The Center for Research and Educational Projects - Culture of Interaction and Mutual Assistance in the Project Development and Implementation

The Rector Prof. Dr. Dimitar Dimitrov and the new Director of the Center for Research and Educational Projects /CREP/ Chief Assist. Dr. Yuri Tsenkov present the future development, creative plans and the new office of the Center.

The new office of the Center for Research and Educational Projects was recently opened, how do you see the future development of the Center?

The Rector Prof. Dr. Dimitar Dimitrov:

At the session of the Academic Council we adopted changes in the Regulations of the Center and a new director was elected who has enough experience in applying for various programmes. The development of the Center is part of the priorities of the Rector's leadership for stimulating and developing the research which is also part of my mandate programme.

The modern research requires large consortia of several universities, representatives of industry, NGOs, government agencies as well as the interaction of colleagues from different Departments. The Center was developed during the mandate of the previous Director Prof. Nikolay Shterev.

The task of the Center is not to write projects and prepare them in full but to support organizationally and administratively their preparation, including also the team building and working with partners as well as to support the search for contacts, to inform Departments and Faculties about future opportunities. And it should be an active policy of the Center.

Chief Assist. Dr. Yuri Tsenkov:

The idea for the Center for Research and Educational Projects is to become an internal consulting unit to support each employee of the university who has an idea and wants to apply for funding. We are in favor of facilitating the whole process. Lots of partners, including international ones, are needed to develop a more serious project. In this regard, we will work with other universities which is one of our important priorities. In addition, we will work with government agencies, the businesse and NGOs. If it is necessary, external experts from different fields will be involved, according to the specifics of the individual projects.

Tell us about the development of the Center for Research and Educational Projects over the years?

The Rector Prof. Dr. Dimitar Dimitrov:

During the management of Prof. Nikolay Shterev the Center was very active in searching and finding projects. The UNWE was a preferred consultant for the elaboration of Integrated Development Plans for Municipalities. Such Plans were created for over 15 municipalities as Kardzhali, Samokov, Lom. I would like to emphasize that the contracts were concluded with the university not through a private company or through someone who works at the university and uses the name of the institution. We are evaluated whether we have attracted funds for research activities according to the Rating System of Higher Education Institutions and the one for the research universities.

At the initiative of Prof. Nikolay Shterev and Assoc. Prof. Georgщ Nikolov from the Regional Development Department, letters were sent to all municipalities and after that there was a declared interest by them. It is not an easy process and my colleagues coped with it very well. The Center was very active in the project for modernization of higher education - "Economic Education in Bulgaria 2030", several project teams were created which applied for various programmes.

What are the objectives of the Center for Research and Educational Projects?

The Rector Prof. Dr. Dimitar Dimitrov:

We want to create a culture of interaction and mutual assistance in the development and implementation of projects. At the UNWE we have several structures dealing with project activity or research and the good interaction between them and the Center is encouraged.

The team of the Center for Research and Educational Projects in the new office 2035

The team of the Center for Research and Educational Projects in K103

Chief Assist. Dr. Yuri Tsenkov

Currently we expand the infrastructure of the process and develop a software related to the registration of past and future projects. There is already a solid database of past projects. The Colleagues submitting a project proposal can contact us to provide them with this database for choosing the appropriate projects and to prepare a CV. Currently we also create a database of contacts who may be potential partners. Very soon we will create an electronic system to collect data on the submitted and implemented projects and their status. The next step is to make a project management system available to ther university employees.

The site of the Center is to be developed and announcements for gathering teams when applying by the university for individual projects or when performing specific activities under concluded contracts are to be published.

Our partners in the university are the Departments, administrative units, research centers, institutes, functional units and most of all - each employee of the university with his idea or skills depending on the situation and what is required.

We are ready, if a proposal comes from a foreign partner to us as a university, to be assigned to the relevant Department or unit with the appropriate expertise. We've done it a few times over the last week. Our task is to help university emploees to realize their ideas or to provide them opportunities but without interfering more than they would like.

We could participate in project development with private organizations and the businesses. A few days ago we were asked for consultations on development opportunities from a company that elaborates systems for controlling the access through a facial recognition.

As a University we have the opportunity to support any public or private structure in its activities through a wide range of capabilities. Let us not forget that at the UNWE work some of the most prominent specialists and lecturers in the field of economics and management.

Business Card of the Director of the Center for Research and Educational Projects

Chief Assist. Dr. Yuri Tsenkov graduated from the UNWEq speciality Economics of Defence and Security. He obtained the scientific degree of Doctor in 2013. He has published 21 publications. His research interests are in the field of risk management; project management; innovation and investment. He leads lecture courses in: Sustainable Development; Investment Management in the Security and Defence Sector; Innovation Management.

He has more than 15 years of experience in developing, managing and implementing projects under a number of programmes as for the science, education and government agencies as well as for the business.

Center for Research and Educational Projects

E-mail: [email protected] 

Office phone: +359 2 81 95 710