cluding Chancellor Katehi, President Sexton, President Naylor, President Hernes and President Ritzen met in Greece on December 17, 2010 and participated in discussions with Minister Diamantopoulou, Deputy Minister Panaretos, Rectors and Vice Rectors of various Greek Universities, and representatives of political parties. The agenda of the December 17 meeting is attached on Appendix B.
The members of the committee who participated in the visit have constructed the following report that expresses their impressions and observations, and offers recommendations that the Greek Government could consider as it tries to rethink and reform Higher Education in Greece.
The committee wishes to express its admiration for the willingness of the Greek government to undertake a thorough study of the state of the country’s university system. The goal to reform implies changes that should be implemented if the Greek universities are to be strengthened, improve quality of education and become engines of innovation and economic development.
History has proven that major financial crises affect societal values and have the potential to trigger major social changes. In the past two years, Greece has been at the center of an unprecedented financial challenge that is threatening the social values, dogmas and structures upon which the Greek state has been built.
Navigating Greece out of this crisis and into a future characterized by economic prosperity requires that the Greek university system be embraced as a national asset. It must be preserved, strengthened and protected. As national assets, Greek universities are entrusted to their leadership and faculty who are appointed as guardians and stewards to these national resources. Their primary role is to provide an education according to the Greek Constitution, provide equal access and equal opportunity for learning, and prepare students for work and citizenship.
There is a great volume of literature by educators and economists from all around the world who have spoken to the importance of the university in sustaining democratic social structures and contributing to vibrant economies. In the paragraphs below, we outline a few facts that inform the observations and recommendations in this report.
a) The case has been made extensively that the public university’s mission to provide access to excellence cannot be achieved without:
· adequate resources
· autonomy and accountability
· a responsible and enlightened university leadership
b) b) Universities can become economic drivers if they produce sufficient numbers of well-qualified graduates. Without such a supply, countries or states cannot develop a local innovation ecosystem and cannot sustain a thriving economy.
c) c) Universities should teach progressive thinking and encourage entrepreneurship. Both theoretical and experimental data show that graduates with a broad education and curiosity-driven learning skills are much more likely to innovate and to start their own businesses.
d) The ideal of full public finance of higher education and a system without restrictions on admissions has been widely shared in Europe in the era after World War II. However, as participation increased, a larger contribution from the government was needed at a time when government liabilities increased and the public became less willing or interested in paying higher taxes. The conflict between these two trends has limited funding to universities and has compromised quality2.
This report includes a set of observations and broad recommendations which may be found useful as the Greek government considers reforming the higher education system and improving the structures within Greek universities. This report is not intended to provide specific solutions but will offer a host of possibilities. These recommendations are intended to strengthen the Greek Universities and support them in their effort to educate the Greek public, protect democracy and fuel upward social mobility.
A. The Challenge
The major challenge for educational policy in Greece is that the country does not