BICC (Bonn International Center for Conversion)

As an independent, non-profit organization, BICC (Internationales Konversionszentrum Bonn – Bonn International Center for Conversion) deals with a wide range of global topics in the field of peace and conflict research.

Program Areas
The six following areas form the framework for BICC’s work
• Security—Stakeholders, systems, threats
• Arms—Global trends, exports, control
• Resources and conflict
• Migration, conflicts and security
• Base conversion
• Data and GIS (Geographic Information Systems)
These areas are mutually complementary and enable diverse thematic and methodological synergies.

BICC’s Work
BICC’s portfolio includes applied research, advisory services and capacity development.

Partners, donors and Clients
BICC receives institutional funding from the Land of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW). As of Autumn, the Director for Research will hold a professorship at the University of Bonn; one result of BICC’s close cooperation with the University.

Other partners, donors and clients are
International and German research institutes; international and German foundations; the United Nations and other international organizations; Federal Ministries such as the German Foreign Office (AA) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and institutions such as the Federal Agency for Civic Education (bpb); international and German NGOs; international and bilateral organizations in the field of development cooperation.

BICC
BICC makes use of its research work to operate as a think tank, offer (policy) advisory services, and help develop capacity.

BICC collects and publishes information, brings out expert reports and other publications, and thus offers its services to NGOs, governments, private organizations, research institutes and universities as well as to the interested public. BICC is co-editor of the annual “Friedensgutachten” (Peace Report) and of a series of international research publications (Sustainable Peace and Global Security Governance).

BICC organizes regular exhibitions, conferences, workshops, and discussions with experts. The Center sets out to make more people aware of its central topics through its public relations work.

BICC was founded as a non-profit limited company in 1994 with the support of the Land of NRW. With effect from September 2012, a Managing Director for Research and a Managing Director for Administration will lead BICC. Shareholders are the States of NRW and Brandenburg. The Center’s governing bodies are the Supervisory Board, the Board of Trustees and the International Board.