ERASMUS STUDENTS AT NEW BULGARIAN UNIVERSITY

Campus New Bulgarian University has excellent facilities for teaching and research. As a consequence, not only are students provided with opportunities to receive high quality teaching and carry out research with modern equipment, but they are also able to do so with the intellectual companionship of faculty members and reliable services of administrative staff.

The following facilities are available to NBU students:  Halls and Classrooms  Specialized Classrooms 7 computer halls; drawing studios; professional Fashion Studio; Studio; halls; ballet hall; rehearsal theater halls; video halls, University Center, University Theater hall.

Laboratories

Multimedia laboratory; Animation laboratory; Information technology laboratory; laboratory; laboratory; Neuroscience laboratory; Laboratory of Usability Testing of Products and Services; and Computer Multimedia and Computer Visualization Studio; Experimental laboratory; Photographic Laboratory; Gemology laboratory; Laboratory of Active and Critical Thinking; Laboratory for Sociological and Socio-anthropological Studies; Laboratory of and Investment Consulting; TV Studio; Center for Postgraduate Training of Translators and Interpreters.

 Computer Resources, Local Networks and This includes a local network in NBU Buildings 1 and 2 as well as 2 remote local networks in other University facilities. All computers have non-stop access to the Internet. A University Intranet system has been put in place as well as various servers used in the teaching process.

Between or after classes, students at NBU have the opportunity to organize various kinds of events or relax and meet with friends in a nice and quite atmosphere.

 4 galleries offering opportunities to organize exhibitions etc.  4 bookstores offering textbooks, academic and specialized  3 coffee shops and a restaurant – places to meet with

friends and relax  Health center offering free medical services  2 photocopy centers with sophisticated equipment, fast and reliable services, free photocopies for students  A house at the Black Sea – a place for conferences, seminars, working meetings and rehabilitation.

Library

The NBU Library is a cultural and information center. It organizes exhibitions and promotions of new books, and maintains a permanent exhibition of NBU publications. The Library complex comprises a free- access library, open-stack reading halls, an audio-visual studio, exhibition spaces, a conference hall, a copy center etc. It also boasts a sophisticated computer center providing free access to the Internet for students and faculty.

Apart from traditional library activities and services, the NBU Library:  Maintains a wide range of Bulgarian, Russian, English, French, Italian and German newspapers and periodicals.  Publishes a Monthly Bulletin with information on new acquisitions.  Works with academic and reference databases such as EBSCO, Current Contents Connect, CIELA, and APIS.  Maintains an integrated library system Q Series, which includes work with an electronic catalogue.  Has a collection of approximately 100 000 books and paper documents.  Develops international library projects in the field of the use of library funds, digitalization of archive documents etc.  Is an associate member of the UNESCO Library network UNAL.

International Activities Relations with international academic institutions are among the highest priorities of New Bulgarian University. This includes development of joint academic and research projects and programmes of study, exchange of students and faculty members.

 Since its founding, NBU has been actively working to establish its position in the international academic community. NBU is committed to the idea of creating contacts with foreign academic institutions. Some of the major partners of NBU include:  Higher Support Programme, Open Society Institute;  Francophone University Agency AUPELF-UREF (an international organization with a network of educational and cultural institutions from Europe, Africa, the USA, and Canada aimed at supporting the development and exchange in the field of education and );  French Community of Belgium;  NBU actively participates in EU educational programmes. In the framework of projects under Lifelong Learning Programme, Tempus, PHARE etc. contacts with over 90 European Universities have been established.  NBU is the exclusive representative of in .  NBU is a member of a number of international organizations: the European University Association (EUA), the European Association of International Education (EAIE), the Institute of International Education (IIE), the International Association of Semiotic Studies (IASS), the International Institute of Administrative Sciences, the network of Institutes and Schools on Public Administration in Central and Eastern Europe (NISPASee), the Informal European Meeting (IETM), the European Association of Students in Theatre (EAST), the European League of Institutes of (ELIA), the International Association in Mass Communications and (CILECT).  NBU has introduced the practice of establishing international consultative committees. These committees review NBU programmes and ensure their international recognition.

REGISTRATION PROCEDURE FOR ERASMUS STUDENTS AT NBU

Academic Calendar: The academic year at NBU starts at the beginning of October and. The fall semester starts on 1st October and ends on 17th February including the exam session, the spring semester starts on 22nd February and ends on 10th July, including exam session. The application deadline is June 1st for the fall semester and December 1st for the spring semester. When they are approved from their home institution the applicants must fill in an application form in English. The application form can be downloaded from the English version of the website of NBU: www.nbu.bg and Home » » Mobility. On the basis of the received typed application form the NBU will prepare a Letter of Acceptance for the student. Erasmus students do not pay anything for tuition, but they will have to pay for their accommodation. All courses with ECTS credits are specially arranged to be taught in English (French for the Political Science department is also possible as well as several courses in the Semiotic Study Programmes are offered in Italian language). The students must have a good command of these . On arrival at NBU the Erasmus student should go to:  the Departmental Coordinator to fill in for him a Registration Form with the courses the student is going to follow during the semester then  he/she should go with the filled in Registration Form to register in  “Student Admission” Division - Building 1, room 212 office hours: 9:30 – 12:30; 13:30 – 16:00 tel. +359 2 8110265, e-mail: [email protected]

In order to buy a student ticket for the public transport: the student should buy a student book to fill in his personal data and give it for signature and stamp in the same office where he gives his Registration Form: Building 1, room 212. In order to use the library of NBU the student should have a librarian card. The cards will be prepared in two weeks. Before that the student could use the library, if he/she goes to the library and fill in a temporary card. For the librarian card he/she needs a photo passport size and ID card. The library provides free access to the Internet for students for an hour per day at its computer center. From the library the student could buy cards for photocopy center at preferential prices for students.

Host Country Formalities Within 48h of their arrival students are required to report the place of their temporary residence to the District Police office (in the area of residence). It is also called “address registration”. The next step is the Residence permit. The needed documents are: a document from the university, stating that the student is coming in the frame of Erasmus programme, a photocopy of the Passport, the address registration.

ACCOMMODATION AT NEW BULGARIAN UNIVERSITY

Contact Erasmus Student Network (ESN) at NBU for help with the accommodation. e-mail: [email protected]

Erasmus Student Network NBU could help the exchange students through their social and academic adaptation during their stay in Bulgaria. A mentor system built under the principle of “Students Helping Students” is facilitating the direct communication between the exchange and home students. Erasmus Student Network NBU is organizing various events and activities