NKUA and Sorbonne University: Signing of a Memorandum of Understanding

NKUA and Sorbonne University set out a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), marking yet another significant collaboration with multiple benefits that will further strengthen the international orientation of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.

Signing the MoU are the Rector of NKUA, Professor Gerasimos Siasos, and his counterpart at Sorbonne University, the President, Professor Nathalie Drach-Temam. On the part of NKUA the MoU was signed on 12 February 2024 at a special working meeting between the Rector of NKUA and the representatives of the administration of Sorbonne University, namely the Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Science and Engineering, Sonia Karabina, and the Professor of Supramolecular Chemistry at the Parisian Institute of Molecular Chemistry and Senior Advisor for European Commitment to the President’s Office of Sorbonne University, Bernold Hasenknopf. Also present at the meeting were the NKUA’s Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs, International Relations, and Extroversion, Professor Sophia Papaioannou, the Chair of the NKUA’s Department of French Language and Literature, Professor Maria-Christina Anastasiadi, the Professor at the NKUA’s Department of Chemistry, Eleni Efthimiadou, the Director of the Division of Basic Medical Sciences at the NKUA’s School of Medicine, Professor Effie Basdra, the Professor at the NKUA’s Department of Philology, Athena Bazou, the Professors at the NKUA’s Department of French Language and Literature Eleni Tatsopoulou, Evangelia Vlachou, and Maria Spyridopoulou, the Head of the NKUA’s General Directorate of Education, Anna Kypriadou, the administrative officer at the NKUA’s General Directorate of Education (Department of Postgraduate Studies), Efi Papanastasiou, the Head of the NKUA’s Directorate of Public Relations and History, Rianda Sakellariou, and the Head of the NKUA’s Department of European and International Relations, Fotini Fryda.

The meeting was informed about the completion of the preparations for the joint French-taught Postgraduate Programme (Joint Master’s Degree) of Sorbonne University and the NKUA’s Department of French Language and Literature (starting in the academic year 2025-2026). It also looked at the possibilities for collaboration between Sorbonne University and the NKUA’s School of Medicine at various levels, including research and research traineeships for sixth-year students, summer schools and Erasmus+ traineeships, other medical internships, and short-term post-training for graduates. In addition, it explored the potential for collaboration in the fields of French Language and Literature, Philology, History, Archaeology, Physics, Chemistry, and Informatics. The French delegation was particularly interested in research internships and cotutelles. Finally, there was a presentation of the International PhDs, a programme funded by Sorbonne University, which now includes NKUA by virtue of this Memorandum of Understanding.

Regarding the new collaboration, the Rector of NKUA, Professor Gerasimos Siasos, highlighted that ‘NKUA signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Sorbonne University in France, one of Europe’s leading Universities. This collaboration will allow students and academics from our University to get training and engage in joint research projects at a top academic Institution. NKUA pioneers higher education and continues its policies of extroversion and internationalization in a highly dynamic way.’