site.btaUniversities in Bulgaria and Worldwide Support Ukrainian Students in Continuing Their Education

Educational institutions around the world, including Bulgaria, reacted quickly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24 and offered support to Ukrainian universities, students, teachers, and scientists, according to a study by Erudera, the world's first education search platform backed by Artificial Intelligence, which has already created databases in universities worldwide, offering assistance and support to Ukrainian students. Bulgarian universities are also among the higher schools that have created special conditions for students coming from Ukraine, Erudera's Editor-in-Chief Gent Ukëhajdaraj told BTA.

The oldest higher educational establishment in Bulgaria, Sofia University, announced a donation campaign to raise funds for Ukrainian refugees and accommodate them in its facilities, Ukëhajdaraj said and pointed out that Sofia University is organizing a charity bazaar within the campaign "Buy a book, help Ukraine." 

Ukëhajdaraj noted that the Plovdiv University Academic Council decided to provide free of charge accommodation to Ukrainian students. The college in Dobrich (Northeastern Bulgaria) and the Varna University of Management also said they will accommodate Ukrainian students and teachers for free. Another form of support offered by the university is free Bulgarian language courses for those who want to remain in the country, as well as free accommodation and meals, he added.

Universities in different parts of the world offer students who have studied in Ukraine so far academic support, counseling, free education, food, and more. According to Erudera's data, the highest number of educational institutions offering support to Ukrainians are on the territory of Germany. Universities in Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, and Norway are ready to provide scholarships, consultations, and psychological support for the students and teachers escaping the war.  

Later on Friday, the National Academy of Theatre and Film Arts (NATFA) said that it will give the opportunity to Ukrainian students fleeing the war, who specialized in the fields of performing and screen arts, to continue their education in Bulgaria. 

NATFA is prepared to provide free education, free accommodation at the student dormitory, free use of the student canteen, and a free public transport card, for the remainder of the 2021/2022 academic year (until July 15, 2022), as well as to give any of the refugee students (those who wish so) an opportunity to immediately start regular paid jobs under a temporary contract at the NATFA Drama Theatre, the NATFA Puppet Theatre, Educational Audio-visual Complex, the Academic Library and Archive, the student dormitory and canteen. 

The offer could be taken by up to 15 students in the Faculty of Stage Arts and up to 15 students in the Faculty of Screen Arts.