National Defence College Has 1,200-Plus Students

Petya Petrova, Nikolay Trifonov

Ceremony marks the 113th anniversary of the establishment of the Rakovski National Defence College (BTA Photo/Nikola Uzunov)

Sofia,

14.04.2025 12:02

(BTA)

The Rakovski National Defence College has more than 1,200 students, said Commandant Major General Stayko Prokopiev at Monday's ceremony marking the Patron's Day of the College and the 113th anniversary of its establishment.

Of them, 70 study warfare, 1,004 national security, 126 psychology, and 42 are PhD students, explained Major General Prokopiev. For years, the College has held a leading position in the annual rankings of the rating system for higher education institutions. In 2024, the College was ranked second in the field of psychology after Sofia University, he said.

Over the years, officers from France, the US, Germany, Greece, Turkiy, Romania, Croatia, China, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Vietnam and currently North Macedonia have been trained at the Academy, Major General Stayko Prokopiev further said.

The Rakovski National Defence College is the oldest higher military school in Bulgaria. It was established by law on 1 March 1912, adopted by the 15th National Assembly.

April 14th 2025 marks the 204th anniversary of the birth of the College’s patron Georgi Rakovski, a revolutionary and organizer of the national liberation movement. The College was named after him on March 5 1946.

/DD/