Kathimerini Greece Newsroom
Greece is gearing up to shorten university degrees from four years to three, but not without a fight. Professors, public university officials, and some students are already lining up to challenge the reform, which they see as a threat to the country’s long-standing academic structure.
The proposed change isn’t just a government whim. It’s tied to the Bologna Process, an agreement signed by 48 European countries, including Greece, back in 1999. The goal? To create a more unified and compatible education system across Europe and beyond.
Under Bologna rules, the standard university track is 3 years for a bachelor’s, 2 for a master’s, and 3 for a PhD. Most EU countries have adopted this 3-2-3 model, except for Greece, Cyprus, and Bulgaria.
Now, Greece is playing catch-up.
The pressure is also mounting from private universities, which are set to open soon and will offer three-year degrees from the start. These institutions are expected to create serious competition for state-run universities, especially with more flexible course structures and international appeal.
But there's a big catch.
Even Greeks who earn three-year degrees abroad often struggle to have their qualifications recognized at home. DOATAP, the body responsible for granting degree equivalency in Greece, often requires graduates to sit additional exams before their degrees are accepted. That’s true for 80% of grads from three-year programs, and even 35% of those with four-year degrees earned abroad.
Critics of the reform say it’s not just about time, it’s about academic control and prestige. Some university professors fear that shortening degree programs could push their courses out of the core curriculum and into optional territory.
Still, as the global education landscape evolves, Greece finds itself at a crossroads: stick with tradition or modernize to stay competitive? The coming months will show whether this shakeup becomes a milestone, or just another battle in the country’s long education wars.
