Archival Science and Auxiliary Historical Disciplines

Abstract

The article traces the history and institutional development of the Department of Archival Studies and Auxiliary Historical Disciplines at the Faculty of History of Sofia University “St Kliment Ohridski.” Authors Yordan Shopov and Stefka Petkova examine the emergence of archival and documentation studies from the 1950s university curriculum to the establishment of an independent department in 1972.

Initially part of the Philosophical-Historical Faculty under the guidance of Prof. Todor Borov, Bulgaria’s leading bibliographer and archivist, the department gradually developed its academic structure and training system through the efforts of Maria Mateeva, Stefka Petkova, Andriana Neikova, and Rumen Donkov.

The study outlines the principal courses taught — Theory and Practice of Archival Work, Documentation Studies, History of State Institutions, Archaeography, and Archival Information Systems — emphasizing the introduction of computerization and automation in archival education during the 1980s.

A second focus of the department is the methodology of history teaching, represented by the work of Nevena Popova, Yordan Shopov, Grigor Georgiev, and Maria Radeva, who established a nationwide centre for the training and professional qualification of history teachers and inspectors. The article also highlights the department’s participation in international symposia and its contribution to educational program design for the Ministry of Education and the National Archives Directorate.

The authors conclude that the department successfully integrates professional archival training with pedagogical expertise in historical education, making it a cornerstone of applied historical sciences in Bulgaria.