The government has added the University of Forestry and the University of Food Technologies in Plovdiv to its 2026 list of research universities, its press office said. That brings the total to 14. Burgas "Prof. Dr. Asen Zlatarov" University stays on the list.
The education ministry posted the draft online for public comment on 18 September and set a 19 October deadline for opinions.
Where it began: Burgas university keeps spot on 2026 research list
The status goes to universities whose research helps develop important areas of public life and which score highly in science. They must have substantial research output and a considerable number of intellectual property products. The Higher Education Act introduced the status in 2021, and it lasts four years.
In January, the caretaker government approved a list of 12 universities. Seven of them, whose status expired in 2025, renewed it after an assessment under criteria updated in November.
They are Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski", the medical universities in Sofia, Varna and Plovdiv, the Technical University of Sofia, the University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy, and Plovdiv University "Paisii Hilendarski".
The list also includes the Medical University of Pleven, Trakia University in Stara Zagora, "Angel Kanchev" University of Ruse and "Neofit Rilski" South-West University in Blagoevgrad.