On 4 June 2024, the Association of Bulgarian Insurers (ABZ) and the Faculty of Management and Business at the Technical University of Sofia signed a Memorandum of Cooperation during an official ceremony. The agreement outlines a wide range of initiatives aimed at supporting students’ education and career development in the field of insurance. These include informing students about internship opportunities within insurance companies, joint research projects, participation in public events, and more.
Building Bridges Between Education and Industry
Prof. Dr. Yordanka Angelova, Dean of the Faculty of Management and Business, expressed her confidence that the memorandum marks the beginning of a dynamic and productive partnership with ABZ. She emphasized the faculty’s interdisciplinary nature, noting that alongside engineering disciplines, it also offers economics and management programs.
“Presenting the insurance industry to students in greater depth and offering them opportunities for hands-on experience in companies can guide them toward choosing insurance as a field for future professional development,” she said.
Yuri Kopach, then Chair of the ABZ Management Board, underlined the importance of strong collaboration between education and business:
“The insurance industry is evolving rapidly, driven by digital transformation, the integration of artificial intelligence, and a growing spectrum of risks across all areas of life and activity. This drives our increasing need for specialists from diverse fields — from mathematicians and actuaries to engineers.”
He added:
“We want to extend a hand to young people and show them that a career in insurance offers opportunities for growth — professionally and personally — and brings diversity, dynamism, and meaning.”
First Step: Donation of ABZ Anniversary Publications
As a first step in this cooperation, Yuri Kopach donated 15 copies of ABZ’s anniversary publication to the university library. The edition includes the analytical report “Insurance in Bulgaria – Economic Footprint and Development Challenges” and a retrospective gallery tracing the history of the insurance industry in Bulgaria.
The event was attended by:
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. Orlin Marinov highlighted the importance of presenting insurance as a career path as early as first year, helping students envision possible future career directions in the field.
Nina Kolchakova provided an overview of the donated report and expressed her confidence that it would be of value to both students and faculty members. She suggested that the next joint initiative could be a presentation of the report to the academic community.
A Strategic Priority for ABZ
Fostering collaboration between the insurance sector and higher education institutions is a strategic priority for ABZ, and the signing of the memorandum with the Faculty of Management and Business at the Technical University of Sofia is another step in this direction. This policy reflects the sector’s recognition of the need to advance both academic insight in insurance and the development of a new generation of professionals.
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