ATHENS – The Athens branch of the University of Nicosia (UNIC Athens) was officially inaugurated on April 30, 2026, marking a significant step in the landscape of Greek higher education. The ceremony, held at the university’s new facilities in the Elliniko development near the coast, was attended by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides.
A Tour of State-of-the-Art Facilities
During the inauguration, Prime Minister Mitsotakis and President Christodoulides were given a comprehensive tour of the university’s premises by Antonis Polemitis, Chief Executive Officer of the University of Nicosia. The tour included an inspection of the amphitheater, advanced genetics, biology, and anatomy laboratories, the library, and various modern classrooms. These facilities underscore the institution’s commitment to providing a high-quality academic environment.
Academic Offerings and Future Expansion
UNIC Athens currently comprises six schools offering nine distinct study programs. These include Medicine, Law, Pharmacy, Psychology, Business Administration, Accounting, Marketing Management, Computer Science, and Data Science. For the current academic year, the branch has enrolled over 280 undergraduate students. Plans are already in motion to introduce postgraduate and doctoral programs in the upcoming academic year, further expanding its academic scope.
The branch currently employs 46 teaching staff and 49 administrative personnel. The total area of the UNIC Athens campus is projected to reach 150,000 square meters. Its development is planned in three phases, with the second phase anticipated to be completed by 2028 and the third by 2031, indicating a long-term vision for growth and expansion.
Greece as a Regional Educational Hub
Prime Minister Mitsotakis emphasized the strategic importance of establishing branches of foreign universities in Greece. He highlighted that the legislative framework was designed to attract modern institutions with exceptionally high academic standards, comparable to Greek public higher education institutions.
“When we decided to take the big step and legislatively establish the possibility of founding branches of foreign universities in our country, equal to Greek public higher education institutions, we always had in mind modern units of exceptionally high academic standards,” Mitsotakis stated. He added that the goal is to offer more educational options to young people who prefer to study domestically and to transform Greece into a regional, and potentially global, educational hub. This initiative aims to attract foreign students from the Balkans, Europe, the Middle East, and eventually from India, the United States, and Africa, who could then contribute to the national economy.
Visible Results and Constitutional Revision
The Prime Minister noted that the positive outcomes of this policy are already evident, citing the increasing number of foreign-language programs offered by Greek public higher education institutions. He remarked on the shift towards an ‘outward orientation’ in Greek universities, a concept rarely heard a decade or two ago.
Mitsotakis also addressed the long-standing issue of constitutional revision. He stressed that it is now time to implement changes to Article 16 of the constitution, which will eliminate any institutional ambiguities regarding the operation of such educational institutions in Greece. This revision is expected to commence in the coming months, solidifying the legal framework for foreign university branches.
The inauguration of UNIC Athens represents a pivotal moment for Greek higher education, aligning with the government’s vision to enhance academic opportunities and establish Greece as a competitive educational destination on the international stage.
Source: https://www.thenationalherald.com/mitsotakis-and-christodoulides-inaugurate-university-of-nicosia-branch-in-athens/
