Changes made to TEI draft law
Just days after submitting a draft law aimed at reforming the way technical colleges (TEIs) operate, Education Minister Aris Spiliotopoulos made changes to the bill yesterday in an attempt to appease the academic community. Both university and TEI professors had objected to some of provisions in the draft law, which was presented to Parliament last week. In a change to Article 18 of the bill, a committee of both university and TEI representatives will assess whether a graduate has the skills necessary to enter certain professions, such as engineering. The original version of the bill required just TEI officials to make the judgment. Significantly, another amendment also allows universities and TEIs in the same area of Greece to work together on undergraduate programs. The move is seen as a way of upgrading TEIs, which often operate in the shadow of Greece’s state-run universities. Spiliotopoulos made the changes after consultation with the Technical Chamber of Greece and the Council of University Rectors.
