To make Bulgaria an appealing regional centre of higher education and to bring in students from Europe and the world. This is the ambitious goal set down in the updated Strategy for the Development of Higher Education 2020, adopted by the caretaker cabinet in the last days of its term of office.

But for this to happen, the state, the universities and businesses have to really get down to work. Because things are by no means looking rosy right now. Out of the 50-some universities in the country, only one – the St. Kliment Ohridski University, Sofia – is even on the world list of prestigious establishments of higher learning, and even it is at the bottom. We shall also have to cope with long-standing problems like the severed link between education and businesses, as well as the overly academic, dry and impractical teaching methods. There have been other attempts in recent years to draft a strategy that would lay down the guidelines for resolving the problems accumulated, but to no avail. The difference now is that on this strategy there is political consensus, with support from the Council of Rectors, Education Ministry officials say. Its adoption is essential if we want financing from the European funds in the sphere of higher education. To be able to implement it however, it has to be voted by the new parliament. What does the strategy envisage and what are the specific steps underlying the strategy’s plan of action?

The first task is to improve access to higher education and bring the percentage of university graduates up from 27 to 36 percent by 2020. To improve the accreditation model and ratings system of universities, to differentiate financing depending on the standard and professional accomplishments of the graduates, to reform the curriculum and the syllabus – these are just some of the concrete steps aimed at improving the quality of Bulgarian education. The strategy also envisages more public funding for higher education that should reach 1.5 percent of the GDP by 2020.

“This is something we have to do if we want to receive European financing amounting to BGN 1 billion 370 million for science and education,” says caretaker Minister of Education Roumyana Kolarova. “As in any other sphere, in education too if we want European funding we have to show the state is investing in this sector, that it has assumed a commitment. And most importantly – that it is capable of managing this money.”

Minister Kolarova points out further that “from now on the money will follow high quality rather than the students.” In 2013, 96 percent of the funding the universities received was calculated on the basis of the number of students enrolled and only 4 percent was allocated on the basis of high quality. The ambition now is to change this, with up to 60 percent granted on the basis of a high quality of education. The state will no longer be paying for degrees in fields with a low career accomplishment rate. The strategy also encourages research and development at universities as well as market-oriented innovations. To help keep young specialists in Bulgaria, the Ministry has set down concrete steps such as remission of student loans provided after graduation, they work at least five years in Bulgaria. Graduates will also be able to start paying off their student loans only after they have found a well-paid job. But which job is well-paid – this will depend on whether it will be a left or a right-wing cabinet that will be implementing the strategy, Minister Kolarova adds. The document also envisages financing for bringing home and re-integrating young scholars and PhD students who have graduated abroad.

English version: Milena Daynova