IBS Takes Active Part in National Forum on Gender Equality in Sports and Academia 

 On May 9, 2025, the prestigious 28th Scientific Conference “Personality, Motivation, Sport” was held at the National Sports Academy “Vasil Levski,” alongside a roundtable discussion on “Gender Equality in Sports Science and Practice.” The events were organized by the Department of Psychology, Pedagogy, and Sociology, with the support of the SUPPORTER project under the Horizon Europe program. 

Among the invited external speakers with recognized professional experience was a representative of the International Business School – Assoc. Prof. Dr. Irina Topuzova, Head of the Women’s Leadership Center at IBS and a certified organizational consultant specializing in gender equality, organizational culture, and work-life balance in academic environments. 

In her presentation, Dr. Topuzova shared her personal experience and best practices from international projects focused on the role of women in science and leadership. She emphasized the need for the sustainable development of equality policies that address the real challenges faced by women in academic and sports environments.

The forum attracted over 60 participants and sparked a lively and professional discussion, in which Dr. Topuzova contributed her expert perspective on strategically important topics concerning the future of equality and inclusion in academia.

The participation of an IBS representative in an event of such scale and significance is yet another recognition of our active role in supporting gender equality and women’s leadership in academic and professional environments—a cause that is an integral part of our institution’s vision.