Greek BCT Excellence Hub

BCT Excellence Hubs’ description for Greece – NORTHERN GREECE: REGION OF THESSALY
Territory: covers the northern Greece, with the base in the Region of Thessaly. Region of Thessaly have been the most active Region in the MED the past 6 years supporting the development: i) of first Underwater Accessible Cultural Heritage (UWCH) sites of ancient wrecks with cargo of Amphoras globally, ii) of new technologies for protection and all-inclusive accessibility of UWCH sites, iii) of the new concept of the Knowledge Awareness Centres (KACs) and iv) of a vibrant ecosystem around the notions of protection–promotion–inclusiveness–behavioural change–local business development of UWCH in MED. All Hub partners have presence in the Region.
Core partners: Region of Thessaly-RoT (government), University of Thessaly-UoT (academia), CERTH (research), Skopelos Dive Center (blue business), ATLANTIS (blue culture business, with a horizontal role to financing and business acceleration), HIMA (UW research, NGO).
R&I BCT capacity: UW research supporting services (3D/4D reconstruction, AR/VR (virtual and augmented diving), Interactive Holograms); UWCH Assets safeguarding (fusion of 4D models with real-time streams).
Relevance with RIS3: smart specialization strategies: developing cooperation and networking between enterprises and research institutes; protection-promotion-accessibility of natural and cultural resources.
Types of stakeholders to be engaged by the Hub: All quadrupled helix pillars of a cluster incl. local governments at the level of Regions and Municipalities, Universities and Research Centers, societal actors and businesses.
Future plans of the Hub for demonstration/pilot: quadruple-use infrastructure established in Volos under the UoT, being financed by RoT for supporting state-of-the-art UWCH research and in-situ protection, promotion to the public, training, enhance the development of local economies, jobs and businesses. Feasibility studies and plans for demo of Hub’s BCT will be prepared for: ancient wreck of classical era of Peristera island, wrecks of Byzantine cargo of amphoras (10th century AD in Alonnisos island), the modern wreck of Christoforos at Skopelos island.