Ten universities launch procedures for their election new administrations them – that is, the rector and the board – on the basis of a new law adopted in July last year. However, a stalemate has arisen in three universities, as it is not clear what will happen in the event of a tie in the election of external board members. For its part, the university federation POSDEP, which opposes the new form of government, has appealed to the Council of State, arguing that it is unconstitutional.

In particular, in ten universities of the country – the universities of Thessaly, Ioannina, Thrace, Peloponnese, the Agricultural University of Athens, Macedonia, the Piraeus, the Mediterranean, the Aegean and the Polytechnic Institute of Crete – in the previous period, elections were organized according to the established system under law 4957 of 2022.

Participation over 95%

According to the Ministry of Education, out of 3,179 potential voters in 10 universities, 3,043 voted electronically, with participation reaching 95.7%. The highest percentage was recorded at the Univ. Piraeus (100%) and the lowest in Univ. Aegean Sea (82.08%). According with information from “K”while opposition parties opposed the new model of government, they did not give the political “line” to nearby university professors not to run for councils or abstain from voting.

It should be noted that the council of each university consists of 11 members. Its 6 members are university professors and are elected by their fellow professors in the institution. In 6 universities, 5 non-university members who put forward their candidacies after an international invitation must choose. According with information from “K”Candidates for the position of external board members of 10 universities were submitted by the leaders of well-known companies in the country, scientific associations and the European Union, Greek professors of US universities, representatives of local authorities and many fellow professors.

However, in the universities of Macedonia, the Aegean and Thessaly, 6 votes in the election of 5 external members of the council turned out to be equal, and the ministry recommended that the council resolve this issue.

After the election of 11 members of the Council, the position of Rector will be announced, for which only 6 internal members of the Council can apply. This will be followed by the presentation of the positions of the candidates to the Senate and the university community, and at the end the council will select the rector.