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A Student Majoring in Law at Varna Free University Reaches the Final of the National Mediation Competition and Receives an Award for Creativity
10 November 2026
Ivan Bankov, a fifth-year Law student at Varna Free University “Chernorizets Hrabar”, reached the final of the Eighth National Student Mediation Competition and received a certificate of recognition for outstanding creativity. He represented the University alongside Sofia Gavrailova and Sofia Stoilova, who are also fifth-year Law students.
The national competition is organised by the Dispute Resolution Centre, which brings together students from different academic disciplines for practical simulations of mediation procedures. Participants take on the roles of mediators, lawyers and clients, working on case studies based on real-life practice. This year’s competition brought together 20 teams from various universities, each consisting of three students playing the roles of mediator, lawyer and client. The competition comprises two rounds, with the second being the final. A total of 10 mediators and 10 lawyer - client teams progress to this stage.
The Varna Free University team demonstrated thorough preparation, strong argumentation skills and effective teamwork. In addition to competing, Ivan Bankov also took on the role of a player-coach, combining his own performance with support for the team. The three future legal professionals prepared for the competition under the guidance of Assoc. Prof. Dr Ivanka Bankova, a lecturer at the Department of Administration and
Management of the Faculty of Social, Economic and Computer Sciences. Their joint work brought together legal knowledge and approaches to conflict management, negotiation and interpersonal communication. This preparation is particularly valuable in a format that requires participants to understand the dispute, recognise the parties’ interests and find mutually acceptable solutions.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to take part in the mediation competition. The most valuable aspect of such formats is the challenge of going beyond theory, putting your knowledge to the test in practice, learning something new and discovering, in a competitive environment, what else you can improve. It is an experience that remains useful long after the competition is over. Certificates and awards are welcome recognition, but the knowledge and skills gained are the real value of taking part,” said Ivan Bankov after the competition.
Under the competition rules, participants are assessed on their communication skills, negotiation strategy, process management and cooperation. The primary focus is on the quality of their actions, rather than reaching an agreement at any cost. The format challenges students to stand up for their interests, recognise hidden motives and seek solutions under time constraints.
This year’s achievement builds on Varna Free University’s successful participation in the national competition. In 2025, the University was represented by two teams of students from the Law and Business Administration and Management programmes, and Tsvetelina Koleva received a special award for Most Diplomatic Mediator. Ivan Bankov also took part in the previous edition and this year built on that experience by reaching the final and receiving an individual award.
