In 2022 the Ceramic Law for HEIs was passed, which, among other things, defined the process by which students exceeding the study limit will be deleted from the Universities Registries.

Three years later, the discussion of “eternal” students has returned to the public debate on the occasion of the first time that universities will be called upon to proceed with the deletion of students, August.

At the last meeting of the Rectors last December, attended by the Minister of Education, Kyriakos Pierrakakis, the Rectors of the HEIs asked the ministry leadership to ensure special cases, which are in the midst of completion of the completion of the completion of the completion of the completion of the completion of the completion of the period. attendance.

According to RES-EIA sources, at the meeting, Mr. Pierrakakis appeared skeptical and reiterated what he has expressed publicly by television receivers: the law will be implemented. Nevertheless, he asked the universities in order to examine the magnitude of the issue that has been raised.

How many are ‘eternal’ students

According to the latest report by the National Higher Education Authority (ETHAE), in 2023 there were 695,678 registered students, of which 361,888 were active (52%), that is, within the maximum study provided by law.

The maximum of 333,790 enrolled students (48%) had exceeded 333,790.

What is expected to judge whether an additional legislative initiative will make sense is how many – total and per university – are those students at the limit of deletion but also how many of those who have exceeded the study limit are close to the year in the year their introduction and not old importers, e.g. of the 80s and 90s.

What does the Ceramic Law Provide

Law 4957/2022, also called “Ceramic Law”, stipulates that maximum duration of 4 -year study programs are 6 years and For the 5 -year programs in 8 years. Following the completion of the highest period of study, the law states that ‘the Board of Directors of the Department issues deletion act“

OR exception From the above provided by law, it concerns’serious health reasons dating to the student’s face or to the face of first -degree relatives by blood or spouse or person with whom the student has entered into a cohabitation agreement. “

In terms of partial attendancethis right, which entails up to doubling the actual time of study since each semester is counted as half an academic semester, have students who have been proven to work at least twenty hours a week, students with disabilities and special educational needs, as well as special educational needs. Students who are also athletes under certain conditions.

In addition, students who want it and have not exceeded the ceiling of attending to discontinue their studies, from one semester to a maximum of 2 years. In this case, the student status is suspended at the time of stopping and not allowed to participate in any educational process.

The application of the above is left to the HEIs, which, with their internal rules of operation, define the details, conditions and supporting documents for the above. In addition, the law is responsible for the implementation of the law is the president of each department and for the “supervision of the right application”, is the dean of each school.

As for the law, it is clarified that “non -application is a disciplinary offense and is taken into account for the adoption of the university’s regular public grant.”

What do the rectors ask for

The Rectors, as stated in the finding of the last meeting, expressed the Minister of Education and the Secretary -General of Higher Education “Concerns about the consequences” of the law implementing the “horizontal deletion of students”.

“The critical difference between those who are inactive and those who are struggling to complete their studies cannot be overlooked,” the findings are said and “to take into account the particularities and address this serious issue with social sensitivity” .

“There should be a transition period for those students who are interested in completing their studies,” said Vassilis Vassdekis, Rector of the Athens University of Economics and Business, speaking to RES-EIA and pointed out that a second chance should be given and not one chance. “Sudden solution”.

“This is a timeless issue that lasts decades. There should be a solution that will bring the culture of the early completion of studies smoothly, “he said.

“Solutions should be found for those close to getting a degree so as not to lose their student status,” Panagiotis Kaldis, Rector of the University of West Attica, said in a statement to RES-EIA. It is worth noting that the PADA has set up a special committee that studies the numbers and data exported by them, for the reasons for delaying the completion of studies or the “traffic jam” in some courses.

It is also worth noting that the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens suggested through a relevant decision of the Senate, a provision, which includes the exceptions of deletion will include, in addition to serious health reasons, “reasons of living work, albeit occasion. “, Reasons for” justified inability to submit courses or exams “or” other reasonable reason “,” for as long as these reasons last “.

In addition, POSDEP, by decision of the Executive Secretariat, called on the leadership of the Ministry of Education to proceed with timely amendment of the law, while characterizing the arrangements of “unfair and groundless”.

Closed holds his papers the Ministry of Education

So far, however, and despite the light of publicity, the Ministry of Education officially has no commentary or information on the actions it intends to proceed.

The next meeting of the Rectors will be held in Thessaloniki in early May, chaired by the University of Macedonia and Rector Stylianos Katranidis. The topic of discussion is expected to be re -raised by the legislative initiative on the issue of the “eternal” to the Minister of Education, who is expected to give the “present” to the meeting again, having studied the data delivered by HEIs.