It is with great honor and a spirit of scholarly excellence that Prof. Zhelyazka Raykova, PhD, joins the Arise and Shine International Ministries (ASIM) and its visionary platform, the Africa Reborn Excellence Award, as an esteemed international collaborator and academic thought leader. A trailblazer in STEM education and educational technology, Prof. Raykova brings to the global mission of ASIM an extraordinary legacy of academic leadership, innovation, and mentorship.

With more than three decades of dedicated service in higher education, teacher training, and scientific research, she stands as a beacon of transformational learning, integrity-driven leadership, and cross-cultural educational impact.

A Legacy of Academic Excellence and Vision

Prof. Raykova is a Full-time Professor of Educational Technology at the Faculty of Physics and Technology, Plovdiv University “Paissii Hilendarski” in Bulgaria.

She currently serves as:

Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Physics and Technology,

Head of the Educational Technology Department,

Director of four Master’s programs, and

Scientific Supervisor of multiple doctoral and postgraduate students.

Since 1989, her career has been defined by her relentless pursuit of educational excellence—shaping curricula, training teachers, and advancing innovative pedagogies that equip learners for the demands of a knowledge-driven society.

Her academic journey includes leadership positions such as Dean of the Physics Faculty, Head of the Department of Methodology of Physics Teaching, and Vice-Dean—roles in which she has not only managed institutional development but also cultivated a new generation of science educators and researchers.

Shaping the Future Through Research and Innovation

Prof. Raykova’s research interests lie at the dynamic intersection of science, education, and innovation. Her areas of expertise include:

STEM Education,

SMART Technology in Physics Education,

Inquiry-Based Science Education (IBSE),

Scientific Literacy, and

Constructivist Approaches in Natural Sciences Education.

Her scholarly work addresses the urgent need for 21st-century learning models that are student-centered, technologically integrated, and grounded in scientific inquiry. She has supervised over 50 graduate theses and 4 PhD candidates, contributing to a robust academic lineage committed to educational transformation.

A Champion for Global Collaboration and Impact

Prof. Raykova’s alignment with the Africa Reborn Excellence Award and Arise and Shine International Ministries (ASIM) reflects her deep belief in cross-border collaboration for sustainable education and ethical leadership. Her presence brings a unique European academic voice to the platform—one grounded in decades of experience but forward-looking in vision.

As a member of the ASIM community, Prof. Raykova supports the mission of nurturing values-based leaders, ethical educators, and innovative thinkers across the globe. Her contribution to the ASIM vision enhances the ministry’s global dialogue on science, spirituality, and service.

Mentor, Innovator, Global Educator

Prof. Raykova has spent her life investing in people—mentoring future educators, empowering researchers, and inspiring learners across Bulgaria and beyond. Her participation in after-diploma teacher qualification programs reflects her commitment to lifelong learning and her role as a mentor to educators at all levels.

Her leadership in designing and managing Master’s programs that integrate modern teaching methodologies and digital tools has placed her at the forefront of educational innovation in Eastern Europe.

Bridging Continents with Shared Purpose

Prof. Raykova joins ASIM not just as a scholar, but as a co-builder of a renewed global academic and ethical landscape—one where Europe and Africa stand united in vision, values, and impact. Her partnership with the Africa Reborn Excellence Award is an embodiment of the shared belief that transformational leadership in education knows no borders.

“Education is not only the transfer of knowledge, but the transformation of minds and the elevation of society. When we educate with ethics and innovation, we illuminate the path for generations to come.” – Prof. Zhelyazka Raykova, PhD

A Call to Global Educators and Change Agents

Prof. Raykova warmly invites fellow researchers, education leaders, and innovation partners from all nations to engage with ASIM and the Africa Reborn Excellence Award—not just as observers of impact, but as partners in building it.

Together, we are fostering a new era of leadership in education: one grounded in truth, technology, and transformation.

Prof. Zhelyazka Raykova

” PhD is a testimony to what it means to lead with intellect, inspire with vision, and serve with purpose. Her life’s work continues to bridge continents, shape futures, and uplift the very essence of global education”