How will students study in five of the universities in the country?

29.01.2021



Higher education institutions will start the second semester either online or in a mixed format. Students will return in person only for practical training. This was shown by our inspection at some of the largest universities. However, everyone hopes that with an improvement in the epidemic situation, they will return to classrooms at least for the second half of the second semester. We checked how the second semester will start at five of the total 50 Bulgarian higher education institutions - Sofia University, Medical University in Sofia, UNSS, Technical University in Gabrovo, and Technical University in Sofia. All are now in exams, after which the second semester starts at different times. It will start either online or hybrid where practice is indispensable. All comply with the orders of the Minister of Health regarding their education. At Sofia University, the semester will start at the end of February, in a hybrid format. The second semester at the Medical University in Sofia starts on March 1 with hybrid training. "Disciplines and specialties that allow it will be conducted online - theoretical training, and when there is an opportunity for practical training while observing all measures, of course, small groups of students at a large distance, with an extended schedule," says the Vice-Rector of MU in Sofia Prof. Karolina Lyubomirova. In practice, students who study, for example, to become nurses and need to learn how to administer injections, perform manipulations, will come. Or students who study to become dentists and work with models like these. A large part of the specialties cannot exist without practical training. The candidate student campaign here starts in March. The exams will be in person in July, but will last two hours less. At the Technical University in Sofia, the second semester starts on February 22, online, and will likely continue so until the end of April. "Until the epidemic situation allows us to completely change the format. In any case, we hope that during the second semester there will be at least half of it with the possibility of in-person training," said the Rector of the Technical University in Sofia Prof. Ivan Králov. As soon as the situation allows in-person training, it will be restored, because it is extremely important for engineering sciences. The candidate student campaign here starts at the end of March and for the second consecutive year will be in an online environment with online proctors. At the Technical University in Gabrovo, the second semester starts on January 31, hybrid. First, online lectures start, and on February 8, in-person training - practical and laboratory sessions. The system is flexible. "Without losing or shifting schedules, we can move in an online environment, entirely in-person, or hybrid," said the Rector of the Technical University in Gabrovo Prof. Iliya Zhelezarov. At UNSS in Sofia, the second semester starts on February 1 online and will continue so until the end of April. "According to the order of the Minister of Health, the deadline for such non-in-person training is until April 30, we hope that there will be a change in national regulation and this order can always be changed," said the Rector of UNSS Prof. Dimitar Dimitrov. Here they hope for in-person training towards the end of the semester. They tried to study hybrid at the beginning of the year, but it turned out that even with restrictions, up to 10 thousand people entered the huge university. The candidate student campaign of UNSS starts on February 15, the exam is electronic, conducted in a testing center.

See the report here 

BNT, 29.01.2021
Youtube.com, 02.02.2021