Assoc. Prof. Emiliya Veikova, PhD
Centre for Adult Education, University of Ruse, Bulgaria
Abstract: The paper presents the Centre for Adult Education of the University of Ruse, Bulgaria
During one of her visits to Bulgaria in 2010, under the Danube Strategy, Mrs. Carmen Stadelhofer, the President of ZAWiW, Centre for General Scientific Education of the University of Ulm, Germany, met Mr. Yordan Kazakov, the President of the Union of Pensioners’2004, branch Ruse, and Prof. Nikolay MIhailov, Vice Rector of the University of Ruse. They outlined a program for developing joint European projects for education of elderly people from the Danube region. Despite the great number of the members of the Union of Pensioners, more than 7000, and many local clubs, more than 80, in the Ruse region, there didn’t exist a centre or a university for third age education. Such kind of centres and a European project for third age didn’t exist in Bulgaria at that time.
Two European projects were awarded funding in 2010 with coordinator Mrs. Carmen Stadelhofer – DANET (Danube Networkers – Neighbours at Work) and DASUN (Danube Seniors Universities). The partners form the Ruse region were the University of Ruse and the Union of Pensioners. For the first time, the elderly people in Bulgaria had been included in scientific research on their needs and in education by specialist and students – future teachers, in visits abroad, in meetings with pensioners form many European countries. Mrs. Carmen Stadelhofer has become very famous in Bulgaria. All Unions of Pensioners in Bulgaria understood about the successful activities of the Union of Pensioners’2004 – Ruse, which includes more than 7000 pensioners and the University of Ruse.
For 5 years, these two Bulgarian organizations have been partners in eight projects with coordinator Mrs. Carmen Stadelhofer, which included many interesting activities for many seniors from different Danube countries. One of the projects, Danube Stories (DASTO) was awarded with a European star in 2013. Some of the projects were under programs Europe for Citizens, Grundtvig, Liefelong Learning of the European Commission and some of them were financed by the Baden-Wurttemberg and the Donabüro Ulm/Neu-Ulm, Germany. More than 800 participants, children, primary, secondary, high school students and university students, university lecturers, school teachers, parents, pensioners, researchers and educators have taken part in the activities of the projects DANET, DASUN, Danube-Networkers-Lectures 1, 2 (DALEC), DASTO, Personal Town Tours (PTT).
The successful project work of the teams from the two organizations became a basis for establishment of the first Centre for Adult Education (CAE) in Bulgaria. The decision of creating such kind of centre with statute and working program as a part of the University of Ruse was taken by the University Academic Council on 22 April, 2014. The Director of the Centre is Prof. Nikolay Mihailov and members of the CAE Board are Assoc. Prof. Emiliya Velikova, Senior lecturer Milena Popova, Assoc. Prof. Yoana Ruseva, young lecturers Valentina Vasileva and Bagryana Ilieva, etc.
This decision corresponds to a new necessity and reality in Bulgaria and all over the world – longlife learning and continuing education. The mission of the CAE if to organize and coordinate training of adult Bulgarians and foreigners. This is the way for supporting active socio-economic development of the society by the CAE. The lecturers from the University of Ruse and from foreign universities and nongovernment specialized centers and organizations take part in the seniors’ training. The interactive methods of education are involved such as group training, panel discussions, online training, videoconference, etc.
During the same year was founded the International Association Danube-Networkers for Europe (DANET) e.V, Network for Learning in Later Life, Social Participation and Intergenerational Dialogue with President Mrs. Carmen Stadelhofer (https://danube-networkers.eu/). Two Bulgarians, Assoc. Prof. Emiliya Velikova, the University of Ruse, and Assoc. Prof. Mariela Nankova, the State University of Library Studies and Information Technologies, Sofia, are members of the Board.
On 15th May, 2015 Mrs. Carmen Stadelhofer visited the Centre for Adult Education of the University of Ruse and the Union of Pensioners. She planted a birch tree in the alley in front of the University Main building as a symbol of cooperation between the Danube countries. wished in a interview for media „May this tree keep growing just like our friendship and our desire for a peaceful and strong Europe do!“. This three is very big and nice now.
