Summer schools in bind following cancellations

It remains unclear how many of the “summer schools” traditionally organized by Greek universities, research organizations and charities will actually take place this year following a string of cancellations by would-be participants and sponsors due to the worsening situation in Greece, Kathimerini has learned.

Around 50 summer schools are set up every August in Greece. But the intensifying political and social upheaval have discouraged many who had planned to attend. The imposition of capital controls have caused additional problems for organizers.

Academics involved in organizing the International Summer Academy, which has been an annual event since 2002, drawing participants from prestigious universities around the world, said that most participants were returning out of loyalty but that some had canceled due to concerns about the situation in Greece.

“You have to take into account that the summer school draws PhD students and scientists who are used to extreme situations, like war correspondents,” Dimitris Kairidis, a professor at Panteion University, told Kathimerini.

Another big problem is that sponsors who had once backed summer schools generously are cutting back.