The National Technical University of Athens hosted with particular success the 2nd Forum of Higher Education of Chinese and Greek Universities, at the level of University Authorities, on November 1 and 3, 2023, in cooperation with the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Greece, and the Chinese Education Association for International Exchange.

The first day of work on Wednesday, November 1, was hosted at the Lavrion Technological and Cultural Park of NTUA with the participation of 58 Presidents, Vice Presidents, and representatives from 33 distinguished Chinese Universities and Polytechnics, and 21 Rectors and Vice Rectors from 14 Greek Universities. The University of Crete was represented by the Vice Rector of Academic Affairs, Lifelong Learning, International Relations, and Outreach, Professor Georgios Kosiοris.

In his welcome speech, the Rector of NTUA, Prof. Andreas Bountouvis, referred to the current state of Greek-Chinese academic cooperation and its development prospects. He noted the recent visit to Greece by a delegation from the Chinese government from the China Scholarship Council, where the foundations for academic interaction with targeted collaborations were laid. In this direction, the increasing interactions between Chinese and European Universities will be utilized as a model for Sino-Greek academic collaborations.

The representative of the Chinese delegation, President of Lanzhou University, Prof. Xiaohua Gou, emphasized that the world changes while the friendship between the Greek and Chinese people remains unchanged. As two countries with brilliant cultures, and given that universities always lead in development worldwide, cooperation between China and Greece in Higher Education is meaningful not only for Greece and China but also for the changing world, towards a better future.

The inaugural event was greeted by the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Education, Religion, and Sports, Prof. Odysseas-Ioannis Zοras.

Within the framework of central and parallel sessions, the prospects and framework for joint undergraduate programs and double degrees were the subject of extensive discussion. 

As emerged from the discussions that took place at the NTUA Forum, the range of scientific fields where collaborations between Chinese and Greek universities can flourish is vast: from agriculture and veterinary science to sports, medicine, environment, and astronomy. In the roundtable discussions that followed, topics related to engineering sciences and informatics were debated, as well as issues from the field of arts and humanities, concerning archaeology, social sciences, and the performing arts. Subsequently, the participants were guided through the Technological Cultural Park of Lavrion, where the educational and cultural services offered were presented, along with the actions of innovation and entrepreneurship it hosts.

On the second day of the Forum, Friday, November 3, the Chinese delegation visited Laboratory Units of the NTUA at the Zografou Campus: Laboratory of Harbor Works – Prof. V. Tsoukala, Associate Prof. M. Chondros. Wind Tunnel, Laboratory of Technological Innovations in Environmental Protection – Prof. D. Bouris. Laboratory of Aerodynamics – Assoc. Prof. V. Riziotis. High Voltage Laboratory and Electrical Measurements – Prof. I. Gonos. Laboratory of Electric Machines and Power Electronics – Prof. A. Kladas, Assoc. Prof. A. Antonopoulos.

The list of universities that participated:

https://www.ntua.gr/media/k2/attachments/China_Greece_Forum_list.pdf 

The program of the Forum:

https://www.ntua.gr/media/k2/attachments/China_Greece_Forum_agenda-final.pdf