The specialties "Nursing" and "Midwife" from the professional field "Health Care" become protected. This provides an opportunity for students in these specialties to be exempted from paying fees in state higher education institutions. This is provided for by amendments to the Decree on the procedure for approving the number of students and doctoral students admitted to study in state higher education institutions and for adopting the List of Priority Professional Fields and the List of Protected Specialties, which were approved by the Council of Ministers.
As new protected specialties from the professional field "Food Technologies" are also included: “Food Technology and Quality“, “Technology and Quality of Perfumery, Cosmetics, Vegetable Oils, Chocolate and Tobacco Products“, “Technology of Cereal, Bakery and Confectionery Products“ and “Technology, Control and Quality of Beverages“.
The List of Protected Specialties also includes the specialty “Explosive Techniques and Technologies“ from the professional field “Exploration, Extraction and Processing of Minerals”. Currently, the specialty, which is still new, is taught only at the University of Mining and Geology, and only 7 students are studying in it. At the same time, there are specific requests from many employers, who emphasize the need for highly qualified specialists in the field of explosives, especially in the context of developing industrial and infrastructure projects, as well as in the defense sector.
The amendments also include measures to retain graduated doctors in Bulgaria. The Minister of Education and Science will be able to offer some of the students admitted for training in the specialty of the regulated professions “Medicine“ to have contracts with an employer. This will enable students to start their professional career during their studies, which will make them better prepared to meet the professional requirements after graduation and will contribute to their staying in Bulgaria. For employers, this will be an opportunity to form future specialists, according to their specific needs.
The adopted amendments also provide that the Minister of Education and Science will be able to offer some of the students in the professional fields “Economics“ and “Administration and Management“ to be admitted after a state matriculation exam in mathematics, the result of which should form at least 60% of the score for the respective specialty.
The introduction of a matriculation exam in mathematics as a criterion for admission to the fields of “Economics“ and “Administration and Management“ will lead to the selection of students who have not only theoretical, but also practical-analytical skills that are needed in the modern economy. This is an important factor for their successful completion of training and integration into the relevant economic and management spheres after graduation.
The adopted amendments also introduce the possibility of approving a larger number of students - future teachers of mathematics, informatics, information technologies, physics, chemistry and natural sciences. Preparing teachers with specialization in these key areas will have a long-term positive effect on education in Bulgaria, by increasing the results in the natural and exact sciences, which is the basis for the development of innovations and technologies in the country. These specialties will continue to be exempt from fees, due to their critical importance for the development of future generations of scientists and engineers.
The possibility of approving a larger number of admitted students in the protected specialty “Hydroengineering“ is also part of the adopted amendments. The introduction of this regulatory option will respond to the growing demand for specialists in these areas, especially in the context of the rapidly developing infrastructure industry in Bulgaria.