Black Sea - Danube Association of Research and Development (BDCA) is an independent non-profit research organisation - a grouping of universities, consultancy, other organisations, and individuals engaged in research, training, engineering and advisory activities in coastal protection against flooding and erosion, construction of harbour and coastal structures, and environmental protection on the western Black sea coast and lower Danube.

The mission of BDCA is to strengthen the links between research and business, through the implementation of scientific research with a direct focus on industry, as well as through extensive training and qualification of researchers and experts from public and private sectors. BDCA is one of the initiators and stakeholders in the ongoing project for "Varna Science & Technology Park".

BDCA strives to act as a gathering centre for researchers, university professors and experts, while it employs its own staff of full-time and part-time researchers and experts, to carry out training and research in the field of hydraulic engineering, coastal & harbour structures, and environmental protection.

BDCA uses and provides advanced computational models and simulation software, high speed computational resources, specialised coastal data base, and GIS software. BDCA has an agreement with the University of Architecture Civil Engineering and Geodesy (UACEG) - Sofia for joint operation of the Central Laboratory for Hydraulic Research CLHR (www.uacg.bg), including laboratory facilities for hydraulic model investigations.

The list of BDCA activities includes exchange of information, knowledge, expertise; organization of conferences, seminars, workshops; joint research; publishing.

Researchers and experts from BDCA and its member institutions have participated, and are currently involved, in several research projects funded by the EU.

BDCA is a member of the International Joint Research Center of Water Science and Engineering

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