Entrepreneurship Centre at the University of Ruse and a comprehensive educational programme. The following 4-step approach has been adopted: Awareness programs will be given to all students on engineering degree courses through the existing lectures in the field of economics and management. Some modules will be enriched with topics on entrepreneurship. The purpose of the awareness programmes is to acquaint students with the general idea of entrepreneurship. Elementary education. Students will be offered an elective course in entrepreneurship. This should give a deeper understanding of entrepreneurship while filtering out potential techno starters. Advanced functional education. Students of undergraduate and graduate courses in engineering can participate in classes in other faculties in order to learn about subjects such as business plan development, marketing, financing, intellectual property rights, etc. Advanced entrepreneurship education. Potential techno starters will be able to attend special seminars organized at the Entrepreneurship Centre with external lecturers such as consultants, businessmen, etc. 3. Activities concerning know-how commercialization and collaboration with industry Over the years, the University of Ruse has developed a variety of activities, which will be of significant importance for the transition to the 3GU. First of all, the University has established, or participates in, specific institutions such as: The Management and Business Development Centre Ltd, Ruse – this was established under an EU Phare project as a joint venture company of the University of Ruse, the Ruse Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Mid-Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce and Industry (UK). Each partner holds a third of the shares. The Centre engages in business consulting and financial planning and has an agreement with the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in London for acquiring finance for companies. Another area of activity is human resource management (testing, appraisals, compensation systems, etc.). The Centre also aids foreign investment and is an important link between the University and domestic and international enterprises. The Union of University Sponsors, which could develop into a business angels club to finance young entrepreneurs. At present, it is a source of guest lecturers and business placements for students at the end of their courses. The Career Centre improves the link between students and business. It was established in May 2005 with the support of USAID, the Labour Market Project and Job-Tiger. About 5% of the students have been registered at the Career Centre and their number is continually increasing. The Centre organises a variety of presentations on finding appropriate jobs, preparation of CVs and cover letters, etc. It helps businesses to find the appropriate young staff. The Career Centre has been developed rather successfully in cooperation with companies from Ruse and the region, many of which are industrial and IT-related. The Research & Development Sector (R&DS) of the University of Ruse, founded in 1965, has as its main task the organization of thresearch and production work as well as student internship. At present R&DS is the University’s main unit for contacts with state and private organizations and firms. Within the framework of R&DS, groups of highly qualified scientists, doctoral students, students and technicians perform, on a contractual basis, fundamental scientific research, as well as development, implementation and consulting activities. The concrete results from the work of these scientific teams have been applied all over the country and in a number of other countries like Germany, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Russia, Belorussia, Latvia and others. Along with the creation of new scientific knowledge and products, R&DS helps to increase the scientific potential of the University staff, by modernising and updating the material and technical resources and the
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