The Rector of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Professor Gerasimos Siasos, and Google Regional General Manager for Southeast Europe, Ms Peggy Antonakou, signed on Tuesday, 1 October 2024, a Memorandum of Understanding to develop the skills of the academic community in the field of Artificial Intelligence. Present at the signing ceremony at the Old Senate Hall were, on the part of NKUA, the Member of the Administration Council, Professor Dimitrios Kenourgios, the Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation, Professor Efstathios Efstathopoulos, the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs, International Relations, and Extroversion, Professor Sophia Papaioannou, the Vice-Rector of Finance and Development, Professor Aristeidis Samitas, and the faculty member at the Department of Theology, Professor Ioannis Panagiotopoulos, and, on the part of Google, the Head of Google DeepMind’s Public Policy, Dr Nicklas Lundblad.
The Memorandum of Understanding between the University of Athens and Google Greece aims to enhance digital skills and disseminate knowledge about Artificial Intelligence (ΑΙ). The main content of the Memorandum is about the provision of educational programmes, both online and in-person, ranging from machine learning and data analysis to cybersecurity and digital marketing strategies with the use of AI. This collaboration will generate opportunities to promote Artificial Intelligence and digital inclusion while offering the skills required to empower individuals and businesses in a digitally evolving world.
The value of this Memorandum of Understanding is unquestionable as it will:
1.Enable the members of the NKUA’s academic community to familiarize themselves with the latest advances in Artificial Intelligence by learning specialized skills. Our Institution’s research and educational development can benefit from this expertise.
2.Foster innovation by providing access to modern digital skills and strategies and thus allow the members of the NKUA’s academic community to promote their AI-based novel ideas and research projects. This cannot but create new knowledge and facilitate the application of AI to cutting-edge fields.
3.Ensure interconnection with the labour market, since collaboration with Google, one of the world’s biggest technology companies, will enable the members of the NKUA’s academic community to understand better the demands of the labour market, while also giving them the tools they need to raise our Institution’s academic profile and move it closer to the axis of the global vanguard.
4.Make it easier to access international resources and networks, given that Google is a gateway to content from across the world, including educational material, data analysis tools, and other platforms that can raise the standard of research and teaching.
5.Contribute to the professional development of students and the rest of the academic community since all seminars covering leadership and digital marketing strategies can help academics to manage and develop their research teams and approach teaching with the use of new methodologies.
On the occasion of the signing of the MoU, the Rector of the University of Athens, Professor Gerasimos Siasos, emphasized the importance of continuing education for all the members of the academic community—particularly the students—in a dynamically evolving digital environment. More specifically, he stressed that: ‘this collaboration has the prospect of bringing about multidimensional changes in how we perceive education, research, and technology. Far from being a symbolic gesture, it constitutes a step forward in strengthening our educational programmes and promoting innovation. Artificial Intelligence is no longer a matter for scientists and researchers alone. It is rather a field that affects almost every part of our lives, from our daily interaction with digital platforms to strategic decisions at the administrative level. I am confident that this collaboration will have long-term advantages and will contribute significantly to education and research in our nation’.
On her part, Google Regional General Manager for Southeast Europe, Ms Peggy Antonakou, stated that: ‘Artificial Intelligence represents a huge opportunity and—at the same time—a great responsibility. Only together can we develop AI safely and ensure that its benefits are accessible to all. We are very excited to embark on this new chapter of cooperation with the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. Our objective with this collaboration is to equip the academic community with the knowledge and skills they need to make the most of AI and its capabilities. At the same time, the signing of this MoU marks a milestone in our commitment to empower Greek talent and thus contribute to a faster digital transition for our country’.
