Cooperation agreements, Contests / awards

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Kai Sundmacher, professor at the Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg (OVGU) and director at the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics of Complex Technical Systems Magdeburg (MPI), was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy (UCTM) in Sofia, Bulgaria, on 5 November 2025 by the rector, Prof. Senya Terzieva-Zhelyazkova. The UCTM thus recognizes his services to Bulgarian higher education and to the expansion of German-Bulgarian cooperation in education and science.

The relationship between UCTM, the Faculty of Process and Systems Engineering at OVGU and MPI dates back to the early 1990s. Since then, there has been a lively scientific exchange in various fields of process engineering, including particle technology, reaction engineering, biotechnology and electrochemical processes. Every year, around ten students from Sofia come to Magdeburg, while scientists from Magdeburg give guest lectures in Sofia.

The next exchange students from UCTM are expected to arrive in Magdeburg in 2026. They will complete internships under the supervision of scientists from the MPI and the OVGU and write their bachelor's and master's theses here. The exchange is financially supported by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the EU's ERASMUS programme.

Strengthening the academic ties in Europe

In his speech of acknowledgement, Professor Sundmacher stated, among other things:
[…] "Thanks to our excellent cooperation, numerous UCTM students have been able to gain valuable scientific experience in the field of process engineering in Magdeburg. [...] It will be my great pleasure to continue and further develop this successful exchange programme together with you in the future for the mutual benefit of our universities, for the benefit of the students and as an important building block of scientific cooperation between Bulgaria and Germany.

In a world that has seen new political uncertainties and international conflicts emerge in recent years, I believe it is particularly important to maintain and consolidate Europe as a stabilising factor. To achieve this, the members of the European Union must work together even more closely than before. Our universities can make a very important contribution to this, particularly through student and academic exchanges.

I see this honorary doctorate, which you are awarding me today, not only as a personal honour for past achievements, but also as a mandate to intensify cooperation between UCTM, Otto von Guericke University and the Max Planck Institute in Magdeburg and to expand it with new content.”

Professor Sundmacher was awarded the honorary doctorate during a ceremony attended by over 150 members on 5 November 2025 at the University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy (UCTM) in Sofia, Bulgaria. The ceremony was also attended by the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Bulgaria, Her Excellency Irene Maria Plank, who warmly congratulated Professor Sundmacher on the award.