TRAKIYSKI UNIVERSITET

Their core work

Trakia University in Stara Zagora is a Bulgarian higher education institution with strong roots in agricultural sciences, veterinary medicine, and life sciences. Within H2020, they have focused on researcher development — running European Researchers' Night events and programs that connect academia with the public and industry. More recently, they have expanded into bio-based economy education, working to align university curricula with the skills needed by the bio-based industry sector.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

From 2014 to 2019, Trakia University focused almost exclusively on public engagement through European Researchers' Night events under the K-TRIO series — promoting science careers and attracting talent. Starting in 2021, while continuing the K-TRIO line, they branched into bio-based economy education with BIObec, signalling a shift toward industry-aligned skills development. This evolution suggests a move from general science outreach toward targeted workforce preparation for the bioeconomy sector.

Trakia University is moving from pure science communication toward designing education programmes that serve bio-based industry needs — a direction relevant for bioeconomy consortium partners seeking training and skills components.

How they like to work

Trakia University participates exclusively as a partner, never as coordinator, across all five H2020 projects. With 34 unique consortium partners across 13 countries, they operate in moderately sized networks typical of CSA (Coordination and Support Action) projects. Their repeated participation in the K-TRIO series suggests loyalty to established consortia, making them a reliable returning partner rather than a project initiator.

They have collaborated with 34 distinct partners across 13 countries, indicating a broad European network built through repeated CSA participation. Their geographic reach extends well beyond the Balkans despite being a regional Bulgarian university.

What sets them apart

Trakia University brings a combination rarely found in one institution: deep experience in science-public engagement (four rounds of Researchers' Night) plus emerging expertise in bio-based education design. For consortium builders, they offer a Bulgarian partner with proven track record in outreach, dissemination, and training work packages — areas where many technical partners are weak. Their agricultural and life sciences base makes them particularly relevant for bioeconomy projects needing a training or public engagement component.

Highlights from their portfolio

• K-TRIO 3
  Highest-funded project (EUR 28,000) in the series, marking the peak of their Researchers' Night engagement programme.
• BIObec
  Represents a strategic pivot — their first non-K-TRIO project, entering bio-based industry education with a longer timeline (2021-2024) and new thematic territory.