INFORMATION SOCIETY TECHNOLOGIES CENTER

Their core work

IST-C is Armenia's dedicated ICT National Contact Point (NCP) — the national gateway connecting Armenian researchers, universities, and companies to EU ICT research funding under Horizon 2020. Their core work involves informing and advising local applicants on how to participate in LEIT ICT calls, building cross-border relationships with other European NCPs, and coordinating Armenia's participation in the continent-wide Idealist NCP network. In practice, they are a facilitation body: they do not conduct research themselves but make it possible for others to enter the EU research ecosystem.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

IST-C's focus has remained essentially unchanged across both projects: they entered H2020 as an ICT NCP in 2015 and continued in that same role through 2021. The keyword shift from "LEIT ICT" and "national contact points" in the early period to "NCP" and "Idealist2018" in the later period reflects updated project branding rather than any meaningful change in activity. There is no evidence of a pivot toward research, commercialisation, or a broader ICT remit — they are a stable, single-function intermediary.

IST-C shows no strategic broadening — their trajectory suggests continued operation as Armenia's ICT NCP under whatever succeeds Horizon 2020, making them a stable but narrowly scoped partner for anyone needing a bridge into the Armenian ICT research community.

How they like to work

IST-C has participated exclusively as a consortium member and has never led a project, which is typical for NCP bodies in large coordination networks. Their apparent network reach — 43 partners across 33 countries from just two projects — reflects the structure of the Idealist NCP consortia rather than independently cultivated partnerships. Working with them means accessing their role as a national gateway, not a research-led collaborator.

IST-C has formally connected with 43 consortium partners spanning 33 countries, almost entirely through the pan-European Idealist NCP network. Their network is broad geographically but shallow in diversity — it is the same recurring group of NCP organisations rather than a varied portfolio of research or industry partners.

What sets them apart

IST-C occupies a structurally unique position as Armenia's official ICT NCP — there is typically only one such body per country, making them the default entry point for any consortium seeking Armenian representation in ICT-related calls. For project coordinators targeting associated country participation or needing Armenian academic and SME contacts, IST-C is the established institutional channel. Their value is access and legitimacy in the Armenian ICT ecosystem, not technical research depth.

Highlights from their portfolio

• Idealist2018
  The larger of the two projects (EUR 37,812), spanning 2015–2018 and covering the full LEIT ICT priority period, representing IST-C's primary H2020 engagement.
• Idealist2020
  Demonstrates continuity of IST-C's NCP mandate into the final Horizon 2020 cycle, confirming their sustained institutional role rather than a one-off participation.