Greece to Spend €25 Million on University Security Systems

by · Greek City Times

Greece will launch an international tender worth nearly €25 million by the end of December 2026 to install modern security systems at five universities in Athens, Thessaloniki and Patras.

Education, Religious Affairs and Sports Minister Sofia Zacharaki announced the initiative during an interview with OPEN television, following a violent attack at the Zografou University Campus.

The project will include controlled-access systems, electronic surveillance equipment and additional security measures, with implementation targeted for 2027.

Zacharaki explained that the initiative forms part of a broader security strategy developed in cooperation with the Ministry of Citizen Protection and the Centre for Security Studies (KEMEA).

Read more: Greece Plans €25m University Security Systems After Campus Attack

The authorities have already updated the relevant security guidelines, which all 24 universities in Greece must incorporate into their institutional security plans.

These plans cover the prevention and management of violent incidents, emergency response procedures and the safe evacuation of university facilities.

“I want young people to enjoy university life in safe spaces,” Zacharaki said.

“We cannot allow violence to undermine what our universities have achieved,” she added.

Public consultation on National School Leaving Certificate to begin this week

Zacharaki also announced that a public digital consultation on the proposed National School Leaving Certificate (Ethniko Apolytirio) would begin during the current week, involving students, teachers and parents.

She stressed that the education reform would extend beyond changes to university admission procedures.

“What matters to me is also what children learn and how they learn it. Getting into university is the final stage of that journey,” she said.

The minister highlighted the need for schools to reconsider the knowledge, skills and educational experiences they provide, particularly in an era increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence.

She reiterated that the government has not made any final decisions about the new system’s structure or implementation timetable.

She also assured families that the proposed changes would not affect students currently attending upper secondary school or the final grades of lower secondary school.

Third round of substitute teacher appointments by 17 November

Zacharaki also addressed staffing shortages in schools, announcing that the third round of substitute teacher appointments would take place no later than 17 November 2026.

She acknowledged that vacancies remain, explaining that Regional Education Directorates continually update staffing requirements.

Approximately 40,000 substitute teachers have been appointed so far.

The ministry is prioritising appointments in subjects examined in the national university entrance examinations, primary schools, kindergartens and positions needed to ensure the smooth operation of all-day school programmes.

(Source: AMNA)

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