On 10 June 2026, faculty members from the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration (FEBA) at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” participated as lecturers in the specialized training course “Economic Diplomacy”, organized by the Diplomatic Institute at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Todor Yalamov, Vice-Dean for Research, Innovation and Projects at the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, delivered a lecture on “Status quo of the Innovation Ecosystem: Opportunities for cooperation with academia for economic diplomacy”. The presentation emphasized the role of higher education, research, innovation, and international academic cooperation as factors contributing to the country’s positioning in the international economic environment.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Desislava Kalcheva delivered a lecture on “The Multiannual Financial Framework of the European Union: From the Impossible to the Realistic”. The lecture focused on the importance of the Multiannual Financial Framework as a key instrument for planning the policies and priorities of the European Union, as well as on the challenges of achieving a balance between national interests, common European objectives, and budgetary constraints.

The training course “Economic Diplomacy” has a practical focus and aims to support the development of expertise on issues related to the economic aspects of foreign policy, international trade, investment, financial relations, competitiveness, and institutional coordination in representing and protecting Bulgaria’s economic interests in the international environment.

More than 20 experts from the public administration took part in the training, including representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Economy and Industry, the Ministry of Transport and Communications, the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, the Ministry of Tourism, and the Ministry of Innovation and Digital Transformation.

The participation of faculty members from FEBA in the training course is part of the implementation of a cooperation agreement concluded between the Faculty and the Diplomatic Institute. It corresponds to one of the main areas of cooperation set out in the agreement, namely the organization of joint specialized trainings, round tables, conferences, and other events in line with the needs of practice, including within the framework of the University’s continuing education activities.

The cooperation between the two institutions also has an additional dimension through the participation of Ms. Tanya Mihaylova, Director of the Diplomatic Institute, in the International Advisory Board of the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration. This contributes to strengthening the link between academic expertise, diplomatic practice, and professional training in areas of importance for public administration and international relations.