International Hellenic University to run English postgrad programs across country
The government says it is planning to push through legislation to create branches of the International Hellenic University at every Greek university in the summer in the bid to bring “order” to the “anarchy” characterizing postgraduate studies at the country’s academic institutions.
The Hellenic University – a state-run university that charges tuition fees – was founded in 2005 and specializes in offering postgraduate programs in English, targeting international students as well as Greeks. The Agriculture Ministry has already pledged 30 hectares of land with two buildings in exchange for 15 scholarships for its employees.
Education Minister Nikos Filis hailed the Hellenic University as a haven of “openness” whose “know-how” will contribute to improvement of postgraduate studies the country has to offer, while Alternate Education Minister Sia Anagnostopoulou said, “We want to strengthen this outlook of openness, which is a defining characteristic of this university.”
She added that this will help Greek universities cooperate with international institutions, saying that the only way to “survive is through subsidiarity and cooperation.”
“Each institution doesn’t need to kill itself to cooperate with foreign universities.”
She told Kathimerini that she will hold talks with rectors of Greek universities about the government’s intentions as some universities already have, or are planning to create, English language postgraduate studies.
However, the ministry’s plan could come up against senior officials and academics who want “to have the upper hand” when it comes to organizing postgraduate studies that charge tuition fees.
