VU PO AGROBIZNES I RAZVITIE NA REGIONITE - PLOVDIV

University of Agribusiness and Rural Development (UARD) is an educational institution that offers higher education qualifications at EQF levels 6, 7 and 8 in the field of economics and management highly targeted to organic agriculture, food safety and environmental sustainability. UARD is a member of the INVEST European University Alliance which unites a diverse group of institutions across Europe, each with extensive experience and a shared profile as internationalized entities.

The UARD’s Institute of regional research has a special department of Organic Farming which is a member of IFOAM International and IFOAM EU Group. Its work is focused on research activities concerning sustainable food and management in the context of the potential of organic production and its opportunities and contributions to the achievement of economic growth, social justice and environmental sustainability. UARD is the initiator of the Organic farming day in the framework of the International agricultural exhibition “AGRA”. The forum is a platform for exchanging ideas and good practices in the sustainable investments and uniting in new projects and proposals for organic sector development and sustainable food consumption in the search of new added values according to the European and national strategic priorities.

During the years the institution has been successfully involved in many international projects aimed at changing public attitudes towards a more sustainable model of consumption and a healthy eating culture. Dissemination activities include conferences presentation, seminars with public and private authorities, kindergartens/ schools’ pedagogical specialists, administrative staff and students. UARD’s Vocational training center offers additional trainings and the programs generally focus on providing students with hands-on instruction in a specific labor sphere or to support and upgrade their knowledge of prior education.