From  27 to 29 May, 2025 a delegation of six (6) administrative staff from the Silesian University of Technology (SUT)  in Poland visited the Technical University of Crete (TUC) as part of a mutual knowledge exchange initiative aimed at sharing best practices in  academic affairs and student admissions.

More specifically, Ms Anna Wegrzyn, Ms Sandra Beck, Ms Patrycja Zbierzchowska, Ms Małgorzata Pachura, Ms Bernadeta Bonio, Ms Agnieszka Kamaj from SUT were welcomed on Tuesday 27th of May at TUC’s EURECA-PRO headquarters by EURECA-PRO TUC Project Manager Ms Dina Fragkedaki and Dr. Maria Papadomanolaki, who acts as a Mobility and Dissemination Coordinator. A group photo was taken in front of the EURECA-PRO Landmark art installation designed by researchers and students of TUC TIE Lab, and unveiled in March 2025.

The six delegates had a very rich and busy programme for the 27th and the 28th of May, visiting different Schools and Academic Services across TUC. On the 27th, Ms Galateia Malandraki, Head of the Secretariat of the School of Architecture, gave a very thorough and informative presentation of the main tasks and processes of a student journey, from enrollment, to registration, exams and graduation. The SUT colleagues where very particularly interested to know more about how perspective students select the Universities and Schools. Ms Loukia Papadaki, member of the Secretariat of the School of Production Engineering and Management focused on MSc and PhD student recruitment and enrollment, the digital platform used, as well as the different programmes offered in the School. Ms Maria Partsakoulaki, Head of the Department of Student Affairs gave a short and concise presentation on how TUC handles housing and catering for its students.

In the afternoon, the six delegates visited the Teaching and Learning Support (TLS) Center of TUC, where Dr. Lia Krassadaki, Head of the office, presented all the activities carried out in this newly established unit, that comprises among others, courses, workshops, a best practice library and a literature deposit. All this material aims to provide comprehensive support for the teaching work of the academic staff and to promote the overall learning experience of the students. The SUT colleagues were really interested in the activities of this unit, as there is no similar unit in their university. Nevertheless, SUT is very competent in PBL courses, which is a student-centered approach in learning, supported also by the TLS center of TUC. Ms Triantafyllia Lytra, Secretary of the Language Center, guided SUT colleagues through the building, providing information on the language courses and other activities that take place in this unit. After a fruitful discussion, it was highlighted from both sides that, although SUT has a functional Language Center, it does not have a dedicated building, which could serve also as a room for self-study, meeting point for students, or to host small-scale cultural and academic activities.

The next day of meetings focused on Library Services, Erasmus and Mobility, Quality Assurance, Evaluation and Accreditation, as well as further sessions with members of the Secretariats of TUC’s School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering and School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Ms Maria Ntaountaki, Head of TUC’s Library Services, informed the visitors about the mission of the library, its repository and catalogue, the range of materials, topics and the number and types of users. The presentation also included the different services it provides, from issuing a card to book check-outs and interlibrary loans, as well as the digital tools for supporting research and learning, such as AMELib, Kallipos+. Mr Eleftherios Maragkoudakis and Mr Panagiotis Paizakis, welcomed the group at TUC Erasmus+ Office to discuss processes and issues related to Student and Staff Mobility, International Students, and the different processes for completing a mobility at TUC. Common challenges between the two partners included issuing visas, communicating and collaborating with foreign offices and embassies, when it comes to international students, especially from countries that are experiencing active conflicts.

In the afternoon, the six delegates were welcomed at the Quality Assurance Unit by Ms Andreani Lyroni, Head of the unit. Ms Lyroni presented the most important duties of this unit, which comprises the coordination of internal and external evaluations, collection and analysis of data and accreditation of study programs. The SUT colleagues admitted having similar procedures with TUC, although they don’t have a dedicated quality assurance unit. A challenge that both institutions face is low student participation in the evaluation of courses. In the Secretariat of School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, a thorough discussion took place between the SUT colleagues and Ms Gina Poniridou and Ms Eleni Manousi. The discussion focused mainly in the digitalization of all student-related processes, the provisions for students (free accommodation and catering for low-income students and free books for all) and the challenge with non-active students (that stay enrolled in the school for years without actively studying). Ms Sofia Kataki, member of the Secretariat of the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering focused on the registration procedures followed by international students who study in TUC. The Mutual Knowledge Exchange Visit was completed with the demonstration of the Postgraduate Admissions Management System (e-graduate) deployed at TUC by Prof. Michail G. Lagoudakis, EURECA-PRO TUC Deputy Coordinator.

The visit provided valuable insights into the similarities and differences in administrative processes and student support services between the two institutions.

A notable difference between the two universities lies in the scope of responsibilities of administrative staff handling admissions. At  SUT, the tasks of admissions staff are more narrowly defined, whereas at TUC, administrative staff have broader roles in managing student enrolment and related processes.

The exchange visit highlighted valuable differences and common challenges in academic administration, teaching support, and student services between SUT and TUC. Areas for potential collaboration include:

• Expanding PBL and interactive teaching methodologies through joint training programs.
• Enhancing digitalization of administrative processes.
• Improving student engagement in course evaluations.
• Close collaboration between Erasmus and EURECA-PRO offices to increase international student numbers.

Both institutions expressed interest in further cooperation, including  staff and student mobility programs, to foster continuous improvement in higher education administration. This initiative underscores the importance of international collaboration in advancing academic excellence and administrative efficiency.

The visit of the delegation was completed with a group outing for dinner at a local tavern, where the polish colleagues tasted different dishes of the traditional Cretan cuisine and exchanged some last impressions of their visit with members of the EURECA-PRO TUC team.