80th Anniversary of the Agricultural University of Plovdiv and UNIgreen International Alliance Meeting

We were happy to take part in the 80th anniversary celebrations of the Agricultural University of Plovdiv, which were held under the inspiring motto 'Traditions Meet Innovations'. The event was organised in parallel with the annual International UNIgreen Alliance Meeting, creating a unique space where science, education and innovation converged.

At the celebratory conference, speakers reflected on the past, present and future of agricultural science:

• Prof. Dr. Svetla Yancheva and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Boryana Ivanova presented the Agricultural University of Plovdiv, its development and activities,
• Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mladen Mladenov and Dr. Dimitar Vanev spoke on the topic 'Agriculture in Bulgaria – Challenges and Trends; The Role of the National Agricultural Advisory Service',
• Prof. Dr. Yalcin Kaya (Trakya University, Turkey) spoke about 'Global Challenge: Climate Change and Agriculture',
• Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tomas Lorenzana (University of Almería, Spain) spoke about 'UNIgreen as the Beating Heart of Europe’s Future',
• Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zvonimir Prpić (University of Zagreb, Croatia) on 'Connecting Agricultural Science, Language and Region: A Case Study of a Scholarly Journal of Central European Agriculture.'

Throughout the week, the campus hosted multiple satellite events, bringing together scientists, teachers, students and professionals from around the world for a celebration of international cooperation and forward-looking education.

Our active role

Prof. Dr. Violina Rizova (née Angelova) presented her most recent research from the Plovdiv region, focusing on two critical topics:

1. The plant Sida hermaphrodita – highlighting its ecological significance and potential uses in agriculture, beekeeping, carbon-neutral energy production.
2. The issue of metal contaminants in agricultural soil, highlighting the associated ecological risks and proposing remediation strategies to promote sustainable land use.

She also outlined future research directions, emphasising CCBRE’s commitment to combining scientific excellence with practical regional applications.

Dimitrina Shindova, LL.M. contributed to several UNIgreen work sessions: Organising Challenge Lab for Students; Teaching, Learning & Green Skills; Greening HEI Campuses, including Sustainability; Beyond Numbers: Driving Impact and Excellence; KPIs and Impact Measures. Her participation reflected CCBRE’s broader engagement in transforming higher education through sustainability-driven teaching and impact-oriented practices.

Dr Hadi Mahdipour explored potential applied science collaborations, for example with colleagues from the University of Limpopo in South Africa. After holding discussions with them and conducting internal consultations within CCBRE, we scheduled a follow-up meeting to discuss our potential international cooperation in more detail.

Looking ahead

The 80th anniversary of the Agricultural University of Plovdiv and the UNIgreen Alliance meeting emphasised the importance of international partnerships, interdisciplinary research and a shared commitment to sustainability.

We would like to thank the Agricultural University of Plovdiv for inviting us to attend these memorable events. We wish the university continued success and prosperity in the decades to come — Here's to the next 80 years being even more innovative, impactful and globally connected!