The Institute of Communication and Computer Systems (ICCS) of the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) of the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) was founded in 1992. ICCS was founded following a roadmap to support the performance of top-quality research, development activities and the provision of scientific service to private and public bodies. Essentially the mission of ICCS was to support the deployment, the realization and the growth of the research priorities of ECE mainly through seeking, pursuing and acquiring research funding via the competitive calls for research proposals that the European Commission had instigated. In turn its purpose has been to build a research personnel base alongside ECE’s faculty so as to conduct state-of-the-art research and at the same time improve the research laboratory equipment base and infrastructures of the School. Furthermore, ICCS has been organized so as to host and to provide research stipends to postgraduate students and post-doctoral researchers. Since its foundation and up to date, ICCS has been growing and maturing within the complex context of the Greek law governing research, innovation and higher education affairs in a country where research resources and funding has been maintained at low levels, in comparison to the majority of the developed European countries. ICCS, apart from continuing its course of excellence in Academic research, needs and aims to place more emphasis on empowering its research teams to patent their results, and also in encouraging spin-off companies that would exploit pre-normative research and development. ICCS is very active in programs financed by the European Commission with substantial participation in competitive research programs. For example, up to date it has participated in more than 230 projects (FP6, FP7), 76 projects of Horizon 2020 and in more than 500 national projects (ESPA, etc). ICCS is planning to gradually become a Center Of Excellence in different fields of Informatics and Telecommunications.

The science of Electrical & Computer Engineering (ECM) is based on the applied side of physical and mathematical sciences and also receives important components from chemistry and biology. Its applications span a wide range of cognitive areas, such as information systems, microelectronics, communications, power generation and distribution, medicine, logistics, automation and control, decision support, sensors, etc. Precisely due to the fact that HMMY is active in the applied side of science, it faces the challenge of constantly exploiting and promoting, in a practical way, many and innovative scientific achievements, from the very first moment that the latter are made public or happen. He is also tasked with monitoring any radical change or development in any area that could be considered a "hot" new technology area.

Since its establishment, EPISEY has closely followed the progress of the fields of electronics and computer technology, resulting in the achievement of all of its founding and strategic goals and developing into one of the most active and capable research institutes in Greece but and Europe. The main reason for the success of EPISEY is undoubtedly the quality of the students and the teaching staff of the EMMY School of NTUA. Every year the School attracts top secondary school graduates who seek admission to NTUA through the selection process of the nationwide examination system. On the other hand, the faculty members of SIMMY NTUA have correspondingly high academic performance in terms of the production of scientific and research achievements, in Greece, Europe or the USA. An additional key reason for the success of EPISEY is the organizational structure adopted to ensure its operation. Centrally funded research institutes are usually organized and managed from the top to the bottom of the organizational pyramid: they have strictly defined research areas designated as 'research units', 'research departments' each headed by a 'head' and usually comprising several managerial and administrative levels supported with appropriate administrative staff. In comparison, EPISEY has a very modest structure. It is managed by its Director and a 5-member Board of Directors supported by a management team of 14 people. From the research/technical side there is a hierarchical level which consists of the various individual, and independent of each other, research groups, which form the so-called "laboratories" or "research units". Currently, there are approximately 50 such research groups active within EPISEY, covering all areas of EMMY science. These research groups are managed by SIMMY-EMPT faculty members or by experienced researchers. The typical size of each of these groups is relatively small, up to 10 members, including PhD students, postdoctoral researchers and support staff.

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