09 Jun 2026
The Business Open Day 2026 career forum, a major initiative aimed at building lasting connections between businesses, education and young people, is taking place today at Trakia University. The university is hosting business representatives, members of the academic community and young people seeking opportunities for professional development and employment.
The forum is organised through the joint efforts of the Municipality of Stara Zagora, Invest Stara Zagora and Trakia University, which work to strengthen links between education and the labour market and support young people’s career development in the region.
With a message of unity between institutions, businesses and academia, Radostin Tanev, Deputy Mayor of Stara Zagora, welcomed participants and guests. He emphasised that the event is another example of a successful partnership supporting the development of the city and its young people.
He noted that an effective model of cooperation between local government, the university and businesses is already taking shape in Stara Zagora. “We want to show that educational institutions, employers and young people can come together in one place and have an open conversation about their future,” Tanev said.
He highlighted the municipality’s efforts to attract investment and create new jobs, emphasising its ambition to establish Stara Zagora as a leading industrial centre in Bulgaria. According to the Deputy Mayor, the development of industrial zones and the attraction of investors are expected to create more than 4,000 jobs in the coming years.
“We believe that Stara Zagora has the potential to become Bulgaria’s next industrial heart,” he added.
The event brings together more than 20 leading companies from the region and hundreds of students from Trakia University’s Faculty of Economics, Faculty of Agriculture, Faculty of Technics and Technologies in Yambol, and newly established Faculty of Digital and Green Technologies.
Associate Professor Tsvetoslav Koynarski, PhD, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs, emphasised that Business Open Day bridges education and practice, connecting young people with employers who believe in their potential. He thanked businesses for their partnership and their confidence in young professionals.
The forum aims to connect undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral students with employers and introduce them to internship and career opportunities, providing direct contact with businesses and up-to-date labour market information.
The event began with presentations in which companies introduced their operations, vacancies and professional development opportunities. These were followed by a career exhibition, enabling direct meetings between employers and future professionals, exchanges of ideas and new professional connections.
A highlight of this year’s edition is the inclusion of site visits to enterprises in Stara Zagora, expanding the forum’s traditional format. In the afternoon, students will gain first-hand insight into real working environments, production processes and technologies across different industries.
Official guests included representatives of national and local government, deans and academic leaders. Among them was Deputy Regional Governor Zoya Koleva, who wished the event every success.
Business Open Day 2026 forms part of the Municipality of Stara Zagora’s efforts to support the local economy, retain young people in the region and encourage lasting partnerships between education and businesses.
