A Guide to Understanding the Bulgarian University Ranking System

On Oct. 29, the annual Bulgarian university rankings were released. All students received an email with information about the results of the five most popular majors at AUBG.

The research was conducted by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Bulgaria and compared 51 higher education institutions that offer hundreds of programs across 52 professional fields.

This year, AUBG scored 62 points (out of 100) in Administration and Management, 59 in Economics, 56 in Political Science, 51 in Public Communications and Information Sciences (JMC), and 60 in Informatics and Computer Sciences.

AUBG has kept its place in the rankings relatively high, but it should be acknowledged that these are its lowest results (in all five fields) since the introduction of the rankings in 2012. 

An especially concerning tendency can be observed in the Media Studies (JMC) department, where AUBG marks a drop of 11 points in the past two years.

A similar trend on a smaller scale can be noticed in the results of the other four majors in the same time frame – Economics (5 points decrease), Business Administration (5 points decrease), Political Science (4 points decrease), and Informatics and Computer Sciences (5 points decrease).

AUBG tops the ranking in Administration and Management (Business Administration). The university ranks No. 2 in Economics (sharing the spot with the University of National and World Economy), Journalism and Mass Communication (shared with the University of Library Studies and Information Technologies), Political Science and European Studies, and third in Informatics and Computer Science.

However, more context is needed to better comprehend these rankings' complexity. Every university participating in the ranking is measured using two types of indicators: informational (based on data from national registers) and rating (primarily based on data from sociological research). The final score for each university is determined only by rating indicators. These indicators use quantitative data, like student satisfaction surveys and faculty research output.

These indicators are separated into six sub-groups. All of them determine the result of the university, with the most important sub-group being career relevance to labor market and regional importance (35% of the score), followed by teaching and learning (30%), science and research (20%), prestige (10%), teaching and learning environment (2,5%), and social well-being and equity (2,5%).

Career Relevance to Labor Market and Regional Importance

This is the most important category for the university evaluation. It focuses on unemployment among graduates, the applicability of the obtained degree, realization, income levels, economic impact, and regional economic contributions. Only people who have graduated from university in the past five years are taken into consideration for the results of this research.

AUBG’s 2024 results reveal general trends such as rising unemployment, a decrease in the applicability of the acquired degree, and lower levels of realization in all five university majors. A slight increase in the taxable income among graduates can be observed in the fields of business, computer science, and political science, contrary to lower taxable income in media studies and economics.

Teaching and Learning 

Teaching and learning indicators evaluate various aspects of educational delivery, such as faculty qualifications, student-to-teacher ratios, academic support, and resources available to students. 

AUBG results in this category remain stable, as there are no huge increases or decreases in indicators such as accreditation assessment grade, theoretical knowledge, and satisfaction with teaching and learning compared to previous years.

Science and Research

The results in this category are shaped by scientific research conducted by and for the university and the involvement of students in them. They also provide insight into each institution's research output, quality, and impact. 

A rather positive trend for AUBG can be observed in this sphere. Higher results were achieved in science and research indicators such as funds for scientific research, joint scientific publications, and the use of scientific products and services by employers in 2024 compared to previous years. Two other important factors for the sub-group, the intensity of science and research and its weight according to professors, remain unchanged. 

Prestige 

The prestige of an institution is estimated by sociological research conducted among professors, employers, and foreign and domestic students. They all create their own top 3 ranking of the best universities for certain educational purposes, and based on that, a general score is calculated. It is worth mentioning that faculty and students, who have listed their own university in their rankings, are omitted, as they are considered a potential bias.

Paradoxically, while AUBG's reputation among employers is on the rise, its standing with students and faculty is declining.

Teaching and Learning Environment 

This category relies on data about satisfaction with the teaching and learning environment, students’ assessment of material resources and infrastructure, class schedules, and library stock assessments.

Social Well-being and Equity

This category focuses on factors such as scholarships, satisfaction with welfare, administrative services, social and living conditions, and career development support. 

Results from general indicators for teaching and learning environment and social well-being and equity show no major changes in these two categories for AUBG. They combine for 5% of the university’s grade, which means that they have little to no relevance for the final ranking of the majors.

AUBG's lower ratings in 2024 can be attributed to several factors. One key factor is the decline in performance in indicators related to career relevance and regional impact, such as job placement rates, income levels, and increasing unemployment among graduates. Additionally, the university's reputation among students and faculty has also decreased.

Despite this, AUBG continues to lead in terms of graduate income in Business Administration and Journalism. Additionally, the university maintains the lowest unemployment rates in Political Science, Economics, and Business Administration.

Editors: Niya Manditsch and David Mitov