The regulations included in the draft law concern, inter alia, the provision of flexibility, interdisciplinarity, student mobility
The Ministry of Education is bringing sweeping changes in the country's universities with a draft law that concerns the strengthening of the quality, the functionality and the connection of the HEIs with the society.
The draft law was presented by the Minister Victory of Kerameos at the extraordinary Synod of Rectors held yesterday, with the participation of the Deputy Minister Angelos Syrigos and the Secretary General Apostoli Dimitropoulos.
A meeting of the political leadership of the Ministry of Education and Science with the Panhellenic Federation of Associations of Teaching and Research Staff (POSDEP) is scheduled for today, while a letter has already been sent to all political parties to discuss the basic regulations. of this bill and the conduct of a fruitful dialogue that will assist in its final formulation within the next week.
The basic changes
According to the Ministry of Education, the regulations included in the draft law concern the strengthening of the autonomy of the Universities, the decentralization of responsibilities from the Ministry to the HEIs, the provision of flexibility, interdisciplinarity, student mobility and the development of extroversion.
The settings are structured in four sub-main axes, as analyzed below, while the new model of university administration will be included in the bill.
- University quality upgrade:
Introduction of basic regulations that focus on curricula, research and teaching and research staff, such as:
- modernization of study programs and upgrading of their quality through their certification by the National Higher Education Authority before their start of operation,
- possibility of establishing more study programs by one Department, but also of organizing interdisciplinary and dual undergraduate study programs in the framework of collaborations of Departments of the same or another University,
- flexibility in the structure of the curriculum and selection of courses through the Institutional syllabus - establishment of a system of internal mobility of students between the Greek Universities for an academic semester in a curriculum of another University - even of a similar subject,
- liberalization of the framework for the organization and operation of postgraduates, enabling the establishment of professional postgraduates and employment of experts from the labor market, rationalization of the status of free tuition at postgraduate courses through the introduction of conditions of excellence and social criteria,
- possibility of organizing industrial doctorates,
- strengthening research activity through the establishment of research centers and inter-institutional research centers within the Universities in collaboration with Foreign Universities, the possibility of staffing with paid researchers from their own, private and international resources, attracting Visitors and professors.
- Complete restructuring of the system of election and development of faculty members that ensures transparency, meritocracy and objectivity.
- Enhancing the functionality of universities: Institutionalization of new development tools to enhance the efficiency and organizational operation of HEIs, in addition to Organizations and Internal Regulations, such as drafting a multi-annual strategic plan and their individual academic units, digital transformation plan, sustainability plan and accessibility plan. Simplification of the research framework, especially in matters of financial management of research projects / programs in order to further strengthen the research activity of the Faculty Members.
- Promoting the connection of universities with society: Strengthening the role of Universities within society, by promoting knowledge and innovation through key regulations focusing on:
- Institutionalizing a framework for the establishment of student / doctoral / postdoctoral start-ups and the provision of services by university laboratories to citizens and institutions.
- Modern framework of organization and operation of the Utilization and Management Companies of the Universities according to the standards of public limited companies of public sector interests.
- Strengthening the role of Lifelong Learning Centers of Universities and establishing summer / winter study programs.
- DOATAP modernization: Establishment of a new modern and flexible framework for the academic recognition of diplomas by Foreign Institutions (ie for foreign students who want to continue their studies in Greece), which reduces bureaucracy, facilitates the citizen, serves the Universities and supports the development reduces bureaucracy and increases efficiency. The basic settings focus on the following:
- Establishment of Registers of academically recognized Universities of abroad and of the foreign study programs of each cycle,
- abolition of the individual application for the issuance of an individual act of academic recognition by citizens who have studied at the above Universities and want to continue their studies in Greece,
- Liberation of admission of foreign and Greek students in study programs of the second and third cycle of Greek Universities, without the obligation of prior recognition of a degree.
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