National Technical University of Athens

History

Founded in 1837, almost along with the modern Greek state, NTUA is the oldest Technical University in Greece. Initially established by a royal decree “on architectural education” it was a technical school operating on Sundays and holidays which offered instruction to those desiring to master in architecture. Though, at a remote location it soon attracted many students. Its popularity lead to the extension of courses and by spring 1840 to the operation of a regular day school along with the Sundays counterpart. It was then moved to its own building on Piraeus street. The joint efforts of students and instructors contributed to a continuous growth and to revising standards.

The urgent needs for infrastructure to support the ambitious plans of the school led to the 1871 transfer to new buildings on the Patission Street Complex. Their construction was first supported by Nikolaos Stournaris. In Greek,  NTUA  is  called “Ethnicon  M etsovion  Polytechnion”.  It  was  named “Metsovion” to honor the donors and benefactors Nikolaos Stournaris, Eleni Tositsa, Michail Tositsas and Georgios Averof, all from Metsovo, a small town in the region of Epirus.

After the introduction of a four-year degree course for civil and mechanical engineering, in 1887, the NTUA was able to announce that it “educates high level engineers for the public service, industry and construction” as competent as “graduates from the well–known engineering schools of Western Europe”. The final major reform of the organisation and administration of NTUA took place in 1917. The “Ethnicon M etsovion Politechnion” acquired five high level engineering schools: Civil, M echanical & Electrical, Architecture, Chemical and Surveying. Many subsequent changes since 1917, have led to its current form: a prestigious University of Science and Technology, with eight Engineering Schools and a ninth School of Applied Mathematical and Physical Sciences.

Laboratories and Research

NTUA’s equal and interrelated priorities are education and scientific research. The research programmes that are undertaken at the Institution are subject to established academic standards and are funded by NTUA’s own resources, by the General Secretariat for Research and Technology (GSRT) and other public bodies, by the European Union or by private sector companies in Greece and other countries.

In exchange for the services and facilities provided (which include premises, equipment and infrastructure), NTUA withholds approximately 15% of the research programmes budget and By decision of the Senate, these amounts, which are collected annually, are used to support education, research that is not funded by other resources as well as other activities. The latter include scholarships awarded to postgraduate students.
Research is conducted in 130 officially established laboratories under the supervision of the academic staff. The total number of postgraduate students is 4.950. Of these, 1.950 are enrolled in an Interdisciplinary Postgraduate Studies Programme (I.P.S.P.) that leads to an M.Eng. while 3.000 are Ph.D. students.

Special Account for Research Funding (E.L.K.E.) of National Technical University of Athens (N.T.U.A.) operates in accordance with Law 4485/17 and National and European Community Law on the management and utilization of funds for scientific research, education, training, technological development and innovation and the provision of related services to achieve its purpose.

Purpose of E.L.K.E. is the management and allocation of funds coming from any source, as well as from its own resources, and intended to cover the costs of any kind necessary for carrying out research, educational, training, and development projects, seminars and conferences, providing scientific, technological and artistic services, conducting specialized and clinical studies, performing tests, measurements, laboratory tests and analyses, providing an opinion or drafting specifications for third parties, design and implementation of scientific, research, cultural and development programs as well as other related services for the benefit of the University (N.T.U.A.). More information: https://www.elke.ntua.gr/en/

Institute of Communication and Computer Systems

The Institute of Communication and Computer Systems (ICCS) of the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) of the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) was founded in 1992. It was founded with the ‘charta’ to support the performance of top-quality research, development activities and the provision of scientific service to private and public bodies. Essentially the mission of ICCS was to support the deployment, the realization and the growth of the research priorities of ECE mainly through seeking, pursuing and acquiring research funding via the competitive calls for research proposals that the European Commission had instigated. In turn its purpose has been to build a research personnel base alongside ECE’s faculty so as to conduct state-of-the-art research and at the same time improve the research laboratory equipment base and infrastructures of the School.

Furthermore ICCS has been organized so as to host and to provide research stipends to postgraduate students and post-doctoral researchers. Since its foundation and up to date, ICCS has been growing and maturing within the complex context of the Greek law governing research, innovation and higher education affairs in a country where research resources and funding has been maintained at low levels, in comparison to the majority of the developed European countries. More information: https://www.iccs.gr/en/

Lavrion Technological and Cultural Park (LTCP), is a body of scientific research, education, business and culture. Founded in place of the old French Mining Company of Lavrion (Compagnie Francaise des Mines du Laurium) in 1992, as a result of the initiative undertaken from the National Technical University of Athens.

LTCP aims at linking scientific and technological research conducted in Athens with the needs and interests of the business world to the realization of cultural events related to the promotion of the history and culture of the wider area of Lavreotiki and the emergence of the history of activities in the past had developed in the maintenance of premises. The LTCP area is a unique monument of industrial architecture and archeology and placed him in a series of housing facilities for business and research excelence.

The services provided by LTCP as well as its renovated facilities, continue to support research, education and technology. Today, LTCP is essentially the only Technology Park in Attica, which specializes in areas – keys of modern applied technology, such as information technology, electronics technology, telecommunications, robotics, technology laser, environmental technology, energy, shipbuilding , Marine technology, etc.

The Metsovion Interdisciplinary Research Center (M.I.R.C.) of the National Technical University of Athens (N.T.U.A.) for the Protection and Development of Mountainous Environment and Local European Cultures was founded in 1993 by decision of the National Technical University of Athens Senate, following the proposal of the then Rector Professor N. Markatos. It was set up in 1998, following the Proposal of N.T.U.A. Rector Professor Th. Xanthopoulos, by decision of the 22nd N.T.U.A. Senate on December 23, 1998.

According to the decision of the N.T.U.A. Senate, the aim of M.I.R.C. is to substantially support N.T.U.A. in the management of its real estate property in Metsovon, which consists of a building plot in Aghia Triada, the infrastructure which is associated with or results from the above property, as well as third party donations, bequests and allowances, with the objective of substantially connecting N.T.U.A. with the homeland of its Founders and promoting the effective contribution of N.T.U.A. to Metsovon Province’s Integrated Development. In this direction, M.I.R.C. is closely cooperating with the local educational, research and cultural organizations of Epirus and especially with the Municipality of Metsovon, the University of Ioannina, the Embellishing Association of Metsovon, the Epirus Egnatia Foundation etc.