The main task of the NIE team in the implementation of the project is the exchange of professional experience in several key fields of the NIE duties: administration, organisation and conduct of inspections; conducting trainings for external inspectors; formation and management of effective inspection teams. On the basis of researched needs areas for the qualification of inspectors were targeted, which are mainly related to the application of technology and teamwork skills. In this regard, in the European Development Plan of NIE, we focused on the development of skills for practical interaction in real-world inspection. We proposed as an activity the direct involvement of Bulgarian inspectors in inspection teams. Through the experience gained, adapting it and applying good models, we set out to improve the expertise of our inspectors, who gather European Know-How from leading inspectorates in the Netherlands and Estonia. By achieving these objectives, inspectors will be able to fulfil effectively the function of NIE set out in the Pre-School and School Education Act. By improving our work, we expect to increase public confidence in the duties of NIE and the national policy on quality assurance. Through the implementation of the project, one of the objectives set, was to increase the skills of the management team for better management of processes and resources, better planning, organising and conducting inspections. By achieving of these objectives we could take better leadership solutions, including development and implementation of training programmes for external inspectors. In order to achieve this goal, we planned participating in a specialized course in Italy, accompanied by a school visit and experience sharing. Through this course, we wanted to achieve effective training and qualification of inspectors for effective interaction in an inspection team. One of the main objectives of the European Development Plan as well as in the Development Plan of NIE (2020-2022) was to increase the participation of NIE in international activities. To achieve this, we used the readiness for partnership with Europe's oldest inspectorate, the Dutch Inspectorate и one of the newly created Estonian ones, with whom NIE cooperates closely beyond the implementation of this project. We planned job shadowing and exchange of experience in an inspection process. Last but not least, another goal was the internationalisation of NIE’s work, which includes improving skills in international professional communities, enhancing the intercultural competences and foreign language communication skills. Regarding to this we aimed to expand the intercultural competences and increase the foreign language expression skills of mobilities’ participants.
National inspectorate of education (NIE) is a new structure, established 2018 for external evaluation of the quality of education, provided by kindergartens and schools in Bulgaria. Bevor NIE there were no experience and tradition in the contemporary meaning of the inspection process. It was no legal base and no inspection was conducted. There is a lack of quality definition, which brings together professionals, students, parents and stakeholders. In the broader public understanding, inspection is seen as a sanctioning and controlling measure and not as supporting tool for improvement. There is a distrust of the institution's activities. These are the main societal challenges facing the newly formed NIE team. The main task of the institution is to develop a comprehensive inspection toolkit, which includes: inspection criteria and indicators, mechanism and assessment scale, document forms, information materials for the whole inspection process, support materials for the teams of inspected institutions, use of electronic resources to assist inspection teams in the data collection, use and analysis. The implementation of this task is hampered by the lack of opportunity to exchange expertise and share professional experience with colleagues from other inspectorates in Europe. In addition, the NIE team should establish a comprehensive framework for external quality evaluation, develop training programs and materials and train external inspectors to participate effectively in inspection teams. This has also emerged as a challenge, because the training for external inspectors is extremely specialized, educational products and materials that can be adapted and used are not available. In practice, there is no free access to resources and materials on the topic. There is no opportunity to train the trainers of external inspectors. In order to carry out these main activities, NIE inspectors researched extensive European experience in the field of quality assurance of education, but identified the need to share and compare what has been achieved in a professional fellow community. As main forum for reflection and exchange of information NIE used their membership in the Standing international conference of inspectorates (SICI). But SICI workshops and the annual assembly may involve a limited range of NIE representatives. At the time of application, only three members of the NIE team had experience with Erasmus+ programme. Most inspectors don’t use a foreign language in their professional work at the level necessary to participate in mobility. They are not aware of the activities of other inspectorates or bodies responsible for managing and improving the quality of education. Inspectors indicate in their regular feedback after each inspection the need of enhancement of the skills for joint work, cooperation, consensus making, working with stakeholders. The management team of NIE regularly reviews European inspection practices. However, the need to increase administrative capacity for better organization of the inspection process and effective implementation of the NIE function has been recognized. Through participation and implementation in the project and through the European Development Plan, the leading team aims to address these problem areas.