Round-Table Conference on The Vision and Strategy of The Intelligent Transport Systems Development in Bulgaria

The Economics of Transport Department jointly with the Bulgarian Association Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS Bulgaria) organized a Round Table Conference on the Vision and Strategy of the Intelligent Transport Systems Development in Bulgaria. The event was held in the Large Conference Hall of the university and it was opened by the Head of the Economics of Transport Department Prof. Dr. Violeta Mutafchieva and by the Chairman of the Managing Board of ITS Bulgaria Rumen Mihaylov.

Prof. Mutafchieva is opening the Forum. On the right next to her: Rumen Mihaylov

Prof. Mutafchieva greeted the participants and expressed her gratification that the UNWE and the Economics of Transport Department had had the opportunity being the host and co-organizers of that significant Forum. She outlined the important contribution of Master`s degree programme in Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) at the Economics of Transport Department for the preparation of competent professionals for that specific sector and expressed her thankfulness to the ITS Bulgaria for the assistance and useful cooperation in the elaboration of the programme.

The participants in the Round Table Conference were also greeted by Rumen Mihaylov.  He outlined the discussion frames presenting the main thematic fields and issues.

In the Large Conference Hall

Experts from the Ministry of Transport, Information Technologies and Communications, Sofia Municipality administration, Roads Infrastructure Agency, from the scientific research circles of UNWE, Technical University, University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy, Higher School of Telecommunications and Posts, Bulgarian Academy of Science, etc. as well as representatives of various companies implementing projects in the field of road infrastructure engineering, telecommunications and information technologies in the transport, discussed important issues of ITS Development in Bulgaria.

The Round Table Conference was thematically divided into two panels. During the first panel were discussed the issues related to the short term plans for ITS development in Bulgaria. Objects of discussion were: the institutional frame for ITS incorporation in Bulgaria; issues of ITS incorporation in the urban environment; challenges and solutions in the provision of multimodal mobility of people and goods; opportunities, issues and perspectives of joint use of ITS and incorporation of systems of traffic management.

Participants in the Round Table Conference

During the second panel were discussed the long term plans of ITS development. The main accents of discussions were the mobility as a service, electro mobility, sustainable urban development, complex solutions against the patch work, etc.

The participants in the Round Table Conference accepted a common statement about the vision and strategy of ITS development which will be presented at the Ministry of Transport, Information Technologies and Communications for including it in the national strategy of ITS incorporation.