Greece has lots of students, but are they learning?
At 7.4%, Greece has the largest number of university students per capita in the European Union (3.8%), and a 44% ratio of 30-34-year-olds with a university degree against an EU target of 40% for 2020, the National Authority for Higher Education has said in its annual report.
On the downside, the report also underscores what is described as a “qualitative deficit,” meaning that few students appear to take an active interest in learning beyond what is required to pass.
“Almost one in three students score very poorly in exams, with a grade of 1, 2 or 3 [out of 10],” says Athens University Professor Eugenia Bournova, adding that attendance should be mandatory and classes smaller to encourage better results.
“Many students study from photocopies made by others who go to the lectures and sell their notes,” comments Loukas Vlahos, a physics professor at the University of Thessaloniki.
