Board of Trustees
PRESIDENT
Honorary Professor Vesselin Metodiev, Ph.D.
Member of the Board of Trustees of NBU since 26.05.2000 and of the Chair’s Council – since 12.12.2011. Chair of the History department of NBU.
Honorary Prof. Veselin Metodiev was member of the Parliament in the 40th National Assembly and Vice-Chair of the Parliamentary Group of the party “Democrats for Strong Bulgaria”. In the period 1997-1999 he was Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education and Science.
Before joining NBU, Veselin Metodiev worked in the General Directorate of Archaives at the Council of Ministers and was member of the Parliament in the 37th and the 38th National Assemblies.
His publications include the monograph ‘The Council of Ministers in Bulgaria. The Beginning 1879-1886’ and the following co-publications: “120 years Council of Ministers in Bulgaria”, “Bulgarian Constitutions and Constitutional Projects”, “State Institutions in Bulgaria 1879-1986”.
Contact Information:
Building 1, Room 222
tel.: +359 2 8110 243
e-mail: vmetodiev@nbu.bg
MEMBERS
Anastasia Moser, PhD
Member of the Board of Trustees of NBU since 14th March 1994
Anastasia Moser is Honorary Chairman of the political party United Agrarians. She is member and Vice-President of the 40th National Assembly. In her professional and public career she has worked for the World Bank, the Hellenic Studies Center, the “Voice of America”. She was elected member of the 37th and the 38th National Assembly, co-chair of the Parliamentary group of the People’s Union – BAPU, Democratic Party, as well as in the 39th National Assembly – vice-chair of the parliamentary union of UDF. She is chair of the Bulgarian Interparliamentary Group, member of the Foreign and Integration Policy Commission and Secretary General of BAPU – People’s Union. She is also member of the Commission on Foreign Policy, Defense and Security, the Provisional Commission for preparation of proposals for amendments of the Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria, the Commission on Foreign Policy, the Delegation to the Joint Parliamentary Committee Bulgaria – European Union, of the Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. She is chair of the Friendship Group Bulgaria - France. She was awarded the order "Cavalier of the Legion of Honor" of the Republic of France.
She graduated Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
Honorary Professor Antoni Slavinski
Antoni Slavinski is a member of the NBU Board of Trustees since 14.03.1994. On May 21, 2011 he was elected Chair of the Board of Trustees and reelected again for a second five-year mandate on 4.06.2016.
During the period 1999-2001 he was Minister of Transport and Communications of the Republic of Bulgaria. In 2001 he was awarded the Honorary Professor of NBU title for his outstanding contribution to the Telecommunications Department at NBU.
For over 10 years A. Slavinski has been Chair of the Management board of the Telecommunications Association and a member of the Management Board of the biggest NGO in this sector.
He was coordinator of the Central and Eastern Europe Center of Excellences in distance training for senior executives to the International Telecommunications Union for the period 2004-2007.
He was Chair and consequently a member of the Management Board of the „UBIFRANCE-BULGARIE“ Association.
Prof. Slavinski was Chair of the European ICT Council for structure funds to the SFERA project, part of the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community from 2008 to 2009.
Among his awards are the Special IDG Award in recognition of his outstanding contribution to Bulgarian telecommunications as well as the Award for contribution to the development of the information society.
He has specialized at Adam Smith Institute, London, Great Britain, the Joint Vienna Institute in Vienna, Austria and at ITU – Geneva, Switzerland.
Prof. Slavinski has more than 150 publications in Bulgaria and abroad.
Contact Information:
Building 1, Room 222
tel.: +359 2 8110 226
e-mail: aslavinski@nbu.bg
Honorary Professor Vasil Garnizov, Ph.D.
Member of the Board of Trustees of NBU since 26.05.2000 and of the Chair’s Council – since 12.12.2011.
Prof. Vasil Garnizov is Vice-Chair of the Association of Balkan Anthropology and the Head of the Central Coordination Unit within the Special Preparatory Programme of the European Union for Bulgaria.
In the period 1999-2001 he was Deputy Minister of the Regional Development and Public Works of Republic of Bulgaria. Earlier he worked for the Folklore Institute at the Folklore Theory Section of Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. and also as parliamentary expert on local government, regional development and public works. V. Garnizov was General Director of the National Center on Territorial Development and Housing Policy and member of the International Pragmatics Association - Amsterdam, the Association of Europeanists in Brussels, the Steering Committee on Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, the Interdepartmental National Council on Ethnic and Demographic Issues at the Council of Ministers, the Programme Council of Bulgarian National Television.
He has more than 100 publications in the sphere of folklore, ethnology and social anthropology. V. Garnizov also participated in numerous radio and television broadcastings on educational, cultural, social and political issues. He has provided expert advices on different issues of Phare programme, UNDP, British Know-How Fund, Council of Europe, European Union etc.
Contact Information:
Building 1, Room 229
tel.: +359 2 8110 243
e-mail: vgarnizov@nbu.bg
Vladimir Nikolov
Member of the Board of Trustees of NBU since December 3, 2018. Donor of New Bulgarian University.
Vladimir Nikolov is the chief operating officer of the store chain Fantastico. His professional career goes through “EUROPA-VH” Ltd., which is a part of the trade chain Fantastico. He started as a technical assistant in the Sales Department, continued as a Sales Manager and currently is a supervisor of over 3,000 employees.
He graduated from Rennes School of Business, France and also has a Bachelor degree in Arts.
George Tekev, Ph.D.
Member of the Board of Trustees of NBU since 15.12.2008 and of the Chair’s Council – since 12.12.2011.
George Tekev is Executive Director of New Bulgarian University.
He started working for NBU in1991 as a coordinator of NBU financial activities and rules and regulations. In the period 1992-1994 he was Director of the Free Faculty and later - till 2000, Director of the Central University Administration. In 2000 he became Executive Director of NBU.
George Tekev is involved in NBU strategic planning, development of university structure and internal rules and regulations as well as in NBU financial management, development of facilities and expansion of information resources. He is Chair of the Board of Foundation ”For New Bulgarian University” and a member of the Executive Board of Raina Kabaivanska Fund and of the jury of Viotti International Music Competition in Vercelli, Italy.
His academic interests are in the field of university management. He specialized at the Faculty of Political Studies of Bologna University, at the University for Foreign Students in Siena, Italy and at Surrey University, UK. G. Tekev received the Golden Quill Award for his contribution to Bulgarian culture and creative art practices introduced in a number of socially significant projects aimed at discovering, developing and promoting young talents.
Contact Information:
Building 1, Room 223
tel.: +359 2 8110 283
e-mail: gtekev@nbu.bg
Honorary Professor Ekaterina Mihaylova, PhD
Member of the Board of Trustees of NBU since 4.06.2016.
Prof. Ekaterina Mihaylova is a lecturer at the Law Department of NBU. In 2007 for her contribution to the development of the theory and practice of the parliamentary system of government she became Honorary Professor of NBU. Ekaterina Mihaylova is member of the Parliament in 6 in order National Assemblies (36-th to 41-st) of Republic of Bulgaria and vice-chair of the 40-th and 41-st National Assemblies. She has been chair and vice-chair of of the Parliamentary group of UDF, DSB and United Democratic Forces as well as chair of the United Christian Democratic Centre, vice-chair, secretary general and chair of UDF and vice-chair of DSB.
Prof. Mihaylova is chair of the Management Boards of Political Academy for Central and Southeastern Europe and of the Brain Institute, publisher of the magazine “Brain” – a journal comprising issues of political and cultural theory. She is a lecturer of the School of Politics and member of the Public Council of the Social Political Forum for Combating Corruption established by the Centre for Study of Democracy.
Prof. Ekaterina Mihaylova is author of the books: “Parliamentarism and Legislature of a State in Bulgaria”, “The Role of the Head of State in the Legislative Process”, “Overview of Bulgarian Constitutional Models”, “The Totalitarian State and the Law in Bulgaria 1944-1989”.
Prof. Mihaylova is a member of the President’s Reprieve Commission of Republic of Bulgaria and also of the Ombudsman’s Advisory Constitutional Council of Republic of Bulgaria.
She is awarded the sign of honour of the Ministry of Justice and the sign of honour of Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” for communicating purposefully and convincingly ideas and political biases using the language of tolerance. Prof. Mihaylova received the award of the Rector of NBU for the best lecturer in 2016.
Zachary KARABASHLIEV
Member of the Board of Trustees of NBU since 01.02.2024.
Zachari Karabashliev writes prose, theater drama and film scripts. He is the author of the novels "Wound", "The Tail", "Havra", "18% Grey", "Thirst" (novel), the plays "Talent", "Sunday Evening", "The Tail", "Lisbon", collections with stories, essays, and other publications. Winner of the "Novel of the Year" awards of the "13 Century Bulgaria" Fund (2 times), "Hristo G. Danov", "Portal Culture", "Helicon", "The Flower of Helicon" (3 times), "Golden Lion" ", "Writer of the Year", the theater award "Askeer" and others. His fiction has been translated and published in the United States, France, Germany, Poland, Turkey, Russia, Slovakia, Croatia, Serbia, Macedonia, included in the prestigious American anthology "Best European Prose 2018".
His plays have been staged in Bulgaria and abroad, he is the screenwriter of feature and short films.
Between 2014 and 2017, he led courses in creative writing at SU "St. Kliment Ohridski" as a part-time teacher.
In 2017, in the city of Varna, he founded the International Literary Festival "Varna Lit", of which he is also the creative director. The highlight of the festival is the literary education of children and youth, organizes meetings of writers and artists from all over the world, as well as seminars and workshops with students from over 80 state, municipal and private schools from the city and the district.
In 2021, he was awarded the "Doctor Honoris Causa" of Shumen University "St. Bishop Konstantin Preslavski".
In 2022, he briefly held the position of Writer-Playwright of the Ivan Vazov National Theater. Since 2014, Zachari Karabashliev has been the editor-in-chief of the large Bulgarian publishing house "Siela".
Prof. Ivaylo Turnev, D.Sc.
Member of the Board of Trustees of NBU since 4.06.2016.
Prof. Ivaylo Turnev, D.Sc. is a lecturer at the Department of Cognitive Science and Psychology of NBU and at the Neurology Department of Sofia Medical University. He is Head of the Clinic for nervous diseases of Alexandrovska University Hospital as well as of the Expert Centre for inheritable nervous and metabolic disorders.
For the first time in the world Prof. Turnev together with his team makes clinical genetic studies of 12 new inheritable disorders. Scientific and research interests of Prof. Turnev are in the sphere of health problems of people from minority communities incl. consistent endeavours to build an applicable sytem for prevention of socially significant and inheritable diseases among isolated groups. He introduced Bulgarian model of health mediators in Macedonia, Serbia and Slovakia and elaborated and put into practice a series of prophylactic programmes. Prof. Turnev is chair of Bulgarian societies for neuro-muscular disorders and for fighting epilepsy as well as of the Foundation “Health Problems of Minorities”. He is member of the Boards of: Bulgarian Neurology Society, Executive Bureau of the Foumdation “Neuro-sciences and Behavior”, National Network of Health Mediators, National Council of Ethnic and Integration Issues at the Council of Ministers, National Rare Disease Advisory Council at the Ministry of Health-Care, World Society for Neuro-muscular Disorders. Prof. Turnev represents Bulgaria in the European League for fighting epilepsy and is an axpert of the World Health Organization in the sphere of Roma Health-Care, of UNICEF and UNDP. He is member of the Board of the Centre for Edicational Integration of the Minorities at the Ministry of Education and Science, expert of the National Network for Children and advisor of the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).
Prof. Turnev received numerous awards – last of them for the best researcher of Alexandroivska University Hospital and Pitagor Science Award 2016 of Ministry of Education and Science for significant scientific contribution in the sphere of health and medicine. He has Master’s Degree in Social Health and Health Management and specialized neurogenetics in John Radcliffe Hospital of Oxford University, Great Britain and neuro-muscular disorders – in the Institute of Myology Änton Babinski”- Paris. Prof. Turnev was invited as lecturer in Netherlands, Germany, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Great Britain, India, Romania, Macedonia and Turkey. He has 235 publications – out of them 107 in international journals. Prof. Turnev is co-author of 5 textbooks.
Honorary Professor Ljudmil Georgiev, PhD
Member of the Board of Trustees of NBU since 4.06.2016.
Prof. Ljudmil Georgiev was Vice-Rector of NBU in the period 1997-2008, acting as Rector of NBU in the period 2009-2012 and Vice-Rector of NBU for Research and International Relations in the period 2013-2016. He is the founder of the subjects Public Administration and Regional Economics at NBU. His areas of expertise cover analysis and management of regional development, local government and administration, public administration, EU Structural Funds, strategies and structures for regional development , evaluation of research and educational projects, higher education development systems, institutional and programme accreditation, training systems for state officers, teaching skills and techniques etc.
Prof. Georgiev has been scientific secretary of the Administration Centre at the Council of Ministers and an expert in Public Administration at the Council of Ministers. He is member of the European Urban and Regional Studies Association based in London, of the Network of Institutes and Schools of Public Administration – Bratislava, of the International Regional Studies Association, of the Council of Administration at the International Institute of Administrative Sciences in Paris, of the Programme Committee of the Science with and for Society Working Programme of EC.
Prof. Georgiev is member of the Scientific Expert Council for development of the Capital at Sofia Municipality and manager of the Academic Association for organizing and conducting of specializations of state officers. He is the author leading the first in the country educational TV broadcast in market economy called “Economy Alphabet”.
Prof. L. Georgiev graduated economics and his PhD is in the sphere of economy and management of regional sytems. He is the author and editor of plenty of scientific publications – among them “Regional and Municipal Discrepancies”, “Regional Economy”, “Local Government”, “Marketing and Management of Local Administration”, “Comparative Public Administration”, “Ethics of Public Services”, “Enhencing and Improving the Management and Leadership in the Countries of Central and Eastern Europe”, “Teaching through Cases”, “147 tricks for good teaching” etc.
Malina Edreva Odeon
Member of the Board of Trustees of NBU since December 3, 2018.
Since 2007 - Chair of the Standing Committee on Education, Culture, Science and Cultural Diversity and member of the Standing Committee on Economics and Property of Sofia Municipal Council. Vice-President of the Bureau of the European Committee of the Regions and Vice-President of the European Committee of the Regions. Chair of the political group of GERB in Sofia Municipal Council.
She holds a Master of Biology and Chemistry from Plovdiv University "Paisii Hilendarski". M. Edreva was a scholarship holder of the Catholic University of Milan, a participant in the program of the French Institute of Culture, Goethe-Institut and KulturKontakt - Austria aimed at improvement of the qualification of directors of Bulgarian schools in the pre-accession period of Bulgaria to the EU. She also graduated in 2008/2009 Bulgarian School of Politics and the Aspen Institute for Political Leaders. In 2014 M. Edreva was a trainee at the Observatory of Cultural Policies in Grenoble within the French Ministry of Culture and Communication. In 2017 she became Chevalier (Knight) of the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.
Nadya Terzieva
Member of the Board of Trustees of the NBU from 04.06.2016
Nadya Terzieva is the director of the Library of the NBU since its establishment, contributing to its development as a modern information center with innovative services.
Founder and Chairman of the Board of the first llibrary union “Bulgarian Information Consortium” for a shared subscription of multidisciplinary scientific full text databases, in with over 78% of the higher education institutions are a part of. She has numerous publications in the field of library and information science and technology, as well as contributions to dozens of international projects.
She has three master degrees: Business administration, Bibliography and scientific information and Bulgarian philology. She specializes in library management in the UK, the Netherlands, Spain and other countries.
Ognian Shentov, Ph.D.
Member of the Board of Trustees of NBU since 14.03.1994.
Ognian Shentov, PhD is co-founder and Chair of the Steering Committee of the Centre for Study of Democracy – an independent public research organization, working for the implementation of economic and legal reforms, for European integration and international security. He is author and editor of a number of publications on issues concerning the transition to democracy and the stability in Eastern Europe. O. Shentov took part in the implementation and coordination of a number of international projects in the sphere of institutional reforms in Bulgaria and other countries in tnansition. He is member of the Coordination Council of “Coalition 2000”- an anti-corruption initiative of Bulgarian non-governmental organizations, of the Initiative for Judicial Reforms and Bulgarian Internet Alliance for Economic Development and of the Steering Committee of the Center for Economic Development. O. Shentov is Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation for Applied Research and Communications.
He obtained his Master’s degree in international relations in 1981 and PhD in political sciences in 1987. O. Shentov specialized at London School of Economics and Political Sciences as well as in American research institutes and analytical centres.
Prof. Bochkov’s professional interests are in the field of folklore studies (Bulgarian heroic epos, legends, folklore history and theory), anthropology (gender and social roles, migration and cultural identity) and ethnology (men and women ethical images, ethical communities and cultures). He specialized in folklore studies in Russia and Finland.
In the period 2002–2006 Prof. Bochkov was Dean of NBU Basic Education Faculty, in 2006 till 2010 he was Vice-Rector responsible for Education and Accreditation. His publications include the monograph “The Unknown Hero” (1994), “An Introduction to the Folklore Culture” (2002) and ‘We vs. ‘the Others’. Studies in Ethnology (2009).
Contact Info:
Building 1, Room 227
tel.: +359 2 8110 247
e-mail: pbochkov@nbu.bg
Raina Kabaivanska
Member of the Board of Trustees since December 6, 2010.
Raina Kabaivanska is one of the extraordinary opera singers of our times. Her stage debut is in 1961 at la Scala, Milan, and in 1962 she sang in Covent Garden, London and in the Metropolitan Opera, New York. Kabaivanska has a wide repertoire of leading parts in operas by early classical composers, as well as by contemporary authors of classical music. In her long career she has played Tosca, Butterfly, Manon Lescaut and Adriana Lecouvreur in world famous opera theatres. Her discography is extremely rich, she has also filmed operas and movies. Recently, Raina Kabaivanska has taken part in many concerts aimed at promoting her students in opera singing.
She is professor at the Musical Academy “Orazio Vecchi” in Modena and in Chigiana Music Academy in Siena, Italy and is Professor Honoris Causa of New Bulgarian University. Kabaivanska teaches master classes in Spain, France, Italy, Japan, Finland, Belgium and Bulgaria. She chairs the judge panels of the contests in Sarzana, Spoleto and Vercelli. Kabaivanska is also a judge in two other competitions - “Queen Elizabeth” and “Pavarotti”.
In 2001 Raina Kabaivanska started her Master class at NBU and in 2002 established a donation fund at the University as a continuation of her charity activities in Bulgaria. This Fund provides scholarships for training and further qualification of young opera singers in Bulgaria and Italy.
Raina Kabaivanska has been awarded a number of international prizes, among them “Bellini” (1965), “Viotti d’oro” (1970), “Puccini” (1978), “Illica” (1979), “Monteverdi” (1980), the award of Academia Medici – Lorenzo di Magnifico (1990), Grand Prix “A Life devoted to Music” (Venice, 2000). For her extraordinary contribution in the sphere of art and the development of democracy in Bulgaria she was awarded the “Stara planina” order. Kabaivanska was also awarded the order of the Republic of Italy – for civil virtues and outstanding contribution to the arts. For her contribution to the development of world musical culture Raina Kabaivanska was presented with the title Doctor Honoris Causa of New Bulgarian University.
Rumiana Yurukova-Krusteva
Member of the Board of Trustees of NBU since 4.06.2016.
Rumiana Yurukova-Krusteva is acting as Financial Director, Chief Accountant of NBU for many years with particular contribution to introducing a new contemporary model for budget accountability, management of University financial assets and control of NBU projects with external support from national and international sources.
Rumiana Yurukova-Krusteva is licenced examining accounting expert, competent in International Accounting Standards. She graduated Accounting and Control at the University for National and World Economy (UNWE) – Sofia.
She gained her professional experience in the sphere of insurance at Orel Insurance Company Ltd. and Orel-G Holding, as Chief accountant of Shoumen OOD and later – as Executive Producer. Rumiana Yurukova-Krusteva is Chief Accountant of New Bulgarian University since 2004.
Member of the Board of Trustees of NBU since 25.03.2013.
Prof. Sergey Ignatov was Minister of Education, Youth and Science in the period 2009–2013. Among notable reforms he made are: abolishing of the Higher Academic Attestation Commission, giving extensive university autonomy and introducing of differentiated financing in higher education, elaborating a strategy for scientific studies, of youth law and youth development strategy, incl. introducing of student loans.
He was Rector of New Bulgarian University in the period 2002 - 2009.
He professional career started at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” - as a lecturer (since 1985), assistant professor (since 1991) and associate professor (since 1996). In 1998 he became Chair of the Mediterranean and Eastern Studies Department at New Bulgarian University and Dean of the Undergraduate School in 1999.
Prof. Ignatov is an Egyptologist with academic interests in linguistics, history and religion of Ancient Egypt. His PhD in history is obtained at St. Petersburg State University. In 1993 and 1995 he specialized in All Souls College, Oxford. Prof. Ignatov has been a lecturer at St. Petersburg State University, Santiago de Compostela, Russian Egyptology Institute in Moscow. He participated in a series of world congresses on Egyptology in Turin, Cambridge, Cairo.
He is the founder and director of Bulgarian Institute of Egyptology at NBU since 2006. Prof. Ignatov is Vice-president of International Association for Ancient Oriental Studies, International Associassion of Egyptologists (since 1985), member of Egypt Exploration Society, Great Britain (since 1993), Russian-German Society for Study of the Cultural Heritage of Ancient World, St. Petersburgh (since 1989).
Prof. S. Ignatov is author of more than 40 academic publications printed in Sofia, London, Cambridge, Cairo, Turin, Santiago de Compostela, St. Petersburg and Moscow. Hand of the books: „Morphology of Classical Egypt“, „The Wisdom of Ancient Egyptians“, „Egypt of the Pharaohs“, „Papyrus does not grow on a rock“ and „The Body of God“.
Prof. Hristo Todorov, Ph.D.
Member of the Board of Trustees of NBU since 4.06.2016.
Prof. Todorov is Vice-Rector for Quality Assurance, Assessment and Accreditation in the period 2012-2016 and Chair of NBU Quality Assurance Commission.
He graduated Philosophy at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”. Prof. Todorov started his professional career as a secondary school teacher and lecturer in History and Philosophy at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”. Since 2003 he is a professor at NBU and also Chair of the department “Philosophy and Sociology”. Prof. Todorov specialized in Tuningen, Bochum (as scholarship holder of Alexander von Humboldt-Foundation) and Berlin. He was a guest lecturer of European University Viadrina Frankfurter (Oder).
Academic interests of Prof. Todorov are in the sphere of Philosophical Hermeneutics, Philosophy of History, History of Conceptions and Bioethics. In the same area of knowledge are the courses taught by Prof. Todorov at NBU within several Bachelor and Masters Programs and predominantly within those in Philosophy and Sociology.
Prof. Todorov is author of more than 90 academic publications in Bulgarian, German, English, French and Spanish. He also translated 7 books from German.
Hristo Chukurliev, Ph.D.
Member of the Board of Trustees of NBU since 4.06.2016.
Hristo Chukurliev is Director of the Central University Administration of NBU. He works at the university since 2002 as Director of the Graduate School. H. Chukurliev together with Assoc. Prof. Ventsislav Djambazov, Ph.D. introduced e-learning in NBU and worked on improvement of the University MOODLE learning platform which is of extremely high quality – incl. integrated software for indicating plagiarism and incorrect citation, videoconferencing and videocollections.
After finishing National High School of Ancient Langueges and Cultures “Konstantin Kiril Filosof” H. Chukurliev obtained Master’s degree in Bulgarian Language and Culture at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”.