Special examines new American University in Bulgaria

Viewers will see the changing face of of young Eastern Europe in a Maine Public Television special, “The American University in Bulgaria: Window to the West.”

The show takes viewers on location to the fledgling American University in Bulgaria at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 5. Producer and host Angus King talks with students and faculty and explores Blagdevgrad, the university’s host city, including its markets, nightlife and scenery.

Established two years ago under the auspices of the University of Maine, the American University of Bulgaria is the only American-style university in Eastern Europe. University classes are taught in English; it is housed in the grand former headquarters of the Communist Party. While the student body comes mostly from Bulgaria, it also includes representatives from Albania, Yugoslavia, Poland and Romania.

King feels the program is already a success.

“It’s working unbelievably well, because the students are extremely receptive to Western, especially American, ways of thinking,” he said. “The university is filling a niche for something that hasn’t been available. Students seem very thirsty for this kind of thinking.”

King, accompanied by videographer Tess Gagnon, visited the university for eight days during November. He was struck by the quality of students at the school.

“The students are very impressive,” King said. “Amazingly, the average College board score (administered in English) of this year’s entering class is 1225, comparable to the most selective colleges in the U.S. The students are bright, articulate and itching to get on with the task of remaking their country.”

The faculty, nearly all Americans, also complimented the Eastern European students.

“They were uniformly impressed with the intelligence and earnestness of the students, who are more serious than comparable American students,” King said. “It’s harder to go to a university; it’s not so common over there.”

Only about 13 to 15 percent of Eastern European students go on to higher education. Also higher education isn’t the same as Americans are accustomed to.

“Their higher education system is like going to trade school,” King said. “It’s more narrowly focused, with no concept of liberal arts. It produces well-educated, but inflexible, people in terms of career choices. It doesn’t produce people whose analytical skills allow them to deal with problems as they arise.”

While King and Gagnon were visiting AUBG, the American presidential elections took place. An impromptu early-morning election returns party was staged by student radio station personnel for their American faculty and guests. Repositioning their satellite dish to pick up CNN, the students invited everyone to celebrate the returns, which began coming in at 2 a.m. Bulgarian time.

King also interviewed acting AUGB President J. Michael Orenduff, on loan from the presidency of the University of Maine at Farmington. Viewers will witness a rehearsal of “Our Town,” the American play performed under the direction of Al Cyrus, professor of theater on sabbatical from the University of Maine.

“The Bulgarian accent sounded like Bela Lugosi, so it was funny to hear lines from `Our Town’ in that accent,” King said.

The American University faces a couple of big challenges, King added.

The campus has no facilities other than the big university building and a couple of dorms.

“It will double in size each year, so they will need to add facilities and classrooms,” he said.

Also long-term financing is another problem to be solved. Currently, funds are provided by the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Bulgarian government and the private Sores Foundation.

“There couldn’t be better expenditures for USAID funds,” he said. “Getting them thinking in Western ways can’t help but serve our long-term interests.

King expects these students to be disportionately involved in the future leadership of Eastern European countries.

“They’ve expressed a desire to stay in their countries and to lead their countries,” he said. “They’re unusually thoughtful and sophisticated, and showed great potential for leadership in business and government.”