Wave of interest in postgraduate studies

An increasing number of Greeks have signed up for postgraduate studies over the past five years in an apparent bid to boost their chances of finding a job in an increasingly tough market.

Some 50,000 Greeks have registered for a master’s degree or doctorate since 2009, Kathimerini understands, with 15,000 having secured a postgraduate certificate from a foreign university during that time.

In view of the high unemployment rate in Greece – it is still above 25 percent after dipping from a record 28 percent in the fall of 2013 – many young Greeks appear keen to secure the grant that often accompanies a doctorate or master’s degree in order to make ends meet until a job opportunity presents itself. The majority of postgraduate students choose to specialize in the sciences, followed by economic studies and information technology.

Academics too have displayed an increased interest in postgraduate studies in a bid to tap into the new trend as well as securing their own positions at Greek universities by winning state funding for new programs.

The senate of one of the country’s largest institutions recently approved 20 new postgraduate programs, Kathimerini understands.

The abundance of new postgraduate courses does not necessarily correlate to academic needs but to a need for additional revenue, according to Vaso Kinti of Athens University.