In a deeply moving ceremony held yesterday evening in the historic hall of the Old Parliament, the President of the Hellenic Republic, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, awarded the Institute of Technology and Research (ITE) Prize for Excellence in University Teaching, in memory of Vassilis Xanthopoulos and Stefanos Pnevmatikos, to the former Rector of the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), Andreas Boudouvis. This honor recognized his contributions to the academic community and his high-quality teaching.

Emeritus Professor of NTUA, George Gazetas, spoke about the honoree’s work and contributions to education, highlighting both his scientific achievements in Greece and abroad and his impact on inspiring new scientific and professional paths for students. Notably, the audience was particularly impressed by the 29 letters from his students nominating him for the award.

– “His teaching ignited my passion for seeking new knowledge…”
– “The way he keeps you engaged is unparalleled. Every word is meaningful. He conveys complex concepts to second-year students with clarity, using chalk and a blackboard to explain sophisticated ideas.”
– “He demonstrated his trust in our capabilities to tackle difficult tasks and was always there to assist, even reviewing lines of finite element code we had written.”
– “His lectures in the auditorium were an unparalleled experience. He managed to ‘detoxify’ us from the coaching-style influence of learning through ‘canned’ knowledge. We participated in creating knowledge and became active agents of our intellectual development. He gave us confidence to ask critical questions without fear and think ‘outside the box.'”
– “His fluency as a speaker and precise use of the Greek language (even in his first year back from the U.S.) were impressive, combined with his passion for communication with his audience.”

These testimonials reflect the sentiments of students who had the privilege of knowing Professor Andreas Boudouvis as both teacher and mentor. Additionally, Professor Gazetas emphasized Boudouvis’s role in introducing Artificial Intelligence education to NTUA students:
“A. Boudouvis successfully spearheaded efforts to integrate Artificial Intelligence instruction across all NTUA faculties, which materialized last year through a Senate decision.”

He concluded:
*”With your permission, in closing, I cannot fail to express (also as a member of the NTUA academic community) our admiration and respect for Rector Boudouvis, who firmly resisted provocative attacks from the so-called ‘known-unknowns,’ defending the institution’s academic freedom ‘with virtue and courage,’ as the poet says. Tonight, we honor this Teacher, Your Excellency, President of the Hellenic Republic.”*

The Significance of the Award

The Foundation for Research and Technology – Hellas (FORTH) established this award to honor the memory of its researchers and University of Crete professors, Vassilis Xanthopoulos and Stefanos Pnevmatikos. Both were brilliant scientists with international recognition who tragically lost their lives in 1990 when they were murdered during an advanced graduate seminar on November 27, 1990.

Thirty-four years after its establishment, the Excellence in University Teaching Award remains the only Greek institution that annually recognizes excellence and dedication in university teaching.

The recipient is chosen by a committee of distinguished academic teachers representing all major fields of science. After selection, each awardee automatically becomes a member of the committee. It is noteworthy that Professor Boudouvis’s nomination was proposed by his former students through letters explaining their recommendation. Boudouvis expressed being *”deeply moved”* upon learning of his nomination and reading the letters from his “children.”

Who is Andreas G. Boudouvis?

Born in Pyrgos, Ilia, in 1959, Andreas Boudouvis graduated from the six-year Boys’ High School, earning first place in the National Mathematics Competition organized by the Hellenic Mathematical Society. His success, achieved as a student from a provincial school competing against peers from prestigious Athens schools such as Varvakeio and Ionideios, marked the beginning of an outstanding academic career.

After studying at the School of Chemical Engineering of NTUA, he earned a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota, USA (1987). His decision to return to Greece and initially serve as a Professor at NTUA’s School of Chemical Engineering was not an easy one, as he had to confront numerous challenges and a very different academic environment.

He served as Dean of the School from 2013 to 2016 and as Rector of NTUA from October 2019 to November 2023.

He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in Transport Phenomena and Computational Methods. His research interests include interfacial phenomena and computational analysis of processes. He has supervised 130 undergraduate theses, 50 postgraduate theses, and 24 doctoral dissertations.

The award ceremony began with a speech by Professor Maria Efthymiou, President of the Award Committee, followed by a presentation on the award’s history by Professor Nektarios Tavernarakis, Chairman of FORTH’s Board of Directors. NTUA Professor George Gazetas presented the honoree’s work, and Professor Andreas Boudouvis gave a lecture titled *”Teaching and Learning Experiences.”*

Representing the government was the Secretary General for Higher Education, Nikos Papaioannou, while SYRIZA was represented by MP and Parliamentary Secretary Dionysios Kalamantianos. Also in attendance were ND MP and Member of the Special Permanent Committee on Research and Technology of the Parliament, Efstratios Simopoulos; ND MP Maximos Senetakis; academics, numerous rectors, presidents of research centers, university professors, and many colleagues and students of Andreas Boudouvis.