XXIV BETA Conference Was Held at The University

UNWE was the host of the XXIV Annual Conference of Bulgarian English Teachers Association (BETA). In the Ceremonial Hall of the university before the Forum was held a seminar on the Innovative and Collaborative Practices in Teaching and Researching Language for Specific Purposes. At the opening of the event attended Prof. Dr. Ognyan Simeonov, First Vice Rector and Vice Rector on Education in the EQD of Bachelor, Prof. Dr. Georgy Genov, Dean of the International Economics and Politics Faculty, Prof. Dr. Daniela Koh-Kozhuharova, Head of the Foreign Languages and Applied Linguistics Department, Senior Lecturer Albena Stefanova, member of the Managing Board of BETA, moderator of the Forum, some world famous experts in the field of language teaching and lecturers.

From the left to the right: Senior Lecturer Albena Stefanova, Prof. Ognyan Simeonov, Prof. Daniela Koh-Kozhuharova, Prof. Georgy Genov

It is a great pleasure for me to greet you with “Welcome” at the UNWE, host and partner of the three days authoritative Forum - the XXIV International Conference of BETA entitled Languages Live! Developing Coherent Policy and Practice to Celebrate and Nurture Multilingualism for the Benefit of All, is said in the welcoming speech by the Rector of UNWE Prof. D.Sc.(Econ.) Statty Stattev which was read by Prof. Dr. Ognyan Simeonov. In the speech is pointed out that even 95 years ago when the Free University of Political and Economic Sciences had been established as predecessor of UNWE it had been incorporated the compulsory study of foreign languages including the English one and for the purpose there had been provided the most authoritative lecturers from the country and abroad.

Prof. Ognyan Simeonov is greeting the participants in the Forum.

“Today we continue this tradition with dignity – through the exceptional professionalism of our colleagues from the English Language Sector and Foreign Languages and Applied Linguistics Department, through the high quality of teaching, ten Bachelor`s degree programmes in the English language, joint Master`s degree programmes with the Nottingham Trent University and other higher schools in Europe and in the world and through the excellent language preparation of our students”, is said in the welcoming speech by the Rector. Prof. Stattev has expressed his confidence that during the Forum would be exchanged valuable experience, observations, viewpoints, innovations in some traditional and more modern fields and the attention would be attracted by the guest-lecturers – world famous and authoritative experts in the field of language teaching as well as representatives of the British Council, the U.S. Embassy in Sofia, etc. “Our hospitability is an authentic sign of the authority of UNWE as a leading academic institution and unmistakable recognition of the high professionalism and competency of the English Language Sector and Foreign Languages and Applied Linguistics Department”, is also pointed out by the Rector.

In the Ceremonial Hall

At our university you will feel the wonderful atmosphere and creative spirit, said to the participants in the Forum also Prof. Daniela Koh-Kozhuharova, Head of the Foreign Languages and Applied Linguistics Department. The Department is one of the eldest and the largest one at the UNWE with its 30 full-time and 20 part-time lecturers, pointed out Prof. Kozhuharova.

Nowadays the languages are especially important mean of communication and cooperation and so their study is a must, outlined Prof. Dr. Georgy Genov, Dean of the International Economics and Politics Faculty. The foreign languages at the UNWE are not just academic disciplines but special subjects in which a special education is provided, pointed out the Dean.

In the “city of wisdom” - Sofia we are all conscious about the necessity of language teaching because today all basic communications are in the English language, pointed out George Chinnery from the Regional English Language Office (RELO) in Budapest who expressed his thankfulness to the UNWE for the hospitability.

George Chinnery	Zhivka Ilieva

A Greeting Address on behalf of Prof. Todor Tanev, Minister of Education and Science was read by Rositsa Antova, expert in the English language at the Ministry of Education and Science.

The President of BETA Zhivka Ilieva expressed her thankfulness to the organizers and sponsors of the event for their support: the Regional English Language Office in Budapest, the U.S. Embassy in Sofia as well as the British Council.

In the Conference were included the following thematic fields: education of children and adolescents; teaching foreign languages for special purposes; teachers` preparation and career growth, the role of literature, media and research in the field of culture for the foreign languages education, teaching subjects in the English language; mixed type of education, applied linguistics, research activity, control and assessment of foreign language knowledge, etc.

Participants in the Conference

According to the tradition guest-lecturers were world famous and authoritative experts in the field of foreign languages teaching. Among the guests was Terry Lamb from the University of Sheffield, President of the International Federation of Language Teacher Associations (FIPLV), Lilia Savova from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Virginia Evans from the Express Publishing, Paul Davis from the Pilgrims, Desmond Thomas from the University of Essex, Anna Parisi, Director of ACCESS Training Center, Zarina Markova from the South-West University in Blagoevgrad and Maggie Sokolik from the University of California.  Among the participants in the Forum there are representatives of Serbia, Greece, Poland, the Czech Republic, Montenegro, USA, Macedonia, Turkey, Libya, etc.

During the three days Forum it was held also a Roundtable Conference on the National Network of Language Teacher Associations in Bulgaria which included a lecture and panel discussion with the participation of guest-lecturer as well as a discussion on the topic. The objective was to exchange an experience and determine the perspectives for establishing a National Network of Language Teacher Associations in Bulgaria.