Albena Komitova, lawyer, mediator and trainer, Dispute Resolution Center
What is the role of technology in education today, in your opinion?
Technology is an amplifier. It expands tгe capabilities of teachers. In today’s world, its role is to make education personalized and engaging, transforming learning from a passive process into an active experience.
What skills or competencies do students develop through technology?
Beyond digital literacy, technology develops adaptability and critical thinking. In an era of artificial intelligence, the most important skill becomes the ability to formulate tasks correctly and navigate rapidly through massive flows of information while maintaining focus.
Where does Bulgaria stand in terms of technology in education?
Bulgaria is at an interesting crossroads. We have exceptional EdTech talent and innovative schools, yet there is still a significant gap between technological possibilities and mainstream pedagogical practice. The potential is enormous, but its implementation remains uneven.
What are the most common barriers to implementing technology, and how can they be overcome?
The main barrier is not the lack of devices, but psychological resistance and fear of change. Overcoming these fears requires supporting teachers — not merely through “tablet training,” but by building confidence and skills for managing the digital classroom. The greatest challenge is helping teachers become comfortable with technology.
How does your organization contribute to improving education in Bulgaria?
We bring the “human element” into the digital equation. The Dispute Resolution Center helps the educational community develop skills in nonviolent communication and empathy in online environments. We teach people how to resolve conflicts in this new reality, which is the foundation of all meaningful learning.
The Dispute Resolution Center is a member of EdTech Bulgaria. Why did you decide to join EdTech Bulgaria?
We joined because we believe in synergy. EdTech Bulgaria is a community of people shaping the future, and for us it is important that this future be ethical, peaceful, and human-centered. Supporting the founder and sharing a common vision for modern education became a natural driving force.
What does EdTech Bulgaria provide to organizations and to education?
It provides both a voice and an ecosystem. It creates strategy and a clearer vision. For organizations, it is a platform for exchanging experience; for education, it is a guarantee that innovation is not a series of isolated attempts, but part of an organized movement toward improvement.
What does the Bulgarian EdTech environment need most today?
Trust and dialogue. Technology creators must understand the real needs of teachers, while administrators need to recognize the potential of startups. We see our role precisely here — as mediators helping these different worlds speak the same language.
What kind of support is lacking for EdTech companies in Bulgaria?
Overall, there is a lack of a national strategy for the development of new forms of education. There is also insufficient support for bolder, system-level testing of innovations. Companies need an environment where mistakes made during innovation are accepted as part of the learning process.
What advice would you give to startups in the educational sector?
Never forget the human being behind the screen. Technology is only a tool. Focus on how your product improves relationships and the quality of life of both students and teachers.
Can Bulgaria become a leader in EdTech, and in which area?
Yes, Bulgaria can become a leader in creating high-quality educational content and software solutions with embedded emotional intelligence. We have the capacity to combine strong engineering thinking with human-centered approaches.
How do you imagine the future of education and the role of technology?
I imagine a hybrid model of education that is deeply humane. Technology will take care of routine tasks and personalization, while teachers will return to their essential role — serving as role models, mentors, and mediators in the process of personal growth.