Австро-унгарският принос в подготовката на българска интелигенция с европейско образование (1878-1912). Първа част
The Contribution of Switzerland to the Preparation of Bulgarian Intelligentsia with European Education (1878–1912)

Summary/Abstract: The research is the first attempt for a relatively complete disclosure of Switzerland's contribution to the preparation of Bulgarian intellectuals with European education and it concerns the Bulgarians who studied in Swiss universities, academies and professional schools between 1878 and 1912. The author uses a wide range of primary sources. It includes: 1) archival documentation consisting of Swiss diplomas legalized in Bulgaria (original diplomas, their copies and translations); 2) hundreds of personal orders for financial support of Bulgarians studying in Switzerland, published in the official State Gazette of the time; and 3) research works of Bulgarian and foreign authors analyzing archival documents from Swiss universities. Based on these sources, a list of 2024 Bulgarians who studied in Switzerland is made, with the students' names, place of birth, place of study, academic major, and year of graduation. The data in the list are organized and thoroughly analyzed and important general conclusions and generalizations are made. It is found that the total number of Bulgarians who studied in Swiss universities, academies, and professional schools during the research period was 2,430 people. The distribution in majors reveals important priorities. Foremost among them is law preferred by 45.7% of the students, second is medicine – 12.7 percent, the third place is for philologies – 9%, etc. Few studied in medium-level vocational schools. The author asserts that the contribution of Switzerland in the preparation of Bulgarian specialists with European education is almost entirely in the realm of university majors which by the way also includes – formally or not – higher-level engineering and technical education in this country. Preferences in terms of place of study are mainly focused on Geneva – 55.7% of the students included in the research studied there. Other four university centers attracted the attention of the Bulgarians, although the interest was much more modest: Lausanne (19.2%), Zurich (11.2%), Bern and Fribourg with 5.3%. Further follow: Bill / Bienne – 1.1%, Neuchatel – 0.6%, Basel - 0.3% etc. Other specific characteristics of the students included in the study clearly stand out as well. The proportion of women (316 people on the list) is 15.7% – the highest among previously surveyed Bulgarian educational migration flows. The number of specializations is negligible, unlike, for example those in French universities and schools.

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