During the concluding event of DisInfoHack 2026 at the Sofia University’s GATE Institute on Monday, the university’s rector, Prof. Georgi Valchev, emphasized the necessity for young people to cultivate robust critical thinking skills. He stated that these abilities are crucial for distinguishing authentic information from misleading or manipulated content.
According to the rector, initiatives like DisInfoHack play a vital role in bridging the gap between established facts and disinformation within the current information ecosystem. Valchev stressed that the youth must be equipped to meet the challenges of the modern world by taking an active part in developing a sustainable information environment. He further cautioned that even seemingly reliable information can sometimes be co-opted and utilized as disinformation.
DisInfoHack itself is part of a broader effort under the three-year project titled Countering Disinformation Environment (Ecosystem) in Bulgaria (CoDE). The project is designed to strengthen information resilience using a scientific methodology. The implementation involves a collaboration between Sofia University and several key departments: the GATE Institute, the European Studies Department of the Faculty of Philosophy, and the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration.
This effort is further supported by partnerships with the Institute of Information and Communication Technologies at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and the European Software Institute. The overall goal remains fostering a scientifically grounded defense against the spread of false narratives.
Topics: #university #rector #critical
It is crucial that educational institutions prioritize teaching critical thinking skills to combat the spread of misinformation.
What specific resources or programs does the university recommend for developing critical thinking skills in students?