Draft calls

The aim of the policies set in Component 2 "Research and Innovation" of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan is to provide a favorable environment for the development of innovative enterprises able to create new products, processes and services, to improve Bulgaria's innovation performance and subsequently economic growth in a medium and long term. The investment in support of strengthening the innovation potential of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS) and its specialization in key areas of development is part of the efforts to facilitate the dual transition of the country at the national and regional level. This undoubtedly includes building of scientific research capacity and a high level of scientific research developments in thematic areas that are related to the needs of business and would support and accelerate technological transfer in the country. Therefore, the investment contains measures aimed at creating sustainable long-term links with business in the field of green and digital technologies. One of these measures is training of PhD students jointly with business and formation of specialists in accordance with the needs of business in areas related to the green transition and digital technologies.

Candidates and beneficiaries of funding under the procedure are the autonomous scientific units of the BAS, which are accredited to train doctoral students and which will provide their research infrastructure for the doctoral trainings. The supervisors of the doctoral students will be habilitated scientists from the beneficiary unit, with qualifications and experience in the relevant doctoral program. The participation of business representatives as co-supervisors or consultants in the training of the doctoral student and the development of the dissertation thesis is extremely important for establishing long lasting connections between science and industry. The training of highly qualified specialists in areas identified by the business will accelerate the targeted building of research and innovation capacity in thematic areas that are related to the needs of business and will support technological transfer in the country.

Training of PhD students during the implementation of a scientific research project is regulated via the Higher Education Law and the Act on the Development of the Academic Staff of the Republic of Bulgaria. The expected result of the implementation of the investment is the creation of highly qualified specialists with skills and competences to work and contribute to the successful implementation of the green and digital transition