The Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” officially joined the University Network for Cultural Routes Studies in August 2026, following the signing of a general framework cooperation agreement with the European Institute of Cultural Routes (EICR).

Sofia University has expertise in a range of fields relevant to Cultural Routes, including cultural heritage, tourism, geography, history, archaeology, anthropology, museology, sustainable development and digital humanities. It offers Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes in areas such as cultural tourism, ethnology and cultural anthropology, Old Bulgarian Studies, preservation of cultural heritage and tourism geography. These programmes combine academic study with fieldwork and international mobility.

The University has a particularly strong connection with the Cyril and Methodius Route, reflecting its historical and academic links to Saints Cyril and Methodius and their disciples, including St. Kliment of Ohrid, the University’s patron. In 2025, Sofia University joined the Cyril and Methodius Route, further strengthening its contribution to the study and promotion of this shared European heritage. The University’s Main Building is itself a historic landmark and is often included in cultural and religious walking tours of Sofia.

Its academic and research activities include conferences, seminars, student field schools and projects. Among these are the Colloquium of Old Bulgarian Studies, the annual “Rila Wondermaker” pilgrimage route and activities dedicated to the digitisation of church heritage. The University also hosts specialised research centres and participates in European research projects and international academic networks.

Through its membership in the University Network for Cultural Routes Studies, Sofia University will further strengthen academic cooperation and knowledge exchange, support student engagement with Cultural Routes, and contribute its expertise to the activities of the Cultural Routes Programme.