Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs Miltiadis Varvitsiotis’ speech at the opening ceremony of the Erasmus+ International Week of the University of West Attica-main points (Athens, 5.12.2022)

Monday, 05 December 2022

“Greek universities have opened their doors to the world by offering English-language courses and heading towards internationalization”, underscored Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs for European Affairs, Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, addressing today, Monday, December 5, the opening ceremony of the Erasmus+/International Mobility Week of the University of West Attica.
Internationalization was “for us an ideological battle against forces that constrained universities to provide educational services only to Greeks”, Mr. Varvitsiotis stated, arguing for the ability of universities to compete in the international arena by attracting international students. In this regard, the student visa has been established, which, as mentioned by the Alternate Minister, facilitates foreign students who come to Greece and require a visa, as well as their family members who wish to visit them.
In his address, Mr. Varvitsiotis praised the success of Greek universities, which continued to offer online courses throughout the pandemic, without interruption. He particularly emphasized the importance of the work carried out at the University of West Attica, describing it as a “nucleus of academic excellence and practical knowledge” while, addressing members of foreign diplomatic missions participating in the Erasmus+ International Week, he underscored that the University of West Attica is an “excellent choice for international students”.
More generally, Mr. Varvitsiotis emphasized the significance of student mobility and of the Erasmus program, “one of the most successful EU programs”, which is celebrating 35 years of existence this year and has provided over 9 million young people with the opportunity to study abroad. In recognition of the significance of the program, the EU has increased funding for Erasmus for the period 2021-2027 and has expanded mobility to third countries.
The Erasmus+ International Mobility Week of the University of West Attica is being held with the participation of International Institutions from Erasmus+ partner countries of the University of West Attica and aims at the exchange of good educational practices adopted in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic in order to ensure the smooth operation of higher education programs.