01.07.2025 / Delegation from China’s Shandong Province visited Plovdiv

On June 27, 2025, APACCCEEC team, consisting of Dr. Momchil Stanishev, Director, and experts Dr. Iva Venkova, Mr. Zahari Zahariev, and Ms. Gergina Balareva, organized a visit for a delegation from Shandong Province, China, to the Bulgarian city of Plovdiv.

During the visit, meetings were held with the rector’s council of the Agricultural University – Plovdiv, including: Prof. Dr. Dimo Atanasov, Vice Rector for Scientific and International Activities, Prof. Dr. Tonya Georgieva, Vice Rector for Education and Life-long learning and
Prof. Dr. Svetla Yancheva, Secretary General for Institutional Cooperation and Communications.

The Chinese delegation’s visit to the Agricultural University – Plovdiv began at “Luban Workshop”, located in the university’s Faculty of Economics. Luban Workshop is a joint Bulgarian-Chinese initiative designed to foster academic-business collaboration in agriculture between China and Central and Eastern European countries.

Prof. Dr. Yancheva noted that Luban Workshop was officially launched in 2021 in partnership with Tianjin Agricultural University and the Tianjin Economics and Trade School. She highlighted APACCCEEC’s role as a key supporting organization in establishing this platform. The project focuses on joint educational programs, talent development, and lifelong learning initiatives.

Prof. Dr. Yancheva emphasized that Luban Workshop extends the concept of bilateral cooperation beyond students, reaching Bulgarian agricultural producers as well.

The delegation from Shandong Agricultural University toured the diverse facilities and laboratories in Luban Workshop and had the opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge about the cultivation and applications of lavender— a crop widely grown in the Plovdiv region.

Prof. Dr. Yancheva added that Agricultural University – Plovdiv already has Chinese graduates who have completed Master’s programs, and currently two Chinese students are pursuing their PhD dissertations at the university.

In addition, the Chinese delegation visited the new campus building of the Agricultural University – Plovdiv, which opened in 2019 and houses the Practical Training Center for students of Plant Science and Plant Protection. Prof. Dr. Yancheva pointed out to the Chinese delegation that the building was constructed according to green standards, and noted that since 2022, the Agricultural University – Plovdiv has been a member of the UNIgreen Alliance. This alliance comprises eight higher education institutions committed to promoting excellence in education, scientific research, and innovation in the fields of sustainable agriculture, green biotechnology, and environmental sciences. The university’s participation in the Alliance enables student exchange programs with other member institutions.

The delegation from China’s Shandong Province also visited the Demonstration Zone of Agricultural Cooperation between China and the CEE Countries located in Agricultural University – Plovdiv. During the visit, Dr. Momchil Stanishev, Director of APACCCEEC, presented the history of the Demonstration Zone and its current activities. He noted that the Zone was established in 2019 in partnership with the Agricultural University and currently hosts various events, including forums and film screenings on agricultural topics and China-related themes.

APACCCEEC Director emphasized that in December 2024, the Zone hosted the third edition of the Association’s current project – the Academy for Entrepreneurship in Agriculture. The Chinese guests had the opportunity to view recently displayed product samples from CEE countries in the Zone.

During the visit, a cooperation agreement was signed between the Agricultural University – Plovdiv (represented by Prof. Dr. Dimo Atanasov) and Shandong Agricultural University, with APACCCEEC facilitating the agreement between the two parties.

The Chinese delegation’s visit to Plovdiv on June 27 concluded with a tour of the Hub for Agricultural and other Products, located in Trakia Economic Zone (TEZ) near the city. The delegation held a meeting with Mr. Emil Yankov, Business Development Manager of Trakia Economic Zone, who provided insights into TEZ’s cooperation with Chinese partners. The Hub for Agricultural and other Products features product samples from Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries, which attracted significant interest from the delegation representing Shandong Province.