site.btaUniversities Remain Ready to Protest, Says Council of Rectors Chair Miglena Temelkova

Universities across the country remain ready to protest, said Council of Rectors Chair Miglena Temelkova here on Monday at an online seminar hosted by the University of Economics in Varna. 

Temelkova recalled that BGN 39 million have been paid for higher education schools and noted that another BGN 184 million are needed by the end of 2024 in order to comply with the law on higher education and to ensure the ongoing educational process, which includes the salaries of the administrative and academic staff. She added that the law stipulates that 10% of the universities' budgets should be directed to research as well as artistic and creative activities, and that currently, however, all higher education institutions (excluding the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and the Military Academy) allocate just 1.5%, noting that the shortfall is equivalent to BGN 66 million.

Temelkova emphasised that despite these financial limitations, the universities have managed to increase their research output several times in recent years, as well as their publication activity in renowned global databases.

The President of the National Evaluation and Accreditation Agency Prof. Eliza Stefanova also commented on the need for serious legal changes, which would facilitate the procedure for attracting foreign students to Bulgaria. 

The procedures are currently making it difficult even for Bulgarians who studied abroad and who want to take up a master's degree in a Bulgarian university. Stefanova added that the fact that the duration of bachelor's studies in Bulgaria differs from most countries in Western Europe also creates a problem. The recognition of diplomas would be eased, if the duration of the programmes is standardised and becomes 3 years.

According to Stefanova time will tell whether the number of higher education institutions in our Bulgaria is large or not. She noted that as the number of students across Europe is decreasing, more joint programmes between universities are needed not only in Bulgaria, but also internationally.