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The paper is focused on the policy of human resources management in the public sector, which aims to increase the professional skills and qualifications of civil servants through trainings in order to develop a modern, effective and citizen-oriented system of public administration. In brief, this policy gives priority to training because it is seen as a targeted investment to good governance. The first part of the paper deals with two separate but closely related issues - administrative system and reform of human resources management in public administration. The reason is that the principles and organizational model of the administrative system provide implications on the policy of human resources management in administration. The second part explains the realtionship between the concept of competency and the model of excellence. This model could be used in any organization, which makes it a contemporary approach to public administration management. Finally, the paper outlines that the traditional model of training is outdated and the competency approach in training has become wide-spread in public and private sectors. The expected result for the Bulgarian administration is that using this training approach will significantly enhance civil servants' professional competence and thus the impact on the quality of governance will be significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper argues that the so called anticipatory research (including foresight activities) is a key element of the development of the modem science and society. The nature of the foresight approach is considered as an instrument for creation of visions and scenarios of future development of various socio-economic to the problems R&D fields, highlighting the involvement of different participators in the process, and the impact of this kind of research on the formation of relevant to the problems effective policy decisions. The paper discusses the role of anticipatory research considering the transformations in the social functions of science in the modem "knowledge society". The evolution of European research policy is traced out, directed to elaboration of more and larger scale policies and initiatives for funding and fostering project, related to foresight and strategic research, especially in networks building. The Bulgarian experience of participation in such European projects and initiatives has been studied, indicating the main results of this enterprise. The conclusion is made that the new Mode 2 of knowledge production and the transforming social functions of modem science increase the role and significance of the future-oriented research, influencing the methodology of its conduct as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the approach applied by the University of Ruse to organize and manage, its research activity (RA). The main element in this approach is the SWOT analysis. The paper presents the main stages of fundamental and applied research and gives the indicators used to, evaluate the efficiency of RA. An attempt is made to find an answer to the question: What to do in a university in a situation of economic crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on education in two ways! as giving value to personality development, on the one hand, and as a civilizational mechanism for constituting human communities, on the other. At the same time the contemporary situation of civilization and its declination from the declared values and hardships of education to observe and realize opposing missions is also being discussed. Answers and ways of action may be found in the transition from Civilizations to a Civilization of people with genealogical cooperative thinking. Specific and urgent pragmatic queries are also being raised in relation to the education in Bulgaria, which at first sight only seems not to have a deep civilizational genesis and answer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers the problem of the motivation to learn as a significant topic about the Bulgarian school and how the Bulgarian teacher knows the motives of their students. The article presents an empirical picture of the current state of motivation to learn about students from first to twelfth grade and shows the level of knowledge of the reasons for learning of students by their teachers and principals. Empirical data were collected by the method of survey on a representative sample of schools in the Regional Inspectorate on Education - Sliven. Results are discussed and a brief analysis is provided. The analysis focuses sufficiently to highlight promising close-up trends and issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article traces the topic ore-education (and learning) as a current topic about Bulgarian school. The emphasize is on the terminology usage and the currency of that topic. The paper shows an empirical depiction of the state of readiness of Bulgarian schools for transition into e-education mode. The empirical data is gathered by the questionnaire method from representative group of schools at the territory of RIE - Sliven. The data is processed into results and brief analysis is done. The analysis is addressed in a significant extent towards differentiation of tendencies and problems that might arise in the near future, as well as possibilities for their overcoming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper concerns the characteristics of the Net Generation and the necessity of adapting teaching strategies to match the Net Generation requirements for immediacy, digital literacy, interactivity, and experiential learning. The Net Generation who are now studying in universities, have their learning styles, specific expectations, and needs, different from past students. University teachers are faced with the challenge of adapting their syllabi and teaching styles to accommodate a new generation of learners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper is about cross-cultural communication in the context of language education. It depicts the most broadly used types of trainings, aiming at formation of cross-cultural competency at the foreign language students. It also shows principles and methods for stimulating the above described goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper shows the historic steps in the appearance and development of adult education throughout the Bulgarian territories. It also underlines the possibilities for learning available to the Bulgarians in different historic periods and in present time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Present paper aims at revealing Loyd deMause's Theory about history of childhood. It traces the stages in development of childhood history as a direction in psychohistory at the end of XIX and XX century, as well as the basic principles in Loyd deMause's Theory: his views about psychohistory, evolution of childhood, the development stages of childhood history and education styles. The positive and negative aspects of deMause's theory are differentiated, as well as its role for the development of childhood history as a new research field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper represents the critical development of the basic limits of the laboratory social-psychological experiment. It reveals the demand of the unique status of the experimental method as a means of securing success in the contemporary social-psychological research. There is important data, which - in one hand - emphasize on the fact that the experimental method leads to unacceptable neglecting of the traditional research methods, and, in general, of the social-psychological knowledge. A possible solution to that problem is offered by „The Critical Social Psychology“, which gives priority to the qualitative research methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is focused on the comparative analysis of current political platforms which play the role of a conceptual context of the development education" and whose interpretation and implementation varies according to the specifics of the social and geo-political context. Special attention is paid to the definition of similar concepts like „education for sustainable development“, „global education“ etc. Significant importance is also attributed to the Bulgarian contributions which reflect the unique national conditions, traditions and priorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of a recent empirical research on the practical dimensions of social pedagogy in Bulgaria. The research is based on a discourse analysis of publications and academic documents which reflect relatively different practical aspects of socio-educational activities and events, seen not only as social steps and developments, but also as educational practices. The information and data which were obtained and analysed show that seen as a specific type of social practice, social pedagogy is used as a sort of "umbrella concept" comprising of several autonomous activities and practices in areas like education, social work or social control and correction. The results justify the expectation that social pedagogy and social work are interrelated but not identical. The research outcome also confirms the observation, that basic norms of society form an intrinsic part of the contents of education, which makes the interaction between human educability and sociability crucial and inevitable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents one possible way to examine the evaluation process in the Bulgarian secondary education. For that purpose we make a research of the records of a particular school and check for any influence of a range of factors over the grades of the particular student population. Applying the method of studying documents allows us to analyze not only the students' grades by themselves, but what is standing behind them - the quality of educational outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the system of science-metrics criteria, used the the „Angel Kanchev" University of Ruse when selecting applicants to be appointed at academic positions. Several versions of a formula to calculate the so called publication index are [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On the basis of analysis of scientific papers and personal experience, the authors represent their own understandings of the capacities of the interactive teaching (IT) and its components in the context of incessantly increasing influence of information technologies. IT is interpreted as a complex system of hierarchically interrelated interactive teaching strategies, technologies and techniques, giving priority to the scientific approach to teaching and to reflexive cognition. Reflecting upon the situation in schools and the requirements of the social life, the obstacles and difficulties in the practical application of IT are analyzed and the causes are explored and found in the shallow interpretation of the theoretical foundation and in the lack of active professional competency. Due attention is given to the resistance of routine practices of all interacting participants and to the significance of sound pedagogical qualification. The possibilities for overcoming the obstacles and difficulties in the application of IT are sought in the accurate understanding and use of the achievements of cognitive psychology and the new interpretation of the essence of human cognitive architecture, first of all in the complex interactions between sensory, working and long-term memories when constructing new knowledge. The attempted analysis and interpretation of the key concepts and essential characteristics of constructivist philosophy open wide possibilities for scientific rethinking and successive use of IT. The summary of the critical remarks upon constructivism, made by some authors, challenge us to think and look for new ways of improving the methodologies and practices in the IT of concrete school subjects in order to insure effective organization of students learning, full achievement of the expected results and of the complex educational goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article proves that there is an opportunity to practically apply policy for research advancement in the Bulgarian universities using specific academic instruments. The differentiated payment based on the results of periodic attestation of academic staff figures among them. Using sophisticated statistical apparatus in the analysis of the attestation information from the Faculty of Philosophy at St. Kl. Ohridski University of Sofia we have proven that there are a few indicators of research performance which substantially differentiate the teaching staff and thus demonstrate a specific structure of the research productivity. We found that 1) there is a small number of super-active professor whose research performance creates the illusion of a huge number of research results which actually hides the fact that nearly one third of all assistant professors and professors alike have no significant research results of their activities or no activities at all; 2) the gravest problem of academic science is the predominant passivity among the young teaching staff. It is a problem of the institutional opportunities for scientific accomplishments, mainly -- the hindered access to academic research abroad. Hence, the formidable obstacle to their career advancement is not the protracted habilitation procedures but the hampered access to research performances that would make them academically significant. The paper offers a practical device for a differentiated payment as an instrument for launching active rectors' policy for research promotion. The main advantage of the proposed model is its flexibility. It can stimulate a varying number of individuals, and it can vary in its implementation year by year. It can be used to encourage different groups of academic staff -- the laggers or the elite, the young, or the ones doing a particular prioritized type of research, etc., yet remaining the very same in its principles of operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper considers the policies and instruments of the governing European institutions in relevance to qualification, mobility and career development of researchers in the region of Europe. The social and economic incentives of these policies and strategies are analysed, as well as their intrasystem rationale from the position of the science by itself. An analytical review of the main political documents of European Commission, Council of Europe and European Parliament is made, presenting the evolution of the statements, ideas, objectives, visions, initiatives and measures of EU in regard of the mobility and professional advancement of researchers in the context of development of European Research Area. Some concrete mechanisms and instruments for realization of the considered policies are also discussed. They are presented some results of a study about the international and intersectoral mobility of Bulgarian scientists, outlining the main achievements and the most significant problems in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]