Greece proposes amendment to protect private university students

The Greek Ministry of Education has submitted a legislative amendment to the Parliament aimed at protecting students enrolled in private universities (N.P.P.E.). The measure addresses cases where the operating licenses or program certifications of these institutions were subsequently canceled by judicial decisions, such as those from the Council of State.

Under the proposed framework, the time spent studying and the corresponding credit units earned by students will be recognized, provided that the student continues within the same study program and that the program undergoes re-certification by the National Authority for Higher Education (E.TH.A.A.E.). The government states the amendment is based on the principles of “legitimate expectation” and “good administration,” ensuring that students are not penalized for administrative or regulatory failures they did not cause.

However, the amendment has faced criticism from legal experts and academics. Critics, including lawyer Thanasis Kambagiannis and academic Panos Lazaratos, have characterized the move as a “retroactive recognition” that attempts to bypass or nullify judicial rulings. They argue the measure may undermine the rule of law and the authority of the Council of State by attempting to legally validate study periods in programs that were previously deemed unauthorized.