Regional Development Speciality Marked Its Fifth Anniversary by An International Scientific Conference

Thursday, 31 May 2012 14:00

“Five years ago we started the speciality Regional Development by the clear consciousness this field would become more and more important”. These were the words the Rector of UNWE Prof. D.Sc. (Econ.) Statty Stattev began his greeting to the participants and guests of the International Conference on the Regional Development in Bulgaria – Tendencies and Perspectives. The event was held under the patronage of the Rector of UNWE and it was organized by the Public Administration and Regional Development Department. 

 

                 The Minister Dobrev promised  to realize in practice the good academic ideas.

The Minister on Economy, Energetics and Tourism Delyan Dobrev expressed the readiness some good ideas from the scientific Forum to be included in the Investment Promotion Act. The guest spoke about the development of regions, the building of a new technological business park and other actual issues.  

 

      Delyan Dobrev and Prof. Statty Stattev discussed at the Rector`s office opportunities for  

        internship of students from UNWE at the Ministry of Economy, Energetics and Tourism.

The Rector announced that very soon would be carried out a meeting-discussion with students and lecturers from our university. He said he discussed it “together with Delyan Dobrev – the youngest minister in Boyko Borisov`s Government and Master of Science on Marketing graduated from UNWE – the university number one where the leaders of the country are educated”. 

 

                        Rumen Petkov, Prof. Dr. Borislav Borisov, Prof. Dr. Hristo Hristov,

           Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sonya Dokova and Yavor Kuyumdzhiev (from the left to the right)

“The decision for establishment of the Regional Development speciality five years ago was very good. The results are available. It is the most successive  after the speciality Finance and by the data of the National Insurance Institute 72% of its alumni find a job immediately after their graduation”, said the Honorary Rector of UNWE Borislav Borisov. He examined the difficulties which Bulgarian business has faced: 600 licensed, permitting and concerted procedures at a central level which along with the municipality procedures run into 3700. He made a comparison to the European Union where these procedures count out 60 and in the USA – from 12 to 15 in the different American states. Business couldn`t be effective if it didn`t have a private business power and if benign conditions for its functioning were not created.

Prof. Borisov expressed his gratitude to the Department and its Head Prof. Dr. Hristo Hristov, to Assoc. Prof. Sonya Dokova, Head of the Regional Development Section, to all the lecturers from the Department and he outlined: “You are a qualitative, university put-up body which is close to the practice”.

By more than 50 reports lecturers, Doctoral students and undergraduates as well as 5 foreign scientists participate in the Conference, pointed out Prof. Hristo Hristov, Head of the Department. In her introductory speech Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sonya Dokova outlined the actuality of the Conference, exposed the tendencies and perspectives in the regional development of Bulgaria as well as the necessity to be paid attention in the state to the analyses, ideas and suggestions of the academic community.

 

             Prof. Borisov and Rumen Petkov greeted the participants in the scientific Forum

                             and presented their own ideas for regional development.

Rumen Petkov, Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary Commission on Regional Politics and Local Self-Government outlined the high prestige of UNWE and paid attention to four important aspects – the assessment of the business environment, demographic status, depopulation and decentralization processes. He appealed the students to keep their youth, energy and beauty in Bulgaria.

According to Yavor Kuyumdzhiev, Former Vice-Minister on Economy, the regional development is in need of joint projects between the state and the foreign investors. “The next governors were born among you and I`m sure they wouldn`t betray Bulgarian interest” he said to students.

Guests of the Conference were Prof. Margarita Harizanova, Dean of the Management and Administration Faculty as well as Heads of the UNWE Departments and representatives of universities.

Greeting addresses were extended by Lilyana Pavlova, Minister on Regional Development and Public Works, by Tomislav Donchev, Minister on Management of the European Union Funds, by Luyben Tatarski, Chairman of the Commission on Regional Politics and Local Self-Government and many others. 

 

                               Students and lecturers participated actively in discussions

                                               on the issues of regional development.

The third year undergraduate Lidiya Peycheva defined the Conference as a personal holiday. “We do not educate to be doctors and do not save human lives. But our work must be also so responsible. Tomorrow when I become a professional I will bear the same responsibility as the doctor bears” she said.

At the Conference attended lecturers from St.Climent Ohridski University of Sofia, Trakia University, etc. “Five years is a child age but at the UNWE a lot of things have been achieved for that time”, pointed out Prof. Petar Slaveykov, Head of the Regional Development Department of Sofia University.

                       Participants in the Scientific Conference laid a wreath in front of 

             the Monument of the Founder, the First Rector of UNWE Prof. Stephan Bobchev.

On the second day of the International Scientific Conference were read students reports and were carried out discussions on the Regional Development of Bulgaria – Tendencies and Perspectives.

 

       The future specialists on Regional Development participated in the Scientific Conference

                          by reports and discussed the issues of the local authorities.

Students presented their visions on the issues related to the depopulation of regions, public-private partnerships and the initiative for the European regions development.

Dora Yankova who was a mayor of Smolyan municipality for two mandates and Chairwoman of the National Association of Municipalities in Bulgaria announced that some of the issues have already been discussed by the Council of Ministers and she presented to students her managerial experience in the local authorities as well as the problems each mayor was faced up. She also pointed out that among the most important issues were the lack of hospitals in any municipalities, the increase of unemployment and decrease of incomes particularly in small municipalities.

 

                  Dora Yankova (in the middle), Prof. Dr. Hristo Hristov (on the left)

                                              and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sonya Dokova

Yankova expressed her respect to the profession that students have chosen and revealed her hopes that as future specialists on Regional Development students would work dedicatedly and professionally for the implementation of good future changes in Bulgaria.

During the Conference arose the idea to be found by students the Alumni Association of the Department of Public Administration and Regional Development. The Chairman of the Students Council Kaloyan Dimitrov who was its alumnus promised to help for the implementation of the idea. 

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