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VFU "Chernorizets Hrabar" will become an academic centre for cyber security research

16 April 2019

"I announce the launch of the initiative of Varna Free University - "Knights against Machines", said to the journaists today the President of VFU "Chernorizets Hrabar" Assoc.Prof. Krasimir Nedyalkov, PhD, just minutes before the start of the innovative master’s degree programmes in  Cybersecurity and Intelligent Security Systems, part of the Black Sea Academy of Security Project. The educational product is distinguished by the fact that it will prepare highly qualified cyber security specialists who can protect the interests of the state, the society and the business - with the force of law, not the law of force, said Prof. Petar Hristov, PhD, Rector of the University. "Cyber Knights" will be trained not only in the field of information technology and law but they will be physically strong, mentally resilient, highly motivated and stong-willed.

Assoc. Prof. Krasimir Nedyalkov, PhD

"In the term "Cyber", both education and international relations are intertwined, because without their understanding we cannot fight with the problems of cybersecurity. The Black Sea Academy of Security of Varna Free University today is the first step in putting Bulgaria at the centre of solving these problems. The Cyber academy aims to train cyber security experts, to become a specialized research centre and to establish links with European countries in terms of counteraction. The creative approach of the university is the best way to achieve these goals. I congratulate VFU "Chernorizets Hrabar" for this first step", Ariel Cohen said, who is in TOP 5 of the world's leading security experts.


Ariel Kohen

"Let knowledge serve the good," said the Vice-President of Varna Free University Yani Yanev at the opening of the conference. The Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of Varna Peycho Peychev welcomed the participants and commented that the new master’s degree programmes of VFU and the Black Sea Academy of Security were related to the priorities of Varna Municipality for the development of information technologies and high-tech industries.

A greeting address was sent by the Bulgarian Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society Maria Gabriel. It says: "I believe that VFU "Chernorizets Hrabar" will be the place where experts and students will meet, and will examine in detail the measures proposed by the European Commission in this area. Among them are also the Computer Security Incident Response Teams, the cooperation of the member states in a situation of such incidents, the pan-European certification schemes for electronic and communication products for cyber-resistance. Cyber security begins with all of us. It cannot remain closed only in political meeting rooms, in research laboratories or in articles in specialized publications. I am confident that VFU "Chernorizets Hrabar", will make a significant contribution for this purpose and will help Bulgaria and Europe become safer and protected. "



The event was attended by world-renowned experts, scientists, researchers and business representatives, including Acad. Stefan Vodenicharov - Minister of Education and Science in 2013, Chairperson of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, registered in the Golden Book of Inventors of the Patent Office, Acad. Yachko Ivanov - one of the doyens of Bulgarian science; Corr. Mem. Stefan Hadzhitodorov - Director of the Centre for National Security Studies and Defence at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Flotilla Admiral Prof. Boyan Mednikarov - Head of Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy, Prof. Radoslav Yoshinov - Director of the Telematics Laboratory at the Institute of Mathematics and Informatics at BAS and founder of the Bulgarian Research and Education Network, Evgeniya Ruskih - representative of the largest European company specialized in the Kaspersky Lab Anti-Virus Software Development, Vladimir Bronfenbrenner, Israel's International Relations and Security Expert, Dr. David Hempson, President of the Vision for Science and Technology Growth, Danail Papazov, Executive Director of Varna Thermal Power Plant EAD and others. Many students and lecturers have shown interest in the event.




Later in the day, the master’s degree programmes in Cybersecurity and Intelligent Security Systems of VFU were officially launched. They are conducted jointly with Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy. "Cybersecurity Strategies" was the first lecture for the srudents delivered by Ariel Cohen.