Higher education plays a strategic role in Bulgaria's economic stability and international image, says Prof. Eliza Stefanova, rector of Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski". She set out her position in a statement from the university's press office.

Stefanova is the first woman to head the largest and most prestigious university in Bulgaria. She spoke at the Forbes Women Forum 2026 to an audience of women from business, technology and entrepreneurship. She said the university turns science and innovation into solutions for business and society. It is no longer just a source of trained staff, she said, but a main driver of economic development.

One example is the Institute for Geospatial Research and Technology at Sofia University. There, academic knowledge becomes practical tools for state institutions and civil society.

Stefanova said the success of INSAIT, an institute of Sofia University, and of the company Endurosat shows Bulgaria's scientific and technological potential.

The job market is changing and artificial intelligence is moving in, so Sofia University is focusing on practical, high-tech degrees. It is developing "Data Analysis" and "Geospatial Systems", which are in high demand.

"When an international company weighs a large investment in Bulgaria, a key factor in its decision is whether there are trained people, specific knowledge and a developed ecosystem," the rector said. Investors regularly ask whether they will find specialists who meet their high global standards, she said, and Sofia University is a main guarantor because of its broad academic range and size.

Stefanova said the university does not focus only on science and engineering. "In this fast-changing world, the humanities and social sciences keep their fundamental importance," she said. The rector believes they build critical thinking, ethics and a deep understanding of human relations, which technology and algorithms cannot replace.

For the process to last, business must invest even more actively in research. Universities, business, the state and society need to work as partners, and each of them must make an effort.

Sofia University plans to work on new ideas with Endurosat, a Bulgarian company and partner of the university.