Agricultural University of Plovdiv
The Agricultural University of Plovdiv (AUP), founded in 1945, is Bulgaria’s premier centre for agricultural science, education and innovation. Through its four faculties, Agronomy; Horticulture & Viticulture; Plant Protection & Agroecology; and Economics, and its Language & Sports Department, AUP offers BSc, MSc, PhD and lifelong-learning programmes in fields ranging from agroecology and animal husbandry to agri-tourism and agricultural economics.
Its mission is to equip graduates with cutting-edge knowledge, entrepreneurial skills and ethical commitment, ensuring they can deliver safe, high-quality food, biofuels and ecosystem services in line with EU standards and the challenges of a changing climate.
AUP’s robust research infrastructure underpins both fundamental and applied R&I: a Demonstration Centre for New Technologies in Agriculture, a Centre for Integrated Management of Plant Diseases, an Agroecological Centre for organic-farming studies, and a modern laboratory complex for environmental-pollutant analyses and soil-quality monitoring. Its 185 hectares of experimental fields—home to over 1,500 biological units—alongside post-graduate training facilities (including an auditorium for 500 participants and two halls for 230) make AUP an ideal venue for hands-on workshops, “down-to-the-ground” experiments and large-scale outreach events. As a long-standing partner in EU programmes (TEMPUS, PHARE, Leonardo da Vinci, Erasmus) and a recognised leader in Bulgarian agricultural development, AUP drives sustainable rural growth through excellence in education, research and stakeholder engagement.
For more information, please visit our website at: www.au-plovdiv.bg
Role in the FarmForward project
In WP2, AUP develops the “Adaptive Farm Management Practices” module and hosts the 3-day Train-the-Trainers workshop in Plovdiv, ensuring that Bulgarian VET providers and educators are equipped to cascade climate-resilient methodologies. Under WP3, AUP authors the “Integrated Pest Management Strategies” booklet, pilots hands-on demonstrations on its 185 ha of experimental fields, and gathers practitioner feedback to refine both print and e-learning materials in Bulgarian. Finally, as part of WP4, it contributes local case studies to the Expert Insights Series and organizes the national dissemination event in Bulgaria, leveraging its modern lecture halls and stakeholder networks to maximize uptake and impact.
Team Members
Teodor Radev was a researcher at the Institute of Agricultural Economics, Sofia, from 2007 to 2009. Now he works as an associate professor at the Agraren Universitet. His scientific interests are in marketing. He take part in several international projects /CAP-IRE, RE-AGRO, CLAIM, in FoodMed as coordinator. He is a co-author of the books: “Sustainability of agriculture”; “Farm management /handbook for successful agro-business”; “Sustainability of vine-wine sector in Bulgaria”. He teaches Marketing and Marketing of food products at Agraren Universitet Plovdiv.
Petar Borisov is a professor at the Faculty of Economy in AUP, Department of Management and Marketing. He has over 20 years of academic experience as a university lecturer with over 100 scientific publications in the field of competitiveness and sustainable development of agriculture. He is experienced in Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe programs – having participated as an expert in the project “EU Balkanvegetables” and the operative program “Competitiveness” in Bulgaria – head manager of the project called “Establishment of transfer technology center – Maritza” in Plovdiv. He is interested in entrepreneurship, innovations, bio-economy and risk management. He took part in several international projects /CAP-IRE, RE- AGRO, CLAIM, FoodMed, AgriEco, COOPID, MainstreamBio and EIT FoodHub. He is a coauthor of the books: “Sustainability of agriculture; Sustainability of agricultural sector in Bulgaria”; “Strategic business planning, “Challenges and perspectives of Bulgarian small farms. Achievements and challenges in the food sector and rural areas”. Also he is a member of editorial board of several academic journals focused on sustainable development of agriculture.
