Atiner Athens

On Monday, 9 March 2026, the Athens Institute welcomed students participating in the Study Abroad Program “Education in Greece: The Impact of Historical and Cultural Contexts”, organized in collaboration with Vassar College.

The program began with an orientation session delivered by Gregory T. Papanikos, President of the Athens Institute & Professror (Adjunct), The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, USA.

During the session, Dr. Papanikos introduced the students to the Institute’s mission and the objectives of the study abroad program, providing an overview of the educational and cultural activities planned during their stay in Athens.

Throughout the week, participants engage in a variety of academic lectures, school visits, cultural events, and site visits, offering them the opportunity to explore the Greek educational system and the broader historical and cultural context of Greece.

The study abroad program combines academic learning with experiential cultural activities, allowing students to better understand the relationship between education, culture, and history in Greece.

On Friday 6 March 2026, Gregory T. Papanikos, President of the Athens Institute, held a meeting with Calvin S. Kalman, Professor of Physics at Concordia University, to discuss possible future collaborations.

During the meeting, they exchanged views on potential academic initiatives and opportunities for cooperation in areas related to physics and physics education.

In the context of their discussion, Dr. Kalman also presented to Dr. Papanikos his forthcoming book, co-authored with Roland Schulz, titled Physics and Physics Education: Philosophical, Historical and Pedagogical Perspectives. A Guidebook for Instructors, which will soon be published by Springer.

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Jorge Emilio Nunez (Reader, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK), has accepted the offer from the Athens Institute to serve as the new head of Law Unit.

As head of the unit, Dr. Nunez will collaborate with the Director of the Business, Economics and Law Division in organizing all conferences and small symposia hosted by the unit. Additionally, he will serve as Editor-in-Chief of the Athens Journal of Law.

Dr. Nunez’s association with the Athens Institute dates back to 2010, when, as a PhD Candidate, he first participated in the Law Conference and presented his research.

Dr. Jorge Nunez will assume the role previously held by Dr. David A. Frenkel (Emeritus Professor, Law Area, Guilford Glazer Faculty of Business and Management, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel) who served with distinction for more than twenty years as Head of the Law Unit, Editor-in-Chief of the Athens Journal of Law since its establishment, and Editor of the Anthology of Law.

Dr. Frenkel’s contribution to the development of the Conferences of the Unit, the Athens Journal of Law, and the printed publication Anthology of Law has been truly outstanding. Through his dedication, academic leadership, and unwavering commitment to excellence, he played a pivotal role in shaping the identity, reputation, and scholarly impact of these initiatives.

As Dr. Nunez undertakes his new responsibilities, we extend to him our very best wishes for a successful beginning in this important role. We are confident that he will continue the remarkable work carried out by Dr. Frenkel and further strengthen the academic mission and international standing of the Law Unit and its publications.

We are glad to announce that the President of the Athens Institute, Dr. Gregory T. Papanikos, has been appointed Professor (Adjunct) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. This appointment further strengthens the collaboration between the Athens Institute and the University of Tennessee, particularly with the Data Science Institute and Dr. Timothy M. Young, Emeritus Professor at the University of Tennessee and Interim Director of the Center for Data Science, who also serves as Director of the Center for Data Science (CDS) at the Athens Institute.

On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the Hellenic Tourism Organisation (HTO), the Tourism, Leisure & Recreation Unit of the Athens Institute organized, on Monday, 19 January 2026, from 17:30 to 20:30, an anniversary event entitled “75 Years since the Establishment of the Hellenic Tourism Organisation (HTO): The Past, the Present, and the Future of Greek Tourism.” The event took place at the premises of the Athens Institute, 9 Chalkokondili Street (5th floor), Kaniggos Square, Athens.
More information can be found at: https://www.atiner.gr/19january2026

The next event of the Tourism, Leisure & Recreation Unit of the Athens Institute is the 22nd Annual International Conference on Tourism, which will take place on 8–12 June 2026 in Athens, Greece (www.atiner.gr/tourism)

The 13th Annual International Conference on Humanities & Arts in a Global World was concluded yesterday in downtown Athens with an informal academic discussion on the future of education and research.

The discussion brought together:
Dr. David Philip Wick, Director, Arts, Humanities and Education Division, Athens Institute & Retired Professor of History, Gordon College, USA;
Dr. Ran Yang, Associate Professor, Sichuan Conservatory of Music, China;
Dr. Gregory T. Papanikos, President of the Athens Institute; and
Dr. Nikolaos Dimakis, Deputy Director, Sciences Division, Athens Institute & Professor and Chair, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, USA.

The conference began on Saturday, 3 January with the welcome speech by Dr. David Philip Wick, and featured presentations from 32 researchers coming from 12 different countries: Austria, Bulgaria, China, Germany, Israel, Italy, Romania, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

In addition to the academic program, a number of social and cultural events were offered. A highlight was the Ancient Athenian Symposium, offered by the president of the Athens Institute, Dr. Gregory T Papanikos, on Saturday evening, which combined continuous scholarly dialogue with timeless flavors, featuring authentic ancient Athenian dishes, local wine, and traditional sweet delicacies inspired by ancient Athens.

The conference concluded with a renewed commitment to international academic dialogue, interdisciplinary exchange, and collaboration in the humanities and arts.

The final program of the conference is available at: www.atiner.gr/2026hum-pro

Our Annual International Conference on Humanities & Arts in a Global World has just begun with the Opening and Welcome Remarks by the Director of the Arts, Humanities & Education Division of the Athens Institute, Dr. David Philip Wick.

We wish a productive conference and a happy, inspiring, and successful academic year ahead.

As we welcome the New Year, the Athens Institute extends its warmest wishes to academics, researchers, and educators around the world. May the year ahead be filled with intellectual curiosity, meaningful research, productive collaboration, and academic achievement.

We look forward to continuing our shared journey of scholarship, dialogue, and innovation, and to supporting the global academic community in advancing knowledge across disciplines.

🌍📚 Wishing you a successful and inspiring New Year.

A Public Lecture titled “With Knowledge Under Siege Globally, How May Canada Act As A Lighthouse?” was held on Wednesday, 17 December 2025, from 14:00 to 15:00 as part of the 19th Annual International Conference on Global Studies: Business, Economic, Political, Social and Cultural Aspects (https://www.atiner.gr/2025cbc-pro). The session was moderated by Gregory T. Papanikos, President of the Athens Institute.

The lecture was delivered by Dr. Marc Spooner, Professor at the University of Regina, Canada.

Professor Spooner’s lecture explored the pressing challenges facing higher education globally, including threats to academic freedom, underfunding, restrictions on tenure, and the rise of performance-based funding. Highlighting Canada’s uniquely unionized highereducation system, he discussed how Canadian faculty associations may serve as a lighthouse, defending the aspirational ideals of the university in times of increasing global authoritarianism.

Following the main presentation, interventions were made by:

Kenneth Christie, Head, Politics & International Affairs Unit, Athens Institute & Professor, Royal Roads University, Canada.
Reinhard Reitzenstein, Professor, Director of Sculpture Program, State University of New York at Buffalo, USA.
Deric Shannon, Professor, Oxford College, Emory University, USA.
Timothy Congdon, Chair, Institute of International Monetary Research, UK.

These contributions enriched the discussion by offering valuable international perspectives and deepening the dialogue on global challenges in higher education.

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Assimina Pelegri (Department Chair and Professor, Rutgers University, USA) has accepted the offer from the Athens Institute to serve as the Deputy Head of the Mechanical Engineering Unit.

On Tuesday 29 July 2025, as part of the 12th Annual International Conference on Social Sciences, a Microsymposium on “The Fundamentals & Future of Social-Behavioural Health Across the Lifespan” was held from 09:30 to 11:00. The session was moderated by Nkhangweni Mahwasane (University of Venda, South Africa), and featured presentations from distinguished international scholars:

Josh Firth, Associate Professor at the University of Leeds and Oxford University, UK, presented “Understanding Social Behaviour Across the Life-course in Real-World Populations: Fundamental Patterns, Trade-Offs, and Digital Solutions.” His talk explored key behavioural trends across different life stages, highlighting how emerging technologies can support healthier, evidence-based interventions in diverse populations.

Joseph Firth, UKRI Fellow at the University of Manchester, UK, discussed “Healthier Interactions in the Online World: Emergent Findings & Future Challenges.” His research examined the psychological and social impacts of digital communication, identifying new pathways for fostering well-being in increasingly online societies.

Alex Qian, Associate Professor at the Singapore University of Social Sciences, Singapore, presented “Physician Dual Practice, Public Waiting Time and Patient Welfare,” offering a data-driven analysis of healthcare dynamics and their broader implications for access, efficiency, and equity in public health systems.

This microsymposium highlighted the interdisciplinary nature of social-behavioural health research and emphasized the importance of evidence-informed strategies for improving health and social outcomes across all stages of life.

A Public Lecture titled “A Critical Look at Indigenization of Canadian Universities” was held on Monday, 28 July 2025, from 14:00 to 15:00. The session was moderated by Gregory T. Papanikos, President of the Athens Institute, and sponsored by the Canadian University Alumni in Greece (www.cuag.gr).

The lecture was delivered by Dr. Jim Clark, Head of the Psychology Unit at the Athens Institute and Professor at the University of Winnipeg, Canada. His presentation offered a thought-provoking and critical examination of how Canadian universities are integrating Indigenous perspectives and practices.

Prof. Clark addressed both the intent and impact of these initiatives, highlighting tensions between Indigenization efforts and traditional
academic principles such as rational inquiry and scientific evidence. While the focus was on Canadian institutions, the discussion emphasized that similar debates are unfolding in academic settings around the world.

Following the main presentation, short interventions were made by:

Domenico Maddaloni, Head of the Sociology Unit, Athens Institute & Professor, University of Salerno, Italy.
Ayla Ogus Binatli, Professor, Izmir University of Economics, Türkiye.
Daphne Vidanec, Tenured Professor, University of Applied Sciences Baltazar Zaprešić, Croatia.
Nkosingiphile Zungu, Lecturer, University of Zululand, South Africa.
Samira Yaghouti, Doctoral Researcher, Finland Futures Research Centre, University of Turku, Finland.

These contributions enriched the discussion by offering international perspectives on cultural integration, academic values, and the evolving role of universities in diverse social contexts.