Scientific Field of the Laboratory
The “BRICS States Studies” Laboratory, operating within the Department of International and European Studies, University of Piraeus, is dedicated to the study and research of the states participating in the BRICS cooperative framework (China, India, Russia, Brazil, and South Africa), as emerging state powers within the evolving international system. More specifically, the Laboratory focuses on the study of the foreign policy, diplomacy, and strategic orientations of China, Russia, India, Brazil, and South Africa. It also examines various domestic dimensions of these states, including their political systems, societies, and cultures. In addition, the Laboratory explores the cooperative frameworks these countries develop, both within the BRICS framework itself and through their bilateral relations. Furthermore, the Laboratory’s broader research interests include the regional cooperation schemes in which these states participate, as well as their bilateral and multilateral relations with the United States and, more broadly, with the countries of the Western world.

Purpose of the Laboratory
The Laboratory’s purpose is to generate knowledge in its academic field. This knowledge aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of the various dimensions concerning the states and regions under study within an international system that is currently undergoing transformation. Furthermore, the Laboratory intends to utilise this knowledge in Greece, both within the scientific and academic spheres to advance research and within the broader sociopolitical sphere to identify opportunities and challenges for Greece in its relations with the aforementioned states.