site.btaRectors of Sofia University, Odesa National University Agree to Sign Memorandum of Cooperation

Rectors Prof. Georgi Valchev of the St Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia and Prof. Vyacheslav Truba of Odesa’s I.I. Mechnikov National University agreed to sign a Memorandum of Cooperation here on Thursday. They met at the University’s Faculty of Law on the sidelines of the 19th World Meeting of Bulgarian Media organized by BTA and held in Odesa, Zarya (former Kamchik), Bolhrad, and Izmail.

The Bulgarian side was represented by Prof. Valchev, the Consul General of Bulgaria in Odesa, Svetoslav Ivanov, and BTA Director General Kiril Valchev. The Ukrainian side was represented by Prof. Truba, Odesa National University First Vice-Rector Maya Nikolaeva, and the Vice-Rector for Teaching, Research, and International Cooperation, Andrii Smitiukh.

Prof. Valchev addressed his Ukrainian colleagues "with great appreciation for this meeting held within the 19th World Meeting of Bulgarian Media, the hospitality, and the respect for the Bulgarian community here and for Bulgaria". "We fully support you in this war. We are very well aware of the difficulties you are facing," he added.

"We are using this meeting to establish direct contacts so that we will be able to identify very concrete steps in the future," Prof. Valchev said.

Prof. Truba thanked Consul General Ivanov for his assistance in making this meeting possible.

"We hope that our cooperation will develop successfully. We have a lot in common. I would like to point out that our university has great chemistry and biology faculties. We have new courses such as hydrometeorology, agroecology, and ecology, and they concern the Black Sea," he said.

Prof. Truba said that his university used to train specialists in Bulgarian language, but the course was eventually dropped due to declining demand. 

Prof. Valchev pointed out that Ukrainian Studies continue to be taught at Sofia University despite the difficulties. He expressed hope that the Bulgarian Studies course will be reestablished at the Odesa National University and that student mobility will be encouraged.