On 19 March 2021, UE – Varna held an info meeting on EU-Funded Programmes: A Step Ahead Towards Successful Career Development of Young People with EU Commissioner Maria Gabriel as a guest lecturer. The virtual forum was organized by the Law Department at University of Economics – Varna.
The meeting was attended by Prof. Dr. Evgeni Stanimirov, the Rector of UE – Varna, Prof. Dr. Nadya Kostova, Vice-Rector for Research and Human Resources Development, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Radan Miryanov, Vice-Rector for Internationalisation, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Petya Dankova, UE – Varna Research Institute Director, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Desislava Serafimova, project manager at the Research Fund on Education and Labour Market
Digitalization.
The meeting moderator, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Andriyana Andreeva, Head of the Law Department, commented: "We have organized today's virtual meeting to clearly indicate that we are part of the new digital reality. Digitalisation has the enormous potential to offer solutions to many of the challenges we are facing today. It plays a key role in both research and innovation and in promoting cooperation in educational policies and academic research."
Prof. Dr. Evgeni Stanimirov emphasised our recent contribution to four EU-funded Erasmus + projects with 22 partners. He mentioned our current Horizon programme project and added there was another project currently in evaluation, both with 39 partners, with students taking part in all programmes.
"We believe that project work and mobilities are the fastest track to a know-how transfer among universities, businesses and applied sciences. UE – Varna is committed to being a creative and entrepreneurial educational hub with a real contribution to society.
Our main mission is the successful career development of young people. The training of young people and the development of academic staff are aimed at providing a top quality learning process and excellent research that both deliver highly applicable results. The cornerstones of our strategy are internationalization, digitalisation and innovative learning.
Young people are at the core of our social and economic responsibility. We are constantly expanding our network of international partner universities, which currently exceeds 230 partners."
Prof. Stanimirov further added: "As a result of our effort, incoming and outgoing Erasmus+ mobilities are increasing every year, with a 500 % growth in student internship mobilities. Last year we organized Erasmus+ Staff Week, attended also by countries under KA 107. In July 2021 we will host the ERACON Erasmus+ Coordinators Congress."
EU Commissioner Maria Gabriel discussed the First Horizon Europe 2021 – 2024 Strategic Plan and outlined the Plan four investment priorities: (1) achieving strategic autonomy through the development of key digital, basic and new technologies, (2) restoring biodiversity, (3) transforming the European economy into the first digital and climate-neutral one, (4) creating a more sustainable and inclusive European society.
Ms Gabriel also highlighted the Horizon Europe Programme missions in cancer control, in climate change adaptation, in developing climate-neutral and smart cities, in preserving oceans, seas, coastal and inland waters, in healthy soil and food. She further outlined the main aspects of EU educational mobility programs between 2021 and 2027.
24 Mar 2021
