UNWE is hosting the presentation of the START project “Social Inclusion, Tolerance, Acceptance, and Achievement for All Students” by the Ministry of Education and Science.
At the opening of the two-day conference, the adviser to the Minister of Education and Science, Prof. Kostadin Kostadinov, emphasized that “this is a forum that unites vision, professionalism, and the pursuit of a more just and open educational environment. The project is an example of how institutions, experts, and stakeholders can join hands in the name of a common goal. Through the power of partnership, we build models that respond to contemporary challenges while also setting standards for development.” He noted that “our message today is that every effort toward tolerance is an effort for quality, every step of acceptance is a step toward progress and an investment in the future. I am convinced that our work will leave a lasting impact; the sustainability of this process will be ensured by the knowledge we exchange, by ideas that will continue to develop even after the project ends. It shows that the academic community has the power to change lives and build a future of respect and humanity based on knowledge.”
Rector Prof. Dr. Dimitar Dimitrov pointed out that this conference is very timely at a moment when processes such as wars and conflicts are hindering human development, and therefore it is important to remind everyone of the inclusion, mobility, and acceptance of all students. “I am glad that our university provides a platform for such a discussion. Universities are not only places for education and science; they are also for culture and universal human values.” The rector added that the university has had many opportunities to demonstrate that tolerance and inclusion are very important. “Necessary care is also provided to international students, who are not just a cost to the budget but an investment in the political, social, and economic development of the country.” He raised the issue of the long process for legalizing documents for those wishing to study in Bulgaria. He also highlighted the obstacles faced by Bulgarians abroad who want to study in the country and emphasized his call to remove all barriers to their applications.
The results and conclusions of the START project were presented by Dr. Ivana Radonova from the Ministry of Education and Science.
“All of us should have equal access to education, including vulnerable groups, and we must not allow the education system to exclude them for one reason or another,” said Angel Stoykov, chairman of NPSS (pictured in the middle). “Higher education institutions should be accessible, and we must be guided by this understanding. The word ‘tolerance’ should increasingly be present in higher education, and we should strive for words like ‘tolerance’ and ‘love’ to become the word of the year.”
During the presentation of the START project, Prof. Adrian Opre from the Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education focused on the development and testing of the pilot mechanism for social inclusion in universities. Information on the applicability of micro-credentials in Bulgaria was shared by the National Evaluation and Accreditation Agency. Vladimir Milev from the Bulgarian Council for Refugees and Migrants continued the topic of micro-credentials with social inclusion in the higher education sector. Experiences in the field of education were also shared by the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement from Georgia. The Ministry of Education and Science also presented the topic “Validation and Joint Initiatives – a Discussion on the Perspectives of University Faculty, Students, and Employers.”