VUM Opens the Academic Year with 30 Years of History and a Call to the New Generation of Students
Varna University of Management officially opened the 2026/2027 academic year, welcoming its students, faculty, partners and friends in a year of particular significance for the university – the year in which VUM celebrates 30 years since its establishment.
The opening ceremony brought together members of the academic community, representatives of business, public institutions and partner organisations to mark the beginning of the new academic year and another chapter in the history of Varna University of Management.
Among the official guests were Elina Dimitrova – Deputy Regional Governor of Varna Region; Ivan Tabakov – Chair of the Varna Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Donka Georgieva – Manager of the Varna Tourist Chamber; Galin Stefanov – Founder and CEO of Varnapreneurs; Temenuga Hachikyan – Quality Manager at Grifid Hotels; and Galyubina Hadzhieva – representative of St. St. Constantine and Elena Holding AD.
VUM community also received greetings from representatives of the academic and institutional community. Congratulatory addresses were received from Dr Ilin Dimitrov – Minister of Tourism; Prof. Dr Dragomir Plamenov – Rector of the Technical University of Varna; and Prof. Dr Petar Hristov – Rector of Varna Free University. A congratulatory address was also received from Elena Koseva and Ivelina Shaban – Executive Directors of St. St. Constantine and Elena Holding AD.
Opening the ceremony, the student hosts highlighted the significance of the year ahead: the beginning of the new academic year coincides with VUM’s celebration of three decades of development.
In her welcome address, VUM Vice-President Vanina Valcheva addressed both new and returning students, emphasising the importance of taking an active role in shaping their own education.
“Do not be passive participants in your own education. Come to us with questions. Take opportunities even when they seem difficult. Participate. Meet people. Travel when you have the chance. Make mistakes and learn from them. These years will pass much more quickly than you imagine.”
The Vice-President also emphasised that education at VUM extends far beyond the classroom – through practical projects, internships, international opportunities and interaction with people from different cultures and professional backgrounds. She also highlighted the rapid transformation of professions driven by technology, artificial intelligence, global mobility and the changing environment in which business and society operate.
The new academic year marked yet another important milestone of VUM’s international
character.Among the newly admitted students are young people from nearly 20 countries, including Cameroon, Mexico, Ukraine, Turkiye, Kazakhstan, Russia, Vietnam, Syria, Nigeria, Morocco, Croatia and others. With their arrival, the number of countries represented within the VUM student community has reached 60.
This diversity of nationalities, cultures, languages and life experiences is part of everyday life at VUM, contributing both to the academic environment and to the international character of Varna.
The opening of the academic year also provided an opportunity to highlight the importance of VUM’s partnerships with the business community.
VUM received a special recognition from the Varna Chamber of Tourism, which presented the university with a certificate of appreciation for its partnership, trust and contribution to the development of tourism education and to establishing Varna as an international academic centre.
The presence of representatives from the tourism sector, hospitality industry, entrepreneurial community and local institutions once again underlined the importance of connecting academic education with the realities of the professional world.
The event also featured a video message from Cardiff Metropolitan University, with which VUM has maintained a long-standing academic partnership. For 17 consecutive years, the partnership has provided students with the opportunity to graduate with both a Bulgarian and a British degree and gain international academic experience.
An important part of the ceremony was dedicated to the people who contribute to building the VUM academic environment every day – faculty members, Programme Directors, Chef Instructors and administrative teams. They were recognised for their dedication and their role in supporting students throughout their studies.
Dr Nina Zlateva, VUM Academic Director, also addressed the first-year students, while members of the student community – Viktoria Todorova and Vira Nyubina – shared their experiences and offered a warm welcome to the new students.
The ceremony also gave one of VUM’s new students, Kira Vivich, a first-year student in International Business and Management, the opportunity to share her expectations and excitement about beginning her university journey.
The official part of the ceremony concluded with a call to all students to be active, to seek and discover, to meet people from different backgrounds and not to postpone interesting experiences until “later”.
VUM thus began the 2026/2027 academic year with appreciation for the journey so far, gratitude to its partners and community, and a clear focus on the opportunities that lie ahead.
The celebratory evening continued with a cocktail reception at the Culinary Arts Institute’s training restaurant, where students, faculty, official guests and partners had the opportunity to continue their conversations and celebrate together in an informal atmosphere.
