In October 2022 the Department of Media and Public Communication at the University of National and World Economy in Sofia, Bulgaria was oficially approved as a UNESCO Chair on Media and Information Literacy and Cultural Policies for Sustainable Development, becoming the third active Bulgarian UNESCO Chair. Its unique features are the concentration mainly on the MIL policies and cultural policies. 

The current project’s prime focus is on UN’s SDG 4 (‘Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all’). The project will seek to respond to SDG 4 by implementing:

• its core activities regarding media and information literacy in the digital era, as well as
• those regarding the development of cultural policies promoting sustainable growth in the creative sector.
The project also corresponds to: SDG 5 – Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls; SDG 8 – Decent work and economic growth; SDG 10 – Reducing inequality within and among countries.

By mobilising the applying institution’s core fields of expertise, the current project will focus on engaging the potential of media and information literacy education and culture for smart growth as prime engines for a sustainable socio-economic system of the future. The project plans to work for (1) creating a sustainable environment for the development of digital and media literacy skills and (2) take on the rising challenges in the field of cultural policies and the creative sector. Over a starting period of four years, the project plans to establish two labs – Medialit Lab and CULTure Lab, organise a series of round tables, and release a number of publications and digital tools in this regard. The project will lead to the formation of a regional lab-like hub where academics, learners, and professionals will join efforts to offer solutions in the fields of media literacy and culture in the context of UN’s Sustainable Development Agenda 2021-2030.

The Department's head Prof. Dr. Stella Angova was assigned as Chairholder.

Our prime objective is to  engage the potential of media and information literacy education and cultural policy development as prime engines for a sustainable socio-economic system of the future.