Balgarianovinite.com Innovation, education and artificial intelligence took centre stage during the final day of the Green Transition Forum 6.0 in Sofia on Friday, where European and Bulgarian policymakers, educators and innovation leaders discussed how Europe can strengthen its competitiveness, accelerate business growth and equip citizens with the skills needed for the future.
European Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva said Europe has all the prerequisites to remain a global innovation leader, citing its strong industrial base, world-class researchers and vibrant start-up ecosystem. The key challenge, she argued, is enabling European companies to scale rapidly and become global leaders by removing barriers within the EU single market. Zaharieva stressed that Europe possesses significant capital resources but is not investing enough of them in its own innovations.
Deputy Minister of Innovation and Growth Atanas Maznev said Bulgaria’s newly established Ministry of Innovation and Digital Transformation will work to implement and expand European Commission initiatives in digitalization, digital transformation and innovation. European Investment Fund Chief Executive Marjut Falkstedt urged Bulgarian businesses and institutions to think beyond the limits of the domestic market and pursue ambitious growth strategies, while calling on institutional investors to back European companies with global potential.
At a separate education panel, Deputy Education and Science Minister Tanya Pancheva said Bulgaria was among the first countries to develop a national vision for the use of artificial intelligence in education, including guidance for teachers on both opportunities and risks. She emphasized that AI should complement, rather than replace, teachers, while highlighting digital transformation, the Digital Backpack project and upcoming curriculum reforms focused on competencies, critical thinking and functional literacy. A new list of professions in vocational education is set to take effect from the 2026/2027 school year.
European Parliament Vice-President Victor Negrescu stressed the need for greater investment in education and skills, warning against high rates of early school leaving in countries such as Bulgaria and Romania. Poland’s Education Minister Barbara Nowacka outlined reforms aimed at strengthening mathematics education, establishing 12,000 AI laboratories and training 100,000 teachers.
Andreas Schleicher, Director for Education and Skills at the OECD and founder of the PISA study, said Europe should not fear artificial intelligence but should focus on inclusion, lifelong learning and preparing students for future labour market demands. He noted that Bulgarian students perform well in reproducing knowledge but need stronger practical, social and problem-solving skills. Antoaneta Angelova-Krasteva, Director for Innovation, Digital Education and International Cooperation at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Education and Culture, called for high-quality education for all children, greater media literacy and creative thinking, and wider use of technology to improve learning outcomes.
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