A new chapter is opening in the case of non-state universities, just days after decisions by the Council of State (CoS) annulled the operating licenses of three of the first branches of foreign universities in Greece, as well as the certifications of their degree programs.

The legal dispute is now expanding to the seven new non-state universities that were licensed for the 2026–27 academic year. Panos Lazaratos, Professor of Administrative Law at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, has filed applications with the Council of State seeking the annulment of the new licenses, opening a second round of judicial review. The appeal does not mean that the seven licenses have been annulled; their legality will be determined by the court.

At the same time, the National Authority for Higher Education (HAHE) has announced that it has already begun the process of complying with the Council of State’s decisions and is moving toward further specifying the criteria for certifying degree programs. The Authority acknowledges the disruption caused to students and their families and notes the significant time pressure ahead of the new academic year.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education says that the legal framework governing non-state universities remains in force and assures students that “the academic year will not be lost for anyone.” It says the necessary steps will be taken to safeguard their rights and ensure the uninterrupted continuation of their studies.

The question now is not simply what will happen to the three institutions whose licenses were annulled. It is whether, and how, the new system as a whole will be adjusted, while seven additional branches are already facing legal challenges.

What exactly did the Council of State decide?

To understand the current situation, an important distinction needs to be made.

The Third Chamber of the Council of State, sitting in a seven-member formation, issued decisions 1167/2026 through 1172/2026, concerning different aspects of the licensing and certification of the Non-State University Education Entities (NPEs). Decisions 1167 and 1169/2026 annulled acts by the Deputy Minister of Education granting installation and operating licenses to NPE branches.

The reason was related to building infrastructure. The National Organization for the Certification of Qualifications and Vocational Guidance (EOPPEP), which is responsible for certifying the suitability of facilities, had carried out on-site inspections and identified issues concerning building modifications and the submission of specific documentation. The Council of State ruled that EOPPEP had not established in a timely manner—or, in any event, by the time the cases were heard—that the relevant branches had complied with those requirements.

There was also a second, separate issue. In decisions 1168, 1170 and 1172/2026, the Council of State annulled decisions certifying degree programs. In addition to the fact that these certifications were linked to the annulled licenses, the court ruled that the information contained in the annex to HAHE decision 48136/17.12.2024 did not constitute sufficiently specific quantitative and qualitative criteria with which NPE degree programs were required to comply, as required by the authorizing provisions of Law 5094/2024.

The Council of State also referred to an earlier decision, 1171/2021, in which it had annulled an NPE operating license because HAHE’s favorable opinion had been based on an evaluation committee report whose member had a relationship with the educational institution concerned. This could create an appearance of bias under Article 7 of the Code of Administrative Procedure.

In other words, the recent decisions highlight three separate requirements: building requirements must be properly inspected and documented; certification criteria must be specific and measurable where required by law; and evaluation procedures must meet standards of impartiality.

The Council of State did not abolish non-state universities

This is perhaps the most important point.

The Council of State did not rule that the establishment and operation of branches of foreign universities in Greece is generally prohibited. In its announcement concerning the latest decisions, it reiterated its findings in plenary decisions 1919 and 1920/2025: according to the court, the Greek Constitution does not prohibit the establishment and operation in Greece of branches of foreign universities from the EU or from a country covered by the GATS, provided they operate under a special law that safeguards high academic standards and academic freedom.

The court also rejected the argument that NPE degree programs must necessarily have been previously recognized by the parent university and the relevant accreditation authority in the country where that university is based. According to the Council of State, the programs are included in the educational agreement between the parent institution and the NPE, through which the parent institution exercises control over the NPE.

Therefore, the court ruling does not amount to abolition of the system. It concerns specific administrative acts and the way the legal framework was implemented.

How the new system was created

NPEs—Non-State University Education Entities—are the special legal structure through which branches of recognized foreign universities can operate in Greece. The framework was established by Law 5094/2024.

The process does not allow a foreign university simply to submit an application and automatically obtain the right to operate.

HAHE evaluates the academic and institutional requirements, while EOPPEP examines the building and infrastructure requirements. The Ministry of Education grants the installation and operating license once the prescribed conditions have been met.

This is also why the Council of State decisions have two different consequences: they concern both the administrative operating license and the certification of academic programs.

From 12+1 applications to the first four NPEs

The first major phase of implementation of the new law began in spring 2025.

By March 31, 2025, 12 applications had been submitted for branches to begin operating in the 2025–26 academic year, plus one additional application for a start in 2026–27.

The applicants included Open University, the University of York, the University of Greater Manchester, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, the University of Derby, the University of West London, the University of Essex, the University of Nicosia, London Metropolitan University, Queen Margaret University, the University of Keele and the University of East London. The University of Sunderland had applied to begin operations in 2026–27.

Ultimately, the first wave of licenses issued in 2025 covered four branches. The three affected by the recent Council of State decisions are:

• University of Keele, Athens
• University of York, through CITY College, Thessaloniki
• The Open University, through Anatolia College/Anatolia American University, Thessaloniki

University of Nicosia – UNIC Athens is not among the institutions affected by these annulments.

Why HAHE is now at the center of the issue

HAHE is responsible for evaluating academic requirements and certifying degree programs.

Following the Council of State decisions, its task is not simply to repeat the previous procedures. It must establish a framework in which the certification criteria are sufficiently specific and comply with the authorization provided by Law 5094/2024, as interpreted by the court.

HAHE says that its Supreme Council and its Council for Evaluation and Accreditation have already begun the necessary compliance procedures and will work with the Ministry of Education and the academic community.

The Authority also emphasizes that its certification methodology is based on the European Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG). These were adopted in 2015 in Yerevan and constitute the common European reference framework for quality assurance in higher education.

HAHE argues that the ESG are based on qualitative criteria and principles within which quantitative data can also be used as evidence. Therefore, it says, the use of quantitative information in accreditation procedures is not a uniquely Greek practice.

HAHE is a full member of ENQA, the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education, and is listed in EQAR, the European Quality Assurance Register. It says it has undergone international external evaluation and that its current undergraduate-program accreditation standard represents an adaptation of the ESG to the Greek legal and academic environment.

The standard has been applied to Greek public universities since 2018. According to HAHE, therefore, the issue raised by the Council of State is not that Greece must abandon the European methodology. Rather, the criteria used in the Greek process must be further specified so that they fully meet the requirements of national legislation.

The contribution of Greek academics abroad

HAHE also highlights the participation of hundreds of Greek academics from the diaspora who have served on external evaluation and accreditation committees.

According to the Authority, these academics come from leading universities and research institutions abroad and have contributed to the hundreds of accreditations completed by HAHE.

HAHE believes their participation strengthens the quality and credibility of the procedures and connects Greek higher education with international academic developments and practices. It particularly emphasizes their academic experience, impartiality and knowledge of international standards.

The immediate problem: students at the three institutions

Behind the legal and institutional debate is a very practical issue: the students who have already begun studying at the three affected institutions.

The government says that the academic year will not be lost and that all necessary measures will be taken to protect students’ rights and ensure the continuation of their studies.

However, that political commitment still needs to be translated into a specific administrative and legal mechanism.

Questions that need to be answered include: How will the studies continue? What legal status will govern the institutions while the required procedures are completed? What will happen with credits and examinations? How will students’ payments and financial obligations be protected? And what will apply to the degrees awarded?

The Ministry is already holding meetings with its legal department and officials to find a legal solution that will safeguard the continuation of studies.

There have also been reports of possible legal action by students, including in relation to tuition fees. These actions should not be confused with any final court ruling ordering the return of money.

The second major development: seven new NPEs

While the authorities are dealing with the consequences for the first three institutions, the Greek system has already expanded.

For the 2026–27 academic year, seven new branches of foreign universities have been licensed:

• Georgetown University, Athens
• Iowa State University of Science and Technology, in cooperation with the American Farm School, Thessaloniki
• Roger Williams University, in cooperation with Deree – The American College of Greece, Athens
• European University Cyprus, Athens
• Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, in cooperation with IdEF, Athens
• University of Essex, in cooperation with Aegean College, Athens
• University of Derby, in cooperation with Mediterranean College, Athens

The licenses concern the new academic year. However, the new appeal to the Council of State means that their legal status is no longer certain.

To be clear: the seven licenses have not been annulled. There is an application seeking their annulment, meaning that the matter is pending before the court. Until the court rules, it cannot be stated as a fact that the seven institutions will not operate.

Why the new appeal is particularly significant

The new appeal comes at a time when the Council of State has already identified specific shortcomings in the procedures followed for the first three NPEs.

The question now is whether the procedures followed for the seven new licenses took into account the requirements identified in the latest case law. That is a matter for the court to decide. The outcome of the new appeals cannot currently be predicted.

What is already clear is that the NPE system has entered a new phase. Every subsequent licensing decision will now be examined against a much more specific body of case law concerning documentation, certification criteria, building requirements and impartiality of procedures.

What the ruling means for the non-state university model

The Council of State ruling sends a dual message.

On the one hand, it does not generally challenge the ability of foreign universities to operate branches in Greece under the special legal framework.

On the other hand, it demonstrates that having a legal framework in place is not enough. Administrative authorities must be able to demonstrate, in a specific and verifiable manner, that every requirement has actually been satisfied. This applies both to buildings and facilities and to academic quality.

As a result, HAHE is at the center of a critical process in which it must refine the accreditation criteria without departing from European standards, while also ensuring that there are no gaps with respect to the requirements of Greek law.

The current picture for NPEs

The situation surrounding foreign-university branches in Greece can currently be summarized into five open fronts:

1. Implementing the Council of State’s decisions concerning the first three NPEs.
2. Refining the new accreditation framework through HAHE.
3. Finding a concrete solution to ensure the continuation of studies for students at the three affected institutions.
4. The judicial outcome of the new annulment applications concerning the seven NPEs licensed for 2026.
5. Establishing a stable long-term system in which public universities and branches of foreign institutions can coexist under clear rules and verifiable quality requirements.