site.bta Taraclia Branch of Ruse University Opens First Academic Year

The branch of Angel Kanchev University of Ruse in Taraclia opened its first academic year with a celebration. The event was described as historic, as it was there, in the centre of the Bulgarian community in Moldova, that the first and only branch of a Bulgarian university outside the country began operating.

The celebration was attended by the rector of Angel Kanchev University of Ruse, Assoc. Prof. Desislava Atanasova, the honorary rector, Academician Hristo Belov, Bulgarian Ambassador to Moldova Maya Dobreva, Deputy Chair of Taraclia District, Sergey Filippov, the representative of the Moldovan Ministry of Education, Ludmila Stihi, Regional Governor of Ruse Dragomir Draganov, and the rector of the Taraclia church St. George the Victorious, Father Vladimir. The opening ceremony of the first day of classes at the branch was hosted by Administrative Director Alexandr Borimecicov.

In her speech, Rector Assoc. Prof. Desislava Atanasova noted that over 150 new students will begin their studies.

"Study languages, they will open windows to the world, and the Bulgarian language gives you enormous opportunities. Bulgaria is a country with a rich history and culture,” said the Ambassador.

In her address to the audience, Ludmila Stihi, representative of the Moldovan Ministry of Education, said that she highly values the support of the Bulgarian state, the university, and the opportunities provided to students. In her words, this is not only a chance to obtain a diploma from a European country, but also an opportunity to acquire skills and knowledge that will help graduates find suitable jobs without restrictions. She also highlighted the efforts of the university's lecturers and management to motivate young people not to leave the region, but to stay, develop the culture and traditions of the place, and preserve and strengthen the Bulgarian language in the curricula. This, she said, allows these values to be passed on and multiplied for future generations.

The director of the Taraclia branch, Assoc. Prof. Valentina Vasileva, told BTA that during this academic year, 179 bachelor's and 60 master's students are studying in three fields at the branch. There are 93 students who will continue their studies at the branch. There are seven majors in total. “We are preserving the traditional pedagogical fields, while expanding them through accreditation by the University of Ruse. We are also introducing three new majors: Business Management, Computer Science, and Agricultural and Motor Transport Technology. There is particularly high interest in the Agricultural and Motor Transport Technology major, which is entirely understandable given the specific nature of the region. There is also significant interest in Business Management and Computer Science. At the same time, interest in teaching majors remains stable, as it has always been in Taraclia,” she explained.

The festive atmosphere was complemented by performances by young talents from the Taraclia Regional Children's Creative Centre and students from the branch, who presented Bulgarian folk dances, vocal and instrumental pieces.