Bulgaria expands access to European research infrastructures - EXCLUSIVE

Bulgaria is taking steps to strengthen its role in the European Research Area by investing in research excellence, human capital, researcher mobility and open science.

This was said by the source in the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Bulgaria, in an exclusive interview with CE Report.

The ministry said that strengthening the country’s research and innovation ecosystem remains a key priority, with measures aimed at attracting talent, improving research careers, expanding access to international infrastructures and supporting the commercialisation of scientific results.

A recent European Research Council (ERC) Advanced Grant awarded to a researcher at the Institute for Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence and Technology (INSAIT) was highlighted as an important example of Bulgaria’s growing research potential. According to the ministry, it is the first ERC grant in engineering and natural sciences hosted by a Bulgarian institution and demonstrates that internationally competitive research environments can attract outstanding scientists while strengthening Bulgaria’s research excellence and attractiveness to global talent and investment.

Supporting research careers is also a major priority. Building on previous initiatives, Bulgaria plans to launch a new National Programme “Young Researchers and Postdoctoral Researchers – 3” in 2027. The programme is intended to attract and retain early-career researchers, encourage international mobility and create more attractive conditions for scientific careers in Bulgarian universities and research organisations.

Open science is another strategic area. Bulgaria has established the Bulgarian Open Science Portal (BPOS) as a national gateway to scientific publications and institutional repositories, helping increase the visibility and accessibility of Bulgarian research.

The ministry also pointed to the implementation of the Law on the Promotion of Research and Innovation, Bulgaria’s participation in the governance of the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) and OpenAIRE, the introduction of data management plans for publicly funded research projects, and continued investment in the interoperability of research data and repositories.

At the same time, Bulgaria is expanding access to international research infrastructures through the implementation of its National Roadmap for Research Infrastructure and participation in European research infrastructures. These efforts are designed to enable Bulgarian researchers to cooperate more effectively with partners across Europe and gain access to world-class scientific facilities.

The ministry also identified technology transfer and the commercialisation of research results as key priorities. Bulgaria is working to further develop its legislative and institutional framework to facilitate knowledge transfer, improve intellectual property management and strengthen cooperation between academia and industry.

An important development in this area has been the establishment of the Council for Innovation and Research, which provides a permanent platform for strategic coordination between research and innovation policies and brings together representatives of academia, business and experts in technology transfer and intellectual property.

At the institutional level, Bulgaria’s policy for research universities promotes excellence not only through internationally recognised scientific publications and citations, but also through intellectual property outputs such as patents and patent applications. According to the ministry, this approach encourages universities to translate scientific achievements into innovation with tangible social and economic impact.

Complementary national instruments are also being used to strengthen cooperation between higher education institutions, research organisations and businesses. Dedicated innovation support schemes allow enterprises to access scientific expertise, specialised research services and research infrastructures, while knowledge exchange platforms help establish partnerships aimed at turning research results into innovative products, services and technologies.

The ministry said these instruments also support technology transfer, the protection and exploitation of intellectual property and wider access to research infrastructure. They complement Bulgaria’s participation in Horizon Europe, the European Innovation Council and European Partnerships, contributing to a more coherent national innovation ecosystem.

Bulgaria is also strengthening its national support system for participation in European research and innovation programmes through the Bulgarian Liaison Office for Research and Innovation in Brussels, which has been operational since 2025.

Further national support measures are being developed to facilitate participation in Horizon Europe, including stronger assistance with project development and proposal preparation.

According to the ministry, these combined measures are intended to help Bulgaria strengthen its position within the European research and innovation landscape, attract and retain researchers, improve links between academia and business, and ensure that scientific discoveries can progress towards practical and market-oriented applications.

Photo: Chat GPT

This interview was prepared by Laura Hoffman