The Association of Economic Schools in Bulgaria /AESB/ and the Association of Banks in Bulgaria /ABB/ organize for the first time in Bulgaria the European Money Quiz. The competition is an initiative of national banking associations in Europe to encourage the financial literacy among the secondary school pupils and it is coordinated by the European Banking Association. This was announced at a special event at the UNWE.
Prof. Dr. Daniela Feschiyan, Chairwoman of the Association of Economic Schools in Bulgaria, opened the event and outlined: "This meeting is extremely significant and is the most honorable way to celebrate our 10th anniversary, setting a new beginning for our country on the European map of economic competitions, which I am convinced will bring huge results and effects on young people in Bulgaria, on our future. For ten years, the Association of Economic Schools in Bulgaria has been showing the modern image of the academism - desirable, respectable and inspiring confidence. In its tenth year, it has found an exceptional partner - the Association of Banks in Bulgaria. I hope that together we can not only raise the image of the modern academism, but do what the Association of Economic Schools in Bulgaria has always worked for - to build the next pillar in the bridge between the secondary education, the university and the business”.
"The UNWE is a leading business university and we work every day to strengthen the role of the cooperation between the academia, the secondary education and the business. Today`s initiative is something qualitatively new because there is the Association of Economic Schools in Bulgaria on one hand, as well as another very powerful and respectable organization - the Association of Banks in Bulgaria, on the other hand, and our university, which helps to make the relation school - university - business happen again. So it is not surprising that our students find good professional realization, the business wants for them and we have a record number of prospective students", said the Rector Prof. Dr. Dimitar Dimitrov.
"In my capacity as Coordinator of the Memorandum of Cooperation between the UNWE and the Association of Banks in Bulgaria I am extremely contented that we actually prove that this agreement starts to work and I am sure that both associations will operate in harmony and will certainly achieve very good results", said Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yanko Hristozov, Vice Rector for International Affairs.
The meeting was also attended by Assoc. Prof. Dr. James Jolovski, Secretary General of the Association of Banks in Bulgaria /ABB/, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Irina Kazandzhieva, ABB Director of Banking Policies and Analysis at the ABB and Lecturer at the UNWE Finance Department, Mrs. Emilia Ivanova, Deputy Chairwoman of the Association of Economic Schools in Bulgaria /AESB/ Mrs. Maya Gesheva, member of the AESB Coordination Council and Director of the National High School of Finance and Economics, Dr. Petya Gerasimova, Director of the National High School of Trade and Commerce - Plovdiv, Mr. Pavel Chepov, Director of the High School of Commerce in Bourgas and Mrs. Gergana Nikolova, Deputy Director for Professional Education of the National High School of Trade and Commerce - Plovdiv.
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| Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yanko Hristozov, Prof. Dr. Dimitar Dimitrov, Prof. Dr. Daniela Feschiyan, Assoc. Prof. Dr. James Jolovski, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Irina Kazandzhieva /from the right to the left/ |
During the event Prof. Dr. Daniela Feschiyan presented the activities of AESB, pointing out that for those ten years the AESB has grown from the modest 16 members to a powerful organization with 44 institutional members. "Through the National Competitions in Accounting, Finance and Accounting, Economics, Informatics and Statistics and Economics and Management in our ten-year history, we have motivated thousands of high school pupils to enrich their economic competencies in basic fundamental economic subjects, not just to increase their financial literacy. One of the ambitions of AESB is to stop the outflow of young talents from Bulgaria, to show the high school pupils the opportunities for successful realization in our country by convincing them of the high quality of education and the opportunities for professional realization that the UNWE provides. That is why we start the integration of students into the academic environment even in 8th and 9th grade. The high school pupils from the AESB member schools participate in round tables, conferences, public lectures, trainings, master classes, screenings of educational films, which the UNWE organizes or participates as a partner", said Prof. Dr. Daniela Feschiyan and added that the high school members of the Association, also participate in many prestigious international competitions and contests. She added that in the current year she is invited by the National Trade and Banking High School to accompany the representative team of the High School to New York, USA, to participate in the International Fair of Learning Companies, the World Business Competition on assignment of Harvard University and the International Competition for Human Resource Management and she outlined that she would cover the costs of her trip.
"For us the invitation by the Association of Banks in Bulgaria to launch the pilot project together as a partner at national level in the organization and conduct of the European Money Quiz (EMQ) is of great importance and we highly appreciate this opportunity. This competition has been running since 2017 as an initiative of the national banking associations in Europe to encourage the financial literacy and it is coordinated by the European Banking Federation. Bulgaria has not participated so far. In 2025 for the first time in coordination with the plan of the European Banking Federation within the European Money Week from 17 to 21 March, we, the AESB and ABB, will launch the National Round of the Competition as a pilot and will include five schools - members of our association - the National Trade and Banking High School, National High School of Trade and Commerce - Plovdiv, the High School of Commerce in Bourgas and the Private Vocational School of Banking in Sofia", emphasized Prof. Dr. Daniela Feschiyan and added that a memorandum of cooperation between the AESB and the ABB is to be signed.
"For the banking sector the financial literacy is a top priority. So it is important to encourage the pupils from an early age to develop in this direction, to present the development of banking and the professions in the banking sector in a way that is attractive to them and to orient them in their future career", said Assoc. Prof. Dr. James Jolovski, Secretary General of the ABB and added that students from 8th and 9th grade from more than 35 countries participate in the European Money Competition. "With its 10 years of experience in the implementation of competitions in the field of economics, as well as the successful preparation of pupils for their participation in them, the AESB is a key partner in the implementation of the pilot participation of Bulgaria in the initiative. After the National Round, according to the competition regulations, the two winners with the highest scores will be selected, who together with their two teachers will travel to Brussels where they will take part in the competition finals with all national winners. At the same time, they will visit the European Banking Association, a number of European institutions and will be part of many other events and activities".
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| Dr. Petya Gerasimova, Mr. Pavel Chepov, Mrs. Maya Gesheva, Mrs. Emilia Ivanova, Prof. Dr. Daniela Feschiyan, Prof. Dr. Dimitar Dimitrov, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yanko Hristozov, Assoc. Prof. Dr. James Jolovski, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Irina Kazandzhieva, Mrs. Gergana Nikolova /from the left to the right/ |
During the meeting Prof. Feschyian gave the opportunity for speeches to the Directors of the five high schools nominated for participation in the pilot project of the Competition pointing out that these are the schools with the highest results in the competitions of A ESB and with extensive experience in the international economic competitions.
"I am extremely happy about this initiative to hold a competition of such a high level, because not only in our high school, but also in the community it will be heard that something great is done at European level, that our children participate and the interest in our high schools and in the economy in general will grow", said Mrs. Emilia Ivanova.
"It is a great excitement for me to participate in this meeting and the opportunity that happens due once again to the Association of Economic Schools in Bulgaria and personally to Prof. Dr. Daniela Feschiyan. Today we all take a big step together in our partnership and cooperation over the years and successfully build on what we have achieved", said Mrs. Maya Gesheva.
Dr. Petya Gerasimova expressed thankfulness for the opportunity to participate in the meeting and paid attention to the fact that for her to be the Director of the National High School of Trade and Commerce - Plovdiv is not a post, but a cause so she would try to continue the work of her predecessors in AESB. She also noted that everything she had heard during the meeting about the wonderful initiative between the two associations, largely corresponds with her attitudes about how things should happen in the secondary education.
"I am honoured by the respect and attitude that the UNWE has shown towards us in selecting us as one of these five schools to take part in the European Money Quiz. We will try our best and take advantage of the opportunity you provide for us", said Mr. Pavel Chepov.
After the official part, the chairpersonship of the AESB and the ABB continued with the development of clear regulations for the National Round of the Competition and sample case studies for the preparation of the competitors.