Medical University of Varna

The Medical University of Varna (MU-Varna) is a Bulgarian state school for higher education dedicated to training specialists in the fields of medicine and healthcare who graduate with the educational and qualification degrees of Master, Bachelor and Professional Bachelor. The university has a legal entity status with the following scope of business activities: training of cadres and professional qualification; training of PhD students; postgraduate education for medical and non-medical cadres; conducting medical diagnosis, prevention, consultation, rehabilitation, and expert services at the university hospitals; scientific research and applied sciences; international cooperation in the field of education and science; administrative, social, sport, publishing, information, and other activities.

The Medical University of Varna is the first university in Bulgaria to implement the EFQM® model for Business Excellence of the European Foundation for Quality Management in 2008. The diplomas issued by the university are recognised in all the European Union countries.

MU-Varna possesses academic autonomy.

History

Foundation

The university was founded as a higher medical institute by a Decree No. 414 from November 12, 1960, of the Presidium of the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria and Order No. 208 from January 19, 1961, of the Ministry of Health. October 1, 1961 is considered its birthdate – the first school day of the first academic year at the first higher education medical school in Northeastern Bulgaria.

During the first 10 years all departments and basic clinics were developed. Facilities for education and scientific research were created. The main focus has been on the continuous improvement of the practical training. With the growth of the institute, the construction of new hospital premises was organised both for educational purposes and for the healthcare needs in Northeastern Bulgaria. During the 1970s the new Surgery Clinic and the Dermatology Clinic were built. In the 1980s the Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, the Psychiatric Hospital (the largest on the Balkan Peninsula), the Eye Hospital, the Therapeutic Hospital (the current University Hospital "St. Marina" – Varna) were also established.

In 1995, by a decree of the National Assembly, the Higher Medical Institute of Varna was renamed to Medical University of Varna. In 2002 the university accepted as its name the name of its patron – Prof. Dr. Paraskev Stoyanov. The university auditoria are traditionally named after prominent professors from the Medical University of Varna.

The Medical University of Varna is among the first members of the Black Sea Universities Network (BSUN) and is full member of the European University Association (EUA). From 2006 the graduating doctors receive a European supplement to their diplomas which is valid for their professional realisation in the EU countries.

Since the beginning of the 21st century, with the opening of new faculties and programmes, high-tech laboratories, research centres, creation of more conditions for scientific exchange, work on programmes, active international cooperation, scientific periodicals, better online presence and work in the new digital environment, university TV, MU-Varna has expanded its educational scope and has developed further its academic potential.

Symbols, awards and honours

The university tries to satisfy the public need of high-quality medical and management cadres in healthcare and the social field in accordance with the national strategies for the development of education and healthcare, and the international standards. It aims to develop fundamental and applied scientific research, innovations and new technologies, as well as to improve the national health in partnership with the other parts of the healthcare system. The university aims to be a nationally recognised leader in the academic education and scientific research which have a considerable contribution to the improvement of the nation's health, the technological progress and the quality of life.

Campus

Faculties and college

Faculty of Medicine is a main part of the university structure uniting 20 departments and 18 teaching and research sectors. Its purpose is to train staff with a higher education degree in medicine, graduating with educational qualification degree Master and professional qualification Master in Medicine. It is an educational institution for PhD students and it offers postgraduate education in a wide variety of majors. The education process is only full-time and it is conducted following a curriculum developed according to the state requirements for the major. The duration of the course is 6 years.

Faculty of Dental Medicine was founded on March 15, 2006, and it comprises 7 departments. It is dedicated to the training of professionals with a higher education degree in dental medicine, interns and PhD students in the main dental medicine majors. Since 2008 the faculty has had at its disposal a new building equipped for the purposes of the students’ theoretical and practical training. In 2009, as a part of the faculty, a new Academic Centre of Implantology was opened. The educational process is only full-time and it is conducted in three stages (6 years).

Faculty of Pharmacy was founded on October 16, 2008, and consists of 8 departments. At the faculty, which, by 2016, is the only one in Eastern Bulgaria, pharmacy students, interns and PhD students are trained in the main pharmaceutical disciplines. The educational process is only full-time with a duration of 5 years and includes a 6-month pre-graduation internship.

Faculty of Public Health was founded on June 20, 2001, and it has 6 departments. It trains specialists with a higher education in the programmes of Health Management, Public Health, Healthcare Management, Nurse, Midwife, Pharmaceutical Management, and Rehabilitation, Thalassotherapy, Wellness and Spa. It offers 10 accredited PhD programmes, postgraduate training in the form of continuous educational courses as well as individual courses for postgraduate qualification including online courses. It is a member of the Association of Schools of Public Health in the European Region (ASPHER) and the "Public Health in Southeastern Europe" network (PH-SEE) as well as a member of the National Global Health Network.

Medical College is the structure with the oldest history and traditions. It was founded in 1942 as a Nursing School, from 1944 until 1997 the college underwent numerous transformations: Institute for Nurses, School for Midwives, United Medical School, Medical Institute. Since 1997 it has been a main part of the structure of the Medical University of Varna. It offers training for a Professional Bachelor in the following programmes: Assistant Pharmacist, Medical Laboratory Technician, X-ray laboratory assistant, Dental Technician, Public Health Inspector, Physiotherapist, Social Activities, Medical Beautician, Medical Optician, as well as training aimed at continuing the qualification of those who have acquired medical or non-medical degree.

Organisation and administration

The Management bodies at the Medical University of Varna are the following: the General Assembly, the Academic Council, and the Rector. The General Assembly is composed of all professors, representatives of the teaching assistants, the students and the administrative personnel. The Academic Council consists of 25 to 45 people and includes members of the academic staff, representatives of the PhD students, the students and the personnel. The professors comprise no less than 70% of the total number and the representatives of the students and the PhD students - 15%. Academic staff who meet the requirements of the Regulations of the Medical University of Varna are elected for the positions of Rector and Vice Rectors. The Rector works together with the counselling organ the Rector's Council. Bodies of coordination and control at the Medical University of Varna are also the Control Council, the Council of Trustees and the Central Commission for Quality Management.

International activities

The Medical University of Varna maintains partnerships with over 80 universities and educational institutions from more than 40 countries on 5 continents.

The partnerships are based on bilateral agreements for academic cooperation in the field of training and scientific research. Joint projects are implemented with leading universities and university hospitals in Germany, Austria, Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland and almost all member countries of the European Union and European Educational Area. Outside the EU, the university maintains academic cooperation with educational institutions in Russia (Moscow, St. Petersburg, Pensa, Kursk) and Ukraine (Bogomolets State Medical University in Kyiv and the University of Pharmacy in Kharkov). An active practical exchange is carried out with universities and university hospitals in Turkey (Edirne) and Israel (Haifa, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv).

Since 2010, an exchange has been carried out on the clinical facilities of MU-Varna for students’ summer practices with First Moscow State Medical University “I. M. Sechenov” and Northwestern State Medical University “I. I. Mechnikov” in St. Petersburg. The Department of International Relations is also responsible for the organization of academic staff mobility. The guest professors come from the universities of Seged, Kharkov, Vienna, Zagreb, Silesia, etc. The international exchange includes clinical internships, PhD programmes (“Ovidius” University in Constanta, Romania) and specializations.

From 2001 to 2007 MU-Varna organised an exchange of students and academic staff within “Socrates-Erasmus” Programme. In 2007 MU-Varna obtained an extended Erasmus University Charter and carried out students’ and academic staff exchange within the Lifelong Learning Programme for the period 2007–2013. Since December 2013 the university has been awarded “Erasmus+” University Charter for the new programme period 2014–2020. MU-Varna has signed bilateral agreements within “Erasmus+” Programme with 32 universities from 15 European countries.

Some of the significant international projects are in the field of cardiology and cardiosurgery (Augsburg, Germany; Pensa, Russia), surgery (Hannover, Germany; Pittsburgh, USA), paediatric oncohaematology (Bonn, Germany), cancer research (Heidelberg, Germany), dermatology (Moscow) and transplantation (Germany, Israel).

Academics

Programmes

At the faculties of medicine, dental medicine, pharmacy, public health of the Medical University of Varna and the Medical College the following programmes are offered: Medicine, Dental Medicine, Pharmacy, Nurse, Midwife, Health Management, Healthcare Management, Public Health, Medical Laboratory Assistant, Radiographer, Assistant Pharmacist, Dental Technician, Public Health Inspector, Physiotherapist, Medical Beautician, Medical Optician, Pharmaceutical Management, Rehabilitation, Thalassotherapy, Wellness and Spa, Public Health Prevention and Control (In Bulgarian), Public Health and Health Management (in Russian).

At the affiliates in Sliven, Shumen and Veliko Tarnovo: Nursing, Midwifery.

English language programmes are offered in: Medicine, Dental Medicine, Public Health.

Admission

The admission process of the Medical University of Varna consists of preliminary and routine exams - in Varna as well as in Sliven, Veliko Tarnovo, Shumen, Germany, Austria, Great Britain, Spain.

As a part of its admission campaign the Medical University of Varna offers preparatory courses and admission consultations: comprehensive and short intensive preparatory courses in biology, chemistry, modelling; some of them also available in different cities in Bulgaria and several EU countries. There is a new online question form, as well as online submission of application papers and the placement of all applicants from all programmes.

There are specialised websites dedicated to the admission campaign – in Bulgarian, English and German.

“Open Door Days” are organised for Bulgarian and foreign applicants. The university participates in educational fairs and international exhibitions in order to increase the enrollment of foreign students, after a preliminary analysis of the scope and the perspectives for the Medical University of Varna.

Vocational Training and Postgraduate Studies

• Centre for Vocational Training
• Department of Postgraduate Education
• Centre for Online Education
• Centre for Career Development

PhD Programmes

Medical University of Varna offers training in 54 accredited PhD programmes in the following eight professional directions: 1) Medicine; 2) Dental Medicine; 3) Chemical Sciences; 4) Life Sciences; 5) Psychology; 6) Administration and Management; 7) Pharmacy; 8) Public Health.

State-of-the-Art Method of Teaching

In 2014 the Medical University of Varna incorporated a platform complementing the online education of the students from all programmes. In their personal profile the students receive interactive handbooks, exercises, video lectures, 3D atlases, tests, etc. They can also check their grades. In 2014 a new technology came into use, which allows the current evaluation of the level of mastering of the material and facilitates the interactive method of education. The students have the opportunity to study human anatomy by means of interactive methods and 3D technology

Students' life

Profile

The students are trained in programs predominantly in Bulgarian and also in English. Among the international students, the largest number come from Germany (the largest group, over 40% of all foreign students), The Kingdom of Bahrain, The United Kingdom, Greece, Cyprus, Sweden, Spain, Turkey, USA, Norway, Portugal, Ireland, Austria, Albania, North Macedonia, Ukraine, Finland, Denmark, Serbia, Italy, France, Poland, Belgium, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Israel, Iran, Yemen, Egypt, Kuwait, Brazil, Japan, Tunisia, The Dominican Republic, India, Russia, Kazakhstan, Luxembourg, Bhutan, Azerbaijan, Syria, Nigeria.

Students' council

The council is a body dedicated to the defense of the students' general interests a representing the students and the PhD students of the Medical University of Varna in the General Assembly. The term of the students and the PhD students in the General Assembly is with a duration of two years with the right to be re-elected for another term. The Student Council elects a chairman among its members, who organises and manages its activity as well as represents it in front of the managing authorities of the university.

Sport

Every year the students of the Medical University of Varna take part in the traditional sport tournaments “Varna Universiade”, “The Cup of the Rector”, “Summer University” and “Winter Universiade”. They compete in different disciplines among themselves and with students from other universities from the city and the country. Physical Education is a mandatory form of education for all the students from the initial years of all programmes. The university athletes and the teams conduct their training sessions under the guidance of professional trainers.

Notable alumni

Aneliya Klisarova, medical scientist and professor.

George Chaldakov, vascular biologist and neurobiologist.

Krasimir Ivanov, surgeon, oncologist, professor and rector.

Milen Vrabevski, businessman and philanthropist.

Эх сурвалж: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)