A significant milestone for Bulgarian veterinary medicine
Stara Zagora, Bulgaria - The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Stara Zagora University is celebrating its 100th anniversary. This historic event was marked by outstanding events and conferences, attracting international guests from across Europe.
Distinguished visitors from Leipzig included the Bulgarian Honorary Consul in Saxony, Dipl.-Ing. Heiko Schmidt, and the Director of the Clinic for Ruminants at Leipzig University, Prof. Dr. Alexander Starke.
During a congress, a meeting took place on June 1, 2023, between the Rector of Thrace University, Prof. Dobri Yarkov, Dr. Darina Zaimova, Prof. Starke, and Honorary Consul Schmidt, aiming to exchange ideas on current scientific and technical projects. The goal was to explore opportunities for collaboration between Saxon institutions, companies, and the university.
The discussion centered around the sustainability commitment of Stara Zagora University. Thrace University has set the ambitious goal of becoming the first carbon-neutral Bulgarian university by 2030. To achieve this, the Institute for Sustainable Development was established. The institute plans to collaborate with INNO-CON to leverage international experiences in climate protection and greenhouse gas accounting, gather knowledge on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and apply and teach these to students.
An outstanding example of potential collaboration with INNO-CON, as suggested by Dr. Zaimova, could be the development of technologies for solar panel recycling. Such initiatives demonstrate Thrace University's commitment to environmentally friendly practices and its contribution to promoting sustainable development.
Furthermore, the possibility of Thrace University participating in the Saxon network "DIEKUH" and contributing its expertise was discussed. This network focuses on sustainable agriculture and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in animal husbandry. The participants agreed that such collaboration would be highly beneficial for both the Bulgarian and Saxon sides.
The participants also explored the potential to recruit experts in sustainable development from the university to contribute as professionals to international climate protection projects. Additionally, they discussed how climate protection experts from the business sector could be engaged as lecturers at the university, providing practical insights and up-to-date knowledge in education.
The meeting between the Leipzig guests and representatives of Thrace University marks another step in the bilateral cooperation between German and Bulgarian educational institutions, involving industry experts. This collaboration was encouraged by the visit of State Minister Thomas Schmidt to Stara Zagora in 2021 and the reciprocal visit to Leipzig in March 2022. It underscores the shared commitment of both universities to sustainable development and their efforts to actively contribute to global environmental protection.
The 100th anniversary of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Stara Zagora and the related discussions on sustainability and international cooperation highlight the importance of veterinary medicine in a rapidly changing world. Veterinary faculties play a crucial role in promoting animal health, environmental protection, and sustainable agriculture - areas of global significance in which Stara Zagora University takes a leading role.
