INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR BLACK SEA STUDIES

Their core work

ICBSS is an Athens-based policy research center focused on fostering science, technology, and innovation cooperation between the European Union and the Black Sea region. They specialize in bridging EU research frameworks with countries in the Black Sea basin and the Eastern Partnership, facilitating researcher networking, policy dialogue, and capacity building. More recently, they have expanded into marine and environmental research, contributing to blue growth strategies and ecosystem resilience studies in the Black Sea.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

ICBSS started in H2020 with a clear policy-coordination mission: building bridges between EU research programs and the Black Sea/Eastern Partnership region through Coordination and Support Actions (2015-2019). Their later work marks a significant pivot — BRIDGE-BS (2021-2025) is a Research and Innovation Action focused on marine ecosystems, biogeochemistry, and blue growth, bringing actual scientific research into their portfolio. This shift from pure policy facilitation toward applied environmental science suggests the center is translating its regional coordination expertise into concrete research domains.

ICBSS is moving from policy coordination toward applied marine and environmental research in the Black Sea, making them increasingly relevant for blue economy consortia.

How they like to work

ICBSS has never coordinated an H2020 project — they join as a participant, contributing regional expertise and policy networks rather than leading technical work. With 54 unique partners across 23 countries from just 3 projects, they operate in large, diverse consortia. This pattern suggests they serve as a regional bridge, bringing Black Sea connectivity and institutional relationships to broader European partnerships.

Despite only 3 projects, ICBSS has collaborated with 54 partners across 23 countries, indicating they consistently join large pan-European consortia. Their geographic strength lies in connecting EU member states with Black Sea and Eastern Partnership countries.

What sets them apart

ICBSS occupies a rare niche as a Greece-based research center with deep institutional ties to both the EU and Black Sea region. For any consortium targeting the Black Sea basin — whether in marine research, environmental monitoring, or innovation policy — ICBSS offers pre-existing networks and regional credibility that few Western European organizations can match. Their transition into blue growth research makes them a practical partner for projects needing both scientific and policy dimensions in the Black Sea.

Highlights from their portfolio

• BRIDGE-BS
  Their largest project (EUR 195,250) and a shift from policy coordination into applied marine research, signaling a strategic evolution.
• BLACK SEA HORIZON
  Foundational project that established ICBSS's role in EU-Black Sea STI cooperation, building the regional network they continue to draw on.