From November 15 to 17, 2024, Burgas hosted the first edition of the DigiEduHack hackathon in Bulgaria. The event was held under the motto “Gamification in Schools” and brought together young talents, IT specialists and innovators who developed ideas for improving the learning process through game methods.
DigiEduHack – An Initiative of the European Commission
DigiEduHack is part of the European Commission’s global initiative – Digital Education Action Plan (DEAP), which aims to promote innovation, collaboration and creativity in digital education. In 2024, hackathons were held in 41 cities in Europe, with Bulgaria participating for the first time. You can learn more about the initiative at: https://digieduhack.com.
„DigiEduHack is a unique opportunity to unite innovation, technology and education. We are proud that Burgas is the first city in Bulgaria to participate in this initiative. We thank all participants and partners for the incredible contribution! – said Petko Georgiev, Chairman of the Board of DIGIHUB.
Organization and Support
The hackathon was organized by DIGIHUB, Teleric Academy, Burgas Free University, ICT Cluster Burgas, hosted by Central Park Burgas and supported by Enterprise Europe Network (EEN). Strypes was the official sponsor of the event, and the media partners – DevStyler and Burgas Municipality – ensured the wide visibility of the event.
What happened?
Day 1 – November 15, 2024: Opening and Ideas
The event began with an official opening, in which the participants were welcomed by the chairman of DIGIHUB Petko Georgiev. Speakers such as Stanko Yanev, Tatyana Shurelova and Bozhidar Bozhkov shared inspiring examples of gamification in education. The participants, divided into 11 teams, began developing their concepts with the support of mentors.
Day 2 – November 16, 2024: Development and Teamwork
The second day was dedicated to intensive work on the projects. Mentors such as Dimitar Todorov, Veselin Stoilov, Kiril Aleksiev, Ioana Krumova and Bozhidar Bozhkov provided expert assistance, guiding participants in developing their ideas.
Day 3 – November 17, 2024: Presentations and Awards
The teams presented their projects to a jury including representatives of business and education:
- Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dimitar Minchev – BSU
- Hristo Kovachev – CEO of Orbis
- Petar Petrov – Deputy Director of PGEE “Konstantin Fotinov”
- Hristina Toteva – Telerik Academy
- Bozhidar Bozhkov – English Language School “Geo Milev”
Winners
- First place: Team GooseSoft with the project Programingo – students from PGEE “Konstantin Fotinov” Burgas.
- Second place: Team Go6o with the project GigaLearn – students from Burgas Free University.
- Third place: Team Forcefinity with the project SIVIRO – students from PPMG “Acad. Nikola Obreshkov“ Burgas.
The winners will have the opportunity to present their projects at an international level within the global platform DigiEduHack.
Acknowledgements
We thank everyone who made the hackathon possible:
- Speakers: Stanko Yanev, Tatyana Shurelova, Bozhidar Bozhkov.
- Mentors: Dimitar Todorov, Veselin Stoilov, Kiril Aleksiev, Yoana Krumova, Bozhidar Bozhkov.
- Moderator: Stoyan Uzunov.
- Jury: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dimitar Minchev, Hristo Kovachev, Petar Petrov, Hristina Toteva, Bozhidar Bozhkov.
- Sponsor: Strypes, who with their support contributed to the successful holding of the event.
What’s next?
The “Gamification in Schools” hackathon showed how innovations can change the future of education. We continue to work to create platforms that unite talents and businesses to stimulate creativity and digital transformation. Expect more events and initiatives from DIGIHUB and our partners!
