THE ROLE OF "LEONARDO DA VINCI" PROGRAMME FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN BULGARIA, 2007 - 2010

The current article is an important step to be analyzed the existing mechanism of implementation on integration polices in our country at the end of the seventh year of Bulgarian membership in EU. The aim of the article is to present the results of own study about the impact of the Leonardo da Vinci programme (one of the connecting links which supported and implemented the vocational education and training policy in EU countries) on the development of the vocational education and training system (VET) in Bulgaria. The implemented in our country projects under the decentralized activities (Mobility, Partnership, Transfer of Innovation) realized only the Programme "lower aims" (individual level impact). That don't contribute the Programme to be used for conducting premeditation policy to settle the structural problems in vocational education and training system in Bulgaria. Implemented conceptual model in the study (through the consistent use of quantitative and qualitative research methods and analysis) revealed the main reason for the achieved "lower aims" - the existing regulation in the field of vocational education and training system in Bulgaria - which is the peculiar obstacle for the implementation of integration policies. The predetermined conclusions address the need for alternative governance model in Bulgaria which to establish the necessary prerequisites "Leonardo da Vinci" programme (as a part of the new European Programme for Education and Training "Erasmus +") to be able to realize the planned higher public purposes which will be converted in a guarantor of sustainable growth and socio-economic development.