Bulgarian Inclusion Support Team

STOPSY final multiplier event and final transnational partners meeting in Sofia, Bulgaria – 16-17 October 2025 – as part of Erasmus+ days 2025

The Bulgarian Inclusion Support Team joined the annual initiative of the EU Commission on the organisation of the Erasmus+ Days in 2025. During these 2 events, the partners from Bulgaria and Spain were able to present successful realisation of the pilot trainings under the scope of the STOPSY project. Representatives from Bulgarian Teachers' Union, Ministry of education and science, VET centres and high schools, teachers, students and educational experts from Sofia region attended the events.

Dissemination of the impact of the successful Erasmus+ projects presented during the Emplogame final multiplier event at the Autonomous University of Madrid. The event was held on 27 October 2025 where more than 100 teachers, students, educational experts as well as representatives from the National agency of Spain were able to learn more about useful tools and guidance materials developed with the participation of our team.

EmploGame presented to over 220 teachers and educational experts at a webinar of the Bulgarian Erasmus+ National Agency - 23 September 2025

The project and its deliverables were presented by Mr. Andrean Lazarov from Bulgarian Inclusion Support team at the webinar organised by the Human Resources Development Centre (the Bulgarian National Agency of Erasmus+ programme) and the accompanying activity "National VET Expert Team" . The event was attended by an exceptional interest from over 220 teachers and educational experts from all over Bulgaria, including representatives of the Regional Departments of Education, educational mediators, representatives of the non-governmental sector, NAVET, etc.

During the event, key innovations and good practices for the development of digital competences in vocational education and training (VET) were presented and discussed. Mr. Lazarov presented thematic aspects related to the preparation of teachers and students for work in a modern digital environment through implementing gamification as an approach for inclusive and motivating education. The serious educational game and the career guidance handbook were thoroughly presented and potential exploitation negotiations were expressed by the participants, including those from Regional educational directorates from different regions in Bulgaria.

The webinar stimulated dialogue and exchange of experience between educational institutions, IT specialists and business representatives. At the end of the event, future topics for appropriate events were also discussed, including the ethical and responsible use of artificial intelligence, GDPR regulations, etc. The serious educational game "Emplogame" was presented as a good practice for supporting students with fewer opportunities and disadvantaged people on their path to career guidance and preparation for the labor market, in direct connection with Europass documents.

Representatives of the Bulgarian Inclusion Support Team promoted Erasmus+ initiatives during the 35th Annual International Conference and Fair – EAIE 2025 organised by the European Association for International Education.

The event was held in the period 9-12 September 2025 in Gothenburg, Sweden, where more than 7000 educational professionals and students from all over the world have participated. The BIST team conducted workshops, individual sessions and talks with inclusive educators from all over the world.

We were able to extend the dissemination and promotion of the Erasmus+ KA2 projects to an international level during series of individual meetings with rectors, vice-rectors and directors of international offices of universities from Abu Dhabbi, Qatar, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, India, Bangladesh, Vietnam, China. The interest towards the project results was significant.

Thanks to that, the partners received new invitations to speak at international events.

Presentation of the best practices from Erasmus+ projects and extending the European Community of Practice among teachers during International Staff Week on Diversity and Inclusion at University Milano Bicocca – 3-6 June 2025

Series of training sessions conducted in Bulgaria as part of 2-semester course further qualification course for teachers in instructional design for digital learning and use of educational technology as a foundation for creative thinking and inclusion

The three Bulgarian partners – Bulgarian Inclusion Support Team, Bulgarian Teachers’ Union and Plovdiv university “Paisii Hilendarski” are organising series of training sessions with teachers from all over Bulgaria, who took part in the 2-semester course further qualification course for teachers in design for digital learning and use of educational technology as a foundation for creative thinking and inclusion.

They took part in the e-learning course, as well as received guidance and information how to elaborate on the seven modules. Several case studies and practical activities were also conducted.

As part of these trainings, each teachers made a scenario for the development of accessible inclusive digital resource following the instructions of the course and the Universal design of learning pedagogical principles.

The Bulgarian Inclusion Support Team among key lecturers at the Bilaterial Conference between the Erasmus+ National Agencies of Bulgaria and North Macedonia – 05-07.03.2025, Ohrid

The Bulgarian Inclusion Support Team was invited to be among key lecturers during International conference on inclusion and career guidance organised by the Erasmus+ National agency of Republic of North Macedonia. The conference was held in the period 5-7.03.2025 in Ohrid. The aim of the event was to bring together teachers, pedagogical and career counselors from across the educational spectrum — from primary education to universities — who are actively working on issues of career guidance, inclusion and support of vulnerable groups in the educational process.

During the 2-days prof. PhD Snezhana Ilieva and Mr. Andrean Lazarov have presented a number of projects and their results as best practices approved by the National agencies, who are monitoring these projects. Our network of contacts was extended with teachers and professionals who would like to exploit further these project results from Skopie, Tetovo, Ohrid, Bitola, Shtip and Prilep. Cooperation agreements were negotiated with their principals.

Successful EMPLOGAME transnational partners’ meeting was held in Istanbul, Turkiye – 10-11.02.2025

On 10-11 February 2025, the third transnational partners meeting was held in Istanbul, Turkiye. The meeting was hosted by World Innovative Sustainable Solutions – Istanbul, Turkiye. The meeting was dedicated to the finalisation of the beta version of the serious game “I am ready to work” and to the planning of the pilot testing phase.

The partners reviewed and reported also all realised activities in all work packages including planning the next project steps.

Another successful seminar on the topic: “Artificial Intelligence (AI) – Benefits and Challenges for Improving Professional Knowledge and Skills”, 3rd February 2025, Sofia

On 03.02.2025, the Human Resources Development Centre (the Bulgarian Erasmus+ National Agency), together with the National Expert Team on Vocational Education and Training (VET) and the Europass activity, held another successful seminar on the current topic “Artificial Intelligence (AI) – Benefits and Challenges in the Development of Professional Knowledge and Skills”. Teachers, trainers, directors of vocational high schools and vocational education and training centers, representatives of the business and non-governmental sectors, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science and NAVET, actively participated in it.

Mr. Andrean Lazarov (CEO of BIST) moderated the event and he mad analyzing the challenges facing the wider implementation of artificial intelligence in vocational education and training in Bulgaria. He presented as best practice the IM-PRO-IN-DE project and its outcomes, who are coordinated by University of Plovdiv “Paisii Hilendarski”.

Kick-off of the new A-CHAT project during the transnational partners meeting in Madrid – 22-23 January 2025

The kick off meeting of the A-CHAT project: “Interactive digital tool to university students including those with disabilities towards supportive and preventive measures of aggression and bullying” was successfully held on 22-23 January 2025 in Madrid, Spain. It was chaired by Prof. Cristina Sanchez Romero from UNED.

Partners from Bulgaria, Spain, Portugal and Greece successfully worked on the ontology development of the tool. Follow us for more news shortly. Special guest of the event was Dr. Yanka Takeva – Chairperson of Bulgarian Teachers’ Union – the biggest sindicate of 96 000 teachers in Bulgaria.

Productive second IM-PRO-IN-DE physical transnational partners meeting – 20-21 January 2025, Madrid, Spain

On 20-21 January 2025, the second physical transnational partners meeting was successfully held in Madrid, Spain. It was hosted by the 2 Spanish partners – UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL DE EDUCACION A DISTANCIA and ASOCIACIÓN MADRILEÑA DE PROFESIONALES DE LA ATENCIÓN TEMPRANA.

The meeting was chaired by prof. Dsc Dora Levterova-Gadjalova – project coordinator on behalf of Plovdiv University “Paisii Hilendarski”, Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Representatives from all 7 partners actively participated during the meeting. Special honour for the partnership was the participation of Dr.Yanka Takeva – Chairperson of Bulgarian Teachers’ Union, who introduced the latest enlargement of the project’ Community of practice.

The CEO of the Bulgarian Inclusion Support Team won the European Vocational Education and Training Best Practice Prize – 6 December 2024, Budapest, Hungary

On 6 December 2024, the Annual Meeting of the National Agencies of Erasmus+ programme was held in Budapest, Hungary, under the title “Expanding Horizons through International Networks”.

The event was organized by the Hungarian National Agency for the Erasmus+ Programme – Tempus Public Foundation, with the support of the Directorate General for Education, Youth, Culture and Sport of the European Commission.

The meeting was attended by representatives of 13 European National Agencies – Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Germany, Hungary, Estonia, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Latvia, Romania, Poland, Slovakia and Turkey. Each country presented 2 successful practices within the framework of the implementation of their annual work programmes.

The best practice “It’s the showtime – Rehearse job interview” presented by the CEO of the Bulgarian Inclusion Support Team received the European Grand Prize for best practice achievement on EU level.