UNWE and the Thracian University Open 5 Joint Academic Programmes

The Rector of UNWE Prof. Dr. Dimitar Dimitrov and the Rector of the Thracian University - Stara Zagora Prof. Dr. Dobry Yarkov signed agreements for joint training of students in 5 joint academic programs sought by the business and prospective students. These are the first two universities in Bulgaria which sign such an agreement and the Minister of Education and Science Prof. Dr. Sasho Penov personally attended this "historic event" as the signing ceremony was determined by Prof. Dimitrov.

Prof. Dr. Sasho Penov, Prof. Dr. Dobry Yarkov and Prof. Dr. Dimitar Dimitrov /from the left to the right/

The newly opened joint programmes are four Bachelor`s degree programmes - Cyber Security and e-Governance, Computer Processing and Data Analysis /Data Science/, Pedagogy of Education in Economics and Informatics and Business Management with Industrial Specialization. It is also opened one Master's degree programme in Administration and Regional Management.

The official ceremony took place in the Ceremonial Hall of UNWE.

"There is a lot of history in this day - February 2, 2023, when besides the agreement between the UNWE and the Thracian University, several other extremely important events took place. The presidential decree was signed and Prof. Sasho Penov wil continue to be the interim Minister of Education, we also signed a contract for the renovation of the UNWE Library for which the Council of Ministers through the Ministry of Education and Science granted us funds in the amount of BGN 1 940 000. On this date 170 years ago the founder and first Rector of the UNWE - Prof. Stefan Bobchev was born.

"Without having planned all these important events, they happened today and the most important of them is this agreement between our universities which marks the beginning of a new quality education for our students and for the students of the Thracian University", said Prof. Dimitar Dimitrov.

Prof. Dr. Dimitar Dimitrov

The possibility for such kind of cooperation between the Bulgarian universities was entered by amendments to the Higher Education Act in July 2022. "I am glad that both universities have found the will and the strength to put these changes into practice. I believe that this project will be successful and therefore I count on their good experience to be attractive for other universities", pointed out the interim Minister of Education and Science Prof. Sasho Penov. He expressed hope that other universities will also see the advantages of these agreements and cooperation.

Minister Penov paid attention to the fact that European university networks develop within the European Union and it should be a priority at national level to build networks between the universities in Bulgaria. In this way the Bulgarian universities will be able to successfully cooperate with other EU universities. It is the future and the strategy that is being developed in the European educational space.

Prof. Dr. Sasho Penov

"I have a history at the UNWE because I am its graduate. I have completed Financial Management and my eldest daughter also graduated from the Law Faculty of the University and then she defended her Doctorate. I am honoured to be here and to officially sign these agreements", said the Rector of the Thracian University Prof. Dr. Dobry Yarkov and added: "My inner conviction is that we should not be in competition but in partnership and cooperation. Just as we are in very good partnerships with universities in Europe, Japan, the USA and Canada, we should partner with universities in Bulgaria. Today's agreement is a continuation of our joint modernization project with which we have launched the admission of Master's students in our joint specialities. This document sets the beginning of a successful partnership between the universities in Bulgaria and I guarantee that what depends on me will be 100 percent fulfilled".

Prof. Dr. Dobry Yarkov

"It is a great pleasure for me to see rectors who do not wait only by the state, it is done by the strong universities do it, by the quality universities, by the rectors who do not look so much at their ego as at the development, modernization and success of the system. These are people who love their universities", said Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ing. Lilyana Valcheva, Chairperson of the UNWE Trustees Council and Chairperson of the National Branch Syndicate Higher Education and Science to the Independent Syndicates Confederation and outlined: "The specialties that are being merged are in the group of priority, for them the state allocates additional funds, regardless of whether there are prospective students or not, the same applies to the protected specialties. And here is a good result when two large universities with high quality indicators find a way not only to take funds from the state but also to develop their quality indicators. So I would like to greet Prof. Dimitrov and Prof. Yarkov, I would also like to thank to Prof. Penov for he has always being there for us. I wish success to the project which should really stimulate other rectors to work in this way".

Finally, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ing. Lilyana Valcheva made a recommendation to Minister Penov outlining that it should be put additional criteria in the National Evaluation and Accreditation Agency system in order to give the working, brave and large universities the opportunity to take higher grades. She wished Prof. Dr. Dimitry Dimitrov and his team in 2023 the UNWE to enter the group of research universities because Bulgaria cannot stand in the economic field without such a center and the UNWE actively works in this direction.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ing. Lilyana Valcheva

UNWE is the coordinating university of the newly opened joint Master's degree programme in Administration and Management of Regions and the joint Bachelor's degree programme in Business Management with Industrial Specialization.

The Thracian University - Stara Zagora is the coordinating university of the opened joint Bachelor's degree programmes in Cyber Security and e-Government, Computer Processing and Data Analysis /Data Science/ and Pedagogy of Education in Economics and Informatics.

The programmes are due to start in the academic year 2023/2024. The training will be held according to the terms, schedules and regulations of the coordinating university and will take place on the territory of both higher education schools.

The signing ceremony was also attended by Prof. Dr. Matilda Alexandrova-Boshnakova, Vice Rector for Academic Activities, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mihail Musov, Vice Rector for Research and International Affairs, Prof. Dr. Tsvetana Stoyanova, Vice Rector for Institutional and Business Cooperation and Student Policies, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rosen Kirilov, Vice Rector for Digitalization and Cybersecurity, Angel Stoykov, Chairman of the Student Council at UNWE, Daniel Parushev, Chairman of the National Representation of Student Councils in the Republic of Bulgaria /NRSC/, lecturers in the new specialties and students.