Austin Peay Partners With Sofia University in Bulgaria

The first partnership of its kind between a Tennessee and a Bulgarian university expands a state military partnership into higher education.

Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Higher Education

Austin Peay Partners With Sofia University in Bulgaria

Austin Peay State University has established a partnership with Sofia University in Bulgaria, the first of its kind between a Tennessee university and a Bulgarian university. The official signing took place in Sofia with the support of the U.S. Embassy and the Tennessee National Guard.

Why it matters

The agreement extends the Tennessee-Bulgaria State Partnership Program, which has linked the two regions since 1993, from military ties into higher education. For Clarksville residents, it adds a new international pathway for Austin Peay students and faculty.

The partnership grew out of the Tennessee-Bulgaria State Partnership Program, active since 1993, and was in development since February 2024. Austin Peay is the only Tennessee university holding this sanctioned agreement with Sofia University, and the timing of its planned exchanges has not been announced.

The players

Austin Peay State University

A public university in Clarksville, Tennessee, that has pursued this agreement to expand its international academic reach.

Tennessee National Guard

The state military force that approached Austin Peay about the partnership and supported its approval.

U.S. Embassy in Bulgaria

The diplomatic mission that helped approve the partnership and selected Sofia University as the match.

The details

Austin Peay representatives, including President Mike Licari, INSMS Director Dr. Rich Mifsud, and Walt Lord, attended the signing alongside U.S. Chargé d'Affaires H. Martin McDowell. The U.S. Embassy and the Sofia Country Team selected Sofia University as the best fit, after the Tennessee National Guard approached Austin Peay following its earlier relationship with the University of Belgrade in Serbia.

- February 2024: Development of the Sofia University partnership began.
- 1993: Tennessee became Bulgaria's state partner.
- Signing: The agreement was formally signed in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Culture Shift

The agreement extends the Tennessee-Bulgaria State Partnership Program, active since 1993, from military ties into academic exchange. It reflects a broader move by state-level partnerships to build lasting people-to-people connections beyond defense cooperation.

Austin Peay students may gain access to study-abroad trips, semester-long exchanges, and collaborative research opportunities in Bulgaria as the partnership develops. Specific program dates and eligibility rules have not yet been announced.

The takeaway

Partnerships that start with one state program can grow into lasting academic ties when universities and governments coordinate early. Students in similar programs should watch for announced exchange dates and application requirements.

What happens next

Austin Peay hopes to launch a spring break study-abroad trip, semester-long faculty and student exchanges, and collaborative research projects, though no dates have been set.