VUM Academics

The fact that VUM encourages the development of its teachers, that it manages to keep them in the long run and that it supports their professional achievements, testifies to the visionary vision and uniqueness of the School. “Hospitality and Tourism” and many others You will meet famous and recognized teachers throughout Europe.

VUM is managed by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Todor Radev, known as one of the first and still few Bulgarian entrepreneurs in the field of higher education, with his contribution to the modernization of Bulgarian higher education and his constant desire to support in every way the development of young people. researchers and entrepreneurs.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Todor Radev

Rector of Varna University of Management

 

 

 

 

Academic degrees:

Doctor of Economics, Scientific degree "Associate Professor", Institute of Economics, BAS, Sofia, Bulgaria, 1990.
Doctor of Economics, Institute of Economics, BAS, Sofia, Bulgaria, 1990.
Master's degree in Political Economy, St. Petersburg University, Russia, 1980.
Bachelor's degree in Economic Sociology, University of National and World Economy, Sofia, Bulgaria, 1976
Courses of teaching in Bulgarian and English:
Economics
Business environment
Human Resources

Prof. Dr. Stanislav Ivanov

Vice - Rector (Research) of Varna University of Management

Email: stanislav.ivanov@vumk.eu

Academic degrees:

Doctor of Economics of Tourism, University of Economics - Varna, Bulgaria, 2005
Master's Degree in Tourism, University of Economics - Varna, Bulgaria, 2001
Bachelor's degree in Finance, University of Economics - Varna, Bulgaria, 2001
Bachelor's degree in International Tourism, University of Economics - Varna, Bulgaria, 2000

Prof. Dr. Stanislav Ivanov is the Founder and Editor-in-chief of two academic journals: European Journal of Tourism Research and ROBONOMICS: The Journal of the Automated Economy[u1] . In 2021 and 2022 he was in the TOP 2% of researchers worldwide based on publications and citations in the preceding year. In the MBA programme Prof. Ivanov teaches Operations Management and Research methods[u2] . His two passions are robots and Star Wars.

‘In the MBA programme students learn how to apply theory into business practice. They understand that success in business requires systematic thinking, diligence, ethics and inspiration. Partial work does not survive the judgment of the market. Do or do not. There is no try.’

Prof. Dr. Veselin Blagoev

Deputy Rector of Varna University of Management

Email: blagoev@iuc.bg

 

 

 

Academic degrees:

PhD in Marketing, Technical University, Sofia, Bulgaria
Master's degree in Economics, Organization and Management of Machine-Building Production, Technical University, Sofia, Bulgaria
Master's Degree in Applied Mathematics, Technical University, Sofia, Bulgaria

Dr. Violina Racheva

A lecturer and Head of Business and Marketing Department

Email: violina.ratcheva@vumk.eu

 

 

 

Teaching disciplines:

Management
Entrepreneurship
International Business Management
Strategic management

Assoc. Prof. Maya Ivanova

A lecturer and Programme Director for the Hospitality Management programmes

Email: maya.ivanova@vumk.eu

Dr. Ivanova’s expertise and research interests include tourism and hospitality management, air transport, tourism intermediaries, platform economy. Currently, she serves as Editorial Assistant of the European Journal of Tourism Research and is a member of the Editorial Board of Tourism Management Perspectives.
 
She has a 10-year experience in tour operator and travel agent companies, extensive knowledge in air transport, tourism intermediaries and the overall overview of the tourism business, and is a certified IATA/UFTAA instructor. Thanks to her large practical experience, she works closely with the business as a consultant and trainer.
 
Maya Ivanova has participated in a number of projects as an expert, consultant, or teacher. The most recent of them are The Next Tourism Generation www.nexttourismgeneration.eu, CULINART www.culinart-europe.eu, Nex2Work, HELIX: Entrepreneurial Learning Exchange Initiative for Sustainable Hospitality SMEs in the Balkan-Mediterranean Region.

Vesselin Zaimov

A lecturer and Head of Software Engineering Department 

Email: vessoz@gmail.com 

Education: Msc in Mathematics from Sofia University
 
Vesselin Zaimov is a representative of the IT sector, specializing in the field of software engineering. Veselin Zaimov is known for the motivating lectures and programming trainings he initiates and organizes for secondary school students in North-Eastern Bulgaria. In addition to his main activity as a programmer, consultant and manager in the IT business, he is also a teacher and programme director of the "Software Engineering" programme at VUM, where he prepares the future generation of developers for a real work environment, giving them the practical skills, so sought in the modern world.
 
After more than 25 years in the software industry as a developer, architect and manager Vesselin Zaimov changed the goal to create software professionals, not software.
 
"Creating good software is a science and an art, a passion, not just a profession."

Assist. Prof. Eng. Irina Petkova

A lecturer and Programme Director for Cardiff Met for the Culinary Arts Programmes

Email: irina.petkova@vumk.eu

 

 

Academic degrees:

Master's degree in "Technology of catering products", VIHVP, Plovdiv
Lecturer in - Human Resources Management, Career Development, Restaurant Management - International Management, Restaurant Management, Management and organization of special events, Hotel software, Hotel practice and others. Development and compilation of modular books and documentation.

Chef Hugues Boutin

Culinary Arts Institute Director and Head Chef-Instructor

Email: hboutin@vum.bg

 

Prof. Dimitrina Kamenova

A lecturer and Head of Pedagogy Department

Email: dimakam@abv.bg

 

 

 

 

Courses of teaching in English and Bulgarian:

Business Communications
Human Resource Management
Management
Entrepreneurship
Project Management
Organizational behavior
Leadership and leadership
Managerial competence
Strategic Management

Prof. Mikhail Minkov

Lecturer in the following specialties: IBM, MBA, MSc IHTM

Email: minkov@iuc.bg

 

 

 

 

Academic degrees:

PhD in Social Anthropology, Sofia University, Sofia, Bulgaria, 2010
Master's Degree in Linguistics, Sofia University, Sofia, Bulgaria, 1988

Nina Zlateva, PhD

Lecturer in the following specialties: IHM, IBM, ITM, HCA and MBA

Email: nina.zlateva@vumk.eu

Nina Zlateva, PhD is the VUM Academic Director and lecturer in different modules like Marketing, International and Global Marketing, Consumer behaviour: Knowing your consumer, Managing People and Markets across Cultures and Branding and advertising.
 
Nina Zlateva has eight years of expertise in adapting presentations to reach students of diverse backgrounds, both undergraduate and postgraduate. She has a passion for really engaging lectures and known for implementing innovative teaching methods to increase student interest.
 
Nina Zlateva is known for the interesting lectures with helpful supporting materials and detail-oriented classroom management and is dedicated to individual student success and comprehensive understanding.

Assoc. Prof. Ina Stanoeva

Lecturer in the following specialties: IHM and IBM

Email: ina.stanoeva@vumk.eu

Academic degrees:

Assoc. Professor in Marketing and Management, 2022

Cambridge University Certificate for teaching English, 2021

PhD degree in Social management, University of Economics – Varna, 2015

Master in Management, University of Economics – Varna, 2009

Bachelor in Management, University of Economics – Varna, 2008

Professional qualification in Journalism, University of Economics – Varna, 2011

Professional qualification in Pedagogy, Varna University of Management, 2016

Assoc. Prof. Ina Stanoeva is a lecturer in the field of marketing and management. She speaks Bulgarian, English, Italian, Russian and Spanish. She has worked in the USA for 4 months. She has more than 30 publications in the field of marketing and management of the performing arts, management of fashion and luxury companies, media and educational management, which are published in Bulgarian and foreign scientific journals. Some of her articles were part of Top Ten SSRN list in the fields ARTRN and EDURN 7 times during the period 2021-2023. She is a reviewer in 3 academic journals - “Vanguard Scientific Instruments in Management”, “Arts and the market” and Journal of Pedagogy and Educational Management. She loves teaching students from different countries and learning more about their cultures.

Ina is also the author of the book: Integrated Marketing Communications in the Performing Arts, 2021, Varna: Varna University of Management

Diyan Dimov, PhD

Lecturer in the following specialties: IHM, IBM, ITM, MBA, HCA

Email: diyan.dimov@vumk.eu

Diyan Dimov, PhD is a lecturer in the field of accounting and finance with a multinational academic background including a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from City University of Seattle, Masters in Business Administration as well as a Ph.D. from Cardiff Metropolitan University. He teaches several different modules including Introduction to Accounting, Introduction to Finance, Managerial Accounting, Accounting for Decision Makers, and Management of Finance.
 
He started working as a part-time lecturer at Varna University of Management in 2012 and was promoted to a full-time lecturer in 2013. He has experience in putting the theory into practice since he has been engaged in his family’s business (www.fincombg.com) for more than a decade helping it to steadily grow over the years. 

Boryana Umnikova, PhD

Lecturer in the following specialties: IHM

Email: boryana.umnikova@vumk.eu

Boryana Umnikova, PhD is graduated with a bachelor's and master's degree in tourism and her doctoral degree is with a specialization in Event Tourism and Destination Management.
 
Boryna Umnikova has been part of the oldest travel agency Thomas Cook as well as one of the biggest agencies in Germany - DER Touristik. She describes her work experience as dynamic, full of daily challenges and situations, because tourism is always "live stream". The working hours in this field are long, the end-of-season exhaustion is high, but the parties are loud, because people in tourism know how to have fun and enjoy the environment. Boryana is convinced that with good qualifications and skills, everyone can be paid excellent in tourism.

Assoc. Prof. Silvena Dencheva

Lecturer in the following specialties: IHM, ITM, IBM, MBA and MSc IHTM

Email: silvena.dencheva@vumk.eu

 Academic Degrees:

Doctoral degree in Social Management
Master's degree in Business Administration, University of Economics - Varna, Varna, Sofia

Research interests:
 E-Commerce, Consumer Relations Management

Asst. Prof. Nedka Dimitrova, PhD

Lecturer in the following specialties: IHM, IBM, ITM and SE

Email: neda_dimitrova@vumk.eu

Asst. Prof. Nedka Dimitrova, PhD, is a results-driven educator with extensive teaching experience, specializing in cross-cultural and business communication, employability, career planning, and English for specific purposes. She holds a PhD in cultural linguistics and an MA in English studies and mass communications. Her primary areas of interest and expertise revolve around intercultural communication, with a specific focus on cultural disparities and their influence on thinking and learning styles within multicultural educational and business contexts.

Committed to fostering a tolerant and inclusive learning environment, Asst. Prof. Nedka Dimitrova, PhD, strives to ensure that all students have equal opportunities to express their values and beliefs, regardless of their race, nationality, or religion. Her central professional objective is to empower international students to cultivate independent thinking and self-expression.

She actively seeks interdisciplinary connections with various program subjects and employs student-centered teaching methodologies to stimulate social, emotional, and intellectual development, nurturing students' global competencies and strategic skills while taking into account individual learning styles and requirements.

Dedicated to staying current with the latest ideas, methods, and trends in higher education, Asst. Prof. Nedka Dimitrova, PhD, actively engages in activities that enhance her professional skills and knowledge. These activities include participation in faculty development courses, Erasmus+ teaching mobilities at various international higher education institutions, practical training, and involvement in numerous EU projects as a lecturer or trainer.

Kaloyan Kostadinov

Lecturer in the following specialties: IHM, ITM & IBM

Email: koko_sp@vumk.eu

Courses of teaching in English and Bulgarian:

IAB
IBCD
Modern Foreign Language, Culture and Society

Assoc. Prof. Anastasiia Mostova

Lecturer in the following specialties: Marketing

Email: anastasiia.mostova@vumk.eu 

Bruce Whitfield

Lecturer in the following specialties: Enterpreneurship, Organizational Behavior

Email: bruce.whitfield@vumk.eu

Originally from Los Angeles, Bruce Whitfield has lived in Europe for the last ten years and has taught at numerous universities in Europe and Asia. He is also a business transactional attorney, having lived and worked on international transactions in more than 20 countries around the world. He has a doctorate in jurisprudence and a bachelor’s degree in business administration.

He has taught courses in international business, business law and intellectual property. His research interests include international business, entrepreneurship and intellectual property, and he is actively involved in several entrepreneurship programs in Europe.

Chef Kaloyan Kolev

Chef-Instructor at Culinary Arts Institute

Email: kaloyan.kolev@vum.bg

 

Chef Stanislav Kubarev

Chef-Instructor at Culinary Arts Institute

Email: stas.kubarev@vum.bg