The ceremony started by awarding the Honorary Degree Doctor Honoris Causa to Prof. Trayan Gotsevski, a prominent scientist of the University of Skopje, Macedonia. He is well known for his work in the field of security and economics of education and his message is for a world without boundaries, ethnic tolerance and active contacts among the educational institutions. He initiated the signing of a contract for cooperation between University of Skopje and University of Sofia. He is the author of 52 books, more than 200 articles, papers and monographs.

After the ceremony, Prof. Nedyu Popivanov, Vice-Rector, awarded Assoc. Prof. Ingrid Shikova, Head of the Department of European Studies, the Honorary Blue Ribbon Insignia.