Alexey Potebnya

Dr. Alexey Potebnya serves as Assistant Professor in the Department of Business Administration at Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski"'s Faculty of Economics. He currently holds the position of scientific secretary for his department and administers the Digital Marketing Master's Program, which transitioned to become the Faculty of Economics' first fully distance learning program in the 2024/2025 academic year. Additionally, he leads the innovative "Gamification in Business, Public and Non-Governmental Sectors" master's program, exploring game mechanics applications across management domains.

Dr. Potebnya earned his Bachelor's degree in Geography (2005) followed by a Master's in Business Administration with marketing specialization. His academic journey at Sofia University began in 2015 as a part-time assistant, progressed to full-time assistant in 2021, and culminated in his promotion to Assistant Professor in 2023. Fluent in Bulgarian, Russian, and English, he teaches across multiple faculties including Economics, Journalism, and Geology and Geography.

His research bridges digital technologies with marketing practice, focusing on gamification techniques, AI applications, and consumer behavior in digital environments. Dr. Potebnya pioneers innovative educational approaches through gamified platforms and narrative-based learning, examining how folk tales and fiction can enhance marketing education. His work consistently integrates theoretical frameworks with practical implementation to address contemporary marketing challenges in the digital transformation era.

Analysis of his publications reveals a cohesive research trajectory centered on digital marketing innovation, with increasing emphasis on gamification's educational applications. His recent work demonstrates how game mechanics can transform learning experiences while developing practical frameworks for optimizing digital brand presence and building consumer trust in online environments.

Dr. Potebnya supervises master's students across multiple marketing specializations, emphasizing the integration of theoretical knowledge with practical applications. Combining academic work with over 15 years of industry experience, he has consulted for major Bulgarian and international brands, bringing real-world insights to his teaching and research.

He actively contributes to significant research initiatives including "Gamification in training for building an effective system of competencies in the context of Industry 5.0" and the SUMMIT program's "Gamification in Education and the Workplace" project funded through the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism. Previously (2019-2023), he contributed to "TechnoMagicLand," Bulgaria's first all-Bulgarian STEM center applying gamification in informal science education.