Registration, coffee and networking
Pick up your conference badge, have a morning coffee and meet fellow attendees before the official start.
Schedule
Three days at UNWE, Sofia, from 29 to 31 October 2026.
Education and regulation
Registration Opening ceremony Official opening
Welcome remarks by the Rector of UNWE, the Director of the Institute of Cryptoeconomics, Blockchain and Innovation, and representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science, the FSC and the European Commission.
Coffee break Coffee and networking
A short break for coffee and refreshments before the next session.
Plenary session Global trends in academic education on blockchain and cryptoeconomics
How leading institutions are shaping the future of blockchain and crypto-finance, with reports from the University of Nicosia (Cyprus), ETH Zurich and the Vienna University of Economics and Business. Special guests include Prof. Dimitar Dimitrov, Rector of UNWE; Prof. Sotir Sotirov, Rector of Burgas State University “Prof. Dr. Asen Zlatarov”; Vasil Golemanski, Chairperson of the Financial Supervision Commission; and Prof. Christopher P. Buttigieg of the University of Malta.
Coffee break Networking and coffee break
Recharge with refreshments and connect with speakers and participants in an informal setting.
Panel Panel 1: Curriculum models and competencies
A comparative analysis of university models from the EU, USA and Asia, with a discussion of essential skills, academic standards and the future of blockchain education.
Lunch Official networking lunch
A formal lunch at the university, with time for informal discussion and partnerships between academia and industry.
Panel Panel 2: Regulation, MiCA and academic impact
The MiCA (Markets in Crypto-Assets) framework and its direct influence on blockchain training, research standards and compliance in Europe.
Coffee break Afternoon coffee and networking
A final break before the workshops and a chance for follow-up questions with the regulatory panel.
Workshops Workshops: practical implementation and standards
Three specialised sessions: curriculum design for cryptoeconomics; blockchain labs and infrastructure; regulatory simulations and case studies. Choose your group for an interactive deep dive.
Roundtable Roundtable: building an international academic network in blockchain and cryptoeconomics
Dinner Dinner and networking
Dinner for conference participants, speakers and guests.
Technology and research
Plenary session Regulation and innovation: Bulgaria, the new crypto hub of the EU
How regulatory frameworks, technological innovation and the cryptoeconomy interact in Bulgaria, and what it takes to establish the country as a leading European hub for blockchain, digital assets and financial innovation. With representatives of the Financial Supervision Commission.
Coffee break Networking and coffee break
Recharge with refreshments and connect with speakers and participants.
Parallel sessions
Panel Panel 3: Blockchain, Web3 and tokenomics: technological and economic models
Contemporary blockchain architectures, Web3 ecosystems and tokenomics, and the technological and economic mechanisms behind decentralised systems and digital assets.
Panel Panel 4: Industry–university collaboration: projects, requirements and opportunities
Joint research projects, educational initiatives and innovation partnerships, with a focus on knowledge transfer, talent development and long-term cooperation.
Lunch Lunch break
Lunch and informal conversation with participants, speakers and guests.
Parallel sessions
Scientific session Scientific and poster session: cryptoeconomics, blockchain and artificial intelligence
Students, PhD candidates and researchers present current work and discuss emerging ideas, methods and findings.
Panel Panel 5: Tokenisation of real-world assets for business, financial markets and public administration
The theory, practical applications, implementation challenges and future opportunities of real-world asset tokenisation in financial and digital ecosystems.
Coffee break Networking and coffee break
Recharge with refreshments and connect with speakers and participants.
Parallel sessions
Panel Panel 6: Regulating crypto-asset activities in third countries: best practice
Supervisory models, authorisation requirements and enforcement practice outside the EU, and what they mean for firms seeking access to the EU market.
Panel Panel 7: Institutional blockchain adoption and the ECB’s path to DLT settlement
Tokenised financial infrastructure, the conditions set by MiCA and DORA, and the opportunities and challenges for banks, regulators and treasurers in Bulgaria’s first year in the euro area.
Dinner Dinner
Dinner for conference participants, speakers and guests.
Standards and declaration
Roundtable Closing session and the Sofia Declaration on Academic Standards in Cryptoeconomics and Blockchain Education
A review of the conference outcomes and discussion of the Sofia Declaration. Participants exchange perspectives, outline future cooperation and formally adopt the Declaration.
Lunch Farewell lunch
Lunch for conference participants, speakers and guests.
The programme may change. All times are Eastern European Time (EET, UTC+2).
Join the conversation that shapes the future of finance education
29–31 October 2026 at UNWE, Sofia. In person or online.