NOV BALGARSKI UNIVERSITET

Their core work

New Bulgarian University is a private university in Sofia, Bulgaria, with research activity spanning social sciences, migration policy, inclusive education, and applied physics. Their teams contribute policy analysis on EU governance, asylum systems, and migrant integration, while also maintaining a physics research line in laser-matter interaction and nanophotonics. More recently, they have become active in inclusive science education and sustainable agriculture, reflecting a broadening interdisciplinary profile. They serve as a knowledge partner bringing social science methodology and policy expertise to large European consortia.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In 2014–2018, NBU focused on science communication (Researchers' Night events), crisis and policy representation research, and EU asylum system evaluation — a mix of public engagement and foundational social science. From 2019 onward, a clear shift emerged toward migration and social inclusion (MATILDE, REFUGE-ED, C4S, EUMEPLAT), alongside new ventures into sustainable agriculture (TUdi) and open science (ReERUA). The university has evolved from a general social sciences contributor into a more focused partner on migration governance and inclusive education, while diversifying into applied environmental research.

NBU is consolidating around migration policy, social inclusion, and interdisciplinary sustainability research — expect continued growth in these areas for future calls.

How they like to work

NBU operates predominantly as a consortium partner (9 of 12 projects), with only two coordinator roles — both in relatively small-budget Researchers' Night and MSCA-RISE projects. They work in large, diverse consortia (137 unique partners across 34 countries), suggesting they are valued as a reliable contributing partner rather than a project leader. Their wide network indicates openness to new partnerships and adaptability across different research themes.

With 137 unique consortium partners across 34 countries, NBU has an exceptionally broad European network relative to its size. Their partnerships span Western, Southern, and Eastern Europe, with no visible geographic concentration — making them a useful bridge partner for pan-European consortia.

What sets them apart

NBU offers a rare combination for a Bulgarian university: deep social science expertise on migration and EU policy paired with an unusually wide European network (34 countries). For consortium builders targeting Widening countries, NBU brings genuine research capacity — not just geographic balance — particularly on migration governance, inclusive education, and social impact assessment. Their interdisciplinary range (from nanophotonics to soil management) makes them adaptable to diverse project themes.

Highlights from their portfolio

• TUdi
  Their largest single grant (EUR 439,750), representing a strategic expansion into sustainable agriculture and soil management — a departure from their social science core.
• ATLANTIC
  One of only two projects they coordinated, and their sole natural sciences project — a MSCA-RISE network on theoretical nanophotonics modeling.
• REFUGE-ED
  Their second-largest grant (EUR 165,812), addressing refugee and migrant children's education and mental health — at the intersection of their migration and inclusion expertise.