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Friday, June 02, 2006

We tend to focus on France...

...but professors and students are just as surly in Greece when you suggest establishing a private college or two, having admissions and graduation rules, and charging some money.

Watch for the story out of Greece to get more play -- to get noticed in the rest of the world -- as street violence of the sort Athens had yesterday continues over government efforts to wake up a dead university system.

The cradle of democracy's best showing in the latest world ranking of universities is one institution coming in at number 282. Its highest listing among European universities is # 92.




'Despite violent clashes between protesting students and riot police in central Athens yesterday, the government insisted that it would not go back on its planned education reforms which include the introduction of private universities.

Police in Athens blamed student organizers for not marshaling their rally properly and allowing a group of some 30 anarchists to join the protest and lead attacks on banks, cars and stores in the city center.

Four banks, six cars, two stores and the Titania Hotel on Panepistimiou Street were damaged during the rampage, police said.

Several student groups had organized the march to protest against the changes that the government wants to make to tertiary education. They are particularly opposed to plans to allow private universities to operate in Greece. Some teaching staff are also against the plans.

The government insists that it will not be put off by these protests as it feels that it has the backing of a substantial section of students and teaching staff. New Democracy is also buoyed by the fact that it believes it has the support of PASOK over many of the reforms.

“The government held a long dialogue on education and allowed many viewpoints to be heard,” said government spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos.

The ruling conservatives aim to soon make public their draft law on changing the way universities operate in Greece.

“We accept that there are some students and university employees who do not want any change,” said Education Minister Marietta Giannakou. “But we know that changes need to be made. Our universities and students could and should be able to stand up to the best academic standards in Europe.”'



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Update from blogger-who's-there Ted Laskaris:

"So, the universities are shut, the students are in the streets, and protest organizers are eagerly regurgitating 'lessons from France 'o6.' What is not being addressed, naturally, is the advanced sepsis of the Greek university system and the impasse defining Greek higher education today."