On Monday, 16 June 2025, under the gracious hospitality of the French Embassy in Greece, the National Technical University of Athens and the University of the Sorbonne signed a Memorandum of Cooperation, inaugurating a new era of academic and research partnership between these two historic and internationally prestigious higher education institutions of Europe.
The University of the Sorbonne, with eight centuries of history, remains to this day a symbol of culture, science, arts, and humanities. It stands as a landmark of France’s history and spirit, embodying the universal values of Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity, which continue to inspire the democratic consciousness of nations around the world.
For its part, the National Technical University of Athens has, for nearly two centuries, served as a catalyst for the productive and technological development of Greece, and has played a decisive role in shaping the modern Greek engineer. NTUA is the oldest and most distinguished technological institution in the country, with international recognition owing to its high-level research and educational work, the quality of its human resources, and its technical infrastructure.
This strategic partnership was further strengthened through a joint symposium held at the Zografou Polytechnic Campus, organised under the guidance of the Vice-Rector for Research, Innovation and Outreach, Professor of the School of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Emmanouel Varvarigos, and the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs and Lifelong Learning, Professor of the School of Applied Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Athanasios Zisis. During the symposium, twenty-four papers were presented by professors from both universities, covering a broad spectrum of scientific fields. Particular emphasis was placed on research and academic collaboration and the exploration of joint student and staff mobility initiatives, through presentations of postgraduate programmes from both institutions. The active participation of the NTUA community highlighted the shared interest in establishing a channel of continuous interaction and knowledge exchange.
The French Ambassador to Greece, Ms. Laurence Auer, and the Rector of the National Technical University of Athens, Professor Ioannis Chatzigeorgiou, expressed their full commitment to the successful implementation of this agreement, which serves as a bridge between two pillar universities of Europe. Representing the University of the Sorbonne, greetings were delivered by the Associate Dean for Internationalisation, Professor Sonia Karabina, and the Director of the School of Engineering, Professor Régis Marchiano, who spoke about the shared missions that unite the two universities — providing quality education, producing pioneering research, and offering technological solutions for the benefit of society.
