At midnight on Friday, the bill of the Ministry of Education, of Religion and Sports for the upgrade of higher education with 159 “yes” on principle and an increased majority in many of its 205 articles.
As the bill titled “Strengthening the Public University – Framework for the Operation of Non-Profit Affiliates of Foreign Universities” is now law of the land, all eyes are on the next day in higher education: what is changing in public universities, how are the Democritus University of Thrace and the Hellenic Open University transforming and, above all, what will happen next in terms of non-profit appendices.
Democritus and EAP
In the first articles of the bill, there are provisions for the Democritus University of Thrace (DPTH) and the Hellenic Open University (HOL).
As for the ITH, the provisions include the integration into it of the departments of the International University of Greece based in Kavala, Drama and Didymoteicho. In this way, Demokritio is territorially identified with the Region of Eastern Macedonia – Thrace and becomes the third largest university in the country, acquiring departments of science, accounting, oenology and nursing – that is, specialties with increased demand in the labor market. Also, a Department of Psychology is being established in Didymoteicho (from 2024) and Occupational Therapy in Komotini (from 2025), while the merger of three departments of Komotini results in the new Department of Humanities, which is expected to attract increased interest in its scientific field.
Accordingly, the Hellenic Open University becomes the 24th university of the country, now autonomous from the administrative control of the Ministry of Education. Specifically, the EAP acquires the governance system and the administrative bodies of the other public universities (Chancellor – Board of Administration – Senate – ELKE) and is fully integrated into law 4957/2022.
Public university
Most of the approximately 100 articles of the bill which concern horizontal public institutions of higher education were voted in the Parliament. More specifically, these aim at improving the procedures for the election of the administrative bodies of the institutions and the operation of the Special Accounts for Research Funds – ELKE, at the digitization and bureaucratization of the universities, at the inventory of their property, at the regulation of issues for the reception of foreign students in study programs, etc. a.
With the implementation of these provisions, it is expected, according to the Ministry of Education, that the Public University will be further strengthened and internationalized. After all, most of these provisions emerged following the incorporation of the largest number of proposals of the Synod of Chancellors, as Mr. Pierrakakis also mentioned in his statements both at the meetings of the Special Committee for Educational Affairs – EMY, and at the Plenary of Parliament calling on the representatives of the other parties to support the articles in question.
The President of the Synod of Rectors and Rector of the Democritus University of Thrace himself stated during his deposition at EMY that the Synod of Rectors collaborated with the Minister and the officials of the Ministry for the final formulation of these provisions.
Non-state – non-profit branches of foreign universities
The biggest innovation that the bill introduces into the Greek reality is the establishment of a strict framework for the establishment in our country of non-state non-profit branches of foreign universities. The approximately 25 related articles were the subject of intense discussion and argumentation during the session in the Plenary of the Parliament, while some of them were also voted by Pleussi Eleftherias, with Ms. Zoe Konstantopoulou to declare that her party will support those that align with its principles.
The Minister, Mr. Pierrakakis, underlined that with this bill, higher education in Greece changes holistically, offering even more educational opportunities for our young people, preventing them from fleeing abroad, while at the same time creating space for the remarkable Greek scientists and academics of the diaspora to return and to offer to the country.
According to information, the interest shown by foreign universities in establishing branches in Greece is quite intense, while the operation of the first ones is expected to start in regarding a year and a half.
In any case, according to the Ministry of Education, the new law reforms the field of higher education since it prepares the ground for the coexistence of public universities and non-profit branches of foreign universities. The Greek Public University becomes even more autonomous and internationalized, acquiring the tools to draw up its own strategy, while at the same time Greece emerges from isolation as now having the framework for welcoming non-state universities. It is certain that developments regarding the implementation of the law will be of particular interest in the coming period.
Pierrakakis statement
Referring to this pivotal development for education in the country, the Minister of Education, Religion and Sports Kyriakos Pierrakakis emphasized: “This is a historic moment for the country and for our academic staff inside and outside Greece. And this is because with the law passed by the Hellenic Parliament, Greek public universities are freed from chronic shackles that did not allow them to fully develop their potential. Also, the Democritus University of Thrace is strengthened by the addition of new faculties and by its geographical identification with the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, while at the same time the Hellenic Open University becomes autonomous and becomes another self-governing and powerful public university. These reforms come to frame the increased resources we direct to all Greek public universities, with the aim of strengthening them at all levels and especially their internationalization.
At the same time, we are taking a solid and imperative step, regulating the establishment in our country of non-profit branches of foreign universities. Through a particularly strict operating framework, the strictest in the entire European Union, we are coming to exercise regulatory sovereignty in a field that has been taking shape in our absence for so many years. By implementing the vision and mandate of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Greece is not just turning a page in higher education, but opening a new book. A book in which we are optimistic that many pages of extroversion, progress and distinctions will be written for the Greek academic community”.
Source: RES-MPE
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