Times Higher Education: How Bulgarian universities can climb rankings - EXCLUSIVE

Bulgaria’s universities continue to face challenges in global higher education rankings, with all institutions placed in the 1501+ category, said Rohan George, Data Analyst at Times Higher Education, in an exclusive interview with CE Report.

He noted that the Medical University of Sofia achieved the highest overall score among Bulgarian institutions, while the country’s universities averaged an overall score of 19.5.

Placement and Key Influencing Factors

“The placement of Bulgarian universities was largely influenced by low scores in the Teaching and Research Environment pillars, as well as modest performance in International Outlook,” he said.

“These factors collectively limited Bulgaria’s position in the global rankings.”

Year-on-Year Performance

He pointed out that, compared to the previous year, one new Bulgarian university entered the rankings. However, the average overall score declined.

“This drop was mainly driven by decreases in Teaching, Research Environment, Industry, and International Outlook metrics,” he added.

Areas of Improvement and Decline

George highlighted some positive developments:

“Bulgarian universities showed notable improvement in the Research Quality pillar, particularly in Citation Impact and Research Influence, reflecting progress in research visibility and impact. Institutional Income also improved, showing stronger financial support at the institutional level.”

At the same time, he noted, several areas experienced declines:

• Teaching: Weaknesses in the doctorate-to-bachelor ratio and doctorate-to-staff ratio affected overall teaching scores.

• Research Environment: Research income and productivity decreased.

• Industry and International Outlook: Scores in both areas were lower than last year.

Regional Comparison

He said that, when compared with other Eastern European countries, Bulgaria’s performance remains broadly aligned across most pillars and metrics.

“However, while many neighbouring countries have shown growth in Teaching and Reputation scores, Bulgaria experienced declines in these areas,” he added.

Recommendations for Improvement

According to George, Bulgarian universities can improve their global standing by focusing on several priorities.

“They should strengthen the Teaching and Research Environment pillars, with emphasis on enhancing teaching and research reputation,” he said.

“Further improving research quality and productivity, as well as enhancing International Outlook metrics, will also be crucial.”

He concluded that a sustained and strategic approach in these areas will be key for Bulgaria to move into higher ranking categories in the coming years.

Photo: Plamen Agov, Wikipedia

This interview was prepared by Julian Müller