SENIOR leaders from CITY College, University of York Europe Campus in Greece, have visited the university site in the city to celebrate their joint collaborations over the past year.

The University of York established a strategic alliance with CITY College, based in Thessaloniki in Greece, in 2020.

The college welcomed its first students in October 2021 under this new alliance - and offers undergraduate, postgraduate, MBA and doctoral programmes leading to a University of York degree.

Senior leaders from CITY College, University of York Europe Campus, including Yannis Ververidis, president and principal at CITY College, have toured the university and city, as well as visited landmarks such as York Minster and Clifford’s Tower, to further their understanding of university research, teaching and the cultural life of the city.

University vice-chancellor, professor Charlie Jeffery, said: "On this visit we have explored the relationship the university has with the local community, the city and the wider region and showcased all that York has to offer.

“We have much to celebrate together, after our first cohort of students joined us last year and we also have much to look forward to as our alliance continues to develop through joint PhD programmes, a number of research grant proposals and upcoming summer schools.”

“This visit was about building on our ambition to form new research collaborations, student exchanges and joint education programmes that will benefit communities across Europe.”

The visit included meeting staff in academic research areas, such as psychology and computer science, to explore further collaborations as well as teaching staff to share experiences and ideas. Discussions also covered support for the joint student community beyond graduation and potential new public-facing events to be hosted by the two institutions in the future.

Yannis Ververidis, president and principal at CITY College, said: “Working together has, and will continue to, open doors to opportunities for collaboration across Europe. It builds on our shared ambitions of improving the lives of communities at home and abroad.

“Following a successful visit to CITY College from York delegates last year, this return trip will lead to new ventures being formed, improved teaching and learning practices and build a general excitement about the many things we can achieve by working in partnership.”

CITY College offers a range of courses, including Business Studies, Marketing, Neuropsychology, Computer Science, Human Resources, English Language, Linguistics and Literature and more.

The relationship between the two sites will also see researchers working with colleagues in Greece to further understand a range of issues impacting society.

Since the establishment of the relationship, the two institutions have co-developed PhD programmes, submitted joint research proposals, and devised student study abroad placements, as well as shared education resources, and delivered public lectures.