Burgas Assen Zlatarov University will host European Researchers' Night on 25 September 2026. The event runs under the theme "Science and innovation build the future" as part of the K-TRIO project (Knowledge gained in Training, Research and Innovation brings more Opportunities: K*(T+R+I)=O), led by Sofia University. The project is funded by the EU's Horizon Europe programme and aims to get people more interested in science.

The programme starts at 2pm with an opening ceremony in the Aula hall in the university's medical building. The ceremony runs until 2.30pm.

From 2.30pm to 4pm, the university's inorganic building hosts "K-TRIO for kids", focused on chemistry, biology and ecology. Visitors can see the new water-testing labs, watch science experiments suitable for all ages, and join demonstrations and "brain games". A quiz with prizes awaits the most curious visitors.

From 4pm to 4.30pm, the Centre of Excellence under the UNITe project runs "K-TRIO for everyone", focused on information science. Visitors will see the UNITe project labs, plus demonstrations of robotic systems and experimental projects built by the university's PhD students.

Next comes the "Voices of modern science" series, from 4.30pm to 5pm in the Aula hall. Dr Milen Nikolov, an archaeologist and director of the Burgas regional history museum, will give a talk called "Hesychasm, St Gregory of Sinai and the monasteries of Paroria". The talk covers what hesychasm means, the role of St Gregory of Sinai in reviving it in the 14th century, and the history of the Paroria monasteries. It will also look at why Tsar Ivan Alexander gave money to these monasteries, and whether they trained Bulgarian saints from the Second Bulgarian Empire — St Theodosius of Tarnovo, St Romil of Vidin and St Roman of Tarnovo. All three taught Patriarch Euthymius.

At 5pm, in the same hall, associate professor Detelin Luchev from the Institute of Mathematics and Informatics at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences gives a talk called "A software platform for serious educational games in an ecological context: options, scenarios and results". The talk is part of the DIPP 2026 conference and runs until 5.30pm.

From 5.30pm to 6pm in the Aula hall, Ilya Pepelanov, director of the Adriana Budevska Drama Theatre, gives a talk called "Acting. Building a character, preparing for and staging a play".

The high point of the event is the interactive exhibition "From the floppy disk to artificial intelligence", open from 6pm to 8.30pm in the lobby of the medical building. Made by university students, the exhibition takes visitors on a journey from retro technology to today's AI.

Researchers' Night ends with a "Tech Party" from 8.30pm at the university's student centre. The party mixes DJ music, lights, code and data, giving PhD students, lecturers, students and guests a chance to mix and talk freely.

The "Researchers in the Knowledge Triangle" project (K-TRIO) aims to bring science closer to the public and encourage young talent to pursue a career in research. In the long run, it wants to build interest in STEM and the arts (STEM & Art), nurture innovative thinking, and get more people ready to take part in citizen and open science. This should help researchers connect with young people and boost the standing of research teams as drivers of regional growth and a sustainable future.