History

The Epirus region was filled with historical memories, since the Greek people had preserved their cultural traditions and had contributed to the crystallization of a national consciousness. Throughout the Ottoman rule, Ioannina managed to maintain its cultural independence and pave the way for a national uprising. However, Ioannina as well as the Epirus region was not annexed into the Greek state until 1912-13. The people of Epirus suffered even more during the years of World War II, the Axis Occupation of Greece, and the Greek Civil War. Nevertheless, they found the strength to endure and claim their rightful position among Greek society.

Efforts for the establishment of a university date back to the late pre-revolution period. At that time, prominent Epirot intellectuals had ventured to establish university schools in the region.

Following the foundation of the Society for Epirot Studies (1954), the request for the establishment of a Higher Education Institution, which would affirm Epirus’ cultural background and would promote the city of Ioannina and the wider region in every aspect, held strong.

In 1962, a Central Committee for the Foundation of a University in Ioannina was established in Athens. Its sole purpose was to effectively assert and broadly promote the Epirots’ fair request for the foundation of a third University or independent post-educational theoretical or technical schools in Ioannina. In one of its proclamations in July 1962, the Committee called on every official and unofficial authority, and every Epirot citizen, to take action for the realization of the above request.

In 1964, an educational reform changed the organization and administration of schools. Under this reform, the establishment of a Department of the School of Philosophy in Ioannina, as a branch of the same School of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki was announced in the daily press on 8 May 1964. The Department was founded under Royal Decree 735/64 and opened in 1964-65 academic year with two hundred students. It was initially housed in the old building of the Zosimaia School of Ioannina. A wing of this building, then belonging to the 406 General Military Hospital, was conceded by the army to cover the first administrative and teaching needs. For the same reason, the great hall of the Academy was turned into a classroom. The Department was officially opened in 7 November 1964..

The first faculty members had to run the Department themselves, which was a hard task that entailed great responsibility. As the professors themselves have said,

Under Presidential Decree 173/2009 (Official Government Gazette 206/2-10-2009 issue A), the Department of Architectural Engineering was founded as an independent Department of the University of Ioannina, which opened in the 2015-2016 academic year.

Moreover, the University now offers three Elective Education Programmes (EEP): a) Biochemistry; b) Science and Culture; c) Applied Agroecology.

The Centre of Research & Technology was founded in 2007 and consists of four Research Institutes:

• Institute of Research on Bioactive Natural Chemicals;
• Institute of Water Resources Management & Protection;
• Institute of Surface Technology;
• Institute of Educational Innovation.

Most of our Schools offer Postgraduate Courses, with one thousand four hundred thirty-one (1,431) postgraduate students, and one thousand nine hundred ninety-seven (1,997) doctoral students. These figures are constantly on the rise.

Nowadays, the University of Ioannina features fifteen (15) Departments, with eighteen thousand three hundred fifty-six (18,356) students, and five hundred twenty-eight (528) Academic and Research staff. Our Special and Lab Teaching Staff lists twenty-eight (28) members in total.

The University also has one (1) Scientific Associate. Three hundred twenty-one (321) employees work at the University’s administrative services, and the Special Technical Lab Staff comprises of eighty-six (86) employees.

The publication of the Organization for Administrative Services (P.D. 186/99 Official Government Gazette 173/27-8-1999, Issue A), and the approval and publication of the University’s Internal Operating Regulations (Official Government Gazette 310/10-3-2005) have been an important step for the University’s organization.

Over the last years, due to the establishment of new Departments, the University of Ioannina has almost doubled its size, and its growth potential looks very promising. This will probably have a positive impact both on the academic community and the region as a whole.