center for professional selling

8/8/2015

Proposal | Nare Avetisyan

CENTER FOR PROFESSIONAL SELLING

American University in Bulgaria 2 | P a g e

Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS 2

RATIONALE FOR PROPOSAL 3

THE CENTER’S OBJECTIVES 4

THE MEMBERS’ LEARNING OUTCOMES AND BENEFITS 5

THE CENTER’S CURRICULUM 5

THE CENTER’S IMPACT 11

THE CENTER’S IMPACT ON AUBG STUDENT CLUBS AND EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES 11

UNIVERSITIES IN BULGARIA 15

HIGH SCHOOLS IN BULGARIA 19

THE CENTER’S NETWORK OF SERVICE PROVIDERS 21

APPENDIX 27

ABOUT AUBG 27

MISSION STATEMENT 27

VISION: OUR ASPIRATIONS FOR 2016 27

STATEMENT ON LIBERAL LEARNING 27

AUBG COMMUNITY 28

ACCREDITATION STATEMENTS 28

U.S. Accreditation 28

Bulgarian Accreditation 29

OPPORTUNITIES IN SOFIA 29

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY 29

LOCATION IN BLAGOEVGRAD, BULGARIA 29

AUBG HISTORY 30

PANITZA LIBRARY 31


Rationale for Proposal

As a liberal arts institution the American University in Bulgaria(AUBG) has the ability to

promote professional selling as a problem solving mindset and skill set that is relevant to many

disciplines and professional fields such as marketing, financial services, political science and

information systems. The American University in Bulgaria proposes to establish a Center for

Professional Selling to provide students with an integrative learning space that allows students to

develop and perfect their sales presentations and interpersonal communication skills. The Center

for Professional Selling is dedicated to enhancing and promoting the field of professional selling-

through research and service to the business community and by producing college graduates who

are highly prepared for successful sales careers. The Center would also serve as a training facility

that would connect AUBG with the regional business community.

Housed in the Department of Business, the Professional Selling program participants will get a

specialized curriculum designed for students who desire to excel in a professional selling

environment. The program focuses on developing students into future leaders in their fields, who

understand and eventually learn taking advantage of the sales program as a source of career

enhancing knowledge, skills, and attitudes. This, in turn, provides employers with young

professionals who have the necessary skills to enhance their sales force and the progress of

projects with sales components and add value to the company. Through coursework, role-playing

and internships, the Center’s members will be prepared for sales and sales management positions

in all types of organizations and industries.

http://business.fsu.edu/academics/departments/marketing/


The Center’s Objectives

The Center for Professional Selling has the following objectives:

Provide students from Southeastern Europe with enhancing knowledge, skills, and attitudes

Teach students from the region where and how professional selling skills can be utilized regardless of the field and industry

Help students understand and appreciate the art of professional selling, the ―dance‖ between buyers and sellers and the processes before, during and after exchange of value

Teach students applications of professional selling knowledge, skills and attitudes in the hiring game, the organizational culture and idea/thought presentation

Enhance the students’ and the members’ communication skills


The Members’ Learning Outcomes and Benefits

The Center’s members’ learning outcomes and benefits are the following:

The Center’s Curriculum

The Professional Selling program promotes the scholarly study of the essential business function

of selling. Students will learn a strategic approach to sales, sales management, and, negotiations,

in an academically rigorous context. The Professional Selling program fully supports the mission

of the university. Each of AUBG’s learning goals and objectives are addressed specifically in the

program:

1. Critical and Creative Thinking

The personal selling process is largely a problem-solving process. The salesperson works with

the prospective buyer to determine the needs of their organization and the best solutions to fulfill

those needs. Students learn to think according to the perspectives of potential customers. They

also learn to respond to objections, gain a clear understanding of them, and overcome them.

Attitude

• Failing to succeed

• Resilience

• Communication skills

• Professional work ethic

• Learning by doing

Technical Skills

• Fund raising

• Identifying what buyers want

• Identifying negotiation approach

• Handling concerns and objections

• Building, developing and maintaining client relationships

Other Benefits

• Utilizing professional selling skills regardless of their field and industry

• Combining the services of the four Centers housed at AUBG

• Building a network with the Center’s members and the service providers


The students in Professional Selling program will also learn sales management skills of

organizing, training, and motivating a sales force, plus dealing with the conflicts that naturally

arise in a sales organization.

2. Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning

Students in the program will learn to do various of types of quantitative analysis. To effectively

sell to another business, salespeople must be able to discuss such measures as gross margins,

discounts, allowances, break-even points, ROI, turnover, and GMROI. They also must learn

tools to manage a sales territory, such as converting performance goals to activity goals.

Sales management requires the mastery of the quantitative tools necessary to equitably design

sales territories and compensation plans. Sales managers must also be able to forecast sales and

establish effective quotas for the sales force. Students will use statistical methods for creating

such forecasts.

3. Information Literacy

In addition to traditional term paper research, students will be taught how to access information

for researching specific companies.

4. Communication

In the Professional Selling program, students will complete many presentations and role plays.

They will develop confidence and the skill to communicate persuasively. The role plays will also

give them opportunities to develop active listening skills. Written communication skills will also

be emphasized with students completing projects such as formal sales proposals and written

analysis of business cases.


5. Self in Society

This is one of the real advantages to having professional sales taught at a respected university.

We give particular emphasis to ethical approaches and methods. In particular, the emphasis of

the program is on how to create added value for customers through the selling process.

6. Specialty

The program will be open to students certified in any major at AUBG, so it will offer a specialty

that students can develop along with whatever they are studying as their major. There is great

synergy between sales curriculum and other disciplines such as finance, marketing, information

systems, political science and international relations.

The Center’s certification process requires that students complete 18 credit hours:

Professional Strategic Selling Certificate Core Courses (Non-Business Majors):

SLS220. Marketing (3)

SLS261. Professional Selling and Communications (3)

SLS300. Negotiating and Conflict Resolution (3)

SLS301. Sales Management (3)

Professional Strategic Selling Certificate Core Courses (Business Majors):

SLS261. Professional Selling and Communications (3)

SLS300. Negotiating and Conflict Resolution (3)

SLS301. Sales Management (3)

SLS400. Advanced Sales (3)

Elective Courses in Professional Strategic Selling


SLS400. Advanced Sales (3)

SLS401. Sales Force Management (3)

SLS402. Key Account and Relationship Management (3)

SLS403. Business to Business Marketing (3)

SLS404. Marketing Channels (3)

SLS440. Professional Sales Internship (3)

SLS220. Marketing (3):

Introduces students to major concepts and methods used in marketing goods, services, and other

products and develops students' ability to use their understanding in business situations. The

course takes the managerial perspective, focusing on the wide variety of decisions necessary for

effective marketing: in product, promotion, distribution, pricing, and targeting. It emphasizes the

importance of research and planning, as well as ethical and legal issues pertaining to marketing.

SLS261. Professional Selling and Communications (3):

Organized around building value-adding relationships such that both the selling and buying

organizations benefit and the process of making informative and persuasive presentations.

Course topics include how to make positive first impressions, managing objections, presentation

skills, reaching win-win decisions and servicing customers. Developing one's selling and

communications skills is useful to every business person who makes presentations. Case study,

videotaped role playing, professional speakers and group interactions project the student into the

world of business and selling.

SLS300. Negotiating and Conflict Resolution (3):

Designed to focus on the art and the science of securing an agreement between two or more

interdependent parties who desire to maximize their outcomes. Course topics include analyzing

and evaluating negotiation situations, preparing for a negotiation, power and influence, job and

salary negotiations, coalitions, and managing conflict. Role playing provides the students with

the opportunity to build his/her negotiating skills through practice.


SLS301. Sales Management (3):

The Sales Management course covers the management of the sales force in non-retail settings.

Topics covered include hiring, training, organizing, motivating, supervising, and evaluating sales

representatives. We also focus on further developing students’ sales skills, with an emphasis on

sales leadership and use of social media and CRM. Students participate in at least three role

plays: an interview role play (hiring a new sales representative); a joint sales call role play (sales

manager accompanies sales person on first call); and a coaching role play (sales manager

coaching salesperson on the joint sale call). The role plays utilize one product in a realistic

scenario.

SLS400. Advanced Sales (3):

The Advanced Sales course provides students the opportunity to enhance their professional

selling skills through advanced instruction and skill development, making extensive use of sales

role plays and a role play competition combined with a live sales event. Content covered

includes building relationships, negotiating, adaptive selling, and understanding communication

styles in a sales context.

SLS401. Sales Force Management (3):

Beginning with sales force strategy for today's complex business environment, the course covers

responsibilities of sales executives and field sales managers. Topics include sales force design,

multi-channel strategy, sales technology, recruiting, training, and sales force motivation and

evaluation. Case study, field projects, and speakers enhance the learning process.

SLS402. Key Account & Relationship Management (3):

This course focuses on major account management, the supply chain, purchasing units,

segmenting and targeting organizational markets along with team selling. As a result of this

course's emphasis on building relationships with customers for maximized loyalty and retention,

students will gain the ability to segment markets, target accounts with the highest potential and

develop strategic account plans to effectively generate long-term buyer-seller business


relationships. Extensive interaction with sales and business managers is incorporated throughout

the course along with applied projects and exercises.

SLS403. Business to Business Marketing (3):

Introduces the field of business-to-business (B2B) marketing. Answers the questions: What is

business marketing? In what markets does it occur? Topics include: Organizational buyer

behavior, methods of assessing business market opportunities, and business marketing strategies.

SLS404. Marketing Channels (3):

Focused on examining the value-creation aspects of marketing channels, course topics include

analyzing existing channels as interorganizational systems and developing multi-channel models

for moving products to end users. Key issues that students will consider include channel

members' goals and value propositions, as well as optimizing configurations for market coverage

and desired levels of vertical integration. Hands-on exercises and professional speakers

illuminate existing channel issues.

SLS440. Professional Sales Internship (3):

Designed as an applied learning experience, the course follows the student's short-term paid

placement (typically a semester) within a firm. Intern responsibilities are determined by the firm

offering the internship; sales faculty work with companies to ensure that student experiences are

full and rewarding. The course provides the framework for the student to document learning

experiences from the internship and coursework in a personal e-portfolio for career management.


The Center’s Impact

The Center for Professional Selling will tremendous positive impact on AUBG student clubs,

university and high school students in Blagoevgrad and Bulgaria. The knowledge, skills and

attitudes learned in our Center can produce the following effects:

The Center’s Impact on AUBG Student Clubs and Extracurricular Activities

The American University in Bulgaria (AUBG) has the opportunity to have a tremendous impact

on projects and on many students’ careers by training and developing professional selling skills.

First, AUBG has 17 student clubs. The student clubs organize numerous events on campus

concerning issues in the world of business, human rights, politics, journalism, mathematics,

computer science, etc. They apply for funding from the university Student Government to cover

for the expenses. When student clubs approach the Student Government for funding they need to

present a list of expected expenses and to make a case why and how their clubs and the club

initiatives would be impactful to the University’s strategic goals, the students’ academic

Bigger and better events, initiatives and projects organized by

students

Growth of the three new Centers housed at AUBG

Better performance at job interviews

Evidence of professional training and experience for employers

Training and experience for high school students should they choose

to start a career in sales and other fields without a degree

Valuable knowledge, skills and attitudes regardless of the members’

field and industry

Network with the members and service providers


development and the Blagoevgrad community. Such

meetings with the Student Government are expected to

take place several times each semester. In addition,

student clubs and event organizers are strongly

encouraged to approach local vendors for donations

and/or sponsorship before applying for Student

Government funding. As a result, the students are

expected to learn how to acquire funding, start and

develop relationships with at least local business owners

to be able to organize the best possible event,

competition, workshop and conferences they wish.

During the 2014/15 academic year AUBG student clubs

organized the following events: TEDXAUBG, StartUp

Blagoevgrad, Blacklight Show, Model EU, BLIMUN,

the musical ―Burlesque‖, AUBG Olympics, etc. Each of

these events was organized by at least 11 students and

was attended by at least four hundred guests.

Studying at AUBG most students make use of the

opportunity to organize interesting events to support

certain causes and around topics they are passionate

about. The Center for Professional Selling will give

AUBG student clubs and campus event organizers the

necessary training and skills to organize bigger and

more impactful events. As for clubs that do not manage

to get support from local vendors, they need to turn the

Student Government. Even in such cases, the clubs need

to make a good case and ―close the sale‖ to twelve

senators who make the final decision. Evidently, those


with some exposure to professional selling will make more compelling arguments in their favor.

Second, the Center for Entrepreneurship became available to the students in the previous

academic year. Entrepreneurship is widely discussed but too little understood. Conversations

about entrepreneurship are dominated with such topics as creating products, failing repeatedly

and learning and resilience. As important as they may be, if the student cannot sell ideas and

products to investors and potential buyers they will not become entrepreneurs. The Center for

Professional Selling will give AUBG students and the entrepreneurs in Blagoevgrad, in Bulgaria

and Southeastern Europe (given that the Center’s services will be promoted across the region)

the chance to get from basic to rather advanced experience in selling. The Center’s courses,

projects and internships will be the necessary training for future entrepreneurs to develop

resilience and perseverance and get rid of fear of failure while or before they design new

products for the market.

Similarly, the Center for Visual and Performing Arts and the Women and Gender Resources

Center opened their doors to AUBG students and the Blagoevgrad community in the previous

academic year. The three new Centers in total have ambitious goals. Additionally, they have

motivated and capable members. In order to get prominent speakers and guests to visit the

Centers and more stable funding the members will need training in professional selling. Should

any of the Centers, student clubs or initiatives in AUBG and Blagoevgrad have problems

achieving their strategic goals, it will be due to lack of selling skills not talent, ambition or work

ethic.

Third, professional selling skills are necessary during job interviews. HR courses, professional

blogs and books can help job seekers prepare for standard interview questions. Whether students

will go after careers in the corporate or public sector or academia those who will make more

compelling cases that they are the best candidates for the position will be hired. One who has

training and experience in selling will direct the flow of the interview conversation better with


regards to presenting evidence of skills and experience, handling concerns and disagreements

and coming across confident and enthusiastic.

Furthermore, professional selling and strong communication skills are crucial once one is already

hired. Presenting persuasive ideas to employers, supervisors or team members is a skill that helps

one get credit for work done, build relationship with colleagues and managers and get promoted.

According to the consultants in Oliver James Associates, one of Europe’s most prominent

recruitment consultancies, employers are most likely to hire candidates with selling and strong

communication skills and relatively weaker technical skills over candidates with no selling and

communication- and stronger technical ones. The reason is that employers require that their

employees fit into the company culture. Additionally, most managers do not want to invest

energy and time in building a relationship with an employee who does not want to or cannot fit

into the company culture. Training and experience in professional selling teaches how to build

relationships with all kinds of people in any setting. Candidates with such training make a

noticeably better impression during job interviews and later in their careers, according to

recruitment consultants.

The Center’s Impact in Bulgaria

The previous sections describe the benefits, learning outcomes, the curriculum and the impact

the Center’s services will have in AUBG in detail. Additionally, students from all over Bulgaria,

both in high schools, colleges and universities can become members of the Center. It is

imperative to mention some statistical data regarding the number of educational institutions and

attending students in Bulgaria to illustrate the number of people who can benefit from the

Center’s initiatives. The latest national statistical data is from the 2013/14 academic year; hence

some of the country profile data is not entirely accurate. However, estimates can be made taking

into consideration +/- 10%.


Blagoevgrad is home to two universities, the American

University in Bulgaria and the South-West University ―Neofit

Rilski‖. In the 2014/15 academic year AUBG recorded 980 full-

time students and the South-West University - 12,579. The

Student Governments in both universities cooperate on a regular

basis. They support each other’s initiatives and projects by promoting the projects, initiatives and

causes, attend and participate in the events, conferences, competitions and workshops. Neither of

the universities has a center or a facility to train over 13,000 students how to sell and

communicate with clients.

The new Centers in AUBG (Centers for Entrepreneurship, Center for Visual and Performing

Arts, Women and Gender Resources Center) offer their services to the ―Neofit Rilski‖ students

and the Blagoevgrad residents interested in the Centers’ causes as well. By the same token, the

Center for Professional Selling will be the only facility in Blagoevgrad to serve over 13,000

students with the need to learn to sell and master the skill set that sales manager have.

Furthermore, Blagoevgrad has fifteen high schools and thousands of high schools students in.

Should high school students choose not to attend a higher educational institution, together with

their training and experience in professional selling they can get jobs as sales executives and

recruitment consultants.

Universities in Bulgaria

The Center for Professional Selling will be accessible to students in other parts of Bulgaria as

well. Research has shown that there are 53 universities in Bulgaria but not a single institution or

Over 13,000 students in

Blagoevgrad from

AUBG and South-West

University alone.

15 high schools and thousands of

high school students in Blagoevgrad


a facility within an institution to offer the services the Center would do. According to the

National Statistical Institute in Bulgaria there are 53 institutions that offer higher education (see

Figure 1) but no centers for specialized training. Additionally, there are 283,294 students

enrolled in universities and colleges (see Figure 2). According to the Figures 3, 4 and 5, most of

the students in Bulgaria, professional bachelor, bachelor and master degree students, study

business. As mentioned previously, recruitment consultants and our team believe that

professional selling skills boost performance and work ethic across different fields. Nevertheless,

even in the case of no non-business students not entering the Center’s network and participating

actively, the total number of business students makes up a large enough total addressable market.

Figure 1

Figure 2


Figure 3


Figure 4


Figure 5

High Schools in Bulgaria

According to the National Statistical Institute in Bulgaria, there are 139 high schools in the

country (see Figure 6) and 132,540 high school students (see Figure 7). Should some high school

students decide to pursue a career in professional selling and/or learn professional selling skills

to be used in other fields right after high school, they can get training in the Center as well. The

fact that the Center’s courses are going to be taught in English does not post a problem. Of the

82.8% of high students who take foreign language courses in Bulgaria, 89.2% studied English..


Figure 6

Figure 7


The Center’s Network of Service Providers

Bulgaria is home to a number of global and multinational companies offering different products

and services. Additionally, more and more Bulgarian and other European entrepreneurs start

businesses in the country that are thriving. AUBG and the University Career Center have built a

working mutually beneficial relationship with many of them among which are C3/Customer

Contact Channels, Metro Cash & Carry, KPMG Bulgaria OOD, Deloitte Bulgaria, EVN

Bulgaria, Coca-Cola Enterprises Bulgaria and others. The mutually beneficial relationship

between AUBG and the companies in Bulgaria resides in us connecting students with recruiters

and the companies having direct contact on campus with talent in high demand in Bulgaria and

Southeastern Europe. AUBG organizes a big job fair every year on campus connecting over fifty

recruiters and hundreds of students. Additionally, many company representatives and

professionals give talks and lectures in our auditorium and classrooms numerous times. Their

goal is to promote their companies and certain available positions and get in touch with students

who will shine and stand out. As for the students, they want to get a glimpse of what is

happening in their fields outside the classrooms.

While such interactions are not counter-intuitive, they have a shotgun approach – talking to as

many people as possible, giving out as many resumes as possible and seeing what happens.

Evidently, a more targeted approach is necessary from the students’ and the companies’ side.

This is where the Center for Professional Selling can be helpful. The Center can help both groups

in the following ways. The companies or other service providers can build more targeted

communication with the future job seekers and have better trained talent applying for positions.

By the same token, the students have matching benefits: they can build targeted relationships

with the Center’s guests, speakers, partner recruiters and trainers, have evidence of training and

some experience and get training from professionals and experts.


The Network of Service Providers


Appendix

About AUBG

Mission Statement

The mission of the American University in Bulgaria is to educate students of outstanding potential in a

community of academic excellence, diversity, and respect and to prepare them for democratic and ethical

leadership in serving the needs of the region and the world.

Vision: Our Aspirations for 2016

We envision a community of diverse and creative students of outstanding potential living and learning

together in an engaging and rigorous academic environment on a campus that offers world-class

academic, recreational, and residential facilities. Mentored by internationally respected faculty committed

to the liberal arts tradition, AUBG graduates will be fully prepared for lives of professional achievement,

personal fulfillment, and service.

Statement on Liberal Learning

AUBG strives to provide its students with a liberal education – an education that nurtures both the skills

needed for successful careers and an ongoing intellectual curiosity that leads to a thirst for a rewarding

life and productive role in a democratic society. A liberal education prepares students to live responsible,

productive, and creative lives in a dramatically changing world. It is an education that fosters a well-

grounded intellectual resilience, a disposition toward lifelong learning, and an acceptance of

responsibility for the ethical consequences of ideas and actions.

Students experience the benefits of a liberal education by pursuing intellectual work that is honest,

challenging, and significant and by preparing themselves to use knowledge and authority in responsible

ways. A liberal education is not confined to any particular field of study. What matters is substantial

content, rigorous methodology, and an active engagement with the societal, ethical, and practical

implications of learning. The value of liberal learning is equally relevant to all fields of higher education

and to all students.

This statement is based on the ―Statement on Liberal Learning‖ adopted by the Board of Directors of the

American Association of Colleges and Universities. For more information, please see: www.aacu.org.

The Student-centered Learning Environment

AUBG is committed to an actively engaged student-centered learning community. This can be seen in our

curricular and co-curricular environment, activities and experiences that maximize student involvement at

all levels within the university. Our goal is to involve all students in a larger university community that

promotes high levels of self-direction, self-assessment and self-reflection as students move through the

university to become engaged professionals and leaders after graduation.

http://www.aacu.org/


The university uses a variety of approaches to accomplish this, including collaboration among faculty,

staff and students in teaching, research and service, all within the context of a larger local, regional and

global community.

We regularly collect information about our students’ learning and their achievements, and use this to

assess and enhance our curriculum and our campus and larger community learning opportunities. For this

reason, our students find the learning environment at AUBG to be agile and responsive not only to

external changes, but also to evolving student needs.

AUBG Community

To support the ongoing mission of AUBG, the university builds its community based on mutual respect,

civility, and professional behavior. All members of our community, including students, faculty, staff and

administration, are expected to uphold at all times these ideals, plus other standards of behavior that

reflect well upon, and bring credit to, themselves, the university, and the greater community.

Accreditation Statements

U.S. Accreditation

The American University in Bulgaria is accredited in the United States by the New England Association

of Schools and Colleges, Inc. through its Commission on Institutions of Higher Education.

Inquiries regarding AUBG’s accreditation status by the New England Association should be directed to

the administrative staff:

Office of the Provost

American University in Bulgaria

Blagoevgrad 2700

Bulgaria

Telephone: (+359 73) 888 411 Email: [email protected]

Individuals may also contact:

The Commission on Institutions of Higher Education

New England Association of Schools and Colleges

209 Burlington Road

Bedford, MA 01730-1433

Telephone: (781) 271 0022 E-mail: [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]


Bulgarian Accreditation

The American University in Bulgaria and its major programs are accredited in Bulgaria by the National

Evaluation and Accreditation Agency of the Council of Ministers. The American University in Bulgaria is

chartered as an institution of higher education by an act of the Grand National Assembly of the Republic

of Bulgaria and is authorized to grant Bulgarian diplomas and has the same rights and responsibilities as

other Bulgarian universities.

Opportunities in Sofia

This catalog describes the University’s undergraduate programs offered at the Blagoevgrad campus.

AUBG’s second campus is in Sofia at the Elieff Center for Education and Culture, a modern, state-of-the-

art facility designed for outreach and graduate education. The flagship programs at the Elieff Center are

the Executive MBA and the Center for European Programmes. In addition, the Elieff Center supports

continuing education and training programs for the professional community. For more information on

Sofia-campus activities, please visit www.aubg.edu/sofia.

Equal Opportunity/Non-Discrimination Policy

The American University in Bulgaria does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnic origin, nationality,

gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, or physical ability in the administration of its admissions

policies, educational programs, employment opportunities, or other University programs. Questions may

be directed to: Office of Human Resources, 1 Georgi Izmirliev Square, Blagoevgrad 2700, Bulgaria.

Telephone: (+359 73) 888 328 or 888 309, Fax: (+359 73) 888 161. Email: [email protected].

Location in Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria

AUBG is situated in Blagoevgrad, the administrative, cultural, economic, and transport center of

southwestern Bulgaria. The Blagoevgrad province is the third largest in the country after Bourgas and

Sofia. Blagoevgrad is situated at the foot of the Rila and Pirin Mountains, just 100 km south of the

national capital, Sofia. The region abounds with natural beauty and tourist attractions, including the Rila

Monastery, the Bansko ski resort, the spa town of Sandanski, and the Seven Lakes in the Rila Mountains.

Blagoevgrad is a picturesque city of 80,000 with a pedestrian downtown and an Old Town with fine

examples of 19th-century architecture and numerous restaurants and cafés.

Blagoevgrad is a student-friendly city. The town is the educational center of southwestern Bulgaria with

its two universities – the American University in Bulgaria and the South-West University. With its clean

quiet surroundings, walking plaza, shops, and restaurants, Blagoevgrad is small enough for students to

find anything they need within a few minutes. At the same time, the dynamic environment of outdoor

cafés, movie theaters, and recreational facilities makes it possible for students to have a balanced life of

both hard work and fun.

Blagoevgrad is located in the southwestern corner of Bulgaria, which in turn occupies the northeastern

part of the Balkan Peninsula. The country’s population is approximately seven and a half million and it

http://www.aubg.edu/sofia

mailto:[email protected]


occupies an area of 110,099 sq. km. To the north, via the Danube River, Bulgaria shares a border with

Romania; to the west, Serbia and Macedonia; and to the south, Greece and Turkey. To the east is

Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast, which links it to Russia, Ukraine, and Georgia. Bulgaria is a land of great

natural beauty, with stunning mountain scenery and beautiful coastline.

Situated at a crossroads between civilizations, Bulgaria has more than 13 centuries of recorded history

and one of the richest cultural legacies in Europe. Modern Bulgarian culture derives from three ancient

civilizations: the Bulgars, then Thracians, and the Slavs. The territory was also part of the Byzantine and

Ottoman empires for several centuries.

Since the beginning of the democratic changes in Eastern Europe, Bulgaria has achieved macroeconomic

stability, joined NATO, and entered the European Union as a full member state.

AUBG History

AUBG was founded in 1991 as a joint endeavor of the U.S. government and the government of the

Republic of Bulgaria to create an institution that educates future leaders for the region of southeast

Europe - leaders who can respond to the challenges of transition and build societies based on democracy,

free enterprise, civic responsibility, and a thorough understanding of cultural diversity. This exceptional

educational partnership enjoyed a broad base of support from the United States Agency for International

Development, the Open Society Institute and its founder Mr. George Soros, the University of Maine, and

the City of Blagoevgrad, which provided buildings for instructional and residential facilities.

When its doors opened on September 30, 1991, AUBG welcomed a class of 208 first-year students and

had 16 full-time faculty members. Today, AUBG’s student body is a varied society of 1,100 young

people from over 40 nations, and their cultural and ethnic diversity shape a unique academic setting. The

University has an international reputation based on its unique blend of academic excellence, cultural

diversity, highly talented student body, and successful alumni.

Romania, Macedonia, Serbia, Albania, Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Spain,

and the United States are just a few of the countries that are currently represented. Courses are taught by a

high-quality, international faculty experienced in teaching in a multicultural, learner-centered

environment. In the last twenty years more than 4,000 students have graduated from AUBG, and these

alumni are fast becoming important agents of change for the advancement of their own countries.

AUBG has repeatedly ranked as the leading university in the country in terms of graduates’ employment

and graduate earned incomes, according to the Bulgarian University Ranking System maintained by the

Ministry of Education. This yearly survey includes five AUBG academic programs – Economics,

Computer Science, Business Administration, Political Science and International Relations, and

Journalism and Mass Communication – all of which are ranked among the top in the country.

AUBG has also developed a growing portfolio of educational outreach programs, including an Executive

MBA program; technical training at the government level for participation in EU programs; and English

language, business, entrepreneurship, and computer skills courses. Most of these outreach programs are


offered at the AUBG Elieff Center for Education and Culture, the University’s off-campus facility in

Sofia.

Panitza Library

Panitza Library—the heart of the University—is a modern cultural and intellectual center for studying,

reading, and doing academic research. The Library is an approachable, accessible, service-oriented

organization, sensitive to its users' needs. It is open 88 hours per week, Monday through Sunday, during

the semester and offers extended working hours during final exam weeks. The Library seeks to creatively

use technology to support and inspire education and scholarship, and to deliver service to the AUBG

community of learners wherever and whenever needed while supporting AUBG’s curriculum and

fostering students' personal growth and the development of life-long learning skills.

The library offers a comfortable environment for individual and group study that provides printing and

copy rooms, computer kiosks, and other study facilities. The library houses a collection of 110,000

printed books; 110,000 electronic books; more than 10,000 print volumes; 40,000 electronic journal titles,

magazines and newspapers; a growing collection of audio-visual materials; and many electronic

databases. Electronic resources are conveniently organized through the library website and are available

for research and study around the clock, both on site and remotely.

Panitza Library also provides additional services to assist the learning goals of AUBG students and

faculty. The Interlibrary Loan Service augments the Pantiza library holding by providing documents from

partner and consortium libraries to meet the expanding research needs of AUBG faculty and students. The

Reference service provides professional help to library patrons in locating and retrieving information.

Patrons can contact reference libraries in person as well as through instant messaging and e-mail. The

Information Literacy Program works to provide course-integrated instruction in collaboration with faculty

and in alignment with course objectives and student learning outcomes. This program offers training in

developing research skills both through classroom instruction and one-to-one training.

For further information, please see: www.aubg/library.

Cooperative Relationships

AUBG maintains close relationships with universities both in Bulgaria and abroad. In Bulgaria, AUBG

has cooperative relationships with New Bulgarian University; Sofia University; the University of

National and World Economy; the South-West University, Blagoevgrad; and the University of Library

Studies and Information Technologies. There is also a joint agreement with the Bulgarian Academy of

Science.

In the United States, AUBG students can study through exchange programs at the University of Maine,

the State University of New York – Fredonia, and campuses of several hundred members of the

International Student Exchange Program (ISEP).

In Europe, AUBG is the holder of a standard Erasmus Charter. There are bilateral Erasmus agreements

with over 50 European institutions in Austria, Belgium, Cypus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, England,

Estonia, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, the Netherlands,

Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Turkey.

http://www.aubg/library

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