PARTICIPATION OF INVEST TEAM AT THE CONFERENCE ON GREEK HEIS AND EUROPEAN ALLIANCES: OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES
We are pleased to announce the participation of the INVEST team from the University of Thessaly (UTH), including Vice Rector Prof. Spyros Karamanos and Asst. Professor Omiros Iatrellis, at the conference held on June 18, 2024, at the National Technical University of Athens.
The event, titled "Greek HEIs and European Alliances: Opportunities and Challenges," served as an important forum for discussing the collaboration between Greek academic institutions and European educational alliances. Our team contributed to discussions, sharing insights and strategies on the development of common goals within these alliances. The event was attended by representatives from the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs, the General Secretariat for Hellenic Authority for Higher Education (HAHE), and the Vice Chancellors of the Greek universities involved in European Alliances, underlining the strong support for international educational cooperation.
Key features of the event included roundtable discussions on digital transitions in higher education, establishing common structures, and advancing a shared framework for European Degrees.
In more detail, the conference covered thematic areas such as:
- The structure, development, and mobilization of academic connectivity within European alliances aimed at enhancing educational activities and the key criteria that must be met for such activities to be considered part of each alliance.
- The tools used to activate academic teams for the pilot development of educational actions.
- The objectives and deliverables planned for the near future, particularly in creating common degrees and micro-credentials, and their integration into university curricula.
Additionally, during the event, consultations were held, and questions were addressed to the Ministry of Education and HAHE, focusing on:
- Supporting Greek universities in the development of joint programs within the alliances they participate in, facilitating the removal of potential restrictions, particularly in light of the new law from July 2022 and the EU announcements in March 2024 about “a blueprint for a European degree”.
- Simplifying the process for recognition and certification of joint European degrees and micro-credentials in the practical application of the new law in Greece.
We appreciate all the organizers and participants for a productive event and look forward to our continued collaboration to enhance educational excellence across Europe.