The consortium consists of 5 organisations from 3 countries – Bulgaria, Finland and Spain.

PLOVDIV UNIVERSITY “PAISII HILENDARSKI”, Faculty of Pedagogy, Plovdiv, Bulgaria – PROJECT COORDINATOR

Plovdiv University is one of the leading higher-education institutions in the Republic of Bulgaria. It is the largest University in Southern Bulgaria and the second biggest in Bulgaria. Plovdiv University was initially founded in 1961 as a Higher Institute of Pedagogy for Natural Sciences and Mathematics. It was declared a University in 1972. The University has received official state accreditation (2013), which allows it to confer each form of educational degree i.e. specialist, bachelor, master and doctor. Teaching and research activities are carried out by over 598 highly qualified full-time lecturers, including 95 Full Professors, 206 Associate Professors, 181 Senior Assistant Professors, 116 Assistants Professors, and other lecturers. Approximately 13 000 full-time students and more than 5 000 part-time students are trained in more than 100 bachelor and 130 master courses including natural, humanitarian, social, engineering and economic sciences.

Project coordinator: Prof. PhD Dora Levterova-Gadjalova, Faculty of Pedagogy, Head of Department “Pedagogy and Educational Management”, Head of Department “Teachers’ further qualification”, Head of University’ Career Guidance Center

More information at: www.uni-plovdiv.bg ; https://pfpu.bg

BULGARIAN TEACHERS’ UNION, Bulgaria

The Bulgarian union of teachers (BTU) was founded in 1990 and nowadays has about 80 000 members (teachers). It is the largest Bulgarian trade union organisation in terms of membership and defends the civil rights and freedom, the social, economic, labour and professional rights and interests of its members employed in the area of secondary education. The organisation has 28 Regional offices and 250 offices in each municipality in the country and enjoys good relationships with all social partners at national and regional level.
The SEB is a key member of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB, one of the officially representative workers’ organisations in Bulgaria) and a key player of the Sectoral Council for Tripartite Cooperation in the secondary education system in Bulgaria. It is also affiliated to the world’s largest teachers’ organisations, Education International (EI) and European Trade Union Committee for Education (ETUCE).
BTU has implemented and applies a quality management system with the scope: Training for raising the qualification of teachers and employees in the education system – Certificate ISO 9001:2015.

More information at: www.sbubg.info

Contact person: Dr. Yanka Takeva, Chairperson of Bulgarian’ Teachers’ Union

BULGARIAN INCLUSION SUPPORT TEAM, Sofia, Bulgaria

The Association organizes activities related to the implementation of inclusive education, wellbeing via non-formal activities as well as labour market support for young people with disabilities in terms of successful implementation in Bulgaria of inclusive school education, vocational education and training, supported employment, inclusion and sustainability in the labor market and implementation of social inclusion in culture, sports and society as a whole. The team of the organisation consists of leading experts in the field of inclusive education, psychomotor physical education, supported employment by
Carl Rogers model, recognition of prior learning, recognition and validation of learning outcomes. Their team members are frequently invited as guest speakers at major national and EU conferences in the field of inclusive education, career guidance and counselling, validation of learning outcomes as well as in the Committees to the Ministry of Education & Science and National Agency for Vocational Education & Training.

Contact person: Andrean Lazarov, Executive Director and General Project Manager

More information at: www.inclusionteam.org

UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL DE EDUCACION A DISTANCIA, Madrid, Spain

UNED is one of the largest campuses in Europe and has developed great technological innovation from its creation to the present. From the use of classic media such as radio and television to own and innovative platforms and the introduction of Artificial intelligence and big data for the personalizationof learning.At present, the uned is committed to digitization and innovation in its strategic lines.

Undoubtedly, one of the areas of greatest growth of the UNED has been its academic offer, which increases every year with new degrees, adapting to the demands of the Knowledge Society with the creation, to name a few examples, of the Combined Degrees or the recent Micro-Degrees, pioneers in Spain and that respond to the European commitment to Short Learning Programs.

Contact person: Prof. PhD Cristina Sanchez Romero, Head of department: “DIDACTICS, SCHOOL ORGANIZATION AND SPECIAL EDUCATION”, Research group: “SOCIAL MEDIA AND INCLUSIVE AND MEDIA EDUCATION“

More information at: www.unedmadrid.es

KARELIA UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCE, Finland

Karelia University of Applied Sciences (Karelia UAS) is the easternmost university of applied sciences in Finland and the European Union. Karelia UAS provides education as a part of the European and national system of higher education. Karelia UAS operates in two campuses in the close proximity of the Joensuu city centre.

Karelia UAS is a multidisciplinary, widely connected, international and innovative organisation offering education leading to bachelor and master degrees. Karelia UAS operates in seven study fields offering 24 programmes out of which six are master-level studies. The study areas are health care and social studies, business, engineering, forestry, media and hospitality management.

Karelia UAS is a significant and well-recognized operator in education and plays a key role in the regional development and research, development and innovation (RDI) activities. Karelia UAS operates actively in various national and international networks. International partner networks include many Asian, African, European, and North- and South-American countries. China is one of the key partner countries where the education co-operation is actively and systemically developed in collaboration with the partners.

We offer excellent conditions for internationally oriented students who strive with us to be the experts of the future. In Karelia UAS, all students work closely with local companies and with other educational institutions on exciting research and development projects. Each student builds a solid grounding in their field throughout their studies. The curriculum is customised to each student’s own preferences and needs, and is supplemented through close contact with prospective employers. A degree from Karelia UAS degree will give the professional skills needed for a rewarding future.

Contact persons: Tiina Muhonen, Project Manager (TEACHPHEN), M.A. / Liisa Timonen, Director of International Affairs and a board member at Karelia University of Applied Sciences

More information at: https://www.karelia.fi

For further communication with the project consortium, please send your emails to: info@inclusionteam.org