University of Patras reports 400 students failed to enroll due to high costs

The Rector of the University of Patras, Christos Bouras, has raised alarms regarding a significant decline in student enrollment. Approximately 400 successful candidates failed to complete their registration this year, including nine students in the Medical School and roughly 20 in popular engineering departments.

Bouras attributed this trend to several factors, primarily the economic difficulties faced by families, the high cost of housing and transportation, and the rise of private universities. He warned that demographic decline could further exacerbate the issue, estimating that the number of new students could drop from 60,000 today to between 30,000 and 32,000 by 2040. In response, he advocated for a restructuring of the academic map, including potential mergers of universities and departments, while the university invests in international programs to attract foreign students.

Political reactions have followed, with the SYRIZA party and the EL. A. S. faction calling for immediate solutions. They highlighted that the cost of living in regional cities has become a barrier to higher education and proposed measures such as monthly living allowances, increased student housing support, and expanded free meal programs. Deputy Minister of Education Nikos Papaioannou acknowledged that living costs can discourage students and noted that existing measures, such as housing allowances, are in place, though he emphasized that any new department establishment requires a formal proposal from the university and approval from the National Authority for Higher Education.