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A Champion’s Start to the New Academic Year at Varna Free University “Chernorizets Hrabar”
27 September 2026
Varna Free University “Chernorizets Hrabar” will officially open the 2026/2027 academic year on September 28th at 10:00 a.m. in the East Park. The ceremony will be opened by the University President, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Krasimir Nedyalkov, and the Rector, Prof. Dr. Petar Hristov. It will be part of the celebrations marking two significant anniversaries for the university - the 35th anniversary of its founding and the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Student Council.
More than 1,000 first-year students will cross the university’s threshold this autumn. The results of the admissions campaign confirm the sustained and strong interest in all of the university’s Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes.
A champion’s start to the new academic year will be given by Hristiyan Kasabov - a rising Bulgarian athletics star, national champion and record holder in the 110m and 60m hurdles, who this autumn is also joining our university as a first-year student in the Interior Design programme. His sporting career has taken him into the top 10 at the 2026 World Athletics U20 Championships in Eugene, USA. In 2025, he won a silver medal at the European Athletics U20 Championships in Tampere, Finland, while in 2024 he won a bronze medal at the European Athletics U18 Championships in Banská Bystrica, Slovakia. Hristiyan is an alumnus of the “Dobri Hristov” National School of Arts in Varna, where he studied Advertising Graphics. He will welcome his fellow students, lecturers, parents and guests on behalf of the first-year students.Varna Free University “Chernorizets Hrabar” is entering its 35th anniversary year with a high evaluation of the quality of the education it provides. The university has received its fifth consecutive institutional accreditation for the maximum six-year period, with a score of 9.01 out of 10 - one of the highest achievements in the country.
In 2026, the university further strengthened its position internationally, ranking fourth in Bulgaria for digital reputation according to the independent global UniRank ranking - a result it has maintained for the second consecutive year. Its international recognition is further reinforced by Varna Free University “Chernorizets Hrabar” being included in the prestigious QS Europe University Rankings 2026, where it is one of only nine Bulgarian higher education institutions to have secured a place among the 1,000 academic institutions from 42 European countries. The ranking takes into account the institution’s academic reputation, the quality of its research, international engagement, commitment to sustainable development, and the career prospects of its graduates.
For first-year students at the Smolyan Branch, the academic year will begin on October 3rd (Saturday).
Photo of Hristiyan Kasabov: Sportal.bg