Meeting with representatives of the Medical University – Plovdiv and the Agrarian University – Plovdiv. Discussion with the prime-minister Acad. Nikolay Denkov.

On 19.01.2023 in the city of Plovdiv a meeting was held between Prof. Eliza Stefanova, President of NAOA, Prof. Maria Schnitter, Vice-President of the NAOA, and the rector's and dean's office management representatives of the Medical University - Plovdiv. During the meeting, the specificities of the novel criterion system for accreditation as well as questions posed by the Medical University - Plovdiv to the NAOA prior to the meeting were discussed. Prof. Stefanova emphasized the common goal of the Agency and the universities – improving the quality of education. She recommended that at the end of each standard, the good practices that the university applies and that distinguish the relevant Professional Fields should be indicated.

Image: Medical University – Plovdiv

On the same day, a discussion was held at the Agrarian University - Plovdiv on the topic of "New emphasis on the requirements for accreditation of higher education institutions" with the participation of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria – Acad. Nikolay Denkov and Prof. Eliza Stefanova. All rectors and academic leaders of Plovdiv higher schools took part in the discussion. Among the accents of the discussion were higher education accreditation systems and teacher certification. According to Acad. Denkov, the system needs improvements and should be ammended using objective indicators as a starting point for the evaluation of the relevant higher education institution, which should be analyzed according to a logic similar to the rating system - how the students perform, how much the teaching staff is prepared, how much and what kind of scientific activity there is.

Image: Agrarian University - Plovdiv