First Visit of the New American Ambassador H. E. Kenneth Merten to the UNWE

The new American Ambassador to Bulgaria H. E. Kenneth Mertens visited the UNWE. On behalf of the Rector Prof. Dr. Dimitar Dimitrov he was welcomed by Prof. Dr. Matilda Alexandrova, Vice Rector for Educational Activities and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mihail Musov, Vice Rector for Research and International Affairs. The Ambassador was accompanied by his wife - Mrs. Susan Greenman Merten and the Counselor for Public Affairs at the US Embassy in Bulgaria - Mr. Jeffrey Weinshenker. The meeting was attended by Prof. Amanda Ferguson, Professor of Organizational Behavior at Northern Illinois University /NIU/ - USA, which has a Double Executive MBA Programme jointly with our university and Mrs. Annie Filipova, NIU Representative for Eastern Europe, member of the NIU MBA Board of Executive Advisors.

Н. E. Kenneth Merten, his wife Mrs. Susan Greenman Merten, Prof. Amanda Ferguson, Mr. Jeffrey Weinshenker, Mrs. Annie Filipova, Prof. Matilda Alexandrova and Prof. Dr. Mihail Musov /from the left to the right/

The Vice Rector for Educational Activities Prof. Dr. Matilda Alexandrova presented UNWE as the largest business university not only in Bulgaria but also in Southeast Europe and introduced the Ambassador to the advantages of the University and its specialties, including the 6 specialties in English. She pointed out that the curricula are constantly modernized and new, modern, innovative specialties are opened with curricula in compliance to the requirements of the business and the dynamically changing business environment.

Prof. Dr. Matilda Alexandrova and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mihail Musov

The Vice Rector for Research and International Affairs Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mihail Musov pointed out that the UNWE is not by coincidence called "the Bulgarian Harvard" not only because of the quality of education it offers but also because of the large number of graduates in the political and business elite of the country. He added that among the graduates of the University are personalities as Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kristalina Georgieva, IMF Managing Director, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mariana Kotseva, Eurostat Director, ten Bulgarian Prime Ministers, many ministers and Members of Parliament. Assoc. Prof. Musov emphasized the participation of our university in the ENGAGE.EU alliance of 9 leading European universities and the cooperation with universities from all over the world leading to joint Bachelor`s and Master`s degree programmes and among them is also the first Double Executive MBA Programme in Bulgaria between the UNWE and the Northern Illinois University /NIU/. He also highlighted the coordinating role of UNWE in the Sustainable Development Solutions Network - SDSN Bulgaria.

The Ambassador with his wife

Н. E. Kenneth Merten expressed his contentment with the long-standing fruitful cooperation with Bulgaria and he did not hide his admiration for the achievements and development of our university. He greeted the University Managing body on the newly opened Double Executive MBA Programme and expressed his conviction in the fruitful development of cooperation between the two countries in the field of education and science.

Н. E. Kenneth Merten received as a gift the encyclopedia Prime Ministers, Ministers and Senior Representatives of the Legislative Power - UNWE Lecturers and Alumni

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mihail Musov, Prof. Dr. Matilda Alexandrova and H. E. Kenneth Merten

The visit of the new American Ambassador to the University is part of the National English Speech and Debate Tournament BEST (Bulgarian English Speech and Debate Tournament) 2023, organized by the BEST Foundation and hosted by the UNWE as a partner.

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