The Department

The department of Geography at Harokopio University of Athens was founded in 1999 and welcomed its first class students during the academic year 2000-2001. It is one of the two Hellenic university departments dedicated to Geography, a dynamic scientific field at the intersection of physical and social sciences.

The mission of the Department of Geography consists in (i) promoting of the science of Geography, (ii) providing high-quality education, at undergraduate and post-graduate level, combining scientific ethos and theories of the Geographic science with the understanding of the problems the society faces, its demands, its needs, (iii) developing basic and applied research in the fields covered by Geography at international level, (iv) assuring the appropriate academic environment so that students, researchers and staff members may deploy at their best their capabilities.

The Department offers one Undergraduate and one Postgraduate Program.

Currently, the Department of Geography counts 15 Academic staff members, with recognition amongst the academics and intense presence in research. The Department attaches special value to research activity. During the fifteen years of its operation, a significant number of research projects have been implemented in collaboration with Higher Education Institutions / Universities and Research Centers of the Hellenic Republic and abroad. The research activities are highlighted and promoted through publications in academic journals and the participation of the Department’s scientific staff and students in international conferences.

The aim of the Department is to accomplish the strengthening of the topic of Geography as crucial scientific field in the academia and in the Hellenic society, as well as the elevation of the Harokopio University Department of Geography as standard of geography education and research in response to the needs of the modern society.

In December 2013, in accordance with the Law 3374/2005, the Department of Geography passed successfully the external evaluation procedure implemented by an international five-member committee. The very positive External Evaluation Report (displayed at the Hellenic Quality Assurance and Accreditation Agency – now Hellenic Authority for Higher Education- website: https://www.ethaae.gr/en/quality-assurance/external-evaluation-reports) certifies the high academic level of the curriculum, points out the outstanding quality of the staff and recognizes the driving forces of the research work the Department has accomplished.

In May 2019, the Council of the Hellenic Quality Assurance and Accreditation Agency (HQA) (currently succeeded by the Hellenic Authority for Higher Education – HAHE) in its 86^th session on 13-05-2019 and in accordance with its decision 10067 of 15-05-2019, granted accreditation to the Undergraduate Study Programme “Geography” of Harokopio University of Athens.
The Council of the Hellenic Quality Assurance and Accreditation Agency endorsed the Accreditation Report written by the external evaluators composing the Accreditation Panel responsible for reviewing the Undergraduate Study Programme (USP) “Geography” of the Harokopio University of Athens. On the basis of this Accreditation Report, the HQA’s Council made its decision to grant accreditation to the Undergraduate Study Programme (USP) “Geography”  of the Harokopio University with full compliance with the USP Quality Standards of the HQA and with the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG2015).
The accreditation status awarded is valid for a period of four years, from 13/05/2019 until 12/05/2023.

Geography Department Milestones

1999 | Foundation of the Department of Geography
September 2000 | First Student admission
June 2004 | First Graduation
September 2005 | Start of the Postgraduate Programme with two streams
May 2007 | First award of postgraduate diplomas
September 2008 | Start of the third Stream into the Postgraduate Program
November 2013 | Establishment of the School of Environment, Geography and Applied Economics
June 2018 | Re-establishment of the Postgraduate  Study Program
May 2019 | The Undergraduate Study Program was certified by the Hellenic Quality Assurance and Accreditation Agency (HQA)