POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR SUPPORTING FOREIGN STUDENTS IN GREECE: A CASE STUDY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF IOANNINA

Christos Zagkos, Olga Tzafea, Christina Tziamtzi, Spyros Aravanis

Abstract


This study examines how foreign students experience studying at Greek universities and how institutional policies support—or fail to support—their integration. Based on semi-structured interviews, the research explores students’ perceptions of language, cultural adaptation, and institutional practices. The findings reveal that although Greece has introduced policies promoting internationalization, their implementation remains weak. Support for foreign students is fragmented and mostly informal, depending on personal relationships rather than organized structures. Language barriers, bureaucracy, and financial difficulties are major obstacles to academic success and inclusion. The study concludes that Greek universities still operate within a monocultural framework that places the burden of adaptation on students themselves. To achieve genuine inclusion, institutions must provide systematic language support, mentoring, intercultural training, and accessible information services.

 

Article visualizations:

Hit counter


Keywords


international students, higher education, integration, inclusion, intercultural education

Full Text:

PDF

References


Altbach, P., & De Wit, H. (2015). Internationalization and Global Tension: Lessons from History. International Higher Education, 2-4. https://doi.org/10.1177/1028315314564734

Archer, L., Hutchings, M., & Ross, A. (2003). Higher education and Social class: Issues of exclusion and inclusion. London and New York: Routledge Falmer. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203986943

Asterioti, N. (2018). Introduction of internationalization into higher education curricula (in Greek). Academia, (12), 4-31. https://doi.org/10.26220/aca.2880

Baum, S., & Flores, S. M. (2011). Higher education and children in immigrant families. The future of children, 171-193. https://doi.org/10.1353/foc.2011.0000

Bista, K., & Foster, C. (Eds.). (2016). Exploring the social and academic experiences of international students in higher education institutions. IGI Global. Retrieved from https://www.igi-global.com/book/exploring-social-academic-experiences-international/139324

Bourdieu, P. (1984). Distinction: A social critique of the judgement of taste (R. Nice, Trans.). Harvard University Press. Retrieved from https://monoskop.org/images/e/e0/Pierre_Bourdieu_Distinction_A_Social_Critique_of_the_Judgement_of_Taste_1984.pdf

Bourdieu, P., & Passeron, J. C. (2014). Reproduction. (in Greek). Athens: Alexandria.

Bowden, M. P., & Doughney, J. (2010). Socioeconomic status, cultural diversity and the aspirations of secondary students in the western suburbs of Melbourne, Australia. Higher Education, 59(1), 115–129. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734%E2%80%91009%E2%80%919238%E2%80%915

Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa

Burke, P. J., & Crozier, G. (2015). Cultural capital and higher education. British Journal of Sociology of Education, 36(4), 521–537.

De Wit, H. (2011). Internationalization of higher education: Nine misconceptions. International Higher Education, 64, 6-7. https://doi.org/10.6017/ihe.2011.64.8566

Delgado-Márquez, B. L., Hurtado-Torres, N. E., & Bondar, Y. (2011). Internationalization of higher education: Theoretical and empirical investigation of its influence on university institution rankings. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 8(2), 265–284. https://doi.org/10.7238/rusc.v8i2.1069

Engwall, L. (Ed.). (2023). Internationalization in higher education and research: Perspectives, obstacles, alternatives. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-47335-7

Eurostat (2025). Foreign students in tertiary education in the EU – 2023. Retrieved from https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-eurostat-news/w/ddn-20250822-1

Gang, I. N., & Zimmermann, K. F. (2000). Is child like parent? Educational attainment and ethnic origin. Journal of Human Resources, 550-569. https://doi.org/10.2307/146392

Georgakopoulos, G. (2019). Acculturation and cultural identities of second-generation immigrant students in the Greek educational system. (in Greek) Doctoral dissertation: University of Patras.

Gropas, R., & Triandafyllidou, A. (2011). Greek education policy and the challenge of migration: an ‘intercultural’ view of assimilation. Race Ethnicity and Education, 14(3), 399-419. https://doi.org/10.1080/13613324.2010.543394

Hawawini, G. (2016). The internationalization of higher education and business schools: A critical review. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-1757-5

Jin, J., & Ball, S. J. (2019). ‘Toned Habitus’, Self-emancipation and the Contingency of Reflexivity: a Life Story Study of Working-class Students at Elite Universities in China. British Journal of Educational Studies, 68(2), 241–262. https://doi.org/10.1080/00071005.2019.1644292

Kavounidi, T., & Cholezas, I. (2013). The paths of young people of immigrant origin in education and the labor market, (in Greek) Athens, KEPE.

Kehm, B. M., & Teichler, U. (2017). The internationalization of higher education: European trends and perspectives. Center for Higher Education Policy Studies.

Knight, J. (2004). Internationalization remodeled: Definition, approaches, and rationales. Journal of Studies in International Education, 8(1), 5-31. https://doi.org/10.1177/1028315303260832

Kontogianni, P. (2012). Participation of students with a migrant background in Greek higher education and social background. (in Greek) Master's thesis, University of Ioannina

Larsen, M. A. (2016). Internationalization of higher education: An analysis through spatial, network, and mobilities theories. Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-53345-6

Law 4009/2011. Structure, operation, quality assurance of studies, and internationalization of higher education institutions. Government Gazette, Issue A, No. 195.

Law 4485/2017. Organization and operation of higher education institutions, regulations for research, and other provisions. Government Gazette, Issue A, No. 114.

Leask, B. (2015). Internationalizing the curriculum. Routledge.

Marginson, S. (2018). Global trends in higher education and the international student experience. Studies in Higher Education, 43(9), 1665–1678. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedudev.2017.03.008

Milesis, C. P. (2004). Foreign students from Albania in the school community. (In Greek) Doctoral dissertation, Panteion University.

Ninnes, P., & Hellstén, M. (Eds.). (2005). Internationalizing higher education: Critical explorations of pedagogy and policy. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-3784-8

Reay, D., Crozier, G., & Clayton, J. (2010). ‘Fitting in’ or ‘standing out’: working-class students in UK higher education. British Educational Research Journal, 36(1), 107–124. https://doi.org/10.1080/01411920902878925

Reay, D., David, M., & Ball, S. J. (2001). Making a difference?: Institutional habitus and higher education choice. Sociological Research Online, 5(4). https://doi.org/10.5153/sro.548

Riddell, S., & Weedon, E. (2014). European higher education, the inclusion of students from under-represented groups and the Bologna Process. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 33:1, 26-44. https://doi.org/10.1080/02601370.2013.873211

Robson, S., Almeida, J., & Schartner, A. (2017). Internationalization at home: time for review and development? European Journal of Higher Education, 8(1), 19–35. https://doi.org/10.1080/21568235.2017.1376697

Stamelos, G. (2009). Educational Policy. (in Greek) Athens: Dionikos

Thomas, L. (2002). Student retention in higher education: the role of institutional habitus. Journal of Education Policy, 17(4), 423–442. https://doi.org/10.1080/02680930210140257

Van Ours, J. C., & Veenman, J. (2003). The educational attainment of second-generation immigrants in the Netherlands. Journal of Population Economics, 16(4), 739-753. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00148-003-0147-0

Williams, R. D., & Lee, A. (Eds.). (2015). Internationalizing higher education: Critical collaborations across the curriculum. Sense Publishers. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-6209-980-7

Zagkos, Ch., Kyridis, A., & Fotopoulos, N. (2019). Refugee crisis and contemporary educational practices. From systemic social vulnerability to structured integration (in Greek) (No. IKEEBOOK-2019-106). Athens, ADEDY-Social Multicenter.




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v13i2.6517

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2026 Christos Zagkos, Olga Tzafea, Christina Tziamtzi, Spyros Aravanis

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Copyright © 2015-2026. European Journal of Education Studies (ISSN 2501 - 1111) is a registered trademark of Open Access Publishing Group. All rights reserved.

This journal is a serial publication uniquely identified by an International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) serial number certificate issued by Romanian National Library (Biblioteca Nationala a Romaniei). All the research works are uniquely identified by a CrossRef DOI digital object identifier supplied by indexing and repository platforms. All authors who send their manuscripts to this journal and whose articles are published on this journal retain full copyright of their articles. All the research works published on this journal are meeting the Open Access Publishing requirements and can be freely accessed, shared, modified, distributed and used in educational, commercial and non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).