For 30 years two Bulgarian universities have been offering high-quality technical and engineering education, in French, degrees and diplomas that are recognized worldwide. That is why the lecturers are proud to say not a single one of their graduates has been left unemployed.

The Technical University and the University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy in Sofia have what is known as French accreditation. This means education spans 5 years and all graduates get a master’s degree. “In engineering sciences, as in medicine, 4 years are not enough,” explains Prof. Slavka Tzanova from the Technical University.

“We offer two degree courses,” she goes on to say in an interview with Radio Bulgaria. “When they graduate, our students receive a Bulgarian diploma but they have a certificate. After the 3^rd year they can choose between computer sciences and communications or electronics, electrical engineering and automation. We have guest lecturers from France, as well as a lot of foreign students from Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire. We also have a lot of French students under the Erasmus programme.”

Since 1992, the University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy has had a degree, in French, in chemical and biochemical engineering – the first francophone programme in the country.

“The degree course is in the professional field of chemical technologies,” says Chief Assistant Professor Vladislava Ivanova from the University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy. “We are proud to say that since the rating system of universities has been in existence, this professional field has always ranked first out of all 52 higher educational establishments in the country. The training comprises two cycles – general education which includes the basic engineering sciences like physics, mathematics, organic and inorganic chemistry, and a specialized unit with interesting subjects like biochemistry, technical microbiology, heat exchange processes etc. In recent years there has been a great amount of interest by students from France and Spain who come here for one semester under Erasmus. So, the student exchange – Bulgarian students going to Europe and EU students coming to Bulgaria – is intense and very popular.”

Prof. Slavka Tzanova and Chief Assistant Professor Vladislava Ivanova say the graduates with these French-language degrees have excellent professional prospects. Thanks to the Bulgarian-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry comprising over 300 companies, interest in these graduates is very high, and they have a choice of excellent jobs in their own country. The companies often organize joint training courses with the universities for their future employees in their last years as students.

“Most of our students find jobs in their field of expertise before they have graduated,” adds Chief Assistant Professor Ivanova. “During the mandatory internships – and there are many more here compared to the Bulgarian-language degree courses at our university – the students can get acquainted with the work of different companies and Bulgarian Academy of Sciences institutes, where they can choose to stay on after graduating. We also have a career centre which brings students in contact with businesses.”

The entrance exams for the Technical University are mathematics and physics, plus French. At the University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy there are no entrance exams – what matters are the grades from the national matriculation exams. The same rules apply to potential students from the EU.

The procedure for applicants from non-EU countries is more complicated and includes legalization of the diploma in the country of origin and a seal or apostille, depending on the kind of agreement concluded with Bulgaria.

“This year we have a lot of applicants but we shall see whether they will be successful,” says Prof. Tzanova. “What I have in mind are the first steps that have to be taken in the countries of Central and Western Africa where there are no Bulgarian embassies and where everything is done at the Bulgarian diplomatic mission in Nigeria. The potential students either have to go there or find a way to certify the necessary documents at the embassy, and then send their diplomas, translated into Bulgarian, to this country and apply for a visa.”

Discussions have been going on for several years for simplifying the procedure but no solution has been found as yet.  

There are many reasons why young people would choose a university in Bulgaria, say Prof. Tzanova and Chief Assistant Professor Ivanova, and one of them is the cost of the education. At the University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy, the degree in the French language is free for citizens of the EU as it is a priority field in the development of the Bulgarian economy. For all other students the cost is EUR 1,500.  At the Technical University, the tuition fee for computer science and communications is EUR 2,000, while electronics, electrical engineering and automation is EUR 1,800.

“We are a friendly nation,” Prof Slava Tzanova says, adding one more argument in favour of studying in Bulgaria. “The climate is good too. Here, foreign students find friends, they can communicate with other young people and there is no racism at the university. They get accustomed to our culture and learn the Bulgarian language. They obviously like it because we now have more applicants than we used to.”

The number of students has been increasing because of the friendly environment, Chief Assistant Professor Vladislava Ivanova believes.

“And one more thing – the students’ council is very powerful and I am proud of our students because they organize all kinds of events that help break the ice among students. Another reason is that practically all people in this country speak English or French. And the nature is magnificent. All this means the students are really happy to come and study in Bulgaria.”

Translated and posted by Milena Daynova

Photos: Diana Tsankova, University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy, Facebook / ESN UCTM