Higher education in Bulgaria is discussed. The following topics are considered: the history of Bulgarian higher education; structure, content, and functioning of higher education; higher education organization and administration; nonuniversity higher education; other forms of higher education; fields of study; curriculum; educational process and assessment of knowledge; probation service and practice; diplomas and degrees; teaching staff; college admission; job assignments for graduates; social support services provided for students; foreign students; postgraduate training; the role of research; university libraries; international cooperation in higher education; and future prospects and reform of higher education. Data are included on: total population in Bulgaria in 1979; student enrollments and development of institutions during 1939-1980; number of research workers and teaching personnel; distribution of institutions, academic staff, and students in 1971; regular and nonpermanent academic staff, 1980-1981; teacher-student ratios, 1977-1978; number of students studying abroad; number of students receiving scholarships; and number of foreign students, 1980-1981. A list of higher education institutions is included. (SW)

This article aims at identifying major problems of Bulgarian state higher education. It provides critical analysis of government education policy and evaluation of current state of higher education institutions in Republic of Bulgaria. Analysis starts from the viewpoint that each market oriented educational system must always set at least two primary objectives: 1/Providing high quality of students' training and 2/Meeting the demands of business without “overproduction” of students. The review of the problem points out two key prerequisites for effective higher state education provision, namely: 1/Funding of universities should be based on quality, not quantity. Universities must be given rights to work out their own systems for objective assessment of students' knowledge. This will prompt competition among students and will lead to a higher quality of education. New characteristics of educational programs have to take place to encourage knowledge building - giving priority to practical training and development of professional and personal skills, instead of memorizing theoretical facts and thus being awarded a diploma without any conscious efforts. 2/Huge amount of the government quota in higher education has to be cut down or, at least, become an object of stringent control and planning. The common guidelines for change offered by this article can be enforced according to the current objective possibilities of Bulgarian educational system.