The bill of the Ministry of Education, Religion and Sports improves the institutional framework and the bureaucratic procedures governing the HEIs, by updating the legal framework of their operation, while at the same time opening the way for the implementation of significant investments in higher education.

This is noted in a statement of the Central Union of Chambers while adding that, with the new arrangements, on the one hand the strengthening and additional autonomy of public academic institutions is achieved and on the other hand the release of higher education from a perennial state monopoly, which unfortunately over the years has not tackle the problem of the flight of Greek students abroad and the academic diaspora.

Also, as the KEEE estimates, provisions are established, which allow the installation, establishment and operation of non-profit branches of recognized HEIs of the EU and third countries. The proposed provisions resolve the issue of non-academic recognition of degrees from foreign institutions in the country, which should meet strict conditions while provisions are foreseen to speed up the process of granting student visas to attract foreign students.

Statement

“The labor market and Greek businesses lost serious talent from the younger generation, who studied abroad, as foreign businesses identified and attracted Greek students. Unfortunately for Greek businesses, great minds started their professional life outside our country and strengthened companies abroad. With the specific bill, a significant part of the executive potential will remain in our country. At the same time, in terms of investment, it is expected that there will be serious business activities with the establishment of branches of foreign universities in Greece – which have already expressed interest – and, at the same time, the country will attract students from abroad within the next decade. KEEE declares that it is positively situated in the new institutional framework and expects, with its approval, that Greece will attract a part of the overflowing global demand for university studies and stop the flight of great Greek minds, which for a number of years have not been active in the Greek labor market and in our businessessaid the president of KEEE, Ioannis Masoutis.