The Faculty of Natural Sciences of Shumen University is a hub for training highly qualified specialists in various areas of natural sciences. It was established in 1971. The faculty is structured into five departments: Biology, Geography and Regional Development; Plant Protection, Botany and Zoology; Physics and Astronomy; Chemistry. All departments prepare personnel for both pedagogical and professional realisation, as well as specialised professionals in relevant fields, who will possess valuable competencies to support administrative, scientific, and business endeavours. A special contribution to this is the close cooperation between teachers and students in connection with the holding of numerous scientific student conferences that are traditional for the faculty, and the annual preparation of numerous bachelor’s and master’s theses.
Prominent students and doctoral candidates with a good command of foreign languages annually participate in international conferences, which help improve the reputation of the university. The latter is also aided by the co-authorship of these students in impact factor articles from global databases such as Web of Science and Scopus, where most of the professors publish their research. Additionally, every year, the academic staff registers numerous participations in national scientific and educational projects with strategic importance for the state in the relevant fields.
The Faculty of Natural Sciences has specialised laboratories for practical classes in physics, astronomy, chemistry, biology, geography, and plant protection. The faculty has 3 computer laboratories (Building 1 – laboratories 212 and 412; Building 3 – laboratory 518). In addition, another 8 of the computer laboratories of Shumen University, located in Building 3, are used. The faculty has an Astronomy Center, a Center for Natural Sciences with an Astronomical Observatory, a Center for Work with Distinguished Students and a Specialised GIS Laboratory with a scientific library.
Traditionally, good relations are maintained with several universities in the Balkans, which expand the opportunities for mobility and scientific exchange. In parallel, the opportunities for mobility under the Erasmus+ program are expanding, as the number of universities with which the faculty concludes agreements for the implementation of teaching or study mobilities is constantly increasing. Even a memorandum was signed with Stockton University, in New Jersey, where students from the University of Shumen can study without paying fees for this, for a period of 1 semester.