Bulgaria: Meeting of French-speaking university program managers

On December 11, the Institut français de Bulgarie organized a meeting of the heads of the country's French-speaking university programs with key players in the Francophonie, including the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie - Europe Centrale et Orientale (AUF - ECO), the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) and the Association des professeurs de et en français de Bulgarie (APFB). The meeting provided an opportunity to take stock of current initiatives and discuss future prospects for the development of French-speaking higher education in the country.

Specific features of French-speaking university programs in Bulgaria

The first French-speaking university programs in Bulgaria opened in the early 1990s. Today, some fifteen Bachelor's and Master's degree programs are offered in fields such as Computer and Electronics Engineering, Biochemical Engineering, Political Science, Economics and Management, European Law and Applied Linguistics. These programs bring together over 500 students.

Key speeches by Francophonie players

Ms Claudia Calvo, Deputy Counsellor for Cooperation and Cultural Action and Attaché for Educational Cooperation at the French Embassy in Bulgaria, opened the meeting by underlining the French Institute's commitment and support for Francophone training in Bulgaria.

Ms. Laure Castin, AUF Regional Director - ECO, presented the AUF's strategic priorities, in particular the challenges facing the French-speaking world of science. She also presented the actions of theAcadémie Internationale de la Francophonie Scientifique (AIFS), as well as the employability and youth priorities She also presented the actions of the Académie Internationale de la Francophonie Scientifique (AIFS), as well as the priorities linked to employability and youth within the networks of the Centres d'Employabilité Francophones (CEF), the Clubs Leaders Étudiants Francophones (CLEF) and the Programme International de Mobilité et d' Employabilité Francophone (PIMEF).

The IFB's strategy for 2025, which will focus on developing the network of alumni and Alliances of European universities, was outlined by Mr. Arnaud Baubérot, IFB President. Arnaud Baubérot, Scientific and Academic Cooperation Attaché at the IFB. Mr. Angel Bandjov, Director of the Human Rights Department of the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE), reaffirmed the local authorities' support for the French-speaking university community and its strategic importance for the country's international positioning.

Mr. Peter Topareff, Head of the AUF National Office - Bulgaria, reported on the national campaign "Continuons en français dans les universités bulgares", launched in 2024 in partnership with the MAE, the IFB and the Association et les programmes francophones. A promotional kit was used in various actions throughout the year. He also mentioned the services offered by the CEF - BN Bulgaria: training and courses for French-speaking students in the various streams to develop their transversal and linguistic skills. The Bulgarian Association of Teachers of and in French naturally joined the campaign. Its president, Ms. Vyara Lyubenova, praised the effective cooperation between the APFB and the CEF - BN Bulgaria, in particular their joint actions to promote studies in French and the organization of events at both secondary and university levels.

Joint actions

Several actions were proposed to enhance the visibility and impact of French-language programs in Bulgaria:

• Continuetargeted promotion in bilingual high schools and schools where French is taught as a second foreign language;
• Study the possibility of organizing a promotional event bringing together all French-speaking programs at national level, inspired by the Caravane des études et des carrières francophones in Romania;
• Mobilize the Institut de la Formation à Distance de la Francophonie (IFIC) to create a space dedicated to Francophone programs in the ECO region;
• Make recommendations to the Ministry of Education and Science to improve the procedure for recognizing foreign students' diplomas and giving them access to French-language courses at Bulgarian universities;
• Organize a working meeting with those in charge of the diploma recognition procedure at the National Information and Documentation Center.

This meeting provided a valuable opportunity to bring together all those involved in the French-speaking university sector in the country. Discussions helped to identify common priorities and define concrete actions to continue the development of these programs, which are essential for the long-term survival of the French-speaking scientific community in Bulgaria.

Source: www.auf.org/