24 Chasa newspaper in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science and Open Society Institute – Sofia organized a ceremony at which the leading universities in Bulgaria were awarded. The seventh issue of the University Ranking System compares 52 professional fields of 51 universities by 44 objective criteria.
The Ranking System provided us with a tool to implement a policy for restructuring the admissions in the university system, restructuring the universities with a lower quality and career relevance assessment into universities with a higher assessment, professional fields with a lower relevance to the labor market into such that are expected to be necessary in the future, the education minister Krasimir Valchev said at the opening of the ceremony. He added that the system is a peculiar cornerstone in the development of university education.
The Ranking System is a guide to the new horizons we want for the universities, researches, students, the young generation and Bulgaria’s future in Europe, Mariya Gabriel, European Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society, pointed out.
A total of 19 universities were awarded at the ceremony, attended by the rectors of the universities in the country, ministers, MPs and representatives of the business. Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski is the leader in 23 professional fields. A great deal of efforts have been put in over the years for the national recognition of the Ranking System. Now it is becoming better and better, Atanas Gerdzhikov, the SU Rector, commented.
The Technical University is first in six professional fields and Sofia Medical University – in four. Among those awarded were the Military Academy G. S. Rakovski, the University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy (leader in three professional fields), the University of Mining and Geology, the University of National and World Economy, the University of Forestry in Sofia, the Agricultural University in Plovdiv and the University of National and World Economy, the University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy, the National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts, the Academy of Music and the Academy of Art, the American University in Bulgaria, New Bulgarian University, the Medical University of Pleven, Plovdiv University, the Academy of the Ministry of Interior, the National Sports Academy, Veliko Tarnovo University, Trakia University, Medical University of Varna.
