The European Software Institute (ESI), formally known as European Software Institute Center Eastern Europe, was established in December 2003 as an initiative of ESI (Spain), BASSCOM (Bulgarian Association of Software Companies), with the support of the Ministry of Transport and Communications, UNDP (Bulgaria) and USAID (Bulgaria).
At the end of April 2006, ESI (Spain) honoured ESI Center Bulgaria with a unique award – for its contribution to developing best practices in Public Private Partnership in the IT sector and its achievements in regional cooperation. In July 2007 ESI Center Bulgaria was officially authorized to operate under the name ESI CENTER EASTERN EUROPE. Fast forward to 2024, and the organization has undergone another name change. It is now officially known as European Software Institute.
ESI implements large-scale projects at national and regional levels in more than 12 countries in strategic partnership with national USAID programs, EBRD (BAS/TAM), World Bank, UNDP, GTZ, and other public and private funds. At the regional level, ESI Center works on multi-country projects for USAID-RCI (Regional Competitiveness Initiative) and GTZ-ORF (Open Regional Fund for Foreign Trade Promotion in South-East Europe).
Founders
With the support of
European Software Institute’s Initial Mission and Activities
Complete cycle of services in Software Process Improvement –
- Consulting, training, and appraisals in implementing methodologies for process maturity – CMMI, strategic management – BITS, efficient software development – REUSE, software process assessment – SPICE.
- Assistance and monitoring in national and regional scale IT project implementation to promote efficiency in solutions for e-government, e-justice, e-commerce, and industry competitiveness.
- Development of long-term projects in key technological areas: to promote capacity building, standards of excellence in R&D, and the use of IT.
- Strengthening relations among academic research, education, and the software industry for joint participation in R&D projects and provision of practical experience for young software specialists.
- Raising IT awareness for all members of society by managing projects to enhance and test IT skills and develop e-readiness among society and businesses.
ESI Global Alliance
ESI Bulgaria was a founder of ESI Centers Global Alliance, part of a global pool for knowledge and experience. ESI Centers Global Alliance Members were:
- ESICenter TEC de Monterrey, Guadalajara, Mexico
- ESICenter UNISINOS, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
- ESICenter Australia, Melbourne, Australia
- ESICenter SSEAC, Shanghai, China
On May 20, 2014 (Tuesday), we celebrated with partners and friends the e-leadership initiative in Europe and the 10th anniversary of ESI CEE!
ESI Center was a co-organizer of a 1-day regional cluster event on e-leadership and e-competences in IT-intensive industries. It took place in Sofia, Bulgaria (at the New Bulgarian University) and was complemented by our 10 years anniversary party the same evening.
Dr. Paul Nielsen from SEI (Carnegie Mellon University), Richard M. Soley from OMG (Object Management Group), André Richier from the European Commission DG Enterprise and Industry, and other distinguished speakers delivered keynote talks and joined the anniversary event.
Read more about the conference here: https://eskills-guide.eu/events/bulgaria/
20th anniversary of ESI CEE
On May 22, 2024, ESI CEE celebrates its 20th anniversary with the Back to the Cyber Future Conference, a full-day summit of talks, activities, and workshops dedicated to emerging technologies at the intersection of cybersecurity and AI at the Cybersecurity Laboratory in Sofia Tech Park. This full day of talks and seminars is dedicated to the intersection of cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and business operations, emphasizing the advancements and integration of these fields in Eastern Europe in the face of change and adversity.
The conference provides a rich agenda of activities, including expert-led talks by distinguished speakers such as Dr. Paul D. Nielsen, Dr. Muhammad Azmat, Matteo Merialdo, Ana Ayerbe, Madison Leeson, Teodora Bozheva, Scott Cadzow and others, interactive workshops, and extensive networking opportunities. It will also feature a panel discussion on CYBRID Warfare and concludes with the “20 Years ESI CEE: Orbiting Ales Rocket Science Party” at the Earth and Man National Museum.
Alongside the main conference, the DPISESIA Scientific Workshop, which is a part of the International Conference on Information Systems, Embedded Systems, and Intelligent Applications (ISESIA), offers attendees deeper insights into current research and developments in cybersecurity. Organized by Sofia University’s Department of Computer Informatics and the Bulgarian Chapter of the Association for Information Systems (BulAIS), this workshop aims to foster academic and practical discussions on cutting-edge security technologies.