University of the Aegean

The University of the Aegean (Greek: Πανεπιστήμιο Αιγαίου) is a public, multi-campus university located in Lesvos, Chios, Samos, Rhodes, Syros and Lemnos, Greece. It was founded on March 20, 1984, by the Presidential Act 83/1984 and its administrative headquarters are located in the town of Mytilene, on the island of Lesvos.[2][3][4]

"Aegean University" redirects here. For the university in Izmir, Turkey, see Ege University.
University of the Aegean
Πανεπιστήμιο Αιγαίου
Seal of the University of the Aegean
(The Ancient Sphinx)
TypePublic
Higher Education Institution
Greece University System
Established1984 (as University of the Aegean)
AffiliationEuropean University Association (EUA)
RectorChrisi Vitsilaki[1]
Academic staff
466
Students10,000 (2019)
Undergraduates8,000
Postgraduates1,000
605
Location
Mytilene (Main campus)
,
Greece
CampusMytilene, Chios, Karlovasi, Rhodes, Ermoupoli, Myrina
Colors  
Websitewww.aegean.gr

The university today comprises five Schools and 18 Departments offering undergraduate and post-graduate degrees programmes. This growth was based on the administration's belief that its sustainability could only be based on its potential to grow into a substantially large institute, initially in department numbers supporting its educational side and secondly in postgraduate courses in support of its research nature.[5][6]

The University of the Aegean, like all universities in Greece, is a public university. As such, its educational activities and a small part of its research activities rely upon government funding. Since 2014, the University has been facing severe economic hardship due to austerity policies resulting in minimal state funding.[7][8]

Emblem

The emblem of the University of the Aegean is the Sphinx.

Academic profile

As described in its mandate, the University of the Aegean is a university which embodies a unique structure which combines campuses across six islands of the Aegean Sea.

There is a student population of approximately 10,000 active students enrolled at the university, 8,200 in undergraduate programmes and 2,000 in Postgraduate programmes with a faculty of over 380.[9][10][11][12][13][14]

Furthermore, in 2011, the Teaching and Research Staff numbered 292 people (55 professors, 70 associate professors, 128 assistant professors, and 39 lecturers), the Scientific Teaching Staff numbered 99 and the Special Laboratory Teaching Staff 23 people, supported by 30 members of the Special Technical Laboratory Staff for teaching services and 304 members of administrative staff.[15]

Faculties and departments

The University of the Aegean consists of five Schools and eighteen Departments that form the five University Units based on six islands of the Aegean Sea – Lesvos, Chios, Rhodes, Samos, Syros and Lemnos. As of 2013, all departments are organised in the five existing Schools – Humanities, Sciences, Business Studies, Social Studies and Environmental Studies.[16]

Departments
School of Social Studies

(based in Mytilene, LESVOS)
  • Dept. of Social Anthropology and History [17]
  • Dept. of Sociology [18]
  • Dept. of Cultural Technology and Communication [19]
  • Dept. of Geography [20]
School of the Environmental Studies

(based in Mytilene, LESVOS)
  • Dept. of Environment [21]
  • Dept. of Marine Sciences [22]
  • Dept. of Food Science and Nutrition (Lemnos) [23]
School of Business Studies

(based in Chios, CHIOS)
  • Dept. of Business Administration [24]
  • Dept. of Shipping, Trade and Transport [25]
  • Dept. of Tourism Economics and Management
School of Engineering

(based in Ermoupoli, SYROS)
  • Dept. of Information and Communication Systems Engineering (Samos) [26]
  • Dept. of Financial and Management Engineering (Chios) [27]
  • Dept. of Product and Systems Design Engineering (Syros) [28]
School of Sciences

(based in Karlovassi, SAMOS)
  • Dept. of Mathematics [29]
    • Entry Track in Mathematics
    • Entry Track in Statistics and Actuarial-Financial Mathematics
School of Humanities

(based in Rhodes, RHODES)
  • Dept. of Primary Education [30]
  • Dept. of Pre-school Education and Educational Design [31]
  • Dept. of Mediterranean Studies [32]

"ATHENA" Reform Plan for Higher Education

A university report presented by the Chancellor in the Greek parliament in late 2011 describes the current challenges faced by the institution due to economic hardship and the dispersion of its academic units in islands, which increases operational costs and adds considerable stress in the educational process.[33]

The Ministry of Education aimed to reform all Higher Education programmes in 2013 with the "ATHENA" Plan.[34][35]

The university's Senate issued a formal response to the Ministry of Education's proposed plan in 2013.[36][37][38]

Academic evaluation

The University is ranked 801st–1000th in The Times Higher Education (THE) annual list.[39]

HQA evaluation

An external evaluation of all academic departments in Greek universities was conducted by the Hellenic Quality Assurance and Accreditation Agency (HQA) in 2012-2015.[40]

The internal evaluation process of every department is organised by the Internal Quality Assurance Unit (MODIP) (Greek: ΜοΔιΠ) of the university.[41][42][43]

  • Department of Sociology (2012) [18]
  • Department of Product and Systems Design (2012) [28]
  • Department of Environmental Studies (2012) [21]
  • Department of Social Anthropology and History (2013) [17]
  • Department of Cultural Technology and Communication (2013) [19]
  • Department of Marine Sciences (2013) [22]
  • Department of Food and Nutrition Sciences (2013) [23]
  • Department of Business Administration (2013) [24]
  • Department of Primary Education (2013) [30]
  • Department of Pre-school Education and Educational Design (2013) [31]
  • Department of Mathematics (2013) [29]
  • Department of Information and Communication Systems (2013) [26]
  • Department of Geography (2014) [20]
  • Department of Mediterranean Studies (2014) [32]
  • Department of Shipping, Trade and Transport (2014) [25]
  • Department of Financial and Management Engineering (2014) [27]

Reputation

The university forms part of the thirty public higher education institutions in Greece. Students are awarded degrees which fully comply with the ECTS standard, which enables them to undertake international study programmes. During the evaluation of the university by the European University Association in 2005, it was acknowledged that at the time the university had an "impressive" research output.[5]

The evaluation also highlights the university's serious shortcomings "while it is undoubtedly the case that all universities are handicapped by the effects of this State interference, the impact at the University of the Aegean is particularly great because of its multi-island structure. It was also apparent that there are insufficient permanent staff overall, and indeed that many of the permanent academic staff are not in a position where they are able to concentrate full-time on their work within the university. The average amount of academic staff travel raises some serious concerns. Indeed all the academic staff are obliged to make difficult choices in their professional and personal lives which entail either accepting a lower standard of living in order to remain on the islands, or juggling life between a city and islands. Many of the staff described only minimal cooperation with colleagues within departments, and even less with those from other departments".[5]: 7, 8, 12 

Despite the "impressive output" the lack of strategic design and effective prioritisation in research activities was evident at the time, the notable remark being that "research seems to be driven by the interests of individual academics, and more by accident than institutional design will it address priority issues for the institution or region".[5]: 17 

In 2007 a postgraduate programme in Classical Homeopathy (Holistic Alternative Therapeutic Systems) was established in the university of the Aegean's unit in Syros, which was discontinued in 2013.[44][45]

Research Rankings Summary
Institution Position
European Research Ranking[46] 21st (2014) in Greece

History
Constantin Carathéodory (left) with Hungarian mathematician Lipót Fejér (1880–1959) (standing to the right)

The first department to operate, in the academic year 1984-85, was the department of Business Administration, in the island of Chios. In the following year, the Department of Primary School Education, in Rhodes, and the Postgraduate Course on Environmental Studies began operating. At the end of the first five years of operation, the University comprised 7 departments and 1 postgraduate course, "however, in 1997 a remarkable development was initiated by exploiting available [european] funding opportunities".[5][47][48]

The university was officially founded in 1984, although its historical roots date back to the early 1920s, to the Ionian University of Smyrna (Ex Oriente Lux, Light from the East) which while established never operated.[49][50]

The foundations of the University of the Aegean date back to October 1918, when Greece had expanded its geographic borders to the wider Smyrna area after World War I. At the time, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens was the only University in Greece.

Professor Constantin Carathéodory who was a professor at the University of Berlin at the time proposed the establishment of a new University – the difficulties regarding the establishment of a Greek university in Constantinople led him to consider three other cities: Thessaloniki, Chios and Smyrna.[51][52] Despite the political turbulence of the era over the city of Smyrna, the famous mathematician constructed a "plan for the creation of a new University in Greece", named “Ionian University” on 20 October 1919. [53]

The city of Smyrna in Asia Minor was one of the cultural centres of the Ionian civilisation closely associated with Ancient Greek philosophy.

Consequently, the greek government decided to materialize Carathéodory's vision and establish the Ionian University, based in Smyrna (today's city of İzmir, Turkey) on 1 December 1920. Constantin Carathéodory was the first dean of the university. However, the Ionian University stopped its operations due to the Great Fire of Smyrna in 1922. The new Greek University in the broader area of the Southeast Mediterranean region, as originally envisioned by Carathéodory, finally materialised with the establishment of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in 1925.[54]

Expansion plans

The Department of Tourism Economics and Management started its operation in 2017, admitting its first students in October 2017.

During the fall semester of 2012 a number of administrative employees were laid off as a result of downsizing policy in the public sector.[55][56] The main administrative body issued an official statement of protest.[57]

Research

Permanent Chairs and general research staff amount to approximately 400, supported by a further 100 scientific teaching staff and 53 teaching assistants. There is also a further 304 members of administrative and student affairs staff.[9][33]: 7, 52 

Every year the university offers e-Learning courses.[58]

Summer schools

Since 2012, the university organises international Summer Schools in islands in the Aegean Archipelago within the fields of Sciences, Humanities, Environmental Sciences and Business, with interdisciplinary partnerships between schools.[59]

Academic affiliations

The university has established academic relationships with research institutions and other universities. The university also participates in the Erasmus+ EU programme for education, training, youth and sport.[60]

  • The Natural History Museum of the Lesvos Petrified Forest.[61]
  • The Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR).[62]
  • The Aegean Institute of the Law of the Sea and Maritime Law.
  • The Research and Training Institute of the East Aegean (INEAG).

Notable personalities

Library

The University of Aegean library was founded in 1984 and it has ever since experienced modernization and ample development of its IT infrastructure, partly financed by EU programmes.

The library comprises more than 100,000 book titles, and more than 1,000 printed academic journal titles covering areas of Economics, International and European Economic Studies, Business Administration, Management Science and Marketing, Informatics, Statistics, Accounting and Finance, and Management and Technology.

Student communities

There are several academic, cultural and athletic groups active in all islands/university units.[64][65]

  • AIESEC Aegean – Branch of AIESEC Greece, based in Chios island.[66]
  • IEEE Student Branch University of Aegean – Student Branch of IEEE Greece (Region 8), established in 2000, based in Samos island.[67][68]

See also

References
  1. "Πρυτανική Αρχή Πανεπιστημίου Αιγαίου". Retrieved 17 August 2021.
  2. "University of the Aegean Institutional Strategy 2020 – Documents". www.aegean.gr (in Greek). 2014. Archived from the original on 2018-12-18.
  3. "University of the Aegean – External Evaluation Report" (PDF). www.adip.gr. 2015."Very limited infrastructure. Insufficient welfare and social services for students. Insufficient personnel (academic, administrative, and technical support) and low ratios of faculty members to students and administration members to faculty members. Limited financial resources from the state, affecting the general development of the institution. There is a general lack of certified procedural approaches, although it is clear that procedures at the UoA are increasingly systematized and formalised. The University should insist on the implementation of its strategic plan despite external adversities and further emphasize internationalization, intensify and systematise quest for external funding, both from the EU and from the private sector."
  4. "UAegean Institutional Strategy Debate" (in Greek). forum.aegean.gr. 2014. Archived from the original on 2018-12-18.
  5. "University of the Aegean – EUA Institutional Report (2005)" (PDF). aegean.gr. 2005.
  6. "UAegean: Special Report – Committee of Cultural and Educational Affairs Greek Parliament" (PDF). aegean.gr. Retrieved 2017-06-30.
  7. Budget reductions 2008-2014, General Accounting Office (Ministry of Finance)
  8. University of the Aegean annual state budget, 2015 (greek)
  9. Hellenic Statistical Authority (EL.STAT.), Report on Higher Education - Students, Institutes and Faculty Staff (2013/2014), press release, November 2015 (greek)
  10. Hellenic Statistical Authority (EL.STAT.), Report on Higher Education - Students, Institutes and Faculty Staff (2012/2013), press release, October 2014 (greek)
  11. Hellenic Statistical Authority (EL.STAT.), Report on Higher Education - Students, Institutes and Faculty Staff (2009/2010), press release, November 2011 (greek)
  12. Hellenic Statistical Authority (EL.STAT.), Report on Higher Education - Students, Institutes and Faculty Staff (2007/2008), press release, September 2009 (greek)
  13. Hellenic Statistical Authority (EL.STAT.), Report on Higher Education - Students, Institutes and Faculty Staff (2005/2006), press release, September 2007 (greek)
  14. Ministry of Education and Research (Minedu), Statistic reports on Education - Higher Education (2010/2011) (greek)
  15. "Hellenic Statistical Authority (EL.STAT.), Report on Higher Education (Students, Institutes and Faculty Staff 2010/2011), press release, January 2013 (greek)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-01-23. Retrieved 2013-01-08.
  16. "University of the Aegean – Schools and Departments" (in Greek). www.aegean.gr. 2018.
  17. "Department of Social Anthropology and History – HQA Final Report" (PDF). 2013.
  18. "Department of Sociology – HQA Final Report" (PDF). 2012.
  19. "Department of Cultural Technology and Communication – HQA Final Report" (PDF). 2013.
  20. "Department of Geography – HQA Final Report" (PDF). 2014.
  21. "Department of Environmental Studies – HQA Final Report" (PDF). 2012.
  22. "Department of Marine Sciences – HQA Final Report" (PDF). 2013.
  23. "Department of Marine Sciences – HQA Final Report" (PDF). 2013.
  24. "Department of Business Administration – HQA Final Report" (PDF). 2013.
  25. "Department of Shipping, Trade and Transport – HQA Final Report" (PDF). 2014.
  26. "Department of Information and Communication Systems – HQA Final Report" (PDF). 2013.
  27. "Department of Financial and Management Engineering – HQA Final Report" (PDF). 2014.
  28. "Department of Product and Systems Design – HQA Final Report" (PDF). 2012.
  29. "Department of Mathematics – HQA Final Report" (PDF). 2013.
  30. "Department of Primary Education – HQA Final Report" (PDF). 2013.
  31. "Department of Pre-school Education and Educational Design – HQA Final Report" (PDF). 2013.
  32. "Department of Mediterranean Studies – HQA Final Report" (PDF). 2014.
  33. "University of the Aegean: special report – Committee of Cultural & Educational Affairs (Greek Parliament, December 2011)" (in Greek). www.aegean.gr. 2012-08-14. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-08-18.
  34. ""ATHENA" Reform Plan for Higher Education – Ministry of Education" (in Greek). 2013.
  35. ""ATHENA" Reform Plan for Higher Education – Ministry of Education press conference" (PDF) (in Greek). www.minedu.gov.gr. 2013-01-31.
  36. "University of the Aegean Senate's decision – ATHENA Reform Plan" (in Greek). 2013. Archived from the original on 2018-08-28.
  37. "University of the Aegean Senate's official statement" (in Greek). 2013. Archived from the original on 2018-08-28.
  38. "University of the Aegean Senate – ATHENA Plan Decision Appendices" (in Greek). 2013. Archived from the original on 2018-08-28.
  39. "University of the Aegean – THE World University Rankings". Times Higher Education (THE). 2019.
  40. "Hellenic Quality Assurance and Accreditation Agency – External evaluation reports". www.adip.gr. 2019.
  41. "Statistics 2016 – Internal Evaluations of Departments" (PDF) (in Greek). modip.aegean.gr. 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2019-02-07.
  42. "Statistics 2017 – Internal Evaluations of Departments" (PDF) (in Greek). modip.aegean.gr. 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2019-05-29.
  43. "University of the Aegean MODIP – Internal Evaluations of Departments". modip.aegean.gr. 2011.
  44. "University of the Aegean – MSc in Classical Homeopathy" (in Greek). 2012. Archived from the original on 2011-09-22.
  45. "University of the Aegean – Classical Homeopathy graduate studies". 2012. Archived from the original on 2010-04-11. Retrieved 2018-09-05.
  46. EuropeanResearchRanking.org institution statistics 2007-2014
  47. "University of the Aegean Official Website (1999)". 1999. Archived from the original on 1999-11-14.
  48. "University of the Aegean – Development Plans (1999)" (in Greek). 1999. Archived from the original on 1999-11-29.
  49. Constantin Carathéodory: A Biography, newspaper article, 2000 "(...) με την πολιτική και οικονομική στήριξη του Ελευθερίου Βενιζέλου και τη συνδρομή του υπάτου αρμοστή Α. Στεργιάδη, σε ελάχιστο χρονικό διάστημα θα παραδώσει ένα άρτια οργανωμένο και εξοπλισμένο, άριστα στελεχωμένο εκπαιδευτικό ίδρυμα, με έμβλημά του το «Φως εξ Ανατολών», το οποίο, φυσικά, δεν θα λειτουργήσει ποτέ." (greek)
  50. "University of the Aegean, History". www3.aegean.gr. Archived from the original on 2010-07-11. Retrieved 2010-08-26.
  51. Constantin Carathéodory: A Biography, newspaper article, 2000 "(...) Είχε γνωρίσει τον Ελευθέριο Βενιζέλο από το 1895, στην Κρήτη, και από το 1913 είχε προτείνει τη δημιουργία δεύτερου ελληνικού πανεπιστημίου στη Θεσσαλονίκη. Ο πόλεμος που ξεσπάει μεταθέτει τις αποφάσεις. Στην Ελλάδα θα επανέλθει το 1930-32, όταν θα αποδεχθεί τη θέση του κυβερνητικού επιτρόπου και θα οργανώσει τα πανεπιστήμια Αθήνας και Θεσσαλονίκης με τον νόμο 5343/32, ο οποίος ίσχυε μέχρι προσφάτως. Από τη θέση αυτή θα τον απολύσει η κυβέρνηση Παπαναστασίου που διαδέχεται τον Βενιζέλο το 1932 και εκεί θα σταματήσει η ενεργός ανάμειξή του στα κοινά της Ελλάδας." (greek)
  52. "The importance of the foundation of the University of Smyrni(Essay)". Department of Primary Education, University of Patras. Archived from the original on 14 June 2012.
  53. "Constantine Karatheodori". cassiodor.com. 2009.
  54. "Brief History". Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Retrieved 2012-12-02.
  55. Ministry of Administrative Reform and e-Governance - Διαθεσιμότητα νέα πράξη νομοθετικού περιεχομένου (December 2012)
  56. Ministry of Administrative Reform and e-Governance - Εφαρμογή Καταγραφής Κινητικότητας Δημοσίων Υπαλλήλων (December 2012)
  57. University of the Aegean forum - unanimous vote of university Senate (December 2012)
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  59. "University of the Aegean – Summer Schools". www.aegean.gr. Retrieved 2017-12-22.
  60. University of the Aegean – International Office of Academic Programmes
  61. "Museum of the Lesvos Petrified Forest". www.lesvosmuseum.gr.
  62. Hellenic Centre for Marine Research
  63. "Professor Renée Hirschon". University of Oxford Institute of Social & Cultural Anthropology. Retrieved 2023-05-28.
  64. "Student Life" (in Greek). www.aegean.gr.
  65. "Student Mobility for Studies and Traineeship". erasmus.aegean.gr.
  66. "AIESEC Aegean Branch" (in Greek). www.aegean.gr. Retrieved 2017-11-25.
  67. "IEEE Student Branch, ICSD department welcome page" (in Greek). www.aegean.gr. Archived from the original on 2018-12-02. Retrieved 2017-11-25.
  68. "IEEE Student Branch Website" (in Greek). samosweb.aegean.gr. 2019.

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