Vasil Levski National Military University

At a glance

Source: Wikipedia: Vasil Levski National Military University; Wikipedia (Bulgarian): Национален военен университет; Official website: Vasil Levski National Military University^1,2,3

History

The institution traces its origins to the Military School established in Plovdiv in 1878. It moved to Sofia that year and was officially opened there on 26 November. The school received higher education institution status in April 1924 and was named in honour of Bulgarian national hero Vasil Levski in 1945. Since 1958, its headquarters have been in Veliko Tarnovo.^1,2

In 2002, Bulgaria reorganised its military higher education institutions and established the National Military University by bringing together three military schools. The university also took in the artillery academy in Shumen, which became a faculty. The former air force faculty in Dolna Mitropoliya was separated from the university in 2020.^1,2

Faculties and programmes

The university has two faculties, located in Veliko Tarnovo and Shumen. Its educational provision includes military and civilian bachelor’s programmes, as well as civilian bachelor’s and master’s programmes.²

• Cadets studying military or civilian subjects at bachelor’s level
• Students studying civilian subjects at bachelor’s or master’s level
• Specialist trainees
• Doctoral candidates

Source: Wikipedia (Bulgarian): Национален военен университет²

Location and international links

The university’s main location is Veliko Tarnovo, with a faculty in Shumen. Its Veliko Tarnovo headquarters are in the north-western part of the city, in a campus complex opened in 1979; all cadets were studying there from 1980.^1,2

During the period when the military schools operated separately, they also trained foreign cadets from Africa, the Middle East, Asia and South America. Graduates from those countries later held senior military and government positions in their home countries.²