Europe
Reintroducing Greece to the world
Greece’s push to internationalise higher education is attracting global attention, as the country seeks growth amid demographic and economic pressures.
By Nick Harland
"The country’s first undergraduate programme taught entirely in English was only launched in 2019."
"The ESU have demanded that “public authorities ensure accessibility and equity in higher education, including the possibility to enjoy free quality education”
"The next step will be student retention. Greek universities are now trying to bridge the gap between education and industry.”
In brief
- Greece’s decision to allow international branch campuses and provide English-taught programmes is boosting its attractiveness to students.
- The decision has sparked debate around quality and access, with assurances requested.
- Early signs are promising for Greece’s international education sector, but the pressure is on as the country seeks to combat demographic changes.
It took years of planning. There were fierce debates in parliament. There were even protests - occasionally violent - outside university campuses. But finally, in March 2024, the bill passed.
For someone outside of Greece, the bill in question may not have seemed contentious at all. It was to allow foreign universities to establish branch campuses in the country; something that is fairly common throughout the rest of the world.
But higher education in Greece is a different beast. The right to study at university for free is enshrined in the Greek constitution and until 2024, Greek’s private colleges were not considered academically equal to public universities (in practice, that meant a graduate of a private college couldn’t go on to study a master’s at a public university).
The country’s first undergraduate programme taught entirely in English was only launched in 2019, with legislation introduced the following year to make it easier for institutions to launch similar programmes. Greece now offers 20 bachelor's degrees and more than 200 master’s degrees taught in English.
This push for internationalisation has been spearheaded by the centre-right New Democratic party, who were elected in 2019 and re-elected in 2024. They argue that internationalising and commercialising higher education will establish healthy competition between universities, generate extra revenue for the country’s higher education sector and attract more young people to a country that is experiencing declining birth rates.
Critics argue that allowing foreign universities to operate in the country will “devalue public higher education institutions and lead to reduced funding for public education”, according to a statement released by the European Students’ Union (ESU). The ESU also argues that the bill could ”pave the way for further reforms that indirectly restrict accessibility to free higher education”.
There are plenty of disagreements between the two camps, but they do seem to agree on one thing: that this marks the start of a new era for Greek higher education. According to Theodoros Papaioannou, the Director of Study in Greece, the aim of the reforms is to ”reintroduce Greece to the world”.
“After the financial crisis, Greece was left isolated - the ‘black sheep’ of the European Union,” he explains. “And so in 2019 we had a new government whose principal goal was to modernise and internationalise not only education, but many sectors in the country in general. With this new change we’re trying to invest in education in order to rebrand Greece.”
Papaioannou says that before 2020, Greece simply didn’t have a ‘product’ to sell to international students. There was also a taboo in the country around commercialising and selling higher education to foreign students. “The main challenge has been changing the mindset [of public universities],” he admits. “But if you want to internationalise... you need an attractive brand and an attractive product."
It partly explains the fierce opposition to the 2024 bill. “You can understand the objections of public universities against this new law. But they have an individualised approach. They see them (private foreign universities) as competition and think their work will be undermined.
“They cannot see that the country will be promoted, that it will become a global hub. They don’t see that it’s healthy competition that will also allow them to progress.”
Finding that balance between private and public investment is going to be crucial as Greece moves forward. The ESU have demanded that “public authorities ensure accessibility and equity in higher education, including the possibility to enjoy free quality education”. They also want promises that public higher education will continue to receive full core funding and the new reforms will have “no negative impact” on public institutions.
That battle is rumbling on in the background, but internationalisation efforts are gathering pace in the meantime. Since the reforms were introduced, thirteen international universities have applied to open campuses in Greece – four have already been approved, with five more under review.
The number of students enrolled in UK transnational education (TNE) programmes in Greece has reached 34,200, accounting for around one-quarter of the UK’s TNE population in Europe. There are now around 18,000 international students in Greece, with a report published in December 2025 projecting that figure could reach 45,000–50,000+ by 2030.
It’s easy to see why there’s so much optimism behind the projections. Greece is a member of the EU and offers more affordable tuition fees than most of Europe, even for non-EU students. It has a rich history and is the bedrock of European civilisation, with ancient temples and centuries-old citadels a common sight in the country’s cities. It also enjoys more than 300 days of sunshine a year, with a lifestyle that already attracts an estimated 43 million tourists annually.
Greece’s location and global diaspora help as well. It’s closer to the Middle East and North Africa than most of Europe, which are becoming two key markets for European universities. And given the large Greek immigrant population in the United States, you can expect more Greek-American students to consider studying in Greece – particularly given the current hostile environment in America towards international students and higher education more generally. Papaioannou notes that short-term and study abroad programmes in particular are popular among US students.
Greece is also emerging as a viable study destination for British students. Papaioannou notes that five English-taught medicine degrees have been introduced in the country in the past year alone. These programmes are already attracting plenty of students from the UK, who have been put off by intense competition for places and high tuition fees at home. A medical degree awarded in Greece is also valid in the UK, opening the door for those students to return home after completing their studies (a similar story is playing out in Bulgaria). However, in the coming years it’s hoped that students who come to Greece also stay in Greece.
“A critical issue for us is demographics. We’re experiencing lower and lower birth rates, like in many European countries,” explains Papaioannou. “So, the next step will be student retention. Greek universities are now trying to bridge the gap between education and industry.”
Of course, economic growth is going to play a big role in bridging that gap. It was a key election promise of the ruling party, and so far they’re delivering on it. Greece's economy is experiencing strong, consistent growth, with GDP expected to expand by 2.1 percent in 2025 and 2.2 percent in 2026, outpacing the Eurozone average. Maintaining that growth will be vital if the country is to offer job opportunities for both domestic and international graduates in the country.
Attracting and retaining tens of thousands of international students every year seems like a big ambition for a country that only recently put out the welcome mat. But given the progress they’ve made in such a short amount of time, it’s easy to imagine Greece continuing that early progress. It simply has too many things working in its favour for it not to.
For now though, the aim will be to build on those baby steps and ensure Greece is as welcoming a place for international students as it always has been for international visitors.