A meeting was held under Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis with the political leadership of the Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports, focusing on public universities. During the meeting, a new legislative regulation was presented that will provide former students who have demonstrably attempted to complete their studies with an additional opportunity to obtain their degree.
What the proposed regulation for public universities entails
The proposed regulation provides that former students who have completed at least 75% of their study program credits and have successfully participated in at least two examination periods in the last two academic years will have the right to extend their studies for up to two additional semesters. In cases where practical training, thesis or dissertation work is required, the extension can reach three semesters. It is estimated that the regulation affects more than 35,000 former but active students.
Beyond this category, it was reconfirmed that next September, inactive students from four-year programs who had already exceeded the duration of their programs in the 2021-22 academic year will be removed, as the four-year grace period granted at that time is soon to expire.
As noted, students who enrolled in the 1930s currently remain on the registries of public higher education institutions, while those enrolled from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s number in the tens of thousands.
During the meeting, the final provisions to be put to public consultation regarding further strengthening security at public institutions were also examined, with key points including the establishment of a mechanism for imposing criminal and disciplinary sanctions within clear time limits, enhancing accountability and utilizing technology for preventive protection of university spaces.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis: For the first time we will have a substantial picture of which students are actually studying
During the meeting, the Prime Minister stated: “With the provisions we discussed today, we will essentially immediately complete a very important reform that we had prioritized in our program for the new Greek public university, as we understand it. We are essentially talking about a significant clearing of inactive student registries, many of whom have been enrolled in public university registries since the 1950s and 1960s“. He also argued that “for the first time we will have a substantial picture of which students are actually studying“.
Education, Religious Affairs and Sports Minister Sofia Zacharaki noted: “President and dear colleagues, this is an important day as we will soon have the final regulations for consultation, through which we serve a deeply political dual goal and principle: the necessary clearing of registries from inactive students of many years, and of course the necessary and institutional safeguarding of a final opportunity for people who deserve it, are entitled to it, and will have it“.
Additionally, she added that it constitutes “a necessary step, therefore, and I thank you for the opportunity you give us to present this improved provision as the last chance and the distinction between active and inactive students“.
