The NKUA’s 36th Summer Course in Modern Greek Studies (academic year 2022-2023) ended with a closing ceremony and the presentation of certificates of attendance to the students on Monday, 10 July 2023, at the Great Hall of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.
The event was also live-streamed:
Professor Meletios-Athanasios Dimopoulos, Rector of NKUA, addressed the ceremony, and Professor Dimitrios Karadimas, Vice-Rector for Academic and Student Affairs, Chair of the Study Committee, and Scientist Responsible for the Programme, delivered a short speech.
Among those present at the event were faculty members from the School of Philosophy and Mr Panagiotis Kontos, Associate Professor at the School of Philosophy and former Secretary General of the University of Athens.
In his address, the Rector of NKUA said, among other things, the following:
On behalf of the University Authorities, we welcome with great joy at this historic Hall of Ceremonies the students of the Summer Course in Modern Greek Studies 2022-2023 to present them with their certificates of attendance. This year marks the Programme’s 36th anniversary of creative operation!
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The term of 2022-2023 attracted 92 students from 47 Universities across 19 countries, raising the overall number of students since the Programme’s start to 6,599!
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I wish to congratulate and thank everyone who gave classes, lectures, and guided tours, the administrative staff at the Modern Greek Language Teaching Centre, the School of Philosophy—especially the former long-time Scientist Responsible and member of the Programme’s Study Committee, Mr Panagiotis Kontos—, and all current members of the Study Committee of the Programme.
Finally, I would like to sincerely thank all those who participated in the Programme and let them know that we now consider them members of our academic community. The doors of our University will always be open for them!
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In an age when everyone values extroversion, the Summer Course in Modern Greek Studies proves that the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens was, is, and always will be extroverted, with tangible, long-standing initiatives, not just words.
Address by the Rector, Professor M-A Dimopoulos (in Greek)
In his speech, the Vice-Rector, Professor Dimitrios Karadimas, said, among other things, the following:
It is an exceptional, beautiful, and moving ceremony that will lead to the conferment of the certificates of attendance. Firstly, I wish to thank all of you who participated in the Summer Course in Modern Greek Studies for trusting the Programme—and the Modern Greek Language Teaching Centre, which handled the best part of the organizational work. I also wish to congratulate you warmly on completing this intensive six-week Course. We hope that it lived up to your expectations, grew or enhanced your knowledge of topics that are significant to you and are associated with the Greek language and culture, and deepened your first-hand understanding of Greece, its people, and everyday life!
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In this capacity, I would like to thank my colleagues at the School of Philosophy, warmly and from the bottom of my heart, for delivering the lectures that covered the topics I mentioned earlier, despite the heavy workload during the examination period and their regular administrative and research responsibilities. Many thanks go to our colleagues at the Modern Greek Language Teaching Centre, who willingly took on and successfully carried out the Course’s primary component, i.e., language teaching. Thanks are due to the members of the Study Committee of the Programme, which I have the honour to chair, my beloved colleagues from the Department of Philology, Spyridoula Varlokosta, Amalia Moser, and Grammatiki Karla, as well as Ms Maria Chantzisalata, who provides the secretarial support, handling the best part of the organizational work! Thank you all for your excellent and efficient cooperation!
Last but not least, I would like to thank our Rector, Professor Meletios-Athanasios Dimopoulos, for his ongoing support for the Modern Greek Language Teaching Centre and the Summer Course in Modern Greek Studies! I’d want to take this occasion to thank all other members of the Rector’s Council for their prompt response each time the University’s central administration had to make a decision related to the Programme.
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NKUA and the Modern Greek Language Teaching Centre will continue to support the Summer Course in Modern Greek Studies and will work to develop, upgrade, and expand it in the coming years. We are going to need your assistance in this. You may participate by sharing your ideas and thoughts, and, most importantly, your reviews and comments.
In closing, I would like to thank you for your participation in the Programme, congratulate you again on completing it, and wish you all the best for the future! This week marks the end of the Summer Course in Modern Greek Studies for you; nevertheless, NKUA and its Modern Greek Language Teaching Centre will always be at your disposal to assist you with your academic or professional growth as much as possible!
Speech by the Vice-Rector, Professor D Karadimas (in Greek)
Following more speeches, the ceremony concluded with a short musical programme and the conferment of certificates of attendance.
