Burgas State University "Prof. Dr. Assen Zlatarov" will keep its place on the list of research universities for 2026, under a proposal from the education ministry. The draft went up for public feedback on September 18, and comments are open until October 19.
Two new universities are joining the list, taking the total to 14. The University of Forestry in Sofia and the University of Food Technologies in Plovdiv are applying for the first time and have passed the ministry's assessment.
"Angel Kanchev" University of Ruse, Trakia University in Stara Zagora and the Medical University of Pleven are renewing their status: their four-year terms run out in 2026, and their scores are high enough to keep the label. Others on the proposed list include Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski", the medical universities in Sofia, Varna and Plovdiv, "Paisii Hilendarski" University of Plovdiv, the Technical University of Sofia, the University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy, and South-West University "Neofit Rilski".
The score comes mainly from research work logged in two international databases, Scopus and Web of Science: papers, books, citations, patents and patent applications, utility models, plant varieties and animal breeds. The old bar of 1,000 points was raised in 2025, and universities now need 8,000 points for research status. Officials first proposed 10,000 points during talks, but lowered the threshold after objections.
A joint panel reviews the applications, with members from the education ministry, the ministry of innovation and digital transformation, the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and the Agricultural Academy. The education ministry turned down a request from the Council of Rectors for a seat on the panel, saying this could create a conflict of interest since the body speaks for the very universities being assessed.
The Council of Rectors has challenged part of the rules at the Supreme Administrative Court, and the Commission for Protection against Discrimination has opened a case into how the assessment works. Rectors say counting the total number of papers, citations and patents favors universities with bigger academic staff and puts smaller ones at a disadvantage. They also point to gaps between fields, since medicine produces far more international papers and citations than some social sciences and humanities do.
Education minister Georgi Valchev told parliament in June that the ministry is watching how the scoring method works and how universities respond to it.
The status lasts four years, after which universities have to prove their research results again. It opens the door to more national and EU science programs, international partnerships and competitive funding, and lets students work more directly with research teams, labs and projects.
The Council of Ministers will give the list final approval.