The University of Plovdiv

The University of Plovdiv "Paisii Hilendarski" (founded in 1961) is the natural cultural and research centre in the Plovdiv region.
The University of Plovdiv (PU) is the largest institution of higher education in South Bulgaria and the second largest in the country.
There are nine faculties - the faculty of Physics, Mathematics and IT, Chemistry, Biology, Economics and Social Sciences, Law, Languages and Literature, Education and Philosophy-Historical.
PU has two affiliated colleges in other cities in South Bulgaria (Pazardjik, Smolian and Kardzhali).

The Open and Distance Learning Study Centre at PU (ODLSC) was established in January, 1996 because of the decision of the University's Senate in the frame of the Phare Programme for Multi-Country Cooperation in Distance Education. Its constitution was a logical prolongation of the experience in the field of e-learning and distance education (DE) gathered by different university units. Among them are:

the chair of Computer Science, Open Faculty, the Faculty of Teachers Post-graduate Studies, the Video Centre, the University Library etc.

The ODLSC has a reach experience in participation in various EU and national programmes. Some of the relevant projects developed are as follows:

  • 2004-2006 116684-CP-1-2004-1-HU-MINERVA-M, e-Taster - short, free on-line courses - "tasters" - for multilingual, international delivery (SOCRATES-MINERVA)
  • 2002-2004 World Bank 22/09.10.2002, VREME~AB - Virtual regional network of electronic academic libraries
  • 2001-2003 CEEPUS-H-0081 - University Teacher/student Exchange in the field of Computer Science (CEEPUS)
  • 2001-2002 90389-CP-1-2001-1-MINERVA-HU, MISSION - Multi-country Integrated System Support for Improved ODL Networking (SOCRATES-MINERVA)
  • 2000-2003 IST-2000 29388 BalkaNet - Design and Development of a Multilingual Balkan WordNet. Contract (FP5)
  • 1998-1999 NCDE/98/8 - Establishment and Operation of the Regional Distance Education Study Centre in the University of Plovdiv (PHARE)
  • 1997-1999 ETF/97/VET/0077 - Rapid and In-Depth Introduction to Information Technology (PHARE)