Sirens and appeaps "Investments instead of economizing" marked the beginning of the discussion on "State policies in support of quality higher education and quality university science"
Representatives of Sofia University Academia, students, Chair of the Bulgarian Parliament Tsetska Tsacheva and the chairman of the parliamentary Education, Science, Children, Youths and Sports Committee Ognyan Stoichkov took part in the discussion.
Prof. Ilchev expressed gratitude on behalf of the students and Sofia University Academia to Mrs. Tsacheva for her offer to tranfer the savings of the Parliament in support of Sofia University, which amount to BGN 2,000,000. However, he announced that this does not cancel the mееting procession of Sofia University for 16th November, 2010.
The discussion continued by expressing a number of oppinions, questions and suggestions addressed to the legislature and the executive authorities in Bulgaria. They encompassed insistance on passing the Bill for Acedemic Development, immediate reforms or a new Higher Education Law, deciding on national strategy for academic development, stimulating the quality through a new system of financing the higher educational institutions, last but not least - defining the priorities of the Bulgarian budget for 2011. Mrs. Tsacheva agreed with most of the statements and expressed her personal position that the number of universities should be reduced, the reform in higher education and science should go in parallel, criteria for a rating system should be extablished in a way to become the normative basis for receiving subsidy. She did not engage with specific time limits, however, she stated that the reforms in the higher education have to be realised by the end of the mandate of the current government. This context made the Academia express apprehension that 2011 will be even more difficult for Sofia University due to preserving the status as this would lead to cuttings which inevitably will result in lower quality of the education, which by the moment despite the shortages in funding is at European level.
Mr. Ognyan Stoichkov expresse commitment to fight for education to be one of the three top priorities for 2011. In conclusion, Mrs. Tsacheva announced her strong position against equal funding per university, yet she explained that there is no common vision regarding education policies and the discussions are going on.