1. 1 ABOUT THE INSTITUTE ABOUT THE INSTITUTE SOFIA UNIVERSITY ST. KLIMENT OHRIDSKI, BULGARIA CENTRE FOR EUROPEAN RESEARCH, TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES (CERTDP)

2. 2 HISTORY Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski - a state higher education institution, the first school of higher education in Bulgaria founded in 1888. The largest and most prestigious educational and scientific centre in the country today - over 35000 students in about 80 Bachelors and over 200 Masters degree programmes. Centre for European Research Training and Development Programs (CERTDP) - founded in 1999 as a non-profit making structural unit of Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski.

3. 3 VISION The CERTDP is motivated by the challenge of supporting the development, promotion and wide use of Information Society Technologies in different economic fields and mainly Banking and Financial Sector. CERTDP is the biggest and most experienced Centre for distance learning and web-based training in Bulgaria.

4. 4 MISSION STATEMENT CERTDP strives to strengthen its positions as a regional centre for introduction of European standards by establishment of a wide platform for development of research, education and training activities in cooperation with scientists from Bulgaria and abroad.

5. 5 STRATEGY (1/2) The Centre brings together the theoretical and applied interdisciplinary research and their applications in the economic sciences and training activities. CERTDP provides its capabilities at the service of the banking, financial and economic sector development of the region and the country, in its efforts to meet the standards of the European Community.

6. 6 STRATEGY (2/2)

7. 7 TEAM Permanent Staff Director and Financial Manager 7 Project Managers 6 Researchers Supporting staff – 4 (administrative and accounting issues) External Experts Established network of more than 75 part time trainers and experts

8. 8 MAJOR OBJECTIVES To develop educational, training and qualification programs in the field of Economics, Banking, Finance, Information Technologies, Management, etc. To conduct studies and surveys in the field of Economics, Banking, Finance, Management, Information Technologies, etc. To develop and implement international projects and activities for promoting innovative research and training methods, and transferring knowledge and experience.

9. 9 MAJOR ACTIVITIES Education and training activities Research and development activities Consultancy services Participation in National and European projects and initiatives

10. 10 TRAINING ACTIVITIES CERTDP Education and training courses on the processes of liberalization and standardization of financial, banking and market processes and their harmonization with the best European practices. CERTDP experts participate in the provision of MSc Programmes and PhD education in close cooperation with the Faculty of Economy and Business Administration and Informatics and the Faculty of Mathematics of Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski.

11. 11 EDUCATION AND TRAINING Money, Banking and EconomICS Modern Banking Theory and Practice International Financial Instruments Corporate Finance and Accounting Insurance Strategies Corporate Finance Strategic Risk Management Sustainable Banking Emerging Financial Markets Financial analysis Empirical Investigations in Finance Venture Capital Financial Institutions International Financial Management Investment Banking Commercial Bank Financial Management Investment and Portfolio Analysis Advanced Corporate Finance Financial Management Quantitative Methods in Finance Commercial and Investment Banking International Business Finance Credit Analysis and Commercial Lending International Banking Financial Modeling Derivatives e-Banking

12. 12 EDUCATION AND TRAINING Management Issues Management Information Systems Joint Program of Sofia University and Stevens Institute of Technologies, USA, in Management Information Systems Electronic Business Electronic Learning Strategic Management Organizational Development Management of Human Resources and Corporate Social Responsibility Statistics and Econometrics

13. 13 FORMATS OF TRAINING SERVICES PROVIDED: Compulsory and elective courses Long-term and short-term courses Standard and tailored courses Courses delivered in traditional (class participation) and electronic (distant learning) format

14. 14 Advantages of Education and Training Courses respond to the needs of the new business environment and the demands of the labour market by: Providing latest knowledge presented by some of the leading Bulgarian lecturers and consultants in the field Delivering education and training by using a mix of lectures, cases, individual and team projects, and participant presentations Expanding participants knowledge, developing new skills and improving their competences Ensuring flexibility to adjust to the individual working environment

15. 15 CONSULTANCY Application of Advanced Information and Communication Technologies in: Business and Management, Banking and Finance, Education and Training, Electronic Commerce, Telework, European Studies in Information Society. Project development and management.

16. 16 OUR consulting services- advantages Long-year practice of providing qualitative consulting and expertise to researchers from Sofia University and other academic circles, start-ups, SMEs, banking and financial institutions. Support for identification of innovation needs and available research outputs, technology transfer and implementation of innovative developments. Members of CERTDPs team are National Contact Points on FP7 Science and Society, FP7 Information Society Technologies, EU Programmes eInclusion and eContent.

17. 17 INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION Participation in more than 60 international R&D projects, funded by: 7 th, 6 th and 5 th Framework Programmes of the EC Phare Programme Leonardo Da Vinchi Programme Minerva Programme Socrates Programme Erasmus Programme World Bank

18. 18 THANK YOU Ass. Prof. Kamelia Stefanova, PhD kamelia@fmi.uni-sofia.bg