The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, within its instructive and broader educational scope, offers its students the possibility of acquiring, during their studies, the knowledge of one or more foreign languages.
This important task of foreign language learning is conducted at the Foreign Language Teaching Centre (‘Didaskaleio’) which is an independent and autonomous academic unit of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.
At present, high-standard foreign language instruction is offered in 25 foreign languages on all levels of competence. They are as follows: English, Albanian, Arabic, Bulgarian, Czech, Chinese, Danish, Dutch, Ethiopian, French, Finnish, German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Persian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Serbian, Spanish, Swedish and Turkish.
In addition, special programs are offered to those wishing to receive more specialized foreign language skills: language laboratories, translation, law and medical terminology. More analytically:
Lessons are conducted either in the city centre, or at the University Campus in Zografou and can be attended not only by home students but also by students of other Greek Universities, as well as by anyone interested since tuition fees are particularly low.
Upon successful completion of attendance, the Foreign Language Teaching Centre provides students with the following certificates: a Certificate of Attendance and a Certificate of Studies.
Administrative Structure
The Didaskaleio was established by the 5147 Act of Parliament in 1931 and initially, it was a part of the University Club. Since its establishment, the main aim of the Centre has been the teaching of foreign languages, which, for many years, was restricted to certain widely spoken ones such as English, French, German and Italian and later on, to Spanish and Russian.
By virtue of the 3/3/94 Act of the University Senate, the Didaskaleio has become a fully independent and self-contained academic unit, governed by its own Administrative Board. The Board consists of the President - the Rector, who may be substituted by the Deputy Rector of Academic Affairs and International Relations when needed - and five elected permanent members of the Special Teaching Staff of Didaskaleio (from the English, German, French, Italian and Spanish language) with their deputy members. Finally, a student representative might participate on the Board, when student matters are discussed.
Contact information:
Address:
Foreign Language Teaching Center, Ippokratous 7, 106 79, Athens
Telephone: 210–3688204, 210-3688232, 210-3688265, 210-3688266, 210-3688263
Fax: 210 – 3688285
e-mail: secr[at]didaskaleio.uoa[dot]gr
