedom  is  defined  as  freedom  of  teaching,  conducting  research,  cooperation  for  joint  learning 
activities with other higher education institutions and research organisations, and an educational franchise 
with other higher education institutions, as well as conducting joint research, artistic, design and innovation 
activities with other universities and organisations in the country and abroad. 

Academic self-governance is expressed in the election of the internal governing bodies, the right to regulate 
its  structure  and  activities  based  on  its  own  regulations,  management  of  the  structure  and  career  path  of 
their  scientific  and  teaching  staff  in  accordance  with  the  national  legislation,  development  and 
implementation  of  curricula  and  research  projects,  selection  of  the  specialties  in  which  training  is  carried 
out,  formation  of  own  funds  and  conditions  for  their  spending,  concluding  of  contracts  for  carrying  out 
scientific and applied research, among others. 

The main coordinating bodies of the HEIs management at the central national level are as follows: 

•  The National Assembly – makes the final decision about establishment, transformation and closing of 
higher education institutions, as well as branches and departments where there are provisions for study 
programmes in regulated professions. 

•  The Council of Ministers – makes the final decision about establishment, transformation and closing of 

departments, institutes, branches and colleges at the public universities. 

•  The Ministry of Education and Science 

−  Controls whether higher education institutions respect the law and in the cases of legal infringement 
addresses the National Evaluation and Accreditation Agency with proposals to revoke accreditation 
status. 

−  Carries out the procedures for the recognition of foreign credentials. 

−  Decisions  on  recognition  are  made  by  a  commission  established  by  the  Ministry.  The  Bulgarian 
National Centre for Academic Recognition and Mobility (ENIC/NARIC) supports the  activities of the 
Commission on the recognition of higher-education study periods and qualifications. 

−  Keeps  a  record  of  all  accredited  institutions  and  their  programmes/courses  of  study  in  a  State 

Registry of Accredited Institutions and Programs. 

•  The National Evaluation and Accreditation Agency is the only national statutory body for evaluation 

and accreditation in higher education. 

−  The Agency recognises the degree-awarding powers of higher education institutions. 

−  The Agency organises also a follow-up procedure at institutional and programme levels. 

71 Ministry of Education and Science, 2 February 2023, Tри висши училища получават статут на изследователски 

университети. Available at: [https://www.mon.bg/news/tri-visshi-uchilishta-poluchavat-statut-na-izsledovatelski-universiteti/]. 
Last accessed 14 August 2024. 

62 

 
 
−  The  Agency  aims  at  post-accreditation  monitoring  and  control  of  the  capability  of  an  institution  to 
assure  quality  and  standards,  as  well  as  whether  the  institution  properly  addresses  the  issues  and 
follows recommendations set in the evaluation report. 

•  The  Council  of  Rectors  of  Higher  Education  Institutions  has  50  higher  education  institutions 
represented  by  their  rectors.  The  Council’s  main  function  is  to  promote  cooperation  and  collaboration 
among  Bulgarian  universities  by  facilitating  joint  research  projects,  academic  exchanges,  among  other 
educational and research activities. 

6.  R&I potential of Bulgarian economy 

The chapter presents the positioning of Bulgarian higher education institutions within the international and 
European  educational  landscape.  The  following  parts  analyse  the  publication  and  patent  activity  of 
nationally represented research organisations. The chapter ends with an analysis of the national economy's 
innovation  potential  based  on  a  series  of  indicators  related  to  financial  resources  and  human  capital 
dedicated to research and innovation growth. 

  Institutional ranking 

A  suitable  tool  for  evaluating  the  effectiveness  of  funding  and  carrying  out  scientific  research,  its 
implementation  in  practice  through  innovation,  and  the  social  impact  achieved  on  this  basis  is  the 
institutional  ranking  of  Scopus  -  SCImago  Institutions  Rankings  (SIR).  SIR  applies  two  criteria  for  the 
inclusion of scientific units:  

•  published  at  least  100  scientific  papers  in  the SCOPUS  database  in  the  last year of  the  selected  time 

period. 

•  cited documents (articles, book chapters, conference reports, reviews and summaries) should represent 

at least 75% of the total number of documents published by the institution. 

In  2023,  27  Bulgarian  scientific  research  organisations  met  these  criteria  and  found  a  place  in  the 
institutional ranking of Scopus. Their distribution by institutional sectors is as follows: 

•  state  sector  –  10  organisations,  one  of  which  is  constituent  (BAS)  and  includes  the  remaining  9 

organisations (BAS institutes); 

•  higher education – 16 universities, one of which is listed as a constituent (Medical University-Sofia), but 

without including another organisation from the group; 

•  healthcare – 1 organisation, included for the first time since 2023. 

In  2023,  the  general  ranking  according  to  the  three  groups  of  criteria  ranks  the  University  of  Food 
Technologies-Plovdiv  in  first  place  in  the  higher  education  sector  group  (6182  out  of  all  8433  institutions 
included in the world ranking). Runners-up are Sofia University (6552) and Medical University-Sofia (6769). 

In the field of scientific research, the leader is the Medical University-Varna (5178), followed by the Forestry 
University  (5579)  and  the  Trakia  University  (5832).  With  the  strongest  positions  in  the  application  of 
scientific  results  is  the  Medical  University-Sofia  (4482)  in  the  company  of  the  University  of  Food 
Technologies-Plovdiv  (4786)  and  the  Medical  University-Plovdiv  (5655),  respectively  in  second  and  third 
place. In terms of indicators of social impact, Sofia University (1677) is in first place in the higher education 
sector in the country. The first three are also Medical University-Sofia (4018) and Plovdiv University (4720). 

BAS is the leader in Bulgaria in the general ranking of institutional sectors, scientific fields and categories of 
indicators, with the exception of the indicators for innovative application of scientific results, which is fully in 
line with the mission of the institution. 

The ranking of universities in the SCOPUS database diverges to some extent with the selection of research 
universities  according  to  the  methodology  for  acquiring  research  status  of  the  Ministry  of  Education  and 

63 

 
Science, introduced in the Law on Higher Education in 2020.72 It takes into account more diverse indicators, 
including attracted funding from participation in international and national research projects, contracts with 
business, development of the academic staff, and social and economic impact of the carried out scientific 
activity. 

Figure 9: Institutional ranking, Public sector, 2018-2023* 
Source: SCImago Institutions Rankings (SIR) 

*  Institutions  marked  with  an  asterisk  consist  of  a  group  of  sub-institutions  identified  by  the  abbreviated  name  of  the  parent  institution.  Parent 
institutions show the results of all their sub-institutions. 

Figure 10: Institutional ranking, Higher education sector, 2018-2023* 
Source: SCImago Institutions Rankings (SIR) 

*  Institutions  marked  with  an  asterisk  consist  of  a  group  of  sub-institutions  identified  by  the  abbreviated  name  of  the  parent  institution.  Parent 
institutions show the results of all their sub-institutions. 

72 The status of a research higher school is given for a significant contribution to the development of important public areas 

through top scientific research and high results in research activity. The first conducted ranking is based on data for the period 
2017 - 2020, collected within the framework of the annual assessment of scientific activity according to the Act for the 
Promotion of Scientific Research. The procedure is repeated annually, and a list of research universities is updated by 
November 1 each year. 

64 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Another tool for evaluating the performance of universities and ranking their performance based on specific 
sets of indicators is offered by the Times Higher Education (THE) series of rankings. 

Figure 11: Positioning of the Bulgarian universities included in the world university ranking of Times Higher Education for 2024. 
Source: Times Higher Education 

The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024 includes 1,904 universities from 108 countries 
and  regions.  The  methodology  includes  18  indicators  that  measure  the  institution's  performance  in  five 
areas:  teaching,  research  environment,  research  quality,  industry  and  international  perspective.  The  2024 
ranking analyses more than 134 million citations in 16.5 million research publications and includes survey 
responses from 68,402 scientists worldwide. 

Three  higher  education  institutions  from  Bulgaria  meet  the  criteria  of  Times  Higher  Education  for  2024. 
Medical  University-Sofia,  for  which  this  is  the  first  participation  in  the  ranking,  is  ranked  in  the  leading 
positions  for  the  country  in  the  interval  1201-1500.  In  the  next  interval  1500+  are  Sofia  University  and 
Technical University-Sofia. 

This is the eighth consecutive participation of Sofia University in the ranking, and in each subsequent year 
the  higher  school  demonstrates  weaker  comparative  results  in  the  company  of  a  growing  number  of 
universities - in the last interval for 2017 (801+), in the last interval for each of the years of the period 2018-
2021 (interval 1001+), in the last interval for 2022 (interval 1201+), in the last interval for 2024 (1501+). An 
exception  is  the  positioning  of  SU  in  the  1201-1500  interval  for  2023  (penultimate  category),  which, 
however, quickly became history with the latest ranking report. Over the years, SU's results have improved 
in the indicators of teaching, research environment and research quality, but this is not enough to bring the 
university to higher comparative positions. 

65 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Figure 12: Results of the Bulgarian universities included in the Times Higher Education world university ranking for 2024, by groups of indicators 
Source: Times Higher Education 

A  significant  deterioration  in  SU's  position  was  observed  in  industry  indicators,  which  measure  the 
university's ability to help industry with innovation, invention and consulting. The category seeks to capture 
knowledge transfer by looking at how much research revenue an institution earns from industry, relative to 
the  number  of  academic  staff  it  employs.  There  is  also  a  deterioration  in  the  results  for  the  university  on 
indicators  of  international  prospects,  which  cover  the  share  of  foreign  students,  the  share  of  foreign 
teachers and participation in international cooperation. 

Technical University-Sofia participates for the third year in a row in the ranking and falls in the last interval 
for the respective year. The university improved its results compared to the previous year in all monitored 
areas except interaction with industry and knowledge transfer. 

The  2023  impact  ranking  is  the  fifth  edition  of  the  study,  which  includes  1,705  universities  from  115 
countries  and  regions.  Any  university  that  provides  data  for  goal  17  and  at  least  three  other  goals  is 
included  in  the  overall  ranking.  The  impact  on  the  achievement  of  each  goal  is  based  on  a  series  of 
indicators that are used to assess the university's performance in the relevant area.73 

73 A university's overall score for a given year is calculated by combining its score on Goal 17 with the best three scores on the 
other 16 goals. Objective 17 accounts for 22 percent of the total score, while each of the other objectives has a weight of 26 
percent. This means that different universities are evaluated based on a different set of objectives depending on their focus. 
The overall ranking score is an average of the overall scores for the last two years. The score of each objective is scaled so 
that the highest score is 100 and the lowest score is 0. 

66 

 
 
 
 
Figure 13: Positioning of the Bulgarian universities included in the Times Higher Education Impact rankings for 2023. 
Source: Impact Rankings 

Two Bulgarian higher schools are represented in the 2023 impact rankings  – Medical University-Sofia and 
Sofia University. 

  Publication activity 

In  2022,  the  scientific  community  in  Bulgaria  registered  7,225  documents  in  the  Scopus  database,  which 
puts the country 65th in the global ranking for this indicator. On a one-year basis, there is a 5% drop in the 
number of documents with Bulgarian participation registered in the database, and a drop by one position in 
the world ranking. For the five-year period 2018-2022, the number of documents increased by nearly 23%, 
although in comparative terms the country fell back by five positions (5,884 documents and 60th place 
among 234 countries in 2018). It can be said that after 2016 there has been a reversal in the downward 
trend in the number of publications with Bulgarian authors. 

In terms of scientific production included in the Scopus database,  Bulgaria ranks 10th out of a total of 23 
countries in Eastern Europe, followed by three EU member states – Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia. 

After  some  growth  in  2018,  Bulgaria  maintained  a  stable  share  of  about  0.7%  of  the  publication  activity 
within  the  EU27,  which  allowed  the  country  to  recover  its  positions  from  a  quarter  of  a  century  ago. 
Bulgaria  is  in  21st  place  among  the  other  member  countries,  ahead  of  Lithuania,  Cyprus,  Estonia, 
Luxembourg, Latvia and Malta. 

s
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Bulgaria

Share within Eastern Europe

Figure 14: Publication activity in Scopus database, cited documents, 1996 - 2022 
Source: SCImago (2007). SJR — SCImago Journal & Country Rank., http://www.scimagojr.com 

67 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
In 2022, the engineering sciences became the leading scientific field in Bulgaria (1,628 documents in 
the  Scopus  database).  This  is  a  result  of  the  increased  interest  of  the  scientific  community  in  electrical 
engineering  and  electronics,  security,  risk  and  control,  and  mechatronics  and  automotive  engineering. 
Scientific production in the last year ranks the country 60th in the world ranking and 10th in Eastern Europe. 
After  2015,  the  share  of  publications  with  Bulgarian  participation  in  the  European  Union  has 
increased  -  from  0.46%  to  1.11%,  and  for  the  Eastern Europe  region  -  from  1.38%  to  2.85%.  There  has 
been  also  an  increase  in  the  share of  publications  with international  participation,  although  the  results  for 
2022 (28.62%) are still far from the best achievements for this indicator registered in the period 2005-2015 
(about 50%). 

Figure 15: Scientific output per science and technology employee, 2022, number of cited publications in Scopus 
Source: Own calculations by SCImago data (2007). SJR — SCImago Journal & Country Rank, http://www.scimagojr.com and Eurostat, 2023. 

In  recent  years,  including  as  a  result  of  the  COVID-19  crisis,  significant  additional  funding  has  been 
allocated  to  medical  research.  This  also  reflected  in  the  growth  of  scientific  publications  worldwide. 
However, in contrast to global trends, the scientific output in the field of medicine in Bulgaria is rather 
stagnating (1,528), including a slight decline on a one-year basis for 2022. The result is 70th place in the 
world ranking and a declining share of scientific production in the region.  

Figure 16: Publication activity in the Scopus database, 2022 - 2023 
Source: SCImago (2007). SJR — SCImago Journal & Country Rank., 2023. 

68 

 
 
 
 
 
Figure 17: Share of publications with international participation within the total number of publications at the national level in all scientific fields, % 
Source: SCImago (2007). SJR — SCImago Journal & Country Rank., 2023. 

Another change in 2022 was that the field of physics and astronomy (1,483) gives up positions in the 
top three in favour of computer science (1,496). A significant growth of scientific production in the field of 
computer  sciences  in  Bulgaria  has  been  observed  since  2015,  with  the  increase  of  publications  in  the 
Scopus  database  having  tripled.  The  share  in  the  regional  rankings  is  also  growing  -  3.39%  in  Eastern 
Europe (1.65% in 2015) and 1.17% in the EU27 (at 0.41% in 2015). 

  Patent activity 

Bulgaria ranks 24th within the EU27 with 45 patent applications to the EPO, ahead of Cyprus, Croatia 
and Latvia. Regarding the indicator of the number of patent applications per 1 million people (6.6 patents), 
Bulgaria  is  ahead  of  only  Romania  (2.4  patents).  For  comparison,  EPO  patent  applications  from  Sweden 
are 481.8 per 1 million people (first among the EU27) and from Slovenia - 58.4 (first in Central and Eastern 
Europe). Bulgarian companies and organisations received only 22 patents from the EPO, only ahead 
of Cyprus and Lithuania. 

Patent applications to the Patent Office of the Republic of Bulgaria (PORB) in 2022 by Bulgarian nationals 
and organizations totalled 171. This is a 40% drop compared to 2020.  Half of the applications come from 
the  business  sector  (86),  followed  by  applications  from  individuals  (48).  Universities  and  public  research 
organisations (PRO) come only third with 37 requests for invention protection. 

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Figure 18:Patent activity of Bulgarian patent holders on the territory of Bulgaria, 2001 - 2022 
Source: Authors’ calculations according to data of  PORB, 2022. 

69 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The applicant activity in 2022 included the following: 

•  utility model requests – 214 documents (8 requests less than in 2021 and less than half of the number 

in 2020); 

•  95  applications  for  industrial  design,  where  there  is  also  a  downward  trend  for  the  last  three-year 

period; 

•  4,645 trademark applications; 

•  37 applications for new varieties of plants and breeds of animals, which grew in number. 

In  2022,  87  patents  were  issued  by  PORB  to  Bulgarian  patent  holders,  which  is  less  than  half  of  the 
number in the previous year. A decrease in the number of received patents is present in all institutional 
sectors, and it is most pronounced in higher education  – 6 patents or 35% of their  number for 2021.  This 
returns their typical patent activity of a maximum of 7 patents per year. Thus, 2021 seems an isolated peak 
in patent activity rather than part of a sustainable trend. Nearly 43% of all patents for the year were held by 
the business sector, followed by the private sector (30%) and the public sector (20%). 

For  the  last  five-year  period,  institutes  of  the  Bulgarian  Academy  of  Sciences  (BAS)  have  received  178 
patents  from  PORB.  Almost  half  are  owned  by  the  Institute  for  System  Engineering  and  Robotics  (86 
patents,  48%  of  all  patents  for  the  last  five  years  within  the  BAS).  The  institute  maintained  its  leadership 
position for 2022 as well, with seven received patents for the territory of the country. The Institute of Solid 
State  Physics  (16),  the  Institute  of  Electronics  (14),  the  Institute  of  Metallurgy  (11)  and  the  Institute  of 
Information and Communication Technologies (10) remain significantly behind in terms of patent activity. 

The higher education sector is dominated by the Technical University - Sofia, with three patents in 2022 
(half of the total six patents for the sector) and 16 patents for the last five-year period (again, almost half for 
the  sector).  Two  higher  schools  registered  successful  patent  activity  in  2022  –  Sofia  University  with  two 
patents  (a  total  of  5  patents  for  the  five-year  period)  and  Rousse  University  with  one  patent  (also  five 
patents for the five-year period). 

Of  the  Agricultural  Academy  bodies,  only  the  Institute  of  Animal  Breeding  Sciences—Kostinbrod 
obtained 3 patents in total for the period, one of which was in 2022. Other public research units in 
the country did not have patent activity for the period. 

In 2022, the patent activity of Bulgarian businesses resulted in 37 patents issued for inventions. Five of the 
companies have two patents each. Seven of the patents were issued as European patents, and the rest as 
national patents. The Bulgarian patent-holding companies for the period 2001-2022 are 414, with a total of 
679 patents, 40 of the patents (5.89%) being issued by the EPO. Since 2007, 45 Bulgarian companies have 
acquired 205 patents.  

Patents  with  Bulgarian  holders  for  2001-2022  (679)  are  distributed  in  57  cities.  Sofia,  Plovdiv  and  Stara 
Zagora are in the top three. In 2022, there were 1,482 patents with foreign holders. Only three of them from 
two  countries  were  issued  nationally  by  the  PORB.  The  rest  are  European  patents  that  are  also  valid  in 
Bulgaria. Annex 7 presents the patent activity of HEIs and research organisations in Bulgaria for the period 
2007-2022. 

  R&D expenditures 

In 2022, R&D spending in Bulgaria reached BGN 1,266 million, representing an increase of nearly 18% 
compared to the  previous  year. Measured as a share of GDP, however,  R&D spending made up just 
0.75% - a decrease of 0.02 pp. annually, a significant retreat from the "record" year 2015. 

In 2022, more than two-thirds of R&D spending in the country was made by enterprises (68%).  The 
total amount of business investments for research and development amounted to BGN 858 million, which is 
a  growth  of  21%  compared  to  the  amount  spent  in  2021.  The  increase  allows  business  to  keep  R&D 
spending as a share of the GDP at the level of 0.51%, which is significantly below the peak values of 2015. 
As before, the launch of the programmes for financing innovation and technological transfer of enterprises 
under  the  European  structural  and  investment  funds  (this  is  already  a  fact  from  2023  for  the 
Programme for Competitiveness  and  Innovations in Enterprises),  as  well  as  under  the  National  Recovery 
and Resilience Plan, is expected to mobilise significant private resources. 

70 

 
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R&D spending as % of GDP

Figure 19: R&D spending in Bulgaria, 2000 – 2022 
Source: NSI, 2023. 

The share of R&D spending in the higher education sector's GDP is also unchanged—0.05 %, which is the 
result  of  an  increase  of  14%  on  a  one-year  basis  in  the  sum  spent  by  higher  schools  for  science  and 
technology transfer. The exception is the public sector, where the share of R&D spending in GDP drops by 
2  pp.  to  0.19%.  The  amount  spent  for  R&D  by  public  research  organisations  is  BGN  322  million,  with  a 
growth of nearly 11% on a one-year basis. 

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Figure 20: R&D spending by enterprises and the public sector, 2000 – 2022 
Source: NSI, 2023. 

Exactly half of all R&D spending is in the area of technical sciences. The most significant contribution 
is by enterprises, which generate 90% of the investments. Only 7% of technical science funding is provided 
by  public  sector  entities.  Medical  and  health  sciences  attracted  21%  of  R&D  spending  (again,  nearly 
90% of funds in this area were provided by business), followed by natural sciences with a share of 17% 
(led by the public sector, which provided 69% of the funding in this area). 

Large  enterprises  have  a  predominant  share  in  R&D  spending  in  the  sector  –  nearly  55%  in  2022 
(down 3 p.p. compared to the previous year). Medium-sized and small enterprises contribute 22% and 17% 
of  business  investment  in  research  and  development.  The  group  of  small  enterprises  has  the  highest 
growth  in  R&D  spending  (52%),  which  brings  their  share  closer  to  that  of  medium-sized  enterprises  (a 
difference  of  only  5  p.p.)  compared  to  previous  years.  Micro-enterprises  are  in  second  place  in  R&D 
investment growth on a one-year basis (21%). 

71 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Enterprises 

1%

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46%

Natural sciences

Technical
sciences

Medical and
health sciences

Agricultural and
veterinary
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Figure 21: Structure of R&D spending, 2022, % 
Source: NSI, 2023. 

Enterprises from all economic sectors increased their R&D spending. It is most significant (over twice) 
in the agriculture, forestry and fisheries and construction sectors. The sectors of professional activities and 
information  and  creative  products,  and 
scientific 
telecommunications  are  with  equal  positions  of  34%  as  a  share  of  total  business  expenses  for  R&D, 
followed by manufacturing with 25%. 

research,  creation  and  dissemination  of 

The  predominant  part  (40%)  of  R&D  spending  is  from  abroad  –  European  structural  and  investment 
funds,  European  framework  programmes,  but  also  foreign  direct  investments,  international  organisations 
and  investors.  They  are  almost  entirely  allocated  to  business  (88%),  while  the  public  and  higher 
education  sectors  attract  equal  shares  of  5.3%  on  average.  In  the  second  place  as  a  source  of  R&D 
funding  are  enterprises,  which  invest  almost  entirely  in  their  own  developments  (92%).  Enterprises 
spend  only  6%  of  their  R&D  budget  on  commissions  to  research  units  in  the  public  sector  and  allocate 
another 2% to higher education institutions. The public sector provides 25% of all R&D spending in the 
country, and uses 87% of it, and another 12% goes to higher education institutions. The higher education 
sector is almost entirely self-sufficient. Universities have an extremely limited own resource for R&D (0.5% 
of the country's entire portfolio), over 95% of which is spent by them. 

R&D  spending  from  the  public  budget  in  2022  increased  by  a  little  over  12%  on  a  one-year  basis, 
reaching BGN 365.8 million.74 It covers R&D financed by the state budget, carried out both on the territory 
of  the  country  and  outside  of  it.  Annual  membership  fees  paid  to  international  scientific  organisations,  as 
well  as  payments  for  the  participation  of  Bulgaria  in  bilateral  and  multilateral  R&D  programmes,  are  also 
treated as budget R&D spending. 

74 The study is comprehensive and covers all ministries and departments, primary allocators of budget appropriations for R&D. 

72 

 
 
 
 
Defence

General advancement of knowledge: R&D
financed from other sources

General advancement of knowledge: R&D
financed from general university funds

Research of political and social systems,
structures and processes

Culture, recreation and religion

Education

Agriculture, forestry and fisheries

Healthcare

Improvement of industrial production and
technologies

Energy production, storage, distribution and
use

Development of transport, telecommunication
and other infrastructures

Civil space research

Environmental protection

Exploration and exploitation of earth surface,
water and atmosphere

0

40000

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2018

Figure 22: Budget R&D spending by socio-economic objectives, BGN thousand 
Source: NSI, 2023 

According to the nomenclature for analysis and comparison of scientific programmes and budgets (NABS 
2007), three areas lead in terms of the distribution of public funds and are significantly ahead of others:  

•  With a 40% share (or BGN 145 million) in first place is the field of general development of knowledge: 
R&D  financed  from  other  sources.  In  2022,  it  covered  the  institutional  funding  for  BAS  structures  with 
BGN  141  million  (including  all  increases  in  public  financial  transfers  to  the  BAS)75,  along  with 
membership fees and the country's participation in international scientific agreements. 

•  The  development  of  agriculture,  forestry,  and  fishing  accounts  for  just  over  19%  of  all  R&D  budget 
spending  (BGN  71  million),  which  is  mainly  allocated  to  the  units  of  the  Agricultural  Academy 
through the budget of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food. 

•  Another 13% is allocated to the research of public higher education institutions. 

75 According to the Annual Report 2022, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, BAS Publishing House "Prof. Marin Drinov"1 S., 2023, 

ISSN 1314-4499. 

73 

 
 
 
 
In 2022, the budget for the exploration and exploitation of the Earth's surface, waters and atmosphere had 
the  most  significant  increase  –  more  than  2.6  times  compared  to  the  previous  year.  The  health  sector  is 
next with an additional 45% compared to the 2021 budget. 

In five socio-economic fields, the public funds decreased, the most noticeable of which is in the production, 
storage, distribution and use of energy – the funding in 2022 failed to reach even half of the funds allocated 
in  the  previous  year.  Within  the  last  five-year  period,  however,  the  “record”  holder  for  the  decline  in 
public funding is the education sector – the budget of BGN 3.6 million in 2022 represented only 39% of 
the funding provided in 2018. 

  Human resources for R&D 

The personnel engaged in R&D in Bulgaria in 2022 numbered 37 thousand people, including a  growth of 
7% over the preceding year. Exactly half of the research workforce is in enterprises – the largest share 
after  a  continuous  growth  rate  since  2013.  In  the  last  year  alone,  the  increase  in  R&D  personnel  in  the 
business  sector  has  been  close  to  15%.  With  almost  equal  positions  are  the  public  and  higher  education 
sectors, respectively 24% and 26%. In both groups of public organisations (with minor exceptions for higher 
education institutions), the number of employed researchers has been relatively stable, which over time has 
affected their relative weight. 

A  comparison  of  R&D  staff  and  spending  by  scientific  field  shows  a  higher  relative  remuneration  for 
those engaged in R&D in the technical sciences, primarily because employment is mainly provided by 
business  research  departments  (67%  of  spending  for  R&D  in  this  area,  which  mainly  covers  the 
remuneration  of  the  employed  staff,  is  done  by  the  enterprises;  see  further  the  section  Investments  and 
financing of innovation above). 

The  universities  have  a  more  balanced  age  structure  of  R&D  staff  compared  to  publicly  funded  research 
units. With a share of 3% of the academic staff under the age of 25 and 18% of those employed in the 25-
34 age group (respectively 1.4% and 11% in the public sector), higher education institutions succeed to a 
greater  extent  in  attracting  young  people  to  a  scientific  career.  Moreover,  R&D  employees  under  25  in 
higher  education  almost  doubled  year-on-year,  at  the  expense  of  public  research  organisations,  where 
there was a 10% decline by the same indicator. 

Given  the  dynamic  development  of  technologies,  the  main  direction  for the  development  and  professional 
realisation of talent is digitalisation, including developing skills and utilising the potential of information and 
communication technologies in both professional and personal life.  

According to the EU's 2030 digitalisation targets, at least 80% of all adults should have minimum basic 
digital  skills.  In  comparison,  the  national  target  is  52%.  While  almost  90%  of  the  EU  population  uses  the 
internet at least once a week, only 55,6% had basic digital skills in 2023. Across the EU countries, the share 
of people with basic or above basic digital skills in 2023 was highest in the Netherlands (83%) and Finland 
(82%),  ahead  of  Ireland  (73%),  Denmark  (70%),  and  Czechia  (69%).  Bulgaria  and  Romania  are  at  the 
bottom of the ranking, with 35,5% and 27,7% of the population possessing digital skills. 

Figure 23: People with basic or above basic digital skills, 2023, % of the population 
Source: Eurostat, 2024. 

74 

 
 
However,  the  data  on  employed  ICT  specialists  in  2022  show  that  according  to  this  indicator,  with  4,3% 
employed  ICT  specialists  of  total  employment,  business  in  Bulgaria  is  at  equal  positions  with  Czechia, 
Croatia and Poland, and is ahead of other six countries. Against this background, only 9.1% of enterprises 
in Bulgaria provide training for their staff in digital technologies, which is the second lowest result within 
the EU after Romania. The share in Finland, the leader in the indicator, is 39.8%, while the EU27 average is 
22.4%. 

In 2023, 70,6% of enterprises in Bulgaria have a very low level of digitalisation of business processes 
(only ahead of Romania with 72,1%; the average for the EU27 is 41,3%). For another 19,6%, the degree of 
digitalisation is defined as low. Only 9,7% of businesses in Bulgaria have achieved a high or very high level 
of digital transformation. 

According to the EU's Digital Decade targets, all vital public services for businesses and citizens should be 
online  by  2030.  In  2023,  45% of  people  in  the  EU who were  active  online in  the  previous  12  months  had 
used  it  to  receive  information  about  the  services  of  government  organisations.  This  share  varies 
considerably across the EU countries. In 16 EU countries, over 50% of people used such websites to get 
information,  with  Finland  (83%),  Denmark  (73%),  and  Sweden  (71%)  leading  the  group.  In  Bulgaria,  the 
share of people who inform themselves about government services online is critically low, both as a 
total share (9,7%) and about the individual age categories - between 16-24 years old (10,6%), 25-64 years 
(11,8%)  and  65-74  years  (6,6%).  For  the  EU  27,  the  proportion  is  highest  among  those  aged  25  to  64 
(47,5%), followed by 16-24 (40,4%) and 65-74 (35,6%).  

Some of the indicators in which the country's negative statistics continue, with last positions within the EU 
27, include online shopping for all age groups, the use of internet-connected devices, and the recycling of 
end-of-life electronic devices. 

Figure 24: People obtaining government information online, 2023 
Source: Eurostat, 2024. 

75 

 
 
 
 
7.  Cooperation and commercialisation of research results 

This  section  examines  the  development  of  research  and  innovation  infrastructures  in  Bulgaria.  A  brief 
description of the regulatory framework that regulates the interaction between research and university units, 
on the one hand, and business, on the other, has been made. A key document in this area is the National 
Roadmap  for  Scientific  Infrastructure,  with  the  last  update  from  2021  and  a  time  frame  until  2027,  which 
presents the scientific centres and initiatives to which state support is directed. The main aim of the section 
is  to  find  the  intersections  between  different  public  organisations  (research  units  and  higher  schools)  in 
terms of the scientific areas in which they build expertise and the joint initiatives in which they participate. 

  Research and innovation infrastructure 

The latest edition of the Global Innovation Index 202376 ranks Bulgaria in the 38th position in the company 
of 132 countries included in the ranking in terms of innovation interaction. In this category are also some of 
the  most  significant  comparative  advantages  of  the  country,  both  at  the  international  level  and  within  the 
group in which Bulgaria falls based on the income level. The interaction of the scientific community in the 
country  with  representatives  of  the  rest  of  the  world  is  defined  as  the  best  developed  (10th  place  in  the 
general  ranking).  At  the  same  time,  the  weakest  performance  is  the  indicator  of  interaction  between 
university  communities  and  business  (53rd  place  in  the  general  ranking).  The  contradictory  results  of  the 
Bulgarian  research  organisations  in  the  joint  implementation  of  research  and  innovation  activities  are 
indicated as a challenge for the national innovation system in several analyses of recent years77, in which, 
among other findings, attention is also paid to the following: 

•  mismatch  in  terms  of  priorities,  thematic  focus  and  technological  readiness  between  scientific  results 

and business needs; 

• 

low potential for implementation of scientific results by business; 

• 

low  degree  of  institutionalisation  of  contacts  between  scientific  units  and  business,  interactions  remain 
hidden from official statistics and without the possibility to use their full potential; 

•  unclear provisions regarding property rights and commercialisation, which creates barriers to technology 

transfer. 

To  overcome  the  challenges  and  barriers  to  the  interaction  between  science  and  business  during  the 
current  programme  period,  significant  financial  resources  and  numerous  initiatives  have  been  provided, 
including:  the  National  Roadmap  for  Scientific  Infrastructure;  National  Scientific  Programmes;  Research, 
Innovation and Digitization Program for Smart Transformation. 

7.1.1.  Research infrastructure 

The  National  Roadmap  for Scientific  Infrastructure implements  the  policies  and  measures  identified  in  the 
NSDSI  (National  Strategy  for  the  Development  of  Scientific  Research)  and  ISSS  (Innovation  Strategy  for 
Smart Specialisation), for the construction of a modern infrastructure that will contribute to the retention of 
highly  qualified  personnel  in  the  country,  the  attraction  of  young  scientists  and  the  stimulation  of 
international scientific cooperation. According to the National Development Program 2030, the main goal of 
the  scientific  infrastructure  of  Bulgaria  is  to  stimulate  and  accelerate  the  process  of  development  and 
implementation  of  innovations  in  the  individual  sectors of  the  economy,  with  the  key  role  being  played  by 
educational institutions, scientific centres and business and, the relationship between them. 

The first National Science Infrastructure Roadmap was developed in 2010. It is updated regularly (every 3-4 
years)  to  account  for  changed  conditions  and  opportunities.  Including  facilities  in  the  Roadmap  does  not 
constitute a funding decision, nor does it rank projects according to specific priorities. The roadmap serves 
as a starting point for subsequent funding decisions. Updates to the strategy document were made in 2014 
and 2017. 

76 Global Innovation Index 2023: Innovation in the face of uncertainty 
77 Aridi , A., D. Querejazu, P. Zuniga, Knowledge Transfer Activities and Conditions for Impact in Bulgarian Public Research 

Institutions: A Survey-based Diagnostic, UNU-MERIT Working Papers, ISSN 1871-9872, May 2021.; Bole , D., Galabova, L., 
Haley, C., Kokorotsikos, P., Matanovac Vuckovic , R., Rizzuto, C., Taylor, S., Vladut, G., Zambelli, M., Strategic evaluation of 
the technology transfer and IPR protection systems of Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania and recommendations for their 
enhancement, Kaymaktchiyski, S., Battiston, A., Jiménez, VM (Eds.), Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 
2024, doi:10.2760/375746, JRC136807. 

76 

 
 
The road map for the scientific infrastructure of the Republic of Bulgaria is a long-term strategic document 
through which the development of the scientific infrastructure is planned and contains a list of new and in 
the  process  of  renovation  infrastructure  associations  of  national  and  European  importance.  The 
infrastructures  included  in  the  road  map  are  both  physical  objects  and  network  structures,  as  well  as 
consortia related to the country's membership in international organisations with scientific infrastructure. 

The update of the Roadmap for the scientific infrastructure of the Republic of Bulgaria for the period 2020-
2027 was successfully completed in April 2021. The strategic document involves 51 facilities, including: 

•  23 after the 2017 update. 

•  a  total  of  15  Competence  Centres  and  Centres  of  Excellence  are  being  built  under  the  Operational 
Programme "Science and Education for Smart Growth" and have passed international evaluation. This 
will allow for upgrading the capacity and scientific potential of the country in areas such as information 
and  communication  technologies,  mechatronics  and  clean  technologies,  the  healthy  life  industry  and 
biotechnology, and new technologies in the creative and recreational industries. 

•  13 new projects - research science policy and investments in scientific infrastructure allow our country to 
confirm  its  national  commitment  and  participation  in  8  active  European  scientific  consortia  (ERICs) 
(CLARIN  ERIC,  Euro-Argo  ERIC,  ESS  ERIC,  Euro-BioImaging  ERIC,  BBMRI  ERIC,  SHARE  ERIC, 
EATRIS  ERIC,  DRIAH  ERIC),  as  well  as  in  5  partnerships  to  create  new  ones  (ACTRIS,  CTA,  ELI, 
EPOS, etc.). 

•  The  Research  Institute  in  Computer  Science  at  Sofia  University.  The  Institute  is  included  as  a  new 
facility in the NSDSI and falls into the national group of scientific innovation complexes - projects of key 
importance  for the  development  of  competitiveness  of  the  Bulgarian  economy  and  technological  base. 
The Institute is the result of a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Ministry of Education 
and Science, Sofia University and two leading Swiss institutes,  under Council of Ministers' Decree No. 
56/18.02.2021 (State Gazette, No. 16, 23.02.2021) 

This is the third updated edition of the Roadmap for the scientific infrastructure of the Republic of Bulgaria 
and  covers  2020  -  2027.  In  2019,  after  a  scientific  evaluation  of  the  projects  according  to  a  methodology 
developed  based  on  the  criteria  of  ESFRI  -  stable  and  efficient  management,  vision  for  sustainable 
development,  access  rules,  and  infrastructure-specific  research,  etc.,  12  new  facilities  were  selected  that 
received the highest ratings and showed high development potential. 

The implementation of the current NSDSI in the context of the new programme period and "Bulgaria 2030" 
is planned in three stages, as follows: 

First  stage:  Increased  participation  in  Horizon  Europe,  internationalization  and  national  capacity  building 
(2020 – 2023). Within this stage, the emphasis is on the construction and maintenance of existing facilities. 
The Centres of Excellence (CE) and Centres of Competence (CC) were established during this period. 

Second  Stage:  Building  the  Innovation  Link  (2024  –  2025).  During  this  stage,  the  focus  is  on  the 
development of existing infrastructures and regular assessment of their effectiveness and efficiency in terms 
of services offered, operational and technical staff available, international and project visibility, potential to 
attract  users  from  business,  industry  and  public  administration  where  possible,  and  potential  to  achieve 
sustainability and self-sufficiency. By the end of 2024, a new update of the NSDSI should be made, which 
would predetermine the next cycle of prioritisation of significant infrastructures for Bulgaria in the context of 
the new priorities for developing scientific research in the country and in the EU. 

Third  stage  (2026-2027):  The  main  activities  during  this  stage  will  be  focused  on  technology  transfer, 
clustering and transformation into technological infrastructures, attracting foreign scientists and companies, 
as well as creating an attractive environment for users and  scientists' career  development, creating digital 
access to the services offered by infrastructure facilities. 

The  financing  of  the  projects  under  the  National  Road  Map  is  combined,  including  funds  from  the  state 
budget, ESIF and others. 

The individual categories of scientific infrastructures include: 

• 

International research infrastructures – 3 in number 

77 

 
On the Bulgarian side, the following higher schools and institutes of the BAS are participating: 

Universities 

Scientific units of BAS 

Sofia University 

University of Plovdiv 

Institute for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy 

Institute of Information and Communication Technologies 

Technical University of Sofia 

Institute of Robotics 

South-West University 

Table 7: Higher schools and institutes of the BAS participating in International research infrastructure 

•  Unique  scientific  facilities  -  Scientific  centres  and  integrated  complexes  that  have  highly  specialised 
equipment and apparatus, offer specialised scientific service, and have no analogue at the national level 
- 3 in number 

Based on the following higher schools and institutes of the BAS: 

Universities 

Scientific units of BAS 

Sofia University 

Shumen University 

Naval Academy 

Medical University of Sofia 

Medical University of Varna 

Institute of Astronomy and National Astronomical 
Observatory 

Institute for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy 

Table 8: Higher schools and institutes of the BAS participating in Unique scientific facilities 

•  Pan -European Research Infrastructures (EPRIs) - Consortia of organizations of EU member states that 
jointly  build  and  share  scientific  equipment  for  specific  research  in  various  fields  of  science  and  its 
impact on the economy and society. They are determined by ESFNI and are included in the European 
Roadmap for Research Infrastructure – 15 in total. 

78 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The following higher schools and institutes of BAS are participating: 

Universities 

Scientific units of BAS 

Sofia University 

Institute of Information and Communication Technologies 

New Bulgarian University 

Institute of Mathematics and Informatics 

University of Shumen 

South-West University 

Cyril-Metodiev Scientific Centre 

Institute of Philosophy and Sociology 

University of National and World Economy 

Institute of Molecular Biology 

Medical University of Sofia 

Institute of Reproductive Biology and Immunology 

Medical University of Plovdiv 

Institute of Biophysics and Biomedical Research 

University of Architecture, Construction and Geodesy 

Naval Academy of Varna 

Technical University of Varna; 

Medical University of Varna 

Technical University of Sofia 

University of Forestry, Sofia 

National Institute of Geophysics, Geodesy and 
Geography 

National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology 

Institute of Oceanology 

Geological Institute 

Institute of Mechanics 

Institute of Metallurgy, Equipment and Technology 

Institute for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy 

Institute of Electronics 

Institute of Solid State Physics 

Institute of Astronomy and National Astronomical 
Observatory 

Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Studies 

Institute of Oceanology 

Forest Research Institute 

Central Library of BAS 

National Natural Science Museum - BAS 

Table 9: Higher schools and institutes of the BAS participating in Pan - European Research Infrastructures (EPRIs) 

•  National  science  and  innovation  complexes  -  projects  of  key  importance  for  the  development  of  the 
competitiveness of the Bulgarian economy and the technological base according to the priority areas of 
ISSS, as follows: 

− 

Information and communication technologies – 2 

79 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The following higher schools and institutes of BAS are participating: 

Universities 

Scientific units of BAS 

Naval Academy of Varna 

Institute of Robotics 

National Military University - Veliko Tarnovo 

Institute  of  Metal  Science,  Equipment  and  Technologies 
with Centre for Hydro- and Aerodynamics 

Technical University of Gabrovo 

Sofia University 

Institute for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy 

Table 10: Higher schools and institutes of the BAS participating in National science and innovation complexes (Information and 
communication technologies) 

−  Mechatronics and clean technologies - 9 

The following higher schools and institutes of BAS are participating: 

Universities 

Scientific units of BAS 

University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy 

Institute of Polymers 

University of Mining and Geology 

Institute of Engineering Chemistry 

University of Plovdiv 

South-West University 

Technical University of Gabrovo 

Technical University of Sofia 

Technical University of Varna 

University of Rousse 

Agricultural University of Plovdiv 

Military Academy - Sofia 

University of Economics - Varna 

Trakia University - Stara Zagora 

Sofia University 

University "Prof. Dr. Asen Zlatarov" - Burgas 

Higher School of Insurance and Finance 

Institute of Information and Communication Technologies 
Institute of Metal Science, Equipment and Technology 

Institute of Robotics 

Institute of Electronics 

Institute of Electrochemistry and Energy Systems 

Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry 

Central Laboratory of Solar Energy and New Energy 
Sources 

Institute of Catalysis 

Institute of Mechanics 

Institute of Mineralogy and Crystallography 

Institute of Optical Materials and Technologies 

Institute of Organic Chemistry with Center of 
Phytochemistry 

Institute of Solid State Physics 

Institute of Physical Chemistry 

Joint Innovation Center 

Central Laboratory of Applied Physics at BAS - Plovdiv 

Central Laboratory of Solar Energy and New Energy 
Sources – BAS 

Table 11: Higher schools and institutes of the BAS participating in National science and innovation complexes (Mechatronics and clean 
technologies) 

80 

 
 
−  Healthy living and biotechnology industry - 11 

The following higher schools and institutes of BAS are participating: 

Universities 

Scientific units of BAS 

Sofia University 

Institute of Systems Engineering and Robotics 

Agricultural University of  Plovdiv 

Institute of Biophysics and Biomedical Engineering 

Trakia University - Stara Zagora 

Institute of Microbiology 

University of Forestry - Sofia 

Institute of Reproductive Biology and Immunology 

University of Food Technology - Plovdiv 

Institute of Optical Materials and Technologies  

University of Plovdiv 

Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology 

Medical University of Plovdiv 

University "Prof. Dr. Asen Zlatarov" – Burgas 

Institute of Organic Chemistry with Centre of 
Phytochemistry 

Medical University of Pleven 

Medical University of Varna 

Institute of Polymers 

Institute of Electronics 

Forest Research Institute 

Institute of Biophysics and Biomedical Engineering 

Institute of Molecular Biology 

Institute of Solid State Physics 

Institute of Mineralogy and Crystallography 

Central Laboratory of Applied Physics - Plovdiv 

Table 12: Higher schools and institutes of the BAS participating in National science and innovation complexes (Healthy living and 
biotechnology industry) 

−  New technologies in the creative and recreational industries - 3 

The following higher schools and institutes of BAS are participating: 

Universities 

Scientific units of BAS 

Sofia University 

University of Architecture, Construction and Geodesy 

Technical University of Sofia 

National Institute of Geophysics, Geodesy and 
Geography 

Institute of Ethnology and Folklore Studies with 
Ethnographic Museum 

National Sports Academy  

Arts Research Institute 

Chemical Technology and Metallurgical University - Sofia 

Institute of Literature 

National Art Academy, Sofia 

Institute of Balkan Studies and Centre of Tracology 

81 

 
  
Universities 

Scientific units of BAS 

New Bulgarian University - Sofia  

Cyril-Metodiev Scientific Centre 

Institute of Physical Chemistry 

National Archaeological Institute with Museum 

Institute of Organic Chemistry with Centre of 
Phytochemistry 

Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry 

Institute of Electrochemistry and Energy Systems 

Institute of Optical Materials and Technologies 

Institute of Polymers 

Institute of Catalysis 

Central Laboratory of Applied Physics - BAS, Plovdiv 

National Archaeological Institute with Museum 

Table 13: Higher schools and institutes of the BAS participating in National science and innovation complexes (New technologies in the 
creative and recreational industries) 

•  E-infrastructures.  Digital,  Computational  and  Computer  Research 

Includes 
supercomputer configurations for processing large data sets for simulations, data warehouses and other 
resources for shared use - 5 

(E-Research) 

- 

The following higher schools and institutes of BAS are participating: 

Universities 

Scientific units of BAS 

Varna University of Economics 

Institute of Information and Communication Technologies 

Medical University of Plovdiv 

Institute of Mathematics and Informatics 

Medical University of Sofia 

Institute of Mechanics 

National Institute of Geophysics, Geodesy and 
Geography 

Sofia University 

University of Plovdiv 

University of Rousse 

Technical University of Gabrovo 

Technical University of Sofia 

University of National and World Economy 

"Prof. Dr. Asen Zlatarov" University - Burgas 

University of Shumen 

University of Library Studies and Information 
Technologies  

Table 14: Higher schools and institutes of the BAS participating in E-infrastructures. Digital, Computational and Computer Research (E-Research) 

82 

 
Within  the  research  infrastructures,  the  Competence  Centres  and  Centres  of  Excellence  are  a  specific 
group of facilities.  

With  over  BGN  348  million,  the  OP  SESG,  Priority  Axis  1  "Research  and  Technological  Development", 
supported  the  establishment  and  development  of  four  Centres  of  Excellence  and  ten  Centres  of 
Competence.  The  investment  per  project  is  roughly  between  EUR  7  and  35  million,  with  an  average  of 
about EUR 13 million. The centres unite the efforts of 59 institutes of BAS, universities, and scientific and 
business  organisations.  The  measure  is  aimed  at  raising  the  level  and  market  orientation  of  the  research 
activities of scientific organisations, as well as supporting the development of the capacity for research and 
innovation.  Building  new  partnerships  with  businesses  and  creating  new  enterprises  are  also  among  the 
main  objectives.  The  long-term  objective  is  to  improve  the  competitiveness  of  the  Bulgarian  research 
system and the economy. 

The group of Centres of Excellence consists of: 

•  Centre of Excellence "Heritage BG" 

•  Centre of Excellence "Universities for science, informatics and technologies in e-society" (UNITE) 

•  Centre of Excellence "Informatics, information and communication technologies" 

•  Centre of Excellence "National centre for mechatronics and clean technology". 

In the group of Centres of Competence, the following establishments are included: 

•  Centre of Competence CLEAN &CIRCLE - "Clean technologies for a sustainable environment – Water, 

Waste, Energy for Circular Economy" 

•  Centre of Competence "Quantum communication, intelligent security systems and risk management" 

•  Centre of Competence "Personalized innovative medicine" (PERIMED) 

•  Centre  of  Competence  "Personalised  medicine,  3D  and  telemedicine,  robotic-assisted  and  minimally 

invasive surgery" 

•  Centre "Fundamental, translational and clinical investigations on infections and immunity" 

•  Centre of Competence "Smart mechatronics, eco- and energy saving systems and technologies" 

•  Centre of Competence "Digitisation of the economy in an environment of big data" 

•  Centre of Competence "Mechatronics, innovation, robotics, automation, clean tech" (MIRACLE) 

•  Centre  of  Competence  "Sustainable  utilisation  of  bioresources  and  waste  of  medicinal  and  aromatic 

plants for innovative bioactive products" 

•  Centre of Competence "HITMOBIL - Technologies and systems for generation, storage and utilisation of 

clean energy" 

7.1.2. 

Innovation infrastructure 

Along  with  the  facilities  of  research  infrastructure,  during  the  2014-2020  programme  period,  a  process  of 
building  and  development  of  innovation  infrastructure  was  launched,  which  continues  during  the  current 
programme period. Along with the functions of providing information and supporting businesses in entering 
into  new  partnerships  and  new  markets,  the  main  goal  of  the  innovation  infrastructure  is  to  shorten  the 
distance between scientific research and innovation. The main initiatives in this direction include: 

•  European digital innovation hubs (EDIH) 

European Digital Innovation Hubs are a new EU tool focused on bringing digital technologies, businesses, 
citizens  and  public  administrations  together  based  on  the  "Digital  Europe"  Program  (DIGITAL).  It  is 

83 

 
envisaged  that  most  of  the  hubs  will  be  developed  on  existing  clusters  or  include  EEN  member 
organisations. The DIGITAL programme supports key areas such as supercomputers, artificial intelligence, 
cybersecurity  and  others  while  ensuring  the  widespread  dissemination  of  digital  technologies  in  the 
economy and society, including through the EDIH. 

On November 1, 2022, as part of the implementation of the EU's "Digital Europe" program, four European 
digital innovation centres (hubs) started operating in Bulgaria: 

AgroHub.BG is the only centre with a direct focus on the agri-sector and agri-food chains. Its activity aims 
to  reveal  the  innovative  potential  of  the  agricultural  sector  in  the  South  Central  region  of  Bulgaria  and 
support businesses in their digital and green transformation. The project consortium consists of 14 partners. 

REGA  ,  Stara  Zagora:  Synergy  project  for  regional  green  digital  transformation  of  South-East  region  of 
Bulgaria:  SynGReDiT!  It  includes  29  partners  from  the  South-East  Region:  local  authorities,  business, 
academia, NGOs. 

EDIH in the construction sector , coordinated by the Bulgarian Construction Chamber, partners with the 
Chamber of Architects in Bulgaria, Higher Construction School "Lyuben Karavelov", Institute of Mechanics - 
BAS,  "Cleantech  Bulgaria"  Ltd,  Bulgarian  Association  of  Construction  Project  Management,  other  leading 
companies in the construction sector and ICT companies - "Planex" Ltd., "Geostroy" AD, "Baumit Bulgaria" 
Ltd. and "ESRI Bulgaria" Ltd. 

Digital  innovation  hub  "Trakia"  focuses  on  artificial  intelligence,  high-performance  computing,  cyber 
security,  and  key  base  technologies.  With  leading  expertise  in  cyber  security,  EDIH  "Trakia"  develops 
activities on the territory of the South-Central Region with a coordination centre in the city of Plovdiv. 

•  Regional innovation centres 

In 2019, a procedure was launched to establish Regional Innovation Centres (RICs) as a tool to stimulate 
business-oriented research and the links between business and scientific circles in the regions outside the 
capital,  Sofia.  The  establishment  of  the  Centres  was  supposed  to  support  the  implementation  of  the 
Innovation  Strategy  for  Smart  Specialization  objectives  under  the  auspices  of  the  Operational  Program 
"Innovation  and  Competitiveness"  and  with  funds  transferred  from  the  Operational  Program  "Science  and 
Education  for  Smart  Growth".  However,  due  to  the  COVID  crisis,  the  procedure  was  cancelled  despite 
significant interest from regional stakeholders. 

• 

Industrial zones 

In  the  last  few  years,  significant  efforts  have  been  made  to  construct  and  rapidly  modernise  regional 
industrial and economic zones. New ones are being created around the regional centres and the big cities, 
and the existing ones are renewing their infrastructure and expanding the services for the business. From 
the beginning of 2021, a new Law on Industrial Zones is in force. The law defines the concept of industrial 
zones and parks, determines the order of their construction and development, and defines a framework for 
managing  operators.  The  processes  for  improving  the  activity  of  the  existing  and  the  construction  of  new 
industrial  zones  continue  during  the  present  programming  period  with  the  financial  support  of  the 
Operational Program "Regional Development" 2021-2027. The industrial zones will also be supported under 
the  new  Operational  Program  "Research,  Innovation  and  Digitalization  for  Smart  Transformation"  in 
connection with their function to ensure the interaction between research units and businesses.  

•  Technology transfer offices 

The country's existing technology transfer offices (TTOs) have been established through various initiatives. 
Their  common  goal  is  to  stimulate  the  link  between  science  and  business  and  to  support  the  practical 
application of scientific results. Almost all TTOs are structural units of higher schools and institutes of BAS 
and SAA. The main challenges facing TTOs include a lack of administrative capacity and sufficient human 
resources; fragmentation and lack of coordination with the leading scientific unit and external stakeholders; 
lack  of  sufficient  funding;  lack  of  clear  IP  policies;  discrepancy  between  scientific  results  and  business 
needs; inherited mistrust between the private sector and research institutes; lack of qualified specialists in 
the management and commercialisation of technology transfer. 

84 

 
 
•  Sofia Tech Park (STP) 

Sofia  Tech  Park  is  Bulgaria's  first  science  and  technology  park,  established  in  2015  as  a  public-private 
partnership.  The  park  supports  the  commercialisation  of  scientific  results,  initiatives  in  education,  and  the 
incubation of companies in sectors such as ICT, energy, biotechnology, and others. It has several separate 
units, including a business incubator, laboratories, and exhibition spaces. 

•  Clusters 

Over  the  last  decade,  clusters  have  defended  their  role  in  strengthening  the  competitiveness  of  SMEs. 
Against the background of dozens of clusters created with the sole purpose of absorbing European funds 
and lasting until the completion of publicly funded projects, a group of about 20 clusters have consolidated 
their positions in innovation centres, including in the priority areas for smart specialisation. 

•  Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) 

The  activities  of  the  Network  during  the  present  programming  period  are  aimed  at  improving  the 
competitiveness and innovation potential of SMEs, increasing the degree of digitalisation and sustainability, 
and integration into clusters, industrial ecosystems and global value chains. The ultimate goal is to achieve 
a  tangible  and  measurable  impact  on  the  state  of  the  SME  sector,  as  well  as  support  to  overcome  the 
negative  consequences  of  the  challenges  facing  entrepreneurs  and  small  businesses.  As  before,  the 
Network offers Bulgarian SMEs a full range of services to improve their performance within the EU single 
market  (through  transnational  cooperation)  and  third-country  markets  (through  internationalisation).  The 
main  ones  include  the  provision  of  consulting  services,  the  creation  of  partnerships and  capacity  building, 
and cover all stages of the life cycle of entrepreneurs - the creation, growth and entry into new markets. In 
addition to SMEs, the EEN target groups cover all participants in the national innovation system, including 
business  clusters  and  incubators,  research  organisations,  business  associations  and  alliances,  state  and 
regional  administration  involved  in  the  preparation  and  implementation  of  innovation  policies,  green 
technologies and digital transformation. 

The established units of the country's research and innovation infrastructure and the planned initiatives in 
this field should next become favourable bases for the creation of lasting partnerships and networks. Within 
these  networks,  ideas  and  technological  knowledge  should  be  actively  shared,  which  in  turn  should  be 
embodied in new products and services. 

  Science-business collaboration 

7.2.1.  Role of foreign direct investment in the development of research and education 

Globally, there is a tendency for foreign investors to gradually change their focus and invest not only in new 
production units abroad, but also in the opening of R&D and research centres of existing enterprises. Such 
an example for Bulgaria is the fintech industry. In this way, foreign direct investment (FDI) has a significant 
side effect of increasing the expenditure on research and innovation. 

This  trend  is  a  result  of  the  fact  that  factories  are  becoming  more  mobile  and  can  be  easily  and  cheaply 
moved,  especially  if  labour  force  is  low  value  added  and  can  be  easily  trained.  That  is  why  FDI,  which 
includes  research,  development,  innovation  activities  and  sustainable  relations  with  other  companies 
already located in Bulgaria, are becoming more and more valuable. They not only provide better paid jobs, 
but  also  a  kind  of  protection  from  moving  to  other  countries.  Public  policies  that  attract  RDI-intensive  FDI 
are much  more  complex  than  those  that  attract  cost-oriented  FDI.  Usually,  they  also  include  mechanisms 
for  returning  talents  from  research  units  abroad  (such  as  the  "Petar  Beron"  programme),  programmes  for 
the inclusion of universities in international networks (such as the NP "European Scientific Networks"), etc. 

Another  interesting  phenomenon  related  to  FDI  in  Bulgaria  is  related  to  the  jump  in  investments  in  the 
"Education" sector, which has been observed since 2015 and which amounts to more than 14 million euros. 
It is due to increases in equity (including retained earnings) and the distributed earnings of already existing 
FDI  firms.  In  the  field  of  education,  many  foreign  educational  companies  and  institutions  operate  in  the 
country, such as the Private Vocational College HRC Culinary Academy Bulgaria (60% Netherlands), Faros 
Schools  (100%  Greece),  Kappa  -  Private  Vocational  College  (100%  Greece),  Delta  Private  Vocational 
College (100% Greece), Educational Platform "Ucha se" JSC (15.8% investment in capital from LAUNCHub 
Fund Cooperatief U.A. - Netherlands), American University, American College and Anglo-American School 
(100% USA), Lebanese School and many others. 

85 

 
Although the official number of companies with FDI that carry out research activities is modest - only 38, the 
growth in the investments after 2014 is significant – more than 2.5 times. It is possible that NSI's data on the 
reporting  of  R&D  activity  are  greatly  underestimated.  Analyses  of  the  reporting  of  R&D  in  the  NSI  by 
companies show that the number of companies that carry out R&D is between 6 and 8 times greater than 
the  number  of  companies  that  report  this  activity  to  the  national  statistics.  Among  the  factors  for  this 
discrepancy are optional references, lack of relevant modules in the accounting software, lack of tax relief 
for higher levels of reported R&D. However, there is a positive trend. The number of companies that operate 
with FDI and also report research and development activities in their annual financial statements increased 
from 5.5% in 2014 to 13.17% in 2019 (Figure 25).78 

Figure 25: Share of FDI companies that carry out R&D (2014 – 2019) 
Source: NSI. 

The largest number of foreign investors who carry out and report R&D in the country are from Germany  - 
10% followed by the Netherlands, the USA, the UK and France (41% of companies in total). From the point 
of view of investments volume, the leading position belongs to Austria (19%). 

7.2.2.  Science-business interaction 

The  predominant  part  (40%)  of  R&D  expenditures  are  sourced  abroad  -  European  structural  and 
investment  funds,  European  framework  programmes,  but  also  foreign  direct  investments,  international 
organizations  and  investors.  After  2010,  they  became  a  major  factor  in  promoting  science,  technological 
development and innovation in the country (Figure 26). 

In  2022,  funds  from  abroad  are  almost  entirely  allocated  to  business  (88%),  while  the  "State"  and 
"Higher Education" sectors attract equal shares of 5.3% on average. In second place, as funding source 
for R&D, are the enterprises that invest almost entirely in their own developments (92%). Enterprises 
assign only 6% of their R&D budget to research units of the public sector and allocate another 2% to higher 
education  institutions.  The  public  sector  provides  25%  of  all  R&D  expenditures  in  the  country, 
absorbs 87% of them and directs another 12% to higher schools. The Higher Education sector is almost 
entirely encapsulated. Universities have an extremely limited own resource for R&D (0.5% of the country's 
entire portfolio), over 95% of which is spent by themselves. 

78Yalamov, T. ( 202 1) Innovation in companies at a time of crisis: What is the role of R&D units and employment of academic 

researchers in business? Ifac Papers Online 54(13), pp 402-407. 

86 

 
 
 
 
600000

500000

400000

300000

200000

100000

0

Enterprises

Public sector

HEI

NGO

Abroad

Figure 26: R&D expenses by funding sources, 2000 - 2022, thousand BGN 
Source: NSI, 2024 

The  three  main  institutional  sectors  -  Enterprises,  Public  Sector  and  Higher  Education,  have  a  specific 
profile  in  terms  of  the  sources  of  the  funding  spent  by  them  for  the  implementation  of  research  and 
innovation activities (Figure 26): 

•  The  main  sources  of  funding  for  business  R&D  are  two  -–  funds  from  abroad  (primarily  European 
structural  funding  that  reaches  enterprises  through  operational  programmes  and  foreign  investments 
aimed  at  R&D)  (52%)  and  own  funds  (including  mobilised  internal  resources  in  result  of  attracted 
external project financing) (47%). The public sector as a source of financing plays a very small role here, 
mainly through the provided national co-financing under operational programmes; through the National 
Innovation  Fund,  which  relies  entirely  on  funds  from  the  state  budget  and  assigned  activities  by  state 
institutions and public scientific organisations. 

•  Higher education institutions have the most diversified portfolio of R&D funding sources  - 46% from 
the  Public  sector  (including  through  the  National  Science  Programmes,  the  Research  Fund  and  intra-
university  budgets  for  scientific  activity,  which  are  provided  by  the  state  budget),  34%  from  abroad 
(primarily  project  funding  from  participation  in  international  research  consortia)  and  12%  from  the 
enterprise sector as a result of commissioned research. 

•  The Public Sector remains almost completely closed in on itself. There, 84% of R&D expenses are 
provided  by  the  state  budget,  8%  by  business,  and  only  8%  is  external  funding  from  participation  in 
international and European projects. 

Business 

Public sector 

Higher education 

Figure 27: R&D expenses by funding sources, 2022, thousand BGN 
Source: NSI, 2024. 

87 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The  trend  of  "locking"  of  individual  institutional  sectors  continues.  The  lack  of  cash  flows  between  them 
testifies to the almost complete lack of interaction between the representatives of science and business and 
the low level of application in practice of the scientific results created in the country. A logical result is the 
weak innovation activity of businesses and the low-tech orientation of those who succeed in innovating (with 
a  99% share of  SMEs,  the majority  of  which  do  not  have  the  capacity  to  develop  new  technologies).  The 
enhanced  support  for  research  and  innovation  infrastructure  structures  and  technology  transfer,  which  is 
envisaged  under  the  programme  "Research,  Innovation  and  Digitization  for  Smart  Transformation",  aim 
precisely to address this issue and promote the research-based innovation activity of business. 

8.  Internationalisation of Bulgarian R&I system 

The  chapter  outlines  the  key  achievements  and  impacts  of  Bulgarian  participation  in  Horizon  Europe, 
emphasizing  the  enhancement  of  research  infrastructure,  increased  research  quality  and  output,  and 
strengthened international collaborations. Furthermore, the chapter explores Bulgarian involvement in other 
EU  and  international  research  initiatives,  such  as  the  European  Research  Area  (ERA),  EUREKA,  and 
COST  Actions.  It  highlights  the  benefits  of  these  collaborations,  including  capacity  building,  knowledge 
transfer,  and  the  development  of  innovative  solutions  addressing  societal  challenges.  In  summary,  this 
chapter  provides  a  comprehensive  analysis  of  the  internationalization  of  Bulgarian  science  through 
participation in EU Framework Programmes. It underscores the significant contributions and achievements 
of  Bulgarian  researchers  and  institutions,  showcasing  their  role  in  advancing  scientific  research  and 
innovation on both national and international levels. 

  Participation in European framework programmes 

Bulgaria's  participation  in  the  EU  Framework  Programmes  begins  with  the  Third  Framework  Programme. 
The  accumulated  experience  and  created  partnerships  contribute  to  the  significant  growth  achieved  in 
terms  of  the  number  of  projects  with  Bulgarian  participation  and  the  funding  attracted  during  the  next 
Framework Programmes - more than twice for FP5, 54% for FP7 and 40% for Horizon 2020 (Figure 28). 

Figure 28: Bulgarian participation in EU Framework Programmes 
Source: https://dashboard.tech.ec.europa.eu/ 

The  comparison  with  the  other EU member states  gives  Bulgaria  one  of  the  last  positions  in  terms  of  the 
number  of  projects  and  attracted  funding  (between  20th  and  23rd  position).  This  ranking  is  maintained 
under both the Framework Programmes and instruments such as SME Instrument, Seal of Excellence and 
EIC Pilot. However, weighted by population, Bulgaria's participation in the RP positions the country in fourth 
place. 

88 

 
 
 
 
 
Figure 29: Ranking of Bulgaria compared to EU member states 
Source: https://dashboard.tech.ec.europa.eu/ 

8.1.1.  Participation of Bulgaria in the Seventh Framework Programme 

A  key  objective  of  the  EU's  Seventh  Framework  Program  for  Research  and  Technological  Development 
(2007-2013) is to make the European Union a leading player on the world stage in the field of research. The 
Seventh Framework Programme builds on the achievements of the European Research Area and supports 
the development of a knowledge-based economy and society in line with the Community's Lisbon Strategy. 

The summarised data as of the beginning of March 2013 indicate that, out of a total of 381 open invitations 
for  participation  under  the  Seventh  Framework  Programme,  the  received  project  proposals  with 
Bulgarian  participation  were  2811,  or  0.86%  within  the  EU-27  out  of  a  total  number  of  804.  EUR  6 
million (0.53 %). For the entire period of operation of the Seventh Framework Programme, 465 projects with 
Bulgarian participants have been approved for financing with a total of 589 participants from Bulgaria and a 
grant under the Framework Programme with a total value of 82.73 million euros. 

441 projects were agreed upon with a total number of 6683 participants, of which 585 from Bulgaria. 
The total value of the concluded contracts is EUR 1,510.45 million, of which EUR 78.52 million are for the 
Bulgarian participants. 

The number of SMEs from the country that applied with projects in the Seventh Framework Programme is 
1220, of which only 183 have a successful project. 42 Bulgarian researchers have a successful project 
on the "Marie Curie" activities with a total budget of 6.65 million euros. 

Indicator 

Share within the EU-27 

Another place in the  
ЕU-27 

Number of applicants (% от ЕU-27) 

Requested funding (% от ЕU-27) 

0,86 % 

0,53 % 

Number of succesful applicants (% от ЕU-27) 

16,50 % (ЕС = 21,00 %) 

Successful projects (% от ЕU-27) 

16,50 % 

Approved funding (% от ЕU-27) 

10,30 % (ЕС = 19,40 %) 

Number of participants in agreed upon projects (% 
от ЕU-27) 

0,67 % 

20 

20 

23 

26 

20 

89 

 
 
 
 
Indicator 

Share within the EU-27 

Another place in the  
ЕU-27 

Funding agreed upon (% от ЕU-27) 

0,27 % 

21 

SME success rate (% от ЕU-27) 

15,00 % (ЕС = 20,00 %) 

Grant for MSEs (% от ЕU-27) 

11,99 % (ЕС = 19,69 %) 

Table 15: Main indicators for Bulgaria's participation in the Seventh Framework Programme 
Source: Sixth FP7 Monitoring Report, MONITORING REPORT 2012, 7 August 2013, European Commission, Directorate-General for Research 
and Innovation. 

The largest number of partnerships of Bulgarian organisations under the Seventh Framework Programme 
within  the  EU  (88%)  includes  Great  Britain  (825  projects),  Germany  (702),  Italy  (693),  Spain  (601)  and 
France (528). Equal shares are distributed between candidate countries (mainly Serbia and Croatia, 67 and 
66  projects 
(Switzerland  and  Norway,  156  and  130 
respectively).  -  There  are  only  292  partnerships  between  Bulgarian  organisations  on  projects  financed 
under  the  Seventh  Framework  Programme.  Bulgaria  registered  the  largest  number  of  joint  projects  with 
partners from CEE - Romania (284), Poland (213) and Hungary (166). 

respectively)  and  associated  countries 

2007 

2008 

2009 

2010 

2011 

2012 

Total 

Participants in successful projects, 
number 

161 

94 

92 

90 

106 

42 

585 

European funding for successful 
projects (million euros) 

18,7 

11,8 

14,8 

13,2 

13,3 

10,6 

82,5 

Table 16: Bulgaria in the Seventh Framework Programme 
Source: Sixth FP7 Monitoring Report, MONITORING REPORT 2012, 7 August 2013, European Commission, Directorate-General for Research 
and Innovation. 

The  comparative  positions  of  Bulgaria  from  participation  in  projects  under  the  Seventh  Framework 
Programme are as follows: 

•  16th  place  within  the  EU-27  when  relating  successful  projects  under  the  Seventh  Framework 

Programme to the number of researchers weighted by the total population; 

•  5th place in the ratio of successful projects to GDP; 

•  3rd place in the ratio between successful projects and R&D expenses. 

In the institutional distribution of Bulgarian participation in the Seventh Framework Programme, the leading 
role  is  played  by  higher  schools  (32%),  followed  by  research  units  (26%),  business  organizations  (22%), 
public  organizations  (about  10%)  and  other  organizations  with  the  same  share.  In  the  "Higher  Education" 
sector, the Technical University in Sofia (19 projects won), and SU "St. Kliment Ohridski" (18 projects won) 
are  respectively  in  first  and  second  place  in  terms  of  success  rate.  BAS,  through  all  its  institutes,  is  the 
Bulgarian  institution  with  the  most  projects  won  -  73.  Within  BAS,  two strong  institutes  stand  out  with  five 
successful projects each - the Institute of Oceanology and the Institute for Parallel Information Processing, 
and this trend is maintained by the Sixth framework programme as well. Many of the scientific institutes of 
BAS  do  not  participate  in  winning  projects,  and  over 30% did  not  apply  at  all in  the  open  calls.  Biological 
and technical scientific fields stand out as more active areas. 

90 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
6

6

88

EU member countries

Candidates for EU
membership

Associated countries

Figure 30: Partners of Bulgaria in projects of the Seventh Framework Programme, % 
Source: Sixth FP7 Monitoring Report, MONITORING REPORT 2012, 7 August 2013, European Commission, Directorate-General for Research 
and Innovation; 

200

180

160

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

0

180

149

126

54

53

Higher schools Enterprises

Public
structures

Research
organizations

Others

3

N/A

Figure 31: Institutional structure of the Bulgarian participants in the Seventh Framework Programme 
Source: MES, 2013. 

Seven  institutes  of  the  Agriculture  Academy  participate  with  13  successful  projects  in  the  Seventh 
Framework Programme of the EU with a total value of 2,178,690 euros, a result that significantly exceeds 
the value of the total of 18 projects won under the Sixth Framework Programme (870,740 euros) from the 
participation of six of the units of the Academy. 

The picture is similar at the European level. The role of higher education institutions in the attracted funding 
under  the  Seventh  Framework  Programme  projects  is  the  most  significant  (45%),  followed  by  research 
organizations.  There  is  a  very  serious  presence  of  small  and  medium-sized  enterprises  –  competition 
beneficiaries of the Seventh Framework Programme. Bulgaria is cited as a good example by the EC in 
terms of a positive balance of participation by the non-public sector. Moreover, the participations are 
in scientific projects, which is a good sign for the involvement of private business in the search for scientific 
results and output. 

91 

 
 
 
 
 
73

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

19

18

11

10

Bulgarian Academy
of Sciences

Technical
University, Sofia

Sofia University "St.
Kliment Ohridski"

Agro Bio Institute Applied Research

and
Communications
Fund

Figure 32: Top-5 of the most successful organisations that won projects under the Seventh Framework Programme 
Source: MES, 2013. 

Similar to the "R&D Expenditures" indicator, participation in projects financed under the Seventh Framework 
Programme shows an extremely uneven geographical distribution for the country. The winning projects are 
almost entirely concentrated in the South West Planning Region (over 70%, 442 projects). As regards other 
cities,  most  of  the  projects  were  won  by  organizations  in  Varna  (49),  Plovdiv  (38),  Ruse  (19)  and  Stara 
Zagora (8), mainly because of universities located on their territory. 

On  the  Bulgarian  side,  the  largest  number  of  participants  in  projects  under  the  Seventh  Framework 
Programme  were  attracted  under  the  "Cooperation"  programme  (52%).  The  less  interest  there  is  in  the 
programmes "Capacity" (29%) and "People" (about 20%). There is no Bulgarian participation in the "Ideas" 
programme. 

A  new  trend  is  noticeable  in  the  Seventh  Framework  Programme,  which  was  not  observed  in  the  Sixth 
Framework  Programme.  BAS,  with  its  numerous  institutes  and  Sofia  University,  remain  leaders,  but 
enterprises  and  non-governmental  organisations  are,  for  the  first  time,  present  among  the  top  10  when 
determining  the  latest  trends.  Companies  such  as  Sirma  Group  and  NEMETSCHEK,  both  working  in  the 
field of ICT and non-governmental organisations such as the Applied Research and Communications Fund 
and the Centre for Academic Research, Sofia, rank among the top 10 beneficiaries. 

Framework programmes until 2013 cover between 50 and 75% of the total budget needed to implement a 
given  project.  The  rest  is  provided  by  means  of  national  funding:  centralised  through  various  national 
instruments  or institutionally according  to  the  institutional  affiliation  of  the  research  team.  The  practices  of 
member  countries  in  this  respect  are  diverse,  but  each  of  them  uses  schemes  to  ensure  the  national  co-
financing  component.  In  Bulgaria,  the  issue  of  co-financing  projects  under  the  Seventh  Framework 
Programme has been resolved by a specific scheme of the Research Fund, which was introduced in 2007. 
The latest World Bank report on the state of innovation in Bulgaria defines the scheme as a good practice. 
The  issue  of  national  support  for  projects  financed  under  other  European  programmes,  including  COST, 
Eurostar and Eureka, remains open. 

92 

 
 
 
 
17%

2%

29%

52%

Capacities

Cooperation

EURATOM

People

Figure 33: Projects won under programmes of the Seventh Framework Program in Bulgaria 
Source: MES, 2013. 

Science in Society

Research Potential

12

14

Research Infrastructure

Research to benefit SMEs

Regions of knowledge

19

Coherent development of research policies

2

International cooperation

10

52

53

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Figure 34: Projects won under the priorities of the "Capacity" Programme 
Source: MES, 2013. 

93 

 
 
 
 
Transport, (including Aeronautics)

29

Space

16

Socio-economic sciences and humanities

22

Nanosciences, nanotechnologies, materials…

Security

ICT

Health

General activities

1

Food, agriculture and biotechnology

Environment (incl. global warming)

14

15

25

56

42

49

Energy

23

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Figure 35: Projects won under the priorities of the "Cooperation" Programme 
Source: MES, 2013. 

8.1.2.  Horizon 2020 

The  Bulgarian  organisations  that  implemented  coordination  or  partner  projects  in  the  Horizon  2020 
framework programme of the EU for research and innovation financing for the entire period of operation of 
the  programme  have  attracted  161.9  million  euros  (0.24%  of  the  programme  budget)  within  664  signed 
grant agreements (1.87% of all contracts). The success rate of the projects with Bulgarian participation is 
11.14% and is close to the EU average of 11.95%. 

The  Bulgarian  participants  in  the  work  of  research  consortia  under  Horizon  2020  amount  to  99579  and 
represent  21  of  the  country's  regions.  The  city  of  Sofia  has  the  highest  concentration  of  participants  and 
attracted the most funding - 736 organizations received 120 million euros. Plovdiv, Varna, Sofia region, and 
Blagoevgrad follow. 

With  leading  positions  in  the  structure  of  the  Bulgarian  participants  in  Horizon  2020,  based  on  the 
attracted  funding,  is  business  (306  organisations,  32.3%  of  the  funding),  followed  by  scientific 
organisations (230, 29.1%) and higher and secondary schools (184, 25.3%). With nearly 7% of the attracted 
funding, state institutions rank fourth. 

Within  the  framework  of  projects  under  the  Horizon  2020  programme,  Bulgarian  organizations  have 
participated  in  partnerships with  organizations  from  91  countries  around  the  world.  The  largest  number of 
partners is from Spain, Italy and Germany, followed by France, Great Britain and Greece. 

79 An organization participating in N projects counts as N times. 

94 

 
 
 
 
800

700

600

500

400

300

200

100

0

736

150000.00

100000.00

50000.00

65

46

50

12

0.00

София

Пловдив

Варна

София

Благоевград

Bulgarian organizations, number

European funding attracted (thousand euros)

Figure 36: Participation of Bulgarian organizations in Horizon 2020 (NUTS 3) 
Source: https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/ 

Participation in the SME Instrument

Seal of Excellence

Participation in the EIC Pilot

Share in the budget

21

23

23

23

Share of participants

20

Funding raised per participant

26

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Figure 37: Ranking of Bulgaria in Horizon 2020, EU-28 
Source: https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/ 

Participants in projects financed under the "Europe 2020" programme are distributed in  19 regions of the 
country. The leading position is Sofia city district, which accounts for nearly 78% of the beneficiaries and 
75% of the funding received. Next is Plovdiv region, where 7% of the beneficiaries are located, with twice 
the  share in  terms  of  the  agreed  funds.  With  an  equal share of  5% for both  indicators,  Varna region  is  in 
third place. 

There are 23 higher education institutions from Bulgaria that have received grant funding under the Horizon 
2020 programme. The leader within the sector is Sofia University, with 27 successful projects and more 
than 17.4 million euros agreed upon.  The Technical University in Sofia  ranks next with 10 projects and 
more  than  2.5  million  euros  received.  The  Medical  University  of  Varna, the  New  Bulgarian  University  and 
the University of Plovdiv registered participation in 5 projects each. Three other higher schools have three 
successful  projects  each  –  the  University  of  Chemical  Technology  and  Metallurgy,  the  South  West 
University and the University of Architecture, Construction and Geodesy. 

95 

 
 
 
 
Figure 38: Intensity of partnerships of Bulgarian organisations by projects under the Horizon 2020 programme, Europe 
Source: https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/ 

The business sector is represented by 61 companies. The strongest project participation under the Horizon 
2020  programme  is  PenSoft  Publishers,  with  9  projects  and  nearly  1,705  thousand  euros  attracted,  and 
Ontotext, with 6 projects and 1,491 thousand euros. 

The  case  of  the  Centre  for  Plant  System  Biology  and  Biotechnology  in  Plovdiv,  created  within  the 
framework  of  the  PlantaSYST  project  with  funding  of  7,350,000  euros,  is  a  special  one.  Although  it  was 
created with the participation of BAS (through the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology and 
the  Institute  of  Microbiology)  and  AA  (through  the  Institute  of  Vegetable  Crops  "Maritsa",  Plovdiv)  which 
are public structures, the new centre is registered as the private property of physical persons. 

In October 2015, the EC introduced the so-called "Seal of Excellence" - a quality mark awarded to project 
proposals  that  applied  for  funding  under  the  Horizon  2020  programme  and  successfully  met  all  the 
conditions for selection and allocation of funds but were nevertheless not funded due to budget constraints 
under the relevant procedure. Enterprises that received the Seal of Excellence can apply under beneficial 
conditions  for  alternative  funding  under  other  European  and  national  programmes  and  instruments 
supporting  innovation.  Along  with  the  133  projects  financed  under  the  "Horizon  2020"  programme, 
another 87 projects from Bulgaria received the Seal of Excellence. 

8.1.3.  Horizon Europe 

As  of  mid-2024,  530  Bulgarian  organizations,  of  which  285  unique  participants,  are  involved  in  349 
successful projects financed by the Horizon Europe Programme budget with a total of 201.3 million euros in 
funding.  The  project  participation  of  beneficiaries  from  the  country  by  years  of  the  programme  period  is 
presented in Figure 38. The distribution by individual priorities of the Programme is as follows: 

•  Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness – 347; 

•  Excellent Science – 87; 

• 

Innovative Europe – 51; 

•  Widening Participation and Strengthening the European Research Area – 45. 

96 

 
 
 
168

134

41

180

160

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

0

2022

2023

2024

Figure 39: Participation of Bulgarian organizations in Horizon Europe, number of signed agreements 
Source: https://dashboard.tech.ec.europa.eu/ 

The leading Bulgarian organization in terms of the number of successful projects (21) is Sofia University. In 
28 projects, the coordinator is a representative of Bulgaria. Sofia University also has the largest number of 
coordinating functions - 3 in number. 

According to the information submitted by the beneficiaries, the largest number of Bulgarian organizations 
are representatives of the private sector group (PRC) (108), followed by research organizations (REC) (46), 
public  bodies  (PUB)  (38)  and  higher  education  institutions  (HES)  (32).  Another  group  unites  61 
organizations of diverse nature. It should be clarified that the different institutes of the BAS have identified 
themselves  in  two  different  ways  -  as  a  research  organization  or  as  a  higher  school,  which  requires  the 
official data for both groups to be accepted conditionally. 

The  interest  of  Bulgarian  organizations  is  primarily  directed  towards  Coordination  and  support  action 
(CSA) that improve cooperation among EU and associated countries to strengthen the European Research 
Area  including,  for  example,  standardisation,  dissemination,  awareness-raising,  communication  and 
networking activities, policy dialogues, mutual learning or studies. The EU funding covers up to 100% of the 
project costs. The successful projects in this category are 162 (Figure 40). 

Others

18

HORIZON-EIC

HORIZON-EIC-ACC-BF

6

9

HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-DN

10

HORIZON-JU-IA

HORIZON-COFUND

HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-SE

14

14

15

HORIZON-IA

HORIZON-RIA

HORIZON-CSA

128

154

162

0

20

40

60

80

100 120 140 160 180

Figure 40: Portfolio of projects with Bulgarian participation in Horizon Europe 
Source: https://dashboard.tech.ec.europa.eu/ 

97 

 
 
 
 
Next  are  the  projects  in  the  Research  and  Innovation  Action  (RIA)  category  that  establishes  new 
knowledge or explores a new or improved technology, product, process, service or solution. The EU funding 
covers up to 100% of the project costs – a total of 154 projects. The attention of business is mainly drawn to 
Innovation action (IA) projects that produce plans or designs for new or improved products, processes or 
services  including  prototyping,  testing,  demonstrating,  piloting,  large-scale  product  validation  and  market 
replication.  The  EU  funding  covers  up  to  70%  of  the  project  costs.  The  Bulgarian  participants  have  128 
successful projects for the creation of new and improved products and processes. Program co-fund action 
(COFUND) provides multi-annual co-funding for European partnerships bringing together public and private 
partners.  The  EU  funding  covers  between  30  and  70%  of  the  project  costs.  Bulgarian  participation  in  this 
category is measured by 14 projects. 

Within the framework of the participation of higher education institutions and research organizations in the 
Horizon Europe Program, the focus is on the following types of sciences: 

•  social sciences – 79 projects; 

•  natural sciences - 69 projects; 

•  engineering and technology- 37 projects; 

•  agricultural sciences - 25 projects; 

•  medical and health sciences - 13 projects; 

•  humanities- 7 projects. 

The representatives of the two groups of participants with the largest number of participations are presented 
in Annex 8. 

  National Science Fund (BNSF) 

The activity of the National Science Fund is carried out by the National Strategy for Research Development 
(NSRD),  the  National  Reform  Programme,  the  Framework  Programmes  of  the  European  Union,  the 
European  and  national  road  map  for  research  infrastructure  and  other  European  and  international 
initiatives. According to the National Strategy for Research Development in the Republic of Bulgaria 2017 - 
2030,  "Better  Science  for  a  Better  Bulgaria",  the  BNSF  is  the  main  instrument  for  research  financing  of 
scientific  organizations  and  higher  schools  based  on  a  competitive  selection  of  projects  in  the 
priority areas determined by the NSRD. 

40

35

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

План 

Изпълнение

Figure 41: Plan and implementation of the expenses of the Science Fund, 2014 - 2022, BGN million. 
Source: 2022 Science Fund Annual Activity Report. 

98 

 
 
 
 
After  the  adoption  in  2016  of  changes  to  the  Law  for  Research  Promotion  and  a  new  Regulation  of  the 
Science  Fund,  the  competitions  for  funding  projects  for  fundamental  research  by  scientific  fields, 
projects  of  young  scientists  and  postdoctoral  students,  and  of  Bulgarian  scientific  periodicals 
became annual. 

Competitions  continue  under  seven  programmes  for  bilateral  cooperation  with  Austria,  India,  China, 
Russia  and  France.  The  Fund  is  also  involved  in  a  number  of  international  scientific  programmes  (ERA-
NET). 

Since 2016, the Fund's budget has more than doubled and reached nearly BGN 38 million for 2022, and the 
allocated  funds  for  new  and  already  started  in  previous  periods  fundamental  research  projects  are  in  the 
amount of BGN 35.5 million. 

For the five-year period of operation of the first stage of the implementation of the NSDR 2018  - 2022, the 
largest  number  of  project  proposals  were  submitted  under  the  procedures  for  fundamental  research  - 
1,267 for the entire period. A little over 45% are financed with agreed upon financing of BGN 82 million. A 
significantly  higher  rate  of  success  was  achieved  in  the  fundamental  research  competitions  for  young 
scientists and postdoctoral students - 77% for the period for a total of nearly BGN 6 million. After 2018, two 
more specific procedures for fundamental research funding were carried out - on societal challenges and on 
societal  challenges  related  to  the  COVID-19  pandemic,  for  which  a  total  of  just  over  BGN  8  million  was 
allocated. 

Figure 42: Received and approved project proposals for fundamental research competitions to the Science Fund, 2018-2022, number 
Source: Science Fund, 2023. 

The main part of the provided funds in 2022 is allocated to: 

• 

fundamental research in scientific fields - 53%, of which for young scientists and postdoctoral students - 
4%. 

With the largest relative share of the total budget of the Fund are technical sciences (17.3%), followed by 
biological,  medical,  social  and  agricultural  sciences  with  almost  equal  shares,  varying  around  11%.  The 
funds allocated to mathematical sciences, informatics and Earth sciences are minimal (about 6%). 

The BAS institutes have equal positions in the competition sessions for fundamental research - a total of 47 
projects with received funding of 11.40 million BGN with the higher schools, which received nearly 11 million 
BGN for 48 projects. The Fund also financed 7 projects of AA institutes with BGN 1.5 million and 3 projects 
of other scientific organizations in the amount of BGN 710 million. 

In  terms  of  funding  for  young  scientists  and  postdoctoral  fellows,  BAS  institutes  have  a  clear  lead  of  26 
projects and attracted just over 1 million BGN, followed by higher schools with 613 million BGN, allocated to 
16  projects. Young  scientists  from  AA  registered 7 successful  projects  (BGN 270  million), and  those  from 
other scientific organizations are 4 (BGN 160 million). 

99 

 
 
 
•  national scientific programmes "Vihren" (39%) and "Petar Beron" (2%). 

The two scientific programmes financed within the budget of the Science Fund are aimed at improving the 
positions  and  prestige  of  the  Bulgarian  scientists  and  research  developed  in  Bulgaria  on  the  international 
stage. National scientific programme "Top Research and People for the Development of European Science" 
(VIHREN) supports Bulgarian scientists with high achievements, while the general goal of the NSP "Petar 
Beron Science and Innovations with Europe" ("Peter Beron and WE") is to accelerate the reintegration and 
career  development  in  Bulgarian  higher  schools  and  scientific  organizations  of  experienced  researchers 
with internationally recognized scientific results. 

• 

international and ERA-NET programmes (just over 2%); 

•  scientific periodicals (1.02%) and international scientific forums in Bulgaria (0.6%). 

Figure 43: Allocation of the 2022 BNSF budget by competitive sessions, % 
Source: 2022 Science Fund Annual Activity Report. 

According to the Annual Activity Report of the Science Fund for 2022, the main challenges to its work are 
related to the insufficient budget for the development of fundamental research with which the fund operates, 
as well as the bureaucratic procedures related to its utilization; lack of administrative capacity (insufficient 
number  of  employees  and  low  level  of  digitization  of  procedures),  insufficient  number  of  assessors.  In 
addition, since 2014, BNSF competitions are held outside the scope of the European Framework for State 
Aid for Research, Development and Innovation, which excludes applications for patents, utility models 
and  other  objects  of  intellectual  property  from the  scope  of  eligible  funding  costs from  the  BNSF. 
This  complicates  the  work  of  scientific  units,  which  are  forced  to  look  for  additional  sources  of  funding  to 
maintain their portfolio of intellectual property objects, including those resulting from the implementation of 
Fund's projects. 

9.  Monitoring and evaluation of Bulgarian R&I performance 

The  chapter  provides  a  detailed  summary  and  analysis  of  various  recent  assessments,  monitoring,  and 
evaluation  reports  concerning  the  Bulgarian  research  and  innovation  (R&I)  system.  These  reports 
encompass a wide array of strategic documents, external evaluations, and policy support initiatives aimed 
at  reforming  and  enhancing  the  R&I  landscape  in  Bulgaria.  The  primary  focus  is  on  identifying  key 
challenges,  evaluating  current  policies  and  programs,  and  proposing  actionable  recommendations  to 
improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Bulgarian R&I ecosystem. The assessments draw upon data 
and  findings  from  national  and  international  sources,  offering  a  comprehensive  overview  of  the  state  of 
research, innovation, and entrepreneurship in Bulgaria. 

100 

 
 
 
 
  Horizon 2020 Policy Support Facility – support for Bulgaria 

The  2015  Peer  Review  of  the  Bulgarian  Research  and  Innovation  System  under  the  Horizon  2020 
Policy  Support  Facility80  aimed  to  provide  external  advice  and  operational  recommendations  to  the 
Bulgarian authorities on possible reforms of the R&I system. At the request of the Bulgarian authorities, it 
focused  on  three main  areas:  (1) Assessment  of  R&I  funding  and  performing  bodies  and  instruments;  (2) 
R&I Human resources capacity development; and (3) Measures for tackling the gap between research and 
business. The final report81 was presented to the Bulgarian R&I community on 8 October 2015.  

The  Peer  Review  expert  panel  formulated  ten  policy  messages,  each  one  supported  by  a  number  of 
detailed  recommendations,  four  of  which  are  directly  related  to  measures  for  improving  the  R&I  funding, 
incl. the founding one for increasing the science and innovation funding to at least 1% of GDP by 2020. The 
other three policy massages refer to: 

•  Setting up a professional, independent and robust national research agency to design and manage R&I 
funding programmes and support the successful implementation of the RI structural reforms package. 

• 

• 

Improve the processes for the evaluation and funding of project proposals, and bring those processes to 
international standards. 

Increasingly  concentrate  funding  for  institutions  that  perform  research,  so  as  to  reward  high 
performance. 

In  2017,  a  more  comprehensive  assessment  was  carried  out  under  the  Policy  Support  Facility,  aiming  at 
implementing  the  recommendations  of  the  2015  PSF  Peer  Review  and  particularly  the  recommendation 
concerning  the  allocation  system  for  institutional  funding.  The  Summary  Article82  published  in  February 
2018 summarized the major policy-relevant conclusions and recommendations, based on the Final Report 
on  the  Research  Evaluation  and  Performance-Based  Funding  System  in  Bulgaria83  and  the 
Background  Report84.  According  to  the  report,  Bulgaria’s  research  and  innovation  landscape  urgently 
needs reform to reduce fragmentation, increase funding and improve international competitiveness. The key 
areas that urgently need to be reformed are: over-reliance on international funding, poor industry-research 
ties, disjointed approaches to higher education, R&I policy and institutions, as well as an erosion of trust in 
the whole system due to misuse of public funding and low performance. To address the fragmentation, the 
Bulgarian government needs to carry out system-wide institutional reform, while at the same time doubling 
Bulgaria’s national public funding of R&I. The two key recommendations are: 

•  To  target  all  efforts  (and  additional  funding)  on  10-12  research  players,  including  5-6  new  ‘research 
universities’  and  5-6  new  ‘entrepreneurial  universities,’  with  clear  remits.  Then  focus  on  a  simple  and 
transparent performance-based research funding system with well-defined quality using scientific as well 
as societal impact indicators, and a scoring system that ensures fairness. 

•  Designing an integrated evaluation and research funding framework through clearly defined and applied 

metrics-based evaluations, incl. assigning responsibility for evaluation to a special unit. 

  European  Semester  and  development  of  the  strategic  framework  for  the  2021-

2027 programming period 

Weaknesses and recommendations made by the European Commission to the Bulgarian government in the 
implementation of national commitments to achieve the objectives of the European Semester 2020 and in 
the  preparation  of  Bulgaria's  strategic  framework  in  the  field  of  research  and  innovation  for  the  next 
programming period 2021-2027 are in similar directions.  

The main of them focus on the following:  

1) 

insufficiently  developed  interaction  within  the  innovation  system;  low  intensity  of  innovation  dissemination 
between enterprises; ignorance and refrain from participating in technology transfer;  

80 https://rio.jrc.ec.europa.eu/en/policy-support-facility/peer-review-bulgarian-research-and-innovation-system/  
81 https://rio.jrc.ec.europa.eu/en/file/8155/download?token=ApFpUvMZ  
82 https://rio.jrc.ec.europa.eu/en/file/12429/download?token=spDYmvSU  
83 https://rio.jrc.ec.europa.eu/en/file/12400/download?token=wcgzyidE  
84 https://rio.jrc.ec.europa.eu/en/file/12321/download?token=qumNLkv2  

101 

 
 
2) 

low technological level of enterprises compared to the average levels by economic sectors - a problem that is 
reproduced  and  deepened  through  publicly  funded  investment  efforts  that  are  far  below  the  existing 
technological limits;  

3)  widening  the  technological  gap  between  a  small  number  of  enterprises,  representatives  of  niche  high-tech 
sectors, on the one hand, and the predominant part of the enterprises employed in the medium- and low-tech 
industries, on the other hand;  

4)  slow  penetration  of  digital  technologies  in enterprises  and  low  level  of  digitalisation  of  business processes, 
accompanied by a lack of digital skills and, at the same time, refusal to participate and conduct training;  
fragmentation of the public scientific base;  
low share of public investment in research and innovation; limited access to finance by small and medium-
sized enterprises; lack of diversification and complementarity of financial sources;  

5) 
6) 

7)  serious challenges related to the preparation, attraction and development of talents;  
8) 
9) 

fragmented innovation system; significant regional imbalances;  
inadequate  digitalisation  framework  conditions  associated  with  the  quality  of  public  services,  cybersecurity, 
lack of open data, and inefficient public spending. 

  OECD exercises on promoting entrepreneurship 

The  country-level  Heinnovate  Reviews  for  Bulgaria  on  Promoting  Innovative  and  Entrepreneurial 
HEIs85  registers  the  progress  made  by  Bulgarian  higher  education  institutions  in  their  transformation 
towards innovative and entrepreneurial universities. The report sheds light on several shortcomings of the 
system of higher education namely the lack of awareness of the innovation and entrepreneurship, marginal 
involvement  of  HEIs  in  smart  specialisation,  'separation'  of  teaching  and  research,  insufficient  levels  of 
knowledge  exchange,  missing  links  to  the  entrepreneurship  ecosystem.  Based  on  that,  the  main 
recommendations  to  the  MES  are  in  the  field  of  triggering  of  innovation  in  the  higher  education  system, 
sustaining  already  existing  promising  initiatives,  creation  of  a  HEInnovate  Fund  co-financed  with  ESIF 
funding,  developing  of  an  easy-access  system  of  fundamental  business  start-up  support  for  academic 
entrepreneurs. 

The 2018 edition of the report Inclusive Entrepreneurship Policies: Country Assessment Notes86 is the 
third  part  of  the  series  of  annual  country  assessments  prepared  by  the  OECD  in  collaboration  with  the 
Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion of the European Commission on the state 
of inclusive entrepreneurship policies and programmes in Bulgaria. It provides an overview and assessment 
of  policies  and  programmes  that  support  people  from  under-represented  and  disadvantaged  groups  in 
business creation and self-employment and suggests policy actions to address gaps in the support system 
and to improve the quality of available support offers. The report assesses the effort made by the MES in 
supporting women’s entrepreneurship and by the MoLSP for activities provided through the OP HRD. The 
recommendations  are  mostly  focused  on  the  administrative  capacity  and  management  of  the  initiatives, 
including to reinforce co-ordination of inclusive entrepreneurship policy actions; to increase the quality focus 
and  improve  the  efficiency  of  measures  related  to  entrepreneurship  education,  especially  for  youth;  to 
ensure  support  programmes  effectively  reach  particularly  vulnerable  targets  groups.  Two  additional 
recommendations  concern  the  necessity  of  raising  the  awareness  of  the  potential  of  entrepreneurship  for 
the youth and encourage promising young entrepreneurs and fostering the higher quality self-employment 
activities among inclusive entrepreneurship target groups, including through support to innovative ventures. 

  The  World  Bank’s  Bulgarian  Public  Expenditure  Research  on  Science, 

Technology, and Innovation (PER STI) 

The  country  note  was  prepared  as  a  background  paper  for  the  Country  Needs  and  STI  Policy  Mix 
Assessment report87; a deliverable of the World Bank’s Bulgarian Public Expenditure Research on Science, 
Technology,  and  Innovation  (PER  STI)  Project.  It  explores  the  research,  knowledge  exchange,  and 
technology transfer activities of public research institutions in Bulgaria and aims to identify the factors that 
enable  or  constrain  these  activities.  The  findings  in  this  report  are  based  on  two  surveys:  an  in-person 
survey  of  administrators  from  a  sample  of  public  research  organisations  and  higher  education  institutions 
technology transfer offices and an online survey of over 4,000 public sector researchers in Bulgaria. 

Institutional  Governance:  A  lack  of  clear  missions  and  objectives  at  the  institutional  level  restricts  the 
ability  of  Bulgarian PROs  and  HEIs  to  develop  long-term  strategies,  with  most  public  research  institutions 
lacking  long-run  research  and  technology  investment  strategies.  Although  the  legal  framework  officially 
makes PROs/HEIs autonomous, in practice this autonomy is limited by the dependence on public funding 

85 https://www.oecd.org/cfe/leed/OECD-LEED-2015-Bulgaria-report.pdf  
86 https://www.oecd.org/cfe/smes/Inclusive-Entrepreneurship-Policies-Country-Assessment-Notes.htm  
87 Aridi, et al. 2020. Bulgaria Country Needs and STI Policy Mix Assessment. Washington, D.C.: World Bank Group. 

102 

 
 
and  practical  restrictions  to  strategic  decisions.  External  stakeholders,  such  as  representatives  from 
industry, are not represented in the governance of PROs (although they are in HEI governance), and most 
public  institutions  do  not  consult  with  industry  or  other  external  actors  in  the  definition  of  research  or 
educational  agendas.  As  a  result  of  the  lack  of  external  stakeholder  input,  research  agendas  are  not 
oriented  toward  industry  needs,  which  is  a  major  impediment  to  public-private  collaboration,  technology 
transfer, and research impact. Performance-based research funding, which can help concentrate resources 
in high-performing institutions, has been introduced but  currently only accounts for a small share of direct 
institutional funding. 

Survey  evidence  shows  that  reinforcing  both  financial  and  non-financial  incentives  and  the  recognition  of 
knowledge collaborative linkages boosts technology transfer performance among Bulgarian researchers:  

•  Researchers who receive financial and non-financial incentives from their institutions participate in more 

industry-science collaboration.  

•  Researchers  who  participate  in  staff  mobility  activities  (PhD  projects  with  industry,  joint  positions, 
exchanges,  sabbaticals  in  industry,  etc.)  engage  in  more  public-private  collaboration  and  technology 
transfer.  

To  address  these  challenges,  this  report  provides  a  set  of  recommendations  for  improving  research  and 
technology transfer outcomes in public research institutions: 

•  Ensure  that  public  research  institutions  have  clear  missions  and  objectives  that  align  with  national 
strategies  and  priorities.  Support  PROs  and  HEIs  in  articulating  their  institutional  research  and 
technology transfer strategies for achieving these objectives.  

•  Strengthen  PRO/HEI-Industry  linkages.  Mandate  representation  of industry  and  other  relevant  external 
actors in the governance bodies at both PROs and HEIs and encourage formal consultation with these 
actors in defining research and technology transfer agendas. Strengthen public-private connections and 
idea flows by allowing and incentivising personnel exchanges between public research and industry. 

• 

Increase the role of PBRF. Revise indicators and weighting schemes for performance-based funding to 
focus  on  research  quality  indicators  (impact  factors,  external  research  funding,  PhDs)  and  research 
commercialisation  and  tech  transfer  activities  (licenses,  spin-offs,  contract  research,  industry  research 
collaboration, etc.). 

•  Foster a coherent national IPR and technology transfer framework rather than devolving the question of 
ownership  of  IP  to  individual  institutions.  Clarify  ownership  of  equity stakes  in spin-offs  from  academic 
research institutions at both individual and institutional levels. 

• 

• 

Improve  resources  and  capacity  for  technology  transfer  support,  including  sustainable  financial 
commitments and training to support TTOs and staff. 

Improve  incentives  for  public  researchers  to  engage  in  high-quality  research,  knowledge  transfer,  and 
commercialisation  activities  by  including  technology  transfer  and  collaborative  research  activities  in 
career development and salary progression schemes and allowing researchers to financially benefit from 
the commercialisation of their research. 

103 

 
 
 
 
Annexes 

Annex 1: Snapshot of Bulgarian legislation in the field of R&I 

Higher Education Act 

Objective of the Act: Provides the overall framework of higher education in Bulgaria. 

Аmendments: Adopted in 1995, amended 60 times since then, last amendment – 29 March 2024. 

Governance: Through the National Assembly and the Council of Ministers, the state creates the conditions 
for  the  development  of  higher  education  -  implements  the  national  policy  for  higher  education  and 
guarantees the academic autonomy of higher education institutions.  

Financing: The state subsidizes state universities and the education of students in these institutions.  

Highlights: 

•  The state ensures the quality of education and research, conducted in higher education institutions. 

•  Higher education institutions are autonomous – the academic community has intellectual freedom. 

•  Research  in  higher  education  aims  at  creating  new  scientific  knowledge  or  scientifically  applied 
products;  it  can  be  financed  by  various  sources,  including  state  and  municipal  budget,  donations, 
inheritance, sponsorships, financial proceeds from research/ consulting, intellectual property rights. 

•  The latest amendments from 2024 promulgate an annual allocation of at least 0.9% of gross domestic 

product (GDP) for financing higher education. 

Law on the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences 

Objective: Regulates the activities of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. 

Аmendments: Adopted in 1991, amended six times since then; last revision – 15 February 2013. 

Governance:  The  Bulgarian  Academy  of  Sciences  is  governed  by  a  General  Assembly,  whose  members 
are  elected  among  the  scientists,  holding  positions  in  the  institutes  of  BAS.  There  is  also  a  Board  of 
Trustees, whose obligations include: support for the development of BAS and the effective management of 
its  financial  resources  and  property;  oversight  of  the  research  and  development  priorities;  proposition  of 
measures to achieve the objectives, listed in the European strategies for research and innovation etc. 

Financing:  BAS  receives  annual  funding  from  the  national  budget.  Also,  the  budget  of  the  Academy 
includes revenues from research projects, income from the sale of intellectual products and proceeds from 
donations and sponsors. 

Highlights: 

•  The Law states that BAS carries out fundamental and applied research and provides education to highly 

qualified experts independently as well as jointly with higher education institutions.  

•  An  annual  report  on  the  activities  of  BAS  are  presented  to  the  National  Assembly  by  30  April  of  the 

following year by the Chairman of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.  

104 

 
 
 
 
 
Statute of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences 

Objective: The Statute of BAS specifies the structure and management of the institution. 

Аmendments: Adopted in 1994, amended six times since then; last amendment – 14 March 2023. 

Governance: The General Assembly is the highest collective governing body of the Bulgarian Academy of 
Sciences.  The  Governing  Council  is  the  body  that  ensures  the  implementation  of  the  decisions  of  the 
General Assembly. The Management Board of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences takes decisions related 
to the day-to-day management of BAS. The President of BAS represents the Academy in the country and 
abroad. 

Financing:  The  funding  of  the  Academy  includes  grants,  performance-based  funding,  revenues  from 
research,  consultancy  and  commercialisation  activities  and  competitive  funding  from  national,  European 
and international programs.  

Highlights:  

•  The Statute promulgates that BAS is a legal entity. 

•  The institutes, central laboratories, centres and museums of BAS are autonomous. 

•  The  main  activity  of  the  scientific  units  is  the  creation,  dissemination  and  promotion  of  scientific 

knowledge and its application in practice. 

Act on Development of the Academic Staff in the Republic of Bulgaria 

Objective of the Act: Provides the principles for awarding scientific degrees and holding academic positions 
in Bulgaria. 

Аmendments:  Adopted  in  May  2010  and  amended  five  times  since  then;  last  amendment  -  26  February 
2019. 

Governance:  The  Minister  of  Education  and  Science  exercises  control  over  the  open  procedures  for  the 
acquisition of scientific degrees, as well as for holding academic positions. Through the National Center for 
Information  and  Documentation,  the  Minister  of  Education  and  Science  maintains  a  public  register,  listing 
the people who have acquired scientific degrees, the dissertations defended, and the habilitated persons in 
the Republic of Bulgaria.  

Highlights:  

•  The  Act  provides  the  general  principles,  while  the  concrete  conditions  and  procedure  for  awarding 
scientific degrees or occupying academic positions are determined by the relevant rules of procedure of 
the respective higher school/scientific organisation. 

•  The  National  Center  for  Information  and  Documentation  maintains  an  archive  of  the  defended 

dissertation papers in electronic and printed format. 

•  The  Regulations  on  the  implementation  of  the  Development  of  the  Academic  Staff  in  the  Republic  of 
Bulgaria  Act  (2010)  governs  the  implementation  of  the  Act  as  it  provides  the  requirements  that  the 
candidates need to cover in order to acquire a scientific degree.  

•  The Decree, amending the Regulations on the implementation of the Development of the Academic Staff 
in  the  Republic  of  Bulgaria  Act  (2019),  present  the  points  that  are  required  for  acquiring  academic 
degrees and positions. 

105 

 
 
 
 
Law on Research and Innovation Promotion 

Objective  of  the  Act:  It  regulates  the  principles,  mechanisms  and  instruments  for  the  formulation  and 
implementation of state policy for the promotion of research and innovation in Bulgaria.  

Amendments: Adopted in May 2024. No amendments. 

Governance:  The  Council  of  Ministers  adopt  the  main  strategies,  such  as  the  National  Strategy  for  the 
Development  of  Scientific  research,  the  Innovation  Strategy  for  Smart  Specialisation,  the  Framework 
Programme  for  R  &I,  the  National  Research  and  Innovation  Roadmap  Infrastructure,  the  National 
Programmes in Science and Innovation, among others.  The Minister for Education and Science elaborates 
and  proposes  for  adoption  the  National  Strategy  for  Development  of  Scientific  Research,  the  National 
Roadmap for Research Infrastructure, the National Programmes in Science and Innovation. The Minister is 
also  responsible  for  monitoring  and  reporting  on  their  implementation.  The  Minister  for  Innovation  and 
Growth  develops  and  proposes  for  adoption  the  Innovation  Strategy  for  Smart  Specialisation,  national 
programmes  in  the  field  of  innovation,  among  others.  Both  Ministers  together  develop  and  submit  for 
approval  of  the  Research  and  Innovation  Framework  Programme  by  the  Council  of  Ministers.  Local  self-
government bodies and local administration establish policies to promote scientific research and innovation 
at  the  municipal  level.  The  Council  for  Innovation  and  Research  supports  the  Minister  for  Education  and 
Science and the Minister for Innovation and Growth.  

Financing:  Research  is  funded  in  full  or  in  part  by  the  state  budget,  the  European  Union,  international 
programmes  and  agreements,  as  well  as  donations  and  other  sources,  in  accordance  with  the  objectives 
and priorities outlined in national or sectoral strategic developments and research promotion plans. 

Highlights: 

•  Research  and  innovation  (R&I)  is  a  national  priority  and  of  strategic  importance  for  the  country's 

development. R&I are based on the principle of open science. 

•  State  policy  for  the  promotion  of  scientific  research  and  innovation  is  conducted  by  the  Council  of 

Ministers, the Minister for Education and Science and the Minister for Innovation and Growth. 

•  Scientific research is funded in full or partial from the state budget, the European Union and international 
programmes and agreements, from donations and from other sources in accordance with the objectives 
and priorities set out in national or sectoral strategic development and promotion of research. 

•  The  National  Science  Fund  sponsors  projects,  programmes,  and  activities  to  promote  and  expand 

scientific research and scientific research infrastructure, as well as to advance scientists' careers. 

•  National Innovation Fund is established and promotes collaboration and joint programs between higher 
education  institutions,  universities,  scientific  organisations,  and  businesses  in  areas  such  as  scientific 
research,  innovation,  technology  development,  technology  transfer, entrepreneurial  skills  development, 
and innovation promotion. 

•  By creating guidelines for open access to published scientific results and the use of research financed in 
whole  or  in  part  by  public  funds,  the  Minister  for  Education  and  Science,  universities,  and  scientific 
organisations support and promote open science. 

•  The Ministry of Education and Science's National Centre for Information and Documentation maintains 

an electronic record of research activity in the Republic of Bulgaria. 

106 

 
 
 
 
Annex 2: Fields of education, Science and Technology 

Narrow fields of education 

Education 
Inter-disciplinary programmes and qualifications involving 
education 
Arts 
Humanities (except languages) 
Languages 
Inter-disciplinary programmes and qualifications involving 
arts and humanities 
Social and behavioural sciences 
Journalism and information 
Business and administration 
Law 
Inter-disciplinary programmes and qualifications involving 
business, administration and law 
Biological and related sciences 
Environment 
Physical sciences 

Education 
Inter-disciplinary programmes and qualifications involving 
education 
Arts 
Humanities (except languages) 
Languages 
Inter-disciplinary programmes and qualifications involving 
arts and humanities 
Social and behavioural sciences 
Journalism and information 
Business and administration 
Law 
Inter-disciplinary programmes and qualifications involving 
business, administration and law 
Biological and related sciences 
Environment 
Physical sciences 

Fields of Science and Technology 

Natural Sciences 
Engineering and Technology 
Medical and Health Sciences 
Agricultural Sciences 
Social Sciences 
Humanities 

Professional fields 

The 
cipher 

Areas of higher education 

The 
cipher 

Professional areas 

1. 

Pedagogical Sciences 

2. 

Humanities 

3. 

Social, business and legal 
sciences 

1.1. 

1.2. 

1.3. 

2.1. 

2.2. 

2.3. 

2.4. 

3.1 

3.2. 

3.3. 

3.4. 

Theory and Management of Education  

Pedagogy 

Pedagogy of training in ... 

Philology 

History and archeology 

Philosophy 

Religion and Theology 

Sociology, anthropology and cultural sciences 

Psychology 

Political Sciences 

Social activities 

107 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The 
cipher 

Areas of higher education 

The 
cipher 

Professional areas 

4. 

Natural sciences, mathematics 
and informatics 

5 

Technical Sciences 

6 

Agrarian Sciences and 
Veterinary Medicine 

7 

Health and sports 

8. 

Arts 

3.5. 

3.6. 

3.7. 

3.8. 

3.9. 

4.1. 

4.2. 

4.3. 

4.4. 

4.5. 

4.6. 

5.1. 

5.2. 

5.3. 

5.4. 

5.5. 

5.6. 

5.7. 

5.8. 

5.9. 

Public communications and information sciences 

Law 

Administration and Management 

Economics 

Tourism 

Physical Sciences 

Chemical Sciences 

Biological Sciences 

Earth Sciences 

Mathematics 

Computer science and computer science 

Mechanical Engineering 

Electrical engineering, electronics and automation 

Communication and computer technology 

Energy 

Transport, shipping and aviation 

Materials and material science 

Architecture, construction and surveying 

Exploration, extraction and processing of minerals 

Metallurgy 

5.10 

Chemical technology 

5.11. 

Biotechnology 

5.12. 

Food technology 

5.13. 

General engineering 

6.1. 

6.2. 

6.3. 

6.4. 

6.5. 

7.1. 

7.2. 

7.3. 

7.4. 

7.5. 

7.6. 

8.1. 

Crop production 

Plant protection 

Livestock breeding 

Veterinary Medicine 

Forestry 

Medicine 

Dentistry 

Pharmacy 

Health care 

Kinesitherapy and rehabilitation 

Sports 

Theory of Arts 

108 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The 
cipher 

Areas of higher education 

9. 

Security and defence 

The 
cipher 

8.2. 

8.3. 

8.4. 

9.1. 

9.2. 

Professional areas 

Art 

Music and dance art 

Theatre and film art 

National Security 

Military affairs 

Table 17: Fields of education, Science and Technology 

Annex 3: Performance-based funding indicators 

No 

Criteria 

Evaluation formula 

1. 

Scientific results and their scientific impact during the reporting 
period (U1) 

U1 = (a + b + c + d) 

1.1. 

Number of scientific publications in journals indexed in Scopus 
and / or Web of Science (All databases) (a), of which: in 
magazines of category Q1 (a1), Q2 (a2) and Q3 (a3) on the Web 
of Science. All other publications in Scopus and / or Web of 
Science (All databases) fall into the indicator (a4). 
When reporting articles with co-authors of more than ten 
institutions the number of these articles is multiplied by a factor 
0.1. 

a = 5a1 + 3a2 + 2a3 + a4 

1.2. 

Number of scientific monographs indexed in Scopus databases 
and / or Web of Science (b1) 

b = 10b1 

Arithmetic mean of the number of independent citations in Scopus 
and Web of Science, obtained during the estimated period, of 
publications of researchers from the current list composition (c1), 
taking into account the impact of citations normalized by scientific 
fields, according to indicators from Web of Science and SCOPUS 
with coefficient α and coefficient k, reflecting the specifics of 
citations in different areas. 
Taking into account the citations of an article with co-authors from 
more out of ten institutions the number of citations to this article is 
multiplied by a factor of 0.1. 

Number of patents registered by HEIs and research organizations 
and patent applications, incl. from concluded contracts with 
companies, from who: 
Patent applications: national (d1) and PCT (d2) Registered 
patents: national (d3), European, US or etc. international patents 
(d4) 

1.3. 

1.4. 

c = 0.5c1αk 

d = d1 + 3d2 + 3d3 + 6d4 

2. 

Scientific capacity and reproduction of the academic community 
during the reporting period (U2) 

U2 = e + f 

2.1. 

Number of PhD students defended during the reporting period: 
within 5 years from their enrollment (f1) and after 5 years from their 
enrollment (f2) 

e = 10e1 + 2e2 

109 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
No 

Criteria 

Evaluation formula 

2.2. 

Number of "doctors of science" defended during the reporting 
period (f1) 

f = 10f1 

2.3. 

Share of publications co-authored with institutions from other 
countries (ai) relative to the total number of publications (indicator 
in stage on observation) 

pi = ai/ (a1+ a2+ a3+ a4) 

3. 

Social and economic impact during the reporting period (U3) 

U3 = (g + 1) / 25 

3.1. 

Cash spent during the reporting period in thousands BGN received 
from the European Framework Programs for Research research 
and innovation (g1) and other international scientific projects (g2) 

g = 5 (g1 + g2) 

3.2. 

Cash spent during the reporting period in thousands BGN, 
received from external financing for the organization under national 
projects and programs (l1), from scientific contracts activity with 
Bulgarian (l2) or foreign companies and 
enterprises (l3), from sold copyrights, prepared concepts, expert 
opinions and licensing agreements for the realization of intellectual 
products (l4) 

l = l1 + 3l2 + 5l3 + 4l4 

Annex 4: Research units of Bulgarian Academy of Sciences 

Table 18: Performance-based funding indicators 

Research Divisions 

Institutes 

Information and Communication Sciences 
and Technologies 

Location 

Sofia 

Sofia 

Sofia 

Institute of Mathematics and Informatics 

Institute of Mechanics 

Institute of Robotics 

Institute of Information and Communication Technologies  Sofia 

National Laboratory of Computer Virology 

Laboratory of Telematics 

Sofia 

Sofia 

Institute of Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy 

Sofia 

Energy Resources and Energy Efficiency 

Institute of Electrochemistry and Energy Systems 
"Academician Evgeni Budevski" 

Institute of Chemical Engineering 

Central Laboratory of Solar Energy and New Energy 
Sources 

Institute of Solid State Physics 

Nanosciences, New Materials and 
Technologies 

Institute of Electronics 

Institute of Optical Materials and Technologies 

Sofia 

Sofia 

Sofia 

Sofia 

Sofia 

Sofia 

110 

 
 
Research Divisions 

Institutes 

Location 

Institute of Mineralogy and Crystallography 

Sofia 

Institute of Metal Science, Equipment and Technologies / 
with Hydro- and Aerodynamics Center in Varna 

Sofia, Varna 

Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry 

Institute of Organic Chemistry / with Center of 
Phytochemistry 

Institute of Physical Chemistry 

Institute of Polymers 

Institutte of Catalysis 

Sofia 

Sofia 

Sofia 

Sofia 

Sofia 

Central Laboratory of Applied Physics  

Plovdiv 

Institute of Molecural Biology 

Institute of Neurobiology 

Institute of Microbiology  

Sofia 

Sofia 

Sofia 

Institute of Biophysics and Biomedical Engineering 

Sofia 

Institute of Biology and Immunology of Reproduction  

Sofia 

Biomedicine and Quality of Life 

Institute of Experimental Morphology, Pathology and 
Anthropology w/ Museum 

Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research 

Forest Research Institute 

Biodiversity, Bioresources and Ecology 

Institute of Plant Physiology and Genetics 

National Museum of Natural History 

Botanical Garden of BAS 

Geological Institute "Strashimir Dimitrov" 

Sofia 

Sofia 

Sofia 

Sofia 

Sofia 

Sofia 

Sofia 

Climate Change, Hazards and Natural 
Resources 

National Institute of Geophysics, Geodesy and Geography  Sofia 

Climate, Atmosphere and Water Research Institute 

Sofia 

Astronomy, Space Research and 
Technologies 

Institute of Oceanology 

Institute of Astronomy and National Astronomical 
Observatory 

Space Research and Technology Institute  

Cultural-Historical Heritage and National 
Identity 

Institute for Bulgarian Language 

Institute for Literature 

Varna 

Sofia, Peak 
Rozhen 

Sofia 

Sofia 

Sofia 

111 

 
Research Divisions 

Institutes 

Location 

Institute for Balkan Studies and Center of Thracology 

Sofia 

Man and Society 

Institute for Historical Studies 

Institute of Ethnology and Folklore Studies with 
Ethnographic Museum 

Institute of Art Studies 

National Archeological Institute with Museum 

Cyrillo-Methodian Research Center 

Economic Research Institute 

Institute for the State and the Law 

Institute for Population and Human Studies 

Institute of Philosophy and Sociology 

Central Library of BAS 

Scientific Archive of BAS 

Training Center of BAS 

Prof. Marin Drinov Publishing House 

Sofia 

Sofia 

Sofia 

Sofia 

Sofia 

Sofia 

Sofia 

Sofia 

Sofia 

Sofia 

Sofia 

Sofia 

Sofia 

Specialized Units 

Bulgarian Encyclopedia Scienctific Information Center 

Sofia 

Joint Innovation Center of BAS 

Sofia 

Center for National Security and Defense Research 

Sofia 

Creativity Houses of the BAS 

Hotel of the BAS 

Sofia 

Sofia 

Table 19: Research units of Bulgarian Academy of Sciences 

112 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
researchers/experts/engineers 
Annex  5:  Number  of  academic  staff  and 
performing/supporting  the  research  activity  in  the  institutes  of  BAS  (full  time 
equivalent) 

№ 

Research Unit 

Professors 

Accosiate 
Professors 

Assistant 
Professors 

Assistants 

Staff with 
MS / BS 
/Eng 
degrees 
and not 
holding 
academic 
position 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

Information and Communication 
Sciences and Technologies 

Institute of Mathematics and 
Informatics 

Institute of Mechanics 

Institute of Robotics 

Institute of Information and 
Communication Technologies 

Energy Resources and Energy 
Efficiency 

Institute of Nuclear Research and 
Nuclear Energy 

Institute of Electrochemistry and 
Energy Systems 

Institute of Chemical Engineering 

Central Laboratory of Solar Energy 
and New Energy Sources 

Nanosciences, New Materials and 
Technologies 

26,0 

12,0 

7,0 

18,0 

10,0 

7,0 

5,0 

0,0 

9 

Institute of Solid State Physics 

10,0 

10 

Institute of Electronics  

11 

12 

13 

14 

Institute of Optical Materials and 
Technologies  

Institute of Mineralogy and 
Crystallography  

Institute of General and Inorganic 
Chemistry 

Institute of Organic Chemistry with 
Center of Phytochemistry 

15 

Institute of Catalysis 

16 

Institute of Metal Science, Equipment 
and Technologies with Hydro- and 
Aerodynamics Centre  

17 

Institute of Physical Chemistry  

18 

Institute of Polymers 

19 

Central Laboratory of Applied Physics 
– Plovdiv 

3,5 

5,0 

8,0 

12,0 

10,5 

3,0 

9,0 

6,0 

6,5 

1,0 

5,3 

1,5 

6,0 

38,9 

38,9 

41,0 

15,375 

79,8 

10,0 

101,0 

6,0 

5,0 

2,0 

5,0 

7,5 

0,0 

3,0 

2,0 

5,0 

1,5 

6,0 

2,0 

1,0 

5,0 

18,0 

8,5 

12,5 

42,8 

30,5 

32,0 

11,5 

42,5 

19,3 

25,8 

123,9 

19,6 

16,5 

10,8 

35,0 

29,3 

10,5 

22,0 

17,5 

10,0 

8,0 

5,0 

20,0 

20,5 

12,5 

12,0 

20,0 

25,5 

10,0 

24,0 

18,5 

16,5 

24,8 

22,0 

25,0 

12,0 

1,5 

16,5 

22,0 

14,8 

5,0 

18,3 

28,5 

8,0 

25,0 

23,3 

9,0 

11,5 

2,0 

16,0 

9,0 

1,0 

113 

 
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
№ 

Research Unit 

Professors 

Accosiate 
Professors 

Assistant 
Professors 

Assistants 

Biomedicine and  Quality of Life 

20 

Institute of Microbiology  

21 

Institute of Molecular Biology  

7,0 

6,4 

22 

Institute of Biophysics and Biomedical 
Engineering 

12,5 

23 

Institute of Neurobiology 

24 

25 

26 

27 

Institute of Biology and Immunology 
of Reproduction  

Institute of Experimental Morphology, 
Pathology and Anthropology with 
Museum 

Biodiversity, Bioresources and 
Ecology 

Institute of Plant Physiology and 
Genetics 

Institute of Biodiversity and 
Ecosystem Research 

28  Forest Research Institute 

3,5 

4,0 

6,0 

5,0 

18,0 

4,0 

29  National Museum of Natural History 

2,0 

Climate Change, Hazards and 
Natural Resources 

30 

31 

National Institute of Geophysics, 
Geodesy and Geography 

Climate, Atmosphere and Water 
Research Institute 

32 

Institute of Oceanology  

33  Geological Institute  

34 

35 

Astronomy, Space Research and 
Technologies 

Institute of Astronomy and National 
Astronomical Observatory 

Space Research and Technology 
Institute 

Cultural-historical Heritage and 
National Identity 

36 

National Archaeological Institute with 
Museum 

37 

Institute for Bulgarian Language  

38 

Institute for Literature 

9,5 

10,0 

3,0 

11,0 

7,0 

5,5 

5,0 

9,0 

2,0 

21,5 

7,5 

2,0 

5,0 

2,5 

3,0 

2,5 

5,0 

5,5 

3,0 

0,0 

7,0 

4,0 

8,0 

1,0 

2,0 

3,0 

1,0 

3,0 

16,0 

11,0 

10,0 

13,5 

11,5 

26,3 

18,3 

22,0 

17,9 

18,0 

17,0 

12,5 

24,0 

52,0 

10,5 

8,0 

15,8 

6,0 

10,0 

17,0 

12,5 

16,0 

54,5 

23,0 

23,0 

12,0 

50,0 

16,0 

13,0 

24,0 

4,0 

15,0 

23,0 

14,5 

21,0 

22,5 

13,0 

17,0 

114 

Staff with 
MS / BS 
/Eng 
degrees 
and not 
holding 
academic 
position 

32,0 

25,5 

17,0 

31,4 

0,5 

17,0 

0,5 

49,8 

14,0 

1,0 

61,0 

8,0 

47,0 

24,5 

18,0 

53,9 

18,5 

20,8 

12,5 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
№ 

Research Unit 

Professors 

Accosiate 
Professors 

Assistant 
Professors 

Assistants 

39 

Institute of Balkan Studies and Center 
of Thracology  

8,0 

40 

Institute for Historical Studies 

41 

Institute of Ethnology and Folklore 
Studies with Ethnographic Museum 

42 

Institute of Art Studies 

10,0 

3,0 

12,5 

43  Cyrillo-Methodian Research Centre 

2,5 

Man and Society 

44  Economic Research Institute 

8,5 

45 

Institute for the State and the Law 

7,0 

46 

Institute for Population and Human 
Studies 

7,0 

47 

Institute of Philosophy and Sociology 

13,5 

Other units 

48  BAS - Administration 

49 

National Laboratory of Computer 
Virology 

54 

Laboratory of Telematics 

57  Botanic Garden of BAS 

7,0 

0,0 

1,0 

1,0 

15,0 

14,0 

25,0 

15,0 

9,0 

13,8 

10,5 

11,5 

30,3 

0,0 

1,5 

1,0 

0,0 

23,5 

27,8 

45,0 

26,0 

6,0 

11,0 

11,5 

18,5 

60,5 

0,0 

1,0 

1,0 

0,0 

0,0 

3,5 

2,0 

0,0 

1,0 

2,0 

0,0 

2,0 

11,0 

0,0 

0,0 

0,0 

1,0 

Staff with 
MS / BS 
/Eng 
degrees 
and not 
holding 
academic 
position 

10,5 

12,5 

20,5 

18,8 

1,5 

15,3 

2,0 

4,0 

5,0 

6,0 

5,1 

Total: 

370,9 

775,8 

925,4 

198,1 

1 267,4 

Table 20: Number of academic staff and researchers/experts/engineers performing/supporting the research activity in the institutes of BAS (full 
time equivalent) 

115 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Annex 6: Research units of Agricultural Academy  

Scientific Institutes 

Divisions/Vocational Areas 

City, Region 

Agrobioinstitute 

Sofia, Southwestern Region 

Grain and Legume Breeding 

Dobrudzha Agricultural 
Institute 

Sunflower Breeding 

General Toshevo, 
Northeastern Region 

Agricultural Technology 

Cattle Breeding and Technology 

Stara Zagora Agricultural 
Institute 

Sheep Breeding and Technology 

Stara Zagora, Southeastern 
Region 

Poultry and Rabbit Breeding and Technology 

Shumen Agricultural Institute 

Economics and Management of Agriculture, Food and 
Agrarian Policy 

Sofia Institute of Agrarian 
Economics 

Economics and management of agricultural and rural 
organisations 

Sofia, Southwestern Region 

Institute of Ornamental and 
Medicinal Plants 

General Administration 

Selection, introduction and technological aspects of 
cultivation of new varieties and species of flowers 

Biodiversity in ornamental species 

Crop Biotechnologies 

Quality of Flower Production 

Farm animal nutrition and feed technology 

Biochemistry and physiology of farm animals 

Negovan, Southwestern 
Region 

Institute of Livestock Sciences 

Kostinbrod, Southwestern 
Region 

Reproduction 

Poultry Breeding 

116 

 
 
 
 
Scientific Institutes 

Divisions/Vocational Areas 

City, Region 

Cattle Breeding 

Sheep Breeding  

Special industries - bees, rabbits, horses 

Institute of Vegetable Crops 
"Maritsa" 

Selection 

Technologies in vegetable production 

Karnobat Agricultural Institute 

Selection 

Agricultural Technology 

Kyustendil Agricultural Institute 

Agrotechnics, crop protection and plant crop 
economics  

Selection, introduction and sorting of crops 

Institute of Agriculture and 
Seed Science 

Selection 

Agrotechnics and Seed Science 

Institute of Conservation and 
Food Quality 

Food Technologies 

Food Testing Laboratory 

Plovdiv, Southern Central 
Region 

Karnobat, Southeastern 
Region 

Kyustendil, Southwestern 
Region 

Ruse, Northern Central Region 

Plovdiv, Southern Central 
Region 

Institute of Cryobiology and 
Agriculture 

Food Technologies 

Cryobiology and biologically active substances 

Sofia, Southwestern Region 

Breeding and genetic resources 

Water regime and mineral nutrition 

Institute of Horticulture 

Plant protection 

Plovdiv, Southern Central 
Region 

Propagation, cultivation and biotechnologies 

Institute of Field Crops 

Plant Breeding 

Animal Husbandry 

Variety and varietal maintenance 

Chirpan, Southeastern Region 

Institute of Viticulture and 
Enology 

Winemaking and chemistry 

Pleven, Northwestern Region 

Plant protection 

117 

 
Scientific Institutes 

Divisions/Vocational Areas 

City, Region 

Mountain livestock and biotechnology in livestock 
production 

Institute of Mountain Animal 
Husbandry and Agriculture 

Mountain grass associations and maintenance of their 
biodiversity 

Troyan, Northwestern Region 

Mountain horticulture and conservation of mountain 
ecosystems in agriculture 

Soil Science 

Mechanisation and hydraulic reclamation 

Sofia, Southwestern Region 

Institute of Soil Science, 
Agrotechnology and Plant 
Protection 

Institute of Plant Genetic 
Resources 

Plant Protection 

Plant genetic resources 

Selection-genetic and varietal maintenance 

Institute of Fisheries and 
Aquaculture 

Aquaculture 

Aquatic Ecosystems 

Sadovo, Southern Central 
Region 

Plovdiv, Southern Central 
Region 

Institute of Fishery Resources 

Varna, Northeastern Region 

Institute of Corn 

Institute of Rose and Essential 
Oil Crops 

Institute of Tobacco and 
Tobacco Products 

Tobacco Production Technologies 

Technology of tobacco and tobacco products 

Selection and seed production of forage crops 

Knezha, Northwestern Region 

Kazanlak, Southeastern 
Region 

Markovo, Southern Central 
Region 

Institute of Forage Crops 

Technology and ecology of forage crops 

Pleven, Northwestern Region 

Preservation, grading and use of feed 

Scientific Centres 

Objectives/Activity 

Scientific Centre for 
Sericulture 

Researching modern methods of cocoon production and introducing 
silkworms to the population; testing, dissemination and import control 

City, Region 

Vratza, 
Northwestern 
Region 

Scientific Centre of 
Agriculture 

Testing and implementing the achievements of agricultural science and 
developing specific scientific methods for solving scientifically applied 
questions of agriculture 

Targovishte, 
Northeastern 
Region 

Scientific Centre for 
Agriculture 

Applied research, including experimental work in the field of crop and 
livestock production, conservation of both soil resources and the  plant 
and animal gene pool.  

Sredets, 
Southeastern 
Region 

118 

 
 
 
 
 
Scientific Centres 

Objectives/Activity 

City, Region 

Scientific Centre for 
Animal Husbandry and 
Agriculture 

Conservation and development of genetic resources of cattle, sheep 
and bees; improvement of their nutrition and breeding and 
establishment of sustainable productive systems; conservation and 
development of plant genetic resources and restriction of farming in 
accordance with the requirements of the internal and external market; 
decision-making support for efficient farm management; systems for 
optimization of nutrition and genetic potential. 

Smolyan, 
Southern Central 
Region 

Table 21: Research units of Agricultural Academy 

119 

 
 
 
Annex 7: Patent activity of HEIs and PROs 

Patent activity of the institutes of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 2007-2022. 

№ 

Institutes of BAS - patent 
holders 

2007  2008  2009  2010  2011  2012  2013  2014  2015  2016  2017  2018  2019  2020  2021  2022 

Institute of Systems Engineering 
and Robotics* 

Institute of Solid State Physics 

1 

Institute of Management and 
Systems Studies 

Institute of Metallurgy** 

Institute of Electronics 

Institute of Mechanics 

1 

1 

2 

3 

5 

Space Research Institute 

1 

1 

2 

Institute of ICT 

Institute of Engineering Chemistry 

Institute of General and Inorganic 
Chemistry 

Master of Science in Mechatronics 
and Instrumentation 

Institute of Electrochemistry and 
Energy Systems 

Institute of Physical Chemistry 

Institute of Polymers 

1 

1 

1 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

2 

3 

3 

1 

2 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

2 

5 

3 

2 

1 

1 

1 

1 

8 

1 

1 

1 

2 

3 

3 

1 

1 

3 

2 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

9 

2 

120 

7 

3 

1 

4 

1 

16 

20 

27 

16 

2 

1 

8 

2 

4 

2 

3 

2 

4 

3 

2 

1 

1 

3 

2 

3 

1 

2 

2 

2 

1 

4 

1 

3 

4 

1 

3 

2 

1 

2 

1 

1 

No of 
patents  

% 

100 

35,97 

25 

22 

23 

20 

19 

12 

12 

7 

5 

5 

6 

3 

5 

8,99 

7,91 

8,27 

7,19 

6,83 

4,32 

4,32 

2,52 

1,80 

1,80 

2,16 

1,08 

1,80 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Institutes of BAS - patent 
holders 
Institute for Nuclear Research and 
Nuclear Energy 

Institute of Oceanology 

Institute of Optical Materials and 
Technologies 

Institute of Organic Chemistry 

Central Laboratory of Optical 
Recording and Information 
Processing 

Institute of Molecular Biology 

Institute of Mineralogy and 
Crystallography 

Central Laboratory in solar energy 
and new energy sources 

Institute of Reproductive Biology 
and Immunology 

Institute of Biophysics and 
Biomedical Engineering 

№ 

15 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23 

24 

25 

2007  2008  2009  2010  2011  2012  2013  2014  2015  2016  2017  2018  2019  2020  2021  2022 

No of 
patents  

% 

2 

2 

1 

3 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

3 

2 

2 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1,08 

0,72 

0,72 

0,36 

0,36 

0,36 

0,36 

0,36 

0,36 

0,36 

Total 
100 
14 
* With the Protocol of 14.06.2010 of the 38th meeting of the 5th GENERAL ASSEMBLY of the BAS, the Institute of Metallurgy was renamed the Institute  of Metallurgy, Equipment and Technologies with a Centre for 
Hydro- and Aerodynamics. 
** The Institute of Robotics (IR) at the BAS is the legal successor of the Institute of Systems Engineering and Robotics (ISIR), created in 2010 by the merger of the Institute of Management and System Research (IUSI) - 
BAS and the Central Laboratory of Mechatronics and Instrumentation (CLMP) - BAS. The current name of the Institute is also a trademark at the National Patent Office. 

278 

27 

17 

11 

12 

41 

42 

51 

11 

12 

15 

7 

5 

2 

5 

6 

Table 22: Patent activity of the institutes of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 2007-2022. 
Source: Own calculations based on data from PORB, 2022. 

121 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Patent activity of the institutes of the Agricultural Academy, 2007-2022. 

№  Patent holder organisations 

2007  2008  2009  2010  2011  2012  2013  2014  2015  2016  2017  2018  2019  2020  2021 

2022 

No of 
patents 

% 

Institute of Soil Science, 
Agrotechnology and Plant 
Protection, Sofia 

Institute of Animal Science, 
Kostinbrod 

Agricultural Institute, Shumen 

National Centre for Agrarian 
Sciences, Sofia* 

Institute of Cryobiology and Food 
Technologies, Sofia 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

Total 

1 

1 

2 

2 

1 

3 

1 

1 

1 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

1 

0 

1 

1 

1 

3 

2 

1 

1 

8 

12,50 

37,50 

25,00 

12,50 

12,50 

100 

* The National Centre for Agrarian Sciences was renamed the Agricultural Academy in accordance with the amendments and additions to the law promulgated in State Gazette number 43/29.04.2008. 

Table 23: Patent activity of the institutes of the Agricultural Academy, 2007-2022. 
Source: Own calculations based on data from PORB, 2022. 

122 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Patent activity of higher education institutions, 2007-2022. 

№ 

Patent holder organisations 

2007  2008  2009  2010  2011  2012  2013  2014  2015  2016  2017  2018  2019  2020  2021 

2022 

Technical University - Sofia 

1 

Technical University - Varna 

1 

1 

2 

1 

1 

5 

3 

1 

University of Rousse 

Sofia University 

Chemical and metal. University - 
Sofia 

Higher School of Construction, Sofia 

1 

Technical University - Gabrovo 

University of Plovdiv 

Southwest University, Blagoevgrad 

Technical College - Yambol 

1 

University of National and World 
Economy - Sofia 

Higher School of 
Telecommunications and Posts - 
Sofia 

Agricultural University - Plovdiv 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

3 

1 

2 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

2 

1 

1 

1 

9 

2 

1 

1 

1 

2 

1 

Total 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

0 

5 

1 

7 

5 

7 

6 

5 

17 

6 

Table 24: Patent activity of higher education institutions, 2007-2022. 
Source: Own calculations based on data from PORB, 2022. 

123 

No of 
patents  

% 

31,25 

23,44 

20 

15 

6 

6 

4 

1 

3 

3 

2 

1 

1 

1 

1 

64 

9,38 

9,38 

6,25 

1,56 

4,69 

4,69 

3,12 

1,56 

1,56 

1,56 

1,56 

100 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Annex 8: Participation in Horizon Europe Program 

Higher education institutions participating in the Horizon Europe Program 

Legal Name 

NUTS 2 
Name 

Net EU 
Contribution 

Number 
of 
projects 

Number of 
projects as a 
Coordinator 

Total Cost 

Sofia University 

South West 

€6,564,878.45  21 

University of 
Architecture, Civil 
Engineering and 
Geodesy 
Agriculture 
Academy  - 
Plovdiv 

South West 

€1,778,912.00  2 

South Central 

€1,621,070.50  9 

Trakia University 

South East 

€1,428,745.25  5 

Technical 
university of Sofia 

Medical University 
of Sofia 

South West 

€918,820.46 

8 

South West 

€907,081.45 

6 

University of Ruse  North Central 

€732,447.00 

3 

National Academy 
for Theater and 
Film Arts 

Medical University 
of Plovdiv 

New Bulgarian 
University 

University of 
Plovdiv "Paisii 
Hilendarski" 

University of 
National and 
World Economy 
University of 
Chemical 
Technology and 
Metallurgy 
Technical 
University of 
Varna 

South West 

€731,250.00 

2 

South Central 

€726,663.00 

5 

South West 

€437,100.00 

2 

South Central 

€432,750.00 

2 

South West 

€365,525.00 

2 

South West 

€214,957.20 

2 

North East 

€162,437.50 

2 

124 

3 

0 

0 

1 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

1 

0 

0 

€6,590,890.45 

€1,778,912.00 

€1,661,320.50 

€1,428,745.25 

€882,202.65 

€927,368.95 

€732,447.00 

€731,250.00 

€726,663.00 

€437,100.00 

€432,750.00 

€365,525.00 

€214,957.20 

€162,437.50 

 
Legal Name 

NUTS 2 
Name 

Net EU 
Contribution 

Number 
of 
projects 

Number of 
projects as a 
Coordinator 

Total Cost 

Technical 
University of 
Gabrovo 
University of 
Library Science 
and Information 
Technologies 
University of 
Mining and 
Geology 

North Central 

€133,862.50 

2 

South West 

€116,000.00 

1 

South West 

€91,437.50 

University of Food 
Technologies 

South Central 

€44,805.00 

"Prof. Dr. Asen 
Zlatarov" 
University 

Burgas Free 
University 

Academy of 
Music, Dance and 
Fine Arts - Plovdiv 

Medical University 
of Varna 

South East 

€23,987.00 

South East 

€16,590.00 

South Central 

€15,000.00 

North East 

€0.00 

National Academy 
of Art 

South West 

€0.00 

University of 
Medicine of 
Pleven 

Northwest 

€0.00 

1 

1 

2 

2 

1 

1 

1 

1 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

€133,862.50 

€116,000.00 

€91,437.50 

€149,350.00 

€23,987.00 

€63,750.00 

€15,000.00 

€0.00 

€0.00 

€0.00 

Table 25: Higher education institutions participating in the Horizon Europe Program 
Source: https://dashboard.tech.ec.europa.eu/ 

Research organisations participating in the Horizon Europe Program 

Legal Name 

NUTS 2 
Name 

Net EU 
Contribution 

Number 
of 
projects 

Centre of Plant Systems 
Biology and 
Biotechnology 

South 
Central 

€3,804,197.50  6 

"Roumen Tsanev" 
Institute of Molecular 
Biology, BAS 

Bulgarian Defense 
Institute 

South West 

€2,499,263.00  2 

South West 

€996,250.00 

4 

Number of 
projects as 
a 
Coordinator 
1 

Total Cost 

€3,804,197.50 

1 

0 

€2,499,263.00 

€996,250.00 

125 

 
 
Legal Name 

NUTS 2 
Name 

Net EU 
Contribution 

Number 
of 
projects 

Climate, Atmosphere 
and Water Research 
Institute, BAS 

South West 

€434,500.00 

1 

Number of 
projects as 
a 
Coordinator 
1 

Total Cost 

€434,500.00 

Agrobioinstitute 

South West 

€425,035.50 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

1 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

€425,035.50 

€394,625.00 

€389,456.25 

€285,000.00 

€247,650.00 

€192,710.00 

€83,196.50 

€155,812.16 

€149,125.00 

€144,651.00 

€134,125.00 

€133,400.00 

€97,500.00 

Geological Institute 
"Strashimir Dimitrov", 
BAS  

Institute of Oceanology, 
BAS 
Institute of Electronics, 
BAS 
National Institute of 
Geophysics, Geodesy 
and Geography - BAS 

Institute of Metal 
Science Equipment and 
Technologies with 
Hydroaerodynamics 
Center "Aacad.  A. 
Balevski" 
Institute of Soil Science, 
Agro-technology and 
Plant protection "Nikola 
Poushkarov" 

Institute of Mathematics 
and Informatics at the 
Bulgarian Academy of 
Sciences 

Scientific Centre on 
Sericulture - Vratsa 

Bulgarian Antarctic 
Institute  

South West 

€394,625.00 

North East 

€389,456.00 

South West 

€285,000.00 

South West 

€247,650.00 

3 

2 

3 

1 

2 

South West 

€192,710.00 

1 

South West 

€179,575.10 

3 

South West 

€155,812.16 

2 

Northwest 

€149,125.00 

1 

South West 

€144,651.00 

1 

Agricultural Academy 

South West 

€134,125.00 

1 

Institute of Mechanics, 
BAS  

South West 

€133,400.00 

1 

National Centre of 
Infectious and Parasitic 
Diseases 

South West 

€97,500.00 

1 

126 

 
Legal Name 

NUTS 2 
Name 

Net EU 
Contribution 

Number 
of 
projects 

Institute of Plant Genetic 
Resources 

South 
Central 

€51,250.00 

1 

Number of 
projects as 
a 
Coordinator 
0 

Total Cost 

€51,250.00 

2 

1 

Institute of 
Electrochemistry and 
Energy Systems 

Space Research and 
Technology Institute 

National Institute of 
Archeology with 
Museum - Bulgarian 
Academy of Sciences 

South West 

€36,579.00 

1 

South West 

€20,437.50 

1 

South West 

€0.00 

Institute of Fishing 
Resources - Varna 

North East 

€0.00 

Institute of Information 
and Communication 
Technologies 

Institute of Biodiversity 
and Ecosystem 
Research, BAS 

Bulgarian Academy of 
Sciences 
Institute of Agricultural 
Economics 

Institute of Ethnology 
and Folklore Studies 
with Ethnographic 
Museum, BAS 

Institute of Philosophy 
and Sociology 

South West 

€3,227,007.50  5 

South West 

€1,111,805.75  8 

South West 

€123,343.75 

South West 

€59,375.00 

South West 

€7,237.00 

3 

1 

1 

South West 

€490,821.25 

4 

0 

0 

0 

0 

1 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

€0.00 

€20,437.50 

€0.00 

€0.00 

€3,172,007.50 

€1,111,805.75 

€123,343.75 

€0.00 

€7,237.00 

€490,821.25 

Table 26: Research organisations participating in the Horizon Europe Program 
Source: https://dashboard.tech.ec.europa.eu/ 

127 

 
 
 
 
Annex 1 Bulgaria in the ERA initiatives 

Programme for Cooperation in Science and Technology COST 

Bulgaria  has  been  part of  the  COST  Programme  since 1999.  The  procedure  for providing 
national  co-financing  for  the  participation  of  Bulgarian  teams  in  established  actions  under 
the  European  Programme 
in  Science  and  Technology  COST  is 
administered by the Science Fund. The purpose of the procedure is to create conditions for 
Bulgaria's full and effective participation in the COST Programme competitions, as well as 
to  strengthen  the  presence  of  the  Bulgarian  academic  community  in  this  programme. 
Eligible  beneficiaries  are  accredited  higher  education 
institutions  and  scientific 
organisations. 

for  Cooperation 

National  co-financing  under  the  COST  Programme  is  aimed  only  at  supporting  scientific 
activities  for  a  specific  COST  Action,  which  are  led  by  Bulgarian  scientists  who  officially 
represent  Bulgaria  as  members  of  the  Management  Committee  (MC  members)  of  the 
relevant  COST  Action.  National  co-financing  does  not  support  coordination  activities  for 
COST Actions. The amount for national co-financing of a project is up to BGN 25,000 per 
year.  Each  project  proposal  has  a  maximum  term  of  two  years  and  a  maximum  funding 
amount of BGN 50,000  

In  2023,  in  connection  with  the  participation  of  Bulgarian  scientists  in  COST  Actions,  the 
country received total funding in the amount of 381,688.57 euros. 

Participation in networking activities 

Networking activities in Bulgaria 

17 

48 

11 

3 

23 

11 

Short-term 
scientific 
missions 

Trainees 

Trainers 

Training 
schools 

Short-term 
scientific 
missions 

Meetings 

Figure 44: Participation of Bulgarian scientists in COST Actions, 2023. 
Source: https://www.cost.eu/about/members/bulgaria/ 

Bulgarian scientists chair 5 COST Actions, have leading positions in 19 COST Actions and 
a total participation in 969 COST Actions. 

After the growth of 13% on an annual basis, achieved in 2019, the participation of Bulgarian 
scientists in  the  activities  under  the  COST  Program  can  be  defined  as  sustainable, within 
the frames between 77 and 81% of all COST Actions. In 2023, this share amounts to 80%. 
The  representation  of  Bulgaria  as  a  leading  participant  in  COST  Actions  is  also  relatively 
stable. During the period 2018-2021, their number remains almost unchanged (between 14 
and 16 COST Actions), and marks growth in 2022 to leadership in 19 Actions. This number 
is maintained in 2023 as well. 

The ratio between men and women within the Bulgarian participation in COST Actions is in 
favor  of    the  women.  In  the  Actions,  where  Bulgaria  has  leading  positions,  15  of  the 
participants  are women  (80%)  and  4  are men.  Of  them,  two  scientists  are in  the  group  of 

128 

 
 
young  researchers.  From  the  point  of  view  of  participation  in  working  groups,  women  are 
435 (61%) and men 282. Young scientists are 174 in total. 

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

Figure 45: Individual participation in all Action activities , 2023 
Source: https://www.cost.eu/about/members/bulgaria/ 

77

80

81

78

80

68

15

14

16

15

19

19

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

Country representation in COST Actions (%)

Leadership positions in COST Actions

Figure 46: Participation of Bulgaria in COST Actions, 2018-2023 
Source: https://www.cost.eu/about/members/bulgaria/ 

129 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Name of the COST Action 

Affiliation of Bulgarian scientists 

CA22136 - Pan-European Network of Green Deal 
Agriculture and Forestry Earth Observation 
Science (PANGEOS) 

Space Research and Technology Institute - 
Bulgarian Academy of Sciences 

IC1303 - Algorithms, Architectures and Platforms 
for Enhanced Living Environments (AAPELE) 

New Bulgarian University 

ES1206 - Advanced Global Navigation Satellite 
Systems tropospheric products for monitoring 
severe weather events and climate 
(GNSS4SWEC) 

Sofia University 

FA0904 - Eco-sustainable food packaging based 
on polymer nanomaterials 

Institute of Mechanics at the Bulgarian Academy 
of Sciences 

Bulgaria 

727 - Measuring and forecasting atmospheric 
icing structures 

National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology 

Table 27: COST Actions chaired by Bulgarian scientists, 2023. 
Source: https://www.cost.eu/about/members/bulgaria/ 

Eureka initiative 

The  Eureka  initiative  is  a  trans-European  network  for  market-oriented  research  and 
development  in  industry.  It  supports  the  competitiveness  of  European  companies  by 
developing international cooperation, leading to the creation of contacts and the building of 
innovation  networks.  It  aims  to  achieve  commercialization  of  the  results  of  high-quality 
research and development and use the multiplier effect of joint work. 

With  Decision  No.  658  of  the  Council  of  Ministers  of  July  23,  2009,  the  government 
approves Bulgaria's participation in the EUREKA initiative and in Eurostars joint programme 
and  entrusts  the  Executive  Agency  for  the  Promotion  of  Small  and  Medium-sized 
Enterprises  with  the  organization  and  coordination  of  the  country's  participation  in  the 
EUREKA initiative and Eurostars joint programme. The costs for the national funding of the 
Bulgarian  organizations  participating  in  projects  of  the  EUREKA  initiative  and  in  the 
Eurostars  joint  programme  are  at  the  expense  of  the  budget  of  the  National  Innovation 
Fund  and  according  to  the  Rules  for  the  management  of  the  funds  of  the  National 
Innovation  Fund.  On  June  25,  2010,  Bulgaria  was  accepted  as  a  full  member  of  the 
EUREKA initiative. 

On  December  30,  2015,  an  Agreement  was  signed  between  the  Government  of  the 
Republic of Bulgaria and the EUREKA Secretariat for participation in the Eurostars-2 joint 
programme.  The  Executive  agency  for  the  Promotion  of  Small  and  Medium-sized 

130 

 
 
Enterprises is the organization that coordinates the activity under the Eurostars programme 
in Bulgaria. 

The  "Eureka"  initiative  is  implemented  in  Bulgaria  in  three  main  directions  -  support  of 
individual  projects,  clusters  and  through  the  "Eurostars"  programme.  The  latter  is  a  joint 
initiative  of  "Eureka"  and  the  European  Commission  (EC)  under  the  Seventh  Framework 
Programme for Research and Technological Development. 

• 

Individual projects - support a partnership of at least two organizations from two different 
member countries. The lead partner is a small or medium-sized enterprise. 

•  Clusters  with  sector  specialization  –  usually  created  around  a  large  enterprise.  The 
participation  of  SMEs  in  this  type  of  projects  is  also  significant,  with  their  share 
constituting about 40% of all partners. 

•  The "Eurostars" programme was launched in 2008 and provides an opportunity for joint 
national and European financing of international high-tech projects. The requirement is 
that at least two legal entities from different member countries participate in the project, 
with  the  mandatory  condition  being  that  the  leading  partner  is  an  SME,  working  in  the 
field  of  research  and  development.  Additional  requirements  for  the  projects  are  the 
presence of a balanced consortium, in which none of the participants bears more than 
70% of  the  total  costs  of  the  project.  In  addition,  the  total  share of  small  and  medium-
sized  enterprises  developing  research  and  development  activity,  must  be  at  least 
50%.Up  to  two  years  from  the  end  of  the  project,  the  resulting  final  product  must  be 
implemented in production. 

The  duration  of  projects  under  the  Eurostars  programme  is  up  to  36  months.  The  total 
amount of funds provided for the financing of projects under the "Eurostars" programme in 
the annual budget of the scheme is no less than 500,000 euros. The maximum amount of 
non-reimbursed  financial  support  for  a  Bulgarian  participant  in  the  implementation  of  a 
project  within  the  framework  of  the  initiative  Eureka/Eurostars  joint  programme  is  up  to 
100,000 euros. 

Figure 47: Participation of Bulgarian organisations in the Eureka Initiative, project portfolio by technology area and target 
market 
Source: https://eurekanetwork.org/ 

131 

 
 
Year  Project 
Acronym 

Total 
Project 
Cost 
(mln 
Euro) 

2017 

SPEAR 

309 

2017 

SPEAR 

309 

Technological 
area 

Market area  Participant 

Type 

Participant 
Organisation 
Name 

Miscellaneous 
and Unspecified 

Miscellaneous 
and Unspecified 

Miscellaneous 
and 
Unspecified 

Miscellaneous 
and 
Unspecified 

Research / 
University 

SME 

Technical 
University of 
Sofia (TUS) 

Badestnost 
JSC 

Table 28: Funded projects under the Clusters program of the "Eureka" Initiative with Bulgarian participation 
Source: https://eurekanetwork.org/ 

The  Eurostars-2  programme  provides  an  opportunity  for  joint  national  and  European 
funding  of  international  research  projects.  For  the  period  2014-2020,  the  programme 
received a public budget of 400 million euros, of which 100 million euros are allocated by 
the EC, and the remaining funds come from the national budgets of the member countries. 

Figure 48: Participation of Bulgarian organisations in the Eureka Initiative, project portfolio by year of submission 
Source: https://eurekanetwork.org/ 

132 

 
 
 
 
 
Figure 49: Participation of Bulgarian organisations in the Eureka Initiative, project portfolio, according to the amount of 
funding 
Source: https://eurekanetwork.org/  

The Technical University in Sofia has three projects under the Eureka Initiative in two of the 
programmes  -  Clusters  and 
the  only 
representative  of  the  research  organizations  in  Bulgaria  (higher  schools  and  academic 
units) participating in the Initiative. With the exception of Technical University in Sofia and 
two large companies (Sirma and Ontotext), the remaining beneficiaries are representatives 
of the SME group. 

Individual  projects.  The  University 

is  also 

Year 

Project 
Acronym 

Total 
Project 
Cost 
(mln 
Euro) 

2021 

Agrivi-Meteo 
Control 

0 

2017 

CASENIPP 

2 

2016 

CASPAR 02 

1 

2019 

CyberSnap 

1 

Technological 
area 

Market 
area 

Participant 
Type 

Participant 
Organisati
on Name 

Agricultu
re and 
Environ
ment 
Constru
ction 
and 
Manufac
turing 

SME 

Prointegra 
Ltd. 

SME 

MTM Ltd. 

ICT 

SME 

Constru
ction 
and 
Manufac

SME 

A Data 
Pro 

InterCons
ult 
Bulgaria 
Ltd. 

Agriculture, Food, 
and Marine 
Resources 

Industrial 
Manufacturing 
and Materials 

Electronics, IT, 
and 
Telecommunicati
ons 
Electronics, IT, 
and 
Telecommunicati
ons 

133 

 
 
 
Year 

Project 
Acronym 

Total 
Project 
Cost 
(mln 
Euro) 

Technological 
area 

Market 
area 

Participant 
Type 

Participant 
Organisati
on Name 

2016 

EVALA 

2016 

EVALA 

2016 

EVALA 

2 

2 

2 

2020 

FROCKG 

1 

2014  GALENE 

2 

2014  GALENE 

2 

2018 

GREEN-
POLRIM 

2 

2017  GREENRIM 

1 

2016  METALCOAT 

1 

2020  OSIE 

2 

turing 

Services 
and 
Consum
er 
Products 
Services 
and 
Consum
er 
Products 
Services 
and 
Consum
er 
Products 

Large 
company 

Ontotext 
JSC 

Large 
company 

SIRMA 

SME 

Semantic 
Interactive 
LTD 

ICT 

Large 
company 

Sirma AI 
EAD 

ICT 

Other 

ICT 

SME 

Constru
ction 
and 
Manufac
turing 

SME 

ICT 

SME 

SingularLo
gic 
Bulgaria 
Computer 
Applicatio
ns EOOD 

Lion 
Technolog
ies  

Sara 
Commerc
e Ltd 

Sara 
Commerc
e Ltd. 

Constru
ction 
and 
Manufac
turing 
Constru
ction 
and 
Manufac
turing 

SME 

26Mai 

SME 

Olimex Ltd 

Electronics, IT, 
and 
Telecommunicati
ons 

Electronics, IT, 
and 
Telecommunicati
ons 

Electronics, IT, 
and 
Telecommunicati
ons 

Electronics, IT, 
and 
Telecommunicati
ons 

Electronics, IT, 
and 
Telecommunicati
ons 

Electronics, IT, 
and 
Telecommunicati
ons 

Industrial 
Manufacturing 
and Materials 

Industrial 
Manufacturing 
and Materials 

Industrial 
Manufacturing 
and Materials 

Electronics, IT, 
and 
Telecommunicati
ons 

134 

 
Year 

Project 
Acronym 

Total 
Project 
Cost 
(mln 
Euro) 

2020 

PHINORBIT2 

1 

2020 

RIMPLAN 

2 

2016 

Rising STAR 

2 

2014 

STAR 

2013* 

TRIPLE-S 
Microscope 

* Еurostar 1 

1 

2 

Technological 
area 

Market 
area 

Participant 
Type 

Participant 
Organisati
on Name 

Electronics, IT, 
and 
Telecommunicati
ons 

Industrial 
Manufacturing 
and Materials 

Electronics, IT, 
and 
Telecommunicati
ons 
Electronics, IT, 
and 
Telecommunicati
ons 

Biological and 
Chemical 
Sciences 

ICT 

SME 

Services 
and 
Consum
er 
Products 

SME 

ICT 

SME 

ICT 

SME 

ICT 

SME 

ENDURO
SAT AD 

Sara 
Commerc
e Ltd. 

A Data 
Pro 

Aii Data 
Processin
g Ltd 

AMG 
Technolog
y Ltd. 

Table 29: Funded projects under the Eurostar 2 program of the "Eureka" Initiative with Bulgarian participation 
Source: https://eurekanetwork.org/ 

Year 

Project 
Acronym 

Total 
Project 
Cost 
(mln 
Euro) 

2016  CADA 

0 

2016  CADA 

0 

2019  DIDIB 

0 

2019  DIDIB 

0 

Technological 
area 

Market 
area 

Participant 
Type 

Participant 
Organisation 
Name 

Sofia Technical 
university / Faculty 
of Automation - 
Scientific and 
Research Sector 

Biotechnology 
and Health 

Research / 
University 

Biotechnology 
and Health 

SME 

Software Company 
Ltd 

Biotechnology 
and Health 

Research / 
University 

Sofia Technical 
university / Faculty 
of Automation - 
Scientific and 
Research Sector 

Biotechnology 
and Health 

SME 

Software Company 
Ltd 

Industrial 
Manufacturing and 
Materials 

Industrial 
Manufacturing and 
Materials 

Industrial 
Manufacturing and 
Materials 

Industrial 
Manufacturing and 
Materials 

135 

 
 
 
Year 

Project 
Acronym 

Total 
Project 
Cost 
(mln 
Euro) 

Technological 
area 

Market 
area 

Participant 
Type 

Participant 
Organisation 
Name 

2015  ENERPLAT  0 

Electronics, IT, and 
Telecommunications 

Energy and 
Resources 

SME 

ENBC LTD 

2015 

HYBRID 
PLM 

1 

Electronics, IT, and 
Telecommunications 

Construction 
and 
Manufacturing 

SME 

Space CAD Ltd. 

2018  MultiSensor  1 

Electronics, IT, and 
Telecommunications 

Transportation  SME 

Alan 
Telecommunication 

2014 

NEXT-
CARD 

1 

Biological and 
Chemical Sciences 

Biotechnology 
and Health 

SME 

Medical Center 
"ReproBioMed" 

Table 30: Funded projects under the Individual Projects program of the "Eureka" Initiative with Bulgarian participation 
Source: https://eurekanetwork.org/ 

136 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
GETTING IN TOUCH WITH THE EU 

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FINDING INFORMATION ABOUT THE EU 

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− 

This report has been prepared to inform the work of the PSF 
panel of experts who will be responsible for designing and 
implementing structural reforms in the national Bulgarian 
research and innovation system. In particular, the PSF 
review focuses on assessing the Bulgarian scientific 
ecosystem to identify the policy levers to be used and 
concrete recommendations (policy and implementation 
schemes) to consolidate resources in this ecosystem. In this 
context, the aim of the present report was to provide an 
analytical background on the Bulgarian research and 
innovation system – state of the art review; comparative 
positioning; political and legislative framework; cooperation, 
commercialisation and internationalisation aspects; progress 
achieved against previous evaluation exercises. 

Studies and reports