New Bulgarian University

At a glance

Source: Wikipedia: New Bulgarian University; Wikipedia (Bulgarian): Нов български университет; Official website: New Bulgarian University^1,2,3

History

New Bulgarian University was established on 18 September 1991 by a resolution of Bulgaria’s Seventh Grand National Assembly. Professor Bogdan Bogdanov, who proposed the idea, founded the university with a committee of scholars, researchers and entrepreneurs. Its stated purpose at establishment was to develop an alternative educational institution in response to Bulgaria’s democratic changes after 1989.^1,2

The university introduced a general education test in 1995, adopted as a common admissions standard the following year. It has received institutional accreditation from Bulgaria’s National Evaluation and Accreditation Agency in 2001, 2006 and 2013, and was accredited by The Open University in the United Kingdom in 2004.^1,2

Faculties and programmes

NBU reports around 10,000 students and offers more than 50 bachelor’s programmes, around 100 master’s programmes and 35 doctoral programmes. Its educational units include faculties and centres for continuing education.^1,2

• Faculty of General Education
• Bachelor’s Faculty
• Master’s Faculty
• Faculty of Distance, Electronic and Continuing Education
• School of Professional and Continuing Education

Source: Wikipedia (Bulgarian): Нов български университет²

Bachelor’s fields listed by the university include administration and management, anthropology, biology, design, economics, information technology, history, music, psychology, theatre and telecommunications. Some programmes are offered in languages including English and French.^1,2

Research and international links

Research and creative work are organised through departments and research centres. The Central and East European Center for Cognitive Science conducts research on topics including memory, language, learning, perception, robotics and artificial intelligence. It offers master’s and doctoral degrees in cognitive science and organises an annual summer school.^1,2

NBU has been an accredited partner of The Open University Business School since 2004. It is also a member of the European Reform University Alliance, a consortium that includes universities in France, Germany, Denmark and Greece.^1,2

Campus

The university’s main base is in Sofia, in the western part of the city near Vitosha Nature Park. The campus comprises two buildings and includes a library, university theatre, museum, gallery, medical centre and sports centre, surrounded by open green spaces. NBU also has academic bases elsewhere in Bulgaria.^1,2

The campus includes more than 100 halls, computer and language laboratories, interpreting facilities, a mock courtroom, and studios and practice rooms for music, fine arts, design and architecture. The university has its own publishing house and library; the library holds more than 128,000 items.^1,2