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Real Solutions to Digital Challenges in Diploma Defenses at Varna Free University
29 Април 2025
Varna Free University hosted the master's thesis defenses in the professional field of Informatics and Computer Science. 12 graduates majoring in Cybersecurity, Software Engineering and Management, Data Science and Digital Marketing and Web Design presented their thesis defenses. Two of them stood out for their practical significance and high relevance.
Ivelina Antimova and Madelen Stoycheva
Ivelina Antimova, a graduate student from Cybersecurity with scientific director Prof. Dr. Yulian Tsonev, defended her thesis on the topic 'Cybersecurity Training as an Obligation and Necessity in the Educational System'. As part of her research, she conducted an experiment at the school where she works in Silistra to investigate the level of awareness of cyber threats among students and teachers. With the permission of the school administration, she sent a fake email from a mirror email address resembling the official one. The message included a link to a fake form related to receiving a paycheck. The results showed that 58.8% of the teachers filled out the form, while 41.2% refrained - a clear indicator of insufficient skill in recognizing phishing attacks. Ivelina Antimova also conducted a micro-experiment among fifth-grade students. Without prior preparation, 20 out of 24 students responded to a simulated phishing attack. After a short informational talk, only 5 out of 24 students failed.
Based on the results obtained, Ivelina Antimova developed a cybersecurity training programme for fifth-grade students, divided into four lessons and two practical assignments with a total duration of 6 school hours. The programme aims to raise awareness and reduce the risk of cyber incidents in the school environment. The thesis got excellent marks, and the state examination committee, chaired by Prof. Dr. Teodora Bakardzhieva, recommended continuing the research within the framework of a doctoral dissertation.
Madlen Stoycheva, a graduate student from Software Engineering and Management with a scientific director Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vesselina Spasova, presented her thesis on the topic 'Integration of Artificial Intelligence in the Work Environment of Software Teams'. Through a survey of more than 100 software professionals, she found that 63% have been using generative artificial intelligence for less than a year, although 60% have over 5 years of professional experience. The most used tool is ChatGPT (84%), followed by GitHub Copilot (43%) and Gemini (21%). The main benefits of AI cited are 'time saved per task' (61%) and 'increased productivity' (55%), with the average productivity rating being 5.99/10. Only 36% of the companies provide paid access to AI tools. Based on the analysis, Madeleine suggested developing a sample internal policy for integrating AI in organizations, based on international ethical norms and good practices. She also received an excellent mark for her work. Madlen Stoycheva is currently preparing a scientific publication on the topic, continuing to collect data through the survey, available to experts working in the IT sector, at: https://freeonlinesurveys.com/s/D5cSSxM5.
The diploma theses of the graduates establish Varna Free University as a key center for training highly qualified specialists in the field of Informatics and Computer Science, where innovative thinking, critical analysis and the practical applicability of scientific ideas are encouraged.