Abstract:

The report presents the activity of students in the framework of practical training under Project BG05M20P001-2.002-0001 "Student Practices - Phase 1", carried out by the Ministry of Education and Science under the Operational Program "Science and Education for Intelligent Growth" with the support of the European Structural and Investment Funds. The enrollment includes students in part-time learning and full-time Undergraduate, Bachelor and Master's degree programs from the Faculty of Library Science and Cultural Heritage at the University of Library Studies and Information Technologies (ULSIT), in Bulgaria. Using such learning forms as part of the training for future specialistс increases the readiness to work in a real working environment. The purpose of this study is to present the implementation of new pedagogical strategies in higher education that stimulate and develop the potential of students in the real sector in their higher education process.

The report also examines the institutional functioning of training, with the presentation of all units in it. Special emphasis is placed on the role of academic mentors in the process of organizing, facilitating, and controlling student practical learning. In the first phase of the Project, more than 50% of students from the specialties "Library and Information Management", "Library Science and Bibliography" and "Print Communications" at ULSIT have participated in work practice.

The results show that the great activity of the students from these specialties is the result of the cooperation between ULSIT and the training organizations. The training of the students in the listed specialties is oriented towards the balance between theory and practice, through which they work for specialists prepared for the real working environment. Such an approach for working in a real work environment, within the framework of training, enables the collaboration of different approaches and the adoption of good practices. It is also a compulsory emphasis on training, driven by the dynamics of the information environment and the need for ongoing communication with the real sector.

Keywords:

Bulgaria, ULSIT, students practices, learning in practice, real working environment.