University of Patras (Greek: Πανεπιστήμιο Πατρών Panepistimio Patron) is a university located 6 km northeast of downtown Patras, 3 km S of the Rio-Antirio bridge, 206 km W of Athens, 106 km NE of Pyrgos and 2 km east of Rio, Greece. The university was the third and largest in Greece. The university is accessible by GR-8A, and now the new bypass (perimeter highway) with an interchange in the west and an westbound interchange in the northeast, the old GR8 and Papandreou Avenue (Boulevard) linking Kastritsi and the Panachaicus. The elevation is around 50 m (150 ft) above sea level. The university was first opened in 1964 and the area is 600 acres (2.4 km²).

The university contains:

• Academic areas (1 northwest)
  
• Polytechnic schools (central)
  
• School of Economic Sciences (south-central)
  
• School of Medicine
  
• School of Sciences (1 central, western and southern part)
  
• University office (south and west)
  

It also contains the dancing and the theatrical teams/societies.

Until September 2002, it was the only university in the Peloponnese and Western Greece with the exception of Epirus.

The area is about 1.5 km². The mountains are situated in the southeast. The track and field and sporting grounds are in the southern part. The facilities lie in the western part, the central part and the northern part. Some schools and colleges are in this part. The far western part, and the eastern part are empty.

The campus has 4 entrances, they are the Platonos Entrance Eisodos Platonos, the Dionysios Solomos Entrance Eisodos Dionysiou Solomou, lying to the west next to Papandreou Avenue which is also a road linking to Kastritsi, Georgios Seferis Entrance Eisodos Georgios Seferis in the east and G. Ritsou Entrance Eisodos G. Ritsou with the old GR-8A (Patras - Corinth - Athens) in the north.

Nearby the university property is the Rio Regional Hospital which is situated in the northeast. The parking lots are in the east and the building lie to the west. The School of Medicine lie west of the hospital but smaller in size with the parking lots in the west and downtown Rio, and a river with Papandreou Avenue in its southwest. The Rio/University of Patras/Drepano (northbound) interchange is to the north.

History

The University of Patras was founded in the city of Patras in 1964 and it began functioning in the academic year 1966-67.

It was established primarily with the intention to concentrate on science, technology, economics, business administration and social sciences. In the proposal for a new University, which was the result of an International Conference in August 1964, it is stated that the role of the University of Patras is to set an example of a highly qualified Institution of higher learning and serve as a stimulus for the modernisation of the entire Greek higher education system.

Priority was given to the fields where highly trained personnel will be needed for the realisation of the economic development of the country. The above objectives had, in the course of time, to be adapted to new prospects arising from the recognition of the role of knowledge and technology in social and cultural growth and the contribution the University is expected to make towards solving major regional, national and even international problems.

It is the third largest University in the country and the fastest growing one, with 18,500 undergraduate students, 2000 post-graduate students, 670 teaching staff, 369 administrative personnel and 403 teaching and research assistants. The initial emphasis on science and technology has been extended to other academic areas such as health sciences and humanities. Today, its twenty-two Departments with a large number of sectors and consequently a great range of disciplines, reflect a balanced academic environment.

The University has established a reputation for innovation and excellence, renowned for research of the highest calibre and for a high quality academic environment. The University of Patras has been recognised internationally as a major centre of higher education and as an excellent centre of scholarly inquiry and critical thinking. The above, along with the creation and transmission of new knowledge, enables its students to pursue the greatest development and highest achievement both for their own benefit and for that of society.

The Campus

The University campus is 7 kilometres East of the city of Patras, in the area of Rion.

It is a self-contained campus in a beautiful location at the foot of mount Panachaico with a view over the Gulf of Corinth to the mountains of Central Greece across the water.

The University was initially housed in a building in the centre of Patras. Very soon it became clear that there was need for a new campus to meet the demands of a fast growing University. The wooded campus area of about 600 acres was selected in 1968 and was appropriated on behalf of the University.

The first buildings of the new University campus were a unit of twenty small ground level pre-fabricated buildings, still housing some academic and administrative offices. In 1972 the construction of buildings "A" and "B" started. Building "A" houses the administrative services, the Rectorship, the Senate's Conference Hall, the University's Ceremonial Hall, a teaching amphitheatre and seminar halls. The designing of the campus was entrusted to an internationally known architectural firm.

Following the master plan, 25 buildings were eventually built, and many more are under construction for the housing of most of the Departments, along with a new Library, a Museum of Science and Technology, a Botanical Garden, a new Student Centre. Within the campus are also found the Students' Residence Hall, the Conference and Cultural Centre, a Restaurant, a Bank, a Bookstore, a Stationery, the Publishing House, cafeterias and kiosks. The University Guest Hall is the only building of the University outside the campus. It is located three kilometres west of the campus.

Today, buildings of a total area of 210,100 m2 have been fully completed and are functioning. New buildings are under construction. The campus has not been completed yet, although the rate of completion is the highest in the country. The total number of lecture halls in the different building units is 115. Within the campus there is also the Regional University Teaching Hospital which functions both as the major regional medical centre and as a teaching facility for the Faculty of Medicine. Concurrently there is a continuous effort to upgrade and improve the landscape within the campus, although extensive infrastructure projects, landscaping and athletic facilities have been completed.

Several other facilities are available on campus including a gymnasium and a swimming pool, a nursery school, a primary and secondary school for the children of faculty and staff, a post-office.

In addition to constructing new buildings, new sites at the surroundings have been appropriated on behalf of the University.

There are free car parks located all over the campus. The campus has many open-spaces, green shady areas covered with characteristically Mediterranean olive groves.

Research

The University of Patras is at the forefront when it comes to research, both basic, advanced and applied has been heavily involved in many international projects in the area of research from the beginning. Research plays a prominent role in creating the atmosphere of intellectual stimulation in which students and academic staff can be motivated and remain at the frontiers of current achievement in their respective fields.

The teaching and research activities of a department or a sector may be grouped and concentrated in even smaller operational, not academic units, the laboratories or clinics in the case of Medicine. In its 112 laboratories that boast extensive equipment and facilities, research is conducted by students and teaching staff members.

Apart from regular teaching and research activities, the laboratories are the focal points for the creation of national and international research consortia. The University participates in all major European research programmes such as ESPRIT, EURECA, RACE, LRE, BRITE-EURAM, IMPACT, LIFE, ENVIRONMENT, COPERNICUS, FAIR, STRIDE, BIOMED and other programmes sponsored by the D6XII, D6XVI, D6XIII Directorates.

The University has a reputation for quality and innovative research and teaching staff members are very active in publishing their research results and groundbreaking achievements in international scientific journals of the highest quality. This research publication record serves as a key criterion considered for granting tenure and promotion.

The management of research projects is carried out by the Research Committee and its administration unit. The financial management of research projects with external funding produces resources for the University, which are used for specific educational and developmental activities, as well as funding of young researchers. In recent years, over 2700 research projects, financed both by the State and the European Union have been carried out. Promotion and maintenance of excellent research programmes and professional training, is one of the principles of the University.

Academic Structure

The University consists of five Schools, one is under establishment, with twenty-two Departments.

School of Natural Sciences Founded as the School of Mathematics and Physics in 19-10-1966 and renamed to School of Natural Sciences in 1983. It consists of the following departments with the related year of foundation:

School of Engineering Founded in 25-9-1967. It consists of the following departments with the related year of foundation:

School of Health Sciences Founded as the Medicine School in 22-7-1977 and renamed to School of Health Sciences in 1983. It consists of the following departments with the related year of foundation:

School of Humanities & Social Sciences Founded in 16-6-1989. It consists of the following departments with the related year of foundation:

School of Economics & Administration Under establishment. It consists of the following departments with the related year of foundation: