Institute for Sustainable Transition and Development performs theoretical, experimental and applies research in the field of natural, engineering and social sciences, directed to the creation of new knowledge or applied science products, including services and public-private partnerships, as well as to development of guidelines for university education at bachelor, masters and doctoral level.
The main aim of the Institute is to contribute to the transformation of the agricultural model in the regions affected by the energy transition, as well as to meeting the goals for low carbon and carbon-neutral economy at a regional and national level.
INSTITUTE FOR SUSTAINABLE TRANSITION AND DEVELOPMENT
Key directions in the activity of our institute

Our mission and values
Enhancement of the high-tech low-carbon energy and industrial transition in the region and the country by facilitating investment in new industries that will lead to significant economic transformation
Active and consistent applied research activities aimed at the development and commercialization of applied developments, with a view to establishing the region as a leading research center in the field of high technology
Systematic development of a sustainable creative scientific environment, aimed at building a scientific community, discovery, promotion and validation of talents, implementation of doctoral and post-doctoral programs
Core projects
Projects

Analysis and research
Drafting economic analyses, project justifications, strategies and scenarios for development, pilot and long-term program financing in accordance with the national and regional priorities and commitments. Joint studies with the social partners on the social effects of the transition to new technologies. Development of financial and economic models, providing the potential for commercialization of the targeted applied research activities.

Technologies and systems
Hydrogen production, storage and transmission systems, hydrogen fuel systems, industrial technologies using hydrogen as a raw material, hydrogen electromobility and supply infrastructure, hydrogen technologies for energy storage, energy production and power system management.

Carbon-neutral environment
Development of projects for a new integrated energy architecture of the urban environment, including low-emission installations for heating and electricity generation for households and public buildings (hydrogen cells, solar installations, geothermal energy, heat pumps, gas consumption, etc.)
Contact us
Contact Us Now
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What do thay say about us
Publications and feedback
Our Strengths
The activity of the Institute is related to providing coordination and participation on the initiatives directed to the development of regions in low-carbon transition.
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Well defined targets
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Team of inspired specialists
The Institute for Sustainable Transition and Development as a main research unit within the structure of Trakia University – Stara Zagora acts in partnership with other higher schools, the municipal authorities, national representative organizations of employers and workers and employees, external independent experts, small and middle-sized enterprises, businesses, companies, state administrations.
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Main sectorial directions
The Institute unites the work of research groups into three sectors: “Economic Analyses and Projects”, “Agriculture and Biotechnologies”, “Mining and Energy Systems” in order to participate in national and international projects and programmes, implementation of consulting projects and the created scientific results.

One big family
OUR TEAM
The team of the institute comprises professionals prominent in their field.
View the teamAssist. Prof. PhD Violetka Zheleva
Assist. Prof. PhD Violetka Zheleva is a technical assistant at the Institute for Sustainable Transition and Development. She is currently a participant in two university projects and in the National Project "Young Scientists and Postdoctoral Fellows". Active researcher in the Department of Regional Development at the Faculty of Economics since the beginning of his doctoral studies until now.
Prof. Daria Vladikova, DSc
Prof. Daria Vladikova is Head of Department “Hydrogen Technologies and Energy Systems” at the Institute of Sustainable Transition and Development towards Trakia University – Stara Zagora. She is also professor in Electrochemistry at the Institute of Electrochemistry and Energy Systems towards the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. Prof. Vladikova has a PhD in Solid State Chemistry and a D.Sc. in Electrochemistry. She is working in the field of fuel cells, electrolyzers and deployment of hydrogen technologies. She is the author of more than 150 scientific publications with 1000 citations, co-author of 6 monographs and a chapter in Encyclopedia on Power Sources (Elsevier). She has been awarded with Herman Gӧhr Award by the European Fuel Cell Forum. Prof. Vladikova is Member of the Scientific Committee of Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking, President of the Bulgarian Hydrogen, Fuel Cells and Energy Storage Association, Member of the Governing Board of the European Innovation Digital Hub Zagore, Member of the Clean Hydrogen Alliance Round Table for Green Hydrogen Production.

Assoc. Prof. Darina Zaimova PhD Darina Zaimova
Head of Department “Economic analyses and social research”Assoc. Prof. Darina Zaimova is Head of Department “Economic analyses and social research” at the Institute for sustainable transition and development, and Deputy Head of Department "Industrial business…
Assoc. Prof. Darina Zaimova PhD Darina Zaimova
Assoc. Prof. Darina Zaimova is Head of Department “Economic analyses and social research” at the Institute for sustainable transition and development, and Deputy Head of Department "Industrial business and entrepreneurship” at Faculty of economics at Trakia University. She is a beneficiary of the Justus-von-Liebig Award - research fellow in the Institute of Agricultural Economics of the Christian-Albrechts-University, Kiel, Germany; post-doctoral research fellow at the European Research Institute on Cooperative and Social Enterprises - EURICSE, Italy. Her teaching courses and research interests include eco-entrepreneurship, business planning, sustainable development, bioeconomy, local development and government policy. She was part of the team of Erasmus Intensive programme on Business 2.0. From 2014 she is a member of the Management Committee for the COST TARGETED NETWORK TN1302, appointed at national level for Bulgaria. She is the project coordinator and the scientist in charge under the project “Cooperative business and innovative rural development: Synergy between academia and business partners (C-BIRD)” - (http://c-bird.eu/). She is leading Bulgarian team in the project “A knowledge Alliance in Eco-Innovation Entrepreneurship to Boost SMEs Competitiveness - SMecoMP” and also coordinator of the Erasmus + “Strategic partnership for AGRI-entrepreneurship and EcoInnovation” – AgriEco. She is part of the team of the “BIObec - Preparing the creation of Bio-Based Education Centres to meet industry needs and boost the contribution of the bioeconomy to societal challenges”, funder under H2020.