Languages Programs

The Language Center of the Faculty of Humanities of the University of the Aegean was established on September 21, 2020 (Government Gazette B’ 4020/21.09.2020)

The mission and goals of the Center include:

 The teaching of Modern Greek as a second and / or foreign language, as well as the teaching of Mediterranean languages ​​and other languages ​​at all levels of language learning.

The teaching of the Greek language to students from foreign universities, who carry out part of their studies at the University of the Aegean, in the framework of the Erasmus program or other educational programs.

The contact of students from different countries, who implement part of their studies within the Erasmus program framework or with another program at the University of the Aegean, with Greek culture and in general the intercultural contact of people, with respect to linguistic and cultural diversity.

The acquisition of teaching experience of undergraduate and postgraduate students, doctoral candidates, doctorates and researchers.

The organization of workshops, conferences, seminars, summer activities on the teaching of Greek as a foreign language or a language of heritage in the Diaspora, the teaching of the languages ​​of the Mediterranean, bilingualism / multilingualism, linguistic and cultural contact, linguistic communication and biographies and intercultural education.

 The production of teaching material in subjects identified above (teaching of Greek language and Mediterranean languages).

The development and implementation of research and educational programs and activities around the cognitive subjects offered by the Language Center (eg bilingualism, language education, intercultural education, adult education, integration of immigrants and refugees in Greek society, etc.).

The implementation of bilateral-inter-university agreements between the Center and respective university and foreign language research centers, with the aim of interdisciplinary cooperation and staff mobility for training and / or teaching, the promotion of cooperation with both academic and research at an national and international level.

The promotion of multilingualism and multiculturalism, in order to achieve the connection of the local and academic community with the “citizens of the world” and the organization, hosting and participation in cultural and art events in order to approach a foreign language and its culture.

Courses of Modern Greek without tuition fees are offered to:

• Foreign Students taking part in European Educational Programs (e.g., Erasmus), international programs and programs for educational exchange;
• Foreign postgraduate or doctoral students as well as students of Greek origin who study in the University of Aegean;
• Foreign postgraduate or doctoral students with scholarships granted by the Greek State or other institutions and bodies;
• Foreign doctoral students or professors, who participate in scientific programs at the University of the Aegean and collaborate with professors of the Faculties of Social Sciences and the Environment of the University of the Aegean;
• Adult refugees who have already applied for asylum or whose request for asylum has been accepted and live temporarily or permanently in Mytilene (Lesvos).

Enrolment to courses of Modern Greek with payment of tuition fees

 Greek language courses for students who are not studying at the University of the Aegean, i.e., foreign nationals (adults) or foreign citizens of Greek descent who wish to learn Greek or improve their knowledge of Greek upon payment of tuition fees. These courses are addressed to:

• Foreign nationals living in Greece;
• Foreign nationals wishing to come to Greece and Mytilene (Lesvos) in order to learn or improve their Greek language skills;
• Foreign nationals wishing to take the examination for the Certificate of Attainment in Greek.

Foreign nationals wishing to attend Greek classes will be requested to pay a symbolic tuition fee (1 euro per hour for a total of 80 hours per University term – “Semester”).

In order to be admitted to Modern Greek classes, foreign nationals must comply with the following requirements:

• Hold at least a secondary school leaving qualification;
• Fulfil the conditions for a legal stay in Greece for the whole duration of the courses (residence permit or visa), unless they are citizens of a member-state of the European Union, they are married to a Greek citizen or they have Greek nationality;
• Submit a brief curriculum vitae.

Applicants will either join an existing group, on the condition that they have the same level of language skills and the total number of students in the group does not exceed 15 people, or a new course will be set up for them if there are at least 7 applicants having the same language level.

NB: Accommodation is not provided to students attending the above classes.

Groups

Students will have to pass an oral and written test in Modern Greek in order to determine their placement in the appropriate level. Depending on the student’s level, the following courses are offered:

• Beginners’ level (AI AII)
• Intermediate level: (BI BII)
• Advanced level: (CI CII)

Course Duration

The programme is divided into the winter and the spring semester following the academic calendar of each year. Each semester includes 13 teaching weeks.

Examination Centre for the Certificate of Attainment in Greek (Mytilene & Rhodes)

The University of the Aegean has been established as an Exam Centre by the Centre for the Greek Language (CGL) of the Ministry of Education, Research and Religious Affairs 
http://www.greek-language.gr/certification/ .  

The Certificate of Attainment in Greek, which was established in November 1998, constitutes the official State certificate of proficiency in Greek at different levels. It gives the holder of the certificate the possibility of proving his/her knowledge of Greek on the job market, to participate in public competitions (ASEP) and enrol in higher education institutions in Greece.

The University of the Aegean, as a recognized exam centre, offers candidates living is Lesvos or other north-eastern Aegean islands the opportunity to take part in the exams.  In particular, the University of the Aegean:

• Makes a public announcement about registration dates in order to participate in the exams for the “Certificate of Attainment in Greek”.
• Provides candidates with the information required in order to register and take part in the exams.
• Organizes and carries out the exams, usually every year in May.

The courses on offer, supplemented with additional classes in some cases, provide adequate training complying with the analytical program of the CGL for the Certificate of Attainment in Greek.

Contact – Information

The University of the Aegean, with the concern of offering lifelong learning opportunities to members of its academic community, and in collaboration with the Chinese organization Continental Han Feng Network Technology (Beijing) Co., has launched a pioneering international educational action, In this context, it successfully implements, already from the academic year 2020-2021, an online program of Chinese language, offered to students and members of the academic community of the University. It is important that this program operated for the first time in Greece and specifically at the University of the Aegean and it continues uninterruptedly until today, while its continuation is also planned for the years to come.

The online Chinese language teaching program operates under a Cooperation Agreement (Building the Online Chinese Classroom for the University of the Aegean), signed between the University of the Aegean and  Continental Han Feng Network Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd. Being an international Chinese online training company responsible for operating the Chinese Plus platform. It is committed to meeting the diverse Chinese language learning requirements worldwide, through the creation of online cloud learning platforms for Chinese and foreign educational institutions and social organizations and has received legal authorization for the Online Chinese Classroom.

At this stage, the program is aimed only at members of the Aegean university community and online courses are offered free of charge. In addition, at the end of each semester of online courses, participants have the opportunity to take an online exam to obtain Chinese language proficiency certificates. The exams are implemented in application of a separate Tripartite Cooperation Agreement signed by the University of the Aegean with the Henan University of China and the Chinese Testing International Co., Ltd. (CTI) for the operation of the first online Chinese Testing Center (Online Chinese Testing Center) and concerns the online examination of the Chinese language, with the payment of the pre-determined examination costs depending on the level of the certificate.

Chinese Language and Culture Center

In the frame of the  implementation of the strategic goal of internationalization, the University of the Aegean aims at the further strengthening of the relations of cooperation with Chinese institutions.  In this context,  an autonomous academic structure, the Hellenic-Chinese Language and Culture Center is established  at the University of Aegean (Government Gazette 3/26.07.2021), with the main purpose of promoting the language and culture of China to members of the academic community and the wider society.

With this action, the University of the Aegean will henceforth be able to implement actions to promote the language and culture of China and vice versa, through the Hellenic-Chinese Language and Culture Center, which will contribute to strengthening the bonds of friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

Extending the application of the good practice of supporting and enhancing the teaching of foreign languages ​​at our University and, after the successful experience in distance learning of the French language, during the academic year 2019-2020, the resumption of free online courses was organized, in the wider context of the collaboration of the University of the Aegean with the French Institute in Greece, through its Directors, first Mr. Patrick Comoy and then Nicolas Eybalin with the voluntary support of the Honorary Consul Sofia Baroutsaki-Tsirigoti.

In the context of bilateral Greek-French relations, the Office for Cooperation and Educational Action – French Institute of Greece and the University of the Aegean signed a bilateral cooperation agreement on the basis of which they agreed to further develop their cooperation.  Given that the promotion of the French language is part of the action lines of educational diplomacy, these courses can also be an introduction to the French language with the aim of strengthening its presence in the wider Aegean region.