Study in Greece: International Hellenic University celebrates ten years

The International Hellenic University (IHU) is Greece’s first public university where programmes are exclusively taught in English. It is financed by the European Union and the Greek State, and specialises in postgraduate programmes aimed at international students who are interested in studying in Greece but also at Greek students seeking an international outlook. IHU offers an international environment that facilitates the exchange of ideas and interaction among people of different cultural backgrounds and, as a public University, all degrees awarded are accredited by the Hellenic Government and are recognised in the European Union and internationally.

The university is divided into three graduate schools, Economics, Business Administration and Legal Studies, Humanities and Science & Technology, offering 19 different postgraduate degrees. Programmes have a one-year duration for full-time students, or two-year duration for part-time students, with a number of programmes are in Executive mode (lessons from Friday midday – Sunday). It also has strong links with the business community, giving students the opportunity to find vacancies and internships, create a networking community and build the foundations for a successful career. In addition to the above, IHU offers a variety of Lifelong Learning Programmes.

IHU is situated in Thessaloniki, the country’s second largest city, and offers stat-of-the-art facilities in its premises, including a well-equiped library, modern classrooms and a large campus. It operates on a rolling admissions basis, meaning that candidates can apply for and be admitted to the programmes all year round. IHU already attracts a strong international academic faculty and outstanding students from countries as diverse as Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cameroon, FYROM, Georgia, Greece, Lithuania, Mexico, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Sudan, Turkey, Ukraine and the USA. Students with exceptional prospective have the opportunity to receive full scholarships, and are also eligible of a number of other external funding programmes.

On the occasion of the International Hellenic University’s 10-year anniversary, its President, Professor Costas Th. Grammenos CBE, DSc, writes: “Our central target from the first instant has been academic excellence. How to achieve this was and is the major task and challenge as it involves the human element. How to recruit those with the greatest potential; to motivate them; to inspire them. Not only the academics but the administrators and professionals, who should work with dedication and harmony towards excellence, each in his or her own capacity. I believe we have achieved a lot in this respect.”

“Those elements, however, are only part of the equation. Another lively part of the equation are the students, our partners in the knowledge process. We have been privileged to recruit very promising students from thirty-eight countries, who have become very able graduates of the university. We are now in a good position to expand the numbers of international students coming from outside Greece and this is one of our immediate goals.”