Bulgarian BCT Excellence Hub

BCT Excellence Hubs’ description for Bulgaria – BLACK SEA
Territory: eastern(Sofia)-central(Zagora)-western(Varna) Bulgaria, with center being on Black Sea Coast.
Core partners: Centre for UW Archaeology-CUA (public), Institute of Information and Communication Technologies-IICT (academia), Balkan Heritage Foundation (societal) and Aqua Prom (business).
R&I BCT capacity: a)  UW research supporting services (3D/4D modelling and reconstruction services; AR/VR services; tools and methods for sediment coring; fast and easy creation of photomosaics; 3D and VR from UW subjects; Digital Terrain Models (DTM) of seafloor; Tools and methods for UW surveys remote sensing technologies (aerial photography, airborne bathymetry lidar); UW positioning); b) UWCH Assets safeguarding services (combination of 4D models with real-time streams) c) UW health & safety services.
Relevance with RIS3: smart specialization strategies: R.91-Archives & other cultural activities. 10-Culture, recreation; 10.85-Cultural services, 10.86-Cultural & social integration, archives and cultural policy.
Types of stakeholders to be engaged by the Hub: Scientists and researchers focused on Cultural Heritage (CH), environment, oceanology, marine studies and industries (universities, research institutes, museums); CH managers (cultural institutes, state institutes and agencies, municipalities, ministries, museums); coastal municipalities; ministries (Tourism, Environment, Culture, Fisheries, Regional Development, etc.); companies (diving centers, engineering companies, tourism), media, political organizations, NGOs, education (primary and secondary schools).
Future plans of the Hub for demonstration/pilot: a) UW archaeological research of the submerged Messambra, (UNESCO Heritage), and of the complex site in Sozopol harbor, b) UW archaeological research in the Ropotamo river outflow bay, c) UW archaeological survey along Northern Bulgarian Black Sea coast, d) UW Archaeology Field School in Black Sea, f) Immersive Storytelling Driven Cooperation for CH Dissemination at Western Balkans.