University of Patras

University of Patras
Πανεπιστήμιο Πατρών
Type Public
Established November 11, 1964
Rector Venetsana Kyriazopoulou
Administrative staff
 754 faculty members, 238 teaching staff, 481 administrative personnel
Students 21,000
Undergraduates 17,000 (active)
Postgraduates 3,825
Location Patras, Greece
Campus Rio campus, 7 kilometres east of the city of Patras
Colors

         

    
Affiliations EASN
Website www.upatras.gr

University of Patras (UPatras; Greek: Πανεπιστήμιο Πατρών, Panepistímio Patrón) is a public university in Patras, Greece. It is the third largest university in Greece with respect to the size of the student body, the staff, and the number of departments. [1]

In 2014, the student population was 21,000 (17,000 at the undergraduate level and 4,000 at the postgraduate level). It has more than of 830 faculty members, 164 scientific staff members and 372 administrative personnel and comprises 24 Departments, which operate 112 laboratories and 14 clinics.[2][3]

The University of Patras is considered one of the best universities in Greece and has been placed in the top 200 universities in subject areas.[4][5][6]

History

The University of Patras was established on 11 November 1964 as a self-administered academic institution under the supervision of the Greek Government. It was housed in the city centre of Patras, Greece and later in a campus area of about 600 acres selected in 1968 and appropriated on behalf of the university, located in the adjacent municipality of Rio.[7] Its opening took place on the 30th of November 1966 which is the date that the city of Patras celebrates its Patron “Saint Andrew”. This is the reason that the emblem of the University is an X cross which symbolises the one on which St. Andrew was crucified Covering an area of 4.5 km², it is one of the largest in the country.[8] In June 2013 the University of Western Greece was incorporated in the University of Patras.[9][8] The University is a two-city campus, situated in both Patras and Agrinion.[7]

The university conducts research in Environment, Health, Biotechnology, Mechanics, Electronics, Informatics and Basic Science. A number of the departments, laboratories and clinics have been designated as Centres of Excellence, on the basis of international assessment.[1][9]

Emblem

The emblem of the university is Andrew the Apostle.[10]

Location and campus

The university on the Campus of Patras and in the city of Agrinio'[7]

The campus of Patras is located next to the University Regional General Hospital of Patras, in the suburb Rion, which is 7 km (4.3 mi) North East of the City of Patras within the Municipality of Patras. It is a self-contained campus located at the foot of mount Panachaiko with a view over the Gulf of Corinth and the mountains of Central Greece across the water.

The School of Medicine lies west of the hospital but smaller in size with the parking lots in the west and downtown Rio, and a river with Papandreou Avenue in its southwest. The university is accessible by GR-8A, and by the bypass (perimeter highway) with an interchange in the west and a westbound interchange in the northeast. The elevation is around 50 m (160 ft) above sea level. The facilities lie in the western part, the central part and the northern part. The far western part, and the eastern part are empty.

University of Patras with Rio–Antirrio bridge

The campus has four entrances; the Platonos Entrance Eisodos Platonos, the Dionysios Solomos Entrance Eisodos Dionysiou Solomou, lying to the west next to Papandreou Avenue which is also a road linking to Kastritsi, Georgios Seferis Entrance Eisodos Georgios Seferis in the east and Yianni Ritsou Entrance Eisodos Y. Ritsou with the old GR-8A (Patras - Corinth - Athens) in the north. The mountains are situated in the southeast. The track and field and sporting grounds are in the southern part.

The first buildings of the new university campus were a unit of 20 small ground level pre-fabricated buildings, still housing some academic and administrative offices. In 1972 the construction of buildings "A" and "B" started. Building "A" houses the administrative services, the rectorship, the Senate's Conference Hall, the University's Ceremonial Hall, a teaching amphitheatre and seminar halls.[7]

University of Patras, Administration Building A

Following the master plan, 25 buildings were built, and many more are under construction for the housing of most of the departments, along with a library, a museum of science and technology, a Botanical Garden, and a Student Centre. Within the campus are the students' residence hall, the Conference and Cultural Centre, a restaurant, a bank, a bookstore, a stationery, the Publishing House, cafeterias and kiosks. The University Guest Hall is the only building of the university outside the campus. It is located three kilometres west of the campus. The total number of lecture halls in the different building units is 115.

Within the campus there is also the Regional University Teaching Hospital which functions both as the major regional medical centre and as a teaching facility for the Faculty of Medicine. Several other facilities are available on campus including a gymnasium and a swimming pool, a nursery school, a primary and secondary school for the children of faculty and staff, a post office. In addition to constructing new buildings, new sites at the surroundings have been appropriated on behalf of the university.[7]

Library & Information Service building

Today, buildings of a total area of 210100 sqm have been completed and are functioning.[7]

The university contains:

The Municipality of Agrinio is the link connecting Aitolia and Akarnania and it is one of the largest cities of Western Greece.[11]

Studies

The University consists of five schools, twenty-four departments with undergraduate study programs leading to a degree. Furthermore, the University of Patras offers thirty four postgraduate study programs.[12]

Academic structure

The University consists of five Schools, with a total of twenty-four Departments.

Schools Departments
School of Natural Sciences

Founded as the School of Mathematics and Physics on 19 October 1966. Renamed to the School of Natural Sciences in 1983.
  • Department of Mathematics, 1966
  • Department of Physics, 1966
  • Department of Biology, 1966
  • Department of Chemistry, 1966
  • Department of Geology, 1977
  • Department of Material Science, 1999
School of Engineering (Polytechneio)

Founded in 1967, it includes a Department of Engineering Sciences (1983).
  • Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Technology, 1967 (renamed from Department of Electrical Engineering)
  • Department of Mechanical Engineering and Aeronautics, 1972 (renamed from Department of Mechanical Engineering)
  • Department of Civil Engineering, 1972
  • Department of Chemical Engineering, 1977
  • Department of Computer Engineering and Informatics (CEID), 1980
  • Department of Environmental and Natural Resources Management, 1998
  • Department of Architecture, 1999
School of Humanities & Social Sciences

Founded in 1989.
  • Department of Early Childhood Education, 1983
  • Department of Primary Education, 1983
  • Department of Theatre Studies, 1989
  • Department of Philology, 1994
  • Department of Philosophy, 1999
School of Health Sciences

Founded as the Medicine School in 1977. Renamed to School of Health Sciences in 1983.
  • School of Medicine, 1983 (initially as Medicine School in 1977)
  • Department of Pharmacy, 1983 (initially in the School of Mathematics and Physics in 1977)
School of Business Administration

Established in 2013.
  • Department of Economics, 1985
  • Department of Business Administration, 1999
  • Department of Cultural Heritage Management and New Technologies, 2004
  • Department of Business Administration of Food and Agricultural Enterprises, 2006

Research

In its 112 laboratories, research is conducted by students and teaching staff members.

Apart from regular teaching and research activities, the laboratories are the focal points for the creation of national and international research consortia. The university participates in all major European research programmes such as ESPRIT, EURECA, RACE, LRE, BRITE-EURAM, IMPACT, LIFE, ENVIRONMENT, COPERNICUS, FAIR, STRIDE, BIOMED and other programmes sponsored by the D6XII, D6XVI, D6XIII Directorates.

The management of research projects is carried out by the Research Committee and its administration unit. The financial management of research projects with external funding produces resources for the University, which are used for specific educational and developmental activities, as well as funding of researchers. In recent years, over 2700 research projects, financed both by the State and the European Union have been carried out.[13][14][15]

Academic evaluation

An external evaluation of all academic departments in Greek universities was conducted by the Hellenic Quality Assurance and Accreditation Agency (HQAA).[16]

Notable alumni

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "About the University". University of Patras. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  2. ↑ Hellenic Statistical Authority (EL.STAT.), Report on Higher Education - Students, Institutes and Faculty Staff (2013/2014), press release, November 2015 (greek)
  3. ↑ "University of Patras - Facts and Figures". University of Patras. Retrieved 2016-01-19.
  4. ↑ Top 600 - QS World University Rankings 2012-2016
  5. ↑ Top 800 (601 to 800) - The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2011-2016
  6. ↑ University of Patras ranks highly in Chemical Engineering, Civil and Structural Engineering and Environmental Studies Newspaper article (english edition) Retrieved in 2016-01-19.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Campus". University of Patras. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  8. 1 2 "History". University of Patras. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  9. 1 2 "University". University of Patras. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  10. ↑ "University of Patras - Emblem". University of Patras. Retrieved 2016-01-19.
  11. ↑ "Location". University of Patras. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  12. ↑ "Education". University of Patras. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  13. ↑ University of Patras Research Activities, retrieved 2013
  14. ↑ "University Research Brochures". Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  15. ↑ "Έρευνα". University of Patras. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  16. ↑
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