On November 6, 2020, the fifth practical course "Access to Information and Public Communications" began, led by the Access to Information Programme for students in journalism and international business communications from the New Bulgarian University, together with the Department of Media and Communication.
Every Friday for several weeks, the students will attend online lectures as part of the project "Transparency of Administrative Justice" with the financial support of the America for Bulgaria Foundation.
During the first lecture of the course, Gergana Jouleva, Executive Director of AIP, introduced the students to the 24-year history of the organization and acquinted them with AIP's role as an access to information advocate in Bulgaria and as an initiator of the Freedom of Information Advocates Network (FOIAnet). Legislation, monitoring, training, campaigns, initiatives and networking were discussed.
The training includes 7 lectures wich will be led by Gergana Jouleva and attorneys-at-law Alexander Kashamov, Kiril Terzyiski and Stephan Anguelov. At the end of the course the students will present the results of their practical task - they will have to file access to information requests to public institutions on issues of the students' interest. At the end of the course course participants will receive official certificates.
The course is held in partnership with the Mass Communications Department of the New Bulgarian University and takes place within the project Transparency in Administrative Justice supported by the America for Bulgaria Foundation.