Over 120 students and lecturers from all over Europe gathered in Sofia for the event ’10 Days of INGENIUM’, within the European University INGENIUM project. Medical University-Sofia hosts the second half of the two-week initiative, which brings together students and teachers from all partner universities in the alliance.
At the emblematic forum for the project, which is being held for the seventh and final time, for 10 days, participants get acquainted with the good practices and educational approach of two host universities. In this case, they are Medical University-Sofia (June 1-5) and Munster Technological University in Cork, Ireland (May 25-29).
Participants from Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, Ireland, Romania, Finland, France, Sweden, and Bulgaria were welcomed at the opening at the Military Club in Sofia by the Rector of MU-Sofia, Prof. Boycho Landzhov, MD, PhD. Official greetings were extended personally by the Vice-Rector of the coordinating institution of INGENIUM alliance – the University of Oviedo, Spain, Mr. Daniel Santos, by the Deputy Ambassador of Italy to Bulgaria, Mr. Edoardo di Paolo, by the Deputy Mayor of Sofia and member of the MU-Sofia Board of Trustees, Ms. Nadezhda Bacheva, and by the Vice-Rector of the National Sports Academy “Vasil Levski” Assoc. Prof. Hristo Andonov.
In his welcome, the Rector said: “We are very proud, because today’s event and the INGENIUM alliance as a whole are a big step towards building a united European academic community, a community of shared values and a shared vision for the future.”
He welcomed the alliance partners and highlighted the importance of working in university networks in the context of modern development and transformation processes in scientific and educational institutions in Europe:
“For many reasons, both education and science are changing rapidly and we must be adequate to these developments. When we are united, our coordination with partner universities, our efforts to modernize educational programs, work on scientific projects and relations with business will lead to greater achievements than if we fight the challenges individually,” said Prof. Landzhov.
The Vice-Rector of the University of Oviedo, Mr. Daniel Santos, also greeted the attendees. He emphasized that MU-Sofia fully deserved to host the final 10-day event this year. “The INGENIUM Alliance aims to unite universities from different countries to share their educational approaches and exchange students. MU-Sofia has shown energy and dedication in this. When a university with such traditions in medicine as MU-Sofia joins the alliance, the university itself benefits, the country benefits, but the whole of Europe also benefits,” emphasized Mr. Santos.
The Dean of the Faculty of Public Health, Prof. Alexandrina Vodenitcharova, PhD also spoke in the same spirit. She confirmed that through participation in INGENIUM, MU-Sofia expands its academic exchange, promotes interdisciplinary cooperation and creates new opportunities for training, research and academic mobility. The Dean outlined the contribution of the Faculty of Public Health “Prof. Dr. Tsekomir Vodenicharov, MD” and concluded that “INGENIUM reminds us that academic success is inseparable from human values – solidarity, diversity, integrity, and mutual respect.”
Within the framework of the five-day initiative, the program envisages holding a Summer School for students, an Academy for the administrative staff, as well as meetings of the Executive Committee and the Student Board. On behalf of the Committee for General Quality Policy, the work package leader, Prof. Milen Dimitrov from the Faculty of Pharmacy of MU-Sofia, presented the perspectives to INGENIUM, and a welcome address on behalf of the Student Board of the alliance was delivered by Mr. Alexander Sidzhimov.
