A history professor delivers a lecture at a Greek university amphitheater, in an undated file photo. ‘The belated end of the state monopoly on higher education will likely echo previous scenarios,’ the author argues. [InTime News]
As global competition in higher education intensifies, Greek universities are grappling with declining international rankings.
According to the Hellenic Authority for Higher Education (HAHE), the latest annual report shows mixed results for Greece’s institutions.
Despite improvements in certain areas, the country’s academic institutions have generally slipped in global rankings, raising concerns about their international appeal and future prospects.
According to the report, which examines standings across multiple global ranking systems – including QS, Times Higher Education (THE), and Scimago – most Greek universities either declined in position or stagnated.
For example, 17 institutions fell in the Scimago rankings, while only six made gains. In the Center for World University Rankings (CWUR) system, all but one university experienced a decline.
Similarly, in the QS and NTU rankings, improvements were rare and modest.
“The drop in rankings is due to the entry of universities from China, Asia, and the Gulf countries, which are large but not internationally well-known,” said HAHE President Periklis Mitkas.
He added that Greek institutions, while strong in research and postgraduate studies, still lag in key areas like internationalization and market alignment.
Greek universities have struggled to attract foreign students due to a limited number of English-language undergraduate programs, with many initiatives coming only recently.
While postgraduate offerings have grown rapidly and perform well globally, undergraduate education remains a weak point.
“Greek universities lag behind for several reasons. For example, we started late in establishing English-language undergraduate programs… Additionally, foreign universities benefit from a flexible operational framework compared to the rigid, bureaucratic one in Greece,” said Georgios Doukidis, professor at the Athens University of Economics and Business. “Adding to this is an outdated academic system with an aging faculty and insufficient innovation.”