CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE EU CENTER OF EXCELLENCE IN PLANT SYSTEMS BIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY IN PLOVDIV, BULGARIA

The Center of Plant Systems Biology and Biotechnology (CPSBB) is the first Bulgarian Center of Excellence (CoE), funded under the Horizon 2020 program, operating in Plovdiv. This article presents a case study that analyses the development of CPSBB over six years. Content analysis was used as the primary research method, focusing on financial indicators, publication and project activity, and human resources development of CPSBB for the 2017-2023 period. The study examines three critical dimensions of sustainability: management, internal and external factors affecting the Center's operation. The analysis supports the hypothesis that organisations such as CPSBB hold a prominent position in Bulgaria's and Europe's scientific ecosystem because of their operational agility and high productivity. The article outlines the execution of CPSBB's development strategy and highlights plans for enhancing the Center's administrative efficiency and long-term sustainability.