On October 9–10, Varna Municipality hosted the fifth edition of the International Educational Forum. The event aimed to bring together educational experts, pedagogical specialists, and teachers from all levels of the education system – preschool, primary, secondary, and higher education – to share experience, innovations, and best practices. Representatives of municipal administrations and international educational institutions also participated.

The theme of this year’s edition was “The City as a Study Site. Utilizing the Urban Environment for Modern and Quality Education.” and the program included three thematic strands dedicated to various aspects of educational innovation.

Varna University of Management (VUM) took an active part in the second strand – “Technologies and Artificial Intelligence in Urban Education”, where it presented its experience and applied research activities in the context of contemporary educational approaches.

Ms. Tsvetalina Genova, Head of the Projects and Applied Research Department, delivered a presentation titled “From Knowledge to Active Citizenship: DEMo4PPL and the Educational Resources of the City”, in which she shared the results of VUM’s participation in a consortium of universities from Greece, Italy, Poland, and Bulgaria. Together, the consortium develops an innovative modular curriculum and digital learning resources designed to foster citizen participation in the spatial planning of tourist destinations.

These resources are being developed within the framework of the DEMo4PPL – Digital Education Modules for Participatory Planning project, supported by the Erasmus+ Programme.

VUM’s participation in the forum is yet another example of the university’s active engagement in initiatives that promote the application of innovative technologies, civic education, and interdisciplinary approaches in the learning process – in line with VUM’s mission to prepare responsible, entrepreneurial, and socially engaged citizens of the future.