Bulgaria Plans to Double Education, Research Spending by 2020

Bulgarian Minister of Education Aneliya Klisarova. Photo by Offnews.bg

The Bulgarian government is developing a strategy that will see funds for education and research doubled by 2020.

The poorest EU member states is also among the smallest eduacation and R&D spenders in term of GDP percentage.

Thursday Bulgarian PM Plamen Oresharski, Education Minister Aneliya Klisarova, and representatives of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and universities held a meeting to discuss the strategy, which is still being developed.

Bulgaria's state budget for 2014 envisions 3.8% of GDP spent for education, and a mere 0.27% for science.

The 2020 strategy will have the ambition to raise those numbers to 6% and 3%, respectively, said Klisarova.

She added that her ministry, together with the Ministry of Finance and institutions of higher learning are developing a reform of the financing scheme for state collages, so that it is better tied to the quality of teaching.

Bulgaria's universities are expected to give their feedback and proposals for the strategy by mid-January.

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