The Faculty of Educational Sciences and Arts (FNOI) is the successor of the Faculty of Primary and Preschool Pedagogy (FNPP) and the Faculty of Early Childhood and Primary Teacher Training (FPDNU). It was established in 1983 as an independent unit within the structure of Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”. The establishment of the faculty is an important act that provides an opportunity for the training of preschool and primary school teachers with higher education.

The first class of students was admitted in the academic year 1984/85 in the specialties “Primary School Pedagogy”, “Preschool Pedagogy” and “Special Education”. The foundations of the research and teaching activities at the faculty were laid by significant individuals such as Prof. Dr. Zhecho Atanasov, Prof. Dr. Elka Petrova and Prof. Dr. Stefan Mutafov, who were also the first heads of departments. The first dean of the FEA was Assoc. Prof. Pavel Draganov (1983-1986), and the following – Prof. Dr. Stoyka Zdravkova (1986-1989), Prof. Dr. Georgi Angushev (1989-1993), Prof. Dr. Georgi Bizhkov (1993-2003), Prof. Dr. Bozhidar Angelov (2003-2011; 2015-2019), Prof. Dr. Dimitar Gyurov (2011-2015), Prof. Dr. Milen Zamfirov (from 2019 to the present).

Over the years, in response to the dynamically changing requirements of the educational system and the conditions of the labor market, the range of training provided has expanded, new specialties have been discovered. The variety of professional qualifications with which the graduates of the faculty graduate requires this to be adequately reflected in the name of the unit, and in 2018, by a decree of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Bulgaria, the Faculty of Primary and Preschool Pedagogy was transformed into the Faculty of Educational Sciences and Arts. As the successor of the FNPP, the FNOI continues and develops the traditions in the training of pedagogical staff and their professional and scientific growth. The faculty actively cooperates internationally with various European and world universities and research institutes.

By 2023 The faculty structure includes seven departments – “Preschool and Media Pedagogy”, “Primary School Pedagogy”, “Special Pedagogy”, “Speech Therapy”, “Social Pedagogy and Social Work”, “Visual Arts” and “Music and Multimedia Technologies”, which educate nearly 3,000 students, over 90 doctoral students and 1,200 students in the Department of Social Sciences, in four professional areas – “Pedagogy”, “Pedagogy of Education in…”, “Fine Arts” and “Music and Dance Art” in a total of 12 bachelor’s degrees: Preschool Pedagogy and Foreign Language, Preschool and Primary School Pedagogy, Primary School Pedagogy and Foreign Language, Media Pedagogy and Artistic Communication, Social Pedagogy, Special Pedagogy, Speech Therapy, Physical Education and Sports, Fine Arts, Graphic Design, Music, Music Media Technologies and Sound Engineering. There are more than 40 active master’s programs and 17 doctoral programs. 240 foreign students and doctoral candidates are studying at the FNOI.

In its mission, the Faculty of Education and Training (FNOI) emerges as a leader in the training of teachers in the offered areas, focusing on the quality of training and qualification of teachers and other specialists, on the timely and adequate response to the challenges and changes in education, as well as on the trends and prospects in pedagogical sciences and arts.

The following specialties have been approved at the faculty, which correspond to the State Register of Educational and Qualification Degrees in specialties in higher education institutions of the Republic of Bulgaria and have program accreditation:

Preschool Pedagogy and Foreign Language
Preschool and Primary School Pedagogy
Media Pedagogy and Artistic Communication
Media Pedagogy and Artistic Communication
Primary School Pedagogy and Foreign Language
Social Pedagogy
Special Pedagogy
Speech Therapy
Physical Education and Sports
Fine Arts
Graphic Design
Music
Music Media Technologies and Sound Engineering