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This paper examines the growth of the knowledge society, the increasing penetration of market forces in higher education and training and the treatment of education and training as an exportable good, supplied in different forms and by various providers, exerts the need for systematic quality assurance in training and education. In Europe, the Bologna Process has urged member-states to respond quickly to the impact of globalization to increase the competitiveness of European job requirement assessments. At present, Greece is among those member-states lacking some type of "networking" between education and training and the job market. It also discusses the prospects of Greece's converging towards the quality goals of the European Higher Education job requirement assessments and the job market. This case goes beyond the limits of a strictly technical debate about the implementation of evaluation procedures or what its criteria ought to be, with the purpose of presenting the broader sociopolitical and economic background that influences the enactment and operation of quality assurance in Greece. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the structure of an undergraduate course entitled ‘programming techniques and the use of specialised software in structural engineering’ which is offered to the fifth (final) year students of the Civil Engineering Department of Aristotle University Thessaloniki in Greece. The aim of this course is to demonstrate the use of new information technologies in the field of structural engineering and to teach modern programming and finite element simulation techniques that the students can in turn apply in both research and everyday design of structures. The course also focuses on the physical interpretation of structural engineering problems, in a way that the students become familiar with the concept of computational tools without losing perspective from the engineering problem studied. For this purpose, a wide variety of structural engineering problems are studied in class, involving structural statics, dynamics, earthquake engineering, design of reinforced concrete and steel structures as well as data and information management. The main novelty of the course is that it is taught and examined solely in the computer laboratory ensuring that each student can accomplish the prescribed ‘hands-on’ training on a dedicated computer, strictly on a 1:1 student over hardware ratio. Significant effort has also been put so that modern educational techniques and tools are utilised to offer the course in an essentially paperless mode. This involves electronic educational material, video tutorials, student information in real time and exams given and assessed electronically through an ad hoc developed, personalised, electronic system. The positive feedback received from the students reveals that the concept of a paperless course is not only applicable in real academic conditions but is also a promising approach that significantly increases student productivity and engagement. The question, however, is whether such an investment in educational technology is indeed timely during economic recession, where the academic priorities are rapidly changing. In the light of this unfavourable and unstable financial environment, a critical overview of the strengths, the weaknesses, the opportunities and the threats of this effort is presented herein, hopefully contributing to the discussion on the future of higher education in the time of crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper aims at presenting disability issues in library and information science education in general and in Greece in particular. It also examines whether issues such as people with disabilities, accessibility, alternative format material and assistive technologies are incorporated in the library schools' curricula. Furthermore, the results of this study depict that library education still focuses on services for non-disabled users and the level of awareness of the needs of disabled library users' is lower than necessary. This paper is useful for all stakeholders in the LIS field (faculty and students) so as to help them understand the importance of library services for people with disabilities, review their curricula and finally, incorporate disabled patrons in them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the reasons for enrolment demand in higher education in Greece through data collected from 400 students enrolled in the final year of post-secondary education in the Athens area. Results showed that Greek students choose to follow higher studies for a number of reasons but mainly because higher education offers high-level knowledge that creates career opportunities. Family monthly income appeared to be an influential factor in the demand for higher education in Greece since, among those students from families with a greater monthly income, those who had not passed the entrance exams for Greek universities had more opportunities to pursue higher studies abroad. This paper identifies that a more appropriate response, on the part of higher education, to the needs and demands of the labour market could help prevent employment mismatches and so minimise graduate unemployment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we attempt to explore the penetration of Web 2.0 technologies amongst Greek students, determine their level of usage and explore the students' opinions and perceptions regarding their usefulness for learning and educational purposes. In that context, we present the initial results of a survey-based cross-institutional study, conducted between September 15 and October 30, 2010, on a sample of five hundred undergraduate students from the two oldest university establishments in Greece. Our survey results reveal that social networking sites despite being by far, the most popular Web 2.0 service amongst Greek students, present the lowest perceived value in regards of the service's usefulness for educational and studying support purposes. On the other hand, blogs and wikis, which are considered educationally more useful by students, present low percentages of systematic use and content contribution and even lower percentages of ownership. Following the initial descriptive analysis of our cross institutional survey data presented in this paper, we are in the process of conducting a series of statistical tests for identifying significant correlations between variables and testing a set of prescribed research hypotheses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses an initial survey on the implementation of tutorials within the context of an English for General Academic Purposes course (EGAP) in order to explore students' perceptions of successful tutors using the model INSPIRE developed by Lepper and Wooleverton (2002). Hofstede's cultural dimensions (1986) are also used in order to exemplify Greek students' culturally oriented learning behaviour within the tutorial learning context. Specifically, these dimensions explain that cultural orientations are inclinations describing the effects of a society's culture on its members' values and how these values are linked to their behaviour. Interviews with 29 students indicated that, despite students' culturally teacher-centred learning background, they would be in favour of participating in tutorials in order to benefit from the tutor's facilitator role. Specifically, it was found that students seemed to prefer the tutor to be their guide in their studies helping them engage in self-assessment of their performance. Their overall experience of attending interviews on the use of tutoring appeared to be positive, triggering their willingness to attend future tutorials with more specific enquiries. The main initial finding of the survey indicates that Greeks' cultural orientations seem to change in specific learning settings, for example in tutorials. A set of preliminary implications, which could be used to establish the parameters for further research, are also offered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluating higher education teaching performance is complex as it involves consideration of both objective and subjective criteria. The student evaluation of teaching (SET) is used to improve higher education quality. However, the traditional approaches to considering students' responses to SET questionnaires for improving teaching quality have several shortcomings. This study proposes an integrated approach to higher education teaching evaluation that combines the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and data envelopment analysis (DEA). The AHP allows consideration of the varying importance of each criterion of teaching performance, while DEA enables the comparison of tutors on teaching as perceived by students with a view to identifying the scope for improvement by each tutor. The proposed teaching evaluation method is illustrated using data from a higher education institution in Greece. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study examines whether the reduction in the timeframe for the completion of university studies in Greece will affect students of different socio-economic background disproportionally. To this intent, it assesses the influence of the status of students, defined as working and non-working, on the duration of studies but the relevance of other variables, notably students' family income, is also examined. Combining administrative and survey data, the study estimates the probability of students' graduating after 4 and 6 years, respectively. The results reveal the existence of strong income discrimination between working and nonworking students. Among the non-working students, those coming from poor families complete studies earlier than wealthier students. For the working students, there is no income effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on the investigation of gender representation of faculty members of all ranks (professors, associate professors, assistant professors and lecturers) of Computing and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) in Greek tertiary education during the decade 2003–2013. To this end, a quantitative study was conducted, taking into account appropriate data derived from the Hellenic Statistical Authority. The data analysis shows that during the said decade, (a) faculty members in Computing and in each discipline of STEM constituted a small part of the total number of Greek faculty members; (b) for every single year of the decade, females were less prevalent than males in all ranks of faculty members in Computing and Engineering; (c) the situation for females in the Computing faculty appears to have been even worse, as the percentage of them in every rank was the lowest among the STEM disciplines studied for all or most of the years of the decade under study; and (d) although females were better represented in the position of lecturer, which constituted the fewest faculty members in the aforementioned disciplines, highly populated ranks of faculty members were dominated by males. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current financial crisis is blamed for the proliferation of neoliberal policies in Greek universities. However, this article argues that the imposition of relevant policies has wider causes linked to contradictions observed during the democratization and modernization of universities over the last 40 years. At the same time policymakers are seeking 'external' support to mitigate the doubts of pressure groups, such as academic staff, students, and mass media, regarding the need to implement unpopular reforms in Greek universities. Set against this political backdrop, the present article argues that the references of the Greek political leadership to European discourse about universities are a strategy to build alliances within the country for the promotion of neoliberal reforms in the field of tertiary education. The implementation of these reforms has been facilitated through the financial crisis, which has pressured the Greek governments to take immediate measures for the sake of the 'national economy'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, Web 2.0 technologies in higher education are evaluated using students' perceptions, satisfaction, performance and behaviour. The study evaluates the Web 2.0 tools as stand-alone entities as well in terms of their cross-operability and integration (confluence) to synergistic contributions towards the enhancement of student learning. Significant correlations and interdependencies on the students' behaviour over the used platform and their performance in various time points within the course time line have been revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose In the higher education domain, the shift to electronic textbook adoption entails numerous benefits. However, reluctance is noted in students as well as in publishers, impeding the faster realisation of this change. Decision makers (such as the Ministry of Education and university administrations) need actual survey data in order to plan and perform the best strategy plan for the transition to the etextbook era. Design/methodology/approach Two different surveys took place among higher education students and academic textbook publishers in Greece. More specifically, the purpose of these surveys was twofold: first, to identify both students' and local publishers' views towards the e-textbooks as the near future successor of printed books. Second, the results of the in-depth study will enable the proposal of certain solutions for the Hellenic higher education textbook system, which has reached an economic and functional deadlock. Our findings will also be easily adopted by other, similar educational system across Europe. Findings Our findings reflect a situation where e-textbooks will replace the printed, but not in the near future, as both technology providers and publishers have to overcome many technical obstacles. Students are expecting the transition to occur soon, but still remain very reluctant about the inconvenience which might be caused to their reading habits. Originality/value The results are unique and in alignment with similar surveys in other educational systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The management of complex water problems is nowadays being practised through new ways and approaches. Therefore, water engineers, planners and managers should be appropriately educated through modern undergraduate curricula and by well-designed postgraduate specialisation programmes. Within this framework, a study of the specific characteristics of an ensemble of 14 postgraduate programmes in various fields of environmental water resources engineering and management, offered by Greek universities, is presented. Detailed information and data regarding the formats, structures, educational processes and curricula contents of these programmes are analysed and critically discussed. Similarities and differences among them are depicted and synthesised, in order to reveal individual as well as collective qualities and deficiencies in relation with the overall current needs for engineering postgraduate specialisation in water-related issues. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Eisenstadt's theory of multiple modernities recognizes the historical precedence of Western patterns of modernity as fundamental points of reference for other modernities, but argues that each country defines its individual path to modernity through its own internal conflicts. Since the end of the Cold War, EU integration and access to EU membership have steadily become the dominant, if not the exclusive, institutional frameworks representing the paradigm of Western modernity. Against this background, we consider the way in which Greece's pathway to modernity has oscillated between a dominant European definition and an individual one particular to its own internal conflicts. Specifically, we examine the position of state actors, civil society representatives, and lay people on higher education in the context of the Bologna process, the EU institutional framework aimed at educational integration, itself a means of defining identities, pursuing modernity, and protecting tradition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

University studies in Greece are characterised by a symptom usually described as 'prolonged student status'. This refers to students who prolong the period of their studies beyond the expected length for degrees, sometimes by many years. This article, as well as recording the distribution of the duration of studies in a public institution, reveals that a longer period of studies is strongly and negatively associated with academic performance. It then seeks to identify the causes of the symptom by examining two hypotheses. The first attributes prolonged student status to the operation of some objective factors such as differences in students' initial abilities and differences in students' socio-economic background. The second hypothesis associates a long stay at the university with the educational setting. The existing evidence lends support to the second hypothesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This note provides evidence that the equilibrium between supply and demand in higher education in Greece is determined by what is argued to be the substitute for the non-existing market prices; the academic departments" entrance grades. This leads to the investigation of some implications of a policy change in Greek higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article investigates planning education programmes and attempts to re-orient them in the context of both an international 'problematique' in reforming planning education, and European Union directives about the creation of a common European space in higher education. First, the article reviews the international trends in changes and challenges in planning and planning education in the 21st century and proposes an 'integration model' of planning education programmes in a European and international context. Second, the article focuses on the development of planning studies in Greece. It presents their history and development as well as the institutional framework in which planning and planning education operate. It then analyses the Greek educational curricula in two ways: (1) a quantitative analysis classifying courses into different thematic areas and thereby, revealing the basic structure of the curricula; and (2) a qualitative analysis based on interviews with academic staff in charge of educational curricula and examining the content of courses, the adopted pedagogies and possible restrictions (e.g. human capital, institutional framework, etc.) in introducing effective planning curricula. Finally, the article proposes guidelines for re-orienting educational curricula in Greek schools of planning and draws out wider implications for planning studies in the wider European and international context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 2015, a large number of migrants (refugees and asylum seekers) from the Middle East, Asia, and Africa have arrived in Greece and continued their onward journey to western European countries where they settled. As various European Union (EU) countries have later blocked the flow of migrants from Greece to their final destination, thousands of them have been trapped in Greece, confined in overcrowded, temporary camps (known as "hot spots") and awaiting the processing of their asylum application. The current article examines the response of the Greek educational institutes (primary, secondary and tertiary levels) to the recent migrant influx, with ultimate goals to integrate, educate, and assist them. The number of refugees and asylum seekers living in Greece is estimated to be 58,000 (2018 data) with 22,500 children among them. Their schooling inclusion follows the plan 111, "Refugee Education Host Structures (REHSs)", as initiated by the Greek Ministry of Education in 2017. Students' leakage range is still high (10–40% at elementary school and 45–56% at high School). The disruption in their life results in the lack of regular attendance. Greek universities responded to the challenge of the refugee influx, especially the University of the Aegean (UAeg), which is located on the eastern Mediterranean migration route. The UAeg's response plan focuses on four areas: (a) to provide education to refugees; (b) to conduct research on the refugee phenomenon and migration processes; (c) to increase local citizens' awareness and improve social inclusion toward the migrants; and (d) to develop technologies to improve daily life in the refugee camps. These actions are significant toward the social inclusion and cohesion of refugees and the further improvement of their daily life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the author's views on a letter to the editor published in this issue, which focused on the need for changes in higher education in Greece.