Expert Group of the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development Visited the UNWE
A group of experts from the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development /OECD/ visited the UNWE as part of the OECD Technical Mission to review the country's readiness for full membership regarding the education.
The experts met with the Rector Prof. Dr. Dimitar Dimitrov.
Prof. Dr. Dimitar Dimitrov presented the Rector's position and emphasised that joining the OECD is extremely important because the full membership in the organization will enable Bulgaria to continue its development in line with the OECD's objectives which include more sustainable economic development, increased living standards, improved financial stability and modernization of education. When we become fully members of the OECD we will be able to participate in various programmes, to develop our education and implement certain policies in accordance with data and analyses.
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The meeting was also attended by Prof. Dr. Matilda Alexandrova, Acting Vice-Rector for Educational Activity and Chairwoman of the UNWE Commission on Accreditation, Assoc. Prof. D.Sc. Michail Musov, Acting Vice-Rector for Research and International Affairs, Prof. Dr. Tsvetana Stoyanova, Acting Vice-Rector for Institutional and Business Cooperation and Student Policies, who presented their portfolios and the activities they organize. At the invitation of Prof. Tsvetana Stoyanova the meeting was also attended by representatives from Kaufland and Coca-Cola Hellenic, partners from the business sector with whom the UNWE implements various joint projects one of which are the business academies.
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Prof. Matilda Alexandrova, Assoc. Prof. D.Sc. Michail Musov, Prof. Tsvetana Stoyanova, Mrs. Gergana Kirilova, Director of the Rector's Office /from the left to the right/ |
Prof. Matilda Alexandrova clarified that the accreditation processes are quite complex. "The ten standards have been approved by the Bulgarian National Evaluation and Accreditation Agency, which is a member of the European Association for Evaluation and Accreditation, and these are criteria at European level and concern lifelong learning programmes for students, monitoring and control of these programmes, the role of the University and activities related to the life cycle of the student, provision of lecturing staff corresponding to these standards, quality culture, which is an integral part of the work of the University. In addition to the formal, there is also a real expression, such as the interaction of the academic community and students and external stakeholders. Some of these standards also concern the electronification and digitalization of all processes, the creation of a unified communication system, and comprehensive monitoring."
Mr. Thomas Weko, Associate Commissioner, National Centre for Education Statistics, US Department of Education, outlined that the organization he represents allows the different governments of the member states to communicate among themselves, to exchange experiences, and thus the relations with experts are implemented. "When there is an applicant country, we try to gather as much information as possible and share it with the 38 member countries. What is expected of us on a mission such as the current one is to produce a report. And I'm here to find out about your experiences, achievements and how state policies affect your daily work."
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The questions that were asked concerned both the relations between the state's higher education policies and universities and the universities and their inner organization.
Issues concerning the funding of universities were also discussed. Whether there are processes of good consultancy interactions to exchange ideas between the state and universities. There was also a significant focus on the rating system and how well it reflects the performance of higher education institutions, whether there are gaps in the assessments and whether there is an opportunity for universities to intervene with comments and feedback. Is the National Map useful? The question was brought up as to whether the government is helping to develop the field of higher education and whether the Rector or Vice-Rector can initiate changes. Is there an annual meeting of the universities to discuss the issues honestly? Are the government funds sufficient for state universities? Is there a process for prioritizing needs? How is the university budget allocated?
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Within the frameworks of the visit the OECD expert group held working meetings with representatives of the academic members of UNWE as well as with students from the Student Senate and the Student Council.
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The Organiюation for Economic Co-operation and Development /OECD/ was established in 1961 to promote policies for sustainable economic development, raise living standards and maintain financial stability. It is the successor to the Organization for European Economic Co-Operation, established to manage the US and Canadian financial aid /the so-called Marshall Plan/ for the restoration of Europe after the World War II.
Today, the OECD is an established international organization that takes a leading role in the development and implementation of the highest standards in all key areas such as governance, tax policy, transport infrastructure, agriculture, education, digital economy and innovation, climate, etc. The OECD has 38 member countries, including the most advanced economies in Europe, North America, South America and Asia. Along with Bulgaria, other applicants for OECD membership are Romania, Croatia, Brazil, Argentina and Peru.
In order to prepare Bulgaria for the start of negotiations for membership in the OECD by the Council of Ministers Decision No. 789 of 20 February 2017, amended and supplemented by the Council of Ministers Decision No. 444/11.06.2021, a special permanent Inter-Ministerial Coordination Mechanism /IMC/ for Bulgaria's accession to the OECD was established. The IMC is chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and includes representatives of the Ministries and Departments involved in the cooperation with the OECD.
The measures for the preparation of our country are included in the three-year Roadmaps containing concrete actions on the accession to the OECD. The Roadmap for the period 2021-2023 incorporates the Action Plan developed in cooperation with the OECD Secretariat in 2019 - a structured working document outlining the main measures in 21 areas necessary to achieve the OECD standards and meet the criteria for membership of the Organization in accordance with the requirements in the Framework for the Assessment of Potential OECD Members.
Over the last years, in accordance with the Action Plan and the three-year National Roadmap, Bulgaria has joined a number of OECD legal instruments and has intensified its participation in an increasing number of OECD committees and working groups, with the efforts of our country aimed to maintain an active position and bring additional value to their work. Currently, Bulgaria participates with the status of member / associate member in the activities of 13 working bodies, in 6 other bodies it has the status of participant and in 19 others it is a guest / observer.
Our country has joined 32 legal instruments and has requested accession to 6 more. Out of the legal instruments, Bulgaria has joined 6 of the 8 OECD Standards, the accession to which is considered as a mandatory condition in the Framework for Assessment of Potential Member Countries:
- Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions;
- Recommendation of the Council on Principles of Corporate Governance
- Recommendation of the Coucil on Principles of Establishing an Internet Policy;
- Recommendation of the Council on Good Statistical Practice;
- OECD Inclusive Framework on BEPS Project Measures /Base Erosion and Profit Shifting/ and
- OECD Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes.
Currently, the procedure for our accession to the other two OECD Standards is ongoing - the OECD Codes on the Liberalisation of Capital Movements and on Current Invisible Transactions and the OECD Declaration on International Investment and Multinational Companies.
In recent years significant achievements on the road to the OECD membership include the successful completion of the process of Bulgaria's accession to the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency /NEA/ and its Data Bank /on 1 January 2021 Bulgaria became the 34th NEA member country/ and the presentation on 29 January 2021 of the Economic Survey for Bulgaria prepared by the OECD for the first time since 1999, etc.
