Kamelia Slaveykova, Chair of the Board of Directors of Shell Bulgaria
What is the role of technology in education today, in your view?
For today’s younger generation, which has never known a world without the internet, it is entirely natural for technology to be an organic part of the educational process, whose purpose is to prepare young people for real life and the future labor market. We are not talking only about the digitalization of learning content or online platforms. The role of technology also includes engineering solutions—simulations, automation, working with real data, artificial intelligence, as well as modern laboratory technologies that bring education closer to the real industrial environment and foster practical thinking and a culture of innovation. The integration of new technologies in education requires continuous updates of curricula and the adaptation of teachers to a rapidly changing environment.
What skills do students develop thanks to technology?
Technology helps students develop far more than basic digital skills. It supports the development of data literacy, the ability to solve real, complex problems, and skills for making informed decisions. The use of technology in the classroom allows students to participate in interactive projects and virtual teams, which motivates them and prepares them for professions that are yet to emerge as a result of technological progress.
Where does Bulgaria stand in terms of technology in education?
In recent years, Bulgaria has taken important steps toward digitalization: schools have internet access, platforms, and devices, and students are increasingly confident in using technology. This creates a solid foundation to build upon. The challenge, however, is not the availability of technology, but how it is used. In many cases, digital tools simply replicate the traditional model of teaching without substantially transforming it. Instead of creating a new type of learning—based on solving real problems, critical thinking, and interdisciplinarity—they often remain a means of delivering the same content more efficiently.
At the same time, Bulgaria has strengths that are often underestimated. The traditionally strong preparation in mathematics and technology, as well as initiatives such as the Shell Eco-marathon, show that students can successfully apply their knowledge in real engineering projects. Bulgarian teams consistently perform exceptionally well in the competition for energy-efficient vehicles—electric prototypes and hydrogen-powered cars developed in our schools and universities regularly rank among the top in Europe and Africa. The competition is very intense, with more than 120 teams, including representatives from prestigious technical schools and universities from Western Europe. The consistency of Bulgarian results demonstrates that we have talent and potential in the field of technology, and the challenge ahead is to turn these individual strong examples into a sustainable and widely applicable model.
The ecosystem in Bulgaria is also developing, thanks to organizations like EdTech Bulgaria, which bring together companies and experts with a vision for change.
The main deficit remains the lack of a systematic connection between education, technology, and the real-world environment. EdTech solutions rarely reach widespread application in the classroom, and collaboration with industry is still not sufficiently developed. This is precisely where the key to the next step lies—not simply more technology, but more meaningful integration that prepares students for real challenges.
In this sense, Bulgaria is not lagging so much technologically as it is conceptually. We have the tools, we have the talent, but we still need to make the transition to an education system that uses technology to create a new way of thinking, rather than simply modernizing old models.
What are the main barriers to adopting technology, and how can they be overcome?
The implementation of technology in education should not be an end in itself, but should be aligned with the future of professions and the career opportunities available to learners. When there is a clear vision, barriers such as insufficient infrastructure, a shortage of well-trained and motivated teachers, and uncertainty regarding long-term funding can be overcome. This can be achieved through sustainable public-private partnerships, investment in teacher development, and the creation of programs for sharing best practices and learning opportunities that encourage innovation and experimentation in the educational process.
How does Shell Bulgaria contribute to improving education and implementing technology in Bulgaria?
At Shell, we believe that collaboration between business and education is strategically important for building a sustainable innovation ecosystem and bridges between academia and industry, giving young people a real opportunity to find professional realization in Bulgaria. For nearly 20 years, we have worked directly with students in engineering fields who develop energy-efficient vehicles and represent our country in the international Shell Eco-marathon competition. Through this initiative, we support young talent in Bulgaria in creating innovations in mobility.
Launched long before sustainability became a mainstream topic, the program challenges students to design a vehicle that can travel the maximum distance with minimal energy consumption. By promoting the initiative and the participating schools and universities, we encourage interest in STEM disciplines, making them more accessible and inspiring for young people. But the program offers much more—alongside technical skills, participants develop creative thinking, innovation, and leadership. Moreover, Shell Eco-marathon becomes a real training ground where participants test their creations, solve complex problems, and develop key skills sought by any business. In 2026, eight Bulgarian teams from six educational institutions will participate in the international championship in Poland, and over the years more than 120 Bulgarian students have taken part in the initiative.
Shell Bulgaria is a member of “EdTech Bulgaria”. Why did you join?
Joining EdTech Bulgaria was a natural continuation of our efforts to develop programs that promote STEM skills, their application, and popularization. For us, EdTech Bulgaria provides a platform for exchanging ideas, joint projects, and partnerships that accelerate technological development in education, as well as an opportunity to reach a wider range of educational institutions that can join the competition for innovative and energy-efficient solutions in the Shell Eco-marathon. In this way, we hope to contribute to the creation and implementation of innovative solutions and practices that will drive forward Bulgarian education.
What does “EdTech Bulgaria” bring to organizations, users, and education in Bulgaria?
The organization creates an ecosystem—a space where companies, educational institutions, startups, and users can work together. Here we find like-minded people who are committed to modernizing Bulgarian education and making it competitive in the context of technological advancement. EdTech Bulgaria facilitates faster exchange of ideas, better access to innovative solutions, and a clearer understanding of the real needs of education. Ultimately, students, teachers, and the economy as a whole benefit.
What does the EdTech ecosystem in Bulgaria need most?
Bulgaria has enough high-quality EdTech products, motivated entrepreneurs, and access to technology, but it lacks a “living laboratory” connecting schools, universities, and industry. The Shell Eco-marathon is exactly such a laboratory, where students do not “study for a test,” but design real engineering solutions. It demonstrates that this model works and should be applied on a larger scale.
What kind of support is missing for EdTech companies?
In Bulgaria, we tend to digitalize traditional education instead of rethinking it. We believe that EdTech companies need a higher level of trust and the opportunity not just to make old models more efficient—but to make them obsolete.
What advice would you give to startups in the education sector?
Be ready to change mindsets and stereotypes, and think long-term and sustainably; be open to close collaboration with teachers, students, institutions, and businesses, as this is a shared cause; focus on real, measurable results.
Can Bulgaria become a leader in EdTech, and in which direction?
Yes, Bulgaria has real potential to position itself as an EdTech leader, building on its well-developed software sector. The country has highly qualified specialists, established technological expertise, and an entrepreneurial spirit which—if guided by a clear vision and effective governance—can be directed toward creating competitive educational technologies. If this expertise is systematically connected with the needs of education, Bulgaria can not only develop effective solutions for the domestic market but also build sustainable international leadership in EdTech.
How do you see the future of education, and what will be the role of technology?
The future of education in Bulgaria will be less focused on memorization and more on solving real-world problems. Students will learn through practice, projects, and case-based work, similar to formats like the Shell Eco-marathon, where knowledge is applied rather than simply reproduced.
Technology will play a key but supporting role—it will make learning more personalized and flexible, but it will not replace the teacher. On the contrary, the teacher’s role will evolve into that of a mentor and mediator between knowledge and the real world.
The connection with business will also become increasingly important—companies like Shell will actively participate through real cases and practical experience, while organizations like EdTech Bulgaria will help connect the entire ecosystem. In practice, technology will not transform education on its own, but it will act as a catalyst for a shift toward more practical, connected, and meaningful learning.