- Source: Ivan Ilchev
Ivan Ilchev (Bulgarian: Иван Илчев), Ph.D. in history, the rector of Sofia University (the oldest and biggest higher education facility in Bulgaria) between 2007 and 2015. He specialized in modern history of the Balkan peoples.
Ivan Ilchev was born on June 25, 1953, in Sofia. His father is Ilcho Dimitrov, also a famous historian and former minister of education. His mother is of Jewish descent. Ilchev graduated from the 114 English High School in Sofia. He continued his education in Sofia University, where he graduated in history. After his graduation, in 1978, he became assistant professor at the History Department of the Sofia University and associate professor in 1987. He was awarded the title of professor of modern history of the Balkan Peoples in 1995.
Ivan Ilchev has lectured in Ohio State University in Columbus, Wilson Center in Washington, D.C., the University of Chiba, Japan, the universities of Leipzig, Thessaloníki, Oxford, Chicago and many other famous universities.
He was dean of the History Department of Sofia University and member of the Academic Council from 2003 to 2007. Ilchev is also an active member of the Social Council of Bulgarian National Television and the Public Museum Council at the Ministry of Culture.
At the beginning of November 2007, professor Ilchev was elected rector of the Sofia University, after a ballot, by 218 votes to 90 for the other candidate. He was reelected in 2011.
He is corresponding member of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.
Selected publications
Ivan Ilchev has published 13 books, 2 of them in co-authorship with other academics. The most renowned of them - in Bulgarian, titles translated - are:
The Rose of the Balkans. A Short History of Bulgaria. Sofia 2005
Bulgarian Parliament and Bulgarian Statehood. 125 Years National Assembly 1879-2005 (with V. Kolev, V. Yanchev). Sofia 2005
Middle Time. Or the Bulgarian between two centuries. Sofia, Colibri 2005
Touching America (with Plamen Mitev). Sofia 2003
To the Wester, To the Westest — Japan. Letters of a gaijin. Sofia, Colibri 2001
My Fatherland — right or not. Exterior propaganda of Balkan peoples. 1821-1923. Sofia 1995
Advertisement during Bulgarian Renaissance. Sofia 1995
Bulgaria and the Triple Entente during World War I. Sofia 1990
Winston Churchill and the Balkans. Sofia 1989, second issue Riva, 2007
Honours
Ilchev Buttress on Graham Land, Antarctica is named after Ivan Ilchev.
References
External links
Ivan Ilchev on the homepage of University of Sofia (in Bulgarian)
"Prof. Ivan Ilchev is the New Rector of Alma Mater". News.bg. 2007-11-15. Retrieved 2008-09-28.
Article in the journal "Dnevnik", November 15, 2007, about the election of Ivan Ilchev with his biography (in Bulgarian, retrieved on Dec 27, 2012)
Europass Curriculum Vitae, comprehensive biography of Ivan Ilchev.