Co-author and inspirer behind the creation of the brand “Motivation 4.0”.

He completed his secondary education in 1992 at Aleko Konstantinov High School in Lukovit, and in 1999 obtained a Master’s degree in Public Administration from South-West University “Neofit Rilski”, Blagoevgrad.

Between 2000 and 2021, he was part of South-West University “Neofit Rilski”, serving as Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Law and History (2010–2019) and Head of the Department of National Security and Public Administration (2018). He advanced through all academic positions – Assistant Professor, Senior Assistant, Chief Assistant, and Associate Professor. In 2006, he successfully defended his dissertation before the Higher Attestation Commission (HAC), and in 2010 was habilitated as Associate Professor in Organization and Management outside the Sphere of Material Production (Human Resource Management in the Public Sector).

Since 2021, he has been Professor of National Security (Crisis Situations and Human Resource Management) at the University of Security and Economics (Plovdiv), where he also serves as Director of the Center for Leadership and Public Policies.

Professor Vasilev is the author of more than 150 scientific publications in Bulgaria and abroad, as well as seven monographs in the fields of human resource management, crisis management, teamwork, motivation and organizational behavior, public management and policies, among others.

He possesses extensive practical experience in the public sector, having served as: Deputy Mayor of Blagoevgrad Municipality (2007–2010); Public Mediator (Ombudsman) of Blagoevgrad Municipality (2018–2021); expert in projects implemented in over thirty municipal administrations; member of the Scientific Advisory Council, lecturer, and consultant at the Institute of Public Administration (since 2013); evaluator of projects for the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Research Fund of the Ministry of Education and Science; and Associate Member of the Center for the Study of Extremism and Terrorism at the G.S. Rakovski Military Academy (2023).

His scientific fields of expertise include: Human Resource Management and Development; Crisis Management; Emotional Intelligence; Contemporary Motivational Techniques; Organizational Behavior; Local Public Policies; Public Management; Stakeholder Engagement; Leadership and Emotional Intelligence; Team Effectiveness; Sustainable Development and Public Administration; Corporate Social Responsibility; Strategic Management; Smart Technologies in Governance; Change Management; Well-being Practices and Policies.

He is a member of the editorial boards of journals such as: Journal of Recycling Economy & Sustainability Policy (RESP, Turkey); Agora International Journal of Juridical Sciences (AIJJS, Romania); SKEI – International Interdisciplinary Journal (Bosnia and Herzegovina); International Journal of Responsible Leadership and Ethical Decision-Making (IJRLEDM); Eminent Journal of Business and Management (EJBM, Tanzania); Global Scientific Journals (GSJ); International Journal of Social and Scientific Research (IJSSER); Cosmos – International Journal of Art and Higher Education; Qubahan Academic Journal (QAJ, Iraq); COSMOS – International Journal of Management; Law & Security (Poland); Policy and Security (Bulgaria, 2021–2025), and others.

Certified Emotional Intelligence Expert (2022) by the International Society for Emotional Intelligence and the Foundation for Developing Emotional Intelligence. Member of the Board of Directors of the Foundation, and Regional Club Director – Blagoevgrad.

Co-author and participant in the only international study on Sustainable Human Resource Management (2022), conducted under the auspices of SGH Warsaw School of Economics (Poland), with the participation of more than 50 countries.

Lecturer of the specialized executive course “Leadership for Employee Development” (2022) at the Institute of Public Administration under the Council of Ministers.

Together with Dr. Monika Icheva, he co-developed the Motivation 4.0 Model (2022) – a practical tool for analyzing employee motivation, developing motivational profiles, and designing individual improvement projects for organizational motivation processes. The model has been successfully applied in public institutions, published and presented at recognized forums in Bulgaria and abroad, and awarded as a good practice in competitions organized by the Institute of Public Administration (Karlovo Municipality, 2023; Muglizh Municipality, 2024; “Ilinden” District, Sofia Municipality, 2024).

Awards and Recognitions:

• Honorary Diploma from the Institute of Public Administration (2016) for contributions and scientific achievements in the development of HR management in the public sector and the establishment of Public Administration as a discipline in education and research.

• Twice awarded the “Leader-Inspirer” Certificate from the Leaders’ Academy Club at Aleko Konstantinov High School, Lukovit (2023, 2024).

• Honorary Diploma for contribution to the development of administrative capacity at Mаglizh Municipality (2024).

• Winner in the national competition “Agent of Change” in the “Ambassador” category, organized by Social Future Foundation (2024).

• Awarded the title “Ambassador of Emotional Intelligence” by the Foundation for Developing Emotional Intelligence (2025).