The project “Enhancing the National Capacity for the Effective Implementation of the Judgments of the European Court of Human Rights,” spearheaded by the Directorate “Procedural Representation of the Republic of Bulgaria before the European Court of Human Rights” and funded under the Norwegian Financial Mechanism culminated with a closing conference in April 2024 in Sofia, Bulgaria.
This ambitious initiative, a collaboration between the Norwegian Centre for Human Rights (NCHR), the Government Agent’s Office at the Bulgarian Ministry of Justice, and the New Bulgarian University (NBU), sought to elevate the standard of human rights legal education in Bulgarian law faculties.
Key Project Activities (2021-2024)
Phase 1 (2021-2022): Mapping and Evaluation
The NCHR, with Professor Gentian Zyberi as the coordinator and main contributor, undertook several vital activities from 2021 to 2024. The project was executed in two main phases. In the initial phase (2021-2022), partner institutions collaboratively mapped and evaluated the existing human rights legal education offerings at Bulgarian universities that grant law degrees. This phase also involved developing model courses in human rights for both horizontal and vertical integration into academic curricula. The findings were presented at a significant conference on April 28-29, 2022, held at the NBU premises in Sofia.
Phase 2 (2022-2024): Building Capacity
The second phase (2022-2024) centered on enhancing the efficacy of human rights law teaching in Bulgarian universities. Key activities included:
- Study Visit to Oslo: On June 14-15, 2023, the project team of Bulgarian academics visited Oslo to discuss PhD programs. The aim was to develop a suitable PhD program on human rights, which the NBU would seek to accredit in Bulgaria.
- Sample Curriculum Development: Joint efforts led to the drafting of a sample curriculum for the introduction of a human rights law doctoral program.
- Secondment of Bulgarian Academics: Bulgarian academics were seconded to Oslo from September 25-29, 2023, where they received training in various human rights courses, teaching activities, and assessment methods at the University of Oslo.
- Trainings in Sofia: NCHR organized human rights teacher training sessions in early 2024. Two hybrid training events took place at NBU in Sofia on January 12-13 and January 26-27, combining in-person and online participation via Zoom.
Key Contributors and Outputs
Silvina Sobadzhieva, Milena Kotzeva, and Maria Dimitrova of the Bulgarian Ministry of Justice played pivotal roles in the project's conceptualization, implementation, and overall success. At NBU, Emilia Dimitrova and Katerina Yocheva contributed significantly to the organizational aspects, while Deana Marcheva and other NBU colleagues focused on the substantive components.
Professor Zyberi expressed immense pride in the project's achievements, highlighting the integration of human rights as a compulsory course in Bulgarian law faculties, the development of comprehensive model courses, the fruitful exchange of teaching experiences with Bulgarian colleagues, and the development of a PhD program on human rights for NBU accreditation.
Milena Kotzeva of the Bulgarian Ministry of Justice remarked, “We are grateful for the cooperation with NCHR. Through this project, we have contributed positively and effectively to our country. Human rights are for everyone, and this project's long-term impact should enhance human rights education and eventually increase respect for human rights by Bulgarian State authorities in the coming years.”
This project underscores the crucial role of international cooperation in advancing human rights education and represents a significant stride towards improving legal education in Bulgaria.