18 - Bulgaria - Organisational variations, alternative structures

The Higher Education Act envisages the following forms oftertiary education:

• full-time;
• part-time;
• evening;
• distance.

These days, more often than not, the above forms of tertiary education are blended into one and the same course of study and it is becoming difficult to find a pure form of tertiary education. Electronic means of communication along with various forms of self-study take up a prominent position among methods of education.

Carrying out distant education in its pure form means that some specific resources and conditions have been provided. In order to ensure that quality distance education is organized in Bulgaria, this particular form is discussed in a special Ordinance, envisaging all the requirements for its carrying out. The legal basis related to distance education is not restricted in view of the specialities or degrees of education. It is rather at the discretion of the respective tertiary school which specialities and which degrees are to be offered in a distance format.

All the activities concerning planning, organising and performing distance studies are carried out by a special unit at the respective tertiary school, i.e. its Distance Learning Centre. This Centre is responsible for the technological and technical provision of the course of study.

Distance learning is organized on the basis of study documentation, approved of by the academic council following the joint suggestion of the major unit which carries out the particular course and the Distance Learning Centre.

The documentation is the same as the a compulsory one, accompanied by a list of the team involved in the distant course, a reference material regarding organisation of access to information sources, a list of the technical and communication means, a system of examination and assessment, means of controlling the exam procedures and making them transparent, as well as a system of controlling the quality of education offered.

Eurydice - the information network on education in Europe

Date: 2009
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