The Benefactor
Dimitar Apostolov Tsenov Dimitar Tsenov, born in Svishtov, was a man of the Bulgarian national revival period. He stands out among the Renaissance figures with his grand human and civic virtues: modesty, honesty, dreaminess and pragmatism, many-sided interests and rich culture, diligence, wisdom, strong will, patriotism, nobility and humanity. Dimitar Tsenov had a brilliant business career as a large entrepreneur, merchant and stockowner and contributed greatly to lay the economic foundations of newly liberated Bulgaria. Being a competent personality of European renown, Tsenov had business relations with Austro-Hungary, Germany, France, and the USA and received national and foreign (Austrian and German) governmental awards for valuable contribution. Dimitar Tsenov's most noble and remarkable deed is his endowment for founding the Economic Institute in the town of Svishtov. On September 1, 1912 Tsenov bequeathed his fortune to the citizens of Svishtov, leaving all his assets and securities as an endowment. A part of his will reads: "As I place my modest contribution upon the altar of the Bulgarian people, I conclude my will with the wish that people should constantly follow the road of cultural growth in order to achieve their ideals." Professor Dimitar Burov (1887 1961) Prof.Burov was the first rector of the Economic Institute in Svishtov and one of the executors of Tsenov's will. D. Burov majored in law, in France. He was rector of the economic institute for fifteen years. As a lecturer, research scholar and excellent organizer, he had the noble ambitions to create a school in the pattern of European schools with strong scientific and teaching traditions. Academician Georgi Danailov (1872 -1939) Georgi Danailov worked at the Economic Institute together with Prof. Burov and Alexander Bozhinov and collaborated fervently in executing Tsenov's Will. He studied in Russia, Germany and Austria. Danailov worked selflessly as an assistant of the First Rector, a lecturer and research scholar. He was a scientist of great reputation in Europe. Professor Gospodin Toshev Prof. Toshev studied in Paris, Marseilles and Berlin. He was secretary of the Committee for the Execution of Tsenov's Will. He started working at the Institute in 1936 as a lecturer and indispensable assistant of the first Rector. Academician and Professor Ivan Stefanov (1899-1981) Prof Stefanov majored in statistics and received his doctorate at Humboldt University, Germany. He started lecturing at the Economic Institute in 1937 and contributed greatly in developing a more European way of university teaching and carrying out research work. Academician and Professor Atanas Beshkov (1896-1964) Prof Beshkov majored in economics in Germany and at Kliment Ohridsky University, Sofia, in geography. He began work at the Institute in 1937. Zealous in developing and consolidating the school's prestige, Beshkov paved the way for putting the economic theory into practice. Professor Vasil Rankov (1905-1979) Prof Rankov studied in Germany and started lecturing at the Institute in 1938. He was a scientist of many-sided interests and rich potential, and contributed to the creation of the economic science sphere at the Institute in Svishtov. Corresponding member Professor Todor Vladigerov (1898-1977) Prof Vladigerov studied and received his doctorate in economic and social sciences in Germany, enriched his knowledge in Paris, worked in Humbolt University for nine years and successfully transferred the European style of university teaching to the newly opened economic institute in Svishtov as early as 1938. He initiated the publishing of the first economic magazine "Archives of National Economy" and was its editor. Prof Vladigerov set up the Department of Political Economy as an excellent scientific centre. Academician Nicola Mihov (1877-1952) Nicola Mihov studied in Vienna and Brussels. He is the founder of the Bulgarian bibliography. He was an erudite person with encyclopedic knowledge. He spent twenty years in libraries all over Europe adding to his knowledge and culture. Mihov's fourteen years of work at the Academy were constructive and creative. Mihov arranged the library of the Academy after the pattern of European Academic libraries. He was a helpful tutor to the young people in their research and studies. Professor PhD Veleslav Gavriisky (1909 -1976) Professor Doctor Veleslav Gavriisky justifiably ranks among "The First Founders" of the Economic School in Svishtov. Professor Doctor Veleslav Gavriisky specialized in insurance in Leipzig and received his doctorate in economic sciences, later specialized at Frankfurt am Main University. In 1940 he started lecturing at the Institute and was appointed Head of Insurance Department. Prof Gavriisky was the author of the first insurance course books. He was a fascinating lecturer and a talented scholar who left his students a heritage of great scientific value. The Founders of the Higher Economic School were united in achieving the noble goal of the Benefactor to found a Higher School in Svishtov after the pattern of European Schools of that time. "The First Founders" of the School established sound academic traditions and morale and left great scientific heritage to their followers. The Decree of November 8th , 1936 , signed by the Tsar of Bulgaria, reads: "A Higher Economic School bearing the name of Dimitar ApostolovTsenov is to be founded in Svishtov with the aim of teaching the theory of economics and applying the knowledge obtained in the separate branches of economic studies. (The National Gazette, Sept 5,1936) D.A.Tsenov Academy of Economics with its potential for innovative training and research offers competitive qualification, culture and outlook on life for successful career and communication with the civilized world with the purpose of better learning, humanity, creative and exponential advance in knowledge. By ordinance of The National Agency for Assessment and Accreditation at The Bulgarian Council of Ministers the Academy of Economics has been awarded the institutional accreditation for training and conferring university "specialist", "bachelor's", "master's" and "doctor's" degrees in accordance with the National and European educational standards. The Academy of Economics has adopted a specialized quality management system according to the requirements of the international standards of ISO 9001:2000 comprising all higher educational degrees Specialist, Bachelor, Master, Doctor of Philosophy, and the postgraduate education in the fields of Economics, Business Administration and Management, Information Technologies and Computer Science. |
