Non-government universities: “Strict criteria and conditions for their functioning” – How degrees will be recognised

An interview with APE-MPE underlined the particularly strict criteria and conditions that accompany the possibility of licensing the activities of non-governmental non-profit universities in Greece.

Ioannis Zoras, General Secretary of Higher Education of the Ministry of Education and Religion, underlines in his interview – particularly strict criteria and conditions that accompany the possibility of licensing the activities of state non-profit universities in Odysseus, Greece. APE-MBE emphasizes the fact that “the National Authority for Higher Education (ETH.AEA) – an independent administrative authority – will play a key role in regulating criteria and licensing foreign branches”.

Referring to the mission of the “free university”, he speaks of the “liberation” of the public university from the ills of the past and the liberation of higher university education from the unclimate “state monopoly”. Indeed, he observes that already Greek HEIs have, through recent legislation, created their branches abroad, strengthening their outward pattern.

At the same time, he expresses hope that the implementation and schedule will not be delayed, as the government has already announced, with the aim of creating the first non-governmental university operating in Greece in 2025.

How Non-Government Universities Work – All Information

The following is an interview with APE-MPE of Odysseus – Ioannis Zora, General Secretary of Higher Education at the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs

What would be the purpose of the legal regulation to be called a free university?

The title “Free University” of the draft law to be introduced in the next period in the Hellenic Parliament is dictated by a double objective: a) the “liberation” of the public university from the pathologies of the past and outdated and redundant bureaucratic procedures, both parallel strengthening of its autonomy and its multi-level strengthening of the new financial instruments and its internationalization and outsourcing and b) freeing higher university education from indefinite “state monopoly”, using Article 28 of the Constitution to establish branches of foreign higher education institutions in Greece.

At this point the recent law 4957/2022 gives Greek HEIs the opportunity to create their branches abroad, strengthening their externality, but also the possibility to create and expand their cooperation with other higher education institutions abroad. The Ionian University by establishing a university office in New York, the University of Patras by establishing a branch in Alexandria and recently the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens by establishing a branch in Cyprus have already taken advantage of this potential. .

What would be the criteria for establishing non-governmental universities in Greece, in terms of academic, financial and building conditions?

Obviously, the possibility of a license for the operation of non-governmental non-profit universities in Greece would be to achieve and ensure a high quality of educational services provided with particularly strict criteria and conditions.

The National Authority for Higher Education (ETH.AAE) – an independent administrative authority aimed at ensuring high standards in higher education – plays a key role in regulating criteria and licensing overseas branches. Therefore, it should be pointed out that the criteria set for foreign universities to open their branches in Greece are academic, quality criteria of the education they provide but also criteria related to facilities and infrastructure.

The main ones from the above can be summarized as follows:

From the first year of operation of at least 3 university schools.

Its accreditation in the country of origin and certificate from the relevant accredited authority of the country of origin.

Individual research projects leading to the award of research titles must be certified by an accredited authority of the country of origin.

Degrees awarded in Greece will grant the same academic and professional rights as those awarded if the student's education had taken place entirely in the country of origin of the foreign university.

Members of its faculty and academic staff must hold doctoral degrees and its specialized staff must not exceed 20% of its teaching and research staff.

If the license of the branch is revoked, the parent institution along with its branch shall be jointly responsible for graduating and awarding degrees to all admitted students.

To obtain a coaching school license in accordance with the building regulations in force today, its building infrastructure should be self-contained, have a library, workshop spaces, multimedia rooms, logistics equipment, etc.

Attainment of financial viability and soundness as a result of a five-year economic and technical viability study ensured by a trusted audit-consultancy firm.

Each school has to pay a fee of 500,000 euros for issuing a letter of guarantee of good performance in the amount of 500,000 euros and issuing an operating and installation license.

By what process are degrees recognized?

Recognition of academic degrees awarded by a branch of a foreign university will be done in the same way as is already done for the “parent” university. All standard procedures for recognition of foreign degrees will be followed. The criteria listed above include all safeguards for study topics, granted professional rights and certification of the content of study programs by the necessary accredited authorities of the foreign university's home countries. as well as by our country's Independence Authority (ETHAAE).

Since the minister announced that the first non-government university will already be here by 2025, what is the timetable for implementation of the law? Do you think Article 16 of the Constitution cannot be delayed?

As already announced by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Minister of Education, Religion and Sports Kyriakos Pierrakakis, the draft law will be put to public consultation in January and will become the law of the Greek government after a vote in the Hellenic Parliament. same month.

The legal status of the operation of these mergers in our country, as explained and documented by eminent and distinguished professors of constitutional law, is different from the constitutional amendment of article 16, this process (amendment of article 16) which will be opened in the next period, which is not going to cause disruptions or delays in the implementation and operation of branches of virtual universities.