Greece Invests in Tourism Education with University Partnership

Greece’s Ministry of Tourism and the University of Piraeus have signed a programme agreement to develop new educational material for the ministry’s tourism training institutions, aiming to strengthen tourism education and equip students with skills that reflect the sector’s changing needs.

Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni and Administrative Secretary Ioanna Christou signed the agreement for the ministry, while University of Piraeus Rector and President of the Research and Management Committee of the Special Account for Research Funds (ELKE), Professor Dimosthenis Kyriazis, and project scientific coordinator Professor Nikolaos Filippas signed on behalf of the university.

According to the ministry, the partnership forms part of its strategy to continuously upgrade tourism education and training while linking it to sustainable development, innovation and the quality of Greece’s tourism product.

The initiative approaches tourism not simply as a major economic activity, but as a complex field closely connected with the environment, culture, local communities, entrepreneurship, technology and social cohesion.

New educational material for tourism schools

The agreement will lead to comprehensive educational material for all of the Ministry of Tourism’s educational institutions, including the Schools of Higher Vocational Training (SAEKs), the Higher Schools of Tourism Education (ASTEs) and the Schools of Tourist Guides.

The programme will include research into teachers’ views and educational needs, teaching and learning material, student worksheets, a teacher’s guide, assessment and feedback tools, as well as supporting digital and audiovisual content.

The educational material will cover a broad range of topics, from the development and global importance of tourism and its relationship with sustainable development to Greece as a tourism destination, alternative forms of tourism, future challenges, and the skills and activities associated with the sector.

The educational programme will culminate in a final project in which students will design an innovative and sustainable Greek destination of the future.

Kefalogianni said the quality and sustainability of Greek tourism depend directly on knowledge, skills and education.

“Through our cooperation with the University of Piraeus, we are investing in modern educational tools that help young people understand tourism in its true dimensions: as a field of economic development, but also as a field of culture, environmental responsibility and innovation,” she said.

The minister added that the government wants tourism education not merely to follow developments, but to prepare young people for the changes already shaping the future of tourism and Greece’s destinations.

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