Harvard and Athens Universities Launch Research Collaboration

Harvard University and the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, the oldest universities in the United States and Greece, launched on Wednesday a research collaboration on migration/refugee issues.

The collaboration will include a three-week summer course in Greece for Harvard graduate students.

The interdisciplinary course on migration and refugee studies will be held in Athens, Nafplio and on the island of Lesvos from July 11-31, offered by Harvard’s FXB Center for Health and Human Rights, in collaboration with the University of Athens’ Refugee and Migration Studies Hub. It will include lectures, seminars, interactive class sessions, and fieldwork.

Harvard students to study in Greece

Harvard graduate students across all schools and degree programs may apply, but admission is limited to 15 individuals. Applications are due February 15, 2022.

A memorandum of cooperation between the two institutions was signed at an online meeting on Wednesday.

“The internationalization of our Universities continues,” tweeted Niki Kerameus, Greek Education Minister. “Congratulations to both Universities for the cooperation in matters of modern immigration & refugee studies, a collaboration that starts this summer,” she added.

Νέα συνεργασία ΕΚΠΑ-Harvard.
Η εξωστρέφεια των Πανεπιστημίων μας συνεχίζεται!
Συγχαρητήρια και στα δύο Πανεπιστήμια για τη συνεργασία σε θέματα σύγχρονων μεταναστευτικών & προσφυγικών σπουδών, μια συνεργασία που ξεκινάει ήδη από το φετινό καλοκαίρι με θερινά προγράμματα σπουδών. pic.twitter.com/9hkdQ8qnO5

— Niki Kerameus (@nkerameus) January 19, 2022

“The two Universities are leading academic and research institutions. So they seem like natural partners in a global, interdisciplinary program addressing one of the most pressing issues of our times” said Deputy Chief of the US Mission in Greece David Burger.

“In 2021, the United States and Greece celebrated 200 years of friendship, on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the Greek revolution.  With partnerships like this one, it is clear that the people-to-people ties lead our friendship, and we are confident that the academic institutions and the youth of our countries will advance our cooperation even further in the future,” he noted.

“To that end, we are happy to partner with Minister Kerameus and share her vision for university extroversion and internationalization, paving the way for even more synergies.  We support this vision, and are proud that the Ministry has prioritized the United States as a top partner for Greek universities,” Burger added.

Harvard’s FXB Center for Health and Human Rights was founded and endowed by Albina du Boisrouvray in 1993. Her goal was to provide protection to children by furthering the vision for health and human rights of founding director Jonathan Mann, and it received the enthusiastic collaboration of then-Dean Harvey Fineberg.

The Center describes its mission as to use interdisciplinary approaches to promote equity and dignity for those oppressed by racism, poverty and stigma, nationally and around the world.

University of Athens also collaborates with Yale University

In October 2021, the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens also signed an agreement with Yale University to offer a joint studies program to their students.

The program will be open to undergraduates in environmental science and public health, and master’s students in environmental health. The two institutions developed the program through a collaboration between the University of Athen’s professor Nikolas Thomaidis and Yale University professor Vasilis Vasilou.