In a series of meetings during a working visit to Greece, GCM President Bill Papastergiadis engaged with various ministers to explore avenues for strengthening educational collaboration between the two countries.
One of the discussions centered on talks with Domna Michailidou, Deputy Minister of Education, and Giorgos Kotsiras, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The conversations touched important areas, including the mutual recognition of degrees earned in Greece and Australia, as well as fostering student exchange programs.
A key proposal involves counting a semester spent studying at a Greek university towards the completion of a degree in Australia, and vice versa.
Bill Papastergiadis stressed that encouraging more Greek-Australian students to immerse themselves in Greek academic institutions can significantly contribute to the creation of future ambassadors”.
He further emphasised that Australia’s excellence in education, particularly in Victoria, which attracts international students to public universities, could be a model for Greece to follow.
Papastergiadis stated, “This is an area Greece should focus on, aiming to attract multi-year undergraduate students, not just post-graduate candidates.”
Moreover, he highlighted that the success of student exchange hinges on the establishment of reciprocal degree recognition.
While numerous Australian students study across various European countries, Greece remains an untapped destination.
The groundwork and bilateral agreements are pivotal in facilitating the seamless operation of such programs.
These matters were taken forward during a subsequent telephone meeting involving Dr Nick Dallas, Chair of Education at the GCM, and Bill Papastergiadis, with Deputy Minister Kotsiras.
Minister Kotsiras expressed his enthusiasm to further these concerns with the Deputy Education Minister, as he was set to meet with Education Minister Kyriakos Pierrakis.
In discussions with Deputy Foreign Minister Kotsiras, Dr Dallas highlighted the potential for enhanced ties with universities in both countries to enrich the educational experience of Australian students. Mention was made of a recent Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) inked by the Medical Faculties of the Universities of Melbourne, Athens, and Patras, which had already facilitated Australian medical students’ attendance at Patras’ medical school.
This initiative, orchestrated by the GCM, Professor Pirpiris, the Australian Hellenic Medical Society, and Dr Georgios Patoulis, showcased the tangible outcomes of such collaborations.
Dr Nick Dallas also envisioned Greek educational specialists conducting professional development workshops for Greek language teachers in Australia, a prospect that could be efficiently coordinated by the GCM in partnership with the Modern Greek Teachers Association.
Additionally, Mr. Papastergiadis has initiated discussions with the University of Melbourne in the wake of these impactful exchanges while another meeting to further assess and develop viable solutions for the future is being organised.
