University of Thessaly Speciality : Finance
programme: Finance

When I joined the Department of Economics at the University of Thessaly, it was a newly established program — only in its second year of operation. Co-funded by the European Union, the department represented an ambitious attempt to modernize economic studies in Greece, offering a curriculum that sought to break away from the more traditional models of Greek higher education at the time.

Although it lacked the on-campus lifestyle commonly associated with universities abroad — with most student life unfolding off-campus — the department distinguished itself with innovative teaching methods and a refreshing approach to student engagement. Lectures, seminars, and assessments were designed with a forward-looking mindset, often encouraging critical thinking, collaboration, and real-world application of economic theory.

The academic staff, many of whom had studied or worked internationally, brought a global perspective to the classroom and helped cultivate an environment that felt open, modern, and intellectually stimulating — even within the limitations of a system still adapting to change.

Looking back, it was a formative experience. The department may have been young, but it was bold in vision and offered a glimpse of what Greek higher education could become with the right investment and intent.