The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens welcomed Professor Gilles Bonnet, President of Jean Moulin University Lyon 3, and members of the university’s delegation on Friday, 15 May 2026, as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen academic and research links between the two institutions and to further expand their international cooperation.
The visiting delegation was received by the Rector of the University of Athens, Professor Gerasimos Siasos; the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs, International Relations and Extroversion, Professor Sophia Papaioannou; the Dean of the School of Law, Professor Konstantinos Christodoulou; the Chair of the Department of History and Archaeology, Professor Platon Petridis; the Chair of the Department of French Language and Literature, Professor Despina Provata; and Professor Maria-Christina Anastasiadi of the same department.
The delegation from Jean Moulin University Lyon 3 comprised President Gilles Bonnet; Vice-President for Internationalisation, Europe and Support for the Component Institutions, Professor Pierre-Yves Modicom; First Vice-President responsible for the Training and University Life Commission, Nathalie Krief; Vice-President for the Board of Governors, Marc Boninchi; and Alida Sahli, Institutional Cooperation Projects Unit Manager in the International Relations Department.
The meeting opened with remarks by the Rector of the University of Athens, Professor Gerasimos Siasos, who outlined the university’s structure, academic profile, and international strategy. He highlighted the institution’s outward-looking internationalisation policies, its participation in the newly established AIME network, and the initiatives delivered through the Erasmus+ programme, emphasising the pivotal role of international collaboration in contemporary academic development.
On his part, Professor Gilles Bonnet, President of Jean Moulin University Lyon 3, introduced the French institution as one of France’s leading universities in law, business administration and the humanities, with a particular strength in literature. He emphasised that the meeting with the University of Athens presents significant opportunities for dialogue and scholarly engagement, suggesting that cooperation should begin with exchanges and mobility activities under the Erasmus+ programme, before gradually expanding to joint research initiatives and shared academic provision. He also revisited the strong ties between the two universities in philosophy and the humanities, noting that this had been discussed during the delegation’s visit to the School of Philosophy at the University of Athens. Within the broader discussion on artificial intelligence, he underscored the profound changes it has already brought to how society and the academic world think and work. He further noted that Jean Moulin University Lyon 3 is home to a strong community of researchers specialising in this rapidly evolving field, particularly in the application of artificial intelligence in legal practice. Finally, he presented a programme at his university designed for first-year students from the wider Lyon region, many of whom are the first in their families to enter higher education. The initiative is based on personalised guidance and sustained academic support provided by specialised staff, to reduce student dropout rates as early as the first semester of study.
The Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs, International Relations and Extroversion, Professor Sophia Papaioannou, referred to the strong presence of literature and the humanities at both the University of Athens and Jean Moulin University Lyon 3, highlighting the shared intellectual and cultural tradition between the two countries. At the same time, she expressed her sincere appreciation for the hospitality extended to the Greek delegation during their visit to Jean Moulin University Lyon 3, stressing the importance of building on existing collaborations and contacts, both through the AIME network and through bilateral agreements, with particular emphasis on the promotion of the French language and francophone culture.
The Vice-President for Internationalisation, Europe and Support for the Component Institutions, Professor Pierre-Yves Modicom, emphasised the two institutions’ shared commitment to social and humanistic values, as well as the importance of the AIME network’s Euro-Mediterranean dimension. He spoke specifically about the potential for developing joint academic and research initiatives, with particular emphasis on teaching, Erasmus+ mobility schemes, the exchange of best practices, and the prospect of establishing a joint master’s degree programme. He also presented the French government project ‘Dictionnaire des Francophones’, noting that it could serve as a basis for future collaboration between the two universities in the field of francophonie. In addition, he referred to the Erasmus Mundus programme ‘Joint Master’s in Applied Security and Defence – Networks for Unified Strategies’, coordinated by Jean Moulin University Lyon 3, as well as to summer schools organised in collaboration with the World Health Organisation, aimed at promoting francophonie among migrant communities.
The Dean of the School of Law at the University of Athens, Professor Konstantinos Christodoulou, underscored the significant influence of French law on the Greek legal system, despite the widely held perception that German legal tradition has been predominant, largely due to the historical context in which the modern Greek state and the University itself were established. He also highlighted the long-standing intellectual tradition that brings Greece and France together in the humanities and identified research on artificial intelligence – particularly its impact on legal reasoning and the functioning of the justice system – as a promising area for future collaboration and joint research.
The Chair of the Department of History and Archaeology, Professor Platon Petridis, referred to his involvement in the newly established AIME network, highlighting its potential to expand well beyond the Mediterranean region with a view to strengthening international academic cooperation and the exchange of knowledge. At the same time, he suggested creating a blended intensive programme (BIP), informed by the University of Athens’ extensive experience in implementing similar initiatives within the Erasmus+ framework.
The Chair of the Department of French Language and Literature, Professor Despina Provata, spoke about multilingualism and the cultural history of the French language across the Mediterranean and Europe, stressing the strong potential for cooperation between the two universities in francophonie and cultural exchange.
Professor Maria-Christina Anastasiadi also referred to the University’s participation in the AIME network, emphasising the need to develop a stronger foundation for academic cooperation and international networking among partner institutions. She further raised the issue of reactivating previously concluded Erasmus agreements within the Department of French Language and Literature that are no longer in force, emphasising the importance of strengthening student and staff mobility flows.
The discussion also highlighted the scope for developing joint initiatives across the humanities, history, culture, and languages, with both sides expressing a shared commitment to broadening collaboration across new academic areas. Particular emphasis was placed on enhancing Erasmus+ exchanges, developing joint research initiatives, and strengthening international academic networking.
The meeting ended on a high note, with both universities reaffirming their commitment to further strengthening cooperation in teaching, research, and international outreach, thereby deepening historical and academic ties between their respective nations.
