Focus on Greece immigration and focus on Greek education: The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens is the oldest and most influential university in Greece. It was not only the first university of the newly established Greek state but also the first university in the entire Balkans and the central Mediterranean region. At its inception, it was known as Othonian University and consisted of only four faculties: Engineering, Law, Medicine, and Arts, with 33 professors, 52 regular students, and 75 auditors. It was renamed to its current name in 1932. In 1841, a new campus building was constructed under the direction of a Danish architect, and new types of classes were introduced. The number of majors and students has increased year by year. Currently, it has 92,000 students and 2,000 faculty members, with 6 schools including Theology, Economics, Law and Political Science, Health Sciences, Philosophy, and Sciences. It covers 30 academic disciplines and offers 75 doctoral degree programs. Philosophy, Law, Medicine, Economics, and Archaeology & Art History are the university's strongest disciplines.
The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens was founded on May 3, 1837, and is located northeast of the Acropolis of Athens. It is not only the first university after the formation of the new Greek government but also the first and oldest university in the Balkan Peninsula and the Eastern Mediterranean region, and it has now become the second-largest higher education institution in Greece. Its schools include: School of Theology, School of Economics, Law and Political Science, School of Health Sciences, School of Philosophy, and School of Science. Its majors include: Biblical Studies, Church History, Patristics, History of Dogma, Comparative Theology, Systematic Theology, Jurisprudence, Civil Law, Public Law, Criminal Law, History of Philosophy and Sociology of Law, Political Economy, International Economics and Development, Economic Politics and Statecraft, Business and Finance, Economic History and Philosophy of Social Sciences, Mathematics and Informatics, Quantitative Methods, Management Science, International and European Studies, Political Science, Sociology, Morphology and Physiology, Experimental Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Social Medicine, Neurology, Astrophysics, Mathematical Analysis, Algebra and Geometry, etc.
The University of Athens was founded in 1837 in the home of architect Stamatics Cleanthes, which was originally a secondary school. It was not only the first university of the newly established Greek state but also the first university in the entire Balkan Peninsula and the Eastern Mediterranean region. It was known as Othonian University at the time and was not renamed to its current name until 1932. At the time of its founding, it consisted of the School of Theology, School of Law, School of Medicine, and School of Arts (including Applied Sciences and Mathematics), with 33 professors, 52 students, and 75 non-registered auditors. However, Cleanthes' home could soon no longer accommodate the growing number of students, and the second rector, I. A. Rallis, decided to organize a university committee to raise funds to build a university for the Greeks.
This initiative was quickly met with enthusiastic responses. Wealthy merchants and scholars, Greeks living abroad, clergy in unrecovered Greek regions, the working class, and individual Greek laborers raised a sum of money by the end of March 1839 (equivalent to 1/6 of the required construction costs). On May 5 of the same year, the school agreed to adopt the design of Danish architect Christian Hansen, and the groundbreaking ceremony was held on July 2. King Otto personally laid the foundation stone for the university. The foundation stone is inscribed: Hellenic University, established with the help of Greeks and Philhellenes, in the seventh year of the reign of King Otto I, July 2, 1839.
The university is located at the Acropolis. The Acropolis is a pearl of Athens and all of Greece, and a symbol of Athenian democracy. The Acropolis is 156 meters above sea level and can be seen from anywhere in Athens. The natural terrain allows people to ascend the Acropolis only from the west side. The summit of the Acropolis gathers the most outstanding works of ancient Greek civilization, and the Acropolis is world-famous for these monuments. The most well-known among them are the Parthenon (also known as the Temple of Athena), the entrance to the Acropolis, and so on. There is also the Acropolis Museum, which houses various original sculptures and other artifacts from the Acropolis. The Acropolis flies the blue and white Greek flag, and from here, one can overlook the entire city of Athens.
The University of Athens is the highest temple of the entire Greek academic community and has made indelible contributions to the development of science and culture in Greece. At the same time, it is also a forum for social and ideological exchange. During World War II, Greece was occupied by German and Italian troops, and thousands of the university's faculty and students became a vital force in the anti-fascist movement. The names of those victims are engraved on the memorial pillar at the entrance of the main building, listed alongside the names of other heroes who sacrificed their lives for the country.
The University of Athens was founded in 1837. It was not only the first university of the newly established Greek state but also the first university in the entire Balkans and the central Mediterranean region. At its inception, it was known as Othonian University and consisted of only four faculties: Engineering, Law, Medicine, and Arts, with 33 professors, 52 regular students, and 75 auditors. It was renamed to its current name in 1932. In 1841, a new campus building was constructed under the direction of a Danish architect, and new types of classes were introduced. The number of majors and students has increased year by year.
In May 1987, during the celebration of the university's 150th anniversary, the university's history museum was opened, allowing people to look back at every footprint of the university's development.