2025

There has been no reform

2024

Strengthening the public university - framework for the operation of non-profit branches of foreign universities

 The purpose of Law 5094/2024 is to regulate the licensing, establishment and operation in Greece of branches of parent university institutions in the form of Legal Entities of University Education in a manner consistent with the constitutional purpose of higher education. Branches of foreign universities award higher education qualifications, are associated with higher education institutions located and recognised in other Member States of the European Union or in third coun-tries, and are licensed after a specific evaluation procedure by the competent institutions of the country. The operation of branches of foreign universities regulates the cross-border provision of higher education services by setting quality criteria and conditions.

In particular, it contributes to:

1.    The expansion of educational opportunities in Greece in a manner compatible with the social mission of higher education, 
2.    To attract foreign students to Greece, 
3.    To partially meet the ever-increasing domestic demand for university studies, 
4.    Increasing the indicators of economic growth through human capital, new knowledge, ideas and technologies that will remain in Greece, 
5.    To halt the trend of emigration of the country's young people for undergraduate and post-graduate studies in foreign universities and to halt the consequent direct impact on the na-tional economy; and 
6.    The repatriation of Greek academics and scientists to work in a similar university environment in our country.

Internationalisation

•    Strengthening of internationalisation actions to provide support for the establishment of For-eign Language Study Programmes at the Universities of Applied Sciences with or without the cooperation of foreign institutions.
•    Increase the number of HEIs participating in European University Alliances and partnerships with American universities in order to establish new joint/dual degrees with foreign universi-ties. 
•    Establishment of support centres for foreigners to support their successful integration into the educational environment of Greek universities.

Industrial Phds

Promotion of industrial doctorates through university partnerships with SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises).
 

2023

Funding allocation in Higher Education Institutions based on quality criteria

No. 38124/Z1/31-3-2023 Decision sets the criteria and indicators of quality and achievements for the distribution of the annual regular funding to Higher Education Institutions. The criteria are both objective and qualitative.

Objective criteria

The objective criteria determine 80% of the distribution of the regular funding.

• Number of Departments of the institution
• Total number of enrolled students
• Duration of undergraduate study programmes in semesters of study
• Laboratory equipment requirements of the Departments of the institution
• Geographical dispersion of the institution
• Permanent teaching, laboratory and administrative staff
• Temporary support staff - Inflexible costs
• Allocation of Regular Budget of the previous financial year

For the calculation of the overall allocation index for each institution, each criterion is taken into account with a weighting factor.

Quality criteria

For the method of distribution of 20% of the annual regular funding, certain quality criteria are designated. The set of quality and achievement criteria and indicators fall into five sections as follows:

1. the continuous improvement of the basic academic activities of the institution,
2. research activity, excellence in research and performance of the scientific staff,
3. the connection with society, the labour market and capitalization on knowledge generated,
4. internationalisation and
5. the quality of the university environment.

Among the above five sections of criteria, indicators and achievements, section 1 is mandatory for all Institutions, while from the remaining four sections the Institutions must select two sections, in which they are assessed.