Higher Education policies
The first Greek University was established in Athens in 1837. Other Universities subsequently established throughout Greece during the 20th century. In recent years, the organisation and operation of Universities has mainly been defined and regulated by article 16 of the Greek Constitution, in force since 1975, with subsequent partial revisions. According to article 16 of the Greek Constitution, higher education is public and exclusively provided by Higher Education Institutions, which are Legal Entities under Public Law, enjoying full self-administration and academic freedom, while they are subject to state supervision and financed by the government. State supervision is carried out by the Minister of Education.
Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Greece have the following mission:
a) To promote knowledge through research and teaching, to prepare students to use the acquired knowledge at their professional life and to boost arts and culture.
b) To offer higher education and to contribute to lifelong learning using modern teaching methods (distance learning included) on the basis of high quality scientific and technological research which follows international criteria.
c) To develop students’ critical thinking and skills, to take care of their integration into the labour market and to create the appropriate conditions for the emergence of new researchers.
d) To correspond to the labour market needs and to the country’s development needs as well as to promote the knowledge dissemination, the optimization of research results and of innovation focusing on the scientific ethics, sustainable development and social cohesion.
e) To promote cooperation with other Greek or foreign institutions and research organisations. To promote student and stuff mobility contributing this way to the construction of the European Higher Education and Research Area.
f) To create responsible citizens, capable of facing all human activities demands with scientific, professional and cultural sufficiency as well as to respect values such as justice, freedom, democracy and social solidarity.
Higher Education sectors
In Greece, Higher Education is divided into two sectors: the University Sector and the Technological Sector. Higher Education University Sector, which includes the Universities, the National Technical Universities and the Higher School of Fine Arts, aims at establishing, producing and developing science and technology, achieving our country's future scientists’ high level, comprehensive, theoretical and applied training while promoting and developing scientific research. Higher Education Technological Sector aims at developing the scientific and technological research and at providing programmes of more applied character.
The mission of University and Technological Sectors Institutions comprises the following:
a) The University (Panepistimio) gives emphasis to high quality education according to the demands of science, technology and arts taking into account the international scientific practice and the corresponding professional fields.
b) The Technological Educational Institute (TEI) (Technologiko Ekpaideftiko Idryma) and the School of Pedagogical and Technological Education/ASPETE (Technological Sector Institutions) give emphasis to high quality education as well as to the applied character of science, technology and arts. In this framework they promote the development of the appropriate theoretical background together with the development of high standard practice.
For the accomplishment of their mission, all institutions are organised and operate based on the following principles:
a) freedom in teaching and research,
b) the research and scientific ethics,
c) the quality of education and of the services provided,
d) the efficiency in managing stuff, resources and infrastructures,
e) the transparency in all of their activities,
f) the impartiality during the actions they take and the decision making.
g) the meritocracy when dealing with the stuff and h) the equal treatment of women and men and the respect of diversity.
Compared to University studies, TEI studies have a more applied character. Nevertheless, care is taken to ensure that the TEI curricula contain a sufficient number of background theoretical courses, so that graduates are able to adjust easily and efficiently to the ever changing and increasing professional and social life demands.
The main objectives and priorities of Higher education policies are the continuous qualitative improvement of Technological Educational Institutes and ASPETE full financial and administrative independence is promoted in order to be able to freely plan their development based on assessment and strategic planning. One more objective in higher education is to attract students from foreign countries and repatriate Greek Diaspora scientists. According to society, economy and HEIs needs, the legal framework on research in Greece was harmonised. Moreover, Lifelong Learning Schools operate at Higher Education Institutions aiming at providing certifications of non-formal education. Finally, especially under the circumstances, other major objectives include the development of a unified research space, the support of innovation and the rationalisation of HEIs operation, as in the development and implementation of a digital platform where students can pre-register. This platform was introduced this year and it aims at being used extensively in the future in order to create a complete electronic student register and therefore simplify procedures.
Structure of the academic year
As regards tertiary education, the academic year begins on 1st September each year and ends on 31st August of the following year.
The educational work of each academic year comprises two semesters. Every semester includes at least thirteen weeks of teaching. The number of weeks dedicated to exams is defined by the internal regulation of every institution. Extension of a semester is allowed under exceptional circumstances and for the purpose of fulfilling the minimum required number of teaching weeks. The extension cannot exceed two weeks and is decided by the Rector after a proposal of the Deanery.
If for any reason the number of the teaching weeks of a course is less than thirteen, then the course is not considered to have been taught and students are not examined in it.
The first semester normally begins in September’s second fortnight and the second semester normally ends in June’s second fortnight.
Throughout the year, there is a total of four weeks of Christmas and Easter holidays.
Studies leading to a degree in Greek Universities last at least four years for most scientific sectors while they last five years at Polytechnics, other applied sciences (Agronomy, Forestry, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine, and Pharmaceutics) and certain Art Departments (music studies and fine arts) and six years for Medical School.
The duration of studies leading to a TEI degree is four years.
Cycles of study
Studies are divided into three cycles, the first, the second and the third one.
The first cycle of studies comprises the attendance of a study programme, includes courses corresponding to a minimum of 180 ECTS credits and leads to the award of a diploma / certificate.
The second cycle of studies comprises the attendance of a postgraduate programme. This programme includes courses corresponding to a minimum of 60 ECTS credits and leads the award of a Postgraduate Degree (Metaptychiako Diploma Spoudon), in accordance with the provisions of the organizational charter of the institution.
The third cycle of studies comprises the attendance of a doctorate study programme. It includes courses corresponding to at least 30 ECTS credits, as well as the thesis preparation. It is concluded within minimum three years duration, leads to the award of a doctoral diploma, according to the provisions of the organizational charter of the institution.