An ERUA member initiative at the intersection of education, innovation, and real-world impact
The Advertising Academy is a bold and forward-thinking educational initiative led by New Bulgarian University (NBU) in partnership with the Bulgarian Association of Advertisers (BAA) and the Bulgarian Association of Communication Agencies (BACA). The initiative exemplifies the values of the European Reform University Alliance (ERUA): student-centered learning, creativity in education, and bridging the gap between academia and industry.
Held annually at NBU, the Advertising Academy is not just a learning platform—it’s a transformative five-day journey where university students become advertising professionals-in-action. Designed as an immersive, interdisciplinary experience, the Academy places students in real-world scenarios where they tackle current business challenges presented by leading companies in Bulgaria’s communications and advertising sectors.
The latest edition, that took place from February 17–21, 2025, brought together nearly 50 companies, including advertisers and communication agencies, to mentor and guide students from diverse backgrounds—marketing, design, public relations, business, and media. Students are grouped into 20 cross-disciplinary teams and tasked with developing full advertising campaigns. Each team receives guidance from industry mentors and works with professional resources, including NBU’s Radio and Television Center, Graphic Design Laboratory, and Photography Studio.
Over the course of the program, participants progress through every phase of the advertising process—from briefing and strategic planning to the production of creative outputs. The results? A 20-minute video pitch for each team’s campaign, presented to a professional jury, followed by a dynamic Q&A session. The Academy culminates in an awards ceremony and detailed feedback from industry experts, with many students securing internships or job offers from participating companies.
Since its launch in 2014, the Advertising Academy has engaged over 100 companies and provided more than 200 career opportunities to students. It continues to inspire a new generation of creative thinkers and strategic communicators, many of whom discover their professional calling through the Academy experience.
The Advertising Academy is everything ERUA stands for—it’s collaborative, it’s practical, it’s transformative. It empowers students to experiment, create, and connect directly with the professional world.
Watch the full story here and step inside the Advertising Academy:
The credits for the pictures for Advertising Academy 2025 go to:
Stylian Murdzhev, Zhana-Marie Vatsova, Donna Mechkuevska, Ivo Stefanov, Nikol Kostadinova, Rosen Karaivanov, Kristina Odoni, Maria-Magdalena Bobcheva, Michaela Yakimova.
You can visit the full gallery here.
