On Tuesday, July 1, 2025, Minister of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports Sofia Zacharaki and Deputy Minister of Vocational Education, Training and Lifelong Learning Kostas Vlasis visited the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.
Rector Professor Gerasimos Siasos presented issues concerning the University’s strategic planning, operations, and next steps for internationalization. Topics related to both funding and staffing in administrative and academic personnel were also presented. Additionally, matters concerning necessary legislative regulations were discussed, and recent international university evaluation rankings were presented, in which the University of Athens records significant improvement as “the most improved University in Europe.”
During the meeting, the new renovated spaces at the Law School were also presented, which had been under occupation for many years. These include a newly redesigned cafeteria, educational spaces, and medical facilities for all members of the University Community, which were rapidly repaired under the supervision of the University of Athens Property Management and Development Company and its President Professor Nikolaos Thomaidis.
It should be noted that Minister of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports Sofia Zacharaki is a graduate of the Department of English Language and Literature of the School of Philosophy and holds a Master’s degree from the Department of Primary Education of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, while Deputy Minister of Vocational Education, Training and Lifelong Learning Kostas Vlasis is a graduate and Professor of the Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.
From the University side, the meeting was attended by Rector Professor Gerasimos Siasos, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors Professor Nikolaos Thomaidis, Vice-Rectors Professors Efstathios Efstathopoulos and Sofia Papaioannou, and Executive Director Dr. Eleni Vasilopoulou.
University of Athens: images from the renovated law school spaces
Zacharaki after visiting the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens: the continuous rise of the university in international rankings is tangible proof of the quality of academic work produced
Minister of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports Sofia Zacharaki stated:
“The visit to the University of Athens and the highly fruitful working meeting we had with Rector Professor Gerasimos Siasos and members of the academic community confirm in the clearest way the State’s steadfast commitment to strengthening and upgrading public higher education in Greece.
The continuous rise of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens in international rankings is tangible proof of the quality of academic work produced, as well as the strategic planning we implement for its internationalization, extroversion, and modernization.
We also observed with particular satisfaction the restoration of the new, renovated spaces of the Law School, which after years of abandonment are being delivered renovated again to the student and academic community, substantially contributing to improving the level of studies for the institution’s students.
The Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports remains steadily oriented toward supporting the Greek public university through targeted interventions in funding, staffing, and necessary institutional changes, in order to ensure its smooth operation and further strengthen its international presence.
We continue to work with consistency and responsibility for a public university that is modern, competitive, and safe for everyone.”
Gerasimos Siasos (rector of University of Athens): the continued interest in university matters is particularly important
University of Athens Rector Professor Gerasimos Siasos stated:
“We welcomed with particular joy today the Minister of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports and University of Athens graduate Sofia Zacharaki and Deputy Minister of Vocational Education, Training and Lifelong Learning and Professor of the Medical School of the University of Athens Kostas Vlasis.
The continued interest shown by the Ministry of Education in matters of the first and largest University in the country is particularly important. Various urgent matters concerning the smooth operation of our University were discussed with the Minister, as well as issues related to the long-term development planning of the institution.
Additionally, today we proudly delivered the renovated Law School spaces ready for use, which had been occupied for many years.
It is clear that the University of Athens shows dynamic development, achieving very important international collaborations and recording remarkable successes in Greece and internationally.
We are confident that the constructive cooperation of the University with the State creates the best conditions for tertiary education, for the benefit of students, the academic community, and by extension the entire Greek society.”
