Bulgaria

Partners situated in Bulgaria

None.

Bulgaria in a nutshell

Bulgaria (Bulgarian: България, transliterated: Balgariya), international transliteration Bălgarija, officially the Republic of Bulgaria (Република България, Republika Balgariya) lies in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe. It borders five other countries: Romania to the north (mostly along the River Danube), Serbia and the Macedonia (the country) to the west, and Greece and Turkey to the south. The Black Sea defines the extent of the country to the east.

Bulgaria has a population of approximately 7.6 million.

Bulgaria functions as a parliamentary democracy under a unitary constitutional republic. It is a member of the European Union since 2007 and of NATO since 2004.

Education in Bulgaria - Context

Source: The Role of Transnational, Private, and For-Profit Provision in Meeting Global Demand for Tertiary Education: Mapping, Regulation and Impact 2004 by Commonwealth of Learning and UNESCO.

Following liberation from Ottoman rule in 1878 Bulgaria developed a modern European educational system, which lasted until the advent of communism after World War II. Under communist rule, the education system was restructured on ideological lines, with limited teacher autonomy, based on strictly centralised and hierarchical structures.

However, since the decline of communism, the Bulgarian higher education system has developed rapidly, in contrast to other levels in the education sector. Considerable changes took place in Bulgarian higher education in the 1990’s, both in terms of increasing access and in the structure of the system. The proportion of the 19-23-year-old age cohort enrolled in higher education increased from 7% to 27%, and the percentage of school graduates entering higher education reached 60%, compared to only 22-25% prior to 1989 (Georgieva, P. et al., 2002, p. 28). Most changes took place as a result of the December 1995 Higher Education Act, later amended in both June 1999 and in May 2002. Currently, a national debate is taking place on Government proposals for a series of amendments to the Act, which were due to pass through the National Assembly by June 2003. These changes deal mainly with the Bologna process and the need for the Bulgarian higher education system to improve its legal basis to achieve the objectives of the Bologna declaration.

The first major change after 1989 was the granting of academic autonomy to higher education institutions in 1990, after over four decades of state control and compliance with the ideology and needs of a centrally planned economy. In the early 1990s, HE institutions abolished ideological subjects and elements of course content that were ideologically biased, and began to expand their programmes and enrolments through setting up new specialities (spetsialnosti) in new faculties and affiliated units around the country. These new specialities were mainly in law, economics and management – areas where the labour market was experiencing skills shortages. However, established specialities such as engineering and sciences attempted to adapt themselves to the new context. In addition, institutions were given the ability to charge tuition fees to help fund increases in their student numbers, and private universities began to be established.

Between 1990 and 1995, the HE sector began to expand rapidly with the number of university students rising by 33% from 188,479 in 1990/91 to 250,336 in 1995/96 (Georgieva, P. et al., 2002, p. 108). Paid education, combined with a legal vacuum regarding regulation of admissions and academic standards (quality assurance and accreditation) led to suspicions of corruption and ‘diploma sales’ to paying students (Slantcheva 2000). However, the 1995 Higher Education Act provided a new legal structure for many of the activities of Bulgarian higher education institutions. This legislation recognised the private sector and new disciplinary areas. It also tried to address quality concerns emanating from historical university self-regulation, by introducing greater accountability as the state took control of quality assurance, course structures, and university finance.

By 1999, it was clear that the 1995 Act needed amendment in order to strengthen the legal context for higher education. There was a perceived need to control the (still) expanding enrolment level, and to reorganise institutional financing, course structure, and content. This need was also influenced by a need for changes in society and the economy, and a desire for increased harmonisation and integration with the rest of Europe. The amendment abolished fully self-financed places in higher education, increased competition in admissions, and set guidelines to bring standards in line with the rest of Europe (e.g. in line with the Lisbon, Bologna and Sorbonne declarations). As a result, the number of students enrolled in universities dropped from 270,077 in 1998-9 to 247,006 in 2000-2001 (Georgieva, P. et al., 2002).

In 2000, the World Bank funded a 3-phase US$82m Education Modernisation Project aimed at comprehensive reform of the Bulgarian education system. Its goals included improving (Transnational Report – Case Study: Bulgaria (October 2003) page 5 of 48) educational standards, upgrading the amount and quality of information about students and university administration, restructuring university and student finance, introducing the new ‘Matura’ admissions system, and supporting other quality improvement measures (Totomanova 2001). At the end of 2002 it appeared, however, that the project was not proceeding well since only 5% of the planned funded activities had been undertaken. According to a monitoring report, this was due to poor management and the lack of determination to fulfil the project aims and objectives on the part of the Ministry of Education and Science (Monitoring and evaluation of the activities under the World Bank Project on Modernization of Bulgarian Education. Interim Report, October, 2002. Association for Social Investigations and Applied Research Practices).”

Structure

The Bulgarian education system is divided into 5 stages:

1. primary
2. secondary
3. high school
4. post-compulsory education/upper secondary and post-secondary level
5. university

Education in Bulgaria - Policy

Source:

1. Ministry of Labour and Social Policy of Bulgaria: National Strategy for Lifelong Learning 2008-2013
2. Eurypedia: Bulgaria:Improving_the_Quality_and_Efficiency_of_Education_and_Training

Pre-school and school education cover the period from early childhood up to the high-school years. This period is related to obtaining initial knowledge, skills and competencies necessary for the working world, for employability, socialisation and active civil society. The skills and competencies acquired during childhood and adolescence are of crucial importance for the lifelong development of the individual. The Ministry of Education and Science, on a central level, and the Regional Inspectorates for Education, on regional level, support the implementation of state policy into the school education system and follow the common national priorities, synchronized with the EU priorities.

Improving quality of education is the primary strategic goal in the working programme of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Science for the period 2009-2013. The main principle in this direction is ensuring adequate indicators for measuring quality of education services at different levels. The programme envisages achieving European quality of education through various financial mechanisms supporting both the improvement of the material infrastructure of the education system and the level of qualification of teaching staff.

Training

Source: 2008; 2ND OECD Global Forum on Education: Improving the Effectiveness of Education Systems

There are three main teacher training initiatives being developed by the Ministry of Education. They are:

1. Provision of computer equipment and communication infrastructure with Internet connection,
2. Training teachers to acquire digital key competencies and
3. Creating e-contents to be included in education.

The enormous effort made by Bulgaria through their policy of in-service teacher training emphasises the importance of ensuring student competence during initial teacher training.”

Schools in Bulgaria

Source:

1. The Role of Transnational, Private, and For-Profit Provision in Meeting Global Demand for Tertiary Education: Mapping, Regulation and Impact 2004 by Commonwealth of Learning and UNESCO
2. Euridice: National system overviews on education systems in Europe and ongoing reforms, 2010 Edition

Primary education

Basic education in Bulgaria runs from the age of 6 or 7 through to 14 (forms 1 to 8) in two main stages”. Students learn some of the basic subjects like for example writing, reading maths, history etc.

It is up to parents to decide whether the child should go to school at the age of 6 or 7. The first stage takes place in Natchalno utchilischte in the four years from the age of 6-7 to 9-10 and leads to a Form IV Leaving Certificate on completion. The Second stage takes place in Progimnazialno utchilichte and runs from the age of 9-10 to 14, leading to a Basic Education Completion Certificate on completion.

Secondary School

The next step is secondary education where each student can choose some of the subjects. In this stage of the educational process a student is prepared enough to decide what he or she is interested in. There are mathematical, social, economic schools. This stage is mandatory.

The Upper Secondary level lasts for either 4 or 5 years following receipt of a Basic Education Completion Certificate. The providers are either general secondary schools (Gimnazii), technical and vocational-technical schools (Professionalni gimnazii and/or technikumi/ Professionalni utchilichta), or profile-oriented schools (Profilirani Gimnazii).

The profile-oriented secondary schools appeared after 1989 in response to market demand for a more flexible education that would combine a general and liberal education model with specialised training in a particular job field. Therefore, existing secondary comprehensive schools began a massive transformation into profile-oriented schools of Economics and Management, of English and other European languages. However, as they were obliged to follow the state recognised general curriculum, they did not prove to be as effective as the Technical vocational schools and the Professional Gymnasiums, which continued to provide the universities with the majority of their graduates.

All secondary institutions offer the Diploma za Zavurcheno Sredno Obrazovanie (Diploma of Completed Secondary Education) at the end of the upper Secondary Level, although the vocational schools also offer a Certificate of Professional Qualification. After graduating from secondary school most of the students take a special exam in order to study in special High School.

On their completing secondary education students receive diplomas (either school leaving certificates, or, if they intend to continue their education at a higher education institution, diplomas, after sitting for secondary school leaving matriculation examinations) required for admission to higher education.

Enrolment at vocational secondary schools after 7th grade takes place according to the students' results at external national exams and their preferences for schools, while after the 8th grade it is not necessarily subject to sitting for national external or any other exams, but based on the student’s successful performance during the course of their prior studies. However, there are vocational schools at which enrolment is exam-score based depending on the decision of the particular school at institutional level by the school principal and the Pedagogical Council of the school. Students need a primary education certificate to get access to a vocational school. However, admission may be granted also upon the final results from the completed successfully 7th grade.”

High School

This is the most important stage from the whole education system but it is not mandatory. Students cannot go to a university if they do not have the High School Certificate.

Students can choose in what kind of high school they want to study and they are obliged to take the corresponding exam. There are Maths High School(they are the most popular), Language High school and so on.

Post-compulsory education/upper secondary and post-secondary level

Source:Euridice: National system overviews on education systems in Europe and ongoing reforms, 2010 Edition

There are institutions (kolezhi), which provide post-secondary education for secondary school graduates who have a diploma. Post secondary education is not compulsory and is delivered by vocational colleges. It lasts at least one year and the candidates must have turned 16 years of age in order to be granted access to post-secondary education. The graduates are awarded 4th degree professional qualification and are considered prepared for the labour market. Those who wish to embark on post-secondary education may have graduated from either vocational or any other type of secondary school.

Private schools

In Bulgaria there are also some private schools but only a small percentage of the students can afford to study there because they are very expensive.

Further and Higher education in Bulgaria

The biggest step for students in the whole educational system is University. In order to have the ability to study in university students must have the High School Certificate with good to excellent result and also they must take one or more exams. There are almost all kinds of universities - some of them are national and other are international-class. All the universities require fees to be paid.

Universities in Bulgaria

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_universities_in_Bulgaria

1. American University in Bulgaria
2. National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts
3. Medical University of Pleven
4. Medical University of Plovdiv
5. Medical University of Sofia
6. Medical University of Varna
7. National Sports Academy
8. National Military University
9. Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy
10. New Bulgarian University
11. Plovdiv University
12. Rakovski Defence and Staff College
13. Rousse University
14. Sofia University
15. South-West University "Neofit Rilski"
16. Technical University of Sofia
17. Technical University of Sofia - Branch Plovdiv
18. Technical University of Varna
19. Technical University of Gabrovo
20. Trakia University - Stara Zagora
21. Veliko Tarnovo University
22. Civil engineering university "Lyuben Karavelov"
23. University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy
24. University of Forestry
25. University of National and World Economy
26. University of Economics Varna
27. University of Shumen Episkop Konstantin Preslavski
28. University of Mining and Geology

Bulgaria's HEIs in the information society

Towards the information society

Most information published in this entry, is based and kopied out of a document, received on 24/08/2009 from Assoc. Prof Angel Smrikarov, Vice Rector University of Rousse And Coordinator of Bulgarian Virtual University . This information is also available in Bulgarian at: http://www.bvu-bg.eu/index.php?Clip=proekt

In 1992 in response to the initiative for “Electronic education” of the European Commission, THE NATIONAL PROGRAMME FOR CREATING VIRTUAL EDUCATION SPACE was started in Bulgaria. The Programme was funded chiefly by the Ministry of transport and Communications, as well as The Ministry of Education and Science. The PILOT VIRTUAL DEPARTMENT IN COMPUTING “JOHN ATANASSOV” was established, which a year later extended into the VIRTUAL FACULTY OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES. At the end of 2004, under the initiative of the Chairmen of the Council of Rectors, the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, the Higher Certifying Committee, The Union of Teachers, the Federation of the Unions of Scientists, the Bulgarian Association of information technologies and other educational, research and business organisations the BULGARIAN VIRTUAL UNIVERSITY was established. The founding agreement of this formation was signed by the Rectors of 37 Universities and the Directors of 27 Institutes of the BAS.

Virtual initiatives in HE in Bulgaria

Bulgarian Virtual University

The Bulgarian Virtual University (BVU) was launched in 2004 as a a nation-wide portal to Bulgarian higher education institutions and their online learning environments. It followed naturally from the establishment of a nationwide "iUniversity" programme, funded by Bulgaria's Ministry of Transportation and Communications, designed to help Bulgaria implement ICT more effectively in its educational processes. The iUniversity first established 100 computer laboratories for e-learning at Bulgarian universities and research institutions, then established the Bulgarian Virtual University.

References

Eurydice National Overview on European Educational Systems (2011)

Eurybase, The Information Database on Education Systems in Europe: The Education System in Bulgaria, 2005/06

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