Our University Hosted the Second ENGAGE.EU International Scientific Conference for Young Scientists

The UNWE as a partner in ENGAGE.EU hosted for the second time the International Scientific Conference for Young Scientists. The topic of the Оorum was Decent Work and Economic Growth: Current Issues and Advances on the Sustainable Development Goals /Goal 8/.

The major objective of the Conference is to bring together early-stage researchers and young scholars affiliated to ENGAGE.EU partner institutions e.g. junior faculty members, post-docs, and PhD students. It is expected to foster communication and future collaboration between representatives of the target groups from all partner universities. Participants will have opportunities to meet in person or online and to present their work-in-progress or pieces of finished research work at an international forum with a predominant participation of peers.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mihail Musov, Vice Rector for Research and International Affairs and Coordinator of ENGAGE.EU initiatives for UNWE, and Prof. Dr. Venelin Boshnakov, Dean of the Applied Informatics and Statistics Faculty and Coordinator of ENGAGE.EU scientific activities at UNWE, opened the Conference

Prof. Dr. Mihail Musov welcomed the participants in the Conference on behalf of the Rector of UNWE Prof. Dr. Dimitar Dimitrov. "Our European University ENGAGE.EU is the best way to be together in the common European educational and scientific space and to work for the creation of value for our society. The European university alliances are a cornerstone for each of the European Commission's priorities today - education, research and innovation, and impact. It is because they have the potential to change the educational and scientific space and in this respect the ENGAGE.EU is unique and we are all proud to be part of it. We are also particularly proud of the idea for creating today's Conference because it is aimed at you, the young people, who can change our perception of the 'limits of opportunities', the people who carry the spirit of the next generation of Europe”, underlined Assoc. Prof. Musov. He presented the UNWE as the oldest and the largest economic university in the Balkans: "Ten of the Prime Ministers of the Republic of Bulgaria in the last 30 years are our graduates and in the new government there are four ministers graduated from our university. You are young, knowledgeable and capable, and you have the spirit to continue to develop and change our universities and our society for building a better future together", motivated the participants Assoc. Prof. Michail Musov.

Prof. Dr. Venelin Boshnakov welcomed the participants in the hall and online, pointing out that it is the second consecutive conference of the ENGAGE.EU alliance of European universities for young scientists. He expressed his hope that it would be as successful as the first and would become a tradition. "The topics of the Conference are interdisciplinary with a wide range of research in different scientific fields because one of the objectives of our alliance is to provide opportunities to share ideas and discuss actual societal issues. So I believe that everyone will find collaborators in its subject area, colleagues and partners for projects", said Prof. Boshnakov.

The work of the Scientific Conference was organized in two days as the key lecturer on the first day of the Forum was Chief Assist. Dr. Presiyan Markov, Scientific Secretary of the Criminal Legal Studies Department /in the picture above on the left/ who presented the Current Legal and Social Issues Related to Decent Work after Conviction in Bulgaria.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Irina Danailova from the Human Resources and Social Protection Department was the keynote speaker on the second day with a presentation on the European Framework for Citizens' Digital Competence /DigComp/: the case of Bulgaria.

After the Conference the final versions of submitted papers will be published in Conference Proceedings or other possible channels.

The Second ENGAGE.EU International Scientific Conference for Young Scientists presents topics related to the enhancing productivity through technological advance & innovations, including a focus on high value added sectors; policies and support for providing decent work conditions, protection of rights, promotion of safe work environment for all; stimulating entrepreneurship and innovations, promoting establishment and growth of SMEs; policies towards development of sustainable tourism: generating jobs, supporting the local culture & products; resource efficiency, sustainable economic growth, green economy, etc.

The Forum is funded by the University Research Programme of the UNWE, Contract NF-24-2023.