Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy

The Nikola Vaptsarov Higher Naval Officer School (Висше военноморско училище „Никола Вапцаров“) is the naval academy of Bulgaria and the most authoritative centre of maritime personnel education in the country. Based in the Black Sea port of Varna. The academy trains officers for the Navy and the Merchant Marine as well as specialists in all areas of the maritime business.

History
The academy has its roots in the Machine School for the Navy, the first technical school in Bulgaria, established on 9th of January 1881 in Ruse. It used to train only engine-room ratings for the Navy, merchant vessels, workshops and plants. The first course of study to train navigational officers began in 1919.

In 1942 the school was promoted as ‘His Majesty's Naval Academy’. It started to train deck officers with a higher maritime education (bachelor degree) and one year later - ship power-plant specialists with higher maritime technical education (bachelor degree).

In 1949 the academy was renamed into Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy.

Technical faculty

 * Department of Mechanics
 * Department of Electrotechnics
 * Department of Ship maintenance and repair
 * Department of Ship power plants
 * Department of Mathematics and Informatics

Navigational faculty

 * Department of Electronics
 * Department of Military science
 * Department of Navigation
 * Department of Seamanship
 * Department of Foreign languages
 * Department of Social sciences

Notable alumni

 * Nikola Vaptsarov