Place: Sozopol, Bulgaria
Dates: 18 – 21 June 2026
The Tenth Annual Doctoral Conference of New Bulgarian University (NBU), organised within the framework of the European Reform University Alliance (ERUA), brought together doctoral candidates, postdoctoral researchers, and academic staff from across Europe for four days of interdisciplinary dialogue, research exchange, and cultural engagement.
Hosted by NBU’s Doctoral School, in the beautiful town of Sozopol, the conference has evolved in recent years into a flagship ERUA doctoral event, providing a collaborative platform for early-career researchers from partner institutions to present original research and engage in critical discussions across the humanities, social sciences, arts, communication, and public policy.
This year’s anniversary edition welcomed participants from several ERUA universities, including the University of the Aegean (Greece), Mykolas Romeris University (Lithuania), European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder) (Germany), SWPS University (Poland), and Paris 8 University (France), alongside a strong representation of doctoral researchers from New Bulgarian University and Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”.
The conference opened on 18 June with welcoming remarks from Prof. Vassil Garnizov, member of the President’s Council of the NBU Board, and Prof. Dimitar Vatsov, Director of the NBU Doctoral School.
Over the course of eight thematic sessions, participants explored a wide range of contemporary challenges and research perspectives. Discussions addressed topics such as European integration and governance, freedom of expression, digital currencies, competition law, agricultural policy, gender and political discourse, digital innovation, artificial intelligence, communication strategies, urban development, cultural heritage, language studies, and legal regulation. The programme reflected the conference’s longstanding commitment to interdisciplinarity and international academic exchange.
Presentations examined the evolution of AI-based communication systems, the role of AI in professional competencies and academic leadership, graphic design in the age of artificial intelligence, algorithmic governance, and human-centred approaches to digital innovation. These discussions highlighted the growing importance of interdisciplinary perspectives in addressing technological change and its societal implications.
Beyond the academic programme, participants engaged in a number of artistic and cultural events. Highlights included presentations on contemporary animation, the interdisciplinary art project 15 Years of Coral: Without a Mask.
The Tenth Annual Doctora Conference once again demonstrated the value of ERUA’s collaborative framework in supporting the next generation of European researchers and fostering meaningful dialogue across institutions, disciplines, and national borders.
