On 20 April 2018 His Excellency, Mr. Moyad Fataalah Eldali, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Arab Republic of Egypt, visited the University of Veliko Tarnovo, where he met with the Rector Prof. Hristo Bondzholov.
His Excellency, Mr. Moyad Fataalah Eldali, and Prof. Hristo Bondzholov had a working meeting to discuss the cooperation between the University of Veliko Tarnovo and Egyptian universities, future joint initiatives and Arabic language studies at the University. Assoc. prof. Dimitar Dimitrov, PhD, Vice-rector of International Relations at the University of Veliko Tarnovo, also attended the meeting. Prof. Bondzholov talked about teaching Arabic at the University of Veliko Tarnovo. The first education programme began at the Department of Classical and Eastern Languages and Cultures in the academic 1992/1993 year, where, in Applied Linguistics, it was taught as a second foreign language. By 2004, 73 students from 7 courses graduated. They have successfully found employment which demands good command of Arabic. Between 1992 and 2006, 100 students have been taught in programmes combining English and Arabic, and French and Arabic.
During the 2017/2018 academic year, 6 third and fourth year students are taught Arabic in the Bulgarian and Arabic programme and Applied Linguistics. English and Arabic programme.
Currently, Arabic is offered only as a second foreign language in the Applied Linguistics with two foreign languages - Interpreter/Translator, Applied Linguistics - English and a Second Foreign Language with IT education programmes.
The Rector noted that there are exchange lectureships in Arabic and Bulgarian, respectively in Veliko Tarnovo University and the Mansoura University .
Prof. Hr. Bondolov informed His Excellency about the bilateral agreements signed between the University of Veliko Tarnovo institutions in the Arab Republic of Egypt including the Mansoura University, the Suez Canal University, and The General Authority for Cultural Places at the Ministry of Culture of AR Egypt, which was signed with the assistance of the Doctor Honoris Causa of the University of Veliko Tarnovo, Prof. Zahi Hawass, Secretary General of the Supreme Council for the Protection of Monuments of Culture and Vice-Minister of Culture of Egypt.
“Our relations with the Suez Canal University are most active; we have lecturer and student group exchanges. We mostly have teaching staff mobility with the Mansoura University but this year, a group of students from the Faculty of Economics are going to study there. An annex to the agreement was also signed to expand the areas of cooperation.”
Prof. Hristo Bondzholov invited His Excellency, Mr. Moyad Fataalah Eldali, to attend the solemn celebration of the patron holiday of the University of Veliko Tarnovo, which will be held on 11 May 2018. His Excellency accepted the invitation and added that he would be delighted to visit the University of Veliko Tarnovo again.