Representatives of Varna University of Management (VUM) took part in the Black Sea Common Agenda Stakeholder Conference, held on 30 September 2026 at the International Congress Centre in Burgas.
The event, organised with the support of the European Commission and the Bulgarian Ministry of Transport and Communications, brought together representatives of public institutions, research organisations, businesses, investors, and civil society to discuss the development of the Black Sea region and opportunities for a more sustainable and competitive blue economy.
As part of the conference, VUM participated in the poster exhibition showcasing innovative projects, research initiatives, and good practices related to the priorities of the Common Maritime Agenda for the Black Sea. The university presented INTERSMARTS and CodeBLUE – two international initiatives focused on sustainable tourism, innovation, and education in the context of the blue economy.
INTERSMARTS – ‘Interdisciplinary Solutions for Smart Sustainable Tourism and Blue Growth Services in the Black Sea Basin’ – is an international project coordinated by VUM and implemented with partners from Bulgaria, Greece, the Republic of Moldova, and Türkiye under the Interreg NEXT Black Sea Basin 2021–2027 Programme.
The project’s main mission was to enhance sustainability and promote innovation in tourism and related services in the Black Sea region through interdisciplinary research, marketing, and integrated knowledge creation.
One of the key outcomes of the project is the INTERSMARTS innovation platform, which creates opportunities for knowledge and idea sharing, as well as finding solutions to real-life challenges faced by the tourism sector.
The project has already received international recognition. In 2025, INTERSMARTS received a Black Sea Project Award in the category ‘Promoting Investments in the Blue Economy of the Black Sea’ and, following a public vote, was also named ‘Winner of the Winners’.
CodeBLUE – ‘Interdisciplinary Innovative Education in Tourism and Services for a Sustainable Blue Economy’ – is one of VUM’s latest initiatives, funded by the Erasmus+ programme. The project brings together partners from five countries stretching from the Black Sea to the Atlantic Ocean, where coastal tourism is a key driver of economic development.
The project aims to introduce the concept of the blue economy into tourism education. To achieve this, the partnership is developing a modular curriculum with open educational resources, pilot training activities, and a portfolio of strategies for sustainable partnerships for blue growth between universities, businesses, and public institutions.
VUM’s participation in the conference provided an opportunity not only to present the university’s projects and results, but also to exchange ideas and establish new contacts with organisations from across the Black Sea region.
The two projects demonstrate different dimensions of VUM’s contribution to the sustainable development of tourism and the blue economy – through innovation and knowledge transfer on the one hand, and through modern education and the preparation of future professionals on the other.
Through its international partnerships and project initiatives, VUM continues to contribute to the development of a sustainable, competitive, and innovative Black Sea region by connecting education, research, business, and the public sector.
