Eurostat data shows that in 2025, European Union countries allocated nearly 130,200 million euros for research and development (GBARD), which accounts for approximately 0.7% of their total GDP. This financial resource marks a 2.4% increase compared to the previous year, 2024, when the sum was 127,144 million euros, and a significant jump of 60.5% compared to 2015, which amounted to 81,138 million euros. In this context, Bulgaria stands out as a leader in the European Union in terms of the growth rate of these expenditures, which have increased nearly sixfold over the decade—from 15.3 euros per person in 2015 to 92.3 euros per capita in 2025.

With a focus on economic development, the Council of Ministers has adopted an official list of employers whose future staff will be able to benefit from completely free tuition at state universities in the coming academic year. The goal of this large-scale state initiative is to achieve closer integration between academic training and the real needs of the labor market. The program aims to stimulate the training of experts in sectors where there is a serious shortage of highly qualified personnel, with an emphasis on the fields of "Technical Sciences" and "Healthcare and Sports".

According to the government press office, the scope of the measure includes 102 specialties. The specific parameters of the cooperation are as follows:

  • Companies included in the approved list are given the opportunity to sign a total of 2,043 contracts with students.
  • Employers commit to providing a secure job for the graduating students.
  • The state undertakes the commitment to fully cover the academic education costs for these students.

The list of selected companies was prepared based on proposals from six line ministers. The selection process involved the heads of the ministries of: Health; Energy; Agriculture and Food; Transport and Communications; Regional Development and Public Works; as well as Economy, Investment and Industry.