Varna Free University Chernorizets Hrabar

At a glance

Source: Wikipedia: Varna Free University; Wikipedia (Bulgarian): Варненски свободен университет; Official website: Varna Free University Chernorizets Hrabar^1,2,3

History and status

Varna Free University was established in 1991 by a resolution of Bulgaria’s 37th National Assembly. On 21 July 1995, a decision of the Assembly granted it the status of a higher school. The university is privately operated and is based in Varna, Bulgaria.^1,2

The university’s rector is Professor Petar Hristov. Its president is Associate Professor Krasimir Nedyalkov.¹

Faculties and programmes

• Faculty of International Economics and Administration
• Faculty of Law
• Faculty of Architecture

Source: Wikipedia: Varna Free University¹

Its departments cover international economics and politics; administration and management; computer studies; legal sciences; security and safety; psychology; architecture and urban studies; construction of buildings and facilities; and art. The university offers regular, part-time and distance learning. Its provision includes 80 undergraduate degrees, 20 master’s programmes and 20 accredited PhD research courses.¹

Subjects named among its specialities include law, architecture, construction, fire safety and population protection, design, economics, international economic relations, public administration, international relations, fashion design, national security, crime prevention and public order, and choreography.²

Accreditation and international links

The university is institutionally accredited by Bulgaria’s National Assessment and Accreditation Agency at the Council of Ministers. It was the first non-state university in Bulgaria to receive institutional accreditation for a five-year term.^1,2

The university reports certification under ISO 9001:2008 and certificates from the United Kingdom Accreditation Service and the ANSI National Accreditation Board for implementing international standards. It is also described as the first and only university in Bulgaria certified with the DS Label, ECTS Label and HR by the European Executive Agency for Education and Culture.¹

The university participates in the Black Sea Universities Network and has academic contacts and exchange with foreign universities and academic communities. Its staff and students take part in projects under programmes including Tempus, Erasmus and Leonardo.²

Campus and facilities

The university is located in Varna, near the Golden Sands resort complex, and maintains a campus in Smolyan. Its facilities include three university buildings, student accommodation, a sports and medical complex, laboratories, art studios and computer rooms with internet access.^1,2

Its multidisciplinary library holds more than 36,000 volumes of scientific, reference and literary works. The collection is expanded by more than 6,000 new titles each year. The university also has a publishing house and a bookshop.²