Department of Mechanical Science, Machine Elements and Engineering Graphics

The Department of "Mechanical Science, Machine Elements and Engineering Graphics" is one of the oldest in the University of Ruse "Angel Kanchev". The roots of its creation must be sought in the first department "Mechanical Science and Machine Elements" headed by Prof. Karl Slavomirov, PhD, formed in 1947.

In the autumn of 1954, Eng. Ivan Nedelchev was appointed to the department as a teacher, and in March 1955, Eng. Minyu Khadzhiminev, with his rich practical experience, became the head of a collective department with disciplines: Machine Drawing, Machine Elements, Theory of Machines and Mechanisms, Lifting and Transporting Machines and Hydraulics. Under his leadership, the young team is directed towards the development of educational and research work with the problems of practice.

In the initial stage (1954 - 1962) the development of the department was characterized by overcoming difficulties related to: completing the composition of the department, organizing the educational process in the modest conditions of the former French college "Santa Maria", carrying out a small-scale, but significant research work in an applied aspect. In 1962, Prof. Ivan Nedelchev, PhD became the head of the collective department.

A new qualitative moment in the training was the creation of a training laboratory on Machine Elements in 1966. With the active participation of the newly hired assistants, laboratory equipment (stands) were created, on which, for the first time in the country, laboratory exercises on machine elements began.
In 1972, with the establishment of a close interaction with the MZ "Modul" - town of Byala, where in the period 1972 - 1976 production was modernized and new ranges of reducers were developed: RCR; RCS; RCN, RC and DRC and engine - planetary reducers. 

In March 1973, the department "Machine elements and technical drawing" was formed, headed by Assoc. Prof, Ivan P. Dimitrov, PhD, with 20 teachers and assistants.

Since 1974, a post-graduate course "Drive of machines and equipment" has been created at the "Machine Elements and Technical Drawing" department with specialists from various production and scientific units.

In 1977, the Technical Drawing department was separated into an independent department under the leadership of Assoc. Prof.  Slava Ruseva, PhD. New disciplines were introduced: Basics of Standardization, Technical Aesthetics, Ergonomics and Engineering Psychology. The Department of Mechanical Elements remains with 12 professors and assistants, of which: 3 professors, 6 associate professors and 3 chap. the assistant.

Since 1984, the discipline "History of Technology" has been introduced to the Department of Machine Elements (the second university in our country after VMEI - Sofia).

A little-known fact: from 1982 to 1986, every year enthusiasts from the department under the leadership of Prof. Petar Nenov, PhD swam the Danube River from Regensburg to the delta with self-propelled platforms constructed and made by them (legalized by the SEC).

In 1988, a Machine Graphics laboratory was created and equipped at the Department of Technical Drawing.

In 1999, the Department of Technical Drawing was renamed Engineering Graphics.

In 2004 the Department of Machine Elements is renamed to the Department of Mechanical Science and Machine Elements, in which lectures are given on the disciplines: Machine Elements-I; Machine elements-II; Machine elements and mechanisms and Mechanical Science.

In 2008, the Departments of Engineering Graphics and Mechanical Science and Machine Elements merged again into one Department of Mechanical Science, Machine Elements and Engineering Graphics.

Field of Physics

The Department of Physics was founded in 1946.

In 2011, the "Physics" department celebrated the 50th anniversary of the first manned space flight. On this occasion, Russian spaceman Viktor Savinikh and the first Bulgarian spaceman Georgi Ivanov were guests at the University of Ruse, who enjoyed a warm welcome.

Since 2020, the two departments have been merged into one "Mechanical Science, Machine Elements and Engineering Graphics and Physics" (MSMEEGP)