Υale University – National and Kapodistrian University of Athens: President Maurie McInnis and former President Peter Salovey of Yale University at the University of Athens

The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens had the privilege of welcoming Professor Maurie McInnis, President of Yale University, along with Peter Salovey, internationally renowned Professor of Psychology and former President of Yale, for a historic meeting that further strengthened the academic ties between the two leading Institutions of Higher Education. That was the first official visit abroad by Yale University’s new President, a great honour for Greece and our country’s oldest and largest University.

The visit took place on the occasion of the ceremony awarding Professor Peter Salovey the title of doctor honoris causa of the NKUA’s Department of Medicine, held on Sunday, 15 June 2025, at 19:00, at the Great Hall of the University of Athens. It also marked the launch of the first dual Master’s Programme between Yale University (Programme Director: Professor Vasilis Vasiliou) and the University of Athens (Programme Director: Professor Nikolaos Thomaidis).

During the visit, important issues were discussed, including international cooperation in Higher Education, the promotion of scientific research, the expansion of existing joint synergies, and the development of new ones between Yale University and NKUA.

The participation of President McInnis and Professor Salovey strengthens the interaction between the two Universities; it also underscores the significance of academic synergies in advancing knowledge and scientific cooperation on a global scale. The University of Athens welcomes the visit and remains committed to continuing and deepening its partnership with Yale University for the benefit of students, researchers, and the academic community worldwide.

The first dual Master’s Programme between Yale University and the University of Athens will launch in 2026 with funding from the Greek Government. The leadership of both Institutions expressed their complete satisfaction with this significant support from the Hellenic Ministry of Education as well as the substantial backing provided by the Yale Club of Greece.

Speaking on the occasion, the Rector of the University of Athens, Professor Gerasimos Siasos, said: ‘It is a distinct honour for the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens to welcome the President of Yale University, Professor Maurie McInnis, and former President, Professor Peter Salovey, to our Institution. Their presence in Athens, and particularly at our University, is both symbolic and meaningful, highlighting the potential for international collaboration and our shared commitment to promoting excellence, research, and knowledge beyond boundaries.

The awarding of the title of doctor honoris causa by the NKUA’s School of Medicine to Professor Peter Salovey, a pioneer in the field of emotional intelligence and a distinguished academic, comes as an acknowledgement of his outstanding contributions and at the same time presents a chance for further contact between our two Universities.

The University of Athens continues to actively expand its international presence by pursuing strategic partnerships with leading Universities worldwide. Today marks a milestone in this journey and represents yet another step towards a University that is open, modern, and internationally connected’.

Former President of Yale University, Professor Peter Salovey, receives the title of doctor honoris causa of the University of Athens’ School of Medicine

Professor of Psychology and former President of Yale University, USA, Dr Peter Salovey, was awarded the title of doctor honoris causa of the Department of Medicine of the NKUA’s School of Health Sciences. The awarding ceremony took place on Sunday, 15 June 2025, at 19:00, at the Great Hall of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.

 

Addressing the honouree was the Rector of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Professor Gerasimos Siasos.

Immediately afterwards, the Alternate President of the University of Athens’ Administration Council, Professor Nikolaos Thomaidis, presented the work and personality of the honouree.

This was followed by the awarding ceremony:

The Chair of the Department of Medicine of the NKUA’s School of Health Sciences, Professor Nikolaos Arkadopoulos, read the Department’s Resolution, the Award, and the Honorary Diploma.

Next, the Dean of the School of Health Sciences, Professor Pagona Lagiou, invested the honouree with the gown of the School.

 

The ceremony closed with a speech delivered by the honouree, Professor Peter Salovey.

 

In his address to the honouree, the Rector of the University of Athens, Professor Gerasimos Siasos, said, among other things, the following: ‘Professor Peter Salovey served as the 23rd President of Yale University, one of the world’s oldest and most prominent academic Institutions, where he holds the Chris Argyris Chair in Psychology.

Professor Salovey’s career reflects a harmonious blend of scholarly achievement and institutional leadership. During his Presidency, the honouree led the development of new programmes and facilities, oversaw the restructuring of Schools and Departments at Yale, launched the Jackson School of Global Affairs, and guided the transition of Yale School of Public Health into a globally respected independent Institution.

Throughout his years in academia, the honouree has advanced innovative teaching on campus and strengthened Yale’s partnerships in Africa, Asia, and, more recently, with our University, a collaboration that Professor Nikolaos Thomaidis, Alternate President of the Administration Council will discuss in greater detail.

Professor Salovey has always been committed to improving access to a Yale education for students worldwide, regardless of their financial background.

His contribution to research has been both influential and enduring. Since joining the Yale faculty in 1986, he has studied the connections among emotion, health communication, and health behaviour, with particular emphasis on the concept of emotional intelligence.

The honouree helped shape many Yale programmes, including the Health, Emotion, and Behavior Laboratory, the Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS, and the Cancer Prevention and Control Research Program.

President Salovey developed a broad theoretical framework called “emotional intelligence”, a groundbreaking concept in the science of Psychology, which contributed to the understanding of the importance of emotional skills in human action.

His scholarly work includes over a dozen books translated into eleven languages as well as hundreds of journal articles and essays in edited volumes.

It is important to note that his research and teaching have earned him numerous prestigious international awards. In 2013, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the National Academy of Medicine elected him as their member.

Professor Salovey’s dedication to science, unwavering commitment to the principles of academic excellence, ongoing service to society, and vision for a higher education system grounded in openness and innovation make him a shining example and inspiration to the international academic community and the next generations of institutional leaders.

It is, thus, with the utmost honour and joy that we welcome today President Salovey as a select member, a doctor honoris causa of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, and extend our warmest thanks for everything he has offered so far. In honouring him, we also acknowledge Yale University—one of the world’s leading Institutions—for its immense global influence on education and research.

We are delighted to have with us today the new President of Yale University, Professor Maurie McInnis, an internationally acclaimed figure who has distinguished herself through her significant contributions to major Universities in the United States of America. We thank President McInnis for supporting our collaboration with the prestigious Yale University, a partnership we are eager to deepen and expand in the years to come’.

Photos: Dimitris Konstantinidis