Nelly Papazova

supporting rural development in Bulgaria

"The MSc has an extremely valuable interdisciplinary approach, which is vital in solving today’s mountain challenges.

For me, some of the most valuable courses in the program were: Environmental and Social Issues in Mountain Areas, which gave me a new perspective and overview of world’s mountains and their challenges; Tourism and Interpretation, which provided me with new skills and knowledge in the area of using mountain assets for the benefit of local populations; and Information Society and Rural Areas, which taught me of the newest trends in bringing information society to rural and remote areas.

I am currently working mostly with the Rural Development Programme in Bulgaria, assisting Local Action Groups in implementing their Local Development Strategies. My work has direct links with the MSc and I apply daily the skills and knowledge I have acquired. The MSc has given me the necessary interdisciplinary perspective to help solving the variety of problems facing rural areas in Bulgaria, which are located primarily in mountain areas.

The dissertation requested gave me the opportunity to study a topic that interests me a lot – emerging eco-centres and villages in mountain areas in Bulgaria. I received very positive feedback from those interviewed about the final product of my research, which they use for guiding their strategic planning and development of their eco-centres.

The flexible format of study – distance-learning and options of taking one or two courses per semester - is also an important asset of the program, as one can design a time management system that works best for him and is tailored to his individual workload.

I strongly recommend the MSc in Sustainable Mountain Development!"