Innovative Higher Education in Bulgaria in Conditions of Electronic Transformation - Best Practices of the University of Economics-Varna (original) (raw)

SUCCESSES AND CHALLENGES OF CONTEMPORARY HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

"International Journal of Economics, Commerce & Management", 2018

The paper is an attempt to summarize nearly three decades of the development of higher education in Poland. Reflections on the evolution of the sector are presented in the context of challenges that higher education institutions (HEIs) have faced and successes they have achieved by taking advantage of the opportunities that arise in the environment. The transformation of the higher education sector was initiated by the introduction of the Higher Education Act in 1990, which was the basis for the construction of a new higher education structure. The sector was also modernized as a result of actions aimed at achieving the objectives of the signed Bologna Declaration. Subsequent amendments to legal acts regulating higher education issues aimed at implementing the idea of the co-creation of the European Higher Education Area. Over time, dynamic changes in the environment of HEIs and the limited resources (e.g. human or financial resources) have contributed to taking action aimed at increasing the efficiency of the HEIs’ operation, and thus to professionalizing management. Subsequent, even revolutionary changes can be made due to the Act 2.0.

Technological innovation and change in the university

of the elements making up the virtual university system, which will be illustrated below. One initial limitation, of a global nature, is the degree of familiarity with the new technologies (computer literacy). By people here we mean both the users of the educational offer and the human resources normally implicated in the process of introduction of the new technologies for the supply of education within an open and flexible higher educational system. There are many initiatives in progress at local, regional, national and international level aimed at overcoming this limitation. Among these, worthy of a special mention on account of its importance and its synergetic approach, is e-Europe 2. Another limitation is the shortage of new professional figures required in the educational centres, and of the various technical figures and those with the necessary organisational skills for the realisation, implementation and management of an educational system based on the new technologies, as well as tutorial figures to provide specific didactic assistance. As will be highlighted below, one effect of the introduction of the new technologies into the educational system is paradoxically the very fact that it will create new and highly important figures of intermediary between the users and the global network system, for which, in the current state of affairs, no appropriately established training courses exist. Another restricting factor is the fact that there is still a very limited awareness of the exceptional economic and social importance of an open and permanent higher education system, characterised by flexibility, ease of access, richness of the educational offer, and permeability between different options. More specifically, we observe how frequently there is an assumed identification of higher education with traditional university courses. The latter, as it is generally currently understood, is instead only a part-albeit still of fundamental importance and with a vast density of potential which is not always fully exploited-of a more articulated and diversified system which goes from the post-scholastic to the post graduate and on into lifelong learning etc. (see Fig. 2). One significant example of the rigidity of the present system is the fact that access to higher education is denied to those who, although of adult age, are without a secondary school diploma, even though their maturity or preparation could be easily ascertained through entrance exams, or through the assessment and valorisation of independently acquired experiences and skills.

Current Developments and Trends in Higher Education

Higher education institutions have assumed a major role in the social and economic development of countries. Recently, there has been a transformation from the traditional to the modern within a new approach. In this dynamic environment, universities are not only responsible for teaching and research activities but are also responsible for responding to students' demands, the government, and the business world. As higher education environment has changed mainly because of globalization and a number of other relevant international trends, understanding all these trends is a very significant factor for the improvement of universities. During the transformation process, universities should be aware of all new approaches in the higher education area to prepare their students for a new world. Several individuals, newspapers, and magazines have mentioned the transformation process in the higher education sector, but have not comprehended it in depth. The purpose of this article is to underscore the determined trends and developments in higher education. First, the article reviews relevant literature. Then, it lists the eight approaches. The study uses the related literature as the basis to explain all eight identified developments and trends. The article concludes with a summary of the developments and trends to grasp the new approaches in the transformation process of higher education.

Higher Education in the Era of Digital Transformation

2017

Nowadays can be seen how the new technologies change the environment very fast. Many challenges are faced with higher education. Every day new technologies, software and hardware solutions are developed and how can the universities respond to these changes. To be part of the educational process, first the person has to be a good teacher. This knowledge the young lecturer receives from his mentor, who is part of the university staff. For 5 to 10 years the young lecturer become well educated and can manage his own subjects. How can young lecturers be well informed and educated in the new techniques and new trends? And how they can respond adequately to all students’ questions? This is the most pressing problem and an answer is given in this article. A new model of cooperation between Universities and Companies is given. An experiment with few young lecturers in Bulgaria is described. Here are certain important negatives of using speakers outside the university and some recommendations...

Practice in Bulgarian Universities for adapting to present educational challenges

Technology developments nowadays face universities with many educational challenges – to integrate technologies in educational processes, design new electronic educational materials, change teaching styles, and better meet the demands of the technology-savvy generation, as well as the requirements of the labor market for skills and knowledge of future employees. On the other side, universities have a special role in the triangle of knowledge – to generate new knowledge, disseminate it in economy and society, and collaborate with industry for integrating it into new products and services. All challenges for universities today face them with the need to ensure proper management of their knowledge assets. In Bulgaria, universities have introduced various changes for meeting the challenges they face. Many of them have changed their technology environment in order to facilitate the access to educational, scientific and administrative resources. Ensuring easy-to-use learning management sy...

A Brief Analysis about the Problems and Challenges in Romanian Higher Education

Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Brasov Series V Economic Sciences

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on many industries and sectors around the world. Education was no exception, having suffered a lot during this period. The changes in the Romanian education system have affected all environmental participants/ stakeholders in this field: students, teachers, businesses, public authorities, and the government. Perhaps one of the most provocative changes during the emergency was the shift to online education, which affected all students and teachers around the world. The purpose of the research is to perform an analysis of the problems and challenges in Romanian higher education.