*photo source: Eurokinnisi

The enhancement of relations and encouragement of new types of synergies between Greek and American Universities -tendencies manifested emphatically by the arrival of the administrations of major American universities in our country- were the most important topics discussed by the Greek Minister of Education and Religious Affairs N. Kerameus and the Ambassador of the U.S. in Greece G. Payat.

The two sides expressed their willingness to cooperate closely, and highlighted the importance of:

• The development of joint curriculums in diverse scientific disciplines,
• The participation of foreign students in foreign language and summer programs in our country,
• The exchange of students, academics, researchers and know-how, and,
• Other forms of cooperation to be decided by the institutions themselves.

As the Greek Minister of Education pointed out: “We are planning to invite the administrations of major American Universities in October or November”.

It concerns 28 American Universities, some of which are very popular, such as: Harvard, Columbia, Berkeley, Princeton, Tufts, New York University, Johns Hopkins.

Thanks to the new provisions voted in the Greek Parliament, it is possible for first cycle study programs to be organized in languages other than Greek, without the partnership of a Higher Education Institution with the University Center for International Studies Programs of the International University of Greece being required, as it was valid until today. The main goal of these new regulations is to strengthen the extroversion of Greek higher education, which is considered to contribute to the upgrading of the quality of the provided educational work.

More specifically, these regulations aim at strengthening the international profile of Greek Higher Education Institutions, their autonomy and extroversion as well as to promote Greece as an academic destination for international students.

These programs address foreign nationals of countries inside or outside the European Union, who are at least graduates of Lyceums or similar schools based abroad, provided that they have attended the last two classes of the lyceum or corresponding school in a foreign country.