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The Business Foundation for Education (BFE), a USAID-supported legacy organization that is continuing the work of the USAID Labor Market Project, successfully competed against more than 300 proposals to win a European Commission grant for a project that will raise awareness about opportunities for Bulgarian students to study abroad and participate in paid internships under the EU-sponsored Erasmus Program. Most Bulgarian students are unaware of the possibilities to gain international experience through the Erasmus Program. At the same time, surveys show a gap between the requirements of employers and the skills of young specialists entering the labor market.

The project will include an information campaign among students, professors, and employers; round-tables; a traveling exhibition; and a questionnaire for assessing the Erasmus Program’s popularity in Bulgaria. A Students’ Guide and Universities’ Management Manual for organizing and implementing Erasmus practices will be printed. A website created under the project will connect students, Erasmus alumni, employers, and universities. International internships will contribute to the preparation of competitive and qualified young specialists and competent professors with contemporary knowledge and adaptable skills.

The project will target at least 50,000 students and professors and at least 10,000 employers. BFE will partner with the Ministry of Education and Science, the Council of Rectors of Higher Schools in Bulgaria, the Bulgarian Human Resource Management and Development Association, the Career Consultants Association in Bulgaria, and the National Representation of Student Councils.