“Innovation and information are fundamental values. Those who will be able to be master of the information, will be master of the future. Education through digitalization is a bridge that connects people, and helps us derive knowledge and wisdom.” This is what President Rumen Radev said in his lecture on “Europe on the way towards the digital future”, delivered to students at the University of Cyprus in Nicosia.
In the President’s words, the only way Europe can achieve its goals to ensure more connectivity and leadership in the technological sphere is by having EU member states stay united and set high goals regarding the digital future. “Today’s world is much different from the one we expected a mere decade ago. We live in an environment of unpredictability, controversy and competition and that is what determines the need to stay connected, not only in the sphere of energy and transport, but also digitally,” the Head of State said.
“The EU’s greatest achievement is the four freedoms of movement. However, they are not sufficient, and we have to actively work to ensure the freedom of information flow,” Rumen Radev was adamant. The President emphasized that the EU should develop efficient systems for cybersecurity in the near future. “It is extremely important that we think of drawing a distinction between false and authentic information in the future and how to transform the enormous information into knowledge,” the President said and reiterated that when formulating policies on the digitalization of our societies, the EU should lay the emphasis on the human dimension of technologies.
The Head of State told the students at the University of Cyprus about the example Sofia has set as a city with a rapidly expanding IT sector that guarantees high prospects for the career development of a growing number of young people in this sphere. “Recently Bulgaria has achieved a considerable growth of 250% a year in the IT sector. The small and medium-sized IT companies are particularly successful. Sofia ranks among the first EU cities in terms of the number of young specialists in the sector, and one in twenty people has been employed in the information sector,” the President said and added that our country is also pooling efforts to create e-management, administration and justice.
Earlier the President met Professor Constantinos Christofides, Rector of the University of Cyprus, at which the two discussed the way to stimulate the academic exchange between Bulgaria and Cyprus as well as the measures needed to promote the modernization of the academic institutions and encourage the implementation of innovations and practical methods of training.
Head of State Rumen Radev presented the University of Cyprus with a sculpture of John Atanasoff, which will be exhibited in the Alley of Science in the university campus.