03 - Bulgaria - Specific legislative framework
At the present moment in the Republic of Bulgaria the necessary legislative framework for the
functioning of higher education and its integration in the European education space is established.
Certain elements from the framework are discussed and changed periodically according to the
requirements of the changing social and economic reality. The main legislative documents in operation
are:
* The Higher Education Act– 1995 /latest amendments 2006 /; - regulates the structure,
functions, management and funding of the higher education in the Republic of Bulgaria. The
Higher Education Act establishes the framework of the higher education system, regulates the
responsibilities of the different management levels, the academic autonomy, the structure and
organisation of the teaching/learning process, regulates the rights and obligations of the
academic staff of the higher schools, the organisation of research activities, the rights and
obligations of the students, doctoral candidates, and post-doctorate students, defines the
accreditation conditions for higher schools, defines the parameters of the property and
finances of higher schools, regulates the conditions for the acknowledgement of the right to
exercise a regulated profession on the basis of professional qualification acquired in an EU
member state. The Act includes additional provisions connected with the rights of the EU
member states to open branches on the territory of Bulgaria as well as additional provisions
for the education of EU citizens.
* Academic Degrees and Academic Ranks Act /1972 / - regulates the academic degrees and
ranks, the conditions and order for their granting and how they are to be revoked with the aim
to cooperate for the development of science and for the practical application of its
achievements. The Regulations on the Implementation of the Act operates together with it.
The Act regulates the structure of the Supreme Testimonial Commission as an independent
body with the Council of Ministers.
* Ordinance on the state requirements for the acquisition of higher education and educational
qualification degrees (Bachelor, Master and Specialist) /Decree by the Council of Ministers
№162 from 2002 /; the aim of the ordinance is to determine standards for the conducting of
education in the programmes of Bachelor, Master and Specialist educational qualification
degrees. It determines the goals and tasks of the respective qualification degrees, the
teaching duration, the ratio between lectures and practical preparation of students, the
conditions to sit for state exams.
* Decree 125 by the Council of Ministers of 2002 for the ratification of the Classifier of the Fields
of Higher Education and the Vocational Paths
- determines nine areas of higher education and more than 60 professional directions. The
Classifier has been developed in compliance with the structure of ISCED 97 and presents the
opportunity for gathering, processing and comparing of information on an international level.
* Ordinance on the state requirements for recognizing higher education acquired or periods of
education completed at foreign higher schools
Decree by the Council of Ministers # 167 of 2000 – the state requirements for the recognition
of education acquired at foreign higher schools and periods of education completed at foreign
higher schools; the information insurance of that activity is regulated.
* Ordinance # 21 of 2004 by the Minister of Education and Science for the implementation of a
system for credit accumulation and transfer within the higher education institutions - the
ordinance regulates the rules for credit accumulation and transfer in the system of higher
education in compliance with the ECTS rules. The application of the credit accumulation and
transfer system has been introduced to all the institutions for higher education within the
country with the Higher Education Act.
* Ordinance on the state requirements for the admission of students at higher schools in the
Republic of Bulgaria (adopted by a Decree by the Council of Ministers № 79 of 09.05.2000 ) –
the state requirements for admitting students at the higher schools in the Republic of Bulgaria
after they have graduated secondary education and requirements for sending Bulgarian
students to study at foreign higher schools; the rules for admitting foreigners as students at
the higher schools in the Republic of Bulgaria are established; the way to ensure language
and specialized training for the foreigners who have been admitted as students in the Republic
of Bulgaria is determined.
* Ordinance on the state requirements for the admission and education of Doctoral students
/Decree by the Council of Ministers # 222 of 2000/ - the sate requirements for the admission
and education of Doctoral students at the higher schools and scientific organizations which
includes both Bulgarians and foreigners, the financial and material and technical provision of
the education of Doctoral students.
* Ordinance on the state requirements for the content of the documents issued by the higher
schools of 2004 – the requirements for the contents of the documents issued by higher
schools /diploma, professional qualification certificate, transcript of academic record, student`s
book, identity card, certificate, general ledger of the higher school, diploma registering book/
and a system of requisites is established for each of them; with this ordinance the obligatory
issuing of a European Diploma Application is introduced.
* Ordinance of the use of student hostels and canteens /Decree by the Council of Ministers 327
of 1997 /latest amendments 2002/ - it regulates the general conditions for the management,
maintenance and use of student hostels and canteens; the way of distribution and the
exploitation control of student hostels and canteens are established.
* Ordinance on the state requirements for distance education at higher schools /Decree by the
Council of Ministers # 292 of 2004/ – it establishes the state requirements for the organizing of
distance education, the organization of the teaching/learning process, the use of technological
devices, the conditions for ensuring quality.
* Ordinance # 9 on the terms and procedure for utilizing funds allocated from the state budget
for the scientific, artistic and creative activities of the higher schools – 2003;
* Decree # 90 of the Council of Ministers for the term and procedure for granting scholarships to
students, doctoral candidates and post-doctoral students from the state higher schools and
scientific organisations /2000/ - establishes the conditions and order for scholarship granting
for the different forms of education at state higher schools.
* Decree # 145 of the Council of Ministers of 16.06.2006 for the determining of application and
tuition fees at state higher schools- the decree is updated each year and it takes into account
the economic situation.
* Decree # 103 of the Council of Ministers of 1993 for performing educational activity for
Bulgarians abroad – expresses the state policy for assisting foreign citizens and persons
without citizenship who are of Bulgarian nationality and live outside or in Bulgarian
communities abroad.
* Regulations on the Activity of the National Evaluation and Accreditation Agency Decree by the
Council of Ministers 106 of 2000 – regulates the structure, activity, management, funding, and
the organization of the activities of the National Evaluation and Accreditation Agency; the
Regulations specify the organization of the evaluation and accreditation processes, in relation
to which criteria sheets for the conducting of the procedures have been developed.
Eurydice - the information network on education in Europe
Date: 2009
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