Visit of the Special Secretary for Artificial Intelligence and Data Governance to HMU

On Monday, October 26, 2026, the Hellenic Mediterranean University (HMU) welcomed Mr. Vasilis Karkatzounis, Special Secretary for Artificial Intelligence and Data Governance at the Ministry of Digital Governance, accompanied by Mr. Nikos Vasilakis, Advisor to the Special Secretary. The meeting took place in the Rectorate Meeting Room.

The visit focused on opportunities for collaboration between HMU and the Special Secretariat in the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in research, education and administration, with particular emphasis on the development of pilot applications and the further utilization of the University’s research activity.

Representing the Hellenic Mediterranean University were the Vice-Rector for Finance, Infrastructure and Development, Professor Stylianos Papadakis; the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs, Lifelong Learning and Student Welfare, Professor Panagiotis Nektarios; the Vice-Rector for Internationalization and Outreach, Professor Konstantinos Petridis; as well as the internal members of the University’s Council of Administration, Professors Athanasios Malamos, Anastasia Tabakaki and Christos Floros.

Welcoming the visitors, Professor Stylianos Papadakis highlighted HMU’s strong interest in actively contributing to national initiatives in Artificial Intelligence through concrete applications with measurable outcomes and the potential for wider use.

Mr. Karkatzounis presented the mission and work of the Special Secretariat, which designs and coordinates policies for the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence and public-sector data. He referred to the key pillars of the national strategy, including a human-centred institutional and regulatory framework, the use of AI in the public sector, training and capacity building, and the development of the necessary technological and research infrastructure.

Particular reference was made to the national supercomputer DAIDALOS and the potential use of its computing power for research and innovation. Mr. Karkatzounis also stressed the importance of strengthening links between the academic and research community and the market, an area in which, as he noted, there remains considerable scope for improvement.

Subsequently, the Vice-Rector for Finance, Infrastructure and Development, Professor Stylianos Papadakis, identified as a significant area of cooperation the potential use of HMU as a pilot environment for the development and evaluation of AI applications, with a view to their broader adoption by other universities. Examples included the development of a digital assistant to support students with administrative matters, the use of AI tools for searching regulatory decisions and circulars, and applications for energy analysis and the detection of unusual consumption patterns.

The Vice-Rector for Internationalization and Outreach, Professor Konstantinos Petridis, then presented the University’s educational initiatives in the field of Artificial Intelligence, developed through HMU’s international network of partnerships. Particular emphasis was placed on initiatives aimed at strengthening AI literacy among undergraduate students and teaching staff.

HMU research projects on water-resource and irrigation management were also presented, along with applications in the agri-food sector using drones, such as support for selective harvesting in vineyards and the automatic identification of plant species.

Mr. Karkatzounis expressed particular interest in HMU’s cutting-edge technologies and research projects, especially in the fields of energy and agri-food, as well as in its collaborations with other universities and research institutions in Crete. He also showed strong interest in the promotion of AI education and the University’s related educational initiatives. In addition, he invited HMU to submit specific proposals to the Special Secretariat so that possibilities for their further development, utilization and funding could be explored.

At the conclusion of the visit, it was agreed that contact points would be designated between HMU and the Special Secretariat in order to further develop potential areas of cooperation and support the utilization of research projects and applications developed at the University. Vice-Rector Stylianos Papadakis thanked Mr. Vasilis Karkatzounis and Mr. Nikos Vasilakis for their visit and presented them with commemorative gifts on behalf of the Hellenic Mediterranean University.