Abstract:The central theme of the report is the modernization of higher education in Bulgaria.

The emphasis in the presentation of the University of Ruse is the regional and macro-regional significance of the university as a factor of positive change and socio-economic progress.

This is achievable through a sustainable and targeted policy of prudent investment and cooperation of scientific infrastructures. The sharing of resources and the building of networks between partner public, private and non-governmental organizations leads to the development and increase of the intelligent specialization of the Danube region.

Abstract: The topic of the report is related to the accumulated conclusions from the pandemic. Covid19 is a very interesting phenomenon that leads to the concentration of certain things, to the crystallization of certain truths, positive and negative, both for the whole health system and for the nation as such.

“Unfavorable conclusions are needed - it turns out that we as a nation in a difficult time fail to organize and act decisively, unanimously, as other nations do and are already moving towards solving the pandemic. Obviously, this will happen to us in a slower, more painful and expensive way.“

The report substantiates two alternative proposals for anti-epidemic measures:

First, access to a number of activities and sites for public use should be done by presenting a certificate for vaccination, for illness, or for testing by rapid antigen test or PCR. This is the practice in a number of EU countries. It is proposed that this requirement apply to admission to educational, training, public, social, cultural, leisure, sports facilities and activities.

Secondly, alternatively, to determine additional capacity limitations and to terminate certain activities: suspension of congress-conference events, seminars, competitions, trainings, attendance forms in a lecture course, as well as non-practical exercises of students in higher education institutions.

Specific measures in the field of education are proposed.

Abstract: In the last few decades, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) performance has emerged as an important aspect for developing sustainable strategies that affect overall firm performance. Many firms, especially large multinational ones, have intensified their efforts to report on ESG matters in order to legitimate their behavior and improve their reputation.

Based on these statement I'm conducting (with several colleagues) a serial of studies to investigate the impact of each singular E-S-G dimensions on financial performance. In particular, in this research (Chouaibi, Chouaibi, Rossi, 2021) we focus the attention to the EU context (we study a sample of UK and Germany firms), and we investigate the direct and indirect links between ESG practices and financial performance using the mediate role of green innovation.

In other words, we investigate how the degree of green innovation intensity affects the relationship between ESG practices and financial performance by exploring the effect of the ESG practices on financial performance in two different legal systems (common law versus civil law).

The results show that the strengths ESG increase the firm value and the weaknesses decrease it. More specifically, we found that ESG firms that exhibit a high level of green innovation intensity are able to enhancetheir corporate financial performance.

This finding may be because, through green innovation, these firms are able to improve their financial performance through both cost leadership and product differentiation. The results also provide insights to regulators and the board of directors on future growth opportunities for the company and the country.