In the presence of the leadership of the Ministry of Education, the 102nd Synod of Rectors, held in Corfu, under the chairmanship of the Ionian University, completed its work.

The Minister of Education, Niki Kerameos, addressing the rectors of the 24 Greek universities, gave an account of what happened during the last four years and informed, among other things, about regulatory acts published regarding industrial doctorates and visiting professors and researchers.

“Generally speaking, our universities – compared to 2019 – now have more money, more professorships, more extroversion, more collaborations with leading institutions abroad, more freedom of movement, there is much more decentralization,” said Ms. Kerameos after the end of the meeting in which he participated.

“Overall, our universities are on a significant upward development trajectory and the ministry is there to support them in this endeavour,” the minister pointed out.

In the good atmosphere between the chancellors, but also the Synod with the Ministry of Education, the rector of the Ionian University and presiding the Synod, Andreas Floros, took his side. “There is constant communication at the basis of a constructive discussion that can find solutions,” he noted.

As he said, the increase in funding is “quite important” for universities to move forward “with a more developmental and not managerial perspective of everyday life”. In addition, he mentioned that issues related to understaffing were discussed and he described as “significant” the shortages in technical and administrative staff, which remain. At the same time, he noted that the Synod appreciates the efforts of the leadership of the ministry in solving the issue and asked for its assistance to provide incentives for student accommodation in the local – mainly island areas.

It is worth noting that the issue of the highest school of performing arts was also raised at the discussion table, with the minister stating that any structure that arises should be under the Ministry of Education, and the rectors asking that the school be under the universities that already exist.

Finally, parallel to today’s work of the Synod, earlier on Thursday morning, dozens of teachers, parents and students held a protest rally outside the town hall, in Maraslio, on the occasion of the presence of the leadership of the ministry and the Synod of Rectors on the island .