The administration of higher education institutions in Greece consists of individual and collective bodies as well as administrative service units governed by the provisions of law 4485/2017, as amended by law 4692/2020.

The administrative bodies are elected and operate in accordance with the institution’s organisation and internal regulation.  They are established at institution, school, department and section level.

General information on higher education institutions administration is provided in Chapter 2 “Administration and Governance at Local and/or Institutional Level - Higher Education".

Requirements for appointment

The internal regulation of each higher education institution (HEI) regulates among others:

1. The procedure of election and designation of the representatives of:

• Teaching Research Staff members (DEP)
• Special Teaching Staff (EEP)
• Laboratory Teaching Staff (EDIP)
• Special Technical Laboratory Staff members (ETEP)
• Students
• Administrative staff in the institution’s collective bodies.

1. The specific details and any other matter relevant to the voting procedure and designation of the institution’s individual bodies.

In particular:

1. The representatives of EEP, EDIP and ETEP members in collective bodies are one (1) per category.  The representatives and their substitutes are elected by direct, secret and general vote by the institutes, schools, departments and section’s EEP, EDIP and ETEP members, respectively.  They are elected for a one or two-year term and are eligible for re-election
2. The student representatives in collective bodies are: at least one (1) representative of the undergraduates and one (1) in total, of the postgraduates and PhD candidates, if applicable.  The representatives and their substitutes are elected for a one-year term by direct, secret and general vote by the institutes, schools, departments and section’s students, respectively
3. The representatives of the administrative staff and their substitutes are elected by direct, secret and general vote by the institutes, schools, departments and section’s administrative staff, respectively.  They serve a two-year term and are eligible for re-election for one more term.

At institution level

The administrative bodies of an Institution are the:

1. Senate
2. Rector's council
3. Rector
4. Vice-Rectors

Senate

The senate is composed of the: 

1. Rector
2. Vice-Rectors
3. Deans of schools
4. Heads of departments 
5. Student representatives, in a proportion of 10% of all the senate members referred to in points (1) to (4) above
6. 3 representatives, one (1) of each category of the Institution’s EEP, EDIP and ETEP members
7. One (1) representative of the institution’s administrative staff.

The representatives referred to in points (6) and (7) and their substitutes are elected for a two-year term and are eligible for re-election for one more term. 

Representatives of the institution’s DEP, EEP, EDIP and ETEP members, as well as other persons or bodies considered necessary for providing the senate with information may be convened and attend the senate meetings, without, however, the right to vote.

Responsibilities

The senate has the following responsibilities:

1. to draw up the strategy for the institution’s development at local, national, European and international level
2. to supervise the operation of the institution
3. to approve the institution’s internal regulation
4. to approve the institution’s annual regular budget, public investment programme and the final financial report
5. to draw up the institution’s educational and research policy ensuring the continuous upgrading of quality assurance
6. to approve the study regulations governing first, second and third cycle of studies
7. to approve the content of all the institution’s study programmes
8. to decide on establishing sections
9. to decide on establishing postgraduate study programmes
10. to decide on establishing and organising programmes of second and third cycle of studies in cooperation with other HEIs and research centres in the country
11. to decide on organising programmes of second and third cycle of studies in collaboration with equivalent institutions and research centres
12. to decide on the academic calendar including exam periods
13. to express opinion on merging, splitting, renaming, abolishing and change of location of the institution
14. to express opinion on establishing, abolishing, merging, splitting, renaming, and change of location of the institution’s schools or departments
15. to exercise the responsibilities laid down by the law to other institution’s bodies.

The rector's council

The rector’s council consists of:

1. The Rector
2. The Vice-Rectors
3. A representative of the elected students who participate in the senate
4. The representative of the administrative staff who participates in the senate.

Responsibilities

The rector’s council primarily has the following responsibilities:

1. presents to the senate the strategy for the institution’s development at local, national, European and international level 
2. proposes to the rector the drafts of the institution’s organisation and internal regulation  presents to the Rector the Organization plan and the draft of the Internal Regulation of the Institution
3. has the responsibility for the implementation of Laws and of the rules of the Organization and of the Internal Regulation
4. compiles and reforms the annual, regular financial budget and the final financial report of the Institution, as well as the respective budgets of the public investment programme
5. presents to the Senate the distribution and re-distribution of the posts for new teaching and research staff in the Departments.

Rector - Vice-Rectors

In accordance with the current legal framework set in Law 4692/2020, in each HEI the Rector and 4 Vice-Rectors are elected for a term of four (4) academic years.

In the ΗΕΙ having more than twenty (20) Departments or having less than twenty (20) Departments, but operating in three or more geographical seats, four (4) Vice-Rectors are elected with the following areas of responsibility:

• the Vice Rector for Academic Affairs and Student Welfare,
• the Vice Rector for Finance, Planning and Development,
• the Vice Rector for Administrative Affairs, who also presides over the administrative staff of the institution
• the Vice Rector for Research and Lifelong Learning.

In the ΗΕΙ having up to twenty (20) Departments and do not belong to the previous case, three (3) Vice-Rectors are elected with the following areas of responsibility:

• the Vice Rector for Research and Lifelong Learning,
• the Vice Rector for Finance, Planning and Development
• the Vice Rector for Administrative Affairs, Academic Affairs and Student Welfare, who is also in charge of the administrative staff of the Foundation.

The same person is not allowed to run for both positions at the same time.

The same person may not be a candidate and be elected to the positions of Rector and Vice Rector for more than two (2) terms, in total.

The rectors and deputy rectors are elected by direct and secret vote by a special electoral body, which consists of all of the HEI’s first rank professors, associate professors, assistant professors, permanently appointed and tenured ones, as well as its serving lecturers.

The announcement of the elections for the appointment of rector and deputy rectors is made by the senate at least 3 months before the end of the term of office of the serving rector and the serving deputy rectors.

A five-member Central Election Commission (with an equal number of alternate members) is responsible for the voting procedure. The commission’s full and alternate members are first degree professors or associate professors of the institution. Upon decision of the senate, they are appointed at least 10 working days before voting day.

The electoral process is conducted exclusively by electronic voting. The central election committee extracts the election results and proclaims the successful candidates. An act by the Minister of Education and Religious affairs declaring the election of the rector and the 4 deputy rectors is published in the Government Gazette.

Upon decision of the rector following the senate’s approval, the areas of responsibility and competences of each deputy rector are defined. They should relate to academic, financial, administrative, student’s care, research, lifelong education, planning, development, international relations and extroversion matters, to mention just a few. 

Pursuant to law 4692/2020, the term of office of the serving rectors and deputy rectors, who were elected for 3 academic years, is extended until the completion of 4 academic years.

Responsibilities

The rector primarily has the following responsibilities:

1. He is the head of the institution and responsible for the proper function of its services.  He ensures the cooperation between the Institution’s bodies, teaching staff and students
2. Represents the institution in judicial and extra-judicial matters
3. Convenes the senate and the rector’s council, draws up the agenda, chairs the meeting and ensures the enforcement of their decisions
4. May attend the meetings of all the institution’s collective bodies without the right to vote
5. Announces DEP members’ vacancies and conducts validity checks
6. Determines the order in which the deputy rectors substitute him if absent or temporarily unable to carry out his duties and specifies the area of responsibility of each deputy rector
7. Issues the institution’s staff appointment acts, acts of employment status changes and leaves of absence
8. He is responsible for the protection and safety of the institution’s staff and property.

At school level

The administrative bodies at school level are the:

1. General assembly
2. Deanship
3. Dean.

General assembly

The school’s general assembly consists of the:

1. School’s dean
2. School’s DEP members
3. School’s student representatives in a proportion of 10% of the members of the general assembly referred to in points (1) and (2) above
4. 3 representatives, one (1) of each category of the school’s EEP, EDIP and ETEP members elected for a two-year term.

Responsibilities

The school’s general assembly has all the responsibilities assigned by law, the organisation and internal regulation, as well as those not assigned to other bodies serving the school.

Deanship

The deanship consists of the:

1. Dean of the school
2. Chairs of the departments
3. School’s student representatives, in a proportion of 10% of all the deanship members referred to in points (1) and (2) above
4. 3 representatives, one (1) of each category of the school’s EEP, EDIP and ETEP members elected for a two-year term.

When the school has only one (1) department, the deanship consists of the:

1. Dean, who also acts as the department's chair
2. Section directors
3. 5 of the school’s DEP members elected by the school’s general assembly
4. Two (2) student representatives
5. 3 representatives, one (1) of each category of the school’s EEP, EDIP and ETEP members elected for a two-year term.

When the school has only two (2) Departments, the deanship consists of the:

1. Dean
2. Presidents of the departments
3. Section directors

• If the section directors are less than 3, elected DEP members of the relevant department assembly can be appointed
• If no sections operated within the department, 3 elected DEP members of the relevant department assembly can participate.

1. Two (2) student representatives
2. 3 representatives, one (1) of each category of the school’s EEP, EDIP and ETEP of the school.

Responsibilities

The deanship primarily has the following responsibilities:

1. Supervises the operation of the school and its departments
2. Draws up the school’s overall educational and research policy, and its course of development according to the institution’s policy
3. Reviews the recommendations made by the department’s assemblies on creating new posts for DEP, EEP, EDIP and ETP members and submits them to the senate
4. Coordinates and specifies the operation and recruitment of deanship services.

Dean

Eligible for the office of dean are full-time DEP members, first rank or associate professors at the school concerned.  Elections are called by the active dean 3 months before the end of the current term.

The dean is elected by direct and secret vote by the school’s first rank professors, associate professors, assistant professors, permanently appointed and tenured ones, as well as its serving lecturers.

A five-member (with an equal number of alternate members) central electoral commission is responsible for organising the voting procedure. Upon decision of the dean, the commission is formed at least 5 working days before voting day.  It is composed of DEP members serving the School concerned.

The electoral process is conducted exclusively by electronic voting on a working day, so that repeat voting can take place on the very next working day.         

 The dean is appointed by the rector for a 3-year term and is eligible for a second consecutive term and up to two terms in total.

Responsibilities

The school’s dean primarily has the following responsibilities:

1. Convenes the general assembly and the deanship, prepares the agenda, appoints a member of the general assembly or the deanship, respectively, as rapporteur on the agenda items, chairs their works and ensures the enforcement of their decisions
2. Supervises the implementation of the departments' study regulations and compliance with the current, the organisation and internal regulation
3. He is in charge of the deanship’s services.

At department level

The administrative bodies at department level are the:

1. Department assembly
2. Administrative board
3. Chair of the department.

Department assembly

The department assembly consists of:

1. The department’s DEP members, if they are less than or equal to 30.  If they are more than 30, then 30 representatives participate in the assembly and are appointed to the sections according to the total number of DEP members of each section.  They are elected for a one-year term by direct and secret vote by all section’s DEP members.  The director of the section begins the procedure for appointing these representatives 3 months before the end of the term of previous year’s representatives
2. The chair and deputy chair of the department and, if there are sections, their directors
3. Student representatives in a proportion of 15% of the members of the department assembly referred to in points (1) and (2) above and, in any case, no more than 10
4. 3 representatives, one (1) of each category of the school’s EEP, EDIP and ETEP members elected for a one-year term.

Responsibilities

The assembly primarily has the following responsibilities:

1. Draws up the department’s overall educational and research policy and its course of development according to the school’s and institution’s policy
2. Draws up the department’s internal regulation and study programme
3. Awards the degrees of the department’s study programmes
4. Assigns teaching work to the tutors of undergraduate and postgraduate courses
5. Appoints groups for the department's internal evaluation
6. Recommends the announcement of DEP members’ positions to the rector. 

Administrative board

The administrative board operates in departments with two (2) or more sections, otherwise the department’s assembly performs the responsibilities of the administrative board.

It consists of:

1. The chair and deputy chair of the department
2. The directors of sections
3. One (1) of the elected representatives of the EEP, EDIP and ETEP members in the department’s general assembly.

Responsibilities

The administrative board proposes to the department’s assembly issues that are the assembly’s responsibility and works on issues referred to by the assembly.  

Chair of the department

Eligible for the office of chair or deputy chair are full-time DEP members, first rank or associate professors, serving the department concerned.

If there are no first or second rank DEP members, then third rank (assistant) professors can be eligible.

Elections are called by the school’s dean 3 months before the end of the term of the current chair and deputy chair.

A 3-member (with an equal number of alternate members) central electoral commission is responsible for organising the voting procedure.  Upon decision of the dean, the commission is formed at least 5 working days before voting day, and is composed of DEP members serving the department concerned.

The chair or deputy chair is elected by direct and secret vote by the department’s first rank professors, associate professors, assistant professors, permanently appointed and tenured, as well as its serving lecturers.

The electoral process is conducted exclusively by electronic voting on a working day, so that repeat voting can take place on the very next working day.         

The chair or deputy chair is appointed by the rector for a two-year term and is eligible for a second consecutive term and up to 4 terms in total.

Responsibilities

The chair of the department primarily has the following responsibilities:

1. He is in charge of the department’s services and supervises its smooth operation
2. Complies with the rules, the organisation and internal regulation
3. Convenes the department assembly, prepares the agenda, appoints an assembly member as rapporteur on the agenda’s issues, chairs the assembly’s works, acts as rapporteur on issues for which no other assembly member has been appointed to do so, and ensures the enforcement of the assembly’s decisions
4. Ensures implementation of the study programme, including educational activities
5. Draws up the department’s annual activities report and forwards it to the deanship
6. Represents the department to the senate.

Non-independent department bodies

Departments become independent when:

• At least 8 DEP members are in service and at least two (2) of them are first rank or associate professors
• Students have enrolled.

For departments that do not meet the requirements mentioned above a temporary Department Assembly operates which consists of:

1. All the department’s DEP members
2. Student representatives in a proportion of 15% of the members of the temporary assembly referred to in point (a) above
3. 3 representatives, one (1) of each category of the department’s EEP, EDIP and ETEP members elected for a one-year term.

The rector appoints the temporary assembly as well as the department’s chair and deputy chair by ruling of the senate.  The chair and deputy chair are DEP members, first rank or associate professors serving the department and in their absence, first and second rank DEP members of another department of the institute.  They are appointed for a two-year term and are eligible for a second consecutive term and up to 4 terms in total.

Responsibilities

The temporary assembly has the same responsibilities as the department assembly.

At section level

The administrative bodies at section level are the:

1. General assembly
2. Director.

General assembly

The general assembly consists of:

1. The director of the section
2. The section’s DEP members
3. The student representatives in a proportion of 15% of the members of the section’s general assembly referred to in points (1) and (2) above and, in any case, no more than 10
4. 3 representatives, one (1) of each category of the School’s EEP, EDIP and ETEP members elected for a one-year term.

Responsibilities

The general assembly primarily has the following responsibilities:

1. Coordinates the work of the section in relation to the decisions made by the department’s assembly
2. Makes proposals to the department’s assembly regarding the study programme
3. Distributes section’s funds to its educational and research activities
4. Proposes to the department’s assembly the assignment of teaching work to tutors
5. Proposes to the department’s assembly the textbooks for each course of the study programme.

Director of section

Eligible for the office of director of section are full-time DEP members, from first to third rank (assistant) professors, serving the section concerned.

If there are no candidates, the department’s assembly appoints as director of section one of the section’s DEP members.

Elections are called by the chair of the department 3 months before the end of the term of the active director.

The director of section is elected by direct and secret vote by the section’s first rank professors, associate professors, assistant professors, permanently appointed and tenured ones, as well as its serving lecturers. Voting is conducted through the ballot box.

The director of section is appointed by the rector for a one-year term and is eligible for a second consecutive term and up to 4 terms in total.

Responsibilities

The director of section primarily has the following responsibilities:

1. Convenes the general assembly, prepares the agenda and chairs its works
2. Ensures the enforcement of the general assembly’s decisions
3. Forms committees for the study or completion of certain issues that are the section’s responsibility.

Conditions of service