On October 2–4, Sofia hosted an online international scientific conference "Modern trends in studying the Russian language, culture and history." Researchers from Bulgaria, Russia, Spain, France, Czech Republic, Turkey and other countries took part in the conference in order to exchange experience in studying topical issues related to the theory and practice of teaching the Russian language, translation of literary and specialized texts, and the reception of Russian literature abroad.

Penza State University was represented at the conference by: Olga Barabash, Associate Professor of the Department of Russian Language and Methods of Teaching the Russian Language, Senior Research Associate at the Research Institute of Fundamental and Applied Research; Irina Aleshina, a senior teacher at the Department of Russian Language and Methods of Teaching the Russian Language; students of the Faculty of History, Languages and Literature.

Antonia Ivanova Pencheva, Candidate of Philological Sciences, Chairman of the Programme Committee of the Conference, Chairman of the Society of Russianists of Bulgaria, emphasized that the unusual format of the conference would not interfere, but, on the contrary, would contribute to productive scientific communication.

Olga Barabash, Candidate of Philological Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Russian Language and Methods of Teaching the Russian Language, Senior Research Associate at the Research Institute of Fundamental and Applied Research made a plenary report on the topic "Interlanguage parallels in Russian and Bulgarian legal terminology." The report aroused the interest of the conference participants, and in the course of the informal communication the prospects for future joint research projects were considered.

The work of the conference continued in sections and ended with a round table session dedicated to the discussion of contemporary challenges and problems in learning and teaching Russian history in the EU and Southeast Europe.