The University of Food Technologies (UFT) in Plovdiv has a semi-centennial history and rich traditions. It is the successor to the Higher Institute of Food and Flavour Industries (HIFFI) founded in 1953 as an education and science centre in the area of food technology, the only one of its type in the country and on the Balkan Peninsula. Following its successful accreditation in January 2003, the HIFFI was transformed into a university pursuant to a Decision of the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria.

The UFT now offers Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD programs in the technology, engineering and economics of the food, flavour and biotechnological industries. At the beginning of the new 21st century, the University of Food Technologies employs an impressive, highly qualified scientific and teaching staff and provides training in modern and up-to-date programs. Thus, it can meet one of the greatest challenges to mankind: achieving quality of life through safe and healthy food. It is our firm belief that this can be guaranteed by the young specialists who receive outstanding training at the UFT.

The University of Food Technologies-Plovdiv (UFT) was established officially on 10-th June, 1953 by the decree No 230 of the President of Parliament according to which the UFT-Plovdiv became an independent higher educational establishment. The first Rector of the newly founded Higher Institute of Food and Flavor Industries - Prof. Ilyia Pavlov, was appointed on July 31, 1953. At the beginning some of the departments (Electrical Engineering, Wine -Making Technology, Technology of Milk and Milk Products, Technology of Fruits and Vegetables) were situated in the building of the ex French College. The Dean’s Office and the Departments of Inorganic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Technology of Meat and Fish, etc. occupied the reconstructed tobacco store house "Draganovs` Brothers" situated in the near neighborhood. The Department of Technology of Tobacco and Tobacco Products was situated in tobacco store house "Tomasjan", in 24 "Veliko Tarnovo" street, and the Department of Vegetable Oils, Soaps and Essential oils - in 8 "Cyril and Methodi" street. The official opening ceremony of the building, where the UFT has been accommodated by now was on February 10th, 1963. During the years 1963 - 1967 the Sports and Recuperative Center on the dam of Batak was established, and during the years 1972 - 1976 the Sports Complex on the banks of the Maritza River was opened.

During the years of its development, the UFT-Plovdiv had developed versatile international contacts and an active international activity. In 1965 the first bilateral co-operation agreements were signed with the Moscow Institute of Food Industry, Russia and the Polytechnic Institute of Galatz, Romania. During the period 1927-1978, bilateral co-operation agreements were signed with the Moscow Technological Institute of Meat and milk Industries (now the Moscow State University of Applied Biotechnology), the Kiev Technological Institute of Food Industries, the Krasnodar Polytechnic Institute - Russia, the Humboldt University - Berlin, Germany, the Chemical and Technological Institute - Prague, Czechoslovakia, universities in Szeged, Hungary.

In 1979 - 1990 the international co-operation was extended and agreements with the Agricultural University - the Athens, Greece, the Leningrad Technological Institute of Refrigeration Industry, the Odessa Technological Institute, the Moscow Institute of Refrigeration Machine building, the Kutaj Technological Institute, Russia, the Agricultural Academy - Poznan, Poland, a bilateral co-operation with the Krasnodar Polytechnic Institute, Russia and with the Technical University - Berlin, Germany, to which the Faculty of Food Technology of the Humboldt University had joined, were signed. Some new agreements were signed with the Moscow State University of Applied Biotechnology - Russia, the Kuban State University - Krasnodar, Russia, the Agricultural University of the Habei Province of China.

Since 1994, the Institute was included in the educational research projects financed by the EC on the programs, respectively TEMPUS and COPERNICUS, and an active international exchange programs were implemented, as follows: in 1998 the UFT-Plovdiv participated in 17 projects. During the period of 1994-1998, in TEMPUS projects 162 lecturers had participated, and in COPERNICUS project - 52 ones. Lecturers from the UFT-Plovdiv visited different European universities in order to be able to prepare new lecture courses and to improve their own lecture courses. More than 10 students also had taken partial training abroad.

Today, the UFT-Plovdiv is a prestigious national center for food science, technology and education. The University has adopted the three level structure of training - Bachelor - 4 years, Master – year and a half and PhD - 3 years.

TECHNOLOGICAL FACULTY:

- Department of Inorganic Chemistry and Physical Chemistry
- Department of Analytical Chemistry
- Department of Inorganic Chemistry and Microbiology
- Department of Technology of Beer and Wine
- Department of Technology of Grain, Bread and Fodder Products
- Department of Technology of Milk and Milk Products
- Department of Canning and Refrigeration Technology
- Department of Technology of Meat and Fish
- Department of Technology of Tobacco, Sugar, Vegetable and Essential Oils
- Department of Biotechnology

ENGINEERING FACULTY:

- Department of Technical Mechanics and Mechanics
- Department of Processes and Apparatuses
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Electronics
- Department of Industrial Heat Engineering
- Department of Machines and Equipment for the Food and Flavor Industries
- Department of Automatics, Information and Control Technique
- Department of Computer Systems and Technologies

ECONOMICS FACULTY:

- Department of Economics and Management
- Department of Catering, Tourism and Foreign Languages Training
- Department of Mathematical and Physical Sciences
- Department of Informatics and Statistics
- Department of Physical Education and Sports
- Center of Computer Technologies and Communications

University website: Higher Institute of Food and Flavour Industries