There are four times more “eternal” students in theological faculties than in the usual time of study. 3349 are “eternal” in the theology of Pan. Athens and 874 are active, while the corresponding AUTH section is 3375 and 704 respectively. We do not offend the work of departments preparing theologians for secondary education. However, the data presented by “K” reflect chronic distortions of the USE and higher education. Students are pouring into faculties that “lead” to high unemployment – the humanities, unfortunately, are overrepresented in the corresponding list of faculties – actually not wanting to study the subject, simply because they got into them through pan-Greek. Of course, there are also “perennials” at faculties with a complex curriculum – demonstrative Mathematics, Physics, Informatics. On the other hand, what do many “eternal” “hide” in the financial departments? Could it be that some students have found jobs and no longer want to graduate?

According to ELSTAT, in 2020 Greek universities will have “perpetual” students, i.e. exceeded the minimum study period, together with a reasonable, justified two-year extension of the graduation period – the well-known n + 2, where n is the minimum study time of each department that exceeds the number of active members within the normal study limit. There were 264,024 active and 266,085 “perpetual” students. In 2016, there were 202,831 active students and 193,583 “perpetual” students. Some of the “eternals” dropped out of school and resume their studies for some personal reasons, having learned about their possible cancellation, others consider the issue of graduation essentially settled, and there are also cases of “eternal” students who have passed away. (and they have not been removed from the university registers…).

In addition to the theological departments, there is an accumulation of many “eternal” students in all the so-called teachers’ schools, which have the main professional purpose of education. Typical examples are Philology of Ioannina (713 active – 1106 “eternal”), Mathematics of the Aegean (400 – 695), Mathematics of Patras (1100 – 2339), Faculty of Physics of Ioannina (713 – 1127). Despite very interesting related subjects, unemployment, as well as alternative employment for graduates, is causing many to drop out of these schools. The same problem is faced by students of the faculties of public administration (at the corresponding faculty of the Pantheon there are more than twice as many “eternal” than active: 2460 – 1220) and political science. “More and more young people are not interested in completing their studies. It was not uncommon for them to be accepted into a school below their preference, either because of the roulette admissions system, because they could not afford to study away from home, or because of family pressure. They are admitted to a specialized department, without significant space for choice, change or mobility after admission, without always a serious organization and structuring of studies, without systematic and organized guidance and support, without, as a rule, mandatory attendance,” he says. “K” Apostolis Dimitropoulos, former PhD in Higher Education at the Ministry of Education.

“They did a favor to the family by going to university, but now they don’t do the favor to get a paper.

Of course, the location of the university is also considered a complex reason for the delay in studies, since for many families the cost of studying away from home is unaffordable. “A factor that applies to all departments of the University of the Aegean, the only Greek university that works with departments scattered across the islands, is the financial crisis that preceded it and the inability of families to maintain the cost of living on the islands, which is higher than that of mainland Greece (travel costs, rent, etc.). This factor creates a secondary delay factor due to the consequent need for our students to work during their studies. We have found that they stay enrolled and work for a certain period of time and at the same time are preparing to graduate as soon as they can – both financially and academically,” the rector of the institution, Chrissy Vitsilaki, tells K.

However, most of them are registered with the oldest institutions, given that their registries have not been cleared for decades. Case in point: the sought-after Athens Law School (2,796 active versus 7,103 “perpetual”) and the Athens Law School (2026-3020). However, the university community is divided over the issue of excluding “perpetual” students. “The phenomenon of the “eternal” is only Greek. Those who think that this is not a problem are mistaken. They burden the administrative function of universities and also affect their position both in the Greek evaluation rankings and in international ones,” says the rector of the University. Patron, Christos Buras. going to higher education, and losing the opportunity to learn.” “Eternal” is what concerns them. Probably, these are children who get into the wrong schools or lose motivation. Some may also find a job or change the direction of study. For them “favorable conditions are provided, for example, distance learning. It is not right for them to drop out. On the other hand, they do not burden the university or the state financially, since after increasing the minimum study time, each school loses student privileges by half,” says the rector of the Agrarian University. , Spyros Kintsios.

Another legislative effort by the current Minister of Education, Nikis Kerameos, has set limits for initiating the exclusion of “perpetual” learners. In particular, those who have exceeded their minimum period of study are granted an additional period of study equal to the minimum period of study of their department, starting from the 2021-22 academic year. “Stop throwing legislative provisions about “eternal” back and forth,” Yevgenia Burnova, professor at EKPA, tells K. And he adds: “There are no eternal ones. There are those who feel that the unacceptable system of national examinations irrevocably throws them into the faculty to study something they do not like, and therefore they lack the basic knowledge to attend courses. They did a favor for the family by going to university (under the responsibility of the government, usually with grades far below basic), but now they don’t do the favor to get a “paper”. They don’t want to and they can’t. Let’s create a modern vocational education and a higher school that will end with a national certificate. And let’s make sure that universities have lifelong learning centers for those who want to take up their studies again.” And, as emphasized by Mr. Dimitropoulos, “it is necessary to immediately prepare a study for scientific research and understanding of the timeless phenomenon of the “eternal”, which has acquired explosive proportions.”