Working meeting under project “CruiseT“ at Varna Free University “Chernorizets Hrabar”
20th April 2015 saw the official opening of a working meeting at Varna Free University “Chernorizets Hrabar” under the project “CruiseT – a Network of Collaboration Centres for the Development of Cruise Tourism in the Black Sea Region” (Tempus programme), which is under way between 18th and 25th April. Participants in the project include over 50 representatives from 7 countries – Bulgaria, Germany, Ukraine, Georgia, Italy, Slovakia and Romania. The Rector of the host university, Prof. DSc Galya Gercheva, started the meeting with an opening address to the participants. Other VFU representatives were Prof. Valeri Stoyanov, PhD, Vice Rector for Educational Affairs and Assoc. Prof. Eleonora Tankova, PhD, Dean of the Faculty of International Economics and Administration. The official guests at the meeting – Sonya Georgieva, Directorof the Tourism Directorate at Varna Municipality, Alexander Avramov, Head of Naval Station at Port Varna, Krasimira Kyuchukova from Golden Anchor Consulting and Gergana Kostadinova from Partner Travel Bulgaria – also addressed the participants with welcoming words and presentations. Among the foreign participants in the project are Roman Mamuladze ,Dean of the Faculty of Business and Management at Batumi State Maritime Academy (BSMA), Georgia, Manuchar Loria, Vice Rector of BSMA, Georgia, Lela Kelbakiani, Rector of Kutaisy University, Georgia, Giorgi 
Matiashvili, Rector of Tavartkiladze Teaching University, Georgia, Maia Ukleba, Vice Rector of Tavartkiladze Teaching University, Georgia, Marina Gedevanishvili, Vice Rector of Caucasus International University, Georgia, Prof. Tamar Koblianidze, Dean of Caucasus International University, Georgia, Prof. Natalia Peresupkina, Head of Department at Odessa National Maritime Academy, Ukraine, Serdzhi Zaichko, Vice Rector of Odessa National Maritime Academy, Ukraine, Mikola Dmutrichenko, Rector of Transport Academy Kiev, Ukraine, Alexis Papatanasis, Dean of Hochschule Bremerhaven, Germany, Prof. Niclas Schaper from the University of Paderborn, Germany, Dr. Vyacheslav Nikitin from the University of Paderborn, Germany, Prof. Klaus Rosenthal from the University of Paderborn, Germany, Guido Kaufman and others.
The project objectives are to encourage collaboration in higher education and training in the field of tourism between the EU and its eastern neighbours (Georgia, Ukraine), to support the development of tourism and improve the quality of cruise tourism in the Black Sea region through strengthening the collaboration between universities and the industry, to promote the attractiveness of higher education in the partnering countries from the Black Sea Region.
Project contact person:
Assoc. Prof. Snezhanka Ovcharova, PhD – coordinator
0899/ 902 979
