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“Nadezhda” Achieves the Highest GESEA Accreditation in Gynaecological Surgery
One year, one level higher: Nadezhda is now a GESEA Diploma Centre. An interview with Dr. Iliana Bateva-Hristova.
07.07.2026 | 13:52
In early June, the Nadezhda Hospital Training Centre successfully passed an audit conducted by experts from the European Society for Gynaecological Endoscopy (ESGE) and was awarded the highest level of accreditation within the GESEA programme — Diploma Centre status. This means the centre is now authorised to conduct official GESEA examinations and certify physicians in minimally invasive gynaecological surgery.
This achievement is the result of the dedicated work of the entire team, led by Dr. Georgi Stamenov, Director of the Centre, and Dr. Iliana Buteva-Hristova, GESEA Chief Mentor. It reflects the hospital’s long-term commitment to delivering education that meets the highest European standards.
The GESEA (Gynaecological Endoscopic Surgical Education and Assessment) programme, developed under the auspices of ESGE, is an internationally recognised system for education and certification in gynaecological endoscopy, covering both laparoscopy and hysteroscopy. Its purpose is to standardise the theoretical knowledge and practical skills of specialists in the field.
We spoke with Dr. Iliana Bateva-Hristova about the journey towards this accreditation, the challenges along the way, and the centre’s future plans.
1. Dr. Hristova, what does becoming the first GESEA Diploma Centre in Bulgaria mean to you and to the entire training team?
The transition from a Training Centre to a Diploma Centre is a significant and well-deserved achievement, made possible through the dedication and hard work of our entire team. We can now not only train colleagues interested in minimally invasive surgery, but we are also officially authorised by the European Society for Gynaecological Endoscopy (ESGE) to conduct examination sessions and certify physicians seeking a European qualification.
Until now, no such centre existed in Eastern Europe. Establishing it in Bulgaria places us among the leading GESEA centres and is further proof of Nadezhda Hospital’s continuous development.
It is an achievement that makes me immensely proud and motivates me to continue growing and improving.
2. How does GESEA Diploma Centre accreditation differ from the GESEA Training Centre status your centre received last year?
Following our successful audit last year, we were authorised to provide training and prepare physicians for the GESEA examinations. However, at that stage we were not yet accredited to conduct the examinations ourselves.
A month ago we underwent a second audit, after which the ESGE Board concluded that the Nadezhda Training Centre operates at an excellent standard and fully meets the requirements to become a GESEA Diploma Centre.
This provides Bulgarian physicians, as well as colleagues from neighbouring Eastern European countries, with the opportunity to obtain internationally recognised certification without travelling abroad—a considerable advantage, especially when time is such a valuable resource.
The diplomas issued at our centre are fully equivalent to those awarded by any other GESEA Diploma Centre worldwide.
3. What were the greatest challenges on the way to achieving this highest level of accreditation?
There were many challenges, particularly those related to building a strong team and proving that we could consistently deliver high-quality training under all circumstances.
We faced financial and organisational issues, many of which had no immediate solutions because we were creating something entirely new. We devoted many of our weekends to this project so that every member of the team could contribute fully without compromising their daily clinical responsibilities.
Receiving this accreditation is the strongest proof that our efforts have been worthwhile.
4. What impressed the ESGE auditors most during their visit to Nadezhda Hospital?
The audit was conducted by Mr. Eugène Stuyrs, GESEA’s long-standing international auditor from Leuven, Belgium. With many years of experience as a theatre nurse and later in the medical technology industry, he has a comprehensive understanding of both the clinical and technical aspects of surgical training.
He was particularly impressed by the exceptionally high standard of equipment in our operating theatres and by our modern, high-tech training facility.
We, in turn, discovered that he is a great fan of homemade lyutenitsa, so we sent him home with an authentic Bulgarian recipe to prepare using vegetables from his own garden in Belgium.
5. In just one year you have trained more than 100 physicians. What do you attribute this growing interest in the GESEA programme to?
Today’s physicians have unlimited access to information and naturally seek the highest-quality education available. Many begin looking for advanced surgical training even before graduating from medical school.
We also receive considerable interest from neighbouring countries because Bulgaria is an easily accessible destination.
GESEA offers internationally standardised theoretical education, practical skills training and globally recognised certification. On top of that, we have developed additional educational modules that make our courses even more interactive and valuable.
The demand continues to grow steadily.
6. What skills do physicians acquire during the programme, and why are they so important in modern gynaecological surgery?
The GESEA programme is built on three fundamental pillars: theoretical knowledge, psychomotor skills, and demonstrated surgical competence.
The certification process is clearly structured, and everyone wishing to obtain a GESEA diploma follows the same internationally standardised pathway.
A GESEA certificate is recognised worldwide and represents objective evidence of a physician’s knowledge and practical abilities, making it highly valuable when applying for positions both within Europe and internationally.
7. How does GESEA differ from the traditional model of surgical training?
The programme was created more than ten years ago by leading international surgeons and continues to evolve in order to provide a unified educational standard for every physician who earns a GESEA certificate.
In Bulgaria, structured simulation-based surgical training is still relatively uncommon, and many institutions lack both systematic education in gynaecological endoscopy and a standardised pathway for acquiring surgical skills.
GESEA ensures that a physician trained in Bulgaria receives the same quality of education as colleagues trained in Western Europe or South Africa.
8. Are you seeing increasing interest in minimally invasive surgery among young physicians?
Absolutely—and it is entirely understandable.
Endoscopic surgery has become the gold standard, and young doctors are naturally drawn to modern techniques and innovation.
Even medical students show remarkable curiosity and impressive knowledge. They actively participate in our courses and ask insightful questions with genuine enthusiasm.
What impresses me most is how quickly they master the practical exercises we demonstrate.
It convinces me that Bulgaria has many exceptionally talented young physicians who are every bit as capable as their European colleagues. Our responsibility is to help them continue developing.
9. Is there interest in the programme from physicians outside Bulgaria?
Yes. We have welcomed participants from Greece, North Macedonia, Türkiye, Switzerland, Poland, and the United Kingdom. We even had a participant from Canada, a physician aged 67.
The official language of all our courses is English, and our entire faculty is fully prepared to teach internationally.
Our complete schedule of training courses and Diploma sessions is published on the official GESEA website, and colleagues from anywhere in the world are welcome to join us.
10. What are the next goals for the Nadezhda Training Centre?
Our priority is to continue expanding the centre.
We are now taking our first steps as a Diploma Centre, with our first official examination session taking place very soon.
As our responsibilities continue to grow, we also need to expand our faculty.
We have many ideas for the future, although they are still in development. We look forward to sharing them once they become reality.
11. When your centre received its first accreditation a year ago, did you imagine that only twelve months later you would reach the highest level and put Bulgaria on the map of European surgical education?
Absolutely. With such a dedicated and highly motivated team of mentors – Dr. Desislava Koleva, Dr. Yana Nikolova, Dr. Gabriel Dichev, Dr. Rumyana Voynova – together with the invaluable support of Yoanna Baleva, Dr. Georgi Stamenov, and Nadezhda Hospital, as well as my own qualifications and experience, we had all the ingredients for success.
This combination has proven to be a winning formula.
And we are only moving forward.
12. Do you see Bulgaria becoming a regional centre for training in minimally invasive gynaecological surgery?
With a hospital like Nadezhda, whose reputation is well established both in Bulgaria and across Europe, a leader such as Dr. Georgi Stamenov, who consistently supports our initiatives, and a fully operational European-accredited Diploma Centre issuing internationally recognised certificates, I see no reason why Bulgaria should not become a regional centre for minimally invasive surgical education.
13. What would you like to say to young physicians considering a career in endoscopic surgery?
You are capable. You have the potential. And you have our full support. You are always welcome.
