About Us

The Institute of Philosophy and Sociology at BAS (IPS-BAS) – former Institute for the Study of Societies and Knowledge at BAS (ISSK-BAS) was founded in July 2010 by decision of the General Assembly of the Academy as the successor of the Institute for Philosophical Research, of the Institute of Sociology, and of the Centre for Science Studies and History of Science.

The Institute of Philosophy and Sociology at BAS conducts complex theoretical and empirical, fundamental and applied, philosophical, sociological, and science-studies-related research on knowledge, values, Man and society, in accordance with the academic, national, and European criteria and world trends in science, and trains highly qualified specialists in the academic disciplines of philosophy, sociology, science studies, and their sub-divisions. This is a unique institution, the priorities of which are research and analysis and interpretation of research, combined with post-graduate training (provided by the Institute alone or jointly with similar university departments), popularizing of ideas and results, continuance and further development of the analysis of classical and topical fields of social knowledge, such as epistemology and history of philosophy, philosophy and sociology of social structures, and many other fields of major significance for the sustainable development of Bulgarian society, for social progress and for the enhanced prosperity of society. The activities of IPS include provision of expert and consultancy services for the needs of governance and organization in all spheres of social practice related to the needs of the social-economic, cultural, and political development of Bulgaria and the advance of science as a social phenomenon. In brief, the mission of the Institute, as part of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, is to ensure an adequate knowledge of the social processes and to contribute to optimizing policy making in the major social-economic field.

The condition for the realization of the long-term priorities of IPS, as defined by the strategic goals and functional priorities set down by BAS for promoting the development of Bulgarian society, science, and education, and the country as an EU member state, is the sustainable development of IPS based on the following:
Consolidating its place and role in the national system of science research and in the European research area.

• Maintaining a creative and innovative research environment and the fullest use of the potential of all associates and staff of IPS.
• Development of the scientific potential and recruitment of new research cadres in view of the future development of the Institute and of preventing outflow from Bulgarian science.
• Applying a flexible structural model of research groups organized on a project basis, formed at the initiative of leading researchers for specific topics and research projects.
• Increasing the Institute’s own revenue through active participation in national scientific programmes, framework programmes of the EU and other international organizations.
• Renewal of the set of scientific topics and adapting this to the priorities of the scientific and innovative policy of the country in view of the Institute’s participation in the European research area.
• Conducting active international cooperation in the framework of EU and with countries of southeast Europe, participation in scientific networks and research consortiums.
• Development of the scientific infrastructure, communications, information services, and scientific management.

» ISSK Official Brochure (PDF)