On October 4, 2025, during the GATE Academic Days held at the Bulgarian Pavilion of Osaka Expo 2025, Bulgaria’s leading institute for Big Data and Artificial Intelligence signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the University of Tsukuba – one of Japan’s most prestigious academic institutions, with more than 150 years of history and a consistent presence among the country’s top ten universities.
The new agreement builds upon the existing collaboration between GATE and the University’s Center for Computational Sciences (CCS), established in 2024, and expands the partnership into key areas such as modelling, artificial intelligence, climate research, smart and sustainable cities, and digital healthcare.
The signing ceremony took place in the presence of H.E. Ms. Marieta Arabadjieva, Ambassador of the Republic of Bulgaria to Japan. GATE Director Prof. Sylvia Ilieva emphasized that the cooperation between the two institutions is an example of how academic diplomacy can become a true driver of scientific and technological progress.
“This partnership is living proof that the vision for a digital and sustainable future can be realized through science, innovation, and mutual trust,” said Prof. Ilieva.
With the signing of the new memorandum, GATE and the University of Tsukuba strengthen their positions as strategic partners in advancing the goals set forth in the Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership between Bulgaria and Japan, signed in Tokyo in May 2025.
The collaboration will accelerate scientific exchange and contribute to the development of innovative solutions with tangible societal impact.