16 - Greece - Educational/vocational guidance, education/employment links

Higher Education institutions provide information services and assist their students in issues related to their studies and employment. Please refer to the respective subdivisions for more information per sector.

Concurrently, in the context of reformation of undergraduate study programmes, the Operational Programme for Education and Initial Vocational Training (EPEAEK-II) finances, in the context of CSF III, actions that support educational task with the Institutes creating a “central unit, at Faculty level, that will support educational task”. This unit will be competent, among others: This unit has the following indicative responsibilities:

- to study/ explore the new nature of educational methodology and procedure pursuant to international experience and the needs of society and the labour market;
- to develop methods and practices per speciality in order to create a system for the determination, implementation and constant assessment of the evaluation indexes of studies quality;
- to produce, standardise, distribute on the Internet and take advantage of the electronic educational and teaching aids;
- to support the teaching faculty in undertaking educational initiatives; and to publish at Institute level the experience/ innovation of departments having reached a leadingedge stage of information technology.

Educational/Vocational Guidance, Education/Employment Links in Higher Technological Education

Each department of a Technological Education Institute (TEI) appoints members of the Teaching Faculty (ΕΠ/EP) who will guide students in the elaboration of their individual curricula. In addition to the teaching faculty, who exercise the main teaching and research work, special associates of various specialities may be part of the teaching faculty of TEI. These associates convey their know-how and practical experience to students, thus contributing to a more efficient and effective vocational counselling.

At the same time, Career Offices have been established at most Technological Education Institutes. Their purpose is, on the one hand, to ensure closer co-operation between institutions and businesses so that the actual needs of the economy and the labour market are taken into account, to the degree possible, in the educational process and, on the other hand, to facilitate the placement of graduates from these institutions in appropriate positions in enterprises. Also, TEI students’ compulsory apprenticeship in the workplace has a beneficial effect in the direction of their finding permanent jobs after graduation.

Educational/Vocational Guidance, Education/Employment Links in Higher University Education

In every University, by decision of the Rector, there is a service responsible for providing students with information about their studies, with assistance in finding work, vocational counselling, advice on becoming established professionally, and for granting social assistance to those who need it. In particular, based on the new framework-law on higher education, it is provided that in each university department, the creation and operation of a student support service aiming to provide consulting services to them for their smooth transition from the secondary to the tertiary education, the support of students with disabilities or students facing difficulties and for the successful completion of their studies. At the same time, following a decision of the General Assembly of each department, DEP or EP members will be assigned with consulting duties by rotation. The consultants’ work is to provide guidance and advice to students for their progress and the successful completion of their studies. Many university departments have provided and put into practice an on-the-job-training programme of students --in co-operation with public bodies, research centres and institutes, and private institutes—in order to help students apply their scientific knowledge in relevant workplaces and attain a more efficient vocational orientation, according to their personal wishes and the current absorption capabilities offered by the labour market.

In addition to the foregoing, universities take special steps to facilitate studies, especially of working students. To this effect, there are special provisions regulating the compulsory granting of leaves to working students during examinations.

Educational/Vocational Guidance, Education/Employment Links in Postgraduate Study Programmes

As regards each postgraduate student attending a first-level Postgraduate Study Programme (ΠΜΣ/PMS), which leads to the acquisition of a Postgraduate Specialisation Degree (ΜΔΕ/MDE), the Special General Assembly of the Department appoints a supervisor from among the Teaching and Research Faculty (ΔΕΠ/DEP) to whom postgraduate duties have been assigned in the context of the specific programme. The said supervisor will be responsible for monitoring and checking the postgraduate student’s progress.

As regards second-level postgraduate studies, leading to the granting of a Doctoral Degree (ΔΔ/DD), the Special General Assembly appoints a three-member advisory committee (comprising two members and the main supervisor). This committee is responsible for guiding and supervising the doctoral candidate and for certifying the successful completion of the educational, research and, in general, scientific work pursuant to the stipulations of the internal regulation of the ΠΜΣ/PMS in question. In this context, the quality of apprenticeship, of postgraduate students in Greek or foreign laboratories is enhanced. Moreover, old and new ΠΜΣ/PMS are being reinforced, whose performances and prospects as well as the relevance of their field of knowledge with the key priorities of the country and CSF III predetermine their international success and sustainability. In addition, publicity actions are promoted so as to attract eventual postgraduate students from public or private enterprises.

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Date: 2009
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