Burgas gave « green light » to open a branch of the Forestry University

The University of Forestry in Sofia to open a branch in Burgas, proposed by Mayor Dimitar Nikolov, and the City Council has agreed to do so. If its decision is implemented on May 20, it will lead to the opening of the fifth representation of a higher education institution in the seaside city, after such already have the National Academy of Arts, Sofia University, the Lyuben Groys Theater College and a procedure for a branch of the National Academy of Theater and Film Arts « Krustyo Sarafov » is underway. Along with them, there are two Burgas universities in the municipality – state and private, in which faculties and specialties are opened, including in pharmacy.

In order to take over most students, the municipality designs the construction of a student town with dormitories, study building, laboratories, shared learning spaces and makes the request that it can also provide specific infrastructure in it for the needs of the University of Forestry (LTU). It is planned in Burgas to train students in the specialties of the Forestry Division, and the mayor emphasizes the need of the municipality by specialists in landscape architecture and alternative tourism.

In its decision, the Municipal Council agrees to the branch, under the condition of a positive opinion from the National Agency for Assessment and Accreditation to open the new structure in Burgas. For the Burgas Branch will provide two lecture halls with 30 seats and three more for exercises with 15 jobs for students.

The Academic Council of the LTU has decided to open a branch in Burgas since 2024.

Among the reasons from the municipality are the presence of numerous protected areas and forest massifs in the municipality, which has opportunities for alternative tourism.

At the level of secondary vocational education, five high schools in the district train students in agriculture, forest and fisheries, veterinary medicine and environmental protection. They are in Burgas, Aytos, Karnobat, Malko Turnovo and Sungurlare. « The graduating students have no alternative to continuing their education in these areas in the region, » said Dimitar Nikolov.

In the Southeastern Planning Region, companies in the field of woodworking and furniture industry, such as « Kronospan Bulgaria » Ltd. (Burgas) and « Furniture Videnov » (Yambol), are developing activity to specialists with the respective higher and secondary vocational education, he adds.

It notes that the Bulgarian forests have increased their territory nearly twice in the last 100 years. « Bulgaria is a leader in Europe in biodiversity and stored forests and this is mainly due to the activities of the forestry, » Nikolov writes.

According to the National Map of Higher Education, the Southeastern Planning Region, where the Burgas district is, is second in number of newly employed specialists with higher education of a student in the region, as well as in the number of students in the high school stage of study of a student in the region. This defines it as a region with clear needs for the development of higher education, he said.

The opening of a branch also requires a positive opinion from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food., whose secondary budget officer is the Executive Forest Agency with its 16 Regional Forest Directorates and 176 territorial units (state forestry, state hunting holdings). The structures of these institutions are also among the main employers of engineering personnel in the field of forestry.