A New Chapter: Reshaping the Future of Higher Education in Greece
By Alexandra Loli, PhD | Business Partners, Jul-Aug, 2024

The new legislation ensuring private university degrees equal recognition to those from public institutions marks a significant milestone in Greece’s educational landscape. While this change has sparked heated debate, it is important to recognize the potential benefits for our higher education system.

While private sector recognition has long been established, this new law bridges a significant gap, offering graduates broader career prospects within the public domain, aligning with existing practices in private companies. This change opens up more opportunities for graduates and enhances the value of their degrees.

By enhancing educational opportunities, we are nurturing the individuals who will drive innovation and support Greece’s economic growth in the years to come

Moreover, the introduction of private universities is likely to foster beneficial collaborations between Greek and foreign institutions. We are already seeing examples of such partnerships that enable Greek universities to offer more courses in English, attracting international students and enhancing our country’s global educational standing.

Concerns about the potential closure of public universities are unfounded. Public universities are the cornerstone of Greek higher education, and this is unlikely to change in the decades to come. Instead, this new landscape will likely encourage healthy competition, pushing all institutions to improve their offerings and standards.

It is also crucial to note that establishing a private university in Greece is a significant undertaking, requiring substantial investments in faculty, facilities, and resources. This high entry barrier will ensure that only serious, quality-focused institutions will enter the market. Established overseas universities will be able to open branches in Greece using the nonprofit status as laid out in the new law.

In conclusion, this law represents a positive step forward, promising to elevate the overall quality and diversity of higher education in Greece, fostering public-private synergies, and benefiting students, institutions, and the broader economy. Today’s students are tomorrow’s entrepreneurs and business executives, and by enhancing educational opportunities, we are nurturing the individuals who will drive innovation and support Greece’s economic growth in the years to come.

“Education is the silver bullet. Education is everything. We don’t need little changes. We need gigantic, monumental changes.” This quote by Sam Seaborn in Aaron Sorkin’s political drama The West Wing reflects in the most vivid way the lasting importance of education in unleashing creativity, cultivating talents, pursuing dreams, and achieving personal and societal prosperity.

We must work together and make sure that we provide our children with the right mindsets and knowledge to work together as well

Today, more than 20 years since it was uttered, this quote is more important than ever. From the climate crisis and the AI revolution to psychologically exhausted societies and from rising geopolitical volatility to a resurgence of populism and autocratic views, new emerging challenges, threats, and opportunities create a cataclysmic setting. In this unique environment, Greece lies at a tipping point after a prolonged socioeconomic crisis, having achieved a remarkable comeback that won the international community’s admiration and acknowledgement. Through bold structural reforms—which we must push further—we have reestablished our country’s credibility and regional and international gravitas, while empowering a new economic and production model that has unleashed Greece’s capacity for competitive growth and for establishing a blossoming entrepreneurial and investment ecosystem. 

If, however, the political will and the determination and resilience of Greek businesses allowed and empowered this critical first step, we must ensure that we have the tools and weapons to continue this existential marathon. This is why we need to invest in all possible ways in education, releasing her from anachronistic obstacles and empowering her with new student-centered practices and mindsets that reflect their aspirations by bridging the lasting essence of classical paideia with tomorrow’s tech-focused needs and opportunities. We need to leave behind mistakes and biases of the past and rediscover the power of the profound values that constitute the cornerstone of what we consider a free, democratic world—a world with broadly shared opportunities, where collaboration, dignity, knowledge, critical thinking, innovation, and hard work are key.

There are no magic wands that can make our mistakes go away and instantly fulfill our dreams. And we don’t have the time to wait for the perfect solution that will heal all issues and satisfy everyone. So we must work together and make sure that we provide our children with the right mindsets and knowledge to work together as well. This is why these first steps in Greece’s much needed education reform are essential. Change will be achieved by taking small steps together, private and public schools and universities, teachers and parents, businesses and academic institutions.

It is beneficial for higher education in Greece if this reform brings well recognized foreign universities to the country and establishes comprehensive educational and research infrastructures with permanent high quality academic staff, research labs for doctoral studies, and innovation results that are beneficial to the local economy and society, as well of course as educational excellence in content and modern methods of knowledge dissemination, quality and flexible internal governance, upgraded student facilities and care, and internationally accepted and transparent student selection methods.

Greece could evolve into a regional hub of higher education and this could benefit Greek public universities as well

The 25 Greek public universities have the capacity to offer 70,000-80,000 positions annually to first year students. Considering the limited number of candidates in the future due to the serious demographic problem, non-state universities should mainly aim to attract at least 20,000 students annually from third countries. This economic developmental aspect (which, ideally, could increase GDP by 1%-2%) can be further enhanced if non-state universities offer study programs in new high demand scientific specializations and relocate their central facilities to various geographic regions across the country.

If tens of thousands of foreign students are attracted by non-state universities, the country could evolve into a regional hub of higher education. This will also benefit Greek public universities due to their new English-taught programs and joint postgraduate programs with foreign universities. However, care must be taken to ensure the sustainability of regional state universities due to a potential reduction in student numbers. Public universities should be generously strengthened with staff hiring, the necessary infrastructure investments, as well as public student housing facilities to reduce family financial burdens.

The entry of private universities has exciting and innovative potential for the landscape of high school education in Greece.

Inspiration through collaboration: Private universities have the potential to spark creative collaboration with high schools. I can envision joint research projects, guest lectures from university professors, and even startup incubators that work with our in-school entrepreneurship program. Each of these gives high school students empowering opportunities.

The introduction of private universities signals an educational renaissance that also reimagines the high school experience

Early university engagement: Private universities also have the flexibility to offer dual enrollment and early college experiences. With the former, high school students can earn university credits and be challenged by university level thinking. This makes high school more rigorous and rewarding for high achieving and wunderkind students. An example of early engagement is with the American Advanced Placement (AP) program, which includes college level courses taken in high school. Currently, Pinewood offers 10 AP courses. However, we could collaborate in offering additional AP courses through a private university, particularly courses that are enhanced by well equipped university laboratories.

Dynamic learning future: From a futures-thinking perspective, I can imagine high school classrooms transforming into dynamic ecosystems where learning is deeply integrated with real world university environments. For example, tools such as Google Meet and virtual reality could enable students to participate in real time university lectures and labs from their classrooms. This immersive approach could revolutionize the high school learning experience.

All of these developments will have positive outcomes for high school students in Greece, as the introduction of private universities signals an educational renaissance that also reimagines the high school experience.

The Greek government’s recent legislation to authorize “non-state, non-profit” universities in Greece could deliver significant benefits to Greek students, families, and the overall Greek society. Whether and to what extent such benefits are realized will depend in large part on the details of the legislation’s near term and longer term implementation. The following seven implementation issues will be critical:

 

The new universities in Greece could deliver significant benefits to Greek students, families, and the overall Greek society

 

1. Transition from college to university status. The process for the transition of qualified current colleges to universities needs to be carefully designed with attention to operating details (e.g. shared facilities, faculty, staff during the transition period).
2. College student transfer. Provisions for current college students to transfer to universities should be pragmatic and equitable.
3. Student admission. Universities should be allowed to set appropriate student admission criteria within broad government guidelines; these criteria should be transparently communicated to the public.
4. Student choice and access. Students should be able to apply to any university, with assurance of adequate institutional commitment to financial assistance for academically qualified, demonstrated need-based students.
5. Academic program. Universities should be allowed to determine the content of their academic programs within broad government, quality assurance guidelines.
6. Governance. Required governance provisions should support the integrity of the non-profit character of and the attraction of high quality foreign institutions as partners in newly established universities.
7. Timely revision. There likely will be a need to revise the initial “non-state, non-profit” university legislation as implementation issues emerge; timely responsive action on such needs will be essential.

The introduction of private universities in Greece can foster innovation and healthy competition, driving advancements in curriculum design, teaching methods, and research. This benefits students by offering specialized programs, a dynamic learning environment, and experiential learning opportunities, equipping them with skills that employers seek. 

By offering more options through private universities, we can combat brain drain and empower a new generation of Greek leaders

However, the relationship between public and private universities should be collaborative rather than competitive. We envision both sectors working together to address the evolving needs of the Greek workforce through joint research, faculty exchanges, and shared resources. This collaboration can extend to secondary education, with private universities broadening students’ career aspirations and encouraging diverse academic pursuits. Quality assurance and accreditation are crucial to ensure private universities contribute meaningfully to the education system. Connecting with the local economy through internships and research partnerships will also solidify their relevance.

At ACT – The American College of Thessaloniki, the tertiary division of Anatolia College and a US-accredited institution with a long history in Greece, we are uniquely positioned to contribute to the discussion on private universities. As an institution recognized by the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education and accredited by NECHE, ACT stands alongside esteemed universities such as Harvard and MIT, drawing on the American liberal arts tradition while remaining rooted in Greek culture.

ACT has attracted thousands of international students, making Greece a destination for global education. By offering more options to Greek students through private universities, we can combat the brain drain and empower a new generation of Greek leaders. ACT, bridging the Greek and US education systems, stands ready to be part of this exciting new chapter. We believe that public and private institutions can work together to create a stronger, more diversified, and future-oriented higher education system for Greece.

The introduction of private universities in Greece, particularly under the new law mandating non-profit higher education institutions, presents significant benefits and challenges to the higher education landscape, including elevating the overall standard of education through healthy competition and by providing students with a wider array of specialized and innovative programs that cater to emerging market needs and offering diverse and relevant career paths. Additionally, the presence of international students will enhance cultural exchange and global perspectives within the academic community, fostering a more cosmopolitan academic environment and encouraging cross-cultural exchange.

Private universities could provide a wider array of specialized and innovative programs and offer diverse and relevant career paths

The collaborative efforts between public and private institutions will ultimately contribute to a robust and forward-thinking education system. Furthermore, the competitive environment might encourage secondary schools to adopt innovative teaching methods and enhance overall educational standards, ensuring students are well equipped for the demands of both private and public universities. With diverse and high quality programs offered by private and public institutions, secondary students may aim higher and seek to align their academic goals with new opportunities. This shift could lead secondary schools to update their curricula to better prepare students for various higher education paths, emphasizing skills and knowledge relevant to emerging fields. 

Finally, to ensure that private universities contribute positively, Greece should implement rigorous accreditation standards, promote equitable access to education, and encourage public-private partnerships to enhance overall educational quality and innovation. According to the recent law, the Hellenic Authority for Higher Education (HAHE) will oversee the evaluation and accreditation of these private universities (University Legal Entity – ULE). Each ULE should develop internal quality assurance policies/procedures and guidelines to continually monitor and improve teaching and research outcomes. This system, combined with HAHE’s oversight, will help maintain high academic standards and ensure that private universities contribute meaningfully to the Greek higher education landscape.

The recognition of private universities ends a long standing, anachronistic backlog that set Greece apart from the rest of the civilized world, maintaining a rigid statist framework in an institution that naturally requires freedom and pluralism. The irrational establishment of schools based on customer criteria, with subjects irrelevant to the economy, produced unemployed graduates. There was a lack of connection with society and the labor market, no competition, and selection of executives based on party or favoritism criteria, keeping Greek universities at uncompetitive levels. 

Non-state universities will promote critical thinking and independence and develop specializations in demand by the market

Non-state universities will eliminate ideological control, party influences, favoritism, nepotism, and violent attitudes from the academic environment. They will enforce good behavior and respect, raise the level of teachers and students through strict criteria, promote critical thinking and independence, and develop specializations in demand by the market.

However, many provincial university departments will lose students and may close, while others will see a dramatic drop in enrollment. This mass exodus will lead to what Schumpeter called “creative destruction,” replacing obsolete structures with modern ones. Many university students studying abroad will return, and the outflow of Greek students will stop. Applicants admitted through national exams to regional universities will prefer non-state universities in their city, with similar costs. This will also lead to significant changes in secondary education, such as the collapse of the Panhellenic Examination system. Public universities will have to change their admission criteria and undergo serious internal reforms. The preparation for non-state universities will focus on admission criteria such as general school performance, extracurricular activities, interviews, and letters of recommendation. 

To ensure private universities have a positive impact, they must meet serious criteria, be established in development-oriented areas, exclude political interference, and prevent the infiltration of teachers with negative experiences from state universities.

In May 2024, at the annual conference of NAFSA, the largest US organization of international educators, Greece was, for the first time, represented not only by private institutions but also by nine public universities. This Greek delegation’s participation in NAFSA was the result of the efforts of two successive Greek governments to internationalize higher education, leading to the passing of Law 5094/13.3.2024, which gave a significant push and opened up the field.

The internationalization of Greek higher education will transform the country’s academic landscape and enhance Greece’s global influence

Another important development in the internationalization of education in Greece was the creation of the non-profit organization Study in Greece (SiG), which represents 24 Greek universities and operates under the auspices of four Greek ministries: Education, Foreign Affairs, Culture, and Tourism. Four English-language undergraduate and numerous English-language postgraduate programs and collaborations between foreign universities and Greek public universities have already been established. There has also been an increase in the number of English-taught short-term undergraduate courses. 

The positive impact is significant. First, collaborations in research, joint degrees and programs are beneficial to our academic community. CYA, which I represent, is already expanding its academic offerings in the sciences through its collaboration with the National Centre for Scientific Research (NCSR) Demokritos. Second, the country’s soft power is strengthened, as foreign students who study in Greece become lifelong friends of the country. Third, there is a significant boost to the economy. Studies, mainly in Ireland and Spain, show the extent of the economic benefit, which includes educators’ and administrators’ salaries, the use of facilities, taxes, as well as the multiplier effect from foreign students’ spending on food, travel, and daily expenses.

The internationalization of Greek higher education will lead to the transformation of the academic landscape and the enhancement of Greece’s global influence and economy through increased foreign student enrollment, and will eventually turn Greece into an international education hub.