Students prevent council elections at universities
The senate at Ioannina University shut down the institution for a day on Monday in a bid to convince the government to provide more funding as students at other universities prevented votes to elect independent councils to oversee the running of schools from taking place.
About 150 students at the University of Athens blocked access to polling booths, forcing the electoral committee at the institution to abandon the effort. A new attempt to hold the vote is due to take place on Tuesday.
The students are protesting the formation of the councils, part of reforms passed last year, which will include academics from other institutions. Protests at Panteion and Patra universities also forced votes there to be scrapped.
In Ioannina, authorities said that the institution is unable to cover operational costs including paying for heating oil, cleaning staff and lab maintenance.
