The basic criteria and conditions for the operating license of non-state universities in Greece were presented by Odysseus – Ioannis Zoras, General Secretary of Higher Education of the Ministry of Education and Religion.

As he pointed out, the main role in the control of the criteria and also in the licensing of the foreign branches will be played by the National Authority of Higher Education (ETH.A.A.E.) – an independent administrative authority.

The licensing criteria

– The operation of at least 3 university schools from their first year of operation.

– Its recognition in the country from which it originates and its certification by the corresponding accredited Authority of the country from which it originates.

– The individual study programs that lead to the awarding of degrees should also be certified by the accredited Authority of the country of origin.

– Degrees issued in Greece will be the same as those that would have been issued if the students’ education took place entirely in the country of origin of the foreign university and will confer the same academic and professional rights.

– Its teaching and educational staff members must have a doctoral degree and its specialist staff must not exceed 20% of its teaching and research staff.

– In the event of revocation of the license of the branch, the parent institution will be jointly responsible with its branch for the completion of the studies of all admitted students and the awarding of degrees to them.

– To have a training school license in accordance with the building regulation in force today, and its building infrastructure should be self-contained, to have a library, workshop spaces, multimedia rooms, logistical equipment, etc.

– To have financial reliability and robustness, which will result from the five-year economic and technical viability study which will be certified by a reliable audit-consulting company.

– To provide a letter of guarantee of good performance from a reputable bank in the amount of 500,000 euros for each school and to pay a fee of 500,000 euros for the granting of the operating and installation license.

How degrees will be recognized

According to Mr. Zora, the recognition of the academic titles offered by the branch of the foreign University will be done in exactly the same way as is already done for the “mother” university.

All standard procedures for the recognition of foreign degrees will be followed. This is also the reason why the criteria listed above include all the necessary safeguards for the recognition of study titles, the granted professional rights and the certification of the content of study programs by the necessary accredited authorities of both the country of origin of the foreign university as well as by the independent authority of our country (ETHAAE).