The process to open Greece’s first accredited non-public university appears to be underway.

According to local news outlets, this February 14, representatives of Sorbonne Paris Nord University will submit an application to Greece’s Ministry of Education for licensing a non-state, non-profit university under the name “French University of Greece – International Campus Sorbonne Paris Nord.” The university will operate as an autonomous private law entity and not in collaboration with any Greek educational institution, according to iefimerida.gr.

The proposed institution, named “French University of Greece – International Campus Sorbonne Paris Nord,” would operate as a branch of Sorbonne Paris Nord, according to iefimerida.gr.

If approved, the Sorbonne campus will be a private legal entity and will not collaborate with any Greek educational institution. This marks the first application under Greece’s new law on non-state universities, which was passed in March 2024. The initiative is expected to bring a drastic shift to the structure of Greek higher education.

According to Katherimini the president of Sorbonne Paris Nord University approved the use of the institution’s name for the Greek campus in July 2024. Additionally, the university has apparently presented a five-year business plan that includes a direct investment of €10 million in two phases. Reportedly the French university will establish three faculties—Law, Economics-Public Administration, and Physical Education—with the prospect of expanding to six faculties within five years. The degrees awarded will be recognized in Greece as official diplomas of Sorbonne Paris Nord.

Sorbonne Paris Nord is one of the 13 autonomous universities that emerged from the historical Sorbonne.

The Sorbonne Paris Nord application is expected to be the first of many. Greek Minister of Education Kyriakos Pierrakakis stated on Tuesday in an interview with ERT that he expects several applications from international universities to be submitted by the end of February.

To gain approval to operate in Greece, a non-state university must meet several criteria:

  • It must already offer recognized higher education programs and award degrees in its home country.
  • The parent institution must be officially accredited and included in Greece’s national register of recognized foreign higher education institutions (DOATAP).
  • The Greek branch must include at least three schools, each offering at least one accredited undergraduate program.
  • It must have sufficient faculty, administrative, and technical staff to support operations.
  • The institution must have adequate infrastructure, including independent premises, a functional library, research facilities, and multimedia-equipped spaces.