Burgas, Bulgaria - In the vibrant atmosphere of the Vocational High School of Computer Programming and Innovation in Burgas, the official opening of the new Center for Excellence took place today. The event, which attracted the attention of the local community and representatives of educational circles, marked an important moment in the development of vocational education in the country. The Center, realized within the framework of the National Recovery and Sustainability Plan, is the result of the joint efforts of the Executive Agency "Education Program" and Burgas Municipality.
The building, which impresses with its size and modern vision, is divided into two main zones: for training and for recreation and accommodation. Passing through the spacious corridors, visitors can see robotics and natural science laboratories, artificial intelligence work rooms, as well as a dormitory with 30 places, intended for students, guest lecturers, and business representatives.
In front of journalists from BTA, the director of the high school, Dimitrina Todorova, emphasized the importance of the project, the value of which amounts to 5,300,000 BGN. She specified that the construction was completed in December 2024, and the site was put into operation in May this year, when the process of equipment and furnishing also began.
The opening ceremony itself was filled with enthusiasm. Director Todorova noted that the Center has one of the most modern server infrastructures in the country. "We have three NVIDIA AI servers with the latest graphics processors in the base. They will allow our students to train artificial intelligence models and develop their own solutions. Almost all the halls are equipped, wired and arranged by the students themselves - they want this place to be their home of technology," she said.
The Center has an internal optical network and a system with a single account for access to all educational resources. "Students will be able to experiment with real artificial intelligence models, build and program robots. We have 3D printers and machines for the production of electronic boards, and our goal is to create the first robot made entirely in our school," the director added.
Mrs. Todorova emphasized to BTA that the teaching methodology in the school is oriented towards practical projects. "This is more interesting for the children and for the teachers themselves. The environment is more cohesive because the common stimulus for everyone is to complete their projects successfully," she stated. About 500 projects are produced in the school annually. "Among our first graduates, there are already students who have registered their own companies with the products created during their studies. Others have sold them to IT companies, and others have left them as laboratories in which younger students can learn," the director added.
The Mayor of Burgas, Dimitar Nikolov, defined the new center as an example of sustainable partnership. "Today the result is visible - children not only from Burgas, but from all over the country study here. The center is a model for what the education of the future should look like," he said, emphasizing the plans for the construction of a new gym and swimming pool.
The chief expert at the Ministry of Education and Science, Kamelia Sharabova, stressed that 28 centers of excellence are being built in various professional fields in the country. "These centers are the path to modern and adaptive professional education, which connects the school with business and science. The center in Burgas is an example of how education can get closer to the real economy," she said.
Among the guests at the opening was Assoc. Dr. Boriana Pelova, director of the master's program "Artificial Intelligence for Business and Finance" at the Faculty of Economics of Sofia University. She noted the high educational culture of the high school. "Artificial intelligence is changing the way business and society work. In order to prepare professionals for this new reality, not only knowledge and skills are needed, but also appropriate infrastructure - and here it is at an extremely high level," Assoc. Pelova said.
Representatives of the Association of Former Graduates of the high school, who presented their activities, also took part in the event. The organization has already held hackathons, career initiatives and projects with the participation of students and students. The association is currently working on an environmental project that will be finalized in December.
After the official ceremony, the guests had the opportunity to view the new classrooms and laboratories. Students demonstrated their projects in the field of robotics, artificial intelligence, financial applications and sustainable living. Among them was a project for recycling and environmental protection, which is to be completed by the end of the year.
Students from the specialty "Design" showed the specialized equipment they work with. In the dormitory, guests visited a newly equipped office with a natural science laboratory. Each of the accommodation rooms has its own sanitary unit, and on the floors there is a common room for dining and other household needs.
The new Center for Excellence at the Vocational High School of Computer Programming and Innovation in Burgas will serve for training, practice, as well as for partnership initiatives with universities and business organizations, the high school team emphasized.