Photos

That is the Building of Nicola Vaptsarov Naval Academy in Varna.
The foundations of the Nicola Vaptsarov Naval Academy were laid in 1881. The Naval Academy prepares officers for the Navy and for the Merchant Marine. The course of education for the specialties “Navigation” and “Ship Engineering” last for five years. Upon successful completion of the course of studies graduates receive a “M. Sc. Degree”.
The Bulgarian marine education was established on 9 th of January 1881 when the Machine School for the Navy, the first technical school in Bulgaria, was founded.
On 03.12.1904 it was promoted us a secondary technical school. It trained technical personnel trained technical personnel for the Navy and for the Merchant Marine, the state railways, the industrial plants, the coal-mines, the electric power stations, the aviation, etc.
In 1942 the school was promoted as “His Majesty's Naval Academy”.
In 1949 Naval Academy was renamed into “Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy” (NVNA). It was given the name of one of the school graduates, a world famous poet. Since 1956 the graduates of the NVNA have been given the qualification degree “engineer”.
Since the beginning of the 20-th century it has trained moral and commanding skills. The whole educational process is carried out under special conditions that are close to ships’ relationships and routines.
Since the beginning, the course of study was divided into 3 years theoretical and 3 years practical training. For more than a century NVNA has had it’s own training ship, boat base and summer camp. Besides, all in the training process are used Bulgarian navy ships, Bulgarian and foreign merchant vessels. Most of the simulators required by IMO are provided as training facilities at the NVNA. Many laboratories and computer simulators are widely used in every department.
Practically every student or cadet starts with rowing, swimming and sailing as well as boat steering. They also double the duties of the different positions during the practice on board the Navy ships and Merchant vessels. At the end of the educational process they practice as third officer. Besides, they take part in naval exercises and sailing competitions.
Since the beginning of the 30-s the Academy has appliance of the best tradition of training process in Maritime education. Our education in Navigation and Ship power plants was approved by IMO and NVNA was included in the “White List” as an educational institution with “approved education”. Since then the NVNA has been a higher educational university recognized by ship-owners all over the world without any additional exams.
Nowadays NVNA trains officers for the Bulgarian Navy and the Merchant Marine according to world-acknowledged standards. Bulgarian Navy officers are well prepared and they take part successfully in many exercises in close cooperation with NATO’s ships. Officers for the merchant fleet graduated our Naval Academy are captains and ship power-plant engineers in many foreign companies in the USA, England, Japan, France, Germany, Norway, Italy, Greece, Israel, Turkey, Philippines, Arabic countries and many others states.