Kyriakos Pierrakakis

Greece is poised for a transformative step in higher education with the launch of its non-state university initiative.

Starting January 2, foreign universities can apply to operate in Greece, with applications open until March 1. Institutions approved could admit students by September 2025, signaling a major shift in the country's education landscape.

“We don’t have the luxury of complacency,” emphasized Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in his remarks at the final cabinet meeting of 2024, adding, “Our focus must remain on those who need it the most.”

Greek universities are on the brink of transformation, with the Education Ministry announcing a dramatic increase in the percentage of students admitted via placement exams.

Starting in the 2025-26 academic year, universities can accept up to 30% of their students through this route, a significant rise from the current 12%.

An ALCO poll for Alpha TV released Tuesday reveals widespread dissatisfaction with the Greek government's handling of key issues, including inflation, crime, education, healthcare, transparency and foreign policy.

Seventy-two percent of respondents oppose the use of social media by children under 16, according to the second part of ALCO’s survey presented on Alpha TV’s main news bulletin. View the full survey presentation.

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The Grand Cross of Saint Mark was presented to the Minister of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports by Patriarch Theodore II of Alexandria and All Africa during the former’s visit to the Patriarchate of Alexandria. Kyriakos Pierrakakis signed two memoranda of understanding with the Patriarch.

A total of 10,700 pupils have been suspended for breaching regulations banning cell phones in schools since the start of the academic year in September, Education Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis revealed in an interview with Open TV on Friday.

At a critical juncture, with a host of international developments, Kyriakos Mitsotakis will be in Cyprus today for the meeting of the Greece-Cyprus Intergovernmental Summit – the premiere of which took place last November in Athens – as well as for the Greece-Cyprus-Jordan Trilateral Summit.

Education Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis recently stated that the number of pupils who have been suspended for using a cellphone at school after they were banned at the start of the year had surpassed 6,000. This is just a fraction of the student population, which tells us that the measure is working so far.

More than 6,000 pupils have been suspended since the start of the academic year for flouting a ban on mobile phones at school, Education Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis said on Monday.

Speaking to Skai radio, Pierrakakis praised the effectiveness of the mobile phone ban and said that despite the 6,043 suspensions, its impact has been "remarkably good."