China presents its universities in Bulgaria

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-10-29 10:18

SOFIA: Over 30 Chinese universities participated in an exhibition on the sidelines of the Sino-Bulgaria University Presidents' Forum, which opened here on Wednesday.

At the exhibition, universities from China, including Tsinghua University, Peking University, and the Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (BUAA), took the opportunity to showcase their education programs to hundreds of young Bulgarians.

"The academic relations between our two countries have a long history. More and more Bulgarians are interested in Chinese language and culture," said Svetlana Lomeva, Deputy Minister of Education, Youth and Science.

She also said the forum would strengthen the relationship among the academic institutions of the two countries while exchanges of scientific achievements could foster economic development and better people's living standards.

"As the process of globalization comes into full swing, progress in higher education has to be achieved through the path of internationalization," said Professor Tang Xiaoqing, vice-president of BUAA.

Maria Fartunova, director at the Bulgarian Ministry of Education, Youth and Science, said China and Bulgaria could implement joint education programs so that students could get double diplomas.

The two sides could establish joint scientific and educational centers aiming to develop the academic and scientific partnership and to support the participation in international projects, Fartunova said.

Based on the bilateral agreement between the two countries' education ministries, the governments would annually finance 35 Bulgarians to study in universities in China and 35 Chinese students in Bulgarian universities.

"We have such agreements with 60 countries. The number of the students exchanged with China is the highest," said Mariana Uzunova, chief expert at the Bulgarian Ministry of Education, Youth and Science.

Despite these students enjoying government-financed exchange programs, there were lots of Bulgarian students in China who covered their own expenses, Uzunova said.

Bulgarian student Yanis Dyakov was one of those visiting the exhibition. "I study Sinology in the Sofia University. My classmates and I came here to get information about the conditions offered by the Chinese universities because some of us desire to go there next year," he told Xinhua.

Fifteen-year-old Ralitsa Guyrova, who studies Chinese language at one of the secondary schools in Sofia, also said she and her classmates wanted to continue their education in China.

The forum and the exhibition are part of activities commemorating the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Bulgaria.