University of Ioannina

Infobox University
name =University of Ioannina
native_name =Πανεπιστήμιο Ιωαννίνων


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established =1970
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type =Public
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rector =Prof. I. P. Gerothanassis
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students =
undergrad =13,523
postgrad =1,300
doctoral =2,217
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city =Ioannina
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country =Greece
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former_names =University of Ioannina
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website = [http://www.uoi.gr/ www.uoi.gr]

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The University of Ioannina, Greece (Greek: Πανεπιστήμιο Ιωαννίνων, "Panepistimio Ioanninon"), is a university lying in the plains about 6 km southwest of Ioannina, Epirus, Greece. The campus is linked to the town by Greek National Road 5. It now hosts over 15,000 students in 17 departments (2006). The university was founded in 1964, as a department of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and became an independant university at 1970. There is a prominent medical school that performs research and provides doctors to the local University Hospital.

Navigate into the University of Ioannina campus via [http://www.uoi.gr/gr/about/uoi-2008.kmz Google Earth (greek legended)] and/or [http://maps.google.com/?q=http:%2F%2Fwww.uoi.gr%2Fgr%2Fabout%2Fuoi-2008.kmz&ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=39.615805,20.84394&spn=0.027505,0.052357&z=15 Google Maps] .

The University of Ioannina, Greece - Past and Present

The University of Ioannina lies in the middle of the mountainous area of Epirus (that's the area of North-western mainland Greece). Epirus is full of historical memories, since the intellectual traditions of the nation have been preserved and contributed to the crystallisation of a national conscience. Throughout the Turkish occupation (1430-1913) the city managed to maintain its cultural independence and pave the way for national uplift. However, Ioannina, and the region of Epirus as a whole, was not able to become part of the Greek state. Its incorporation took place in 1912-13. Epirus also suffered many hardships during the Second World War and in the civil war. Nevertheless, it found the strength to endure and claim its rightful position in Greek society.The efforts to establish a University in Ioannina and in the wider region can be traced back to the last pre-revolutionary years. During that period, leading Epirot intellectuals had attempted to found higher Education Institutions in Epirus. From the early fifties and directly after the founding of the Society for Epirot Studies (1954) a strong demand was voiced for the founding of a Higher Education Institution that would reflect the cultural background of Epirus and promote Ioannina and the wider region from every aspect.

In 1962 a delegation of visionary intellectuals was set up in Athens with a single aim: "the most effective assertion and widest possible promotion of the fair Epirot request to establish a third university or an independent theoretical or technical training school in Ioannina". In an announcement in July 1962 the Committee called on every official and unofficial body, as well as on every Epirot citizen, to take action so that the above request would be realised.

On 8 May 1964 the founding of a School of Philosophy in Ioannina was announced in the daily press, as a branch of the same School of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Initially the Department was housed in the old building of the Zosimaia Academy. In 1966 Georgios Mylonas, undersecretary to the premier's office at the time as well as education undersecretary, not only favoured the relocation of the School, but also commissioned the drawing up of plans for a custom built campus in the area near to Dourouti Monastery.

In 1966 the Department of Mathematics, which fell under the School of Mathematics and Physics of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, came into being.

In 1970 the University of Ioannina, an independent Higher Education Institution was founded in Ioannina, which grew rapidly in the coming years to encompass today the following academic Departments:

• The Department of Physics was founded in 1970 and together with the Department of Mathematics constituted the School of Mathematics and Physics.

• The Department of Chemistry was founded in 1976, the School of Medicine in 1977 and the Departments of Primary and Pre-School Education in 1982. The last two Departments comprised the School of Education in 1996.

• In 1983 the Department of Mathematics, the Department of Physics and the Department of Chemistry comprised the School of Sciences.

• In 1984 the School of Philosophy was split into three Departments, which are the Department of Philology, the Department of History and Archaeology and the Department of Philosophy, Education and Psychology.

• In 1990 the Department of Computer Science was founded as the fourth academic unit of the School of Sciences.

• In 1998 the Department of Economics was founded. In the same year the School of Natural Resources and Enterprises Management (located in Agrinio) was founded with two Departments: the Environmental and Natural Resources Management Department and the Department of Agricultural and Food Products Enterprise Management, which in 2006 was renamed Department of Business Administration of Food and Agricultural Products.

• In 1999 three new Departments came into being: a) the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, b) the Department of Biological Applications and Technologies, and c) the Department of Art Sciences, which in 2003 was renamed Department of Plastic Arts and Art Sciences.

• In 2002 the School of Sciences and Technologies was founded and the Department of Materials Science and Engineering as well as the Department of Biological Applications and Technologies were integrated into the School.

• The Department of Cultural Heritage Management and New Technologies (located in Agrinio), started to operate in 2005 as an independent non-School Department.

Today, the University of Ioannina includes 17 academic Departments which altogether number 13,523 undergraduate students. A number of organised postgraduate study programmes are on offer that combine taught and research elements both at Master's and Doctoral level. Approximately 1,300 students are involved in full-time study mode progressing to a Master's degree, while 2,217 students are currently pursuing their studies at Doctoral level. The postgraduate student population is increasing yearly.The University faculty numbers 549 Members of Academic Staff, while teaching in all the Departments is further supplemented by 171 Teaching Fellows and 132 Technical Laboratory Staff. Finally, the University Administrative Services are staffed with 420 employees.A significant step for the organization of the University was the approval and publication of the University Statutes in 2005.Within a 42-year span the size of the University of Ioannina has almost doubled and its development prospects appear to be particularly promising. This is likely to have a continuing positive contribution to both the academic community and the region as a whole.

List of Schools and Departments of the University of Ioannina

The University of Ioannina is divided into the following Schools and Departments:

School of Philosophy

* [http://www.uoi.gr/en/philosophy1.php Department of Philology]

* [http://www.uoi.gr/en/philosophy2.php Department of History and Archaeology]

* [http://www.uoi.gr/en/philosophy3.php Department of Philosophy, Education and Psychology]

School of Sciences

* [http://www.uoi.gr/en/sciences1.php Department of Mathematics]

* [http://www.uoi.gr/en/sciences2.php Department of Physics]

* [http://www.uoi.gr/en/sciences3.php Department of Chemistry]

* [http://www.uoi.gr/en/sciences4.php Department of Computer Science]

School of Education

* [http://www.uoi.gr/en/education1.php Department of Primary School Education]

* [http://www.uoi.gr/en/education2.php Department of Pre-School Education]

School of Medicine

* [http://www.uoi.gr/en/medicine1.php School of Medicine]

School of Sciences and Technologies

* [http://www.uoi.gr/en/science_technology1.php Department of Materials Science and Engineering]

* [http://www.uoi.gr/en/science_technology2.php Department of Biological Applications and Technologies]

Independent (Non-School) Departments (located in Ioannina)

* [http://www.uoi.gr/en/non_school1.php Department of Economics]

* [http://www.uoi.gr/en/non_school2.php Department of Plastic Arts and Art Sciences]

School of Natural Resources and Enterprises Management(located in Agrinio)

* [http://www.uoi.gr/en/nrem_agrinio1.php Department of Business Administration of Food and Agricultural Products]

* [http://www.uoi.gr/en/nrem_agrinio2.php Department of Environmental and Natural Resources Management]

Independent (Non-School) Departments (located in Agrinio)

* [http://www.uoi.gr/en/non_school_agrinio1.php Department of Cultural Heritage Management and New Technologies]

The University Campus

Navigate into the University of Ioannina campus via [http://www.uoi.gr/gr/about/uoi-2008.kmz Google Earth (greek legended)] and/or [http://maps.google.com/?q=http:%2F%2Fwww.uoi.gr%2Fgr%2Fabout%2Fuoi-2008.kmz&ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=39.615805,20.84394&spn=0.027505,0.052357&z=15 Google Maps] .

The University premises are situated in one of the largest campuses of Greece, an attractive location about six kilometers from the centre of Ioannina. The University is easily accessible from the city by bus or by car.

The Campus is set in 350 hectares with extensive green areas surrounding the building complexes, which house the University Schools and Services.

The buildings, covering a total area of 170,000 sq. m., boast modern lecture halls, student and research laboratories, offices and a central library. Lectures with large audiences are delivered in the auditoriums, whereas scientific conferences and other events take place in the Conference Centre of the recently-constructed building complex of the School of Medicine.

Two large building complexes house the residence halls and a multi-purpose building accommodates the Student Refectory and the Main Ceremony Hall. The same building houses "Phegos", the restaurant where the academic community as well as visitors can enjoy a good meal or celebrate special occasions, such as graduation days.

One of the most beautiful sites on campus is the old Monastery of Agios Georgios of Dourouti, which was built in the 18th century and is picturesquely perched on the hillside overlooking the campus. The Monastery has been restored and today is used as the University's Cultural Centre.

The city of Ioannina, Greece - a brief history

Ioannina can trace its roots back to the 6th c. AD, as an important town on the border of the Byzantine Empire. During that period the rocky promontory of Ioannina was enclosed by walls and the south-eastern hill (later known as Itch Kale) was inhabited. In 879 Ioannina is mentioned in written records for the first time as an Episcopal See. The area remained under Byzantine rule and only in 1082 did the Normans (Bohemund I) occupy the city for a few months. Following the Fourth Crusade (1204), Ioannina was incorporated in the Despotate of Epirus (Michael I Angelus Comnenus Ducas). In 1210 the Metropolitan Church of the Taxiarches was built (at Itch Kale). In 1292 the Philanthropinon School was founded on the Isle of lake Pamvotis - the lake which bathed the foot of the city walls -, rendering Ioannina an educational centre of great importance. The city rose in power and in 1318 the Ecumenical Patriarchate promoted it to a metropolis, whereas in 1367 it was granted self-governance.

The tower of Thomas Preljubovic in the castle (constructed from 1367 to 1384) highlights the monumental form that the city had acquired. Albanian tribes raided the city in 1379, but were forced to retreat. The gradual onward march of the Turks into the Balkans and the internal crisis of the Despotate of Epirus led to the subordination of Ioannina to the sphere of influence of Carlo I Tocco (Italian ruler of Cephalonia and Lefkada), who became a despot in 1411. However, on 9 October 1430 the city was voluntarily handed over to the Ottomans. The conquest lasted 483 years. Sinan Pasha granted the people of Ioannina privileges to settle and trade freely. However, the metropolitan church of the Taxiarches was converted to a mosque (Fethiye Tzami). At the same time, the construction of the namesake monastery in 1434 on the edge of Mount Mitsikeli and on the shores of lake by the Muslim Durahan reveals the spirit of conciliation and peaceful cohabitation between the Turks and the Greeks. However, this situation changed after the failed attempt of Dionysios Philosophos, the bishop who became the leader of discontented peasants and invaded Ioannina without however managing to deal a serious blow to the Turkish rulers. From then on the city's Christians were deprived of their privileges and were expelled from the castle, while 18 churches and monasteries were demolished. The Aslan Mosque was built in 1618 on the former location of the church of Agios Ioannis Prodromos (Saint John the Baptist), so that the mosques overlooked the area of the castle. Despite the blow that they had received, the inhabitants soon regained their financial and intellectual vitality. In 1648 the School of Epiphanios Igoumenos was founded, which was followed by the Gionma School (1672 - 1800), the Maroutsi School (1742 - 1749) and the Kaplaneios School (1805 - 1820).

Ioannina functioned as the centre for the ten schools that were founded in the wider area of Epirus. These schools were supported by emigrants from Ioannina and Epirus, who had settled mainly in Venice. From the mid-17th century, trade with the Adriatic ports was ever increasing, and the fact that the three eminent publishers of Greek books during the time of the Turkish occupation, namely Glykis (1670 - 1854), Saros (1681 - 1707) and Theodosiou (1755 - 1824), were from Epirus can be viewed as indicative of the region's general growth during that period. The majority of the teachers of the pre-revolutionary period taught n Ioannina: Georgios Sougdouris, Vissarion Makris, Parthenios Katzioulis, Mihail Mitrou in the 17th c., Balanos Vasilopoulos, Konstantinos Vasilopoulos, Evgenios Voulgaris, Methodios Anthrakitis in the 18th c., and Athanasios Psallidas, Ioannis Vilaras, etc. in the 19th c. The 18th century was an auspicious time for the city and the progress that was achieved was exploited by Ali Pasha, when he took over the governance in 1788. His economic and military power rendered the city a crossroad in the Balkans and foreign travellers marvelled at the court of Ali Pasha. However, he himself led the city to absolute destruction, since only one residence (today known as the "Despot's manor house") survived the fire of 25 August 1820. However, the final formation of the city walls (1815), as well as the arrangement of the settlement within the walls, is attributed to him.

Many legends originate from Ali Pasha's personality, yet the drowning of Kyra Frosini and the hanging of Katsandonis (1809) are real events. Following this period, the people of Ioannina regained strength and in 1828 the first Zosimaia Teachers School was founded, in 1833 the Metropolitan Church of Agios Athanasios opened and in 1867 the Seminary opened on the Isle. The hanging of Georgios the Neomartyr (1838) did not eliminate the harmony between the Muslims and the Christians. The Turks of Ioannina accepted Hellenic culture, in the same way the local Jewish element (whose presence in the region dates back to the early Byzantine period) was firmly bound to the area. In 1870 the seraglios of Itch Kale and part of the city, which as of then started to take on a different form due to the stone buildings, burned down. On 21 February 1913 the Greek army entered the city.

In the early 20th century the region was in turmoil twice; in 1917 with the Italian occupation and in 1944 (25th of March) when the Germans sent 1850 Jews to Auschwitz. After the Ottoman era came to an end, the city's intellectual life developed rapidly. The Teacher Training College, which later developed into the Zosimaia Academy, was founded (1913), whereas at the same time a Kindergarten Teacher Training College and later an Assistant Engineering School opened. Even before the liberation from Ottoman rule newspapers were printed, whereas during the interwar period, various types of magazines were published, of which the Epirotika Chronicles continue to survive till today. The post-war period witnessed an increase in the number of intellectual societies, the greatest one being the Society for Epirot Studies, which introduced the idea of a Folklore Museum and created a specialised Epirot library.

Today, Ioannina is called on to play a dominant role in the Adriatic-Egnatia Odos axis, since, in terms of population (110,000 inhabitants of the basin), it constitutes the metropolis of Epirus as well as the economic and intellectual centre of northwestern Greece.

Text extracted and adapted from the official website of [http://www.uoi.gr/en/ University of Ioannina, Greece] .

ee also

*List of universities in Greece

External links

* [http://www.uoi.gr/ University of Ioannina (new website, in Greek only)]
* [http://www.uoi.gr/en/ University of Ioannina (new website)] en icon
* [http://www.uoi.gr/oldsite/main.html University of Ioannina (old website)]