On March 25 and 26, 2026, a working meeting of the members and participants in the Information and Communication Network for Strategic Projects funded under the “Education” Program was held in Pravets. The event was hosted by the Hyatt Regency Pravets Resort.
The main objective of the meeting was to provide the participants with up-to-date knowledge and practical skills related to strategic approaches to communications, trends in the 2021–2027 programming period, and the use of modern digital tools and artificial intelligence in content creation. During the training, the instructors presented numerous examples from their professional experience, as well as specific guidelines tailored to current communication challenges and priorities. Various aspects of the impact of advertising messages on the audience were also examined, including their design and psychological characteristics.
Associate Professor Alexander Hristov presented topics related to strategic communications, public relations management, current communication trends, methods for measuring and evaluating communication effectiveness, as well as the role of brands and branding in today’s environment.
In her lecture, Assoc. Prof. Justine Toms focused on the principles of storytelling and crafting a compelling narrative, social media trends in 2026, and the potential applications of artificial intelligence in communication activities. Attention was also paid to the ethical aspects of these processes. The presentation also included an engaging team-building exercise with a practical focus and creative elements.
During the meeting, a team from the Executive Agency “Education Program” presented an analysis of the activities carried out over the past year.
Representing the “Center of Excellence UNITe” Project at the workshop were Assoc. Prof. Nina Bencheva, Ph.D., from the Department of Telecommunications at the University of Ruse “Angel Kanchev” and Stefan Spiridonov, Public Relations Manager at the Center of Excellence UNITe.
The working meeting provided a valuable opportunity for the exchange of knowledge, best practices, and professional experience among participants in the strategic projects under the “Education” Program. The presented approaches and tools highlighted the importance of effective communication and innovative technologies for increasing the public visibility and impact of project activities.
