Department of European Studies

  • AddressSofia 1113 125, Tsarigradsko Shose Blvd. Block 4, floor 1; room 133
  • Contacts:
  • Head of the department: Assoc. prof. Nikolina Tsvetkova, PhD | ntsvetkova@phls.uni-sofia.bg
  • Administrative assistant:Vesela Kibarova | vkibarova@phls.uni-sofia.bg

The European Studies programme is the Bulgarian version of European Studies, which over the past 50 years has established itself as one of the most prestigious and promising majors at a number of universities in the world. Established back in the 1999/2000 academic year, this interdisciplinary program trains highly qualified professionals in the field of European integration in a broad educational and practical aspect.

Education in European Studies at Sofia University ‘St. Kliment Ohridski’ observes a number of principles which are protected through the instruments of the modern higher education:

  • Interdisciplinarity of basic training;
  • Variety of educational profiles allowing for flexibility and individualization of students’ academic growth;
  • Providing an open nature of the academic content and maintaining the curriculum and the separate programs and courses in accordance with the dynamics of the subjects;
  • Implementing new educational approaches, introducing interactive and internet-based methods;
    Introducing practical approaches and developing skills for independent real-life problem-solving.

European Studies Club

We welcome your questions, suggestions and ideas at the following email address: clubeuropeanstudies@gmail.com

The European Studies Club is an informal association of students majoring in European Studies. Its main objective is to create a forum which represents and defends students’ interests as well as provides a place for them to launch and realize their ideas. Among the main functions of the club are the maintenance and development of the internet site www.eustudies.eu, provision of a common space where the Department and students interact, implementation of student initiatives.

The Club hosts discussion forums with members of the European Parliament, local politicians, academics; conducts academic competitions; organizes Christmas parties for the students; launches initiatives to improve the teaching premises as well as the area around the department building.

This is the place where you can meet interesting people, find support for your ideas and initiatives, actively participate in the life of the Department and the opportunities it provides, and, therefore, shape its present and future development.    

International Conferences of the European Studies Department

Ever since 2014, the European Studies department has organized its annual conference which has attracted extensive international participation. The conferences have enjoyed the participation of scholars from Europe, Asia and Australia. The conferences have been hosted by Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohrisdksi” and supported by the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation, the Hanns Seidel Foundation. The conference proceedings are available for download below.

 

Doctoral Conferences of the European Studies Department

The annual doctoral conference is a graduate students’ conference that has been organized every year since 2016 in collaboration with the Political Studies department at Sofia University. The students present a selected number of research papers on topical EU matters. The students’ research papers are published in a conference proceedings volume. The conferences have been supported by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation. The doctoral conferences so far: The future of the EU – a new beginning or an end (2016); Bulgaria and the EU ten years later – what we did (not) accomplish (2017); The new EU perspective – prioritiea and policies (2018); The EU with a new parliament – the way ahead (2019); The EU and the new normal – from social isolation to civic engagement (2020); The (Im)Possible EU – time to decide on our common future (2021); Европейският съюз в „окото на бурята“– Обединена Европа или Европа на нациите (2022); За хората и институциите – време за решения в ЕС (2023)

Student Conferences of the European Studies Department

Every year the second-year students at the European Studies department organize a conference where they present a selected number of research papers on topical EU matters. The students’ research papers are published in a conference proceedings volume. The conferences have been organized since 2012 and supported by the Hanns Seidel Foundation. The student conferences so far: The European Union – current affairs and perspectives (2012), Europe for its citizens and the citizens for Europe (2013), My Europe is… (2015), The EU – economy and/or politics (2016), “Je suis Europe” (2017), We the youth (2018), Europe live – topical issues (2019), The European citizens’ agenda „#EUactive!” (2020), Europe – green, digital, global (2021)

Academic staff:

Head of department European Studies

Assoc. Prof., PhD

Nikolina Tsvetkova

ntsvetkova@phls.uni-sofia.bg

Research field and interests

Language teaching, language and educational policies, intercultural learning, intercultural competence, European dimensions of secondary and tertiary education, using ICT in education, distance and e-learning

Main disciplines

General English, English for Specific Purposes, Intercultural Relations, Introduction to Multilingualism in the EU, Project Terminology, Intercultural Relations and Projects in the Field of Culture in the EU

Prof., Dr. habil

Blagovest Mollov

bmollov@phls.uni-sofia.bg

Research field and interests

Analytic philosophy, metaphysics, argumentation theory, English studies

Main disciplines

British Civilization; English II; Analytic philosophy and pragmatism

Prof., PhD

Maria Stoycheva

stojchevap@phls.uni-sofia.bg

Research field and interests

Political philosophy, European integration, European identity, Language and Education policies, Culture policies, Multilingualism; Analytical philosophy, Philosophy of language] Project management, EU programmes and projects

Main disciplines

European cultural identity; Political Philosophy; Evaluation and monitoring of European projects; Ethnic and national identities; EU language policy; EU culture policy

Assoc. Prof., Dr. Habil

Kaloyan Simeonov

kdsimeonov@phls.uni-sofia.bg
kaloos.simeonov@gmail.com

Research field and interests

Economic and Monetary Union of the EU. Accession to the Euro Area. The role of the euro in the global markets. History of monetary unions; Single market and common EU policies. Financial services, financial markets and free movement of capital; EU enlargement; EU economy.

Main disciplines

Contemporary socio-economic development of Bulgaria (after 1990); Contemporary socio-economic development of the EU Member States (After the Treaty of Rome);  Economic and Monetary Union of the EU; EU single market;  Participation of Bulgaria in the EU decision-making process; EU enlargement.

Assoc. Prof., Dr. Habil

Mirela Veleva-Eftimova

velevaefti@phls.uni-sofia.bg

Research field and interests

European Studies, History of European Integration, EU Enlargement Policy, euro-integration of Bulgaria 

Main disciplines

History of Europe-XXcen., History and Theories of European Integration, History of Bulgarian euro-integration – on the context of EU Enlargement Policy

Assoc. Prof., PhD

Stanislav Kostov

skkostov@phls.uni-sofia.bg

Research field and interests

EU Law, Judicial protection in EU, Protection of Fundamental Rights

Main disciplines

EU Law I Part; EU Law II Part; Judicial Protection in EU

Assoc. Prof., PhD

Tsvetan Manchev

Research field and interests

Macroeconomics, monetary economy, monetary policy, macro-prudential policy, foreign exchange regimes, European economic, monetary and financial integration, Economic and Monetary Unions, Central banking, Financial stability, Financial crises

Main disciplines

European Integration, European Economic and Monetary Union; Banking Union, European System of Central Banks

Assist. Prof., PhD

Vihar Georgiev

Research field and interests

EU institutional mechanism; comitology; EU cohesion policy; immigration policy and EU border security policy

Main disciplines

Information Society; Introduction to Law; Justice and Home Affairs Policy; Policies of the European Union, practicum; Applying EU law; Organization and Implementation of Public Procurement Procedures; Public-Private Partnerships

Assос. Prof., PhD

Daniela Decheva

dndecheva@phls.uni-sofia.bg

Research field and interests

German Studies – Cultural history of the German-speaking countries; Memory culture and memory policy in Germany and Europe; German identity after 1945

Main disciplines

German – History and Culture of the German-speaking countries; German – Terminology of the European institutions; European Culture in the 20th century – introduction

Asst. Prof., PhD

Desislava Karaasenova

dkaraasenova@phls.uni-sofia.bg

Research field and interests

Internationalisation of higher education; Transnational academic mobility; Intercultural communication; Intercultural learning; Language teaching

Main disciplines

English for Specific Purposes (Terminology of the EU; Legal English; English for Economics)

Asst. Prof., PhD

Radostina Zaharieva

rzaharieva@phls.uni-sofia.bg

  • Curriculum Vitae

Research field and interests

Contrastive Linguistics, Idiomatics, Linguoculturology, Terminology

Main disciplines

French – Vocabulary and Grammar, Translation, Conversation, Writing; French – Specialized vocabulary, Translation, Conversation, Writing; French – Terminology of the European Union Institutions; Terminology and Analytical Skills – French; Public Speaking and Moderating – French (European Integration and EU; Diplomacy MA Programme); Introduction to European Terminology – French (European Integration MA Programme)

Asst. Prof., PhD

Raya Raycheva

r.raycheva@phls.uni-sofia.bg

Research field and interests

Philology; Linguistics; Sociolinguistics; Translation; Foreign language training; Interactive teaching methods and IT

Main disciplines

Vocabulary and Grammar, Translation, Conversation, Writing – Spanish (1 Part / 2 Part); Specialized; Vocabulary, Translation, Conversation, Writing – Spanish (1 Part / 2 Part); Terminology of the European Union Institutions – Spanish (1 Part / 2 Part)

Asst. Prof., PhD

Ana Lazarova

ana.lazarova@phls.uni-sofia.bg

Research field and interests

IP and IT law; EU copyright policies; regulations on data; regulations on artificial intelligence

Main disciplines

Courses in undergraduate programs:

Introduction to Intellectual Property Law (European Studies, FP, Sofia University); Corporate and Commercial Law (European Studies, FP, Sofia University); Introduction to Intellectual Property Law (BIN, FP, Sofia University); Socio-Legal Aspects of Information Technology (Computer Science, FMI, Sofia University); Socio-Legal Aspects of Software Engineering (Software Engineering, FMI, Sofia University); Courses in master’s programs:; Copyright and New Technologies (BIN, FP, Sofia University)
Postgraduate courses:
Electronic Media in Digital Environment (Postgraduate Course “Law and Digital Technologies” of the Postgraduate Institute at the UNWE)
Trainings:
Lecturer in various trainings organised by: the Centre for Training of Lawyers – Krustyu Tsonchev at the Higher Bar Council; the Institute of Public Administration; NGOs, etc

Asst. Prof., PhD

Mariya Yurukova

m_yurukova@ff.uni-sofia.bg

  • Curriculum Vitae

Research field and interests

EU Media Policy and Law, EU Policies, Countering Disinformation, EU Research and Projects, European Integration, Content Analysis, Election Coverage, Media and Democracy

Main disciplines

European Media Policy, Media analysis, Media research and projects, News production and Policies in EU

Asst. Prof., PhD

Lubomira Popova

l_popova@ff.uni-sofia.bg

  • Curriculum Vitae

Research field and interests

European integration; Europeanisation; EU enlargement; Specificities of the Bulgarian accession to the EU; Post-communist transition

Main disciplines

Political History of EU Enlargements

Asst. Prof., PhD

Roksana Trifonova

rvtrifonov@uni-sofia.bg

  • Curriculum Vitae

Research field and interests

Main disciplines

Asst. Prof., PhD

Roksana Trifonova

diana.petrova@phls.uni-sofia.bg

Research field and interests

European Cultural Identity, Multicultural Policies, Intercultural Dialogue and Diversity, EU Cultural Policies, Programmes, and Projects.

Main disciplines

EU Programmes; Project Management