About Us
Get to know us and our history
The National Centre of Excellence Mechatronics and Clean Technologies is an association of eighteen partners: twelve institutes of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS), five research universities, and a non-profit organisation (a not-for-profit legal entity) established jointly by the partners, which is also the lead partner.
The Centre is made up of eighteen partners, organised into three campuses: the Geo Milev campus, the Studentski Grad campus and the Lozenets campus.
First steps
The Centre of Excellence Mechatronics and Clean Technologies was established and built in the period 2017-2022 under the Operational Programme "Science and Education for Smart Growth" 2014-2020. The main focus of this first phase of work was the construction and modernisation of research infrastructure, the acquisition of equipment for research work and the recruitment of research and administrative staff.
Next stage of development
For the period 2024-2029 the Centre is funded through the direct award of grant funding BG16RFPR002-1.014 "Sustainable development of Centres of Excellence and Centres of Competence, including specific infrastructures or associations thereof from the National Roadmap for Research Infrastructure", under priority area 1 "Sustainable development of the national capacity for research and innovation" within Priority 1 "Sustainable development of the Bulgarian research and innovation ecosystem" of the Programme for Research, Innovation and Digitalisation for Smart Transformation 2021-2027 (PRIDST).
Operational phase and sustainable development
In addition to the funding under the PRIDST programme, the Centre is expected to generate its own revenue through joint research and development work with business partners on the basis of effective collaboration, revenue from research activity and consultancy services for business, funds received from participation in national, European and international programmes, and others.
Integration and strategic development
In the period 2024-2029 the Centre is entering its operational phase, integrating into the country's research and innovation ecosystem and contributing to smart economic transformation. To this end, the Centre has drawn up its own development and sustainability programme with a business plan focused on research work, technology transfer, attracting foreign scientists and companies as partners, creating an attractive environment for recruiting scientists and developing their careers and, not least, building partnerships and supporting industry in research and development.