ПРОГРАМИ
en de ru fr es sr gr al tr ro
Podcast in English
Share
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

The Bulgarian studies program will support scientific research in the field of Slavic and Balkan studies

Bulgarian language will be taught at the University of Illinois

This will be the first Bulgarian language lectureship in the USA in decades
Photo: Ministry of Education

The Bulgarian Studies program at the University of Illinois – one of the most prestigious in the United States – will include Bulgarian language, Bulgarian history, folklore and traditions as of the next academic year, Bulgaria's Ministry of Education and Science announced last week. 

This will be the first Bulgarian language lectureship in the USA in decades, as until now it has been taught only in weekend schools.


The teaching of Bulgarian language at the university level in the United States is being restored thanks to the two-year efforts of the Bulgarian Consulate General in Chicago.

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, which once taught Bulgarian, has been chosen as a partner for the initiative, and a memorandum of understanding has been signed between it and the Sofia and Veliko Tarnovo Universities. 

The state of Illinois and Chicago are also home to the largest Bulgarian community in America.
The 2025/2026 academic year will be the first year in which the Bulgarian Studies program will be taught. Bulgaria's  Ministry of Education is about to announce a procedure for selecting a guest lecturer, who will work in collaboration with the Department of Slavic Languages ​​and Literature and the Center for Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies at the University's College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Thanks to the Bulgarian lectureship, many Bulgarians living in the USA - including students and scholars - will be able to maintain contact with their homeland. In addition, it will strengthen the positions of Bulgarian studies and contribute to the restoration of its institutional presence in America.

The Bulgarian studies program will support scientific research in the field of Slavic and Balkan studies, giving American students and scholars the opportunity to become closely acquainted with the Bulgarian language, literature and history, the Ministry of Education added.


Editor: Diana Tsankova
English version: Rositsa Petkova
Photo: BTA

Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.
Radio Bulgaria Culture BULGARIANS ABROAD    Bulgarian language Bulgarian studies program Chicago Consulate of Bulgaria in Chicago University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

More from category

The Cyril and Methodius cultural route reveals over 11 centuries of European historical heritage

In 2021, "The Route of Cyril and Methodius" became one of the 48 European cultural routes , and the Cyrillo-Methodian literary, cultural, and religious tradition received yet another recognition as an inseparable part of the cultural heritage of the..

published on 5/24/25 9:30 AM
University of Illinois

Bulgarian Studies return to the academic map in the USA

Starting from the 2025/26 academic year, the Bulgarian language, history, folklore, and traditions will become part of the Bulgarian Studies program at one of the most prestigious higher education institutions in the USA – the University of Illinois ,..

published on 5/22/25 1:32 PM

Bulgarian institutions become part of the cultural route for Saints Cyril and Methodius

Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski", the National High School for Ancient Languages ​​and Cultures "Constantine-Cyril the Philosopher" , the Bulgarian Cultural Institute in Bratislava and the Glagolitica Foundation will be accepted today as full..

published on 5/22/25 7:15 AM

WEATHER
Pick city: Sofía
sunshine, cloud, rain and thunder
Min: 16 | Max: 34
Partly Cloudy
Min: 17 | Max: 28
Partly Cloudy
Min: 15 | Max: 28
Partly Cloudy
Min: 18 | Max: 30
sunshine, cloud, rain and thunder
Min: 19 | Max: 31
sunshine, cloud, rain and thunder
Min: 16 | Max: 33
sunshine, cloud, rain and thunder
Min: 16 | Max: 29
Clear
Min: 9 | Max: 33
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 15 | Max: 35
sunshine, cloud, rain and thunder
Min: 15 | Max: 28
sunshine, cloud, rain and thunder
Min: 17 | Max: 31
Partly Cloudy
Min: 20 | Max: 31
sunshine, cloud, rain and thunder
Min: 15 | Max: 33
sunshine, cloud, rain and thunder
Min: 14 | Max: 27
sunshine, cloud, rain and thunder
Min: 18 | Max: 31
sunshine, cloud, rain and thunder
Min: 16 | Max: 35
Partly Cloudy
Min: 15 | Max: 31
sunshine, cloud, rain and thunder
Min: 18 | Max: 34
Partly Cloudy
Min: 17 | Max: 33
Partly Cloudy
Min: 16 | Max: 35
sunshine, cloud, rain and thunder
Min: 12 | Max: 27
sunshine, cloud, rain and thunder
Min: 16 | Max: 29
sunshine, cloud, rain and thunder
Min: 12 | Max: 35
Partly Cloudy
Min: 15 | Max: 31
Partly Cloudy
Min: 15 | Max: 35
Partly Cloudy
Min: 0 | Max: 34
Partly Cloudy
Min: 17 | Max: 35
BULGARIA IN PICTURES
Which world-famous Bulgarian artist designed QSL cards for Radio Bulgaria?
Yasen Gyuzelev
Theodore Ushev
Christo Javacheff - Christo
Ilia Peikov
Lika Yanko

BULGARIANS ABROAD

Български English Русский Deutsch Српски Français Ελληνικά Español Shqip Türkçe Română
MOST VIEWED

Bulgaria is a co-producer of two films featured at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival

From July 4 to 12, the town of Karlovy Vary (Czech Republic) will host the 59th edition of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. The main..

published on 6/8/25 6:05 AM

english@bnr.bg

+359 2 9336 661

Общи условия за използване на сайта | Политика за поверителност | Политика за "бисквитки"