THE CHAIR OF THE NATIONAL EVALUATION AND ACCREDITATION AGENCY PROF. DR. ELIZA STEFANOVA VISITED VFU "CHERNORIZETS HRABAR"
24 Април 2024
The Chair of the National Evaluation and Accreditation Agency (NEAA) Prof. Dr. Eliza Stefanova visited Varna Free University "Chernorizets Hrabar". During the visit, Prof. Stefanova got acquainted with the history and prospects in the development of one of the largest private universities in the country. "It is necessary to look for solutions point by point and to work together," commented Prof. Stefanova. She shared the importance of discussing good practices for improving the quality of higher education in Bulgaria.
Prof. Stefanova was welcomed by Prof. DSc Anna Nedyalkova – chairperson of the University's Board of Trustees, Assoc. prof. Dr. Krasimir Nedyalkov – president, the rector Prof. Dr. Petar Hristov, the rector's leadership, the corresponding member of BAS Prof. Dr. Arch. DSc Atanas Kovachev – Head of the Department of Architecture and Urban Studies at VFU "Chernorizets Hrabar” of Applied Sciences and member of the Standing Committee on Technical Sciences at NEAA, Assoc. prof. Dr. Iva Moneva – Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Social, Economic and Computer Sciences at the university and a member of the Standing Committee for Post-Accreditation Monitoring and Control at NEAA, and Assoc. Dr. Galina Mileva – Secretary of Accreditation and Quality Management of the Varna Free University.
The Chair of the Board of Trustees Prof. Anna Nedyalkova commented that in the uncertainty of the environment, the role of private universities stands out, which, at their own risk and responsibility, can be laboratories for innovation. The Rector, Prof. Dr. Petar Hristov pointed out that the Varna Free University requires and creates conditions for constant monitoring, guaranteeing the quality of education.
The Vice-Rector Assoc. prof. Eleonora Tankova presented Varna Free University, emphasizing the consistency and continuity of quality assurance policies. The institutional accreditation of VFU "Chernorizets Hrabar" has the highest rating among the private universities in the country – 9.21. It is the first and only Bulgarian university that has been awarded the honorary mark ECTS Label for the implementation of the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System in 2010 and 2013 by the European Education and Culture Executive Agency. VFU "Chernorizets Hrabar" is also the first Bulgarian university awarded the “HR Excellence in Research” distinction, with recertification in 2019.
Varna Free University has a 23-year continuous cycle of certification and recertification of the quality management system according to the international standard ISO 9001:2015. Last year, it also became the first higher education institution in the country to be certified according to the international standard ISO 14001:2015 for environmental management.
Prof. Dimitar Kanev, DSc(Econ) – Vice-Rector of the university presented the challenges facing the university, among which are the uncertainty and dynamics of the environment, the demographic crisis, workload, changes in state requirements. He introduced Prof. Stefanova to the concrete proposals of the VFU "Chernorizets Hrabar" for improving the educational environment in Bulgaria.
