site.btaVarna University of Economics Encourages Student Entrepreneurship, Says Professor

In recent years, the University of Economics in Varna has been trying to encourage student entrepreneurship, said Assoc. Prof. Desislava Serafimova during a cross-border conference held here on Wednesday. The event was part of BTA’s Europe on Balkans: Cohesion Skills project.

"We are trying to create skills in students for social entrepreneurship, generating their own ideas related to sustainability, responsible business, which could subsequently be developed as an entrepreneurial project and seek funding opportunities", she noted, adding that the university purposefully includes students and doctoral candidates in almost all of its projects. "We work very actively with representatives of local business and the public sector, because we seek synergy from the interaction between representatives of academia, business, the public sector and non-governmental organizations," Serafimova also emphasized.

She recalled that BTA organized a hackathon in Varna in mid-April and noted that the university will visit Romania for a similar competition soon. "When students are supported, they participate in research projects and achieve very good results," she concluded, adding that the University of Economics in Varna is highly focused and narrowly specialized in the education of students in the fields of business management, informatics and tourism.

BTA's Europe on Balkans: Cohesion Skills project aims to raise public awareness and foster open dialogue about cohesion policy, local achievements, and the implementation of the EU's policy priorities. The project kicked off with a conference in Veliki Preslav in November 2024. The schedule of conferences until the end of September 2025 includes events in the following cities: Blagoevgrad, Burgas, Varna, Veliko Tarnovo, Vidin, Vratsa, Gabrovo, Dobrich, Kazanlak, Kardzhali, Kyustendil, Lovech, Montana, Pazardzhik, Pernik, Pleven, Razgrad, Ruse, Samokov, Svishtov, Sliven, Smolyan, Sofia, Stara Zagora, Troyan, Targovishte, Haskovo, Shumen, and Yambol. Cross-border conferences will be held in Belgrade, Bosilegrad, Bucharest, Edirne, Skopje, and Thessaloniki. The project builds on the Europe in the Balkans: A Common Future and Europe in Bulgaria: A Common Future projects, implemented by BTA in 2023 and 2024, respectively.