The event will bring together researchers, journalists, technology specialists, educators, civil society practitioners and institutional representatives to examine Bulgaria’s information environment and explore how evidence can inform practical responses.

Designed as a connected scientific exchange rather than a series of standalone presentations, the workshop will move from identifying vulnerabilities to examining analytical methods, manipulation techniques, media-literacy approaches and governance. Through moderated discussions, research contributions and demonstrations, participants will compare evidence and experience, consider the limitations of different approaches, and identify shared questions and opportunities for further collaboration.

Language technology and social good

The workshop will open with a keynote by Prof. Ruslan Mitkov, titled With a Little Help from NLP: My Roadmap to Social Good. His talk will explore how natural language processing—technology for working with human language—can contribute to addressing societal challenges, providing a starting point for the discussions that follow.

The programme will then turn to Bulgaria’s local information ecosystems before exploring the role of artificial intelligence and large language models in disinformation analysis, the linguistic and cognitive techniques involved in manipulation, and practical approaches to media literacy. These include prebunking: helping audiences recognise misleading techniques before encountering them. The closing roundtable will connect the day’s discussions with questions of institutional responsibility, platform transparency and cooperation between sectors.

Throughout the day, the emphasis will be on what evidence supports, where important gaps remain, and how proposed tools and interventions can be assessed rather than simply assumed to work.

Programme

Participation and registration

The workshop welcomes researchers and students; journalists, editors and fact-checkers; civil society organisations; educators and media-literacy practitioners; language-technology specialists; and institutional and policy stakeholders. It offers an opportunity to connect expertise across fields and consider what informed, collaborative action might look like next.

Date: 20 October 2026
Time: 09:40–17:25
Venue: GATE Institute, 5 James Bourchier Blvd, Lozenets, Sofia

Participation is subject to registration.

Register here!

Scientists and experts from five continents took part in GeoSofia 2026 – a five-day international scientific forum that brought together three leading conferences in the fields of geoinformation, smart cities and land administration in Sofia.

From 28 September to 2 October, the GATE Institute at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” hosted the 21st International 3D GeoInfo Conference, 10th International Smart Data and Smart Cities Conference (SDSC), and International FIG Workshop on LADM & 3D Land Administration.

The programme featured scientific advances in areas including 3D and 4D modelling, geospatial artificial intelligence (GeoAI), digital twins, urban mobility, climate and environmental analysis, smart urban infrastructure, cultural heritage, energy efficiency, and geospatial planning and analysis.

Key highlights included applications of artificial intelligence for urban analysis and digital twins, the automated creation and enrichment of 3D city models, and the use of geospatial data to support decision-making.

Particular attention was paid to data quality, security, integration and interoperability, as well as to standards and solutions for land administration.

As part of GeoSofia 2026, the digital twin of Sofia, developed by the GATE Institute in partnership with Sofia Municipality and SofiaPlan, was also presented. The digital twin integrates different sources of urban data and enables the visualisation, analysis and simulation of urban processes and phenomena. Such solutions support institutions in policy planning and assessment, while helping businesses develop services and technologies tailored to citizens’ real needs and contributing to a sustainable urban environment.

The three conferences attracted more than 200 scientific papers with authors from over 60 countries. Together with the reviewers of the scientific publications, the forum brought together the efforts of more than 500 people, with Australia, Germany and the Netherlands among the leading participating countries.

Each of the three forums presented three Best Paper Awards. One paper at each conference also received a special cash prize from MDPI, one of the world’s largest publishers of open-access scientific journals.

The 3D GeoInfo Best Paper Award for the best paper and presentation went to research from HafenCity University, Germany, for its contribution to 3D city modelling using large language and vision models.

The SDSC conference concluded with the Best Paper Award for research from the University of New South Wales, Australia, which presented a study on urban heat risk in Sydney.

At the LADM & 3D LA workshop, the Best Paper Award went to researchers from the University of Novi Sad, Serbia, for presenting a concept of a “smart land parcel” in Serbia.

The awards provided a final highlight of the scientific achievements presented during the five-day forum.

The final days of the event also marked the handover of the 3D GeoInfo Conference and Smart Data and Smart Cities Conference to their next host – Morocco. Following Sofia, the two conferences will continue to their next destination, carrying forward the knowledge, ideas and new international connections developed during the forum.

GeoSofia 2026 was organised and hosted by the GATE Institute at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” in partnership with Sofia Municipality.

The GATE Institute at Sofia University “St Kliment Ohridski” has been awarded the Gold i-Space label by the Big Data Value Association (BDVA), advancing from the Silver level received in 2024.

BDVA i-Spaces (Innovation Spaces) are innovation hubs that combine data, AI technologies, infrastructure, expertise and business support to help organisations—particularly SMEs and start-ups—test, validate and deploy data-driven solutions. They are classified at five maturity levels: Starter, Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum.

The Gold label reflects maturity in services, infrastructure, projects, ecosystem impact, sustainability, federation capabilities, and ethics and legal readiness. Gold i-Spaces provide an integrated portfolio covering experimentation, data and AI infrastructure, real-world testing, training, expert consulting, innovation support and access to European networks.

These are also the core services already provided by GATE i-Space through its technology platform, specialist teams, laboratories and partnerships. The Gold label therefore confirms both the quality and maturity of GATE’s existing service portfolio.

GATE joins a highly selective group: only five of Europe’s 33 active labelled i-Spaces hold Gold status.

Gold i-Space services provided by GATE

GATE helps organisations move from an initial data or AI challenge to a validated solution and a credible deployment plan. It delivers the principal Gold i-Space services through its data platform, software tools and innovation facilities: the City Living Lab, the Digital Twin Lab, Data Spaces Lab, the Visualisation Lab, and the Experimental Governance Lab.

• Experimentation and validation: rapid prototyping, test-before-invest activities, pilots and validation of data- and AI-based solutions in controlled and real-world settings.
• Data and AI infrastructure: access to tools and resources covering the full data lifecycle—from collection and structuring to processing, analysis and visualisation.
• Living labs and digital twins: user-centred trials in realistic urban environments, together with modelling, simulation and scenario development.
• Training and expert support: skills development, technical assistance and consulting in data management, AI, data governance and sustainable business models.
• Innovation and partnerships: support for joint projects, international consortia and collaboration among businesses, public authorities, researchers and technology providers.
• European cooperation: access to complementary datasets, facilities, expertise and services through the Federation of i-Spaces.

The Gold recognition comes as Europe’s i-Spaces and data spaces deepen their collaboration. To move beyond pilots, data spaces need participants, trusted governance, viable business models, interoperable technologies, legal guidance and sustainable operational services.

As a Gold i-Space, GATE can provide these services to data-space initiatives. It can support controlled data sharing; train organisations in the data-space model; test and validate components and solutions; advise on governance, legal requirements and business models; and develop or integrate connectors that facilitate onboarding and interoperability.

GATE’s experience in mobility, healthcare and urban development provides a strong basis for sector-specific demonstrations and for transferring reusable solutions between domains. Through the Federation, GATE can also connect Bulgarian SMEs, start-ups and public organisations with partners, expertise and facilities across Europe.

“The Gold i-Space label recognises how far GATE has progressed since receiving Silver status in 2024. More importantly, it confirms that GATE provides the infrastructure, expertise and innovation services expected from a mature Gold i-Space. We will use this capacity to help organisations turn data and AI ideas into solutions with measurable social and economic value.”, said Prof. Sylvia Ilieva, Director of GATE Institute.

The award strengthens GATE’s role as a national and European platform for data-driven innovation and as a driving force in the development of data spaces for mobility, healthcare and urban development.

The international forum GeoSofia 2026 was officially opened today at the GATE Institute at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”. Running until 2 October, the forum brings together international scientists and researchers, experts in geoinformatics and geospatial technologies, specialists in artificial intelligence and data processing, as well as representatives of universities, research organisations, technology companies and the public sector in Sofia.

GeoSofia 2026 brings together three established international conferences – 21st International 3D GeoInfo Conference, 10th International Smart Data and Smart Cities Conference and International FIG Workshop on LADM & 3D LA. The three scientific communities are placing the development of cities, spatial data, digital twins, 3D and 4D modelling, artificial intelligence and land administration at the centre of their discussions.

“Bringing together in Sofia the participants of the three conferences is particularly significant because their research topics are increasingly interconnected. The challenges cities face today – such as climate change, mobility, the energy transition, governance and infrastructure – cannot be addressed within the boundaries of a single discipline,” said Prof. Sylvia Ilieva, Director of the GATE Institute.

She emphasised that GATE works “at the intersection of scientific research, technological innovation and real-world impact.”

Data as the Foundation for Urban Decision-Making

“There can be no city of the future if governance does not become a flexible, data-driven organisation,” said Sofia Mayor Vasil Terziev.

According to him, real data, rather than opinions, should be at the centre of decision-making. Terziev also noted that the work of scientists helps the administration make better decisions and respond to the challenges faced by citizens.

The connection between science and the real-world management of the city is one of the key themes of GeoSofia 2026. Modern technologies make it possible to use the vast amounts of information about mobility, infrastructure, buildings, the environment and land use not only for monitoring, but also for analysis, modelling and exploring different scenarios.

One example is the digital twin of Sofia, being developed by the GATE Institute in partnership with Sofia Municipality and SofiaPlan. The digital environment brings together and visualises information about the city and enables the analysis and simulation of different urban processes and scenarios.

From Mapping to Understanding Urban Processes

“Geospatial technologies have evolved from tools for mapping into a comprehensive scientific environment for observing, modelling and understanding complex geographical processes,” said Prof. Stelian Dimitrov, Vice-Rector of Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” for Research, Scientific Projects and Information Activities.

This is also one of the main focuses of the forum – how geospatial technologies, big data and artificial intelligence can contribute to a better understanding of urban processes and help plan their development.

New Ideas Emerge Across Disciplines

“The true value of such a forum does not lie in the number of papers presented, but in the encounters between people. I hope we will remember GeoSofia 2026 not for the number of papers, but for the scientific conversations and connections it created,” said Prof. Dr Desislava Petrova-Antonova, Chair of the forum and Head of the Future Cities Department at the GATE Institute, in her address.

The need for exchange between different scientific communities was also highlighted by Assoc. Prof. Mila Koeva, Deputy Dean for Research at the Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation at the University of Twente, the Netherlands, and Secretary of Technical Commission IV of the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS).

“Many of today’s geospatial technologies are already moving beyond the boundaries of individual disciplines and require a multidisciplinary approach,” said Assoc. Prof. Koeva. She encouraged participants not to limit themselves to sessions within their own field, but to engage with representatives of other scientific disciplines as well, “to learn from one another and exchange knowledge.”

Five Days of Science, Technology and Cities

Until 2 October, participants in GeoSofia 2026 will discuss the development of 3D geoinformation science and technologies, smart cities, geospatial data analysis, digital twins, sustainable urban development, land administration and 3D cadastral solutions.

The forum brings together technologies and scientific developments that are increasingly shaping the way cities are planned and managed – from modelling the urban environment and infrastructure to using data to analyse urban processes and explore possible scenarios.

The GATE Institute at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” is the host of GeoSofia 2026, while Sofia Municipality is a partner of the forum.

Today, cities have access to enormous amounts of data – about the movement of people and vehicles, infrastructure, the environment, buildings, land use…

The next major step is to turn this data into knowledge through simulations of possible solutions and real-time visualizations.

This is precisely the focus of GeoSofia 2026 – exploring how modern technologies can help us not only monitor cities, but also better understand how they function and plan their development based on data.

Key technologies include 3D and 4D modelling, spatial analysis, artificial intelligence, digital twins, 3D cadastral solutions, and smart city platforms.

Sofia already has a concrete example of this approach. The GATE Institute is developing a digital twin of the capital in partnership with Sofia Municipality and SofiaPlan – a digital environment that brings together and visualizes information about the city and enables analysis, simulations, and the study of different urban processes and scenarios.

The question addressed by a digital twin is therefore no longer simply what is happening in the city, but what would happen if we made a particular change.

How would a new traffic organization affect the city? How would an infrastructure project change the surrounding environment? Where are the most vulnerable areas during periods of high temperatures? How can the city be better prepared for natural disasters?

Technology makes it possible to explore some of these scenarios in advance.

Three International Forums – One Common Theme

GeoSofia 2026 brings together three prestigious international scientific conferences:

21st International 3D GeoInfo Conference – 28–29 September, dedicated to the development of 3D geoinformation science and technologies and their application in urban planning, infrastructure management, disaster response, and climate change adaptation.

10th International Smart Data and Smart Cities Conference – 29 September – 1 October, focusing on urban innovation, smart technologies, geospatial data analysis, digital twins, and sustainable urban development.

International FIG Workshop on LADM & 3D LA – 1–2 October, supported by the International Federation of Surveyors (FIG), focusing on land administration, 3D modelling of territories, and the development of standards and practical solutions for spatial data.

The three conferences bring together diverse scientific and professional communities around one of the most important questions facing modern cities: how can we use technology to make better decisions for people and the environments in which they live?

Behind the scientific terminology are issues that increasingly affect everyday life:

How will we move around the cities of the future?

How will we adapt to climate change?

How will we plan infrastructure in a rapidly changing urban environment?

How can artificial intelligence and data support decision-making by city authorities?

And how can we use data in a way that ensures technology leads to a genuinely better quality of life?

The connection between scientific research and its real-world application will be one of the highlights of GeoSofia 2026. For five days, Sofia will be a place where science, technology, and real urban challenges come together in a shared conversation – about the cities in which we will live tomorrow.

Heat stress reaches extreme levels. During the heat period studied in 2025, the WBGT index averaged around 32°C across the country – 2°C higher than in 2006, placing it in the “extreme heat stress” category. The UTCI reached 50°C – an increase of nearly 9°C.

The strongest change is observed in the evening. Modelled evening temperatures in 2025 were significantly higher than during the comparison period in 2006. The difference reached +9.5°C in Pleven, +8.5°C in Sofia, and +7.5°C in Plovdiv.

Evening cooling is also slowing down. In 2025, even at 8:00 p.m., the average Mean Radiant Temperature (MRT) reached around 45°C – nearly 6°C higher than in 2006. This shows that heated buildings, pavements, and other surfaces continue to release heat even after the hottest part of the day has ended.

The location of a city matters. Cities in the interior of the country show greater differences, while the change is significantly smaller in Varna and Burgas. Maritime influence, local weather conditions, and characteristics of the urban environment are among the factors determining heat stress.

What does this mean for people?

The temperature we see in the weather forecast does not, by itself, show how heat affects the human body. 35°C does not always feel like 35°C. Humidity, wind, direct solar radiation, and heat radiated by buildings and pavements can significantly increase heat stress.

That is why the study uses internationally recognized indices such as WBGT, PET, and UTCI, which combine these factors. WBGT is used to assess risk during outdoor work and sports, PET shows how a person perceives the thermal environment, while UTCI assesses the level of heat stress and the associated health risk.

The results show that heat stress is already reaching extreme categories, making adaptation to heat an increasingly important part of health protection and sustainable urban development.

What can municipalities and institutions do?

The results show that one risk does not mean one solution for all cities. Local data and assessments are needed so that measures can be targeted at the places and people at highest risk.

Recommended measures include heatwave action plans and early warning systems, the creation of cooling centers, cooling systems using dry mist and drinking water stations, increased shading and urban greenery, as well as adapting public buildings through cooling, good ventilation, and external shading.

Maps of areas with high heat risk are also needed, along with adjustments to working hours and outdoor activities during the hottest hours and specific measures for vulnerable groups. Coordination between municipalities, health and social services, employers, and non-governmental organizations is also important.

Local differences are key. Therefore, adaptation to extreme heat must take into account the local climate, urban structure, green spaces, and the way urban areas are used.

The study was led by Dr. Eng. Lidiya Vitanova, a researcher at the GATE Institute and a specialist in urban climate, heat stress, climate modelling, and urban planning.

WBGT – Wet Bulb Globe Temperature – Used primarily to assess heat stress during work and sports.

PET – Physiologically Equivalent Temperature – Shows how the human body perceives the thermal environment.

UTCI – Universal Thermal Climate Index – Assesses thermal comfort, heat stress, and the associated risk.

MRT – Mean Radiant Temperature – Shows the thermal impact of the sun and heated surrounding surfaces on the human body.

GATE was represented in the scientific programme by researchers from its Generative Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning and Information Environments Analysis research groups, presenting work at the intersection of artificial intelligence, language technologies, disinformation, and online content analysis.

A highlight of the conference programme was the international CLEAR-TEXT workshop, organised by researchers from several institutions, with Dr Irina Temnikova, Ruslana Margova and Nevena Grigorova from GATE, together with Dr Maria Todorova from the Institute for Bulgarian Language at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, among its main organisers. The workshop brought together Bulgarian and international experts from different fields and included two panel discussions.

The computational linguistics panel featured internationally recognised researchers Prof. Ruslan Mitkov, Prof. Constantin Orăsan, Assoc. Prof. Dimitar Kazakov and Dr Matthew Shardlow, who discussed approaches to measuring and improving text comprehensibility. Dr Ruslana Margova moderated part of the discussions and, together with Iglika Ivanova, presented research related to readability, media literacy and the clear communication of the Digital Services Act.

During the plenary session, Dr Irina Temnikova presented results from a pilot eye-tracking experiment with children, conducted as part of GATE’s internal B-CLEAR project, which aims to develop a readability index for the Bulgarian language. The research also involved Nevena Grigorova, Iva Marinova, Stefan Minkov and Lachezar Donchev. Stanislav Penkov chaired the natural language processing session, while Dobromir Tsolyov and Georgi Goranov supported the organisation of the workshop.

Another significant element of GATE’s participation was the acceptance of six research papers for presentation at CLIB 2026. The studies address LLM-based discourse analysis for low-resource languages, automatic detection and explanation of logical fallacies, pseudoscientific misinformation, eye-tracking approaches to disinformation research, resources for propaganda detection in Bulgarian, and syntactic patterns in political discourse.

GATE’s participation continued in the final part of the conference with a specialised four-hour course developed and delivered by Dr Irina Temnikova, focusing on the role of linguists in computational linguistics.

GATE’s overall presence at CLIB 2026 reflects the Institute’s continued work towards developing more robust, explainable and linguistically and culturally aware technologies for the Bulgarian language.

The curriculum combines a strong academic foundation with hands-on learning, real-world projects, and access to GATE’s state-of-the-art research and technology infrastructure. Students benefit from learning alongside internationally recognised researchers and faculty members while participating in research and innovation projects carried out in collaboration with academic and industry partners.

The programme covers key topics such as Machine Learning, Data Analytics, Big Data Technologies, Cloud Computing, Data Engineering, Data Visualisation, and Intelligent Systems, providing graduates with the knowledge and practical skills required for successful careers in both research and the technology sector.

Important Dates

• Application period: 9 July – 11 September 2026
• Online application: https://magister.fmi.uni-sofia.bg
• Entrance examination: 16 September 2026
• Examination schedule: to be published on the FMI website on 14 September 2026

Applications are submitted online through the Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics admission platform. Detailed information about the admission requirements, curriculum, and programme is available on the official Big Data Technologies website.

For enquiries regarding the application process, please contact the Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics at magistri@fmi.uni-sofia.bg.

GATE Institute was honoured to contribute to the panel “Building Resilience: Artificial Intelligence, Innovation, and the Role of Digital Diplomacy”, represented by its Director, Prof. Sylvia Ilieva.

Opening the discussion, Ivan Vasilev, Minister of Innovation and Digital Transformation, reaffirmed the government’s ambition to position Bulgaria as a trusted partner in innovation and high technologies. Emphasising that “the future will be dominated by technology, but led by people,” he outlined the vision for Bulgaria to become one of Europe’s leading destinations for business and technology by 2030.

In her presentation, Prof. Sylvia Ilieva highlighted the growing importance of science diplomacy as a bridge between research, innovation, and policymaking. Drawing on GATE’s international collaborations, she demonstrated how scientific excellence and cross-border partnerships can strengthen institutions, support evidence-based decision-making, and enhance societal resilience.

Prof. Ilieva also underlined the strategic value of Open Science, describing it as not only a driver of scientific progress but also a catalyst for economic development, innovation, and competitiveness. She emphasised that research organisations have an important role in supporting public institutions with trusted expertise and strategic advice for the responsible adoption of Artificial Intelligence and data-driven technologies.

The panel also featured Bálint Pataki, Director of Policy at Arq Foundation (Brussels), and Alexey Andreev, Ambassador-at-Large for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Diplomacy. The discussion was moderated by Maria Spasova, Ambassador-at-Large for Resilience.

GATE’s participation in this high-level forum reflects the Institute’s growing role in shaping strategic discussions on trustworthy AI, digital transformation, and evidence-based policymaking. As a Centre of Excellence in Big Data and Artificial Intelligence, GATE continues to work closely with national and international partners to advance responsible AI, support innovation, and contribute scientific expertise to the development of effective public policies.