National Technical University of Athens

Founded in 1837, almost along with the modern Greek state, NTUA is the oldest Technical University in Greece. Initially established by a royal decree "on architectural education" it was a technical school operating on Sundays and holidays which offered instruction to those desiring to master in architecture. Though, at a remote location it soon attracted many students. Its popularity lead to the extension of courses and by spring 1840 to the operation of a regular day school along with the Sundays counterpart. It was then moved to its own building on Piraeus street. The joint efforts of students and instructors contributed to a continuous growth and to revising standards. The National Technical University of Athens is structured according to the continental European system for training engineers, with an emphasis on solid background. The duration of courses leading, after the acquisition of 300 credit units to a Diploma, of Master’s level, is five years. The valuable work of NTUA and its international reputation are due to its well-organised educational andresearch system, the quality of its staff and students, and the adequacy of its technical infrastructure. NTUA graduates were pivotal to Greece’s pre-war development and to post-war reconstruction. The graduate engineers who staffed public and private technical services and companies were and remain by general consent, equal to their European counterparts. Many have been elected to distinguished teaching and research positions in well-known universities all over the world.