Parliament to vote on bill allowing private universities

The government’s university reform bill, which paves the way for private universities to set up branches in Greece, is set to be debated and voted on this week in parliament, writes Nektaria Stamouli for Ekathimerini.

The law will be presented before the plenary and discussed this week, with a vote scheduled for Friday 8 March. The bill lacks support from opposition parties and has sparked mass protests in universities across the country, many of which remain occupied. Several large protests are expected this week.

In a weekend interview, Education Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis said that 10 prestigious international universities have expressed keen interest in establishing branches in the country. The government says the bill does not violate Article 16 of the Greek Constitution, which prohibits the establishment of private universities and mandates that art, science, research and teaching be free and promoted by the state.
Full report on the Ekathimerini site