site.btaBulgarian Higher School of Insurance and Finance Signs Cooperation Memorandums with Leading Private North Macedonia Universities

The Bulgarian Higher School of Insurance and Finance (VUZF) signed cooperation memorandums with three leading private establishments of higher education in North Macedonia: FON University, University American College Skopje, and South-East European University in Skopje on Friday. Details of the agreements were made public by VUZF University Rector Prof. Boris Velchev at the BTA Press Club in Skopje in the presence of BTA Director General Kiril Valchev and Bulgarian Ambassador Angel Angelov.

VUZF is the first Bulgarian private university specialized in the field of business, finances, insurance, management and marketing, and is among the four best higher schools in the field of economics, according to the national universities rating system.

"I represent a relatively small economic university but it is among Bulgaria's best," said Prof. Velchev.

VUZF offers 16 Bachelor and Master programmes, which are taught in Bulgarian and in English.

VUZF and its partners in North Macedonia discussed possible joint programmes, student exchanges and research cooperation.

Cooperation is picking up

The recent months are seeing efforts to strengthen cooperation between Bulgaria and North Macedonia in education, the BTA Director General said.

For many years, the students from North Macedonia have been the largest group of foreign students in Bulgarian universities, their number varying between 3,000 and 5,000, according to data from the BTA reference library cited by Valchev.

The two countries' Education Ministries have signed various agreements and the recent months are seeing attempts to enhance this cooperation: through agreements as well as the national programme for popularizing higher education in Bulgaria amongst foreign students of Bulgarian ethnicity, Valchev also said.

The national programme has a horizon until 2023.