Bulgaria and South Africa Strengthen Ties in Education and Science at Science Forum South Africa 2024
A high-profile Bulgarian scientific delegation visited South Africa from 2 to 5 December 2024 to explore opportunities for cooperation in key areas such as scientific research, technology, and innovation. This marked the first time a Bulgarian delegation participated in the Science Forum South Africa (SFSA), the leading platform for science debates in Africa.
The delegation, comprising prominent academic and research figures from Trakia University-Stara Zagora, the Bulgarian Institute of Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, and Technology (INSAIT), Agricultural University – Plovdiv, and the Institute of Astronomy at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, engaged in productive discussions with their South African counterparts. The focus of these discussions centred on three priority areas: smart technologies for sustainable agriculture, artificial intelligence (AI), and radio astronomy research. These exchanges highlighted the potential for future collaborations based on complementarity and mutual interest.
During the visit, the delegation toured key institutions and research centres, including the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy Observatory (HartRAO), and BioLab TOKABIO, where additional fruitful discussions took place.
A major highlight of the visit was the roundtable discussion on “Bulgaria-South Africa Perspectives on Research and Innovation Cooperation,” organised by DSTI in collaboration with the Bulgarian embassy in Pretoria and the Bulgarian Ministry of Education and Science. The event, held on 3 December 2024, took place on the sidelines of SFSA 2024 and sparked vibrant discussions on potential synergies between Bulgaria and South Africa in developing their scientific and innovation landscapes. It was seen as a promising step towards strengthening cooperation between the two countries, with the expectation of signing a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for cooperation in science, technology, and innovation in 2025.
As Bulgarian Ambassador Maria Pavlova Tzotzorkova noted, science and education have been central to Bulgaria’s bilateral relations with South Africa and the wider region. These sectors are key to empowering communities, building human capital, and reducing social inequalities. Bulgaria played a significant role in supporting Black South Africans during their struggle against racial segregation, particularly by providing educational opportunities.
Ambassador Tzotzorkova also highlighted the traditional strengths of Bulgaria’s educational system and its competitive universities, which have made the country a leader in Europe, particularly in the fields of scientific research, innovation, and information technology. In recent years, Bulgaria’s rapidly growing tech sector and excellence in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) have positioned the country as a regional leader in AI. Notably, Bulgaria became the first country in Central and Eastern Europe to launch its own AI language model (developed by INSAIT), which is freely available and state-supported.
Ambassador Tzotzorkova expressed confidence that the visit by Bulgarian scientists and academics would open the door to exciting possibilities for future collaborations. She emphasized that such partnerships would reinvigorate traditional ties between Bulgaria and South Africa, infusing new energy and aligning with modern trends. The ambassador stressed the importance of leveraging economic and technological strengths through partnerships, which could drive practical solutions for both countries and have a positive impact on the Southern African region as a whole.
by Marion Kate
