American University in Bulgaria
Encyclopedia
American University in Bulgaria (commonly referred to as AUBG) is a private, selective, residential liberal arts university located in Blagoevgrad
, Bulgaria
. Courses are taught in English
by high-quality faculty coming from four continents, experienced in teaching in a multicultural, learner-centered environment. Established in 1991, AUBG enrolls 1,100 students from 40 countries on four continents (as of Spring 2010). Around 60 percent of the student body at the university is international.
AUBG graduates have gone on to occupy top positions at some of the largest multinational companies, in national governments and civil administrations, and at leading NGOs worldwide. Results from Bulgaria’s official university ranking system, published in November 2010, reveal that AUBG alumni find jobs more easily and have higher incomes than peers who graduated from other universities within Bulgaria.
When its doors opened on Sept. 30, 1991, AUBG welcomed a class of 208 first-year students who came mostly from Bulgaria. Today AUBG’s student body is a mix of 1,100 young people from more than 40 nationalities. Two-thirds of AUBG students come from countries other than Bulgaria. Romania
, Macedonia
, Serbia
, Albania
, Russia
, Ukraine
, Mongolia
, Georgia
, Moldova
, Kazakhstan
, Spain
, and the United States
are just a few of the countries that are currently represented.
By May 2011, seventeen classes of over 3,100 students had graduated from AUBG.
The university has three sources of funding: its endowment (which came largely from gifts from the United States Agency for International Development
and the Soros Foundation
), gifts, and tuition. Friends and supporters from all over the world, most preeminently among them, John Dimitry Panitza, Anna Tchaprachikoff, Minko Balkanski, Atanas Zamphiroff, the America for Bulgaria Foundation and many others, have helped AUBG grow.
. The University also issues a European Diploma Supplement (part of Europass
), which confers automatic recognition of the AUBG degree throughout Europe.
All five of the academic programs at AUBG that were listed in the 2010 survey – Economics, Computer Science, Business Administration, Political Science, and Journalism and Mass Communication – were ranked among the top in the country, with Economics rated as Bulgaria’s best.
The Bulgarian University Ranking System, maintained by the Bulgarian Ministry of Education, compares academic programs in accredited domestic higher education institutions. The system ranks programs based on more than 50 indicators, such as teaching and learning conditions, scientific research, career development opportunities, prestige, and material resources.
has one of the richest cultural histories in Europe
. Situated in Southeastern Europe, Bulgaria has close interactions with Western Europe as well as its many neighbors. It is bordered to the north by Romania
, to the west by Serbia
and Republic of Macedonia
, to the south by Greece
and Turkey
, and to the east by the Black Sea
, which links Bulgaria to Russia
, Ukraine
, and Georgia
.
Blagoevgrad
is the perfect place to live and study, according to The Rough Guide to Bulgaria. Students represent a quarter of the town’s population. The Rough Guide goes on to describe “the lovingly restored old quarter,” and notes that Blagoevgrad’s clubs and cafes are the “most stylish” in all of Bulgaria. The Blagoevgrad region abounds in natural beauty and tourist attractions such as the Rila Monastery
(a UNESCO World Heritage site), the spa town of Sandanski
, and the Seven Rila Lakes
. World-class ski resorts, horse-riding and hiking tracks are nearby in the Pirin
Mountains. Istanbul
is easily accessible by car or bus, and Greece
is a two-hour drive. Bulgaria’s capital, Sofia
, is an hour away. Its international airport is your link to exciting cities all over Europe
.
model of education. AUBG students receive individual attention in small classes (23 students per class on average), and they have many opportunities to interact one-on-one with faculty, both during open office hours and in informal settings. Around half of graduating seniors complete double majors, while many undergraduates supplement their main field of study with a minor in one of 13 disciplines offered at AUBG.
The university employs 73 faculty members, who come from 14 different countries. AUBG professors hold advanced degrees from universities such as Duke, Harvard, and Princeton, among others.
AUBG maintains close relationships with universities both in Bulgaria and abroad. In the United States, AUBG students can choose to spend a year or a semester at one of several hundred universities through the International Student Exchange Program (ISEP). In Europe, AUBG is the holder of a standard Erasmus Charter and has bilateral Erasmus Programme
agreements with over 50 institutions.
degrees in 9 major programs:
.
The Blagoevgrad-based English Language Institute offers English-language instruction at all levels and for all ages year-round. It is also a certified Internet-based TOEFL
testing center.
AUBG offers spring and fall admission on a rolling basis.
The university offers both need- and merit-based aid. In 2011-12, AUBG awarded $4 million in scholarships and financial aid to deserving students, with the amount allocated for student aid set to increase to $5 million in 2011-12. AUBG is one of few universities who award scholarships for further study to their graduates: the Tchaprachikoff scholarship provides funding for study at the top 20 U.S. universities as ranked by THE-QS World University Rankings.
AUBG is the first institution in Bulgaria with an American style housing system. Each of the three residence halls has its own community feeling and has been adapted to create a living/learning experience. All undergraduate students are required to live on campus as part of the university mission.
The residence halls include a smoke-free environment, are disability accessible, and were built with funding from USAID/ASHA. Activity areas include aerobic rooms, gyms, music practice rooms, multipurpose rooms, billiard and ping pong areas, several television lounges, outside decks, kitchens, and cafes.
John Dimitry Panitza, a renowned Bulgarian philanthropist and AUBG founder, is the patron of Panitza Library. Through Panitza’s efforts, the library developed into a modern center of learning and the largest English-language library in the region.
Panitza Library’s modern facilities offer comfortable environment for individual and group studies, equipped with computers, Internet, audio-visual center, and supporting copying services. Access to electronic resources is conveniently organized through the library web portal and is available for research and study round the clock. Excellent working relations with the Library of Congress, British Library, European and regional information centers, additionally expand the access of the AUBG Community to other collections and information resources.
The Balkanski Academic Center bears the name of renowned physicist Minko Balkanski, who in 1955 at the age of 28 became the world’s youngest professor. The eponymous Center was dedicated to Professor Balkanski and his family in 2010.
Construction for the America for Bulgaria Student Center will begin in May 2011 and will be partially funded by a grant by the America for Bulgaria Foundation.
The Computer Science Student Union organizes practical workshops and invites prominent guest speakers on campus year-round. The Union was awarded chapter status with the Association for Computing Machinery
in 2008 and has won several chapter excellence awards.
Better Community Club members work on local community projects. Their activities include a multi-year educational project at Blagoevgrad’s “St. Nikolay Mirlikliyski” orphanage; fundraising campaigns for local centers for people with disabilities and a local family afflicted with serious health problems; and others.
Students from the Business Club invite leading business figures, politicians, and economists, to talk to students on business-related topics. In 2010 alone, BC members brought two acting Bulgarian government ministers on campus.
AUBG Choir brings the music talents of AUBG and the local community together. It was created in 1993 by its director – Associate Professor of Music Dr. Hristo Krotev. Over the years, the AUBG Choir has received numerous national and international awards.
, and Verve magazine.
. In the AUBG Olympics, students compete in more than 10 sports disciplines, such as long jump, soccer, basketball, volleyball, arm wrestling, tug-of-war, horseshoe throwing, and boxing. The university also has its own American football team, the AUBG Griffins. Residence halls host table tennis, billiards, aerobic fitness rooms, and gym facilities. Those interested in skiing, hiking, horseback riding, boxing, kickboxing, aerobics, volleyball, baseball, yoga, tae kwon do, softball, and karate have formed student clubs and intramural teams. Every semester the soccer and basketball intramural competitions and the Bulgarians vs. Internationals tournaments stir the emotions of players and fans alike.
, Bulgaria’s first democratic president and recipient of an honorary doctorate from the university, visited AUBG twice as part of the Ambassador Elena Poptodorova Distinguished Lecturers series.
, President of Finland (1994–2000), 2008 Nobel Peace Prize winner, AUBG Doctor of Humane Letters (2005)
Ralitsa Vassileva
, anchor for CNN International, Atlanta, USA, AUBG Doctor of Humane Letters (2001)
William Jefferson “Bill” Clinton, 42nd President of the United States of America (1993–2001), AUBG Doctor of Humane Letters (1999)
Zhelyu Zelev, first democratically elected president of the Republic of Bulgaria (1990–1997), AUBG Doctor of Humane Letters (1995)
Elizabeth Kostova
, AUBG Board Member since 2010, author of the bestselling novels The Historian
and The Swan Thieves
John Dimitry "Dimi" Panitza (1930-2011), AUBG founder and board member, Free and Democratic Bulgaria Foundation founder, Former Managing Editor of Reader’s Digest, Paris, France
Claude Jansen, Trustee Emeritus, Honorary Chair of the International Council and Chair of the Board, INSEAD, Paris, France
Stefan Ivanov, AUBG graduate, Class of 1995, CEO at Citibank Bulgaria, Vice President and Member of the Board of Directors at AmCham Bulgaria
Vicky Politova, AUBG graduate, Class of 1995, Chief Operating Officer, bTV Media Group, Bulgaria
Boriana Treadwell, AUBG graduate, Class of 1995, Executive Producer, CNN International, USA
Ivailo Linev, Class of 2001, Vice President, Merrill Lynch, USA
Lynne Montgomery, AUBG graduate, Class of 1995, Dean, Academy of Diplomacy and Security, Montenegro
Evgeny Morozov
, AUBG graduate, Class of 2005, author of The Net Delusion: The Dark Side of Internet Freedom (January 2011); a contributing editor to Foreign Policy, contributor to The Economist, Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, Washington Post, International Herald Tribune, Le Monde, and many others
Georgi Iliev, AUBG graduate, Class of 1996, author of The Life and Death of Mr. Iliev (2006) and Holy Fool: Dogtown (2010), recipient of the 2010 Book of the Year award in Bulgaria for his novel Holy Fool
Blagoevgrad
Blagoevgrad is а city in southwestern Bulgaria, the administrative centre of Blagoevgrad Province, with a population of about 74,302 . It lies on the banks of the Blagoevgradska Bistritsa River....
, Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
. Courses are taught in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
by high-quality faculty coming from four continents, experienced in teaching in a multicultural, learner-centered environment. Established in 1991, AUBG enrolls 1,100 students from 40 countries on four continents (as of Spring 2010). Around 60 percent of the student body at the university is international.
AUBG graduates have gone on to occupy top positions at some of the largest multinational companies, in national governments and civil administrations, and at leading NGOs worldwide. Results from Bulgaria’s official university ranking system, published in November 2010, reveal that AUBG alumni find jobs more easily and have higher incomes than peers who graduated from other universities within Bulgaria.
History
AUBG was founded in 1991 as a joint endeavor of the U.S. government and the government of the Republic of Bulgaria to create an institution which educates citizens capable of responding to the challenges of transition in Southeastern Europe, building societies based on democracy, free enterprise, civic responsibility, and a deep understanding of cultural diversity.When its doors opened on Sept. 30, 1991, AUBG welcomed a class of 208 first-year students who came mostly from Bulgaria. Today AUBG’s student body is a mix of 1,100 young people from more than 40 nationalities. Two-thirds of AUBG students come from countries other than Bulgaria. Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
, Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
, Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
, Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
, Moldova
Moldova
Moldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked state in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the West and Ukraine to the North, East and South. It declared itself an independent state with the same boundaries as the preceding Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1991, as part...
, Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
are just a few of the countries that are currently represented.
By May 2011, seventeen classes of over 3,100 students had graduated from AUBG.
Mission
The mission of the university is “to educate students of outstanding potential in a community of academic excellence, diversity, and respect and to prepare them for democratic and ethical leadership in serving the needs of the region and the world.” AUBG fulfills its mission by providing over $4 million in scholarships and financial aid to deserving students from the region and beyond (as of Fall 2010).The university has three sources of funding: its endowment (which came largely from gifts from the United States Agency for International Development
United States Agency for International Development
The United States Agency for International Development is the United States federal government agency primarily responsible for administering civilian foreign aid. President John F. Kennedy created USAID in 1961 by executive order to implement development assistance programs in the areas...
and the Soros Foundation
Soros Foundation
A Soros Foundation is one of a network of national foundations, mostly in Central and Eastern Europe, which fund volunteer socio-political activity, created by George Soros, international financier and self-proclaimed philanthropist, and coordinated since early 1994 by a management team called the...
), gifts, and tuition. Friends and supporters from all over the world, most preeminently among them, John Dimitry Panitza, Anna Tchaprachikoff, Minko Balkanski, Atanas Zamphiroff, the America for Bulgaria Foundation and many others, have helped AUBG grow.
Accreditation
Baccalaureate degrees conferred by AUBG are accredited in both Bulgaria and the United States. AUBG has its school accreditation in the United States from New England Association of Schools and CollegesNew England Association of Schools and Colleges
The New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc. is the U.S. regional accreditation association providing educational accreditation for all levels of education, from pre-kindergarten to the doctoral level, in the six-state New England region. It also provides accreditation for some...
. The University also issues a European Diploma Supplement (part of Europass
Europass
Europass is a European Union initiative to increase transparency of qualification and mobility of citizens in Europe...
), which confers automatic recognition of the AUBG degree throughout Europe.
Rankings
The American University in Bulgaria leads all Bulgarian universities in terms of the employment prospects of its graduates and their incomes, according to a national ranking system launched by the Bulgarian Ministry of Education in November 2010.All five of the academic programs at AUBG that were listed in the 2010 survey – Economics, Computer Science, Business Administration, Political Science, and Journalism and Mass Communication – were ranked among the top in the country, with Economics rated as Bulgaria’s best.
The Bulgarian University Ranking System, maintained by the Bulgarian Ministry of Education, compares academic programs in accredited domestic higher education institutions. The system ranks programs based on more than 50 indicators, such as teaching and learning conditions, scientific research, career development opportunities, prestige, and material resources.
Location
BulgariaBulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
has one of the richest cultural histories in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. Situated in Southeastern Europe, Bulgaria has close interactions with Western Europe as well as its many neighbors. It is bordered to the north by Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, to the west by Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
and Republic of Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
, to the south by Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
and Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, and to the east by the Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
, which links Bulgaria to Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, and Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
.
Blagoevgrad
Blagoevgrad
Blagoevgrad is а city in southwestern Bulgaria, the administrative centre of Blagoevgrad Province, with a population of about 74,302 . It lies on the banks of the Blagoevgradska Bistritsa River....
is the perfect place to live and study, according to The Rough Guide to Bulgaria. Students represent a quarter of the town’s population. The Rough Guide goes on to describe “the lovingly restored old quarter,” and notes that Blagoevgrad’s clubs and cafes are the “most stylish” in all of Bulgaria. The Blagoevgrad region abounds in natural beauty and tourist attractions such as the Rila Monastery
Rila Monastery
The Monastery of Saint Ivan of Rila, better known as the Rila Monastery is the largest and most famous Eastern Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria. It is situated in the southwestern Rila Mountains, south of the capital Sofia in the deep valley of the Rilska River at an elevation of above sea level...
(a UNESCO World Heritage site), the spa town of Sandanski
Sandanski
-Municipality:Sandanski is the seat of Sandanski municipality , which includes the following 54 places:-Honour:Sandanski Point on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica is named after the town of Sandanski....
, and the Seven Rila Lakes
Seven Rila Lakes
The Seven Rila Lakes are a group of lakes of glacial origin , situated in the northwestern Rila Mountains in Bulgaria. They are the most visited group of lakes in Bulgaria. The lakes are situated between 2,100 and 2,500 metres elevation above sea level.Each lake carries a name associated with its...
. World-class ski resorts, horse-riding and hiking tracks are nearby in the Pirin
Pirin
The Pirin Mountains are a mountain range in southwestern Bulgaria, with Vihren the highest peak, situated at . The range extends about 40 km northwest-southeast, and about 25 km wide. Most of the range is protected in the Pirin National Park...
Mountains. Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
is easily accessible by car or bus, and Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
is a two-hour drive. Bulgaria’s capital, Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
, is an hour away. Its international airport is your link to exciting cities all over Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
Academics
The university follows the classical liberal artsLiberal arts
The term liberal arts refers to those subjects which in classical antiquity were considered essential for a free citizen to study. Grammar, Rhetoric and Logic were the core liberal arts. In medieval times these subjects were extended to include mathematics, geometry, music and astronomy...
model of education. AUBG students receive individual attention in small classes (23 students per class on average), and they have many opportunities to interact one-on-one with faculty, both during open office hours and in informal settings. Around half of graduating seniors complete double majors, while many undergraduates supplement their main field of study with a minor in one of 13 disciplines offered at AUBG.
The university employs 73 faculty members, who come from 14 different countries. AUBG professors hold advanced degrees from universities such as Duke, Harvard, and Princeton, among others.
AUBG maintains close relationships with universities both in Bulgaria and abroad. In the United States, AUBG students can choose to spend a year or a semester at one of several hundred universities through the International Student Exchange Program (ISEP). In Europe, AUBG is the holder of a standard Erasmus Charter and has bilateral Erasmus Programme
Erasmus Programme
The Erasmus Programme , a.k.a. Erasmus Project is a European Union student exchange programme established in 1987...
agreements with over 50 institutions.
Undergraduate programs
The university offers American-style Bachelor of ArtsBachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degrees in 9 major programs:
- Business Administration
- Computer ScienceComputer scienceComputer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
- EconomicsEconomicsEconomics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
- European StudiesEuropean studiesEuropean studies is a field of study offered by many academic colleges and universities that focuses on current developments in European integration....
- HistoryHistoryHistory is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
and Civilizations - Information SystemsInformation systemsInformation Systems is an academic/professional discipline bridging the business field and the well-defined computer science field that is evolving toward a new scientific area of study...
- JournalismJournalismJournalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
and Mass communications - MathematicsMathematicsMathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
- Political SciencePolitical sciencePolitical Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
and International RelationsInternational relationsInternational relations is the study of relationships between countries, including the roles of states, inter-governmental organizations , international nongovernmental organizations , non-governmental organizations and multinational corporations...
Graduate programs
In addition to its undergraduate program, the university has started an Executive MBA program in 2003. EMBA classes currently take place in Elieff Center in SofiaSofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
.
Non-degree programs
The university has developed a growing portfolio of educational non-degree-granting programs that now includes technical training at the government level for participation in EU programs and English language, business, entrepreneurship and computer skills courses. Most of these are offered at the Elieff Center for Education and Culture, which is the University’s off-campus facility in Sofia.The Blagoevgrad-based English Language Institute offers English-language instruction at all levels and for all ages year-round. It is also a certified Internet-based TOEFL
TOEFL
The Test of English as a Foreign Language, or TOEFL , evaluates the ability of an individual to use and understand English in an academic setting....
testing center.
Tuition and scholarships
AUBG enrolls students of strong potential and diverse talents who are at the top of their high school graduating class, among them national mathematics competition champions, language contest winners, sports talents, high school gold medalists, and students who have distinguished themselves at community service projects. The average SAT score of the entering class in fall 2010 is 1185 (on Critical Reading and Math), which makes AUBG one of the most selective universities worldwide.AUBG offers spring and fall admission on a rolling basis.
The university offers both need- and merit-based aid. In 2011-12, AUBG awarded $4 million in scholarships and financial aid to deserving students, with the amount allocated for student aid set to increase to $5 million in 2011-12. AUBG is one of few universities who award scholarships for further study to their graduates: the Tchaprachikoff scholarship provides funding for study at the top 20 U.S. universities as ranked by THE-QS World University Rankings.
University campus
The Skaptopara campus in Blagoevgrad is home to the university’s undergraduate programs. It includes three brand-new residence halls (the latest one – Skaptopara III – was completed in January 2010), Balkanski Academic Center, which houses classrooms, computer labs, and offices, and Panitza Library, the largest English-language library in Southeast Europe. According to results from Bulgaria’s official University Ranking system, AUBG has the best residential facilities in the country.AUBG is the first institution in Bulgaria with an American style housing system. Each of the three residence halls has its own community feeling and has been adapted to create a living/learning experience. All undergraduate students are required to live on campus as part of the university mission.
The residence halls include a smoke-free environment, are disability accessible, and were built with funding from USAID/ASHA. Activity areas include aerobic rooms, gyms, music practice rooms, multipurpose rooms, billiard and ping pong areas, several television lounges, outside decks, kitchens, and cafes.
John Dimitry Panitza, a renowned Bulgarian philanthropist and AUBG founder, is the patron of Panitza Library. Through Panitza’s efforts, the library developed into a modern center of learning and the largest English-language library in the region.
Panitza Library’s modern facilities offer comfortable environment for individual and group studies, equipped with computers, Internet, audio-visual center, and supporting copying services. Access to electronic resources is conveniently organized through the library web portal and is available for research and study round the clock. Excellent working relations with the Library of Congress, British Library, European and regional information centers, additionally expand the access of the AUBG Community to other collections and information resources.
The Balkanski Academic Center bears the name of renowned physicist Minko Balkanski, who in 1955 at the age of 28 became the world’s youngest professor. The eponymous Center was dedicated to Professor Balkanski and his family in 2010.
Construction for the America for Bulgaria Student Center will begin in May 2011 and will be partially funded by a grant by the America for Bulgaria Foundation.
Student life
AUBG students take advantage of the numerous extracurricular opportunities at AUBG by joining a club, a student publication, a sports team, or an activity such as theater, AUBG Choir, debating, Model United Nations simulations, and public service.Student government
Established in 1991, the AUBG Student Government provides a venue for students to practice the tenets of democracy and make a difference in campus decisions. It is a directly elected representative body of the students at AUBG. The Student Government holds its sessions weekly. It has a yearly budget, which is allocated among the various student clubs and organizations.Clubs
AUBG hosts chapters of international organizations, such as People to People International, AIESEC, the Phi Beta Delta Honor Society, and the Association for Computing and Machinery. Social and sports organizations, such as the AUBG Olympics, Basketball Club, Debate Club, Chess Club, Women in Business Club, also contribute to the dynamism of university life at AUBG.The Computer Science Student Union organizes practical workshops and invites prominent guest speakers on campus year-round. The Union was awarded chapter status with the Association for Computing Machinery
Association for Computing Machinery
The Association for Computing Machinery is a learned society for computing. It was founded in 1947 as the world's first scientific and educational computing society. Its membership is more than 92,000 as of 2009...
in 2008 and has won several chapter excellence awards.
Better Community Club members work on local community projects. Their activities include a multi-year educational project at Blagoevgrad’s “St. Nikolay Mirlikliyski” orphanage; fundraising campaigns for local centers for people with disabilities and a local family afflicted with serious health problems; and others.
Students from the Business Club invite leading business figures, politicians, and economists, to talk to students on business-related topics. In 2010 alone, BC members brought two acting Bulgarian government ministers on campus.
AUBG Choir brings the music talents of AUBG and the local community together. It was created in 1993 by its director – Associate Professor of Music Dr. Hristo Krotev. Over the years, the AUBG Choir has received numerous national and international awards.
Research and Innovation
AUBG students participate in conferences and competitions worldwide, such as the prestigious Carroll Round International Student Research conference at Georgetown University, USA and the annual Microsoft’s Imagine Cup competition. The Goldman Sachs Global Leaders Program has repeatedly recognized AUBG students’ potential. Furthermore, AUBG hosts its own research conference every year, where students and faculty present research projects.Student media
There are four active student media on campus – three electronic publications and a radio station – which chronicle University events and town life: FlashNews weekly, Radio AURA, Defacto, and Verve magazine.
Athletics
Every year AUBG holds its own Olympic gamesOlympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
. In the AUBG Olympics, students compete in more than 10 sports disciplines, such as long jump, soccer, basketball, volleyball, arm wrestling, tug-of-war, horseshoe throwing, and boxing. The university also has its own American football team, the AUBG Griffins. Residence halls host table tennis, billiards, aerobic fitness rooms, and gym facilities. Those interested in skiing, hiking, horseback riding, boxing, kickboxing, aerobics, volleyball, baseball, yoga, tae kwon do, softball, and karate have formed student clubs and intramural teams. Every semester the soccer and basketball intramural competitions and the Bulgarians vs. Internationals tournaments stir the emotions of players and fans alike.
Lecture series
The university hosts many prominent business practitioners and public figures year-round. Zhelyu ZhelevZhelyu Zhelev
Zhelyu Mitev Zhelev is a Bulgarian politician and former dissident who was the first democratically elected President of Bulgaria, he is elected for his first mandate by the Parliament for the period 1990 to 1992, in January 1992 general elections are held when he is reelected for his second...
, Bulgaria’s first democratic president and recipient of an honorary doctorate from the university, visited AUBG twice as part of the Ambassador Elena Poptodorova Distinguished Lecturers series.
Notable people
Martti AhtisaariMartti Ahtisaari
Martti Oiva Kalevi Ahtisaari is a Finnish politician, the tenth President of Finland , Nobel Peace Prize laureate and United Nations diplomat and mediator, noted for his international peace work....
, President of Finland (1994–2000), 2008 Nobel Peace Prize winner, AUBG Doctor of Humane Letters (2005)
Ralitsa Vassileva
Ralitsa Vassileva
Ralitsa Vassileva is a CNN International television news anchorwoman. She has covered the Bosnian War, the Arab-Israeli conflict, and many other major international issues...
, anchor for CNN International, Atlanta, USA, AUBG Doctor of Humane Letters (2001)
William Jefferson “Bill” Clinton, 42nd President of the United States of America (1993–2001), AUBG Doctor of Humane Letters (1999)
Zhelyu Zelev, first democratically elected president of the Republic of Bulgaria (1990–1997), AUBG Doctor of Humane Letters (1995)
Elizabeth Kostova
Elizabeth Kostova
Elizabeth Johnson Kostova is an American author best known for her debut novel The Historian.-Early life:Elizabeth Z. Johnson was born in New London, Connecticut and raised in Knoxville, Tennessee where she graduated from the Webb School of Knoxville...
, AUBG Board Member since 2010, author of the bestselling novels The Historian
The Historian
The Historian interweaves the history and folklore of Vlad Ţepeş, a 15th-century prince of Wallachia known as "Vlad the Impaler", and his fictional equivalent Count Dracula together with the story of Paul, a professor; his 16-year-old daughter; and their quest for Vlad's tomb...
and The Swan Thieves
John Dimitry "Dimi" Panitza (1930-2011), AUBG founder and board member, Free and Democratic Bulgaria Foundation founder, Former Managing Editor of Reader’s Digest, Paris, France
Claude Jansen, Trustee Emeritus, Honorary Chair of the International Council and Chair of the Board, INSEAD, Paris, France
Stefan Ivanov, AUBG graduate, Class of 1995, CEO at Citibank Bulgaria, Vice President and Member of the Board of Directors at AmCham Bulgaria
Vicky Politova, AUBG graduate, Class of 1995, Chief Operating Officer, bTV Media Group, Bulgaria
Boriana Treadwell, AUBG graduate, Class of 1995, Executive Producer, CNN International, USA
Ivailo Linev, Class of 2001, Vice President, Merrill Lynch, USA
Lynne Montgomery, AUBG graduate, Class of 1995, Dean, Academy of Diplomacy and Security, Montenegro
Evgeny Morozov
Evgeny Morozov
Evgeny Morozov, born 1984 in Soligorsk, Belarus, is a writer and researcher who studies political and social implications of technology.-Life:...
, AUBG graduate, Class of 2005, author of The Net Delusion: The Dark Side of Internet Freedom (January 2011); a contributing editor to Foreign Policy, contributor to The Economist, Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, Washington Post, International Herald Tribune, Le Monde, and many others
Georgi Iliev, AUBG graduate, Class of 1996, author of The Life and Death of Mr. Iliev (2006) and Holy Fool: Dogtown (2010), recipient of the 2010 Book of the Year award in Bulgaria for his novel Holy Fool
External links
- Official website
- AUBG Alumni Association
- Independent AUBG Student Forum
- AURA - student-run broadcasting radio station
- DeFacto - student-run newspaper and online publication
- FlashNews - student-run online publication
- "The More-Honors" - annual original show created by AUBG students
- AUBG Debating Society - a student club for competitive debating
- The Computer Science Student Union / AUBG ACM Student Chapter - student-run organization of the CS department