Greek Universities Expand English-Language Degree Programs: 10 Available Now, More Expected Next Year to Attract Global Students

Last week marked five years since the announcement of the establishment of Greece's first English-taught undergraduate program by a Greek university. During this time, the landscape of English-language undergraduate programs in Greek universities has expanded, with nine programs in the current academic year.

One additional program is expected to launch from the Athens University of Economics and Business in the upcoming academic year. It will join the "family" of Greek higher education institutions offering English-taught undergraduate degrees. The "International Bachelor's Program in Business and Technology" program is the second English-taught program related to economic sciences.

According to Dimitris Manolopoulos, director of the International Business and Technology program, it is designed to accommodate 60 first-year students. It aims to train professionals with a "new mindset" suited to today's business realities. It emphasizes the ability to integrate new management principles on a global scale with the evolution of technology, fostering a solid awareness of both self and the surrounding operational environment.

"The English-taught program at AUEB aims, first, to fill the significant gap in foreign-language university education in Greece, particularly in areas that combine management science and technological applications in the business environment. Second, it seeks to educate new professionals, focusing on modern skills necessary for practising management science at an international/global level. Third, it aims to enhance scientific and technological research and generate new knowledge in management and technology," Manolopoulos stated to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (AMNA).

However, the number of English-taught undergraduate programs is not expected to remain ten. For the upcoming year, the English-taught undergraduate program at the University of Western Attica, titled "BA in Applied Philosophy in Business Decision Making," has already been announced.

According to AMNA sources, at least five new programs are anticipated for next year. Two of these programs are expected to emerge from the University of Western Macedonia—one in Midwifery and another from the Department of Product and System Design Engineering at the Polytechnic School, in collaboration with Neapolis University in Paphos (Cyprus) under the title "Product Design Engineering."

The University of Western Macedonia has already made a dynamic entry into the map of foreign-language undergraduate education, with two programs commencing in the current academic year (2024-25): "Creative Writing, Arts and Humanities" and "Economics and Sustainable Development."

According to its director, Triantafyllos Kotopoulos, the design of the "Creative Writing, Arts and Humanities" program was influenced by contemporary scientific, academic, and social contexts. The program offers themes that follow modern trends in the history, theory, and criticism of literary production, film and television writing, and the integration of creative writing into all levels of education.

As for the "Economics and Sustainable Development" program, its director, Nikolaos Tsounis, mentioned to AMNA that "it is currently the only English-taught undergraduate program available in both the Western Macedonia region and Greece as a whole in economic science, particularly in the fields of economic growth and development, circular economy, environmental economics, and the use of environmentally friendly technologies to achieve sustainable economic growth and development."

Greece as an International Education Hub

The increasing number of English-taught undergraduate programs results from the Greek government's clear priority, specifically the Ministry of Education, for the internationalization of Greek higher education institutions.

"The Ministry of Education has demonstrated its commitment to supporting the international outreach of Greek higher education through innovative legislative reforms and by providing funding tools to universities to achieve our common goal of making Greece an international education hub," stated Theodoros Papaiwannou, executive director of Study in Greece, a non-profit organization representing Greek higher education institutions and a national agency for their internationalization.

From discussions with representatives of similar organizations abroad, Papaiwannou noted that these conversations are "accompanied by enthusiasm for the remarkable progress of recent years and the belief that Greece has the background and potential to become a significant force in the study abroad sector."

He added that the initiative's importance lies in "ensuring, for the first time in the history of Greek higher education, a unified and coordinated promotion of Greek universities, as well as Greece's presence at various international recruitment fairs."

Greece is gradually becoming an international education hub for several reasons, including its historical and cultural prestige, the low cost of studies and living compared to other European countries, its Mediterranean climate, and the lifestyle conducive to student life.

"International students consider Greece a highly attractive study destination. Consequently, the demand for study programs across various disciplines often exceeds what Greek universities can offer. We need to create many more programs, especially undergraduate ones, to meet this international interest," Papaiwannou emphasized.

The Demographics of International Students

According to Papaiwannou, students interested in undergraduate studies typically come from the Balkans, the Middle East, Africa, and the Indian subcontinent. Students from the United States are more inclined towards short-term programs (semester abroad and summer courses).

"The encouraging aspect is that in the last two years, with the creation of more English-taught undergraduate and graduate programs, the number of both American and European students choosing to continue their studies at Greek universities for a longer duration, enrolling in bachelor's and master's programs, is gradually increasing," he noted.

Regarding where Greek universities should focus their efforts to attract students, Papaiwannou suggested that "it would make sense to concentrate more on neighbouring countries where Greece has both geographic and cultural proximity: the Balkans, Eastern Europe, Egypt, and the Middle East."

"I also believe we should strategically approach India and Central Asian countries interested in opening up to the West, as well as increase collaborations and joint programs with major Western countries like the USA, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Australia, leveraging the strong Greek diaspora in that country," he concluded.

Current English-Taught Undergraduate Programs

It is worth noting that the first step towards internationalization in undergraduate programs was taken by the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens with the establishment of the "BA Program in the Archaeology, History, and Literature of Ancient Greece" in October 2019. The first graduates of this program—the first graduates of an English-taught undergraduate program in Greece—completed their studies in the summer of 2024.

This was followed by the first medical English-taught program ("Medical Degree") from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in 2021 and then by the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens in 2022. Subsequently, the University of Crete also offered an English-taught program in medicine ("International Program in Medicine") in 2023.

Four new English-taught programs have been launched in the current academic year: the fourth English-taught medical program from the University of Thessaly, the "BSc in Accounting and Finance" program from the University of Macedonia, and the previously mentioned programs from the University of Western Macedonia, "Creative Writing, Arts and Humanities" and "Economics and Sustainable Development."

Photo: Athens University of Economics and Business