The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens is installing 106 Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) and an equal number of first-aid kits across its facilities in Attica and Euboea, significantly enhancing safety standards and emergency response capabilities throughout the University community. This important initiative has been made possible thanks to a generous donation from Ms Julia Tsetis, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Tsetis Group of Pharmaceutical Companies – UNI-PHARMA and InterMed – pharmacist (MSc) and Honorary Doctor of the University’s Department of Pharmacy. The equipment has been donated in memory of the late Ioanna Andreadou, Professor of Pharmacology at the Department of Pharmacy.
As Rector Gerasimos Siasos emphasises, protecting human life and fostering a safe university environment are among the University of Athens’ highest priorities. Through this donation, made in memory of Professor Ioanna Andreadou, the legacy of a distinguished scientist will continue to benefit the entire University community and society at large.
This major initiative is part of the University’s broader strategy to safeguard the health and wellbeing of students, faculty, staff, and visitors across all its campuses.
In a statement, Rector Professor Gerasimos Siasos said:
‘We are deeply grateful for the donation of 106 defibrillators from Ms Julia Tsetis, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Tsetis Group of Pharmaceutical Companies and Honorary Doctor of the University’s Department of Pharmacy, in memory of Professor Ioanna Andreadou. This is a landmark donation that substantially enhances the safety infrastructure of our University and contributes to the protection of thousands of students, faculty members, staff, and visitors across the University of Athens’ facilities in Attica and Euboea. This initiative reflects a strategic commitment of the University’s leadership: to foster a safe, people-centred, and modern academic environment, where prevention, preparedness, and care for others are integral to everyday university life. Sudden cardiac arrest remains one of the greatest challenges facing modern healthcare systems, and it is well established that the first few minutes are critical in saving a person’s life. For this reason, the installation of the defibrillators will be accompanied by comprehensive training programmes for students and staff in Basic Life Support and the proper use of AEDs, ensuring the creation of an organised, rapid-response network across University facilities. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Ms Julia Tsetis for this generous donation, which is a remarkable expression of social responsibility and, at the same time, serves as a meaningful tribute to an outstanding university educator’.
This important initiative is being implemented under the academic coordination of Professor Nikoletta Iakovidou of the School of Health Sciences, with administrative support provided by Dr Olga Tsoka from the Office of the Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation, Professor Efstathios Efstathopoulos. The defibrillators have been installed at carefully selected locations following a detailed mapping of University premises carried out by specialised experts from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.
This measure is especially important because sudden cardiac arrest can happen without warning, and quick action in the first few minutes is crucial to saving lives. For this reason, the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens is also developing voluntary training programmes for students and staff in Basic Life Support and the use of AEDs, aiming to establish a coordinated, campus-wide emergency response network.
The leadership of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens continues to invest in initiatives and infrastructure that promote health, prevention, and safety, consistently reaffirming the institution’s social, educational, and people-centred mission.
