At the conclusion of the DisInfoHack 2026 event, held at the GATE Institute of Sofia University on Monday, the institution’s rector, Prof. Georgi Valchev, addressed the necessity for young people to cultivate strong critical thinking skills. Valchev stressed that these skills are essential for distinguishing verifiable facts from misleading content in the current information landscape.
He stated that events such as DisInfoHack play a crucial role in narrowing the gap between factual reporting and deliberate manipulation. The rector urged the youth to prepare actively for the challenges of the modern world, advocating for their proactive involvement in establishing a sustainable information environment. Furthermore, Valchev cautioned that the potential for misuse extends even to otherwise reliable information sources.
DisInfoHack operates as an initiative stemming from the three-year project, Countering Disinformation Environment (Ecosystem) in Bulgaria (CoDE). This project employs a scientific methodology aimed at strengthening overall information resilience. The implementation effort involves Sofia University through its GATE Institute, alongside the European Studies Department of the Faculty of Philosophy and the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration.
These academic bodies are collaborating with external partners, including the Institute of Information and Communication Technologies at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and the European Software Institute. The focus remains on bolstering academic capacity to navigate complex digital information streams.
Topics: #university #rector #critical
This focus on critical thinking is so necessary in today’s media landscape.