On the eve of the Day of the Enlighteners, in the heart of the capital, a significant event took place, marking important achievements in Bulgarian higher education and science. The National Evaluation and Accreditation Agency (NAOА) presented for the first time the annual awards for good practices "Science - higher education - business and society", dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the Agency's establishment. The atmosphere in the "Maxima" hall of the University of National and World Economy was filled with enthusiasm and anticipation, as representatives of the academic community, business, and state institutions gathered to celebrate the successes.
The event, which was a key moment in NAOА's efforts to encourage interaction between key stakeholders, turned into a triumph of partnership and innovation. As if the spirit of the Bulgarian enlighteners, who opened the path to knowledge, hovered over those present. The awards were the result of an initiative to create a catalog of good practices, aimed at presenting sustainable models of cooperation and exchange between education, science and the real sector. The idea behind the initiative was to publicize successful examples, to encourage the application of innovation in education and to support the active participation of students, doctoral students and young scientists in practical and research activities.
In the first edition of this initiative, an impressive 14 universities and four scientific organizations participated, presenting a total of 137 practices. The evaluation, carried out by the NAOА Consultative Council, was based on criteria such as social significance, innovation, sustainability and the inclusion of business and students in the processes.
The awards were distributed in six different categories, each of which highlighted a specific aspect of the link between science, education and society.
In the category "Partnership university - business", Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski" congratulated itself with first place for the practice "Bio-business". Dobrin Ivanov, executive director of the Association of Industrial Capital in Bulgaria, presented the honorary plaque, and the celebrating university students rejoiced at the recognition. Second and third places were taken by practices of the University of National and World Economy for "Board of Advisors for logistics training" and of the South-West University "Neofit Rilski" for "Supporting trainees to participate in fashion shows".
In the category "Implementation of scientific results for the benefit of business and society" the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology was awarded for the "ARDAFORECAST" system, an integrated early warning tool for floods. Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Zafirov presented the award, emphasizing the importance of the partnership between science and business and invited representatives of NIMH to participate in the next meeting of the National Water Board. The practices of UNWE "Forum for sustainable development of the Bulgarian film industry" and of the Technical University of Varna for "Monitoring of agronomic parameters (agrotechnical practices, abiotic and biotic factors, and others), under conditions of changing climate, mitigating its negative impact and adapting to new conditions" received second and third place.
In the category "Initiative for lifelong learning" the University of National and World Economy was awarded for the training program "Training for teachers in logistics", which was aimed at applying the case method in vocational education. Yuliana Mateeva, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, presented the plaque. South-West University "Neofit Rilski" with "Innovative approaches to training and education" and the Agricultural Academy with "Conducting production practice in the specialty "Quality control and safety of food and beverages"" took second and third place.
The Academy of Musical, Dance and Fine Arts "Prof. Asen Diamandiev" was awarded for the project "Consortium art and education" in the category "Socially significant practice". Ivan Krustev, Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Policy, presented the award. Shumen University "Bishop Konstantin Preslavski" with "Competition in handwriting and spelling" and Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski" with "Africa Day" took second and third place.
South-West University "Neofit Rilski" was awarded in the category "Practice for engaging students and young scientists" for the initiative "Bulgarian grammar forum" and the competition "Language masters". Assoc. Prof. Nikoleta Kuzmanova, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, presented the award. UNWE with "Autumn Academy" and the Technical University in Sofia with "Business game "Human Resources Interns"" received recognition, taking second and third place.
Plovdiv University "Paisii Hilendarski" won first place in the sixth category, "Institutional initiative for sustainable development", for the introduction of a systematic policy for gender equality. The Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Tsoncho Ganev presented the award. South-West University "Neofit Rilski" with "Competencies in innovative eco-energy technologies" and the Academy of Musical, Dance and Fine Arts "Prof. Asen Diamandiev" with "PERMA-culture - spaces and art" took second and third place.
At the end of the ceremony, among the chatter and joyful cheers, the Medical University in Plovdiv was awarded the prestigious "Best practice - science - higher education - business and society" award for 2025 for the initiative "Social partnership for dental treatment of elderly people". The practice, which combines training, social responsibility and health care, provides free dental treatment for elderly people and creates a real practical environment for dental medicine students. Prof. Dr. Eliza Stefanova, Chairman of NAOА, presented the award, which was the highlight of the event.
"Through these awards, NAOА encourages dialogue between science, higher education, business and society. This is an investment in trust, quality and sustainable development. I believe that the recognition of good examples will motivate even more universities and scientific organizations to work in partnership and to build models with a real social impact", said Prof. Dr. Eliza Stefanova. She emphasized that the Agency will continue the initiative annually, and all awarded practices will be included in the public Catalog of Good Practices. Representatives from academic circles, the scientific community, business and state institutions attended the event, and the excitement in the hall clearly showed that the efforts to promote education and science in Bulgaria are on the right track. In 2026, new categories will be established - for the most active employers and for the media that promote Bulgarian higher education, which further reinforces NAOА's commitment to the future of education and science.