The Financial Supervision Commission conducted the XIX edition of the educational program: The Non-Banking Financial Sector in Bulgaria in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Science (MES) and the Atanas Burov Foundation.

The program is specifically aimed at students and teachers in secondary schools of economics. For the second year, the event took place online in the form of three webinars on 8, 15 and 22 October. On the three consecutive Fridays in October, the following topics were presented: Social Insurance Market, Insurance Market and Capital Market. For the first time, students were introduced to several new topics, namely Consumer Protection, Fintech Business Models and Cybersecurity and Cryptocurrencies.

The educational program welcomed the presentations of experts from the FSC and experienced specialists from both the private and public sectors. Vladimir Tashkov – Executive Director of the Atanas Burov Foundation presented to the participants the activities of the Atanas Burov Foundation and the opportunity to apply for student scholarships. The Association of Bulgarian Insurers presented the essence of insurance, types of insurance and the insurance market in Bulgaria. The students also got acquainted with the activities of the Financial Supervision Commission which regulates the non-banking financial sector in Bulgaria.

The lecture was followed by a practical step in which the participants virtually visited a pension insurance and insurance company, an investment firm and the Bulgarian Stock Exchange, where they witnessed how the capital market works, understood the nature of insurance and why pension insurance is necessary.

During the opening of the educational program, Ms. Denitsa Kirova – Secretary General of the Financial Supervision Commission thanked all partners involved in the program. In her address to the participants, she noted that the implementation of this educational program is especially important for the Financial Supervision Commission, because it presents the functioning of sectors that are extremely important for the Bulgarian economy.

“I am addressing you – students, and I would urge you to be alert, to discover the world constantly and with curiosity, to constantly seek answers to the questions that concern you. “I believe that the educational program “Non-Banking Financial Sector in Bulgaria” will give you valuable knowledge and will answer many of your questions,” said Ms. Kirova.

Thirty students and twelve teachers from secondary vocational schools with economic and financial profile from the cities of Blagoevgrad, Burgas, Varna, Veliko Tarnovo, Vidin, Velingrad, Gorna Oryahovitsa, Gotse Delchev, Dryanovo, Kyustendil, Kardzhali, Montana, Pazardzhik, Petrich, Pernik, Plovdiv, Razgrad, Ruse, Svishtov, Silistra, Sliven, Smolyan, Sofia, Stara Zagora, Haskovo and Shumen took part in the XIX edition of the educational program.

The program “Non-Banking Financial Sector in Bulgaria” is one of a kind for our country. It is one of the longest-standing initiatives of the Financial Supervision Commission, launched since its inception and has become a true tradition. The aim of the educational program is for students from secondary vocational schools in Bulgaria to get an excellent opportunity for career guidance in the non-banking financial sector, as well as to increase their knowledge and financial literacy, this is one of the strategic goals of the Commission – consumer protection through financial literacy.

The program ended on October 22, after the third webinar, with a virtual presentation of certificates to participants.