The Advertising Academy, a leading educational initiative bridging academia and the creative industries in Bulgaria, will return for its 13th consecutive edition at New Bulgarian University (NBU). The five-day programme will take place from 16 to 20 February 2026, with registration open until 8 February 2026.
Designed to provide hands-on industry experience, Advertising Academy brings together university students with senior professionals from the marketing, advertising and communications sectors. Participants work on real business challenges, gaining practical skills and direct exposure to the professional environment.
Advertising Academy is a joint initiative of New Bulgarian University, the Bulgarian Association of Advertisers (BAA) and the Bulgarian Association of Communication Agencies (BACA). For over a decade, the programme has operated under the guiding principle “Practice Is the Best Teacher”, fostering collaboration between students, brand leaders and agency experts.
The 2026 edition will include 20 multidisciplinary teams, each made up of 10 students with varied academic backgrounds. Team composition is curated by the organisers to ensure a diverse mix of skills and perspectives. Each team will be supported by three mentors—one representative from an advertiser company and two from communication agencies—reflecting real-world client–agency collaboration. The business cases span multiple industry sectors.
The programme opens with a lecture series and introductory discussions, followed by intensive working sessions in which teams develop full communication strategies. Students will define business objectives, build strategic frameworks and present concrete creative and media solutions. Participants will also have access to NBU’s professional facilities, including its Radio and Television Centre, Graphic Design Laboratory and Photography Laboratory.
At the conclusion of the Academy, teams will present their integrated communication campaigns to a professional jury composed of senior advertisers from BAA member companies and leaders from BACA member agencies. The programme will culminate on 20 February 2026 with an awards ceremony recognising the most successful projects.
About Advertising Academy
Launched in 2014, Advertising Academy is a long-standing collaborative project between New Bulgarian University, BAA and BACA. What began as a small-scale initiative involving six organisations has grown into a major industry–education platform. To date, more than 200 leading advertisers and communication agencies have contributed to the programme as lecturers, mentors, moderators and jury members.
In its most recent edition in 2025, Advertising Academy welcomed representatives from 55 organisations. Across its twelve completed editions, the initiative has facilitated over 350 internships and full-time job placements for high-performing students. Many alumni have since pursued successful careers in brand marketing and communication agencies, positioning Advertising Academy as a key talent pipeline for the industry.
