Greek Deputy Minister of National Economy and Finance Nikos Papathanasis has approved the allocation of €2.56 million under the European Social Fund (ESF) to support doctoral graduates in gaining academic teaching experience at Greek universities.
Five Universities Selected for Initial Phase
The funding falls under the ESF-funded programme Human Capital and Social Cohesion 2021–2027. Five universities have been selected for the first round of implementation: the University of Patras, Democritus University of Thrace, Panteion University, University of Macedonia, and University of Crete. The total public expenditure for these five actions—titled Acquisition of Academic Teaching Experience, Academic Year 2026–2027—amounts to €2,567,000.
Three-Year Initiative Supporting Early-Career Academics
The initiative, launched in the 2024–2025 academic year, runs for three years and aims to help newly minted PhD holders gain independent teaching experience by assigning them autonomous teaching responsibilities. It also enables universities to collaborate with early-career doctors, thereby strengthening their academic teaching staff.
Ongoing Expansion Across Higher Education Institutions
The application, evaluation, and selection process remains open for the remaining 19 higher education institutions in Greece. Overall budgetary allocations for the academic years 2024–2025, 2025–2026, and 2026–2027 are expected to reach approximately €85 million.