University degrees for Greek artists

In a landmark move, Greece is set to establish the Higher School of Performing Arts (ASPET) for the first time. 

The initiative comes 17 years after a previous attempt in 2007 failed due to opposition from higher education institutions. The proposal emerged from a comprehensive dialogue among various stakeholders and will be presented to the cabinet on Thursday before going up for public consultation.

The new ASPET will mirror the structure of the renowned Athens School of Fine Arts, introducing a similar organizational system and admission process.

This advancement aims to elevate artists’ qualifications, a response to the protests in late 2022 and early 2023 when their degrees were equated to high school diplomas for public sector hiring. All art schools will now fall under the Ministry of Education’s jurisdiction.

ASPET will be established as a higher education institution offering undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programs in theater, dance and music. It will comprise five departments formed by merging the existing schools of the National Theater, the Greek National Opera, the State School of Dance, the National Theater of Northern Greece, and the State Conservatory of Thessaloniki.

Admission to ASPET and higher art education will be conducted through special exams, not the national university entrance exams, though a high school diploma will still be required. Graduates of these artistic schools can enter related university departments either through competitive exams or automatic placement.

The educational staff will for the first time include faculty from the National Theater, the National Theater of Northern Greece, the Greek National Opera, the State School of Dance, and the State Conservatory of Thessaloniki. Distinguished artists will also be appointed to university positions.

ASPET’s exact location remains undetermined, but existing state school facilities will be utilized. Current public and private art education schools will be transformed into Higher Schools of Artistic Education (ASKE) under the Ministry of Education’s supervision. The degrees from ASKE and the Music Educational Institutions (MEI) will be classified at level 5 of the National Qualifications Framework, allowing graduates to be listed as post-secondary education graduates for public sector recruitment.

This move addresses long-standing issues in performing arts education, such as inconsistent legislative frameworks, qualification disparities, and professional advancement difficulties for graduates. It aims to create a cohesive and standardized approach to higher education in the arts.