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Tertiary Education
The highest level of education is provided by two types of institutions existing in parallel: universi-
ties and higher technological educational institutes (TEIs), including also higher schools of pedagogical
and technological education (ASPAITEs). Length of study ranges from 8 to 12 terms. The academic year in the
tertiary education always begins on 1 September and ends on the following 31 August. An academic year
is chronologically divided into two terms, each consisting of thirteen weeks of taught courses. The termmay
be extended only in exceptional cases in order to complete theminimumnumber of weeks of taught courses.
University education is provided by universities, polytechnics and the school of fine arts. There are three sta-
ges: bachelor‘s degree programmes (proptychiako), master‘s degree programmes (metatychiako) and PhD
programmes (didaktoriko). There are about twenty universities in Greece.
TEIs pay special attention to high-quality education, the use of science, technology and art in relevant pro-
fessional fields. In comparison with universities, TEIs provide study of more applied character. The main em-
phasis is placed on specialised subjects and their application. The TEI study takes 4 years in total. During their
studies, the students attend not only theoretical subjects, but also specialised subjects and practical training.
A six-month internship is one of the conditions for obtaining a diploma. After fulfilling the internship, defen-
ding the Master‘s degree thesis and passing the final examination, the graduate obtains the diploma. In total,
there are thirteen state higher technological educational institutes in Greece.
Non-university education includes also various schools providing specialised training in specific areas, such
as religion, art, travel and tourist industry, sailing, military and public policy. To be more specific, these are
ecclesiastical academies, the Academy of Mercantile Marine, higher dancing schools and schools of drama-
tic arts, higher schools of tourism education, military academies under the Ministry for National Defence
(for different types of troops), the School of Police Constables, the School of Chief Firemen.
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Environmental Education in Greece
In accordance with Law 1892/90 of 1990 and its subsequent amendments, environmental educa-
tion is an integral part of education in primary (dimotiko scholio: 1st–6th grade; jimnasio: 7th–9th grade)
and secondary schools in Greece. This is a relatively new attempt to educate new generations in terms
of environment, environmental protection and the link between the man and nature. Environmental educa-
tion is not compulsory, it depends on the teacher whether he or she decides to visit the centre with children
as a part of the curriculum or a specific programme. Therefore, it may happen that some children go through
environmental education three times in two years while others not even once.
Schoolchildren visit so-called environmental centres (kendra perivalondikis ekpedevsis, abbreviated KPEs),
which are established by the Ministry of Education. In 2013, there were about 50 centres in Greece (but some
of them have been merged or even terminated due to the economic crisis). There is a wide range of tea-
ching aids (maps, pictures, examples of fauna, flora, mineralogy, etc.) in the centres, used by the presenters
for teaching. Many centres are located in nature (aloof from big urban areas) or have a garden of their own.
Schoolchildren learn during their walks in nature and teachers also introduce them the surrounding flora
and fauna through various interactive games. The visits usually take the whole day. If some school from a far
end of Greece visits the centre, the visitors can put up in the centre (if the centre provides accommodation fa-
cilities) and the programme can take two days. In addition to the children-oriented education, environmental
workshops for teachers are held there as well.
