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THE "AKADEKOS" PROJECT CREATED AN INNOVATIVE ACADEMIC ECOSYSTEM AND SUCCESSFUL MASTER'S PROGRAMMES IN THREE KEY BULGARIAN UNIVERSITIES
21 December 2023
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The project "AKADEKOS - Innovative model for modernization of higher education by creating an academic ecosystem VFU "Chernorizets Hrabar” - The Technical University - Varna - Paisiy Hilendarski university of Plovdiv was successfully completed. The beneficiary of the project is VFU "Chernorizets Hrabar" and the partners TU - Varna and "Paisiy Hilendarski" University of Plovdiv. For the first time, private and public higher education institutions in Bulgaria established the innovative joint master's programmes 'Eco-technological Systems in industry' and '3D Technologies for Design and Production', which continue to be permanently present in the portfolio of all three universities after the completion of the project. 39 students have already been trained in the pilot master's programmes, and 36 of them are about to receive their first joint diplomas, said Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. Positsa Petkova - Slipets coordinator of the project and Dean of the Faculty of Architecture at VFU "Chernorizets Hrabar" during the closing conference with the participation of representatives from the three universities.
Within the project, Varna Free University built a modern laboratory complex, which includes a Design and Virtual Reality Laboratory and a Laboratory for Additive 3D Technologies. Students worked with "shared" lecturers from the three universities. Three scientific articles were written and they have already been published in Scopus editions. The publication of four more scientific works in partnership with the associated partners from the University of Craiova is fortcoming, announced Prof. Nevena Mileva from the University of Plovdiv. She highly rated the partnership work during the two years of the project. According to her, "AKADEKOS" is one of the most successful projects that University of Plovdiv has worked on. The Technical University in Varna will also continue to build on the achievements of the project, said Prof. Galina Ilieva.
For the career guidance of students from the three universities, an information network of career centers was created, career expos were held with representatives of key companies from the business sector. Students are trained in soft skills development activities – communication strategies, leadership, creative and presentation skills, and entrepreneurship. Incoming and outgoing mobilities for university and doctoral students, young scientists and lecturers were conducted in the associated partners - the University of Digital and Distance Learning in Madrid, the University of Žilina in Slovakia, the University of Craiova and the University of Bucharest in Romania.
As a result of the project, lecturers from the three universities were trained in upgrading their knowledge in English for academic purposes, as well as in working with e-learning platforms, virtual reality platforms and the development of interactive media resources.
The project BG05M20P001-2.016-0026 'Innovative Model for Modernization of Higher Education by Creating an Academic Ecosystem VFU "Chernorizets Hrabar" - the Technical University - Varna - Paisiy Hilendarski University of Plovdiv is worth nearly BGN 1.5 million under operational programme 'Science and Education for Smart Growth', co-financed by the European Union through the European Structural and Investment Funds.
