The Department of Languages, Literature and Culture of the Black Sea Countries is an interdisciplinary Department that accepted its first students in September 2000. It was founded based on the P.D. 90/2000 in the framework of Higher Education Expansion Program set out by the Greek Ministry of Education and was funded by the European Union viathe Operational Program of Education and Initial Vocational Training (EPEAEK in Greek).
Based on theinstitutional decree, its key mission is ‘the cultivation, promotion and dissemination of the language, linguistics, literature and culture of people who live in Black Sea countries via teaching and research, especially those with Greek origin and, subsequently the training of scientists who will be in a position to study, research, understand and disseminate the languages, literature, and the civilization of people coming from the Black Sea countries, such as for instance, Greeks, Russians, Turks and so on. The graduate of the department can be employed as staff in Greek state agencies, consular offices or private companies in Black Sea countries (Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey) or as teachers of each of those languages or as freelance or as experts or advisors in diplomatic missions in the aforementioned countries or as special scientists in research centers or as text translators.
The Department is housed in the city centre of Komotini, in the old building block where the Department of Law resided. It has an excellent technological infrastructure (classrooms equipped with multimedia and computers as well as classrooms for foreign language learning). 
Its academic staff is made up of 14 members and there are also 4 special educational staff members. Approximately 125 students enter the department each year while there are 20 graduate students who attend the graduate program ‘Region of Black Sea Countries and Hellenism’. Their professional rights are established based on the relevant P.D. 78/June 15th 2009 (FEK Issue A, number of issue, 95, June 22nd 2009, page 5159-5160).
Starting from the academic year 2003-2004, the Department has been offering annual courses on Greek language learning to adult foreigners, migrants and muslims, funded by the Property Development and Management Company at DUTH. The same year the Department has also been undertakingan internship program for its students intending to help them acquire professional, teaching and pedagogical competence. In 2004-2005, the Department has been the venue for Greek language certification exams in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace under the supervision of the Greek Language Center.
The Department also publishes the international electronic journal Mare Ponticum once every six months where one can find scientific papers with reference to Black Sea Countries.