On Tuesday, 1 September 2026, a modest internal ceremony marking the handover of the Rectoral Authority of the Hellenic Mediterranean University (HMU) was held in the Meeting Room of the Rectorate.
The ceremony was attended by members of both the outgoing and incoming Rectoral Authorities, as well as members of the outgoing and incoming Councils of Administration.
The outgoing Rector of the Hellenic Mediterranean University, Professor Nikos Katsarakis, spoke with emotion about the completion of an approximately nine-year tenure at the Rectorate, highlighting two of the most significant milestones of his term: the transformation of the Technological Educational Institute of Crete into the Hellenic Mediterranean University in 2019 and the establishment of the School of Engineering in 2025.
As he noted, the Hellenic Mediterranean University is currently experiencing a particularly strong period in its history, having completed major steps in its institutional and academic development and significantly strengthened its presence in Crete and across Greece. Among other achievements, he referred to the University’s standing in the evaluations conducted by the Hellenic Authority for Higher Education, its strong performance in the areas of engagement with society and internationalisation, as well as its international assessment by QS, which awarded the University an overall rating of four stars and the highest rating of five stars in the areas of Research, Employability and Good Governance.
Professor Nikos Katsarakis attributed this progress to the collective efforts of the entire university community and wished the new Rector, Professor Nektarios Papadogiannis, and the incoming Rectoral Authority a creative and successful term of office. He also expressed his conviction that the University now possesses all the necessary foundations to achieve an even stronger position on the academic map of Greece and Europe.
The new Rector of the Hellenic Mediterranean University, Professor Nektarios Papadogiannis, thanked the outgoing Rector, Professor Nikos Katsarakis, and the outgoing Rectoral Authority for their work and legacy, noting that the new Administration is taking over a University with significant achievements, strong academic Departments and growing confidence among its students.
As the central strategic direction for the new period, he set the goal of “continuous qualitative advancement”, placing particular emphasis on the quality of education, research, infrastructure, administration and the everyday experience of the university community.
He made particular reference to students, stressing that they must be placed genuinely at the heart of the University. In this context, he identified as priorities student housing and welfare across all academic campuses, psychosocial support, accessibility, safety, modern teaching facilities and laboratories, as well as the further development of sports, culture and the overall quality of student life. As he emphasised:
“Our academic contribution begins with the quality of everyday life.”
At the same time, he referred to the further internationalisation of HMU and to the ambition of establishing the University as an international academic hub in the Southeastern Mediterranean. He also highlighted the need to develop a comprehensive ten-year infrastructure plan for Heraklion, Rethymno, Chania, Agios Nikolaos and Sitia, as well as to advance the University’s full digital transformation.
Particular emphasis was also placed on a model of governance founded on transparency, accountability, participation, fairness and academic meritocracy, with the stated objective:
“To make HMU one of the most dynamic and widely recognised public universities in the country — a University that produces knowledge, creates opportunities, serves society and inspires young people.”
Concluding his address, the new Rector warmly thanked Professor Nikos Katsarakis for his many years of service and his contribution to the institutional establishment and development of the Hellenic Mediterranean University.
At the same time, he stressed that he assumes the Rectorate with profound confidence in the University’s potential and, above all, in its people. He underlined that the new Rectoral Authority will move forward with a clear plan, specific objectives, systematic evaluation of results, and a willingness to listen and make adjustments where necessary, emphasising that a great University is built by a community that believes in its own capabilities.
As he stated, the objective is that, by the end of the four-year term, HMU will be “better, stronger and more optimistic”, marking the beginning of a new era for the University.
