At the Solemn Session of the Senate of the University of Skopje, which was held today, May 12, 2023, at the proposal of the Faculty of Computer Science and by the Decision of the Senate of the University, Prof. PhD. Miglena Petrova Temelkova-Bakalova, Rector of the University of Telecommunications and Posts from Sofia, Bulgaria, was awarded the title of Honorary Professor, Professor Honoris Causa, due to her particular contribution to the development of cooperation and academic exchange in the field of higher education.

Prof. PhD. Miglena Petrova Temelkova-Bakalova has completed undergraduate studies in finance and postgraduate studies in law, with specialization at Georgetown University in Washington in 2014. In 2008, she obtained a Doctor of Science degree in the field of organization and management in production at the Technical University of Varna, and was elected as an assistant professor in the period 2010-2014 at the Free University of Varna, as well as at the University of Telecommunications and Posts in the period 2016-2017. She was elected as a full professor at the University of Telecommunications and Posts in 2017, as its vice-rector in the period from 2017 to 2019 and as its rector from 2019. Professor Temelkova is the youngest rector in Bulgaria and one of the first women to hold this high management position in higher education in that country.

During the presentation of the title, the rector of the University, prof. PhD. Ace Milenkovski, wished a warm welcome to the new member in the family of the University of Skopje, where universal academic and human values are shared, such as Professor Temelkova herself possesses and demonstrates in her exceptional professional, professorial, research, social, scientific, leadership, but also humanitarian activity. He expressed the hope that Temelkova's involvement in the future will contribute even more to the improvement of the quality of educational programs at the University of Skopje, as well as to the development of educational cooperation between the two Universities, as well as the two sister countries.

„This title is proof that by investing in trust and friendship, prejudices can be overcome in a very short time and bridges of cooperation can be built between two institutions, but also between two countries, based on shared values of excellence in education as the foundation of the development of a society. Thank you for the honor. I also thank my family, but also my colleagues from the University of Telecommunications and Posts, because without their support I would not be here today", said the new honorary doctor of the University in his appropriate address on the occasion of the ceremonial presentation of the title.

On this occasion, Professor Temelkova presented Prof. PhD Ace Milenkovski, the rector of Skopje University, a book with a personal dedication from the former president of Bulgaria, Mr. Georgi Parvanov, a gift specially chosen to symbolize the values on which the cooperation between University of Skopje and the University of Posts and Telecommunications is based: commitment to education and building bridges on the foundations of mutual respect and trust.

The title of Honorary Professor is awarded by universities to express their positive attitude towards people, ideas and works, and is a reflection of the academic connection to universal values that distinguish the recipients of these honorary titles. Rector Temelkova is the first rector and the first professor from Bulgaria to be honored with this title at our University.