‘Athina’ shows universities the way to the marketplace

By Makki Marseilles. The Greek Education Ministry’s plan to abolish, relocate or merge higher education departments and in some cases entire universities for economic reasons is once again throwing the academic community into turmoil.
It will affect the studies of tens of thousands of students, the jobs of a large number of academics, the incomes of many parents already struggling to keep their scions in higher education, and communities that are dependent on institutions for their livelihoods.
The ministry’s plan, codenamed ‘Athina’ – the ancient goddess of wisdom and knowledge, who is now in danger of instead becoming emblematic of financial cuts – proposes the abolition of some 74 technological institute departments and 20 university departments. Read more...