The University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy, Sofia
http://www.uctm.edu

The University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy (UCTM) is a higher institution for engineering education in the field of chemical technologies, metallurgy, biotechnology, automation and information technologies, environmental protection. Annually, about 3000 students are enrolled in the educational and qualification degree –Bachelor and Master, and over 130 Ph.D.students.

UCTM is one of the leading Bulgarian universities with international educational programmes and projects for mobility of students and lecturers with over 30 universities in Europe.

The University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy is an autonomous institution of higher education accredited by the National Agency of Evaluation and authorized to award all educational degrees in the specified fields of education.

There are three faculties:

• Faculty of Chemical Technologies
• Faculty of Chemical and System Engineering
• Faculty of Metallurgy and Materials Science

Three departments for basic education:

• Department for Chemical Sciences
• Department of Physics-Mathematics and Technical Sciences
• Department of Humanities and Quality of Education

There are five centers organizing specialized education:

• Center for Engineering Education, taught in German, (specialty Verfahrenstechnik);
• Center for Engineering Education, taught in French, (specialty Génie Chimique);
• Center of Materials Science (managing the specialty Materials Science)
• Center of Ecology (managing the specialty Ecology and Environmental Protection);
• Center for European Quality (managing the postgraduate course on quality).

The specialty Chemical Engineering has been created in Bulgaria at UCTM in 1983 aiming to educate specialists with general chemical engineering skills and knowledge, able to manage the technology of modifying, separating and reacting materials and substances; to control the equipment where these transformations occur; to establish the optimal processing parameters and the effective usage of energy, to make a choice and to design suitable technological schemes and apparatuses; to propose solutions for intensifying and innovating the processing of materials.

The UCTM, as one of the leaders in international academic students mobility, takes part in European programs ERASMUS, COST, FP7 and GRUNDVIG. That gives its students the opportunity to study for short or long periods of time, to have practical experience, or to prepare their theses at European Universities.

The University has very successful and active collaboration with many German Universities, arranged, supported and financed by the German Agency for Academic Exchange (DAAD). As a result, for more than 14 years UCTM’s students have been educated according to the German curricula in the specialty Chemical Engineering in Germany. There are many UCTM graduates studying in German postgraduate programmes. Students who obtained a BS Degree under this curriculum can continue to study toward a MS Degree at the “Otto fon Gerike” University – Magdeburg and Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH). The students are awarded double (BG-G) diplomas. All graduates the BS programme obtain diplomas signed by the Deans from UCTM and both German universities. Also, students from the Balkans are trained in UCTM in specialty taught in German (Verfahrenstechnik), financed by DAAD through the Stability Pact.

UCTM offers 5 years MS programme Industrial Chemistry in French (Génie Chimique)
where French speaking candidates can apply directly after finishing secondary school. The education in this specialty is managed by The Center (Filier-francophone) with a more than10 years history. The UCTM is a qualified member of Agency of French Language Universities (AUF). So, UCTM students have short and long stay in French and Belgian Universities and can make there their practice and diploma projects.