The functions from 11 British, one French and one Cypriot establishment had been submitted to the Greek Ministry of Schooling on March 31, after regulatory reform permitting worldwide universities to ascertain totally accredited department campuses in Greece.
Greek training minister Sophia Zacharaki welcomed the “historic reform”, which goals to fulfill the rising demand from Greek college students for internationally recognised and accredited college levels.
“(The reform) gives new decisions to Greek faculty college students, establishes Greece as an academic vacation spot for hundreds of overseas college students,” stated Zacharaki.
She added that the reform would supply the chance for Greek scientists working overseas to return to Greece, remodeling the nation into “a hub of information and innovation for the larger area of southeastern Europe”.
In addition to attracting worldwide college students, the laws goals to fulfill the “ever-increasing home demand” for greater training, halt the emigration of Greek younger folks and encourage the return of Greek teachers and scientists.
In 2024, greater than 40,000 Greeks studied overseas, based on the federal government.
And but, the invoice was met with fierce opposition throughout its parliamentary debate, sparking weeks of protests from home college students and college who argued the laws would undermine Greek state universities and devalue home levels.
It’s advocates, nonetheless, keep that wholesome competitors will uplift Greece’s greater training system, appeal to worldwide funding and create new jobs.
“The federal government needs to modernise the Greek greater training panorama and create two techniques, one state and one non-state that can work together creatively with one another,” stated Research in Greece director, Theodoros Papaioannou, when the invoice was handed.
Pending authorities approval, nearly all of candidates plan to launch department campus operations in October 2025, with 9 establishments already partnered with Greek non-public faculties that function as associates of European establishments.
For example, York College’s current accomplice, CITY School in Thessaloniki, will transition into the College of York Europe Campus, CITY U.L.E, working as a non-state, non-for-profit college.
Among the many different UK candidates are the College of East London, the College of Higher Manchester, the College of Derby, London Metropolitan College, the College of West London and the College of Essex.
(The department campus) guarantees to raise the tutorial panorama in Greece and provide college students much more pathways for achievement
Constantine Arcoumanis, Metropolitan School, Greece
UEL’s institutional accomplice, Metropolitan School, Greece (MC), welcomed the collaboration, highlighting the good thing about Greek college students acquiring accredited levels from main European universities.
“(The department campus) guarantees to raise the tutorial panorama in Greece and provide college students much more pathways for achievement,” stated MC tutorial board chairman Constantine Arcoumanis, including he was “excited” concerning the proposals.
To make sure accessibility for home college students, UEL stated that lots of its packages could be delivered in Greek, and that college students would have entry to UEL’s careers providers and comfortable expertise assist, in addition to examine overseas, cultural change and studying sources.
The College of York’s campus, with areas in Thessaloniki and Athens, plans to ascertain a “main hub for laptop science research”, initially providing undergraduate and postgraduate levels throughout the colleges of enterprise research, sciences, and legislation and humanities.
In a video message, York’s vice-chancellor welcomed the Greek authorities’s choice and stated that his department campus aimed to “contribute to the development of upper training and to ascertain Greece as a global training hub”.
Final month, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis spotlighted York College’s curiosity in increasing operations to Greece: “Ranked 146th globally in 2025, York has been recognised for its excellence in analysis and educating by official British establishments,” he instructed Greek media.
Since Mitsotakis got here to energy in 2019, Greece has pursued the internationalisation of upper training, with the Prime Minister highlighting the necessity to fight Greece’s “mind drain”.
In July 2022, the federal government modified the structure to permit universities to supply bachelor packages taught in English.
