University of Finance, Business and Entrepreneurship (VUZF University) starts a new “Innovation Dialogue” masters programme which will cover the full cycle of management of innovation processes. The aim of the academic specialty is to meet the growing demand for skills in the field of public-private innovation partnerships.
The first class for the school year 2017-2018 will start with the partnership of Innovation Starter, Bulgaria’s first specialized agency for innovation. The management aspect will provide excellent training and an opportunity for a flexible professional career in the field of management and introduction of innovation, much needed in the dynamically changing labour market, where old professions disappear and new expertise emerges, standards, positions and sought after qualities change. Students will be trained in strategic planning of innovation; development of new products and services; financial management and human resource management with a focus on innovation; methods, tools and processes for innovation; application of methods such as systemic innovation, design thinking, lean startup; development of social innovation for the needs of society and partnerships with governmental, non-governmental and business organizations.
The teaching methodology will be “learning by doing and experimenting”. This will not only give students theoretical knowledge but also practical knowledge and skills. The future innovation specialists will be in direct contact with teacher-practitioners from the business and the public sphere in Bulgaria. The lecturers are proven experts in innovation and public-private innovation partnerships in Bulgaria, with over 15 years of business and academic experience. Among the lecturers are members of the Innovation Starter team – Krasen Hinkov, Leona Aslanova, Yana Avramova, Vyara Savova, as well as representatives of the public sphere with experience in international organizations such as Dr. Anna-Maria Vilamovska and Dr. Milen Lyubenov; representatives of the business – Assoc. Prof. Iya Petkova, Marketing Manager of the National Palace of Culture, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Stanislav Dimitrov, Executive Director of “Saglasie” EAD, Eleonora Carnasa, Consultant in Design Thinking and others.
The experts who will give the lectures in the first class, the curriculum and the conditions for admission can be found on the university’s site here, as well as on the website of the programme’s partner. Applications will be accepted by the end of September.
