The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (EKPA) and the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom are to establish Greece’s first Dual Undergraduate Degree Programme in Medicine, with the heads of the two institutions signing a Preliminary Agreement on Thursday.

The joint programme will be taught in English, with input from academic tutors from both medical schools, and will be based in Athens and is expected to welcome its first cohort of students in September 2028.

The graduates of the programme will receive two degrees – from EKPA and the University of Exeter – and will be able to apply for residency positions in both the UK and Greece, as graduates of recognised medical schools in both countries.

As part of the agreement, a Strategic Cooperation Committee will be established to oversee the development of the programme and to ensure the quality and harmonisation of studies with the standards of both countries. The final cooperation agreement will be concluded after the necessary approvals by the competent academic and regulatory authorities of the UK and Greece (General Medical Council and NMAE, respectively).

The programme aspires to provide an innovative educational experience with an international footprint, enabling graduates to practice medicine in both Europe and the UK.

As stated in an announcement by the University of Athens, this is a very important step in the internationalisation of the country’s higher education, as the first joint six-year Undergraduate Degree Programme leading to the award of the double degree in Medicine will be launched

The agreement was signed by the Rector of the University of Athens, Professor Gerasimos Siasos, the Deputy Rector and Dean of the University of Exeter Medical School, Professor Richard Holland, the Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation, Professor Efstathios Efstathopoulos, and the President of the School of Medicine, Professor Nikolaos Arkadopoulos.

The ceremony was also attended by the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs, International Relations and Extroversion of the University of Athens, Professor Sophia Papaioannou, the Dean of the School of Health Sciences of the University of Athens, Professor Pagona Lagiou, Professor Konstantinos Tsioufis, Vice-Chairman of the Medical School of the University of Athens, and Professor Marios Politis, member of the Curriculum Committee on behalf of the University of Exeter, who was instrumental in shaping and implementing the collaboration.

The Rector of the University of Athens, Professor Gerasimos Siasos, stressed on the signing of the new Memorandum of Understanding:

“Today’s signing of the Preliminary Agreement with the University of Exeter marks an extremely important moment for the University of Athens and our School of Medicine. With the establishment of the first international joint degree in Medicine to be offered in Athens, our strategic goal for internationalization is confirmed, and the academic presence of the University of Athens and in particular of the School of Medicine in the international educational environment is strengthened. Through this collaboration, we join forces with a leading British University, the University of Exeter, to offer a high-quality programme with an international orientation and perspective. The University of Athens invests in knowledge, innovation and the creation of opportunities for its students, both within and beyond its borders.”

The Associate Dean and Dean of the University of Exeter Medical School, Professor Richard Holland, said of the signing of the new Memorandum of Understanding:

“This is an important day for both the University of Exeter and the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens as we join together to sign a Memorandum of Understanding to develop the only Joint Undergraduate Medical Degree Programme (or Medical Studies), with the ambition to launch the first Joint Medical Degree Programme in September 2028.

Medical students entering this programme will follow a programme that combines the best elements of modern medical education with the use of virtual reality and the excellence of Greek medical education, into a degree that will enable graduates to work in the UK and the European Union. The joint degree, which will be designed to be approved by both the Greek Authority and the UK GMC, will be the first of its kind.

We see this Agreement as much more than just a connection through Medical Education, as it brings our two great Universities closer together, creating opportunities for even closer collaboration in common areas of research interest and the potential for growth in areas of educational collaboration.

Finally, I would like to personally thank the Rector and the President for their wonderful hospitality. The warm welcome and the enthusiasm and commitment of all your staff mean that this collaboration will be a great success.”

Referring to the signing of the new Memorandum of Understanding, the President of the School of Medicine of the University of Athens, Professor Nikolaos Arkadopoulos, said:

“The collaboration between the School of Medicine of the University of Athens and the University of Exeter Medical School paves the way for the creation of a unique, leading undergraduate programme in Medicine that will combine the best European and British educational standards. A major step forward for medical education, not only in our country but internationally!”

Professor Marios Politis, a member of the Curriculum Committee on behalf of the University of Exeter, said:

“The collaboration between the University of Exeter and the University of Athens for the establishment of the first joint (dual) degree programme in Medicine is a historic milestone for the internationalisation of medical education in Europe. The programme integrates the academic standards of both institutions and offers students an educational environment of the highest quality, with international recognition and perspective. This is a historic moment for Europe and for universities that consistently serve academic excellence and international cooperation.”