The Interdepartmental Postgraduate Programs (IPPs) at the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) are guided by the "Special Interdepartmental Committee" (S.I.C.) in compliance with Article 12, paragraph c of Law 2083/92. The interdisciplinary particularities of each IPP, coupled with the commitments made during the proposal and authorization phases of the programs by the Hellenic Ministry of Education, Research and Religious Affairs, necessitate considerable seriousness and meticulous scrutiny regarding the overall quality, ultimate objectives, and viability of each IPP.
General specifications and standardized procedures applicable to IPPs
The operation of all Interdepartmental Postgraduate Programs of Studies(IPPs) at the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) is governed, beyond the general legal framework, by the Internal Operational Regulation (I.O.R.) of NTUA, Article 7, titled "Postgraduate Studies." Given that the IPPS generally lead to the award of a Master of Specialization Degree (M.S.), the following proposed principles are tailored to this model. It should be noted that:
-The responsible body for each IPP is the Special Interdepartmental Committee (S.I.C.), chaired by the Director of the IPPs
-Academic entities providing educational work and lecturers remain those involved in the IPPs, Schools and Sectors , whose positions are composed by the Postgraduate Program Committees (P.P.C.) and determined by the General Senate of each School.
-The Coordinating and Supervisory body for IPPs at NTUA is the Senate Committee of Postgraduate Studies (S.C.P.S.), as per Article 12, paragraph 1.b of Law 2083/92, see section 1.3, Article 5 of this document.
-The supreme approving body is the Senate, whose decisions regarding the Postgraduate Programs and consequently the IPPs form the framework of internal regulation for both Postgraduate Programs and IPPs within the Institution.
-The Special Interdepartmental Committees of the IPPs, in accordance with the Senate's decisions on the general principles, the structure, and the overall content of the Interdisciplinary Interdepartmental Postgraduate Studies, organize the necessary working groups per course or set of courses, compose the detailed IPPs curriculum, until the end of January of each academic year, submit them to the participating Schools and Sectors, and coordinate the preparation of joint proposals.
-The final written recommendations regarding the content, implementation procedures and assignment of teaching for the courses of the IPP must be submitted no later than February 20th of each academic year by the Postgraduate Studies Committee (P.S.C.) of each participant in the IPP School, which has encoded the proposals of the Sectors, to the Special Interdepartmental Committee and to the General Assembly of Special Composition of the coordinating School. The non-submission of recommendations implies the unconditional acceptance of the proposal of the Special Interdepartmental Committee.
-Under the responsibility of the President of the coordinating IPP Department, the final written recommendations of the Special Interdepartmental Committees of all Departments that serve the teaching of the IPPS, as well as the final recommendations of the Postgraduate Studies Committee, based on the assessment of the previous academic year, an explanatory report, and analysis of the proposed new Interdepartmental Postgraduate Program, the detailed syllabus of each course, and, if deemed useful, their personal final recommendation, are distributed in a timely manner, no later than March 1st, to all invited parties. The General Assembly of Special Composition of the coordinating Department (School) convenes in an expanded composition no later than March 10th, with the participation of all members of the Departmental Teaching and Research Staff, Educational Support Staff, Technical Support Staff, Administrative Staff and Postgraduate Students who have the right and obligation to participate in the teaching of courses (lectures, tutorials, exercises, laboratories). The General Assembly of Special Composition decides, by the members entitled to vote, on the approval or modification of the Programs for each individual course and their entirety, as well as on the teaching aids to be used in each course. The decision of the General Assembly of Special Composition is forwarded to the Senate Committee of Postgraduate Studies (S.C.P.S.), the Directorate of Studies, and the relevant Special Interdepartmental Committee, whose opinions are also promptly conveyed to the S.C.P.S.
-The Senate Committee of Postgraduate Studies (S.C.P.S.) immediately convenes to discuss and provide detailed recommendations for each of the Institution's IPPs to the Special Senate (S.S.) of the Institution, by March 20th, under specific agenda items.
-The Senate Special Composition (S.S.C.) of the Institution assembles within the third ten-day interval of March, addressing the agenda items pertaining to the Daily Schedule (D.S.) of the Institution's IPPs. The invited participants encompass the relevant personnel from the Directorate of Studies, the Directors of the Special Interdepartmental Committees, and the members of the Senate Committee of Postgraduate Studies. Resolutions made by the S.S.C. of the Institution are communicated to the Special Interdepartmental Committees and the General Assemblies of Special Composition. These decisions are subjected to periodic review by the Senate Committee of Special Composition.
-Non-adherence by a Special Interdepartmental Committee to the stipulated process of composition, approval, and evaluation of the respective IPP absolves the NTUA initially from the obligation of material or academic support and from the liability regarding the content and quality of the Postgraduate Studies offered by the pertinent IPP. Subsequently, the Institution initiates the procedure, through its governing bodies, to halt the operation of the concerned IPP.
Origin and background of postgraduate students enrolled in these programs
In all Interdisciplinary - Interdepartmental Postgraduate Programs at NTUA, the following candidates are initially admitted by the respective Special Interdepartmental Committees, following an open call for Specialization Master’s Degree:
-Graduates of NTUA and other Polytechnic Schools in the country.
-Graduates of other Greek Universities, primarily in science-related fields.
-Graduates of foreign universities, primarily in science-related fields, with studies officially recognized as equivalent to Greek Universities, holding an M.Sc. or M.Eng degree or another equivalent title.
-Prospective graduates of NTUA or Universities from the mentioned categories, provided they submit proof that obtaining their degree will precede the commencement of the Interdepartmental Postgraduate Program.
-Graduates of other Departments, following current regulations.
Criteria and prerequisites for the selection and admission of postgraduate candidates
A general prerequisite for admission to the Master of Specialization Program is a foundational understanding of a minimum scientific background. This background is determined by the Special Interdepartmental Committees and includes a set of prerequisite undergraduate courses covering fundamental knowledge in the broader interdisciplinary subject areas of the Schools that award the Master’s Degree.
Proof of knowledge in the aforementioned background is either covered by the detailed content of previous studies and a career summary of the applicant, or through enrollment for attendance and successful examination in the undergraduate courses specified by the Special Interdepartmental Committees. Specifically, during the selection of candidates, the Special Interdepartmental Committees (S.I.C.) consider, upon the recommendation of the Selection Committee of the Postgraduate Students, formed by the S.I.C.2, the criteria specified in Article 12, paragraph 2 (a) and (b) of Law 2083/92. Potentially, the percentages of students accepted from each field of origin are also determined. As additionally provided by the law, the following criteria are taken into account:
-The ranking of the degree obtained in relation to the degrees of other graduates in the same Department and Academic Year.
-The candidate's research or technological activities.
-Knowledge in computer science.
-Recommendation letters.
-In case the candidate is an employee, the needs and prospects of the institution from which they originate are considered.
Structure and Flowchart of the Interdepartmental Postgraduate Programs of Studies (IPP)
Outlined in the structural diagram and flowchart are the Postgraduate Programs at the National Technical University of Athens. Specifically:
- The primary objective of the Postgraduate Students is to initially acquire the Master's Degree and subsequently, for those interested and meeting certain conditions, to pursue a Doctorate (Ph.D.).
- Prerequisites are fulfilled through the pre-registration of Postgraduate Program candidates. Subsequently, successful completion of prerequisite courses allows enrollment in the Postgraduate Program for the acquisition of the Master's Degree, granted after the successful completion of a comprehensive annual (12-month) Postgraduate Program. The program spans two semesters (a total of 24 weeks and a minimum of twenty, up to a maximum of forty, teaching units) of specialized courses, as defined by the Special Interdepartmental Committee (S.I.C.) based on the table of courses contained in the respective Ministerial Decision, ultimately approved by the Senate. Following the indicative academic calendar of paragraph 3.4, the next step involves the completion of a postgraduate thesis. Successful completion of the two semesters of the Postgraduate Program also serves as a prerequisite for the direct, i.e., without a Master's Degree, pursuit of a Doctoral Thesis, following the flowchart outlined in the annex toward the Senate.
- In cases of inter-university Postgraduate Programs, i.e., collaborations between Departments of higher education institutions with a four-year curriculum, covering the course requirements is possible within three academic semesters at most. In such cases, the academic calendar of paragraph 3.4 is adjusted accordingly, along with the time commitments of paragraphs 3.5 and 3.6.
- The program includes sections with a range of 30 to 40 students, a number precisely determined by S.I.C. Courses requiring laboratory work or computer use will include individual training for students whenever possible. Additionally, there will be a focus on group training for students on topics of small scale to enhance teamwork and their synthetic abilities.
- The structure of the Postgraduate courses encompasses both mandatory and elective courses. The mandatory courses include prerequisite courses in core and specialization areas. At the discretion of S.I.C., courses may be offered by other Departments of NTUA or other higher education institutions. It is evident that many of the specialized courses of the Interdepartmental Postgraduate Programs are eligible for inclusion in the Pre-Doctorate Postgraduate Programs of Studies (PPPS).
- Holders of an equivalent Master's Degree in the scientific field proposed by the Postgraduate Program may, after a recommendation from S.I.C., apply to the coordinating Department or one of the collaborating Departments to form a Supervisory Committee and proceed to the preparation of a Doctoral Thesis, with or without the attendance of Postgraduate courses recommended by the corresponding Supervisory Committee for the Doctoral Candidate.
- After obtaining the Master’s Degree, the completion of the Doctoral Thesis follows, with a minimum duration of two (2) academic years. This follows the legislated procedure and results in the award of the Doctoral Degree of NTUA.
Composition of Analytical Contents of Interdepartmental Postgraduate Programs, Inspection, and Evaluation
The Special Interdepartmental Committee (S.I.C.) of the IPPs, in accordance with the general principles of this section, must determine the detailed contents of both the undergraduate courses of the five-year study cycle that cover the necessary background for enrollment in each Master’s Degree and the advanced courses and all other requirements of a well-organized Postgraduate Program. Specifically, with a decision by the S.I.C., these must be determined by the end of February of each academic year, for each Postgraduate Program, taking into account their content as approved by the Ministry of Education, Research, and Religious Affairs and published in the Government Gazette:
- The titles and detailed contents of the undergraduate courses of the five-year study cycle of NTUA, as derived from the interdisciplinary requirements for the interdisciplinary subject area of each Master’s Degree, with the bibliography and educational aids.
- The titles and detailed contents of the advanced courses, both mandatory and elective, as mentioned above.
- The weekly teaching hours for each course, including all teaching activities.
- The chronological sequence or interdependence of the courses.
- The teaching units (credits, unites de valeur) of each course.
- The characteristics of the course in terms of technical support.
- Overlaps with other undergraduate, Master’s Degree, and Doctoral courses.
- The grading system.
- Continuous monitoring and objective evaluation of all courses for the acquisition of Master’s Degree regarding the interdisciplinary and inter-scientific nature of the syllabus and examination topics, to avoid any substitution relationship with the regular undergraduate programs of the Departments of the Institution. Internal and external evaluations are conducted to assess the programs. Internally, instructors and M.Sc. students complete questionnaires, submitting them to the Special Interdepartmental Committee (S.I.C.) and the Senate Committee of Postgraduate Studies (S.C.P.S.). Externally, assessments are carried out by internationally recognized evaluators who are pre-approved by the S.I.C. and determined by the Senate, following the recommendation of the S.C.P.S.
Language of Instruction
The language of instruction is English within the framework of the Internationalization of the Postgraduate Programs.
Sustainability - Self-Funding
Enrollment fees for local or EU postgraduate students are waived. The financial support and sustainability of IPPs must be secured through the following avenues:
- Allocations from the Operational Programme for Education and Initial Vocational Training during the initial two-year program phase.
- Utilization of resources from NTUA's Special Account for Research Funds.
- Financial support from NTUA through collaboration with public entities (Ministries, Public Organizations, etc.) or the private sector, adhering to the terms and conditions specified by NTUA.
- Tuition fees for non-EU international students, with certain exemptions.
Particular attention is given to the provision of scholarships for postgraduate students in accordance with the scholarship regulations.